Bibliography
Black, Holly and Tony DiTerlizzi. 2003. THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES: THE FIELD GUIDE. New York: Simon & Schuster Books. ISBN 0689859368
Plot Summary
As Jared, Simon and Mallory Grace move into a mysterious old family house, they quickly realize that this is more than just a rickety estate. Several strange occurrences ensue, leading the siblings to investigate their origins. As a weird and wonderful field guide is discovered, the children are exposed to a word of fantastical creatures. Working together, the three children come across some great findings, and are introduced to their first fantasy creature. This first book of the Spiderwick Chronicles is merely the start of incredible adventures to come.
Critical Analysis
DiTerlizzi and Black deliver younger readers a whimsical short read that is surely to capture their interest. Secret passages, intriguing riddles, and mentions of faeries and trolls are prevalent throughout the book, allowing the reader to take part in the adventures of the young Grace children. DeTerlizzi and Black offer characters that have a great ability to relate to young children. Divorce is an unfortunate fact that several children must face in their lives. By including that aspect in this story, the authors are letting children understand that they are not alone in their family struggles, and even they can find salvation in something. This world of fantasy allows the characters and the readers to escape the occasional unpleasantries of life.
With humor and wittiness, DiTerlizzi and Black describe an incredible world that exists from the field guide, “As Jared read, each page took him deeper into the strange world of forest and stream, alive with creatures that seemed so close that he could almost stroke the slick, scaly flanks of the mermaids. He could almost feel the heat of the troll’s breath and hear the rumble of the dwarven forges.” The reader holds their breath as the strange and unknown creature, known only as a boggart, is reveled to the young siblings, “There was a loud sound of a throat being cleared, and the three turned toward the desk. Standing on it, in worn overalls and a wide-brimmed hat, was a little man about the size of a pencil. His eyes were as black as beetles, his nose was large and red, and he looked very like the illustration from the Guide.”
The book holds great aesthetic appeal. Black and white ink drawings provide the reader with a visual image of the Grace children, the creepy house, and the interesting characters that will follow them throughout the series. Additional features like pages torn from the field guide, described as “Handwritten note uncovered by Jared Grace in Arthur Spiderwick’s upstairs library”, allow the reader to feel even more involved in the plot.
At the close of the book, the boggart warns the siblings to toss the book into the fire in order escape a horrible fate. It appears that the Grace children have only just embarked on their journey. The last sentence is a cliff-hanger that definitely encourages the reader to continue with the series, “And worst of all, they were only at the beginning.” This fast-paced story will leave the reader fleeing to Book 2!
Review Excerpts
Bookhive
“Adventure, mysteries, secret rooms, strange messages, and a hint of danger— this book has them all!”
Kirkus
“Readers who are too young to read Harry Potter independently will find these have just the right amount of menace laced with appealing humor and are blessed with crisp pacing and, of course, DiTerlizzi's enticingly Gothic illustrations.”
Connections
If students feel comfortable, they can discuss or write about a time that they struggled with divorce or other issues, and what or who they found salvation in.
Students can also create personal field guides, with creatures of their own. They can imagine what could be in the walls of their own homes, whether it be a simple squirrel or a true boggart!
Additional recommended books:
*The Seeing Stone (Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 2) by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
ISBN 0689859376
*Lucinda's Secret (Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 3) by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
ISBN 0689859384
*Queste by Angie Sage ISBN 0060882077
*Physik by Angie Sage ISBN 0060577371
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Saturday, August 2, 2008
FICTION, FANTASY, & YA Review – Monster By Walter Dean Myers
Bibliography
Myers, Walter Dean. 1999. MONSTER. Ill. by Christopher Myers. ISBN 0060280786
Plot Summary
Steve Harmon, a 16 year-old black male, sits in a grim jail cell. He is on trial for felony murder. “Sometimes I feel like I have walked into the middle of a movie. It is a strange movie with no plot and no beginning.” In order to take himself away from the horrors of jail and the uncertainty of the courtroom, Harmon treats his case as if it is a movie script for an upcoming film he will create. An innocent Harlem drugstore clerk has been killed. Several men are said to be involved in the robbery. Was Steve Harmon involved as a lookout? Or was he simply a bystander? Young Harmon constantly wonders if his entire youth will be spent in this nightmare of a jail, “I am so scared. My heart is beating like crazy and I am having trouble breathing.” He often has flashbacks of his childhood, and the events that preceded the robbery. What will his parents and younger brother do if he is found guilty? How will he survive with the constant fear of being molested or killed in this ungodly prison? It is up to the reader to see if young Steve Harmon is a true “Monster.”
Critical Analysis
Walter Dean Myers reveals this case to the reader in a very unglamorous and gritty way. His use of controversial subjects, such as foul language, violence, gangs, murder, robbery, drugs, and sexual assault are quite prevalent. Though the issues addressed may be controversial to some, they depict how some inner-city youth live. This real-life feeling appeals to young readers who want to hear stories that are not sugar-coated. The reader can feel the strong sense of sexual brutality and physical violence throughout the jail, “First I was scared of being hit or raped…Everybody in here either talks about sex or hurting somebody or what they’re in here for…They had church services and I went. There were only 9 guys in the service, and 2 of them got into a fight. It was a vicious fight…”
Myers allows the reader to understand how much Steve Harmon hates jail and the entire legal process. He is not sure of what is occurring most of the time in the courtroom, but he fears returning to his cell every night, “I hate this place. I hate this place. I can’t write it enough times to make it look the way I feel. I hate, hate, hate this place!!”
As the trial progresses, the reader sees how Harmon is becoming like the other inmates. Harmon knows this fact and writes about it, “I think I finally understand why there are so many fights. In here all you have going for you is the little surface stuff, how people look at you and what they say. And if that’s all you have, then you have to protect that. Maybe that’s right.” As Harmon’s character outlines his movie, he begins to realize that this is not really a script, but his life. He would give anything to have this only be a movie.
The use of script outlines and handwritten journal entries allow the reader to embark on something that is not your typical novel. Christopher Myers adds a haunting reality with grainy black and white photos of jail cells, mug shots and other characters. This format appeals to young readers, offering them an escape from monotonous paragraphs. The reader will enjoy this face-paced thriller, all the while wondering if young Steve Harmon truly is a MONSTER.
Review Excerpts
School Library Journal
“Christopher Myers's superfluous black-and-white drawings are less successful. Their grainy, unfocused look complements the cinematic quality of the text, but they do little to enhance the story. Monster will challenge readers with difficult questions, to which there are no definitive answers.”
Kirkus Reviews
“The format of this taut and moving drama forcefully regulates the pacing; breathless, edge-of-the-seat courtroom scenes written entirely in dialogue alternate with thoughtful, introspective journal entries that offer a sense of Steve's terror and confusion, and that deftly demonstrate Myers's point: the road from innocence to trouble is comprised of small, almost invisible steps, each involving an experience in which a ``positive moral decision'' was not made.”
Connections
A Reader’s Theater would be a wonderful way to share this book. Since it is written in a script format, students can take the role of the lawyers, witnesses, and defendants.
Students can also hypothesize about Steve Harmon’s life after the trial. What did he learn during the process? How did this all change his life?
Additional recommended books:
*The First Part Last by Angela Johnson ISBN 0689849230
*Who Am I Without Him? By Sharon Flake ISBN 1423103831
*Slam! By Walter Dean Meyers ISBN 0545055741
Myers, Walter Dean. 1999. MONSTER. Ill. by Christopher Myers. ISBN 0060280786
Plot Summary
Steve Harmon, a 16 year-old black male, sits in a grim jail cell. He is on trial for felony murder. “Sometimes I feel like I have walked into the middle of a movie. It is a strange movie with no plot and no beginning.” In order to take himself away from the horrors of jail and the uncertainty of the courtroom, Harmon treats his case as if it is a movie script for an upcoming film he will create. An innocent Harlem drugstore clerk has been killed. Several men are said to be involved in the robbery. Was Steve Harmon involved as a lookout? Or was he simply a bystander? Young Harmon constantly wonders if his entire youth will be spent in this nightmare of a jail, “I am so scared. My heart is beating like crazy and I am having trouble breathing.” He often has flashbacks of his childhood, and the events that preceded the robbery. What will his parents and younger brother do if he is found guilty? How will he survive with the constant fear of being molested or killed in this ungodly prison? It is up to the reader to see if young Steve Harmon is a true “Monster.”
Critical Analysis
Walter Dean Myers reveals this case to the reader in a very unglamorous and gritty way. His use of controversial subjects, such as foul language, violence, gangs, murder, robbery, drugs, and sexual assault are quite prevalent. Though the issues addressed may be controversial to some, they depict how some inner-city youth live. This real-life feeling appeals to young readers who want to hear stories that are not sugar-coated. The reader can feel the strong sense of sexual brutality and physical violence throughout the jail, “First I was scared of being hit or raped…Everybody in here either talks about sex or hurting somebody or what they’re in here for…They had church services and I went. There were only 9 guys in the service, and 2 of them got into a fight. It was a vicious fight…”
Myers allows the reader to understand how much Steve Harmon hates jail and the entire legal process. He is not sure of what is occurring most of the time in the courtroom, but he fears returning to his cell every night, “I hate this place. I hate this place. I can’t write it enough times to make it look the way I feel. I hate, hate, hate this place!!”
As the trial progresses, the reader sees how Harmon is becoming like the other inmates. Harmon knows this fact and writes about it, “I think I finally understand why there are so many fights. In here all you have going for you is the little surface stuff, how people look at you and what they say. And if that’s all you have, then you have to protect that. Maybe that’s right.” As Harmon’s character outlines his movie, he begins to realize that this is not really a script, but his life. He would give anything to have this only be a movie.
The use of script outlines and handwritten journal entries allow the reader to embark on something that is not your typical novel. Christopher Myers adds a haunting reality with grainy black and white photos of jail cells, mug shots and other characters. This format appeals to young readers, offering them an escape from monotonous paragraphs. The reader will enjoy this face-paced thriller, all the while wondering if young Steve Harmon truly is a MONSTER.
Review Excerpts
School Library Journal
“Christopher Myers's superfluous black-and-white drawings are less successful. Their grainy, unfocused look complements the cinematic quality of the text, but they do little to enhance the story. Monster will challenge readers with difficult questions, to which there are no definitive answers.”
Kirkus Reviews
“The format of this taut and moving drama forcefully regulates the pacing; breathless, edge-of-the-seat courtroom scenes written entirely in dialogue alternate with thoughtful, introspective journal entries that offer a sense of Steve's terror and confusion, and that deftly demonstrate Myers's point: the road from innocence to trouble is comprised of small, almost invisible steps, each involving an experience in which a ``positive moral decision'' was not made.”
Connections
A Reader’s Theater would be a wonderful way to share this book. Since it is written in a script format, students can take the role of the lawyers, witnesses, and defendants.
Students can also hypothesize about Steve Harmon’s life after the trial. What did he learn during the process? How did this all change his life?
Additional recommended books:
*The First Part Last by Angela Johnson ISBN 0689849230
*Who Am I Without Him? By Sharon Flake ISBN 1423103831
*Slam! By Walter Dean Meyers ISBN 0545055741
FICTION, FANTASY, & YA Review – Princess Academy By Shannon Hale
Bibliography
Hale, Shannon. 2005. PRINCESS ACADEMY. New York, New York: Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 1582349930
Plot Summary
A fragile young girl from Mount Eskel, Miri, feels insignificant and weak as she is not allowed to work in the linder quarry alongside her father. Her mother dies when Miri was a newborn, and her father remains overprotective of his little flower. Just as she feels that she is of no use, the king announces that the prince will choose his next bride from the mountain girls. As she and the other girls are escorted to the academy to prepare themselves for the prince’s arrival, intrigue and nervousness set in. Tutor Olana is the nightmarish teacher that practices insensitive language and cruel punishments. As the girls are forced to tolerate harsh conditions, Miri begins to learn about the world and about herself.
At times, Miri is ostracized by the other girls for her independent thinking. Because of this, she throws herself into the world of books and learning. She discovers how to access the mysterious “quarry speech” that she has heard about from the quarry workers. Soon, all of the mountain girls are able to communicate with the strange internal language. The girls utilize this talent during lessons, examinations, and dealing with Tutor Olana. Miri is even able to use quarry speech to alert her village that the academy has been overtaken by a group of merciless bandits. As the girls await the prince’s decision, Miri contemplates whether or not her true place is in a kingdom. Is it worth leaving her home, sister, father, and her potential true love, Peder?
Critical Analysis
Susan Hale delivers an exceptional story, packed with friendship, unity, love, survival, and the feeling of self-worth. The reader first sees the character of Miri as a diminutive 14 year-old. She is ripped from her home and everything that she has ever known. She and the other girls are forced to live at an academy, transforming themselves into some type of royal lady. It is interesting how Hale enables Miri to discover that she too can perform quarry speech. She was under the impression that only quarry workers could speak it. It is only during a time of incredible need that she is able to conjure up the emotions to communicate with her fellow Mount Esker citizens. While the story first appears to be that of young girls being groomed for a potential crown, the reader quickly sees that this story travels much deeper. It is a story about young Miri trying to make a difference in her beloved mountain. Because she was so firm in her beliefs, her fellow classmates shunned her, which caused her to immerse herself in books, which shed light on many facets of the world that affected her Mount Eskel. It is about how all the people of one land have a gift that allows them to correspond with or warn one another of impending trouble.
Hales detailed description of different settings allows the reader to paint a picture of the Mount Eskel atmosphere, “The festivities slows and families clustered around fire, drinking tea, with honey if they were lucky and singing sleepy tunes…Among the gray scraps of rubble rock, the white and silver linder gleamed like jewels. From the cracks in the rocks all around, the miri flowers were already blooming.”
Hale depicts Miri as the smartest and most likely candidate to be chosen by the prince. As the decision time draws closer, Miri contemplates her future. Hale creates a constant struggle that Miri must battle. She wonders if she will say yes if the prince chooses her, and if she does, will she be happy? What will happen to Mount Eskel? What will happen to her family? The concept of “quarry speech” adds a bit of curiosity to the reader. Is it possible for these mountain people to actually communicate with their minds? This added whimsy offers a fantastical feeling throughout the book.
During the confrontation with the bandits, Hale lets Miri see how united an loyal her mountain community really is, which eventually ends in good winning over evil, “There was Peder, his hands red with cold, no doubt having left too quickly to find his gloves…Her family, her playmates, her protectors and neighbors and friends – those people were her world…She realized with sudden clarity that she did not want to live far away from the village where Mount Eskel’s shadow fell like a comforting arm. The mountain was home – the liner dust, the rhythm of the quarry, the chain of mountains, the people she knew as well as the feel of her own skin.” In the end, Miri takes her gift of intellect and justice and brings it to where it is needed most, her dearly loved Mount Eskel.
Review Excerpts
School Library Journal
“Each girl's story is brought to a satisfying conclusion, but this is not a fluffy, predictable fairy tale, even though it has wonderful moments of humor. Instead, Hale weaves an intricate, multilayered story about families, relationships, education, and the place we call home.”
Booklist
“Hale nicely interweaves feminist sensibilities in this quest-for-a-prince-charming, historical-fantasy tale. Strong suspense and plot drive the action as the girls outwit would-be kidnappers and explore the boundaries of leadership, competition, and friendship.”
Connections
Students can be encouraged to explain why only the Mount Eskel folks could practice quarry speech. Why is community so important in order for lands to run properly? Teachers should also emphasize that even though Miri was small and from a rural area, she was able to accomplish more than she ever thought.
Additional recommended books:
*The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale ISBN 158234843
*Enna Burning by Shannon Hale ISBN 1582349061
*River Secrets by Shannon Hale ISBN 1582349010
Hale, Shannon. 2005. PRINCESS ACADEMY. New York, New York: Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 1582349930
Plot Summary
A fragile young girl from Mount Eskel, Miri, feels insignificant and weak as she is not allowed to work in the linder quarry alongside her father. Her mother dies when Miri was a newborn, and her father remains overprotective of his little flower. Just as she feels that she is of no use, the king announces that the prince will choose his next bride from the mountain girls. As she and the other girls are escorted to the academy to prepare themselves for the prince’s arrival, intrigue and nervousness set in. Tutor Olana is the nightmarish teacher that practices insensitive language and cruel punishments. As the girls are forced to tolerate harsh conditions, Miri begins to learn about the world and about herself.
At times, Miri is ostracized by the other girls for her independent thinking. Because of this, she throws herself into the world of books and learning. She discovers how to access the mysterious “quarry speech” that she has heard about from the quarry workers. Soon, all of the mountain girls are able to communicate with the strange internal language. The girls utilize this talent during lessons, examinations, and dealing with Tutor Olana. Miri is even able to use quarry speech to alert her village that the academy has been overtaken by a group of merciless bandits. As the girls await the prince’s decision, Miri contemplates whether or not her true place is in a kingdom. Is it worth leaving her home, sister, father, and her potential true love, Peder?
Critical Analysis
Susan Hale delivers an exceptional story, packed with friendship, unity, love, survival, and the feeling of self-worth. The reader first sees the character of Miri as a diminutive 14 year-old. She is ripped from her home and everything that she has ever known. She and the other girls are forced to live at an academy, transforming themselves into some type of royal lady. It is interesting how Hale enables Miri to discover that she too can perform quarry speech. She was under the impression that only quarry workers could speak it. It is only during a time of incredible need that she is able to conjure up the emotions to communicate with her fellow Mount Esker citizens. While the story first appears to be that of young girls being groomed for a potential crown, the reader quickly sees that this story travels much deeper. It is a story about young Miri trying to make a difference in her beloved mountain. Because she was so firm in her beliefs, her fellow classmates shunned her, which caused her to immerse herself in books, which shed light on many facets of the world that affected her Mount Eskel. It is about how all the people of one land have a gift that allows them to correspond with or warn one another of impending trouble.
Hales detailed description of different settings allows the reader to paint a picture of the Mount Eskel atmosphere, “The festivities slows and families clustered around fire, drinking tea, with honey if they were lucky and singing sleepy tunes…Among the gray scraps of rubble rock, the white and silver linder gleamed like jewels. From the cracks in the rocks all around, the miri flowers were already blooming.”
Hale depicts Miri as the smartest and most likely candidate to be chosen by the prince. As the decision time draws closer, Miri contemplates her future. Hale creates a constant struggle that Miri must battle. She wonders if she will say yes if the prince chooses her, and if she does, will she be happy? What will happen to Mount Eskel? What will happen to her family? The concept of “quarry speech” adds a bit of curiosity to the reader. Is it possible for these mountain people to actually communicate with their minds? This added whimsy offers a fantastical feeling throughout the book.
During the confrontation with the bandits, Hale lets Miri see how united an loyal her mountain community really is, which eventually ends in good winning over evil, “There was Peder, his hands red with cold, no doubt having left too quickly to find his gloves…Her family, her playmates, her protectors and neighbors and friends – those people were her world…She realized with sudden clarity that she did not want to live far away from the village where Mount Eskel’s shadow fell like a comforting arm. The mountain was home – the liner dust, the rhythm of the quarry, the chain of mountains, the people she knew as well as the feel of her own skin.” In the end, Miri takes her gift of intellect and justice and brings it to where it is needed most, her dearly loved Mount Eskel.
Review Excerpts
School Library Journal
“Each girl's story is brought to a satisfying conclusion, but this is not a fluffy, predictable fairy tale, even though it has wonderful moments of humor. Instead, Hale weaves an intricate, multilayered story about families, relationships, education, and the place we call home.”
Booklist
“Hale nicely interweaves feminist sensibilities in this quest-for-a-prince-charming, historical-fantasy tale. Strong suspense and plot drive the action as the girls outwit would-be kidnappers and explore the boundaries of leadership, competition, and friendship.”
Connections
Students can be encouraged to explain why only the Mount Eskel folks could practice quarry speech. Why is community so important in order for lands to run properly? Teachers should also emphasize that even though Miri was small and from a rural area, she was able to accomplish more than she ever thought.
Additional recommended books:
*The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale ISBN 158234843
*Enna Burning by Shannon Hale ISBN 1582349061
*River Secrets by Shannon Hale ISBN 1582349010
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Historical Fiction Review – The Midwife’s Apprentice By Karen Cushman
Bibliography
Cushman, Karen. 1995. The Midwife's Apprentice. New York: Clarion Books.
ISBN 0395692296
Plot Summary
In medieval England, a midwife named Jane discovers a homeless girl slumbering in a disgusting but warm pile of dung. Jane snatches the girl and takes her in to work for her. She is unkindly referred to as ‘Beetle’ by the demanding midwife. Her only friend in the world and the only one who will listen to her is a scruffy orange cat she affectionately names “Purr.” Beetle watches and learns the tricks and techniques used by Jane. Her confidence grows, even renaming herself ‘Alyce.’ However, when asked to deliver a baby on her own, Beetle quickly learns that she does not know all there is about midwifery. She flees her current home to work in a nearby town. When called upon to deliver a baby this time, Alyce summons all of her courage and performs excellently. Following this feat, she promptly returns back to Jane the midwife, this time with bravery and determination.
Critical Analysis
In this Newbery Medal book, Karen Cushman illustrates young Alyce, who comes from a deprived background and basically has nothing in the world, and nothing to offer to it. She is plucked up by Jane Sharp and is given some sense of responsibility. Cushman is constantly developing Alyce’s confidence and intellectual ability. We can see how out of touch Alyce has been with the rest of the world when it comes to her emotional capabilities, “Strange sensations tickled her throat, but she did not cry, for she did not know how, and a heavy weight sat in her chest, but she did not moan or wail. For she had never learned to give voice to what was inside her.” Alyce’s failure in delivering a baby on her own is a pivotal point in the story. She has been working diligently, but feels as if she is a complete failure with her inability to showcase what she has learned. It takes the accomplishment of delivering a stranger’s baby at the inn to assure her that she is worth something, and does have so much to offer the world.
Cushman superbly depicts midwifery in medieval England. The “Author’s Note” gives an accurate explanation on the occupation of the midwife. At that time, several women who practiced this used several potions, tricks, and even spells, “In the afternoon Beetle left the village for the woods, where she gathered honey, trapped birds, and collected herbs, leeches, and spiders’ webs.” Cushman tells of the gritty ways that women experienced childbirth when dealing with a midwife like Jane Sharp, “Then she slapped Emma’s great bulge of a belly, lifted her from behind her shoulders, and gave her a good shake.”
Cushman provides a vast children’s appeal to this story. This short-reader can easily be read aloud in a classroom. Alyce’s antics with the local boys are sure to get a laugh, “’Touch that cat again,’ she shouted, ‘and I will unstop this bottle of rat’s blood and viper’s flesh and summon the Devil, who will change you into women, and henceforth each of you will giggle like a woman and wear dresses like a woman and give birth like woman!’” The character of Purr is Alyce’s steadfast friend and constant listener. To children, it often seems as if their pet is the only one in the world who understands them. Cushman creates this same familiar feeling between Alyce and Purr, often stating, “And the cat went with her.”
Review Excerpts
Publishers Weekly
“In reviewing this 1996 Newbery winner, PW said that 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.’”
School Library Journal
“Earthy humor, the foibles of humans both high and low, and a fascinating mix of superstition and genuinely helpful herbal remedies attached to childbirth make this a truly delightful introduction to a world seldom seen in children's literature.”
Connections
Students can describe a time that they thought they failed, and how they recovered from it. They can compare similar feelings to those of Alyce’s. Teachers must emphasize how hard work and determination have been important characteristics all throughout history, and in every profession.
Additional recommended books:
*Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman ISBN 0064405842
*Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi ISBN 0786808284
Cushman, Karen. 1995. The Midwife's Apprentice. New York: Clarion Books.
ISBN 0395692296
Plot Summary
In medieval England, a midwife named Jane discovers a homeless girl slumbering in a disgusting but warm pile of dung. Jane snatches the girl and takes her in to work for her. She is unkindly referred to as ‘Beetle’ by the demanding midwife. Her only friend in the world and the only one who will listen to her is a scruffy orange cat she affectionately names “Purr.” Beetle watches and learns the tricks and techniques used by Jane. Her confidence grows, even renaming herself ‘Alyce.’ However, when asked to deliver a baby on her own, Beetle quickly learns that she does not know all there is about midwifery. She flees her current home to work in a nearby town. When called upon to deliver a baby this time, Alyce summons all of her courage and performs excellently. Following this feat, she promptly returns back to Jane the midwife, this time with bravery and determination.
Critical Analysis
In this Newbery Medal book, Karen Cushman illustrates young Alyce, who comes from a deprived background and basically has nothing in the world, and nothing to offer to it. She is plucked up by Jane Sharp and is given some sense of responsibility. Cushman is constantly developing Alyce’s confidence and intellectual ability. We can see how out of touch Alyce has been with the rest of the world when it comes to her emotional capabilities, “Strange sensations tickled her throat, but she did not cry, for she did not know how, and a heavy weight sat in her chest, but she did not moan or wail. For she had never learned to give voice to what was inside her.” Alyce’s failure in delivering a baby on her own is a pivotal point in the story. She has been working diligently, but feels as if she is a complete failure with her inability to showcase what she has learned. It takes the accomplishment of delivering a stranger’s baby at the inn to assure her that she is worth something, and does have so much to offer the world.
Cushman superbly depicts midwifery in medieval England. The “Author’s Note” gives an accurate explanation on the occupation of the midwife. At that time, several women who practiced this used several potions, tricks, and even spells, “In the afternoon Beetle left the village for the woods, where she gathered honey, trapped birds, and collected herbs, leeches, and spiders’ webs.” Cushman tells of the gritty ways that women experienced childbirth when dealing with a midwife like Jane Sharp, “Then she slapped Emma’s great bulge of a belly, lifted her from behind her shoulders, and gave her a good shake.”
Cushman provides a vast children’s appeal to this story. This short-reader can easily be read aloud in a classroom. Alyce’s antics with the local boys are sure to get a laugh, “’Touch that cat again,’ she shouted, ‘and I will unstop this bottle of rat’s blood and viper’s flesh and summon the Devil, who will change you into women, and henceforth each of you will giggle like a woman and wear dresses like a woman and give birth like woman!’” The character of Purr is Alyce’s steadfast friend and constant listener. To children, it often seems as if their pet is the only one in the world who understands them. Cushman creates this same familiar feeling between Alyce and Purr, often stating, “And the cat went with her.”
Review Excerpts
Publishers Weekly
“In reviewing this 1996 Newbery winner, PW said that 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.’”
School Library Journal
“Earthy humor, the foibles of humans both high and low, and a fascinating mix of superstition and genuinely helpful herbal remedies attached to childbirth make this a truly delightful introduction to a world seldom seen in children's literature.”
Connections
Students can describe a time that they thought they failed, and how they recovered from it. They can compare similar feelings to those of Alyce’s. Teachers must emphasize how hard work and determination have been important characteristics all throughout history, and in every profession.
Additional recommended books:
*Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman ISBN 0064405842
*Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi ISBN 0786808284
Historical Fiction Review – Sarah, Plain and Tall By Patricia MacLachlan
Bibliography
MacLachlan, Patricia. 1985. SARAH, PLAIN AND TALL. New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc. ISBN-10: 0618062416
Plot Summary
This touching story portrays a young girl and boy who live in the Old West. Their widowed father has placed an advertisement, attempting to find a new wife for himself, and a new mother for his children. Sarah, a woman from Maine, has answered the ad. Her entrance into their lives is greatly anticipated by the children. Soon after her arrival, Sarah realizes that the western lifestyle is a far cry from her home at the sea. As Sarah and the family bond, her perspective changes, and she understands that her future lies with them.
Critical Analysis
MacLachlan’s depiction of the Old West is described with incredible detail. The reader can visualize how the surroundings appear, “Sarah came in the spring. She came through green grass fields that bloomed with Indian paintbrush, red and orange, and blue-eyed grass.” MacLachlan’s writing immerses the reader with imagery. Sarah’s character is in love with her home, and MacLachlan’s descriptive nature is seen again, “’In Maine,’ said Sarah, ‘there are rock cliffs that rise up at the edge of the sea. And there are hills covered with pine and spruce trees, green with needles. But William and I found a sand dune all our own. It was soft and sparkling with bits of mica, and when we were little we would slide down the dune into the water.’” The reader can almost feel the sea mist spraying on them, and the smell of salt in the air.
The children, Anna and Caleb, are overtly preoccupied throughout the story that Sarah will not like them, and will choose to return to Maine. Even before Sarah’s arrival, the children worry that Sarah will be disappointed, “’Do you think she’ll come?’ asked Caleb. ‘And will she stay? What if she thinks we are loud and pesky?’” The incredible nervousness follows the children’s characters all the way until the end of the story. Each time Sarah begins to think of Maine, MacLachlan describes the children’s desperate attempts to show that the west can be wonderful too. Several utterances by Caleb paint the picture of how worrisome they become, “Sarah sat up, ‘Do you have lots of snow?’ …’Lots and lots of snow’ chanted Caleb…’And is there wind?’ she asked. ‘Do you like the wind?’ asked Caleb. ‘There is wind by the sea,’ said Sarah. ‘There is wind here,’ said Caleb happily.”
Placing advertisements for wives and mothers was common practice during this time period. MacLachlan does not ignore the hard work that was required of people of this era. Storms destroyed homes, lambs and chickens were killed, and women often died during childbirth. MacLachlan creates Sarah’s character as a woman who is miles away from her home and all that she has ever known. She is thrown into a new surrounding, full of new customs, strange people, and worst of all, no sea. She even treats the livestock as pets; making it difficult to kill a chicken and eat it for dinner once it has a name! Despite all of these obstacles, the character of Sarah remains strong and level-headed. MacLachlan provides a happy ending for the children and Sarah, “’We thought you might be leaving us’…’No,’ she said. ‘I will always miss my old home, but the truth of it is I would miss you more.”
Review Excerpts
School Library Journal
“A short but moving book that is anything but plain.”
Booklist
“Poignant but never sentimental, this is a worthy successor to Wilder’s Little House books and a prime choice for reading aloud.”
Connections
Students can write about how they would feel if a strange woman were to come to their home to become their new mother. Teachers can explain why practices like this one were used in the past. Students could also explain why they agree or disagree with Sarah’s final decision to stay, and if they could leave their home to start a new life in a new place.
Additional recommended books:
*Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell ISBN 0440439884
*Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery ISBN 0553153277
MacLachlan, Patricia. 1985. SARAH, PLAIN AND TALL. New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc. ISBN-10: 0618062416
Plot Summary
This touching story portrays a young girl and boy who live in the Old West. Their widowed father has placed an advertisement, attempting to find a new wife for himself, and a new mother for his children. Sarah, a woman from Maine, has answered the ad. Her entrance into their lives is greatly anticipated by the children. Soon after her arrival, Sarah realizes that the western lifestyle is a far cry from her home at the sea. As Sarah and the family bond, her perspective changes, and she understands that her future lies with them.
Critical Analysis
MacLachlan’s depiction of the Old West is described with incredible detail. The reader can visualize how the surroundings appear, “Sarah came in the spring. She came through green grass fields that bloomed with Indian paintbrush, red and orange, and blue-eyed grass.” MacLachlan’s writing immerses the reader with imagery. Sarah’s character is in love with her home, and MacLachlan’s descriptive nature is seen again, “’In Maine,’ said Sarah, ‘there are rock cliffs that rise up at the edge of the sea. And there are hills covered with pine and spruce trees, green with needles. But William and I found a sand dune all our own. It was soft and sparkling with bits of mica, and when we were little we would slide down the dune into the water.’” The reader can almost feel the sea mist spraying on them, and the smell of salt in the air.
The children, Anna and Caleb, are overtly preoccupied throughout the story that Sarah will not like them, and will choose to return to Maine. Even before Sarah’s arrival, the children worry that Sarah will be disappointed, “’Do you think she’ll come?’ asked Caleb. ‘And will she stay? What if she thinks we are loud and pesky?’” The incredible nervousness follows the children’s characters all the way until the end of the story. Each time Sarah begins to think of Maine, MacLachlan describes the children’s desperate attempts to show that the west can be wonderful too. Several utterances by Caleb paint the picture of how worrisome they become, “Sarah sat up, ‘Do you have lots of snow?’ …’Lots and lots of snow’ chanted Caleb…’And is there wind?’ she asked. ‘Do you like the wind?’ asked Caleb. ‘There is wind by the sea,’ said Sarah. ‘There is wind here,’ said Caleb happily.”
Placing advertisements for wives and mothers was common practice during this time period. MacLachlan does not ignore the hard work that was required of people of this era. Storms destroyed homes, lambs and chickens were killed, and women often died during childbirth. MacLachlan creates Sarah’s character as a woman who is miles away from her home and all that she has ever known. She is thrown into a new surrounding, full of new customs, strange people, and worst of all, no sea. She even treats the livestock as pets; making it difficult to kill a chicken and eat it for dinner once it has a name! Despite all of these obstacles, the character of Sarah remains strong and level-headed. MacLachlan provides a happy ending for the children and Sarah, “’We thought you might be leaving us’…’No,’ she said. ‘I will always miss my old home, but the truth of it is I would miss you more.”
Review Excerpts
School Library Journal
“A short but moving book that is anything but plain.”
Booklist
“Poignant but never sentimental, this is a worthy successor to Wilder’s Little House books and a prime choice for reading aloud.”
Connections
Students can write about how they would feel if a strange woman were to come to their home to become their new mother. Teachers can explain why practices like this one were used in the past. Students could also explain why they agree or disagree with Sarah’s final decision to stay, and if they could leave their home to start a new life in a new place.
Additional recommended books:
*Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell ISBN 0440439884
*Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery ISBN 0553153277
Historical Fiction Review – The River Between Us By Richard Peck
Bibliography
Peck, Richard. 2003. The River Between Us. New York, NY: Dial Books.
ISBN 0803727356
Plot Summary
The story opens with a young boy, Howard Hutchings, narrating a family trip to visit their Grandmother Tilly. The story shifts to a young Tilly, narrating life with her twin brother, younger sister and mother during the first year of the Civil War. The careworn family lives in constant fear of the day that Tilly’s twin brother Noah will be dragged off to war. The docking of a Rob Roy ship produces a glamorous and mysterious French-speaking newcomer, Delphine, accompanied by a darker woman, Calinda. Delphine and Calinda are invited to live with Tilly’s family. Delphine’s elaborate clothing and grandiose attitude create rumors that fly around the once quiet town. As Tilly and Delphine grow closer, the residents question just what this Southern stranger is doing in their town.
The family’s nightmares come true, and Noah is sent to war. Delphine and Tilly make the impossible journey to find Noah. During their search, Delphine’s true identity is revealed. She in fact has African blood in her, and Calinda, thought to be her slave, is exposed as the girl’s sister. With extreme perseverance and unyielding willpower, Delphine and Tilly discover Noah, and take him home. Howard Hutchings narrates the final chapter where his true lineage to Delphine is discovered. Pride fills Howard as his new heritage is appreciated.
Critical Analysis
Richard Peck brilliantly uses two narrators to tell this story. We first see a wide-eyed young boy visiting elderly relatives, “The paper was loose and peeling on the walls, I wondered how many layers you’d have to scrape away until you came to the time when these old people were young. If they ever were.” As the reader proceeds to the next chapter, we see a youthful Tilly running after her younger sister. The characters shed light on real situations that were prevalent during Civil War times. There was often a father away for months at a time, leaving behind a wife and young children. The fear of sons leaving to fight was a dreadful feeling that was always in the back of the minds of mothers and sisters. Delphine’s character is enhanced by her French tongue and outlandish demands. The small Illinois town, not used to exotic newcomers, was blown away with Delphine’s clothing and overt personality.
Peck does not sugar-coat the historical events that were true to this time. Mrs. Hanrahan’s character shows the authentic, though abominable behavior when she utters, “Ah declare, Doctor, just see what you have brought me. A colored gal.” The extreme hate for people ‘of-color’ during the Civil War is very evident throughout the story. Peck is also gruesomely realistic when it comes to describing the horrifying effects of war on young bodies, “They lay there where they’d been sick. They sprawled in their messes because they were too weak to get to the privies, if there were privies.”
At Delphine’s arrival, she is portrayed as affluent and superior to the locals. Throughout the story, we see her transition from an untouchable beauty, to her true character who is a strong woman who befriends Tilly and searches for her beloved Noah. Peck keeps the reader on their toes with several twists and surprises throughout the story such as, “Is Calinda your slave?...Ah ma chère, she is my sister.” Peck continues to show Delphine’s strength, even as she is outed, having her calmly state, “I am of the gens de couleur, madame...The free people of color, if you speak no French.” Peck delivers an incredible story, including another twist at the conclusion when the reader realizes that our young narrator, Howard Leland Hutchings, is actually the grandson of Delphine. The additional “A Note on the Story” is where Peck elaborates on the trials and outcomes of the Civil War. Additional reading is suggested to help children embrace and love more and more historical fiction.
Review Excerpts
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
“Peck's spare writing has never been more eloquent than in this powerful mystery in which personal secrets drive the plot and reveal the history. True to Tilly's first-person narrative, each sentence is a scrappy, melancholy, wry evocation of character, time, and place, and only the character of Delphine's companion, Calinda, comes close to stereotype.”
Connections
The Civil War was a time of great turmoil for our country. Students can act out the different roles found in the story, and then discuss why they think that people had to cover up their true identity during this time period. Additional historical fiction books dealing with the Civil War is a great way to educate children without having them simply read from a history textbook.
Additional recommended books:
*Soldier's Heart: Being the Story of the Enlistment and Due Service of the Boy Charley Goddard in the First Minnesota Volunteers by Gary Paulsen ISBN 0440228387
*A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck ISBN 0142300705
Peck, Richard. 2003. The River Between Us. New York, NY: Dial Books.
ISBN 0803727356
Plot Summary
The story opens with a young boy, Howard Hutchings, narrating a family trip to visit their Grandmother Tilly. The story shifts to a young Tilly, narrating life with her twin brother, younger sister and mother during the first year of the Civil War. The careworn family lives in constant fear of the day that Tilly’s twin brother Noah will be dragged off to war. The docking of a Rob Roy ship produces a glamorous and mysterious French-speaking newcomer, Delphine, accompanied by a darker woman, Calinda. Delphine and Calinda are invited to live with Tilly’s family. Delphine’s elaborate clothing and grandiose attitude create rumors that fly around the once quiet town. As Tilly and Delphine grow closer, the residents question just what this Southern stranger is doing in their town.
The family’s nightmares come true, and Noah is sent to war. Delphine and Tilly make the impossible journey to find Noah. During their search, Delphine’s true identity is revealed. She in fact has African blood in her, and Calinda, thought to be her slave, is exposed as the girl’s sister. With extreme perseverance and unyielding willpower, Delphine and Tilly discover Noah, and take him home. Howard Hutchings narrates the final chapter where his true lineage to Delphine is discovered. Pride fills Howard as his new heritage is appreciated.
Critical Analysis
Richard Peck brilliantly uses two narrators to tell this story. We first see a wide-eyed young boy visiting elderly relatives, “The paper was loose and peeling on the walls, I wondered how many layers you’d have to scrape away until you came to the time when these old people were young. If they ever were.” As the reader proceeds to the next chapter, we see a youthful Tilly running after her younger sister. The characters shed light on real situations that were prevalent during Civil War times. There was often a father away for months at a time, leaving behind a wife and young children. The fear of sons leaving to fight was a dreadful feeling that was always in the back of the minds of mothers and sisters. Delphine’s character is enhanced by her French tongue and outlandish demands. The small Illinois town, not used to exotic newcomers, was blown away with Delphine’s clothing and overt personality.
Peck does not sugar-coat the historical events that were true to this time. Mrs. Hanrahan’s character shows the authentic, though abominable behavior when she utters, “Ah declare, Doctor, just see what you have brought me. A colored gal.” The extreme hate for people ‘of-color’ during the Civil War is very evident throughout the story. Peck is also gruesomely realistic when it comes to describing the horrifying effects of war on young bodies, “They lay there where they’d been sick. They sprawled in their messes because they were too weak to get to the privies, if there were privies.”
At Delphine’s arrival, she is portrayed as affluent and superior to the locals. Throughout the story, we see her transition from an untouchable beauty, to her true character who is a strong woman who befriends Tilly and searches for her beloved Noah. Peck keeps the reader on their toes with several twists and surprises throughout the story such as, “Is Calinda your slave?...Ah ma chère, she is my sister.” Peck continues to show Delphine’s strength, even as she is outed, having her calmly state, “I am of the gens de couleur, madame...The free people of color, if you speak no French.” Peck delivers an incredible story, including another twist at the conclusion when the reader realizes that our young narrator, Howard Leland Hutchings, is actually the grandson of Delphine. The additional “A Note on the Story” is where Peck elaborates on the trials and outcomes of the Civil War. Additional reading is suggested to help children embrace and love more and more historical fiction.
Review Excerpts
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
“Peck's spare writing has never been more eloquent than in this powerful mystery in which personal secrets drive the plot and reveal the history. True to Tilly's first-person narrative, each sentence is a scrappy, melancholy, wry evocation of character, time, and place, and only the character of Delphine's companion, Calinda, comes close to stereotype.”
Connections
The Civil War was a time of great turmoil for our country. Students can act out the different roles found in the story, and then discuss why they think that people had to cover up their true identity during this time period. Additional historical fiction books dealing with the Civil War is a great way to educate children without having them simply read from a history textbook.
Additional recommended books:
*Soldier's Heart: Being the Story of the Enlistment and Due Service of the Boy Charley Goddard in the First Minnesota Volunteers by Gary Paulsen ISBN 0440228387
*A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck ISBN 0142300705
Friday, July 11, 2008
Nonfiction/Biography Review - Forbidden Schoolhouse: The True and Dramatic Story of Prudence Crandall and Her Students By Suzanne Jurmain
Bibliography
Jurmain, S. 2005. The Forbidden Schoolhouse: The True and Dramatic Story of Prudence Crandall and Her Students. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0618473025
Plot Summary
Prudence Crandall’s determination and patience is tested when she makes it her mission to open and sustain an all African-American school for females in Canterbury, CT. Set the 1830’s, Prudence is met with extreme opposition from several members of government who make it their job to close down what they believe to be an abomination. Although Crandall is faced with threats, jail time, and severe vandalism, she perseveres with the help of her supporters and her innate sense to educate people. Despite her efforts, the safety of her students is risked and Prudence Crandall’s school is forced to be closed after less than two years of operation.
Critical Analysis
In this social history, Suzanne Jurmain describes the discrimination that was prominent in Connecticut during in the 1830’s. By using actual quotes and photos from Prudence Crandall’s experiences, the reader is invited to feel the injustices that were prevalent during this time period. Jurmain exposes the horrific encounters that Prudence and her students were forced to endure, all because they simply wanted an education. Crandall’s biggest foe, Andrew Judson, was deeply against the beliefs that blacks deserved an education. Jurmain’s gritty language reveals Judson’s true feelings when she writes “…the law couldn’t take away black rights because blacks had no rights. They didn’t have the right to go to school, and they certainly didn’t have the right to travel freely from one state to another Why? Because, said Mr. Judson, blacks – even free blacks – were not American citizens.” Jurmain balances this with providing several supporters, like William Lloyd Garrison who edited the Liberator. Individuals such as Mr. Garrison helped and encouraged Prudence during severely turbulent times. All the while, Jurmain makes it a point to show how Prudence Crandall pushed through and continued to make education her primary concern.
The design and style of the book includes several authentic photographs of people and places that were involved in Prudence Crandall’s story. Many pictures of the actual Crandall house enable the reader to see how students may have slept, or where they sat in the classroom as they were pelted with rotten eggs and stones. Jurmain also incorporates pictures of Crandall’s supporters and opponents. With the inclusions of genuine newspaper articles and clippings, we see the extreme polar opposites that were felt in relation to racial equality during this dark time in our nation’s history. Jurmain’s use of accuracy and organization is prominent in this book. The appendix is peppered with the names and back stories of several of Crandall’s students. A Note on Sources and the Bibliography are well-stocked with documents on additional sources of information that were used throughout the book. Jurmain provides a table of contents and an index that can be easily navigated by the young reader.
All the while, Prudence Crandall fought and fought to provide a good education for students that were often thought of as less than human. Although her school was eventually closed, Prudence Crandall made a lasting impression on the small town of Canterbury, CT. Prudence’s school may have been closed, but she opened the minds of so many.
Review Excerpts
School Library Journal
“Jurmain describes the difficulties Crandall faced when she decided to open a school for African-American females in Canterbury, CT. Although she had the support of William Lloyd Garrison, editor of the antislavery publication the Liberator; Reverend Samuel May, a Unitarian minister; and others, her hard work met resistance in the form of riots, arson, and a jail sentence.”
Booklist
“Writing with a sense of drama that propels readers forward (and quoting the language of the day, which includes the word nigger), Jurmain makes painfully clear what Crandall and her students faced, while showing their courage as they stood up to those who tried to deter them.”
Connections
After reading this book, students may think of time that they or someone close to them has been treated unjustly, simply due to their race. If the students and teachers feel comfortable, they can write about and discuss their experiences and how it made them feel. By constructing a table of contents, students would be able to see how beneficial organization can be when writing a social history nonfiction book. Teachers can also ask students to come up with peaceful solutions, much like Prudence Crandall strived to do.
Additional recommended books:
Children of the Great Depression by Russell Freedman
ISBN 0618446303
M.L.K.: The Journey of a King by Tonya Bolden
ISBN 0810954761
The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sis
ISBN 0374347018
Nonfiction/Biography Review - Animals Nobody Loves By Seymour Simon
Bibliography
Simon, S. 2001. Animals Nobody Loves. New York: SeaStar Books. ISBN 1587170809
Plot Summary
Seymour Simon illustrates twenty animals that are not likely to be found curled up on any of our laps. From the depths of the ocean to the soaring blue skies, Simon delivers scientific information accompanied by startling imagery on animals that are not likely near and dear to us.
Cockroaches, Gila monsters, and devil rays are nothing you would ever want to pet, but Seymour Simon opens our minds to understand how these creatures live amongst us all.
Critical Analysis
Seymour Simon is widely known for his series books dealing with science. Animals Nobody Loves is filled with facts and details about some of the world’s creepiest and most hideous inhabitants. Seymour offers advice to the reader if they ever encounter one of these dreadful animals. “But even after a man-of-war is dead, the tentacles may still sting people who pick them up or stumble upon them in the sand.” This book can be used a real-life survival guide if ever confronted with a giant grizzly bear or a diminutive spider. Simon also dispels ugly rumors about certain animals. Just because they are not easy on the eyes, does not always mean they are out to harm you. “Bats do not attack people…most bats can be helpful to us, because they eat insect pests such as mosquitoes.” It appears that Simon is attempting to lend a hand to the animals who acquire a poor reputation based solely on their outward appearance.
What grabs the attention of the reader are the striking pictures that Seymour Simon provides. His over the top photos, such as a hyena savagely tearing through a carcass, leave the reader with resounding “ewe.” Simon portrays the fearsome animals with scientific information, accompanied by disturbingly detailed pictures. As the reader turns the pages, the frightening shot of a rattlesnake renders one speechless. Simon’s up-close and personal image of an open-mouthed snake in the attack mode shows the intricate details that comprise the snake’s poison-filled anatomy. An explicit photograph of a piranha strikes fear in the reader as they flip to this page. It feels as if the enlarged teeth would pierce the reader’s flesh if accidently touched. Simon’s amplification of pictures creates a very prominent “gross” factor. Simon’s photo of a fire ant is particularly alarming. The engorged picture of the insect becomes almost cat-sized on the book’s pages. The fire ant’s eyes, texture and body segments are frankly revealed while sending chills up the reader’s spine. While there are no references cited, people of all ages will appreciate Seymour Simon’s use of scientific fact mixed with larger-than-life imagery.
Review Excerpts
Booklist
“The pictures are fine, large, and in full color, as fascinating as they are repulsive and scary: the yawning jaws of a shark; a hyena consuming bloody food; a wasp enlarged bigger than a human fist, stinging a grasshopper.”
Kirkus Reviews
“…Simon seldom notes the value of these disliked animals. For example, vultures and hyenas are extremely useful decomposers. While the eyeballs-to-eyeballs cover of a tarantula in full color will keep readers reaching for the title, it is useful for browsing rather than research.”
Connections
Students can create their own books of animals and insects that are not on the top of the cuddle list. Within the books, students can incorporate scientific information and their own drawings of these creatures. Sources should be cited in their books in order to prove accuracy.
Additional recommended books:
Stars by Seymour Simon
ISBN-10: 0060890010
Bones: Our Skeletal System by Seymour Simon
ISBN 0688177212
Weather by Seymour Simon
ISBN 0060884398
Nonfiction/Biography Review - Michelangelo By Diane Stanley
Bibliography
Stanley, D. 2000. Michelangelo. New York: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 0688150861
Plot Summary
Diana Stanley’s Michelangelo depicts the life of one of the greatest artists of all time. From birth to death, Michelangelo’s personality, personal struggles, and accomplishments are brilliantly chronicled. The dynamic narrative is accompanied by beautiful illustrations of Michelangelo’s most recognizable pieces, such as the Sistine Chapel and the sculpture of David.
Critical Analysis
Stanley’s use of a conversational style in this biography appeals to a variety of young readers. Her application of accuracy is evident in her portrayal of the Renaissance way of life. A detailed map and background information is provided at the opening of Stanley’s book, creating a feeling for what is to be expected throughout the true story. The author also provides a bibliography filled with sources that validate her facts as well as providing a list of additional texts for the reader. Stanley delves deep into Michelangelo’s personality, even exposing the shocking side of the artist that many do not know about. “Perhaps it was just as well that Michelangelo worked by himself most of the time, for he didn’t have a gift for making friends…Torrigiano recalled later with relish, ‘I gave him such a punch on the nose that I felt the bone and cartilage crush like a biscuit.’” Stanley informs the reader on several important people that Michelangelo worked with during his lifetime, such as when he studied poetry, science, art and philosophy under Lorenzo de’ Medici. Stanley enlightens the reader on the grizzly techniques Michelangelo studied in order to become such an accomplished sculptor. “He spent hours there dissecting bodies, memorizing the origins and insertions of the muscles, the positions of tendons and veins.” The Sistine Chapel, perhaps Michelangelo’s most prominent and celebrated piece of art, is very visible in this biography. Stanley explains how Michelangelo approached his painting and how his style actually changed throughout the endeavor. “To study the Sistine ceiling is to watch a genius learning how to paint.” This line suggests that even the famous Michelangelo was still learning and experimenting during this daunting process.
The books design and style undoubtedly portrays Italian life during the Renaissance. Full page photos of Michelangelo’s art as well as drawings, and water color paintings provide a true depiction of the Italian Renaissance. Stanley’s marriage of colloquial dialect and eye-catching illustrations allow the reader to learn about one of the greatest artists of all time.
Review Excerpts
Publishers Weekly
“Returning to the Italian Renaissance, she looks at Michelangelo: "In an age of great artists, he was perhaps the greatest," she posits, pointing to his masterpieces in the three major artsAsculpture, painting and architecture. Her panoramic telling of his life story, fascinating in and of itself, also illuminates papal politics, the machinations of the Medicis, the technical difficulties of painting the Sistine Chapel ceiling (an assignment so unpleasant that Michelangelo thought his rival Bramante had put the pope up to it), the heady climate of Florence and other complex topics.”
Booklist
“Stanley continues her series of outstanding biographies, but this time she puts a new twist on some venerable art by using computer images. One of the most pleasing things about Stanley's books is the way her sturdy texts stand up to her strong artwork.”
Connections
Biographies can be interesting and exhilarating reading material. Students should be encouraged to write biographies on family members, friends, or even their pets! They should incorporate their sources of information, as well as an accurate chronological account of the person or animal they are writing about. Illustrations can be used such as photos drawings, or paintings.
Additional recommended books:
Bard of Avon: The Story of William Shakespeare by Diane Stanley
ISBN 0688162940
Good Queen Bess: The Story of Elizabeth I of England by Diane Stanley
ISBN 0688179614
Joan of Arc by Diane Stanley
ISBN 0064437485
Stanley, D. 2000. Michelangelo. New York: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 0688150861
Plot Summary
Diana Stanley’s Michelangelo depicts the life of one of the greatest artists of all time. From birth to death, Michelangelo’s personality, personal struggles, and accomplishments are brilliantly chronicled. The dynamic narrative is accompanied by beautiful illustrations of Michelangelo’s most recognizable pieces, such as the Sistine Chapel and the sculpture of David.
Critical Analysis
Stanley’s use of a conversational style in this biography appeals to a variety of young readers. Her application of accuracy is evident in her portrayal of the Renaissance way of life. A detailed map and background information is provided at the opening of Stanley’s book, creating a feeling for what is to be expected throughout the true story. The author also provides a bibliography filled with sources that validate her facts as well as providing a list of additional texts for the reader. Stanley delves deep into Michelangelo’s personality, even exposing the shocking side of the artist that many do not know about. “Perhaps it was just as well that Michelangelo worked by himself most of the time, for he didn’t have a gift for making friends…Torrigiano recalled later with relish, ‘I gave him such a punch on the nose that I felt the bone and cartilage crush like a biscuit.’” Stanley informs the reader on several important people that Michelangelo worked with during his lifetime, such as when he studied poetry, science, art and philosophy under Lorenzo de’ Medici. Stanley enlightens the reader on the grizzly techniques Michelangelo studied in order to become such an accomplished sculptor. “He spent hours there dissecting bodies, memorizing the origins and insertions of the muscles, the positions of tendons and veins.” The Sistine Chapel, perhaps Michelangelo’s most prominent and celebrated piece of art, is very visible in this biography. Stanley explains how Michelangelo approached his painting and how his style actually changed throughout the endeavor. “To study the Sistine ceiling is to watch a genius learning how to paint.” This line suggests that even the famous Michelangelo was still learning and experimenting during this daunting process.
The books design and style undoubtedly portrays Italian life during the Renaissance. Full page photos of Michelangelo’s art as well as drawings, and water color paintings provide a true depiction of the Italian Renaissance. Stanley’s marriage of colloquial dialect and eye-catching illustrations allow the reader to learn about one of the greatest artists of all time.
Review Excerpts
Publishers Weekly
“Returning to the Italian Renaissance, she looks at Michelangelo: "In an age of great artists, he was perhaps the greatest," she posits, pointing to his masterpieces in the three major artsAsculpture, painting and architecture. Her panoramic telling of his life story, fascinating in and of itself, also illuminates papal politics, the machinations of the Medicis, the technical difficulties of painting the Sistine Chapel ceiling (an assignment so unpleasant that Michelangelo thought his rival Bramante had put the pope up to it), the heady climate of Florence and other complex topics.”
Booklist
“Stanley continues her series of outstanding biographies, but this time she puts a new twist on some venerable art by using computer images. One of the most pleasing things about Stanley's books is the way her sturdy texts stand up to her strong artwork.”
Connections
Biographies can be interesting and exhilarating reading material. Students should be encouraged to write biographies on family members, friends, or even their pets! They should incorporate their sources of information, as well as an accurate chronological account of the person or animal they are writing about. Illustrations can be used such as photos drawings, or paintings.
Additional recommended books:
Bard of Avon: The Story of William Shakespeare by Diane Stanley
ISBN 0688162940
Good Queen Bess: The Story of Elizabeth I of England by Diane Stanley
ISBN 0688179614
Joan of Arc by Diane Stanley
ISBN 0064437485
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Poetry Review - Aleutian Sparrow By: Karen Hesse
Bibliography
Hesse, K. 2003. Aleutian Sparrow. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing. ISBN 0689861893
Plot Summary
The Aleutian Sparrow depicts a young girl, Vera, and the events that took place when the Japanese invaded the Aleutian Islands during World War II. When the Japanese invaded the islands, the U.S. government relocated the natives to camps in the southern regions. Karen Hesse records the numerous hardships the Aleutian people experienced during their time in these dreadful camps. During the three years she was in the camp, Vera watched her fellow men perish, including some of her own friends. The spirit and determination of several of the Aleutian people begin to crack and deteriorate, similar to their abominable living conditions. All the while, Vera strived to remain positive, even finding love in her childhood friend, Alfred. When Vera and the remaining Aleutians are set free, their return is met by ransacked homes, and a ghostly silence. The close of the book is positive with the feeling that the Aleutians will prevail.
Critical Analysis
In The Aleutian Sparrow, Karen Hesse’s use of verse poetry enlightens the reader on the hardships that the Aleutians suffered during World War II. The succinct words are used evoke many strong feelings that were felt by the characters. Vera’s character is portrayed as strong and determined, despite her horrifying surroundings and injustices. Vera and the others try so hard to keep their traditions, such as Christmas, although they wish for much different things while restrained in the camp, “Here we have Christmas greens in every cabin, and we wait not for Santa, but for permission to go home.” Even as strong as Vera is, she is still human, and grieves as her friend Pari dies, “The air is fur thick, damp and green. I sit on the sand in the rain, and I scream.”
The anger and frustration of the Aleutians is noted throughout the verses. They have been living in conditions not deemed satisfactory for livestock, and they hear about how the German POWs are being treated, “They are provided a clean, safe place to live, a variety of foods….they are not expected to contribute in any way to their keep…..we are citizens of the United Sates, taken from our homes, We did nothing wrong…”
Hesse’s detailed description of Vera’s return to her home was brilliantly detailed, but heart-breaking to read, “On the Aleutians holy places collapsed under the bombs, one after another, like toy buildings. And the priceless relics from czarist Russia traveled Outside in duffels, Packed between posters of pinup girls and soiled government-issue underwear.” Here, Hesse’s words induce an immediate sadness in anyone who reads them. It brought to mind a time that I made a return to somewhere I once loved, only to find it in ruins. The Aleutian Sparrow is a verse novel that examines the unjust and unfair ways people are treated during times of war, and even within our own prejudices. In the end, the author gives us a glimmer of optimism, “And as the Aleuts have always done, We find the will to begin again.”
Review Excerpts
School Library Journal
Hesse's verses are short and flow seamlessly, one into another. Her use of similes is a powerful tool in describing people, scenes, events, and emotions. Some less sophisticated readers, however, may not catch the nuances of phrases such as, "-where blossoms framed the steaming pools like masses of perfumed hair" or "-where the old ways steep like tea in a cup of hours." Ending on a hopeful note, Aleutian Sparrow brings to light an important time in American history, and in the process introduces readers to Aleut culture.
Booklist
It's the dark history of what Americans did to their own citizens that will hold readers: after the Japanese bombed Unalaska Island in 1942, the U.S. evacuated most of the Aleut people to alien, crowded camps, where one out of four died. As Vera talks about her life in the camps, she also weaves in her people's past history and culture, ensuring that readers will want to know more.
Connections
Students should become familiar with verse novels around the beginning of middle school. Teachers can have a project that encompasses the techniques used in the verse novels. Students can choose a topic and write several verses on it, creating a narrative with a language that is conversational. The teacher can even go one step further, and relate the assignment to The Aleutian Sparrow, and have the students compose a verse novel about prejudices and/or war that they have experienced.
Additional recommended books:
*Witness by Karen Hesse ISBN 0439271991
*Out Of the Dust by Karen Hesse ISBN 0590371258
Poetry Review - Night Garden: Poems from the World of Dreams By: Janet Wong
Bibliography
Wong, J. 2000. Night Garden: Poems from the World of Dreams. Ill. By Julie Paschkis. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing. ISBN 1416968164
Plot Summary
In fifteen short poems, Janet Wong articulates the world of dreams that we all have experienced. Dreams about food, friends, pets, flying, and swimming are depicted. Even the unpleasantries of nightmares are noted. Each poem is encompassed with elaborately illustrated peculiar creatures such as monsters, animals walking upright, and humans with the heads of fruits or beasts.
Critical Analysis
Janet Wong’s Night Garden: Poems from the World of Dreams captures the many facets of the dream world. The use of rhyming and alliteration express the feeling and tone of each dream. Each poem is shortly composed; however, her use of description words leads the reader to understand an even deeper meaning. Even in My Sleep seems to be a metaphor for something the poet is experiencing in real life. “You monster, you monster, You monster, how can I ever forgive you, you who would rob be even in my sleep.” It appears that the poet cannot even escape this so-called monster in their life, not even in their dreams.
Wong’s use of repetition enhances what she is trying to say in her poetry. Similar to Even in My Sleep, Nightmare also uses repetition to evoke a feeling of terror in the reader. “Will sneak into the back of your mind, will follow you, will follow you, down the hall to your cold dark room, down the hall to your cold dark room.” Because of this repetition, the reader can tell that these feelings are real and meant to scare you.
Julie Paschkis’s illustrations accompany the poetry delightfully. The book pages are mainly comprised of the illustrations, with only a small section dedicated to the actual poems. The pictures are loud and busy, which almost detracts from the poetry. Old Friend is a very short poem that has a smart and charming illustration with it. “I had forgotten you, friend. Is that why you came into my dream? I had forgotten you. When I fall asleep again, will you leave your address on my pillow?” The illustration for this poem had a young boy asleep on a pillow that was designed as a giant postcard. This simple figure conveyed innocence and the need for friendship. In Dog Dreams, Wong describes what dogs may dream about as they slumber. The illustrations for this poem are especially fanciful. Paschkis creates dogs flying through space, sitting on the moon, and dancing under trees of dog bones. I have never thought about what my dog may be dreaming of, but I think this poem may be spot-on.
Review Excerpts
Publishers Weekly
The artist responds to each poem with a multicolor image framed within a monochromatic, repetitive motif. She creates a host of weird creatures, from a hunched man in a long-nosed white mask to a turnip-headed being with pea-pod arms; to indicate the mysterious workings of the imagination, she shows strange flowers sprouting from a restful figure. Paschkis's swirling imagery and Wong's quiet yet haunting words skillfully simulate the reveries they recount.
School Library Journal
The poems use sound qualities-repetition, alliteration, and occasional rhyme-to capture each dream. Even poems about nightmares and anxieties are couched in gentle language that evokes wonder and thoughtfulness rather than fear.
Connections
Teachers can have their class create a “dream book.” Students will create different poems that describe dreams they have had. Students can use different methods like rhyming, alliteration, and repetition to create certain feelings, like Janet Wong did.
Additional recommended books:
*The Rainbow Hand: Poems About Mothers and Children by Janet Wong
ISBN 1416968415
*Knock on Wood: Poems About Superstitions by Janet Wong
ISBN 0689855125
Poetry Review - Mammalabilia By: Douglas Florian
Bibliography
Florian, D. 2000. Mammalabilia. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Children’s Books.
ISBN 0152021671
Plot Summary
In twenty-one short poems, Douglas Florian’s Mammalabilia captures the characteristics and personalities of mammals such as aardvarks, mules, camels, and tigers. Each short poem is accompanied by bold gouache illustrations.
Critical Analysis
This topical book of poetry is ideal for any teacher wishing to introduce poetry in the field of science. Each poem offers exaggerated illustrations that depict various mammals in their everyday lives. The embellished rhyming of the poems creates a hilarity that appeals to both young children, and those adults who are young at heart. Florian’s use of witty writing and creative physical sentence structure is evident in The Bactrian Camel. The few words of the poem are accentuated by their placement as if they were the camel’s humps. “Mr. Bactrian, a question for you – about your back: one lump or two?”
In The Bear, Florian chose to incorporate ‘bear’ into several words to alter their spelling. “Come Septem-bear, I sleep, I slum-bear, Till winter lum-bears, Into spring. More than that’s Em-bear-rassing.” This particular poem offers a quirky composition that young children will especially enjoy repeating.
Florian’s description of mammals, both through the poetry and the illustrations, gives the reader true scientific facts, with a twist of humor. In The Otter, Florian writes of the otter’s lifestyle as “I state most emphatic: An otter’s aquatic. An otter loves water – An utter fanatic. It’s most acrobatic, And quite charismatic. I state most emphatic: An otter’s aquatic.” As the reader studies the otter facts in the poem, they are met with a comical picture of an otter reading a book about water, while leisurely soaking in a bath tub. For anyone who is not knowledgeable on the look or way of life of animals such as lynxes, boars, hippos and other mammals, Mammalibilia introduces these creatures with a fun and amusing approach.
Review Excerpts
Publishers Weekly
Florian's humor is eccentric, but just right for his target audience. The gouache illustrations painted on primed brown paper bags, full of unusual textures and inventive designs, match the creativity of the word play.
School Library Journal
A collection of 25 poems with accompanying primitive, childlike paintings, this book follows the format and style Florian has used so successfully in Beast Feast (1994) and Insectlopedia (1998, both Harcourt). These verses, however, are more reminiscent of the silly wordplay of Ogden Nash. Readers will find a variety of rhyme schemes; meters; and forms featuring puns, concrete poems, litanies, and lists. A large painting, done in gouache on primed brown paper bags, appears on one side of the double page with a poem set on the other. The artist's renderings draw readers into the poem and invite repeated viewings after reading the verse.
Connections
Mammalabilia can be used to introduce students to different kinds of animals; some they may know about and others will be completely new to them. Teachers should incorporate poetry as much as possible in their curriculum. Topical poetry books like Mammalabilia allow teachers to read poetry and easily connect to a specific content area. Teachers can also encourage students to create their own “funny books” with comical but accurate descriptions of their pets, family members, or classmates.
Additional recommended books:
*Insectlopedia by Douglas Florian ISBN-10: 0152163352
*Beast Feast : Poems by Douglas Florian ISBN-10: 0152017372
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Folktale Review - Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story from China By: Ed Young
Bibliography
Young, E. (1989). Lon po po: A red-riding hood story from China. Ill. By Ed Young. New York: Philomel Books. ISBN 0399216197
Plot Summary
Three sisters, Shang Tao and Paotza, live in the country with their mother who leaves them to visit their grandmother, Po Po. At dusk, a wolf disguised as their Po Po knocks on the door, telling the children to let it in. The children are suspicious since their mother has journeyed to visit their Po Po, but the wolf coaxes the children into letting it in. Upon arrival inside of the house, the fake Po Po blows out the candle, as to not reveal its true identity. The wolf acts as if it is weak and tired and piles into bed with the three young children. While in the bed, Shang feels the bushy tail and razor-sharp claws of the wolf. The wolf explains that what Shang is feeling are hemp strings to weave baskets and an awl to make shoes with. Then Shang lights another candle and catches a glimpse of the wolf’s furred face. Shang immediately begins to enlighten the wolf about gingko nuts. Shang tells the wolf how delectable and enjoyable they are. Shang, Tao and Paotze scurry up the gingko tree to pick nuts for the fake Po Po, who waits at the bottom of the soaring tree. Shang enlightens her sisters on the wolf’s real identity. The three sisters call down to the wolf, explaining that the nuts are only good if they are picked strait from the tree, and eaten immediately. They instruct the wolf to fetch a basket, sit in it, and throw a rope up to the tree so that the wolf can be hoisted up to the mouth-watering gingko nuts. At this point, the wolf is so consumed with getting to the nuts; it will do anything to acquire them. As the three sisters heave the wolf in the basket, they drop it several times. They keep assuring the wolf that they will succeed in pulling it up if they continue to try. During the final attempt, the three children pull incredibly hard, but all release the wolf when Shang signals them with a cough. This last blow to the wolf ends its life. The three children run to their home and lock the door. The next day, their mother and real Po Po return to hear the tale of the Po Po who visited the night before.
Critical Analysis
Young’s story allows the reader to be exposed to a traditional tale set in a new environment. He depicts the wolf as deceptive in nature. The wolf comes to a home with three young girls, and attempts to trick them enough so that it can eventually delight in devouring them. The tables quickly turn as Shang discovers the wolf’s true character. Young portrays Shang as very intelligent and cunning. When she sees the wolf’s face in the candlelight, she does not scream or bolt from the bed. Instead, she chooses to prey on the wolf’s weaknesses, which in this case is food. The strong, charismatic character of Shang could be thought of as a fine role model for young girls. When the other two sisters learn about the wolf, they all come together as a team to defeat the wolf. The reader can see Shang’s persuasive skills when she says, “But Po Po, Gingko is magic only when it is plucked directly from the tree. You must come and pluck it from the tree yourself” (Young 1989). As the three girls unsuccessfully hoist the wolf up the tree repeatedly, the wolf’s character turns from deceiving to desperate, almost comical. Any outsider witnessing this event could tell that the girls were trying to con the wolf. The wolf becomes so fixated on getting the gingko nuts, masking its identity is no longer a priority. It as if the wolf has lost all focus because of his obsession with achieving something to eat. Like in most traditional tales, good triumphs over evil.
The illustrations in the book reveal the wolf’s figure and face to the reader, but not to the children. Because of this, the reader is able to see how much danger the children are actually in. The picture of the wolf in bed with the children is particularly scary. We see the younger girls, Tao and Paotza, looking longingly towards their Po Po. At this same time, we see Shang with a dubious look on her face. The pictures help tell the story. They add a sense of actuality when we see the scenarios drawn out for us.
Review Excerpts
Publishers Weekly
Like ancient Oriental paintings, the illustrations are frequently grouped in panels. When the girls meet the wolf, e.g., the left panel focuses on their wary faces peering out from the darkness, the middle enlarges the evil wolf's eye and teeth, and the third is a vivid swirl of the blue clothes in which the wolf is disguised. The juxtaposition of abstract and realistic representations, the complicated play of color and shadow, and the depth of the artist's vision all help transform this simple fairy tale into an extraordinary and powerful book.
School Library Journal
The clever animal blows out the candle before the children can see him , and is actually in bed with them when they start asking the traditional "Why, Grandma!" questions. The eldest realizes the truth and tricks the wolf into letting them go outside to pick gingko nuts , and then lures him to his doom. The text possesses that matter-of-fact veracity that characterizes the best fairy tales. The watercolor and pastel pictures are remarkable: mystically beautiful in their depiction of the Chinese countryside, menacing in the exchanges with the wolf, and positively chilling in the scenes inside the house. Overall, this is an outstanding achievement that will be pored over again and again.
Connections:
Children can identify differences and similarities between Lon Po Po and Little Red-Riding Hood. By doing this children can see how some cultures are different, such as calling grandmother ‘Po Po.’ By reading more traditional tales from other countries, children learn so much about cultures and various ethnicities. Diverse children will also be able to identify with many of the retellings.
Additional recommended books:
*Arrow to the Sun: A Pueblo Indian Tale by Gerald McDermott ISBN 0670133698
*Anansi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti by Gerald McDermott ISBN 0805003118
Young, E. (1989). Lon po po: A red-riding hood story from China. Ill. By Ed Young. New York: Philomel Books. ISBN 0399216197
Plot Summary
Three sisters, Shang Tao and Paotza, live in the country with their mother who leaves them to visit their grandmother, Po Po. At dusk, a wolf disguised as their Po Po knocks on the door, telling the children to let it in. The children are suspicious since their mother has journeyed to visit their Po Po, but the wolf coaxes the children into letting it in. Upon arrival inside of the house, the fake Po Po blows out the candle, as to not reveal its true identity. The wolf acts as if it is weak and tired and piles into bed with the three young children. While in the bed, Shang feels the bushy tail and razor-sharp claws of the wolf. The wolf explains that what Shang is feeling are hemp strings to weave baskets and an awl to make shoes with. Then Shang lights another candle and catches a glimpse of the wolf’s furred face. Shang immediately begins to enlighten the wolf about gingko nuts. Shang tells the wolf how delectable and enjoyable they are. Shang, Tao and Paotze scurry up the gingko tree to pick nuts for the fake Po Po, who waits at the bottom of the soaring tree. Shang enlightens her sisters on the wolf’s real identity. The three sisters call down to the wolf, explaining that the nuts are only good if they are picked strait from the tree, and eaten immediately. They instruct the wolf to fetch a basket, sit in it, and throw a rope up to the tree so that the wolf can be hoisted up to the mouth-watering gingko nuts. At this point, the wolf is so consumed with getting to the nuts; it will do anything to acquire them. As the three sisters heave the wolf in the basket, they drop it several times. They keep assuring the wolf that they will succeed in pulling it up if they continue to try. During the final attempt, the three children pull incredibly hard, but all release the wolf when Shang signals them with a cough. This last blow to the wolf ends its life. The three children run to their home and lock the door. The next day, their mother and real Po Po return to hear the tale of the Po Po who visited the night before.
Critical Analysis
Young’s story allows the reader to be exposed to a traditional tale set in a new environment. He depicts the wolf as deceptive in nature. The wolf comes to a home with three young girls, and attempts to trick them enough so that it can eventually delight in devouring them. The tables quickly turn as Shang discovers the wolf’s true character. Young portrays Shang as very intelligent and cunning. When she sees the wolf’s face in the candlelight, she does not scream or bolt from the bed. Instead, she chooses to prey on the wolf’s weaknesses, which in this case is food. The strong, charismatic character of Shang could be thought of as a fine role model for young girls. When the other two sisters learn about the wolf, they all come together as a team to defeat the wolf. The reader can see Shang’s persuasive skills when she says, “But Po Po, Gingko is magic only when it is plucked directly from the tree. You must come and pluck it from the tree yourself” (Young 1989). As the three girls unsuccessfully hoist the wolf up the tree repeatedly, the wolf’s character turns from deceiving to desperate, almost comical. Any outsider witnessing this event could tell that the girls were trying to con the wolf. The wolf becomes so fixated on getting the gingko nuts, masking its identity is no longer a priority. It as if the wolf has lost all focus because of his obsession with achieving something to eat. Like in most traditional tales, good triumphs over evil.
The illustrations in the book reveal the wolf’s figure and face to the reader, but not to the children. Because of this, the reader is able to see how much danger the children are actually in. The picture of the wolf in bed with the children is particularly scary. We see the younger girls, Tao and Paotza, looking longingly towards their Po Po. At this same time, we see Shang with a dubious look on her face. The pictures help tell the story. They add a sense of actuality when we see the scenarios drawn out for us.
Review Excerpts
Publishers Weekly
Like ancient Oriental paintings, the illustrations are frequently grouped in panels. When the girls meet the wolf, e.g., the left panel focuses on their wary faces peering out from the darkness, the middle enlarges the evil wolf's eye and teeth, and the third is a vivid swirl of the blue clothes in which the wolf is disguised. The juxtaposition of abstract and realistic representations, the complicated play of color and shadow, and the depth of the artist's vision all help transform this simple fairy tale into an extraordinary and powerful book.
School Library Journal
The clever animal blows out the candle before the children can see him , and is actually in bed with them when they start asking the traditional "Why, Grandma!" questions. The eldest realizes the truth and tricks the wolf into letting them go outside to pick gingko nuts , and then lures him to his doom. The text possesses that matter-of-fact veracity that characterizes the best fairy tales. The watercolor and pastel pictures are remarkable: mystically beautiful in their depiction of the Chinese countryside, menacing in the exchanges with the wolf, and positively chilling in the scenes inside the house. Overall, this is an outstanding achievement that will be pored over again and again.
Connections:
Children can identify differences and similarities between Lon Po Po and Little Red-Riding Hood. By doing this children can see how some cultures are different, such as calling grandmother ‘Po Po.’ By reading more traditional tales from other countries, children learn so much about cultures and various ethnicities. Diverse children will also be able to identify with many of the retellings.
Additional recommended books:
*Arrow to the Sun: A Pueblo Indian Tale by Gerald McDermott ISBN 0670133698
*Anansi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti by Gerald McDermott ISBN 0805003118
Folktale Review - Horse Hooves and Chicken Feet: Mexican Folktales By: Neil Philip
Bibliography
Philip, N. (2003). Horse hooves and chicken Feet: Mexican folktales. Ill. by Jacqueline Mair. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0618194630
Plot Summary
Neil Philip provides us with 14 folktales from Mexico, as well as Mexican populations in Colorado and New Mexico. The folktales portray everyday people, in unusual circumstances. The stories are about love, religion, witchcraft, magic, and of course, good triumphing over evil. In The Flea, a young boy wishes to marry the magician’s daughter. He is given the test of hiding where the magician cannot find him. Eventually, the boy hides on the brim of the magician’s sombrero, winning his daughter. The Hog provides a particularly important lesson about greed. A man is so selfish that he will not share his fattened hog with the village. The man’s friend and he devise a plan to claim that the hog was stolen. The man’s friend actually does steal the great hog from the egotistical man, and realizes that the man had no intention of even sharing with him. “So the friend got the whole hog, and the man was left with nothing – and some say he was too mean to share even that with his neighbors” (Phillip, 2003). In Horse Hooves and Chicken Feet, young boys become fixated of beautiful dancing women. Luckily, one of the boys discovers that the women all have chicken’s feet and the men have horse hooves. These dancing women were actually witches. The boy and his friends nearly escaped them. Cinder Juan was one story that had many of the same scenarios as Cinderella. The youngest brother, Juan, was forced to sleep in squalor conditions, with only a cat as a friend. Juan finds buried gold that his deceased father left for him. Juan and the cat go away to a new town where they are very generous with their riches. Juan’s older brothers come looking for him, but Juan is hiding in the priest’s home. The cat tells Juan that in order to be safe he must pay the priest to have a mass for the souls of his dead mother and father. After the masses, Juan realizes that his friend the cat is actually the soul of his father, who is now retuning to God.
Critical Analysis
There is a heavy undertone of Catholicism prevalent throughout the book. While reading Pedro the Trickster, we see Pedro speaking to the Lord, and reciting the Hail Mary prayer when he is in trouble. In Cinder Juan, everything is saved once masses have been had for the soul of Juan’s dead parents. The priest’s home is a safe haven for Juan. Being Catholic, I can relate to the message in this story. As long as one stays true to their Catholic faith, good will beat evil each time. The Blessed Virgin Mary is also written about it The Seven Oxen. The girl in the story was convinced that the Blessed Virgin gave her food for her family. The element of witchcraft and the devil is also rampant throughout the stories. Whenever a character is greedy or selfish, they devil makes an appearance in the illustrations.
Jacqueline Mair’s pictures in the book grasp the culture and traditions of the Mexican people. The illustrations resemble paintings from Mexican artists like Frida Kahlo. The bright colors and animate faces contribute to the tales being told. The religious pictures are very bold. Angels are drawn as pleasant-faced winged creatures. The devils and demons appear to be dancing around with their tongues out, and arms stretched widely, as if they will grab you and take you away. The stories and pictures open the reader’s eyes to a world and culture that they may not have known about.
Review Excerpts
School Library Journal
In an informative introduction, Philip delineates the distinctive flavor of Mexican tales, their blend of religion and humor, and the particular pointed bite of many of the stories. The sparkle he discerns in the body of work comes through clearly in his stylish and humorous retellings. Mair's primitive acrylic illustrations, based on Mexican folk art, are alive with bright color and a kinetic sensibility. They both complement and extend the spicy stories, making this a well-put-together package. Clearly superior to the Little Book of Latin American Folktales (Groundwood, 2003), this title is narrower in scope, but the excellence of the text more than compensates for it. The book concludes with detailed notes on each of the stories and an extensive bibliography. All of the stories tell aloud well, which may be the way to introduce this sound and enjoyable volume to youngsters.
Booklist
The stories are simply yet effectively retold, usually in five or six pages, with many reflecting the strong influence of the Catholic Church on Mexican culture. Adding considerably to the overall appeal of the book are Mair's exuberant illustrations, accomplished in the style of Mexican folk art. Usually, one illustration comprising several images accompanies each story, each image mirroring some action, often in a way that is original and unexpected.
Connections:
Children will enjoy reading folktales from the Mexican culture. Those children who are already familiar with the tales will be able to share more about them, even telling some of their own that they may have grown up with. While reading the stories, teachers can ask children if they have heard similar ones before. The children may be able to relate The Priest Who Had a Glimpse of Glory to Rip Van Winkle.
Additional recommended books:
*Latin American Folktales: Stories from Hispanic and Indian Traditions by John Bierhorst
ISBN 0375714391
*Fiesta Feminina: Celebrating Women In Mexican Folktale by Mary-Joan Gerson
ISBN 1841488070
Philip, N. (2003). Horse hooves and chicken Feet: Mexican folktales. Ill. by Jacqueline Mair. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0618194630
Plot Summary
Neil Philip provides us with 14 folktales from Mexico, as well as Mexican populations in Colorado and New Mexico. The folktales portray everyday people, in unusual circumstances. The stories are about love, religion, witchcraft, magic, and of course, good triumphing over evil. In The Flea, a young boy wishes to marry the magician’s daughter. He is given the test of hiding where the magician cannot find him. Eventually, the boy hides on the brim of the magician’s sombrero, winning his daughter. The Hog provides a particularly important lesson about greed. A man is so selfish that he will not share his fattened hog with the village. The man’s friend and he devise a plan to claim that the hog was stolen. The man’s friend actually does steal the great hog from the egotistical man, and realizes that the man had no intention of even sharing with him. “So the friend got the whole hog, and the man was left with nothing – and some say he was too mean to share even that with his neighbors” (Phillip, 2003). In Horse Hooves and Chicken Feet, young boys become fixated of beautiful dancing women. Luckily, one of the boys discovers that the women all have chicken’s feet and the men have horse hooves. These dancing women were actually witches. The boy and his friends nearly escaped them. Cinder Juan was one story that had many of the same scenarios as Cinderella. The youngest brother, Juan, was forced to sleep in squalor conditions, with only a cat as a friend. Juan finds buried gold that his deceased father left for him. Juan and the cat go away to a new town where they are very generous with their riches. Juan’s older brothers come looking for him, but Juan is hiding in the priest’s home. The cat tells Juan that in order to be safe he must pay the priest to have a mass for the souls of his dead mother and father. After the masses, Juan realizes that his friend the cat is actually the soul of his father, who is now retuning to God.
Critical Analysis
There is a heavy undertone of Catholicism prevalent throughout the book. While reading Pedro the Trickster, we see Pedro speaking to the Lord, and reciting the Hail Mary prayer when he is in trouble. In Cinder Juan, everything is saved once masses have been had for the soul of Juan’s dead parents. The priest’s home is a safe haven for Juan. Being Catholic, I can relate to the message in this story. As long as one stays true to their Catholic faith, good will beat evil each time. The Blessed Virgin Mary is also written about it The Seven Oxen. The girl in the story was convinced that the Blessed Virgin gave her food for her family. The element of witchcraft and the devil is also rampant throughout the stories. Whenever a character is greedy or selfish, they devil makes an appearance in the illustrations.
Jacqueline Mair’s pictures in the book grasp the culture and traditions of the Mexican people. The illustrations resemble paintings from Mexican artists like Frida Kahlo. The bright colors and animate faces contribute to the tales being told. The religious pictures are very bold. Angels are drawn as pleasant-faced winged creatures. The devils and demons appear to be dancing around with their tongues out, and arms stretched widely, as if they will grab you and take you away. The stories and pictures open the reader’s eyes to a world and culture that they may not have known about.
Review Excerpts
School Library Journal
In an informative introduction, Philip delineates the distinctive flavor of Mexican tales, their blend of religion and humor, and the particular pointed bite of many of the stories. The sparkle he discerns in the body of work comes through clearly in his stylish and humorous retellings. Mair's primitive acrylic illustrations, based on Mexican folk art, are alive with bright color and a kinetic sensibility. They both complement and extend the spicy stories, making this a well-put-together package. Clearly superior to the Little Book of Latin American Folktales (Groundwood, 2003), this title is narrower in scope, but the excellence of the text more than compensates for it. The book concludes with detailed notes on each of the stories and an extensive bibliography. All of the stories tell aloud well, which may be the way to introduce this sound and enjoyable volume to youngsters.
Booklist
The stories are simply yet effectively retold, usually in five or six pages, with many reflecting the strong influence of the Catholic Church on Mexican culture. Adding considerably to the overall appeal of the book are Mair's exuberant illustrations, accomplished in the style of Mexican folk art. Usually, one illustration comprising several images accompanies each story, each image mirroring some action, often in a way that is original and unexpected.
Connections:
Children will enjoy reading folktales from the Mexican culture. Those children who are already familiar with the tales will be able to share more about them, even telling some of their own that they may have grown up with. While reading the stories, teachers can ask children if they have heard similar ones before. The children may be able to relate The Priest Who Had a Glimpse of Glory to Rip Van Winkle.
Additional recommended books:
*Latin American Folktales: Stories from Hispanic and Indian Traditions by John Bierhorst
ISBN 0375714391
*Fiesta Feminina: Celebrating Women In Mexican Folktale by Mary-Joan Gerson
ISBN 1841488070
Folktale Review - Abadeha: The Philippine Cinderella By: Myrna J. de la Paz
Bibliography
De la Paz, M. (2001). Abadeha: The Philippine Cinderella. Ill. By Youshan Tang. Auburn, CA: Shen's Books. ISBN 1885008171
Plot Summary
Abadeha is a young Filipino girl lives with her father, stepmother and stepsisters after her mother passes away. Because Abadeha’s father is away on fishing trips, Stepmother treats Abadeha as if she were a slave. One day, Stepmother throws handkerchiefs at her and demands, “Wash these two handkerchiefs until the white one turns black and the black one turns white” (de la Paz, 2001). Abadeha is so upset, she runs to the riverbank and weeps as she remembers the happy times when her mother was still alive. As her tears fall, she suddenly sees several spirits appear before her eyes. The spirits help her with the impossible handkerchief task, as well as several other jobs that Stepmother insists upon. The spirits present Abadeha with a beautiful sarimanok bird. When Stepmother sees the plump and full bird, she chops the head off and cooks it for dinner. Abadeha takes the deceased bird’s feet and buries them next to her mother’s grave. After the rainy season, Abadeha returns to the plot to see a beautiful jewel encrusted tree growing from the sarimanok's grave. This tree is discovered by a handsome prince who places one of the tree’s golden rings on his finger. The prince’s finger swells badly around the ring, causing it to become fixed on his hand. During the night, the prince has a dream that tells him that the one girl who can remove the ring will be his new bride. When the prince’s news is announced, several girls from the islands flock to try their hand at removing the ring. Abadeha asked to go as well, but Stepmother was shocked at this request and proceeds to lock her stepdaughter away. The spirits came and freed Abadeha from her confinement, and told her to go to the prince. Abadeha, filthy and haggard, tenderly removed the prince’s ring, while onlookers were astonished. The prince found his bride. Abadeha and the prince celebrated a very beautiful and joyous wedding. Abadeha's father felt so proud of his daughter, and decided to banish Stepmother and her daughters to the chicken yard. Happiness and love flourished between Abadeha and her prince.
Critical Analysis
Myrna J. de la Paz’s Abadeha: A Philippine Cinderella is an excellent folktale variant of the Cinderella story. De la Paz really captures the agony and struggle that the Cinderella character, Abadeha, must endure each and every day. Stepmother is depicted as a very cruel and threatening woman. The illustrations of Stepmother portray her as a selfish woman who holds a great amount of resentment towards her stepdaughter. Abadeha is very obedient; doing loads of cleaning and cooking, but never receives recognition for her hard work. The author does a tremendous job telling the reader how much Abadeha misses her deceased mother, and how she wishes her life could be full of joy and happiness once again. When the spirits present Abadeha with the sarimanok bird, the reader begins to feel happy for her. I was very jolted when Stepmother grabbed the bird and chopped off its head and feet in order to cook it. Just when it looked like Abadeha was being given happiness, it was quickly taken away. She remains very obedient throughout the story, even though she is going through an immense amount of pain.
I found the concept of the prince’s ring to be very interesting. In the traditional Cinderella story, fitting into a glass slipper is the deciding method to find the prince’s bride. In this retelling, de la Paz chooses to create an item to be taken off by the chosen bride. The prince does not go door to door searching for his bride. Instead, the women must come to him. Because I am part of the Filipino culture, I know that this is a very accepted practice. Women are expected to wait on men and make sure they are being taken care of. Throughout the story, Abadeha is extremely subservient, never once talking back to Stepmother, even though some of us would have liked her to. De la Paz portrayed the young Filipino girl very well. Many of the illustrations depicted Filipino life very accurately. The luscious palm trees, red-orange sunsets, and sarimanok birds are that are very prevalent in the Philippines. By looking at the pictures, I can almost feel the intense humidity that is rampant in the islands. In several pictures, Abadeha is seen using traditional Filipino cooking pots, mango knives, woven mats, and homemade brooms. De la Paz brilliantly captured how life in the Philippines is.
Review Excerpts
Booklist
As de la Paz explains in an author's note, this story, a reconstruction of the Cinderella story from traditional Philippine folklore, has disappeared from mainstream folklore because of Spanish colonization and Americanization. This telling is long, but the details are evocative. The colored pencil art is pleasant but oddly generic. Although the characters are in traditional dress, there is no real feeling of time or place. Still, many libraries, especially those with a Filipino population, will want to have this on hand.
School Library Journal
The illustrations are slightly stiff; often characters' eyes seem to be dark sockets with a resulting look reminiscent of textbook art. The text and art together provide an adequate, if somewhat awkward portrayal of Cinderella.
Connections
Read several different retellings of the Cinderella story. Ask the class to compare and contrast the different stories. By doing this, children can see how cultures have different customs and practices. Have each child create their own Cinderella story. This story can include traditions and customs from their own families. Each child can then read their story to the class.
Additional recommended books
*Domitila: A Cinderella Tale from the Mexican Tradition by Jewell Reinhart Coburn
ISBN 1885008139
*Cendrillon: A Caribbean Cinderella by Robert D. San Souci ISBN 0689848889
*The Irish Cinderlad by Shirley Climo ISBN 0064435776
*Bubba, The Cowboy Prince by Helen Ketteman ISBN 0590255061
De la Paz, M. (2001). Abadeha: The Philippine Cinderella. Ill. By Youshan Tang. Auburn, CA: Shen's Books. ISBN 1885008171
Plot Summary
Abadeha is a young Filipino girl lives with her father, stepmother and stepsisters after her mother passes away. Because Abadeha’s father is away on fishing trips, Stepmother treats Abadeha as if she were a slave. One day, Stepmother throws handkerchiefs at her and demands, “Wash these two handkerchiefs until the white one turns black and the black one turns white” (de la Paz, 2001). Abadeha is so upset, she runs to the riverbank and weeps as she remembers the happy times when her mother was still alive. As her tears fall, she suddenly sees several spirits appear before her eyes. The spirits help her with the impossible handkerchief task, as well as several other jobs that Stepmother insists upon. The spirits present Abadeha with a beautiful sarimanok bird. When Stepmother sees the plump and full bird, she chops the head off and cooks it for dinner. Abadeha takes the deceased bird’s feet and buries them next to her mother’s grave. After the rainy season, Abadeha returns to the plot to see a beautiful jewel encrusted tree growing from the sarimanok's grave. This tree is discovered by a handsome prince who places one of the tree’s golden rings on his finger. The prince’s finger swells badly around the ring, causing it to become fixed on his hand. During the night, the prince has a dream that tells him that the one girl who can remove the ring will be his new bride. When the prince’s news is announced, several girls from the islands flock to try their hand at removing the ring. Abadeha asked to go as well, but Stepmother was shocked at this request and proceeds to lock her stepdaughter away. The spirits came and freed Abadeha from her confinement, and told her to go to the prince. Abadeha, filthy and haggard, tenderly removed the prince’s ring, while onlookers were astonished. The prince found his bride. Abadeha and the prince celebrated a very beautiful and joyous wedding. Abadeha's father felt so proud of his daughter, and decided to banish Stepmother and her daughters to the chicken yard. Happiness and love flourished between Abadeha and her prince.
Critical Analysis
Myrna J. de la Paz’s Abadeha: A Philippine Cinderella is an excellent folktale variant of the Cinderella story. De la Paz really captures the agony and struggle that the Cinderella character, Abadeha, must endure each and every day. Stepmother is depicted as a very cruel and threatening woman. The illustrations of Stepmother portray her as a selfish woman who holds a great amount of resentment towards her stepdaughter. Abadeha is very obedient; doing loads of cleaning and cooking, but never receives recognition for her hard work. The author does a tremendous job telling the reader how much Abadeha misses her deceased mother, and how she wishes her life could be full of joy and happiness once again. When the spirits present Abadeha with the sarimanok bird, the reader begins to feel happy for her. I was very jolted when Stepmother grabbed the bird and chopped off its head and feet in order to cook it. Just when it looked like Abadeha was being given happiness, it was quickly taken away. She remains very obedient throughout the story, even though she is going through an immense amount of pain.
I found the concept of the prince’s ring to be very interesting. In the traditional Cinderella story, fitting into a glass slipper is the deciding method to find the prince’s bride. In this retelling, de la Paz chooses to create an item to be taken off by the chosen bride. The prince does not go door to door searching for his bride. Instead, the women must come to him. Because I am part of the Filipino culture, I know that this is a very accepted practice. Women are expected to wait on men and make sure they are being taken care of. Throughout the story, Abadeha is extremely subservient, never once talking back to Stepmother, even though some of us would have liked her to. De la Paz portrayed the young Filipino girl very well. Many of the illustrations depicted Filipino life very accurately. The luscious palm trees, red-orange sunsets, and sarimanok birds are that are very prevalent in the Philippines. By looking at the pictures, I can almost feel the intense humidity that is rampant in the islands. In several pictures, Abadeha is seen using traditional Filipino cooking pots, mango knives, woven mats, and homemade brooms. De la Paz brilliantly captured how life in the Philippines is.
Review Excerpts
Booklist
As de la Paz explains in an author's note, this story, a reconstruction of the Cinderella story from traditional Philippine folklore, has disappeared from mainstream folklore because of Spanish colonization and Americanization. This telling is long, but the details are evocative. The colored pencil art is pleasant but oddly generic. Although the characters are in traditional dress, there is no real feeling of time or place. Still, many libraries, especially those with a Filipino population, will want to have this on hand.
School Library Journal
The illustrations are slightly stiff; often characters' eyes seem to be dark sockets with a resulting look reminiscent of textbook art. The text and art together provide an adequate, if somewhat awkward portrayal of Cinderella.
Connections
Read several different retellings of the Cinderella story. Ask the class to compare and contrast the different stories. By doing this, children can see how cultures have different customs and practices. Have each child create their own Cinderella story. This story can include traditions and customs from their own families. Each child can then read their story to the class.
Additional recommended books
*Domitila: A Cinderella Tale from the Mexican Tradition by Jewell Reinhart Coburn
ISBN 1885008139
*Cendrillon: A Caribbean Cinderella by Robert D. San Souci ISBN 0689848889
*The Irish Cinderlad by Shirley Climo ISBN 0064435776
*Bubba, The Cowboy Prince by Helen Ketteman ISBN 0590255061
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Picture This: How Pictures Work By: Molly Bang
Bibliography
Bang, M. 2000. Picture This: How Pictures Work. New York, NY: SeaStar Books.
ISBN 1587170299
Plot Summary
The author, Molly Bang, shows us how illustrations can be emphasized and call attention to certain expressions. She demonstrates how stories can be enriched by pictures. Certain shapes, sizes and colors come together to create a particular environment. We can see how a picture forms and what elements must be present in order to convey a message.
Critical Analysis
Molly Bang shows how pictures are important to a story, and that they are not there to merely fill up blank space. She explains how pictures can change the meaning of a story, express fear or sadness, and serve as a tool for better understanding of a plot. Bang shows that color is vital in portraying a feeling, such as anger. When we see a red face on an illustration, we can determine that this character must be angry. Bang educates us on the use of size. By altering the size of a character, she illustrates how the character becomes slighter and more vulnerable. Bang shows us her techniques with the Little Red Riding Hood example. By drawing her as a red triangle, Bang places the symbol behind black bar which represents a tree. By this placement, Molly Bang creates a sense of the character being in the woods. When Bang wants to fear more for the safety of Little Red Riding Hood, she makes the red triangle smaller and smaller amidst the trees. It is interesting to see how minor adjustments to pictures create and entirely new sense.
Review Excerpt(s)
Library Journal- Most of us can describe how a painting makes us feel, but few can say why. Bang brilliantly illustrates how simple forms--diagonals, triangles, curves, horizontals--can be active, soothing, or downright scary.
The Horn Book- Picture This extends the imagination, encourages creativity, and helps readers re-examine their world and themselves from different perspectives.
Connections
Classrooms can practice cutting out colored paper into different shapes and sizes. They can experiment with the placement of certain character symbols. By doing this, children can see how pictures can make us feel different emotions while reading a story.
Other books on illustration:
*Illustrating Children's Books: Creating Pictures for Publication by Martin Salisbruy
ISBN 0764127179
*Writing with Pictures: How to Write and Illustrate Children's Books by Uri Shulevits
ISBN 0823059359
*Bologna Annual 2007 (Bologna Annual. Illustrators of Children's Books
by Bologna International Selection Jury ISBN 0698400615
Bang, M. 2000. Picture This: How Pictures Work. New York, NY: SeaStar Books.
ISBN 1587170299
Plot Summary
The author, Molly Bang, shows us how illustrations can be emphasized and call attention to certain expressions. She demonstrates how stories can be enriched by pictures. Certain shapes, sizes and colors come together to create a particular environment. We can see how a picture forms and what elements must be present in order to convey a message.
Critical Analysis
Molly Bang shows how pictures are important to a story, and that they are not there to merely fill up blank space. She explains how pictures can change the meaning of a story, express fear or sadness, and serve as a tool for better understanding of a plot. Bang shows that color is vital in portraying a feeling, such as anger. When we see a red face on an illustration, we can determine that this character must be angry. Bang educates us on the use of size. By altering the size of a character, she illustrates how the character becomes slighter and more vulnerable. Bang shows us her techniques with the Little Red Riding Hood example. By drawing her as a red triangle, Bang places the symbol behind black bar which represents a tree. By this placement, Molly Bang creates a sense of the character being in the woods. When Bang wants to fear more for the safety of Little Red Riding Hood, she makes the red triangle smaller and smaller amidst the trees. It is interesting to see how minor adjustments to pictures create and entirely new sense.
Review Excerpt(s)
Library Journal- Most of us can describe how a painting makes us feel, but few can say why. Bang brilliantly illustrates how simple forms--diagonals, triangles, curves, horizontals--can be active, soothing, or downright scary.
The Horn Book- Picture This extends the imagination, encourages creativity, and helps readers re-examine their world and themselves from different perspectives.
Connections
Classrooms can practice cutting out colored paper into different shapes and sizes. They can experiment with the placement of certain character symbols. By doing this, children can see how pictures can make us feel different emotions while reading a story.
Other books on illustration:
*Illustrating Children's Books: Creating Pictures for Publication by Martin Salisbruy
ISBN 0764127179
*Writing with Pictures: How to Write and Illustrate Children's Books by Uri Shulevits
ISBN 0823059359
*Bologna Annual 2007 (Bologna Annual. Illustrators of Children's Books
by Bologna International Selection Jury ISBN 0698400615
My Friend Rabbit By: Eric Rohmann
Bibliography
Rohmann, E. 2002. My Friend Rabbit. Brookfield, CT: Roaring Brook Press. ISBN 0761324208
Plot Summary
Mouse describes his friend Rabbit who is always trying to have fun and help, but seems get into trouble. Rabbit has gotten their plane stuck in a tree, and he recruits several animals to build a tower in order to get the plane back. Once Rabbit has his tall ladder of animals, including an elephant, a rhinoceros, and a bear among others, barely reaches the plane. Suddenly, the natural tower loses balance, and all of the animal fall, making them very angry at Rabbit. Mouse flies down and saves his friend from the grasp of the fuming animals. Mouse knows that his friend means well. As they fly, the two friends become stuck in the tree, and Rabbit starts cooking up another brilliant plan to get them saved.
Critical Analysis
The use of illustration is very important to the story. There are not many words on each page, and some pages are comprised solely of pictures. Rhomman’s illustrations have a very important job, since there are so few words. The bright colors used seem allow the images really jump out at the readers. The illustrations are excellent at presenting action and movement. While reading the story, I could almost hear what it sounded like and how it felt when the animal tower came crashing down. Rhomman does an outstanding job of showing emotions through the facial expressions of his characters. We can see the timid look of the animals when Rabbit is dragging them together for an unknown fate. The faces then look shocked and terrified as they fall. I can see how the angry eyes of the animals evoked fear in Rabbit when they were surrounding him. The wide-eyes of Rabbit tell the reader that he is very scared. Even when things are not going as planned, we see Rabbit with a determined and pleasant look on his face, showing the reader that he will never give up, much to the dismay of his friend, Mouse.
Review Excerpts
Publishers Weekly This gentle lesson in patience and loyalty, balanced on the back of a hilarious set of illustrations, will leave young readers clamoring for repeat readings
School Library Journal The double-page, hand-colored relief prints with heavy black outlines are magnificent, and children will enjoy the comically expressive pictures of the animals before and after their attempt to extract the plane. The text is minimal; it's the illustrations that are the draw here.
Connections
This book could be used as a wonderful tool in teaching patience to young children. They can think of a friend, family member, or pet that sometimes gets into trouble, even though they mean well. This activity could go one step higher by asking students to explain the reasons why they still love this person or pet, despite their faults.
Additional recommended books:
*A Kitten Tale by Eric Rohmann ISBN 9780517709153
*Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes ISBN 0060588284
Rohmann, E. 2002. My Friend Rabbit. Brookfield, CT: Roaring Brook Press. ISBN 0761324208
Plot Summary
Mouse describes his friend Rabbit who is always trying to have fun and help, but seems get into trouble. Rabbit has gotten their plane stuck in a tree, and he recruits several animals to build a tower in order to get the plane back. Once Rabbit has his tall ladder of animals, including an elephant, a rhinoceros, and a bear among others, barely reaches the plane. Suddenly, the natural tower loses balance, and all of the animal fall, making them very angry at Rabbit. Mouse flies down and saves his friend from the grasp of the fuming animals. Mouse knows that his friend means well. As they fly, the two friends become stuck in the tree, and Rabbit starts cooking up another brilliant plan to get them saved.
Critical Analysis
The use of illustration is very important to the story. There are not many words on each page, and some pages are comprised solely of pictures. Rhomman’s illustrations have a very important job, since there are so few words. The bright colors used seem allow the images really jump out at the readers. The illustrations are excellent at presenting action and movement. While reading the story, I could almost hear what it sounded like and how it felt when the animal tower came crashing down. Rhomman does an outstanding job of showing emotions through the facial expressions of his characters. We can see the timid look of the animals when Rabbit is dragging them together for an unknown fate. The faces then look shocked and terrified as they fall. I can see how the angry eyes of the animals evoked fear in Rabbit when they were surrounding him. The wide-eyes of Rabbit tell the reader that he is very scared. Even when things are not going as planned, we see Rabbit with a determined and pleasant look on his face, showing the reader that he will never give up, much to the dismay of his friend, Mouse.
Review Excerpts
Publishers Weekly This gentle lesson in patience and loyalty, balanced on the back of a hilarious set of illustrations, will leave young readers clamoring for repeat readings
School Library Journal The double-page, hand-colored relief prints with heavy black outlines are magnificent, and children will enjoy the comically expressive pictures of the animals before and after their attempt to extract the plane. The text is minimal; it's the illustrations that are the draw here.
Connections
This book could be used as a wonderful tool in teaching patience to young children. They can think of a friend, family member, or pet that sometimes gets into trouble, even though they mean well. This activity could go one step higher by asking students to explain the reasons why they still love this person or pet, despite their faults.
Additional recommended books:
*A Kitten Tale by Eric Rohmann ISBN 9780517709153
*Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes ISBN 0060588284
Knuffle Bunny By: Mo Willems
Bibliography
Willems, Mo. 2004. Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale. By Mo Willems. New York, NY: Hyperion Books For Children. ISBN 078681870
Plot Summary
A toddler girl named Trixie, who does not yet speak, goes to help her daddy at the Laundromat. The trip is full of fun and adventure until Trixie realizes that her favorite stuffed bunny is nowhere to be found. The reader sees Trixie’s inability to express her predicament. Trixie’s parents go through an intense search for the Knuffle Bunny, which is eventually found, leading Trixie to speak her first words.
Critical Analysis
Readers, both young and old, can enjoy and connect with this book. The black and white photos throughout the book can connect with parents who may have lived in similar looking neighborhoods. While appealing to adults, the bright and bold overlay of the human characters grab the attention of children. Trixie's facial expressions alone, could tell the story. We can see how the emotions progressed throughout the day, as particular events were happening to Trixie. Losing a beloved toy is something that children can relate to. Recovering that missing toy can evoke so much happiness in a child, that they may even utter their first words, like Trixie did.
Review Excerpts
Publishers Weekly: Willems renders the characters with Little Lulu-style pointed noses and their expressions are laugh-out-loud funny, from the hapless father's worried look as he and Trixie venture out to the Laundromat, to his roll-up-your-sleeves determination as he rescues the stuffed toy from the washing machine.
Booklist: “Sepia-tone photographs of a Brooklyn neighborhood provide the backdrops for his hand-drawn artwork, intensifying the humor of the gleefully stylized characters--especially Trixie herself, who effectively registers all the universal signs of toddler distress, from the first quavery grimace to the uncooperative, "boneless" stage to the googly-eyed, gape-mouthed crisis point. Even children who can already talk a blue streak will come away satisfied that their own strong emotions have been mirrored and legitimized, and readers of all ages will recognize the agonizing frustration of a little girl who knows far more than she can articulate.” Jennifer Mattson
Connections
Children will be able to relate their own experiences to Trixie’s. Children can understand the feelings that the illustrations depicted throughout the book. Adults will also remember if they had a toy like the Knuffle Bunny when they were young.
Other books by this author that are recommended:
*Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity by Mo Willems ISBN 1423102991
*Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems ISBN 078681988
*The Pigeon Has Feelings, Too! by Mo Willems ISBN 0786836504
Willems, Mo. 2004. Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale. By Mo Willems. New York, NY: Hyperion Books For Children. ISBN 078681870
Plot Summary
A toddler girl named Trixie, who does not yet speak, goes to help her daddy at the Laundromat. The trip is full of fun and adventure until Trixie realizes that her favorite stuffed bunny is nowhere to be found. The reader sees Trixie’s inability to express her predicament. Trixie’s parents go through an intense search for the Knuffle Bunny, which is eventually found, leading Trixie to speak her first words.
Critical Analysis
Readers, both young and old, can enjoy and connect with this book. The black and white photos throughout the book can connect with parents who may have lived in similar looking neighborhoods. While appealing to adults, the bright and bold overlay of the human characters grab the attention of children. Trixie's facial expressions alone, could tell the story. We can see how the emotions progressed throughout the day, as particular events were happening to Trixie. Losing a beloved toy is something that children can relate to. Recovering that missing toy can evoke so much happiness in a child, that they may even utter their first words, like Trixie did.
Review Excerpts
Publishers Weekly: Willems renders the characters with Little Lulu-style pointed noses and their expressions are laugh-out-loud funny, from the hapless father's worried look as he and Trixie venture out to the Laundromat, to his roll-up-your-sleeves determination as he rescues the stuffed toy from the washing machine.
Booklist: “Sepia-tone photographs of a Brooklyn neighborhood provide the backdrops for his hand-drawn artwork, intensifying the humor of the gleefully stylized characters--especially Trixie herself, who effectively registers all the universal signs of toddler distress, from the first quavery grimace to the uncooperative, "boneless" stage to the googly-eyed, gape-mouthed crisis point. Even children who can already talk a blue streak will come away satisfied that their own strong emotions have been mirrored and legitimized, and readers of all ages will recognize the agonizing frustration of a little girl who knows far more than she can articulate.” Jennifer Mattson
Connections
Children will be able to relate their own experiences to Trixie’s. Children can understand the feelings that the illustrations depicted throughout the book. Adults will also remember if they had a toy like the Knuffle Bunny when they were young.
Other books by this author that are recommended:
*Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity by Mo Willems ISBN 1423102991
*Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems ISBN 078681988
*The Pigeon Has Feelings, Too! by Mo Willems ISBN 0786836504
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