Melanie Hope Greenberg

Summary: This book follows a little girl who walks in the mermaid parade on Coney Island, NY. She dresses up and sees the many other people participating in the event. She describes why they have this parade and wins a prize at the end for being the best little mermaid.

Personal reflection: I have always wanted to go to the mermaid parade, and it looks like so much fun. It helps illustrate all of these different types of people coming together to celebrate the arts, and creativity.

Class use: This could help teach children about sea creatures in a fun way, and about traditions especially if I move back home and work in schools there.… (más)

This book was very fun to read. It goes through a story illustrated with colorful pictures with great details as a little girl goes through a day in her life. The day she is telling the reader about happens to be the day of summer solstice where they open the ocean for everyone to swim in with a huge parade of mermaids and sea creatures. She dresses in a mermaid costume with a huge shell that her parents pull her in, #55. You know the story is based on true information because the author mentions real streets and things such as "Marchers arrived early and crowd into my Coney Island neighborhood." In the end everyone swims and throws fruits and vegetables in the ocean to feed the sea gods and you as the reader get to see if she wins best little mermaid.… (más)

Aunt Lilly's Laundromat is a story of Aunt Lily and her hobby of painting her past. Aunt LIly loves to paint her memories of Haiti, the flowers and fruits are what she loves to draw. She misses her country so much and longs for the fragrance of the flowers and fruits. Aunt Lilly is an excellent worker as she is known for never losing so much as a sock. She washes peoples clothes and assorts them according to the flowers and fruits of her country. She also uses soaps and products that are not harmful to the environment. At the end of the day aunt Lily is exhuasted, and then she remembers her family and friends back in Haitil. She recalls the long days of working in the fields, then she is grateful for the job she now has.… (más)