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.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
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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