The Irony of Life I find it ironic that I dislike change so much, but my life has been full of changes. While with each change I felt it was the end of the world, it has actually turned out to be what was right for me at that point in my life. Through these changes, I have arrived where I am today and will continue the journey!
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Lunch Lady and the Bake Sale Bandit by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
LS5603_WhiteE_GenreBookReviews_Genre6_FictionFantasyAndY/A_Book3
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
TITLE: Lunch Lady and the Bake Sale Bandit
AUTHOR: Jarrett J. Krosoczka
ILLUSTRATOR: Joey Weiser
PUBLISHER: Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York 2010
ISBN: 978-0-375-96729-0
2. PLOT SUMMARY
The school is hosting a bake sale to raise money for an upcoming field trip. Everyone seems to be especially excited about cupcakes. The lunch lady is in charge of the bake sale as it is held in the cafeteria. While several people are distracted, and a disturbance is created, someone steals the bake sale items. Who did it? Who will solve it?
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Krosoczka builds up the suspense in this graphic novel, with the stealing of bake sale goods. From the beginning of the story, many characters are set up to appear as the guilty person. The use of onomatopoeia throughout the story gives the reader an insight into what is going on in the story. They bring the story to life. The suspense builds up through the story until the culprit is found.
Weiser’s illustrations bring the story to life and allow the reader to follow along more easily with visuals that bring the story to life with the ink drawings of the scenes. The use of the illustrations show us a funny aspect of the characters with a cartoon-like persona.
Even though graphic novels are not one of my favorite genres, I enjoyed the story and could see the attraction to young readers. The story is written so that younger readers can follow the storyline and understand it well.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
“Fans of this comic-style series will be entertained by the antics”. 2011. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.
“The high action of the yellow-washed, black-and-white cartoon panels is echoed in the narrative's pacing.” 2011. Booklist
5. CONNECTIONS
I would have a collection of comic books and graphic novels gathered for the lesson. After reading the story, I would then read a comic book to the students. We would then brainstorm and fill in a venn diagram comparing and contrasting graphics novels and comic books.
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Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
LS5603_WhiteE_GenreBookReviews_Genre6_FictionFantasyAndY/A_Book2
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
TITLE: Speak
AUTHOR: Laurie Halse Anderson
ILLUSTRATOR:
PUBLISHER: Farrar, Straus & Giroux
ISBN: 978-0-374-37152-4
2. PLOT SUMMARY
The isolation of an incoming Freshman to High School is compounded by the beliefs and rumors of other students. Having suffered a terrible experience at the end of summer, Melinda withdraws into herself, remains isolated, does not speak, and blames herself for what has happened. During the story, she finds herself, and her voice, bringing all her pain out into the open and dealing with it.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Anderson brings us along the Freshman year of Melinda’s life. One that is spent with recrimination, isolation, being an outcast, and feeling she brought this on herself when she busts up an end-of-summer party when she calls the cops for a totalling different reason. However, her friends abandon her, not even giving her a chance to explain what is going on. High School can be hard enough, but when you become an outcast, and feel as though you deserve to be one, it becomes especially difficult to know who or where to turn to. She takes to skipping school, tries cutting, even becomes almost mute, which goes unnoticed by her parents and teachers. Her only ally is her Art teacher, who does not push or expect anything from her. She finds her voice and her courage as she grows during the year. By the time the end of the year approaches, she is able to stand up for herself AND ask for help, when the same person, a bigwig upperclassman, again comes to her and plans to attack her. This time she is able to fight for herself and use her voice to get help.
I feel as though I read the wrong version of this book, as I found there is a graphic novel of this book, when I was looking up the information for this report.
4. AWARDS RECEIVED
1999 National Book Award Finalist
�� 1999 BCCB Blue Ribbon Book
2000 SCBWI Golden Kite Award for Fiction
2000 Horn Book Fanfare Best Book of the Year
2000 ALA Best Books for Young Adults
2000 Printz Honor Book
2000 Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults
2000 Fiction Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
2000 Edgar Allan Poe Best Young Adult Award Finalist
2001 New York Times Paperback Children's Best Seller
2005 New York Times Paperback Children's Best Seller
5. REVIEW EXCERPTS
“filled with deep feeling, empowering triumph, and moments of startling horror.” Booklist.
“Anderson portrays the reality of high school with absolute clarity and accuracy. Melinda's sarcastic sense of humor will have you alternately laughing and crying all the way through.” LibraryThing.
6. CONNECTIONS
I would collaborate with the school counselor and have her come in, so that we could co-teacher the lesson. Once we are done with the book, she would take over the lesson and conduct a lesson on the “dangers” we face everyday and who to go to and how to deal with them.
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The Girl Who Drank the Moon By Kelly Barnhill
LS5603_WhiteE_GenreBookReviews_Genre6_FictionFantasyAndY/A_Book1
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
TITLE: The Girl Who Drank the Moon
AUTHOR: Kelly Barnhill
ILLUSTRATOR:
PUBLISHER: Algonquin Young Readers, an imprint of Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, 2016
ISBN: 9781616205676
2. PLOT SUMMARY
This story starts off with the “Elders” conducting their yearly ritual of sacrificing the youngest child of the town to the “witch” in the forest. There is an elder-in-training, who believes it is not right to let a child lay there and die. He starts on a journey that will leave you wondering who to root for, who to pity, and who deserves anything they get.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
A town lives in sorrow, with the threat of having the youngest child sacrificed to the “witch” in the forest each year. While the town is terrified of the forest, accepts the rules set forth by the council, and willingly gives up their children, there are a few who are willing to go against all the rules and find the truth. Barnhill leads us through the story, with a background story of the witch and forest being told by a mother to a child. The “witch” of the forest lives with a dragon who has not yet come into his own and a monster of the Bog. The children are rescued each year and fed starlight along the journey. The journey leads them to the free cities, where families are happy to accept them and raise them as their own.
This fantasy story combines the “normal” of life, with the characters leading normal lives, living in a town and working for the town, with dragons, monsters, witches and children who drink starlight and moonlight.
This story has many twists and turns that leave you wondering who the background story is about, what happened to the “witch” all those years ago, and will the town ever be able to go on with their lives.
4. AWARDS RECEIVED
Newbery Medal (2017)
Bluebonnet Award ( NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD in 2018 )
American Library Association Notable Books for Children ( NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD in 2017 )
Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award ( NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD in 2017 )
Locus Awards ( NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD in 2017 )
Volunteer State Book Award ( NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD in 2018 )
5. REVIEW EXCERPTS
“VERDICT An expertly woven and enchanting offering for readers who love classic fairy tales.” School Library Journal, 2016
“This swiftly paced and highly imaginative title expertly weaves myriad threads into a memorable story that will easily enchant readers.” School LIbrary Journal, 2016
“Barnhill's novel, beyond its enthralling bones, is a work of beauty and enchantment, with its own cosmology, its own vocabulary of hope, and its own pearlescent center.” ForeWord Magazine, 2017
6. CONNECTIONS
I would have a brainstorming session on how people can act one way but hide who they really are. We would talk about how we can be kind to people and always be honest with them.
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The War that Saved my Life By Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
LS5603_WhiteE_GenreBookReviews_Genre5_HistoricalFiction_Book3
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
TITLE: The War that Saved my Life
AUTHOR: Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
ILLUSTRATOR:
PUBLISHER: Penguin Group, New York, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-8037-4081-5
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Ada is a young girl in England before the war started. She was kept locked away and made to feel as if her handicap was her fault. Through sheer determination, she learns to walk and frees herself from her prison. Even though the threat of war is imminent, she enjoys freedoms she has never known.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Bradley shows readers how someone who is beaten down by family and others, can pull themselves out of peril by the will of their determination. You are taken on the journey of freedom, while those around Ada are trying to hide from the war. Ada teaches herself how to walk after spending years sitting and watching the world through a window. She doesn't even know how old she is, or when her birthday is. Her younger brother runs and plays outside, bringing her news as he hears it. Bradley accurately portrays the feelings of those in England before the war and as it explodes right in their yards.
Readers are shown how even those with handicaps can overcome great tribulations. While Ada has been isolated all her life, others have been led to believe she is mentally unstable. Once she gets out into the world, many are surprised by her handicap and don’t understand why she never came outside. Bradley takes us on a journey, as Ada and her brother escape London and go to the country with the other children of London. Once here, Ada discovers, quite reluctantly, that she is smart, others appreciate her, and her handicap can be fixed.
This story was quite interesting to me, as I’ve heard about the war and how it was to live through it from my mother, being German. This book gives a perspective from the English side of it.
4. AWARDS RECEIVED
Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year, 2015
American Library Association Notable Books for Children, 2016
Golden Sower Award, 2017
Sequoyah Book Award. 2018
5. REVIEW EXCERPTS
“The home-front realities of WWII, as well as Ada's realistic anger and fear, come to life in Bradley's affecting and austerely told story, and readers will cheer for steadfast Ada as she triumphs over despair.”--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2010 Booklist
“The emotional content feels completely true, especially in recognition of how far Ada's journey will be to both physical and mental health.” 2015. The Horn Book
6. CONNECTIONS
I would bring in someone from the museum to talk to the children and introduce them to artifacts and information from this era. I would also find someone who had lived through the war and have them talk to the students about their experiences.
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Nora Ryan’s Song by Patricia Reilly Giff
LS5603_WhiteE_GenreBookReviews_Genre5_HistoricalFiction_Book2
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
TITLE: Nory Ryan’s Song
AUTHOR: Patricia Reilly Giff
ILLUSTRATOR:
PUBLISHER: Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, New York, 2000
ISBN: 0-385-32141-4
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Nory Ryan is a young girl growing up in Ireland in the 1840s, during the potato famine. Being one of 4 children in a family without a mother, a father gone to work for money, and an elder grandfather living at home, she faces the horrors and struggles of starvation, during this difficult time. She has to grow up quickly and take matters into her own hands to help her family survive.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Giff uses such accuracy and emotion in the telling of one girl’s journey through a very devastating event in the history of our world. Through her writings, we see the sickness, starvation, and greed brought on by this horrible event. She brings the situation into a light young readers can understand and comprehend. The authenticity of the culture and language used in this story might be a little hard to understand if it were not for the glossary found at the beginning of the book, explaining what some of the words spoken mean.
Readers feel the grief and emotions lived through by all those affected during this time, with the progression of the book. It shows how we can grow up believing in “spirits” and such things, that stay with us as we live our lives, only to find that we can overcome any of our fears when we put the needs of others ahead of ourselves. This story also shows how unfair people and their conceptions can be, as how the Irish were treated by the Englishman in this story. Also revealing how their views don’t change when persons are down on their luck and hard hit by disasters, but only use these devastating events to further their own means.
Readers will feel Nory’s anxiety as she lives her life day to day, then her fear as she confronts those things that have appeared ominous even before disaster strikes, and finally the total devastation of feeling as she believes there is no hope for them. Most importantly, readers will see how, no matter our circumstances, we must put others and their safety before our own.
4. AWARDS RECEIVED
No awards won, but nominated for 1 in 2000, 5 in 2002, 10 in 2003, and 2 in 2004.
5. REVIEW EXCERPTS
“By breathing life into the events that led her great-grandparents to emigrate from Ireland, the author transports readers to a time and place few will be able to forget.” Voice of Youth Advocates, 2001.
“A beautiful, heart-wrenching novel that makes a devastating event understandable.” Booklist, 2000.
6. CONNECTIONS
I would read several poems about the “Great Famine”, Also, showing “The Famine: A Short Documentary”.
After reading the story “Nory Ryan’s Song”, the class would brainstorm ideas on how they would help out their families and what could be done to get food for the family and how it feels to be separated from your family. We would have a book talk, or maybe just a discussion, about how these things they learned about affected them.
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Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis
LS5603_WhiteE_GenreBookReviews_Genre5_HistoricalFiction_Book1
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
TITLE: Elijah of Buxton
AUTHOR: Christopher Paul Curtis
ILLUSTRATOR:
PUBLISHER: Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., New York, 2007
ISBN: 978-0-439-02344-3
2. PLOT SUMMARY
The settlement of Buxton in Ontario Canada is home to runaway slaves. Elijah is the first freed born person of the settlement. He shares his experiences that lead to his growing up through several life lessons.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Curtis brings Elijah to life for all who read this story. Being a young child of runaway slaves in the 1800s is very confusing and enlightening at the same time. While Elijah is a carefree child enjoying his family, friends, school, and fishing, he is brought up to the reality of slavery that his family and friends have faced before coming to Buxton. While his mother chides him for being a “fra-gile” child, and he lives with the notoriety of throwing up on Douglas Franklin, he soon realizes he is becoming “growed” up when he has to face lies, death and slaves in captivity. Readers of a young age can relate to the feelings of being “fra-gile”, becoming teary eyed, his tummy becoming “jiggly” and loosed legged when confronted with situations he is does not know how to handle. The language may be harder to read as it is written very adequately for a African-American with a little schooling. When he begins people are not what they seem to be, he begins his journey to maturation. He realizes he is smart, but also has a lot of growing to do. He accomplishes this when he embarks on a journey to find a thief he thought was his friend, runs into a group of captured runaway slaves and is able to rescue one of them.
4. AWARDS RECEIVED
Coretta Scott King Awards, 2007
American Library Association Notable Books for Children, 2008
Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books, 2007
Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year, 2007
CLA Book of the Year for Children Award, 2008
Great Lakes Book Awards, 2008
Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People, 2008
Great Lakes Great Books Award, 2008
School Library Journal Best Books of the Year, 2007
TD Canadian Children's Literature Award, 2008
5. REVIEW EXCERPTS
“It's Curtis's genius to bring us simultaneously to open-hearted tears and empathetic laughter.” Quill & Quire, 2007
“Many readers drawn to the book by humor will find themselves at times on the edges of their seats in suspense and, at other moments, moved to tears. A fine, original novel from a gifted storyteller.” Booklist, 2007.
6. CONNECTIONS
I would call the local museum and have them come do a presentation on the Civil War and how life was for slaves after the war, and on the underground railroad. I would also present books on the underground railroad. After a unit on this, I would have the students create a timeline of the war and after.
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Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat by Javaka Steptoe GenreBookReviews_Genre4_NonfictionAndBiography_Book3
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
TITLE: Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat
AUTHOR: Javaka Steptoe
ILLUSTRATOR: Javaka Steptoe
PUBLISHER: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, New York, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-316-21388-2
2. PLOT SUMMARY
This story tells of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s journey to becoming a famous artist. Through his mother, he is able to see that art is everywhere around us. Even as he suffers from injuries from a car accident, his mother shows him to find art in the body and pain. He still loves his mother deeply and honors her through his art.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Steptoe does an amazing job of incorporating art based on Basquiat’s throughout this book. He gives an accurate account of Basquiat’s life and his journey to becoming a famous artist. The story is organized by the life of Jean-Michel. He uses pieces of New York, showing how art can be made from our lives. He does not use Basquiat’s art,but instead his own which was inspired by Basquiat’s art. His design and style show the reader that you can have “sloppy, messy” art and it is still beautiful in it’s own way. Bringing this book to an ending capable of expanding our knowledge of Basquiat more, he tells us more about Jean-Michel, explains the motifs and symbolism and his own impression of Basquiat and how Basquiat’s art inspired him to become an artist.
4. AWARDS RECEIVED
Caldecott Medal, 2017
Coretta Scott King Awards, 2017
5. REVIEW EXCERPTS
“Incorporating found materials into the illustrations, Steptoe captures the originality and urban vibe of a charismatic artist whose talent revealed itself early on and matured into a powerful social and political voice.” School lIbrary Journal, 2016
“For many personal reasons described in his heartfelt authors note, Javaka Steptoe is the perfect person to create this book: a tour de force that will introduce an important artist to a new generation.” Horn Book Magazine, 2016
6. CONNECTIONS
Do a study of different types of art and compare/contrast them. Have the students critique the art they see and what they see as the most prominent style in the different art.
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What Do You Do With a Tail LIke This? By Steve Jenkins & Robin Page GenreBookReviews_Genre4_NonfictionAndBiography_Book2
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
TITLE: What Do You Do With a Tail LIke This?
AUTHOR: Steve Jenkins & Robin Page
ILLUSTRATOR: Steve Jenkins & Robin Page
PUBLISHER: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
ISBN: 978-0-618-25628-0
2. PLOT SUMMARY
The book shows you different parts of different animals and asks you to guess “who” they belong to and what they do. The first page spread will show the part and the next page shows the animals connected to the parts and explain how they are used.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The accuracy of this book is backed up at the end of the book by listing all the animals included in the book and giving a lot of information about where they are from and a lot of information on them, in addition to the information already given in the book itself. This book is set up so that you do not have to read it cover to cover, although it is short enough you could do so, in order to find information you wanted on each animal. The book is divided into sections of noses, ears, tails, eyes, feet and mouths. The intrigue brought on by showing only parts of animals and trying to guess what animal it is, adds to the design of this book. This makes you want to turn the page to find out if you were right or not. The illustrations remind me of Eric Carle’s artistry, being made of tissue paper. They are very life-like and detailed, allowing you to inspect different parts of the animals at a closer view then you would normally be able to do.
4. AWARDS RECEIVED
American Library Association Notable Books for Children 2004
Garden State Children's Book Awards 2006
Red Clover Award 2005
5. REVIEW EXCERPTS
“Cut-paper collages of animals and close-ups of their noses, ears, tails, eyes, mouths, and feet set against white backgrounds invite readers to think about animal adaptations” The Horn Book, Inc
“Colorful cut-paper collages provide glimpses of the noses, ears, tails, eyes, mouths, and feet of different creatures, showing that each one uses these body parts in a unique and fascinating manner.“ Library Journals LLC
6. CONNECTIONS
I would have the students do an animal research and have them choose one of the animals from the book and use more non-fiction books, to conduct their searches.
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The Right Word: Roget and his Thesaurus By Jen Bryant GenreBookReviews_Genre4_NonfictionAndBiography_Book1
The Right Word: Roget and his Thesaurus By Jen Bryant
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
TITLE: The Right Word: Roget and his Thesaurus
AUTHOR: Jen Bryant
ILLUSTRATOR: Melissa Sweet
PUBLISHER: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-8028-5385-1
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In this story, you follow Peter Roget from his birth through his life until he publishes his first book. The story explains how he started his thesaurus and continued it through his life.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The author compiled this work with a great deal of accuracy. He portrays Roget’s life without adding any “bells and whistles”. Bryant shows the sides and simpleness of Roget, while depicting his deep intensity of using words. While many non-fiction books can be read in parts, this book tends to follow along Roget’s life in order, so that you need to read it from the first page to the last. You get a sense of Roget’s life and loneliness and how he turned to words to fill the emptiness. Bryant’s design of the book, along with Sweet’s images, provide a wonderful experience as you travel through Roget’s life. In all the illustrations, and on each page, you are surrounded with lists of words, giving you the feeling as though you are right there with Peter imagining and writing the words and lists. The use of the lists throughout the book, allow the reader to expand their knowledge of words, and maybe even make them think of other words to go on the lists. Sweet’s use of Roget’s original works in his illustrations add to the appeal of the book. The book is brought to a conclusion with the addition of a timeline of Roget’s life, both personal events and world events in his life, a note from both the author and illustrator, suggestions for further study.
4. AWARDS RECEIVED
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award, 2015
American Library Association Notable Books for Children, 2015
Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year, 2014
Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books, 2014
School Library Journal Best Books of the Year, 2014
5. REVIEW EXCERPTS
“Together with Bryant's sympathetic account, Sweet's gentle riot of images and words humanizes the man behind this ubiquitous reference work and demystifies the thesaurus itself.” Publisher’s Weekly, 2014
“Expertly researched and well written, Bryant's narrative not only details the creation of the thesaurus; it also conveys a sense of Roget the man: his shy nature, his keen intelligence, and his passion for knowledge.” School LIbrary Journal, 2014
6. CONNECTIONS
I would present a few words to the class and list them on chart paper. Then have the class brainstorm words that mean the same thing as the heading words. Then I would discuss what a thesaurus is and how it works. I would have children come up with their own words, then look them up and make a list of words that mean the same thing.
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Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai LS5603_WhiteE_GenreBookReviews_Genre3_Poetry_Book3
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
TITLE: Inside Out & Back Again
AUTHOR: Thanhha Lai
ILLUSTRATOR:
PUBLISHER: HarperCollins Children's Books, New York, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-06-196278-3
2. PLOT SUMMARY
This story follows a young Vietnamese girl, starting with her life in Saigon and ending in Alabama. While her life in Saigon is riddled with sorrow, poverty, and uncertainty, what she finds in Alabama makes her long for her life back in Saigon. She tells of leaving the known and trying to find her way in a place where she is thrown into the unknown.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In this novel of verse, Lai tells a story of 10 year old Ha, that closely resembles her own life and flight from Saigon. With four parts to this novel, Saigon, At Sea, Alabama, and From Now On, Lai tells of how life is from Ha’s view. She knows where she is and what she is, but with the threat of war hanging over them and the knowledge they do not want to admit about her father’s disappearance. Her use of free verse tells a story that brings Vietnamese customs and its culture into our minds. With her literary skills she is able to bring the culture, landscape and emotions of the family to life. You feel as if you are living young Ha’s life. The tribulations they endured through the two boat rides, awaiting a sponsor, and adjusting to a new life and culture come through the free verse poems Lai uses to tell this story.
The pain Ha feels as she tries to learn a new language and all its exceptions, is brought to you with such force, as to take your breath away.
When she faces the bullies and takes the upper road to deal with them, you feel like cheering her on and being her champion. While there are no illustrations in this book, the verses bring the feelings and thoughts into your mind, so that you see it with great vividness.
While I picked books I had never read before, I was surprised at how closely related these three books were.
4. AWARDS RECEIVED
National Book Awards. 2011
Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books, 2011
School Library Journal Best Books of the Year, 2011
American Library Association Notable Books for Children, 2012
5. REVIEW EXCERPTS
“Even through her frustration with her new life and the annoyances of her three older brothers, her voice is full of humor and hope.” School Library Journal, 2011
“The elemental details of Hà's struggle dramatize a foreigner's experience of alienation. And even as she begins to shape a new life, there is no easy comfort: her father is still gone.” Booklist, 2011
6. CONNECTIONS
I would read Inside Out & Back Again, along with Brown Girl Dreaming and Poems in the Attic. Discuss how the three books talk about different people’s lives, how they are alike, and how they differ from each other. Also discuss how they are the same. Compare/Contrast different types of poetry.
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Poems in the Attic by Nikki Grimes LS5603_WhiteE_GenreBookReviews_Genre3_Poetry_Book2
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
TITLE: Poems in the Attic
AUTHOR: Nikki Grimes
ILLUSTRATOR: Elizabeth Zunon
PUBLISHER: Lee & Low Books Inc., New York, 2015
ISBN:
2. PLOT SUMMARY
A young girl goes to visit her grandmother and discovers poems her mother wrote in her youth, about her experiences as a military family moving all the time. This find inspires her to write poems herself. Throughout the story, her poems, and thoughts, parallel her mother’s poems of her experience.
,
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Grimes’ story is told in poetry, both free verse and tanka, ancient Japanese poetry. She begins by a young girl finding her mother’s poems from when she was the same age as the daughter is now. The story, told in free verse poems of the daughter, reflecting on the poems, and experiences, her mother wrote. The story depicts the daughter’s thoughts through her free verse poems, with her grandmother filling in details to her. The mother’s tanka poems tell of her experiences growing up and traveling around. This intergenerational story connects the grandmother, mother and daughter.At the end of the story, the two are brought together with the promise of more memories to come. The end notes and explanations, and invitation to write poetry, are the perfect way to finish this wonderful story told through poetry.
Zunon’s combination of acrylic, oil, and collage give voice to this story. While the daughter’s voice is smaller, taking up only about a third of the page spread, the mother’s voice is “bigger” covering two-thirds of the pages and showing in great detail the mother’s experiences. Zunon also shows intergenerational subjects, showing the grandmother with her daughter and with her granddaughter, thereby cementing the “family” theme of the story.
4. AWARDS RECEIVED
No awards, but was nominated for Bluebonnet Award in 2016
5. REVIEW EXCERPTS
“Notes encourage readers to try their hands at either poetic form, while the pictures, a combination of acrylic, oil, and collage, encourage interest in the many places described.” Booklist, 2015.
“Fully in step with Grimes's empathic writing, Zunon's (One Plastic Bag) warmly painted collages carry readers from the waterways of Virginia to a German castle atop a hill, highlighting the powerful emotional ties between the girl and her elders, as well as her mother's adventurous spirit” PW Annex Reviews, 2015.
6. CONNECTIONS.
I would introduce this book to older elementary students and do a lesson on different types of poetry and how they can exist together.
I would read several books of poetry and discuss how we can write just poems, or even write stories in poetic form.
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Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline WoodsonLS5603_WhiteE_GenreBookReviews_Genre3_Poetry_Book1
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
TITLE: Brown Girl Dreaming
AUTHOR: Jacqueline Woodson
ILLUSTRATOR:
PUBLISHER: Penguin Group, New York, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-399-25251-8
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Jacqueline Woodson tells her life as she remembers it through her memories of growing up. She chronicles events that happened in the world that affected the African-Americans. You meet all of her family and their tribulations through her story.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Woodson’s memoir in verse is written so clearly, that you feel as though you are right there with her as she chronicles her life and feelings of not belonging, as the nation faces civil-rights issues during the 1960s and 1970s. Through her “childhood” eyes, she takes you through a race’s view of prejudice and poor treatment.
While this book does not have illustrations through the book, Woodson’s words and emotions bring to life her experiences and feelings. She leaves Ohio twice, when her parents split up. She talks of how South Carolina becomes her home, especially when her mother moves to New York to find work. She once again has feelings of not belonging. Pulling them from their only “home”, they move with their mother. Here again, she feels as if she does not belong. When they return to South Carolina, she no longer feels at home here either. Her memories of her grandparents show the love they showered on their family and how they were there for each other. Her and her siblings even take to calling their grandfather ‘Daddy’.
She brings all the characters to life with her writing details of them. Once you see the photographs of her family at the end, you are surprised, as through the details of her writing, you have imagined them. The photos add so much to the memoir.
4. AWARDS RECEIVED
National Book Awards, 2014
American Library Association Notable Books for Children, 2015
Coretta Scott King Awards, 2015
Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year, 2014
Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books, 2014
Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance Book Awards, 2015
School Library Journal Best Books of the Year, 2014
Land of Enchantment Book Award, 2017
5. REVIEW EXCERPTS
“She conveys a genuine feel for the experience of African Americans in the era where they are moving from the back of the bus to being accepted everywhere, especially from a child's point of view.” Voice of Youth Advocates, 2014
“Woodson's ability to listen and glean meaning from what she hears lead to an astute understanding of her surroundings, friends, and family.” Publisher’s Weekly, 2014.
6. CONNECTIONS
I would read other poems that detail the author’s life and contrast/compare them.
I would bring other Woodson books in to a unit, such as Each Kindness, and discuss author characteristics. Brainstorm and discuss the different genres she writes.
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Swamp Angel by Anne Isaacs
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1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
TITLE: Swamp Angel
AUTHOR: Anne Isaacs
ILLUSTRATOR: Paul O. Zelinsky
PUBLISHER: Dutton Children’s Books, New York, 1994
ISBN: 0-525-45271-0
2. PLOT SUMMARY This story begins with a baby girl being born that is larger than life. She grows to gargantuan proportions and lassos tornados, wrestle the biggest bear in the world and snores louder than a locomotive. She helps the folks of Tennessee refill their lost food stores before the first snowfall of the year. She also is responsible for the bear leaving “his imprint in the pile of stars” so that it can still be seen today. Also, she used his hide to make the “Shortgrass Prairie” in Montana.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The oil paintings in this story depict American primitive with realistic detail. You can almost tell the story just through the pictures themselves. The events are detailed and set against a background that is very primitive, “old west” in nature and woodsy. The colors though soft, are very vivid and bring the scenes to life. Great attention to detail is evident in all the illustrations.
This folktale tells the story of Angelica Longrider, who became known as the “Swamp Angel”. Beginning with her birth, the author Anne Isaacs, takes us through her life insinuating that she is not very extraordinary, as she can not climb a tree by herself and she was two before she built her first log cabin. Isaacs goes on to tell how when Angelica was twelve she became known as “swamp angel” because she rescued a stranded wagon train. Her depiction of “larger than life” events will lead children to be enthralled by the story. Children will wonder and look towards the sky to see if they can catch a glimpse of the bear in the sky.
4. AWARDS RECEIVED
No awards received, but nominated for the Show Me Readers Award in 1996 and Caldecott Medal and Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards, both in 1995.
5. REVIEW EXCERPTS
“This valiant heroine is certain to leave youngsters chuckling-and perhaps even keeping a close watch on the night sky.” Publisher’s Weekly, 1994.
“Zelinsky's detailed oil paintings in folk-art style are exquisite, framed in cherry, maple, and birch wood grains.” Booklist, 1994.
6. CONNECTIONS
I would have a unit on folktales, or tall tales and have the children compare and contrast the different ones.
After reading Swamp Angel, I would conduct a study of Ursa Major and the Shortgrass Prairie in Montana. The students would compare the facts they find during each study with what they learned in the story.
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The Three Swingin’ Pigs by Vicky Rubin
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1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
TITLE: The Three Swingin’ Pigs
AUTHOR: Vicky Rubin
ILLUSTRATOR: Rhode Montijo
PUBLISHER: Henry Holt and Company, LLC, New York, 2007
ISBN: 978-0-8050-7335-5
2. PLOT SUMMARY
This fractured tale has the same characters as the original Three Little Pigs, with the addition of a few other well-known fairytale characters depicted in the illustrations. The three pigs (niece and nephews of the original three pigs) are a band singing their way through dives and dance halls. Of course, “Wolfie” hears them singing and realizes he needs to eat these pigs, since their uncles had been able to avoid him. With his typical bad luck, he misses getting in to see them because tickets are sold out. When he finally catches up to them at a concert, they get him up on the stage and convince him to sing with them.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Rubin eludes to some of the great jazz singers in this story, through the main pig characters. The reading of this fractured tale is not as easy to follow, or as smooth, as the original fairytale. It is told in a jazzy and upbeat rhythm, that is kind of jumpy. During the story, he is not ever in contact with pigs until the end, when they trick him into singing with them.
The illustrations are very bright and detailed, showing great emotions on the characters. They follow the story in a pretty good continuation of the story. The scenes are a little chaotic and wild.
4. AWARDS RECEIVED
N/A
5. REVIEW EXCERPTS
“In a text accompanied by quirky, angular acrylic illustrations, the improvisational rhythm is appropriate to the jazzy theme but makes the story hard to follow, and the hepcat wordplay is overdone.” Horn Book Guide, 2007.
“The colorful, cartoonlike acrylic illustrations are a perfect match for the zany, slightly over-the-top story line.” School Library Journal, 2007.
6. CONNECTIONS
I would do a unit on fairy tales, reading the different versions of the “3 Little Pigs”. I would compare all the different versions.
With older students, I would continue this unit with a sub unit on jazz singers. I would have them make connections to this story and the singers that are alluded to in the story.
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Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock retold by Eric A. Kimmel
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1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
TITLE: Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock
AUTHOR: Retold by Eric A. Kimmel
ILLUSTRATOR: Janet Stevens
PUBLISHER: Holiday House Inc., New York, 1988
ISBN: 0-8234-0689-x
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Anansi discovers a magical rock that puts you to sleep for an hour. Seeing all his friends with their food stores, he tricks them into activating the rock and steals all their food. As one of the animals observes what he is doing, the animals get together and trick Anansi back. While he is asleep, the animals get their food back. Even though the animals got him, he still has not learned his lesson and continues to trick the other animals.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The retelling of this trickster tale by Kimmel depicts Anansi once again being lazy and tricking others to get what they have worked hard for. Kimmel brings to life this West-African folktale, keeping it alive for generations to come.
Illustrator Stevens once again provides vivid pictures throughout the book. While Anansi is depicted as a true spider, his expressions are not vivid or in detail. However, the other animals in the book are very realistically depicted with the exception of having human characteristics.
4. AWARDS RECEIVED
N/A
5. REVIEW EXCERPTS
“The text is rhythmic, nicely building suspense to the inevitable conclusion. Stevens' complementary, colorful illustrations add detail, humor, and movement to the text.” School Library Journal, 1988.
“Gentle pans and zooms capture Janet Stevens' winsome jungle creatures, who seem to move in time to authentic-sounding African instruments.” Booklist, 1991.
6. CONNECTIONS
I would read the other Anansi books by Kimmel and discuss how Anansi tries to get out of doing any work and benefiting from the hard work of his friends. Brainstorm ways Anansi uses to trick his friends. Discuss how this is not a good characteristic to have. Students would make connections to good character and what that entails, and discuss how Anansi does not portray these characteristics.
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Genre 1: Picture Books: Book 3 Millions of Cats by Wanda Ga’G
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
TITLE: Millions of Cats
AUTHOR: Wanda Ga’G
ILLUSTRATOR: Wanda Ga’G
PUBLISHER: Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, Inc. 1928
ISBN: 978-0-399-23315-9
Gág, Wanda. 1928. The Millions Of Cats. New York: Coward, McCann & Geoghegan.
2. PLOT SUMMARY
An elderly couple have a nice, tiny house with a cute, little yard with flowers in it. The woman complains that she is too lonely and they should get a cat. The man tells her he will get her one. After traveling for a while, he comes upon “hundreds, thousands, millions, billions, trillions of cats.” He decides to choose the prettiest cat, however when he picks one and turns around, he sees another one that he needs to take. He winds up bringing them all home. They decide to have the cats decide who is the prettiest. This leads to a huge fight amongst the cats, until only one little cat is left. They bring the cat in and it grows into a beautiful cat.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Wanda Ga’g wrote and illustrated this book. The text and illustrations are done in ink and follow along in a sequential manner. The story begins as a folktale or fairy tale would, “once upon a time”. It shows kindness in the fact that the husband is willing to travel a great distance to find a cat for his wife. This story shows the consequences of what can happen if you can not make up your mind and make a good choice. The consequence of not making a good choice led to the cats getting into a huge fight and the insinuation that the cats must have eaten each other. However, on the other hand, when they find one cat left, it becomes the most beautiful cat in the world to them.
The illustrations are beautifully done and follow the story very well. They depict the scenes from the story with believable accuracy.
I personally do not think I would read this book to children, as the part about fighting and eating each other is not an issue I would like to bring to children’s attention.
4. AWARDS RECEIVED
Indies' Choice Book Award, 2017.
5. REVIEW EXCERPTS
I was not able to find any professional reviews. I did however find a review from “mommy wants to read” blog.
“There was a bit of gruesomeness that might not be appropriate for all children. In it when the old man lets the cats decide they all fight and the next day the have all disappeared and the assume that the cats ate each other.”
6. CONNECTIONS
I would approach this from a philosophy angle. The following subjecty areas would be addressed and a classroom/group discussion would follow:
*The Subjectivity of Beauty
*Beauty as Culturally Constructed
*Beauty and Happiness
*Who Gets to Judge What’s Pretty?
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Genre 1: Picture Books: Book 2 Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion by Mo Willems
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
TITLE: Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion
AUTHOR: Mo Willems
ILLUSTRATOR: Mo Willems
PUBLISHER: Balzer & Bray, an imprint of HaperCollins Publishers, New York, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-06-192957-1
Willems, Mo. 2010. Knuffle Bunny Free. Ill. Mo Williems. New York: Balzer & Bray.
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Trixie is going to visit her grandparents who live in Holland. Her and her family have to take a taxi, an airplane, and a train to reach her grandparents house. She is getting to know her grandparents and realizes she left her favorite toy, Knuffle Bunny, on the airplane. They find out the airplane went to China and Trixie becomes very depressed. She tried to enjoy the fun things her family did for her, but she was too sad. Her grandparents tried to make her happ by getting her a “top of the line’ bunny doll. It didn’t work. That night, she dreamed of Knuffle Bunny going many places, meeting many people and making others happy. She woke up feeling better. Soon it was time to go home and she found her Knuffle Bunny and wound up giving it to a little baby who was very upset. She began getting letters from the babies mother showing her how Knuffle Bunny is doing and feeling.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Mo Willems does a great job of showing how father, child dynamics work and the relationships between different members of the family. The story begins by telling you that Trixie’s family is going to visit “Opa” and “Oma” (grandparents) in Holland, which is far away. In order to explain how far it is, he tells about them traveling by taxi, airplane, and train to get there, and also the waiting and how they passed the time while traveling.Willems tells how excited the grandparents were to see Trixie. When she realizes Knuffle Bunny is missing, she doesn’t use words to tell her dad, she just looks at him and he realizes what has happened. At this time, everyone in the family is trying to make Trixie feel better. Oma tries to tell her how big she is getting bigger, but she wishes she wasn’t.She is so sad, even though the family is trying to do fun events with her, and even their attempt to buy her a better toy, she doesn’t feel any better. Willems portrayal of how she dreams of how happy Knuffle Bunny is and is making other people feel better, shows insight to how children can overcome their feelings. She goes on to enjoy the rest of the trip and on the way home, she finds her long-lost friend. The trip on the plane is stressful as there is an unhappy baby and Trixie shows how grown up she is by giving her favorite toy to the baby. She then starts getting letters showing her how happy the baby and Knuffle Bunny are after she gets home.
Willems is also the illustrator of this book and his use of real photographs with an overlay of hand drawn ink illustrations give the pictures a life-like feel with a cartoonish atmosphere, children can relate to. The photos depict real life pictures of what is happening in the story, while the hand drawn ink characters show them and their actions in the situations. Before the story begins, there are “portraits” hung on a wall that show the family from the wedding through Trixie’s life up to this point. The illustrations follow the storyline exceptionally well. From the boredom of waiting to the excitement of each new adventure, the expressions showing how they are feeling as the story evolves. During Trixie’s dreams the photos with the drawings show Knuffle Bunny flying through each scene of places he would visit, and him interacting with the people in different situations. These depictions of actions and feelings continue throughout the rest of the book, ending with Trixie receiving her first letter and picture of the baby and Knuffle Bunny. The continuation of the photos continue in “A Note to Trixie” section telling how he hopes to watch her grown up, fall in love, start a family, be happy and hopes that one day she will receive a package for her child with Knuffle Bunny in it and a note signed by her daddy.
4. AWARDS RECEIVED
Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books. 2010
Christopher Book Awards, 2011
5. REVIEW EXCERPTS
“Willems's affectionate saga comes to a reassuring end, letting readers know they can release the treasured objects of childhood without losing their identities or their families' love.” Publisher’s Weekly, 2010.
“Willems once again conveys a range of emotions through limited text and outstanding illustrations. His sensitivity to children's needs allows the humor to come through without devaluing the feelings.” School Library Journal, 2010.
6. CONNECTIONS
● Read the books: Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale and Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity. Compare and contrast the books and the stories.
● Do a book talk on discuss how we feel about a favorite toy,etc. and discuss how they would feel or have felt when they lose something close to them. Make text to self connections.
● Lesson on feelings and how to deal with them.
● Lessons on families. I would have students bring in pictures of their families and some of them doing things together. Travel, playing, sports, etc.
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