Park, Linda Sue (2001). A Single Shard. New York: Clarion Books
Tree-Ear and Crane-man are best friends, despite one being a young teen and the other an old man. They live together under a bridge. Both are poor and without family. Crane-man simply wishes to live out his life as it is, but Tree-Ear has a dream to become an apprentice to the greatest porcelain potter.
Tree-ear watches the master potter for a long time, then begins helping the elderly potter by doing chores that are beyond the master’s abilities. Before long he is being given a chance at an apprenticeship. After some time, the master sends Tree-ear on a long and dangerous journey to the court of the King. He is to take samples of the master’s work to the king who will order large quantities of pottery from the best potter in the country. Tree-ear worries about leaving his elderly friend, fearing he will not be able to get food or stay warm. Crane-man wants him to go.
Along the way, Tree-ear is accosted and the pottery damaged. Tree-ear is torn between completing his journey and giving up now that he does not have any samples. Tree-ear must find the courage to honor his commitment and present the pottery to the King.
Park weaves an intricate story of twelfth century Korea with the beauty of perfectly made porcelain pottery. Park’s protagonist, Tree-ear, reaches for a dream that is outside of his class level. His dialogue is easy to read and the themes, while poignant, are handled without sentimentality. Park takes on the issue of orphans, class, and dreams daring to give her protagonist his dream of becoming a potter.
Parks masterful command of research and description takes a common story structure – Protagonist is low class, poor orphan who overcomes great odds to achieve his dreams- and gives it a new energy that will have both children and parents enjoying this book.
From Publishers WeeklyPark (Seesaw Girl) molds a moving tribute to perseverance and creativity in this finely etched novel set in mid- to late 12th-century Korea. In Ch'ul'po, a potter's village, Crane-man (so called because of one shriveled leg) raises 10-year-old orphan Tree Ear (named for a mushroom that grows "without benefit of "parent-seed"). Though the pair reside under a bridge, surviving on cast-off rubbish and fallen grains of rice, they believe "stealing and begging... made a man no better than a dog." From afar, Tree Ear admires the work of the potters until he accidentally destroys a piece by Min, the most talented of the town's craftsmen, and pays his debt in servitude for nine days. Park convincingly conveys how a community of artists works (chopping wood for a communal kiln, cutting clay to be thrown, etc.) and effectively builds the relationships between characters through their actions (e.g., Tree Ear hides half his lunch each day for Crane-man, and Min's soft-hearted wife surreptitiously fills the bowl). She charts Tree Ear's transformation from apprentice to artist and portrays his selflessness during a pilgrimage to Songdo to show Min's work to the royal court he faithfully continues even after robbers shatter the work and he has only a single shard to show. Readers will not soon forget these characters or their sacrifices. Ages 10-14.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From School Library Journal
Gr 5-8-In this tale of courage and devotion, a single shard from a celadon vase changes the life of a young boy and his master. In 12th-century Korea, the village of Ch'ulp'o is famous for its pottery. The orphan Tree-ear spends his days foraging for food for himself and Crane-man, a lame straw weaver who has cared for him for many years. Because of his wanderings, Tree-ear is familiar with all of the potters in the village, but he is especially drawn to Min. When he drops a piece Min has made, Tree-ear begins to work for him to pay off his debt, but stays on after the debt is paid because he longs to learn to create beautiful pots himself. Sent to the royal court to show the king's emissary some new pottery, Tree-ear makes a long journey filled with disaster and learns what it means to have true courage. This quiet story is rich in the details of life in Korea during this period. In addition it gives a full picture of the painstaking process needed to produce celadon pottery. However, what truly stands out are the characters: the grumpy perfectionist, Min; his kind wife; wise Crane-man; and most of all, Tree-ear, whose determination and lively intelligence result in good fortune. Like Park's Seesaw Girl (1999) and The Kite Fighters (2000, both Clarion), this book not only gives readers insight into an unfamiliar time and place, but it is also a great story.-Barbara Scotto, Michael Driscoll School, Brookline, MA
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From BooklistGr. 4-8. When the polite greeting in a society is "Have you eaten well today?' one may guess that subsistence is of prime concern. Surely no one in this twelfth-century Korean village is more accustomed to hunger than the orphan boy Tree-ear and his guardian Crane-man who is lame. They sleep under a bridge in summer and in a pit in winter, eating what they can forage in the woods or garbage piles. At the age of 12, Tree-ear becomes an assistant to the potter Min. A hard taskmaster to himself and the boy, Min is the maker of the finest celadon ware in Ch'ul'po, a village known for its pottery. When Min entrusts two precious pots to Tree-ear to deliver to Songdo, the boy must make his way across miles of unknown territory, relying on his courage and wits to prove himself worthy of Min's trust. This quiet, but involving, story draws readers into a very different time and place. Though the society has its own conventions, the hearts and minds and stomachs of the characters are not so far removed from those of people today. Readers will feel the hunger and cold that Tree-ear experiences, as well as his shame, fear, gratitude, and love. A well-crafted novel with an unusual setting. Carolyn Phelan Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
This is a great book to use along with a unit on pottery. It will fit well in any unit on character, friendship, or apprenticeships. It can be used during an author’s study or when studying a social studies unit on Korea.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Jip: His Story Review
Paterson, Katherine (1996). Jip: His Story. New York: Scholastic
Jip is an orphan. He knows only that he fell of the back of a buckboard as a toddler and no one came back for him. The town sends him to the local poor farm. He likes the farm and works hard to make it work. Everyone at the farm likes Jip. Then, the stranger arrives.
Jip dislikes the stranger on sight and tries to ignore him but he keeps asking questions. Finally, the stranger leaves ,and Jip’s life returns to normal until a year later, when the stranger returns with another man. One who looks remarkably like Jip, except Jip has dark hair and eyes, while the new stranger has light eyes and blond hair. Jip quickly realizes life will change, but it is up to him to decide whether it will be for the better or worse.
Paterson brings to life another wonderful story of perseverance during a tragic event. She does not avoid the difficult issue of slavery and poverty. Set in mid-nineteenth century, rural Vermont, Paterson captures the rugged and wild beauty of the area, while entwining a believable story of one young man learning about his past, a past that suddenly shoves him from being a poor work-boy into a despised liar and worthless slave.
Jip is related in the first person voice adding emotional vulnerability to the story since we see events from the protagonist’s point of view. Dialogue is sparse and Jip shows deep respect for the overseer and his wife, even though he thinks they are worthless as caretakers. The plot is structured around the conflict between slave owners and abolitionists and the way that the poor and mentally infirm were treated in rural areas. The theme revolves around self-respect, courage, and loyalty. The treatment of the protagonist is shown in stark relief to the wealthier people of the town and later to white folks.
From Publishers WeeklyThis historical novel about a maltreated orphan "is full of revelations and surprises," said PW's starred review; "first-rate entertainment." Ages 10-14. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. From School Library JournalGrade 5-9?Paterson's companion novel to Lyddie (Lodestar, 1991) rewards readers with memorable characters and a gripping plot. Jip has been told that he tumbled off the back of a wagon when he was a toddler in 1847. He has been raised on a poor farm in a Vermont town, where he is an indispensable asset to the lazy manager and his equally lazy wife. The boy befriends the newly arrived "lunatic" Put, who is kept imprisoned in a cage because he is subject to violent, self-destructive episodes. Jip's life is quietly circumscribed-until a stranger plants the idea that his father might be searching for him. Although he has long fantasized that a loving parent awaits him, he sees the stranger as an unlikely messenger. His instincts prove correct when the man is revealed to be a slave catcher. Then Jip learns the truth about his past: his mother was a runaway slave. With the help of his teacher, Lyddie Worthen, and her sweetheart, Quaker neighbor Luke Stevens, Jip escapes to Canada, where he is welcomed as a free man into the home of a former slave whom Lyddie helped shelter in the earlier book. Paterson's story resonates with respect for the Vermont landscape and its mid-19th-century residents, with the drama of life during a dark period in our nation's history, and with the human quest for freedom. Fans of the previous book will relish meeting up with Lyddie and Luke again at a somewhat later period in their lives. Readers will be talking and thinking about this book long after they finish the last chapter.?Ellen Fader, Multnomah County Library, Portland, ORCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From BooklistGr. 5^-9. What a story. It's not often that the revelations of the plot are so astonishing--and yet so inevitable--that they make you shout and think and shiver and cry. Paterson has taken the old orphan foundling tale, set it in Vermont in the 1850s, and made it new. Jip (as in "Gypsy" ) doesn't know where he came from; they say he fell off the back of a wagon and was found on the road somewhere when he was about two years old. Now, as a young boy, he lives and works on the town poor farm with the other paupers and strays. He just about runs the farm, cares for the plants and animals, and helps ease the pain and sorrow of those around him. His closest bond is with Put, an old man who must spend much of his life in a cage because of the raging madness that comes over him at times. People are scared of the lunatic, but Jip loves Put and comforts him ("he belonged to Jip in a way no one else ever had" ). The real danger is from a menacing stranger who is watching Jip. What does the stalker want? At school, Teacher reads aloud from Oliver Twist, and Jip wonders, as he always has, whether he might have a loving parent far away somewhere. Is Jip somebody's lost boy? The answer is devastating. There are some problems with this book. Jip is idealized, too saintly to be true; in fact, as in Dickens, most of the characters are either totally good or totally bad. But the time and the place are drawn with powerful realism. Paterson's simple sentences lay bare the dark historical truth and the transforming light of love. Hazel Rochman --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Kirkus Reviews Set in the 1850s, this story centers on a boy, named for his supposed abandonment by gypsies, and for his swarthy complexion. Jip lives on the local poor farm, doing chores and caring for the animals. He befriends a caged lunatic, ``Put''; a menacing stranger appears who inquires about Jip's background and turns the boy's life upside down. As he struggles to find answers, he is given the opportunity to attend school and is befriended by the teacher, whom readers will recognize from Lyddie (1991), and her Quaker sweetheart. Through this friendship, Jip is able to face his ancestry and the fact that he must escape or suffer dire consequences. As usual for Paterson, all the characterizations are penetrating--even the villains are interesting. An epilogue lets readers in on Jip's success in reaching Canada and his decisions as the Civil War begins. Unfortunately, the ending is abrupt: Put is sacrificed, and it is not clear what lesson Jip derives from putting his friend in harm's way. Regardless, this is fine historical fiction. (Fiction. 10-14) -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
This book could be used, along with Elijah of Buxton, to study the treatment of runaway slaves. Both Jip and Elijah start out free. Both are young boys who need to find their inner selves.
Another way to use this book, would be during a unit studying personal character, courage, honor, and loyalty.
Finally, for older students, a teacher might choose an older book about runaway slaves and have students compare the attitudes and portrayals of how the authors see the protagonists.
Jip is an orphan. He knows only that he fell of the back of a buckboard as a toddler and no one came back for him. The town sends him to the local poor farm. He likes the farm and works hard to make it work. Everyone at the farm likes Jip. Then, the stranger arrives.
Jip dislikes the stranger on sight and tries to ignore him but he keeps asking questions. Finally, the stranger leaves ,and Jip’s life returns to normal until a year later, when the stranger returns with another man. One who looks remarkably like Jip, except Jip has dark hair and eyes, while the new stranger has light eyes and blond hair. Jip quickly realizes life will change, but it is up to him to decide whether it will be for the better or worse.
Paterson brings to life another wonderful story of perseverance during a tragic event. She does not avoid the difficult issue of slavery and poverty. Set in mid-nineteenth century, rural Vermont, Paterson captures the rugged and wild beauty of the area, while entwining a believable story of one young man learning about his past, a past that suddenly shoves him from being a poor work-boy into a despised liar and worthless slave.
Jip is related in the first person voice adding emotional vulnerability to the story since we see events from the protagonist’s point of view. Dialogue is sparse and Jip shows deep respect for the overseer and his wife, even though he thinks they are worthless as caretakers. The plot is structured around the conflict between slave owners and abolitionists and the way that the poor and mentally infirm were treated in rural areas. The theme revolves around self-respect, courage, and loyalty. The treatment of the protagonist is shown in stark relief to the wealthier people of the town and later to white folks.
From Publishers WeeklyThis historical novel about a maltreated orphan "is full of revelations and surprises," said PW's starred review; "first-rate entertainment." Ages 10-14. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. From School Library JournalGrade 5-9?Paterson's companion novel to Lyddie (Lodestar, 1991) rewards readers with memorable characters and a gripping plot. Jip has been told that he tumbled off the back of a wagon when he was a toddler in 1847. He has been raised on a poor farm in a Vermont town, where he is an indispensable asset to the lazy manager and his equally lazy wife. The boy befriends the newly arrived "lunatic" Put, who is kept imprisoned in a cage because he is subject to violent, self-destructive episodes. Jip's life is quietly circumscribed-until a stranger plants the idea that his father might be searching for him. Although he has long fantasized that a loving parent awaits him, he sees the stranger as an unlikely messenger. His instincts prove correct when the man is revealed to be a slave catcher. Then Jip learns the truth about his past: his mother was a runaway slave. With the help of his teacher, Lyddie Worthen, and her sweetheart, Quaker neighbor Luke Stevens, Jip escapes to Canada, where he is welcomed as a free man into the home of a former slave whom Lyddie helped shelter in the earlier book. Paterson's story resonates with respect for the Vermont landscape and its mid-19th-century residents, with the drama of life during a dark period in our nation's history, and with the human quest for freedom. Fans of the previous book will relish meeting up with Lyddie and Luke again at a somewhat later period in their lives. Readers will be talking and thinking about this book long after they finish the last chapter.?Ellen Fader, Multnomah County Library, Portland, ORCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From BooklistGr. 5^-9. What a story. It's not often that the revelations of the plot are so astonishing--and yet so inevitable--that they make you shout and think and shiver and cry. Paterson has taken the old orphan foundling tale, set it in Vermont in the 1850s, and made it new. Jip (as in "Gypsy" ) doesn't know where he came from; they say he fell off the back of a wagon and was found on the road somewhere when he was about two years old. Now, as a young boy, he lives and works on the town poor farm with the other paupers and strays. He just about runs the farm, cares for the plants and animals, and helps ease the pain and sorrow of those around him. His closest bond is with Put, an old man who must spend much of his life in a cage because of the raging madness that comes over him at times. People are scared of the lunatic, but Jip loves Put and comforts him ("he belonged to Jip in a way no one else ever had" ). The real danger is from a menacing stranger who is watching Jip. What does the stalker want? At school, Teacher reads aloud from Oliver Twist, and Jip wonders, as he always has, whether he might have a loving parent far away somewhere. Is Jip somebody's lost boy? The answer is devastating. There are some problems with this book. Jip is idealized, too saintly to be true; in fact, as in Dickens, most of the characters are either totally good or totally bad. But the time and the place are drawn with powerful realism. Paterson's simple sentences lay bare the dark historical truth and the transforming light of love. Hazel Rochman --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Kirkus Reviews Set in the 1850s, this story centers on a boy, named for his supposed abandonment by gypsies, and for his swarthy complexion. Jip lives on the local poor farm, doing chores and caring for the animals. He befriends a caged lunatic, ``Put''; a menacing stranger appears who inquires about Jip's background and turns the boy's life upside down. As he struggles to find answers, he is given the opportunity to attend school and is befriended by the teacher, whom readers will recognize from Lyddie (1991), and her Quaker sweetheart. Through this friendship, Jip is able to face his ancestry and the fact that he must escape or suffer dire consequences. As usual for Paterson, all the characterizations are penetrating--even the villains are interesting. An epilogue lets readers in on Jip's success in reaching Canada and his decisions as the Civil War begins. Unfortunately, the ending is abrupt: Put is sacrificed, and it is not clear what lesson Jip derives from putting his friend in harm's way. Regardless, this is fine historical fiction. (Fiction. 10-14) -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
This book could be used, along with Elijah of Buxton, to study the treatment of runaway slaves. Both Jip and Elijah start out free. Both are young boys who need to find their inner selves.
Another way to use this book, would be during a unit studying personal character, courage, honor, and loyalty.
Finally, for older students, a teacher might choose an older book about runaway slaves and have students compare the attitudes and portrayals of how the authors see the protagonists.
Elijah of Buxton Review
Curtis, Christopher Paul (2007). Elijah of Buxton. New York: Scholastic
Elijah is the first free born black person born in Buxton, Canada. Both his parents are runaway slaves who made their way to a black settlement started by Fredrick Douglas. He has heard all the stories about the terrible treatment of slaves in America but has never seen mistreatment or been to America. Then, the Reverend steals money from Elijah’s friend. The money was intended to purchase family members’ freedom.
Elijah feels as though he is responsible for the theft and promises to follow the Reverend and recover the stolen money. Problem is that the Reverend had high-tailed it to America. Elijah goes after him, seeing the trip as an adventure. But the adventure turns deadly, when Elijah encounters a captured group of blacks chained up. He is determined to help them and seeks that help from other blacks in town. They will not endanger their lives and freedom to help free slaves.
For the first time, Elijah understands fear, real fear. Does he have the courage to help them? Can an eleven year old boy save any of them?
Curtis writes Elijah of Buxton in the first person voice. The characters are down-to-earth. Speech is often fractured and rough,, while at other times it is flowery. Elijah is real. We see his fears, dreams, failures, and successes. He speaks of jokes and lessons learned. His story is believable, with vivid descriptions that is not overly graphic in violence.
The setting is significant because there was no slavery in Canada. Buxton was one of the few Black Settlements to not only survive, but to flourish. The author explains that Buxton is a real town, originally a black settlement. When other settlements began to fail, people like Fredrick Douglas set up very specific rules of behavior for Buxton. Those rules worked.
While the Reverend is a thief, I felt the description of the man was stereotyped. He was a flashy dresser, with a oily personality. The children all mistrust him, while the parents are less distrustful. Although he is the only character who seems stereotyped and perhaps that is because he is the antagonist.
From Booklist*Starred Review* After his mother rebukes him for screaming that hoop snakes have invaded Buxton, gullible 11-year-old Elijah confesses to readers that "there ain't nothing in the world she wants more than for me to quit being so doggone fra-gile." Inexperienced and prone to mistakes, yet kind, courageous, and understanding, Elijah has the distinction of being the first child born in the Buxton Settlement, which was founded in Ontario in 1849 as a haven for former slaves. Narrator Elijah tells an episodic story that builds a broad picture of Buxton's residents before plunging into the dramatic events that take him out of Buxton and, quite possibly, out of his depth. In the author's note, Curtis relates the difficulty of tackling the subject of slavery realistically through a child's first-person perspective. Here, readers learn about conditions in slavery at a distance, though the horrors become increasingly apparent. Among the more memorable scenes are those in which Elijah meets escaped slaves—first, those who have made it to Canada and, later, those who have been retaken by slave catchers. Central to the story, these scenes show an emotional range and a subtlety unusual in children's fiction. Many readers drawn to the book by humor will find themselves at times on the edges of their seats in suspense and, at other moments, moved to tears. A fine, original novel from a gifted storyteller. Phelan, Carolyn --This text refers to the Hardcover edition
Common Sense says: Humorous, powerful, masterful escaped-slave tale.
This may best be used during Black History Month, compared to books written by or about runaway slaves. Elijah’s father states that no one leaves slavery without losing something important. Is his statement accurate when compared to other books about runaway slaves.
Another way a teacher might use this book is in a unit studying bravery or honor. How do the protagonists find their way. Are there similarities in the character of the protagonists or are their characters different and must change to meet the challenge.
Elijah is the first free born black person born in Buxton, Canada. Both his parents are runaway slaves who made their way to a black settlement started by Fredrick Douglas. He has heard all the stories about the terrible treatment of slaves in America but has never seen mistreatment or been to America. Then, the Reverend steals money from Elijah’s friend. The money was intended to purchase family members’ freedom.
Elijah feels as though he is responsible for the theft and promises to follow the Reverend and recover the stolen money. Problem is that the Reverend had high-tailed it to America. Elijah goes after him, seeing the trip as an adventure. But the adventure turns deadly, when Elijah encounters a captured group of blacks chained up. He is determined to help them and seeks that help from other blacks in town. They will not endanger their lives and freedom to help free slaves.
For the first time, Elijah understands fear, real fear. Does he have the courage to help them? Can an eleven year old boy save any of them?
Curtis writes Elijah of Buxton in the first person voice. The characters are down-to-earth. Speech is often fractured and rough,, while at other times it is flowery. Elijah is real. We see his fears, dreams, failures, and successes. He speaks of jokes and lessons learned. His story is believable, with vivid descriptions that is not overly graphic in violence.
The setting is significant because there was no slavery in Canada. Buxton was one of the few Black Settlements to not only survive, but to flourish. The author explains that Buxton is a real town, originally a black settlement. When other settlements began to fail, people like Fredrick Douglas set up very specific rules of behavior for Buxton. Those rules worked.
While the Reverend is a thief, I felt the description of the man was stereotyped. He was a flashy dresser, with a oily personality. The children all mistrust him, while the parents are less distrustful. Although he is the only character who seems stereotyped and perhaps that is because he is the antagonist.
From Booklist*Starred Review* After his mother rebukes him for screaming that hoop snakes have invaded Buxton, gullible 11-year-old Elijah confesses to readers that "there ain't nothing in the world she wants more than for me to quit being so doggone fra-gile." Inexperienced and prone to mistakes, yet kind, courageous, and understanding, Elijah has the distinction of being the first child born in the Buxton Settlement, which was founded in Ontario in 1849 as a haven for former slaves. Narrator Elijah tells an episodic story that builds a broad picture of Buxton's residents before plunging into the dramatic events that take him out of Buxton and, quite possibly, out of his depth. In the author's note, Curtis relates the difficulty of tackling the subject of slavery realistically through a child's first-person perspective. Here, readers learn about conditions in slavery at a distance, though the horrors become increasingly apparent. Among the more memorable scenes are those in which Elijah meets escaped slaves—first, those who have made it to Canada and, later, those who have been retaken by slave catchers. Central to the story, these scenes show an emotional range and a subtlety unusual in children's fiction. Many readers drawn to the book by humor will find themselves at times on the edges of their seats in suspense and, at other moments, moved to tears. A fine, original novel from a gifted storyteller. Phelan, Carolyn --This text refers to the Hardcover edition
Common Sense says: Humorous, powerful, masterful escaped-slave tale.
This may best be used during Black History Month, compared to books written by or about runaway slaves. Elijah’s father states that no one leaves slavery without losing something important. Is his statement accurate when compared to other books about runaway slaves.
Another way a teacher might use this book is in a unit studying bravery or honor. How do the protagonists find their way. Are there similarities in the character of the protagonists or are their characters different and must change to meet the challenge.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World by Jennifer Armstrong
Armstrong, Jennifer. (1998). Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Edurance. New York: Crown. ISBN: 0375810498
Ernest Shackleton attempted to be the first man to make it to the South Pole. He tried in 1908 but failed only 100 miles from his goal. Before he could arrange another expedition, Amundsen reached the South Pole, followed less than a month later by Captain Robert F. Scott. Not only did this not deter Shackleton, but it galvanized him into striving for the first transcontinental Antarctic exploration. Shackleton’s ship, the Endurance, met with misfortune quickly, becoming stuck in an ice floe, where it remained for five months before the ice crushed it into a massive pile of splinters and sank. Having already endured 5 months marooned in the ice, Shackleton’s crew would spend the next five months marooned on ice floe. Then, with summer in full swing, they began to march across the ice, taking the life boats and supplies to the open sea. There, the crew waged a fierce battle against the storms rowing to Elephant Island. Shakleton knew he couldn’t save all crew member aboard the lifeboats, so he and five others left the remainder of the crew on Elephant Island, while they took one boat into open waters, heading 800 miles to South Georgia Island, to bring back a rescue ship.
Shackleton did not succeed in his quest to transverse the continent, bit did survive one of the most amazing survival stories in maritime history.
Armstrong’s writing style is simple and straight forward, emphasizing each dramatic turn with vivid prose, re-creating an action pact story of determination and will on the part of the leader of the doomed expedition. Careful use of visual and verbal access features move the expedition along a breathless route of daily life for the crew of the Endeavor.
Armstrong has written every word of the story using the diaries and first hand interviews with the crew after rescuing, and other authorities cited in the bibliography. The photos, maps, and captions provide added detail to events as they happened, each photo taken to chronicle each step of the trip. An index allows for quick referral to any important details and boldface type used to index the photos.
All of these features and Armstrong’s obvious passion for her subject captures the heart and flavor of the journey, allowing the reader to accompany the crew vicariously, feeling the tension, despair, anger and elations along with the men.
From School Library JournalGrade 6 Up-Filled with intriguing details and written with dramatic style, this riveting account of the ill-fated Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition reads like an adventure novel. In 1914, Sir Ernest Shackleton attempted to be the first explorer to cross Antarctica by foot "from sea to sea." On the eve of World War I, he set out with a crew of scientists and sailors on a specially designed ship, Endurance, but he and his team never reached their objective. The ship became entrapped in ice, and the men were forced to abandon their mission and try to survive in the brutally harsh Antarctic wasteland for 19 months. Thanks to Shackleton's leadership, the bravery of his crew, and a lot of luck, everyone survived. The astonishing circumstances of their ordeal include a treacherous hike across miles of frozen wasteland, an 800-mile open-boat journey through savage seas, and a perilous trek across the uncharted mountain ranges of South Georgia Island. Armstrong brings all of these experiences vividly to life, frequently using quotes from members of the expedition. Excellent black-and-white photographs taken during the journey document the entire adventure story. Elizabeth Cody Kimmel's Ice Story (Clarion, 1999) has larger and more plentiful photographs but Armstrong's text is far more engaging. Kimmel relates all of the facts skillfully, but Armstrong crafts them into an unforgettable story of true heroism and the triumph of the human spirit. A book that will capture the attention and imagination of any reader. Edward Sullivan, New York Public Library Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Kirkus ReviewsPLB 0-517-80014-4 Armstrong (The Dreams of Mairhe Mehan, 1996, etc.) narrates the incredible survival saga of Ernest Shackleton, who with a crew of 27 attempted to cross the Antarctic continent in 1914, and ended up trapped in their ship in the ice pack for seven months. When their ship was finally crushed by the ice they survived for another five months on the moving ice floes, traveled through storm-tossed seas to an uninhabited island, and were rescued, two years after they had set out, after Shackleton and five of his crew traveled 800 miles in an open boat to get help. This unbelievable story is enhanced by the vigorous prose; from the captivating introduction through the epilogue, it is the writing as much as the story that will rivet readers. The black-and-white photos, taken mostly on glass plates by the expedition's photographer, Frank Hurley, survived along with the men and are of exceptional quality. (maps, not seen, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 10-13) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Connections for this text are plentiful. Students could use this to begin or end any theme about exploration, survival, or even photography in early twentieth century. A great activity would be to have students write a list of what they would have kept as their “two pound limit.” Then, gather these items and weigh them to see if they stay under the two pound limit. Have those that fail, rewrite their list removing items to the bare essentials.
Have students write letters of encouragement to the crew members left behind on Elephant Island, describing what Shackleton endured during the 800 mile boat trip and the mountainous terrain covered to reach the whaling station. Have each student create a meal for the crews return or for the crews survival, using tuna as a substitute for seal. Make it one of the cold meals for safety. Have the students research ideas about new technology that would facilitate the crews survival (assuming they are still shipwrecked.)
Ernest Shackleton attempted to be the first man to make it to the South Pole. He tried in 1908 but failed only 100 miles from his goal. Before he could arrange another expedition, Amundsen reached the South Pole, followed less than a month later by Captain Robert F. Scott. Not only did this not deter Shackleton, but it galvanized him into striving for the first transcontinental Antarctic exploration. Shackleton’s ship, the Endurance, met with misfortune quickly, becoming stuck in an ice floe, where it remained for five months before the ice crushed it into a massive pile of splinters and sank. Having already endured 5 months marooned in the ice, Shackleton’s crew would spend the next five months marooned on ice floe. Then, with summer in full swing, they began to march across the ice, taking the life boats and supplies to the open sea. There, the crew waged a fierce battle against the storms rowing to Elephant Island. Shakleton knew he couldn’t save all crew member aboard the lifeboats, so he and five others left the remainder of the crew on Elephant Island, while they took one boat into open waters, heading 800 miles to South Georgia Island, to bring back a rescue ship.
Shackleton did not succeed in his quest to transverse the continent, bit did survive one of the most amazing survival stories in maritime history.
Armstrong’s writing style is simple and straight forward, emphasizing each dramatic turn with vivid prose, re-creating an action pact story of determination and will on the part of the leader of the doomed expedition. Careful use of visual and verbal access features move the expedition along a breathless route of daily life for the crew of the Endeavor.
Armstrong has written every word of the story using the diaries and first hand interviews with the crew after rescuing, and other authorities cited in the bibliography. The photos, maps, and captions provide added detail to events as they happened, each photo taken to chronicle each step of the trip. An index allows for quick referral to any important details and boldface type used to index the photos.
All of these features and Armstrong’s obvious passion for her subject captures the heart and flavor of the journey, allowing the reader to accompany the crew vicariously, feeling the tension, despair, anger and elations along with the men.
From School Library JournalGrade 6 Up-Filled with intriguing details and written with dramatic style, this riveting account of the ill-fated Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition reads like an adventure novel. In 1914, Sir Ernest Shackleton attempted to be the first explorer to cross Antarctica by foot "from sea to sea." On the eve of World War I, he set out with a crew of scientists and sailors on a specially designed ship, Endurance, but he and his team never reached their objective. The ship became entrapped in ice, and the men were forced to abandon their mission and try to survive in the brutally harsh Antarctic wasteland for 19 months. Thanks to Shackleton's leadership, the bravery of his crew, and a lot of luck, everyone survived. The astonishing circumstances of their ordeal include a treacherous hike across miles of frozen wasteland, an 800-mile open-boat journey through savage seas, and a perilous trek across the uncharted mountain ranges of South Georgia Island. Armstrong brings all of these experiences vividly to life, frequently using quotes from members of the expedition. Excellent black-and-white photographs taken during the journey document the entire adventure story. Elizabeth Cody Kimmel's Ice Story (Clarion, 1999) has larger and more plentiful photographs but Armstrong's text is far more engaging. Kimmel relates all of the facts skillfully, but Armstrong crafts them into an unforgettable story of true heroism and the triumph of the human spirit. A book that will capture the attention and imagination of any reader. Edward Sullivan, New York Public Library Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Kirkus ReviewsPLB 0-517-80014-4 Armstrong (The Dreams of Mairhe Mehan, 1996, etc.) narrates the incredible survival saga of Ernest Shackleton, who with a crew of 27 attempted to cross the Antarctic continent in 1914, and ended up trapped in their ship in the ice pack for seven months. When their ship was finally crushed by the ice they survived for another five months on the moving ice floes, traveled through storm-tossed seas to an uninhabited island, and were rescued, two years after they had set out, after Shackleton and five of his crew traveled 800 miles in an open boat to get help. This unbelievable story is enhanced by the vigorous prose; from the captivating introduction through the epilogue, it is the writing as much as the story that will rivet readers. The black-and-white photos, taken mostly on glass plates by the expedition's photographer, Frank Hurley, survived along with the men and are of exceptional quality. (maps, not seen, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 10-13) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Connections for this text are plentiful. Students could use this to begin or end any theme about exploration, survival, or even photography in early twentieth century. A great activity would be to have students write a list of what they would have kept as their “two pound limit.” Then, gather these items and weigh them to see if they stay under the two pound limit. Have those that fail, rewrite their list removing items to the bare essentials.
Have students write letters of encouragement to the crew members left behind on Elephant Island, describing what Shackleton endured during the 800 mile boat trip and the mountainous terrain covered to reach the whaling station. Have each student create a meal for the crews return or for the crews survival, using tuna as a substitute for seal. Make it one of the cold meals for safety. Have the students research ideas about new technology that would facilitate the crews survival (assuming they are still shipwrecked.)
Wilma Unlimited by Kathleen Krull
Krull, Kathleen. (1996). Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the
World’s Fastest Woman. Ill. David Diaz. Orlando, FL: Voyager Books
ISBN: 9780152020989
This is the biography of one young African-American woman overcomes premature birth, multiple illnesses as a toddler, and polio before the age of five to walk again, run again, and win it all at the Olympics. Wilma Rudolph is the type of role model our children need. She never gave in or gave up.
This story is written in a simple style, that in engaging and fast moving. It begins with birth and fills in just enough detail to understand the mountainous obstacles facing this courageous young woman. The illustrations supplement the text. They are done as snapshots or pictures in frames surrounded by the everyday black and white/sepia photos of the era. Each picture is bright and colorful. The figures are clear and expressions fit the moods from wistfulness to pride.
It has won numerous awards, including ALA Notable Children’s Book, School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, and Jane Addams Book Award Winner, just to name a few.
At the end of the story is an epilogue, giving some information about Wilma after her Olympic win. This gives a further view into the character’s life. All in all, it is a delightful, uplifting, and triumphant story, written for the lower grades. However, it would interest any age group.
Looking at websites devoted to Willa Rudolph show that the information is accurate. Krull’s style is narrative. She gives information that will (or should) urge students to ask questions. Krull states that during their weekly bus ride for treatment they ride in the back, “the only place blacks were allowed to sit.” She does not bemoan the fact nor does she play it up. It is stated in a matter-in-fact tone.
From Publishers Weekly"No one expected such a tiny girl to have a first birthday," begins this inspiring biographical sketch of a legendary track stars. Born in 1940 in Tennessee, the chronically sickly though "lively" Rudolph contracted polio just before her fifth birthday. Though not expected to walk again, the fiercely determined girl persevered with her leg exercises; by the time she was 12, she no longer needed her steel brace. Eight years later, Rudolph represented the U.S. in the 1960 Olympics in Rome, where, despite a twisted ankle, she became the first American woman to win three gold medals during a single Olympic competition. Krull's (Lives of the Musicians) characteristic, conversational style serves her especially well here. Through her words the nearly superhuman Rudolph seems both personable and recognizable. Rendered in acrylic, watercolor and gouache, Caldecott Medalist Diaz's (Smoky Night) imposing, richly hued illustrations have a distinctive, cubist feel. The artist's bold design superimposes this art against sepia-toned photographs of relevant background images: playground sand, wooden fence slats, the gravel of a running track. This juxtaposition yields busy, effectively textured pages, flawed only by the text's curiously embellished font-the letters look as though they have been speckled with either ink blots or dust. A triumphant story, triumphantly relayed. Ages 7-12. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library JournalKindergarten-Grade 5? The story of Wilma Rudolph, the prematurely born black child who, despite suffering from polio, became the first woman to win three Olympic gold medals. The narrative could very easily slip into sentimentality. It is to Krull's credit that though her telling is affecting, it is also crisp and matter of fact, very much in the spirit of Rudolph's deep day-to-day determination. However, the real impact of this book lies in the potent melding of powerful prose with Diaz's stunning artwork. His watercolor and acrylic illustrations with definite black outlining create a stained-glass effect, and the paintings themselves are backed on sepia photographs that relate to the text. For example, narrative about Wilma's bus trips to Nashville is matched with an illustration showing the girl and her mother at the back of the bus. This in turn is superimposed over a photograph of a bus tire. Children will listen raptly to this inspirational tale, which is especially appropriate for this Olympic year.Ann Welton, Terminal Park Elementary School, Auburn, WA Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
This book could be used in a cornucopia of themes. It is a stand alone book for general reading. It could begin a unit on African-American studies. It would enhance any study of Olympic athletes. It would be a profound addition to any disability themes. And it would make a fine addition to a biographical study of Wilma Rudolph’s life and achievements. It could be a spectrum extreme when studying childhood illnesses, especially polio. Which other famous Americans contracted Polio and triumphed over or in spite of their illness.
World’s Fastest Woman. Ill. David Diaz. Orlando, FL: Voyager Books
ISBN: 9780152020989
This is the biography of one young African-American woman overcomes premature birth, multiple illnesses as a toddler, and polio before the age of five to walk again, run again, and win it all at the Olympics. Wilma Rudolph is the type of role model our children need. She never gave in or gave up.
This story is written in a simple style, that in engaging and fast moving. It begins with birth and fills in just enough detail to understand the mountainous obstacles facing this courageous young woman. The illustrations supplement the text. They are done as snapshots or pictures in frames surrounded by the everyday black and white/sepia photos of the era. Each picture is bright and colorful. The figures are clear and expressions fit the moods from wistfulness to pride.
It has won numerous awards, including ALA Notable Children’s Book, School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, and Jane Addams Book Award Winner, just to name a few.
At the end of the story is an epilogue, giving some information about Wilma after her Olympic win. This gives a further view into the character’s life. All in all, it is a delightful, uplifting, and triumphant story, written for the lower grades. However, it would interest any age group.
Looking at websites devoted to Willa Rudolph show that the information is accurate. Krull’s style is narrative. She gives information that will (or should) urge students to ask questions. Krull states that during their weekly bus ride for treatment they ride in the back, “the only place blacks were allowed to sit.” She does not bemoan the fact nor does she play it up. It is stated in a matter-in-fact tone.
From Publishers Weekly"No one expected such a tiny girl to have a first birthday," begins this inspiring biographical sketch of a legendary track stars. Born in 1940 in Tennessee, the chronically sickly though "lively" Rudolph contracted polio just before her fifth birthday. Though not expected to walk again, the fiercely determined girl persevered with her leg exercises; by the time she was 12, she no longer needed her steel brace. Eight years later, Rudolph represented the U.S. in the 1960 Olympics in Rome, where, despite a twisted ankle, she became the first American woman to win three gold medals during a single Olympic competition. Krull's (Lives of the Musicians) characteristic, conversational style serves her especially well here. Through her words the nearly superhuman Rudolph seems both personable and recognizable. Rendered in acrylic, watercolor and gouache, Caldecott Medalist Diaz's (Smoky Night) imposing, richly hued illustrations have a distinctive, cubist feel. The artist's bold design superimposes this art against sepia-toned photographs of relevant background images: playground sand, wooden fence slats, the gravel of a running track. This juxtaposition yields busy, effectively textured pages, flawed only by the text's curiously embellished font-the letters look as though they have been speckled with either ink blots or dust. A triumphant story, triumphantly relayed. Ages 7-12. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library JournalKindergarten-Grade 5? The story of Wilma Rudolph, the prematurely born black child who, despite suffering from polio, became the first woman to win three Olympic gold medals. The narrative could very easily slip into sentimentality. It is to Krull's credit that though her telling is affecting, it is also crisp and matter of fact, very much in the spirit of Rudolph's deep day-to-day determination. However, the real impact of this book lies in the potent melding of powerful prose with Diaz's stunning artwork. His watercolor and acrylic illustrations with definite black outlining create a stained-glass effect, and the paintings themselves are backed on sepia photographs that relate to the text. For example, narrative about Wilma's bus trips to Nashville is matched with an illustration showing the girl and her mother at the back of the bus. This in turn is superimposed over a photograph of a bus tire. Children will listen raptly to this inspirational tale, which is especially appropriate for this Olympic year.Ann Welton, Terminal Park Elementary School, Auburn, WA Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
This book could be used in a cornucopia of themes. It is a stand alone book for general reading. It could begin a unit on African-American studies. It would enhance any study of Olympic athletes. It would be a profound addition to any disability themes. And it would make a fine addition to a biographical study of Wilma Rudolph’s life and achievements. It could be a spectrum extreme when studying childhood illnesses, especially polio. Which other famous Americans contracted Polio and triumphed over or in spite of their illness.
Weather by Seymour Simon
Simon, Seymour. 2006. Weather. York: HarperCollins. ISBN 9780060884390
“Weather influences so much of what we do.” (Simon, p.32)
Weather changes quickly, and you can find nearly every type of weather possible at any given moment somewhere on our planet. Seymour Simon describes the various types of weather and what produces them. He gives us detailed pictures of clouds, snowflakes, and even the various layers of hail. It is a fascinating book.
Seymour Simon produced another beautiful nonfiction book with awesome pictures and detailed descriptions of various weather related phenomenon. A check of any online site regarding clouds, snowflakes, or hail shows that Simon is extremely accurate. He explains that the same phenomenon in different areas of the world may have different and “colorful names” yet they are the same thing.
However, the back of the book suggests that this is produced for children from ages five to nine. Yet beyond the photos, there are little to no access features to help at all. In addition, many of the photos, while being beautiful, have little relevance to the text on the page. For example, on pages 6 & 7, Simon explains how the intense heat from the sun warms our atmosphere and creates the “greenhouse effect.” He goes on to describe the results from the temperature rising across the world and melting the ice caps. But the photo is of a gorgeous sunset, when the heat would be much less than intense. While the picture shows the earth and some directional swirls, there is little to explain how the swirl’s effect impacts the earth.
A quick check with the Flesch-Kincaid reading level and the Fry reading level show that the reading level for this book is grade 5.8 and 6.8 respectively. Regardless which scale you use, the reading level is far above the average nine years old’s reading level, let alone a five years old. Interestingly, when I found the School Library Journal review it stated that this was appropriate for fourth through seventh grades.
“Simon may have done more than any other living author to help us understand and appreciate the beauty of our planet and out universe.” Kirkus Reviews
From School Library JournalGrade 4-7-As with Simon's previous titles on the individual planets (Morrow), this book is a perfect marriage of words and pictures. Each high-quality, full-color photograph or diagram is truly a work of art, suitable for framing. The large-print text, sometimes superimposed on the illustrations, is easy to read. Beginning with the general effects of the sun and the Earth's rotation, continuing with wind patterns, temperature, clouds, and precipitation, and concluding with smog and the greenhouse effect, the author lucidly discusses all of the terms and elements that constitute tropospheric weather. Instruments and the possible affects of human activity on the atmosphere are touched upon. Unfortunately, the full-page diagrams that demonstrate the way the sun warms the Earth and the speed of its rotation do not clearly explain those phenomena. Gail Gibbons's Weather Words and What They Mean (Holiday, 1990) covers much of the same information, but has a cartoon format. Martyn Bramwell's Weather (Watts, 1988; o.p.) is for older readers.Meryl Silverstein, American Museum of Natural History, New York City. (This review is from the original printing. In the second printing, the order of the events are different, though not changed.)
I would probably use this as a trade book beginning in fourth grade (for my GT students) and continuing on through high school. It might be possible to use this near the end of a unit on weather, after other books at reading level and with access features have been used. For the lower grades, shared reading may be of help. For lower grades, I would use it in conjunction with such titles as, Oh Say Can You Say What’s the Weather Today by Trish Rabe and Aristides Ruiz; What Will the Weather Be? By Linda DeWitt and Carolyn Croll; and Flash, Clash, Rumble, and Roll by Franklyn M. Branley and True Kelley.
In higher grades, this would be an excellent tradebook on its own or it could be combined with other books on the topic, such as Weather (Eye Wonder) by DK Publishing or Weather For Dummies by John D. Cox. It could be used on a larger thematic unit like earth’s natural wonders. It might be great to use some of Simon’s other books, such as EarthQuakes, Lightning, Oceans, and Volcanoes.
A teacher might even cut out the pictures, frame them in frames constructed during Art, and display them on bulletin boards. These books are only $6.99 but if money is a concern, you can get used copies for dismantling.
“Weather influences so much of what we do.” (Simon, p.32)
Weather changes quickly, and you can find nearly every type of weather possible at any given moment somewhere on our planet. Seymour Simon describes the various types of weather and what produces them. He gives us detailed pictures of clouds, snowflakes, and even the various layers of hail. It is a fascinating book.
Seymour Simon produced another beautiful nonfiction book with awesome pictures and detailed descriptions of various weather related phenomenon. A check of any online site regarding clouds, snowflakes, or hail shows that Simon is extremely accurate. He explains that the same phenomenon in different areas of the world may have different and “colorful names” yet they are the same thing.
However, the back of the book suggests that this is produced for children from ages five to nine. Yet beyond the photos, there are little to no access features to help at all. In addition, many of the photos, while being beautiful, have little relevance to the text on the page. For example, on pages 6 & 7, Simon explains how the intense heat from the sun warms our atmosphere and creates the “greenhouse effect.” He goes on to describe the results from the temperature rising across the world and melting the ice caps. But the photo is of a gorgeous sunset, when the heat would be much less than intense. While the picture shows the earth and some directional swirls, there is little to explain how the swirl’s effect impacts the earth.
A quick check with the Flesch-Kincaid reading level and the Fry reading level show that the reading level for this book is grade 5.8 and 6.8 respectively. Regardless which scale you use, the reading level is far above the average nine years old’s reading level, let alone a five years old. Interestingly, when I found the School Library Journal review it stated that this was appropriate for fourth through seventh grades.
“Simon may have done more than any other living author to help us understand and appreciate the beauty of our planet and out universe.” Kirkus Reviews
From School Library JournalGrade 4-7-As with Simon's previous titles on the individual planets (Morrow), this book is a perfect marriage of words and pictures. Each high-quality, full-color photograph or diagram is truly a work of art, suitable for framing. The large-print text, sometimes superimposed on the illustrations, is easy to read. Beginning with the general effects of the sun and the Earth's rotation, continuing with wind patterns, temperature, clouds, and precipitation, and concluding with smog and the greenhouse effect, the author lucidly discusses all of the terms and elements that constitute tropospheric weather. Instruments and the possible affects of human activity on the atmosphere are touched upon. Unfortunately, the full-page diagrams that demonstrate the way the sun warms the Earth and the speed of its rotation do not clearly explain those phenomena. Gail Gibbons's Weather Words and What They Mean (Holiday, 1990) covers much of the same information, but has a cartoon format. Martyn Bramwell's Weather (Watts, 1988; o.p.) is for older readers.Meryl Silverstein, American Museum of Natural History, New York City. (This review is from the original printing. In the second printing, the order of the events are different, though not changed.)
I would probably use this as a trade book beginning in fourth grade (for my GT students) and continuing on through high school. It might be possible to use this near the end of a unit on weather, after other books at reading level and with access features have been used. For the lower grades, shared reading may be of help. For lower grades, I would use it in conjunction with such titles as, Oh Say Can You Say What’s the Weather Today by Trish Rabe and Aristides Ruiz; What Will the Weather Be? By Linda DeWitt and Carolyn Croll; and Flash, Clash, Rumble, and Roll by Franklyn M. Branley and True Kelley.
In higher grades, this would be an excellent tradebook on its own or it could be combined with other books on the topic, such as Weather (Eye Wonder) by DK Publishing or Weather For Dummies by John D. Cox. It could be used on a larger thematic unit like earth’s natural wonders. It might be great to use some of Simon’s other books, such as EarthQuakes, Lightning, Oceans, and Volcanoes.
A teacher might even cut out the pictures, frame them in frames constructed during Art, and display them on bulletin boards. These books are only $6.99 but if money is a concern, you can get used copies for dismantling.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Autumnblings
Florian, Douglas (2003). Autumnblings. New York: Greenwillow Books
This delightful little book welcomes the onset of autumn and carries through to the beginning of winter. The book is a compilation of poems all written by one poet. These short poems savor the rich colours and flavours of that short term between summer and winter. The rhymes are simple, never contrived just to fit the rhythm. Many have assonance, alliteration, and two use onomatopoeia to control the speed of the poem. At times, Florian uses concrete poetry to better illustrate the feeling of the poem’s movement. The vast chevron of geese, soaring across two pages captures the wonder of seeing those great birds migrating each year. The poet uses a great deal of couplet form in his poems. These are written for younger children, but would appeal to all ages.
This book is illustrated in the hues of autumn. Lots of orange, gold, creams, and browns. Occasionally, the colour blue is used to break up the homogeny of the other colours. At first I thought the colours really enhanced the feelings invoked by the poems, but then my husband glanced at them and he could not see many of the things in the pictures. The colours were too close on the spectrum for someone who is shade blind. With as many as 8 percent of boys have some form of shade blindness to complete colour blindness, it is essential that the teacher/librarian knows his or her class well enough so that if it includes any students who have any color blindness, he/she can choose other books with more distinctive colour variations. Even if the student is completely colour blind, they will be able to see the where the colours change.
From School Library JournalGrade 2-5-Florian again displays his significant skill at wordplay in this companion to Winter Eyes (1999) and Summersaults (2002, both Greenwillow). Using simple rhyme schemes; invented words such as "autumnatically," "owlphabet," "fallicopters" (maple seeds); and descriptive spellings ("hi-bear-nation," "industree"), he demonstrates that reading and writing can be lots of fun. His poems call to mind all manner of things autumnal-falling leaves, cool days, ripe apples, frost-and of the feelings that go with them ("-autumn leaves/Leave me in awe"). The childlike style of the various-sized watercolor and colored-pencil paintings (in fall colors, of course) mirrors the creative style of the age group most inclined to read the poetry. A natural for use in classrooms and library programs, and accessible to newly independent readers, these poems will delight youngsters.Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OHCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. From BooklistK-Gr. 2. In his third collection of seasonal poetry, Florian presents a winsome series of poems about fall, with the punning theme of the title carried throughout. Using rhyme, meter, and those puns to good effect, as well as changes in fonts and type, he adds to the sense of movement and joy in the poetry. School, holidays, playtime, and observation all figure here: A "Tree-tice" (treatise) on arithmetics combines leaves and counting; "Geese Piece" answers the question it poses by its placement in the vee formation of Canada goose migration. The watercolor-and-colored-pencil art is best at its simplest: a single red-purple apple on golden ground; a flame-colored leaf and bough reminiscent of Japanese brush painting. Pull this out with Steven Schnur's Autumn: An Alphabet Acrostic (1999) and Cynthia Rylant's In November (2000). GraceAnne DeCandidoCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Connections could be used as a great beginning to any study of the seasons. It could be used when studying holidays by reading the poems in this book along with other poems about Holloween.
So long as your take into consideration colour blindness, Art teachers can use use this to help children study colour spectrums.
Florian has written other books about seasons, Winter Eyes, Handsprings, and Summersaults. They could be used to compare with this book, or other books about Autumn by other authors.
This delightful little book welcomes the onset of autumn and carries through to the beginning of winter. The book is a compilation of poems all written by one poet. These short poems savor the rich colours and flavours of that short term between summer and winter. The rhymes are simple, never contrived just to fit the rhythm. Many have assonance, alliteration, and two use onomatopoeia to control the speed of the poem. At times, Florian uses concrete poetry to better illustrate the feeling of the poem’s movement. The vast chevron of geese, soaring across two pages captures the wonder of seeing those great birds migrating each year. The poet uses a great deal of couplet form in his poems. These are written for younger children, but would appeal to all ages.
This book is illustrated in the hues of autumn. Lots of orange, gold, creams, and browns. Occasionally, the colour blue is used to break up the homogeny of the other colours. At first I thought the colours really enhanced the feelings invoked by the poems, but then my husband glanced at them and he could not see many of the things in the pictures. The colours were too close on the spectrum for someone who is shade blind. With as many as 8 percent of boys have some form of shade blindness to complete colour blindness, it is essential that the teacher/librarian knows his or her class well enough so that if it includes any students who have any color blindness, he/she can choose other books with more distinctive colour variations. Even if the student is completely colour blind, they will be able to see the where the colours change.
From School Library JournalGrade 2-5-Florian again displays his significant skill at wordplay in this companion to Winter Eyes (1999) and Summersaults (2002, both Greenwillow). Using simple rhyme schemes; invented words such as "autumnatically," "owlphabet," "fallicopters" (maple seeds); and descriptive spellings ("hi-bear-nation," "industree"), he demonstrates that reading and writing can be lots of fun. His poems call to mind all manner of things autumnal-falling leaves, cool days, ripe apples, frost-and of the feelings that go with them ("-autumn leaves/Leave me in awe"). The childlike style of the various-sized watercolor and colored-pencil paintings (in fall colors, of course) mirrors the creative style of the age group most inclined to read the poetry. A natural for use in classrooms and library programs, and accessible to newly independent readers, these poems will delight youngsters.Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OHCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. From BooklistK-Gr. 2. In his third collection of seasonal poetry, Florian presents a winsome series of poems about fall, with the punning theme of the title carried throughout. Using rhyme, meter, and those puns to good effect, as well as changes in fonts and type, he adds to the sense of movement and joy in the poetry. School, holidays, playtime, and observation all figure here: A "Tree-tice" (treatise) on arithmetics combines leaves and counting; "Geese Piece" answers the question it poses by its placement in the vee formation of Canada goose migration. The watercolor-and-colored-pencil art is best at its simplest: a single red-purple apple on golden ground; a flame-colored leaf and bough reminiscent of Japanese brush painting. Pull this out with Steven Schnur's Autumn: An Alphabet Acrostic (1999) and Cynthia Rylant's In November (2000). GraceAnne DeCandidoCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Connections could be used as a great beginning to any study of the seasons. It could be used when studying holidays by reading the poems in this book along with other poems about Holloween.
So long as your take into consideration colour blindness, Art teachers can use use this to help children study colour spectrums.
Florian has written other books about seasons, Winter Eyes, Handsprings, and Summersaults. They could be used to compare with this book, or other books about Autumn by other authors.
Knock on Wood
Wong, Janet S. (2003). Knock on Wood. New York: Margret K. McElderry
Superstitions abound in every society and culture. Wong captures seventeen common superstitions in short poems. Those superstitions are discussed in an appendix at the end of the book. Poems are written in free verse style, except for a couple in rhyme. However, I found the writing choppy. It was difficult to read and worse to speak aloud.
Illustrations are wonderful. They are bright, colourful and inviting. Paschkis combines a focused visual line, as a frame surrounding a main picture. Surrounding the frame are more depictions, however, these are monochromatic. A single colour is chosen, and varying hues define the theme of each page and poem.
From School Library JournalGrade 3-5-Itchy ears, broken mirrors, and hats worn backward join wood spirits, ghosts, and of course black cats in this imaginative exploration of common and lesser-known superstitions. The shapely poems are infused with fey intimations in keeping with the collection's theme: "It is said/salt is magic. The pure kind, sea crystals./Spilled salt is magic flung wild." Some selections are haunting, and some humorous, as in this glimpse of a vampire's downfall: "All you bloodsuckers,/this is your last chance:/I am one bite/away-/from a hunk/of Mother's famous garlic chunk chicken." Paschkis creates an exquisite backdrop for the verses. Presented on a panoramic spread, each poem and facing watercolor scene have matching frames, anchoring them as reflections of one another. Some of the borders are abstract designs, but others are suggestive of elements in the verses. For example, "Potatoes" is contained inside a lumpy oval. Adept at both storytelling and design, the illustrator places the text and picture blocks against a wonderful montage of images in tones of a single color. Children of varied ethnicities and time periods are cast in fanciful folk-art scenes. Humor, satire, subplots, historic references, and decorative and surreal elements abound in artful profusion. There is much to ponder in both words and pictures. Some of the children depicted suggest a young audience, but the mixed poetic/visual brew is sophisticated. The author includes brief comments about the featured superstitions and a note reflecting on her personal experience in this area.Margaret Bush, Simmons College, BostonCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From BooklistGr. 2-5. The creators of Night Garden (2000) offer another beautifully illustrated collection of poetry, this time celebrating the rituals and beliefs that make up superstitions. Children will easily recognize many of the poems' subjects: black cats, vampires and garlic, fear of ladders. But some notions are more unusual: putting potatoes in a pocket to cure arthritis. A few poems are uneven, with forced rhymes or obscure meaning: "Stand bareheaded in the rain / to cure a baldness in the brain," for example. But children will find the subjects compelling, and many of the poems have a sly humor and haunting, lyrical imagery. Paschkis' watercolors are exceptional. Wild patterns that mimic folk-art designs explode from the spreads with whimsical images that children will want to view over and over again. Filled with mystery, magic, and hidden worlds, these are poems to liven up language arts classes and to spark discussions about personal beliefs. Brief prose explanations about the superstitions close the book. Gillian EngbergCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
I would not personally use this book in my classes. The poems are too difficult to understand, unless you knew each of the superstitions very well and from Wong’s point of view. A quick peak at wikipedia shows there are many versions of each superstition. I do not believe I would want to teach my class about superstitions.
For those teachers/librarians who do, this would make an excellent companion to any study of Holloween, legends, or perhaps myths. This would facilitate social studies and English literature.
I might use this book to represent folk artistry and water colours in art.
Superstitions abound in every society and culture. Wong captures seventeen common superstitions in short poems. Those superstitions are discussed in an appendix at the end of the book. Poems are written in free verse style, except for a couple in rhyme. However, I found the writing choppy. It was difficult to read and worse to speak aloud.
Illustrations are wonderful. They are bright, colourful and inviting. Paschkis combines a focused visual line, as a frame surrounding a main picture. Surrounding the frame are more depictions, however, these are monochromatic. A single colour is chosen, and varying hues define the theme of each page and poem.
From School Library JournalGrade 3-5-Itchy ears, broken mirrors, and hats worn backward join wood spirits, ghosts, and of course black cats in this imaginative exploration of common and lesser-known superstitions. The shapely poems are infused with fey intimations in keeping with the collection's theme: "It is said/salt is magic. The pure kind, sea crystals./Spilled salt is magic flung wild." Some selections are haunting, and some humorous, as in this glimpse of a vampire's downfall: "All you bloodsuckers,/this is your last chance:/I am one bite/away-/from a hunk/of Mother's famous garlic chunk chicken." Paschkis creates an exquisite backdrop for the verses. Presented on a panoramic spread, each poem and facing watercolor scene have matching frames, anchoring them as reflections of one another. Some of the borders are abstract designs, but others are suggestive of elements in the verses. For example, "Potatoes" is contained inside a lumpy oval. Adept at both storytelling and design, the illustrator places the text and picture blocks against a wonderful montage of images in tones of a single color. Children of varied ethnicities and time periods are cast in fanciful folk-art scenes. Humor, satire, subplots, historic references, and decorative and surreal elements abound in artful profusion. There is much to ponder in both words and pictures. Some of the children depicted suggest a young audience, but the mixed poetic/visual brew is sophisticated. The author includes brief comments about the featured superstitions and a note reflecting on her personal experience in this area.Margaret Bush, Simmons College, BostonCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From BooklistGr. 2-5. The creators of Night Garden (2000) offer another beautifully illustrated collection of poetry, this time celebrating the rituals and beliefs that make up superstitions. Children will easily recognize many of the poems' subjects: black cats, vampires and garlic, fear of ladders. But some notions are more unusual: putting potatoes in a pocket to cure arthritis. A few poems are uneven, with forced rhymes or obscure meaning: "Stand bareheaded in the rain / to cure a baldness in the brain," for example. But children will find the subjects compelling, and many of the poems have a sly humor and haunting, lyrical imagery. Paschkis' watercolors are exceptional. Wild patterns that mimic folk-art designs explode from the spreads with whimsical images that children will want to view over and over again. Filled with mystery, magic, and hidden worlds, these are poems to liven up language arts classes and to spark discussions about personal beliefs. Brief prose explanations about the superstitions close the book. Gillian EngbergCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
I would not personally use this book in my classes. The poems are too difficult to understand, unless you knew each of the superstitions very well and from Wong’s point of view. A quick peak at wikipedia shows there are many versions of each superstition. I do not believe I would want to teach my class about superstitions.
For those teachers/librarians who do, this would make an excellent companion to any study of Holloween, legends, or perhaps myths. This would facilitate social studies and English literature.
I might use this book to represent folk artistry and water colours in art.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
Hesse, Karen. 1997. OUT OF THE DUST. New York: Scholastic Books ISBN 0590371258
Like most free verse poetry, Out of the Dust has no distinct rhythm and no rhyme. However, beginning with the first page and carrying through it is full of imagery and emotion. There are no pictures to illustrate or enhance the story. Everything is in the words, alone.
As summer wheat came ripe, so did I,…barefoot, bare bottomed
It is easy to see Billie Jo’s mother giving birth, at home without a doctor present. Billie Jo is described in few words, but it is easy to form a picture of her in the mind. This story progresses from 1929 to 1934 in the space of just two and a half pages. Then we begin an odyssey through time to the American dust bowl. Hesse allows us to see the storms coming, feel the wind burn as it whips across the open bare fields, striking against the soft cheek brutally, and taste the constant month upon month of teeth crunching grit of the wind driven dust. These storms are both physical and emotional. Then, every so often, she allows us to experience a moment of hope, in words so real that one can almost feel the juice of apples dripping down the chin (p.45)
Tragedy is shown in clear language. No attempt at gratuitous shock is made. The glimpses of pain and devastation, leading to death, are brief, intended only to show the extent of the devastation. It ends, not with the end of the dust bowl era, but with the character’s epiphany about herself and her place in the world.
From Publishers WeeklyIn a starred review of the 1998 Newbery Medal winner, set during the Depression, PW said, "This intimate novel, written in stanza form, poetically conveys the heat, dust and wind of Oklahoma. With each meticulously arranged entry Hesse paints a vivid picture of her heroine's emotions." Ages 11-13. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition. From School Library JournalGrade 5 Up. After facing loss after loss during the Oklahoma Dust Bowl, Billie Jo begins to reconstruct her life. A triumphant story, eloquently told through prose-poetry. Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Kirkus ReviewsBillie Jo tells of her life in Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl: Her mother dies after a gruesome accident caused by her father's leaving a bucket of kerosene near the stove; Billie Jo is partially responsible--fully responsible in the eyes of the community--and sustains injuries that seem to bring to a halt her dreams of playing the piano. Finding a way through her grief is not made easier by her taciturn father, who went on a drinking binge while Billie Joe's mother, not yet dead, begged for water. Told in free-verse poetry of dated entries that span the winter of 1934 to the winter of 1935, this is an unremittingly bleak portrait of one corner of Depression-era life. In Billie Jo, the only character who comes to life, Hesse (The Music of Dolphins, 1996, etc.) presents a hale and determined heroine who confronts unrelenting misery and begins to transcend it. The poem/novel ends with only a trace of hope; there are no pat endings, but a glimpse of beauty wrought from brutal reality. (Fiction. 9-12) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
This is an excellent book to begin an across the curriculum study of the Great Depression. Most textbooks discuss the depression in dry facts. Many people relate the Great Depression cause by the economic collapse of Wall Street in 1929. They learn a modicum of Roosevelt’s ABC plan for recovery. But little is studied about the day to day survival, or the over farming of land in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas that devastated the fields, reducing them dust. For science, look into the causes of the dust bowl. What steps were recommended and taken to encourage recovery of the farm land. For social studies, look at various areas of the country to see what problems were paramount in each area. Contact and invite elderly people in your community to describe their experiences. Many elderly people have stated that they were already so poor they barely noticed a difference. For literature, read other stories about the dust bowl. Katelan Jenke wrote Survival in the Storm and Texas dust bowl story written in diary form. An author/poet study shows that Jenke was 15 years old when she wrote Survival in the Storm.
Like most free verse poetry, Out of the Dust has no distinct rhythm and no rhyme. However, beginning with the first page and carrying through it is full of imagery and emotion. There are no pictures to illustrate or enhance the story. Everything is in the words, alone.
As summer wheat came ripe, so did I,…barefoot, bare bottomed
It is easy to see Billie Jo’s mother giving birth, at home without a doctor present. Billie Jo is described in few words, but it is easy to form a picture of her in the mind. This story progresses from 1929 to 1934 in the space of just two and a half pages. Then we begin an odyssey through time to the American dust bowl. Hesse allows us to see the storms coming, feel the wind burn as it whips across the open bare fields, striking against the soft cheek brutally, and taste the constant month upon month of teeth crunching grit of the wind driven dust. These storms are both physical and emotional. Then, every so often, she allows us to experience a moment of hope, in words so real that one can almost feel the juice of apples dripping down the chin (p.45)
Tragedy is shown in clear language. No attempt at gratuitous shock is made. The glimpses of pain and devastation, leading to death, are brief, intended only to show the extent of the devastation. It ends, not with the end of the dust bowl era, but with the character’s epiphany about herself and her place in the world.
From Publishers WeeklyIn a starred review of the 1998 Newbery Medal winner, set during the Depression, PW said, "This intimate novel, written in stanza form, poetically conveys the heat, dust and wind of Oklahoma. With each meticulously arranged entry Hesse paints a vivid picture of her heroine's emotions." Ages 11-13. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition. From School Library JournalGrade 5 Up. After facing loss after loss during the Oklahoma Dust Bowl, Billie Jo begins to reconstruct her life. A triumphant story, eloquently told through prose-poetry. Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Kirkus ReviewsBillie Jo tells of her life in Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl: Her mother dies after a gruesome accident caused by her father's leaving a bucket of kerosene near the stove; Billie Jo is partially responsible--fully responsible in the eyes of the community--and sustains injuries that seem to bring to a halt her dreams of playing the piano. Finding a way through her grief is not made easier by her taciturn father, who went on a drinking binge while Billie Joe's mother, not yet dead, begged for water. Told in free-verse poetry of dated entries that span the winter of 1934 to the winter of 1935, this is an unremittingly bleak portrait of one corner of Depression-era life. In Billie Jo, the only character who comes to life, Hesse (The Music of Dolphins, 1996, etc.) presents a hale and determined heroine who confronts unrelenting misery and begins to transcend it. The poem/novel ends with only a trace of hope; there are no pat endings, but a glimpse of beauty wrought from brutal reality. (Fiction. 9-12) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
This is an excellent book to begin an across the curriculum study of the Great Depression. Most textbooks discuss the depression in dry facts. Many people relate the Great Depression cause by the economic collapse of Wall Street in 1929. They learn a modicum of Roosevelt’s ABC plan for recovery. But little is studied about the day to day survival, or the over farming of land in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas that devastated the fields, reducing them dust. For science, look into the causes of the dust bowl. What steps were recommended and taken to encourage recovery of the farm land. For social studies, look at various areas of the country to see what problems were paramount in each area. Contact and invite elderly people in your community to describe their experiences. Many elderly people have stated that they were already so poor they barely noticed a difference. For literature, read other stories about the dust bowl. Katelan Jenke wrote Survival in the Storm and Texas dust bowl story written in diary form. An author/poet study shows that Jenke was 15 years old when she wrote Survival in the Storm.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Bubba the Cowboy Prince
Ketteman, Helen. (1997). Bubba: the Cowboy Prince. Ill. by James Warhola. New York: Scholastic
This fractured fairy tale is a wacky rendition of Cinderella. Bubba is the stepson of the wicked rancher. He has two ridiculous stepbrothers who leave him to complete all of the chores. When a local wealthy female rancher decides it is time to marry, but wants the perfect mate, someone who loves ranching as she does. She puts on a Ball, inviting all the neighboring ranchers. Since everyone in Texas is a neighbor, this means all the ranchers in Texas. Of course, the wicked stepfather and his worthless sons go to the ball leaving Bubba at the ranch. Not to worry. Bubba has a fairy godcow to help change him into an impressive specimen. He dazzles Miz Lurleen, but all fantasies must end and at midnight Bubba returns to normal. Mis Lurleen does not care and she sets out to find him.
Children's Literature
The premise isn't original, but the execution and artwork certainly are. Bubba is a ranch hand, with two dimwitted, lazy stepbrothers. When Miz Lurleen, a rich rancher from down the road, throws a ball, of course Bubba doesn't have the proper clothes. He is rescued by a fairy godcow, who turns one of the longhorns into a white stallion and Bubba's threads into a fabulous Stetson and crisp jeans. At midnight, Bubba loses his cowboy boot, but eventually Miz Lurleen finds Bubba and they ride off into the sunset. The text is full of outrageous Texas-size sayings, such as "darker than a black bull at midnight" and "another ten dollar Stetson on a five cent head." The paintings are brightly colored and fanciful, with wonderful perplexed expressions on the rest of the cattle when the fairy godcow shows up. Great fun and a wonderful twist on the Cinderella story.
From Kirkus ReviewsA Cinderella parody features the off-the-wall, whang-dang Texas hyperbole of Ketteman (The Year of No More Corn, 1993, etc.) and the insouciance of Warhola, who proves himself only too capable of creating a fairy godcow; that she's so appealingly whimsical makes it easy to accept the classic tale's inversions. The protagonist is Bubba, appropriately downtrodden and overworked by his wicked stepdaddy and loathsome brothers Dwayne and Milton, who spend their days bossing him around. The other half of the happy couple is Miz Lurleen, who owns ``the biggest spread west of the Brazos.'' She craves male companionship to help her work the place, ``and it wouldn't hurt if he was cute as a cow's ear, either.'' There are no surprises in this version except in the hilarious way the premise plays itself out and in Warhola's delightful visual surprises. When Lurleen tracks the bootless Bubba down, ``Dwayne and Milton and their wicked daddy threw chicken fits.'' Bubba and babe, hair as big as a Texas sun, ride off to a life of happy ranching, and readers will be proud to have been along for the courtship. (Picture book/folklore. 6-8) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
This is perfect for a unit based on comparing various versions of original folktales (assuming anyone has the original ones.) .
This fractured fairy tale is a wacky rendition of Cinderella. Bubba is the stepson of the wicked rancher. He has two ridiculous stepbrothers who leave him to complete all of the chores. When a local wealthy female rancher decides it is time to marry, but wants the perfect mate, someone who loves ranching as she does. She puts on a Ball, inviting all the neighboring ranchers. Since everyone in Texas is a neighbor, this means all the ranchers in Texas. Of course, the wicked stepfather and his worthless sons go to the ball leaving Bubba at the ranch. Not to worry. Bubba has a fairy godcow to help change him into an impressive specimen. He dazzles Miz Lurleen, but all fantasies must end and at midnight Bubba returns to normal. Mis Lurleen does not care and she sets out to find him.
Children's Literature
The premise isn't original, but the execution and artwork certainly are. Bubba is a ranch hand, with two dimwitted, lazy stepbrothers. When Miz Lurleen, a rich rancher from down the road, throws a ball, of course Bubba doesn't have the proper clothes. He is rescued by a fairy godcow, who turns one of the longhorns into a white stallion and Bubba's threads into a fabulous Stetson and crisp jeans. At midnight, Bubba loses his cowboy boot, but eventually Miz Lurleen finds Bubba and they ride off into the sunset. The text is full of outrageous Texas-size sayings, such as "darker than a black bull at midnight" and "another ten dollar Stetson on a five cent head." The paintings are brightly colored and fanciful, with wonderful perplexed expressions on the rest of the cattle when the fairy godcow shows up. Great fun and a wonderful twist on the Cinderella story.
From Kirkus ReviewsA Cinderella parody features the off-the-wall, whang-dang Texas hyperbole of Ketteman (The Year of No More Corn, 1993, etc.) and the insouciance of Warhola, who proves himself only too capable of creating a fairy godcow; that she's so appealingly whimsical makes it easy to accept the classic tale's inversions. The protagonist is Bubba, appropriately downtrodden and overworked by his wicked stepdaddy and loathsome brothers Dwayne and Milton, who spend their days bossing him around. The other half of the happy couple is Miz Lurleen, who owns ``the biggest spread west of the Brazos.'' She craves male companionship to help her work the place, ``and it wouldn't hurt if he was cute as a cow's ear, either.'' There are no surprises in this version except in the hilarious way the premise plays itself out and in Warhola's delightful visual surprises. When Lurleen tracks the bootless Bubba down, ``Dwayne and Milton and their wicked daddy threw chicken fits.'' Bubba and babe, hair as big as a Texas sun, ride off to a life of happy ranching, and readers will be proud to have been along for the courtship. (Picture book/folklore. 6-8) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
This is perfect for a unit based on comparing various versions of original folktales (assuming anyone has the original ones.) .
Hershel and the Hanakkah Goblins
Kimmel, Eric. (1985), Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins. Ill. Trina Schart Hyman. New York: Scholastic
Hershel travels to a new town expecting to be greeted by Hanukkah but the town is dark. Inquiries result in Hershel going to stay in the synagogue to break the hold the goblins have on the town.
This is a traditional trickster tale. The protagonist learns that the town is held in bondage. He decides to do something about it. At first he deals with minions; tricking them proves simple. But on the last day he must face the goblin leader, a gruesome and violent entity. Hershel nearly loses courage but he rallies and tricks the goblin, having him light the candles and breaking the bondage on the town. With the breaking of the control over the town, the synagogue is cleansed through destruction, leaving only the alter (table) remaining.
Like many folktales, this one is a religious tale. According to the author, Eric Kimmel, it represents the bondage of the Jews by the Syrians, who would not allow them to worship by traditional means. The Syrians were defeated by a small army of Jews. The illustrations are detailed and beautiful. At one point, the illustrator uses shadows and monochromatic colors to emphasize the hold the goblins have over the synagogue.
Children's Literature
Can Hershel really rid the village synagogue of goblins? He successfully uses his wits to oust the eight creatures haunting the old synagogue and who are preventing the villagers from celebrating Hanukkah. Kimmel provides a humorous, entertaining and just slightly scary story for all young readers. Hyman's illustrations emphasize all of the tension with dark scenes of the goblins and their attempts to frighten Hershel. A Caldecott Honor Book.
Alternative Family - Bobbie Combs
Hyman's pictures are filled with drama, expressive people and ugly goblins, and on the last page there's an author's note with an explanation of the history and symbols of Hanukkah.
This is an excellent book for comparative religious literature or trickster themed literature unitsl
Hershel travels to a new town expecting to be greeted by Hanukkah but the town is dark. Inquiries result in Hershel going to stay in the synagogue to break the hold the goblins have on the town.
This is a traditional trickster tale. The protagonist learns that the town is held in bondage. He decides to do something about it. At first he deals with minions; tricking them proves simple. But on the last day he must face the goblin leader, a gruesome and violent entity. Hershel nearly loses courage but he rallies and tricks the goblin, having him light the candles and breaking the bondage on the town. With the breaking of the control over the town, the synagogue is cleansed through destruction, leaving only the alter (table) remaining.
Like many folktales, this one is a religious tale. According to the author, Eric Kimmel, it represents the bondage of the Jews by the Syrians, who would not allow them to worship by traditional means. The Syrians were defeated by a small army of Jews. The illustrations are detailed and beautiful. At one point, the illustrator uses shadows and monochromatic colors to emphasize the hold the goblins have over the synagogue.
Children's Literature
Can Hershel really rid the village synagogue of goblins? He successfully uses his wits to oust the eight creatures haunting the old synagogue and who are preventing the villagers from celebrating Hanukkah. Kimmel provides a humorous, entertaining and just slightly scary story for all young readers. Hyman's illustrations emphasize all of the tension with dark scenes of the goblins and their attempts to frighten Hershel. A Caldecott Honor Book.
Alternative Family - Bobbie Combs
Hyman's pictures are filled with drama, expressive people and ugly goblins, and on the last page there's an author's note with an explanation of the history and symbols of Hanukkah.
This is an excellent book for comparative religious literature or trickster themed literature unitsl
Porch Lies
McKissack, Patricia C. (2006). Porch Lies: Tales of Slicksters, Tricksters, and Other Wiiy Characters. Ill. by Andre Carrilbo. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books
This is a collection of ten short stories described family storytelling. It is easy to see the old folks sitting on the porch with all the” young’uns” gathered at their feet asking for stories of Gramma’s or Uncle’s childhood. Each story is placed in the past childhood memories.
Each story describes someone the elders knew who outsmarts others. In the first story, Pete cozens coconut cream pie out of the local baker. In the third, Bukka takes on the identity of a famous blues player to make a living and be revered. He is confronted by the Devil who owns the famous blues player’s soul. In the eighth, Red claims to be protected by an “earth bone”, a natural protection against ghosts.
Many of these stories are transformed onto “tall tales” by exaggerated or supernatural antagonists. The protagonist must use trickery or slyness and outsmart and overcome the antagonist. Pete uses the baker’s pride against her flattering her out of her wares.. Bukka plays well enough to be mistaken for a famous blues player, so well in fact, that the real player is booed and the Devil extends his offer of fame.. Red claims an ability to destroy ghosts. Fearing he is correct, the ghosts compromise. They agree to share the property on Red’s terms.
*Starred Review* Gr. 3-5. Like McKissack's award-winning The Dark Thirty (1992), the nine original tales in this uproarious collection draw on African American oral tradition and blend history and legend with sly humor, creepy horror, villainous characters, and wild farce. McKissack based the stories on those she heard as a child while sitting on her grandparents' porch; now she is passing them on to her grandchildren. Without using dialect, her intimate folk idiom celebrates the storytelling among friends, neighbors, and family as much as the stories themselves. "Some folk believe the story; some don't. You decide for yourself." Is the weaselly gravedigger going to steal a corpse's jewelry, or does he know the woman is really still alive? Can bespectacled Aunt Gran outwit the notorious outlaw Jesse James? In black and white, Carrilho's full-page illustrations--part cartoon, part portrait in silhouette--combine realistic characters with scary monsters. History is always in the background (runaway slaves, segregation cruelty, white-robed Klansmen), and in surprising twists and turns that are true to trickster tradition, the weak and exploited beat powerful oppressors with the best lies ever told. Great for sharing, on the porch and in the classroom. Hazel RochmanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
From School Library JournalGrade 5 Up–These 10 literate stories make for great leisure listening and knowing chuckles. Pete Bruce flatters a baker out of a coconut cream pie and a quart of milk; Mingo may or may not have anything smaller than a 100-dollar bill to pay his bills; Frank and Jesse James, or the Howard boys, help an old woman against the KKK-ish Knights of the White Gardenia; and Cake Norris wakes up dead one day–again. Carrilhos eerie black-and-white illustrations, dramatically off-balance, lit by moonlight, and elongated like nightmares, are well-matched with the stories. The tales are variously narrated by boys and girls, even though the authors preface seems to set readers up for a single, female narrator in the persona of McKissack herself. They contain the essence of truth but are fiction from beginning to end, an amalgam of old stories, characters, jokes, setups, and motifs. As such, they have no provenance. Still, it would have helped readers unfamiliar with African-American history to have an authors note helping separate the truth of these lies that allude to Depression-era African-American and Southern traditions. That aside, theyre great fun to read aloud and the tricksters, sharpies, slicksters, and outlaws wink knowingly at the child narrators, and at us foolish humans.–Susan Hepler, formerly at Burgundy Farm Country Day School, Alexandria, VA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
This would work well with any thematic units about African American history or culture. Also, it would make an excellent addition to any language arts units studying the similarities or differences among traditions or cultures.
This is a collection of ten short stories described family storytelling. It is easy to see the old folks sitting on the porch with all the” young’uns” gathered at their feet asking for stories of Gramma’s or Uncle’s childhood. Each story is placed in the past childhood memories.
Each story describes someone the elders knew who outsmarts others. In the first story, Pete cozens coconut cream pie out of the local baker. In the third, Bukka takes on the identity of a famous blues player to make a living and be revered. He is confronted by the Devil who owns the famous blues player’s soul. In the eighth, Red claims to be protected by an “earth bone”, a natural protection against ghosts.
Many of these stories are transformed onto “tall tales” by exaggerated or supernatural antagonists. The protagonist must use trickery or slyness and outsmart and overcome the antagonist. Pete uses the baker’s pride against her flattering her out of her wares.. Bukka plays well enough to be mistaken for a famous blues player, so well in fact, that the real player is booed and the Devil extends his offer of fame.. Red claims an ability to destroy ghosts. Fearing he is correct, the ghosts compromise. They agree to share the property on Red’s terms.
*Starred Review* Gr. 3-5. Like McKissack's award-winning The Dark Thirty (1992), the nine original tales in this uproarious collection draw on African American oral tradition and blend history and legend with sly humor, creepy horror, villainous characters, and wild farce. McKissack based the stories on those she heard as a child while sitting on her grandparents' porch; now she is passing them on to her grandchildren. Without using dialect, her intimate folk idiom celebrates the storytelling among friends, neighbors, and family as much as the stories themselves. "Some folk believe the story; some don't. You decide for yourself." Is the weaselly gravedigger going to steal a corpse's jewelry, or does he know the woman is really still alive? Can bespectacled Aunt Gran outwit the notorious outlaw Jesse James? In black and white, Carrilho's full-page illustrations--part cartoon, part portrait in silhouette--combine realistic characters with scary monsters. History is always in the background (runaway slaves, segregation cruelty, white-robed Klansmen), and in surprising twists and turns that are true to trickster tradition, the weak and exploited beat powerful oppressors with the best lies ever told. Great for sharing, on the porch and in the classroom. Hazel RochmanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
From School Library JournalGrade 5 Up–These 10 literate stories make for great leisure listening and knowing chuckles. Pete Bruce flatters a baker out of a coconut cream pie and a quart of milk; Mingo may or may not have anything smaller than a 100-dollar bill to pay his bills; Frank and Jesse James, or the Howard boys, help an old woman against the KKK-ish Knights of the White Gardenia; and Cake Norris wakes up dead one day–again. Carrilhos eerie black-and-white illustrations, dramatically off-balance, lit by moonlight, and elongated like nightmares, are well-matched with the stories. The tales are variously narrated by boys and girls, even though the authors preface seems to set readers up for a single, female narrator in the persona of McKissack herself. They contain the essence of truth but are fiction from beginning to end, an amalgam of old stories, characters, jokes, setups, and motifs. As such, they have no provenance. Still, it would have helped readers unfamiliar with African-American history to have an authors note helping separate the truth of these lies that allude to Depression-era African-American and Southern traditions. That aside, theyre great fun to read aloud and the tricksters, sharpies, slicksters, and outlaws wink knowingly at the child narrators, and at us foolish humans.–Susan Hepler, formerly at Burgundy Farm Country Day School, Alexandria, VA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
This would work well with any thematic units about African American history or culture. Also, it would make an excellent addition to any language arts units studying the similarities or differences among traditions or cultures.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
SIDE BY SIDE: FIVE FAVORITE PICTURE-BOOK TEAMS GO TO WORK Review
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Marcus, Leonard S. 2001. SIDE BY SIDE: FIVE FAVORITE PICTURE-BOOK TEAMS GO TO WORK. Ills. By Egielski, Richard et al. New York: Walker & Co. ISBN 0802787789
SUMMARY:
This book is a mini anthology consisting of five stories describing how five authors chose their illustrators, becoming teams for multiple books. Each individual story describes how author and illustrator had similar backgrounds and could complement each other’s strengths or weaknesses, almost knowing exactly what the other both wanted and needed. Some of the teams did not stay together for every book, while others do. In one story, the authors and illustrators are also husband and wife. They remain as a team until the death of the husband, then the wife strikes out on her own. Another story describes a team’s attempt to update a wonderful story that had connotations of racism. The story was one of my childhood favorites.
ANALYSIS:
This book does not contain any fictional stories. Instead it contains the histories of five author/illustrator teams, especially describing how the team came to be a team. Marcus’ style is witty and engaging. The individual stories show children that the books they love don’t just happen but are carefully planned, sometimes for a year or longer. They describe the way in which a perfect partnership is a combination of hard work and a little providence.
Marcus does not have an illustrator for this book. Instead, he shows examples of work from both the authors and the illustrators. Some of the examples are drafts (or dummies); others are the completed work.
This book would be perfect for a teacher to share with students who have developed a taste for either an author or illustrator discussed. However, the book cover states that this is appropriate for ages eight and above. Yet the reading level is easily sixth grade or above. (Samples were taken from various sections and run through word processing word count and reading level.) Younger children may need a great deal of help to read and understand the concepts in this text.
REVIEW:
From Publishers WeeklyMarcus (A Caldecott Celebration; Author Talk) describes the creative collaborations of five author-artist teams whose processes prove as varied as their books. Though, for most projects, author and illustrator never meet, Marcus focuses on collaborators who "prefer or need to be in the thick of a freewheeling give-and-take with their partners." For each collaboration, he zooms in on one book in particular, and the pairs range from Arthur Yorinks and Richard Egielski, who struggled early on to get the attention of a publisher and broke through with their second book, Louis the Fish, to the fluid work style of husband-and-wife team Alice and Martin Provensen (using the Caldecott Medal-winning The Glorious Flight as the central example) who for 40 years shared both the writing and illustrating; in Alice Provensen's words, "Martin and I really were one artist." Although Julius Lester and Jerry Pinkney had worked together for years, a more complicated, intensive discussion was required for Sam and the Tigers, a retelling of the racially stereotyped Little Black Sambo. Early thumbnail sketches, snapshots of dummies and finished artwork help capture the evolving process. Readers snared by their interest in the teams behind favorites such as the Magic School Bus series and The Stinky Cheese Man will appreciate the insights into the inner workings of bookmaking, and may well end up appreciating the books more for the energy and ingenuity it takes to create them. Ages 8-up.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.From School Library JournalGr 3 Up-In this fascinating look at the collaborative process involved in creating picture books, Marcus examines how and why five different teams work together. In each case, he focuses on one book but shares plenty of information about the careers of the writers and artists. These collaborative experiences vary a great deal. For example, Jerry Pinkney and Julius Lester produced several books together before Sam and the Tigers, but that title truly joined them as collaborators, while Alice and the late Martin Provensen worked so closely that it is hard to tell who contributed what. Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen were brought together by an editor who thought they would be perfect for The Magic School Bus. The chapter on Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith devotes equal time to Molly Leach, the designer of The Stinky Cheese Man and several of their other books. Illustrations include thumbnail sketches, manuscript notes, dummy pages, and finished pages. Humorous anecdotes and personal comments make the figures come alive. Richard Egielski, who teams with Arthur Yorinks, vividly relates how he was unable to find a picture of a salmon for Louis the Fish and wound up peeling a label from a grocery-store can. Many of the titles described will be familiar to readers. However, even those who have not seen some of the featured books will be engaged by the creativity and cooperation exhibited here.
Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
CONNECTIONS:
Collect books by these teams to supplement the information given in these essays, to better exemplify the concepts.
Search for other author/Illustrator teams and have students write letters to their publishers (or through their websites) asking how they came together as a team.
Other illustrators with complementary mediums.
Marcus, Leonard. 1998. A CALDECOTT CELEBRATION: SIX ARTISTS AND THEIR PATHS TO THE CALDECOTT MEDAL. ISBN 082786561
Marcus, Leonard S. 2001. SIDE BY SIDE: FIVE FAVORITE PICTURE-BOOK TEAMS GO TO WORK. Ills. By Egielski, Richard et al. New York: Walker & Co. ISBN 0802787789
SUMMARY:
This book is a mini anthology consisting of five stories describing how five authors chose their illustrators, becoming teams for multiple books. Each individual story describes how author and illustrator had similar backgrounds and could complement each other’s strengths or weaknesses, almost knowing exactly what the other both wanted and needed. Some of the teams did not stay together for every book, while others do. In one story, the authors and illustrators are also husband and wife. They remain as a team until the death of the husband, then the wife strikes out on her own. Another story describes a team’s attempt to update a wonderful story that had connotations of racism. The story was one of my childhood favorites.
ANALYSIS:
This book does not contain any fictional stories. Instead it contains the histories of five author/illustrator teams, especially describing how the team came to be a team. Marcus’ style is witty and engaging. The individual stories show children that the books they love don’t just happen but are carefully planned, sometimes for a year or longer. They describe the way in which a perfect partnership is a combination of hard work and a little providence.
Marcus does not have an illustrator for this book. Instead, he shows examples of work from both the authors and the illustrators. Some of the examples are drafts (or dummies); others are the completed work.
This book would be perfect for a teacher to share with students who have developed a taste for either an author or illustrator discussed. However, the book cover states that this is appropriate for ages eight and above. Yet the reading level is easily sixth grade or above. (Samples were taken from various sections and run through word processing word count and reading level.) Younger children may need a great deal of help to read and understand the concepts in this text.
REVIEW:
From Publishers WeeklyMarcus (A Caldecott Celebration; Author Talk) describes the creative collaborations of five author-artist teams whose processes prove as varied as their books. Though, for most projects, author and illustrator never meet, Marcus focuses on collaborators who "prefer or need to be in the thick of a freewheeling give-and-take with their partners." For each collaboration, he zooms in on one book in particular, and the pairs range from Arthur Yorinks and Richard Egielski, who struggled early on to get the attention of a publisher and broke through with their second book, Louis the Fish, to the fluid work style of husband-and-wife team Alice and Martin Provensen (using the Caldecott Medal-winning The Glorious Flight as the central example) who for 40 years shared both the writing and illustrating; in Alice Provensen's words, "Martin and I really were one artist." Although Julius Lester and Jerry Pinkney had worked together for years, a more complicated, intensive discussion was required for Sam and the Tigers, a retelling of the racially stereotyped Little Black Sambo. Early thumbnail sketches, snapshots of dummies and finished artwork help capture the evolving process. Readers snared by their interest in the teams behind favorites such as the Magic School Bus series and The Stinky Cheese Man will appreciate the insights into the inner workings of bookmaking, and may well end up appreciating the books more for the energy and ingenuity it takes to create them. Ages 8-up.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.From School Library JournalGr 3 Up-In this fascinating look at the collaborative process involved in creating picture books, Marcus examines how and why five different teams work together. In each case, he focuses on one book but shares plenty of information about the careers of the writers and artists. These collaborative experiences vary a great deal. For example, Jerry Pinkney and Julius Lester produced several books together before Sam and the Tigers, but that title truly joined them as collaborators, while Alice and the late Martin Provensen worked so closely that it is hard to tell who contributed what. Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen were brought together by an editor who thought they would be perfect for The Magic School Bus. The chapter on Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith devotes equal time to Molly Leach, the designer of The Stinky Cheese Man and several of their other books. Illustrations include thumbnail sketches, manuscript notes, dummy pages, and finished pages. Humorous anecdotes and personal comments make the figures come alive. Richard Egielski, who teams with Arthur Yorinks, vividly relates how he was unable to find a picture of a salmon for Louis the Fish and wound up peeling a label from a grocery-store can. Many of the titles described will be familiar to readers. However, even those who have not seen some of the featured books will be engaged by the creativity and cooperation exhibited here.
Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
CONNECTIONS:
Collect books by these teams to supplement the information given in these essays, to better exemplify the concepts.
Search for other author/Illustrator teams and have students write letters to their publishers (or through their websites) asking how they came together as a team.
Other illustrators with complementary mediums.
Marcus, Leonard. 1998. A CALDECOTT CELEBRATION: SIX ARTISTS AND THEIR PATHS TO THE CALDECOTT MEDAL. ISBN 082786561
CLICK CLACK MOO COWS THAT TYPE Review
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Cronin, Doreen. 2001. CLICK, CLACK, MOO COWS THAT TYPE. Ill. By Betsy Lewin. New York: Scholastic Books ISBN 0439216486
SUMMARY:
“Farmer Brown has a problem.” His cows have learned to type and they are using their new talent to make demands. They want better (warmer) working conditions and when Farmer Brown refuses to comply, they go on strike. They make even more demands. Finally, they compromised with the cows getting part of their demands and Farmer Brown getting the Typewriter. But the story doesn’t end there because the cows send the machine via a neutral party, a duck, who takes it home and learns to type before making demands of his own.
ANALYSIS:
According to Leonard Marcus, it was the author/illustrator team of Scieszka, Smith, and Leach that began using bold type, in multi-colors or variable sized type in 1992. Many illustrators began using the effect to enhance their books and illustrations. Conin’s book is one such example. In addition, the typed demand letters were used as the spot for the text.
The expression on the cows during the negotiations are priceless. They started out wide eyed, anxious about the farmer’s reaction. They quickly become determined. Finally, they are content.
It was ironic for the duck to learn to type and write demands considering the farmer is the one who brought him in as a neutral party.
REVIEW:
Horn Book review: Farmer Brown's cows find an old typewriter, and before you can say, "Click, clack, moo," they're typing a request for electric blankets--the barn gets cold at night. When the elderly farmer refuses, they tack another typewritten message to the barn door: "Sorry. We're closed. No milk today." Soon the hens join the strike and begin withholding eggs. Farmer Brown types up his own response, which is delivered by a neutral party--a duck--and things seem to reach a satisfying resolution.
From Publishers Weekly: Plucky barnyard denizens unite to improve their working conditions in this hilarious debut picture book from Cronin (appropriately enough, an attorney). Farmer Brown is dumbfounded when his cows discover an old typewriter in the barn and begin experimenting ("All day long he hears click, clack, moo. Click, clack, moo. Clickety clack moo"). Things really get out of hand when the cows began airing their grievances. Lewin (Araminta's Paint Box) conveys the fellow's shock as he reads: "Dear Farmer Brown, The barn is very cold at night. We'd like some electric blankets. Sincerely, The Cows." When Farmer Brown denies the cows' request, the bovine organizers go on strike. Through the use of the man's shadow, Lewin communicates his rage: the straw in his hat creates the appearance of his hair on end. With help from a neutral duck mediator, the exasperated Farmer Brown finally makes concessions. But, much to his dismay, the cows are not the only creatures that can type. Cronin humorously turns the tables on conventional barnyard dynamics; Lewin's bold, loose-lined watercolors set a light and easygoing mood that matches Farmer Brown's very funny predicament. Kids and underdogs everywhere will cheer for the clever critters that calmly and politely stand up for their rights, while their human caretaker becomes more and more unglued. Ages 3-7. (Feb.) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
CONNECTIONS:
If you want to demonstrate how negotiations can work, this story demonstrates the concept in a light hearted way.
Find nonfiction books about farming, milk cows, or chickens. Find out what types of care they need. Do farmers heat their barns? Blanket their animals? Learn what types of problems create a situation where chickens stop producing eggs and cows stop producing milk.
Cronin, Doreen. 2001. CLICK, CLACK, MOO COWS THAT TYPE. Ill. By Betsy Lewin. New York: Scholastic Books ISBN 0439216486
SUMMARY:
“Farmer Brown has a problem.” His cows have learned to type and they are using their new talent to make demands. They want better (warmer) working conditions and when Farmer Brown refuses to comply, they go on strike. They make even more demands. Finally, they compromised with the cows getting part of their demands and Farmer Brown getting the Typewriter. But the story doesn’t end there because the cows send the machine via a neutral party, a duck, who takes it home and learns to type before making demands of his own.
ANALYSIS:
According to Leonard Marcus, it was the author/illustrator team of Scieszka, Smith, and Leach that began using bold type, in multi-colors or variable sized type in 1992. Many illustrators began using the effect to enhance their books and illustrations. Conin’s book is one such example. In addition, the typed demand letters were used as the spot for the text.
The expression on the cows during the negotiations are priceless. They started out wide eyed, anxious about the farmer’s reaction. They quickly become determined. Finally, they are content.
It was ironic for the duck to learn to type and write demands considering the farmer is the one who brought him in as a neutral party.
REVIEW:
Horn Book review: Farmer Brown's cows find an old typewriter, and before you can say, "Click, clack, moo," they're typing a request for electric blankets--the barn gets cold at night. When the elderly farmer refuses, they tack another typewritten message to the barn door: "Sorry. We're closed. No milk today." Soon the hens join the strike and begin withholding eggs. Farmer Brown types up his own response, which is delivered by a neutral party--a duck--and things seem to reach a satisfying resolution.
From Publishers Weekly: Plucky barnyard denizens unite to improve their working conditions in this hilarious debut picture book from Cronin (appropriately enough, an attorney). Farmer Brown is dumbfounded when his cows discover an old typewriter in the barn and begin experimenting ("All day long he hears click, clack, moo. Click, clack, moo. Clickety clack moo"). Things really get out of hand when the cows began airing their grievances. Lewin (Araminta's Paint Box) conveys the fellow's shock as he reads: "Dear Farmer Brown, The barn is very cold at night. We'd like some electric blankets. Sincerely, The Cows." When Farmer Brown denies the cows' request, the bovine organizers go on strike. Through the use of the man's shadow, Lewin communicates his rage: the straw in his hat creates the appearance of his hair on end. With help from a neutral duck mediator, the exasperated Farmer Brown finally makes concessions. But, much to his dismay, the cows are not the only creatures that can type. Cronin humorously turns the tables on conventional barnyard dynamics; Lewin's bold, loose-lined watercolors set a light and easygoing mood that matches Farmer Brown's very funny predicament. Kids and underdogs everywhere will cheer for the clever critters that calmly and politely stand up for their rights, while their human caretaker becomes more and more unglued. Ages 3-7. (Feb.) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
CONNECTIONS:
If you want to demonstrate how negotiations can work, this story demonstrates the concept in a light hearted way.
Find nonfiction books about farming, milk cows, or chickens. Find out what types of care they need. Do farmers heat their barns? Blanket their animals? Learn what types of problems create a situation where chickens stop producing eggs and cows stop producing milk.
FLOTSAM Book Review
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Wiesner, David. 2006. FLOTSAM. New York: Clarion Books ISBN 0618194576
SUMMARY:
This is a wordless book with a story that is as multi-faceted as the most intricate gems. As each child, teen, or adult goes through this book, they see things from their own perspective. At its most basic, this is a story of a curious young boy at the beach. He catches, studies, and releases sea creatures. While looking at a crab, he is caught by the tide and washes up the shore, along with a camera. After checking to see if anyone had reported missing one, he opens the camera, finding a roll of film. He rushes it to the one-hour-photo shop and impatiently waits for the film to be processed. He purchases a fresh roll of film, also. He returns to the beach and begins looking at the pictures. One of the photos is of a girl holding a picture of a boy holding a picture of a boy holding a picture of a girl holding a picture of a girl and so on. The boy uses first a magnifying glass and then the microscope to see at least nine pictures within the picture. The boy decides to take a photo of himself holding the photo of the photo of the photo. Then he throws the camera back into the ocean, where it travels via fish, squid, and even albatross until it washes up on another shore and another child retrieves it.
ANALYSIS:
This is a Caldecott medal winner for extraordinary illustrations. The story is compelling and amusing. These pictures begin with some simplicity, yet each succeeding picture is more detailed. This allowed for individual variations of the story. For example, I was present when this book was used in a guided reading session with an eight year old. He was fascinated with the mechanical parts of the pictures. He focused in on the microscope, camera, the “bionic fish,” and space ship. His story had little interest in the photo within a photo section, but went on in great detail about the reason for the “bionic fish.”
This boy’s older brother happened to see the book. He focused in on the fantasy angle. He said the photos of the mechanical fish and the octopi family in a reading group were silly and impossible. He wanted to know who had taken these photos. I responded by asking who he thought had taken them. He finally decided that other fish or sea creatures must have taken the photos.
When my daughter read the books she noticed the pictures looked too realistic to be watercolors. They mimicked photographs. She was looking. She seemed to be impressed with the side by side mini pictures which depicted the boy’s impatience while waiting for the photo processing.
When I read the book the first time, I was fascinated with the backward progression of the photos. Each of the photos within a photo was of a child from a previous generation. However, I noticed and was disturbed in this time of eco-respectful expectations that a book celebrating polluting of our oceans was honored with a Caldecott medal. Not only did the boy throw the camera back into the sea, but the photos he had developed went there as well. Since picture books are for children as young as preschoolers, how do we ensure that they understand polluting is not acceptable.
REVIEWS:
Caldecott Award-2007
*Starred review in PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “New details swim into focus with every rereading of this immensely satisfying excursion.”
*Starred review in KIRKUS REVIEWS: “From arguably the most inventive and cerebral visual storyteller in children's literature comes a wordless invitation . . . not to be resisted.”
*Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Filled with inventive details and delightful twists . . . a mind-bending journey of the imagination.”
*Starred review in BOOKLIST: “Wiesner offers another exceptional, wordless picture book that finds wild magic in quiet, everyday settings . . . [a] visual wonder.”
CONNECTIONS:
Possible connections are having students bring in pictures of ancestors from different eras. Compare them to those in the book and have the students describe differences. Do they like the styles?
Wiesner has illustrated and published several other picture books, like FREE FALL, SECTOR 7, and TUESDAY. Are they as beautifully done, as intricate and detailed as FLOTSAM?Find other picture books about the sea and compare the pictures in FLOTSAM to the picture in those books. Are they as realistic? Do they display aspects of fantasy?
Wiesner, David. 2006. FLOTSAM. New York: Clarion Books ISBN 0618194576
SUMMARY:
This is a wordless book with a story that is as multi-faceted as the most intricate gems. As each child, teen, or adult goes through this book, they see things from their own perspective. At its most basic, this is a story of a curious young boy at the beach. He catches, studies, and releases sea creatures. While looking at a crab, he is caught by the tide and washes up the shore, along with a camera. After checking to see if anyone had reported missing one, he opens the camera, finding a roll of film. He rushes it to the one-hour-photo shop and impatiently waits for the film to be processed. He purchases a fresh roll of film, also. He returns to the beach and begins looking at the pictures. One of the photos is of a girl holding a picture of a boy holding a picture of a boy holding a picture of a girl holding a picture of a girl and so on. The boy uses first a magnifying glass and then the microscope to see at least nine pictures within the picture. The boy decides to take a photo of himself holding the photo of the photo of the photo. Then he throws the camera back into the ocean, where it travels via fish, squid, and even albatross until it washes up on another shore and another child retrieves it.
ANALYSIS:
This is a Caldecott medal winner for extraordinary illustrations. The story is compelling and amusing. These pictures begin with some simplicity, yet each succeeding picture is more detailed. This allowed for individual variations of the story. For example, I was present when this book was used in a guided reading session with an eight year old. He was fascinated with the mechanical parts of the pictures. He focused in on the microscope, camera, the “bionic fish,” and space ship. His story had little interest in the photo within a photo section, but went on in great detail about the reason for the “bionic fish.”
This boy’s older brother happened to see the book. He focused in on the fantasy angle. He said the photos of the mechanical fish and the octopi family in a reading group were silly and impossible. He wanted to know who had taken these photos. I responded by asking who he thought had taken them. He finally decided that other fish or sea creatures must have taken the photos.
When my daughter read the books she noticed the pictures looked too realistic to be watercolors. They mimicked photographs. She was looking. She seemed to be impressed with the side by side mini pictures which depicted the boy’s impatience while waiting for the photo processing.
When I read the book the first time, I was fascinated with the backward progression of the photos. Each of the photos within a photo was of a child from a previous generation. However, I noticed and was disturbed in this time of eco-respectful expectations that a book celebrating polluting of our oceans was honored with a Caldecott medal. Not only did the boy throw the camera back into the sea, but the photos he had developed went there as well. Since picture books are for children as young as preschoolers, how do we ensure that they understand polluting is not acceptable.
REVIEWS:
Caldecott Award-2007
*Starred review in PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “New details swim into focus with every rereading of this immensely satisfying excursion.”
*Starred review in KIRKUS REVIEWS: “From arguably the most inventive and cerebral visual storyteller in children's literature comes a wordless invitation . . . not to be resisted.”
*Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Filled with inventive details and delightful twists . . . a mind-bending journey of the imagination.”
*Starred review in BOOKLIST: “Wiesner offers another exceptional, wordless picture book that finds wild magic in quiet, everyday settings . . . [a] visual wonder.”
CONNECTIONS:
Possible connections are having students bring in pictures of ancestors from different eras. Compare them to those in the book and have the students describe differences. Do they like the styles?
Wiesner has illustrated and published several other picture books, like FREE FALL, SECTOR 7, and TUESDAY. Are they as beautifully done, as intricate and detailed as FLOTSAM?Find other picture books about the sea and compare the pictures in FLOTSAM to the picture in those books. Are they as realistic? Do they display aspects of fantasy?
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