1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Kinney, Jeff. 2007. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID. New York, NY: Abrams. ISBN 978-0-8109-8391-5
2. PLOT SUMMARY
This incredibly popular book series by Jeff Kinney resonates with the preteen set. The books are written journal style by a middle-class, middle school boy named Greg Heffley. In Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Greg writes about the trials and tribulations he must endure in his life.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Jeff Kinney humorously writes this series from a twelve-year-old boy’s perspective. The author’s intimate understanding of the young adolescent’s egocentric mindset results in writing that is authentic to the preteen experience. Children can relate to Greg and the trials he endures. In addition, it gives children the opportunity to see some of their behaviors and beliefs from a different perspective. In Diary of a Wimpy Kid., Greg and his friend Rowley have a love/hate relationship. For example, Greg is upset and throws a football at Rowley while he is riding a Big Wheel that Greg is upset, breaking Rowley’s finger. Then, he gets angry when Rowley gets attention from girls because he is injured. Greg is self-centered and immature. He is also feels misunderstood and cannot understand why other people do not see the world as he does. Parents will enjoy this book as much as youngsters because Kinney gives us a glimpse of the inner-workings of the Ppreadolescent mind and the thought process behind some of their most difficult to understand antics.
The stick figure illustrations, by Kinney, complement the quirkiness and offbeat humor of the book beautifully. The illustrations elicit giggles from children (and parents of young adolescents) because they capture the essence of characters and situations.
4. BOOK AWARDS AND EXCERPT(S)
New York Times Best Seller
2008 Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards: Favorite Book
2009 Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards: Favorite Book
ALA Notable Book
2010 Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards: Favorite Book Series (winner)
Publishers Weekly **Starred Review** Kinney ably skewers familiar aspects of junior high life, from dealing with the mysteries of what makes someone popular to the trauma of a "wrestling unit" in gym class. His print debut should keep readers in stitches, eagerly anticipating Greg's further adventures.
School Library Journal **Greg is a conflicted soul: he wants to do the right thing, but the constant quest for status and girls seems to undermine his every effort.
Booklist: Greg tells his story in a series of short, episodic chapters. Most revolve around the adolescent male curse: the need to do incredibly dumb things because they seem to be a good idea at the time.
5. CONNECTIONS
Van Draanen, Wendelin. 2009. THE GECKO AND STICKY: THE GREATEST POWER. ISBN- 10 0375843760
Kinney, Jeff. 2008. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: RODRICK RULES. ISBN-10: 0810994739
Kinney, Jeff. 2008. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: DO IT YOURSELF BOOK. ISBN-10: 0810979772
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Looking for Alaska by John Green
1. Green, John. 2006. LOOKING FOR ALASKA. New York, NY: Puffin. ISBN-20: 014241221X
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Up until the summer before Junior year, Miles life has been as exciting as vanilla pudding. Looking for a change in his life, he decides to attend his father’s alma mater, a boarding prep school for children of wealthy parents. Miles is not disappointed when he meets his roommate, The Colonel, a poor genius on scholarship and Alaska, a brilliant, wild and unpredictable beauty with whom he instantly falls in love. The first half of the book entails Miles trying to find himself amidst bigger-than-life characters. The second half of the book involves Miles’ quest to find meaning in the aftermath of a tragedy.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Looking for Alaska is a complex book that explores many issues young adults struggle with including identity, friendship, sexuality, peer pressure, and the meaning of life. Green weaves the heavy themes around Miles’ odd penchant for famous people’s last words. Miles explains his desire to go to boarding school to his parents by explaining, "Francois Rabelais. He was a poet. And his last words were "I go to seek a Great Perhaps." That's why I'm going. So I don't have to wait until I die to start seeking a Great Perhaps." Green has an understanding of the common adolescent desire to do something bigger than life.
Alaska is an enigma. She is beautiful, charismatic, self-destructive, impulsive, and moody. Her behavior is difficult to understand until Alaska opens up to her friends about the wound of her mother’s death. This tragic event has both tormented Alaska and has played a defining role in her life. Ultimately, Alaska’s own death is directly linked to her mother’s death, her inability to forgive herself, and her self-punishment for something that was out of her control. Miles transformation and maturity is evident when he has the realization, “…He was gone, and I did not have time to tell him what I had just now realized: that I forgave him, and that she forgave us, and that we had to forgive to survive in the labyrinth. There were so many of us who would have to live with things done and things left undone that day.”
Looking for Alaska is appropriate for older, mature adolescents and provides an abundance of material for discussion.
4. BOOK AWARDS AND EXCEPT(S)
Michael L. Printz Award Winner
School Library Journal: “Miles's narration is alive with sweet, self-deprecating humor, and his obvious struggle to tell the story truthfully adds to his believability. Like Phineas in John Knowles's A Separate Peace(S & S, 1960), Green draws Alaska so lovingly, in self-loathing darkness as well as energetic light, that readers mourn her loss along with her friends.”
5. CONNECTIONS
Henke, Kevin. 2005. OLIVE’S OCEAN. ISBN-10: 0060535458
Perkins, Lynne Rae. 2007. CRISS CROSS. ISBN-10: 0060092742
Kadohata, Cynthia. 2006. KIRA-KIRA. ISBN-10: 0689856407
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Up until the summer before Junior year, Miles life has been as exciting as vanilla pudding. Looking for a change in his life, he decides to attend his father’s alma mater, a boarding prep school for children of wealthy parents. Miles is not disappointed when he meets his roommate, The Colonel, a poor genius on scholarship and Alaska, a brilliant, wild and unpredictable beauty with whom he instantly falls in love. The first half of the book entails Miles trying to find himself amidst bigger-than-life characters. The second half of the book involves Miles’ quest to find meaning in the aftermath of a tragedy.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Looking for Alaska is a complex book that explores many issues young adults struggle with including identity, friendship, sexuality, peer pressure, and the meaning of life. Green weaves the heavy themes around Miles’ odd penchant for famous people’s last words. Miles explains his desire to go to boarding school to his parents by explaining, "Francois Rabelais. He was a poet. And his last words were "I go to seek a Great Perhaps." That's why I'm going. So I don't have to wait until I die to start seeking a Great Perhaps." Green has an understanding of the common adolescent desire to do something bigger than life.
Alaska is an enigma. She is beautiful, charismatic, self-destructive, impulsive, and moody. Her behavior is difficult to understand until Alaska opens up to her friends about the wound of her mother’s death. This tragic event has both tormented Alaska and has played a defining role in her life. Ultimately, Alaska’s own death is directly linked to her mother’s death, her inability to forgive herself, and her self-punishment for something that was out of her control. Miles transformation and maturity is evident when he has the realization, “…He was gone, and I did not have time to tell him what I had just now realized: that I forgave him, and that she forgave us, and that we had to forgive to survive in the labyrinth. There were so many of us who would have to live with things done and things left undone that day.”
Looking for Alaska is appropriate for older, mature adolescents and provides an abundance of material for discussion.
4. BOOK AWARDS AND EXCEPT(S)
Michael L. Printz Award Winner
School Library Journal: “Miles's narration is alive with sweet, self-deprecating humor, and his obvious struggle to tell the story truthfully adds to his believability. Like Phineas in John Knowles's A Separate Peace(S & S, 1960), Green draws Alaska so lovingly, in self-loathing darkness as well as energetic light, that readers mourn her loss along with her friends.”
5. CONNECTIONS
Henke, Kevin. 2005. OLIVE’S OCEAN. ISBN-10: 0060535458
Perkins, Lynne Rae. 2007. CRISS CROSS. ISBN-10: 0060092742
Kadohata, Cynthia. 2006. KIRA-KIRA. ISBN-10: 0689856407
Rules by Cynthia Lord
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lord, Cynthia. 2006. RULES. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc. ISBN-13-978-0-545-03640-5
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In this insightful and valuable book, Lord creates a likeable and very real character in Catherine, a twelve-year-old girl with an eight-year-old autistic brother. Catherine is torn between love for her brother and fear of the impact his behavior has on how friends perceive her. When a new friend moves in next door, Catherine’s fear of rejection intensifies until a young, severely physically disabled young man helps her to understand that tolerance and acceptance must begin with her.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In Rules, Lord tells a powerful story that is useful for helping young adolescents to develop sensitivity toward those who are different. Readers will find it easy to relate to twelve-year-old Catherine, who struggles with her mixed feeling toward her autistic eight-year-old brother. Through Catherine, older children get a glimpse of the difficulty of having a sibling whose disability is the center of a family’s life.
Through this book, readers have an opportunity to become better acquainted with autism. Eight-year-old David needs rules to make sense of the world he lives in. Since he perceives things differently than others around him, David relies on rules in order to help him to function in everyday life. Catherine writes down rules for David because he “needs to be taught everything. Everything from the fact that a peach is not a funny-looking apple to how having long hair doesn’t make someone a girl.” However, as someone who defends and must take care of someone with autism, Catherine has her own ongoing survival list or rules.
Catherine learns that one can make the most unusual friends when one is willing to look beneath the surface. When she first “talks” to Jason, a severely disabled, non-verbal wheelchair-bound young man, she never expects to find a funny, sarcastic and intelligent human being. As she begins to see him as a “real” person, she volunteers to write/draw words that will help him to express himself. In the process of giving him words, Catherine learns how to tell her parents that she needs their attention also while acknowledging that David, her brother, does have significant needs. Also, Jason helps her to move beyond herself in order to see that others around her have needs and feelings also. He becomes a catalyst that changes Catherine’s relationships with all the important people in her life.
4. AWARDS AND BOOK EXCERPT(S)
Newbery Honor Medal
Schneider Family Book Award
Kentucky Bluegrass Award
ALA Notable Children's Book
Booklist: “A heartwarming first novel.”
Kirkus Reviews: “Catherine is an appealing and believable character, acutely self-conscious and torn between her love for her brother and her resentment of his special needs. Middle-grade readers will recognize her longing for acceptance and be intrigued by this exploration of dealing with differences.”
Publisher’s Weekly: "The appealing, credible narrator at the heart of Lord's debut novel will draw in readers, as she struggles to find order and balance in her life.”
School Library Journal: "Catherine is an endearing narrator who tells her story with both humor and heartbreak. . . this sensitive story is about being different, feeling different, and finding acceptance. A lovely, warm read, and a great discussion starter."
Library Media Connection: "The first-person narrative is very engaging, and readers will identify with Catherine's struggles and cheer for her at the end. This is a great book to help students gain some understanding about autism, while also providing a good read. The author is the mother of an autistic child.”
5. CONNECTIONS:
Lowry, Lois. 2005. THE SILENT BOY. ISBN-10: 0440419808
Woodson, Jacqueline. 2007. FEATHERS. ISBN -10: 0399239898
Picoult, Jodi. 2010. HOUSE RULES: A NOVEL. ISBN-10: 0743296435
Lord, Cynthia. 2006. RULES. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc. ISBN-13-978-0-545-03640-5
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In this insightful and valuable book, Lord creates a likeable and very real character in Catherine, a twelve-year-old girl with an eight-year-old autistic brother. Catherine is torn between love for her brother and fear of the impact his behavior has on how friends perceive her. When a new friend moves in next door, Catherine’s fear of rejection intensifies until a young, severely physically disabled young man helps her to understand that tolerance and acceptance must begin with her.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In Rules, Lord tells a powerful story that is useful for helping young adolescents to develop sensitivity toward those who are different. Readers will find it easy to relate to twelve-year-old Catherine, who struggles with her mixed feeling toward her autistic eight-year-old brother. Through Catherine, older children get a glimpse of the difficulty of having a sibling whose disability is the center of a family’s life.
Through this book, readers have an opportunity to become better acquainted with autism. Eight-year-old David needs rules to make sense of the world he lives in. Since he perceives things differently than others around him, David relies on rules in order to help him to function in everyday life. Catherine writes down rules for David because he “needs to be taught everything. Everything from the fact that a peach is not a funny-looking apple to how having long hair doesn’t make someone a girl.” However, as someone who defends and must take care of someone with autism, Catherine has her own ongoing survival list or rules.
Catherine learns that one can make the most unusual friends when one is willing to look beneath the surface. When she first “talks” to Jason, a severely disabled, non-verbal wheelchair-bound young man, she never expects to find a funny, sarcastic and intelligent human being. As she begins to see him as a “real” person, she volunteers to write/draw words that will help him to express himself. In the process of giving him words, Catherine learns how to tell her parents that she needs their attention also while acknowledging that David, her brother, does have significant needs. Also, Jason helps her to move beyond herself in order to see that others around her have needs and feelings also. He becomes a catalyst that changes Catherine’s relationships with all the important people in her life.
4. AWARDS AND BOOK EXCERPT(S)
Newbery Honor Medal
Schneider Family Book Award
Kentucky Bluegrass Award
ALA Notable Children's Book
Booklist: “A heartwarming first novel.”
Kirkus Reviews: “Catherine is an appealing and believable character, acutely self-conscious and torn between her love for her brother and her resentment of his special needs. Middle-grade readers will recognize her longing for acceptance and be intrigued by this exploration of dealing with differences.”
Publisher’s Weekly: "The appealing, credible narrator at the heart of Lord's debut novel will draw in readers, as she struggles to find order and balance in her life.”
School Library Journal: "Catherine is an endearing narrator who tells her story with both humor and heartbreak. . . this sensitive story is about being different, feeling different, and finding acceptance. A lovely, warm read, and a great discussion starter."
Library Media Connection: "The first-person narrative is very engaging, and readers will identify with Catherine's struggles and cheer for her at the end. This is a great book to help students gain some understanding about autism, while also providing a good read. The author is the mother of an autistic child.”
5. CONNECTIONS:
Lowry, Lois. 2005. THE SILENT BOY. ISBN-10: 0440419808
Woodson, Jacqueline. 2007. FEATHERS. ISBN -10: 0399239898
Picoult, Jodi. 2010. HOUSE RULES: A NOVEL. ISBN-10: 0743296435
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Number of the Stars by Lois Lowry
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lowry, Lois. 1989. NUMBER THE STARS. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company.
ISBN 0-395-51060-0
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry is a well-written, well-researched historical fiction based on the factual, but little-known response of the people of Denmark to the Nazi’s Final Solution. The main character, Annemarie, is a ten-year-old child who lives in Denmark during the Nazi occupation. Although her best friend, Ellen, is Jewish, Annemarie has no understanding of the underlying evil that threatens her friend’s life. Number the Stars is the story of how Denmark’s people responded the one of the greatest evils to face the world, the Nazi’s determination to exterminate a race.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Many books have been written about the Holocaust. However, Lois Lowry’s choice of setting and her choice of a ten-year-old main character are absolutely brilliant. Denmark made a decision to protect its Jewish citizens from the horrors of the Nazi’s death camps. They did so even though it meant that some Danes paid the ultimate price for their stance, torture and execution. In this way, children can be introduced to a very dark time in modern history on a positive note. Denmark did what was right because the Danes rightly viewed their Jewish neighbors as friends and fellow citizens.
Young readers experience the occupation of Denmark through ten-year-old Annemarie’s eyes. Initially, the readers’ first contact with “the soldiers” occurs when Annemarie is racing home at the very beginning of the book. She calls the tall one “the Giraffe” and he shows his human side by responding to Annemarie’s feisty little sister with laughter and amusement. He says, “She is pretty, like my own little girl.” In this way, young readers witness that Nazi soldiers are humans with families that they love. When other soldiers come looking for Ellen’s family, they are not so human. However, Annemarie has allowed young readers to witness that not all soldiers are the same.
Annemarie’s emerging awareness of the gravity of the situation comes to a head on the night that the soldiers burst into her family’s apartment looking for Ellen’s family. Even though she is afraid, Annemarie learns that one can be afraid and still find the strength and courage to do the right thing. When soldiers invade their home, Annemarie pulls the Star of David necklace from Ellen’s neck. Her understanding continues to deepen when she witnesses her parents’ unflinching bravery in the face of brutal Nazi soldiers in search of Jews. Finally, Annemarie makes a choice to selflessly do the right thing when, fully understanding the danger of being “found out,” she risks her safety to protect her Uncle, her friends, and those he is transporting to safety. Annemarie grows up before our eyes as she takes her place beside her family, and her nation, in acting as the Jewish people’s “bodyguard.”
When she learns of how her sister died, she understands that her family has already paid the ultimate price. Her beautiful eighteen-year-old sister Lise had been part of the Resistance and had been killed by the Nazi’s while trying to escape capture. Even though her parents were devastated by the loss of their daughter, they did not hesitate to risk their lives to help their friends.
Ultimately, Number the Stars, is an excellent historical fiction for young readers. It provides a wealth of material for discussion about the power of choice. The underlying message is that although we may not be able to control factors in our environment, we can make a choice about our response to it.
4. AWARDS AND EXCERPT(S)
1990 Newbery Prize Winner
Publisher’s Weekly: “Set in Nazi-occupied Denmark in 1943, this 1990 Newbery winner tells of a 10-year-old girl who undertakes a dangerous mission to save her best friend.”
School Library Journal: “Readers are taken to the very heart of Annemarie's experience, and, through her eyes, come to understand the true meaning of bravery.”
5. CONNECTIONS – If you enjoyed Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, you may also enjoy:
Ippisch, Hanneke. SKY: A TRUE STORY OF RESISTANCE DURING WORLD WAR II. ISBN-10: 068980508X
Lowry, Lois. THE GIVER. ISBN-10: 0385732554
Hoose, Phillip. CLAUDETTE COLVIN: TWICE TOWARD JUSTICE. ISBN-10: 0374313229
Bartoletti, Susan. HITLER YOUTH: GROWING UP IN HITLER’S SHADOW. ISBN-10: 0439353793
Lowry, Lois. 1989. NUMBER THE STARS. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company.
ISBN 0-395-51060-0
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry is a well-written, well-researched historical fiction based on the factual, but little-known response of the people of Denmark to the Nazi’s Final Solution. The main character, Annemarie, is a ten-year-old child who lives in Denmark during the Nazi occupation. Although her best friend, Ellen, is Jewish, Annemarie has no understanding of the underlying evil that threatens her friend’s life. Number the Stars is the story of how Denmark’s people responded the one of the greatest evils to face the world, the Nazi’s determination to exterminate a race.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Many books have been written about the Holocaust. However, Lois Lowry’s choice of setting and her choice of a ten-year-old main character are absolutely brilliant. Denmark made a decision to protect its Jewish citizens from the horrors of the Nazi’s death camps. They did so even though it meant that some Danes paid the ultimate price for their stance, torture and execution. In this way, children can be introduced to a very dark time in modern history on a positive note. Denmark did what was right because the Danes rightly viewed their Jewish neighbors as friends and fellow citizens.
Young readers experience the occupation of Denmark through ten-year-old Annemarie’s eyes. Initially, the readers’ first contact with “the soldiers” occurs when Annemarie is racing home at the very beginning of the book. She calls the tall one “the Giraffe” and he shows his human side by responding to Annemarie’s feisty little sister with laughter and amusement. He says, “She is pretty, like my own little girl.” In this way, young readers witness that Nazi soldiers are humans with families that they love. When other soldiers come looking for Ellen’s family, they are not so human. However, Annemarie has allowed young readers to witness that not all soldiers are the same.
Annemarie’s emerging awareness of the gravity of the situation comes to a head on the night that the soldiers burst into her family’s apartment looking for Ellen’s family. Even though she is afraid, Annemarie learns that one can be afraid and still find the strength and courage to do the right thing. When soldiers invade their home, Annemarie pulls the Star of David necklace from Ellen’s neck. Her understanding continues to deepen when she witnesses her parents’ unflinching bravery in the face of brutal Nazi soldiers in search of Jews. Finally, Annemarie makes a choice to selflessly do the right thing when, fully understanding the danger of being “found out,” she risks her safety to protect her Uncle, her friends, and those he is transporting to safety. Annemarie grows up before our eyes as she takes her place beside her family, and her nation, in acting as the Jewish people’s “bodyguard.”
When she learns of how her sister died, she understands that her family has already paid the ultimate price. Her beautiful eighteen-year-old sister Lise had been part of the Resistance and had been killed by the Nazi’s while trying to escape capture. Even though her parents were devastated by the loss of their daughter, they did not hesitate to risk their lives to help their friends.
Ultimately, Number the Stars, is an excellent historical fiction for young readers. It provides a wealth of material for discussion about the power of choice. The underlying message is that although we may not be able to control factors in our environment, we can make a choice about our response to it.
4. AWARDS AND EXCERPT(S)
1990 Newbery Prize Winner
Publisher’s Weekly: “Set in Nazi-occupied Denmark in 1943, this 1990 Newbery winner tells of a 10-year-old girl who undertakes a dangerous mission to save her best friend.”
School Library Journal: “Readers are taken to the very heart of Annemarie's experience, and, through her eyes, come to understand the true meaning of bravery.”
5. CONNECTIONS – If you enjoyed Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, you may also enjoy:
Ippisch, Hanneke. SKY: A TRUE STORY OF RESISTANCE DURING WORLD WAR II. ISBN-10: 068980508X
Lowry, Lois. THE GIVER. ISBN-10: 0385732554
Hoose, Phillip. CLAUDETTE COLVIN: TWICE TOWARD JUSTICE. ISBN-10: 0374313229
Bartoletti, Susan. HITLER YOUTH: GROWING UP IN HITLER’S SHADOW. ISBN-10: 0439353793
The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Cushman, Karen. 1995. THE MIDWIFE’S APPRENTICE. New York, NY: Harpercollins Children’s Books. ISBN-0-06440630
2. PLOT SUMMARY
The Midwife’s Apprentice is a historical fiction that transports readers to the Middle Ages and introduces us to an unloved, but very lovable young waif. Through her eyes, young (and old) readers catch a glimpse of a radically different time and place. Cushman tells the tale of a remarkable young waif who blossoms into a remarkable young woman.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Cushman does a remarkable job in this rich book for young adult readers. Cushman introduces us to a heroine that has much to teach through her reactions to the harsh realities of her life as an abandoned or orphaned child in Medieval England. In the beginning of the story, the waif does not even have a name. The midwife names her “Beetle” because she had learned to survive in the cold of winter by sleeping in “warm, rotting muck” composed of animal droppings, garbage, and spoiled straw. Through her eyes and her thoughts, we are allowed to experience the life of an “ill-used” child in a time and place that had little to spare for such children. The midwife is harsh, but provides her with minimal care for Beetle’s hard work. Like a wildflower, Beetle thrives on just the little she is given. As observers who are emotionally connected to the main character, we are delighted when she becomes strong enough to claim a name for herself, Alyce.
The Midwife’s Apprentice allows readers to vicariously experience the smells, sight, and beliefs of village life in the Middle Ages. Through Alyce, we experience the mixture of superstition, dubious medicines such as “dragon dung,” and unsanitary practices that comprised medieval medicine.
This educational historical is well-written, well-researched, and provides a wonderful story for young and old readers.
4. AWARDS AND EXCERPT(S)
1996 Notable Children’s Book
1996 Best Book for Young Adults
New York Public Library 1995 List of Recommended Books
Booklist: *Books for Youth Editors Choice* “Kids will like this short, fast-paced narrative about a hero who discovers that she's not ugly or stupid or alone.”
School Library Journal *Best Books of the Year, 1995* ”Characters are sketched briefly but with telling, witty detail, and the very scents and sounds of the land and people's occupations fill each page as Alyce comes of age and heart.
Publisher’s Weekly: “Cushman has an almost unrivaled ability to build atmosphere, and her evocation of a medieval village, if not scholarly in its authenticity, is supremely colorful and pungent."
5. CONNECTIONS – If you liked historical fiction from Medieval Ages, then you will also enjoy:
Cushman, Karen. CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY. ISBN-10: 0064405842
Cushman, Karen. MATILDA BONE. ISBN-10: 0440418224
Avi. THE CRISPIN: CROSS OF LEAD. ISBN-10: 0786816589
Cushman, Karen. 1995. THE MIDWIFE’S APPRENTICE. New York, NY: Harpercollins Children’s Books. ISBN-0-06440630
2. PLOT SUMMARY
The Midwife’s Apprentice is a historical fiction that transports readers to the Middle Ages and introduces us to an unloved, but very lovable young waif. Through her eyes, young (and old) readers catch a glimpse of a radically different time and place. Cushman tells the tale of a remarkable young waif who blossoms into a remarkable young woman.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Cushman does a remarkable job in this rich book for young adult readers. Cushman introduces us to a heroine that has much to teach through her reactions to the harsh realities of her life as an abandoned or orphaned child in Medieval England. In the beginning of the story, the waif does not even have a name. The midwife names her “Beetle” because she had learned to survive in the cold of winter by sleeping in “warm, rotting muck” composed of animal droppings, garbage, and spoiled straw. Through her eyes and her thoughts, we are allowed to experience the life of an “ill-used” child in a time and place that had little to spare for such children. The midwife is harsh, but provides her with minimal care for Beetle’s hard work. Like a wildflower, Beetle thrives on just the little she is given. As observers who are emotionally connected to the main character, we are delighted when she becomes strong enough to claim a name for herself, Alyce.
The Midwife’s Apprentice allows readers to vicariously experience the smells, sight, and beliefs of village life in the Middle Ages. Through Alyce, we experience the mixture of superstition, dubious medicines such as “dragon dung,” and unsanitary practices that comprised medieval medicine.
This educational historical is well-written, well-researched, and provides a wonderful story for young and old readers.
4. AWARDS AND EXCERPT(S)
1996 Notable Children’s Book
1996 Best Book for Young Adults
New York Public Library 1995 List of Recommended Books
Booklist: *Books for Youth Editors Choice* “Kids will like this short, fast-paced narrative about a hero who discovers that she's not ugly or stupid or alone.”
School Library Journal *Best Books of the Year, 1995* ”Characters are sketched briefly but with telling, witty detail, and the very scents and sounds of the land and people's occupations fill each page as Alyce comes of age and heart.
Publisher’s Weekly: “Cushman has an almost unrivaled ability to build atmosphere, and her evocation of a medieval village, if not scholarly in its authenticity, is supremely colorful and pungent."
5. CONNECTIONS – If you liked historical fiction from Medieval Ages, then you will also enjoy:
Cushman, Karen. CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY. ISBN-10: 0064405842
Cushman, Karen. MATILDA BONE. ISBN-10: 0440418224
Avi. THE CRISPIN: CROSS OF LEAD. ISBN-10: 0786816589
The River Between Us by Richard Peck
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Peck, Richard. 2003. THE RIVER BETWEEN US. New York, NY: Dial Books. ISBN 0-80372735-6
2. PLOT SUMMARY
The River Between Us by Richard Peck is a fascinating and well-written historical drama that spans decades. In the beginning of this book the year is 1916 and a war is raging in Europe that threatens to engulf the world. Under these circumstances, we meet a young man named Howard Leland Hutchings who is the son of a hardworking doctor. His father decides to take him and his brothers to meet his family in Grand Tower, a small town on the Mississippi. Through young Howard’s eyes, we catch a glimpse of the four colorful characters who are his father’s “folks.” Soon after, readers find themselves transported back to the first days of the Civil War. We meet the “folks” when they were young and experience the uncertainty and then the horror of the Civil War through their eyes. We also learn about a little known social class in our country’s history, the” free people of color”.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This young adult historical fiction is so intricately woven that one has difficulty remembering it is not a book written for adults. The main characters are rich and an air of mystery permeates this book. We know very quickly that things are not what they seem and the twist at the end is both expected, but ironically still surprising. In this book, the role of the main character is never firmly established. Although we experience the bulk of the book through the eyes of Tilly, a girl emerging into young womanhood, our fascination is with Delphine. Delphine is a flamboyant, mysterious, and sophisticated young woman who arrives in Grand Tower on a steam boat having fled from New Orleans. She is supposedly on her way to see an aunt and with her is a mysterious servant/slave, Calinda. However, it becomes obvious that their relationship is not all that it seems when Delphine and Calinda end up rooming with Tilly’s family. Delphine and Calinda share their unique and flavorful Creole culture with Tilly and her family, but seem to be less than forthcoming about their past. From the time we “meet” Delphine and Calinda, like Tilly, we are constantly trying to make sense of who they are. We long to catch a glimpse of those two over Tilly’s shoulder because they are so different, and so intriguing.
Tilly’s own family is unusual. She has a young sister who has the second sight. Her twin brother is a young man who is torn by his duty toward his family and to a nation that is at war. Readers are left trying to figure out the mystery of the absent father. Tilly’s mother is a careworn woman who is stretched to the breaking point by the strain of her situation as a single mother and abandoned wife in a time when society was very judgmental about such things. Peck does an impeccable job presenting a snapshot of life in the 1860’s during the Civil War in a small town.
A master storyteller, Peck has written a story that is multi-layered, complex, and historically accurate. It seems significant that this journey into the past takes place in 1916, just prior to the next horrendous war to be faced by this nation’s youth. Although we only spend but a short time with Howard Leland Hutchings, the connection between the historical periods is undeniable. The young characters motivate young readers to wonder how they would have responded to the challenges presented by some of the most difficult times in American history. Young and old readers will experience the Civil War in a new and fascinating way and will learn of a resilient people called, “the free people of color.”
4. AWARDS AND EXCERPT(S)
School Library Journal: “ In this thoroughly researched novel, Peck masterfully describes the female Civil War experience, the subtle and not-too-subtle ways the country was changing, and the split in loyalty that separated towns and even families.”
Booklist: “It's a riveting story that shows racism everywhere and young people facing war, not sure what side to be on or why.”
Kirkus Review: *Starred Review* A rich tale full of magic, mystery, and surprise.
The Horn Book: *Starred Review* The harsh realities of war are brutally related in a complex, always surprising plot that resonates on multiple levels.
5. CONNECTIONS – If you enjoyed this Civil War historical fiction, you are likely to also enjoy:
Paulsen, Gary. SOLDIER’S HEART: BEING THE STORY OF THE ENLISTMENT AND DURE SERVICE OF THE BOY CHARLEY GODDARD IN THE FIRST MINNESOTA. ISBN- 10: 0385324987
Rinaldi, Ann. IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE. ISBN-10: 0590447319
Rinaldi, Ann. THE LAST SILK DRESS. ISBN-10: 0440228611
Peck, Richard. 2003. THE RIVER BETWEEN US. New York, NY: Dial Books. ISBN 0-80372735-6
2. PLOT SUMMARY
The River Between Us by Richard Peck is a fascinating and well-written historical drama that spans decades. In the beginning of this book the year is 1916 and a war is raging in Europe that threatens to engulf the world. Under these circumstances, we meet a young man named Howard Leland Hutchings who is the son of a hardworking doctor. His father decides to take him and his brothers to meet his family in Grand Tower, a small town on the Mississippi. Through young Howard’s eyes, we catch a glimpse of the four colorful characters who are his father’s “folks.” Soon after, readers find themselves transported back to the first days of the Civil War. We meet the “folks” when they were young and experience the uncertainty and then the horror of the Civil War through their eyes. We also learn about a little known social class in our country’s history, the” free people of color”.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This young adult historical fiction is so intricately woven that one has difficulty remembering it is not a book written for adults. The main characters are rich and an air of mystery permeates this book. We know very quickly that things are not what they seem and the twist at the end is both expected, but ironically still surprising. In this book, the role of the main character is never firmly established. Although we experience the bulk of the book through the eyes of Tilly, a girl emerging into young womanhood, our fascination is with Delphine. Delphine is a flamboyant, mysterious, and sophisticated young woman who arrives in Grand Tower on a steam boat having fled from New Orleans. She is supposedly on her way to see an aunt and with her is a mysterious servant/slave, Calinda. However, it becomes obvious that their relationship is not all that it seems when Delphine and Calinda end up rooming with Tilly’s family. Delphine and Calinda share their unique and flavorful Creole culture with Tilly and her family, but seem to be less than forthcoming about their past. From the time we “meet” Delphine and Calinda, like Tilly, we are constantly trying to make sense of who they are. We long to catch a glimpse of those two over Tilly’s shoulder because they are so different, and so intriguing.
Tilly’s own family is unusual. She has a young sister who has the second sight. Her twin brother is a young man who is torn by his duty toward his family and to a nation that is at war. Readers are left trying to figure out the mystery of the absent father. Tilly’s mother is a careworn woman who is stretched to the breaking point by the strain of her situation as a single mother and abandoned wife in a time when society was very judgmental about such things. Peck does an impeccable job presenting a snapshot of life in the 1860’s during the Civil War in a small town.
A master storyteller, Peck has written a story that is multi-layered, complex, and historically accurate. It seems significant that this journey into the past takes place in 1916, just prior to the next horrendous war to be faced by this nation’s youth. Although we only spend but a short time with Howard Leland Hutchings, the connection between the historical periods is undeniable. The young characters motivate young readers to wonder how they would have responded to the challenges presented by some of the most difficult times in American history. Young and old readers will experience the Civil War in a new and fascinating way and will learn of a resilient people called, “the free people of color.”
4. AWARDS AND EXCERPT(S)
School Library Journal: “ In this thoroughly researched novel, Peck masterfully describes the female Civil War experience, the subtle and not-too-subtle ways the country was changing, and the split in loyalty that separated towns and even families.”
Booklist: “It's a riveting story that shows racism everywhere and young people facing war, not sure what side to be on or why.”
Kirkus Review: *Starred Review* A rich tale full of magic, mystery, and surprise.
The Horn Book: *Starred Review* The harsh realities of war are brutally related in a complex, always surprising plot that resonates on multiple levels.
5. CONNECTIONS – If you enjoyed this Civil War historical fiction, you are likely to also enjoy:
Paulsen, Gary. SOLDIER’S HEART: BEING THE STORY OF THE ENLISTMENT AND DURE SERVICE OF THE BOY CHARLEY GODDARD IN THE FIRST MINNESOTA. ISBN- 10: 0385324987
Rinaldi, Ann. IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE. ISBN-10: 0590447319
Rinaldi, Ann. THE LAST SILK DRESS. ISBN-10: 0440228611
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
SALADIN: PRINCE OF ISLAM BY Diane Stanley
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Stanley, Diane. 2002. SALADIN: NOBLE PRINCE OF ISLAM. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN-10: 0688171354
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Saladin: Noble Prince of Islam was written by Diane Stanley to tell the story of a dearly loved Muslim hero who is not so well-known in the West. This book not only tells the story of Saladin’s life, but also educates young readers on the history of the Crusades.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In a post 9/11 world, Saladin: Prince of Islam is a very useful tool for educating young readers about Islam. Stanley’s timely book introduces children to Saladin, a hero who committed his life to freeing his homeland from invaders from the West. The Crusades happened a very long time ago, however, that period in history continues to impact the relationship between Islam and countries in the West. While reading about Saladin’s life, children will have an opportunity to better understand how the distrust between “Muslims” and “Christians” began. Also, readers will learn about a very famous Muslim who showed great mercy to frequently merciless enemies.
Stanley’s writing is non-fiction, but Saladin’s story is so amazing that it encourages young readers to use their imagination to picture the amazing military campaigns and tactics used by Saladin and his opponents in their quest to rule the Holy Land. In describing battles scenes in that day, Stanley writes, “They (infantrymen) were often seen marching along with dozens of arrows sticking out of their backs, like an army of oversized hedgehogs.”
The book also introduces readers to memorable characters who played key roles in the Crusades. Saladin’s story promotes an understanding of the importance of personal character in relation to choice, regardless of religious affiliation. It discusses Muslim Saladin’s noble character in detail, but also mentions Raymond of Tripoli, a Christian, who was “wise and capable…” Readers of this biography will have the opportunity to meet King Richard, the Lion-Hearted. He is described as an “obnoxious bully with a genius for making enemies.”
The illustrations depict the attire and settings of the Islamic East and are very helpful in assisting young readers in picturing the Middle Ages in the Holy Land. The intricate and fanciful drawings capture the Persian/Islamic flavor of the Middle East during the Crusades.
4. AWARDS AND BOOK EXCERPT(S)
Publisher’s Weekly: “…focuses on the 12th-century ruler known as "the Muslim saint-king" who was "praised even by his enemies as 'the marvel of his time' " and crystallizes many of the issues still at the root of conflicts today.”
School Library Journal: “Even more important, however, may be the chance to put oneself in the shoes of "the enemy," an exercise that is as useful today as it would have been in 1099.”
Booklist: **Starred Review** “the generally strong telling is more than matched by glorious paintings that mirror Islamic artwork of the times.”
5. CONNECTIONS
If you were interested in this book, you may also be interested in:
Rumford, James. 2004. TRAVELING MAN: THE JOURNEY OF IBN BATTUTA. ISBN-10: 0618432337
Jones, Rob Lloyd. 2007. CRUSADERS. ISBN-10: 0794516173
Stanley, Diane. 2002. JOAN OF ARC. ISBN-10: 0064437485
Stanley, Diane. 2002. SALADIN: NOBLE PRINCE OF ISLAM. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN-10: 0688171354
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Saladin: Noble Prince of Islam was written by Diane Stanley to tell the story of a dearly loved Muslim hero who is not so well-known in the West. This book not only tells the story of Saladin’s life, but also educates young readers on the history of the Crusades.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In a post 9/11 world, Saladin: Prince of Islam is a very useful tool for educating young readers about Islam. Stanley’s timely book introduces children to Saladin, a hero who committed his life to freeing his homeland from invaders from the West. The Crusades happened a very long time ago, however, that period in history continues to impact the relationship between Islam and countries in the West. While reading about Saladin’s life, children will have an opportunity to better understand how the distrust between “Muslims” and “Christians” began. Also, readers will learn about a very famous Muslim who showed great mercy to frequently merciless enemies.
Stanley’s writing is non-fiction, but Saladin’s story is so amazing that it encourages young readers to use their imagination to picture the amazing military campaigns and tactics used by Saladin and his opponents in their quest to rule the Holy Land. In describing battles scenes in that day, Stanley writes, “They (infantrymen) were often seen marching along with dozens of arrows sticking out of their backs, like an army of oversized hedgehogs.”
The book also introduces readers to memorable characters who played key roles in the Crusades. Saladin’s story promotes an understanding of the importance of personal character in relation to choice, regardless of religious affiliation. It discusses Muslim Saladin’s noble character in detail, but also mentions Raymond of Tripoli, a Christian, who was “wise and capable…” Readers of this biography will have the opportunity to meet King Richard, the Lion-Hearted. He is described as an “obnoxious bully with a genius for making enemies.”
The illustrations depict the attire and settings of the Islamic East and are very helpful in assisting young readers in picturing the Middle Ages in the Holy Land. The intricate and fanciful drawings capture the Persian/Islamic flavor of the Middle East during the Crusades.
4. AWARDS AND BOOK EXCERPT(S)
Publisher’s Weekly: “…focuses on the 12th-century ruler known as "the Muslim saint-king" who was "praised even by his enemies as 'the marvel of his time' " and crystallizes many of the issues still at the root of conflicts today.”
School Library Journal: “Even more important, however, may be the chance to put oneself in the shoes of "the enemy," an exercise that is as useful today as it would have been in 1099.”
Booklist: **Starred Review** “the generally strong telling is more than matched by glorious paintings that mirror Islamic artwork of the times.”
5. CONNECTIONS
If you were interested in this book, you may also be interested in:
Rumford, James. 2004. TRAVELING MAN: THE JOURNEY OF IBN BATTUTA. ISBN-10: 0618432337
Jones, Rob Lloyd. 2007. CRUSADERS. ISBN-10: 0794516173
Stanley, Diane. 2002. JOAN OF ARC. ISBN-10: 0064437485
Saturday, March 20, 2010
ALMOST ASTRONAUTS: 13 WOMEN WHO DARED TO DREAM BY TANYA LEE STONE
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Stone, Tanya Lee. 2009. ALMOST ASTRONAUTS: 13 WOMEN WHO DARED TO DREAM. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press. ISBN-10: 0763636118
2. PLOT SUMMARY
This social history of the fight for equal rights for women chronicles the struggle of women to be included in the space program. Stone introduces many readers to the “Mercury 13”, a diverse group of women pilots who included flight instructors and a senator’s wife. This book introduces many to the women who dared to believe, and who proved without a doubt, that they were equally capable of becoming astronauts.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Stone tells the story of the “Mercury 13” and in doing so demonstrates how much our society has changed in regards to the opportunities available to women today. Also, she does an admirable job illustrating the dedication and commitment of the women who took on the prejudices that existed toward the female sex in our recent history. Many young readers may not be aware of the level of discrimination there existed toward women in regards to professions. In this detailed account, Stone shares the personal stories of individuals who believed that women had the same right to pursue their dreams as men. Included in this account and a key player in the story is Dr. Randolph Lovelace, the NASA physician for the “Mercury 7” men, who believed women had the same physical and psychological capabilities to withstand the rigors of space travel. He, with other colleagues, decided to give women the opportunity to undergo the same grueling tests that had been administered to the males in the space program. Stone gives a detailed account of many of the tests the women underwent, including their performance and their personal memories.
The spearhead of the “Mercury 13” was a “soft-spoken” pilot by the name of Jerri Cobb who “ferried military aircraft all over the world and set the world altitude record, as well as a world light-plane speed record.” In Ms. Cobb, Stone portrays an excellent role-model for young girls who have big dreams. Throughout the struggle, Cobb demonstrated her competency and ability to the task at hand admirably and exhibited that she had both the discipline and perseverance to take on the male-dominated establishment. Although Ms. Cobb never made it into space, she was a pioneer in opening the doors for others who came after her, as were the other women who accepted the same challenge.
Stone includes many photographs and personal accounts that document this remarkable story. Also, newspaper and magazine article of the time are valuable in helping readers of today to understand the social stance toward women attempting to enter into “male-dominated” careers at that time in our history.
Stone has written an excellent account of a historical event that occurred in our recent past. Although this social history centers on the space program, it’s impact was far-reaching because it showed the American public that women were physically and psychologically able to withstand the same amount of stress as men. This message is still relevant today. In a media world that often depicts young girls as sex objects, it encourages young readers to see themselves in a different light, as having equal competency and ability as male counterparts. The book ends by featuring the women who have become astronauts, including Eileen Collins, “the first woman to pilot a space shuttle and to serve as a space shuttle commander.”
4. AWARDS AND BOOK EXCERPT(S)
School Library Journal: “…this passionately written account of a classic but little-known challenge to established gender prejudices also introduces readers to a select group of courageous, independent women.”
Booklist: “Nearly 20 years before the U.S. officially admitted women into the astronaut program, 13 women, known as the Mercury 13, fought for the right to soar into space.”
5. CONNECTIONS
Readers who enjoyed this book may also enjoy the following books:
Bridges, Ruby. 1999. THROUGH MY EYES. ISBN-10: 0590189239
Parks, Rosa & Haskins, John. 1992. ROSA PARKS: MY STORY. ISBN-10: 0803706731
Rochelle, Belinda. WITNESSES TO FREEDOM: YOUNG PEOPLE WHO FOUGHT FOR CIVIL RIGHTS. ISBN-10: 0140384324
Stone, Tanya Lee. 2009. ALMOST ASTRONAUTS: 13 WOMEN WHO DARED TO DREAM. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press. ISBN-10: 0763636118
2. PLOT SUMMARY
This social history of the fight for equal rights for women chronicles the struggle of women to be included in the space program. Stone introduces many readers to the “Mercury 13”, a diverse group of women pilots who included flight instructors and a senator’s wife. This book introduces many to the women who dared to believe, and who proved without a doubt, that they were equally capable of becoming astronauts.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Stone tells the story of the “Mercury 13” and in doing so demonstrates how much our society has changed in regards to the opportunities available to women today. Also, she does an admirable job illustrating the dedication and commitment of the women who took on the prejudices that existed toward the female sex in our recent history. Many young readers may not be aware of the level of discrimination there existed toward women in regards to professions. In this detailed account, Stone shares the personal stories of individuals who believed that women had the same right to pursue their dreams as men. Included in this account and a key player in the story is Dr. Randolph Lovelace, the NASA physician for the “Mercury 7” men, who believed women had the same physical and psychological capabilities to withstand the rigors of space travel. He, with other colleagues, decided to give women the opportunity to undergo the same grueling tests that had been administered to the males in the space program. Stone gives a detailed account of many of the tests the women underwent, including their performance and their personal memories.
The spearhead of the “Mercury 13” was a “soft-spoken” pilot by the name of Jerri Cobb who “ferried military aircraft all over the world and set the world altitude record, as well as a world light-plane speed record.” In Ms. Cobb, Stone portrays an excellent role-model for young girls who have big dreams. Throughout the struggle, Cobb demonstrated her competency and ability to the task at hand admirably and exhibited that she had both the discipline and perseverance to take on the male-dominated establishment. Although Ms. Cobb never made it into space, she was a pioneer in opening the doors for others who came after her, as were the other women who accepted the same challenge.
Stone includes many photographs and personal accounts that document this remarkable story. Also, newspaper and magazine article of the time are valuable in helping readers of today to understand the social stance toward women attempting to enter into “male-dominated” careers at that time in our history.
Stone has written an excellent account of a historical event that occurred in our recent past. Although this social history centers on the space program, it’s impact was far-reaching because it showed the American public that women were physically and psychologically able to withstand the same amount of stress as men. This message is still relevant today. In a media world that often depicts young girls as sex objects, it encourages young readers to see themselves in a different light, as having equal competency and ability as male counterparts. The book ends by featuring the women who have become astronauts, including Eileen Collins, “the first woman to pilot a space shuttle and to serve as a space shuttle commander.”
4. AWARDS AND BOOK EXCERPT(S)
School Library Journal: “…this passionately written account of a classic but little-known challenge to established gender prejudices also introduces readers to a select group of courageous, independent women.”
Booklist: “Nearly 20 years before the U.S. officially admitted women into the astronaut program, 13 women, known as the Mercury 13, fought for the right to soar into space.”
5. CONNECTIONS
Readers who enjoyed this book may also enjoy the following books:
Bridges, Ruby. 1999. THROUGH MY EYES. ISBN-10: 0590189239
Parks, Rosa & Haskins, John. 1992. ROSA PARKS: MY STORY. ISBN-10: 0803706731
Rochelle, Belinda. WITNESSES TO FREEDOM: YOUNG PEOPLE WHO FOUGHT FOR CIVIL RIGHTS. ISBN-10: 0140384324
ANIMALS NOBODY LIKES BY SEYMOUR SIMON
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Simon, Seymour. 2003. ANIMALS NOBODY LOVES. New York. NY: Sea Star Books. ISBN-10: 1587171554
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Animals Nobody Likes is a visually engaging book that will attract children of all ages. Simon presents a visual feast of animals that both repel and intrigue us. The author provides information about each animal which either supports or contradicts their reputation. In addition, this book, presented in photo essay form, provides a wide assortment of different types of creatures that include mammals, reptiles, sea life, and insects.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Seymour Simon’s photo essay about a diverse group of animals engages readers through visually stunning images and provides interesting, but little known facts about most of the animals featured. For example, Simon writes about piranhas, “Piranhas have killed more people than the great white shark.”
Simon gives readers factual information about each animal to help young children to further their understanding about the different types of species that share our world. Also, his informative style encourages readers to develop a thirst for investigating facts rather than simply accepting myths. For example, Simon writes the truth about commonly misunderstood animals such as the “really shy and harmless” octopus, but also introduces readers to unfamiliar animals such as the Gila monster.
Although a relatively short summary of important facts is provided for each animal, Simon provides a glimpse into each featured creature that may encourage young readers to conduct more research. One might describe this book as a sampling that may very well draw readers to probe deeper to investigate creatures they find to be particularly interesting.
The photos are absolutely breath-taking and provide young readers with detailed images of the creatures. Simon strives to present a realistic view of each animal and their potential for danger. It is apparent that the author’s objective is to inform, rather than to promote fear. Simon has done an exceptional job attracting and keeping young readers attention.
4. AWARD AND BOOK EXCERPT(S)
Booklist: Simon puts forward some interesting facts and dispels a few myths about these 20 unlovable subjects
5. CONNECTIONS
If you enjoyed this book, you may enjoy the following photo essays by Seymour Simon:
Simon, Seymour. 2006. WHALES. ISBN-10: 0060877111
Simon, Seymour. 2006. THE BRAIN: OUR NERVOUS SYSTEM. ISBN-10: 0060877197
Other books that inform young readers of interesting facts about our world:
Drake, Jane & Love, Ann. ALIEN INVADERS: SPECIES THAT THREATEN OUR WORLD. Ill. Mark Thurman. ISBN 0887767982
Simon, Seymour. 2003. ANIMALS NOBODY LOVES. New York. NY: Sea Star Books. ISBN-10: 1587171554
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Animals Nobody Likes is a visually engaging book that will attract children of all ages. Simon presents a visual feast of animals that both repel and intrigue us. The author provides information about each animal which either supports or contradicts their reputation. In addition, this book, presented in photo essay form, provides a wide assortment of different types of creatures that include mammals, reptiles, sea life, and insects.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Seymour Simon’s photo essay about a diverse group of animals engages readers through visually stunning images and provides interesting, but little known facts about most of the animals featured. For example, Simon writes about piranhas, “Piranhas have killed more people than the great white shark.”
Simon gives readers factual information about each animal to help young children to further their understanding about the different types of species that share our world. Also, his informative style encourages readers to develop a thirst for investigating facts rather than simply accepting myths. For example, Simon writes the truth about commonly misunderstood animals such as the “really shy and harmless” octopus, but also introduces readers to unfamiliar animals such as the Gila monster.
Although a relatively short summary of important facts is provided for each animal, Simon provides a glimpse into each featured creature that may encourage young readers to conduct more research. One might describe this book as a sampling that may very well draw readers to probe deeper to investigate creatures they find to be particularly interesting.
The photos are absolutely breath-taking and provide young readers with detailed images of the creatures. Simon strives to present a realistic view of each animal and their potential for danger. It is apparent that the author’s objective is to inform, rather than to promote fear. Simon has done an exceptional job attracting and keeping young readers attention.
4. AWARD AND BOOK EXCERPT(S)
Booklist: Simon puts forward some interesting facts and dispels a few myths about these 20 unlovable subjects
5. CONNECTIONS
If you enjoyed this book, you may enjoy the following photo essays by Seymour Simon:
Simon, Seymour. 2006. WHALES. ISBN-10: 0060877111
Simon, Seymour. 2006. THE BRAIN: OUR NERVOUS SYSTEM. ISBN-10: 0060877197
Other books that inform young readers of interesting facts about our world:
Drake, Jane & Love, Ann. ALIEN INVADERS: SPECIES THAT THREATEN OUR WORLD. Ill. Mark Thurman. ISBN 0887767982
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
THE POET SLAVE OF CUBA BY MARGARITA ENGLE
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Engle, Margarita. 2006. THE POET SLAVE OF CUBA: A BIOGRAPHY OF JUAN FRANCISCO MANZANO. Ill. Sean Qualls. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company. ISBN-10: 0805077065
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In this amazing biography of Juan Francisco Manzano, Margarita Engle gives us a glimpse into the life of an amazing man. Manzano was born a slave in 18th century Cuba. His parents were freed by his first mistress, but he was kept a slave. She described him as her “her poodle.” He was very intelligent and was secretly taught how to read and write. He was granted his freedom by his first mistress, but somehow was tricked and enslaved by a cruel and brutal second mistress.
The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano was written in free verse by Engle. A collection of poems take readers on a walk through Manzano’s life; from childhood across a lifetime of slavery and ends with his desperate ride for freedom.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Manzano’s own poems were the basis for the writing of this book. Engle decided to give a voice not only to Manzano, but also to the other people in his life, including his two enslavers. When we listen to Manzano’s voice, we meet a brilliant and intelligent child/man who speaks with stunning clarity about his world. The child Manzano writes /Now my owner is ghostly/ inside her skeleton of powder/ but I, being only a poodle/can watch/ I am allowed to know /these truths/ about shadow/ and bright/. He clearly sees and expresses the effects slavery has on its perpetrators.
In this haunting book, we also hear the voice of Maria de Pilar, Manzano’s mother and are deeply moved by the anguish of a mother who cannot help her son. Although she is free, she cannot be far from her son. Manzano writes of her /a bird-mother/caged but winged. Toribio, his father has an opportunity to speak. Most chilling is the voice of his crazed mistress.
Engle has given voices to those who have long been denied a voice. Also, by exploring the darkness of his mistresses, we catch a small glimpse of both the justification and the callousness that dictated much of the course of Manzano’s life.
The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano is a masterpiece. Qualls’ illustrations capture the anguish of Manzano and his family. He also captures the shallowness and the evil that has enslaved his mistresses. The wickedness of slavery casts a sad pall on all of the illustrations. Qualls drawings and Engle’s words work in unison to help us to understand Manzano’s world.
Engle heard Manzano through his poems and acted as a vehicle that transported his voice and story to our time. It is an amazing book about an incredible man.
4. AWARDS AND BOOK EXCERPT(S)
Awards: American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults; American Library Association Notable Children's Books; Americas Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature, Winner; IRA Children's Book Award; IRA Teachers' Choices; NCTE Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts; Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year; Books for the Teen Age, New York Public Library; CCBC Choice (Univ. of WI); Pura Belpre Author Award; Arizona Grand Canyon Young Readers Master List
SCHOOL LIBRARY SCIENCE:” This is an absolutely lovely book about the unlovely subject of slavery.”
BOOKLIST: ** Starred Review** In plain, stirring free verse, Engle dramatizes the boyhood of the nineteenth-century Cuban slave Juan Francisco Manzano, who secretly learned to read and wrote poetry about beauty and courage in his world of unspeakable brutality.
5. CONNECTIONS
If you found these books enjoyable, you may be interested in the following:
Engle, Margarita. THE SURRENDER TREE. ISBN-10: 0805086749
Draper, Sharon. COPPER SUN. ISBN-10: 1416953485
Weatherford. Carol Boston. MOSES: WHEN HARRIET TUBMAN LED HER PEOPLE TO FREEDOM. Ill. By Kadir Nelson. ISBN-10: 0786851759
Engle, Margarita. 2006. THE POET SLAVE OF CUBA: A BIOGRAPHY OF JUAN FRANCISCO MANZANO. Ill. Sean Qualls. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company. ISBN-10: 0805077065
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In this amazing biography of Juan Francisco Manzano, Margarita Engle gives us a glimpse into the life of an amazing man. Manzano was born a slave in 18th century Cuba. His parents were freed by his first mistress, but he was kept a slave. She described him as her “her poodle.” He was very intelligent and was secretly taught how to read and write. He was granted his freedom by his first mistress, but somehow was tricked and enslaved by a cruel and brutal second mistress.
The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano was written in free verse by Engle. A collection of poems take readers on a walk through Manzano’s life; from childhood across a lifetime of slavery and ends with his desperate ride for freedom.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Manzano’s own poems were the basis for the writing of this book. Engle decided to give a voice not only to Manzano, but also to the other people in his life, including his two enslavers. When we listen to Manzano’s voice, we meet a brilliant and intelligent child/man who speaks with stunning clarity about his world. The child Manzano writes /Now my owner is ghostly/ inside her skeleton of powder/ but I, being only a poodle/can watch/ I am allowed to know /these truths/ about shadow/ and bright/. He clearly sees and expresses the effects slavery has on its perpetrators.
In this haunting book, we also hear the voice of Maria de Pilar, Manzano’s mother and are deeply moved by the anguish of a mother who cannot help her son. Although she is free, she cannot be far from her son. Manzano writes of her /a bird-mother/caged but winged. Toribio, his father has an opportunity to speak. Most chilling is the voice of his crazed mistress.
Engle has given voices to those who have long been denied a voice. Also, by exploring the darkness of his mistresses, we catch a small glimpse of both the justification and the callousness that dictated much of the course of Manzano’s life.
The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano is a masterpiece. Qualls’ illustrations capture the anguish of Manzano and his family. He also captures the shallowness and the evil that has enslaved his mistresses. The wickedness of slavery casts a sad pall on all of the illustrations. Qualls drawings and Engle’s words work in unison to help us to understand Manzano’s world.
Engle heard Manzano through his poems and acted as a vehicle that transported his voice and story to our time. It is an amazing book about an incredible man.
4. AWARDS AND BOOK EXCERPT(S)
Awards: American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults; American Library Association Notable Children's Books; Americas Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature, Winner; IRA Children's Book Award; IRA Teachers' Choices; NCTE Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts; Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year; Books for the Teen Age, New York Public Library; CCBC Choice (Univ. of WI); Pura Belpre Author Award; Arizona Grand Canyon Young Readers Master List
SCHOOL LIBRARY SCIENCE:” This is an absolutely lovely book about the unlovely subject of slavery.”
BOOKLIST: ** Starred Review** In plain, stirring free verse, Engle dramatizes the boyhood of the nineteenth-century Cuban slave Juan Francisco Manzano, who secretly learned to read and wrote poetry about beauty and courage in his world of unspeakable brutality.
5. CONNECTIONS
If you found these books enjoyable, you may be interested in the following:
Engle, Margarita. THE SURRENDER TREE. ISBN-10: 0805086749
Draper, Sharon. COPPER SUN. ISBN-10: 1416953485
Weatherford. Carol Boston. MOSES: WHEN HARRIET TUBMAN LED HER PEOPLE TO FREEDOM. Ill. By Kadir Nelson. ISBN-10: 0786851759
MEOW RUFF: A STORY IN CONCRETE POETRY BY JOYCE SIDMAN
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Sidman, Joyce. 2006. MEOW RUFF: A STORY IN CONCRETE POETRY. Ill. Michelle Berg. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN-10: 0618448942
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In this highly amusing storybook, a story of a puppy and a kitten is told in wonderfully descriptive concrete verse. In the beginning, we instantly connect with the frisky puppy’s delight at his escape to “freedom”. We empathize with the darling little kitten that has been dumped by the curbside. In the background, but definitely a part of the story, crows overhead sound the “alarm, alert.” In the mist of the story, clouds, made-up of verse, undergo changes over the course of the book and add intensity to the activity taking place everywhere, both on the ground and in the air. The puppy catches a whiff of the kitten and the chase is on. The kitten, unaware of the danger, is trying to daintily make her way in an unfamiliar world. The scenery is described in descriptive and rich verse encoded throughout the illustrations. When the two meet, the tables are turned and it is the pup that ends up in the tree. The story climaxes when the puppy and the kitten are caught in the middle of a “ferocious sudden” thunderstorm. This heartwarming book ends with a surprising twist.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Meow Ruff: A Story in Concrete Poetry is a visual feast of descriptive adjectives. Sidman’s rich verses and Berg’s heartwarming illustrations come together to create an aurally rich and visually engaging book. Sidman’s masterful description of the common objects which surround us encourages us to take a second look at the world around us. For example, the green, round, circle treetop has light green writing which tell us to consider its complexity, “Each leaf a map of branches/Each twig a branch of leaves/Each branch a tree of twigs/Each tree a green haired/”. Berg adds a wonderful assortment of small characters throughout the pages that draw children to take a closer look at overlapping stories. In this marvelous book, everything has a voice, from the picnic table to the raindrops falling on it.
Sidman captures the puppy’s joyful chase and the dainty kitten’s feistiness. The use of concrete poetry encourages young readers to imagine what objects and animals around them might say if they had a voice. By giving poetry a concrete voice, children can begin to understand and appreciate it in relation to themes and objects that are familiar to them.
Berg’s geometrical illustrations are delightfully uncomplicated and perfectly compliment Sidman’s more complicated text. Meow Ruff: A Story in Concrete Poetry is a wonderful book to introduce young readers to the endless possibilities presented by the medium of poetry.
4. AWARDS AND BOOK EXCERPT(S)
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Using concrete poetry as the vehicle, Sidman relates a simple story.”
BOOKLIST: “…unlike most books about the form, (Sidman) doesn't just collect unrelated poems, but tells a story through them.
5. CONNECTIONS
If you enjoyed these books written in concrete poetry, you may enjoy the following:
Graham, Joan Bransfield. SPLISH, SPLASH. ISBN 10: 0618111239
Lewis, J. Patrick. DOODLE DANDIES: POEMS THAT TAKE SHAPE. ISBN-10: 0689848897
Janeczko, Paul B. THE POKE IN I: A COLLECTION OF CONCRETE POEMS. Ill. Chris Raschka. ISBN 10: 0763623768
Janeczko, Paul B. A FOOT IN THE MOUTH: POEMS TO SPEAK, SING AND SHOUT. Ill. Chris Raschka. ISBN 10: 07636066
Sidman, Joyce. 2006. MEOW RUFF: A STORY IN CONCRETE POETRY. Ill. Michelle Berg. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN-10: 0618448942
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In this highly amusing storybook, a story of a puppy and a kitten is told in wonderfully descriptive concrete verse. In the beginning, we instantly connect with the frisky puppy’s delight at his escape to “freedom”. We empathize with the darling little kitten that has been dumped by the curbside. In the background, but definitely a part of the story, crows overhead sound the “alarm, alert.” In the mist of the story, clouds, made-up of verse, undergo changes over the course of the book and add intensity to the activity taking place everywhere, both on the ground and in the air. The puppy catches a whiff of the kitten and the chase is on. The kitten, unaware of the danger, is trying to daintily make her way in an unfamiliar world. The scenery is described in descriptive and rich verse encoded throughout the illustrations. When the two meet, the tables are turned and it is the pup that ends up in the tree. The story climaxes when the puppy and the kitten are caught in the middle of a “ferocious sudden” thunderstorm. This heartwarming book ends with a surprising twist.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Meow Ruff: A Story in Concrete Poetry is a visual feast of descriptive adjectives. Sidman’s rich verses and Berg’s heartwarming illustrations come together to create an aurally rich and visually engaging book. Sidman’s masterful description of the common objects which surround us encourages us to take a second look at the world around us. For example, the green, round, circle treetop has light green writing which tell us to consider its complexity, “Each leaf a map of branches/Each twig a branch of leaves/Each branch a tree of twigs/Each tree a green haired/”. Berg adds a wonderful assortment of small characters throughout the pages that draw children to take a closer look at overlapping stories. In this marvelous book, everything has a voice, from the picnic table to the raindrops falling on it.
Sidman captures the puppy’s joyful chase and the dainty kitten’s feistiness. The use of concrete poetry encourages young readers to imagine what objects and animals around them might say if they had a voice. By giving poetry a concrete voice, children can begin to understand and appreciate it in relation to themes and objects that are familiar to them.
Berg’s geometrical illustrations are delightfully uncomplicated and perfectly compliment Sidman’s more complicated text. Meow Ruff: A Story in Concrete Poetry is a wonderful book to introduce young readers to the endless possibilities presented by the medium of poetry.
4. AWARDS AND BOOK EXCERPT(S)
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Using concrete poetry as the vehicle, Sidman relates a simple story.”
BOOKLIST: “…unlike most books about the form, (Sidman) doesn't just collect unrelated poems, but tells a story through them.
5. CONNECTIONS
If you enjoyed these books written in concrete poetry, you may enjoy the following:
Graham, Joan Bransfield. SPLISH, SPLASH. ISBN 10: 0618111239
Lewis, J. Patrick. DOODLE DANDIES: POEMS THAT TAKE SHAPE. ISBN-10: 0689848897
Janeczko, Paul B. THE POKE IN I: A COLLECTION OF CONCRETE POEMS. Ill. Chris Raschka. ISBN 10: 0763623768
Janeczko, Paul B. A FOOT IN THE MOUTH: POEMS TO SPEAK, SING AND SHOUT. Ill. Chris Raschka. ISBN 10: 07636066
Thursday, March 4, 2010
INSECTLOPEDIA BY DOUGLAS FLORIAN
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Florian, Douglas. 1998. INSECTLOPEDIA. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace & Company. ISBN-10: 0152163352
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In this whimsical anthology about insects, Florian creates a playful and beautifully illustrated collection of poems. Insectlopedia features educational poems that engage young readers by exploring the many different characteristics of a wide variety of fairly common insects. In his poems, the author provides enough interesting clues to create curiosity about the many little friends that share our world.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In Inseclopedia, Florian writes amusing poems that creatively instruct us about some common and some not so common facts about the insects that fill our world. In verse, he showcases the amazing diversity that surrounds us
Florian has a talent for applying interestingly descriptive words to insects (and arachnids). For example, in “The Black Widow Spider”, Florian describes a black widow by using such fanciful language as “From my eight dainty legs to my shine round back”. In “The Walking Stick”, in rhyming short verses he educates readers about the walking stick’s unique body style qualities. Florian does a masterful job of creating poems that encourage students to make inferences as to the reasons why a certain verse was included. For example, he ends the “The Monarch Butterfly” with “swallows that swallow him/frequently puke.”
This book is a useful tool for parents and educators who want to encourage children to be problem-solve and to investigate the small, but very complex creatures that co-exist with us. It also fosters a connection to poetry in young readers by introducing them to verse that entertains, amuses, and intrigues young and old.
4. AWARDS WON AND REVIEW EXCERPTS
PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY: “…Florian manages to seamlessly blend science with pure whimsy.”
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Florian offers 21 short, inventive poems and paintings that create playful images of animals.”
BOOKLIST: “…a witty collection of short poems about insects and spiders.”
KIRKUS REVIEWS: “…Read alone or read aloud, each of these ticklish tidbits features an individual member of the insect world.”
5. CONNECTIONS
Readers who enjoyed Insectlopedia might also enjoy the following:
Florian, Douglas. On a Wing. ISBN-10: 0152023666
Hopkins, Lee Bennett. Spectacular Science: A Book of Poems. Ill. Virginia Halstead. ISBN-10: 0689851200
Lewis, J. Patrick. Scien-Trickery: Trickery in Science. Ill. Frank Remkiewitz. ISBN-10: 0152058494
Florian, Douglas. 1998. INSECTLOPEDIA. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace & Company. ISBN-10: 0152163352
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In this whimsical anthology about insects, Florian creates a playful and beautifully illustrated collection of poems. Insectlopedia features educational poems that engage young readers by exploring the many different characteristics of a wide variety of fairly common insects. In his poems, the author provides enough interesting clues to create curiosity about the many little friends that share our world.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In Inseclopedia, Florian writes amusing poems that creatively instruct us about some common and some not so common facts about the insects that fill our world. In verse, he showcases the amazing diversity that surrounds us
Florian has a talent for applying interestingly descriptive words to insects (and arachnids). For example, in “The Black Widow Spider”, Florian describes a black widow by using such fanciful language as “From my eight dainty legs to my shine round back”. In “The Walking Stick”, in rhyming short verses he educates readers about the walking stick’s unique body style qualities. Florian does a masterful job of creating poems that encourage students to make inferences as to the reasons why a certain verse was included. For example, he ends the “The Monarch Butterfly” with “swallows that swallow him/frequently puke.”
This book is a useful tool for parents and educators who want to encourage children to be problem-solve and to investigate the small, but very complex creatures that co-exist with us. It also fosters a connection to poetry in young readers by introducing them to verse that entertains, amuses, and intrigues young and old.
4. AWARDS WON AND REVIEW EXCERPTS
PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY: “…Florian manages to seamlessly blend science with pure whimsy.”
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Florian offers 21 short, inventive poems and paintings that create playful images of animals.”
BOOKLIST: “…a witty collection of short poems about insects and spiders.”
KIRKUS REVIEWS: “…Read alone or read aloud, each of these ticklish tidbits features an individual member of the insect world.”
5. CONNECTIONS
Readers who enjoyed Insectlopedia might also enjoy the following:
Florian, Douglas. On a Wing. ISBN-10: 0152023666
Hopkins, Lee Bennett. Spectacular Science: A Book of Poems. Ill. Virginia Halstead. ISBN-10: 0689851200
Lewis, J. Patrick. Scien-Trickery: Trickery in Science. Ill. Frank Remkiewitz. ISBN-10: 0152058494
Sunday, February 14, 2010
BUFFALO WOMAN BY PAUL GOBLE
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Goble, Paul. 1984. BUFFALO WOMAN. New York, NY: Bradbury Press. ISBN-10: 0689711093
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In this very romantic book based on a legend from the tribes of the Great Plains, Paul Goble retells and illustrates a beautiful story for all ages. A talented young hunter meets a mysterious maiden and marries her. He is very happy and a young son is born to them. However, his tribe refuses to accept his bride because she is different and is not one of them. When his young bride and his son leave to return to her people, the young hunter unrelentingly follows them. His love for them is constant, even in the face of possible death. His love does not falter even after realizing that his wife is a buffalo, as is his son. His love is tested and when he passes the test, he is given the honor of joining the buffalo. His bravery results in a union between The People and the Buffalo People. Because of his faithfulness, the legend explains, the buffalo people give “their flesh so that little children and babies still unborn, will always have meat to eat.”
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Paul Goble’s beautiful book illustrates a lovely legend/folktale that explains why the buffalo are happy to give their flesh to nourish little children. This pour quoi tale seeks to reassure and help little ones to understand why it is acceptable to eat the flesh their friends, the buffalo. The simple and direct retelling of this tale is accompanied by colorful, elegantly sketched illustrations of native scenes depicting the events in the story.
While reading Buffalo Woman, one could easily imagine oneself transported to a smoky scene around a campfire in an Indian village a long time ago. Little children, stomachs filled with freshly roasted buffalo, listening raptly as an elder in a sing-song voice tells the story of the brilliant hunter/hero who gave himself up to join his wife and child and for their people. Because of his heroic act, the buffalo people accepted humans as their own. In the telling of this legend, the close interdependent relationship between “The People” and the buffalo was explained and honored. The value of the hero sacrificing himself for his family and his people is taught to the next generation.
In our time, Buffalo Woman promotes both acceptance and tolerance for those who are different from us. Goble retells and illustrates a timeless book.
4. AWARDS AND EXCEPTS
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: *STARRED REVIEW* “In text and illustrations, Goble's story exhibits a quiet simplicity, respect for nature and the power of love."
ALA Notable Children's Book
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
Booklist Editors' Choice
The Horn Book Fanfare List
5. CONNECTIONS
Readers may also enjoy these folktales based on Native American legends by Paul Goble:
STAR BOY. ISBN-10: 0689714998
THE GIFT OF THE SACRED DOG. ISBN-10: 0020432801
THE GIRL WHO LOVED WILD HORSES. ISBN-10: 0689845049
DREAM WOLF. ISBN-10: 0689815069
Goble, Paul. 1984. BUFFALO WOMAN. New York, NY: Bradbury Press. ISBN-10: 0689711093
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In this very romantic book based on a legend from the tribes of the Great Plains, Paul Goble retells and illustrates a beautiful story for all ages. A talented young hunter meets a mysterious maiden and marries her. He is very happy and a young son is born to them. However, his tribe refuses to accept his bride because she is different and is not one of them. When his young bride and his son leave to return to her people, the young hunter unrelentingly follows them. His love for them is constant, even in the face of possible death. His love does not falter even after realizing that his wife is a buffalo, as is his son. His love is tested and when he passes the test, he is given the honor of joining the buffalo. His bravery results in a union between The People and the Buffalo People. Because of his faithfulness, the legend explains, the buffalo people give “their flesh so that little children and babies still unborn, will always have meat to eat.”
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Paul Goble’s beautiful book illustrates a lovely legend/folktale that explains why the buffalo are happy to give their flesh to nourish little children. This pour quoi tale seeks to reassure and help little ones to understand why it is acceptable to eat the flesh their friends, the buffalo. The simple and direct retelling of this tale is accompanied by colorful, elegantly sketched illustrations of native scenes depicting the events in the story.
While reading Buffalo Woman, one could easily imagine oneself transported to a smoky scene around a campfire in an Indian village a long time ago. Little children, stomachs filled with freshly roasted buffalo, listening raptly as an elder in a sing-song voice tells the story of the brilliant hunter/hero who gave himself up to join his wife and child and for their people. Because of his heroic act, the buffalo people accepted humans as their own. In the telling of this legend, the close interdependent relationship between “The People” and the buffalo was explained and honored. The value of the hero sacrificing himself for his family and his people is taught to the next generation.
In our time, Buffalo Woman promotes both acceptance and tolerance for those who are different from us. Goble retells and illustrates a timeless book.
4. AWARDS AND EXCEPTS
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: *STARRED REVIEW* “In text and illustrations, Goble's story exhibits a quiet simplicity, respect for nature and the power of love."
ALA Notable Children's Book
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
Booklist Editors' Choice
The Horn Book Fanfare List
5. CONNECTIONS
Readers may also enjoy these folktales based on Native American legends by Paul Goble:
STAR BOY. ISBN-10: 0689714998
THE GIFT OF THE SACRED DOG. ISBN-10: 0020432801
THE GIRL WHO LOVED WILD HORSES. ISBN-10: 0689845049
DREAM WOLF. ISBN-10: 0689815069
BUBBA THE COWBOY PRINCE
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ketteman, Helen. 1997. BUBBA THE COWBOY PRINCE: A FRACTURED TEXAS TALE. Ill. By James Warhola. New York, NY: Scholastic Press. ISBN-10: 0590255061
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In this very amusing fractured western retelling of Cinderella, we find roles switched and meet a humble and engaging “Bubba”rella instead of the traditional Cinderella. Poor Bubba works hard every day doing what he loves best, ranching and cow poking. His worthless stepbrothers are good at bossing him around and not much good at anything else. His stepdaddy obviously favors his flesh and bone sons and does not appreciate his stepson’s hardworking ways. When Miz Lurleen, a wealthy ranch owner decides it’s time to marry, she invites all eligible bachelors to a do-si-do and is heartily disappointed with the lack of “real” cowboys who show up for her shindig. Of course, Bubba makes it to her shindig with help from a very kind “godcow” who gussied him to look pretty darn good, but just until midnight. Bubba, back in rags, loses track of time and loses his worn boot in his hurry to high tail it out of there. However, Miz Lurleen has found her cowboy and will not be deterred. With boot in hand, she sets out to find him. A fairy tale ending ensues with Bubba and Lurleen riding off into the sunset.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Bubba the Cowboy Prince: A fractured Texas Tale features a strong female heroine, Miss Lurleen and a handsome and humble Cinderella, Bubba. It truly captures western culture with encoded Texas twang and turns the classic Cinderella into a funny story that engages and entertains readers of all ages.
Ms. Ketteman has broken away from the very traditional roles exemplified by the classic Cinderella story. Although Bubba may be a bit naïve and his circumstances are “sorry”, he focuses on the positive thing in his life, ranching. Bubba shows us his sensitive side many times in the story. When he realized that he was not presentable to dance with Miz Lurleen, he”…felt lower than a rattlesnake in a gully.” Miz Lurleen is a strong character who also happens to be a successful rancher. She can see beneath the “raggedy shirt” of Bubba to see a heart that beats to the same passion, ranching. Unlike the traditional Cinderella, she is a strong role model for young girls. Bubba shows boys that it is perfectly acceptable to be sensitive.
The illustrations are exceptionally well-matched with the story. Ketteman’s mastery with words and Warhola’s hilarious illustrations result in a fun, humorous and very entertaining tale. Warhola’s illustrations capture the characters essence beautifully. The “godcow” is a “hoot.” Together, Ketteman and Warhola capture the spirit of the old West and breathe new life into a classic story.
4. AWARDS WON AND REVIEW EXCERPTS
KIRKUS: “A Cinderella parody features the off-the-wall, whang-dang Texas hyperbole of Ketteman (The Year of No More Corn, 1993, etc.) and the insouciance of Warhola, who proves himself only too capable of creating a fairy godcow…”
5. CONNECTIONS
Readers who enjoyed this retelling of Cinderella may also enjoy:
Lowell, Susan. Ill. Jane Manning. CINDY ELLEN: A WILD WESTERN CINDERLLA. ISBN-10: 0064438643
Cole, Babette. PRINCE CINDERS. ISBN-10: 0698115546
Jackson, Ellen. Ill. Kevin O’Malley. CINDER EDNA. ISBN-10: 0688162959
Steptoe, John. MUFARO’S BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTERS. ISBN-10: 1591123186
Louie, Ai-Ling. YEN-SHEN: A CINDERELLA STORY FROM CHINA. ISBN-10: 0698113888
Climo, Shirley. AN EGYPTIAN CINDERELLA. ISBN-10: 0064432793
Ketteman, Helen. 1997. BUBBA THE COWBOY PRINCE: A FRACTURED TEXAS TALE. Ill. By James Warhola. New York, NY: Scholastic Press. ISBN-10: 0590255061
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In this very amusing fractured western retelling of Cinderella, we find roles switched and meet a humble and engaging “Bubba”rella instead of the traditional Cinderella. Poor Bubba works hard every day doing what he loves best, ranching and cow poking. His worthless stepbrothers are good at bossing him around and not much good at anything else. His stepdaddy obviously favors his flesh and bone sons and does not appreciate his stepson’s hardworking ways. When Miz Lurleen, a wealthy ranch owner decides it’s time to marry, she invites all eligible bachelors to a do-si-do and is heartily disappointed with the lack of “real” cowboys who show up for her shindig. Of course, Bubba makes it to her shindig with help from a very kind “godcow” who gussied him to look pretty darn good, but just until midnight. Bubba, back in rags, loses track of time and loses his worn boot in his hurry to high tail it out of there. However, Miz Lurleen has found her cowboy and will not be deterred. With boot in hand, she sets out to find him. A fairy tale ending ensues with Bubba and Lurleen riding off into the sunset.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Bubba the Cowboy Prince: A fractured Texas Tale features a strong female heroine, Miss Lurleen and a handsome and humble Cinderella, Bubba. It truly captures western culture with encoded Texas twang and turns the classic Cinderella into a funny story that engages and entertains readers of all ages.
Ms. Ketteman has broken away from the very traditional roles exemplified by the classic Cinderella story. Although Bubba may be a bit naïve and his circumstances are “sorry”, he focuses on the positive thing in his life, ranching. Bubba shows us his sensitive side many times in the story. When he realized that he was not presentable to dance with Miz Lurleen, he”…felt lower than a rattlesnake in a gully.” Miz Lurleen is a strong character who also happens to be a successful rancher. She can see beneath the “raggedy shirt” of Bubba to see a heart that beats to the same passion, ranching. Unlike the traditional Cinderella, she is a strong role model for young girls. Bubba shows boys that it is perfectly acceptable to be sensitive.
The illustrations are exceptionally well-matched with the story. Ketteman’s mastery with words and Warhola’s hilarious illustrations result in a fun, humorous and very entertaining tale. Warhola’s illustrations capture the characters essence beautifully. The “godcow” is a “hoot.” Together, Ketteman and Warhola capture the spirit of the old West and breathe new life into a classic story.
4. AWARDS WON AND REVIEW EXCERPTS
KIRKUS: “A Cinderella parody features the off-the-wall, whang-dang Texas hyperbole of Ketteman (The Year of No More Corn, 1993, etc.) and the insouciance of Warhola, who proves himself only too capable of creating a fairy godcow…”
5. CONNECTIONS
Readers who enjoyed this retelling of Cinderella may also enjoy:
Lowell, Susan. Ill. Jane Manning. CINDY ELLEN: A WILD WESTERN CINDERLLA. ISBN-10: 0064438643
Cole, Babette. PRINCE CINDERS. ISBN-10: 0698115546
Jackson, Ellen. Ill. Kevin O’Malley. CINDER EDNA. ISBN-10: 0688162959
Steptoe, John. MUFARO’S BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTERS. ISBN-10: 1591123186
Louie, Ai-Ling. YEN-SHEN: A CINDERELLA STORY FROM CHINA. ISBN-10: 0698113888
Climo, Shirley. AN EGYPTIAN CINDERELLA. ISBN-10: 0064432793
MOONBEAMS, DUMPLINGS & DRAGON BOATS by Nina Simonds, Leslie Swartz &The Children's Museum
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Simonds, N., Swatz, L., &The Children’s Museum Boston. 2002. Ill. By Meilo So. MOONBEAMS, DUMPLINGS & DRAGON BOATS. Orlando, FL: Harcourt, Inc. ISBN-10: 0152019839
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Moonbeams, Dumplings & Dragon Boats features five major Chinese festivals. In this wonderful book, the authors seek to facilitate a deeper understanding of Chinese culture by providing traditional stories, recipes, and crafts associated with each festival. The illustrations are both beautiful and useful in trying to replicate some of the crafts.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The authors of Moonbeams, Dumplings & Dragon Boats have created a wonderful tool that will be useful for both educators and parents alike in developing an understanding and appreciation for the Chinese culture.
Each festival comes with a folktale, crafts, and recipes that go along with it. Each traditional tale explains the reason for the festival. As folktales around the world often do, some Chinese folktales seek to explain the reasons for human tragedy while reassuring its listeners that people do indeed have some control over forces that appear frightening and unpredictable. For example, the Festival of the New Year features the Kitchen God who is a cowardly and gluttonous character who would rather allow humans to suffer than to accept responsibility for his actions. Because of his cowardly behavior, humans suffer through a difficult New Year. However, when humans discover his less than honorable behavior, they take matters into their own hands and trick the Kitchen God into giving the good report they deserve to the Jade Emperor. This trickery results in a prosperous New Year. In this way, this Chinese folktale is a combination between a pour quoi and a trickster tale. Other traditional folktales showcase virtues that the culture values.
Meilo So has done a magnificent job illustrating pictures of China past and present-day China and interwoven them throughout the text. In this way, young readers begin to develop an appreciation for China’s past, while understanding that China has continued to progress along with the rest of the world. The illustrations are richly flavored with Chinese culture, past and present.
The authors demonstrate their sincere desire to facilitate a multisensory experience for children by providing a list of easily accessible materials for many of the crafts. Also, multiple recipes are included with each festival and many have ingredients or substitutions that are easily available. In addition, step-by-step instructions with many illustrations have been provided for both the crafts and the recipes.
4. AWARDS AND BOOK EXCEPTS
PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY: “Step-by-step illustrations aid in food preparation or crafts such as New Year Prints or Good Luck Characters in this elegantly designed volume.”
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Moonbeams is a useful, visually appealing addition to any holiday collection.”
5. CONNECTIONS
If readers were interested in learning about the Chinese culture and festivals, they may also be interested in the following:
Hoyt-Goldsmith, D. CELEBRATING CHINESE NEW YEAR. Photographs by Lawrence Migdale. ISBN-10: 0823415201
Vaughan, M.K., THE DANCING DRAGON. Ill. By Stanley Wong Hoo Foon. ISBN-10: 1572551348
Chan, M. CELEBRATING CHINESE NEW YEAR: AN ACTIVITY BOOK. ISBN-10: 1932457046
Simonds, N., Swatz, L., &The Children’s Museum Boston. 2002. Ill. By Meilo So. MOONBEAMS, DUMPLINGS & DRAGON BOATS. Orlando, FL: Harcourt, Inc. ISBN-10: 0152019839
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Moonbeams, Dumplings & Dragon Boats features five major Chinese festivals. In this wonderful book, the authors seek to facilitate a deeper understanding of Chinese culture by providing traditional stories, recipes, and crafts associated with each festival. The illustrations are both beautiful and useful in trying to replicate some of the crafts.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The authors of Moonbeams, Dumplings & Dragon Boats have created a wonderful tool that will be useful for both educators and parents alike in developing an understanding and appreciation for the Chinese culture.
Each festival comes with a folktale, crafts, and recipes that go along with it. Each traditional tale explains the reason for the festival. As folktales around the world often do, some Chinese folktales seek to explain the reasons for human tragedy while reassuring its listeners that people do indeed have some control over forces that appear frightening and unpredictable. For example, the Festival of the New Year features the Kitchen God who is a cowardly and gluttonous character who would rather allow humans to suffer than to accept responsibility for his actions. Because of his cowardly behavior, humans suffer through a difficult New Year. However, when humans discover his less than honorable behavior, they take matters into their own hands and trick the Kitchen God into giving the good report they deserve to the Jade Emperor. This trickery results in a prosperous New Year. In this way, this Chinese folktale is a combination between a pour quoi and a trickster tale. Other traditional folktales showcase virtues that the culture values.
Meilo So has done a magnificent job illustrating pictures of China past and present-day China and interwoven them throughout the text. In this way, young readers begin to develop an appreciation for China’s past, while understanding that China has continued to progress along with the rest of the world. The illustrations are richly flavored with Chinese culture, past and present.
The authors demonstrate their sincere desire to facilitate a multisensory experience for children by providing a list of easily accessible materials for many of the crafts. Also, multiple recipes are included with each festival and many have ingredients or substitutions that are easily available. In addition, step-by-step instructions with many illustrations have been provided for both the crafts and the recipes.
4. AWARDS AND BOOK EXCEPTS
PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY: “Step-by-step illustrations aid in food preparation or crafts such as New Year Prints or Good Luck Characters in this elegantly designed volume.”
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Moonbeams is a useful, visually appealing addition to any holiday collection.”
5. CONNECTIONS
If readers were interested in learning about the Chinese culture and festivals, they may also be interested in the following:
Hoyt-Goldsmith, D. CELEBRATING CHINESE NEW YEAR. Photographs by Lawrence Migdale. ISBN-10: 0823415201
Vaughan, M.K., THE DANCING DRAGON. Ill. By Stanley Wong Hoo Foon. ISBN-10: 1572551348
Chan, M. CELEBRATING CHINESE NEW YEAR: AN ACTIVITY BOOK. ISBN-10: 1932457046
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog by Mo Willems
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Willems, Mo. 2004. THE PIGEON FINDS A HOT DOG. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 0-7868-1869-7
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog, Mo Willems writes and illustrates a story that is entertaining for young readers, as well as readers of all ages. In this story, Pigeon finds a hot dog and is intent on enjoying it. However, there is one hindrance to Pigeon’s enjoyment; a very cute little duckling who obviously wants the hot dog as well. Pigeon’s struggles between his selfish desires to singlehandedly consume the hot dog and his growing guilt over his refusal to share his treasure result in a very funny tale.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog, Mo Willems’ writing and illustrations are simple, hilarious and engaging. There are two characters in the book, a pigeon and a duckling. The conflict in the story stems from a hot dog that Pigeon has found and duckling’s refusal to leave him alone to enjoy it. Young children will relate to Pigeon’s struggle between eating the hot dog and sharing with his little friend.
The author’s style encourages interaction between the audience and the pigeon. Young readers can easily relate to pigeon’s joy when he finds a hot dog. The simple yet dramatic illustrations show Pigeon delightfully dancing around singing, “Oooooh! A hot dog! Yummy! Yummy! Yummy!” A young audience` can relate to the pigeon’s stance that the hot dog belongs to him because he found it. They witness his struggle between wanting to greedily consume the hot dog and feeling uneasy about doing so because he knows that sharing is the right thing to do. Duckling never asks pigeon to share his hot dog. He understands that the hot dog does indeed belong to Pigeon. Instead, he states that he only seeks to know what the hot dog tastes like. He calls himself “a curious bird.” However, the sweet duckling does indeed succeed in eliciting sympathy from readers who know what it’s like to be on the short-end of the sharing stick. Due to the self-centered nature of early childhood, young readers can easily relate to pigeon’s struggle between greed and generosity.
Mo Willems demonstrates a sensitive understanding of how young children perceive the world. For example, the ownership of the hot dog is never questioned. Young children can sympathize with pigeon’s greed while building empathy for duckling. This book is a useful tool that gently and wittily teaches the value of sharing. In the end, pigeon shares the hot dog and they both enjoy it together.
Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog provides many opportunities to discuss pigeon’s dilemma and to help him to problem-solve. It is a useful tool for parents and educators in guiding children in experiencing the value of sharing.
4. AWARDS WON AND BOOK EXCERPT(S)
School Library Journal review: “Willems's deceptively simple cartoon drawings convincingly portray his protagonist's emotional dilemma, from his initial joy to his frustration and struggle over what he wants to do versus what he knows is right.”
5. CONNECTIONS
Books by Mo Willems that children (young and old) can relate to and that encourage social and everyday living problem-solving:
Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late ISBN-10: 0786837462
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus ISBN-10: 078681988X
The Pigeon Wants a Puppy ISBN-10: 1423109600
The Pigeon Has Feelings Too. ISBN-10: 0786836504
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog, Mo Willems writes and illustrates a story that is entertaining for young readers, as well as readers of all ages. In this story, Pigeon finds a hot dog and is intent on enjoying it. However, there is one hindrance to Pigeon’s enjoyment; a very cute little duckling who obviously wants the hot dog as well. Pigeon’s struggles between his selfish desires to singlehandedly consume the hot dog and his growing guilt over his refusal to share his treasure result in a very funny tale.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog, Mo Willems’ writing and illustrations are simple, hilarious and engaging. There are two characters in the book, a pigeon and a duckling. The conflict in the story stems from a hot dog that Pigeon has found and duckling’s refusal to leave him alone to enjoy it. Young children will relate to Pigeon’s struggle between eating the hot dog and sharing with his little friend.
The author’s style encourages interaction between the audience and the pigeon. Young readers can easily relate to pigeon’s joy when he finds a hot dog. The simple yet dramatic illustrations show Pigeon delightfully dancing around singing, “Oooooh! A hot dog! Yummy! Yummy! Yummy!” A young audience` can relate to the pigeon’s stance that the hot dog belongs to him because he found it. They witness his struggle between wanting to greedily consume the hot dog and feeling uneasy about doing so because he knows that sharing is the right thing to do. Duckling never asks pigeon to share his hot dog. He understands that the hot dog does indeed belong to Pigeon. Instead, he states that he only seeks to know what the hot dog tastes like. He calls himself “a curious bird.” However, the sweet duckling does indeed succeed in eliciting sympathy from readers who know what it’s like to be on the short-end of the sharing stick. Due to the self-centered nature of early childhood, young readers can easily relate to pigeon’s struggle between greed and generosity.
Mo Willems demonstrates a sensitive understanding of how young children perceive the world. For example, the ownership of the hot dog is never questioned. Young children can sympathize with pigeon’s greed while building empathy for duckling. This book is a useful tool that gently and wittily teaches the value of sharing. In the end, pigeon shares the hot dog and they both enjoy it together.
Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog provides many opportunities to discuss pigeon’s dilemma and to help him to problem-solve. It is a useful tool for parents and educators in guiding children in experiencing the value of sharing.
4. AWARDS WON AND BOOK EXCERPT(S)
School Library Journal review: “Willems's deceptively simple cartoon drawings convincingly portray his protagonist's emotional dilemma, from his initial joy to his frustration and struggle over what he wants to do versus what he knows is right.”
5. CONNECTIONS
Books by Mo Willems that children (young and old) can relate to and that encourage social and everyday living problem-solving:
Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late ISBN-10: 0786837462
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus ISBN-10: 078681988X
The Pigeon Wants a Puppy ISBN-10: 1423109600
The Pigeon Has Feelings Too. ISBN-10: 0786836504
Artist to Artist
1. BIBILIOGRAPHY
Lee, P. (Editor); Brigg s, David (Editor); Palmer, Courtenay (Editor). 2008. ARTIST TO ARTIST 23 MAJOR ILLUSTRATORS TALK TO CHILDREN ABOUT THEIR ART. New York, NY: Philomel Books. ISBN0 978-0-399-24600-5
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Artist to Artist 23 Major Illustrators Talk to Children about Their Art is an anthology of personal stories by beloved illustrators that benefits the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. In this book, children’s most popular artists share how they became artist. Featured illustrators include pictures of themselves as young children and write excerpts that speak personally to children. The collection includes a diverse group of artists that use a variety of different art mediums.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Illustrators have spent an inordinate amount of the time in the background since authors all too often receive center stage. In this wonderful book, illustrators are the stars of the show. Furthermore, illustrators have a voice and use it to share about themselves, their childhood, and how they became illustrators. Many artists share about the process they go through in order to create art for picture books. All the illustrators present children with different examples of their own unique style. Some Artists speak very personally to children and are very honest, such as Nancy Ekholm Burkett who writes, “Because I felt very alone as a child, drawing became my companion, and my bridge to the World.” This is just one example of many that help children to understand the importance of art as a form of self-expression and as a means to connect with others.
In addition, artists utilize their own unique style in making their self portrait. Since photographs are included of the artists, it is very entertaining to discuss the difference between how the artist actually looks and how they illustrate themselves. In their self-portraits, the illustrators do an amazing job of teaching how much one can learn from drawings by paying attention to the details. In addition, children learn the power of art to communicate and do so without the need for words.
In Artist to Artist 23 Major Illustrators Talk to Children about Their Art , illustrators invite children into their profession and share with them their love of art. In fact, the book itself is an invitation to children to explore their own unique style. The artists do a masterful job of relating to children that there is no right or wrong way to “do” art. They simply encourage children to undertake the journey of creating in order to discover more about themselves and the world around them.
4. AWARDS WON AND REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: A gorgeous, browsable gallery of international treasures.
KIRKUS: *Starred Review* Fun to read and view, this anthology is a treasure trove of creative insight and inspiration.
5. CONNECTIONS
If children, young and old, enjoyed this book, they may also enjoy:
Carle, Eric. THE ART OF ERIC CARLE. ISBN 0399240020
Evans, Dilys. SHOW AND TELL: EXPLORING OF THE FINE ART OF CHILDREN’S BOOK ILLUSTRATION. ISBN-13: 9780811849715
Salisbury, Martin. PLAY PEN: NEW CHILDREN’S BOOK ILLUSTRATION. ISBN: 9781856695244
Lee, P. (Editor); Brigg s, David (Editor); Palmer, Courtenay (Editor). 2008. ARTIST TO ARTIST 23 MAJOR ILLUSTRATORS TALK TO CHILDREN ABOUT THEIR ART. New York, NY: Philomel Books. ISBN0 978-0-399-24600-5
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Artist to Artist 23 Major Illustrators Talk to Children about Their Art is an anthology of personal stories by beloved illustrators that benefits the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. In this book, children’s most popular artists share how they became artist. Featured illustrators include pictures of themselves as young children and write excerpts that speak personally to children. The collection includes a diverse group of artists that use a variety of different art mediums.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Illustrators have spent an inordinate amount of the time in the background since authors all too often receive center stage. In this wonderful book, illustrators are the stars of the show. Furthermore, illustrators have a voice and use it to share about themselves, their childhood, and how they became illustrators. Many artists share about the process they go through in order to create art for picture books. All the illustrators present children with different examples of their own unique style. Some Artists speak very personally to children and are very honest, such as Nancy Ekholm Burkett who writes, “Because I felt very alone as a child, drawing became my companion, and my bridge to the World.” This is just one example of many that help children to understand the importance of art as a form of self-expression and as a means to connect with others.
In addition, artists utilize their own unique style in making their self portrait. Since photographs are included of the artists, it is very entertaining to discuss the difference between how the artist actually looks and how they illustrate themselves. In their self-portraits, the illustrators do an amazing job of teaching how much one can learn from drawings by paying attention to the details. In addition, children learn the power of art to communicate and do so without the need for words.
In Artist to Artist 23 Major Illustrators Talk to Children about Their Art , illustrators invite children into their profession and share with them their love of art. In fact, the book itself is an invitation to children to explore their own unique style. The artists do a masterful job of relating to children that there is no right or wrong way to “do” art. They simply encourage children to undertake the journey of creating in order to discover more about themselves and the world around them.
4. AWARDS WON AND REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: A gorgeous, browsable gallery of international treasures.
KIRKUS: *Starred Review* Fun to read and view, this anthology is a treasure trove of creative insight and inspiration.
5. CONNECTIONS
If children, young and old, enjoyed this book, they may also enjoy:
Carle, Eric. THE ART OF ERIC CARLE. ISBN 0399240020
Evans, Dilys. SHOW AND TELL: EXPLORING OF THE FINE ART OF CHILDREN’S BOOK ILLUSTRATION. ISBN-13: 9780811849715
Salisbury, Martin. PLAY PEN: NEW CHILDREN’S BOOK ILLUSTRATION. ISBN: 9781856695244
THE HOUSE IN THE NIGHT By Susan Marie Swanson
1.BIBLIOGRAPHY
Swanson, Susan M. 2008. THE HOUSE IN THE NIGHT. Ill. By Beth Krommes. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 13 978-618-86244-3
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In this beautifully illustrated book, a child is given the key to a house. In that house, she finds a book and proceeds to go on a whimsical journey of the imagination riding on the back of a magical bird. The language is poetic and beautiful in its simplicity. However, the imagery that it evokes is powerful and spell-binding. The sing-song quality of the wording has a very soothing quality that lulls young readers to sleep.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The illustrations in this book are magnificent. Many little details intrigue children and draw them into the story. The illustrations and the words work together in absolute harmony. The words are simple, yet poetic. Because of the simplicity of the words, one can draw little ones to make inferences as to their meaning. For example, “On the bed waits a book.” Little ones know that books do not wait. However, because the words are understandable, this allows discussion for meaning.
The House in the Night is an award-winning book that exemplifies the harmonious pairing of the author and the illustrator. In the beginning of the book, a child is handed a key to a house. In the house is a light, and the light illuminates certain objects, including a book. The child opens the book and is transported to the very stars. Children are captivated by intricate artwork and attention to detail. The story is unusual and captures even young children’s attention as it prompts little ones to try to understand the story line.
In this collaboration, Swanson and Krommes create a masterpiece that is enjoyable for ages.
4. AWARDS WON AND REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Caldecott Medal, 2009; Minnesota Book Award, 2009; Junior Library Guild Premiere Selection; Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Books; Publishers Weekly Best Books; Parents' Choice; New York Public Library Titles for Reading and Sharing
BOOKLIST: *Starred Review* A beautiful piece of bookmaking that will delight both parents and children.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: This volume's artful simplicity, homely wisdom and quiet tone demonstrate the interconnected beauty and order of the world in a way that both children and adults will treasure.
5. CONNECTIONS
* This is a very soothing bedtime story for young children.
*If parents and young children enjoyed this book, they may enjoy the following:
Brown, Margaret Wise. GOODNIGHT MOON. ISBN-10: 0898459885
*Consider the following books for their poetic appeal to children:
Swanson, Susan Marie. TO BE LIKE THE SUN. ISBN 978-0152057961
Pinkney, Jerry. THE LION AND THE MOUSE. ISBN-10: 0316013560
Swanson, Susan M. 2008. THE HOUSE IN THE NIGHT. Ill. By Beth Krommes. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 13 978-618-86244-3
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In this beautifully illustrated book, a child is given the key to a house. In that house, she finds a book and proceeds to go on a whimsical journey of the imagination riding on the back of a magical bird. The language is poetic and beautiful in its simplicity. However, the imagery that it evokes is powerful and spell-binding. The sing-song quality of the wording has a very soothing quality that lulls young readers to sleep.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The illustrations in this book are magnificent. Many little details intrigue children and draw them into the story. The illustrations and the words work together in absolute harmony. The words are simple, yet poetic. Because of the simplicity of the words, one can draw little ones to make inferences as to their meaning. For example, “On the bed waits a book.” Little ones know that books do not wait. However, because the words are understandable, this allows discussion for meaning.
The House in the Night is an award-winning book that exemplifies the harmonious pairing of the author and the illustrator. In the beginning of the book, a child is handed a key to a house. In the house is a light, and the light illuminates certain objects, including a book. The child opens the book and is transported to the very stars. Children are captivated by intricate artwork and attention to detail. The story is unusual and captures even young children’s attention as it prompts little ones to try to understand the story line.
In this collaboration, Swanson and Krommes create a masterpiece that is enjoyable for ages.
4. AWARDS WON AND REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Caldecott Medal, 2009; Minnesota Book Award, 2009; Junior Library Guild Premiere Selection; Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Books; Publishers Weekly Best Books; Parents' Choice; New York Public Library Titles for Reading and Sharing
BOOKLIST: *Starred Review* A beautiful piece of bookmaking that will delight both parents and children.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: This volume's artful simplicity, homely wisdom and quiet tone demonstrate the interconnected beauty and order of the world in a way that both children and adults will treasure.
5. CONNECTIONS
* This is a very soothing bedtime story for young children.
*If parents and young children enjoyed this book, they may enjoy the following:
Brown, Margaret Wise. GOODNIGHT MOON. ISBN-10: 0898459885
*Consider the following books for their poetic appeal to children:
Swanson, Susan Marie. TO BE LIKE THE SUN. ISBN 978-0152057961
Pinkney, Jerry. THE LION AND THE MOUSE. ISBN-10: 0316013560
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Great Children's Books
1.BIBLIOGRAPHY
Swanson, Susan M. 2008. THE HOUSE IN THE NIGHT. Ill. By Beth Krommes. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 13 978-618-86244-3
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In this beautifully illustrated book, a child is given the key to a house. In that house, she finds a book and proceeds to go on a whimsical journey of the imagination riding on the back of a magical bird. The language is poetic and beautiful in its simplicity. However, the imagery that it evokes is powerful and spell-binding. The sing-song quality of the wording has a very soothing quality that lulls young readers to sleep.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The illustrations in this book are magnificent. Many little details intrigue children and draw them into the story. The illustrations and the words work together in absolute harmony. The words are simple, yet poetic. Because of the simplicity of the words, one can draw little ones to make inferences as to their meaning. For example, “On the bed waits a book.” Little ones know that books do not wait. However, because the words are understandable, this allows discussion for meaning.
The House in the Night is an award-winning book that exemplifies the harmonious pairing of the author and the illustrator. In the beginning of the book, a child is handed a key to a house. In the house is a light, and the light illuminates certain objects, including a book. The child opens the book and is transported to the very stars. Children are captivated by intricate artwork and attention to detail. The story is unusual and captures even young children’s attention as it prompts little ones to try to understand the story line.
In this collaboration, Swanson and Krommes create a masterpiece that is enjoyable for ages.
4. AWARDS WON AND REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Caldecott Medal, 2009; Minnesota Book Award, 2009; Junior Library Guild Premiere Selection; Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Books; Publishers Weekly Best Books; Parents' Choice; New York Public Library Titles for Reading and Sharing
BOOKLIST: *Starred Review* A beautiful piece of bookmaking that will delight both parents and children.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: This volume's artful simplicity, homely wisdom and quiet tone demonstrate the interconnected beauty and order of the world in a way that both children and adults will treasure.
5. CONNECTIONS
* This is a very soothing bedtime story for young children.
*If parents and young children enjoyed this book, they may enjoy the following:
Brown, Margaret Wise. GOODNIGHT MOON. ISBN-10: 0898459885
*Consider the following books for their poetic appeal to children:
Swanson, Susan Marie. TO BE LIKE THE SUN. ISBN 978-0152057961
Pinkney, Jerry. THE LION AND THE MOUSE. ISBN-10: 0316013560
Sunday, January 24, 2010
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