Calamity Jack

1. Bibliography

Hale, Shannon & Hale, Dean. 2010. CALAMITY JACK Ill. by Nathan Hale. New York: Bloomsbury. ISBN 9781599900766.

2. Summary

In this graphic novel interpretation of "Jack and the beanstalk," Jack is a born schemer who climbs a magical beanstalk in the hope of exacting justice from a mean giant and gaining a fortune for his widowed mother, aided by some friends including Rapunzel.

3. Critical Analysis

Readers will relish this gleeful mix of fairy tale, adventure and romance. This sequel to the energetic Rapunzel’s Revenge focuses on Rapunzel’s sidekick, Calamity Jack and this time Rapuzel is the sidekick. This Jack has American Indian roots and is roguish without the cruel or arrogant undertones sometimes present in other stories. The full-color graphic novel starts with a history of Jack’s criminal history, where every caper, though marginally successful, ends with him in more trouble than he bargained for, including the complete destruction of his mother’s home and business. As in the book Rapunzel’s Revenge, a lot of action combines with clever plotting, in text allusions, and a bit of romance to produce a fully satisfying read.

Nathan Hale’s graphic design is exceptionally well laid out and easy to follow, even for those still getting the hang of the format. The full-color artwork has depth, energy, and plenty of exaggerated violence and humor. The story stands alone in its focus on Jack and his troubles, but it will entice readers to pick up Rapunzel’s Revenge to see how he teamed up with the feisty Rapunzel in the first place. The drawings are done in a clear and energetic style which suits the steampunk city as well as the Wild West. Fans of the previous book will be happy to see this new installment, which should handily garner new fans as well.

4. Awards and Review Excerpts

- AWARDS -

Booklist Great Graphic Novels for Teens, 2011 ; American Library Association

- REVIEW EXCERPTS -

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE review: “A fantastic story that keeps the fun tone of Rapunzel’s Revenge while also breaking new ground, Calamity Jack shows how good storytellers can pay homage to classic fairytales without being limited by familiar plots.”

VOYA review: “In the genre of revisionist fairytales, Jack's tales are among the most re-told; however, the Hales provide a truly refreshing and fun version of the rascal.”

5. Connections

Create your own graphic novel using a fairytale character in new adventures.

Read Rapunzel’s Revenge and compare Jack and Rapunzel’s characters/attitudes in the two stories.

Have students turn a fractured fairy tale into a graphic novel of their own design.

The Book Thief

1. Bibliography

Zusak, Markus. 2005. THE BOOK THIEF. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 9780375831003.

2. Summary

Set in Nazi Germany, this book describes Liesel Meminger’s relationship with her foster parents, Hans and Rosa, and the other residents of their neighborhood, as well as a Jewish fist-fighter who hides in her home during the escalation of World War II. With the help of Hans, Liesel shows the community that stories and friendship are some of the best gifts one has to offer.

3. Critical Analysis

The narrator is Death who does not choose those whose souls he takes; it is his job to gather them after their owners have died. He is appalled by the way in which humans often behave, and especially the horrendous ways in which victims of Hitler’s fanaticism meet their appointments with him. It’s a clever device, allowing for dispassionate observation of events and for a different commentary on matters which can lose their impact by becoming over familiar. It also provides opportunities for Death to drop oblique remarks, leaving the reader fearful for sympathetic characters. This is not a ‘them and us’ war novel. Death portrays what he sees through metaphorical colors that add to the sensory details of the story. However, Death is not sinister and he is very unobtrusive. The reader is not always aware of him because much of the story is seen through Liesel’s, the book thief’s, eyes. Death finds her story in the rubble from the bombing of Munich and is recounting it. Most of all, it is about survival; the survival of people in the first instance, but it is also a reflection on the survival of books despite efforts to eradicate them, and of words too in the face of a political system which makes everyone afraid of saying too much. It’s a haunting tale, a strange mixture of ugliness and beauty, of cruelty and kindness, heart-warming and heart-rending, full of vivid metaphor and an absolutely compelling read. It can be read on several levels and without a doubt will be enjoyed by adults as well as older teenagers.

4. Awards and Review Excerpts

- AWARDS -

2006 - Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best Book (South East Asia & South Pacific)

2006 - Horn Book Fanfare

2006 - Kirkus Reviews Editor Choice Award

2006 - School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

2006 - Daniel Elliott Peace Award

2006 - Publishers Weekly Best Children Book of the Year

2006 - Booklist ChildrenEditors' Choice

2006 - Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book

2007 - Boeke Prize

2007 - ALA Best Books for Young Adults

2007 - Michael L. Printz Honor Book

2007 - Book Sense Book of the Year

- REVIEW EXCERPTS -

BOOKS FOR KEEPS review: “Within this powerful novel, the power of story is manifest when, for example, Liesel distracts her neighbours as they shelter from bombings, and where Max finds distraction from his basement hideout by creating stories. The Book Thief has much to say to thoughtful readers, young and old.”

INIS Children’s Books Ireland Magazine review: “This is a memorable piece of work - beautifully written, rich and poetic in language and peopled with wonderful characters.”

5. Connections

Read other books about WWII from both the point of view of the Nazis and the Jews

Write an alternative ending for the story

Write the story of Liesel’s parents

Discuss what stories would make them feel less scared if they were in a situation such as Liesel’s neighbors in the bomb shelter

Rules

1. Bibliography

Lord, Cynthia. 2006. RULES. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 9780439443821

2. Summary

Frustrated at life with an autistic brother, twelve-year-old Catherine longs for a normal existence. She tries to make her life more normal by giving her brother lots of rules to follow, but her world is further complicated by a friendship with a young paraplegic named Jason. . In the end, Jason helps Catherine see that her rules may really be excuses, opening the way for her to look at things differently.

3. Critical Analysis

Growing up with an autistic younger brother is not easy and it seems far harder when the pre-teen years hit. Catherine feels as though David’s needs far overshadow her own in the family but the embarrassment his behavior causes her is the worst of it. Nevertheless, Catherine understands what David’s world is like and when she snaps at him, she is beset by guilt. It is this sensitivity that allows her to befriend a boy her age with severe communication problems who is wheelchair-bound. Gaining a stronger sense of herself and demanding what she needs as a member of the family allows her to move beyond embarrassment into acceptance. One of the treats in this book is that David echoes words rather than generating his own and he frequently speaks in lines he remembers from Arnold Lobel’s Frog & Toad. The details of autistic behavior are handled well, as are depictions of relationships: Catherine experiences some of the same unease with Jason that others do in the presence of her brother. Catherine’s tentative relationship with her new neighbor Kristi is complicated further when she develops an unexpected friendship with Jason, a regular client at the clinic David visits for occupational therapy. Fourteen-year-old Jason travels in a wheelchair, and talks by pointing to word cards in his communication book. After a rocky start, the two become closer as Catherine creates new word cards for Jason’s book. Moving his repertoire beyond the stock words and phrases provided by his therapist, Catherine enables him to show some attitude and give voice to his adolescent sarcasm. Catherine likes Jason, but now she’s worried about what Kristi will think of him as well as David. Preferring to keep Jason a secret from Kristi, Catherine ends up falling short in the eyes of both her new friends when it comes to trust and honesty. As Catherine struggles to find her way into these new relationships, her feelings for her brother float realistically between frustration, embarrassment, love, protectiveness, and everyday sibling ups-and-downs. Her carefully constructed rules for David are really about her own need to feel in control, and to understand and live with a brother who is often misunderstood or teased by others. As the parent of an autistic child, Cynthia Lord writes with familiarity and empathy for Catherine and her family. Readers will sympathize with Catherine’s struggle to explain the world to David through his beloved rules and her frustration at his demanding, embarrassing behaviors and his garnering the majority of parental attention, combined with Jason’s expressive limitations, this book will provide considerable food for thought.

4. Awards and Review Excerpts

- AWARDS -

Buckeye Children's Book Award, 2008 Winner Grades 6-8 Ohio
Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award, 2008 Winner Vermont
Great Stone Face Award, 2008 Winner New Hampshire
John Newbery Medal, 2007 Honor Book United States
Kentucky Bluegrass Award, 2008 Winner Grade 6-8 Kentucky
Maine Student Book Award, 2007-2008 Winner Maine
Massachusetts Children's Book Award, 2010 Honor Bok Massachusetts
Mitten Award, 2006 Winner Michigan
Schneider Family Book Award, 2007 Winner Middle School United States
Skipping Stones Honor Award, 2007 Winner Multicultural and International Awareness Books United States
Voice of Youth Award, 2009-2010 Third Place United States EXCERPTS -

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE review: “This is a story that depicts the impact of a needy child on an entire family very realistically.”

LIBRARY MEDIA CONNECTION review: “The first-person narrative is very engaging, and readers will identify with Catherine's struggles and cheer for her at the end. This is a great book to help students gain some understanding about autism, while also providing a good read.”

5. Connections

Have students consider what words they would require if they were in Jason’s position as well as what words they’d be likely to get if adults were their sole source. They could also write a list of words that they would add and reasons why.

Write a list of rules they would make for their younger brother or sister.

Discuss a situation in which they were embarrassed by someone they love and how they overcame it

Moon Over Manifest

1. Bibliography

Vanderpool, Claire. 2010. MOON OVER MANIFEST. New York: Delacorte Press. ISBN 9780385738835

2. Summary

Twelve-year-old Abilene Tucker is the daughter of a drifter who, in the summer of 1936, sends her to stay with an old friend in Manifest, Kansas, where he grew up, and where she hopes to find out some things about his past. Through the hot, dry days, Abilene searches for traces of her father in the town's history, some old letters, and a stack of newspapers from 1917. Abilene desperately wants to be with her father and will try anything to get him to Manifest.

3. Critical Analysis

The story is sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, and sometimes poignantly sad, but page after page, it is hard to put down. Ingeniously plotted and gracefully told, this father/daughter tale will resonate with any reader who’s ever wondered whether those old family stories really tell the whole truth. Prohibition and labor relations in the coal mining industry are interwoven with the current issues of 1936, particularly the ongoing Great Depression. Abilene and readers get so caught up in the past in this richly detailed, splendidly written novel that they easily make the transition between the Depression and WWI eras and long to learn more about the town that once was. Readers will love guessing how Abilene's dad fits into all the stories and townspeople's memories.

4. Awards and Review Excerpts

- AWARDS -

John Newbery Medal, 2011 Winner United States

- REVIEW EXCERPTS -

KIRKUS review: “Readers will love guessing how Abilene's dad fits into all the stories and townspeople's memories. The absolute necessity of story as a way to redemption and healing past wounds is at the heart of this beautiful debut, and readers will cherish every word up to the heartbreaking yet hopeful and deeply gratifying ending.”

THE BULLITEN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN’S BOOKS review: “In this debut novel, Vanderpool creates a fictional town with a fully believable history, populated with characters as notable for their warmth as their eccentricity. Each member of the sprawling cast is so robustly developed that the summary list of characters from 1918 and 1936 provided by the author is hardly needed.”

5. Connections

Have students make predictions throughout the story as to who Jinx is, how Abilene is going to get her father to come to Manifest, etc.

Explore historical parts of the story more in depth such as World War I, the Spanish influenza, Prohibition, etc.)

Write an alternative scheme that Abilene could use to get her father to come to Manifest.

Rodzina

1. Bibliography

Cushman, Karen. 2003. RODZINA. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 9780440419938

2. Summary

In 1881, a twelve-year-old Polish American girl is boarded onto an orphan train in Chicago with fears about traveling to the West and a life of unpaid slavery. The hero of this lively historical novel, Rodzina, is a mean orphan, desperate for home, and her adult mentor is both as tough and as needy as the orphan child.

3. Critical Analysis

Twelve-year-old Rodzina's account of the journey to the West makes the dramatic history immediate. Cushman masterfully weaves period details into this must-read, set in early 1880's America. Through the first-person narrative, Rodzina's voice comes through loud and pugnaciously clear. Rodzina is an engaging heroine whose matter-of-fact narrative voice is by turns curious, resentful, humorous, and sad (“I cried myself to sleep so quietly that no one could hear. Not even me”); her memories of and longing for her dead parents and brothers are particularly moving. Historical fiction and orphan fans will find this a comfortable and informative read. The story is based on fact, as Cushman points out in an author's note, giving some facts about the benevolent societies who from 1850 to 1929 sent children to (it was hoped) happier, healthier lives in the Western United States. She also sketches the "placing out" of Native American children and the sending of children to safety from Hitler in Europe. Cushman talks about the history in a lengthy final note, and she includes a bibliography of other orphan train books.

4. Awards and Review Excerpts

- AWARDS -

Society of School Librarians International Book Awards, 2003 Honor Book Language Arts-Grades K-6 Novels United States

- REVIEW EXCERPTS -

THE BULLITEN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN’S BOOKS review: “Historical fiction and orphan fans will find this a comfortable and informative read, while social studies teachers may find it useful as a read-aloud that touches on city life vs. rural life, westward expansion, and ethnic, class, and gender inequalities.”

KIRKUS review: “The story is undemanding and engaging, rolling along with the journey, subtly letting readers into Rodzina's memories of the home she once had and of her immigrant parents and her Polish heritage.”

5. Connections

Use as a read-aloud to explore the aspects of westward expansion, women’s rights, and slavery.

Discuss how Rodzina feels throughout the book and why she might have the personality she does due to her circumstances.

Discuss what qualities you might want in an adopted family and if you agree or disagree with Rodzina’s opinion of the families that she meets along her journey.

Follow up by reading other books and exploring the websites mentioned by Cushman at the end of the book.

Discuss city life vs. rural life, westward expansion, and ethnic, class, and gender inequalities

One Crazy Summer

1. Bibliography

Williams-Garcia, Rita. 2010. ONE CRAZY SUMMER. New York: Amistad. ISBN 9780060760885

2. Summary

In the summer of 1968, after travelling from Brooklyn to Oakland, California, to spend a month with the mother they barely know, eleven-year-old Delphine and her two younger sisters arrive to a cold welcome as they discover that their mother, a dedicated poet and printer, is resentful of the intrusion of their visit and wants them to attend a nearby Black Panther summer camp.

3. Critical Analysis

Even though One Crazy Summer is set during the late 1960s, this is a story that today’s teen girls are likely to relate to on several different levels. The confusion of beginning to like boys, the complicated relationships with parents and siblings, and the innate responsibility that girls easily take for their younger brothers and sisters are all obstacles that the main character Delphine faces and overcomes. On a broader level, it gives a unique perspective of a part of history not often seen in youth literature. The Black Panther aspect is thought-provoking, adding depth to the theme of Delphine’s family situation. The natural writing makes this a smooth read from start to finish, and the characters and situations are realistic. The historical details throughout the book do not seem forced; rather, they lend authenticity to the setting, and the portrayal of the Black Panthers breaks with the harsher stereotypes. Rita Williams-Garcia’s fresh, funny novel resonates with depth and meaning that comes through the brilliant characterizations, sparkling dialogue, and a stunningly realistic recreation of a time and place in a story that concludes with a surprising, yet wholly satisfying resolution. Modern young readers will find it interesting to read about the conflicting views of the African-American community at that time. They certainly will be intrigued by the plight of these three children who are caught up in the major issues of that time, made all the more poignant by the insightful first-person narrative of this precocious young girl.

4. Awards and Review Excerpts

- AWARDS -

Coretta Scott King Book Award, 2011 Winner Author United States
John Newbery Medal, 2011 Honor Book United States
National Book Award, 2010 Finalist Young People's Literature United States
Parents' Choice Award, 2010 Gold Fiction United States
Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, 2011 Winner United States - REVIEW EXCERPTS -

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE review: “The author has probably drawn a realistic picture of life in a disjointed family; she surely has shown us that things are not always easy. The characters are so real that one can see them.”

KIRKUS review: “The depiction of the time is well done, and while the girls are caught up in the difficulties of adults, their resilience is celebrated and energetically told with writing that snaps off the page.”

5. Connections

Discuss the book from one of the character’s point of view (preferably not Delphine, the main character)

Complete a character analysis on Delphine, comparing her initial feelings of moving in with her mother for the summer and how she feels at the end of the summer.

Read other books about the Black Panther movement in the 1960’s

What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?

1. Bibliography

Jenkins, Steve & Page, Robin. 2003. WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A TAIL LIKE THIS? Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0-618-25628-8

2. Summary

What would you do with a nose like an elephant or feet like a gecko? Enter the animal world and explore how lizards squirt blood from their eyes, and crickets have ears on their knees. This book explores some strange tails, eyes, noses, ears, feet, and tails in the animal kingdom. There is a picture glossary at the back shows each animal again with an informative note elaborating on the creature's special adaptation.

3. Critical Analysis

This book will interest any animal lover through its vibrant paper-cut collages jump, crawl and swim off the page. Curiosity is peaked with a double-page spread gives the reader a snippet of an animal part from five different creatures. Each creature is then revealed on the following page along with what they do with that body part. If you still want to know more just look in the back of the book for interesting facts and information about each animal. The text of the book is anatomically informative, and the white background helps emphasize the particular feature in the illustrations. The provocative questions and answers of the text are supported by attention grabbing, stunning collage illustrations that are sure to get anyone interested in animals.

4. Awards and Review Excerpts

- AWARDS -

Charlotte Zolotow Award, 2004 Highly Commended United States
Garden State Children's Book Award, 2006 Winner Non-Fiction United States
Randolph Caldecott Medal, 2004 Honor Book United States

- REVIEW EXCERPTS -

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE review: “Edges manage to capture hair, fur, feathers, carapaces, exoskeletons, and the different textures of an animal's outside with uncannily accurate depictions. This is one of those cases where collage seems just right for the subject and its many nuances. The informational aspect of the book is further enhanced with a substantive paragraph, at the book's conclusion, of information about each of the thirty animals mentioned.”

KIRKUS review: “Visual surprises abound: a field cricket's ears are actually on its legs; a horned lizard can (and does, here) squirt blood from its eyes as a defense mechanism; in an ingenious use of page design, a five-lined skink's breakable tail enters and leaves the center gutter at different points. Capped by a systematic appendix furnishing more, and often arresting, details-"A humpback whale can be 50 feet long and weigh a ton per foot"-this array of wide eyes and open mouths will definitely have viewers responding with wide eyes and open mouths of their own.”

5. Connections

Use in science to discuss adaptations

Create your own “What would you do with…” featuring different animals

Explore the uses of the 5 senses

Use to discuss similarities and differences between creatures

Read other books by Jenkins such as Slap, Squeak, and Scatter: How Animals

Communicate

We Are The Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball

1. Bibliography

Nelson, Kadir. 2008. WE ARE THE SHIP: THE STORY OF NEGRO LEAGUE BASEBALL. New York: Jump at the Sun/Disney Hyperion. ISBN 0-7868-0832-2

2. Summary

Using an "Everyman" player as his narrator, Kadir Nelson tells the story of Negro League baseball from its beginnings in the 1920s through the decline after Jackie Robinson crossed over to the majors in 1947. Each chapter presents players, teams, locations, owners, discrimination faced by the teams, and how the Negro League players’ style of play changed the game of baseball. The last chapter, “Extra Innings,” explains why the Negro Leagues ended, and its importance in baseball and American history. An index, a bibliography, and author’s note, and source notes are also included.

3. Critical Analysis

Kadir Nelson tells this story from the vantage point of an unnamed narrator; it reads like an old-timer reliving his memories of the baseball greats with his grandchildren. The “collective we” of the first person text makes the reader feel as if an old-time ballplayer were speaking directly to him. Each chapter deals with an important aspect of the Negro league player’s challenges and successes and is told with such passion that the reader feels as though they are standing on the playing field with the heat rising through their cleats. The stories and artwork are a tribute to the spirit of the Negro Leaguers, who were much more than also-rans and deserve a more prominent place on baseball’s history shelves.

Nelson’s magnificent oil paintings are often from a straight-on vantage point, as if the players took time out of the action to peer at the viewer from history, eyes leveled and challenging, before turning back to the field of play. With enormous blue skies and jam-packed grandstands backing them, these players look like the giants they are. This book will attract readers because of the full and double-page vibrant, realistic oil paintings, and immerse the reader in the compelling story being told.

4. Awards and Review Excerpts

- AWARDS -

Coretta Scott King Award, 2009 Honor Book Illustrator

Coretta Scott King Award, 2009 Winner Author

Cybil Award, 2008 Finalist Non-Fiction Middle Grade/Young Adult Book United States
International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) Honor List, 2010 Honour List Illustrator Canada
Judy Lopez Memorial Award for Children's Literature, 2009 Winner California United States
New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books of the Year, 2008 Winner United States
Odyssey Award, 2010 Honor United States
Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children, 2009 Honor Book United States
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal, 2009 Winner United States
School Library Journal Battle of the (Kids') Books, 2009 Nominee United States
Society of Illustrators' Award, 2008 Silver Medal United States
Society of School Librarians International Book Awards, 2008 Honor Book Social Studies - Grades K-6 United States

- REVIEW EXCERPTS -

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE review: “The narrative showcases the pride and comradery of the Negro Leagues, celebrates triumphing on one’s own terms and embracing adversity, even as it clearly shows the “us” and “them” mentality bred by segregation. If the story is the pitch, though, it’s the artwork that blasts the book into the stands.”

KIRKUS review: “Along with being absolutely riveted by the art, readers will come away with a good picture of the Negro Leaguers' distinctive style of play, as well as an idea of how their excellence challenged the racial attitudes of both their sport and their times.”

5. Connections

Have students read other books about Negro league baseball and write a summary paper about it.

Have a discussion about how the students’ think the players in the Negro league felt (both positive and negative feelings) and why they might have felt that way.

Use when learning about segregation.

The Extraordinary Mark Twain

A. Bibliography

Kerley, Barbra. 2010. THE EXTRAORDINARY MARK TWAIN (ACCORDNIG TO SUSY). Ill. by Edwin Fotheringham. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 978-0-545-12508-6

2. Summary

According to his daughter Susy, Mark Twain was not the person the general public thought he was. After learning that Twain’s thirteen-year-old daughter had written her own description of him in her diary, Kerley has drawn on that to produce an account of Twain’s life and personality. Excerpts from Susy's actual diary appear inside separate mini-book inserted throughout book. The book includes bibliographical references and index.

3. Critical Analysis

Two texts run though this unusual book. The first is Kerley’s account of Samuel Clemens’ 13-year-old daughter, Susy, who decides to write her father’s biography in her journal. The second is a series of excerpts from that actual biography, neatly printed in script-like font with Susy’s misspellings intact. These entries appear on smaller, folded pages, each marked “JOURNAL,” that are tipped into the gutters of this large-format picture book’s double-page spreads.

Kerley's conversational, quotation-rich narration effectively complements Susy's insights, and the result is an affectionate portrait of Twain as writer and family man. Twain enthusiasts will be especially captivated by its fullness, as he's not revealed as the author of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn until mid-book.

Fotheringham's dynamically composed, digitally created full-bled illustrations, both inventive and appealing, effectively recall the 19th-century setting, and big, swirling lines reflect the flourishes of an ink pen. A favorite spread shows the grand Connecticut house as a cross-section, with Twain going about his routine in every room, even taking a bath! This book is a heartwarming tribute to both the writing life in general and the well-loved humorist.

A final bonus is a one page guide to students on “Writing an Extraordinary Biography (According to Barbara Kerley*),” which is available at the author’s website.

4. Awards and Review Excerpts

- AWARDS -

Kirkus Best Children’s Books ; 2010

Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Books; 2010

School Library Journal Best Books; 2010

Washington Post Best Kid’s Books; 2010

- REVIEW EXCERPTS -

BOOKLIST review: “Kerley manages to bring Susy and her famous father to life using plenty of household anecdotes. With a restrained palette and a fine sense of line, Fotheringham’s stylized, digital illustrations are wonderfully freewheeling, sometimes comical, and as eccentric as Susy’s subject.”

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE review: “Through text and journal inserts (which, we are reminded, Suzy keeps hidden under her pillow), readers get unique glimpses of Mark Twain’s life from his young daughter’s point of view. Susy gives readers both Twain’s good qualities (e.g., her Papa’s and mother’s initial meeting) and others not so good (e.g., Twain’s description of some visitors as “mentally dead”). These juxtapositions illustrate the simplicity and humanity of the often-idolized American canonical author.”

5. Connections

Read other books by Kerley such as What to do About Alice? And compare the styles of the biographies.

Have students create an “Extraordinary Biography” about someone they know using Kerley’s guide.

Create a summary about Mark Twain based on the book.

The Firefly Letters

1. Bibliography

Engle, Margarita. 2010. THE FIREFLY LETTERS: A SUFFRAGETTE’S JOURNEY TO CUBA. New York: Henry Holt and Co. ISBN 0-689-30072-7

2. Summary

This story, written in poetry, is based on the diaries and letters of Fredrika Bremer, a Swedish suffragist who spent three months in Cuba in 1851. The focus is on oppressed women. The book features stories about Fredrika, Cecilia – a teenage slave who was captured in the Congo when she was eight, and Elena – a privileged girl in a slave owning family and how the characters are all connected.

3. Critical Analysis

Engle creates dramatic tension among the characters, especially in the story of Elena, who makes a surprising sacrifice. Engle's poetry intertwines three characters that help each other find hope and courage. There are many similes and metaphors for slavery and freedom in the poetry with the main metaphor being cocuyos, a bright firefly that the natives capture in bottles and weave alive into their hair. Rich descriptions of the beauty of Cuba enliven the gentle plotline, from the starlit sky and lush vegetation to the bountiful cocuyos (fireflies), whose flight and capture symbolize freedom and entrapment throughout. Engle has instilled powerful emotions into the free-verse text. The text is rife with metaphors of captivity and freedom: Cecilia’s enslavement is literal, Elena also longs to fly beyond the “ornately barred window” that defines her privileged life, and Fredrika’s relative independence was borne of great sacrifice while inspiring Cecilia and Elena to explore their own purpose.

4. Awards and Review Excerpts

- AWARDS -

Pura Belpre Award, 2011 Honor Book Author United States

- REVIEW EXCERPTS -

KIRKUS review: “The free-verse novel effectively alternates the voices of the three protagonists (with a fourth voice for Beni, Cecilia's husband) and demonstrates how each character affects the others, all learning a measure of freedom in their roaming the island, Fredrika always recording her observations in letters and diaries by the light of Cuban fireflies resting on her fingers. And like the firefly light, Engle's poetry is a gossamer thread of subtle beauty weaving together three memorable characters who together find hope and courage.”

THE BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN’S BOOKS review: “The author has a gift for imbuing seemingly effortless text with powerful emotions; though this is briefer and less nuanced than her earlier works, it remains memorable nonetheless.”

5. Connections

This book can be used as a supplement for lessons on slavery and early feminism.

Students can make personal connections to any struggles they have had in their life and anyone who has helped overcome them.

Develop other similes and metaphors using bugs or animals to describe people, events, personalities, etc. as the fireflies did.

Mathematickles!

1. Franco, Betsy. 2003. MATHEMATICKLES!. Ill. by Steven Salerno. New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books. ISBN 0-689-84357-7

2. Summary

This is a collection of poems written in the form of mathematical problems. The poems are grouped according to seasonal themes. The words are formatted into mathematical equations that will intrigue both mathematicians and literature buffs alike.

3. Critical Analysis

In this book of poetry, Franco brings together the analytical thinking of math and the creativity of poetry. Some of the poetry snippets rhyme while others are free verse; simple words come together to make vivid imagery that take the reader through the seasons. The book includes some metaphorical language that create wonderful pictures in the mind such as the line about leave sailing through puddles like ships. The inspiration for these poems is mathematical, but they don’t always follow the mathematical fundamentals they are great examples of wordplay.

Salerno’s watercolor illustrations help the reader’s travel through the seasons. The lovable girl character and friendly animals all play a part in adding to the poetic words. The lively pictures and catchy word equations are sure to interest children in trying it themselves.

4. Awards and Review Excerpts

- AWARDS -

Children’s Catalog, Nineteenth Edition, 2006 H.W. Wilson United States

- REVIEW EXCERPTS -

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE review: “This innovative volume of poetry seeks to fuse math and language in a unique and fun way. The poems are necessarily short but make the reader think of things in new and unusual ways.... thinking of it in mathematical terms twists it in such a way that it becomes interesting in a whole other way.”

BOOKLIST review: “Ultimately, they will appeal most to lovers of wordplay. Using this colorful book as a springboard, language arts teachers can challenge their students to write their own mathematickles.”

5. Connections

Have students write their own mathematickels or other fun formats of poetry.

Read other poetry that is written in a different format such as upside down words or in the shape of animals.

Read other poems that travel through the seasons and compare the imagery and adjectives used.

Red Sings From Treetops: A Year in Colors

1. Bibliography

Sidman, Joyce. 2009. RED SINGS FROM TREETOPS: A YEAR IN COLORS. Ill. by Pamela Zagarenski. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 978-0-547-01494-4

2. Summary

This book of poetry travels through the seasons, describing them using colors along with descriptive words. The changing weather and seasonal activities are depicted throughout the poetry. The season of spring begins the book with the color red singing in the tree tops in the form of birds saying “cheer-cheer-cheer”. The final poetry about winter also with the color red in the form of birds singing “cheer-cheer-cheer”.

3. Critical Analysis

Sidman uses colors to take the reader through the seasons. The color red is the only color seen throughout all four seasons and it is followed by repetition of sounds such as “cheep-cheep-cheep” and “crunch”. The sounds give life to the poems and allow for expression when being read orally. The descriptive words used for each season allows the reader (or listener) to feel as if they are actually in that season. All of the senses are utilized through vivid imagery as Sidman describes the different seasons: touch in spring with “mossy-soft at my feet”; in summer with “smells like butter, tastes like salt”; in fall with sight “orange flickers, all smoke and candles”; and in winter with sound “white whispers, floats”. The poems have a definite rhythm that flows well when read aloud.

Zagarenski uses colorful illustrations in mixed-media that flow well. The colors are blended, composed of bits of newspaper print in places, and created on wood and through computer generation. The book has a light and European folksy feel in that the people and some animals in the book are adorned with crowns. Wheels are another frequent feature in the main character of the illustrations balancing on top. The most prominent feature is the frequent use of text in the illustrations. The illustrations are clearly the illustrator’s interpretation of the poem. For example, the poem reads, “Red darts, jags, hovers; a blur of wings, a sequined throat.” And the picture includes humming birds.

4. Awards and Review Excerpts

- AWARDS -

Claudia Lewis Award, 2010 Winner United States
Cybil Award, 2009 Winner Poetry United States
Minnesota Book Awards, 2010 Winner Children’s Literature United States
Randolph Caldecott Medal, 2010 Honor Book United States

- REVIEW EXCERPTS -

BOOKLIST review: “All of these evocative images are matched in the imaginative illustrations.” “And as the title implies, the colors that surprise on every page do sing.”

KIRKUS review: “The seasons flow into each other, bringing readers full circle. Fresh descriptions and inventive artistry are a charming inspiration to notice colors and correlate emotions.”

5. Connections

Choose (or have the students choose) a poems and illustrate it in an individual manner based on what you imagine when you hear it.

Write your own poem about a season.

Read other poems about seasons and compare them.

Look at the illustrations and find letters or words within the print that is used to compose the pictures.

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat

1. Bibliography

Taback, Simms. 1999. JOSEPH HAD A LITTLE OVERCOAT. New York: Viking. ISBN 0-670-87855-3

2. Summary
   

Based on a Yiddish folksong, Joseph has an overcoat that becomes worn. As it wears out, it is transformed into smaller and smaller articles of clothing until all that is left is a single button. When Joseph loses the button, he makes a book about the life of the overcoat, ending with the moral – “You can always make something out of nothing.”

3. Critical Analysis

Taback uses simple sentences to take readers through the life of Joseph’s overcoat. Parts of the text are repetitive, but not in a way that would cause boredom or loss of interest in the book. The main repetition is in the line, “It got old and worn.” I find that this line, along with the way the story is written could be easily said as a poem or song. The story follows the Yiddish folksong “I Had a Little Overcoat”, which is included at the end of the book. Joseph’s overcoat continues to grow smaller and smaller until he ends up losing the last piece. Just when all seems lost, Joseph decides to write a story about it, teaching the moral that you can always make something out of nothing.

Taback’s illustrations are formed from water color, Gouache, pencil, ink, and collage. This gives the artwork a very unique feel. The page cut-outs bring a fun aspect to the story and add to the storyline as the overcoat’s original fabric becomes smaller and smaller.

4. Awards and Review Excerpts

- AWARDS -

-National Jewish Book Awards, 1999 Winner Illustrated Children’s Book United States

-Randolph Caldecott Medal, 2000 Winner United States
Sydney Taylor Book Awards, 1999 Honor Book Younger Reader United States

- REVIEW EXCERPTS -

BOOKLIST review: “Taback's mixed-media and collage illustrations are alive with warmth, humor, and humanity. Their colors are festive yet controlled, and they are filled with homey clutter, interesting characters, and a million details to bring children back again and again.”

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE review: “Each page is enriched with details appreciated more by adults than children--for example, a newspaper headline reads "Fiddler On Roof Falls Off Roof" or "Chelm Rabbi Knows Why the Ocean is Salty" (It's due to the herring)! Family pictures adorn the walls and peer out of apartment windows, Yiddish newspapers lying on the floor, books with authors such as Sholom Aleichem and I.L. Peretz all vie for attention and inspire adults to share this book with their children and grandchildren.”

5. Connections

-Students can write their own story that involves either making something out of nothing or re-writing Joseph’s story using different events.

-Read other books that have missing pieces in the pages such as The Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.

-Connect to science by talking about how Joseph “re-used” his overcoat; discuss other items that could be re-used.

Beautiful Blackbird

1. Bibliography

Bryan, Ashley. 2003. BEAUTIFUL BLACKBIRD. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0-689-84731-9

2. Summary

Once upon a time in Africa, the blackbird was the only bird who wasn’t brightly colored. All of the other birds though blackbird was the most beautiful. After one bird gets some black added to his feathers, all of the other birds want to have some black as well. This book is adapted from an African tale of the Ila people with the messages of “Black is beautiful.” and “Color on the outside is not what’s on the inside.”

3. Critical Analysis

Bryan tells a story that is ready-made for participation on behalf of the audience. The words, “Black is beautiful, uh-huh” are repeated frequently throughout the book. The rhythmic prose Bryan uses will appeal to children of all ages. The text could be interpreted in two different ways – one that implies a racial metaphor or one that is focused on changing the view of the color black in art from dull and scary to bright and joyful. The text also brings up “color on the outside is not what’s on the inside” which can be interpreted as accepting racial differences.

Bryan uses overlapping collage images to fill the pages with colorful pictures. These cut-paper collages are simple, yet bold and add to the charisma of the story. When the single color birds are accented in black, the pictures become more vibrant. The construction paper-esque feel is sure to inspire young artists and open their minds to a new medium.

4. Awards and Review Excerpts

-AWARDS -

Coretta Scott King Award, 2004 Winner Illustrator United States

- REVIEW EXCERPTS -

KIRKUS review: “This telling, by the master storyteller, just aches to be read aloud; the lively rhythms keep the simple folktale rollicking along.”

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE review: “Because of its uncomplicated presentation, this book would be useful in making an African folk tale accessible to a very young audience, and the colorful illustrations and cheerful theme would please most young children.”

5. Connections

- Read and compare other African folktales, tales by Ashley Bryan, or por quoi tales.

- Discuss the scissors at the end of the book and how Bryan included a memorable piece of his mother. Encourage the students to include memorable pieces in their own writing.

- Read other books about sharing and individuality such as Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister. Have students write their own book about sharing and individuality.

Yo, Hungry Wolf! A Nursery Rap

1. Bibliography

Vozar, David. 1993. YO, HUNGRY WOLF! A NURSERY RAP. Ill. by Betsy Lewin. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0-440-40953-5

2. Summary

This is a re-telling of “The Three Little Pigs”, “Little Red Riding Hood”, and “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” in a rap verse style. In all three tales, the storyline is pretty traditional, with the exception of the rhyming and some of the grammar.

3. Critical Analysis

Vozar uses fun rhymes and catchy grammar to transform 3 traditional tales into a modern rap. The rap prose is catchy and would be a fun read-aloud. The text would also make a fun reader’s theater due to the style and the way it is broken into 4 line stanzas. When writing “The Three Little Pigs” section, Vozar uses the basic traditional tale with little variation. The most obvious variation is the use of a house of hay instead of a house of wood for the second pig. Some of the vocabulary in the story has been reworded; words such as “reinspired” and “beratin’” add to the story.

Betsy Lewin’s illustrations are done in watercolor and bold outlining. The cartoon style illustrations add to the characterizations and humor of the tales. The seemingly free draw pictures express the characters through the droop of the wolf’s whiskers and worry in the pigs’ eyes.

4. Awards and Review Excerpts

- AWARDS -

Children’s Choices Book, 1994 International Reading Association United States

- REVIEW EXCERPTS -

KIRKUS review: “Three well-known tales featuring the big bad wolf, retold in witty, rhythmic rap and cleverly linked.”

BOOKLIST review: “It's all good, nonviolent fun, much abetted by Lewin's marvelous cartoon-style illustrations.”

5. Connections

- Author study on David Vozar where students can compare and contrast other traditional tale raps such as MC Turtle and The Hip Hop Hare: A Nursery Rap and RAPunzel: A Happenin’ Rap.

- Read other books about The Three Little Pigs. Compare and contrast the storylines using a double bubble map.

- Have the students write an alternative ending to the Three Little Pigs.

- Have students create a dictionary of words they do not know in the rap. Have them create definitions based on text inferences, then look up the actual definition and compare the two.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

1. Bibliography

Viorst, Judith. 1972. ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY. Ill. by Ray Cruz. New York: Antheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0-689-30072-7

2. Summary

Poor Alexander has a day in which everything goes wrong. He wakes up with gum in his hair; his two older brothers find neat toys in their breakfast cereal, but not him; he doesn't get a window seat in the carpool; things just continue to get worse. Alexander decides that the only solution would be to move to Australia. After many more things go wrong through out the day, Alexander heads for bed. He tells his mom it has been a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. His mom tells him that some days are like that--even in Australia.

3. Critical Analysis

Voirst uses descriptive scenes to describe the kind of day Alexander is having – a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. It’s so bad, Alexander keeps using the line, “I think I’ll move to Australia.”, which students will love to join in on while reading aloud. As Alexander’s day just keeps getting worse students will be able to relate to Alexander’s woes. This is the perfect book to relay the message to children that everyone has bad days and we just have to make the best of them.

Ray Cruz’s illustrations are bold and expressive. Cruz uses black and white illustrations featuring a creative use of patterns and crosshatching. This captures Alexander’s mood throughout the story perfectly.

4. Awards and Review Excerpts

- AWARDS -

* SMART Book Award, 2005 Nominee United States

- REVIEW EXCERPTS -

BOOKHIVE review: “A humorous and thoughtful book with realistic line drawings.”

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE review: “Cruz captures the mood of the story in his black and white illustrations, which feature creative use of patterns and crosshatching to compensate for the lack of color.”

MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW review: “Judith Viorst's 30-year-old black-ink-only classic has a better-than-average chance of withstanding the ravages of time, despite its lack of color and dated images (old '70s VW bugs, Mary Tyler Moore-era clothing).”

5. Connections

*Author study on Judith Viorst where students can compare and contrast other “Alexander” books by Viorst such Alexander, Who’s Not (Do you hear me? I mean it!) Going to Move, Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday, and Absolutely Positively Alexander: The Complete Story.

*Share one of your personal bad days with the students, then have the students write about one of their bad days and how it turned out.

*Share other books about bad days such as When Sophie Gets Angry – Really, Really Angry... By Molly Bang or Mean Soup By Betsy Everitt.

*Have the students create a brochure of a place they would like to visit when they are having a bad day. Include in the brochure activities that could be done at that place to make you feel better.