BIBLIOGRAPHY
Minters, Frances. 1994. Cinder-Elly. Illustrated by G. Brian Karas. New York: Puffin Books. ISBN 0140561269.
PLOT SUMMARY
Cinder-Elly lives with her Mom, Dad and two sisters in New York City. Her sisters, Sue and Nelly are mean to El by making her serve iced tea and leaving her out when playing video games. One day, Cinder-Elly and her sisters, receive a note stating they won free tickets to a basketball game. They were so excited, but El couldn’t go because she had nothing to wear. Her mother only had money to buy clothes for her sisters. So after Sue and Nelly left for the game, Cinder-Elly’s godmother came to visit. She miraculously used her cane and “poof” gave her some new clothes along with some cool glass sneakers. At the game, El meets the pro basketball player Prince Charming. He asks her out for pizza but time runs out and she has to rush back home with her old clothes. After signing autographs, Prince tries to find El but instead finds a glass sneaker. He posts flyers all over the city in hopes that whoever owns the shoe will call him. Sue and Nelly call Prince and he comes over with the sneaker, but it doesn’t fit either of them. Cinder-Elly then tries it on and like the original version of the tale…“everyone lived forever happy.”
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This modern Cinderella tale is set in present day New York City. Minters updates this version by including things like Cinder-Elly living with her Mom, Dad and real sisters. Instead of glass slippers she wears glass sneakers. She meets Prince Charming at a basketball game instead of a ball. Her godmother is her actual godmother that she hasn’t seen since she was about two years old. Minters uses a rhyming style to capture the attention of a young audience. “She worked so hard/It was a pity/She had no fun/In New York City.” Intermingled between the text, is drawings of little people making little comments throughout the story, such as “poor Cinder-Elly and “you look great, El!” Illustrator, Karas, accurately captures the urban setting with watercolor paintings. But in order to grab the reader’s attention, the illustrations could have been a little more colorful and livelier.
Even though readers will be able to identify and connect to the traditional Cinderella story, this version is a bit confusing. This is an adorable version of the original but it would have read better if the author would have concentrated more on the text instead of writing it in verse and having it rhyme. Nonetheless, this will be a good book for young readers to compare and contrast to other Cinderella stories.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
A Review from Publisher’s Weekly: “This ultracool version of the fairy tale, set in Manhattan, updates the classic with singular flair. Collages, wild patterns and funky fashions mimic music videos and build up the snazzy urban setting. An ideal match of artist and author.”
A Review from School Library Journal: "An annoying hodgepodge of stilted, cloying verse; a modern New York City setting; and traditional elements. But each of those elements is not quite what it should be. Flat, modern watercolors try their best to add to the hip feeling this story tries to portray, but they are often as cluttered as the text. A jumbled path that leads nowhere.”
CONNECTIONS
Students can use a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast Cinder-Elly and the traditional Cinderella story. They can compare and contrast story elements such as characters, plot, climax and ending.
Other Cinderella fractured fairy tales:
Cole, Babette. Prince Cinders. ISBN 0698115546
Jackson, Ellen. Cinder Edna. ISBN 0688162959
Johnston, Tony. Bigfoot Cinderrrrella. ISBN 0399230211
Lowell, Susan. Cindy Ellen: A Wild Western Cinderella. ISBN 0064438643
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
MONSTER
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Myers, Walter Dean. 1999. Monster. Illustrated by Christopher Myers. New York: Harper Tempest. ISBN 0060280786
PLOT SUMMARY
Sixteen year-old Steve Harmon is awaiting a trial that will determine the rest of his life. Steve was serving as a lookout in the robbery of a Harlem convenient store. During the robbery attempt, the store owner was killed. He is now being tried as an accomplice to murder. While in jail and on trial, Steve who is an aspiring filmmaker, decides to write his own screenplay and record the events of his trial.
The story begins with journal entries Steve has written describing his feelings of despair and anguish about his experiences in prison and in the courtroom. As the courtroom drama unfolds, the prosecutor tries to show that even though Steve did not pull the trigger, he is guilty by association. She portrays him to the jury as a “Monster” while Steve’s lawyer tries to convince them he is a decent law-abiding citizen and was not even present at the time of the robbery.
Will Steve receive a fair trial or will he be railroaded because he is black? In the end, Steve’s guilt or innocence is never made clear. It is up to the reader to determine whether he is a “Monster”.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Myers creates this riveting story of sixteen year-old Steve Harmon through Steve’s point of view, as he struggles with the fact that he is being tried as an accomplice to murder. Steve, an aspiring filmmaker, decides to record the trial’s events as a screenplay. “Sometimes I feel like I have walked into the middle of a movie. Maybe I can make my own movie. The film will be the story of my life. No, not my life, but of this experience. I’ll call it what the lady who is the prosecutor called me. Monster.” Between scenes, we read Steve’s handwritten journal about the case in which he details the harshness and fears of prison life. His screenplay vividly explores his apprehensions about the court proceedings and tension in the courtroom. The screenplay is very expressive and colorful; complete with close-ups, reaction shots and authentic-sounding dialogue.
While descriptions of Steve’s predicament is dramatic, the actual crime in which a robbery and murder was committed is not discussed in detail. Therefore, it is up to the reader to draw their own conclusion to determine Steve’s guilt or innocence.
As young adults read each page, they will consider the repercussions of peer pressure and will question the choices one makes. They will learn about the justice system and will try to decide whether Steve is innocent or guilty. Teens and adults alike will find this an interesting and compelling story.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Review from Booklist: “A fascinating portrait of a terrified young man wrestling with his conscience. The tens drama of the courtroom scenes will enthrall readers, but it the thorny moral questions raised in Steven’s journal that will endure in readers’ memories”.
Review in Kirkus Reviews: “A riveting novel. A taut and moving drama”.
Review from School Library Journal: “Riveting….An emotionally charged story that readers will find compelling and disturbing.”
CONNECTIONS
Other books by Walter Dean Myers:
Scorpions ISBN 0064406237
Slam! ISBN 0545055741
Bad Boy: A Memoir ISBN 0545055776
Somewhere in the Darkness ISBN 0064472884
Myers, Walter Dean. 1999. Monster. Illustrated by Christopher Myers. New York: Harper Tempest. ISBN 0060280786
PLOT SUMMARY
Sixteen year-old Steve Harmon is awaiting a trial that will determine the rest of his life. Steve was serving as a lookout in the robbery of a Harlem convenient store. During the robbery attempt, the store owner was killed. He is now being tried as an accomplice to murder. While in jail and on trial, Steve who is an aspiring filmmaker, decides to write his own screenplay and record the events of his trial.
The story begins with journal entries Steve has written describing his feelings of despair and anguish about his experiences in prison and in the courtroom. As the courtroom drama unfolds, the prosecutor tries to show that even though Steve did not pull the trigger, he is guilty by association. She portrays him to the jury as a “Monster” while Steve’s lawyer tries to convince them he is a decent law-abiding citizen and was not even present at the time of the robbery.
Will Steve receive a fair trial or will he be railroaded because he is black? In the end, Steve’s guilt or innocence is never made clear. It is up to the reader to determine whether he is a “Monster”.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Myers creates this riveting story of sixteen year-old Steve Harmon through Steve’s point of view, as he struggles with the fact that he is being tried as an accomplice to murder. Steve, an aspiring filmmaker, decides to record the trial’s events as a screenplay. “Sometimes I feel like I have walked into the middle of a movie. Maybe I can make my own movie. The film will be the story of my life. No, not my life, but of this experience. I’ll call it what the lady who is the prosecutor called me. Monster.” Between scenes, we read Steve’s handwritten journal about the case in which he details the harshness and fears of prison life. His screenplay vividly explores his apprehensions about the court proceedings and tension in the courtroom. The screenplay is very expressive and colorful; complete with close-ups, reaction shots and authentic-sounding dialogue.
While descriptions of Steve’s predicament is dramatic, the actual crime in which a robbery and murder was committed is not discussed in detail. Therefore, it is up to the reader to draw their own conclusion to determine Steve’s guilt or innocence.
As young adults read each page, they will consider the repercussions of peer pressure and will question the choices one makes. They will learn about the justice system and will try to decide whether Steve is innocent or guilty. Teens and adults alike will find this an interesting and compelling story.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Review from Booklist: “A fascinating portrait of a terrified young man wrestling with his conscience. The tens drama of the courtroom scenes will enthrall readers, but it the thorny moral questions raised in Steven’s journal that will endure in readers’ memories”.
Review in Kirkus Reviews: “A riveting novel. A taut and moving drama”.
Review from School Library Journal: “Riveting….An emotionally charged story that readers will find compelling and disturbing.”
CONNECTIONS
Other books by Walter Dean Myers:
Scorpions ISBN 0064406237
Slam! ISBN 0545055741
Bad Boy: A Memoir ISBN 0545055776
Somewhere in the Darkness ISBN 0064472884
JOEY PIGZA LOSES CONTROL
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Gantos, Jack. 2000. Joey Pigza Loses Control. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 0374399891.
PLOT SUMMARY
Joey Pigza is finally getting his attention deficit disorder under control with the help of medication. He has been given the opportunity to live with his father for six weeks, after years of not seeing him. Though his mother fears the worst, she reluctantly lets him go. Once there, Joey tries to adapt to the crazy life of his father and grandmother. Eventually, Joey’s dad feels that his son doesn’t need to take his medication anymore and flushes them down the toilet. Joey attempts to adapt to his father’s erratic mood swings, his grandmother’s demands, and the internal struggle of trying to please both his mother and father. After a while, Joey doesn’t deal very well without his medication and starts to “lose control”.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Gantos tells a humorous yet serious story about a young boy named Joey who struggles with hyperactivity disorder, his parents divorce, and his dad’s alcoholism. When Joey visits his estranged father Carter for the summer, he doesn’t realize what a rollercoaster ride he will go on. The story is told from Joey’s point of view which helps readers feel compassion with his struggles of trying to be normal, despite his disability. Joey wants so much to please his father, but when he takes his medication away, he goes along with it even though he knows it’s not the best decision for him. Joey wants to get to know his dad but he’s too busy thinking of himself to listen to Joey. Readers will empathize with Joey as he works hard to control his behavior and starts to make some wrong choices and lose control. The struggle of not having his medication to manage his disorder finally gets too difficult for him to handle. Even though he loves his dad, he realizes what is best for him and that is to go home with his mom and take his medication.
Some readers will be able to relate to Joey’s struggle with hyperactivity disorder and the issues of having divorced parents. Readers will cheer for Joey and want him to have a good relationship with his father but will also feel compassion when it doesn’t work out. There are some comic relief scenes such as when his pet Chihuahua, Pablo, gets carsick while his mom drives with an expired license. In the end, readers will feel satisfied when Joey finally gets a chance to see first hand how his father is and comes to his own conclusion on what is best for him.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Review in Publishers Weekly: First introduced in Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key, Gantos’s hyperactive hero Joey Pigza has not lost any of his liveliness. Like its predecessor, this high-voltage, honest novel mixes humor, pain, fear and courage with deceptive ease. Struggling to please everyone even as he sees himself hurtling toward disaster, Joey emerges as a sympathetic hero, and his heart of gold never loses its shine.
Review in School Library Journal: At the end of Joe Pigza Swallowed the Key, this endearing, but incredible challenging kid was adjusting to his new medicine patches for his ADHD. Now he is flung from the frying pan into the fire when he visits his father and grandmother for the summer. Readers will be drawn in immediately to the boy’s gripping first-person narrative and be pulled pell-mell through episodes that are at once hilarious, harrowing, and ultimately heartening as Joey grows to understand himself and the people around him.
CONNECTIONS
Have students write an essay about a situation when they felt out of control? How did they handle it?
Other books about Joey Pigza:
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key ISBN 0064408337
I Am Not Joey Pigza ISBN 0374399417
Gantos, Jack. 2000. Joey Pigza Loses Control. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 0374399891.
PLOT SUMMARY
Joey Pigza is finally getting his attention deficit disorder under control with the help of medication. He has been given the opportunity to live with his father for six weeks, after years of not seeing him. Though his mother fears the worst, she reluctantly lets him go. Once there, Joey tries to adapt to the crazy life of his father and grandmother. Eventually, Joey’s dad feels that his son doesn’t need to take his medication anymore and flushes them down the toilet. Joey attempts to adapt to his father’s erratic mood swings, his grandmother’s demands, and the internal struggle of trying to please both his mother and father. After a while, Joey doesn’t deal very well without his medication and starts to “lose control”.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Gantos tells a humorous yet serious story about a young boy named Joey who struggles with hyperactivity disorder, his parents divorce, and his dad’s alcoholism. When Joey visits his estranged father Carter for the summer, he doesn’t realize what a rollercoaster ride he will go on. The story is told from Joey’s point of view which helps readers feel compassion with his struggles of trying to be normal, despite his disability. Joey wants so much to please his father, but when he takes his medication away, he goes along with it even though he knows it’s not the best decision for him. Joey wants to get to know his dad but he’s too busy thinking of himself to listen to Joey. Readers will empathize with Joey as he works hard to control his behavior and starts to make some wrong choices and lose control. The struggle of not having his medication to manage his disorder finally gets too difficult for him to handle. Even though he loves his dad, he realizes what is best for him and that is to go home with his mom and take his medication.
Some readers will be able to relate to Joey’s struggle with hyperactivity disorder and the issues of having divorced parents. Readers will cheer for Joey and want him to have a good relationship with his father but will also feel compassion when it doesn’t work out. There are some comic relief scenes such as when his pet Chihuahua, Pablo, gets carsick while his mom drives with an expired license. In the end, readers will feel satisfied when Joey finally gets a chance to see first hand how his father is and comes to his own conclusion on what is best for him.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Review in Publishers Weekly: First introduced in Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key, Gantos’s hyperactive hero Joey Pigza has not lost any of his liveliness. Like its predecessor, this high-voltage, honest novel mixes humor, pain, fear and courage with deceptive ease. Struggling to please everyone even as he sees himself hurtling toward disaster, Joey emerges as a sympathetic hero, and his heart of gold never loses its shine.
Review in School Library Journal: At the end of Joe Pigza Swallowed the Key, this endearing, but incredible challenging kid was adjusting to his new medicine patches for his ADHD. Now he is flung from the frying pan into the fire when he visits his father and grandmother for the summer. Readers will be drawn in immediately to the boy’s gripping first-person narrative and be pulled pell-mell through episodes that are at once hilarious, harrowing, and ultimately heartening as Joey grows to understand himself and the people around him.
CONNECTIONS
Have students write an essay about a situation when they felt out of control? How did they handle it?
Other books about Joey Pigza:
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key ISBN 0064408337
I Am Not Joey Pigza ISBN 0374399417
ARTEMIS FOWL: THE ARCTIC INCIDENT
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Colfer, Eoin. 2002. Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident. New York: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 0786808551.
PLOT SUMMARY
Artemis Fowl is a thirteen year old criminal mastermind who is living in an Irish boarding school. He receives a message from the Russian mafiya about a man he thought he never thought he’d see again, his father Artemis Fowl, Senior. Artemis knows it’s not going to be an easy task, but he is determined to rescue him. The LEP, Lower Elements Police, an elite team of fairies, pixies, sprites and other magical creatures, stop him as he rushes to rescue his father. But Artemis decides to make a deal with the LEP and joins forces with them to help him find his father.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The Arctic Incident is the sequel to Eoin Colfer’s popular and critically received Artemis Fowl. This second series has a good plot, is action-packed, suspenseful, with some touches of humor. Also, it’s a great example of why fantasy books are such a great read.
The story takes place in an underground world where goblins, fairies, centaurs, pixies, dwarfs and other magical creatures live. Readers will use their imagination to
The story begins when Artemis receives a video message about his father who is being held hostage by the Russian Mafiya. He had been presumed dead for the past two years but Artemis always had hope that he was still alive. He requests assistance from the LEP, Lower Elements Police, and teams up with Captain Holly Short and the other magical creatures of the LEP regime to help rescue him. Holly and Artemis had some past conflict but throughout the course of the book, they finally come to an understanding. Artemis is a nicer person this time around and learns about friendship and respect. Colfer presents ideas of hope and trust to the readers when Artemis must make some difficult decisions while attempting to rescue his father before time runs out while trying to hold up his end of the bargain with Captain Short.
Colfer presents readers with unique and unusual characters such as goblins, leprechauns, pixies, dwarfs and fairies. There is plenty of action and non-stop spy adventures making it a fun read for teens and young readers. Much like the Harry Potter series, this book will take readers on a rollercoaster ride to bold and daring adventures. Young readers will look forward to reading Colfer’s other series of Artemis Fowl books.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Review from Publishers Weekly: “Once again, the roller coaster of a plot introduces a host of high jinks and high-tech weaponry as Colfer blends derring-do with snappy prose (“The broad grin disappeared like a fox down a hole”) and repartee (“Hey, Mulch, If you listen really hard you can just about make out the sound of nobody giving a hoot”). The resulting fantasy hosts memorable characters, many of whom (such as the flatulent dwarf Mulch Diggums) reprise roles that helped attract fans to the first adventure. The author ratchets up the body count in this return engagement (perhaps too steeply for some tastes), and the high-concept premise may be a tad slick for others, but Colfer’s finger is firmly on the pulse of his target market, and along extra helpings of sly humor (“The sprite’s breathing calmed, and a healthy green tinge started to return to his cheeks”) he delivers a cracking good read.
CONNECTIONS
Other Artemis Fowl series:
Artemis Fowl (Book 1)
Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code (Book 3)
Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception (Book 4)
Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony (Book 5)
Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox (Book 6)
Colfer, Eoin. 2002. Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident. New York: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 0786808551.
PLOT SUMMARY
Artemis Fowl is a thirteen year old criminal mastermind who is living in an Irish boarding school. He receives a message from the Russian mafiya about a man he thought he never thought he’d see again, his father Artemis Fowl, Senior. Artemis knows it’s not going to be an easy task, but he is determined to rescue him. The LEP, Lower Elements Police, an elite team of fairies, pixies, sprites and other magical creatures, stop him as he rushes to rescue his father. But Artemis decides to make a deal with the LEP and joins forces with them to help him find his father.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The Arctic Incident is the sequel to Eoin Colfer’s popular and critically received Artemis Fowl. This second series has a good plot, is action-packed, suspenseful, with some touches of humor. Also, it’s a great example of why fantasy books are such a great read.
The story takes place in an underground world where goblins, fairies, centaurs, pixies, dwarfs and other magical creatures live. Readers will use their imagination to
The story begins when Artemis receives a video message about his father who is being held hostage by the Russian Mafiya. He had been presumed dead for the past two years but Artemis always had hope that he was still alive. He requests assistance from the LEP, Lower Elements Police, and teams up with Captain Holly Short and the other magical creatures of the LEP regime to help rescue him. Holly and Artemis had some past conflict but throughout the course of the book, they finally come to an understanding. Artemis is a nicer person this time around and learns about friendship and respect. Colfer presents ideas of hope and trust to the readers when Artemis must make some difficult decisions while attempting to rescue his father before time runs out while trying to hold up his end of the bargain with Captain Short.
Colfer presents readers with unique and unusual characters such as goblins, leprechauns, pixies, dwarfs and fairies. There is plenty of action and non-stop spy adventures making it a fun read for teens and young readers. Much like the Harry Potter series, this book will take readers on a rollercoaster ride to bold and daring adventures. Young readers will look forward to reading Colfer’s other series of Artemis Fowl books.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Review from Publishers Weekly: “Once again, the roller coaster of a plot introduces a host of high jinks and high-tech weaponry as Colfer blends derring-do with snappy prose (“The broad grin disappeared like a fox down a hole”) and repartee (“Hey, Mulch, If you listen really hard you can just about make out the sound of nobody giving a hoot”). The resulting fantasy hosts memorable characters, many of whom (such as the flatulent dwarf Mulch Diggums) reprise roles that helped attract fans to the first adventure. The author ratchets up the body count in this return engagement (perhaps too steeply for some tastes), and the high-concept premise may be a tad slick for others, but Colfer’s finger is firmly on the pulse of his target market, and along extra helpings of sly humor (“The sprite’s breathing calmed, and a healthy green tinge started to return to his cheeks”) he delivers a cracking good read.
CONNECTIONS
Other Artemis Fowl series:
Artemis Fowl (Book 1)
Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code (Book 3)
Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception (Book 4)
Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony (Book 5)
Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox (Book 6)
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
GOOD MASTERS! SWEET LADIES! VOICES FROM A MEDIEVAL VILLAGE
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Schlitz, Laura Amy. 2007. GOOD MASTERS! SWEET LADIES! VOICES FROM A MEDIEVAL VILLAGE. Ill. by Robert Byrd. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press. ISBN 0763615789.
PLOT SUMMARY
Set in England in 1255, twenty-three different young villagers introduce themselves to readers through monologues and dialogues and give details of their life in medieval times. Schlitz offers this collection of one person plays to be performed by middle school students. These monologues are written in prose, rhyme and a few are written in two voices. Readers learn about farming, pilgrimages, marriages, religion, freedom and the crusades of the Middle Ages.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! is a Newbery Medal-winning book contains a series of monologues written to be performed by school children and tells of an individual child from the middle ages. The readers learn about people such as Lord of the Manor’s nephew, who risks his life in a boar hunt and Edgar, the falconer’s son who plots to keep his bird from the real owners grasp. Each story is told in first person so the readers can understand the lives of these twenty three young people who lived in Medieval Times. In between monologues, Schlitz offers short factual background on things like “The Crusades”. Footnotes are presented in sidebars and explain various phrases, terms, and factual pieces of medieval customs and history.
Byrd illustrates each monologue with pen and ink drawings. At the beginning of the book, he maps out an English Village known as “Medieval Manor” where every character appears. It shows where these young English boys and girls would have lived on a typical manor during medieval times.
This collection of monologues will be fun for young students to perform. As each person takes on a character, they will start to think what might have happened to these young people.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Starred review from Booklist: This unusually fine collection of related monologues and dialogues promises to be a rewarding choice for performance or for reading aloud in the classroom.
Starred review from Publishers Weekly: Bolstered by lively asides and unobtrusive notes, and illuminated by Byrd’s (Leonardo, Beautiful Dreamer) stunningly atmospheric watercolors, they bring to life a prototypical English village in 1255.
CONNECTIONS
Have students perform monologues.
Other books by Laura Amy Schlitz:
The Hero Schliemann
A Drowned Maiden’s Hair
More Books about the Middle Ages:
The Middle Ages: A Watts Guide for Children by William Chester Jordan
Knights: Warriors of the Middle Ages by Aileen Weintraub
Outrageous Women of the Middle Ages by Vicki Leon
Story of the Middle Ages by Michael McHugh
The Middle Ages by Sarah McNeill
Children and Games in the Middle Ages by Lynne Elliott
Women and Girls in the Middle Ages by Kay Eastwood
Schlitz, Laura Amy. 2007. GOOD MASTERS! SWEET LADIES! VOICES FROM A MEDIEVAL VILLAGE. Ill. by Robert Byrd. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press. ISBN 0763615789.
PLOT SUMMARY
Set in England in 1255, twenty-three different young villagers introduce themselves to readers through monologues and dialogues and give details of their life in medieval times. Schlitz offers this collection of one person plays to be performed by middle school students. These monologues are written in prose, rhyme and a few are written in two voices. Readers learn about farming, pilgrimages, marriages, religion, freedom and the crusades of the Middle Ages.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! is a Newbery Medal-winning book contains a series of monologues written to be performed by school children and tells of an individual child from the middle ages. The readers learn about people such as Lord of the Manor’s nephew, who risks his life in a boar hunt and Edgar, the falconer’s son who plots to keep his bird from the real owners grasp. Each story is told in first person so the readers can understand the lives of these twenty three young people who lived in Medieval Times. In between monologues, Schlitz offers short factual background on things like “The Crusades”. Footnotes are presented in sidebars and explain various phrases, terms, and factual pieces of medieval customs and history.
Byrd illustrates each monologue with pen and ink drawings. At the beginning of the book, he maps out an English Village known as “Medieval Manor” where every character appears. It shows where these young English boys and girls would have lived on a typical manor during medieval times.
This collection of monologues will be fun for young students to perform. As each person takes on a character, they will start to think what might have happened to these young people.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Starred review from Booklist: This unusually fine collection of related monologues and dialogues promises to be a rewarding choice for performance or for reading aloud in the classroom.
Starred review from Publishers Weekly: Bolstered by lively asides and unobtrusive notes, and illuminated by Byrd’s (Leonardo, Beautiful Dreamer) stunningly atmospheric watercolors, they bring to life a prototypical English village in 1255.
CONNECTIONS
Have students perform monologues.
Other books by Laura Amy Schlitz:
The Hero Schliemann
A Drowned Maiden’s Hair
More Books about the Middle Ages:
The Middle Ages: A Watts Guide for Children by William Chester Jordan
Knights: Warriors of the Middle Ages by Aileen Weintraub
Outrageous Women of the Middle Ages by Vicki Leon
Story of the Middle Ages by Michael McHugh
The Middle Ages by Sarah McNeill
Children and Games in the Middle Ages by Lynne Elliott
Women and Girls in the Middle Ages by Kay Eastwood
THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Speare, Elizabeth George. 1958. THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0395071143.
PLOT SUMMARY
In the late 1600’s a young girl named Kit travels from Barbados to the Puritan Colony of Connecticut after her grandfather’s death. She must transition from a life of freedom she had with her grandfather to a strict and religious life with her aunt and uncle. Kit is befriended by Hannah, an old Quaker woman known in the community as “The Witch”. Kit’s free and spirited-nature causes some residents to believe she is also a witch. Kit puts her life in danger to protect Hannah when the community suddenly embarks on a witch hunt.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The classic story of The Witch of Blackbird Pond gives readers a glimpse of Early Colonial America which details people’s beliefs and religious doctrines in the late 17th century. Kit, a sixteen year old, who’s wealthy and prosperous lifestyle, is short-lived once she moves from Barbados to New England to live with her religious Puritanical relatives after the death of her grandfather. Because of her impulsivity, harmless gestures and friendships, she must deal with the town targeting her as a witch. Amidst the politics and religion of the colonial world, Speares also presents a little romance with Kit and Nathaniel Eaton, the Captain’s son.
This book is full of information about life in a Puritan Colony. The reader gets a sense of the difficulties faced by early settlers such as religious persecution, political unrest, illness, and work in the late 1600’s. Young readers will enjoy this compelling story of Early Colonial America.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Review from Horn Book: The New England of colonial times…is realistically drawn as background for a solidly written character study.
Review from New York Times: the book has a lively plot and excellent characterizations. The background has every dimension of reality.
CONNECTIONS
Discuss Puritanism in New England with students:
What’s a Puritan? Why did they come to America? What’s the difference between a Puritan and a Pilgrim? What would it be like to live in a family of Puritans? What is a Quaker?
Elizabeth Speare’s other Newbery Award Books:
The Bronze Bow
The Sign of the Beaver
Speare, Elizabeth George. 1958. THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0395071143.
PLOT SUMMARY
In the late 1600’s a young girl named Kit travels from Barbados to the Puritan Colony of Connecticut after her grandfather’s death. She must transition from a life of freedom she had with her grandfather to a strict and religious life with her aunt and uncle. Kit is befriended by Hannah, an old Quaker woman known in the community as “The Witch”. Kit’s free and spirited-nature causes some residents to believe she is also a witch. Kit puts her life in danger to protect Hannah when the community suddenly embarks on a witch hunt.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The classic story of The Witch of Blackbird Pond gives readers a glimpse of Early Colonial America which details people’s beliefs and religious doctrines in the late 17th century. Kit, a sixteen year old, who’s wealthy and prosperous lifestyle, is short-lived once she moves from Barbados to New England to live with her religious Puritanical relatives after the death of her grandfather. Because of her impulsivity, harmless gestures and friendships, she must deal with the town targeting her as a witch. Amidst the politics and religion of the colonial world, Speares also presents a little romance with Kit and Nathaniel Eaton, the Captain’s son.
This book is full of information about life in a Puritan Colony. The reader gets a sense of the difficulties faced by early settlers such as religious persecution, political unrest, illness, and work in the late 1600’s. Young readers will enjoy this compelling story of Early Colonial America.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Review from Horn Book: The New England of colonial times…is realistically drawn as background for a solidly written character study.
Review from New York Times: the book has a lively plot and excellent characterizations. The background has every dimension of reality.
CONNECTIONS
Discuss Puritanism in New England with students:
What’s a Puritan? Why did they come to America? What’s the difference between a Puritan and a Pilgrim? What would it be like to live in a family of Puritans? What is a Quaker?
Elizabeth Speare’s other Newbery Award Books:
The Bronze Bow
The Sign of the Beaver
THE LAND
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Taylor, Mildred D. 2001. THE LAND. New York. Phylis Fogelman Books. ISBN 0803719507.
PLOT SUMMARY
This prequel to the Newbery Award winning Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is the story of Paul-Edward Logan, the Grandfather of Cassie Logan. Paul-Edward is the son of a white plantation owner and a former slave. Although his father acknowledges him and his siblings, they are still unable to sit at the dinner table when there are white guests. As Paul gets older, he feels confused and resentment towards his father and is unable to fit into either the black world or the white world. At fourteen, he decides to run away to seek the one fortune he so desires, land. Taylor takes readers on a journey through Paul’s struggles and triumphs of acquiring his cherished land and finally making his dream a reality.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This 2002 Coretta Scott King Award-winning book tells an inspiring story of Paul-Edwards heart-breaking adventures of acquiring his dream of possessing his own land. The story is set in Mississippi during the late 1800’s after the Civil War. Taylor poignantly describes the aftermath of slavery in the Deep South. She brings history to life by her remarkable storytelling. Readers will feel a sense of sadness when Paul runs away and is unable to return home. They will also cheer when he overcomes many obstacles and fulfills his life-long dream of obtaining his land. The characters are well-developed and the well-rounded storyline helps readers understand the trials and tribulations people had to endure at that time. Taylor’s depiction of Paul’s determination and resiliency will have readers wanting to know more about his complete journey of hope and resolve.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Starred Review from Booklist: Readers…will grab this and be astonished by its powerful story.
Review from Publishers Weekly: Taylor’s gift for combining history and storytelling are as evident here as in her other stories about the Logan family. Taylor fans should hasten to read this latest contribution to the Logan family history, and newcomers will eagerly lap this up and plunge into the author’s other titles.
Review from School Library Journal: This historical novel brings this period of American history to life.
CONNECTIONS
Other books by Mildred D. Taylor:
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
The Road to Memphis
The Friendship
Let the Circle be Unbroken
Song of the Trees
The Well: David’s Story
Mississippi Bridge
The Gold Cadillac
Taylor, Mildred D. 2001. THE LAND. New York. Phylis Fogelman Books. ISBN 0803719507.
PLOT SUMMARY
This prequel to the Newbery Award winning Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is the story of Paul-Edward Logan, the Grandfather of Cassie Logan. Paul-Edward is the son of a white plantation owner and a former slave. Although his father acknowledges him and his siblings, they are still unable to sit at the dinner table when there are white guests. As Paul gets older, he feels confused and resentment towards his father and is unable to fit into either the black world or the white world. At fourteen, he decides to run away to seek the one fortune he so desires, land. Taylor takes readers on a journey through Paul’s struggles and triumphs of acquiring his cherished land and finally making his dream a reality.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This 2002 Coretta Scott King Award-winning book tells an inspiring story of Paul-Edwards heart-breaking adventures of acquiring his dream of possessing his own land. The story is set in Mississippi during the late 1800’s after the Civil War. Taylor poignantly describes the aftermath of slavery in the Deep South. She brings history to life by her remarkable storytelling. Readers will feel a sense of sadness when Paul runs away and is unable to return home. They will also cheer when he overcomes many obstacles and fulfills his life-long dream of obtaining his land. The characters are well-developed and the well-rounded storyline helps readers understand the trials and tribulations people had to endure at that time. Taylor’s depiction of Paul’s determination and resiliency will have readers wanting to know more about his complete journey of hope and resolve.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Starred Review from Booklist: Readers…will grab this and be astonished by its powerful story.
Review from Publishers Weekly: Taylor’s gift for combining history and storytelling are as evident here as in her other stories about the Logan family. Taylor fans should hasten to read this latest contribution to the Logan family history, and newcomers will eagerly lap this up and plunge into the author’s other titles.
Review from School Library Journal: This historical novel brings this period of American history to life.
CONNECTIONS
Other books by Mildred D. Taylor:
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
The Road to Memphis
The Friendship
Let the Circle be Unbroken
Song of the Trees
The Well: David’s Story
Mississippi Bridge
The Gold Cadillac
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
PREHISTORIC ACTUAL SIZE
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Jenkins, Steve. 2005. PREHISTORIC ACTUAL SIZE. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0618535780.
PLOT SUMMARY
Jenkins introduces young readers to various prehistoric animals such as dinosaurs, mammals, insects and other groups that range from smallest to largest. He profiles primary characteristics of these primitive creatures such actual size, shape and how long ago they lived. Jenkins begins with the tiniest animal that ever appeared on Earth, the protozoan and describes one of the largest dinosaurs, the Giganotosaurus. This educational and informative book will help children with the concepts of measurement and will keep their interest as they flip through the pages.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In Prehistoric Actual Size, readers will get a chance to see how ancient creatures may have looked like at actual size. Jenkins uses life-sized illustrations of cut and torn paper collages accompanied by text underneath the image revealing the size of each creature. Children will be amazed at the size of a thirty-three foot Baryonyx, a fish-eating dinosaur, which shows just a mere claw. They will be in awe of a spiny shark that was only a mere three inches long. The head of a flying reptile known as the Dsungaripterus takes up four pages in the book. A tiny protozoan, nearly invisible to the naked eye, stands beside a sea scorpion which lived 420 million years ago. Kids can imagine these prehistoric animals walking, running, flying and stalking their prey. The last few pages are dedicated to showing more detailed information of these prehistoric creatures. Teachers, parents and children will find this book informative and educational when studying measurement as well as a fun and interesting read.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Starred Review in Booklist: “Children fascinated by Jenkins’ vibrant cut-paper artwork in Actual Size (2004) won’t want to miss the oversize album of prehistoric creatures that range from tiny to enormous.
Review in School Library Journal: “The exciting artistic presentation that worked so well in Acutual Size (Houghton, 2004) is equally successful when applied to prehistoric creatures. Progressing chronologically from a dot-sized protozoan of 550 million years ago Jenkins has chosen the animals and the portions of them to depict to great effect.”
CONNECTIONS
Introduce students to concept of measurement in mathematics
Study prehistoric animals in science
Other books about measurement:
Hightower, Susan. Twelve Snails to One Lizard: A Tale of Mischief and Measurement. ISBN 0689804520
Hoban, Tana. Is It Larger? Is It Smaller. ISBN 0688152872
Jenkings, Steve. Actual Size. ISBN 0618375945
Leedy, Loreen. Measuring Penny. ISBN 0805065725
Myller, Rolf. How Big is a Foot? ISBN 0440404959
Jenkins, Steve. 2005. PREHISTORIC ACTUAL SIZE. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0618535780.
PLOT SUMMARY
Jenkins introduces young readers to various prehistoric animals such as dinosaurs, mammals, insects and other groups that range from smallest to largest. He profiles primary characteristics of these primitive creatures such actual size, shape and how long ago they lived. Jenkins begins with the tiniest animal that ever appeared on Earth, the protozoan and describes one of the largest dinosaurs, the Giganotosaurus. This educational and informative book will help children with the concepts of measurement and will keep their interest as they flip through the pages.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In Prehistoric Actual Size, readers will get a chance to see how ancient creatures may have looked like at actual size. Jenkins uses life-sized illustrations of cut and torn paper collages accompanied by text underneath the image revealing the size of each creature. Children will be amazed at the size of a thirty-three foot Baryonyx, a fish-eating dinosaur, which shows just a mere claw. They will be in awe of a spiny shark that was only a mere three inches long. The head of a flying reptile known as the Dsungaripterus takes up four pages in the book. A tiny protozoan, nearly invisible to the naked eye, stands beside a sea scorpion which lived 420 million years ago. Kids can imagine these prehistoric animals walking, running, flying and stalking their prey. The last few pages are dedicated to showing more detailed information of these prehistoric creatures. Teachers, parents and children will find this book informative and educational when studying measurement as well as a fun and interesting read.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Starred Review in Booklist: “Children fascinated by Jenkins’ vibrant cut-paper artwork in Actual Size (2004) won’t want to miss the oversize album of prehistoric creatures that range from tiny to enormous.
Review in School Library Journal: “The exciting artistic presentation that worked so well in Acutual Size (Houghton, 2004) is equally successful when applied to prehistoric creatures. Progressing chronologically from a dot-sized protozoan of 550 million years ago Jenkins has chosen the animals and the portions of them to depict to great effect.”
CONNECTIONS
Introduce students to concept of measurement in mathematics
Study prehistoric animals in science
Other books about measurement:
Hightower, Susan. Twelve Snails to One Lizard: A Tale of Mischief and Measurement. ISBN 0689804520
Hoban, Tana. Is It Larger? Is It Smaller. ISBN 0688152872
Jenkings, Steve. Actual Size. ISBN 0618375945
Leedy, Loreen. Measuring Penny. ISBN 0805065725
Myller, Rolf. How Big is a Foot? ISBN 0440404959
LEONARDO DA VINCI
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Stanley, Diane. 1996. LEONARDO DA VINCI. New York, NY: Morrow Junior Books. ISBN 0688104371
PLOT SUMMARY
Leonardo was born in 1452 to a peasant woman and a country gentleman who was a leading citizen of Vinci. Because of Leonardo’s illegitimate birth, he was unable to follow his father in the family profession as a notary, so he became an artist. His creative talents shined through and he became an apprentice to a famous artist. Leonardo was also passionate for other things other than art as demonstrated in many of his famous notebooks. “There were drawings of grotesque faces, drafts of letters, sketches for future paintings, lists of books he owned, plans for inventions, moral observations, pages copied out of books he had borrowed, notes of things to remember, designs for weapons, drawings of anatomy and observations of nature.” As a great painter, sculptor, architect, scientist and inventor, Leonardo was one of the most amazing people who ever lived.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Stanley takes readers into the life of Leonardo da Vinci from his illegitimate birth to the last days of his life. She chronicles his extraordinary achievements from his famous paintings to his exceptional inventions. Young readers will be fascinated by Leonardo’s creative imagination as expressed through many of his famous notebooks. They will learn about Leonardo’s famous Last Supper painting to his study of anatomy. His reputation as a mechanical genius is clear when readers learn about his inventions of a flying machine to one of the world's first air cooling systems. Stanley presents her beautiful illustrations to accompany her story as well as actual drawings and sketches which Leonardo made in his lifetime. Leonardo’s numerous accomplishments and adventurous life will keep young readers entertained and interested.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Starred review from Booklist: “This is the best of the many children’s books on Leonardo.”
Starred review from Publishers Weekly: “These exquisite reproductions, as well as sepia-toned spot art taken from da Vinci’s notebooks, sit uncommonly well within Stanley’s own paintings, educating the reader about da Vinci’s masterpieces as a natural part of the visual storytelling. A virtuosic work.”
CONNECTIONS
Children can create similar inventions and learn more about Leonardo’s life in the following books:
Amazing Leonardo da Vinci Inventions You Can Build Yourself ISBN 0974934429
Leonardo da Vinci for Kids: His Life and Ideas, 21 Activities (For Kids Series)
ISBN 1556522983
Leonard, The Beautiful Dreamer ISBN 0525470336
Stanley, Diane. 1996. LEONARDO DA VINCI. New York, NY: Morrow Junior Books. ISBN 0688104371
PLOT SUMMARY
Leonardo was born in 1452 to a peasant woman and a country gentleman who was a leading citizen of Vinci. Because of Leonardo’s illegitimate birth, he was unable to follow his father in the family profession as a notary, so he became an artist. His creative talents shined through and he became an apprentice to a famous artist. Leonardo was also passionate for other things other than art as demonstrated in many of his famous notebooks. “There were drawings of grotesque faces, drafts of letters, sketches for future paintings, lists of books he owned, plans for inventions, moral observations, pages copied out of books he had borrowed, notes of things to remember, designs for weapons, drawings of anatomy and observations of nature.” As a great painter, sculptor, architect, scientist and inventor, Leonardo was one of the most amazing people who ever lived.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Stanley takes readers into the life of Leonardo da Vinci from his illegitimate birth to the last days of his life. She chronicles his extraordinary achievements from his famous paintings to his exceptional inventions. Young readers will be fascinated by Leonardo’s creative imagination as expressed through many of his famous notebooks. They will learn about Leonardo’s famous Last Supper painting to his study of anatomy. His reputation as a mechanical genius is clear when readers learn about his inventions of a flying machine to one of the world's first air cooling systems. Stanley presents her beautiful illustrations to accompany her story as well as actual drawings and sketches which Leonardo made in his lifetime. Leonardo’s numerous accomplishments and adventurous life will keep young readers entertained and interested.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Starred review from Booklist: “This is the best of the many children’s books on Leonardo.”
Starred review from Publishers Weekly: “These exquisite reproductions, as well as sepia-toned spot art taken from da Vinci’s notebooks, sit uncommonly well within Stanley’s own paintings, educating the reader about da Vinci’s masterpieces as a natural part of the visual storytelling. A virtuosic work.”
CONNECTIONS
Children can create similar inventions and learn more about Leonardo’s life in the following books:
Amazing Leonardo da Vinci Inventions You Can Build Yourself ISBN 0974934429
Leonardo da Vinci for Kids: His Life and Ideas, 21 Activities (For Kids Series)
ISBN 1556522983
Leonard, The Beautiful Dreamer ISBN 0525470336
FORBIDDEN SCHOOLHOUSE: THE TRUE AND DRAMATIC STORY OF PRUDENCE CRANDALL AND HER STUDENTS
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Jurmain, Suzanne. 2005. FORBIDDEN SCHOOLHOUSE: THE TRUE AND DRAMATIC STORY OF PRUDENCE CRANDALL AND HER STUDENTS. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0618473025
PLOT SUMMARY
In 1831, Prudence Crandall opened up a private boarding school for girls in Canterbury, Connecticut. The school catered to prominent and wealthy families until an African American girl named Sarah asked if she could attend Miss Crandall’s class. Even though Miss Crandall knows that teaching an African-American student in her all-white school will be extremely controversial, she accepts and invites Sarah to her school. She endures harassment, threats, vandalism and even jail, but is determined to not let anything stand in her way and fights to keep her school open.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Jurmain tells a story of a remarkable young woman named Prudence Crandall who, with opposition and hostility among her community, educated African-American girls at her school. This narrative account presents all the facts of Miss Crandall’s plight, strength and courage. Jurmain uses quotes from real people, accounts from trial journals and newspapers help tell this compelling story. This easy to read book is displayed with large font on glossy white pages. The colored photos shown, such as Miss Crandall’s schoolhouse and an old fashioned school desk her pupils used, take the reader back in time. Jurmain also includes an appendix which explains what happened with Miss Crandall’s pupils as well as other people mentioned in the book. Source notes, an extensive bibliography of sources, a detailed index which helps the reader find specific characters and events, end the book. Jurmain’s keeps Crandall’s memory alive by telling this historic account of this courageous and spirited woman who fought for what she believed in.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Starred Review in Booklist: “Jurmain has plucked an almost forgotten incident from history and has shaped a compelling, highly readable book around it. Printed on thick, snowy stock and including a number of sepia-toned and color photographs as well as historical engravings, the book’s look will draw in readers.”
Review in Kirkus Reviews: “Jurmain adopts a storyteller’s voice to tell the tale, lacing it with excerpts from primary sources, but always locating readers in the emotional heart of the conflict. This makes for a fast-paced read.”
Review in School Library Journal: “This book offers a fresh look at the climate of education for Aftican Americans and women in the early 1800’s.”
CONNECTIONS
Students can read and study about woman who showed great courage and their accomplishments:
Katherine Martin. Women of Courage: Inspiring Stories from the Women Who Lived Them. ISBN 1577310934.
Other books about segregation/abolition:
Chang, Ina. A Separate Battle: Women and the Civil War. ISBN 0525673652
Haskins, Jim. Separate But Not Equal. ISBN 0590459104
Morrison,m Toni. Remember: The Journaey to School Integration. ISBN 061839740X
Jurmain, Suzanne. 2005. FORBIDDEN SCHOOLHOUSE: THE TRUE AND DRAMATIC STORY OF PRUDENCE CRANDALL AND HER STUDENTS. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0618473025
PLOT SUMMARY
In 1831, Prudence Crandall opened up a private boarding school for girls in Canterbury, Connecticut. The school catered to prominent and wealthy families until an African American girl named Sarah asked if she could attend Miss Crandall’s class. Even though Miss Crandall knows that teaching an African-American student in her all-white school will be extremely controversial, she accepts and invites Sarah to her school. She endures harassment, threats, vandalism and even jail, but is determined to not let anything stand in her way and fights to keep her school open.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Jurmain tells a story of a remarkable young woman named Prudence Crandall who, with opposition and hostility among her community, educated African-American girls at her school. This narrative account presents all the facts of Miss Crandall’s plight, strength and courage. Jurmain uses quotes from real people, accounts from trial journals and newspapers help tell this compelling story. This easy to read book is displayed with large font on glossy white pages. The colored photos shown, such as Miss Crandall’s schoolhouse and an old fashioned school desk her pupils used, take the reader back in time. Jurmain also includes an appendix which explains what happened with Miss Crandall’s pupils as well as other people mentioned in the book. Source notes, an extensive bibliography of sources, a detailed index which helps the reader find specific characters and events, end the book. Jurmain’s keeps Crandall’s memory alive by telling this historic account of this courageous and spirited woman who fought for what she believed in.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Starred Review in Booklist: “Jurmain has plucked an almost forgotten incident from history and has shaped a compelling, highly readable book around it. Printed on thick, snowy stock and including a number of sepia-toned and color photographs as well as historical engravings, the book’s look will draw in readers.”
Review in Kirkus Reviews: “Jurmain adopts a storyteller’s voice to tell the tale, lacing it with excerpts from primary sources, but always locating readers in the emotional heart of the conflict. This makes for a fast-paced read.”
Review in School Library Journal: “This book offers a fresh look at the climate of education for Aftican Americans and women in the early 1800’s.”
CONNECTIONS
Students can read and study about woman who showed great courage and their accomplishments:
Katherine Martin. Women of Courage: Inspiring Stories from the Women Who Lived Them. ISBN 1577310934.
Other books about segregation/abolition:
Chang, Ina. A Separate Battle: Women and the Civil War. ISBN 0525673652
Haskins, Jim. Separate But Not Equal. ISBN 0590459104
Morrison,m Toni. Remember: The Journaey to School Integration. ISBN 061839740X
Thursday, October 16, 2008
ONE OF THOSE HIDEOUS BOOKS WHERE THE MOTHER DIES
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Sones, Sonya. 2004. One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0689858205
PLOT SUMMARY
Fifteen-year old Ruby Milliken who is grief stricken over her mother’s death and is shipped off from Boston to Hollywood to live with a father she’s never met. Whip Logan, Ruby’s father, is a mega-famous movie star who divorced her mother before she was born, so she was told. Ruby is miserable in L.A. and detests the mansion she now lives in, her dad’s classic cars, and her new school. She struggles to adjust to her new surroundings and by the end of the novel she begins to make sense of her new life.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Sones’ free verse novel is told through the eyes of 15 year old Ruby Milliken. Ruby tells her story in short poetic sections which describes her life after her mother’s death. She leaves her Aunt Duffy, her best friend, her first boyfriend and moves to “Hell A” with her estranged father. Ruby describes her anger towards her father as she gets off the plane to meet him: “I don’t know whether to ask him for his autograph, kick him in the balls, or run.” The reader can feel Ruby’s aversion of having to move to a new city, her unhappiness of leaving her family and friends behind in Boston, and her grief of the loss of her mother. Sones takes you through many twists and turns from finding out Ruby’s boyfriend is cheating on her with her best friend to being told her father is gay. Ruby eventually finds it in her heart to forgive her father. She finally feels some sense of closure when her father states, “he’s sorry for all the pain he caused Mom/Sorry for all the pain he caused me/Sorry that being sorry is all he has to offer.” Ruby learns to embrace her life in “Coolifornia.” Even though there are some predictable moments, this heart-warming story will take you through many emotional paths and will help give an understanding of the struggles of being a teenager today.
REVIEW EXCERPTS Review in School Library Journal: “This is not just another one of those gimmicky novels written in poetry. It's solid and well written, and Sones has a lot to say about the importance of carefully assessing people and situations and about opening the door to one's own happiness. Despite several predictable particulars of plot, Ruby's story is gripping, enjoyable, and memorable.” Starred Review in Booklist: “Sones' novel is an unusual combination of over-the-top Hollywood fairy tale and sharp, honest story about overcoming grief. “A satisfying, moving novel that will be a winner for both eager and reluctant readers.”
CONNECTIONS
Other books by Sonya Sones:
Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy. ISBN 0613349792
What My Girlfriend Doesn’t Know. ISBN 0689876025
What My Mother Doesn’t Know. ISBN 0689855532
Sones, Sonya. 2004. One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0689858205
PLOT SUMMARY
Fifteen-year old Ruby Milliken who is grief stricken over her mother’s death and is shipped off from Boston to Hollywood to live with a father she’s never met. Whip Logan, Ruby’s father, is a mega-famous movie star who divorced her mother before she was born, so she was told. Ruby is miserable in L.A. and detests the mansion she now lives in, her dad’s classic cars, and her new school. She struggles to adjust to her new surroundings and by the end of the novel she begins to make sense of her new life.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Sones’ free verse novel is told through the eyes of 15 year old Ruby Milliken. Ruby tells her story in short poetic sections which describes her life after her mother’s death. She leaves her Aunt Duffy, her best friend, her first boyfriend and moves to “Hell A” with her estranged father. Ruby describes her anger towards her father as she gets off the plane to meet him: “I don’t know whether to ask him for his autograph, kick him in the balls, or run.” The reader can feel Ruby’s aversion of having to move to a new city, her unhappiness of leaving her family and friends behind in Boston, and her grief of the loss of her mother. Sones takes you through many twists and turns from finding out Ruby’s boyfriend is cheating on her with her best friend to being told her father is gay. Ruby eventually finds it in her heart to forgive her father. She finally feels some sense of closure when her father states, “he’s sorry for all the pain he caused Mom/Sorry for all the pain he caused me/Sorry that being sorry is all he has to offer.” Ruby learns to embrace her life in “Coolifornia.” Even though there are some predictable moments, this heart-warming story will take you through many emotional paths and will help give an understanding of the struggles of being a teenager today.
REVIEW EXCERPTS Review in School Library Journal: “This is not just another one of those gimmicky novels written in poetry. It's solid and well written, and Sones has a lot to say about the importance of carefully assessing people and situations and about opening the door to one's own happiness. Despite several predictable particulars of plot, Ruby's story is gripping, enjoyable, and memorable.” Starred Review in Booklist: “Sones' novel is an unusual combination of over-the-top Hollywood fairy tale and sharp, honest story about overcoming grief. “A satisfying, moving novel that will be a winner for both eager and reluctant readers.”
CONNECTIONS
Other books by Sonya Sones:
Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy. ISBN 0613349792
What My Girlfriend Doesn’t Know. ISBN 0689876025
What My Mother Doesn’t Know. ISBN 0689855532
INSECTLOPEDIA
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Florian, Douglas. 1998. INSECTLOPEDIA. New York, NY: Harcourt Brace & Company. ISBN 0152013067
PLOT SUMMARY
This book contains a collection of twenty-one poems about various insects. Each poem is wonderfully illustrated with watercolors and creative collages. Children will learn about unusual insects such as walking sticks and tree hoppers.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Insectlopedia is a great collection of rhythmic poems for beginning readers. Florian’s poems are funny, informative and encourage children to learn about different types of insects. He uses creative text formatting such as in The Inchworm poem. The words, “I inch, I arch, I march along/I’m just a pinch, a mere inch long/I stroll and stick on sticks in thickets, and never pick up speeding tickets” are humpback-shaped to represent the inchworm. The Whirligig Beetles poem is printed in a circle to show how they move. Florian uses different forms of rhyme scheme, such as in the poem, The Ticks. Every line rhymes with the title: “Not gigan-tic/Not roman-tic/Not artis-tic/Not majes-tic/Not magne-tic/Nor aesthe-tic/Ticks are strictly parasi-tic.” The watercolor paintings are playful images of each insect such as in the illustration of the dragonfly. If the reader examines closely, he/she can see the reflection of a dragon in each of the dragonfly’s eyes. The illustration of the monarch butterfly shows the butterfly intertwined in a king’s crown. Florian’s poems are surrounded by white space and presented on one side of the page while the illustrations are showcased on the opposite side. Readers can easily find each poem by the page numbers, which are located on the side of each page. Children as well as adults will enjoy and appreciate Florian’s imaginative, humorous poems as well as his creative illustrations.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Review in Booklist: “The book is handsomely designed, with each short poem appearing on a large white page across from a full-color illustration. The artwork consists of collages of drawn and painted images and printed letters on paper that is cut and juxtaposed for effect. The clever artwork, deftly constructed, and the entertaining collection of insect and arachnid verse it illustrates will delight readers.”
Review in Kirkus: “Some of the entries rely on clever wordplay, while others are examples of concrete poetry; the text takes on the hump of the inchworm or the spiral movements of the whirligig beetle. The watercolor illustrations, abstract and stylized, achieve a comic effect by incorporating collage elements reminiscent of an entomolgist's field notes.”
Review in Publishers Weekly: “The silly, imaginative verses about whirligig beetles and waterbugs (almost) match the exquisite pictures in playfulness and wit. The result is downright stunning.”
CONNECTIONS
Students can search their house and surrounding neighborhood for insects. They will then complete a chart that will help the students organize the name, physical description, location where found, and any unique characteristics of the insect. The students will share their findings with the class.
Other books by Douglas Florian:
beast feast: poems. ISBN 0152017372
in the swim. ISBN 0152013075
lizards, frogs, and polliwogs. ISBN 0152052488
on the wing. ISBN 0152023666
Florian, Douglas. 1998. INSECTLOPEDIA. New York, NY: Harcourt Brace & Company. ISBN 0152013067
PLOT SUMMARY
This book contains a collection of twenty-one poems about various insects. Each poem is wonderfully illustrated with watercolors and creative collages. Children will learn about unusual insects such as walking sticks and tree hoppers.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Insectlopedia is a great collection of rhythmic poems for beginning readers. Florian’s poems are funny, informative and encourage children to learn about different types of insects. He uses creative text formatting such as in The Inchworm poem. The words, “I inch, I arch, I march along/I’m just a pinch, a mere inch long/I stroll and stick on sticks in thickets, and never pick up speeding tickets” are humpback-shaped to represent the inchworm. The Whirligig Beetles poem is printed in a circle to show how they move. Florian uses different forms of rhyme scheme, such as in the poem, The Ticks. Every line rhymes with the title: “Not gigan-tic/Not roman-tic/Not artis-tic/Not majes-tic/Not magne-tic/Nor aesthe-tic/Ticks are strictly parasi-tic.” The watercolor paintings are playful images of each insect such as in the illustration of the dragonfly. If the reader examines closely, he/she can see the reflection of a dragon in each of the dragonfly’s eyes. The illustration of the monarch butterfly shows the butterfly intertwined in a king’s crown. Florian’s poems are surrounded by white space and presented on one side of the page while the illustrations are showcased on the opposite side. Readers can easily find each poem by the page numbers, which are located on the side of each page. Children as well as adults will enjoy and appreciate Florian’s imaginative, humorous poems as well as his creative illustrations.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Review in Booklist: “The book is handsomely designed, with each short poem appearing on a large white page across from a full-color illustration. The artwork consists of collages of drawn and painted images and printed letters on paper that is cut and juxtaposed for effect. The clever artwork, deftly constructed, and the entertaining collection of insect and arachnid verse it illustrates will delight readers.”
Review in Kirkus: “Some of the entries rely on clever wordplay, while others are examples of concrete poetry; the text takes on the hump of the inchworm or the spiral movements of the whirligig beetle. The watercolor illustrations, abstract and stylized, achieve a comic effect by incorporating collage elements reminiscent of an entomolgist's field notes.”
Review in Publishers Weekly: “The silly, imaginative verses about whirligig beetles and waterbugs (almost) match the exquisite pictures in playfulness and wit. The result is downright stunning.”
CONNECTIONS
Students can search their house and surrounding neighborhood for insects. They will then complete a chart that will help the students organize the name, physical description, location where found, and any unique characteristics of the insect. The students will share their findings with the class.
Other books by Douglas Florian:
beast feast: poems. ISBN 0152017372
in the swim. ISBN 0152013075
lizards, frogs, and polliwogs. ISBN 0152052488
on the wing. ISBN 0152023666
TOASTING MARSHMALLOWS: CAMPING POEMS
BIBLIOGRAPHY
O’Connell George, Kristine. 2001. TOASTING MARSHMALLOWS: CAMPING POEMS. Ill. by Kat Kiesler. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 061804597X
PLOT SUMMARY
This collection of 30 camping poems depicts the adventures of a family camping trip. The poems reveal experiences from pitching a tent and toasting marshmallows to pulling of the tent’s stakes and heading home. Readers will experience the great outdoors through the eyes of a young girl.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Toasting Marshmallows is a compilation of easy to read poems about camping and nature told through the eyes of a young girl. George will walk the reader through a poetic and peaceful journey by describing the sights, smells and sounds of the great outdoors. The use of imagery helps the reader feel like they are on a virtual camping trip. The poem Cave brings it to life: “The cave breathes icy and ancient, measuring time with slow drips that echo as water hits the granite somewhere deep in this cavern.” The Storm has the reader running for cover: “Late in the afternoon the wind begins to blow whistle-sharp, wet and cold. Whitecaps lace the lake. Uneasy, the birds dart from tree to tree as heavy black clouds rumble toward us, on oncoming train hauling a thunderous load of storm. Rain!” George cleverly formats the words on the page to take on the shape of the topic as in the first poem Tent, where the text is arranged in the shape of a tent. In the poem, Eavesdropping, the words are shaped like a quarter moon and describes how the moon pries into a camper’s secrets: “Tipping a slender silver ear, Moon tries to pretend she isn’t listening to our secrets.”
George also includes poems about animals a camper might encounter when walking through the woods such as a doe, a chipmunk, a moose, an owl as well as pesky mosquitoes and spiders. Other poems about sitting around the campfire and toasting marshmallows, sleeping outside under the stars, walking through off beaten paths, and hearing voices in the night, will take the reader on an adventurous nature journey.
Each poem is accompanied by a beautiful oil-painting illustrated by Kate Kiesler. The tones of George’s poems along with the pleasing images evoke a sense of quiet and peacefulness. Anyone that has been camping will appreciate and relate to the poems in this book.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Review in Horn Book Guide: The pleasure and surprise of going camping are conveyed in eighteen brief poems. . . .Richly colored paintings enhance the verses.
Review in School Library Journal: George has penned 30 sublimely simple poems that capture the sights, sounds, smells, and sensations of a family's camping trip, from pitching the tent to pulling up stakes and returning home. All of the selections convey a child-focused sense of wonder as the campers explore the lakefront and surrounding terrain, enjoy the marvels of the natural world, relish meals round the campfire, and toast marshmallows ("This is art-/a time of serious reflection/as my pillowed confection/slowly reaches golden perfection"). The poems are varied and inventive, replete with marvelous images and universal truths. There's even a selection devoted to the "Mosquito Song." Each one is accompanied by a well-executed and evocative acrylic painting. Some of Kiesler's artwork sweeps across double pages to provide a dramatic vista-a meandering hiking trail, a field of wild mustard, a star-studded night sky-while other pictures reveal small, but equally telling details. In "Flannel," the child is shown holding her pine-, smoke-, and moss-scented camping shirt to her face, paired with the words, "I keep it hidden/in my bottom drawer-/where no one will find it/and wash away/my memories." A terrific idyll for summertime sharing, even for confirmed couch potatoes
CONNECTIONS
Students can plan a class camping trip by making practical suggestions on how to make it a positive and safe experience.
In order for students to get the s’more experience and to make it a more practical experience in the classroom, they can eat marshmallow flavored jelly beans.
Other books associated with camping:
Foster James, Helen. S Is for S’mores. ISBN 1585363022
Rey, Margaret. Curious George Goes Camping. ISBN 0395978351
Ruurs, Margriet. When we Go Camping. ISBN 0887766855
O’Connell George, Kristine. 2001. TOASTING MARSHMALLOWS: CAMPING POEMS. Ill. by Kat Kiesler. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 061804597X
PLOT SUMMARY
This collection of 30 camping poems depicts the adventures of a family camping trip. The poems reveal experiences from pitching a tent and toasting marshmallows to pulling of the tent’s stakes and heading home. Readers will experience the great outdoors through the eyes of a young girl.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Toasting Marshmallows is a compilation of easy to read poems about camping and nature told through the eyes of a young girl. George will walk the reader through a poetic and peaceful journey by describing the sights, smells and sounds of the great outdoors. The use of imagery helps the reader feel like they are on a virtual camping trip. The poem Cave brings it to life: “The cave breathes icy and ancient, measuring time with slow drips that echo as water hits the granite somewhere deep in this cavern.” The Storm has the reader running for cover: “Late in the afternoon the wind begins to blow whistle-sharp, wet and cold. Whitecaps lace the lake. Uneasy, the birds dart from tree to tree as heavy black clouds rumble toward us, on oncoming train hauling a thunderous load of storm. Rain!” George cleverly formats the words on the page to take on the shape of the topic as in the first poem Tent, where the text is arranged in the shape of a tent. In the poem, Eavesdropping, the words are shaped like a quarter moon and describes how the moon pries into a camper’s secrets: “Tipping a slender silver ear, Moon tries to pretend she isn’t listening to our secrets.”
George also includes poems about animals a camper might encounter when walking through the woods such as a doe, a chipmunk, a moose, an owl as well as pesky mosquitoes and spiders. Other poems about sitting around the campfire and toasting marshmallows, sleeping outside under the stars, walking through off beaten paths, and hearing voices in the night, will take the reader on an adventurous nature journey.
Each poem is accompanied by a beautiful oil-painting illustrated by Kate Kiesler. The tones of George’s poems along with the pleasing images evoke a sense of quiet and peacefulness. Anyone that has been camping will appreciate and relate to the poems in this book.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Review in Horn Book Guide: The pleasure and surprise of going camping are conveyed in eighteen brief poems. . . .Richly colored paintings enhance the verses.
Review in School Library Journal: George has penned 30 sublimely simple poems that capture the sights, sounds, smells, and sensations of a family's camping trip, from pitching the tent to pulling up stakes and returning home. All of the selections convey a child-focused sense of wonder as the campers explore the lakefront and surrounding terrain, enjoy the marvels of the natural world, relish meals round the campfire, and toast marshmallows ("This is art-/a time of serious reflection/as my pillowed confection/slowly reaches golden perfection"). The poems are varied and inventive, replete with marvelous images and universal truths. There's even a selection devoted to the "Mosquito Song." Each one is accompanied by a well-executed and evocative acrylic painting. Some of Kiesler's artwork sweeps across double pages to provide a dramatic vista-a meandering hiking trail, a field of wild mustard, a star-studded night sky-while other pictures reveal small, but equally telling details. In "Flannel," the child is shown holding her pine-, smoke-, and moss-scented camping shirt to her face, paired with the words, "I keep it hidden/in my bottom drawer-/where no one will find it/and wash away/my memories." A terrific idyll for summertime sharing, even for confirmed couch potatoes
CONNECTIONS
Students can plan a class camping trip by making practical suggestions on how to make it a positive and safe experience.
In order for students to get the s’more experience and to make it a more practical experience in the classroom, they can eat marshmallow flavored jelly beans.
Other books associated with camping:
Foster James, Helen. S Is for S’mores. ISBN 1585363022
Rey, Margaret. Curious George Goes Camping. ISBN 0395978351
Ruurs, Margriet. When we Go Camping. ISBN 0887766855
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
BUBBA THE COWBOY PRINCE: A FRACTURED TEXAS TALE
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ketteman, Helen. 1997. Bubba the Cowboy Prince: A Fractured Texas Tale. Ill. by James Warhola. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0590255061.
PLOT SUMMARY
Bubba, a Texas cowboy, is made to do all the chores on the ranch by his wicked step-daddy and cruel stepbrothers. He never has fun and never complains. One day, the “purtiest and richest gal” in town, Miz Lurleen, wants to find herself a “feller” and decides to throw a Texas ball. Bubba is unable to go to the ball because he’s too busy helping his lazy stepbrothers getting “gussied up in their finest duds.” But a fairy godcow comes to his rescue and uses her magical powers to change him to the most handsome cowboy in the land. Bubba goes to the ball where he meets Miz Lurleen, but the spell is broken at the strike of midnight and Bubba is left standing in his raggedy clothes. He rides off on his cow, which was once a beautiful stallion, and leaves one of his boots behind. Miz Lurleen travels all over town looking for her mysterious “feller”, where she finally finds her cowboy prince, Bubba.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This whimsical interpretation of the Cinderella story is sure to entertain children and parents alike. Ketteman uses Texas dialogue and vocabulary which makes the story funny and an enjoyable read. Phrases like “you’re cute as a cow’s ear” and “you’re sorrier than a steer in a stockyard,” are hilarious when read aloud. Just like the language in this tale, the illustrations are vibrant and colorful. Warhola’s pictures clearly display the Texas setting with bucking horses, pastures filled with cows, a horseshoe fireplace, and the unforgettable Alamo in the background. He surprises the reader by showing the characters gestures and facial expressions with full emotion. Additionally, Ketteman entertains the reader by revealing the magical elements such as when the fairy godcow changes Bubba into a handsome cowboy. “His jeans were crisp, his boots were shiny, his shirt was dazzling, and his Stetson was whiter than a new salt lick.” Bubba is excited and remarks, “Why, I look downright purty”. Like the traditional Cinderella story, this fractured tale has a happy ending, where Bubby and Miz Lurleen “live happily ever after, roping, and cowpoking, and gitting them doggies along.”
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Review in Booklist: “Retold countless times with new twists and different settings, the story of Cinderella seems to have universal and endless appeal.”
Review in Kirkus Reviews: “This Cinderella parody features the off-the-wall, whang-dang Texas hyperbole of Ketteman.”
Review in Publishers Weekly: “Rustler lingo and illustrations chockablock with Texas kitsch make this ranch-spun Cinder-fella a knee-slappin’ tale.”
CONNECTIONS
Students can use a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast Bubba the Cowboy Prince and the traditional Cinderella story. They can compare and contrast story elements such as characters, plot, climax and ending.
Other Cinderella fractured fairy tales:
Cole, Babette. Prince Cinders. ISBN 0698115546
Jackson, Ellen. Cinder Edna. ISBN 0688162959
Johnston, Tony. Bigfoot Cinderrrrella. ISBN 0399230211
Lowell, Susan. Cindy Ellen: A Wild Western Cinderella. ISBN 0064438643
Ketteman, Helen. 1997. Bubba the Cowboy Prince: A Fractured Texas Tale. Ill. by James Warhola. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0590255061.
PLOT SUMMARY
Bubba, a Texas cowboy, is made to do all the chores on the ranch by his wicked step-daddy and cruel stepbrothers. He never has fun and never complains. One day, the “purtiest and richest gal” in town, Miz Lurleen, wants to find herself a “feller” and decides to throw a Texas ball. Bubba is unable to go to the ball because he’s too busy helping his lazy stepbrothers getting “gussied up in their finest duds.” But a fairy godcow comes to his rescue and uses her magical powers to change him to the most handsome cowboy in the land. Bubba goes to the ball where he meets Miz Lurleen, but the spell is broken at the strike of midnight and Bubba is left standing in his raggedy clothes. He rides off on his cow, which was once a beautiful stallion, and leaves one of his boots behind. Miz Lurleen travels all over town looking for her mysterious “feller”, where she finally finds her cowboy prince, Bubba.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This whimsical interpretation of the Cinderella story is sure to entertain children and parents alike. Ketteman uses Texas dialogue and vocabulary which makes the story funny and an enjoyable read. Phrases like “you’re cute as a cow’s ear” and “you’re sorrier than a steer in a stockyard,” are hilarious when read aloud. Just like the language in this tale, the illustrations are vibrant and colorful. Warhola’s pictures clearly display the Texas setting with bucking horses, pastures filled with cows, a horseshoe fireplace, and the unforgettable Alamo in the background. He surprises the reader by showing the characters gestures and facial expressions with full emotion. Additionally, Ketteman entertains the reader by revealing the magical elements such as when the fairy godcow changes Bubba into a handsome cowboy. “His jeans were crisp, his boots were shiny, his shirt was dazzling, and his Stetson was whiter than a new salt lick.” Bubba is excited and remarks, “Why, I look downright purty”. Like the traditional Cinderella story, this fractured tale has a happy ending, where Bubby and Miz Lurleen “live happily ever after, roping, and cowpoking, and gitting them doggies along.”
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Review in Booklist: “Retold countless times with new twists and different settings, the story of Cinderella seems to have universal and endless appeal.”
Review in Kirkus Reviews: “This Cinderella parody features the off-the-wall, whang-dang Texas hyperbole of Ketteman.”
Review in Publishers Weekly: “Rustler lingo and illustrations chockablock with Texas kitsch make this ranch-spun Cinder-fella a knee-slappin’ tale.”
CONNECTIONS
Students can use a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast Bubba the Cowboy Prince and the traditional Cinderella story. They can compare and contrast story elements such as characters, plot, climax and ending.
Other Cinderella fractured fairy tales:
Cole, Babette. Prince Cinders. ISBN 0698115546
Jackson, Ellen. Cinder Edna. ISBN 0688162959
Johnston, Tony. Bigfoot Cinderrrrella. ISBN 0399230211
Lowell, Susan. Cindy Ellen: A Wild Western Cinderella. ISBN 0064438643
THE RUNAWAY TORTILLA
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Kimmel, Eric A. 2000. The Runaway Tortilla. Ill. Randy Cecil. Delray Beach, FL: Winslow Press. ISBN 189081718X.
PLOT SUMMARY
Tia Lupe and Tio Jose make the best tortillas in town at their taqueria called El Papagayo Feliz, The Happy Parrot. Because they made their tortillas so light and fluffy, one was able to leap from the griddle and roll away. She exclaimed, “I’m too beautiful to eat!” Tia Lupe and Tio Jose chase after the tortilla, but the tortilla rolls away singing, “Run as fast as fast can be. You won’t get a bite of me. Doesn’t matter what you do. I’ll be far ahead of you!” The tortilla rolls through the desert passed two horned toads, three donkeys, four jackrabbits, five rattlesnakes and six buckaroos. She finally comes to a canyon where she stops to help a cunning coyote who has a bad cough. Senor Coyote cries out to the tortilla to help him get the grasshopper that’s caught in his throat. The sly coyote promises great treasures for her help. The tortilla confidently rolls into his mouth. Then, “SNAP” the tortilla is no more.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This southwestern version of the Gingerbread Man gives a reader a valuable lesson on bragging and taunting others. Kimmel begins this adventure at the El Papagayo Feliz restaurant owned by Tia Lupe and Tio Jose. Like the gingerbread man, the feisty tortilla comes to life and sings her song as she weaves through the desert. “Run as fast as fast can be. You won’t get a bite of me. Doesn’t matter what you do. I’ll be far ahead of you!” The catchy phrase is printed in long wavy lines across the pages. The tortilla is finally outwitted by Senor Coyote who asks the tortilla to step into his mouth to pull the out grasshopper that's stuck in his throat. Cecil uses two pages to give the readers an inside look into the coyote’s mouth. His playful and colorful illustrations depict the setting of the Rio Grande with his yellow, orange and red tones across each page.
Ketteman uses some Spanish words, such as “tio, tia, taqueria, and arroyo” that may need to be translated to a very young reader. Also, he uses the traditional name for a donkey, which may be offensive to some younger children. Ketteman presents a good moral to the story which is that it is not wise to brag about beauty and tease others because you never know what can happen to you.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Review in Horn Book: “Playful illustrations in a brown-gold palette set this one in the Texas desert.”
Review in Kirkus: “The author of a conventional Gingerbread Man dishes up another version, this with a Southwestern flavor and a female entrée.
Review in School Library Journal: “Kimmel’s saucy story joins a swarm of similar, albeit popular, retellings of traditional tales with a Southwestern setting.”
CONNECTIONS
Classroom/Home Activity: Find out how to tortillas are made. What ingredients are needed? Students can make and share tortillas and their recipes.
Science Activity: Encourage students to research one or more of the southwestern animals portrayed in the story.
Other stories retold by Eric A. Kimmel:
Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock, ISBN 082340689X
Anansi and the Talking Melon, ISBN 0823411672
Anansi Goes Fishing, ISBN 0823410226
The Gingerbread Man, ISBN 0823408248
Kimmel, Eric A. 2000. The Runaway Tortilla. Ill. Randy Cecil. Delray Beach, FL: Winslow Press. ISBN 189081718X.
PLOT SUMMARY
Tia Lupe and Tio Jose make the best tortillas in town at their taqueria called El Papagayo Feliz, The Happy Parrot. Because they made their tortillas so light and fluffy, one was able to leap from the griddle and roll away. She exclaimed, “I’m too beautiful to eat!” Tia Lupe and Tio Jose chase after the tortilla, but the tortilla rolls away singing, “Run as fast as fast can be. You won’t get a bite of me. Doesn’t matter what you do. I’ll be far ahead of you!” The tortilla rolls through the desert passed two horned toads, three donkeys, four jackrabbits, five rattlesnakes and six buckaroos. She finally comes to a canyon where she stops to help a cunning coyote who has a bad cough. Senor Coyote cries out to the tortilla to help him get the grasshopper that’s caught in his throat. The sly coyote promises great treasures for her help. The tortilla confidently rolls into his mouth. Then, “SNAP” the tortilla is no more.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This southwestern version of the Gingerbread Man gives a reader a valuable lesson on bragging and taunting others. Kimmel begins this adventure at the El Papagayo Feliz restaurant owned by Tia Lupe and Tio Jose. Like the gingerbread man, the feisty tortilla comes to life and sings her song as she weaves through the desert. “Run as fast as fast can be. You won’t get a bite of me. Doesn’t matter what you do. I’ll be far ahead of you!” The catchy phrase is printed in long wavy lines across the pages. The tortilla is finally outwitted by Senor Coyote who asks the tortilla to step into his mouth to pull the out grasshopper that's stuck in his throat. Cecil uses two pages to give the readers an inside look into the coyote’s mouth. His playful and colorful illustrations depict the setting of the Rio Grande with his yellow, orange and red tones across each page.
Ketteman uses some Spanish words, such as “tio, tia, taqueria, and arroyo” that may need to be translated to a very young reader. Also, he uses the traditional name for a donkey, which may be offensive to some younger children. Ketteman presents a good moral to the story which is that it is not wise to brag about beauty and tease others because you never know what can happen to you.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Review in Horn Book: “Playful illustrations in a brown-gold palette set this one in the Texas desert.”
Review in Kirkus: “The author of a conventional Gingerbread Man dishes up another version, this with a Southwestern flavor and a female entrée.
Review in School Library Journal: “Kimmel’s saucy story joins a swarm of similar, albeit popular, retellings of traditional tales with a Southwestern setting.”
CONNECTIONS
Classroom/Home Activity: Find out how to tortillas are made. What ingredients are needed? Students can make and share tortillas and their recipes.
Science Activity: Encourage students to research one or more of the southwestern animals portrayed in the story.
Other stories retold by Eric A. Kimmel:
Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock, ISBN 082340689X
Anansi and the Talking Melon, ISBN 0823411672
Anansi Goes Fishing, ISBN 0823410226
The Gingerbread Man, ISBN 0823408248
MOONBEAMS, DUMPLINGS, & DRAGON BOATS: A TREASURY OF CHINESE HOLIDAY TALE, ACTIVITIES & RECIPES
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Simonds, Nina, Swartz, Leslie and The Children’s Museum of Boston. 2002. Moonbeams, Dumplings & Dragon Boats: A Treasury of Chinese Holiday Tales, Activities & Recipes. Ill. Meilo So. San Diego, New York & London: Gulliver Books. ISBN 0152019839
PLOT SUMMARY
Simonds, Swartz, and The Children’s Museum of Boston come together to explore five major Chinese festivals in this beautifully illustrated book. An extraordinary compilation of traditional tales, hands-on activities and delicious recipes about the Chinese New Year and the Lantern Festival, Qing Ming and the Cold Foods Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival and the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival give readers creative ideas on how to celebrate these Chinese holidays. Readers can enjoy entertaining stories of the Kitchen God and The Tales of Jie Zitui. Simonds, a best-selling cookbook author, offers many tasteful recipes, such as sweet rice balls, tea eggs, fresh spring rolls, and moon cakes that children can make with help from an adult. Families can create fun-filled activities such as paper lanterns, Chinese kites, pinwheels and shadow puppets. Finally, a resource guide to Chinese pronunciation will be of interest to those who would like to learn the Chinese language.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This book offers exciting ways on how families can come together to celebrate and embrace the Chinese culture. Every section begins with the history on each of the holidays and the titles on each page are in English and in traditional Chinese writing. The time-honored stories about greedy and shady gods will intrigue and make an interesting read for both children and adults. Also, children will enjoy reading out loud and sharing these stories with their friends and parents. Simonds and Swartz offer simple step by step instructions on how to make almost a dozen mouth-watering recipes. The activities are presented in a straightforward and easy way, so that children will not need adult supervision when constructing these arts and crafts. Readers will like looking over So’s lively and vibrant watercolor illustrations of festivals, picnics, fireworks, dragons, and various types of food. This collection of Chinese folklore and traditions will help show children a fun way of learning the Chinese culture.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Review in Publishers Weekly: “…each of a quartet of holidays includes a brief background and introduces a bevy of crafts, recipes and legends. Step-by step illustrations aid in food preparation or crafts such as New Year Prints or Good Luck Characters in this elegantly designed volume.”
Review in School Library Journal: “Moonbeams is a useful, visually appealing addition to any holiday collection.”
CONNECTIONS
Other books that celebrate the Chinese culture:
Celebrating Chinese New Year, ISBN 0823415201
Chinese Children’s Favorite Stories, ISBN 0804835896
Look What Came From China!, ISBN 0531159361
Tales of a Chinese Grandmother: 30 Traditional Tales from China, ISBN 0804834091
Lao Lao of Dragon Mountain (Folk Tales), ISBN 1840890355
Simonds, Nina, Swartz, Leslie and The Children’s Museum of Boston. 2002. Moonbeams, Dumplings & Dragon Boats: A Treasury of Chinese Holiday Tales, Activities & Recipes. Ill. Meilo So. San Diego, New York & London: Gulliver Books. ISBN 0152019839
PLOT SUMMARY
Simonds, Swartz, and The Children’s Museum of Boston come together to explore five major Chinese festivals in this beautifully illustrated book. An extraordinary compilation of traditional tales, hands-on activities and delicious recipes about the Chinese New Year and the Lantern Festival, Qing Ming and the Cold Foods Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival and the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival give readers creative ideas on how to celebrate these Chinese holidays. Readers can enjoy entertaining stories of the Kitchen God and The Tales of Jie Zitui. Simonds, a best-selling cookbook author, offers many tasteful recipes, such as sweet rice balls, tea eggs, fresh spring rolls, and moon cakes that children can make with help from an adult. Families can create fun-filled activities such as paper lanterns, Chinese kites, pinwheels and shadow puppets. Finally, a resource guide to Chinese pronunciation will be of interest to those who would like to learn the Chinese language.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This book offers exciting ways on how families can come together to celebrate and embrace the Chinese culture. Every section begins with the history on each of the holidays and the titles on each page are in English and in traditional Chinese writing. The time-honored stories about greedy and shady gods will intrigue and make an interesting read for both children and adults. Also, children will enjoy reading out loud and sharing these stories with their friends and parents. Simonds and Swartz offer simple step by step instructions on how to make almost a dozen mouth-watering recipes. The activities are presented in a straightforward and easy way, so that children will not need adult supervision when constructing these arts and crafts. Readers will like looking over So’s lively and vibrant watercolor illustrations of festivals, picnics, fireworks, dragons, and various types of food. This collection of Chinese folklore and traditions will help show children a fun way of learning the Chinese culture.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Review in Publishers Weekly: “…each of a quartet of holidays includes a brief background and introduces a bevy of crafts, recipes and legends. Step-by step illustrations aid in food preparation or crafts such as New Year Prints or Good Luck Characters in this elegantly designed volume.”
Review in School Library Journal: “Moonbeams is a useful, visually appealing addition to any holiday collection.”
CONNECTIONS
Other books that celebrate the Chinese culture:
Celebrating Chinese New Year, ISBN 0823415201
Chinese Children’s Favorite Stories, ISBN 0804835896
Look What Came From China!, ISBN 0531159361
Tales of a Chinese Grandmother: 30 Traditional Tales from China, ISBN 0804834091
Lao Lao of Dragon Mountain (Folk Tales), ISBN 1840890355
Friday, September 19, 2008
KNUFFLE BUNNY: A CAUTIONARY TALE
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Willems, Mo. 2004. KNUFFLE BUNNY: A CAUTIONARY TALE. New York: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 0786818700
PLOT SUMMARY
Trixie, Daddy, and Knuffle Bunny stroll through the neighborhood and into the Laundromat to wash some clothes. When they leave Trixie realizes she’s missing her beloved stuffed animal, Knuffle Bunny. She tries to communicate to her Dad her dilemma by using all the baby talk she knows. Daddy dismisses this for just a toddler’s fussy behavior. When they arrive home, Trixie’s mother realizes that her bunny is missing and they rush back to the Laundromat. After a frantic search, they find her toy. With great delight, Trixie then utters her first words, “Knuffle Bunny!”
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Children will love this book and will be able to understand the frustration of losing something near and dear to them, such as a favorite toy. This is a cute and humorous story that begins with a trip to the Laundromat with Trixie and her Dad. One of the funniest scenes is when Trixie recognizes she has lost her beloved Knuffle Bunny and desperately tries to explain the loss to her Dad. Even though you can see the anguish on Trixie’s face, her frantic and nonsense babble is comical and is a laugh out loud moment.
Willems shows his creativity by using black and white photographs of real life objects with funny cartoon figures. The illustrations are simple yet dramatic and display the characters facial expressions and gestures with full emotion. The cartoon drawings express Trixie’s mood changes from frustration to delight as she finally finds her Knuffle Bunny.
Willems has created an exciting adventure which children as well as parents can relate to and enjoy!
REVIEW EXCERPTS
A 2005 Caldecott Honor Book
Starred Review in Booklist: “a comic gem.”
Starred Review in School Library Journal: “A seamless and supremely satisfying presentation of art and text.”
CONNECTIONS
Pre-reading activity: Show students the front and back cover and the endpapers of the book. Ask them: what do you think this story will be about? What do you think will happen in the story.
More books by Mo Willems: Knuffle Bunny too: A Case of Mistaken Identity, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, The Pigeon Finds a Hotdog!, Leonardo the Terrible Monster
Willems, Mo. 2004. KNUFFLE BUNNY: A CAUTIONARY TALE. New York: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 0786818700
PLOT SUMMARY
Trixie, Daddy, and Knuffle Bunny stroll through the neighborhood and into the Laundromat to wash some clothes. When they leave Trixie realizes she’s missing her beloved stuffed animal, Knuffle Bunny. She tries to communicate to her Dad her dilemma by using all the baby talk she knows. Daddy dismisses this for just a toddler’s fussy behavior. When they arrive home, Trixie’s mother realizes that her bunny is missing and they rush back to the Laundromat. After a frantic search, they find her toy. With great delight, Trixie then utters her first words, “Knuffle Bunny!”
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Children will love this book and will be able to understand the frustration of losing something near and dear to them, such as a favorite toy. This is a cute and humorous story that begins with a trip to the Laundromat with Trixie and her Dad. One of the funniest scenes is when Trixie recognizes she has lost her beloved Knuffle Bunny and desperately tries to explain the loss to her Dad. Even though you can see the anguish on Trixie’s face, her frantic and nonsense babble is comical and is a laugh out loud moment.
Willems shows his creativity by using black and white photographs of real life objects with funny cartoon figures. The illustrations are simple yet dramatic and display the characters facial expressions and gestures with full emotion. The cartoon drawings express Trixie’s mood changes from frustration to delight as she finally finds her Knuffle Bunny.
Willems has created an exciting adventure which children as well as parents can relate to and enjoy!
REVIEW EXCERPTS
A 2005 Caldecott Honor Book
Starred Review in Booklist: “a comic gem.”
Starred Review in School Library Journal: “A seamless and supremely satisfying presentation of art and text.”
CONNECTIONS
Pre-reading activity: Show students the front and back cover and the endpapers of the book. Ask them: what do you think this story will be about? What do you think will happen in the story.
More books by Mo Willems: Knuffle Bunny too: A Case of Mistaken Identity, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, The Pigeon Finds a Hotdog!, Leonardo the Terrible Monster
THE MAN WHO WALKED BETWEEN THE TOWERS
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Gerstein, Mordicai. 2003. THE MAN WHO WALKED BETWEEN THE TOWERS. New York: Roaring Book Press. ISBN 0761317910
PLOT SUMMARY
A young Frenchman, Philippe Petit, attempts a daring tightrope walk between the two towers of the World Trade Center. Petit and his friends secretly make their way up to the Twin Towers. With a bow and arrow they string a cable between the two buildings. At the break of dawn, Petit puts on an amazing show by walking and dancing on the wire while bystanders look in awe at his amazing feat. He is eventually arrested and sentenced to perform for children in the parks of New York.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In this Caledcott Medal winning book, Gerstein describes an adventurous true story of Philippe Petit’s tightrope walk between the Twin Towers in 1974. Throughout the book, he recalls the life of the French aerialist by using clear and concise words along with vivid and colorful illustrations. Gerstein captivates the reader by describing Petit’s bold night climb up to the towers. There are two 2-page foldouts; One which illustrates an aerial view of Petit’s tightrope walk. Looking at this scene, the reader can imagine how it would be like to be hundreds of feet above the ground. The second foldout is a vertical illustration of bystanders looking up in amazement at Petit’s high-wire act. Gerstein has a way of drawing the reader in by his descriptions and illustrations. By the end of the book, the reader will understand and feel Petit’s drive and determination to challenge himself. As the reader flips to the last page, they will come to Gerstein’s final illustration which shows the Twin Towers gone forever. The book gives tribute to the World Trade Center, New York City and the young Frenchman who “walked between the two towers.”
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Winner of the 2004 Caldecott Medal
Booklist: “Gerstein’s simple words and dramatic ink-and-oil paintings capture the exhilarating feats, the mischief, and the daring of the astonishing young acrobat”.
School of Library Journal: “With its graceful majesty and mythic overtones, this unique and uplifting book is at once a portrait of a larger-than-life individual and a memorial to the towers and the lives associated with them.”
CONNECTIONS
Other children’s books by Mordicai Gerstein:
The Old Country. ISBN 0307245427
The Mountains of Tibet. ISBN 0064432114
The White Ram. ISBN 0823418978
Sholom’s Treasure. ISBN 0374380554
A collection of children’s writings and art projects about the events of 9/11 is a book called Messages to Ground Zero: Children Respond to September 11, 2001. This book is dedicated to those that lost their lives and honors the city’s heroes of the September 11th tragedy.
Gerstein, Mordicai. 2003. THE MAN WHO WALKED BETWEEN THE TOWERS. New York: Roaring Book Press. ISBN 0761317910
Gerstein, Mordicai. 2003. THE MAN WHO WALKED BETWEEN THE TOWERS. New York: Roaring Book Press. ISBN 0761317910
PLOT SUMMARY
A young Frenchman, Philippe Petit, attempts a daring tightrope walk between the two towers of the World Trade Center. Petit and his friends secretly make their way up to the Twin Towers. With a bow and arrow they string a cable between the two buildings. At the break of dawn, Petit puts on an amazing show by walking and dancing on the wire while bystanders look in awe at his amazing feat. He is eventually arrested and sentenced to perform for children in the parks of New York.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In this Caledcott Medal winning book, Gerstein describes an adventurous true story of Philippe Petit’s tightrope walk between the Twin Towers in 1974. Throughout the book, he recalls the life of the French aerialist by using clear and concise words along with vivid and colorful illustrations. Gerstein captivates the reader by describing Petit’s bold night climb up to the towers. There are two 2-page foldouts; One which illustrates an aerial view of Petit’s tightrope walk. Looking at this scene, the reader can imagine how it would be like to be hundreds of feet above the ground. The second foldout is a vertical illustration of bystanders looking up in amazement at Petit’s high-wire act. Gerstein has a way of drawing the reader in by his descriptions and illustrations. By the end of the book, the reader will understand and feel Petit’s drive and determination to challenge himself. As the reader flips to the last page, they will come to Gerstein’s final illustration which shows the Twin Towers gone forever. The book gives tribute to the World Trade Center, New York City and the young Frenchman who “walked between the two towers.”
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Winner of the 2004 Caldecott Medal
Booklist: “Gerstein’s simple words and dramatic ink-and-oil paintings capture the exhilarating feats, the mischief, and the daring of the astonishing young acrobat”.
School of Library Journal: “With its graceful majesty and mythic overtones, this unique and uplifting book is at once a portrait of a larger-than-life individual and a memorial to the towers and the lives associated with them.”
CONNECTIONS
Other children’s books by Mordicai Gerstein:
The Old Country. ISBN 0307245427
The Mountains of Tibet. ISBN 0064432114
The White Ram. ISBN 0823418978
Sholom’s Treasure. ISBN 0374380554
A collection of children’s writings and art projects about the events of 9/11 is a book called Messages to Ground Zero: Children Respond to September 11, 2001. This book is dedicated to those that lost their lives and honors the city’s heroes of the September 11th tragedy.
Gerstein, Mordicai. 2003. THE MAN WHO WALKED BETWEEN THE TOWERS. New York: Roaring Book Press. ISBN 0761317910
PASS IT DOWN: FIVE PICTURE-BOOK FAMILIES MAKE THEIR MARK
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Marcus, Leonard S. 2007. Pass It Down: Five Picture-Book Families Make Their Mark. New York: Walker & Company ISBN 0802796004
PLOT SUMMARY
Leonard S. Marcus introduces the reader to five famous picture-book families and reveals how sometimes artistic ability is inherited and at times can be encouraged and developed with family support. The book includes biographies, interviews, and artwork by The Crews and Jonas Family, The Hurd Family, The Myers Family, The Pinkney Family, and The Rockwell Family. Readers will understand that family traits can influence a person to choose a profession like that of their parents, such as writing and illustrating children’s books. Marcus states that creative parents who continue to encourage and support their children can shape their artistic abilities and can have a hand in passing their talent along to the next generation.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In Marcus’ book, readers will find it interesting to see how family traits are inherited and how they can “pass down” they’re creative abilities to their children. He shows real-life photos of these famous families and some of their artistic work. He chronicles their life stories by also sharing personal memories and interviews. The reader really gets a sense of who these great children’s book creators are and will recognize that a parent’s influence along with inherited traits can develop who we may become.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
A Starred Review in Kirkus Reviews: “Fascinating…An outstanding work about the connections between parents and children, editors and artists and readers and writers.”
Library Journal: Grade 4 Up—Marcus presents the events and circumstances that have resulted in five picture-book dynasties. Each chapter includes biographical information about the subjects that zeroes in on the salient pieces that nurtured artistic growth and includes numerous quotes from the authors/illustrators themselves. The featured families are Donald Crews, Ann Jonas, and Nina Crews; Clement and Edith Hurd and Thacher Hurd; Walter Dean Myers and Christopher Myers; Jerry Pinkney and Brian Pinkney; and Harlow and Anne Rockwell and Lizzy Rockwell. Marcus carefully makes the point that, although perhaps blessed with some inherited talent and encouraged by their parents, all of the children pursued their art with diligence and have emerged with their own unique styles. Marcus's writing is, as usual, tight but lively, and each chapter is liberally laced with photographs, preliminary sketches, and final art. The book will be of interest to those readers who enjoy getting behind the scenes of the books they love.
CONNECTIONS
Side by Side: Five Favorite Picture-Book Teams go to Work Leonard S. Marcus ISBN 0802796168
Genealogy activity: Children can research their family history and create a family tree.
Marcus, Leonard S. 2007. Pass It Down: Five Picture-Book Families Make Their Mark. New York: Walker & Company ISBN 0802796004
PLOT SUMMARY
Leonard S. Marcus introduces the reader to five famous picture-book families and reveals how sometimes artistic ability is inherited and at times can be encouraged and developed with family support. The book includes biographies, interviews, and artwork by The Crews and Jonas Family, The Hurd Family, The Myers Family, The Pinkney Family, and The Rockwell Family. Readers will understand that family traits can influence a person to choose a profession like that of their parents, such as writing and illustrating children’s books. Marcus states that creative parents who continue to encourage and support their children can shape their artistic abilities and can have a hand in passing their talent along to the next generation.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In Marcus’ book, readers will find it interesting to see how family traits are inherited and how they can “pass down” they’re creative abilities to their children. He shows real-life photos of these famous families and some of their artistic work. He chronicles their life stories by also sharing personal memories and interviews. The reader really gets a sense of who these great children’s book creators are and will recognize that a parent’s influence along with inherited traits can develop who we may become.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
A Starred Review in Kirkus Reviews: “Fascinating…An outstanding work about the connections between parents and children, editors and artists and readers and writers.”
Library Journal: Grade 4 Up—Marcus presents the events and circumstances that have resulted in five picture-book dynasties. Each chapter includes biographical information about the subjects that zeroes in on the salient pieces that nurtured artistic growth and includes numerous quotes from the authors/illustrators themselves. The featured families are Donald Crews, Ann Jonas, and Nina Crews; Clement and Edith Hurd and Thacher Hurd; Walter Dean Myers and Christopher Myers; Jerry Pinkney and Brian Pinkney; and Harlow and Anne Rockwell and Lizzy Rockwell. Marcus carefully makes the point that, although perhaps blessed with some inherited talent and encouraged by their parents, all of the children pursued their art with diligence and have emerged with their own unique styles. Marcus's writing is, as usual, tight but lively, and each chapter is liberally laced with photographs, preliminary sketches, and final art. The book will be of interest to those readers who enjoy getting behind the scenes of the books they love.
CONNECTIONS
Side by Side: Five Favorite Picture-Book Teams go to Work Leonard S. Marcus ISBN 0802796168
Genealogy activity: Children can research their family history and create a family tree.
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