Bibliography
Na, An. 2002. A Step from Heaven. Asheville, North Carolina: Penguin Group. 9780142500279
Plot Summary
Young Ju and her family move from Korea when she is a child to the United States. Though she has great expectations and hopes that America will be the place her family can thrive and do well, Young Ju’s dreams of a better life are slowly shattered by her father’s drinking, his preference for the son in the household, and her mother’s refusal to pull away from a man who abuses the entire family. Adding to her struggles, Young Ju must find the balance between being Korean and American, a balance that never seems to quite satisfy her family. Told in a raw yet flowing narrative format, A Step from Heaven takes the reader from Young Ju’s life as a child until she is getting ready to leave for college. Young Ju betters herself and eventually defies the father who has held her family in captivity for so long through his alcoholism. Though sometimes hard to read, the bond Young Ju establishes with her mother after her father has left offers hope and beauty rarely seen this clearly in literature.
Critical Analysis
Set first in Korea and then in the United States, A Step from Heaven takes the idea of a child confusing America with Heaven to show how many seeking a life here view the anything is possible optimism of the country. However, Young Ju and her family’s arrival and life in the states proves to be a removed from the celestial paradise expected, and the book reveals the inability to run from problems that exist within a family unit. In fact, though America offers many opportunities, the language barriers and plight of immigrants is painted in vivid colors throughout the pages of the book and complicates the characters already tumultuous lives.
One of the first qualities of this books readers will notice is the way Na writes this novel. Though it is in prose, the narrative format takes on a free verse poetic style that makes the reader feel they are floating through the pages. This style is necessary since the topics dealt with, such as alcoholism, abuse, and being displaced, can be abrupt and hit the reader with emotions that leave them staggering for breath. Na’s style makes getting through a child being kicked in the stomach by their own father and a mother beaten almost to death as her daughter finds the strength to call for help possible.
As Young Ju matures, trying to learn how to be a Korean American girl, she learns that it is okay to question the norms and stand against her oppressor, who happens to be her alcoholic father. Though at first blamed by her mother for the split in her family, Young Ju teaches her mother a lesson in self preservation and survival that can only come through the struggles of growing up in a family where everyday survival is a challenge.
Na treats the Korean culture with care, and though she points out some of the distinctions, she does not particularly spotlight the culture. Na uses the Korean phrases for mother and father and other words, and the reader easily adapts to understanding these terms due to the context in which Na places them. She shows the struggles of a family living with language barriers and the odd transition that takes place when the children are “Americanized” and the parents still trying to adapt to the changes. However, this book could be read by any struggling family, immigrant or not, anyone who has grown up with the influence of drugs or alcoholism, or any child who is ashamed that they live in a run down apartment and lies about their lot in life. The sibling rivalry and love between Young Ju and her brother, Joon, is a portrait of most sibling relationships with the added pressure of the male sibling being the more accepted by the father. However, this acceptance does not save Joon from the wrath or beatings of his father, and the pain both children experience makes Young Ju and Joon’s relationship stronger.
Na does not take the easy way out when it comes to her characters. The father, an obvious villain throughout the book that the reader has no problem seeing suffer, still is not written off by Na as a wasted life. As the book concludes, Young Ju is reminded, as is the reader, of how things started. We are taken back to the beginning when a well meaning father is trying to teach his daughter to face her fears and be brave as they jump waves in the ocean. Young Ju’s mother points out that he has not always been the way he turned out, and this may be the most important lesson of the book. Though the reader will have trouble forgiving the father’s transgressions, Na does everyone a favor by asking the characters and the reader to view lives as a whole, not as one still moment of bad decisions.
Review Excerpts
“…realistically captures this powerful contemporary story and gives authentic crispness to Korean words and phrases.” Publishers Weekly
“In a manner appropriate for all YAs, it deals with relationships, self-esteem, lying, conflict of cultures, poverty, gender differences and abuse as a result of alcoholism.” KLIATT
Connections
*Have students read La Linea, a book about two siblings attempting to move from Mexico to the United States to live because of what it has to offer. Have students discuss Young Ju and the protagonists expectations of the United States and the different experiences they have getting here and once they arrive. Students should share their findings with the class.
*Have students use a map to see where Young Ju lived when she was in Korea. Have students research this area to find out more about Young Ju's Korean birthplace.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Book Review 17
Bibliography
Lord, Cynthia. 2006. Rules. New York, New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0439443822
Plot Summary
Catherine lives with a brother who has autism, which dominates family life and causes her to have deal with moments most other twelve year olds don’t. In an attempt to help her brother, David, and save her embarrassment, she makes rules for him to try to help him fit into the every day world. Catherine meets Jason, who has a disability, and begins forming a friendship with him that surprises her. When Kristi moves into the neighborhood, Catherine longs for a “normal” friendship with her as well, but she finds out that different is okay, and not all situations can be remedied by making more rules.
Critical Analysis
This book undoubtedly deserves the Newbery Honor Book Award it was given and should be considered a must read for adolescents and adults alike. Lord’s own experiences with an autistic child add a level of realism and authenticity to this novel that make it both funny and heartbreaking to read. More than any other emotion, hope permeates through every page as the protagonist, Catherine, matures and understands that normal may not exist for everyone, but that doesn’t mean life can’t be good.
Within a quick 200 pages, Lord tells many stories. The focus is obviously on Catherine and life with her autistic brother, David. She effortlessly shows the feelings of Catherine as her family navigates around his needs and condition leaving Catherine to sometimes feel displaced. Within the pages we also see Catherine trying to develop normal friendships with the typical girl next door, Kristi, and the boy at the therapy office David goes to, Jason. These friendships have distinct differences since Jason is bound to a wheelchair and unable to speak. Catherine’s enjoyment of her friendship with Jason does not ease her uneasiness that it doesn’t fit into her plan for normalcy. However, her realization that “she’s scared” of what people might think of her, not Jason, reveals a truth about human nature that is sobering for an adult or adolescent.
Set in any present time town, Rules is a book that deals with very specific issues, such as autism, but still manages to appeal to the masses because of the universal emotions and lessons found on every page. This is a credit to Lord’s exceptional writing. Lord’s decision to title each chapter one of Catherine’s rules for David demonstrates a style that is both unique and offers insight into who Catherine is and who she is becoming. Though her rules are supposedly meant to protect her more vulnerable brother, Lord uses them to seamlessly reveal Catherine’s weaknesses and fears and show how she is attempting to both fit into society and protect herself from it. Sometimes the rules show Catherine’s maturity or frustration, such as “solving one problem can create another” and “pantless brothers are not my problem.” This style of writing makes the book easily accessible, easy to read, and meaningful all at the same time.
Lord respects her characters and not only develops Catherine but also makes David and Jason three dimensional. Readers get to know these characters beyond their disabilities, and though their differences and others’ problems dealing with them play a role in the novel, characters get to know David and Jason as people, not stereotypes of autism and disability. Lord accomplishes this intentionally, making sure the book does not revolve around Catherine only but includes glimpses of the emotions David and Jason experience in their everyday lives.
Rules is not decidedly a girl or boy book, a task that is not always easy to accomplish in adolescent writing. The subject matter and Lord’s writing style open this book to any audience regardless of age, gender, or culture. The theme can be applied to someone living with an autistic sibling or simply trying to find their identity during an uncertain time. The friendships that develop and deteriorate throughout the pages offer an abundance of lessons, and anyone can connect to the need to fit in.
Review Excerpts
"A rewarding story that may well inspire readers to think about others' points of view." Publisher’s Weekly
"A lovely, warm read, and a great discussion starter." School Library Journal
Connections
*Have students read The Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars and compare the sisters in the story and how they handle their mentally challenged brothers. Students should compare and contrast Sara and Catherine and share what they discovered with the class or their literature circle group.
*Have students research autism to find out its causes, symptoms, and what the life of someone with autism is like.
Lord, Cynthia. 2006. Rules. New York, New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0439443822
Plot Summary
Catherine lives with a brother who has autism, which dominates family life and causes her to have deal with moments most other twelve year olds don’t. In an attempt to help her brother, David, and save her embarrassment, she makes rules for him to try to help him fit into the every day world. Catherine meets Jason, who has a disability, and begins forming a friendship with him that surprises her. When Kristi moves into the neighborhood, Catherine longs for a “normal” friendship with her as well, but she finds out that different is okay, and not all situations can be remedied by making more rules.
Critical Analysis
This book undoubtedly deserves the Newbery Honor Book Award it was given and should be considered a must read for adolescents and adults alike. Lord’s own experiences with an autistic child add a level of realism and authenticity to this novel that make it both funny and heartbreaking to read. More than any other emotion, hope permeates through every page as the protagonist, Catherine, matures and understands that normal may not exist for everyone, but that doesn’t mean life can’t be good.
Within a quick 200 pages, Lord tells many stories. The focus is obviously on Catherine and life with her autistic brother, David. She effortlessly shows the feelings of Catherine as her family navigates around his needs and condition leaving Catherine to sometimes feel displaced. Within the pages we also see Catherine trying to develop normal friendships with the typical girl next door, Kristi, and the boy at the therapy office David goes to, Jason. These friendships have distinct differences since Jason is bound to a wheelchair and unable to speak. Catherine’s enjoyment of her friendship with Jason does not ease her uneasiness that it doesn’t fit into her plan for normalcy. However, her realization that “she’s scared” of what people might think of her, not Jason, reveals a truth about human nature that is sobering for an adult or adolescent.
Set in any present time town, Rules is a book that deals with very specific issues, such as autism, but still manages to appeal to the masses because of the universal emotions and lessons found on every page. This is a credit to Lord’s exceptional writing. Lord’s decision to title each chapter one of Catherine’s rules for David demonstrates a style that is both unique and offers insight into who Catherine is and who she is becoming. Though her rules are supposedly meant to protect her more vulnerable brother, Lord uses them to seamlessly reveal Catherine’s weaknesses and fears and show how she is attempting to both fit into society and protect herself from it. Sometimes the rules show Catherine’s maturity or frustration, such as “solving one problem can create another” and “pantless brothers are not my problem.” This style of writing makes the book easily accessible, easy to read, and meaningful all at the same time.
Lord respects her characters and not only develops Catherine but also makes David and Jason three dimensional. Readers get to know these characters beyond their disabilities, and though their differences and others’ problems dealing with them play a role in the novel, characters get to know David and Jason as people, not stereotypes of autism and disability. Lord accomplishes this intentionally, making sure the book does not revolve around Catherine only but includes glimpses of the emotions David and Jason experience in their everyday lives.
Rules is not decidedly a girl or boy book, a task that is not always easy to accomplish in adolescent writing. The subject matter and Lord’s writing style open this book to any audience regardless of age, gender, or culture. The theme can be applied to someone living with an autistic sibling or simply trying to find their identity during an uncertain time. The friendships that develop and deteriorate throughout the pages offer an abundance of lessons, and anyone can connect to the need to fit in.
Review Excerpts
"A rewarding story that may well inspire readers to think about others' points of view." Publisher’s Weekly
"A lovely, warm read, and a great discussion starter." School Library Journal
Connections
*Have students read The Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars and compare the sisters in the story and how they handle their mentally challenged brothers. Students should compare and contrast Sara and Catherine and share what they discovered with the class or their literature circle group.
*Have students research autism to find out its causes, symptoms, and what the life of someone with autism is like.
Book Review 16
Bibliography
Riordan, Rick. 2005. The Lightning Thief. New York, New York: Hyperion. ISBN 9780786838653
Plot Summary
In the first book of this fantasy series, readers are introduced to a boy, Percy Jackson, who believes he has ADHD and that is the reason for his erratic behavior and continued lack of success in school. He soon finds out that the real reason for his problems is much less rational, and he is the son of a Greek god with special powers that cause him to be hunted by other mythological creatures. In an attempt to solve a misunderstanding between the gods and keep himself out of danger, Percy must return Zeus’s lightning bolt. This puts him on the path to adventure with other “half bloods” in a quest to clear his name and find out his true identity while trying to defeat the enemies that hunt him along the way.
Critical Analysis
The voice and style Riordan uses throughout this fast-paced novel will appeal to young adults, male or female. Every page is filled with humor, but the pain of Percy’s fatherless childhood seeps through, and the reader cannot help but feel grief when Percy’s mother disappears. Riordan uses his unique voice to make readers feel they are on this adventure with Percy experiencing the ups and downs of his emotions as they come.
Set in New York and then many places in America as Percy and his friends travel, the real life setting gives this fantasy book an authentic feel, as if Percy could be out there right now trying to return Zeus’s lightning bolt. Though the plot is ever twisting, and some background in Greek mythology helps to understand the different characters, Riordan’s writing and storyline make following pretty easy. This book is a page turner that is hard to put down because of the storyline of a young adult trying to find his identity and realizing his lineage is intertwined with the gods. As Medusa and Hades start to pop up in the pages, the reader wants to travel with Percy wherever this adventure is taking him, learning about Greek mythology or receiving a very thorough review along the way.
The characters within the pages are believable, even if they are turning into half horses or are the king of the underworld like Hades. Riordan weaves the Greek mythology into the book flawlessly, but due to the realism of the characters, the audience feels like they are reading a fiction adventure ride instead of a textbook. Percy is likable, yet flawed in his own ways and Grover is the ultimate best friend. The characters motivations are shown throughout the book in clear yet understated ways making them understandable and also complex, a hard combination.
This is not a boy book because of the male protagonist and the lessons within the pages are not gender specific. There are many themes that are touched on in this book, and it would be naïve to assume that since this book is fantasy and enjoyable that there is no moral. Percy learns what greed and pride can do to people, whether it is Luke’s betrayal or the refusal of the three main gods to let the past be once a vow has been broken. Percy also feels a sense of displacement, whether it is at his own home, at his multiple boarding schools, or at Half Blood Hill where not many people are particularly happy to see him. In his search for identity and purpose, Percy learns that even gods are not always heroes and where we fit in the world is as much our decision as our destiny.
Review Excerpts
"This wild romp of a book will intrigue and amuse middle schoolers, whether they know the Greek myths or not." Children’s Literature
"The sardonic tone of the narrator's voice lends a refreshing air of realism to this riotously paced quest tale of heroism that questions the realities of our world, family, friendship and loyalty." Kirkus Reviews
Connections
*Students should read The Sea of Monsters and continue to follow Percy’s adventures. Students can track Percy’s progress throughout the series and chart how he matures.
*Students should read non fiction pieces about Greek gods mentioned in The Lightning Thief. After reading these pieces, they should compare the accuracy of how they were portrayed in The Lightning Thief.
Riordan, Rick. 2005. The Lightning Thief. New York, New York: Hyperion. ISBN 9780786838653
Plot Summary
In the first book of this fantasy series, readers are introduced to a boy, Percy Jackson, who believes he has ADHD and that is the reason for his erratic behavior and continued lack of success in school. He soon finds out that the real reason for his problems is much less rational, and he is the son of a Greek god with special powers that cause him to be hunted by other mythological creatures. In an attempt to solve a misunderstanding between the gods and keep himself out of danger, Percy must return Zeus’s lightning bolt. This puts him on the path to adventure with other “half bloods” in a quest to clear his name and find out his true identity while trying to defeat the enemies that hunt him along the way.
Critical Analysis
The voice and style Riordan uses throughout this fast-paced novel will appeal to young adults, male or female. Every page is filled with humor, but the pain of Percy’s fatherless childhood seeps through, and the reader cannot help but feel grief when Percy’s mother disappears. Riordan uses his unique voice to make readers feel they are on this adventure with Percy experiencing the ups and downs of his emotions as they come.
Set in New York and then many places in America as Percy and his friends travel, the real life setting gives this fantasy book an authentic feel, as if Percy could be out there right now trying to return Zeus’s lightning bolt. Though the plot is ever twisting, and some background in Greek mythology helps to understand the different characters, Riordan’s writing and storyline make following pretty easy. This book is a page turner that is hard to put down because of the storyline of a young adult trying to find his identity and realizing his lineage is intertwined with the gods. As Medusa and Hades start to pop up in the pages, the reader wants to travel with Percy wherever this adventure is taking him, learning about Greek mythology or receiving a very thorough review along the way.
The characters within the pages are believable, even if they are turning into half horses or are the king of the underworld like Hades. Riordan weaves the Greek mythology into the book flawlessly, but due to the realism of the characters, the audience feels like they are reading a fiction adventure ride instead of a textbook. Percy is likable, yet flawed in his own ways and Grover is the ultimate best friend. The characters motivations are shown throughout the book in clear yet understated ways making them understandable and also complex, a hard combination.
This is not a boy book because of the male protagonist and the lessons within the pages are not gender specific. There are many themes that are touched on in this book, and it would be naïve to assume that since this book is fantasy and enjoyable that there is no moral. Percy learns what greed and pride can do to people, whether it is Luke’s betrayal or the refusal of the three main gods to let the past be once a vow has been broken. Percy also feels a sense of displacement, whether it is at his own home, at his multiple boarding schools, or at Half Blood Hill where not many people are particularly happy to see him. In his search for identity and purpose, Percy learns that even gods are not always heroes and where we fit in the world is as much our decision as our destiny.
Review Excerpts
"This wild romp of a book will intrigue and amuse middle schoolers, whether they know the Greek myths or not." Children’s Literature
"The sardonic tone of the narrator's voice lends a refreshing air of realism to this riotously paced quest tale of heroism that questions the realities of our world, family, friendship and loyalty." Kirkus Reviews
Connections
*Students should read The Sea of Monsters and continue to follow Percy’s adventures. Students can track Percy’s progress throughout the series and chart how he matures.
*Students should read non fiction pieces about Greek gods mentioned in The Lightning Thief. After reading these pieces, they should compare the accuracy of how they were portrayed in The Lightning Thief.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Book Review 15
Bibliography
Erdrich, Louise. 2005. The Game of Silence. New York, New York: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 0060297891.
Plot Summary
Omakayas is a Native American girl in the Ojibwe tribe who learns that white settlers plan to move her and her family from their land in the Northeast to an unknown new home. Though the book takes place while Omakayas and her tribe wait to hear if the whites truly want to move them from their home, Omakayas story is told day by day as she lives her normal life within the tribe. Her dreams have the ability to predict the future, and she is growing up learning to come to terms with this gift that sometimes proves to feel more like curse than a blessing. With both humor and sadness, Erdrich tales the story of a young girl growing up and the challenges she must face on her path to adulthood.
Critical Analysis
Erdrich does a wonderful job of creating realistic characters, and the interactions between them are real and unforced. From the defiant and sometimes cocky Two Strike, to the annoying yet vulnerable little brother Pinch, Erdrich’s writing encompasses the complicated give and take of childhood relationships. Omakaya’s relationship with the Break Apart Girl and Deydey’s friendship with Father Baraga show Erdrich avoiding the stereotype that all whites are bad and none interested in befriending the Native Americans. Erdrich treats each character as an individual and presents them that way.
Her style is not forced, and the book reads easily transporting the audience into Omakayas’ world and allowing them to experience her fears and journeys. Readers truly understand and feel the emotions as the game of silence stops being a game and becomes a means of survival at the end of the story.
Most of the book focuses on Omakayas maturing and learning to navigate her relationships with others and accept her gift of being able to dream the future. The book is packed with adventure amid important lessons about what it means to grow up and face the life that is before you. Though Omakayas is facing extraordinary circumstances in the 1850s, the way Erdrich writes and the maturity Omakayas attains throughout the story are relatable to any child. The book could be made for an audience of any century.
There is a glossary and pronunciation guide to help readers understand Ojibwe terms, but there is no bibliography. The author’s note only acknowledges places the reader may go to learn more about the Ojibwe language. The lack of a bibliography or sources is disappointing since the presence of one would add authenticity and confirm accuracy of the historical elements in the story. Erdrich does provide maps on the front and back pages, as well as drawings throughout that show characters and the different places characters went on their journeys. The black and white drawings are a nice addition and offer a picture book quality to this easy to read novel.
Review Excerpts
“This meticulously researched novel offers an even balance of joyful and sorrowful moments while conveying a perspective of America's past that is rarely found in history books." Publishers Weekly
“Edrich's graceful, vivid language engages the reader with her interesting characters” …”Riverbank Review
Connections
*Have students read The Birchbark House before reading The Game of Silence to better understand Omakayas and her family. Have students keep a maturity map for one character from both books to track their progress as they read both novels.
*Have students read Light in the Forest by Conrad Richter to examine the different views Erdrich and Richter present of the whites and Native Americans. Have students discuss and compare the books in class.
Erdrich, Louise. 2005. The Game of Silence. New York, New York: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 0060297891.
Plot Summary
Omakayas is a Native American girl in the Ojibwe tribe who learns that white settlers plan to move her and her family from their land in the Northeast to an unknown new home. Though the book takes place while Omakayas and her tribe wait to hear if the whites truly want to move them from their home, Omakayas story is told day by day as she lives her normal life within the tribe. Her dreams have the ability to predict the future, and she is growing up learning to come to terms with this gift that sometimes proves to feel more like curse than a blessing. With both humor and sadness, Erdrich tales the story of a young girl growing up and the challenges she must face on her path to adulthood.
Critical Analysis
Erdrich does a wonderful job of creating realistic characters, and the interactions between them are real and unforced. From the defiant and sometimes cocky Two Strike, to the annoying yet vulnerable little brother Pinch, Erdrich’s writing encompasses the complicated give and take of childhood relationships. Omakaya’s relationship with the Break Apart Girl and Deydey’s friendship with Father Baraga show Erdrich avoiding the stereotype that all whites are bad and none interested in befriending the Native Americans. Erdrich treats each character as an individual and presents them that way.
Her style is not forced, and the book reads easily transporting the audience into Omakayas’ world and allowing them to experience her fears and journeys. Readers truly understand and feel the emotions as the game of silence stops being a game and becomes a means of survival at the end of the story.
Most of the book focuses on Omakayas maturing and learning to navigate her relationships with others and accept her gift of being able to dream the future. The book is packed with adventure amid important lessons about what it means to grow up and face the life that is before you. Though Omakayas is facing extraordinary circumstances in the 1850s, the way Erdrich writes and the maturity Omakayas attains throughout the story are relatable to any child. The book could be made for an audience of any century.
There is a glossary and pronunciation guide to help readers understand Ojibwe terms, but there is no bibliography. The author’s note only acknowledges places the reader may go to learn more about the Ojibwe language. The lack of a bibliography or sources is disappointing since the presence of one would add authenticity and confirm accuracy of the historical elements in the story. Erdrich does provide maps on the front and back pages, as well as drawings throughout that show characters and the different places characters went on their journeys. The black and white drawings are a nice addition and offer a picture book quality to this easy to read novel.
Review Excerpts
“This meticulously researched novel offers an even balance of joyful and sorrowful moments while conveying a perspective of America's past that is rarely found in history books." Publishers Weekly
“Edrich's graceful, vivid language engages the reader with her interesting characters” …”Riverbank Review
Connections
*Have students read The Birchbark House before reading The Game of Silence to better understand Omakayas and her family. Have students keep a maturity map for one character from both books to track their progress as they read both novels.
*Have students read Light in the Forest by Conrad Richter to examine the different views Erdrich and Richter present of the whites and Native Americans. Have students discuss and compare the books in class.
Book Review 14
Bibliography
Lowry, Lois. 1989. Number the Stars. New York, New York: Yearling Book. ISBN 0440403278
Plot Summary
Annemarie Johansen lives in Denmark and feels the effect of World War II and the Nazis when her best friend, Ellen, and her family, who are Jewish, are in danger. After taking in Ellen and traveling to the country, Annemarie starts to see the work of resistance fighters, though she’s not sure exactly what is happening. With grace and courage, Annemarie knows she wants to help and learns to accept only what she must know to protect those around her. Though she’s only ten, Annemarie fights her fears and helps others targeted by the Nazis escape to safety in Sweden by making a delivery that will save many lives but put hers at risk.
Critical Analysis
Lowry writes about a time in history that is incomprehensible to most adults in a way that children can understand and be engaged by. Annemarie’s story is one of courage and overcoming fear, but Lowry still manages to tell it while acknowledging the thoughts of a child. Lowry does not make the mistake of trying to teach about the entire Holocaust, instead sticking to a story about families and friends affected during this time. Her words succeed in drawing real characters, showing readers the grief of a family who has lost a child, the fear and desperation of a family forced to separate to survive, and the courage of individuals who took it upon themselves to try to help others in need. She spotlights the Danish resistance, which played a huge part in saving many lives throughout the Holocaust, and describes her setting with such detail that readers feel they are in the story.
Lowry does not take the easy way out when telling her story. Peter, a beloved resistance fighter, is executed and “the Nazis refused to return the bodies of the young men they shot” so he could not even be buried where he requested. Lowry shows all the horror of the Holocaust without graphic details or disturbing facts; she simply whispers the truths throughout the pages and leaves the reader in suspense rooting for Annemarie and her family throughout the story. In 132 pages, Lowry teaches the lesson that no matter what age or how small the task may be, everyone has the opportunity to make a difference.
In the afterword at the end of the story, Lowry tells “where fact ends and fiction begins” in the story of Number the Stars. Though the plot and characters are fictional, the historical situations in the book are accurate, and Lowry explains her research and the effect it had on her as she prepared to write this book. From learning about specific resistance fighters to researching how the Danish used the cocaine covered handkerchiefs to fool the search dogs, the historical research makes this book authentic and real to all readers.
Review Excerpts
“The whole work is seamless, compelling, and memorable -- impossible to put down; difficult to forget." Publishers Weekly
“…gripping story of a ten-year-old Danish girl and her family's courageous efforts…” School Library Journal
Connections
*Have students read Night by Elie Wiesel. Compare Elie Wiesel’s first person, non fiction account with Lois Lowry’s historical fiction telling in Number the Stars. Have students discuss and compare.
*Read play version of The Diary of Anne Frank. Have students work in groups to compare the difference in the tone and mood of both stories. Students can also compare and contrast the female protagonist and the situations they faced and share their findings with the class.
Lowry, Lois. 1989. Number the Stars. New York, New York: Yearling Book. ISBN 0440403278
Plot Summary
Annemarie Johansen lives in Denmark and feels the effect of World War II and the Nazis when her best friend, Ellen, and her family, who are Jewish, are in danger. After taking in Ellen and traveling to the country, Annemarie starts to see the work of resistance fighters, though she’s not sure exactly what is happening. With grace and courage, Annemarie knows she wants to help and learns to accept only what she must know to protect those around her. Though she’s only ten, Annemarie fights her fears and helps others targeted by the Nazis escape to safety in Sweden by making a delivery that will save many lives but put hers at risk.
Critical Analysis
Lowry writes about a time in history that is incomprehensible to most adults in a way that children can understand and be engaged by. Annemarie’s story is one of courage and overcoming fear, but Lowry still manages to tell it while acknowledging the thoughts of a child. Lowry does not make the mistake of trying to teach about the entire Holocaust, instead sticking to a story about families and friends affected during this time. Her words succeed in drawing real characters, showing readers the grief of a family who has lost a child, the fear and desperation of a family forced to separate to survive, and the courage of individuals who took it upon themselves to try to help others in need. She spotlights the Danish resistance, which played a huge part in saving many lives throughout the Holocaust, and describes her setting with such detail that readers feel they are in the story.
Lowry does not take the easy way out when telling her story. Peter, a beloved resistance fighter, is executed and “the Nazis refused to return the bodies of the young men they shot” so he could not even be buried where he requested. Lowry shows all the horror of the Holocaust without graphic details or disturbing facts; she simply whispers the truths throughout the pages and leaves the reader in suspense rooting for Annemarie and her family throughout the story. In 132 pages, Lowry teaches the lesson that no matter what age or how small the task may be, everyone has the opportunity to make a difference.
In the afterword at the end of the story, Lowry tells “where fact ends and fiction begins” in the story of Number the Stars. Though the plot and characters are fictional, the historical situations in the book are accurate, and Lowry explains her research and the effect it had on her as she prepared to write this book. From learning about specific resistance fighters to researching how the Danish used the cocaine covered handkerchiefs to fool the search dogs, the historical research makes this book authentic and real to all readers.
Review Excerpts
“The whole work is seamless, compelling, and memorable -- impossible to put down; difficult to forget." Publishers Weekly
“…gripping story of a ten-year-old Danish girl and her family's courageous efforts…” School Library Journal
Connections
*Have students read Night by Elie Wiesel. Compare Elie Wiesel’s first person, non fiction account with Lois Lowry’s historical fiction telling in Number the Stars. Have students discuss and compare.
*Read play version of The Diary of Anne Frank. Have students work in groups to compare the difference in the tone and mood of both stories. Students can also compare and contrast the female protagonist and the situations they faced and share their findings with the class.
Book Review 13
Bibliography
Avi. 2007. I Witness, Iron Thunder: The Battle Between the Monitor and the Merrimac. New York, New York: Hyperion Books. ISBN 9781423104469
Plot Summary
Tom’s father has been killed in the Civil War fighting for the Union, his sister is ill, and money is short for the whole family. As the new man of the house, Tom is forced into the world of an adult at a child’s age when he takes a job on the ironclad called The Monitor. Though many doubt this ship of iron will ever float, Tom respects the inventor, Captain Ericsson, and goes to great lengths to keep the secrets of the Monitor from Rebel copperheads who are threatening his life if he refuses to spy for them. When he decides to sail with the Monitor into war against the Merrimac, a young boy learns how to face fate as a man in a time of uncertainty and war.
Critical Analysis
Tom’s ascent into adulthood is told flawlessly through the voice of an adolescent who is sad and angered over the loss of his father and excited and scared at the prospect of adventure on the horizon. Avi’s telling of this time in history is perfect for young adult readers. The story remains authentic with accurate dates and maps, but it reads like an adventure novel as battle scenes are described. Other themes, such as the importance of friendship, are stressed through Tom’s friends’ willingness to help him as he is threatened by spies, and the style Avi uses builds suspense that keeps the reader from being able to put down the book. The characters jump from the page, and it would be almost impossible for readers not to care about their fates.
Avi stays focused and does not delve into the causes of the Civil War, but rather draws a picture of this one event involving the clash of two never before seen ships at battle, describing the setting and offering maps to guide readers as they imagine these ironclads going to war. Avi’s focus encourages readers to seek more information about this time period since he paints it in such vivid, exciting colors. Tom's adventures in the North colliding with the conflicts in the South are explained in great detail and take the reader on the entire journey via the ocean.
Though the obvious historical information is about the ironclads, the subplot of this story about a family dealing with the loss of family to war, the shortage of money, and the necessity to grow up before one is actually an adult, make the book relevant and readable.
Throughout the book Avi offers visuals that enhance the reading experience. Maps showing where the battles took place or the route the ironclads planned to take appear in many chapters. Other pictures are sketches of what the ships looked like, which complement Avi’s descriptions perfectly. Without the drawings, it’s hard to imagine what the first type of ship of this kind looked like. Sketches of people, such as the foreboding Copperheads threatening Tom, are also in the book, and the front page announcements from a newspaper introduce the chapters keeping the reader well informed of the progress in the war.
Avi adds a glossary to help readers with words they may not know and a bibliography to help interested readers find more about this time in history. Also included is a picture of parts of The Monitor as it was being retrieved from the ocean. Though the bibliography is short, it is obvious that more is available on this little known time in history, and Avi makes the reader want to discover more by the time they finish this story.
Review Excerpts
“This exciting, fast-paced historical adventure will add a bit of drama to Civil War units.” School Library Journal
“…readers may find themselves so absorbed in Tom's exciting narrative that they will seek out for themselves other good works on the Civil War.” Kirkus Reviews
Connections
*Have students choose between reading The Fighting Ground or Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi after reading Iron Thunder together. After finishing the book, put students in groups based on the book they chose to read and have them create a visual representation, such as a Venn diagram or T-chart, showing the similarities and differences of the protagonists in the situations they faced.
*After reading Iron Thunder, have students research a particular battle in the Civil War and share the facts they found with the class. The book will hopefully have caused them to be interested in the topic resulting in an enthusiasm for finding more information.
Avi. 2007. I Witness, Iron Thunder: The Battle Between the Monitor and the Merrimac. New York, New York: Hyperion Books. ISBN 9781423104469
Plot Summary
Tom’s father has been killed in the Civil War fighting for the Union, his sister is ill, and money is short for the whole family. As the new man of the house, Tom is forced into the world of an adult at a child’s age when he takes a job on the ironclad called The Monitor. Though many doubt this ship of iron will ever float, Tom respects the inventor, Captain Ericsson, and goes to great lengths to keep the secrets of the Monitor from Rebel copperheads who are threatening his life if he refuses to spy for them. When he decides to sail with the Monitor into war against the Merrimac, a young boy learns how to face fate as a man in a time of uncertainty and war.
Critical Analysis
Tom’s ascent into adulthood is told flawlessly through the voice of an adolescent who is sad and angered over the loss of his father and excited and scared at the prospect of adventure on the horizon. Avi’s telling of this time in history is perfect for young adult readers. The story remains authentic with accurate dates and maps, but it reads like an adventure novel as battle scenes are described. Other themes, such as the importance of friendship, are stressed through Tom’s friends’ willingness to help him as he is threatened by spies, and the style Avi uses builds suspense that keeps the reader from being able to put down the book. The characters jump from the page, and it would be almost impossible for readers not to care about their fates.
Avi stays focused and does not delve into the causes of the Civil War, but rather draws a picture of this one event involving the clash of two never before seen ships at battle, describing the setting and offering maps to guide readers as they imagine these ironclads going to war. Avi’s focus encourages readers to seek more information about this time period since he paints it in such vivid, exciting colors. Tom's adventures in the North colliding with the conflicts in the South are explained in great detail and take the reader on the entire journey via the ocean.
Though the obvious historical information is about the ironclads, the subplot of this story about a family dealing with the loss of family to war, the shortage of money, and the necessity to grow up before one is actually an adult, make the book relevant and readable.
Throughout the book Avi offers visuals that enhance the reading experience. Maps showing where the battles took place or the route the ironclads planned to take appear in many chapters. Other pictures are sketches of what the ships looked like, which complement Avi’s descriptions perfectly. Without the drawings, it’s hard to imagine what the first type of ship of this kind looked like. Sketches of people, such as the foreboding Copperheads threatening Tom, are also in the book, and the front page announcements from a newspaper introduce the chapters keeping the reader well informed of the progress in the war.
Avi adds a glossary to help readers with words they may not know and a bibliography to help interested readers find more about this time in history. Also included is a picture of parts of The Monitor as it was being retrieved from the ocean. Though the bibliography is short, it is obvious that more is available on this little known time in history, and Avi makes the reader want to discover more by the time they finish this story.
Review Excerpts
“This exciting, fast-paced historical adventure will add a bit of drama to Civil War units.” School Library Journal
“…readers may find themselves so absorbed in Tom's exciting narrative that they will seek out for themselves other good works on the Civil War.” Kirkus Reviews
Connections
*Have students choose between reading The Fighting Ground or Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi after reading Iron Thunder together. After finishing the book, put students in groups based on the book they chose to read and have them create a visual representation, such as a Venn diagram or T-chart, showing the similarities and differences of the protagonists in the situations they faced.
*After reading Iron Thunder, have students research a particular battle in the Civil War and share the facts they found with the class. The book will hopefully have caused them to be interested in the topic resulting in an enthusiasm for finding more information.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Book Review 12
Bibliography
Stanley, Diane. 2000. Michelangelo. Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN 9781404681101
Plot Summary
Diane Stanley’s nonfiction book about Michelangelo begins at his birth and goes all the way to his death at the age of 89. In between she packs valuable information that helps the reader feel they really know the man behind the art. From Michelangelo’s life as a child to his inability to make friends, Stanley helps develop a background that is essential to understanding Michelangelo’s work ethic and drive, as well as the many successes and failures he experienced along the way.
Critical Analysis
Stanley’s style is to intertwine the work Michelangelo did with the story of his life, a style that is effective and helps the reader understand how wholly Michelangelo lived for his art. Organized chronologically, the book documents Michelangelo’s work, travel, and personal relationships as his life progresses. This format is effective and allows Stanley to take massive amounts of information and break it into digestible, interesting sections that help build the life of the man from beginning to end. Full of quotes, such as Michelangelo saying he has “a wife who is too much for me….it is my art, and my works are my children,” there is true voice in this story that takes it beyond fact accumulation and makes it relatable to children of all ages. The design of the book is also appealing and draws the reader in immediately. Readers are offered the opportunity to see colorful illustrations depicting Michelangelo as he ages working on his craft. Pictures of the Sistine chapel and David, two of Michelangelo’s most famous works, are shown as they are talked about, and the intricate detail within the drawings offers the reader a better understanding of the painstaking work that went into every piece of art Michelangelo produced.
Review Excerpts
"The author "brings to bear an uncanny ability to clarify and compress dense and tricky historical matter, scrupulous attention to visual and verbal nuances, and a self-fulfilling faith in her readers' intelligence.” Publishers Weekly
"Her careful use of scale and color contribute to the success of the scenes." School Library Journal
"Stanley particularly excels in selecting and integrating just enough context and detail to assure a genuine, empathetic treatment." Kirkus Reviews
Connections
*Read Leonardo da Vinci by Diane Stanley and have students create a Venn diagram showing the differences and similarities between da Vinci and Michelangelo. Lead a class discussion asking students to tell which artist they feel contributed the most to the world and use evidence from the books to back up their opinions.
*Have students act out da Vinci’s life in a readers theater to make nonfiction more real for them.
Stanley, Diane. 2000. Michelangelo. Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN 9781404681101
Plot Summary
Diane Stanley’s nonfiction book about Michelangelo begins at his birth and goes all the way to his death at the age of 89. In between she packs valuable information that helps the reader feel they really know the man behind the art. From Michelangelo’s life as a child to his inability to make friends, Stanley helps develop a background that is essential to understanding Michelangelo’s work ethic and drive, as well as the many successes and failures he experienced along the way.
Critical Analysis
Stanley’s style is to intertwine the work Michelangelo did with the story of his life, a style that is effective and helps the reader understand how wholly Michelangelo lived for his art. Organized chronologically, the book documents Michelangelo’s work, travel, and personal relationships as his life progresses. This format is effective and allows Stanley to take massive amounts of information and break it into digestible, interesting sections that help build the life of the man from beginning to end. Full of quotes, such as Michelangelo saying he has “a wife who is too much for me….it is my art, and my works are my children,” there is true voice in this story that takes it beyond fact accumulation and makes it relatable to children of all ages. The design of the book is also appealing and draws the reader in immediately. Readers are offered the opportunity to see colorful illustrations depicting Michelangelo as he ages working on his craft. Pictures of the Sistine chapel and David, two of Michelangelo’s most famous works, are shown as they are talked about, and the intricate detail within the drawings offers the reader a better understanding of the painstaking work that went into every piece of art Michelangelo produced.
Review Excerpts
"The author "brings to bear an uncanny ability to clarify and compress dense and tricky historical matter, scrupulous attention to visual and verbal nuances, and a self-fulfilling faith in her readers' intelligence.” Publishers Weekly
"Her careful use of scale and color contribute to the success of the scenes." School Library Journal
"Stanley particularly excels in selecting and integrating just enough context and detail to assure a genuine, empathetic treatment." Kirkus Reviews
Connections
*Read Leonardo da Vinci by Diane Stanley and have students create a Venn diagram showing the differences and similarities between da Vinci and Michelangelo. Lead a class discussion asking students to tell which artist they feel contributed the most to the world and use evidence from the books to back up their opinions.
*Have students act out da Vinci’s life in a readers theater to make nonfiction more real for them.
Book Review 11
Bibliography
Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. 2005. Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler’s Youth. Scholastic Nonfiction. ISBN 0439353793
Plot Summary
Bartoletti takes information from the stories of eleven youth all affected by Hitler and the Hitler Youth during the rule of Nazi Germany. The story begins with Hitler’s rise to power and follows these youth as they make decisions that will affect their future and the fate of many others. Through facts and primary sources, Bartoletti offers an informational book that reads like a suspenseful page turning mystery as she explains and allows her subjects to explain how and why Hitler was able to captivate so many young people with his propaganda and plan for Germany. Bartoletti offers an epilogue telling about the fate of the young adults in the book, as well as a timeline of the Hitler Youth that is very helpful in allowing readers to see the progression that led to so much death and destruction.
Critical Analysis
Bartoletti takes a difficult topic and handles it both accurately and without bias, showing the trail that led to children and adolescents joining Hitler’s Youth. The section in the beginning of the book with pictures and information about the young people presented in the book and their stories makes the book more personal giving the nonfiction topic an emotional touch. Readers’ hearts are broken when they hear about parents trying to warn their children away from the Hitler Youth and cautiously excited when people in the story choose to resist knowing it may cause their deaths. The feeling of both youth excited and ready to be involved in the world and the pandemonium surrounding this time period that caused many to join the Hitler Youth out of fear and force can be felt seeping from each page. Though Bartoletti does not make it her job to pass judgment, Hitler Youth reads as a cautionary tale of what can happen when unchecked power rules and a misguided group of young people follow, some without question. It reinforces the belief that the young can change the world and presents that fact as both a promise and a huge responsibility. Heinrich Heine, a German poet of Jewish descent warns that, “When one book burns, one will, in the end, burn people.”
The photographs within the book are disturbing, representing the control and fear that dominated this time in Germany. At the beginning of the book, a child no older than 8 wears a Nazi uniform, complete with a Swastiska and salutes Hitler, one hand raised in the now familiar salute. The image is both chilling and real reinforcing all the information that will follow in the coming pages.
Review Excerpts
"Her book is filled with chilling quotes, anecdotal stories derived from research and interviews, and stories about how Hitler's young were manipulated and used as a primary source of his power and vision for the future." Children’s Literature
"This book offers through simple and powerful primary sources an important though tearful lesson in history, citizenship, and responsibility." VOYA
"Case studies of actual participants root the work in specifics, and clear prose, thorough documentation and an attractive format with well-chosen archival photographs make this nonfiction writing at its best." Kirkus Reviews
Connections
*Read Hitler Youth after or while reading Number the Stars. Have a class discussion on what roles youth played in both books. Specifically discuss the characters as resistance fighters and people within Hitler Youth as members of the youth helping Hitler. How did they end up on different sides? What were their motivations?
*Read Hitler Youth after or while reading Night. Discuss the decisions teenagers were forced to make during this time in history. Some might be about Elie Wiesel’s decision about whether to leave the hospital for the death march or stay behind and the people in Hitler Youth deciding to defy their orders and resist against Hitler.
Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. 2005. Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler’s Youth. Scholastic Nonfiction. ISBN 0439353793
Plot Summary
Bartoletti takes information from the stories of eleven youth all affected by Hitler and the Hitler Youth during the rule of Nazi Germany. The story begins with Hitler’s rise to power and follows these youth as they make decisions that will affect their future and the fate of many others. Through facts and primary sources, Bartoletti offers an informational book that reads like a suspenseful page turning mystery as she explains and allows her subjects to explain how and why Hitler was able to captivate so many young people with his propaganda and plan for Germany. Bartoletti offers an epilogue telling about the fate of the young adults in the book, as well as a timeline of the Hitler Youth that is very helpful in allowing readers to see the progression that led to so much death and destruction.
Critical Analysis
Bartoletti takes a difficult topic and handles it both accurately and without bias, showing the trail that led to children and adolescents joining Hitler’s Youth. The section in the beginning of the book with pictures and information about the young people presented in the book and their stories makes the book more personal giving the nonfiction topic an emotional touch. Readers’ hearts are broken when they hear about parents trying to warn their children away from the Hitler Youth and cautiously excited when people in the story choose to resist knowing it may cause their deaths. The feeling of both youth excited and ready to be involved in the world and the pandemonium surrounding this time period that caused many to join the Hitler Youth out of fear and force can be felt seeping from each page. Though Bartoletti does not make it her job to pass judgment, Hitler Youth reads as a cautionary tale of what can happen when unchecked power rules and a misguided group of young people follow, some without question. It reinforces the belief that the young can change the world and presents that fact as both a promise and a huge responsibility. Heinrich Heine, a German poet of Jewish descent warns that, “When one book burns, one will, in the end, burn people.”
The photographs within the book are disturbing, representing the control and fear that dominated this time in Germany. At the beginning of the book, a child no older than 8 wears a Nazi uniform, complete with a Swastiska and salutes Hitler, one hand raised in the now familiar salute. The image is both chilling and real reinforcing all the information that will follow in the coming pages.
Review Excerpts
"Her book is filled with chilling quotes, anecdotal stories derived from research and interviews, and stories about how Hitler's young were manipulated and used as a primary source of his power and vision for the future." Children’s Literature
"This book offers through simple and powerful primary sources an important though tearful lesson in history, citizenship, and responsibility." VOYA
"Case studies of actual participants root the work in specifics, and clear prose, thorough documentation and an attractive format with well-chosen archival photographs make this nonfiction writing at its best." Kirkus Reviews
Connections
*Read Hitler Youth after or while reading Number the Stars. Have a class discussion on what roles youth played in both books. Specifically discuss the characters as resistance fighters and people within Hitler Youth as members of the youth helping Hitler. How did they end up on different sides? What were their motivations?
*Read Hitler Youth after or while reading Night. Discuss the decisions teenagers were forced to make during this time in history. Some might be about Elie Wiesel’s decision about whether to leave the hospital for the death march or stay behind and the people in Hitler Youth deciding to defy their orders and resist against Hitler.
Book Review 10
Bibliography
Simon, Seymour. 2000. Gorillas. Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN 9781404666566
Plot Summary
Seymour Simon’s Gorillas presents thorough information about gorillas and their similarities to humans. From dispelling the belief that gorillas are aggressively violent to discussing their family life and eating habits, Simon offers an easy to understand informational book for children and readers of all ages. The books informative tone turns persuasive at the end as he recommends allowing the gorillas to survive and giving them a chance to increase to avoid the extinction of this animal.
Critical Analysis
Simon offers an easy to read, interesting book that is simple to understand without being condescending. The information covered is detailed and covers all areas of the gorillas’ life. The similarities Simon presents such as “gorillas and humans share ninety-eight percent of their DNA” helps the reader relate and sincerely care about the information being shared. The information is accurate and presented in a straight forward manner. The organization of the book is perfect. From where the gorillas live to their types, looks, and family and individual habits, Simon offers smooth transitions throughout making the book feel as much like a story as an informational nonfiction piece. Simon’s style is personal, and he writes about the gorillas as if they are old friends rather than an animal that humans already have so many preconceptions about. The plea at the end for gorillas to be able to live and survive in peace does not feel forced, and readers would be hard pressed to not feel an emotional connection to the gorillas after hearing Simon plead their case and present their life for observation.
Adding to the personal feel of the book are the large, glossy photographs of the gorillas. Up close and personal, these snapshots show the gorillas individually and with their young. They are shown getting older and with their hair graying, “much like the hair on an older persons head”, and the pictures add an authenticity to the facts. As the reader is receiving information about the animals, it is easy to view the pictures and see some of the startling similarities between gorillas and humans, a point Simon proves through his writing as well.
Review Excerpts
"Simon's concise and child-friendly writing means that a fairly full picture of gorilla behavior. . .is amply conveyed..." Horn Book
"His approach is wonderfully accessible, giving his young readers connections they can recognize." Kirkus Reviews
"The extremely handsome, oversized color photos enhance the readable text and complement it perfectly." School Library Journal
Connections
*Have students group up and choose another book by Seymour Simon about animals. After reading their choice, students will share informational facts with the class about what they learned.
*Have students create a Venn diagram comparing gorillas and humans after reading Gorillas.
Simon, Seymour. 2000. Gorillas. Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN 9781404666566
Plot Summary
Seymour Simon’s Gorillas presents thorough information about gorillas and their similarities to humans. From dispelling the belief that gorillas are aggressively violent to discussing their family life and eating habits, Simon offers an easy to understand informational book for children and readers of all ages. The books informative tone turns persuasive at the end as he recommends allowing the gorillas to survive and giving them a chance to increase to avoid the extinction of this animal.
Critical Analysis
Simon offers an easy to read, interesting book that is simple to understand without being condescending. The information covered is detailed and covers all areas of the gorillas’ life. The similarities Simon presents such as “gorillas and humans share ninety-eight percent of their DNA” helps the reader relate and sincerely care about the information being shared. The information is accurate and presented in a straight forward manner. The organization of the book is perfect. From where the gorillas live to their types, looks, and family and individual habits, Simon offers smooth transitions throughout making the book feel as much like a story as an informational nonfiction piece. Simon’s style is personal, and he writes about the gorillas as if they are old friends rather than an animal that humans already have so many preconceptions about. The plea at the end for gorillas to be able to live and survive in peace does not feel forced, and readers would be hard pressed to not feel an emotional connection to the gorillas after hearing Simon plead their case and present their life for observation.
Adding to the personal feel of the book are the large, glossy photographs of the gorillas. Up close and personal, these snapshots show the gorillas individually and with their young. They are shown getting older and with their hair graying, “much like the hair on an older persons head”, and the pictures add an authenticity to the facts. As the reader is receiving information about the animals, it is easy to view the pictures and see some of the startling similarities between gorillas and humans, a point Simon proves through his writing as well.
Review Excerpts
"Simon's concise and child-friendly writing means that a fairly full picture of gorilla behavior. . .is amply conveyed..." Horn Book
"His approach is wonderfully accessible, giving his young readers connections they can recognize." Kirkus Reviews
"The extremely handsome, oversized color photos enhance the readable text and complement it perfectly." School Library Journal
Connections
*Have students group up and choose another book by Seymour Simon about animals. After reading their choice, students will share informational facts with the class about what they learned.
*Have students create a Venn diagram comparing gorillas and humans after reading Gorillas.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Book Review 9
Bibliography
Frost, Helen. 2006. The Braid. New York, New York: Frances Foster Books. ISBN 30054000291600.
Plot Summary
Frost tells the story of Sarah and Jeannie, two sisters living in Scotland in 1850 during a time when thousands were forced to evacuate because it was more profitable to have crops on the land than tenants. Through poems braided together from each sisters’ point of view, Frost explains how their family decides to seek refuge in Canada, but Sarah decides to hide when the family leaves and stays with her grandmother who is going back to her home in Mingulay. Sarah braids her hair and Jeannie’s together the night before she leaves and cuts the braids while Jeannie sleeps, leaving each sister with the others braid to hold on to since they will be separated. The girls’ lives continue on different continents with heartbreak and hope experienced by each. Both sisters find their own path and life, and Frost tells this engaging story through narrative and praise poems woven together in a easy to read yet complex format.
Critical Analysis
Frost’s writing is easy to read and understand, with the long narrative poems offering the necessary facts and the praise poems digging beneath the obvious to the true emotion experienced by each sister. The title of the book is two fold: it represents the braid each sister carries to remember the other, but it also represents the format used by Frost to put this verse novel together. Though the format may not look obviously difficult, the notes on form in the back of the book offer a look at the painstaking complexity involved in braiding these poems together. Frost’s system of braiding the praise and narrative poems is both difficult and accomplished, but well worth the effort which results in the reader being completely taken in by the story, eager to turn the next page.
The imagery created by Frost’s words helps the reader hold onto each experience even after the last page. In “Shadows” which is written after Sarah finds out she will be having her child without Murdo, her lover, the shadows are offered to “leave our thoughts concealed, hold shimmering hands across a face when some slight change in color or expression would reveal too much”. Simple and poignant, it is hard not to relate to that gray area in life when everyone needs a shadow to protect them from the “solid sharp-edged” experience possibly waiting around the corner.
The Braid is a roller coaster of emotions as each girl loses their family, Jeannie through death and Sarah through her choice to stay behind. Each then attempts to find love and ways to survive with beautiful and sometimes heartbreaking results. Choosing to take different paths, Sarah and Jeannie read like two parts of a whole. Frost offers the reader a glance behind door number one and two to show how different decisions in life can lead to opposite results. However, what is truly amazing about Frost is how similar she shows the sisters’ lives to be despite their different personalities and choices. For unique reasons and motivations, each sister finds her way, learns to be stronger than once believed possible, and never forget each other in the process.
Review Excerpts
“Appropriate, original imagery and understated, natural voices make these poems sensitive and insightful.” Kirkus Reviews
“…she makes it look like so much fun that readers may want to try out some of the forms themselves.” Publishers Weekly
Connections
*Read Keesha’s House. Compare the motivations of Sarah and Jeannie with the motivations of the characters in Keesha’s House. Discuss and have students chart what and how each character survives and what their driving force is.
*Read Witness by Karen Hesse. Discuss the experiences faced by the characters in Witness and The Braid and how each author handles writing about the emotions related to the challenges of the time. How does each author effectively convey emotion and voice through the poems written?
Frost, Helen. 2006. The Braid. New York, New York: Frances Foster Books. ISBN 30054000291600.
Plot Summary
Frost tells the story of Sarah and Jeannie, two sisters living in Scotland in 1850 during a time when thousands were forced to evacuate because it was more profitable to have crops on the land than tenants. Through poems braided together from each sisters’ point of view, Frost explains how their family decides to seek refuge in Canada, but Sarah decides to hide when the family leaves and stays with her grandmother who is going back to her home in Mingulay. Sarah braids her hair and Jeannie’s together the night before she leaves and cuts the braids while Jeannie sleeps, leaving each sister with the others braid to hold on to since they will be separated. The girls’ lives continue on different continents with heartbreak and hope experienced by each. Both sisters find their own path and life, and Frost tells this engaging story through narrative and praise poems woven together in a easy to read yet complex format.
Critical Analysis
Frost’s writing is easy to read and understand, with the long narrative poems offering the necessary facts and the praise poems digging beneath the obvious to the true emotion experienced by each sister. The title of the book is two fold: it represents the braid each sister carries to remember the other, but it also represents the format used by Frost to put this verse novel together. Though the format may not look obviously difficult, the notes on form in the back of the book offer a look at the painstaking complexity involved in braiding these poems together. Frost’s system of braiding the praise and narrative poems is both difficult and accomplished, but well worth the effort which results in the reader being completely taken in by the story, eager to turn the next page.
The imagery created by Frost’s words helps the reader hold onto each experience even after the last page. In “Shadows” which is written after Sarah finds out she will be having her child without Murdo, her lover, the shadows are offered to “leave our thoughts concealed, hold shimmering hands across a face when some slight change in color or expression would reveal too much”. Simple and poignant, it is hard not to relate to that gray area in life when everyone needs a shadow to protect them from the “solid sharp-edged” experience possibly waiting around the corner.
The Braid is a roller coaster of emotions as each girl loses their family, Jeannie through death and Sarah through her choice to stay behind. Each then attempts to find love and ways to survive with beautiful and sometimes heartbreaking results. Choosing to take different paths, Sarah and Jeannie read like two parts of a whole. Frost offers the reader a glance behind door number one and two to show how different decisions in life can lead to opposite results. However, what is truly amazing about Frost is how similar she shows the sisters’ lives to be despite their different personalities and choices. For unique reasons and motivations, each sister finds her way, learns to be stronger than once believed possible, and never forget each other in the process.
Review Excerpts
“Appropriate, original imagery and understated, natural voices make these poems sensitive and insightful.” Kirkus Reviews
“…she makes it look like so much fun that readers may want to try out some of the forms themselves.” Publishers Weekly
Connections
*Read Keesha’s House. Compare the motivations of Sarah and Jeannie with the motivations of the characters in Keesha’s House. Discuss and have students chart what and how each character survives and what their driving force is.
*Read Witness by Karen Hesse. Discuss the experiences faced by the characters in Witness and The Braid and how each author handles writing about the emotions related to the challenges of the time. How does each author effectively convey emotion and voice through the poems written?
Book Review 8
Bibliography
Grimes, Nikki. 2004. What is Goodbye? Ill. by Raul Colon. New York, New York: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 30054000277195
Plot Summary
In this emotional verse novel of the journey after losing a loved one, Jerilyn and Jesse share their emotions about the death of their older brother, Jaron. Told in alternating style, poems from each sibling with titles such as “Getting the News” and “Painless”, take the reader from the beginning stages of shock through the emotional quicksand that traps this family and almost takes them under. While Jerilyn tries to bury her pain, Jesse acts out in response to his. Both acknowledge the temporary loss of their parents as they try to navigate their way through the pain, and each sibling shares memories of Jaron that both haunt and comfort them. As time passes, both siblings find ways to cope with their sorrow, and at the end of this book, which is emotionally wrenching, hope ascends as life becomes the acceptance of a new normal. When the family creates a new family picture, “one piece missing” but still whole, the reader knows that Jerilyn and Jesse will find a way to move on while never letting go of Jaron.
Critical Analysis
Grimes has taken a difficult topic and created a book for young adults that deals with raw emotion head on. She helps the reader get to know her characters not only through her clear images of their emotions but by the type of poems that represent each sibling. Jesse’s poems are rhymed, blunt yet not lacking in imagery or emotion that can sometimes take the readers breath away. The rhymes are natural, and it is obvious by reading his poetry that he is the younger sibling. His personality seeps from the page as he makes the logical decision to be bad since he is told in “Why” that “God scoops up the good.” Defiant, he declares, “from now on, I won’t be. Hear that, God? Don’t come for me.” Jerilyn’s poetry has a more lyrical, free verse rhythm that shows a child with enough maturity to try to take on the role of an adult when she feels she needs to. Her guilt is natural for a child yet fitting for an adult as she expresses in “Regrets” that the reason for the fight she had with Jaron the last day she saw him was “small enough to dance on the head of a pin.”
Every word in this book is placed with a purpose, some to make the readers stomach drop with the grief saturating the pages, others to give hope and honor to a life that should not only be mourned but celebrated. Grimes takes the reader on a roller coaster ride that is only possible by putting in the painstaking work of selecting the perfect words and rhythm to represent the desired emotion. The images created by Grimes words are memorable and will not soon be forgotten when the reader finishes this book.
Colon’s illustrations, though they do not appear on every page, add a powerful punch to this emotional ride when they are present. A haze of blue is cast over the characters throughout the first three fourths of the book as they find ways to tip toe through the landmines of pain, guilt, and anger awaiting them. Characters with wide, grief filled eyes stare out from the pages giving a face to the feelings Grimes writes about. Colon’s picture show the separation created between individuals when a death occurs, with Jerilyn’s grief stricken face at the bottom of a picture and her dad’s heartbreaking expression at the top, an impassible road drawn between them put their by the news of Jaron’s death. Jesse’s blue face dripping down from within an hourglass is the perfect expression for the poem “Rush” when Jesse realizes that grief has an expiration date to those who are not experiencing it. As the book nears its close, the blue fades and the new family picture shows a group of a family smiling cautiously, ready to believe that life can move on, ready to emerge from the haze that has encompassed them since Jaron’s death.
Review Excerpts
“Through the alternating voices of a brother and sister, Nikki Grimes eloquently portrays the grieving process in this gem of a book that is honest, powerful, and ultimately hopeful.” The Publisher
“Grimes handles these two voices fluently and lucidly, shaping her characters through her form.” School Library Journal
Connections
*Read Meet Danitra Brown by Nikki Grimes. Have students compare the emotions presented in Meet Danitra Brown with the ones in What is Goodbye? Ask questions such as how does Grimes handle conveying different kinds of emotions in poetry? Is the rhythm, language, or type of poem different depending on the topic? How are the books similar?
*Read Jazmin's Notebook. Compare Jazmin’s writing and Jesse’s drawings. How do they use these skills? Are they effective coping skills? Have students write about what they do to cope with difficult situations.
Grimes, Nikki. 2004. What is Goodbye? Ill. by Raul Colon. New York, New York: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 30054000277195
Plot Summary
In this emotional verse novel of the journey after losing a loved one, Jerilyn and Jesse share their emotions about the death of their older brother, Jaron. Told in alternating style, poems from each sibling with titles such as “Getting the News” and “Painless”, take the reader from the beginning stages of shock through the emotional quicksand that traps this family and almost takes them under. While Jerilyn tries to bury her pain, Jesse acts out in response to his. Both acknowledge the temporary loss of their parents as they try to navigate their way through the pain, and each sibling shares memories of Jaron that both haunt and comfort them. As time passes, both siblings find ways to cope with their sorrow, and at the end of this book, which is emotionally wrenching, hope ascends as life becomes the acceptance of a new normal. When the family creates a new family picture, “one piece missing” but still whole, the reader knows that Jerilyn and Jesse will find a way to move on while never letting go of Jaron.
Critical Analysis
Grimes has taken a difficult topic and created a book for young adults that deals with raw emotion head on. She helps the reader get to know her characters not only through her clear images of their emotions but by the type of poems that represent each sibling. Jesse’s poems are rhymed, blunt yet not lacking in imagery or emotion that can sometimes take the readers breath away. The rhymes are natural, and it is obvious by reading his poetry that he is the younger sibling. His personality seeps from the page as he makes the logical decision to be bad since he is told in “Why” that “God scoops up the good.” Defiant, he declares, “from now on, I won’t be. Hear that, God? Don’t come for me.” Jerilyn’s poetry has a more lyrical, free verse rhythm that shows a child with enough maturity to try to take on the role of an adult when she feels she needs to. Her guilt is natural for a child yet fitting for an adult as she expresses in “Regrets” that the reason for the fight she had with Jaron the last day she saw him was “small enough to dance on the head of a pin.”
Every word in this book is placed with a purpose, some to make the readers stomach drop with the grief saturating the pages, others to give hope and honor to a life that should not only be mourned but celebrated. Grimes takes the reader on a roller coaster ride that is only possible by putting in the painstaking work of selecting the perfect words and rhythm to represent the desired emotion. The images created by Grimes words are memorable and will not soon be forgotten when the reader finishes this book.
Colon’s illustrations, though they do not appear on every page, add a powerful punch to this emotional ride when they are present. A haze of blue is cast over the characters throughout the first three fourths of the book as they find ways to tip toe through the landmines of pain, guilt, and anger awaiting them. Characters with wide, grief filled eyes stare out from the pages giving a face to the feelings Grimes writes about. Colon’s picture show the separation created between individuals when a death occurs, with Jerilyn’s grief stricken face at the bottom of a picture and her dad’s heartbreaking expression at the top, an impassible road drawn between them put their by the news of Jaron’s death. Jesse’s blue face dripping down from within an hourglass is the perfect expression for the poem “Rush” when Jesse realizes that grief has an expiration date to those who are not experiencing it. As the book nears its close, the blue fades and the new family picture shows a group of a family smiling cautiously, ready to believe that life can move on, ready to emerge from the haze that has encompassed them since Jaron’s death.
Review Excerpts
“Through the alternating voices of a brother and sister, Nikki Grimes eloquently portrays the grieving process in this gem of a book that is honest, powerful, and ultimately hopeful.” The Publisher
“Grimes handles these two voices fluently and lucidly, shaping her characters through her form.” School Library Journal
Connections
*Read Meet Danitra Brown by Nikki Grimes. Have students compare the emotions presented in Meet Danitra Brown with the ones in What is Goodbye? Ask questions such as how does Grimes handle conveying different kinds of emotions in poetry? Is the rhythm, language, or type of poem different depending on the topic? How are the books similar?
*Read Jazmin's Notebook. Compare Jazmin’s writing and Jesse’s drawings. How do they use these skills? Are they effective coping skills? Have students write about what they do to cope with difficult situations.
Book Review 7
Bibliography
Prelutsky, Jack. 1996. Monday’s Troll. Ill. by Peter Sis. New York, New York: Greenwillow Books. ISBN 0688096441.
Plot Summary
For a book full of fun and original humor, look no further than Monday’s Troll. Jack Prelutsky engages the reader from the first page as an overconfident narrator taunts a wizard only to end up with a hamster’s head by the end of the poem. Prelutsky and Sis take their audience through the world of invisible wizards, cranky ogres, unqualified witches, and trolls with ease and humor that will be entertain children and adults alike.
Critical Analysis
Jack Prelutsksy’s poems in Monday’s Troll are all rhyming, and each word feels naturally placed as opposed to forced for the sake of the rhyme. The rhythm is perfect for reading aloud, and children inexperienced with poetry would benefit from hearing or trying to read Prelutsky’s poems aloud because they are so well organized and create a perfect sound.
The humor in these poems is undeniable and one of the most appealing parts of the book. In “We’re Seven Grubby Goblins”, the goblins warn that they “smell like rotten garlic, we burp around the clock” before informing the reader they will be “moving to your block.” The poor apprentice witch complains about “the elder witches” lecturing her since she is only seven centuries old, and the wizard in “If I Were Not a Wizard” reminds the reader that they would not have to worry about sprouting “antlers and a fifty-foot-long beard” if he was not a wizard.
Peter Sis’ illustrations are vital to the enjoyment of this book. Reading Ogrebrag without seeing the one eyed mother/child ogres watering the plants they have put in the armor of an eaten knight would still be enjoyable, but not the same. Sis’ visuals take Prelutsky’s imaginative thoughts and give them a physical form, making it seem possible to view big foot in the streets of a city or watch an ogre spit out dragons and humans. Prelutsky uses a kaleidoscope of colors and his illustrations are the backdrop for the poems. The poem may be 8 lines, such as "Monday’s Troll", but Sis’s vivid images cover two pages so each troll can be illustrated. With Prelutsky’s words being larger than life, illustrations must be able to hold their own and add to the overall enjoyment of the poems. Sis accomplishes this and then some.
Review Excerpts
“The inspired pair has scored again.” New York Times Book Review
“Prelutsky's gross humor will evoke giggles in child readers, while adults will find the impressive vocabulary and imaginative ideas refreshing.” Children’s Literature
Connections
*Read It’s Halloween by Jack Prelutsky. Have students pair read these poems and discuss and compare the characters with the ones in Monday’s Troll.
*Read a book by Shel Silverstein. Have students attempt to imitate the style of Prelutsky or Silverstein after studying both by writing a short poem of their own about a personal experience, object, or anything that interests them.
Prelutsky, Jack. 1996. Monday’s Troll. Ill. by Peter Sis. New York, New York: Greenwillow Books. ISBN 0688096441.
Plot Summary
For a book full of fun and original humor, look no further than Monday’s Troll. Jack Prelutsky engages the reader from the first page as an overconfident narrator taunts a wizard only to end up with a hamster’s head by the end of the poem. Prelutsky and Sis take their audience through the world of invisible wizards, cranky ogres, unqualified witches, and trolls with ease and humor that will be entertain children and adults alike.
Critical Analysis
Jack Prelutsksy’s poems in Monday’s Troll are all rhyming, and each word feels naturally placed as opposed to forced for the sake of the rhyme. The rhythm is perfect for reading aloud, and children inexperienced with poetry would benefit from hearing or trying to read Prelutsky’s poems aloud because they are so well organized and create a perfect sound.
The humor in these poems is undeniable and one of the most appealing parts of the book. In “We’re Seven Grubby Goblins”, the goblins warn that they “smell like rotten garlic, we burp around the clock” before informing the reader they will be “moving to your block.” The poor apprentice witch complains about “the elder witches” lecturing her since she is only seven centuries old, and the wizard in “If I Were Not a Wizard” reminds the reader that they would not have to worry about sprouting “antlers and a fifty-foot-long beard” if he was not a wizard.
Peter Sis’ illustrations are vital to the enjoyment of this book. Reading Ogrebrag without seeing the one eyed mother/child ogres watering the plants they have put in the armor of an eaten knight would still be enjoyable, but not the same. Sis’ visuals take Prelutsky’s imaginative thoughts and give them a physical form, making it seem possible to view big foot in the streets of a city or watch an ogre spit out dragons and humans. Prelutsky uses a kaleidoscope of colors and his illustrations are the backdrop for the poems. The poem may be 8 lines, such as "Monday’s Troll", but Sis’s vivid images cover two pages so each troll can be illustrated. With Prelutsky’s words being larger than life, illustrations must be able to hold their own and add to the overall enjoyment of the poems. Sis accomplishes this and then some.
Review Excerpts
“The inspired pair has scored again.” New York Times Book Review
“Prelutsky's gross humor will evoke giggles in child readers, while adults will find the impressive vocabulary and imaginative ideas refreshing.” Children’s Literature
Connections
*Read It’s Halloween by Jack Prelutsky. Have students pair read these poems and discuss and compare the characters with the ones in Monday’s Troll.
*Read a book by Shel Silverstein. Have students attempt to imitate the style of Prelutsky or Silverstein after studying both by writing a short poem of their own about a personal experience, object, or anything that interests them.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Book Review 6
Bibliography
Sierra, Judy. Schoolyard Rhymes, Kids’ Own Rhymes for Rope Skipping, Hand Clapping, Ball Bouncing, and Just Plain Fun. Ill. Melissa Sweet. New York, New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0375825169.
Plot Summary
Sierra fills the pages of this entertaining book with rhymes from childhood. The rhymes are organized seemingly by topic with rhymes about newborns taking up two pages and rhymes such as “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear” on the same pages as other bear themed rhymes. Some of these rhymes are recognizable to the reader and others are not. The front cover of the book promises "fifty of the funniest" rhymes, and Sierra accomplishes that goal. Desiging this book for pure fun, Sierra fills the pages with more verses than the average person probably knew existed and finds a way to take adults back to their days on the playground.
Critical Analysis
Sierra goes to great effort to fill this book with fun. She is not afraid to embrace the silliness related to nursery rhymes, and her selections range from easy to remember favorites to lesser known rhymes that are no less entertaining. All of her selections fit in perfectly with the book title; they are for jump roping, hand clapping, and playground fun, not meant to be taken seriously but included for the purpose of encouraging kids to match the rhythm and rhyme of the words to the physical expressions associated with this type of writing. More than anything, Sierra allows illustrations to take up the majority of each page, a great decision since the visuals by Melissa Sweet are a perfect partner for the words.
Judy Sierra acknowledges in her introduction that “many rhymes are pure nonsense”, and Sweet allows her illustrations to flow with this idea. A great example is the cover of the book which shows a lemon and a pickle, the pickle ready to strike with rolling pin in hand. Tiny Tim, who ate the soap and tried to eat the bathtub, is shown panicked as he is carried away within the alligator purse of the lady in the nursery rhyme. Facial expressions are key in the illustrations with Sweet fully partaking in the silliness and receiving sincere laughs due to her drawings of characters in hilarious situations. She uses bright colors generously, and the design of the entire book makes it feel suited for a playground with children jumping rope and reciting “Miss Mary Mack” repeatedly. Sweet moves effortlessly from page to page following Sierra’s given theme while making the words on the page jump from the book through visual interpretations. The illustrations make the book inviting, perfect for children or adults who want to remember the nursery rhymes and fun of their childhood.
Review Excerpts
“The illustrations bring a fresh focus to the collection with a sophisticated design.” Kirkus Reviews
“This collection highlights the similarities of all children at play and documents some of the playground's best oral expressions.” Children’s Literature
Connections
*Have students share chants and rhymes they know with the class, demonstrating hand motions or movements that go along with them.
*Have students interview parents, grandparents, or other family members to find out what nursery rhymes they remember. Lead a class discussion focusing on the interview results. Did parents and grandparents know the same nursery rhymes? How have the rhymes changed through the years? How did the family members remember learning the rhymes?
Sierra, Judy. Schoolyard Rhymes, Kids’ Own Rhymes for Rope Skipping, Hand Clapping, Ball Bouncing, and Just Plain Fun. Ill. Melissa Sweet. New York, New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0375825169.
Plot Summary
Sierra fills the pages of this entertaining book with rhymes from childhood. The rhymes are organized seemingly by topic with rhymes about newborns taking up two pages and rhymes such as “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear” on the same pages as other bear themed rhymes. Some of these rhymes are recognizable to the reader and others are not. The front cover of the book promises "fifty of the funniest" rhymes, and Sierra accomplishes that goal. Desiging this book for pure fun, Sierra fills the pages with more verses than the average person probably knew existed and finds a way to take adults back to their days on the playground.
Critical Analysis
Sierra goes to great effort to fill this book with fun. She is not afraid to embrace the silliness related to nursery rhymes, and her selections range from easy to remember favorites to lesser known rhymes that are no less entertaining. All of her selections fit in perfectly with the book title; they are for jump roping, hand clapping, and playground fun, not meant to be taken seriously but included for the purpose of encouraging kids to match the rhythm and rhyme of the words to the physical expressions associated with this type of writing. More than anything, Sierra allows illustrations to take up the majority of each page, a great decision since the visuals by Melissa Sweet are a perfect partner for the words.
Judy Sierra acknowledges in her introduction that “many rhymes are pure nonsense”, and Sweet allows her illustrations to flow with this idea. A great example is the cover of the book which shows a lemon and a pickle, the pickle ready to strike with rolling pin in hand. Tiny Tim, who ate the soap and tried to eat the bathtub, is shown panicked as he is carried away within the alligator purse of the lady in the nursery rhyme. Facial expressions are key in the illustrations with Sweet fully partaking in the silliness and receiving sincere laughs due to her drawings of characters in hilarious situations. She uses bright colors generously, and the design of the entire book makes it feel suited for a playground with children jumping rope and reciting “Miss Mary Mack” repeatedly. Sweet moves effortlessly from page to page following Sierra’s given theme while making the words on the page jump from the book through visual interpretations. The illustrations make the book inviting, perfect for children or adults who want to remember the nursery rhymes and fun of their childhood.
Review Excerpts
“The illustrations bring a fresh focus to the collection with a sophisticated design.” Kirkus Reviews
“This collection highlights the similarities of all children at play and documents some of the playground's best oral expressions.” Children’s Literature
Connections
*Have students share chants and rhymes they know with the class, demonstrating hand motions or movements that go along with them.
*Have students interview parents, grandparents, or other family members to find out what nursery rhymes they remember. Lead a class discussion focusing on the interview results. Did parents and grandparents know the same nursery rhymes? How have the rhymes changed through the years? How did the family members remember learning the rhymes?
Book Review 5
Bibliography
Goble, Paul. 1993. The Lost Children: the boys who were neglected. Ill. Paul Goble. New York, New York: Aladdin Paperbacks. ISBN 9780758730336.
Plot Summary
The Lost Children begins by reminding us that children are God’s greatest gift, but sometimes we neglect to appreciate them. In this story by Paul Goble, six brothers from a Native American tribe are neglected after their parents’ death, starving and without clothes. Camp dogs are their only friends, and nobody else is kind to them or wants them around. Hoping to find another home, they decide to be stars and are lifted to the Above World. Sun Man and Moon Woman adopt them, and Sun Man decides to punish those who were not good the children by allowing heat to cause the Earth, people, and animals to suffer. The only reason the heat ends is because the leader of the dogs prays for pity, and Sun Man feels bad for punishing everyone when he only wanted to punish those who were cruel to the children. The Lost Children are now called the Pleiades and can be seen in the Above World as a reminder of the neglect they endured and the gift that children are.
Critical Analysis
Goble’s story, based on a Blackfoot myth about the origin of Pleiades, is written in simple language, a folktale with a moral that is easy to understand for all audiences. Sadness saturates the page as the description of how these children are treated is revealed: objects are thrown at them, others flaunt their new clothes in front of the children, no effort is made to even pretend they are wanted. Goble’s story is a study in how society sometimes treats those without a place who have no one to protect them.
The illustrations give the story a dreamlike quality that fits in well with the folktale. The background is adorned with teepees with unique designs on each. This backdrop helps create the perfect setting for the rest of the story. As the children become stars, they float upward against blue colors, seeming to fly. The villagers, shaded in all brown with indistinguishable features, still mange to look cold, even without faces or features to see their expressions. Goble is able to use color and motion to portray the cruelty permeating from these characters. The sadness on the children’s faces is apparent though we never get an extremely close look of their features. Goble’s magic is his ability to draw his characters as if they live in a far way world but still make the reader feel an intense connection to their situation and pain.
Review Excerpts
“Goble's work here, as in the past, is notable both for its graphic design and for the narrative it adorns.” School Library Journal
“Goble tells this story with earnest simplicity, a gentle cadence to his words imbuing the text with particular significance.” Publishers Weekly
Connections
*Read Her Seven Brothers by Goble with students and compare how the seven brothers and their sister became the Big Dipper with how the lost children became Pleiades.
*Read Girl Who Loved Wild Horses by Goble and compare the use of animals in this story with the use of the dogs in The Lost Children. Have students create a chart or Venn diagram showing the similarities and differences.
Goble, Paul. 1993. The Lost Children: the boys who were neglected. Ill. Paul Goble. New York, New York: Aladdin Paperbacks. ISBN 9780758730336.
Plot Summary
The Lost Children begins by reminding us that children are God’s greatest gift, but sometimes we neglect to appreciate them. In this story by Paul Goble, six brothers from a Native American tribe are neglected after their parents’ death, starving and without clothes. Camp dogs are their only friends, and nobody else is kind to them or wants them around. Hoping to find another home, they decide to be stars and are lifted to the Above World. Sun Man and Moon Woman adopt them, and Sun Man decides to punish those who were not good the children by allowing heat to cause the Earth, people, and animals to suffer. The only reason the heat ends is because the leader of the dogs prays for pity, and Sun Man feels bad for punishing everyone when he only wanted to punish those who were cruel to the children. The Lost Children are now called the Pleiades and can be seen in the Above World as a reminder of the neglect they endured and the gift that children are.
Critical Analysis
Goble’s story, based on a Blackfoot myth about the origin of Pleiades, is written in simple language, a folktale with a moral that is easy to understand for all audiences. Sadness saturates the page as the description of how these children are treated is revealed: objects are thrown at them, others flaunt their new clothes in front of the children, no effort is made to even pretend they are wanted. Goble’s story is a study in how society sometimes treats those without a place who have no one to protect them.
The illustrations give the story a dreamlike quality that fits in well with the folktale. The background is adorned with teepees with unique designs on each. This backdrop helps create the perfect setting for the rest of the story. As the children become stars, they float upward against blue colors, seeming to fly. The villagers, shaded in all brown with indistinguishable features, still mange to look cold, even without faces or features to see their expressions. Goble is able to use color and motion to portray the cruelty permeating from these characters. The sadness on the children’s faces is apparent though we never get an extremely close look of their features. Goble’s magic is his ability to draw his characters as if they live in a far way world but still make the reader feel an intense connection to their situation and pain.
Review Excerpts
“Goble's work here, as in the past, is notable both for its graphic design and for the narrative it adorns.” School Library Journal
“Goble tells this story with earnest simplicity, a gentle cadence to his words imbuing the text with particular significance.” Publishers Weekly
Connections
*Read Her Seven Brothers by Goble with students and compare how the seven brothers and their sister became the Big Dipper with how the lost children became Pleiades.
*Read Girl Who Loved Wild Horses by Goble and compare the use of animals in this story with the use of the dogs in The Lost Children. Have students create a chart or Venn diagram showing the similarities and differences.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Book Review 4
Bibliography
Ketteman, Helen. 1997. Bubba The Cowboy Prince: A Fractured Texas Tale. Ill. James Warhola. New York, New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0590255061.
Plot Summary
Bubba is a good ole’ Texas cowboy in this Cinderella story. He lives on a ranch doing all the work with his wicked stepdaddy and two mean and lazy stepbrothers, Dwayne and Milton. When Miz Lurleen “the purtiest and richest gal in the county” decides to throw a ball to find a real cowboy to help her run her ranch, Milton, Dwayne, and Bubba’s stepdaddy run Bubba around all day helping them prepare for the ball, but they refuse his request to come claiming that Bubba smells “more like the cattle than the cattle do”. However, Bubba’s fairy godcow has different plans for him and uses her magic to get him the right clothes and stallion to attend the ball. While dancing with Miz Lurleen, the clock inevitably strikes midnight which is when the magic runs out, and Bubba flees the ball in shame as he’s left standing in front of Miz Lurleen in his old clothes smelling like a rancher. He accidentally leaves one boot behind, and Miz Lurleen uses it to track him down and marry her “prince in cowboy boots”.
Critical Analysis
Ketteman’s version of Cinderella in this updated Texas classic is refreshing. Ketteman does not paint Bubba as a sad, complaining victim but a rancher who loves what he does and is rewarded in the end. Her use of southern slang such as “dogies” and “purty”, while a bit stereotypical, helps develop the setting and gets the reader into the country version quickly and effectively. The message is simple and beautifully received as Miz Lurleen and Bubba live “happily ever after, roping, and cowpoking”: others should and can love you for who you are even if your “fine duds” turn to “dirty rags” and you don’t always smell great, which is an invaluable lesson for anyone.
Warhola’s illustrations jump from the page due to the vivid colors and larger than life drawings of the characters. Miz Lurleen’s big Texas hair and parlor adorned with southern furniture and accessories help to reinforce the southern aspect of the story. The open landscape, never ending blue skies, and puffy marshmallow clouds that can suddenly turn cow shaped make the reader long for the simple life of the ranch.
True to fairy tale style, Milton and Dwayne are drawn as unattractive, clueless looking characters, while the step father’s black hat and harsh features make him an obvious bad guy. Bubba’s open, round, unassuming face is the perfect protagonist hero face, and Warhola even succeeds in making the cows and horses real characters in the story through his depiction of them laughing, being scared, and reacting positively to a happy ending. Even the moon is personified and shows concern as Bubba rides away humiliated after being revealed to Miz Lurleen. The illustrations make this story engaging and set the perfect tone for a happily ever after.
Review Excerpts
“Great fun and a wonderful twist on the Cinderella story.” Children’s Literature
“This Texas retelling of the Cinderella story will really rope in readers.” The Publisher
Connections
*Read a more traditional version of Cinderella and have students compare and contrast the two.
*Bring in retellings of Cinderella from different cultures and lead a discussion on the role of Cinderella. Does she/he play a victim? Which ones take control of their own fate?
Ketteman, Helen. 1997. Bubba The Cowboy Prince: A Fractured Texas Tale. Ill. James Warhola. New York, New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0590255061.
Plot Summary
Bubba is a good ole’ Texas cowboy in this Cinderella story. He lives on a ranch doing all the work with his wicked stepdaddy and two mean and lazy stepbrothers, Dwayne and Milton. When Miz Lurleen “the purtiest and richest gal in the county” decides to throw a ball to find a real cowboy to help her run her ranch, Milton, Dwayne, and Bubba’s stepdaddy run Bubba around all day helping them prepare for the ball, but they refuse his request to come claiming that Bubba smells “more like the cattle than the cattle do”. However, Bubba’s fairy godcow has different plans for him and uses her magic to get him the right clothes and stallion to attend the ball. While dancing with Miz Lurleen, the clock inevitably strikes midnight which is when the magic runs out, and Bubba flees the ball in shame as he’s left standing in front of Miz Lurleen in his old clothes smelling like a rancher. He accidentally leaves one boot behind, and Miz Lurleen uses it to track him down and marry her “prince in cowboy boots”.
Critical Analysis
Ketteman’s version of Cinderella in this updated Texas classic is refreshing. Ketteman does not paint Bubba as a sad, complaining victim but a rancher who loves what he does and is rewarded in the end. Her use of southern slang such as “dogies” and “purty”, while a bit stereotypical, helps develop the setting and gets the reader into the country version quickly and effectively. The message is simple and beautifully received as Miz Lurleen and Bubba live “happily ever after, roping, and cowpoking”: others should and can love you for who you are even if your “fine duds” turn to “dirty rags” and you don’t always smell great, which is an invaluable lesson for anyone.
Warhola’s illustrations jump from the page due to the vivid colors and larger than life drawings of the characters. Miz Lurleen’s big Texas hair and parlor adorned with southern furniture and accessories help to reinforce the southern aspect of the story. The open landscape, never ending blue skies, and puffy marshmallow clouds that can suddenly turn cow shaped make the reader long for the simple life of the ranch.
True to fairy tale style, Milton and Dwayne are drawn as unattractive, clueless looking characters, while the step father’s black hat and harsh features make him an obvious bad guy. Bubba’s open, round, unassuming face is the perfect protagonist hero face, and Warhola even succeeds in making the cows and horses real characters in the story through his depiction of them laughing, being scared, and reacting positively to a happy ending. Even the moon is personified and shows concern as Bubba rides away humiliated after being revealed to Miz Lurleen. The illustrations make this story engaging and set the perfect tone for a happily ever after.
Review Excerpts
“Great fun and a wonderful twist on the Cinderella story.” Children’s Literature
“This Texas retelling of the Cinderella story will really rope in readers.” The Publisher
Connections
*Read a more traditional version of Cinderella and have students compare and contrast the two.
*Bring in retellings of Cinderella from different cultures and lead a discussion on the role of Cinderella. Does she/he play a victim? Which ones take control of their own fate?
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Book Review 3
Bibliography
St. George, Judith. 2000. So You Want to Be President? Ill. By David Small. New York, New York: Philomel Books. ISBN 0399234071
Plot Summary
In So You Want to Be President, author Judith St. George tackles the job of teaching students about Presidents without making it the same as reading a text book. Using little known personal information, backed up by illustrations showing caricatures of the Presidents, St. George makes the men within these pages real people. Beginning with the good and bad of being President, St. George then moves through the book sharing information about where the Presidents came from and some of their habits and imperfections. She closes the book with the oath taken by all Presidents and the message that regardless of where someone comes from, the opportunity is out there and one should be ready to give themselves completely to the job to be a good President.
Critical Analysis
St. George’s writing contains unique facts, making Presidents seem like just one of us, emphasizing the point that anyone can be President. She includes little known quotes such as Warren Harding saying, “I am not fit for this office and never should have been here,” instead of the stereotypical speech written blurbs readers are used to. Her honest approach makes no attempt to gloss over the imperfections of those who have held office, but she does not set out to destroy the images of these men, just paint them more realistically. Through her easy to read but clever writing, readers find out which Presidents liked to fight, who was responsible with money, and who was the worst dancer.
David Smalls’ illustrations add to the feeling that the President is just one of us. Instead of presenting stoic, colorless figures usually seen of Presidents, Small draws them as cartoonish figures with red cheeks and noses and uses his illustrations to make the book fun, not typical. He places them in situations pertinent to the facts discussed in the book, reinforcing St. George’s writing with visuals. Small shows Taft being lifted into his specially built tub with a crane due to his size, chicken leg in hand. When St. George suggests that having the name William doesn’t hurt when running for President, Small provides an unforgettable, playful picture of all the Williams in cheerleading uniforms, pom poms included.
Mood is also conveyed in the illustrations through color and expression. For example, Nixon and Clinton are drawn heads down, slinking down stairs with the Lincoln Memorial looking down on them after their impeachments, while shades of blue color the page in shame. Whether serious or fun, Smalls illustrations align perfectly with St. George’s words, creating a book that will not be easily forgotten by those who read it.
Review Excerpts
“Author Judith St. George--along with Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator David Small--has created a book about the presidency that's serious fun.” Amazon.com
“She serves up diverse, occasionally tongue-in-cheek tidbits and spices the narrative with colorful quotes from her subjects.” Publishers Weekly
Connections
*Lead a discussion asking students to give examples of people who have become President or are running for office that might not have believed it was possible for them in the past due to others’ prejudices. Ex. Barack Obama due to race, Sarah Palin due to age and being a woman.
Read other books by Judith St. George about Presidents and their lives including:
*Take the Lead, George Washington
*Make Your Mark, Franklin Roosevelt
St. George, Judith. 2000. So You Want to Be President? Ill. By David Small. New York, New York: Philomel Books. ISBN 0399234071
Plot Summary
In So You Want to Be President, author Judith St. George tackles the job of teaching students about Presidents without making it the same as reading a text book. Using little known personal information, backed up by illustrations showing caricatures of the Presidents, St. George makes the men within these pages real people. Beginning with the good and bad of being President, St. George then moves through the book sharing information about where the Presidents came from and some of their habits and imperfections. She closes the book with the oath taken by all Presidents and the message that regardless of where someone comes from, the opportunity is out there and one should be ready to give themselves completely to the job to be a good President.
Critical Analysis
St. George’s writing contains unique facts, making Presidents seem like just one of us, emphasizing the point that anyone can be President. She includes little known quotes such as Warren Harding saying, “I am not fit for this office and never should have been here,” instead of the stereotypical speech written blurbs readers are used to. Her honest approach makes no attempt to gloss over the imperfections of those who have held office, but she does not set out to destroy the images of these men, just paint them more realistically. Through her easy to read but clever writing, readers find out which Presidents liked to fight, who was responsible with money, and who was the worst dancer.
David Smalls’ illustrations add to the feeling that the President is just one of us. Instead of presenting stoic, colorless figures usually seen of Presidents, Small draws them as cartoonish figures with red cheeks and noses and uses his illustrations to make the book fun, not typical. He places them in situations pertinent to the facts discussed in the book, reinforcing St. George’s writing with visuals. Small shows Taft being lifted into his specially built tub with a crane due to his size, chicken leg in hand. When St. George suggests that having the name William doesn’t hurt when running for President, Small provides an unforgettable, playful picture of all the Williams in cheerleading uniforms, pom poms included.
Mood is also conveyed in the illustrations through color and expression. For example, Nixon and Clinton are drawn heads down, slinking down stairs with the Lincoln Memorial looking down on them after their impeachments, while shades of blue color the page in shame. Whether serious or fun, Smalls illustrations align perfectly with St. George’s words, creating a book that will not be easily forgotten by those who read it.
Review Excerpts
“Author Judith St. George--along with Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator David Small--has created a book about the presidency that's serious fun.” Amazon.com
“She serves up diverse, occasionally tongue-in-cheek tidbits and spices the narrative with colorful quotes from her subjects.” Publishers Weekly
Connections
*Lead a discussion asking students to give examples of people who have become President or are running for office that might not have believed it was possible for them in the past due to others’ prejudices. Ex. Barack Obama due to race, Sarah Palin due to age and being a woman.
Read other books by Judith St. George about Presidents and their lives including:
*Take the Lead, George Washington
*Make Your Mark, Franklin Roosevelt
Book Review 2
Bibliography
Willems, Mo. 2004. Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale. Ill. By Mo Willems.
New York, New York: Hyperion Books. ISBN 0786818700
Plot Summary
In this entertaining, award winning book, artist and illustrator, Mo Willems, tells us about young Trixie’s trip with her dad to the Laundromat. The outing becomes an adventure when Trixie’s beloved Knuffle Bunny is lost and she is unable to communicate this to her father. Trixie’s mom saves the day when she realizes Knuffle Bunny didn’t make it home with dad and Trixie, and dad desperately searches the Laundromat until Knuffle Bunny is found and a happy ending can be experienced by all.
Critical Analysis
Willems’ descriptions of a young child’s attempts to be heard are entertaining and real with Trixie screaming “Aggle Flaggle Klabble” in hopes of being understood and eventually going “boneless” to get her emotions across. Willems’ writing allows his audience to see the world through a child’s eyes and experience the excitement of a walk through the park and the fun associated with loading the washing machine. With short, easy to read sentences, this story lends itself to being read aloud or silently by a young reader.
The illustrations used in Knuffle Bunny are unique to a children’s book. The background consists of realistic black and white photographs of Brooklyn, giving the entire setting a sense of reality. However, characters are drawn using bright colors that jump from the page making Trixie’s trip to the Laundromat an experience outside of the normal black and white normalcy of everyday life. The illustrations give the feel of seeing the mundane, adult tasks through the eyes of a child, and the exaggerated size of the word balloons as Trixie screams “WAAAA” or “Wumby flappy?!” emphasize the distress the loss of Knuffle Bunny is causing her. Trixie and her father’s facial expressions alone make this a great book to look at and make predictions about before reading the words. Willems is that adapt at expressing his characters’ emotions through his drawings.
Review Excerpts
“A seamless and supremely satisfying presentation of art and text.”
School Library Journal
“Willems chronicles this domestic drama with pitch-perfect text and illustrations that boldly depart from the spare formula of his previous books.” Booklist
Connections
*After reading Knuffle Bunny to students, have them write about an item that is special to them and share the reason why. Have them compare their reaction to losing this item with Trixie’s.
*After reading Knuffle Bunny, have junior high or high school students discuss and analyze how the illustrations played a part in the book. Help them transfer this knowledge to books without pictures when analyzing an author’s description and use of setting.
*Read other books by Mo Willems to see how he portrays other characters trying to get what they want. For example, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bust! Have students talk about how they see themselves in these characters’ reactions, and how their responses have matured with their age.
*Read Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity
Willems, Mo. 2004. Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale. Ill. By Mo Willems.
New York, New York: Hyperion Books. ISBN 0786818700
Plot Summary
In this entertaining, award winning book, artist and illustrator, Mo Willems, tells us about young Trixie’s trip with her dad to the Laundromat. The outing becomes an adventure when Trixie’s beloved Knuffle Bunny is lost and she is unable to communicate this to her father. Trixie’s mom saves the day when she realizes Knuffle Bunny didn’t make it home with dad and Trixie, and dad desperately searches the Laundromat until Knuffle Bunny is found and a happy ending can be experienced by all.
Critical Analysis
Willems’ descriptions of a young child’s attempts to be heard are entertaining and real with Trixie screaming “Aggle Flaggle Klabble” in hopes of being understood and eventually going “boneless” to get her emotions across. Willems’ writing allows his audience to see the world through a child’s eyes and experience the excitement of a walk through the park and the fun associated with loading the washing machine. With short, easy to read sentences, this story lends itself to being read aloud or silently by a young reader.
The illustrations used in Knuffle Bunny are unique to a children’s book. The background consists of realistic black and white photographs of Brooklyn, giving the entire setting a sense of reality. However, characters are drawn using bright colors that jump from the page making Trixie’s trip to the Laundromat an experience outside of the normal black and white normalcy of everyday life. The illustrations give the feel of seeing the mundane, adult tasks through the eyes of a child, and the exaggerated size of the word balloons as Trixie screams “WAAAA” or “Wumby flappy?!” emphasize the distress the loss of Knuffle Bunny is causing her. Trixie and her father’s facial expressions alone make this a great book to look at and make predictions about before reading the words. Willems is that adapt at expressing his characters’ emotions through his drawings.
Review Excerpts
“A seamless and supremely satisfying presentation of art and text.”
School Library Journal
“Willems chronicles this domestic drama with pitch-perfect text and illustrations that boldly depart from the spare formula of his previous books.” Booklist
Connections
*After reading Knuffle Bunny to students, have them write about an item that is special to them and share the reason why. Have them compare their reaction to losing this item with Trixie’s.
*After reading Knuffle Bunny, have junior high or high school students discuss and analyze how the illustrations played a part in the book. Help them transfer this knowledge to books without pictures when analyzing an author’s description and use of setting.
*Read other books by Mo Willems to see how he portrays other characters trying to get what they want. For example, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bust! Have students talk about how they see themselves in these characters’ reactions, and how their responses have matured with their age.
*Read Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity
Book Review 1
Bibliography
Cummings, Pat. 1992. Talking with Artists: Conversations with Victoria Chess, Pat Cummings, Leo and Diane Dillon, Richard Egielski, Lois Ehlert, Lisa Campbell Ernst, Tom Feelings, Steven Kellogg, Jerry Pinkney, Amy Schwartz, Lane Smith, Chris Van Allsburg, and David Wiesner. New York, New York: Bradbury Press. ISBN 0027242455
Plot Summary
In this informative book compiled and edited by Pat Cummings, 14 artists answer the same eight questions and share illustrations from their childhood as well as their published books. Illustrators share professional information about where they get ideas and how they first found themselves published, as well as more personal facts. Pat Cummings herself answers the questions and attempts to make the job of illustrator appear attainable for anyone who loves to draw. She also thoughtfully includes a glossary of illustration terms in the back of the book to help readers understand the illustrators’ language.
Critical Analysis
Talking with Artists has the feeling of a personal conversation between the reader and the amazing illustrators within the pages due to the unpretentious approach. Each illustrator shares their story before answering the questions, using humor and personal experiences to connect with the audience. Advice from each artist such as “Carry a sketchbook wherever you go” and “Rejoice in who you are” litter each page to encourage would be illustrators. The book reads like an inspirational piece for anyone who wants to veer off the beaten path and pursue a less mainstream career. Finding out that a normal day is never normal for an illustrator, or that most work at home or close to it while still doing what they love gives hope and motivation to the reader.
The illustrations are the heart of this book. Not only are readers offered sneak peeks into illustrations from professionally published books such as The Tale of the Mandarin Ducks and Mother Goose’s Little Misfortunes, but they also see the illustrators’ drawings from when they were children. Victoria Chess offers a picture from when she was six of a butterfly, while Lisa Campbell Ernst shows a crayon on paper drawing of a bird from the age of seven. Seeing where the illustrators started and then turning the page to see where their illustrations ended up is inspiring for anyone, especially those aspiring to have a career in art.
Review Excerpts
“Full of insight and inspiration, this is an entertaining resource that young people, teachers, and librarians will enjoy.” School Library Journal
“An inspired concept” Horn Book
Connections
*After reading Talking with Artists, have students interview someone who is in the profession they would like to pursue, adapting Cummings interview questions to their own situation.
*Have students read Talking With Adventurers: Conversations with Christina M. Allen, Robert Ballard, Michael L. Blakey, Ann Bowles, David Doubilet, Jane Goodall, Dereck & Beverly Joubert and draw a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting the adventurers information with the artists.
Cummings, Pat. 1992. Talking with Artists: Conversations with Victoria Chess, Pat Cummings, Leo and Diane Dillon, Richard Egielski, Lois Ehlert, Lisa Campbell Ernst, Tom Feelings, Steven Kellogg, Jerry Pinkney, Amy Schwartz, Lane Smith, Chris Van Allsburg, and David Wiesner. New York, New York: Bradbury Press. ISBN 0027242455
Plot Summary
In this informative book compiled and edited by Pat Cummings, 14 artists answer the same eight questions and share illustrations from their childhood as well as their published books. Illustrators share professional information about where they get ideas and how they first found themselves published, as well as more personal facts. Pat Cummings herself answers the questions and attempts to make the job of illustrator appear attainable for anyone who loves to draw. She also thoughtfully includes a glossary of illustration terms in the back of the book to help readers understand the illustrators’ language.
Critical Analysis
Talking with Artists has the feeling of a personal conversation between the reader and the amazing illustrators within the pages due to the unpretentious approach. Each illustrator shares their story before answering the questions, using humor and personal experiences to connect with the audience. Advice from each artist such as “Carry a sketchbook wherever you go” and “Rejoice in who you are” litter each page to encourage would be illustrators. The book reads like an inspirational piece for anyone who wants to veer off the beaten path and pursue a less mainstream career. Finding out that a normal day is never normal for an illustrator, or that most work at home or close to it while still doing what they love gives hope and motivation to the reader.
The illustrations are the heart of this book. Not only are readers offered sneak peeks into illustrations from professionally published books such as The Tale of the Mandarin Ducks and Mother Goose’s Little Misfortunes, but they also see the illustrators’ drawings from when they were children. Victoria Chess offers a picture from when she was six of a butterfly, while Lisa Campbell Ernst shows a crayon on paper drawing of a bird from the age of seven. Seeing where the illustrators started and then turning the page to see where their illustrations ended up is inspiring for anyone, especially those aspiring to have a career in art.
Review Excerpts
“Full of insight and inspiration, this is an entertaining resource that young people, teachers, and librarians will enjoy.” School Library Journal
“An inspired concept” Horn Book
Connections
*After reading Talking with Artists, have students interview someone who is in the profession they would like to pursue, adapting Cummings interview questions to their own situation.
*Have students read Talking With Adventurers: Conversations with Christina M. Allen, Robert Ballard, Michael L. Blakey, Ann Bowles, David Doubilet, Jane Goodall, Dereck & Beverly Joubert and draw a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting the adventurers information with the artists.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Purpose
The purpose of this blog is to fulfill a book review requirement for LS 5603. This is my first attempt at reviewing books, so I hope improvement and progress will be seen throughout the semester.
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