Title: Fritz Danced the Fandango
Author: Alicia Potter
Illustrator: Ethan Long
Publisher: Scholastic
Year of Publication: 2009
Genre: Fiction
Horn Book or Kirkus Reviews rating: Horn Book gave this book a 3 rating.
Summary: Fritz, a goat that dances the fandango, is rejected by his herd. He goes to find a new herd and meets some equally unusual friends.
Summary of Professional Reviews: Horn Book liked Potter's musical onomatopoeia and playful language. They feel that this story would make for a spirited read-aloud. Horn Book also liked Long's bright, energetic green, purple, and blue-tinged pictures.
Review by Alexis: This book has a unique storyline. A reader would never have thought a goat that dances the fandango would meet a dog that plays a glockenspiel or a sheep that yodels. The story also has a really heartwarming ending, which many readers would like. Fritz realizes that he found good friends and does not need a herd of goats. Long's illustrations add to the text on each page of the story. At first glance, the illustrations do not look like they would be quality illustrations. They are extremely bright colors and, on the first few pages, look stamped on. As one reads further into the book, they will see the faces of the characters change and truly depict the character's emotion. Especially near the ending where Fritz is sad, the reader can feel Fritz's sadness and empathize with him better.
This book would be useful when teaching… This book would be useful to teach a third or fourth grade class about geography. The teacher can pick out terms in the book (stream, pasture, stile) and teach about topography. The teacher can teach students what each thing looks like and where they are found. A teacher can also choose the terms fandango, glockenspiel, and yodel; and teach students about the culture of each country that those terms come from. Along with the country, the teacher can teach what each thing is. For example, the teacher can teach that the fandango is a Portuguese folk dance and they can teach the history behind the dance.
Author: Alicia Potter
Illustrator: Ethan Long
Publisher: Scholastic
Year of Publication: 2009
Genre: Fiction
Horn Book or Kirkus Reviews rating: Horn Book gave this book a 3 rating.
Summary: Fritz, a goat that dances the fandango, is rejected by his herd. He goes to find a new herd and meets some equally unusual friends.
Summary of Professional Reviews: Horn Book liked Potter's musical onomatopoeia and playful language. They feel that this story would make for a spirited read-aloud. Horn Book also liked Long's bright, energetic green, purple, and blue-tinged pictures.
Review by Alexis: This book has a unique storyline. A reader would never have thought a goat that dances the fandango would meet a dog that plays a glockenspiel or a sheep that yodels. The story also has a really heartwarming ending, which many readers would like. Fritz realizes that he found good friends and does not need a herd of goats. Long's illustrations add to the text on each page of the story. At first glance, the illustrations do not look like they would be quality illustrations. They are extremely bright colors and, on the first few pages, look stamped on. As one reads further into the book, they will see the faces of the characters change and truly depict the character's emotion. Especially near the ending where Fritz is sad, the reader can feel Fritz's sadness and empathize with him better.
This book would be useful when teaching… This book would be useful to teach a third or fourth grade class about geography. The teacher can pick out terms in the book (stream, pasture, stile) and teach about topography. The teacher can teach students what each thing looks like and where they are found. A teacher can also choose the terms fandango, glockenspiel, and yodel; and teach students about the culture of each country that those terms come from. Along with the country, the teacher can teach what each thing is. For example, the teacher can teach that the fandango is a Portuguese folk dance and they can teach the history behind the dance.