Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Bibliography of Book Reviews

AND THE GREEN GRASS GREW ALL AROUND: FOLK POETRY FROM EVERYONE. ed. Alvin Schwartz and Sue Truesdell (ill). Harper Collins Publishers. 1992. ISBN 0060227575

Cummings, Pat. TALKING WITH ARTISTS, ed Pat Cummings. New York: Bradbury Press. 1992. ISBN 0027242455

Gerstein, Mordicai. THE MAN WHO WALKED BETWEEN THE TOWERS. Connecticut: Roaring Brook Press, 2003. ISBN 0761328688

Jenkins, Steve. ACTUAL SIZE. 2002. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 157171414

Jurmain, Suzanne. THE FORBIDDEN SCHOOLHOUSE. 2005. New York: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0618473025

Ketteman, Helen and James Warhola (ill.) BUBBA THE COWBOY PRINCE. New York: Scholastic Press. 1997. ISBN 0590255061

Lowry, Lois. THE GIVER. 1993. New York: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 03395645662

Myers, Walter Dean and Christopher Myers (Ill.). MONSTER. 1999. New York. HarperCollinsPublishers. ISBN 0060280778.

Park, Linda Sue. SEESAW GIRL. 1990. New York: Four Winds Press. ISBN 027868109

Pearsall, Shelley. TROUBLE DON’T LAST. 2002. New York: Random House Inc. Dell Yearling Book. ISBN 0440418119

Perkins, Lynne Rae. CRISS CROSS. Danielle Ferland. 2006. New York: HarperChildrensAudio; Unabridged edition (May 2, 2006) ISBN 978-0061161193

Simon, Seymour. KILLER WHALES. 2002. New York: SeaStar Books. ISBN 157171414

Sones, Sonya. 1999, 2001. STOP PRETENDING: WHAT HAPPENED WHEN MY BIG SISTER WENT CRAZY. New York: Harper Collins: Harpertemptest. ISBN 0060283874

Stanley, Diane and Peter Vennema. GOOD QUEEN BESS: THE STORY OF ELIZABETH I OF ENGLAND. 1990. New York: Four Winds Press. ISBN 027868109

THE LEGEND OF THE INDIAN PAINTBRUSH. ed. Tomie dePaola. New York: The Putnam and Grosset Group. Paperstar. 1988. ISBN 0698113608

Williams, Mo. KNUFFLE BUNNY. New York: Hyperion Books for Children, 2004.
ISBN 0786818700
MONSTER
by Walter Dean Myers

1. Bibliography:
Myers, Walter Dean and Christopher Myers (Ill.). MONSTER. 1999. New York. HarperCollinsPublishers. ISBN 0060280778.

Walter Dean Myers began writing as a child and has been publishing since 1969. He has received many awards for his fiction, nonfiction, and poetry in young adult literature. He lives in Jersey City, New Jersey, is married, and has 3 grown children.
http://www.walterdeanmyers.net/bio.html

Christopher Myers is the son of acclaimed author Walter Dean Myers. He is an award-winning illustrator who credits his appreciation of the importance of images to observing the objects and photographs his parents would bring home from auctions and flea markets.
http://content.scholastic.com/browse/contributor.jsp?id=3258

2. Plot Summary
Amazon.com
"Monster" is what the prosecutor called 16-year-old Steve Harmon for his supposed role in the fatal shooting of a convenience-store owner. But was Steve really the lookout who gave the "all clear" to the murderer, or was he just in the wrong place at the wrong time? In this innovative novel by Walter Dean Myers, the reader becomes both juror and witness during the trial of Steve's life. To calm his nerves as he sits in the courtroom, aspiring filmmaker Steve chronicles the proceedings in movie script format. Interspersed throughout his screenplay are journal writings that provide insight into Steve's life before the murder and his feelings about being held in prison during the trial. "They take away your shoelaces and your belt so you can't kill yourself no matter how bad it is. I guess making you live is part of the punishment."
Myers, known for the inner-city classic Motown and Didi (first published in 1984), proves with Monster that he has kept up with both the struggles and the lingo of today's teens. Steve is an adolescent caught up in the violent circumstances of an adult world--a situation most teens can relate to on some level. Readers will no doubt be attracted to the novel's handwriting-style typeface, emphasis on dialogue, and fast-paced courtroom action. By weaving together Steve's journal entries and his script, Myers has given the first-person voice a new twist and added yet another worthy volume to his already admirable body of work. (Ages 12 and older) --Jennifer Hubert --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

3. Critical Analysis
The book received the Richard Printz Award and the Coretta Scott King Award. It is contemporary realistic fiction that is realistically depicted as a movie screenplay that zooms in and out on the court room scene as well as the scenes taking place in the prison and community. This book is wonderfully written and keeps the reader engaged in the suspense of the story. The author writes from the point of view of Steve Harmon the 16 year old teen accomplice to a robbery and murder crime scene. This book reveals the emotions and fears of prison life and losing one’s freedom. The text is easy to read and well written for the teen to adult. Inside the front cover, the following is written to engage the reader in the story: “sometimes I feel like I have walked into the middle of a movie. Maybe I can make my own movie. The film will be the story of my life. No, not my life, but of this experience. I’ll call it what the lady who is the prosecutor called me. Monster” The story ends with Steve’s innocence and the text then rolls up the page as
A STEVE HARMON FILM. Five months later, Steve writes of his experience, his family and in his mind, wonders “when Miss O’Brien looked at me, after we had won the case, what did she see that caused her to turn away? What did she see?” This statement allows the reader to form their own opinion of Steve…was he a monster or not??

The illustrations are black and white photographs that are realistic to a crime scene and prison life. These illustrations are wonderfully created to support the storyline and text to create a realistic account of the crime.


4. Review Excerpts

Monster
"Chilling and engrossing"
-The New York Times Book Review
"The sheer authenticity of the novel and its presentation are disquieting - and totally riveting"

-Boston Globe -Horn Book
"A riveting courtroom drama that will leave a powerful, haunting impression on young minds."
-Publishers Weekly

From School Library Journal
Grade 7 Up-Steve Harmon, 16, is accused of serving as a lookout for a robbery of a Harlem drugstore. The owner was shot and killed, and now Steve is in prison awaiting trial for murder. From there, he tells about his case and his incarceration. Many elements of this story are familiar, but Myers keeps it fresh and alive by telling it from an unusual perspective. Steve, an amateur filmmaker, recounts his experiences in the form of a movie screenplay. His striking scene-by-scene narrative of how his life has dramatically changed is riveting. Interspersed within the script are diary entries in which the teen vividly describes the nightmarish conditions of his confinement. Myers expertly presents the many facets of his protagonist's character and readers will find themselves feeling both sympathy and repugnance for him. Steve searches deep within his soul to prove to himself that he is not the "monster" the prosecutor presented him as to the jury. Ultimately, he reconnects with his humanity and regains a moral awareness that he had lost. Christopher Myers's superfluous black-and-white drawings are less successful. Their grainy, unfocused look complements the cinematic quality of the text, but they do little to enhance the story. Monster will challenge readers with difficult questions, to which there are no definitive answers. In some respects, the novel is reminiscent of Virginia Walter's Making Up Megaboy (DK Ink, 1998), another book enriched by its ambiguity. Like it, Monster lends itself well to classroom or group discussion. It's an emotionally charged story that readers will find compelling and disturbing.
Edward Sullivan, New York Public Library
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Library Binding edition.

Connections: Read the book to teens and discuss the characters and the emotions they are coping with as the book progresses. Discuss prison life, fear, values, integrity, honesty, and unfortunate happenings that can change the life of an individual because of circumstances and poor choices. The book is a script that can be used as a reader’s theatre. Try videoing the reader’s theatre, using the camera techniques mentioned in the book.

Additional works by Walter Dean Myers include:
Fiction:
THE MOUSE RAP
THE RIGHTEOUS REVENGE OF ARTEMIS BONNER
SCORPIONS
THE STORY OF THE THREE KINGDOMS

Nonfiction:
NOW IF YOUR TIME!: THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM
GLORIOUS ANGELS: A CELEBRATION OF CHILDREN
BROWN ANGELS: AN ALBUM OF PICTURES AND VERSE
ANGEL TO ANGEL: A MOTHER’S GIFT OF LOVE
CRISS CROSS
by Lynne Rae Perkins

1. Bibliography:
Perkins, Lynne Rae. CRISS CROSS. Danielle Ferland. 2006. New York: HarperChildrensAudio; Unabridged edition (May 2, 2006) ISBN 978-0061161193

Lynne Rae Perkins is the author of several novels, including her most recent Newberry Award winning book, Criss Cross. She enjoys working in her studio, being with friends, watching her kids grow, and watching her husband, Bill, chase their dog around town.(PerkinsP

http://www.lynneraeperkins.com

2. Plot Summary
The story does not have a plot but it is about teens and their daily lives in the summer in a small town. The story is narrated from Debbie’s point of view as well as Hector’s point of view, with very little action or drama. A group of teen’s paths cross with one another and they also interact with others who live in the town. They listen to the radio, Debbie learns to drive from her friend Phillip who is Grossie’s Grandson. Questions arise about the opposite sex and about themselves. They hang out, talk, grow a little, change a bit, come to a few understandings they didn't have before. Hector is fourteen and he is inspired by a college coffeehouse to take some guitar lessons in the basement of the church and writes songs with humorous lyrics. Debbie is fourteen and she volunteers to help out an elderly German woman named Grossie. Paths cross, connections are made, or missed.
3. Critical Analysis
The book received the John Newberry Medal and it is written for children grades 6 - 9. The audio tape is read as the book is written and the slipcase is a replica of the book cover. There are 5 CD’s that consisted of chapters and it is unabridged. The audiobook was 5 ½ hours of reading. The text was clear in the pronunciation of words and could be easily understood. Danielle Ferland, a female adult, narrated the story and would attempt to change her expressions or tone of voice as she read the thoughts and conversations of the teens. The CD’s do not begin with an introduction but end with information from HarperChildren’s Audio hoping that the story was enjoyed and how to locate additional information on Harper Children’s Audio Publishing.
There were no sound effects or musical soundtracks but the descriptive vocabulary of sounds such as a “train” or “vacuum” gave me a visual image of the object being described. The vocabulary was very descriptive throughout the story, helping me to relate to the teens and their life’s experiences.
The story would be more enjoyable to listen to if an adult narrated the story and teens read their parts to avoid the mono-toned voice of a single reader. I was slow to engage in areas of the story and often had to rewind to stay focused on the reading. It was difficult to capture my attention and maintain it. Portions of the story depicted teen humor such as Debbie learning to drive and Hector playing his guitar and singing the songs he had written. Grossie, Phillip’s Grandmother spoke German which added to the reality of the story and a diverse society. Hector attempted to cross the street in flip-flops as he was dressed for his first show at a luau. One flip flop came off in the street and a car ran over it. When he picked up the flip flop, he found Debbie’s necklace smashed in the asphalt. The necklace had been passed to different teens in the story. I definitely related to real life experience of my own as two of my children are teens and the third will soon be one also. The book did not provide depth or breadth with a strong storyline but teens would enjoy the audiobook and relating it to their own experiences and friendships.

4. Review Excerpts

From School Library Journal
Starred Review. Grade 6-9–The author of the popular All Alone in the Universe (HarperCollins, 1999) returns with another character study involving those moments that occur in everyone's life–moments when a decision is made that sends a person along one path instead of another. Debbie, who wishes that something would happen so she'll be a different person, and Hector, who feels he is unfinished, narrate most of the novel. Both are 14 years old. Hector is a fabulous character with a wry humor and an appealing sense of self-awareness. A secondary story involving Debbie's locket that goes missing in the beginning of the tale and is passed around by a number of characters emphasizes the theme of the book. The descriptive, measured writing includes poems, prose, haiku, and question-and-answer formats. There is a great deal of humor in this gentle story about a group of childhood friends facing the crossroads of life and how they wish to live it. Young teens will certainly relate to the self-consciousnesses and uncertainty of all of the characters, each of whom is straining toward clarity and awareness. The book is profusely illustrated with Perkins's amusing drawings and some photographs.–B. Allison Gray, John Jermain Library, Sag Harbor, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From AudioFile
Perkins's novel, a thoughtful, subtle character study in which paths cross in unexpected ways, is told through vignettes from mostly teen points of view. Perkins's humorous and poignant observations about Debbie, who wants something to happen, and Hector, who learns to play guitar, are compelling. Danielle Ferland remembers her own youth well or has hung out with teenagers recently. Her portrayal of their budding self-awareness bordering on self-consciousness is especially sharp, and she perfectly mimics the questions? teens ask when talking? in addition to their sarcastic downturns and flat tones. Ferland also easily navigates the potentially treacherous waters of Perkins's sometimes- experimental prose, which includes haiku, poetry, and Q & A formats. J.C.G. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine


From The Horn Book

Like a lazy summer day, the novel induces that exhilarating feeling that one has all the time in the world.

From ALA Booklist

Perkins writes with subtle, wry humor about perceptive moments that will speak directly to readers.

Connections: Play the Audio tape a few chapters at a time to teens. Discuss the lives of each character and how their paths cross during the story. Create a reader’s theatre using the characters and a narrator in the script. Introduce the children to the book and encourage reading the book to compare to the Audio tape.


Additional works by Lynne Rae Perkins include:
ALL ALONE IN THE UNIVERSE
THE BROKEN CAT
HOME LOVELY
CLOUDS FOR DINNER

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

THE GIVER
by Lois Lowry

1. Bibliography:
Lowry, Lois. THE GIVER. 1993. New York: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 03395645662

Lois Lowry was born in Hawii. She became interested in writing as a young girl and continued to follow her dreams to become a successful author. She was also the photographer for the cover of THE GIVER.

http://www.loislowry.com/bio.html

2. Plot Summary
In a world with no poverty, no crime, no sickness and no unemployment, and where every family is happy, 12-year-old Jonas is chosen to be the community's Receiver of Memories. Under the tutelage of the Elders and an old man known as the Giver, he discovers the disturbing truth about his utopian world and struggles against the weight of its hypocrisy. With echoes of Brave New World, in this 1994 Newbery Medal winner, Lowry examines the idea that people might freely choose to give up their humanity in order to create a more stable society. Gradually Jonas learns just how costly this ordered and pain-free society can be, and boldly decides he cannot pay the price. (Amazon.com)

3. Critical Analysis

THE GIVER, GATHERING BLUE and MESSENGER is a trilogy that speaks of the concern of “the vital need of people to be aware of their interdependence, not only with each other, but with the world and its environment” Characters of the GIVER and GATHERING BLUE meet in the MESSENGER. (Lowry) with each other, but

The book is a well written, in-depth and easy to read science-fiction novel. The writing is clear, captivating and exciting, providing visual images of the community and the controlling atmosphere of the community. There is no independence or free choice while living there. Families are limited to two children that they must apply for and birth mothers deliver the children and the nurturers take care of the children until they are a year old and then they are numbered and named before being given to a family. The story is of a community that has blocked out emotions, seeing color, family connections, divorce, heartache, and hardship while building the community around sameness. There is no love or affection. People within the community are destined with a purpose in life that is determined by the Elders. As the children progress in age, a ceremony instructs the children on what they can do. They are not allowed to ride a bike until they turn nine. Those who do so, will be breaking the rules and be punished. Toddlers who do no speak clearly will be punished with a whipping stick as will the old who do not behave. “December is the time of the annual Ceremony at which each twelve year old receives a life assignment determined by the Elders.” These assignments include jobs such as Caretaker of the Old, Assistant Director of Recreation, Nuturer of newborns, Landscape Workers, Food Delivery people, Childcare Center Workers, Street Cleaners, Birthmothers, Laborers, and Collection Crew. There is also one Receiver who holds the memories that have been transmitted down for generations to the new Receiver. Whenever a new Receiver has been selected, the current Receiver who transmits the memories is called the Giver. Jonas was selected to be the new Receiver and he must bear the pain, suffering and emotions that have been blocked from the community. During his training, he realizes that this is not a normal community and is shocked when he understands the concept of being “released” as euthanasia when the subject is discussed with the Giver. Jonas said “I was only asking about release because my father is releasing a new child today. A twin. He has to select one and release the other one. They do it by weight.” Jonas is shocked and the story unfolds as he takes a young child named Gabriel from his home because Gabriel will be released the next morning. Jonas had the ability to see things and pass portions of his memories and experiences he had received from the Giver, down to Gabriel. He takes his father’s bike and escapes searching for a Utopia. The Giver has helped Jonas experience a sled ride in the snow and seeing family and Christmas lights. Once Jonas has reached the location he has experienced, the story ends with Jonas and Gabriel traveling down a hill on a sled seeing the Christmas scene below. Now that Jonas has escaped, the community he left behind will experience the memories and emotions that were blocked out when the Receiver held all of these things.

The illustrations is a photograph of an elderly man on the front cover. This photo was taken by the author and depicts the Giver.

4. Review Excerpts

From Publishers Weekly
In the "ideal" world into which Jonas was born, everybody has sensibly agreed that well-matched married couples will raise exactly two offspring, one boy and one girl. These children's adolescent sexual impulses will be stifled with specially prescribed drugs; at age 12 they will receive an appropriate career assignment, sensibly chosen by the community's Elders. This is a world in which the old live in group homes and are "released"--to great celebration--at the proper time; the few infants who do not develop according to schedule are also "released," but with no fanfare. Lowry's development of this civilization is so deft that her readers, like the community's citizens, will be easily seduced by the chimera of this ordered, pain-free society. Until the time that Jonah begins training for his job assignment--the rigorous and prestigious position of Receiver of Memory--he, too, is a complacent model citizen. But as his near-mystical training progresses, and he is weighed down and enriched with society's collective memories of a world as stimulating as it was flawed, Jonas grows increasingly aware of the hypocrisy that rules his world. With a storyline that hints at Christian allegory and an eerie futuristic setting, this intriguing novel calls to mind John Christopher's Tripods trilogy and Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Match Girl. Lowry is once again in top form--raising many questions while answering few, and unwinding a tale fit for the most adventurous readers. Ages 12-14.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews with Pointers

"Wrought with admirable skill -- the emptiness and menace underlying this Utopia emerge step by inexorable step: a richly provocative novel."


Horn Book Guide
"In a departure from her well-known and favorably regarded realistic works, Lowry has written a fascinating, thoughtful science-fiction novel. The story takes place in a nameless, utopian community, at an unidentified future time. Although life seems perfect -- there is no hunger, no disease, no pollution, no fear -- the reader becomes uneasily aware that all is not well. The story is skillfully written; the air of disquiet is delicately insinuated; and the theme of balancing the values of freedom and security is beautifully presented."

Awards:
ALA Best Book for Young Adults
ALA Notable Book for Children
Booklist Editors' Choice
Horn Book Fanfare Selection
IRA/CBC Children's Choice
1994 Newbery Medal Book
School Library Journal, Best Books of the Year
1997 Heartland Award for Excellence
1997 Buckeye Children's Book Award (OH)

Connections: Read the story to the children, a few chapters at a time. Discuss the diversity of cultures within the classroom and the community. Compare these cultural characteristics to the cultures within the book. Openly discuss the expectations of everyone who lives within the community. Discuss on a comparative note the ceremonies of age and what children are allowed to do at each age level. Encourage group discussion on how the rules are perceived by the students and their reaction to the expectations of the community. Continue the trilogy by reading aloud GATHERING BLUE and then MESSENGER to the class, discussing these works in comparison to the characters in THE GIVER.

Additional works by Lois Lowry include:
NUMBER THE STARS
ATTABOY, SAM!
AUTUMN STREET
A SUMMER TO DIE
FIND A STRANGER, SAY GOODBYE
US AND UNCLE FRAUD
GATHERING BLUE
MESSENGER

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

TROUBLE DON’T LAST
by Shelley Pearsall

1. Bibliography:
Pearsall, Shelley. TROUBLE DON’T LAST. 2002. New York: Random House Inc. Dell Yearling Book. ISBN 0440418119


Shelley Pearsall was “born in Ohio, Shelley Pearsall has enjoyed writing and history since childhood. Her first novel, Trouble Don't Last, was published in 2002. It received the 2003 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction among other honors. Her second novel, Crooked River, was named a Junior Library Guild selection in 2005. Shelley's newest novel, All of the Above (Little, Brown & Company, 2006) is an ALA Notable book for 2007.”

http://www.shelleypearsall.com/about.htm


2. Plot Summary
TROUBLE DON’T LAST is historical fiction story of an eleven year old slave boy named Samuel who lived in Kentucky during the time of 1859. He is alone because his mother was sold by his Master Hackler and two slaves named Lilly and Harrison have taken care of the boy. The boy drops a china plate and his punishment is sleeping in the kitchen on the cold floor without blankets and he could not have any supper. Harrison decides to escape from the Master and takes Samuel with him and the suspenseful journey begins as they encounter a variety of individuals who are willing to help them, some cannot be trusted and other’s are strange and frightening. The man and boy are forced to hide, run, they must live in continuous fear, face hardships and hunger, danger as they travel from Kentucky, across Ohio to freedom in Canada by foot and the Underground Railroad. The boy learns many things of Harrison on their journey. Harrison has a secret that is revealed. Harrison’s birth momma was sold, his father was “whipped to death”, one little sister was sold, another little sister was a “wedding gift” and his three brothers were “all put in irons and sold south” while Harrison was sold “north”. The story ends with the slaves reaching their freedom in Canada. “Samuel,” Harrison said, grinning at me. “We done it.” as they look up at the “beautiful free sky.”


3. Critical Analysis

The book received the following awards:

2003 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction
2003 Ohioana Library Book Award, Juvenile Fiction
2003 Best Children's Book of the Year (age 9-12) with asterisk for Outstanding Merit, Bank Street College of Education
2002 Editor's Choice by Booklist
2003 Jefferson Cup Honor Book
New York Public Library selection in "Children's Books 2002: 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing"
Top Ten First Novels by Booklist
Lasting Connections book by Book Links
Top Ten Historical Fiction for Youth by Booklist
http://www.shelleypearsall.com/troubleDontLast.htm

The illustration included in the book displays a map of Samuel and Harrison’s escape and journey from Blue Ash Kentucky, across Ohio to freedom in Chatham Canada.

The text is written with the language used during that time in reference to African Americans such as “colored” and “Negro” and the white slave owners were called “Master” and others were “white folks” The text engages the reader in the setting and time as the slaves run for their freedom. The book is well written and suspenseful from the beginning until the end. It is suggested for ages 9 - 12 older children and adults would also enjoy the book. The description of the transportation and areas they encounter are authentic for the time and setting. The author is passionate in delivering a story that strengthens and makes the reader aware of slavery.

A selected bibliography is included with additional works of slavery and the Underground Railroad of Ohio. A table of contents is included and acknowledgements to the Ohio Arts Council and individuals who assisted in creating the book.

The author’s notes provide clarification of the facts associated with the historical information of slavery and the Underground Railroad. The runaway slaves were forced to hide, ride the railroad, run, cross the river by ferry and additional ways to find freedom. The slaves often carried a supply of food and clothing for the escape. The author includes “I am often asked whether other parts of the novel are factual. The baby buried below the church floor?” A baby whose slave mother brought her to the “whitefolks church” but she could not be saved so she was buried under the floor of the church. “Lung fever?” “Guides named Ham and Eggs?” (Names from records of the Underground Railroad)
“The answer is yes. Most of the events and names used in this novel are real, but they come from many different sources.”

In my opinion, the book is very powerful revealing the cruelty, fear and will to escape and survive slavery. Samuel remembers the stories he has been told of the slaves being lashed with leather and then the open wounds would have salt poured on them and he has seen the scars on Harrison’s back.

4. Review Excerpts
From Publishers Weekly
This action-packed, tautly plotted first novel presents a quest for freedom on the Underground Railroad that realistically blends kindness and cruelty. "Trouble follows me like a shadow," begins 11-year-old narrator Samuel. When Harrison, one of the elderly slaves who raised him after the master sold off the boy's mother, decides to run away, Samuel must go with him. "Truth is," Samuel confesses, "even the thought of going straight to Hell didn't scare me as much as the thought of running away." His fears prove justified. Samuel and Harrison's journey thrusts them into uncertainty and peril, and introduces an imaginatively and poignantly rendered cast. Characters include a black man who helps them cross the Ohio River, all the while threatening them with a pistol and a knife if they don't do exactly as he says (he abandons a less cooperative fugitive to certain capture) and a creepy young white widow who converses with her husband's ghost. Throughout, Pearsall seamlessly refers to Samuel's and Harrison's hardships under slavery, creating a sense of lives that extend past the confines of the book. This memorable portrayal of their haphazard, serendipitous and dangerous escape to freedom proves gripping from beginning to end, Ages 9-12.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal
Grade 5-8-Strong characters and an inventive, suspenseful plot distinguish Pearsall's first novel, a story of the Underground Railroad in 1859. Samuel, the 11-year-old slave who narrates the story, is awakened by 70-year-old Harrison, who has decided to flee their tyrannical Kentucky master. The questions that immediately flood the boy's mind provide the tension that propels the novel: What has precipitated the old man's sudden desire for freedom? Why would he risk taking Samuel along? Harrison is mindful of the dangers and wary of trusting even the strangers who might offer help. Samuel, an impulsive boy who seems prone to trouble, is grudgingly accustomed to his life of servitude and reluctant to leave it. As days of hiding and nights of stealthy movement take them farther away from their former lives, Harrison and Samuel forge a bond that strengthens their resolve. Faith, luck, and perseverance see the man and boy safely into Canada, where a new journey-one of self-discovery and self-healing-begins. Pearsall's extensive research is deftly woven into each scene, providing insight into plantation life, 19th-century social mores, religious and cultural norms, and the political turmoil in the years preceding the Civil War. Samuel's narrative preserves the dialect, the innocence, the hope, and even the superstitions of slaves like Harrison and himself, whose path to freedom is filled with kindness and compassion as well as humiliation and scorn. This is a compelling story that will expand young readers' understanding of the Underground Railroad and the individual acts of courage it embraced.
William McLoughlin, Brookside School, Worthington, OH
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Library Binding edition.

Connections: Read the book to the class as an extended unit. Study and discuss slavery and the Underground Railroad. Display maps that show additional areas that Underground Railroads were located. Help the students to understand that there was not one but many of these Railroads that helped many slaves reach freedom. Research and discuss people who helped the slaves and locate additional books on the subject.

Additional works by Shelley Pearsall include:

CROOKED RIVER
ALL OF THE ABOVE
SEESAW GIRL
by Linda Sue Park

1. Bibliography:
Park, Linda Sue. SEESAW GIRL. 1990. New York: Four Winds Press. ISBN 027868109

Linda Sue Park was born in Urbana, Illinois on March 25, 1960, and grew up outside Chicago. The daughter of Korean immigrants, she has been writing poems and stories since she was four years old, and her favorite thing to do as a child was read.

http://www.lspark.com/

Jean and Mou-Sien Tseng came to the United States from Taiwan and have illustrated many children’s books.


2. Plot Summary
SEESAW GIRL is historical fiction chapter book that tells of a Jade Blossom who is a young girl age twelve who lives with her wealthy family and relatives within the inner walls of their home and courtyard. The walls are too high for those inside to see anything that is outside of the walls. The setting is 17th Century in Korea and this young Korean girl is forced to stay within the walls and do the daily chores that women and girls are expected to do so they may one day marry and live within the inner walls of their husband’s home along with his family. Jade is curious of life outside the walls and is determined to see her young aunt Willow who was her best friend and playmate until she marries and moves to her husband’s home. Jade goes beyond the walls by sneaking out and hiding in a basket on a cart that is being sent to market. Traveling to Willow’s house, she sees the Dutchmen who are prisoners because they have landed in Korea. Jade continues to her aunt Willow’s house, she refuses to see Jade as it will be disrespectful to her new family so she sends her away. The outside world surrounds Jade and she is able to view the beautiful mountains where the men travel to pay respect to the Ancestors. She also encounters women and girls who are out in public because they are poor and must work. Jade is sad and confused because Willow refuses to see her. She walks back to the cart at the market to go home and the worker who is driving the cart is shocked and immediately covers her face to take her home. This will make it impossible for the people to see her face. This man is fired because of Jade’s plan to see her aunt.
Returning home, her mother and father are disappointed with her actions. She understands that it is best for her to stay in the Inner Circle. It is now time for Jade to create her first panel with an embroidery scene. She chooses to do the beautiful mountains but is unable to remember them. Her brother tries to help her with art pictures of the mountains and she attempts to sneak the paint and re-create the mountains on paper to see while she is embroidering.
Jade has an idea and creates the seesaw. She agrees to give her cousin a ball that was a gift from her father if the boy would help her by jumping on the end of the board to bounce her up on the other end of the board. This idea helped Jade to see the mountains so she could create her panel. Jade learned that she should be satisfied living within the Inner Circle of her home while abiding by her cultures and traditions.


3. Critical Analysis
The book received the Texas Bluebonnet Award for 2001-02. The book is well written and easy to read with Korean words included in the text to depict the culture being presented in the book. The writing is clear and exciting as the young girl explores areas outside of the walls that are off limits to young Korean girls and women who are wealthy. The text is vague on describing many of its characters including those who live with Jade. The clothing and setting are also limited in description that would give the reader a mental note of the people and their surroundings. The book is written for children ages 4 - 8 but I would recommend it for older children through young adult. Children will have the opportunity to see the world from a different point of view and the Korean cultures of the time and the restrictions of the culture.

The book provides a table of contents and a bibliography. The author’s notes provide the historical information of this time and makes the reader aware of the Dutch explorers who became prisoner’s who would possibly be put to death for entering Korea. This was a time during the sixteenth century in Korea when they were following a policy of isolationism. This extended for nearly three hundred years with contact being was maintained only with China and, at times with Japan. Korea was named “The Hermit Kingdom”.

Information is also provided by the author of the seesaw that was used as a game for children. They would play on the seesaw by standing and jumping on it raising one in the air while the other went down. The seesaw was used in Korea for hundreds of years before WWII.

The illustrations are black and white paintings that are wonderfully created to give the reader a visual image of the story’s setting and the historical time of the story. This chapter book has limited illustrations but each flows well with the text it is describing.


The text is well written and helps the reader understand the Korean culture and traditions. It is very evident that the girls and women of the inner wall were expected to tend to the chores and household while not being seen by the outside world. The men worked to provide for the family, traveled to market and were educated. Women who married and moved to their spouse’s home within his inner wall were no longer part of their family but became part of their spouse’s family and his relatives. The reader connects with the young girl as she plots her practical jokes on the young boys. Jade and Willow covered the boy's art brushes with soot as a joke and this soot was all over the boys including their clothes. The girls had a good laugh but “The next day, however, the laundry was no laughing matter. The boys’ soot-soiled clothing all had to be laundered. . . Jade and Willow were ordered to help.” To launder the clothes, they were ripped apart to be flat, laundered, the wrinkles were beaten out with a stick and then the clothes were re-sewn.

4. Review Excerpts

From Publishers Weekly
This first novel set in 17th-century Korea centers on 12-year-old Jade Blossom, daughter of one of the king's advisers. With all the temerity of a 1990s girl, Jade plays tricks on her brother (with the help of her cousin Willow), and her yearning to see the world outside of her family's walled household ultimately leads her into trouble. She conceals herself in a basket on market day and catches her first glimpse of the mountains as well as a group of imprisoned Dutch sailors, whom she describes as wearing what looks like "yellow or brown sheep's wool on their cheeks and chins." Park manages to get across many of society's restrictions on girls and women, but often relies on telling rather than showing. For example, Jade says how much her view of the mountains affects her, yet she never describes what it is about the vista that moves her. Readers gain little insight into Jade's relationship with other members of her household or her daily routine. Though the novel glosses over the meaning of the Dutch sailors' appearance, a closing author's note helps to put it into context. Fortunately, Jean and Mou-sien Tseng's animated black-and-white drawings fill in many details missing in the text concerning dress and setting. Ages 8-12. (Aug.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal
Grade 4-6-Life in 17th-century Korea is not easy for a girl, even for the daughter of a wealthy family. Jade Blossom must learn to do the laundry, sew the clothes back together after each washing, help in the kitchen, and embroider flawlessly. Her world is circumscribed by the walls of the Inner Court where she will spend her life until she marries and then will be confined to the Inner Court of her husband's household. However, when her aunt and best friend since childhood gets married, Jade is determined to see her again. Park maintains a fine tension between the spirited girl's curiosity and her very limited sphere. Certainly Jade looks for opportunities to expand her horizons, but after her first disastrous foray to see Willow, she learns that those chances have to come within the walls of her own home. The story is full of lively action and vivid descriptions, enhanced by appealing black-and-white paintings, to give a clear sense of the period and reveal the world as Jade sees it. Even the minor characters have substance. The girl's parents are understanding but not indulgent. Her father is a thoughtful man, distant from the family, but looking at the possibilities for the future of his country. Her mother recognizes Jade's longings and shows her that it is possible to be content with her life. Like Jade's stand-up seesaw, Park's novel offers readers a brief but enticing glimpse at another time and place.
Barbara Scotto, Michael Driscoll School, Brookline, MA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.


Connections: Read the story to the children, a few chapters at a time. Discuss the cultures of the classroom and compare them to the cultures within the book. Openly discuss the actions and consequences of Jade and the Dutchmen. Seek out additional books that discuss the Korean cultures of today and compare these to the book.

Additional works by Linda Sue Park include:
WHEN MY NAME WAS KEOKO
THE FIREKEEPER’S SON
A SINGLE SHARD
GOOD QUEEN BESS: The Story of Elizabeth I of England
by Diane Stanley and Peter Vennema

1. Bibliography:
Stanley, Diane and Peter Vennema. GOOD QUEEN BESS: THE STORY OF ELIZABETH I OF ENGLAND. 1990. New York: Four Winds Press. ISBN 027868109

Diane Stanley is Diane Stanley is the “recipient of the Washington Post / Children's Book Guild Nonfiction Award and the 2008 Mazza Medallion Award for the body of her work.”(dianestanley.com) She and her husband Peter Vennema created this book and Diane creatively illustrated the pictures.

http://www.dianestanley.com/Index.htm

2. Plot Summary
GOOD QUEEN BESS is a picture book biography that is the story of Queen Elizabeth and her reign as the Queen of England. The story is set in England during the 1500 - 1600’s and it focuses on the issues that evolved during the religious movement known as the “Reformation” of the Catholics and Protestants.
King Henry VIII of England was their father and he was obsessed with having a son to take the throne after his death. His first wife had one daughter so he enforced divorce by forming the Church of England and he was the head of the church. During King Henry VIII lifetime, he was married six times. fAfter the death of their father, Elizabeth’s brother Edward VI became king at the age of nine but he died at age fifteen. The next in line for the throne was Princess Mary, Elizabeth’s half sister became Queen and the people were afraid for their country. Three hundred of the people of Protestant faith were burned for heresy. The people nicknamed her “Bloody Mary”
On November 17, 1558 Mary died and Elizabeth became queen at the age of twenty-five. She was good to her people and did not enforce a religious belief. She was an excellent ruler who could manipulate the people around her kingdom and those in foreign countries while often playing one side against the other to get the results she was seeking. Elizabeth was well educated by university scholars. She worked hard, was intelligent, had a strong memory, studied Latin, Greek, Italian, Spanish, Spanish, music and her handwriting was beautiful. The story ends with the death of Queen Elizabeth on March 24, 1603 which ended her “45th year of her reign”. Her successor was Mary’s son James VI of Scotland. This historical time was name after the Queen as the “Elizabethan Age after the remarkable queen who loved her people so dearly and ruled them so well.”


3. Critical Analysis
GOOD QUEEN BESS

The book was a 1992 - 1993 Bluebonnet Nominee and it is a powerful account of Queen Elizabeth I and the life she lived. The facts throughout the book are delivered in a significant and accurate manner by the author who is well recognized for her works in non fiction. The supporting bibliographies located at the end of the book directs the reader to additional information of Queen Elizabeth and the historical context of the 1500 -1600’s. Three additional bibliographies are provided as suggestions for young readers. A map of the Holy Crusade and the Spanish Armada that set sail to attack England is included in the book to help the reader follow the voyage and understand the geographical location of the attack.


The book is intended for children ages 4 - 8 with historical and factual information that would be educational and moving to older children as well. The book reveals the difficulties and hardships of this time. Women were not equal to men and her father felt that a son would be more appropriate to rule the kingdom but Elizabeth was a strong and powerful woman who loved her country and the people. “Through clever and subtle manipulation, she managed to keep England out of war for twenty-seven years.”
Elizabeth lived her life alone and many decisions she made were very difficult such as the signing of death warrants. The lifestyles were feasts, jewels, immaculate clothing, tournaments, festivals, and dances with the mention of small pox, the plague and no sanitary plumbing to engage the reader in what it would be like to live during this historical time.

The illustrations are colorful paintings that realistically set the time of Queen Elizabeth and the royal clothing, and animals are lifelike in detail. The paintings are detailed showing painted and wooden ceilings, tiled floors, wall paper, stone walls, furniture, and glass windows.

The text is written to assist the reader connecting with Queen Elizabeth as a real life individual who had trials and tribulations just as the reader may encounter. “She didn’t mind throwing a temper tantrum now and again if that would gain time, change the subject or win her point.”

In my opinion, the book had a very powerful and well written to provide insight and educational information for the reader in connection with the Elizabethan Age.

4. Review Excerpts

From Publishers Weekly
Once again available from the husband-and-wife team behind Bard of Avon: The Story of William Shakespeare, here is another biography from the Elizabethan Age: Good Queen Bess: The Story of Elizabeth I of England (1990) by Diane Stanley and Peter Vennema, illus. by Stanley. Describing the conflict between Catholics and Protestants, the authors lay the groundwork for Queen Elizabeth's greatest challenges: stopping the bloodshed and uniting her country under one faith, and keeping the peace with the rest of Europe. Intricate artwork conveys the delicate lace and accoutrements of court dress, patterned ceilings and cobblestone streets.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


From School Library Journal
Grade 5 Up-- That most wise and wily queen of England, Elizabeth I, is the subject of this picture biography. The handsome illustrations, exemplified by the visualization of those small English boats set afire and launched to face the Spanish Armada, are worthy of their subject. Although the format suggests a picture-book audience, this biography needs to be introduced to older readers who have the background to appreciate and understand this woman who dominated and named an age, and of whom the authors write, "When it came to a clash of wills, the two houses of Parliament and all her councellors were no match for Elizabeth." The text is clearly written, explaining the main events and key decisions of Elizabeth's life and reign. For readers wanting more depth, a short bibliography of mostly adult titles ends the book. --Amy Kellman, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.


Connections: Read the story to the children displaying the pictures, while pointing out the landscape, clothing, furniture, decorations, rooms and animals. Discuss comparatively the transportation, plumbing, illness and additional topics throughout the book to how we live today.

Additional works by Diane Stanley and Peter Vennema include:

SHAKA, KING OF THE ZULUS
CHARLES DICKENS: THE MAN WHO HAD GREAT EXPECTATIONS
BARD OF AVON: THE STORY OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
CLEOPATRA

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

The Forbidden Schoolhouse
by Suzanne Jurmain

1. Bibliography:
Jurmain, Suzanne. THE FORBIDDEN SCHOOLHOUSE. 2005. New York: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0618473025

Suzanne Jurmain is the author of many non-fiction books that focus on US history and the relationship of animals to humans.

2. Plot Summary
THE FORBIDDEN SCHOOLHOUSE is a non-fiction book that is based upon the true story in 1831 in Canterbury Connecticut. This story unfolds with the horrors and hatred that followed after a lady named Prudence Crandall closed her all white school for young ladies and re-opened the school as one for young African American ladies to become educated. She is supported by her family, an anti slavery editor of the LIBERATOR who is known as Lloyd Garrison and a Unitarian Minister the Reverend Samuel May. Angry citizens became Prudence and the students enemies as they were harassed, attacked, the school was set on fire, rocks and eggs were thrown at the school, etc.
A law was passed to keep Prudence from bringing in out of state students to attend, which eventually landed Prudence in jail with fines and a trial. Prudence educated many of these girls as she continued her plight against all odds but eventually was forced to sell her school and move to Kansas. Many of these people contacted Prudence and offered their apologies over time. Prudence was buried at Elk Falls cemetery in Kansas in 1890.

3. Critical Analysis
The FORBIDDEN SCHOOLHOUSE received the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators in 2005, and the Orbis Pictus Honor Book designation, National Council of Teachers of English in 2006. The book is intended for children ages 9 - 12 and I do not recommend it for younger children as they would not understand the book and may lose interest in the text. The book reveals the difficulties and hardships of educating the young African Americans and women’s rights during this time. The vocabulary and text is written as it was spoken during the 1830’s. Hatred, heartache, discrimination, and courage are revealed throughout the book. The appendix provides information on the students who attended the African American school. Prudence took a stand and fought for her beliefs and what she felt was right. She was a great and powerful woman of her time.

The illustrations are photographs of the school house and how it appears today as a museum. Additional photos are provided of Prudence’s family, students, and those who helped her. Sketches and journal articles are also included throughout the book. The illustrations were borrowed from rare collections in university libraries, the Library of Congress and from the author’s personal collection.

The text displays the harshness and hate that comes from people as they threw manure down the school’s water well and the neighbors refused to give them water or allow them to buy groceries. Prudence’s father and brother hauled the water to the school everyday so the school could stay open.
In my opinion, the book had a very powerful statement from Prudence as she told the Reverend McKesson how he should preach at her funeral:

“Preach the truth.” Later she added, “I am no more afraid to die than I am to live.”

The Reverend McKesson spoke at her grave:
“She had deep convictions of right . . . [and] neither death, life, angels, principalities . . . or any other creatures could keep her from following her convictions.”


4. Review Excerpts

From School Library Journal
Grade 7-9–Jurmain describes the difficulties Crandall faced when she decided to open a school for African-American females in Canterbury, CT. This book offers a fresh look at the climate of education for African Americans and women in the early 1800s. Report writers and recreational readers alike will find it informative.–Kelly Czarnecki, Bloomington Public Library, IL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
*Starred Review* Gr. 5-8. Writing with a sense of drama that propels readers forward (and quoting the language of the day, which includes the word nigger), Jurmain makes painfully clear what Crandall and her students faced, while showing their courage as they stood up to those who tried to deter them. Printed on thick, snowy stock and including a number of sepia-toned and color photographs as well as historical engravings, the book's look will draw in readers. Children will be especially pleased by the appended material, which includes an epilogue that tells what became of the principals, as well as source notes for the many quotes. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Connections: Read the story to the children 1 - 2 chapters at a time, discussing the text and how this shaped our history. Discuss the pictures and encourage open discussion on the book as well as open discussion on multicultural students of today. Discuss Black History month and additional African Americans who made a difference in our history.

Additional works by Suzanne Jurmain include:
FROM TRUNK TO TAIL: ELEPHANTS LEGENDARY AND REAL
ONCE UPON A HORSE: A HISTORY OF HORSES AND HOW THEY SHAPED OUR HISTORY
FREEDOM’S SONS: THE TRUE STORY OF THE AMISTAD MUTINY
ACTUAL SIZE
by Steve Jenkins

1. Bibliography:
Jenkins, Steve. ACTUAL SIZE. 2002. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 157171414

Steve Jenkins lives in Colorado and has written and illustrated nearly twenty picture books for young readers. His book WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A TAIL LIKE THIS? received the Caldecott Honor Award. His books have been called gorgeous, stunning, inventive, eyepopping, glorious, masterful, informative, extraordinary, compelling, irresistible, engaging, playful, compelling, and accessible,

www.stevejenkinsbooks.com


2. Plot Summary
ACTUAL SIZE is a factual information book of the animals and insects that appear as actual scale throughout the book. Each page reveals a different picture often comparing one picture to another. Factual information in the back discusses their physical characteristics, eating habits, and their habitat. The book is very descriptive and informative.

3. Critical Analysis
The book is written and illustrated for children ages 4 - 8 but it provides factual information for children through adult. This book is very informative, with limited text on each page.

The writing is informative and interesting. It will capture the reader’s attention and encourage them to seek out more books on the subjects discussed through the book. The vocabulary is suitable for young children and the author’s use of comparative text to give the young reader a visual image of the topic enhances the book.

The book contains pictures of life-sized animals and insects:
The rare giant walking stick is the world’s longest insect

length: 22 inches long

The Goliath birdeater tarantula is big enough to catch and eat birds and small mammals.

legs: 12 inches across

The giant Gippsland earthworm lives in Australia.

length: 36 inches


The illustrations textured, colorful die-cuts, are creative and they capture the attention of the reader as they have a visual image of the size and shape of these creatures. The pictures flow well with the photographs. The illustrator has creatively placed die-cut pictures of a very large animal and has compared it to a very small animal on the opposite page to help the reader understand the size of each creature that is being presented in the text.

In the back of the book, factual information and a picture of each insect or animal that was discussed in the book can be found here. It is a very informative paragraph that will help the reader in expanding their knowledge of each subject.

The atlas moth is discussed of its physical characteristics and habitat:

The atlas moth got its name because the patterns on its wings reminded people of maps. It is the largest moth, with wings up to 12 inches across. The atlas moth lives in Southeast Asia, where its large cocoons are sometimes made into pocket purses by the local people. The black spots on the tips of the atlas moth’s wings are called eye spots. They make the wing tips look like snake heads, which may scare away predators. These moths do not feed. They have no mouth parts for eating, and they live only a few days.


4. Review Excerpts

From School Library Journal
Jenkins depicts 18 animals and insects–or a part of their body–in actual size. Mixing deceptive simplicity with absolute clarity, this beautiful book is an enticing way to introduce children to the glorious diversity of our natural world, or to illustrate to budding scientists the importance of comparison, measurement, observation, and record keeping. A thoroughly engaging read-aloud and a must-have for any collection.–Dona Ratterree, New York City Public Schools
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Connections: Read the book and show the pictures on each page.
Show the children the picture of the atlas moth and read the following that is included in the back of the book:

The atlas moth got its name because the patterns on its wings reminded people of maps. It is the largest moth, with wings up to 12 inches across. The atlas moth lives in Southeast Asia, where its large cocoons are sometimes made into pocket purses by the local people. The black spots on the tips of the atlas moth’s wings are called eye spots. They make the wing tips look like snake heads, which may scare away predators. These moths do not feed. They have no mouth parts for eating, and they live only a few days.

Discuss the facts and the strange characteristics of this moth. A question to begin open-ended discussion: why aren’t the moths extinct if they only live a few days and cannot eat?? This was very informative to me as I had no idea that a creature on earth was created with a way to eat.

Have each child color or paint an actual size beautiful moth that has been cut out of construction paper. Search for pictures of the moth’s cocoon and create these also. Display these on the bulletin board with the factual information.

Discuss additional facts on another subject in the book and have the children point out the characteristics or differences of these.


Additional suggested books by Steve Jenkins include:

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A TAIL LIKE THIS?
LIFE ON EARTH: THE STORY OF EVOLUTION
THE TOP OF THE WORLD: CLIMBING MOUNT EVEREST

Monday, October 22, 2007

KILLER WHALES
by Seymour Simon

1. Bibliography:
Simon, Seymour. KILLER WHALES. 2002. New York: SeaStar Books. ISBN 157171414

“Seymour Simon is a former teacher and the author of more than 200 science books for children, more than half of which have been named Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children by the National Science Teachers Association.”(SeaStar)

2. Plot Summary
KILLER WHALES is a factual information book of the Killer Whale and their physical characteristics, eating habits, hunting skills and their habitat. The book provides information and is descriptive of the Killer Whale. The reader unveils the unknown as to the whale’s blowhole, how they detect sound, the birth of a whale, hunting skills and their diet. Information is also provided on the size of the whale and how to distinguish between the males and the females by their dorsal fins.

3. Critical Analysis
The book is a See More book for PK - 1st grade children. This factual book provides information on the Killer Whale and it is very informative for the young reader through adult. It is well written with easy to read text that is limited to a few lines per page.
The writing is informative and interesting. It will capture the reader’s attention and encourage them to seek out more books on killer whales or those written by the author. The vocabulary is suitable for young children and the author uses comparative text to give the young reader a visual image of the topic.

The book contains significant facts pertaining to the Orca such as:
“An orca looks like a large fish.
But it is not a fish.
It does not have gills
to help it breathe.
Instead, an orca breathes through
a blowhole on the top of its head.
And it has lungs like dogs,
cats, and people.
An orca can hold its breath
for ten minutes or longer.”

The photograph zooms in on the head of an orca to show the reader the blowhole it is describing.

The illustrations photographs of Killer Whales are creative and they capture the attention of the reader as they read the text that flows well with the photographs. A close up of the whale with mouth wide open states:
“Orcas have sharp, three-inch-long
teeth for hunting.
Like wolves, orcas hunt in packs.
They circle and herd their prey
before attacking.

4. Review Excerpts

From Publishers Weekly
With brief, accessible text, engaging topics and a perforated page of collectible cards Seymour Simon's See More Reader series will rope in even the most reluctant readers. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal
Grade 1-3-Simple sentences with easy-to-read phrases present an overview of these topics for beginning readers. Information is presented in just two or three sentences per page, and the large font size will make the books attractive to emerging readers. Simon's writing is clear and straightforward. Although there is no glossary, the author uses good examples to help readers understand terms. The books include a number of stunning, colorful, glossy photos that are sure to pique young readers' interest. These solid choices will appeal on several levels.
Cathie E. Bashaw, Somers Library, NY
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Connections: Read the story to the children. Discuss the story and have the children create a picture in their journal of a fact mentioned in the book. Seek out additional SeeMore books by Mr. Simon and also introduce to the children books by authors on the same topic.

Additional suggested SeeMore books by Seymour Simon include:
KNIGHTS AND CASTLES
GIANT SNAKES
PLANETS
VOLCANOES
Also look for these books:
ANIMALS NOBODY LOVES
OUT OF SIGHT: PICTURES OF HIDDEN WORLDS

Sunday, October 7, 2007

Hummingbird Nest
by Kristine O’Connell George

1. Bibliography:
George, Kristine O’Connell. 2004 HUMMINGBIRD NEST. Ill. by Barry Moser. CA:
Harcourt, Inc. ISBN 0152023259

Introduction:
Kristine O’Connell George was born in Denver, Colorado and lives with her family in Santa Monica, California. She began publishing in 1997. She fell in love with poetry in 1989 after taking a writing class from Myra Kohn Livingston.

“Kristine O'Connell George's poetry has generated excitement and earned honors and praise. Awards for her books include the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, International Reading Association / Lee Bennett Hopkins Promising Poet Award, the Golden Kite, Myra Cohn Livingston Poetry Awards, Claudia Lewis Poetry Award, ALA notables, NCTE notables, School Library Journal Best Books, Hornbook Fanfare, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award, and IRA-CBC Children's Choice." (kristinegeorge.com)

Kristine O’Connell George’s website offers audio clips with music of the HUMMINGBIRD NEST. Listed below are the poems that you can hear by visiting her website at http://www.kristinegeorge.com/

HUMMINGBIRD NEST is a journal compiled in poetry format by the author. This book received awards for: (kristinegeorge.com)
Claudia Lewis Poetry Award, Bank Street College of Education, John Burroughs Nature Award,Booklinks Lasting Connections, The ASPCA Henry Bergh Children’s Book Award, CCBC Choices, Nominated for the 2005-2006 Texas Bluebonnet Master List, KIND Children’s Honor Book,2006-2007 South Carolina Picture Book Award, NCTE Notable Children’s Book Language Arts.

This is a real life experience of a mother hummingbird who makes her home on the patio in a ficus tree. The author’s family watch as the hummingbird is busy building her nest, hatching and tending to her young until they leave the nest. This is a remarkable book that also contains hummingbird facts. The book has been written for children ages 4 - 8 but I would recommend it for children of all ages through adults. This is a once in a lifetime experience that the author has chosen to share with those who may never have the chance to experience it in person.

The illustrations are transparent watercolor on natural paper. They colors are neutral in many of the illustrations and do not give one a true picture of the beautiful hummingbird. Many of the illustrations provide an measure of how small a hummingbird is in comparison to jacks and a ball or the dog’s water bowl as it swims around.

FEBRUARY 3
VISITOR
by Kristine O’Connell George

A spark, a glint,
a glimpse
of pixie tidbit.
Bright flits, brisk zips,
a green-gray blur,
wings, zings, and whirr-

I just heard
a humming of bird.

From HUMMINGBIRD NEST

FEBRUARY 7

NEST CONSTRUCTION
by Kristine O’Connell George

Even after days of work,
she’s still fussing, tucking-
feathers, cobwebs, a tuft
of silky grass.

Stepping lightly
around the edge,
she finally tries
it on for size,

checking to see
if it will fit
her sit.

From HUMMINGBIRD NEST

FEBRUARY 10

THE CAT REMARKS
by Kristine O’Connell George

I’m locked in jail,
can’t go outside.
(I certainly tried.)
I’m a prisoner-
because of a bird.

How absurd.

From HUMMINGBIRD NEST

FEBRUARY 27

JUST HATCHED
by Kristine O’Connell George

Each new
breath a shudder
as he huddles down deep
in the nest, head tucked in,
his body softly rounded,
warmly molded to the form
he once knew so well,
the smooth curved
world of shell.

From HUMMINGBIRD NEST


From Publishers Weekly
"Sublime illustrations and keenly observant verse are sure to captivate in this collection about a hummingbird who sets up house in the author's backyard..."

From Booklist
"As in the best nature writing, the excitement here is in the particulars that bring readers up close to universe."


Extension:
Read the poems in the book to children, allowing the children to view the illustrations.
Bring attention to the illustrations and the size of the hummingbird by comparing the factual information provided to objects in the classroom. Hang a hummingbird feeder outside your window of the classroom or library to see if you have any surprise visitors to share with the class.


Additional works by Kristine O’Connell George include:
FOLD ME A POEM
UP!
TOASTING MARSHMALLOWS
ONE MITTEN
SWIMMING UPSTREAM
LITTLE DOG AND DUNCAN
LITTLE DOG POEMS
OLD ELM SPEAKS
INSECTLOPEDIA

Bibliography:
Florian, Douglas. 1998. insectlopedia. New York: Harcourt Brace & Company. ISBN 0152013067

Introduction:
Douglas Florian is an author and illustrator of children’s books and he “lives in New York City with his wife and five children where he creates poetic tributes to creatures great and small”(storybookart.com). He received the ALA Notable Children’s Book Award for “BEAST FEAST”, received the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award and the 1999-2000 Bluebonnet Award for insectlopedia. The following link provides information on a variety of children’s book authors.

http://www.storybookart.com/meet_dflorian.html

insectlopedia is intended for children ages 4 - 8. The book consists of twenty-one poems that are descriptive of insects. Many of these are shape poems such as the words to the inchworm are written in an arch as an inchworm would crawl. The words to THE TERMITES poem are written in the shape of a termite hill. THE WHIRLIGIGS is written in a large circle and it must be read beginning on the right side, down and then circling up, ending the poem on the left side.

The illustrations appear to be crafted by young children. They are watercolor on brown paper bag and they were created by the author. Their childlike images fit well with the text as it describes each insect. Humor is added into the poems as well as the illustrations such as in the poem THE GIANT WATER BUG with eggs on his back reading a father’s day card.

THE GIANT WATER BUG
by Douglas Florian

The giant water bug can lug
His eggs upon his back.
He gives them extra care up there
And guards them from attach.
The mother glues them to the dad,
And on his back they stay.
But does he ever get a card
Or gift for Father’s Day?

From INSECTLOPEDIA



The following poem describes mosquitoes in four short lines giving the reader a visual image of the annoying mosquito.
THE MOSQUITOES
by Douglas Florian

Mosquitoes are thin.
Mosquitoes are rude.
They feast on your skin
For take-out food.

From INSECTLOPEDIA


From Publishers Weekly
"The silly, imaginative verses about whirligig beetles and waterbugs (almost) match the exquisite pictures in playfulness and wit. The result is downright stunning," said PW. Ages 5-8.

Extension:
Read the poems in the book to young school age children, allowing the children to view the illustrations.
Bring attention to the illustrations and the physical characteristics of the insects. Discuss insects that were not used in the book and ask the children to write a short poem about one of the insects. Have them illustrate the poem with a focus on the features of the insects in the book. Display on a bulletin board.

Additional works by Douglas Florian include:
ON THE WING : BIRD POEMS AND PAINTINGS (March 1996)
IN THE SWIM ; POEMS AND PAINTINGS (April 1997)
BEAST FEAST (March 1996)
MAMMALABILIA (March 2000)
MONSTER MOTEL (August 1996)
BOW WOW MEOW MEOW : IT’S RHYMING CATS AND DOGS (March 2003)
SUMMERSAULTS (2002)
WINTER EYES (1999)
AUTUMNBLINGS (2003)

Sunday, September 30, 2007

STOP PRETENDING: what happened when my big sister went crazy
by Sonya Sones

1. Bibliography:
Sones, Sonya. 1999, 2001. STOP PRETENDING: what happened when my big sister went crazy. New York: Harper Collins: Harpertemptest. 1999, 2001. ISBN 0060283874


2. Plot Summary
Stop Pretending is a collection of poems written by a 13 year old who has an older sister that is normal one moment with no signs of mental illness and in the “blink of an eye”, is a manic depressant that snaps and ends up in a mental hospital. The poems are intense, powerful and an emotional roller coaster as the author writes of the mental illness and how it affects the family’s daily lives and the difficulties she has dealing with the illness, her own emotional state and issues involving her friends as they become aware of her sister’s illness.

3. Critical Analysis
This book is written in free-verse, falling rhythms and blank verse (amazon.com). It is a novel that is a fast and easy read. The book is based upon a true account of the author’s who is 13 years old and her older sister who is 19 and has a nervous breakdown on Christmas Eve. The younger sister kept journals of the visits to the mental hospital, life at school, her fears of classmates finding out about her sister and life at home without the sister. The author’s insert at the end of the book mentions having two older sisters. The verse written discusses the mom, dad, older sister and the author’s account of dealing with the effects of the nervous breakdown. The additional family member is not mentioned in the book. The book is exceptionally written to give one a feeling of being at the mental hospital, the pain associated with the sister’s illness and real-life issues or experiences. This book is definitely a must read for teens to adults.

Imagine yourself as a 13 year old, a visitor, alone in the psychiatric ward. Read the following poem found on pages 59 -60 of the book.

The Locked Ward
Lost on the locked ward,
I’m roaming the corridors
crawling with lunatics.

Haunting
the olive drab hallways,
they’re watching me,

stalking me,
rocking and drooling.
Who’ll show me the door?

I’ve got to
get out of here
now!

Spotting a nurse,
I’m suddenly sobbing.
She smiles, walking towards me

and holds out her arms
speaking so soothingly:
“You’re looking lost.

Follow me down this hall.
I’ll lead you out.
It can be scary. I know”

In only a moment,
we’re standing before
a locked elevator door.

“Now where is my key . . . ?”
she ponders aloud.
Something is odd.

Just then, a doctor
walks up and unlocks the door.
Quickly, I hurry aboard.

I turn to thank the nurse.
She winks at me coyly,
and suddenly sticks out her tongue.

Just as the doors close,
I see that she’s drooling,
and rocking and rocking and rocking.


From the author’s note, the sister was released from the psychiatric ward after a few months. She continued to be hospitalized several times but led a satisfying and productive life, continued her visits to the psychiatrist and took medication to control the illness. “She married, earned a master’s degree in library science, and worked as a public librarian for over twenty years.”


4. Review Excerpts

From School Library Journal
Grade 6-9-An unpretentious, accessible book that could provide entry points for a discussion about mental illness-its stigma, its realities, and its affect on family members. Based on the journals Sones wrote at the age of 13 when her 19-year-old sister was hospitalized due to manic depression, the simply crafted but deeply felt poems reflect her thoughts, fears, hopes, and dreams during that troubling time. In one poem, the narrator fears that "If I stay/any longer/than an hour,/ I'll see that my eyes/have turned into her eyes,/my lips/have turned into her lips, ." She dreads having her friends learn of her sister's illness. "If I told them that my sister's nuts,/they might act sympathetic,/but behind my back/would everyone laugh?" and wonders what she could have done to prevent the breakdown. All of the emotions and feelings are here, the tightness in the teen's chest when thinking about her sibling in the hospital, her grocery list of adjectives for mental illness, and the honest truth in the collection's smallest poem, "I don't want to see you./I dread it./There./I've said it." An insightful author's note and brief list of organizations are included.
Sharon Korbeck, Waupaca Area Public Library, WI
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Review
“The poems take on life and movement, the individual frames of a movie that in the unspooling become animated telling a compelling tale.”

From ALA Book Review
“This debut novel shows the capacity of poetry to record the personal and translate it into the universal.”

Connections: Read and discuss mental illness with teens and young adults. Discuss the emotions that one may feel when a family member may be in a similar situation. Have the students write a poem in falling rhythm, blank verse or free style using their real life experiences that focuses on a serious issue. Discuss the students poems and the emotions that stem from the works.

Additional stories by Sonya Sones include:
What My Mother Doesn’t Know
One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies
What My Girlfriend Doesn’t Know

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Bubba the Cowboy Prince
by Helen Ketteman

1. Bibliography:
Ketteman, Helen and James Warhola (ill.) Bubba the Cowboy Prince. New York: Scholastic Press. 1997. ISBN 0590255061

2. Plot Summary
Bubba the Cowboy Prince is a fractured Texas tale version of Cinderella. Bubba lives on the family ranch with his stepfather and his stepbrothers Milton and Dwayne. They boss Bubba around making him do the work on the ranch and all of the chores. Miz Lurleen is a single, wealthy landowner who lives on a ranch in Texas. She decides to throw a party and invite all of the single men to her ball so she can find someone to marry who is as “tough as leather” and “cute as a cow’s ear”. Bubba’s evil stepdaddy and stepbrothers are invited to the ball and force Bubba to prepare their clothes, wash the wagon and horses for the ball. Bubba works frantically and when they are ready to leave for the ball, they refuse to wait on Bubba to get cleaned up to go with them. A fairy godcow tells Bubba to go to the ball and turns a cow into a beautiful horse. He is given clean “duds” and head to the ball. Miz Lurleen is tired of dancing with men who are of no interest in her. Bubba arrives at the and they begin to dance but when midnight comes, his clothes are once again nasty and smelly, he loses one boot as he escapes and rides his cow off into the night. Miz Lurleen sets out to try the boot on every single cowboy and finds Bubba riding up from working the ranch with only one boot on. They rode off into the sunset and lived happily everafter.

3. Critical Analysis
This book is written for baby to PreK ages but it is one of the best tales and an excellent choice for all age levels. Its contents and language will draw you in to the Texas life on the ranch. Wonderfully written and illustrated with Texas décor including the clothing, characters and surrounding. The painted illustrations are lifelike in resembling Texas characters. I especially like the physical features of stepdaddy and his leathery cowboy appearance of someone who is weathered and has worked the range for many years. This book is a must read and should be available in the library for the children to enjoy.

4. Review Excerpts

School Library Journal: “This is a fun-filled story with more hyperbole than a Christmas turkey has stuffing.:

From Kirkus Reviews
A 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.

Connections: Read the story aloud to children and discuss the characters. Dr. Vardell presented this tale in her lectures as a reader’s theatre with characters and a script. This would be an excellent way to enjoy the book and present a humorous Texas tale to a group of children and adults. Costumes could be simple and fun. Have the children seek out additional books that may be used as a reader’s theatre and discuss in groups their suggestions for the costumes and script.

Additional stories by Helen Ketteman who lives in Dallas, Texas include:
Armadilly Chili
Waynetta and the Cornstalk: A Texas Fairy Tale
Heat Wave
Not Yet Yvette
The Great Cake Bake
I Remember Papa
Armadillo Tattletale
Shoeshine Whittaker

Monday, September 24, 2007

The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush
by Tomie dePaola

1. Bibliography:
The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush. ed. Tomie dePaola. New York: The Putnam and Grosset Group. Paperstar. 1988. ISBN 0698113608

2. Plot Summary
Little Gopher is a young Indian boy who lived with his people in their teepees on the Plains. He is smaller in size than the rest of the children so he was unable to compete and play with the other boys of the tribe. Little Gopher would sit and make toys of leather and wood, painting the toys with paints he had made from wild berries. One day, out of the clouds came an image of an old grandfather and a young Indian maiden to reveal the young Indian boy’s purpose and destiny in life. Little Gopher’s Dream-Vision is to become an artist for his people. He gathered wild berries and animal hair to make his paints and brushes to help him create many pictures. To fulfill his destiny, he should paint the sunset on a white buckskin. Little Gopher took the white buckskin and walked to the hillside to watch the sunset. Stuck in the ground were paintbrushes the colors of the sunset and he used these paintbrushes to deliver the beauty of the sunset to his people and left the brushes on the hillside. The next morning, the paintbrushes had bloomed into beautiful flowers known as the “Indian Paintbrush”. From that day forth, Little Gopher was known as “He-Who-Brought-the-Sunset-to-the-Earth”.

3. Critical Analysis
The book is an ABA Pick of the List Book that is retold and illustrated by Tomie dePaola. The reading level for ages 4 - 8 years but I recommend it for all ages. Reader’s will connect with and sympathize with the young Indian who wants to fit in. The reader will become aware of one of the many Native American cultures, their lives, beliefs and the legends associated with these people.

The illustrations are wonderfully created in bright and colorful watercolors that enhance the beautiful colors found in the Indian clothing and nature. They give one an image of how life may have been on the Plains.

4. Review Excerpts

From Horn Book

“A rhythmic and evocative retelling of an Indian legend that explains the origin of the Indian paintbrush flower. [The story of] how a young Indian boy, Little Gopher, becomes a man is an engaging tale of strength, perseverance, reverence, and obedience.”

From School Library Journal

“The humanity expressed in this story illustrates the value of perserverance and of endurance of effort that will bring its reward.”
From Booklist

“DePaola’s story, based on a Texas legend, is illustrated with full-color paintings rendered in the artist’s distinctive style. Earth tones, punctuated with splashes of bright color, predominate . . . . A handsome retelling.”

From Children’s Book Review Service

“The colorful illustrations accentuate the authenticity of a tale that encourages children to follow a different drummer.”


From Publishers Weekly

According to PW , this tale of Little Gopher's artistic dreams is "related with deceptive simplicity by dePaola; he enhances the plainness of the story with his primitive illustrations and . . . finds inspiration in the colors of the sunset." Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Connections: Read the story to the children. Discuss the story and the Native American culture and seek out a Native American who may be willing to tell this story as an oral tradition. Create a painting as Little Gopher using tempera paints and white felt. Have photos available of the sunset for the children to use as a model. Hang the finished on a small mesquite branch with yarn tied to it for hanging. Display on the wall for others to view. This would be a good unit for the spring when wild flowers are in full bloom.

Additional suggested works by Tomie dePaola include:
The Legend of the Poinsettia
Strega Nona
Frida Kahlo: The Artist Who Painted Herself
The Popcorn Book
The Legend of Old Befana
The Legend of the Bluebonnet
And the Green Grass Grew All Around: Folk Poetry from Everyone
by Alvin Schwartz
1. Bibliography:
And the Green Grass Grew All Around: Folk Poetry from Everyone. ed. Alvin Schwartz and Sue Truesdell (ill). Harper Collins Publishers. 1992.
ISBN 0060227575

2. Plot Summary
And the Green Grass Grew All Around is a collection of folk poetry compiled into one volume that focuses on a variety of topics including people, food, school, teases and taunts, wishes and warnings, love and marriage, work, stories, nonsense, riddles, fun and games, rain and shine, animals and insects, a tree and other things. “Schwartz organizes them by topic and/or form and proves all kinds of fascinating supporting material: an engagingly conversational introduction; general explanatory notes plus full item-by-item sources, many of which are intriguing in themselves”(Kirkus) Many of the items located on the pages are well known playground or jump rope chants. Musical scores are also included so the child can sing along with the words to a familiar tune.

3. Critical Analysis
The largest percentage of the book is a wonderful compilation of folk poetry by known and unknown authors that Alvin Schwartz compiled into one volume. Many of the items within this book are familiar and brought back childhood playground memories while others were unfamiliar with a few originating 400 years ago. I did not particularly enjoy a large portion work in the “non sense” category. The book has a reading level for ages 9 - 12 years but many of the poems, rhymes, chants, riddles and songs can be enjoyed by children of all ages as well as adults. Factual and resource information is also included for further studying many of the works. The illustrations are black and white cartoon characters (people and animals) with wide-eyes, exaggerated physical features and silly expressions that add to the humor of this book.

4. Review Excerpts
From School Library Journal

Grade 3 Up-- A marvelous book that is sure to become a classic if children have any say in the matter. Schwartz has gathered sassy, funny, scary, and slightly naughty children's folk poetry heard on school grounds and wherever else kids are having fun.

From Kirkus Reviews

Not since Carl Withers’s A Rocket in My Pocket (1948) has there been such a grand compilation of familiar (and unfamiliar) rhymes and chants from the children’s own tradition: riddles, games, wishes and taunts; poems about love, food, school, or animals; parodies, nonsense, and stories.

Connections: Read the following poem to children of all ages and see if they are familiar with the tune “Turkey in the Straw”
Re-read the second time to music and invite the children to sing-along:
Do your ears hang low,
Do they wobble to and fro?
Can you tie them in a knot,
Can you tie them in a bow?
Can you throw them over your shoulder
Like a Continental soldier?
Can you pluck a merry tune?
Do your ears hang low?

Ask for volunteer to read a riddle from the book and see who knows the answer.
On the playground, try a jump-rope chant or have the students bounce a ball to the words.
Encourage children to write in their journal a favorite work from the book and then have them create their own folk poetry with illustrations.

End with this hilarious tune to: The Farmer in the Dell
I with I wath a fith,
I with I wath a fith,
I’d thwim and thwim the deep blue thea,
I with I wath a fith.

I with I wath a thip,
I with I wath a thip,
I’d thail and thail the deep blue thea,
I with I wath a thip.

I with I wath a thafety pin,
I with I wath a thafety pin,
I’d rutht and rutht till everything butht,
I with I wath a thafety pin.

I with I wath thum thlime,
I with I wath thum thlime,
I’d ooth and ooth in everyone’s thoose,
I with I wath thum thlime.

I with I wathn’t a thimp,
I with I wathn’t a thimp,
I’d thing a thong that had thum thenthe,
I with I wathn’t a thimp.

Additional works by Schwartz include:
Scary Stories (multiple works listed under this topic)
Tomfoolery: Trickery and Foolery with Words
A Twister of Twists

Friday, September 7, 2007

TALKING WITH ARTISTS
by Pat Cummings

1. Bibliography:
Cummings, Pat. TALKING WITH ARTISTS, ed Pat Cummings. New York: Bradbury Press. 1992. ISBN 0027242455

2. Plot Summary
TALKING WITH ARTISTS consists of interviews with fourteen well known picture book illustrators who share their thoughts and insights on their lives and abilities as illustrators.

3. Critical Analysis
Pat Cummings’s reveals valuable information as she conducts interviews of book illustrators including Victoria Chess, Leo & Diane Dillon, Richard Egielski, Lois Ehlert, Lisa Campbell Ernst, Tom Feelings, Steven Kellogg, Jerry Pinkney, Amy Schwartz, Lane Smith, Chris Van Allsburg, David Wiesner and her own personal interview.
This book is lengthy and should be used as a teaching or informative tool for students who wish to illustrate. The questions included: Where do you get your ideas from? What is a normal day like for you? Where do you work? Do you have any children? Any pets? What do you enjoy drawing the most? Do you ever put people you know in your pictures? What do you use to make your pictures? How did you get to do your first book?
The information revealed is inspiring and brings hope to those who wish to illustrate a picture book. Included in the book are photos of the illustrators as a child and as adults. The variety of illustrations and details reveal the real talents and unlimited options available in becoming an illustrator.

4. Review Excerpts

From School Library Journal
Grade 3-8-- Conversations with Victoria Chess, Leo and Diane Dillon, Richard Egielski, Lois Ehlert, Lisa Campbell Ernst, Tom Feelings, Steven Kellogg, Jerry Pinkney, Amy Schwartz, Lane Smith, Chris Van Allsburg, and David Wiesner form the content of this book. All say that ``practice, practice, practice'' is the key to success. The illustrators that Cummings interviewed and her own comments are primarily aimed at young people who love to draw. They tell about how they got started, and where they get their ideas and techniques. There are chatty bits of information about the artists themselves, examples of their childhood drawings, and beautifully reproduced samples of current work. The same questions are asked of each contributor, but the answers range from serious commentary to lighthearted humor. The cumulative result is a short course in how to succeed in the book business, and general agreement that illustration is a tremendously satisfying and enjoyable occupation. Young artists will learn a lot; teachers and other children will also love it. Well designed and well conceived, this book will be welcomed in all those classrooms in which children's literature has become central to the curriculum. --Shirley Wilton, Ocean County College, Toms River, NJ
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Connections: Read 1 - 2 interviews at a time to the children grades 3 -8. Display the book for further viewing and have the children illustrate a photo that is similar in style to the interview read that day. Display these on a bulletin board for viewing. Invite teachers and students to view the illustrations. Have the children interview one another on the their illustrations and the techniques they used to create their artwork.

Additional stories by Mordicai Gerstein include:
Talking With Artists, Vol. 3. March 22, 1999. ISBN 978-0395891322
My Aunt Came Back. February 28, 1998. ISBN 978-0694010592
Carousel: A Novel. April 1, 1994. ISBN 978-0027255126
THE MAN WHO WALKED BETWEEN THE TOWERS
by Mordicai Gerstein

1. Bibliography:
Gerstein, Mordicai. THE MAN WHO WALKED BETWEEN THE TOWERS. Connecticut: Roaring Brook Press, 2003. ISBN 0761328688

2. Plot Summary
The Man Who Walked Between the Towers is based upon the true story of a young man known in New York City as the French aerialist, Philippe Petit who placed a tightrope one quarter of a mile one thousand three hundred forty feet in the air between the Twin Towers. On the night of August 6, 1974, Philippe and his friends snuck into the incomplete Twin Towers, up onto the roof and worked diligently throughout the night to secure a large cable that was seven-eighths of an inch thick. At dawn, Philippe began his hour-long tightrope performance for the people below. After he removed himself from the cable, the police arrested him and the judge sentenced him to performing in the park for the children. He was very happy to do this and very happy that walking between the towers on August 7, 1974 fulfilled his dream.



3. Critical Analysis
This Caldecott Medal award winning book details the real-life account of a man accomplishing his goal as he bravely walked a tightrope between the towers is a moving and inspirational story. The story is encouraging for those who dreams and wish to pursue the dreams. The illustrations wonderfully depict the bravery and courage of Philippe as he walked the tightrope. The oil paintings are detailed and give one a feeling of being on the tightrope as if they would be looking down upon the crowd. The fold-out pages provide an added touch to the entire experience.

4. Review Excerpts

From Publishers Weekly
This effectively spare, lyrical account chronicles Philippe Petit's tight rope walk between Manhattan's World Trade Center towers in 1974. Gerstein (What Charlie Heard) begins the book like a fairytale, "Once there were two towers side by side. They were each a quarter of a mile high... The tallest buildings in New York City." The author casts the French aerialist and street performer as the hero: "A young man saw them rise into the sky.... He loved to walk and dance on a rope he tied between two trees." As the man makes his way across the rope from one tree to the other, the towers loom in the background. When Philippe gazes at the twin buildings, he looks "not at the towers but at the space between them.... What a wonderful place to stretch a rope; a wire on which to walk." Disguised as construction workers, he and a friend haul a 440-pound reel of cable and other materials onto the roof of the south tower. How Philippe and his pal shang the cable over the 140-feet distance is in itself a fascinating-and harrowing-story, charted in a series of vertical and horizontal ink and oil panels. An inventive foldout tracking Philippe's progress across the wire offers dizzying views of the city below; a turn of the page transforms readers' vantage point into a vertical view of the feat from street level. When police race to the top of one tower's roof, threatening arrest, Philippe moves back and forth between the towers ("As long as he stayed on the wire he was free"). Gerstein's dramatic paintings include some perspectives bound to take any reader's breath away. Truly affecting is the book's final painting of the imagined imprint of the towers, now existing "in memory"-linked by Philippe and his high wire. Ages 5-8. (Sept.)
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information. --This text refers to the Library Binding edition.

Connections: Read the story aloud to children ages 5 - 8. Re-read the story and ask the children to pretend they are holding a balancing item in their hands and walking between the towers. If possible, have lines made from tape and ask the children to pretend they are high in the air while walking on the tape lines. See how many can walk on the straight line then encourage them to add a few dance moves, hops, turns etc.
Ask the children to write in their journal how they felt walking on their tightrope and how they think Philippe felt. Illustrate a photo relating to the story.

Additional stories by Mordicai Gerstein include:
The Wild Boy. ISBN September 25, 2002. 978-0374483968
Leaving the Nest. February 20, 2007. ISBN 978-0374343699
The Mountains of Tibet. September 7, 1989. ISBN 978-0064432115