MODULE 6 - FICTION, FANTASY AND YOUNG ADULT


1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Rosoff, Meg. 2004. How I live now. New York: Wendy Lamb Books. ISBN

038590908X.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
How I Live Now tells the story of a very troubled fifteen-year old Daisy. She steps off the plane, sometime in the near future, at Heathrow Airport, London suffering from a host of modern day egocentric adolescent maladies compounded by the threat of impending world war. Confused by parental authority and self-imposed destructive behaviors, Daisy seeks a rural refuge with her maternal Aunt Penn and four cousins: Piper, Edmond, Isaac, and Osbert. Daisy immediately finds acceptance, stability and love within the bosom of her adopted family. When Aunt Penn, expeditiously sent off to a peacekeeping effort, leaves behind no parental authority, Daisy and fourteen-year old Edmond begin a forbidden incestuous affair. War ensues initially bringing an idyllic isolation to the farm – where everyday feels like a new adventure and being left alone without supervision feels exciting and empowering. All too soon the powers that be dictate a military-enforced division of the family. Separated by gender, Daisy and the youngest family member, Piper, are sent to one refugee location, the boys to another. The plot follows Daisy and Piper on their quest to reunite the family. Told in the first person, Daisy recounts her experiences of war and the reader witnesses, through Daisy’s words, her gradual metamorphosis from child to adult.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Meg Rosoff’s first novel, How I Live Now received much acclaim by winning the 2005 Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in young adult literature. Told as a first person narrative, Daisy chronicles her thoughts and experiences during her months long stay in war torn Britain. With all events filtered exclusively through Daisy’s eyes, the young adult reader becomes intimately acquainted with the protagonist. Arriving in rural England an emotionally wounded narcissistic teen, Daisy is permanently transformed by the relationships she develops coupled with her experiences of the war. Daisy’s maturation constitutes a metamorphosis and this theme remains gradual yet constant throughout the novel.

The story, however, falls short in believability and resolution. The war, more fought with rumor than force, is against an unnamed enemy with no explanations for how or why communications, food, and transportation are fully and successfully knocked out or for what caused the fighting in the first place. Rosoff chooses to leave the details a total mystery, perhaps for effect. Daisy’s biggest challenge appears to be keeping herself and Piper fed – many pages are devoted to descriptions of forging for food; this constant quest for sustenance eventually cures Daisy’s anorexia. Also, the rural English setting could easily have been a farm in Kansas for the lack of cultural detail. For example, upon Daisy’s arrival at the farm, she craves a cold glass of water, without a word spoken Edmond reads Daisy’s mind and presents her a glass of water loaded with ice cubes. Americans die daily, when in Britain, trying to find their beloved ice; the Brits think they are crazy!

The story delves into many serious life issues, yet the plot abandons or leaves many of them: dysfunctional families, self-mutilation, underage sex, psychic abilities and incest, hanging or abandoned completely. Perhaps Rosoff intentionally introduces many other conflicts to demonstrate how they pale in comparison to the reality of war. The writing style also takes some getting used to. The entire novel is written, as if spoken, in paragraph long run-on sentences. Random capitalization adds to the confusion; believing it is intended for emphasis many times makes no sense. Award winner or not, How I Live Now is a novel with grit and a lot of heart that begs for a rewrite. The meat is there; it is the execution that falters.


4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

HORN BOOK MAGAZINE - “Daisy’s account, in eccentrically punctuated run-on sentences, has a breathless directness, a mixture of urbane self-mockery and first-time wonder, that is utterly captivating.”

PUBLISHING WEEKLY – “Like the ripple effects of paranoia and panic in society, the changes within Daisy do not occur all at once, but they have dramatic effects. In the span of a few months, she goes from a self-centered, disgruntled teen to a courageous survivor motivated by love and compassion.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL – “Daisy’s voice is uneven, being at times teenage vapid, while elsewhere sporting a vocabulary rich with 50-words, phrases, and references. In addition, Rosoff barely scratches the surface of the material at hand. At times, this is both intentional and effective (the enemy is never named) but for the most part the dearth of explanation creates insurmountable questions around the basic mechanisms of the plot.”

5. CONNECTIONS
How I Live Now is not a novel that lends itself to class discussion due to the sensitive and private side issues addressed. Students could research and share current young adult titles dealing with war and its effect on society. Also it would be very interesting to have students seek out poetry that addresses issues of war and present them.


1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sachar, Louis. 1998. Holes. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN

0374332657.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Falsely convicted of robbery, Stanley Yeknats arrives at Camp Green Lake and gets assigned to Group D to serve out his eighteen-month detention. Group D turns out to be the expected ensemble of tough-guy wannabes. Dogged by a century and a half-old family curse, Stanley also suffers from a lack of friends, self-confidence, worries about his family’s welfare, and from being overweight. Green Lake, a gross misnomer for a barren Texas desert, has been bone dry for well over a hundred years. The one and only duty for each detainee is the “character building” exercise of digging a five-foot deep, five-foot round hole each and every day. The Cruella Deville-like warden watches from her cabin and the shade of her lone twin oak trees as the boys dig and the “counselors” ration out meager water allotments from the back of a pickup as the sun blazes hotly from above. Once their holes are properly dug, the boys are dismissed for the day. Anything “interesting” found must be reported immediately to the warden. Befriended by Zero, the lowest ranking member of the group, Stanley forges an alliance that leads to escape, rescue and numerous near brushes with death. Throughout the book, Stanley’s paternal family history weaves through the plot as a seemingly unrelated back-story. The pieces fall slowly together and connection is found at every corner as this coming-of-age story finds a happy and satisfying resolution.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Louis Sachar’s 1999 Newbery Medal winner, Holes, mixes young adult realism with a little ethnic folklore and a dash of Texas-sized tall tale. This unique combination engages the adolescent reader, especially the boys, with its high adventure, fast-paced plot, and can-you-figure-it–all-out element. Although the action takes a while to rev up, the necessary back-story fills in behind the basic plot set-up, once Stanley makes the decision to steal the water truck it's full throttle ahead. However, the reader must pay attention to the historical narrative in order to pull all the pieces together because Sachar never dots all the i’s nor crosses all the t’s. The reader comes to know and like Stanley through his words and thoughts. Stanley embodies many of the insecurities typical of the teen years and through his physical and social struggles at Camp Green Lake he grows in self-worth and moral fortitude. The other vivid characters show their colors through their words and deeds.

Sachar writes with clarity, brevity, and humor. The descriptions of the Texas heat and parched lakebed literally leave the reader racing for a water bottle. Stanley’s assorted ancestors as well as his eclectic camp-mates continually amuse and enthrall the reader. Initially Stanley timidly accepts injustice as his due; gradually he comes to believe he possesses power and is not defenseless, that he can exact change. The tried and true coming-of-age theme shines through with a subtle and true grace. Stanley’s maturation reveals itself through his decisions to rescue Zero and put his friend’s welfare above his own, to stand up for himself and do what he knows is right. This wonderfully executed novel pushes all the boundaries of the expected and finishes with well-deserved applause.


4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

KIRKUS REVIEWS – “Through flashbacks, Sachar weaves a complex net of hidden relationships and well-timed revelations as he puts his slightly larger-than-life characters under a sun so punishing that readers will be reaching for water bottles. Good Guys and Bad get just deserts in the end, and Stanley gets plenty of opportunities to display pluck and valor in this rugged, engrossing adventure.”

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY – “Readers (especially boys) will likely delight in the larger-than-life (truly Texas-style) manner in which Sachar fills in the holes, as he ties together seemingly disparate story threads to dispel ghosts from the past and give everyone their just deserts.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL – “The author’s ability to knit Stanley and Zero’s compelling story in and out of history of intriguing ancestors is captivating. Stanley’s wit, integrity, faith, and wistful innocence will charm readers. A multitude of colorful characters coupled with the skillful braiding of ethnic folklore, American legend, and contemporary issues is a brilliant achievement.”


5. CONNECTIONS
Other well reviewed youth adult novels dealing with a group motif:

Duncan, Lois. 1973. I know what you did last summer. Boston: Little,

Brown. ISBN 0316195464.

Duncan, Lois. 1978. Killing Mr. Griffin. Boston: Little, Brown. ISBN

0316195499.

Hobbs, Will. 1991. Downriver. New York: Atheneum. ISBN 0689316909.

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Farmer, Nancy. 2002. The house of the scorpion. New York: Atheneum

Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0689852223.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Between the United States and what used to be Mexico lies a strip of land called Opium, where eejits, humans controlled by brain implanted computer chips, work tirelessly in endless fields of poppies. Ruled by the heartless, iron-fisted drug lord, El Patron, Opium enjoys a frisk and immensely profitable drug trade. El Patron, the 140 year-old patriarch of the Alacran family is kept alive by numerous transplants from his collection of clones. Despised as beasts, clones normally suffer brain stunting at birth; however because El Patron wishes to witness “himself” experiencing an indulged childhood, Matt is the exceptional clone allowed to develop normally. Cared for by a maternal maid, Celia and befriended by El Patron’s bodyguard, Tam Lin and Maria, a frequent young visitor to the Alacran estate, Matt grows up educated and pampered, though loved by few and hated by most. Just as Matt, now a fourteen year old, begins to put all the convoluted pieces of his existence together, his beloved El Patron collapses and requires Matt’s heart in order to survive. Matt flees Opium and El Patron dies; in an out of the frying pan and into the fire twist Matt escapes right into a communist-type work camp/orphanage where life is extremely hard but no one knows he is a clone. Able to make friends for the first time ever, Matt plots another escape, this time for more than just himself, to eventual freedom and justice.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Nancy Farmer’s award winning science fiction novel, The House of the Scorpion, tells the coming-of-age story of Matt Alacran, clone of the revered and feared El Patron. Set in the not-too-distant future, in a small dominion located south of the United States and north of what once was Mexico, the novel makes an immediate connection to current day issues of border control, illegal aliens and drug trafficking concerning the US, Mexico, and Central America. In this realm however, the illegal movement of people goes equally north and south as the United States is not the desirable haven it is today. While most of the minor characters take on a one-dimensional quality, Farmer spends significantly words fully developing Matt’s personality. The first half of the book details Matt’s childhood on El Patron’s estate, isolated away from everyone except Celia for the first six years, then captured and treated like an animal and finally introduced by El Patron as his exceptional clone and mandating Matt’s special position and treatment henceforth. Matt experiences feelings of unworthiness and doubt, conflicting with the good feelings he gets from Celia, Tam Lin and even from the outward actions of El Patron. As Matt comes to understand his true status with El Patron, he battles strong opposing emotions toward his master. Young adult readers will identify with the agony of such internal conflict.

In The House of the Scorpion, Farmer brings many important issues to the forefront. Questions dealing with the value of an individual’s life, the value of the quality of that life, the value of friendship, and what responsibility do we have to care for each other are all addressed at some point. When Matt contemplates his escape from the work camp, he laments, “ Fidelito should probably be left behind. / Friendship was a pain. / All these years he’d wanted friends, and now he discovered they came with strings attached.” The ethics of cloning are ever-present. At numerous points throughout the book, the plot slows to a snail’s pace. The first half of the story takes place entirely on the Alacran estate, yet even as Matt flees in the second half there are several times when the story stalls. Unfortunately, this may well frustrate the reader and jeopardize the reader’s completion of the novel. Also frustrating to the reader may be the simplicity of the writing. Vocabulary and sentence length are simple and somewhat juvenile. Despite these shortfalls, this work of science fiction finds its strength in the thought provoking issues it raises. Science fiction lovers will plow through the slow sections and dig deep into the meat of its controversial side.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

BOOKLIST – “This is a powerful, ultimately hopeful, story that builds on today’s sociopolitical, ethical, and scientific issues and prognosticates a compelling picture of what the future could bring. All of these serious issues are held together by a remarkable coming-of-age story, in which a boy’s self-image and right to life are at stake.”

HORN BOOK MAGAZINE – “Though certain portions of the book go on far too long, other parts of the story are riveting. / Still, Farmer has shown great imagination in creating a unique and plausible view of the future with enough connections to current issues to make her vision particularly disquieting. Throughout the story, she has raised questions about the meaning of life and death and about the nature of one’s responsibility for others, and in so doing, has created a thought-provoking piece of science fiction.”

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY – “The author strikes a masterful balance between Matt’s idealism and his intelligence. The novel’s close may be rushed, and Tam Lin’s fate may be confusing to readers, but Farmer grippingly demonstrates that there are no easy answers. The questions she raises will haunt readers long after the final pages.”


5. CONNECTIONS
Aside from the obvious discussions that might ensue from this novel, a different point to ponder with middle or high school students might be from Maria’s viewpoint. From the very beginning, when she is no more than six years old, she is able to see the value in Matt’s life. No one ever dissuades her from this view. How is this? Given the amount of peer pressure, not to mention authoritative pressure, Maria is able to stand firm in her devotion for Matt and the downtrodden. And in general, why is it that we all identify with the persecuted protagonist in books, yet in real life, we more than often side with a majority who view the standout as a freak or undesirable? Many, many other young adult novels could be used in this exercise as well.

MODULE 5 - HISTORICAL FICTION

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Cushman, Karen. 1995. The midwife’s apprentice. New York: Clarion

Books. ISBN 0395692296.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Beetle, a filthy, malnourished, homeless orphan living in fourteenth century England, has fended entirely for herself, for as long as she has memory. Her vagabond existence teaches her many ways of the world, abet from necessity rather than curiosity. While seeking warmth from a rotting dung heap, Beetle with her innate intelligence and sharp wit, convinces the village midwife to take her on as an assistant. Life in the village, though far from ideal, gives Beetle her first taste of stability and belonging. Beetle works hard to prove herself to a difficult taskmaster, though seldom receiving encouragement or commendation for her efforts. Fighting a strong lack of self-confidence, self-worth and appreciation of her own intelligence, Beetle begins to develop an identity and place for herself. After experiencing several note worthy successes within the social dynamics of the village, Beetle’s confidence collapses with one inconsequential failure in midwifery. Ashamed and anticipating banishment, Beetle flees the village and finds a position as a lowly inn girl. Adding old experiences with new ones, Beetle comes to understand herself and to realize that only through perseverance and determination can she have the life she really wants and, most importantly, that she truly deserves!

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Integral to the historical fiction genre, Karen Cushman successfully creates an accurate and believable fourteenth century setting in The Midwife’s Apprentice. Weaving in descriptions of the living conditions, prevailing superstitions and attitudes, and commonly used herbal remedies give her readers a feeling for life in medieval England as well as the occupation of midwife. The village is alive with eccentric characters, from the brusque midwife, Jane Sharp, to the portly blacksmith’s daughter, Grommet, to Edward, a fellow orphan, to Beetle herself. Beetle, the protagonist and therefore the most developed character exhibits many typical adolescent emotions such as doubt, fear, and lack of self-confidence making her easy for the young reader to relate to. The midwife, however, is more difficult to get a handle on. “Jane Sharp became a midwife because she had given birth to six children (although none of them lived), went Sundays to Mass, and had strong hands and clean fingernails. She did her job with energy and some skill, but without care, compassion, or joy.” Cushman gives the reader two strong female characters, one easily likeable, the other, harder to fathom and like, yet the reader is left somehow finding reason to like or at least not dislike the irascible midwife.

The Midwife’s Apprentice is, at its heart, a journey of self-discovery. A lowly orphan, through this growing process, comes to be named Beetle, Brat and finally exerting her individuality and backbone, she renames herself Alyce. Alyce learns to recognize and draw on her innate strengths and talents to stand up for herself. Cushman wraps her plot around a universal and important life lesson regardless of time and place. The story has a fast-paced tempo. Episodic in form, the plot moves swiftly. Neither does Cushman pull punches about the harshness of the people or times. The book begins with Beetle sleeping in a pile of rotting animal dung in order to keep warm! The narrative is filled with rough dialogue and adult situations: the midwife is having an adulterous affair with the baker, the blacksmith’s daughter is found in bed with the manor pig boy, and plenty of the text deals with childbirth, though none overly graphic. Written with directness, humor and intelligence makes this 1996 Newbery Medal winner a wise choice for all young adult readers.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

BOOKLIST – “ It’s rough, dangerous, primitive, and raucous. Cushman writes with a sharp simplicity and a pulsing beat. / Kids will like this short, fast-paced narrative about a hero who discovers that she’s not ugly or stupid or alone.”

KIRKUS REVIEWS – “…in language that is simple, poetic, and funny.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL – “Earthy humor, the foibles of humans both high and low, and a fascinating mix of superstition and genuinely helpful herbal remedies attached to childbirth make this a truly delightful introduction to a world seldom seen in children’s literature.”

5. CONNECTIONS

Other medieval historical fiction titles by Karen Cushman:

Cushman, Karen. 1994. Catherine called Birdy. New York: Clarion Books.

ISBN 0395681863.

Cushman, Karen. 2000. Matilda Bone. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN

0395881560.

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Curtis, Christopher Paul. 1999. Bud, not Buddy. New York: Delacorte

Press. ISBN 0385323069.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Tired of children’s homes and foster families, ten-year-old African-American Bud Caldwell strikes out on his own to find his illusive jazz musician father. Bud, Not Buddy is set in 1936 in Flint, Michigan while the nation reels from the devastating grip of the Great Depression; racial tensions, fierce competition for few jobs and long food lines rob many families of their dignity, their very homes and stability. Especially hard-hit are the many abandoned children. Bud’s mother dies suddenly when he is six, leaving him with nothing but a suitcase of memorabilia that serve as his only connection to the past as well as the only clues to his father’s identity and whereabouts. Told in the first person Bud takes the reader through his thought processes and the many adventures he experiences during his quest to find his father, Herman E. Calloway. Along the way Bud’s path crosses with many colorful characters. Bud employs several coping mechanisms: for instance, his official guidebook to life: “Bud Caldwell’s Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar out of Yourself” and his inherent distrust of all adults. Bud wholly believes all this subterfuge serves his purpose of survival well. Alternately persecuted and rescued, Bud’s story winds around episodically to, for our protagonist anyway, a surprising yet satisfying ending.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
True to the genre’s criteria, Bud, Not Buddy is historically set during 1936 in Michigan, precisely Flint, Grand Rapids and parts in-between. Time wise, the novel takes place deep in the Great Depression; Christopher Paul Curtis seamlessly incorporates many aspects of this period into his plot: rampant unemployment, illegal rail riding, labor organizers, free food kitchens, and Hooverville shantytowns. Curtis’ plot moves along swiftly punctuated by funny dialogue and Bud’s ever-present philosophizing. A valid but minor criticism might be that Bud unrealistically encounters too many benevolent people during his quest. The reader readily connects with Bud and his plight; circumstances have made him a scrapper, yet he can mix things up just as quick as he will show his heart of gold and help anyone in need. Bud is a riotous genius, beyond his years in judging human character and, though he fronts himself as a great liar, his narrative demonstrates motives and actions absolutely sincere and true. Lefty Lewis, the jazz band, The Dusky Devastators of the Depression: Steady Eddie, Doo-Doo Boy, Dirty Deed, Mr. Jimmy, and Herman E. Calloway round out a wonderfully eclectic cast of characters.

The overriding theme of his historical work of fiction must be the power of family, family in its many forms. Bud and his mother constitute a family. Then, when Bud eventually builds a type of family with the children at the home he gets parceled out to intolerable foster “families.” After going “on the lam,” Bud decides to seek out his absent father and while doing so encounters a number of conventional and unconventional families, i.e. The Dusty Devastators of the Depression. Through this story, Curtis subtly conveys the psychological importance of family: the need to belong, the spoken and unspoken expectations of each member and the emotional investment of the familial bond. Laced with humor, Curtis possesses a smooth writing style that holds the reader’s attention. Add in the characters’ colorful speech, “.. woop, zoop, sloop..” and Bud’s imaginative guidebook rules, “RULES AND THINGS NUMBER 83: If a Adult tells you Not to Worry, and You Weren’t Worried Before, You Better Hurry Up and Start ‘Cause You’re Already Running Late” and the audience is completely enthralled. Accompanied with background period jazz music Bud, Not Buddy makes a fantastic read-aloud.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

BOOKS IN CANADA – “His [Bud’s] narration is immensely engaging thanks to his folksy philosophizing and his overactive imagination.”

BOOKLIST – “Curtis says in an afterword that some of the characters are based on real people, including his own grandfathers, so it’s not surprising that the rich blend of tall tale, slapstick, sorrow, and sweetness has the wry, teasing warmth of family folklore.”

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY – “Bud’s journey, punctuated by Dickensian twists in plot and enlivened by a host of memorable personalities, will keep readers engrossed from first page to last.”

VOICE OF YOUTH ADVOCATES – “Curtis writes with a razor-sharp intelligence that grabs the reader by the heart and never lets go. His utterly believable depiction of the self-reliant charm and courage of Bud, not Buddy, puts this highly recommended title at the top of the list of books to be read again and again.”

5. CONNECTIONS

After reading aloud Bud, Not Buddy invite the students to research, age appropriately, life during the Depression. Specifically, have them research Hoovervilles across the country. Have them identity where these shantytowns were located and what living conditions within each town were like.


1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Parks, Linda Sue. 2001. A single shard. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN

0395978270.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Twelve-year old Tree-ear wants nothing more than to learn the ancient art of pottery from old master Min. Having spent many days observing from afar, Tree-ear eventually convinces Min to allow him to perform menial tasks in exchange for a midday meal cooked by Min’s generous wife. Tree-ear works for the potter from sunup to sundown and returns each night to his makeshift home under a bridge and to Crane-man, his crippled elderly friend who has cared for him since Tree-ear was only two. When a new pottery technique is introduced to their village of Ch’ulp’o, Tree-ear knows the only potter who can perfect it for a royal commission is his master, Min. Working tirelessly beside his master, Tree-ear and the potter are devastated when uncontrollable difficulties cause Min to miss the deadline for showing his wares. One final hope for a commission exists if the finished pieces can be brought personally to the royal court, an arduous many days journey over mountains and unfamiliar terrain. Min and his wife are too old to make the trip so Tree-ear, who has never been beyond the outskirts of Ch’ulp’o, bravely volunteers to transport his master’s treasures. Perseverance and unflappable determination bring Tree-ear to the royal emissary with but a single shard of the fine pottery.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In a society where the normal polite greeting is “Have you eaten well today?” hunger must be a constant concern. Linda Sue Parks’ A Single Shard brilliantly captures village life in twelfth century Korea. Ch’upl’o is a small seaside village where every enterprise supports the pottery industry. This historical novel is unique in time and place as well as in its subject of pottery making. The plot, though simple, tells an endearing story. At times slowed by detailed descriptions of inlaying and perfecting the glaze color, the plot moves at a moderate pace. The reader is drawn, not to a fast-paced, action-filled storyline, but instead to the characters that Parks develops more through their actions than their words. Tree-ear hides half this midday meal each day so that he can bring it home to Crane-man while Min’s wife finds the bowl and refills it every afternoon. Crane-man, Tree-ear, Min’s wife, and even the irritable potter Min himself possess a calm integrity that Parks lets speak eloquently through their deeds and their few words of dialogue.

A Single Shard transcends time and place thanks to its overriding theme of personal integrity. Under the guise of integrity lies a strong sense of right and wrong, responsibility and generosity and the determination and perseverance to see that integrity lived up to. Tree-ear routinely questions his actions for morality and depends on Crane-man for ethical guidance. When Tree-ear informs a traveling merchant that his rice sack has sprung a hole and then is rewarded for his efforts with the grains that fell to the ground, Tree-man wonders if he is truly deserving since he hesitated before warning the merchant. After Min’s wife repeatedly refills the half-eaten lunch bowl, Tree-ear considers eating all his lunch hoping that she will still refill the bowl, then decides that it would be greedy to take advantage of the wife’s generosity. These ethical concerns even reach to questions of ownership of ideas. Parks writes with a smooth, fluid style giving the text a quiet dignity much associated with Asian cultures. This intelligent story of medieval Korea proves to be intelligent, unique, thought-provoking, and unpretentious making this 2002 Newbery Award winner an excellent choice for the middle school reader.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

BOOKLIST – “This quiet, but involving, story draws readers into a very different time and place. Though the society has its own conventions, the hearts and minds and stomachs of the characters are not so far removed from those of people today. Readers will feel the hunger and cold that Tree-ear experiences, as well as his shame, fear, gratitude, and love.”

KIRKUS REVIEWS - “It is in the details that the story lays claim to a sort of Zen quality. Ethical decisions regarding acceptance of lunch and his responsibility to Crane-man are decided with fastidiousness and rectitude. / Tree-ear’s story conveys a time and place far away and long ago, but with a simplicity and immediacy that is both graceful and unpretentious.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL – “…this book not only gives the readers insight into an unfamiliar time and place, but it is also a great story.”

5. CONNECTIONS
After Min refuses to teach Tree-ear the art of throwing pottery on the wheel, Tree-ear discovers the art of hand molding clay, eventually making Crane-man a monkey figurine (Crane-man often referred to Tree-ear as “Monkey-boy”). Provide books on pottery making, especially hand molding, if possible, and provide clay for the students to try their hand at this ancient art.

MODULE 4 - NON-FICTION

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Simon, Seymour. 2000. Gorillas. New York: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN

0060230363.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Gorillas, aimed at the elementary reader, is written in a conversational adult-to-child manner. Seymour Simon presents a comprehensive overview of the gorilla species in a mere sixteen pages of text covering everything from the three subspecies, their habitats, anatomy and eating habits to their family makeup, social behaviors, child rearing practices, means of communication and defense mechanisms. Simon’s writing employs many comparisons between human and ape to help explain his subject. Full and half-page photographs of gorillas in the wild, most of them close-ups, accompany the text in each two-page spread. Simon ends with a conservationist’s plea that only humans can determine the fate of these gentle creatures. Pages are unnumbered, no source documentation or directional guides are provided.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Simon organizes Gorillas, an informational picture book, via a nonlinear text that addresses many significant aspects of the species’ existence. On any page, the reader can dive into any paragraph and glean interesting and important facts about gorillas. The text is kid-friendly; the informal conversational writing is concise and lively and draws the reader in. The numerous comparisons that Simon makes likening gorillas to humans serve as both a powerful connection between subject and reader as well as encouragement to find out more. However, Simon’s might be taking this device too far when he espouses, “If you gaze into the eyes of a gorilla and think how human it looks, you won’t be far wrong.” Danger for misinterpretation lies in such blanket declarations; obviously there are a number of very significant differences between humans and gorillas.

The fascinating wildlife photographs will grab animal-loving children’s attention from the get-go. The author’s description of the gorilla as a secretive animal is shouted from the title page photo! The overall book design is simplicity defined, mostly two-page spreads with either one full page or two half-page photographs with an accompanying page of relevant text. Plenty of white space surrounds each photo allowing the eye to rest and truly take in the amazing pictures. All of the pictures are close-up; it would have been nice to include some from a distance showing the communal life the gorillas live. Unfortunately, Simon did not include a map of Africa showing the few places on earth where these animals live naturally in the wild. As for accuracy of information, the reader is left to the credentials of this prolific author and that of subject-experts because the book contains no source documentation. Photo credits are listed on the last page. The straightforward text and captivating photographs make Seymour Simon’s Gorillas a valuable contributor to any children’s library’s informational collection.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

BOOKLIST – “The combination of the text and photographs creates a striking, powerful impression.”

HORN BOOK MAGAZINE – “Debunking the myths about “scary beasts” spawned by our entertainment industry, Gorillas presents a more accurate portrayal of these gentle creatures. / The constant comparisons to humans-while helping children understand concepts, and emphasizing that indeed “gorillas and humans share ninety-eight percent of their DNA” –do present the danger of misinterpretation. ”

KIRKUS REVIEWS – “His approach is wonderfully accessible, giving his young readers connections they can recognize.”

5. CONNECTIONS

Other noted books focused on gorillas:

Burgel, Paul. 1992. Gorillas. Minneapolis: Carolrhonda Books. ISBN

0876147589.

Lewin, Ted. 1999. Gorilla Walk. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books.

ISBN 0688165109.

Matthews, Tom. 1998. Light shining through the mist: A photobiography of

Dian Fossey. Washington D.C.: National Geographic Society. ISBN 0792273001

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Stanley, Diane and Peter Vennema. 1993. Charles Dickens: The man who

had great expectations. Ill. by Diane Stanley. New York: Morrow Junior Books. ISBN 0688091113.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Diane Stanley and Peter Vennema pair up again, this time to chronicle Charles Dickens’ life and times in the illustrated biography Charles Dickens: The Man who had Great Expectations. Rooted in a vivid imagination, strong intellect and early childhood life experiences, Dickens matched nature and circumstance with determination and perseverance to create riveting stories and memorable characters that sky rocketed him to fame. Dickens overcame poverty and lack of advanced education to rise to international renown as a celebrated author. This biography focuses on the profound effect Dickens’ early life and the living and working conditions of most people in nineteenth century England had on his writing, how his characters were drawn from those life experiences and became very real to him and his readers. Stanley and Vennema portray Dickens as an outgoing, vivacious man with great sensitivity, who never forgot his humble beginnings and worked unceasingly to better the lives of the poor and downtrodden through his works of fiction. The reading public was so moved by such works as A Christmas Carol, A Tale of Two Cities, Oliver Twist and The Old Curiosity Shop that the authors credit Dickens with instigating reform.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Charles Dickens: The Man who had Great Expectations follows, more or less, a chronologic organization, focusing more in depth on his younger, formative years and taking a more collective approach to his adulthood. This method seems appropriate as it supports the authors’ position that Dickens’ unforgettable characters and plots evolved from a combination of imagination and his impoverished experiences as a youth. “In book after book he painted such horrifying pictures of the despairing poor that this period in history is often called Dickensian England. / No matter how successful Dickens became, he never forgot the ragged child he had once been and he never stopped working to ease the suffering of the poor.” The writing style is reader-friendly, sentence structure varies from simple to complex and the moderate pace keeps the reader’s attention. The vocabulary feels right for middle elementary grades with a few challenges along the way.

Diane Stanley’s art sets this biography apart; vibrant illustrations, done in full-color gouache, alternate with black and white sketches and effectively parallel the text on each two-page spread. The combination of art forms gives the book a strong sense of time and place. The reader is transported back to nineteenth century England via the architect, personal fashion, home décor and street scenes depicted. The sketches give the reader the necessary sense of long ago. As proof of accuracy, a simple bibliography and a listing of Dickens’ works cited are provided in the end pages with entries suitable for children noted. Quotes, seemingly from Dickens himself are sporadically used in the text; however no documentation specifically sourcing them is noted. Stanley and Vennema, once again, succeed in fully engaging and entertaining their readers through their magic formula of combining masterful illustration with personal insight into their subject, in this case, the legendary Charles Dickens.


4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

HORN BOOK GUIDE – “His blazing personality and driving ambition are apparent in the illustrations, which foster the feeling for the period.”

KIRKUS REVIEWS – “While linking the biographical facts to the fiction, they focus on the life itself; it makes a lively, entertaining story for children…Stanley uses an elegantly muted palette and delicately stylized figures, bringing decorative period patterns to her beautifully structured compositions; full-color art draws readers into the appealing scenes, while b&w text-page vignettes recall Victorian engravings.”

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY – “Stanley and Vennema point out how these [working as a young child in a blacking factory] and other experiences provided the settings, plots and characters for the author’s oeuvre. Such insights make this biography especially rich.”


5. CONNECTIONS

Other illustrated biographies by the team of Diane Stanley and Peter Vennema:

Stanley, Diane and Peter Vennema. 1992. Bard of Avon: The story of

William Shakespeare. New York: Morrow Junior Books. ISBN 0688091091.

Stanley, Diane and Peter Vennema. 1994. Cleopatra. New York: Morrow

Junior Books. ISBN 0688104142.

Stanley, Diane and Peter Vennema. 2001. Good Queen Bess: The story of

Elizabeth I of England. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 0060296186.

Stanley, Diane and Peter Vennema. 1988. Shaka: King of the Zulus. New

York: Morrow Junior Books. ISBN 0688073433.

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Murphy, Jim. 1993. Across America on an emigrant train. New York:

Clarion Books. ISBN 0395633907.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Jim Murphy’s 1999 Orbis Pictus winner, Across America on an Emigrant Train, chronicles the 1879 transatlantic and transcontinental journey from Edinburgh, Scotland to Monterey, California of twenty-nine year old Robert Louis Stevenson. Embroiled in a scandalous love affair with an older married American woman, the young writer “rushes” to join his Fanny after receiving word of her serious illness. Stevenson, yet an unrecognized author and newly estranged from his family, departs Scotland as many other hopeful emigrants, underfinanced. Traveling in the nineteenth century proves arduous for everyone, but ever so much more for the poor emigrant. Through Stevenson’s journal entries, Murphy weaves a credible narrative of the twenty-four day journey with frequent tangents detailing the building of the transcontinental railroad and its effect on the territory it crossed. These digressions from the travelogue contain discussions concerning: the decimation of the buffalo, the disruption and destruction of Native American life, the emigration of railroad workers, the creation and demise of railroad camp towns, construction accidents, the development of the Pullman car and advances in railroad installation. Murphy includes period accurate railway maps on the front and end pages, a source bibliography, table of contents and a detailed photo and text index.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Jim Murphy organizes this informational book in a general chronological manner following Stevenson’s cross-continent journey. Tangential to the main flow of the narrative are many specific asides that detail the history of U.S. emigration and the transcontinental railroad. The genius of this work lies in the connections between the personal recollections of a world-renowned writer and the historical significance of connecting the two coasts of the United States. The intense compassion that Stevenson feels for his fellow emigrants coupled with his own experiences and his inherent disdain for prejudice allows his journal to serve as one written both a keen observer and active participant. “The United States was a land noted for freedom, and yet he [Stevenson] saw all around him people who were targets of prejudice –Native Americans, Chinese, blacks, and many of his fellow emigrants.” The personal saga of Robert and Fanny serves as the hook to pull the readers in and the fascinating historical details keep them engaged. The vocabulary and sentence structure are age appropriate for the late elementary through middle school student. At times, the historical vignettes seem forced rather than natural, but on the whole the book’s transitions and writing style adequately fit their purpose.

Across America on an Emigrant Train has a linear design, yet is not unsuited to casual perusal. The book’s many illustrations include primarily maps, sketches, and black and white photographs that encourage the audience to delve into the text. These visual elements nicely complement and advance the narrative. The use of white space is effective and pleasing to the eye. Comprehensive captions fully explain each individual photo and are sourced to their origin. Directional devices, an index and table of contents, aid in information retrieval. The author’s credentials, first hand accounts from Stevenson’s journal, the many sourced photographs and accompanying information, and the detailed bibliography all serve to validate Murphy’s historical claims. For an enlightening and informative trip across nineteenth century America, nothing is more enjoyable than joining Robert Louis Stevenson on the adventure of a lifetime on an emigrant train!



4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

HORN BOOK GUIDE –“Skillfully interwoven into the narrative is a general history of the growth of the transcontinental railroad.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL – “ Into these journal entries, Murphy has woven meticulously researched, absorbing accounts of the building of the railroad and its effect on the territory it crossed…/Abundant, carefully selected period photographs, engravings, and lithographs are every bit as intriguing as the text.”

KIRKUS REVIEWS – “A fascinating, imaginatively structured account that brings the experience vividly to life in all its detail: history at its best.”

5. CONNECTIONS
Middle school - After sharing this work and perhaps Tracks Across America by Leonard Everett Fischer during a unit on American emigration or westward expansion, assign students a journal writing activity. Have them plan a cross-country train trip using maps and setting logical time expectations. Have them pick an identity complete with a brief personal history and state goals for their cross-continental travel. Incorporating their newfound knowledge about early train travel, encourage them to write daily entries into their travelogue. Aging the journals using coffee grounds and tea stains will add fun and interest to the project.

MODULE 3 - POETRY


1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sones, Sonya. 2001. What my mother doesn’t know. New York: Simon &

Schuster. ISBN 0689841140.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
What my Mother Doesn’t Know, written in free verse, chronicles the boy-crazy exploits of fifteen-year-old Sophie. Her Jewish family, more by tradition than practice, defines dysfunctional; throughout the book Sophie’s feelings of alienation increase as her parents’ marriage gradually deteriorates. As her mother’s depression and her father’s aloofness grow, Sophie seeks emotional comfort within her peer group. Looking for love, Sophie’s romantic quest begins with sexy, good-looking Dylan, moves on to internet, chat-room Chaz, then to friend-from-preschool Zak, until the most unexpected connection with the school nerd, Murphy, sends Sophia for a loop, forcing her to look at life and love through more grown-up eyes. Along the way, strong, long-term friendships with two childhood friends serve to support and bolster Sophia until her own fears of peer pressure and scorn threaten to destroy her new found love. Everything from school to home life, from friendship to romance, from prejudice to acceptance, from peer pressure to independence is addressed in Sonya Sones’ powerful poetic look at adolescent love.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The general plot of What my Mother Doesn’t Know, that of girl meets boy, girl gets boy, girl dumps boy, repeat until true, unexpected and socially unacceptable soul mate comes along, holds nothing extraordinarily new or different. However, written as poetry, this novel takes on a new life that is timeless and powerful. The book is not so much about the actual events but rather it is about the emotional journey the reader experiences with the fifteen- year-old narrator, Sophie. The feelings emoted are universal to every young girl to some degree at some point during her adolescence. Sonya Sones does an excellent job capturing the laughter and tears, the angst and joy of a young teen and the poetic format is the ideal vehicle to express the magnitude of these emotions. Short phrases and even single words speak volumes and land devastating emotional punches. When Sophie speaks of her mother’s neglect the intense anger and sadness Sophie feels comes unabashed to the surface, “I hate her. / I hate her. / I hate her. // But I hate hating her. / I hate it.”

Sones draws on the nuances and rhythms of today’s teenage speech, making this verse novel a timely choice. However, as times change future teenagers might find less of a connection to the language though the emotional impact will surely shine through. Girls will readily identify with this novel and although most teenage boys probably would not want to be found reading a verse novel let alone one about first love, What my Mother Doesn’t Know might prove invaluable to them as an instructional guide into the teenage female psyche.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

BOOKLIST - “The poetry is never pretentious or difficult; on the contrary, the very short, sometimes rhythmic lines make each page fly….A natural for reluctant readers, this will also attract young people who love to read.”

KIRKUS REVIEWS – “[T] he text gets at the emotional state of this girl so completely and with such intensity that a conventional narrative framework would simply dilute the effect…Sones has crafted a verse experience that will leave teenage readers sighing with recognition and satisfaction.”

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY – “With its separate free verse poems woven into a fluid and coherent narrative with a satisfying ending, Sophie’s honest and earthy story feels destined to captivate a young female audience, avid and reluctant readers alike.”

5. CONNECTIONS

Other significant verse novels targeting young adult readers:

Glenn, Mel. 2000. Split image: A portrait in poems.

New York: HarperCollins Publisher. ISBN 0688162495.

Sones, Sonya. 1999. Stop pretending: What happened when my big sister

went crazy. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 0060283866.

Wayland, April Halprin. 2002. Girl coming in for a landing. New York: Knopf.

ISBN 0375801588.

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lewis, J. Patrick. 2005. Please bury me in the library. Ill. by Kyle M. Stone. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Inc. ISBN 0152163875.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Comprised of sixteen poems of various types, Please Bury Me in the Library pays humorous homage to all the essential parts of reading: letters, words and books. (Unfortunately libraries are only the topic of two or, maybe if stretched, three of the poems.) Each entry in this poetry picture book is allotted an illustrated two-page spread. The overall tone of the collection feels light and the poetic moods range from nonsensical to silly, mildly thought provoking to profound. Preschoolers will enjoy the pictures but some of the wordplay might be more suitable for older elementary grades. Newcomer Kyle M. Stone creates the whimsical and sometimes scary artwork using a combination of acrylic paint and mixed media.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
J. Patrick Lewis’ clever imagination and wordplay talents shine brightly in most of this collection’s offerings: in Flea-ting Flame, Otto the flea writes his "Ottobiography," in Great, Good, Bad, a bad book owes “A forest of apologies,” in Are You a Book Person, a good book “She has a spine, / A heart, a soul, / And a goal- / To capture, to amuse, / To light a fire / (You’re the fuse)” and in the title poem, “Kids Books dance/ With True Romance / And the Dictionary dozes. / Please bury me in the library / With a dozen long-stemmed proses.” Lewis’ use of humor and rhyme further enhance the child-friendly appeal of this work. However, a couple of the selections are difficult to fathom, such as The Big-Mouth Girl and the last stanza of Three Haiku. Nonetheless the love of words and reading is a timeless topic and with technology threatening the future of libraries, at least in the minds of some, anything promoting libraries and reading physical books can only help! (Of course, maybe Lewis should have emphasized being buried alive in the library!) Stone’s illustrations, especially his cover art, grab the reader’s attention, drawing them into the poetry. They compliment rather than overwhelm the poems, never doing too much. This is an ideal book for any school or public library story time – never discount free promotion!

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

HORN BOOK MAGAZINE – “Stone’s layers of paint and other media enhance the text without over-explaining, as so many pictures with poetry do.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL – “The Lewis hallmarks are all here-clever wordplay, humor, rhyme-though the collection doesn’t have quite the spot-on snap of his best stuff.”

5. CONNECTIONS
With elementary students in groups:
1-Have them write as many funny names for popular book titles as they can ala What If Books Had Different Names.
2-Have them write a collective poem that starts with “A good book is …” ala Are You a Book Person.

Expect Noise!


1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Prelutsky, Jack. 1996. A pizza the size of the sun. Ill. by James

Stevenson. New York: Greenwillow Books. ISBN 0688132367.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
A Pizza the Size of the Sun, a collection of over a hundred poems, pairs, for the third time, the prolific children’s poet Jack Prelutsky and his partner-in-crime, illustrator James Stevenson. Aimed at the elementary grades, the duo romp through the kid-centered pages of verse; pages filled with nonsense and absurdity, rhythm and rhyme, humor and innuendo without ever seeming to break stride. Stevenson supplies simple sketches to compliment Prelutsky’s poetry. Topics range from animals to food to family to bugs to zany people to pure made up nonsense. No discernible structure exists for the overall organization of the work. The author provides a title and first line index in the end pages. An abridged audio version, performed by the author is also available.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Prelutsky and Stevenson have found a winning formula. Prelutsky’s imaginative combination of humor and poetry pull the young reader in. Whether laughing out loud to Dan the Invisible Man or I often Repeat Repeat Myself, or being grossed out by Bugs! Bugs! or Eyeballs for Sale! or marveling at the ingenious wordplay of If, the book is pure entertainment. The magic is timeless; the poems run the imaginative gambit from simple rhymes to visual word wonders, to mirror image verse and everything in-between all served with a heavy portion of humor to make each a surefire kid-pleaser. Some are better hear aloud, others must be seen. Variations in font and typeface add another element of interest; in I’m all Mixed Up, Prelutsky mixes lower and upper case letters randomly throughout the individual words making reading it surprising challenging yet interesting! Even the most reticent reader will plow through these poems with glee. Stevenson’s cartoon-like sketches complete the experience. His simple black-and-white line drawings give the poems that visual invitation many children need and everyone can appreciate.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

HORN BOOK GUIDE - “Spirited line and wash drawings effectively convey the tone of the jaunty, usually funny, often silly, sometimes gross, and always childlike poems.”

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - “The pages are peppered with kinetic black-and-white drawings; like Thurber, Stevenson wrings a wealth of humor and emotion out of a few dashes of ink. If a laugh is what’s needed, just hand over the keys and let these two drive.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL – “Yet another masterful collection of poems by the prolific Prelutsky, filled with zany people, improbable creatures, and rhythm galore, all combining to celebrate the unusual, the mundane, and the slightly gruesome.”


5. CONNECTIONS

Print selected poems on overheads and perform choral readings. Taken seriously from the get-go, it’s practically a guarantee that everyone will dissolve into laughter by the end!

Suggestions:
1. I often Repeat Repeat Myself,
2. Eyeballs for Sale!
3. The Fummawummalummazumms
4. If

MODULE 2 - TRADITIONAL LITERATURE

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Kimmel, Eric A. 2004. Cactus soup. Ill. by Phil Huling. New York: Marshall

Cavendish. ISBN 0761451552.

2.PLOT SUMMARY
Eric Kimmel sets his rendition of “Stone Soup” during the Mexican revolution. Orchestrated by the town mayor, the citizens of St. Miguel feign poverty and hunger in order to discourage the traveling army from making camp and expecting food and hospitality. The wise army captain commiserates with the locals’ condition and promises to make enough “cactus soup” to feed his soldiers as well as all the townspeople. Asking only for firewood, a spoon, a kettle of water and a single cactus thorn, the captain goes to work. As with all other versions of this variant, the “soup” grows into a grand group effort with everyone contributing their part and in the end uniting the outsiders with the community. Celebration ensues as everyone is fed their fill and entertained into the night with song and dance. Kimmel provides an author’s note concerning the Mexican Revolution (1910-1922) and a glossary of Spanish terms.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The fast-moving text, the good versus the not-so-good, the uncomplicated characters and the happy ending all help place this work within the traditional literature genre. Without doubt this picture book is a fine blending of text and illustration. Kimmel’s dialogue and use of Spanish terms give the story an authentic Mexican feel. The captain’s repetitive question, “Why ask for what you don’t have?” invites audience participation. Phil Huling’s illustrations smoothly carry the plot along while nicely keeping pace with the text. Movement and energy are conveyed beautifully through color, body position, and facial expression and add immeasurable depth and enjoyment for the reader through the vibrant visual antics portrayed. The striking physical differences between townspeople and soldier, the soldiers are elongated with oddly bending limbs, the town folks, more proportional, help define the two opposing factions. However, by placing Cactus Soup during the Mexican Revolution in the town of San Miguel, Kimmel distances this story from the folktale norm, that of nonspecific place and time in the past. Also, Kimmel never provides any basis for the story’s having Mexican origins; in his author’s note he gives a somewhat polarized explanation for the revolution that appears totally removed from this story about pulling together and sharing for the good of all. All in all, Cactus Soup is a funny and exciting addition to the “Stone Soup” variant.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

HORN BOOK MAGAZINE – “The fast-moving narrative is rich in Spanish vocabulary and generous with opportunities for the audience to participate in the telling…The curved sombreros, the townspeople’s rounded figures, and the circular coking pot suggest a warm community that complements the soldiers, who are modeled after Picasso’s whimsical, lanky Don Quixote.”

PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY – “Kimmel, ever the master storyteller, incorporates especially vivid cadences in the words of the wily, world-weary captain; but it’s Huling who makes the story sing. His comically exaggerated characters garner laughs without shedding their humanity, while his swooping, elongated lines and radiant colors recall the sun-drenched earthiness and high spirits of early 20th-century Mexican art.”


5. CONNECTIONS
This book is a great candidate for a reader’s theater production. Fourth and fifth graders could participate in writing the script if given the appropriate guidance. With more effort a simple production with basic props and costumes would make a nice multi-cultural project.


Other recently published “Stone Soup” tales:

Bonning, Tony. 2002. Fox tale soup. New York: Simon & Schuster Books

for Young Readers. ISBN 0689849001.

Gershator, David. 2005. Kallaloo!: A Carribean tale. New York: Marshall

Cavendish. ISBN 0761451102.

Muth, Jon J. 2003. Stone Soup. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN

043933909X.

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Schwartz, Alvin. 1992. And the green grass grew all around. Ill. by Sue

Truesdell. New York: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 0060227583.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
In And the Green Grass Grew all Around, Alan Schwartz defines folk poetry as anything made up and communicated person-to-person by word of mouth and unidentifiable to any one author. For the adult reader, this wonderfully silly book of poetry, rhymes, songs and pure nonsensical verse brings back many surprising memories of childhood and the realization that many of these ditties they already know. Know them, yes, and yet the versions presented in And the Green Grass Grew all Around seem to deviate ever so slightly from those remembered. That is the true nature of folklore! As the songs, stories, rhymes and verses spread from group to group the words change anywhere from drastically to ever so slightly. Beginning the text with a conversational introduction, Schwartz lays the groundwork for his juvenile anthology. The fifteen chapters of the book are divided into “folk poems” categorized by topic: from poems concerning people, food, and school to those that tease, make wishes and promise love, to those lamenting work, posing riddles and spouting utter nonsense. The length of each entry varies from several lines to several pages, many accompanied with cartoonish ink illustrations and/or simple musical notations. Detailed source notes will benefit the serious folklore enthusiast.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Schwartz presents his audience a large slice of linguistic Americana in this dynamic work of prose and poetry. True to the folklore genre, the action is fast-paced; the distinction between good and evil, blatant, no character develops any significant insights, and “happily ever after” is a forgone conclusion. The book’s whole purpose is to energize: to be read, sung, clapped, jumped, chanted, added-on-to or in any other way celebrated enthusiastically; to be thoroughly enjoyed on the most child-like level! Sue Truesdell’s illustrations pack a hilarious punch to this party as they frolic across the two-page spread. These black-and-white cartoons provide the necessary visual element, some extremely simple, others more complex, to heighten the reader’s comprehension and tickle-the-funny-bone enjoyment. And the Green Grass Grew all Around masquerades as tongue-in-cheek fun and games while effortlessly exposing young children to invaluable cultural and literary material that will only serve to widen their worldview and broaden their personal perspective.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

BOOKLIST – “The late Alvin Schwartz has left a joyful legacy in this collection of folk poetry for everyone to share. He put together 300 of his favorites-chants and teases, wishes, jokes and riddles, skip-rope rhymes and stories, fun and games.”

KIRKUS REVIEWS – “In b&w pen and watercolor, Truesdell’s marvelous characters dance across the generously broad pages, peering inquisitively at the hilarious goings-on or gleefully joining in the shenanigans.”



5. CONNECTIONS
Activity: Ages 6-9. Have the children divide into pairs or groups and chose one of the included poems, stories or chants to act out. After demonstrating have the rest of the class join in for another round!

Other folktale poem and chant collections:

Beaumont, Jeanne Marie and Claudia Carlson. ed. 2003. The poets’

Grimm: 20th century poems from Grimm fairy tales. Ashland, Oregon: Story Line Press. ISBN 1586540270.

Schwartz, Alan. 1989. I saw you in the bathtub, and other folk rhymes. New

York: Harper and Row. ISBN 0060252995.

Strauss, Gwenn. 1990. Trail of stones. New York: Knopf. ISBN

0679905820.

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Jackson, Ellen. 1994. Cinder Edna. Ill. by Kevin O’Malley. New York:

Lothrop, Lee & Shepard. ISBN 0688123236.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Cinder Edna lives right next door to Cinderella. Living parallel lives, both young women suffer the indignities and abuses of a wicked stepmother and cruel stepsisters. But that is where the similarities end, Cinder Edna tried sitting in the fireplace ashes as Cinderella often did, but she found they only made her clothes dirty; instead she keeps warm by doing extra chores and odd jobs to earn money in her spare time. When invitations to the prince’s ball arrive, Cinderella is helpless without her fairy godmother, but Cinder Edna already has the perfect dress on layaway, dons comfortable loafers for serious dancing and hops the bus to the palace. Bored by the self-absorbed Prince Randolph, Edna is smitten by his klutzy, bespectacled, ecology-minded younger brother, Rupert. At the stroke of midnight Cinderella and Cinder Edna make hasty retreats as the fairy godmother’s magic evaporates and public transportation stops running. The only clues left for the confused princes are a delicate glass slipper and a penny loafer. Continuing in a practical vain, Rupert locates his love by knowing her name and using the phone book while his dashing brother takes the arduous, not to mention illogical, path of trying the slipper on every maiden in the land. The couples marry in a double ceremony and live “happily ever after,” but the reader is left in no doubt about which two have found true happiness.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
While many fairy tales take a somewhat more serious tone, Cinder Edna takes a tongue-in-cheek farcical stab at folklore. This feminist take on the traditional Cinderella story hilariously points out many illogical and impractical aspects of the popular tale, for example: Cinderella wearing fragile glass slippers to a dance, her total helplessness without her fairy godmother, her choosing to sit among the cinders to keep warm and what about the prince forgetting to even ask her name? Cinderella and Prince Randolph define one-dimensional characters while Edna and Rupert are quirky and multi-faceted, though all characters sail through the story unchanged. Ellen Jackson writes a fast-paced story nicely keeping the parallel plots coordinated and in sync. The “happily ever afters” are relative to each couple and children will have no problem seeing the fun and getting the author’s point. Kevin O’Malley’s lively illustrations work well with the text and do an interesting job of blending the long ago, far away elements of Cinderella’s world with the contemporary life of Edna (The palace scene with the bus parked behind the pumpkin coach is especially clever). Laughs every minute and animated illustrations on double page spreads make this picture book a favorite, laugh-out-loud, read aloud.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

HORN BOOK GUIDE –“A delight for go-getters everywhere.”

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY – “O’Malley’s nicely executed, cleverly detailed spreads contrast Cinderella’s fantasy glow with Edna’s clear-eyed, can-do attitude. This Cinderella send-up is full of kid-pleasing jokes and, besides, it’s never too early to discover the hazards of codependence.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL – “O’Malley’s full-page illustrations are exuberant and funny. Ella is suitably bubble-headed and self-absorbed while Edna is plain, practical, and bound to enjoy life. Kids will love this version of the familiar story for its humor and vibrant artwork.”

5. CONNECTIONS
Read aloud two significantly different Cinderella stories. On a chalkboard or overhead make a list as the kids decide aloud how the stories are similar and different. Discuss how these similarities and differences affected the plot. Which did they like better? Why? Depending on their ages, have the children try their hand at making up their own Cinderella story, either written or through pictures.

MODULE 1 - PICTURE BOOKS


1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Marcus, Leonard S. 2001. Side by side: Five favorite picture-book teams

go to work. New York: Walker & Company. ISBN 0802787789.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Side by Side presents the collaborative histories of five successful picture book parings of illustrator and writer. Leonard Marcus, children’s book critic and historian, structured the chapters to deal individually with each team focusing, more or less, on one particular picture book. Brief career histories of each contributor is followed by the twists and turns, the successes and setbacks, and the life and longevity of the collaboration. The teams highlighted employ very diverse methods and styles. The books ranged from Louis the Fish to The Glorious Flight to The Stinky Cheese Man to Sam and the Tigers to The Magic School Bus Explores the Senses. Collaborators included are Yorinks and Egielski, Provensen and Provensen, Sciezka, Smith and Leach, Lester and Pinkney, and Cole and Degen.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Written for the late elementary school age, Marcus does an admirable job of writing credible juvenile nonfiction. First person accounts from the artists themselves, directional tools and instructional help in the guise of a table of contents, a detailed index, and glossary, and illustrative visual elements all work well together with the fast-paced text to tell the stories of these talented collaborators. Marcus possesses a talent for explanation, maintaining the literary flow while delivering clear and concise details. The question that nags the adult reader is, will the desired audience find the subject matter interesting enough to engage in reading the book. As reading for this literature class, especially this first module on picture books, the book is dead on, but as interest reading for an elementary or middle school child it may well miss the mark.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

BOOKLIST – “Teachers and librarians who want to promote collaboration in the classroom or just share their enthusiasm for the creative process and those who practice it will find plenty of good material in this well-written and beautifully designed book.”

KIRKUS REVIEWS – “Altogether engaging, this offering nevertheless is not exactly the sort of book children flock to of their own accord. It will, however, nicely complement guided explorations of children’s book creation, and the inclusion of two of the most popular teams with children will guarantee its appeal to the kids who do encounter it.”

5. CONNECTIONS
A programming idea for older elementary students in a summer library program: Introduce the children to the art that is the picture book. Have each child choose, depending on their own preference, whether to write or illustrate a picture book. Once the “writers” finish an initial short draft have them pair with an “illustrator” and work through the process of creating a finished work.

Books that further explore the making of picture books:

Kehoe, Michael. 1993. A book takes root: The making of a picture book.

Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books. ISBN 0876147562.

Marcus, Leonard S. 1998. A Caldecott celebration: Six artists and their

paths to the Caldecott Medal. New York: Walker & Company. ISBN 0802786561.

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Juster, Norton. 2005. The hello, goodbye window. Ill. by Chris Raschka.

New York: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 0786809140.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
A young preschool narrator takes the reader through the fun and excitement of an overnight visit to her grandparents’ house. Poppy plays the harmonica and cooks breakfast while Nanna works in the kitchen and putters in her garden. Upon arriving and departing, greetings and games are exchanged through the seemingly magical kitchen window. Looking in - the bight kitchen, where grandma and grandpa spend most of their time, welcomes our young visitor to the comfort of familiarity and routine; looking out – the garden beckons promising wild adventure – all within the warmth and security of her grandparents’ realm. As with every young child, their world is full of flights of fancy and down-to-earth adult-mandated rules and many of these are nicely incorporated into the text from a child’s perspective. Imagination beckons when: “It’s a very nice garden, but there’s a tiger who lives behind the big bush..” and “THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND (Nanna is English, you know, so the Queen likes to come to tea.)” while rules dictate necessary order: “I ride my bike too. ‘Not in the street, please.’ Or collect sticks and acorns. ‘Not in the house, please.’”


3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The 2006 Caldecott Medal recipient, The Hello, Goodbye Window, hits the literary mark on several levels. Through Norton Juster’s first person narrative the innocence, naiveté, and even the “voice” quality of a young child shines through. “When I get tired I come in and take a nap and nothing happens until I get up.” The ritual of the window provides predictability and security: looking in – the kitchen promises the safe haven of laughter and fun; looking out – the garden and sky embrace the wide world of new experiences while both sides fall under an umbrella of unconditional familial love. The story keeps a nice pace and through the combination of text and illustration personalities come into focus. Poppy is playful and teasing, Nanna is orderly and patient. Chris Raschka’s illustrations, done in a vibrant color mixture of watercolors and pastels, possess a child-like quality. To highlight and define the swirls, dabs and swaths of color, Raschka uses strategically placed black outlines throughout his work. Juster’s subtext of family love and devotion finds overt expression through Raschka’s twinkling eyes and doting expressions. Author and illustrator together have beautifully captured the purely child-centered world of the preschooler as well as the joy of grandparents allowed to bask in the everyday magic that is their grandchild making The Hello, Goodbye Window a very deserving Caldecott winner.


4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL – “ The artwork is at once lively and energetic, without crowding the story or the words on the page; the simple lines and squiggles of color suggest a child’s own drawings, but this is the art of a masterful hand.”

BOOKLIST – “The window imagery is less important than the title would make it seem. More intrinsic is Juster’s honest portrayal of a child’s perceptions and emotions.”


5. CONNECTIONS
Literary Extension: Have the children draw themselves and their grandparents/other family members occupied in a favorite activity and then verbally present it to the group.

Picture books that further explore grandparent connections:

Hutchins, Pat. 2006. Bumpety bump! New York: Greenwillow Books. ISBN

0060560002.

Lum, Kate. 1999. What! cried Granny: An almost bedtime story. New York:

Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0803723822.

MacDonald, Margaret Read. 2006. Squeaky door. New York: HarperCollins

Publishers. ISBN 0060283742.

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Raschka, Chris. 2005. New York is English, Chattanooga is Creek.

New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0689846002.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Thirty-nine cities from across the United States are formally invited, by carrier pigeon no less, to a gala hosted by the Duke of York – New York City. A map and guest list, placed at the very beginning, locate and explain the names of the party’s invitees. Each city, personified via ethnic origins and etymologic symbols, morphs into a single representative bedecked in appropriate headdress and garb. Our host, New York City, worries about compatibility and social etiquette, but happily, after a rocky start, the evening turns into a social coup. The story ends where it began, enumerating the diverse etymology of our cities’ names; thus mimicking our population as a whole and giving explanation to what made this country great and what continues to define it today.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Raschka employs an offbeat, farcical approach to impart his American history lesson on diversity. The language proves uneven and troublesome; sentence fragments, random rhymes and, at one point, digressing asides might well cause the unpracticed reader to falter. At one point, when attempting to explain the origin of Minneapolis the author goes off on a tangent followed by the text actually reading “Never mind.” However, Raschka’s text beautifully brings everything home when it proclaims, “A thousand names, a hundred languages/ a million people name one nation.” The driving force of this work is Raschka’s ink and watercolor caricatures: exaggerated, impressionistic, vibrant and completely compelling. The child cannot help but be drawn into the fantastical story by the commonly shared style yet unmistakable individuality of each character. Each city boasts a disproportionately huge head adorned with a skyline replica atop an equally imposing headdress all supported by a somewhat diminutive torso clothed in ethnic splendor. The illustrations, done against a pure white background, share the space equitably and are necessary to carry the plot forward. This codependency between textual and visual elements gives this picture book the extra element that sets it apart from the ordinary.


4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL – “ At once carefully intentional and casually random, this is a fascinating exploration of the etymology and derivation of American city names and a characteristic Raschka farcical flight-of-fancy.”

PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY – “ Raschka’s lilting approximate rhyme, and his piquant watercolors on clean white paper, make this book an aural and visual pleasure, a gateway to understanding the complicated histories in unusual words’ origins.”

5. CONNECTIONS
Literary Extension – Investigate the origins of the student’s own town/city. Have each student create their own caricature in the style of Raschka to personify their hometown based upon its name’s origin and local culture.

Books that further explore US states and their etymology:

Keller, Laurie. 1998. The scrambled states of America. New York: Henry

Holt. ISBN 0805058028.

Peter, Sis. 2004. The train of states. New York: Greenwillow Books. ISBN

0060578394.

(All pictures downloaded from the Plano Public Library)