1.BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lin, Grace. 2009. Where The Mountain Meets The Moon. New York: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN: 9780316114271.
2.PLOT SUMMARY
Living in the Valley of Fruitless Mountain, a cursed land full of muddy color, a young poor peasant girl named Minli lives with her parents in a little wooden shack barely big enough for 3 people to sit around. Life was so difficult that Minli’s mother keeps complaining about it. The family spent their days working hard in the field parsed by the sun just to be able to have a bowl of rice to eat each evening. At night, Minli’s father always tells his daughter her favorite stories, especially of the Jade Dragons and the Old Man of the Moon. Minli believes in the enchanting stories and embarks on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man of the Moon to ask him how her family can change their fortune. She encounters an assorted of cast of characters and magical creatures along the way, all of which give her a lot of excitement, humors and wisdom. Through her journey, she has heard a lot of stories and has learned to fine herself and understanding of life.
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
"Where the Mountain Meets the Moon" is a fantasy book for children of younger age. However, reading it one will find it is intriguing and will be of interest to even adult readers. There is also a lot of wisdom of the east ones can learn from. It was woven well between the old fables, tales and wisdoms with the literacy presentation in the form of children fantasy writing.
I will analyze the book using the usual criterion of Characters, Plot, Setting, Theme and Style as follows.
Characters
The main character is Minli, the poor Chinese family’s active little girl. She is a smart and determined girl with a quick decisive action. Minli is a brave and adventurous girl who is ready to take charge and find wisdom through hardship and journey in order to find answers to her quest.
Plot
The Valley of the Fruitless Mountain is cursed by the Jade Dragon with dryness after the people have complaint of having too much rain which the Jade Dragon has been providing to them for generations. As a result, the people have to work hard even to produce enough grains of rice to feed themselves. Through the struggles, a poor family’s daughter sets out a journey to find a way to solve the poverty problem for her family by trying to find the Old Man of the Moon her father has been telling her about in his nightly story. The girl finds wisdom on her journey and received a great fortune from those she found on her way. At the end, Minli comes home and the Fruitless Mountain never is the same.
Setting
The story sets itself in a sun parched dry land of rural China where all houses and environments turn brownish because of the dry clay they have been stomping on trying to make it a workable paddy rice field.
Theme
The theme story of the story portrays a poor family struggles to survive. Seeing the hardship her family has been facing, Minli, through the belief in the stories her father has been telling her, took of to find the Old Man of the Moon who knows how to change their fortune so she can help her family to be better. Through out the journeys, Minli learns more wisdom and at the end knows what her family should be like.
Style
The story is woven very cleverly through the use of old Chinese tales and fables in a very beautiful and elegant language. The chapters are proportionally short and the full color illustrations at the opening of the chapters make it very enjoyable. The fonts used are large and make it easier to read.
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Newbery Honor Books
Children’s Notable Books
School Library Journal reviewed that the author's writing is elegant, and her full-color illustrations are stunning.
Starred Reviewed from booklist that stories, drawn from a rich history of Chinese folktales, weave throughout her narrative, deepening the sense of both the characters and the setting and smoothly furthering the plot.
Librarian named Bogart, Debra reviewed that the book is a charming fantasy with very low violence, making it a great family read-aloud for various ages.
5.CONNECTIONS
The first connection book I found is also a fantasy fiction about moon. A boy named Harold wanted to walk in the moon light, so he drawled a moon with his purple crayon. He started to his magic journal with his imagination.
Johnson, Crockett. 1998. Harold and the Purple Crayon 50th Anniversary Edition. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN: 9780064430227.
The second connection book I found portrayed a traditional Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, including author's note explaining this festival's customs and tradition. Each member of a Chinese family contributes to the celebration of the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. This book could be a good supplement book for people who don’t understand the meaning of moon for Chinese.
Lin, Grace. 2010. Thanking the moon: celebrating the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. New York : Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN: 9780375861017.
2011年5月5日 星期四
A Combination of Contemporary Realistic Fiction and Fantasy
1.BIBLIOGRAPHY
Yang, Gene Luen. 2009. American Born Chinese. New York: Square Fish. ISBN: 9780312384487.
2.PLOT SUMMARY
American Born Chinese is made up of three individual plotlines: the determined efforts of the Chinese folk hero Monkey King to shed his humble roots and be revered as a god; the struggles faced by Jin Wang, a lonely Asian American middle school student who would do anything to fit in with his white classmates; and the sitcom plight of Danny, an All-American teen so shamed by his Chinese cousin Chin-Kee (a purposefully painful ethnic stereotype) that he is forced to change schools.
At first when one reads this book, one would think it is a three stories book. However, through all the wisely devised plots are woven together at the end. I think this is quite unique to have one story with three seemingly disconnected plots and tie them together at the end like a three strands rope. The story, thus, at the beginning was somewhat confusing to an older reader like me. Yet the story was written interestingly enough to keep me going until the end, and then, I saw the light. It was fun to read.
The story first plot started with the story of the Monkey King, one of the oldest and grestest Chinese fables possibly all Chinese knew. He was born to rule over all the monkeys of the world. The Monkey King had mastered many disciplines of kung fu which later on made him an even more skillful and stronger than all the other human masters. Yet, he was a monkey who could not fit in with those humans whom he could over rule. He did not want to be a monkey. He wanted to be something other than what he was born to be. He wanted to be a god.
The second plot, the key plot is a Chinese boy named Jin Wang who moved with his family to a new neighborhood and tried to fit in. He was put in a new school where he was the only Chinese student and one of the two Asian students in the school, one being a Japanese girl. Jin was bullied by white children from the start. He finally had a good Chinese friend when a new Chinese enrolled in the school. His new friend got him hook up with the all-American white girl whom he had been in love with.
The third plot, Danny, a seemingly normal American boy, was visited by his cousin Chin-Kee, an ultimate negative Chinese stereotype, who would visit him once every year. Chin-Kee’s visit had brought so much embarrassment and shame to Danny that he had to transfer to a new school every year without being able to be well established at a school though he was one of a great basketball player. But this year, in the story in the book, things turned from bad to worse.
At the end, all three stories merged into one. I cannot tell you how it happens for it is better for readers to read it by themselves.
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The analysis can be done using the main framework based on Characters, Plot, Settings, Theme and Style as follows.
Characters
The main characters of the three stories are Jin Wang, Danny and the Monkey King, all of whose were seeking to fit into or to be something they were not born to be.
Plot
The story has a complicated plot but appealing to young readers. It starts with the introduction of the main character of each sub-story and moves forward introducing readers to the events in their lives, the progresses, problems and the climax leading to the resolve of the single main character’s life.
It should be noted that some readers might find it confusing due to not having adequate Chinese cultural background. However, young adults who have been reading a lot of comic books and mangas will likely find it interesting because of the twists in the stories.
Settings
The story sets itself in two locations, a presumable legendary Chinese location and the United States of America, where there are so many multi-racial multicultural born Americans struggling to find and identify themselves while they grow up.
Theme
The central theme of the story is to be what you are and everyone is no less valuable than others, whatever one may look like or whatever background—ethnic or cultural—one would come from.
Style
The writing style is very interesting and fun, as well as funny. The language used is that of a realistic daily English pronounced by Chinese who have not mastered English pronunciation and grammar. Parts of the story also show some interesting cultural differences as well. Young readers may encounter some linguistic representations the white kids in the story use to mock the Chinese characters as well.
It should be noted that this book is not a straight contemporary realistic fiction alone. It is a combination of fantasy in combination with realistic fiction with a twist, which makes it very interesting.
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
A National Book Award finalist and ALA's Printz Award winner
The Library Journal reviewed that the art is simple, colorful, and both attractive and effective. Some potty humor; recommended for teen and adult collections.
The booklist reviewed that the stories have a simple, engaging sweep to them, but their weighty subjects — shame, racism, and friendship — receive thoughtful, powerful examination.
Publishers Weekly reviewed that this story is clear, concise lines and expert coloring are deceptively simple yet expressive.
5.CONNECTIONS
The first connection book I found is also a cartoon format based on a 14-year-old Indian boy’s perspective. The book is a list on 2008 Books for Young Adults. The book portrayed that the Indian boy’s experiences when he transferred from the reservation school to the new rich, white school. The book is also based on a view of minority group and how hard would be to involve into the majority culture and group.
Alexie, Sherman. 2009. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. New York : Little, Brown. ISBN: 0316013692.
The second connection book I found portrayed a story about a five year old Chinese American girl who tried to learn about the place where she was born. The main protagonist has similar Asian culture background even though this book is for young readers. I believe it is good connection book for readers to explore a little Chinese history and culture by the simple picture book.
Lewis, Rose A. 2010. Orange Peel's pocket. New York : Abrams Books. ISBN: 081098394X.
Yang, Gene Luen. 2009. American Born Chinese. New York: Square Fish. ISBN: 9780312384487.
2.PLOT SUMMARY
American Born Chinese is made up of three individual plotlines: the determined efforts of the Chinese folk hero Monkey King to shed his humble roots and be revered as a god; the struggles faced by Jin Wang, a lonely Asian American middle school student who would do anything to fit in with his white classmates; and the sitcom plight of Danny, an All-American teen so shamed by his Chinese cousin Chin-Kee (a purposefully painful ethnic stereotype) that he is forced to change schools.
At first when one reads this book, one would think it is a three stories book. However, through all the wisely devised plots are woven together at the end. I think this is quite unique to have one story with three seemingly disconnected plots and tie them together at the end like a three strands rope. The story, thus, at the beginning was somewhat confusing to an older reader like me. Yet the story was written interestingly enough to keep me going until the end, and then, I saw the light. It was fun to read.
The story first plot started with the story of the Monkey King, one of the oldest and grestest Chinese fables possibly all Chinese knew. He was born to rule over all the monkeys of the world. The Monkey King had mastered many disciplines of kung fu which later on made him an even more skillful and stronger than all the other human masters. Yet, he was a monkey who could not fit in with those humans whom he could over rule. He did not want to be a monkey. He wanted to be something other than what he was born to be. He wanted to be a god.
The second plot, the key plot is a Chinese boy named Jin Wang who moved with his family to a new neighborhood and tried to fit in. He was put in a new school where he was the only Chinese student and one of the two Asian students in the school, one being a Japanese girl. Jin was bullied by white children from the start. He finally had a good Chinese friend when a new Chinese enrolled in the school. His new friend got him hook up with the all-American white girl whom he had been in love with.
The third plot, Danny, a seemingly normal American boy, was visited by his cousin Chin-Kee, an ultimate negative Chinese stereotype, who would visit him once every year. Chin-Kee’s visit had brought so much embarrassment and shame to Danny that he had to transfer to a new school every year without being able to be well established at a school though he was one of a great basketball player. But this year, in the story in the book, things turned from bad to worse.
At the end, all three stories merged into one. I cannot tell you how it happens for it is better for readers to read it by themselves.
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The analysis can be done using the main framework based on Characters, Plot, Settings, Theme and Style as follows.
Characters
The main characters of the three stories are Jin Wang, Danny and the Monkey King, all of whose were seeking to fit into or to be something they were not born to be.
Plot
The story has a complicated plot but appealing to young readers. It starts with the introduction of the main character of each sub-story and moves forward introducing readers to the events in their lives, the progresses, problems and the climax leading to the resolve of the single main character’s life.
It should be noted that some readers might find it confusing due to not having adequate Chinese cultural background. However, young adults who have been reading a lot of comic books and mangas will likely find it interesting because of the twists in the stories.
Settings
The story sets itself in two locations, a presumable legendary Chinese location and the United States of America, where there are so many multi-racial multicultural born Americans struggling to find and identify themselves while they grow up.
Theme
The central theme of the story is to be what you are and everyone is no less valuable than others, whatever one may look like or whatever background—ethnic or cultural—one would come from.
Style
The writing style is very interesting and fun, as well as funny. The language used is that of a realistic daily English pronounced by Chinese who have not mastered English pronunciation and grammar. Parts of the story also show some interesting cultural differences as well. Young readers may encounter some linguistic representations the white kids in the story use to mock the Chinese characters as well.
It should be noted that this book is not a straight contemporary realistic fiction alone. It is a combination of fantasy in combination with realistic fiction with a twist, which makes it very interesting.
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
A National Book Award finalist and ALA's Printz Award winner
The Library Journal reviewed that the art is simple, colorful, and both attractive and effective. Some potty humor; recommended for teen and adult collections.
The booklist reviewed that the stories have a simple, engaging sweep to them, but their weighty subjects — shame, racism, and friendship — receive thoughtful, powerful examination.
Publishers Weekly reviewed that this story is clear, concise lines and expert coloring are deceptively simple yet expressive.
5.CONNECTIONS
The first connection book I found is also a cartoon format based on a 14-year-old Indian boy’s perspective. The book is a list on 2008 Books for Young Adults. The book portrayed that the Indian boy’s experiences when he transferred from the reservation school to the new rich, white school. The book is also based on a view of minority group and how hard would be to involve into the majority culture and group.
Alexie, Sherman. 2009. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. New York : Little, Brown. ISBN: 0316013692.
The second connection book I found portrayed a story about a five year old Chinese American girl who tried to learn about the place where she was born. The main protagonist has similar Asian culture background even though this book is for young readers. I believe it is good connection book for readers to explore a little Chinese history and culture by the simple picture book.
Lewis, Rose A. 2010. Orange Peel's pocket. New York : Abrams Books. ISBN: 081098394X.
Contemporary Realistic Fiction Review: A Step from Heaven
1.BIBLIOGRAPHY
Na, An. 2001. A Step from Heaven. New York : Speak. ISBN 1886910588.
2.PLOT SUMMARY
A young Korean girl from a fishermen’s town migrated to the US with her family to find a better life. Life in America was a journey for her and dreamers’ family. Instead of ‘heaven’ they found life in America was not carpeted with the red-roses. From learning a new language to adjusting to the new society and internal family conflict to keep their identity to growing up and acculturation to the family breakup, they had endured for a victorious life.
The story is told in the tones of a little girl’s memoirs manner with a resonating voice in the beginning to a more mature young lady’s narrative of her life perspectives at the end. There are linguistic and cultural exposures a reader can learn from both the narrator’s ethnic and new world’s sides. It is a captivating story readers of all grades should enjoy.
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Using the standard analytical basis of characters, plot, setting, theme and style, I can present the analysis as follows.
Characters
The main character is Young Ju, the first-born child of the Park family. Young Ju is a dreamer and a thinker. She reflects on things talked and taught to her by her family. Young Ju has a strong character and is an independent thinker though she has to suppress her own thoughts most of the time due to her original Korean tradition.
Plot
The Park family moves from Korea to the US to find a new life, a step lower than heaven, for their child’s future. They dream high but the hardship in America tears their dreams almost into pieces. They have to struggle to survive. Finally Young Ju’s father left her family and went back to Korea, possibly with a new woman. Yet, Young Ju, her little brother and her mother kept on until they finally got their own house a short while before Young Ju leaves for a college where she gets a full scholarship.
Setting
The story starts out in a fisherman’s town in Korea and moves on to California, USA. The Park’s new life in America was first in a cousin’s house then they moved out to their own rented room in a run down neighborhood. At the end the story setting moves to a little home they bought which gives the similar feels to their original home in Korea.
Theme
The theme is simple: A family from Korea moves to the US to find a better life but instead of finding heaven on earth from the beginning, they have to fight through poverty, hardships and troubles until they find success and happiness at the end. The story shows how endurance and staying focus while not giving up yields a satisfactory result at the end.
Style
This contemporary realistic fiction’s written style was very resonating. The little girl Yong Ju voices and resonates what she things while she hears others talking all along the story. Each chapter is short and completes in itself. The language used is a progressive one from a little child’s expressions to a more mature young adult at the end. Readers will find many ‘foreign words’ and expressions from the beginning but reading along will help them decipher what those words, for example ‘Mi Gook’, means.
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Winner of the 2002 Michael L. Printz Award
From School Library Journal, Marton, Diane S. indicated that this book is a beautiful written, affecting work.
From the New York Times book review, the book was endowed with a haunting grace by the exquisite voice of a new young writer.
The Book Report reviewed that it was a powerful story of cultural clash.
5.CONNECTIONS
The two books I found are similar to A Step from Heaven. Three protagonists all immigrated from other countries to the U.S., and had a cross-culture perspective and have to face culture adaption and conflict.
The first connection book I found is also a young adult novel, a semiautobiographical chronicle describing a story based on a 14-year-old Indican boy’s perspective.
Alexie, Sherman. 2009. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. New York : Little, Brown. ISBN: 0316013692.
The second connection book I found also portrayed a story based on a twelve-year-old girl’s perspective. Anita de la Torre’s life and her family escaped from the Trujillo regime in the Dominican Republic when she was 10, but in Before We Were Free she imagines, through the stories of her cousins and friends, how it was for those who stayed behind.
Alvarez, Julia. 2004. Before We Were Free. New York : Laurel Leaf. ISBN: 9780440237846
Na, An. 2001. A Step from Heaven. New York : Speak. ISBN 1886910588.
2.PLOT SUMMARY
A young Korean girl from a fishermen’s town migrated to the US with her family to find a better life. Life in America was a journey for her and dreamers’ family. Instead of ‘heaven’ they found life in America was not carpeted with the red-roses. From learning a new language to adjusting to the new society and internal family conflict to keep their identity to growing up and acculturation to the family breakup, they had endured for a victorious life.
The story is told in the tones of a little girl’s memoirs manner with a resonating voice in the beginning to a more mature young lady’s narrative of her life perspectives at the end. There are linguistic and cultural exposures a reader can learn from both the narrator’s ethnic and new world’s sides. It is a captivating story readers of all grades should enjoy.
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Using the standard analytical basis of characters, plot, setting, theme and style, I can present the analysis as follows.
Characters
The main character is Young Ju, the first-born child of the Park family. Young Ju is a dreamer and a thinker. She reflects on things talked and taught to her by her family. Young Ju has a strong character and is an independent thinker though she has to suppress her own thoughts most of the time due to her original Korean tradition.
Plot
The Park family moves from Korea to the US to find a new life, a step lower than heaven, for their child’s future. They dream high but the hardship in America tears their dreams almost into pieces. They have to struggle to survive. Finally Young Ju’s father left her family and went back to Korea, possibly with a new woman. Yet, Young Ju, her little brother and her mother kept on until they finally got their own house a short while before Young Ju leaves for a college where she gets a full scholarship.
Setting
The story starts out in a fisherman’s town in Korea and moves on to California, USA. The Park’s new life in America was first in a cousin’s house then they moved out to their own rented room in a run down neighborhood. At the end the story setting moves to a little home they bought which gives the similar feels to their original home in Korea.
Theme
The theme is simple: A family from Korea moves to the US to find a better life but instead of finding heaven on earth from the beginning, they have to fight through poverty, hardships and troubles until they find success and happiness at the end. The story shows how endurance and staying focus while not giving up yields a satisfactory result at the end.
Style
This contemporary realistic fiction’s written style was very resonating. The little girl Yong Ju voices and resonates what she things while she hears others talking all along the story. Each chapter is short and completes in itself. The language used is a progressive one from a little child’s expressions to a more mature young adult at the end. Readers will find many ‘foreign words’ and expressions from the beginning but reading along will help them decipher what those words, for example ‘Mi Gook’, means.
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Winner of the 2002 Michael L. Printz Award
From School Library Journal, Marton, Diane S. indicated that this book is a beautiful written, affecting work.
From the New York Times book review, the book was endowed with a haunting grace by the exquisite voice of a new young writer.
The Book Report reviewed that it was a powerful story of cultural clash.
5.CONNECTIONS
The two books I found are similar to A Step from Heaven. Three protagonists all immigrated from other countries to the U.S., and had a cross-culture perspective and have to face culture adaption and conflict.
The first connection book I found is also a young adult novel, a semiautobiographical chronicle describing a story based on a 14-year-old Indican boy’s perspective.
Alexie, Sherman. 2009. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. New York : Little, Brown. ISBN: 0316013692.
The second connection book I found also portrayed a story based on a twelve-year-old girl’s perspective. Anita de la Torre’s life and her family escaped from the Trujillo regime in the Dominican Republic when she was 10, but in Before We Were Free she imagines, through the stories of her cousins and friends, how it was for those who stayed behind.
Alvarez, Julia. 2004. Before We Were Free. New York : Laurel Leaf. ISBN: 9780440237846
2011年4月21日 星期四
Historical Fiction Review: The Midwife's Apprentice
1.BIBLIOGRAPHY
Cushman, Karen. 1995. The midwife's apprentice. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN: 9780064406307
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In medieval England, a nameless, homeless and abused orphan girl called Brat and Dung Beetle who sleeps in dung heaps for warmth and eat whatever she can scavenge is taken in by a sharp-tempered midwife who finds potential of free labor and allows Beetle to work as her apprentice in exchange for food. In spite of obstacles and hardship, eventually gains the three things she most wants: a full belly, a contented heart, and a place in this world. While under the "employ" of the mean midwife, Beetle learns not only the art of midwifery, but also about herself, human nature, and the resilience of the human heart. Later on Birdy or Beetle is named Alyce.
Once Alyce faced an obstacle fearing she could not deliver the baby of the
Bailiff’s sister’s and ran away and found a job in a nearby inn. One day she over heard the midwife saying babies do not stop being born and a midwife cannot quit trying to help them into the world and went back begging the midwife to take her back as an apprentice. Though rejected, she persisted and vowed she would not quit again and was taken back by the midwife.
A small step at a time, Alyce knows she is not a bug but a person and works her way upward into being accepted and success.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The critical analysis would be presented base on characters, plot, setting, theme, as well as style.
Characters
Beetle is strong, young and courageous but does not have a confidence in herself. She is kind, gentle and persevering character. Later on she learns to believe in herself and becomes a successful midwife. Growing up unwanted most of her life has left a dent in her self-confidence. Learning to be persistent and never quit, Beetle, later on known as Alyce, finally finds success in life.
On the contrary, Jane, the midwife, is mean, sharp-tongued, and quick-tempered yet she is a hard working person who does not quit in her responsibility.
Plot
The plot is not presented by the overwhelming realistic events of the time period. The story just follows the story lines with the historical background of people, language and cultures in the settings. In the story, Cushman superbly depicts the midwifery in medieval England. The “Author’s Note” gives an accurate explanation on the occupation of the midwife at which time several women who practiced this used several potions, tricks, and even spells, as in the excerpt from the book below:
“In the afternoon Beetle left the village for the woods, where she gathered honey, trapped birds, and collected herbs, leeches, and spiders’ webs.”
As well, Cushman tells of the gritty ways that women experienced childbirth when dealing with a midwife like Jane Sharp,
“Then she slapped Emma’s great bulge of a belly, lifted her from behind her shoulders, and gave her a good shake.”
These little things help young readers to understand the real life pictures of those days quite well.
Setting
The story sets itself in the medieval England where it was dangerous, primitive and raucous. The advent of the midwifery also suits well in that era. The scenery, the inn and the way people and places are described yields the story as authentic.
Theme
The Midwife’s Apprentice is a children fantasy historical fiction. It is initially about a sad life young street urchin who does not have a name who is taken in by the local midwife to be trained as her midwifery apprentice. The theme of the story is Alyce’s journey of self discovery to develop her self confidence, which helps bring her to a better life. The book demonstrates the valuable lessons via Alyce’s life of never giving up. This is a timeless truth. Young readers can learn from Alyce’ example and try to endure to the end, so they can overcome obstacles and become successful as well.
Style
The writing style is fantasy with spare and straight-forwardness about the everyday vulgarities of life in the Middle Ages. Though it is a little dry and lacks the humor and spirit like some other stories, it is relevant to the theme of the writing. The language is fit for the era. For example, ‘… unless you be a priest..’ and ‘Good Miss, be you an angel or a saint?’
Additional Criteria
Though the book does not have any reference or footnote to authenticate the events, social or cultural settings, judging by the descriptions, the practices and the language use in the story, I believe the story as a fiction to be authentic.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Best Books for Young Adults, 1996
Children's Notable Books 1996
Newbery Medal Winners, 1996
Tayshas High School Reading List 1996-1997
Starred reviewed this book is a fascinating view of a far distant time.
5. CONNECTIONS
The first connection book is also a Newbery Honor Book from the same author. The historical fiction book described a 13th-century English girl’s perspective and experiences from an English nobleman family during medieval era around 1290.
Cushman, Karen. 1995. Catherine, called Birdy. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN: 0064405842
The other connection book is also a historical fiction based on the time before the Civil War. In 1859, twelve-year-old Clotee was a house slave; therefore she must hide that she could read and write. She was the main character to portray her experiences and concern freedom from her daily journal. I picked up this connection book because it portrays a lot of African American slavery history and some racism issue.
McKissack, Pat. 2002. A picture of freedom: the diary of Clotee, a slave girl. New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 0439381096
Cushman, Karen. 1995. The midwife's apprentice. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN: 9780064406307
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In medieval England, a nameless, homeless and abused orphan girl called Brat and Dung Beetle who sleeps in dung heaps for warmth and eat whatever she can scavenge is taken in by a sharp-tempered midwife who finds potential of free labor and allows Beetle to work as her apprentice in exchange for food. In spite of obstacles and hardship, eventually gains the three things she most wants: a full belly, a contented heart, and a place in this world. While under the "employ" of the mean midwife, Beetle learns not only the art of midwifery, but also about herself, human nature, and the resilience of the human heart. Later on Birdy or Beetle is named Alyce.
Once Alyce faced an obstacle fearing she could not deliver the baby of the
Bailiff’s sister’s and ran away and found a job in a nearby inn. One day she over heard the midwife saying babies do not stop being born and a midwife cannot quit trying to help them into the world and went back begging the midwife to take her back as an apprentice. Though rejected, she persisted and vowed she would not quit again and was taken back by the midwife.
A small step at a time, Alyce knows she is not a bug but a person and works her way upward into being accepted and success.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The critical analysis would be presented base on characters, plot, setting, theme, as well as style.
Characters
Beetle is strong, young and courageous but does not have a confidence in herself. She is kind, gentle and persevering character. Later on she learns to believe in herself and becomes a successful midwife. Growing up unwanted most of her life has left a dent in her self-confidence. Learning to be persistent and never quit, Beetle, later on known as Alyce, finally finds success in life.
On the contrary, Jane, the midwife, is mean, sharp-tongued, and quick-tempered yet she is a hard working person who does not quit in her responsibility.
Plot
The plot is not presented by the overwhelming realistic events of the time period. The story just follows the story lines with the historical background of people, language and cultures in the settings. In the story, Cushman superbly depicts the midwifery in medieval England. The “Author’s Note” gives an accurate explanation on the occupation of the midwife at which time several women who practiced this used several potions, tricks, and even spells, as in the excerpt from the book below:
“In the afternoon Beetle left the village for the woods, where she gathered honey, trapped birds, and collected herbs, leeches, and spiders’ webs.”
As well, Cushman tells of the gritty ways that women experienced childbirth when dealing with a midwife like Jane Sharp,
“Then she slapped Emma’s great bulge of a belly, lifted her from behind her shoulders, and gave her a good shake.”
These little things help young readers to understand the real life pictures of those days quite well.
Setting
The story sets itself in the medieval England where it was dangerous, primitive and raucous. The advent of the midwifery also suits well in that era. The scenery, the inn and the way people and places are described yields the story as authentic.
Theme
The Midwife’s Apprentice is a children fantasy historical fiction. It is initially about a sad life young street urchin who does not have a name who is taken in by the local midwife to be trained as her midwifery apprentice. The theme of the story is Alyce’s journey of self discovery to develop her self confidence, which helps bring her to a better life. The book demonstrates the valuable lessons via Alyce’s life of never giving up. This is a timeless truth. Young readers can learn from Alyce’ example and try to endure to the end, so they can overcome obstacles and become successful as well.
Style
The writing style is fantasy with spare and straight-forwardness about the everyday vulgarities of life in the Middle Ages. Though it is a little dry and lacks the humor and spirit like some other stories, it is relevant to the theme of the writing. The language is fit for the era. For example, ‘… unless you be a priest..’ and ‘Good Miss, be you an angel or a saint?’
Additional Criteria
Though the book does not have any reference or footnote to authenticate the events, social or cultural settings, judging by the descriptions, the practices and the language use in the story, I believe the story as a fiction to be authentic.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Best Books for Young Adults, 1996
Children's Notable Books 1996
Newbery Medal Winners, 1996
Tayshas High School Reading List 1996-1997
Starred reviewed this book is a fascinating view of a far distant time.
5. CONNECTIONS
The first connection book is also a Newbery Honor Book from the same author. The historical fiction book described a 13th-century English girl’s perspective and experiences from an English nobleman family during medieval era around 1290.
Cushman, Karen. 1995. Catherine, called Birdy. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN: 0064405842
The other connection book is also a historical fiction based on the time before the Civil War. In 1859, twelve-year-old Clotee was a house slave; therefore she must hide that she could read and write. She was the main character to portray her experiences and concern freedom from her daily journal. I picked up this connection book because it portrays a lot of African American slavery history and some racism issue.
McKissack, Pat. 2002. A picture of freedom: the diary of Clotee, a slave girl. New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 0439381096
Historical Fiction review: Hattie Big Sky
1.BIBLIOGRAPHY
Larson, Kirby. 2006. Hattie Big Sky. New York: Delacorte Press. ISBN: 0385903324
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In 1917, while America was in a full swing involvement in the World War I against Germany, an orphaned 16 years old girl who had been bouncing back and forth from one cousin to another was living with her uncle and aunt as a charity case in Arlington, Iowa, the last in the series, received a letter from her deceased unknown uncle in Montana that she was an heir to his 320 acre claim. In January 1918, after receiving the letter, she decided to move out of the suppressive aunt’s behavior and ventured to be on her own, a homesteader. The homestead life was not a grand one but it was adventurous. In a blistering cold she arrived Montana to find out she had less than a year to cultivate and prove the land to win the claim. Through the harsh times, a kind German family Mueller and a few other neighbors helped make her life bearable. The World War I sentiments did not make things easier for her. The local anti-German had caused a lot of troubles for her and her neighbors. Hattie proved herself to be more mature than she was thought to be and won not only the admiration but also the fight though she finally lost the battle due to the big hailstorm destroying her crops.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The critical analysis would be presented base on characters, plot, setting, theme, as well as style.
Characters
Hattie was the protagonist of the story. She was just a simple 16 year old girl who had to weather through a lot of hardship and sentiments just like any common people like anyone else. She lived a realistic life through events, hardships and times with endurance to the end. Though the story was written in 2010, the author has depicted Hattie in a very vivid picture of a person in 1900s especially in the attitudes, the language used. The terms ‘chomps,’ ‘beau’ and others though sounded funny to today’s ears were real to the time.
Kirby Lawson has created a wonderful character in Hattie. She was a tough girl who was willing to work to make it on her own. But, Hattie is more than just determination--she's also kind and compassionate without being silly or sentimental. In 1918 Montana, anti-German sentiment was strong, yet Hattie stood up to her wild Montana neighbors and supported her friend Karl Mueller when he was attacked, both physically and verbally, for being German-born. Additionally, Hattie's feelings for her school friend, Charlie, who was away at the front, and whom Hattie might have fallen in love with, are true to character as you may find it in the following paragraph:
"So maybe I did spend a night now and then dreaming silly girl dreams about him, even though everyone knew he was sweet on Mildred. My bounce-around life had taught me dreams were dangerous things--they look solid in your mind, but you just try to reach for them. It's like gathering clouds."
Plot
The historical plot was presented very clearly and accurately. The accuracy of the timing during which America was very sentimental against ‘Huns’ was correct for that time period. The advent of ‘new bicycle,’ ‘motorcycle’ and automobiles like the ‘Touring’ were also timely. The presentation of historical facts or information was not overwhelming because they came in bits and pieces through out the story. On the contrary, it helped young readers to remember those facts easily through the narration Hattie made. For example, when Jim rode the new bicycle into the haystack and when he celebrated the armistice by riding throughout the homestead areas on his motorcycle.
Setting
The setting was very explicit and with full authenticity. The story started in Arlington, Iowa and moved on to Montana area stating the names of towns and places like Wolf Point, Montana and Vida. At the end of the story, it mentioned the move of the Muellers to Seattle, a place in Washington State, where there were a lot of German populations in the country at that time.
Theme
The historical them, the wartime struggle, was a very notable one. The morals of the time of the writing were almost as real as those of today’s; the sentiment against Germans versus the sentiment against the Muslims who have been terrorizing many different parts of the world. Besides the wars outside of the US being so parallel, the internal war was also comparable. The war sentiment towards the ‘enemy within—the Germans ‘Huns’ in the US in 1917-1918 and the sentiment towards the Muslims in the US in the present years. The lingering of the ‘short wars’, which were supposed to be short but had become lengthy and costly ones was also parallel to each other.
Style
The story style was woven together interestingly. The story employed configurative narration style with a lot of creativity in it. In almost every chapter, there would be a letter or pieces of the letters to either Charlie or Uncle Holt with the message within related to the narration Hattie was telling in the story. The author, besides narration, used a lot of dialogs to make the story active and vivid and full of interactions. One thing to observe was the fact that the story telling style made readers full of anticipation though the guesses often time was wrong. For example, the story would be narrated about the mob and I would think there would be a hanging of a ‘Hun lover’. Yet, it turned out positive through some interventions. The language itself is easy and appropriate for children age 12 as the author stated to be the intended audience. Yet the story captures also adult readers. The sentences were short. The messages were precise. The style was according to the time of the story.
In summary, the story is authentic. This in a way is possibly comparable to reading Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little Home in the Prairie though it is shorter and completed in one book. The story and resources were well researched and can be authenticated. City names like Wolf Point and Vida are real cities in Montana. The authenticity of the war sentiments during the time of 1917-1918 is also true. The readers, through reading the fiction will learn appropriate amount of historical events and information from the story, though not overwhelming but enough to rouse readers’ interest.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Newbery Honor Books 2007
Best Books for Young Adults ; 2007.
Children's Notable Books ; 2007.
Starred Review ”writing in figurative language that draws on nature and domestic detail to infuse her story with the sounds, smells, and sights of the prairie, she creates a richly textured novel full of memorable characters.”
5. CONNECTIONS
The fences between us: the diary of Piper Davis is the first connection book I found with similar war event in the setting. The story was portrayed that a 13-year-old Japanese American girl named Piper Davis Seattle went through the hard time at school after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
Larson, Kirby. 2010. The fences between us: the diary of Piper Davis. New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 9780545224185
The other connection book I found is also a historical fiction book. The main character is similar to Hattie Brooks in Hattie Big Sky. The setting is around 20 century during the epidemic of 1918. Eleven-year-old Lydia Pierce and her fourteen-year-old brother are taken by their grieving uncle to be raised in the Shaker community at Sabbathday Lake after being orphaned. The story includes author's note about the Shakers.
Lowry, Lois. 2011. Like the willow tree: the diary of Lydia Amelia Pierce. New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 9780545144698
Larson, Kirby. 2006. Hattie Big Sky. New York: Delacorte Press. ISBN: 0385903324
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In 1917, while America was in a full swing involvement in the World War I against Germany, an orphaned 16 years old girl who had been bouncing back and forth from one cousin to another was living with her uncle and aunt as a charity case in Arlington, Iowa, the last in the series, received a letter from her deceased unknown uncle in Montana that she was an heir to his 320 acre claim. In January 1918, after receiving the letter, she decided to move out of the suppressive aunt’s behavior and ventured to be on her own, a homesteader. The homestead life was not a grand one but it was adventurous. In a blistering cold she arrived Montana to find out she had less than a year to cultivate and prove the land to win the claim. Through the harsh times, a kind German family Mueller and a few other neighbors helped make her life bearable. The World War I sentiments did not make things easier for her. The local anti-German had caused a lot of troubles for her and her neighbors. Hattie proved herself to be more mature than she was thought to be and won not only the admiration but also the fight though she finally lost the battle due to the big hailstorm destroying her crops.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The critical analysis would be presented base on characters, plot, setting, theme, as well as style.
Characters
Hattie was the protagonist of the story. She was just a simple 16 year old girl who had to weather through a lot of hardship and sentiments just like any common people like anyone else. She lived a realistic life through events, hardships and times with endurance to the end. Though the story was written in 2010, the author has depicted Hattie in a very vivid picture of a person in 1900s especially in the attitudes, the language used. The terms ‘chomps,’ ‘beau’ and others though sounded funny to today’s ears were real to the time.
Kirby Lawson has created a wonderful character in Hattie. She was a tough girl who was willing to work to make it on her own. But, Hattie is more than just determination--she's also kind and compassionate without being silly or sentimental. In 1918 Montana, anti-German sentiment was strong, yet Hattie stood up to her wild Montana neighbors and supported her friend Karl Mueller when he was attacked, both physically and verbally, for being German-born. Additionally, Hattie's feelings for her school friend, Charlie, who was away at the front, and whom Hattie might have fallen in love with, are true to character as you may find it in the following paragraph:
"So maybe I did spend a night now and then dreaming silly girl dreams about him, even though everyone knew he was sweet on Mildred. My bounce-around life had taught me dreams were dangerous things--they look solid in your mind, but you just try to reach for them. It's like gathering clouds."
Plot
The historical plot was presented very clearly and accurately. The accuracy of the timing during which America was very sentimental against ‘Huns’ was correct for that time period. The advent of ‘new bicycle,’ ‘motorcycle’ and automobiles like the ‘Touring’ were also timely. The presentation of historical facts or information was not overwhelming because they came in bits and pieces through out the story. On the contrary, it helped young readers to remember those facts easily through the narration Hattie made. For example, when Jim rode the new bicycle into the haystack and when he celebrated the armistice by riding throughout the homestead areas on his motorcycle.
Setting
The setting was very explicit and with full authenticity. The story started in Arlington, Iowa and moved on to Montana area stating the names of towns and places like Wolf Point, Montana and Vida. At the end of the story, it mentioned the move of the Muellers to Seattle, a place in Washington State, where there were a lot of German populations in the country at that time.
Theme
The historical them, the wartime struggle, was a very notable one. The morals of the time of the writing were almost as real as those of today’s; the sentiment against Germans versus the sentiment against the Muslims who have been terrorizing many different parts of the world. Besides the wars outside of the US being so parallel, the internal war was also comparable. The war sentiment towards the ‘enemy within—the Germans ‘Huns’ in the US in 1917-1918 and the sentiment towards the Muslims in the US in the present years. The lingering of the ‘short wars’, which were supposed to be short but had become lengthy and costly ones was also parallel to each other.
Style
The story style was woven together interestingly. The story employed configurative narration style with a lot of creativity in it. In almost every chapter, there would be a letter or pieces of the letters to either Charlie or Uncle Holt with the message within related to the narration Hattie was telling in the story. The author, besides narration, used a lot of dialogs to make the story active and vivid and full of interactions. One thing to observe was the fact that the story telling style made readers full of anticipation though the guesses often time was wrong. For example, the story would be narrated about the mob and I would think there would be a hanging of a ‘Hun lover’. Yet, it turned out positive through some interventions. The language itself is easy and appropriate for children age 12 as the author stated to be the intended audience. Yet the story captures also adult readers. The sentences were short. The messages were precise. The style was according to the time of the story.
In summary, the story is authentic. This in a way is possibly comparable to reading Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little Home in the Prairie though it is shorter and completed in one book. The story and resources were well researched and can be authenticated. City names like Wolf Point and Vida are real cities in Montana. The authenticity of the war sentiments during the time of 1917-1918 is also true. The readers, through reading the fiction will learn appropriate amount of historical events and information from the story, though not overwhelming but enough to rouse readers’ interest.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Newbery Honor Books 2007
Best Books for Young Adults ; 2007.
Children's Notable Books ; 2007.
Starred Review ”writing in figurative language that draws on nature and domestic detail to infuse her story with the sounds, smells, and sights of the prairie, she creates a richly textured novel full of memorable characters.”
5. CONNECTIONS
The fences between us: the diary of Piper Davis is the first connection book I found with similar war event in the setting. The story was portrayed that a 13-year-old Japanese American girl named Piper Davis Seattle went through the hard time at school after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
Larson, Kirby. 2010. The fences between us: the diary of Piper Davis. New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 9780545224185
The other connection book I found is also a historical fiction book. The main character is similar to Hattie Brooks in Hattie Big Sky. The setting is around 20 century during the epidemic of 1918. Eleven-year-old Lydia Pierce and her fourteen-year-old brother are taken by their grieving uncle to be raised in the Shaker community at Sabbathday Lake after being orphaned. The story includes author's note about the Shakers.
Lowry, Lois. 2011. Like the willow tree: the diary of Lydia Amelia Pierce. New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 9780545144698
Historical Fiction review: One crazy summer
1.BIBLIOGRAPHY
Williams-Garcia, Rita. 2010. One crazy summer. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN: 9780060760885
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Eleven-year-old Delphine has only a few fragmented memories of her mother, Cecile, who abandoned the family in Brooklyn after giving birth to her third daughter. In the summer of 1968, Delphine’s father decides that seeing Cecile is “something whose time had come,” so Delphine boards a plane with her sisters to Cecile’s home in Oakland, California. Upon their arrival, Delphine and her sisters found a cold welcome as they discovered that their mother, a dedicated poet and printer, is resentful of the intrusion of their visit. There were no Disneyland and movie stars. “No one told y’all to come out here,” Cecile says. “No one wants you out here making a mess, stopping my work.” Like the rest of her life, Cecile’s work is a mystery conducted behind the doors of the kitchen that she forbids her daughters to enter. For meals, Cecile sends the girls to a Chinese restaurant and later to the local, Black Panther–run community center, where Cecile is known as Sister Inzilla and where the girls begin to attend youth programs.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The book does not cite sources or recommend further reading. Yet, I believe the author has thoroughly done a research on the subject and presented a balanced fact and fiction though it may present a lot of stereotyping ideas children age younger then 8 or 9 may not be able to understand or differentiate. The critical analysis would be presented base on characters, plot, setting, theme, as well as style.
Characters
Delphine is presented as a regimented, responsible, mature, self-controlled, smart and strong-willed person. She is a caretaker and the protector of her young sisters. Though only eleven, she is the most responsible of her age. She knows how to act quiet and say the right words to avoid danger. Yet, she is only eleven. She fears standing up to her mother whom she is visiting for just 4 weeks. Each of the sisters emerges as a distinct, memorable character, whose hard-won, tenuous connections with their mother build to an aching, triumphant conclusion. She also displays some attitudes towards prejudice when she punches boys who tease her due to her sex, age and color.
This book is about experiences many of us share, for example, on the lighter side, taking airplane trips for the first time, being teased about some cherished possessions and feeling attracted to the opposite sex. One Crazy Summer has strong characters, attitude and humor, which all help create an enjoyable read. It also however reveals tough truths about racism
Plot
Though the story is in 1960s, today’s girl readers will be able to identify with Delphine and her sisters on several levels. They are confused, struggling and trying to survive and overcome. They live in the world of conflicts and abandonment. Through struggling and being a big sister, Delphine had to become a strong leader and supporter of her little sisters whom she has cared for since her mother left them. Her time and todays’ children’s time are not much different.
The story tells of an ethnic group’s life and social conflicts. It started with Delphine’s father seeing that it is time for his children who were abandoned by his wife, Cecile, to see meet up with their mother. He sent them, though being rejected my Big Mama, his mother, to see Cecile in Oakland, California. They arrived to find to be unwelcomed by their mother. They had to struggle to live. Their mother sent them to get their own meals and put them in the Black Panther training camp. Through the training, they learned new attitudes towards the society. They had new experiences seeing those social struggles in the people of color’s minds especially when Bobby, a Black Panther member who hid away from the police was shot dead in their house.
The plot is a little strong for children who may not have paid attention to social changes and development.
Setting
The time of the setting is in 1960s (1968 to be exact) during the African-American social revolution. There are two sides of the African American’s social differences to be compared. One is of those of Delphine’s grandmother and the other of those her grandmother calls ‘no good’ blacks of her mother and the Black Panther. Being in Manhattan, New York, seems to be different from in Oakland, California. On venturing to Oakland, the girls had seen hippies and have experienced the social uprising of the Black Panther. The author has presented an authentic and a realistic setting in this story through time, events and location for things really happening in the history. Manhattan and the Bronx are there. Alabama (where there were a lot of black people) where grandma came from was mentioned. Hippies and Black Panther social revolution mentioned were real in the 60’s, especially in San Francisco.
Theme
The book centers its theme on the Black Panther movement through the story of three little girls’ summer camp provided by the Black Panther in Oakland. It processes by depicting a clear picture of social differences between blacks and whites. It moves from the three girls being at the airport where their grandmother is trying to talk to the ‘Negro’ stylish lady through her own social class but was politely ignored by the lady’s gentle smile. It further goes on into the story of the girls travel on the airplane until their being among their mother’s social circle, the Black Panther. There, the girls learn to live among people of different attitudes, purposes and activities. They also learn to survive. Until today, this social struggle still holds true. Children and readers of this era can find the parallelism between the historical truth of the 60s and the present day’s.
Style
In the narrative, the tones of the story are quite strong and captivating. The language use of the black people is also used to make it realistic from the beginning. One can tell it when they call themselves ‘Sister Mukumbu’ and ‘Sister Delphine’ what social group the characters are from, for example. Their language use is captivating. They are ‘interactive and terse.’ They are dialoguing and not monologous or monotonous. The conversations are crisp inviting readers to follow on. As well, the attitudes, personal and socially, are portrayed clearly in the characters throughout the events of the story. They author has beautifully brought together the reality of social group, language, attitudes, struggles and historical revolution in one place. One intriguing thing is the mentioning of the historical moments challenging readers to find out more. For example, when she mentions the Party without overexplaining. What is COINTELPRO? Who si Li’l Bobby Hutton? What happened the night he died? Who is Edridge Cleaver? Why do they call the cops “pigs’? and some others. Those are history in themselves.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction (Awards)
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winners 2011
Newbery Honor Books , 2011
From the Amazon.com, Teri Markson reviewed that this book had memorable characters (all three girls have engaging, strong voices) and a powerful story, this is a book well worth reading and rereading.
5. CONNECTIONS
Like Sisters on the Homefront is the first connection book I have found from the same Coretta Scott King Author, Rita Williams-Garcia. The main character named Gayle Whitaker, a fourteen-year-old girl, was sent by her mother to stay with her Aunt and Uncle when she got a trouble. It is also portrait of contemporary black culture and the changing life experience from one place to the other place.
Williams-Garcia, Rita. 1998. Like Sisters on the Homefront. New York : Puffin. ISBN: 0140385614
The second connection book I found is the typical historical fiction. Myers created a setting and character in World War II. This book is a Printz winner of a book. The story describes that a seventeen-year-old soldier from central Virginia recorded his battle experiences during the war.
Myers, Walter Dean. 1999. The Journal of Scott Pendleton Collins: A World War II Soldier. New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 0439050138
Williams-Garcia, Rita. 2010. One crazy summer. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN: 9780060760885
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Eleven-year-old Delphine has only a few fragmented memories of her mother, Cecile, who abandoned the family in Brooklyn after giving birth to her third daughter. In the summer of 1968, Delphine’s father decides that seeing Cecile is “something whose time had come,” so Delphine boards a plane with her sisters to Cecile’s home in Oakland, California. Upon their arrival, Delphine and her sisters found a cold welcome as they discovered that their mother, a dedicated poet and printer, is resentful of the intrusion of their visit. There were no Disneyland and movie stars. “No one told y’all to come out here,” Cecile says. “No one wants you out here making a mess, stopping my work.” Like the rest of her life, Cecile’s work is a mystery conducted behind the doors of the kitchen that she forbids her daughters to enter. For meals, Cecile sends the girls to a Chinese restaurant and later to the local, Black Panther–run community center, where Cecile is known as Sister Inzilla and where the girls begin to attend youth programs.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The book does not cite sources or recommend further reading. Yet, I believe the author has thoroughly done a research on the subject and presented a balanced fact and fiction though it may present a lot of stereotyping ideas children age younger then 8 or 9 may not be able to understand or differentiate. The critical analysis would be presented base on characters, plot, setting, theme, as well as style.
Characters
Delphine is presented as a regimented, responsible, mature, self-controlled, smart and strong-willed person. She is a caretaker and the protector of her young sisters. Though only eleven, she is the most responsible of her age. She knows how to act quiet and say the right words to avoid danger. Yet, she is only eleven. She fears standing up to her mother whom she is visiting for just 4 weeks. Each of the sisters emerges as a distinct, memorable character, whose hard-won, tenuous connections with their mother build to an aching, triumphant conclusion. She also displays some attitudes towards prejudice when she punches boys who tease her due to her sex, age and color.
This book is about experiences many of us share, for example, on the lighter side, taking airplane trips for the first time, being teased about some cherished possessions and feeling attracted to the opposite sex. One Crazy Summer has strong characters, attitude and humor, which all help create an enjoyable read. It also however reveals tough truths about racism
Plot
Though the story is in 1960s, today’s girl readers will be able to identify with Delphine and her sisters on several levels. They are confused, struggling and trying to survive and overcome. They live in the world of conflicts and abandonment. Through struggling and being a big sister, Delphine had to become a strong leader and supporter of her little sisters whom she has cared for since her mother left them. Her time and todays’ children’s time are not much different.
The story tells of an ethnic group’s life and social conflicts. It started with Delphine’s father seeing that it is time for his children who were abandoned by his wife, Cecile, to see meet up with their mother. He sent them, though being rejected my Big Mama, his mother, to see Cecile in Oakland, California. They arrived to find to be unwelcomed by their mother. They had to struggle to live. Their mother sent them to get their own meals and put them in the Black Panther training camp. Through the training, they learned new attitudes towards the society. They had new experiences seeing those social struggles in the people of color’s minds especially when Bobby, a Black Panther member who hid away from the police was shot dead in their house.
The plot is a little strong for children who may not have paid attention to social changes and development.
Setting
The time of the setting is in 1960s (1968 to be exact) during the African-American social revolution. There are two sides of the African American’s social differences to be compared. One is of those of Delphine’s grandmother and the other of those her grandmother calls ‘no good’ blacks of her mother and the Black Panther. Being in Manhattan, New York, seems to be different from in Oakland, California. On venturing to Oakland, the girls had seen hippies and have experienced the social uprising of the Black Panther. The author has presented an authentic and a realistic setting in this story through time, events and location for things really happening in the history. Manhattan and the Bronx are there. Alabama (where there were a lot of black people) where grandma came from was mentioned. Hippies and Black Panther social revolution mentioned were real in the 60’s, especially in San Francisco.
Theme
The book centers its theme on the Black Panther movement through the story of three little girls’ summer camp provided by the Black Panther in Oakland. It processes by depicting a clear picture of social differences between blacks and whites. It moves from the three girls being at the airport where their grandmother is trying to talk to the ‘Negro’ stylish lady through her own social class but was politely ignored by the lady’s gentle smile. It further goes on into the story of the girls travel on the airplane until their being among their mother’s social circle, the Black Panther. There, the girls learn to live among people of different attitudes, purposes and activities. They also learn to survive. Until today, this social struggle still holds true. Children and readers of this era can find the parallelism between the historical truth of the 60s and the present day’s.
Style
In the narrative, the tones of the story are quite strong and captivating. The language use of the black people is also used to make it realistic from the beginning. One can tell it when they call themselves ‘Sister Mukumbu’ and ‘Sister Delphine’ what social group the characters are from, for example. Their language use is captivating. They are ‘interactive and terse.’ They are dialoguing and not monologous or monotonous. The conversations are crisp inviting readers to follow on. As well, the attitudes, personal and socially, are portrayed clearly in the characters throughout the events of the story. They author has beautifully brought together the reality of social group, language, attitudes, struggles and historical revolution in one place. One intriguing thing is the mentioning of the historical moments challenging readers to find out more. For example, when she mentions the Party without overexplaining. What is COINTELPRO? Who si Li’l Bobby Hutton? What happened the night he died? Who is Edridge Cleaver? Why do they call the cops “pigs’? and some others. Those are history in themselves.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction (Awards)
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winners 2011
Newbery Honor Books , 2011
From the Amazon.com, Teri Markson reviewed that this book had memorable characters (all three girls have engaging, strong voices) and a powerful story, this is a book well worth reading and rereading.
5. CONNECTIONS
Like Sisters on the Homefront is the first connection book I have found from the same Coretta Scott King Author, Rita Williams-Garcia. The main character named Gayle Whitaker, a fourteen-year-old girl, was sent by her mother to stay with her Aunt and Uncle when she got a trouble. It is also portrait of contemporary black culture and the changing life experience from one place to the other place.
Williams-Garcia, Rita. 1998. Like Sisters on the Homefront. New York : Puffin. ISBN: 0140385614
The second connection book I found is the typical historical fiction. Myers created a setting and character in World War II. This book is a Printz winner of a book. The story describes that a seventeen-year-old soldier from central Virginia recorded his battle experiences during the war.
Myers, Walter Dean. 1999. The Journal of Scott Pendleton Collins: A World War II Soldier. New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 0439050138
2011年4月6日 星期三
Genre 4 nonfiction: The Extraordinary Mark Twain
1.BIBLIOGRAPHY
Kerley, Barbara. 2010. The Extraordinary Mark Twain. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0545125081
2.PLOT SUMMARY
Thirteen-year-old Susy Clemens wants the world to know that her papa, Mark Twain, is more than just a humorist and sets out to chronicle a comprehensive biography of the American icon. From the book you can conclude either Twain was the best father ever lived or he was simply favored by his era, or perhaps a bit of both. The book starts with one of those tidbits writers sometimes stumble across. Kerley uses Susy’s text from a notebook filled with the neat cursive of the day to construct the dual biography, the story of Twain and the story of Susy telling about Twain. Every few pages, Kerley includes sample journal or minibooks stapled (and glued) to the spine of the book. The books, though short, tells of Twain’s life sketch from being the boy who became an artist, a steamboat pilot, until becoming a famous author. The story covers not only Twain’s life as an author but also as a family man with ordinary human life of perfection and flaws.
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This is one of the best brief biography picture books I have read. The illustration is full of colors and humors. The story is based on the first point of view to portrait what Susy’s father, Mark Twain. The critical analysis would based on the four perspectives, including accuracy, organization, design, as well as style.
Accuracy
Barbara Kerley is the award-winning author of several picture books, a Caldecott Honor and an ALA Notable Book, and Walt Whitman: Words for America, a Sibert Honor Book. The books was presented as Susy’s own words journal therefore it can be counted as accurate from a 13 year old daughter’s eyes in 1885. The illustration actually was taken from the book by Susy and was translated into the illustration book concept by Kerley. Though the book is short, it is precise and covers a lot of ground as Mark Twain’s biography. Being a first hand biography by Twain’s own young daughter, it is quite a different kind of biography one usually reads in general. Illustrations are funny and realistic, not counting Susy’s own language errors, which otherwise makes it authentic. At the end of the book, the author has a lot of references on her sources of information, which will be a good example for readers to know that each quote comes from some referenced sources.
Organization
The layout is logical. It starts off with a rationale telling why Susy writes the journal about her father, “People probably thought they were Mark Twain experts. But they were wrong…” She wanted people to know her papa as who he was, not only a humorist in other people’s eyes but also a philosopher. The story moves along in a clear sequence of an ordinary daily life and routines with Susy’s observation. She notes not only her father’s work, personality and habits but also his relationship with his family and other people. There are also some funny parts like Twain’s forgetfulness of his own writing when he was enjoying reading one of his own books not knowing it was his own. The story is not complex and though it does not have subheadings or table of content or index, the small leaflets themselves are presented as sections each in themselves. At the end, Kerley even adds a page of guidelines to help children learn to write their own biography as well. It is a good surplus to help children kick start their interest and have a way to try it out.
Design
The book design is very attractive and inviting though it may be a little difficult for young children to ready due to its older linguistic style as well as grammatical and spelling errors (or differences.) It is designed in a journal entry format with a single sheet folded into simple leaflets pasted on one of the pages each time a page is turned. It is a cute and interesting idea. It makes readers excited to find out what is hidden behind those folded little pages. There are some readability problems from time to time, however, especially with the small fonts and the calligraphy type. Small children may find it difficult to read due to small print size and the font type. The illustrations, however, are very attractive and lively. They can make me smile. In each illustration, which has been placed appropriately, there will be a short explanation of what is going on in the pages. Coupling with Susy’s jounal, those text descriptions make perfect senses of what is going on. I consider the design effective and it communicates the subject matter very clearly. There is one observation I should make though. The journal in the leaflets at times may be too long for young children’s attention span.
Style
The illustrations and writing style is clear, lively and very interesting. It reveals the author’s passion and enthusiasm very clearly. The style and design encourage readers’ curiosity and make them wonder what will happen next. The vocabulary in the illustrative texts themselves are appropriate though those in the ‘journal’ at times are a little archaic according to the time it is supposed to be written, A.D. 1885. As earlier mentioned, there might be a little too many words in some of the journal leaflets for young children to keep their attention going on, especially when the fonts are quite small. For children of older ages and higher grades, that may not be a problem.
In summary, the book hardly is hardly the first book to spotlight Twain, though it may be one the first picture books about his life, it is a good supplement to help young and old readers understand the life of Mark Twain from the insider’s (and family member’s) perspectives.
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
A Junior Library Guild selection
Kirkus in School Library Journal says, “Kerley's conversational, quotation-rich narration effectively complements Susy's insights, and the result is an affectionate portrait of Twain as writer and family man… A heartwarming tribute to both the writing life in general and the well-loved humorist-oops, sorry Susy… "Pholosopher!"
Publisher Weekly comments, "extraordinary biography" complete this accessible and inventive vision of an American legend.”
5.CONNECTIONS
The following are the three connection books you may find interesting.
The first one is another biographies book about Mark Twain.
Fleischman, Sid. 2008. The trouble begins at 8: a life of Mark Twain in the wild, wild West. New York: Greenwillow Books. ISBN: 0061344311
The second is a brief biography picture book with simple text by Barbara Kerley.
Kerley, Barbara. 2008. What to do about Alice? How Alice Roosevelt broke the rules, charmed the world, and drove her father Teddy crazy. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN: 0439922313
The third book is also another picture biography book for young readers about George Washington.
Giblin, James. 1998. George Washington: A Picture Book Biography. Illustration by Michael Dooling. New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 0590481010
Kerley, Barbara. 2010. The Extraordinary Mark Twain. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0545125081
2.PLOT SUMMARY
Thirteen-year-old Susy Clemens wants the world to know that her papa, Mark Twain, is more than just a humorist and sets out to chronicle a comprehensive biography of the American icon. From the book you can conclude either Twain was the best father ever lived or he was simply favored by his era, or perhaps a bit of both. The book starts with one of those tidbits writers sometimes stumble across. Kerley uses Susy’s text from a notebook filled with the neat cursive of the day to construct the dual biography, the story of Twain and the story of Susy telling about Twain. Every few pages, Kerley includes sample journal or minibooks stapled (and glued) to the spine of the book. The books, though short, tells of Twain’s life sketch from being the boy who became an artist, a steamboat pilot, until becoming a famous author. The story covers not only Twain’s life as an author but also as a family man with ordinary human life of perfection and flaws.
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This is one of the best brief biography picture books I have read. The illustration is full of colors and humors. The story is based on the first point of view to portrait what Susy’s father, Mark Twain. The critical analysis would based on the four perspectives, including accuracy, organization, design, as well as style.
Accuracy
Barbara Kerley is the award-winning author of several picture books, a Caldecott Honor and an ALA Notable Book, and Walt Whitman: Words for America, a Sibert Honor Book. The books was presented as Susy’s own words journal therefore it can be counted as accurate from a 13 year old daughter’s eyes in 1885. The illustration actually was taken from the book by Susy and was translated into the illustration book concept by Kerley. Though the book is short, it is precise and covers a lot of ground as Mark Twain’s biography. Being a first hand biography by Twain’s own young daughter, it is quite a different kind of biography one usually reads in general. Illustrations are funny and realistic, not counting Susy’s own language errors, which otherwise makes it authentic. At the end of the book, the author has a lot of references on her sources of information, which will be a good example for readers to know that each quote comes from some referenced sources.
Organization
The layout is logical. It starts off with a rationale telling why Susy writes the journal about her father, “People probably thought they were Mark Twain experts. But they were wrong…” She wanted people to know her papa as who he was, not only a humorist in other people’s eyes but also a philosopher. The story moves along in a clear sequence of an ordinary daily life and routines with Susy’s observation. She notes not only her father’s work, personality and habits but also his relationship with his family and other people. There are also some funny parts like Twain’s forgetfulness of his own writing when he was enjoying reading one of his own books not knowing it was his own. The story is not complex and though it does not have subheadings or table of content or index, the small leaflets themselves are presented as sections each in themselves. At the end, Kerley even adds a page of guidelines to help children learn to write their own biography as well. It is a good surplus to help children kick start their interest and have a way to try it out.
Design
The book design is very attractive and inviting though it may be a little difficult for young children to ready due to its older linguistic style as well as grammatical and spelling errors (or differences.) It is designed in a journal entry format with a single sheet folded into simple leaflets pasted on one of the pages each time a page is turned. It is a cute and interesting idea. It makes readers excited to find out what is hidden behind those folded little pages. There are some readability problems from time to time, however, especially with the small fonts and the calligraphy type. Small children may find it difficult to read due to small print size and the font type. The illustrations, however, are very attractive and lively. They can make me smile. In each illustration, which has been placed appropriately, there will be a short explanation of what is going on in the pages. Coupling with Susy’s jounal, those text descriptions make perfect senses of what is going on. I consider the design effective and it communicates the subject matter very clearly. There is one observation I should make though. The journal in the leaflets at times may be too long for young children’s attention span.
Style
The illustrations and writing style is clear, lively and very interesting. It reveals the author’s passion and enthusiasm very clearly. The style and design encourage readers’ curiosity and make them wonder what will happen next. The vocabulary in the illustrative texts themselves are appropriate though those in the ‘journal’ at times are a little archaic according to the time it is supposed to be written, A.D. 1885. As earlier mentioned, there might be a little too many words in some of the journal leaflets for young children to keep their attention going on, especially when the fonts are quite small. For children of older ages and higher grades, that may not be a problem.
In summary, the book hardly is hardly the first book to spotlight Twain, though it may be one the first picture books about his life, it is a good supplement to help young and old readers understand the life of Mark Twain from the insider’s (and family member’s) perspectives.
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
A Junior Library Guild selection
Kirkus in School Library Journal says, “Kerley's conversational, quotation-rich narration effectively complements Susy's insights, and the result is an affectionate portrait of Twain as writer and family man… A heartwarming tribute to both the writing life in general and the well-loved humorist-oops, sorry Susy… "Pholosopher!"
Publisher Weekly comments, "extraordinary biography" complete this accessible and inventive vision of an American legend.”
5.CONNECTIONS
The following are the three connection books you may find interesting.
The first one is another biographies book about Mark Twain.
Fleischman, Sid. 2008. The trouble begins at 8: a life of Mark Twain in the wild, wild West. New York: Greenwillow Books. ISBN: 0061344311
The second is a brief biography picture book with simple text by Barbara Kerley.
Kerley, Barbara. 2008. What to do about Alice? How Alice Roosevelt broke the rules, charmed the world, and drove her father Teddy crazy. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN: 0439922313
The third book is also another picture biography book for young readers about George Washington.
Giblin, James. 1998. George Washington: A Picture Book Biography. Illustration by Michael Dooling. New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 0590481010
Genre 4 Nonfiction: Actual Size
1.BIBLIOGRAPHY
Jenkins, Steve. 2004. Actual Size. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN: 0547512910
2.PLOT SUMMARY
The book discusses and gives example of the actual sizes and weights of various kinds and parts of animals to help children perceive, realize, identify and compare the creatures’ sizes to their reality. The sizes range from ones very small such as the dwarf goby which is the smallest fish of all fish to ones very large so large as the giant octopus’ eyes and the great white shark. Though it is not truly systematic in the organization of sizes from smallest to large, the book was ordered generally in that direction.
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Steve Jenkins created a very inviting illustration book for children in this Actual Size. Each page presents a new animal or two for readers to find out. Additionally, there are facts and physical dimension comparison for each of the creatures at the actual scale. This helps children to be able to identify and compare the actual sizes of those animals to the reality of their perceptions. For example, the head size of the brown bear is even bigger than the children’s own heads. There were two fun foldouts showing the Goliath frog and the scary long teeth and mouth of the saltwater crocodile which the author dubbed as ‘a man eater.’ I also found much strength and a few considerations based on four perspectives: accuracy, organization, design, and style.
Accuracy
The author Steve Jenkins had been authoring and illustrating children’s books for more than a decade. In 1999, he was awarded the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Nonfiction, among many other awards for his children literature. He is also reputable on the topics of science as illustrated in his book Life on Earth: The Story of Evolution. It is logical to say Mr. Jenkins to be a qualified, credible and reputable author of children’s books. The only weak point I saw in this book is that it does not have citations or references to any sources he derived the information from and I am not certain that the information he has was his first hand knowledge. The facts he quoted then must be assumed correct on the basis of the author’s reputation and credential instead of referential resources. The illustrations, though may be assumable to be correct, the selection of parts of animals as the representation of their actual sizes can be confusing. For example, the showing of the great white shark’s teeth as the representation of its body size may not be imaginable for young children.
Organization
The layout seems logical, most of the time from smaller to larger sizes while at times the placing of smaller sizes to show size differences in between is also helpful though when one looks closely there does not really seem to be any logical sequence in the illustrations. However, in term of patterning from simplicity to complexity, the illustrations were done well. For example, at the beginning the author would show the whole creatures or the whole easily comprehensible body parts and at the end moved towards showing only parts of the body while explaining in texts referring to the whole body of the creatures. This may help children to use imagination though it might not be accurate. The book does not contain any subheading or any index or table of content.
Design
The design is quite attractive and natural. It complements the illustrations with the texts with the highlights and boldfaced animal names. Though there is name highlighting, at times it is unclear what the illustration is talking about especially when the illustrations are of some parts but the texts talk about the whole animals. The graphics are well sketched but colors seem monotonous. The author uses almost one color scheme for the whole book. In general the illustrations communicate the subject matter at an acceptable level. A very interesting design is the addition of some sticking flaps which can be opened up and the foldouts for the larger or longer animal parts help children to realize what the actual sizes of those animals and their parts are.
Style
The subject matter is interesting and the presentation is quite lively showing the author’s passion and enthusiasm. It also possibly can encourage curiosity and wonder among children who would like to find out further what the whole of the parts of the animals would be like. The vocabulary used was appropriate and not childish. There is also appropriate information for children to read and not get bored. One very good thing is the detail information about each animal and its whole body illustration, though not to the actual scale, was provided at the end of the book. Jenkins use some catching words to describe some animals which will help young children remember them clearly, for example, ‘man eater’ for the saltwater crocodile.
At the end of the book, Jenkins added pages with the detailed descriptions of each animal illustrated in the book. The whole body pictures of those animals help young children who are confused when they see only the parts of some animals to realize what the actual whole-body animals look like, though not at the actual sizes. It is a fun and interesting picture book even though there are a few considerations. It would be a good teaching supplement for science and math subjects for young children of possibly ages 4-5 years old. I would recommend teachers and adults to share with their children.
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
The Orbis Pictus honor books for 2005.
School Library Journal calls the book “an enticing way to introduce children to diversity in the natural world.”
Amie on betterbook.com reviewed that Actual Size would be a good supplemental book to amaze and entice their students or kids to think more deeply about the animals and the world around them.
From School Library Journal, Dona Ratterree, New York City Public Schools, states Jenkins 18 animals and insects Actual Sizes is “a thoroughly engaging read-aloud and a must-have for any collection.“
Amazaon.com Review by Paul Hughes calls it an inventive, involving picture book inviting young readers to see how they measure up against a variety of different animals.
5.CONNECTIONS
The first connection book I have found is Prehistoric Actural Size from the same author, Jenkins, Steve. It is also about the animal’s size.
Jenkins, Steve. 1952. Prehistoric actual size. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN:9780618535781
Another one created by Jenkins, Steve is about animal size. The author added more perspectives on the size, strength, and the speed of animals.
Jenkins, Steve. 1997. Biggest, Strongest, Fastest. New York : Sandpiper. ISBN: 0395861365
The other connection book is to see life-size photographs of various animals, with fold-out pages and charts of interesting facts.
Earhart, Kristin. 2010. More Life-Size Zoo: An All-New Actual-Size Animal Encyclopedia. New York : Seven Footer Press. ISBN: 1934734195
Jenkins, Steve. 2004. Actual Size. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN: 0547512910
2.PLOT SUMMARY
The book discusses and gives example of the actual sizes and weights of various kinds and parts of animals to help children perceive, realize, identify and compare the creatures’ sizes to their reality. The sizes range from ones very small such as the dwarf goby which is the smallest fish of all fish to ones very large so large as the giant octopus’ eyes and the great white shark. Though it is not truly systematic in the organization of sizes from smallest to large, the book was ordered generally in that direction.
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Steve Jenkins created a very inviting illustration book for children in this Actual Size. Each page presents a new animal or two for readers to find out. Additionally, there are facts and physical dimension comparison for each of the creatures at the actual scale. This helps children to be able to identify and compare the actual sizes of those animals to the reality of their perceptions. For example, the head size of the brown bear is even bigger than the children’s own heads. There were two fun foldouts showing the Goliath frog and the scary long teeth and mouth of the saltwater crocodile which the author dubbed as ‘a man eater.’ I also found much strength and a few considerations based on four perspectives: accuracy, organization, design, and style.
Accuracy
The author Steve Jenkins had been authoring and illustrating children’s books for more than a decade. In 1999, he was awarded the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Nonfiction, among many other awards for his children literature. He is also reputable on the topics of science as illustrated in his book Life on Earth: The Story of Evolution. It is logical to say Mr. Jenkins to be a qualified, credible and reputable author of children’s books. The only weak point I saw in this book is that it does not have citations or references to any sources he derived the information from and I am not certain that the information he has was his first hand knowledge. The facts he quoted then must be assumed correct on the basis of the author’s reputation and credential instead of referential resources. The illustrations, though may be assumable to be correct, the selection of parts of animals as the representation of their actual sizes can be confusing. For example, the showing of the great white shark’s teeth as the representation of its body size may not be imaginable for young children.
Organization
The layout seems logical, most of the time from smaller to larger sizes while at times the placing of smaller sizes to show size differences in between is also helpful though when one looks closely there does not really seem to be any logical sequence in the illustrations. However, in term of patterning from simplicity to complexity, the illustrations were done well. For example, at the beginning the author would show the whole creatures or the whole easily comprehensible body parts and at the end moved towards showing only parts of the body while explaining in texts referring to the whole body of the creatures. This may help children to use imagination though it might not be accurate. The book does not contain any subheading or any index or table of content.
Design
The design is quite attractive and natural. It complements the illustrations with the texts with the highlights and boldfaced animal names. Though there is name highlighting, at times it is unclear what the illustration is talking about especially when the illustrations are of some parts but the texts talk about the whole animals. The graphics are well sketched but colors seem monotonous. The author uses almost one color scheme for the whole book. In general the illustrations communicate the subject matter at an acceptable level. A very interesting design is the addition of some sticking flaps which can be opened up and the foldouts for the larger or longer animal parts help children to realize what the actual sizes of those animals and their parts are.
Style
The subject matter is interesting and the presentation is quite lively showing the author’s passion and enthusiasm. It also possibly can encourage curiosity and wonder among children who would like to find out further what the whole of the parts of the animals would be like. The vocabulary used was appropriate and not childish. There is also appropriate information for children to read and not get bored. One very good thing is the detail information about each animal and its whole body illustration, though not to the actual scale, was provided at the end of the book. Jenkins use some catching words to describe some animals which will help young children remember them clearly, for example, ‘man eater’ for the saltwater crocodile.
At the end of the book, Jenkins added pages with the detailed descriptions of each animal illustrated in the book. The whole body pictures of those animals help young children who are confused when they see only the parts of some animals to realize what the actual whole-body animals look like, though not at the actual sizes. It is a fun and interesting picture book even though there are a few considerations. It would be a good teaching supplement for science and math subjects for young children of possibly ages 4-5 years old. I would recommend teachers and adults to share with their children.
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
The Orbis Pictus honor books for 2005.
School Library Journal calls the book “an enticing way to introduce children to diversity in the natural world.”
Amie on betterbook.com reviewed that Actual Size would be a good supplemental book to amaze and entice their students or kids to think more deeply about the animals and the world around them.
From School Library Journal, Dona Ratterree, New York City Public Schools, states Jenkins 18 animals and insects Actual Sizes is “a thoroughly engaging read-aloud and a must-have for any collection.“
Amazaon.com Review by Paul Hughes calls it an inventive, involving picture book inviting young readers to see how they measure up against a variety of different animals.
5.CONNECTIONS
The first connection book I have found is Prehistoric Actural Size from the same author, Jenkins, Steve. It is also about the animal’s size.
Jenkins, Steve. 1952. Prehistoric actual size. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN:9780618535781
Another one created by Jenkins, Steve is about animal size. The author added more perspectives on the size, strength, and the speed of animals.
Jenkins, Steve. 1997. Biggest, Strongest, Fastest. New York : Sandpiper. ISBN: 0395861365
The other connection book is to see life-size photographs of various animals, with fold-out pages and charts of interesting facts.
Earhart, Kristin. 2010. More Life-Size Zoo: An All-New Actual-Size Animal Encyclopedia. New York : Seven Footer Press. ISBN: 1934734195
2011年4月4日 星期一
Genre 4 Nonfiction: ALMOST ASTRONAUTS
ALMOST ASTRONAUTS: 13 WOMEN WHO DARED TO DREAM
1.BIBLIOGRAPHY
Stone, Tanya Lee. 2009. ALMOST ASTRONAUTS: 13 WOMEN WHO DARED TO DREAM. Somerville, Mass.: Candlewick Press. ISBN 0763636118
2.PLOT SUMMARY
Jerrie Cobb was the first female pilot who completed the entire series of astronaut testing just like the Mercury seven men. The author portrayed the whole procedure with demonstration letters, pictures, and other background information. The author, Tanya Stone, also gave readers some detailed information about how females were allowed to fly military aircraft during World War II and how difficult the situations were that these female pilots had to face to be successful in the aviation field. Randolph Lovelace played an essential role to promote and support the advancement of women because he believed that women were as capable as men to serve in the space program. Even though he provided a large amount of testing results to Congress, they and NASA still would not allow the thirteen women into the space program. Congress thought that if they let women into the program, blacks and other minorities would be next. It took almost 20 years before the U.S. officially allowed women into the astronaut program. This amazing book reported all of the procedures and expressed how these women fought for their rights and fulfilled their dream of going into space.
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
As a female reader, I was so impressed and admired the thirteen pioneer female astronauts. I was not interested in space and aviation until I read this enlightening book about the struggles faced by these pioneer female astronauts. I still remembered how difficult it was for me when I took my TOEFL exam listening to the part about space and astronauts. This book makes me interested in aviation and the historical nonfiction genre. I found several strengths in the book based on the four perspectives of accuracy, organization, design, and style.
Accuracy
When I read this book, I recognized a conscientious qualitative research. The author utilized information and several sources to prove what she found as triangulation techniques in a qualitative research design. Different source information, such as illustrations, photographs, letters, and newspaper reports prove the accuracy of the information in the book. For instance, the author not only stated the situation of gender discrimination in the aviation field, she also provided several incidences from newspaper reports, a formal letter from from Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson about his opinion on women in the space program on page 64; the conversation between a reporter and Jerrie Cobb about the female role on page 20; as well as the speech by the president on page 8 about the goal of this decade to land a man on the moon and return him safely to earth. All of documents indicated that there was serious discrimination in society during that time and women were not allowed to do some of the jobs men did, especially in the aviation field.
Organization
The book followed a chronological order with a logical layout, so readers could easily read and follow. It provided a clear sequence on the procedures of astronaut testing with text and photographs. Even though I am not a major in atmospheric study, I gained a lot of knowledge and understanding about space and how an astronaut assessment took place. The author also noted some historical events based on the time in history. For example, she presented the poster the government created to encourage women to join the Women’s Army Corps in World War II. Later in the book, the author introduced Randolph Lovelace who was the visionary man behind the Woman in Space program, as well as Jerrie Cobb. Then the whole testing procedure was sequentially introduced with detailed photographs and explanations. The book kept moving through the historic period of the passing of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), so women would finally be able to become test pilots. In 1978, the first six women were admitted to the space program. The framework of the book presented the clear advancement that occurred in society for women astronauts in the U.S.
Design
The design of this book is attractive, inviting, and readable because Stone offered a great mix of illustrations and photographs for readers to better understand the complex events, including space astronaut testing. Stone told facts about women pilots' lives with lively photographs, and appalling examples of social and political discrimination. All of the graphics are clear and appropriately placed, especially the picture on page 38 which I love that presented Jerri Sloan greeting her young son. As a preschool teacher, I was so impressed with this picture. This picture represents that women were more than capable of playing the roles of mother and pilot.
Style
The book combined expressions, storylines, conversations, and poetry to introduce this historical event. On page 24, Stone provided a first person point of view about the isolation tank testing experiences. For example, “All you can hear is your heart beating, your breath as you inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale.” “It is peaceful, quiet, dark. You mind drifts…You are bored. It is too quiet.” By reading these expressions, readers are able to imagine the female astronaut’s real experiences in the tank. It is one of the most interesting books that I have ever read. I learned a lot of knowledge about how to be an astronaut. Furthermore, the historical events also encourage reader’s critical thinking about debate and argument over divisive issues. I have learned from Dr. Randolph Lovelace that he did not argue with society or NASA before he received the evidence from the test results of women astronauts. Sometimes people have to have the patience to wait for the evidence to prove what one believes when people want to persuade others to change their minds.
In summary, it is a well-designed, accurate, informative book. I really enjoyed reading Almost Astronauts. This book encourages young women to cherish what we have now because our equal rights came from these female pioneers. I would recommend this book to all young readers because it provides not only U.S. history, but a respect for both genders, and minority groups as well. It would be a good teaching supplement for a research project and a social progression study.
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
2010 SIBERT MEDAL Award Winner
YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Honor
Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor
NCTE Orbis Pictus Honor
Bank Street Flora Stieglitz Straus Award
An Outstanding Science Trade Book
CCBC Choices 2010
Kirkus Best YA Books of 2009
Notable Social Studies Trade Book
Chicago Best of the Best Books,
Smithsonian Magazine Best Books of 2009
Review in Kirkus:“fascinating, dramatic story…the author offers great insight into how deeply ingrained sexism was in American society…this empowering, impassioned story will leave readers inspired.”
On Amazon.com, John Peters from the School Library Journal wrote in his review that "this passionately written account of a classic but little-known challenge to established gender prejudices also introduces readers to a select group of courageous, independent women.”
Hazel Rochman on Amazon.com indicated that the factual information and full-page photos make for a fast read for young readers, and the crucial civil-rights history will stay with readers. The book possessed detailed chapter notes and a bibliography.
5.CONNECTIONS
The first connection book I found was Spectacular Women in Space. It is a collection of ten biographies featuring women who have made an essential contribution to space exploration.
Gueldenpfennig, Sonia. 2005. Spectacular Women in Space. Canada: Second Story Press. ISBN9781896764887
The second connection book I found was Amelia Earhart, a pictorial biography. Another book by author Tanya Lee Stone introduces the first female pilot who received the U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross Award.
Stone, Tanya Lee. 2007. Amelia Earhart. New York: DK Publishing. ISBN 0756625521
The final connection book I found was Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11. It is also a historic mission of space.
Floca, Brian. 2009. Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11. New York: Atheneum Books. ISBN 141695046X
1.BIBLIOGRAPHY
Stone, Tanya Lee. 2009. ALMOST ASTRONAUTS: 13 WOMEN WHO DARED TO DREAM. Somerville, Mass.: Candlewick Press. ISBN 0763636118
2.PLOT SUMMARY
Jerrie Cobb was the first female pilot who completed the entire series of astronaut testing just like the Mercury seven men. The author portrayed the whole procedure with demonstration letters, pictures, and other background information. The author, Tanya Stone, also gave readers some detailed information about how females were allowed to fly military aircraft during World War II and how difficult the situations were that these female pilots had to face to be successful in the aviation field. Randolph Lovelace played an essential role to promote and support the advancement of women because he believed that women were as capable as men to serve in the space program. Even though he provided a large amount of testing results to Congress, they and NASA still would not allow the thirteen women into the space program. Congress thought that if they let women into the program, blacks and other minorities would be next. It took almost 20 years before the U.S. officially allowed women into the astronaut program. This amazing book reported all of the procedures and expressed how these women fought for their rights and fulfilled their dream of going into space.
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
As a female reader, I was so impressed and admired the thirteen pioneer female astronauts. I was not interested in space and aviation until I read this enlightening book about the struggles faced by these pioneer female astronauts. I still remembered how difficult it was for me when I took my TOEFL exam listening to the part about space and astronauts. This book makes me interested in aviation and the historical nonfiction genre. I found several strengths in the book based on the four perspectives of accuracy, organization, design, and style.
Accuracy
When I read this book, I recognized a conscientious qualitative research. The author utilized information and several sources to prove what she found as triangulation techniques in a qualitative research design. Different source information, such as illustrations, photographs, letters, and newspaper reports prove the accuracy of the information in the book. For instance, the author not only stated the situation of gender discrimination in the aviation field, she also provided several incidences from newspaper reports, a formal letter from from Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson about his opinion on women in the space program on page 64; the conversation between a reporter and Jerrie Cobb about the female role on page 20; as well as the speech by the president on page 8 about the goal of this decade to land a man on the moon and return him safely to earth. All of documents indicated that there was serious discrimination in society during that time and women were not allowed to do some of the jobs men did, especially in the aviation field.
Organization
The book followed a chronological order with a logical layout, so readers could easily read and follow. It provided a clear sequence on the procedures of astronaut testing with text and photographs. Even though I am not a major in atmospheric study, I gained a lot of knowledge and understanding about space and how an astronaut assessment took place. The author also noted some historical events based on the time in history. For example, she presented the poster the government created to encourage women to join the Women’s Army Corps in World War II. Later in the book, the author introduced Randolph Lovelace who was the visionary man behind the Woman in Space program, as well as Jerrie Cobb. Then the whole testing procedure was sequentially introduced with detailed photographs and explanations. The book kept moving through the historic period of the passing of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), so women would finally be able to become test pilots. In 1978, the first six women were admitted to the space program. The framework of the book presented the clear advancement that occurred in society for women astronauts in the U.S.
Design
The design of this book is attractive, inviting, and readable because Stone offered a great mix of illustrations and photographs for readers to better understand the complex events, including space astronaut testing. Stone told facts about women pilots' lives with lively photographs, and appalling examples of social and political discrimination. All of the graphics are clear and appropriately placed, especially the picture on page 38 which I love that presented Jerri Sloan greeting her young son. As a preschool teacher, I was so impressed with this picture. This picture represents that women were more than capable of playing the roles of mother and pilot.
Style
The book combined expressions, storylines, conversations, and poetry to introduce this historical event. On page 24, Stone provided a first person point of view about the isolation tank testing experiences. For example, “All you can hear is your heart beating, your breath as you inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale.” “It is peaceful, quiet, dark. You mind drifts…You are bored. It is too quiet.” By reading these expressions, readers are able to imagine the female astronaut’s real experiences in the tank. It is one of the most interesting books that I have ever read. I learned a lot of knowledge about how to be an astronaut. Furthermore, the historical events also encourage reader’s critical thinking about debate and argument over divisive issues. I have learned from Dr. Randolph Lovelace that he did not argue with society or NASA before he received the evidence from the test results of women astronauts. Sometimes people have to have the patience to wait for the evidence to prove what one believes when people want to persuade others to change their minds.
In summary, it is a well-designed, accurate, informative book. I really enjoyed reading Almost Astronauts. This book encourages young women to cherish what we have now because our equal rights came from these female pioneers. I would recommend this book to all young readers because it provides not only U.S. history, but a respect for both genders, and minority groups as well. It would be a good teaching supplement for a research project and a social progression study.
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
2010 SIBERT MEDAL Award Winner
YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Honor
Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor
NCTE Orbis Pictus Honor
Bank Street Flora Stieglitz Straus Award
An Outstanding Science Trade Book
CCBC Choices 2010
Kirkus Best YA Books of 2009
Notable Social Studies Trade Book
Chicago Best of the Best Books,
Smithsonian Magazine Best Books of 2009
Review in Kirkus:“fascinating, dramatic story…the author offers great insight into how deeply ingrained sexism was in American society…this empowering, impassioned story will leave readers inspired.”
On Amazon.com, John Peters from the School Library Journal wrote in his review that "this passionately written account of a classic but little-known challenge to established gender prejudices also introduces readers to a select group of courageous, independent women.”
Hazel Rochman on Amazon.com indicated that the factual information and full-page photos make for a fast read for young readers, and the crucial civil-rights history will stay with readers. The book possessed detailed chapter notes and a bibliography.
5.CONNECTIONS
The first connection book I found was Spectacular Women in Space. It is a collection of ten biographies featuring women who have made an essential contribution to space exploration.
Gueldenpfennig, Sonia. 2005. Spectacular Women in Space. Canada: Second Story Press. ISBN9781896764887
The second connection book I found was Amelia Earhart, a pictorial biography. Another book by author Tanya Lee Stone introduces the first female pilot who received the U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross Award.
Stone, Tanya Lee. 2007. Amelia Earhart. New York: DK Publishing. ISBN 0756625521
The final connection book I found was Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11. It is also a historic mission of space.
Floca, Brian. 2009. Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11. New York: Atheneum Books. ISBN 141695046X
2011年3月23日 星期三
READERS GUIDE- Beast Feast: Poems and Paintings
Florian, Douglas. 1994. Beast Feast: Poems and Paintings. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace.
Recommended age levels 4-10
1. Summary of book
This is a brilliant, amusing, imaginative collection which has twenty-one original animal poems and paintings. The unique features of each creature were depicted in each poem. Each new creature was introduced and represented on two pages, which included one text poem, as well as one painting of the new creature. The creatures from the sea or ocean included the walrus, the barracuda, the lobster, the whale, and the toad. The birds included the pigeon, the kiwi and the rhea. The insects included the firefly, ants, the grasshopper and the caterpillar. Some mammals on the land included a camel, kangaroo, mole, anteater, bat and armadillo, and there was also one reptile, a boa.
2. Review excerpts/awards
*Harcourt Brace Children’s Books 1994.
*1995 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award,
*BEAST FEAST.
The School Library Journal issued the following review:“Each brief poem employs an Ogden Nashian twist of language… The book's design is as appealing as the verses themselves, pairing each selection with a full-page, splashy, bordered watercolor”
On Wordtrade.com, the author believed that the book is inventive and verbally playful while the colorful illustrations offer fanciful interpretations of the animals.
On AD author.com, M.J. Hollingshead wrote that Douglas Florian’s brilliant imaginative notions set down in individual rhymes coupled with an dependable flair for alliteration is highly engaging.
Publishers Weekly wrote that the book is a cheerful collection of brief, bouncy poems describing an eclectic roundup of animals. Each focusing on a single "beast," the entries range from snappy two-liners ("The rhea rheally isn't strange-- / It's just an ostrich, rhearranged") to relatively longer poems of cleverly rhymed couplets.
3. Questions to ask before reading
Invite the children to discuss the following:
*What do “beast” and “feast” mean for you? Do you know any synonyms that are similar to the two words? Look at the book’s cover and guess about the book’s content.
*Share your experiences with any creatures and what their characteristics are.
* How many animals have you seen? Could you share a story about your favorite animal and tell us what characteristics that animal has? Why do you love these animals?
* What is prose or poetry? Have you ever read any poetry about animals? What needs to be included in poetry?
4. Suggestions for reading poems aloud
*In the book, Beast Feast,-invite each child in the class to read a poem.
*Invite several volunteers to read one of their favorite poems in the book.
*Divide the class into three small groups, and each group takes turns reading couplets from each page as they go from group to group. One group can point to another child in one of the other groups to read next. Children could also change the order and beat and speed for fun when the teacher points to them to read or invite one leader to make the order or change the beat and speed of the poem.
*Sing the poem using a familiar melody instead of reading it. Each group member could sing two lines of the poem and the next member sings the next two lines, and so on. Then the next group does the same with the next poem or the groups could sing together in harmony.
5. Follow up activities (writing, art, science, etc.)
*Art activity
Teachers could invite children to draw their favorite creature in the book, as well as talk about the uniqueness of the creature and why they like it.
*Cooperative Initial Poem writing
Teachers could invite one or two children to share their favorite creature not mentioned in the book. Let them talk about their favorite animals and the characteristics these animals possess. Later, encourage other children to create one poem together for a favorite animal based on the characteristics they have discussed.
*Science observations and individual writing
Teachers could ask children to bring either pictures or a real pet to the class. Give them time to observe and discuss these animals. Then teachers could let students draw and write a small description of their favorite animal then share their drawings and stories with the class. Children could either work in pairs to create their poems or work alone to create their own poem.
6. Related web sites/blogs
* The author’s own blog is: http://floriancafe.blogspot.com/. This is where anyone can read the author’s introduction and book lists.
* Rainbows Bridge: http://rainbowsbridge.com/stories.htm. Look here for various Pet Poems and Stories which are posted by visitors to Rainbows Bridge.
*Joyce Sidman’s blog: http://www.joycesidman.com/. Look here for useful animal poetry information for teachers and young children.
*ETTC (Educational Technology Training Center): http://ettcweb.lr.k12.nj.us/forms/newpoem.htm. Look here for poetry introductions, poetry lesson plan ideas, guidelines and examples of various types of writing poetry.
*Kenn Nesbitt’s Poetry4 kids. com: http://www.poetry4kids.com/. Look here for many funny poems and poetry books, games, lessons, discussion forums, journals, rhyming dictionaries, and poetry podcasts for children.
7. Related books (poetry, nonfiction, fiction)
*Same author, but different poetry about animal
Florian, Douglas. 2005. Zoo's Who: Poems and Paintings. Orlando : Harcourt.
Florian, Douglas. 2001. Lizards, Frogs, and Polliwogs. San Diego, CA: Harcourt.
Florian, Douglas. 2002. Insectlopedia : Poems and Paintings. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace.
Florian, Douglas.2004. Mammalabilia. San Diego, Calif.: Harcourt.
Florian, Douglas. 2007. Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars: Space Poems and Paintings. Orlando : Harcourt.
*Different authors’ poetry about animals:
Harrison, Michael & Stuart-Clark, Christopher. 1997. The Oxford Book of Animal Poems. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Foster, John. 2007. My First Oxford Book of Poems. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Hughes, Langston. 1997. The Sweet and Sour Animal Book. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Recommended age levels 4-10
1. Summary of book
This is a brilliant, amusing, imaginative collection which has twenty-one original animal poems and paintings. The unique features of each creature were depicted in each poem. Each new creature was introduced and represented on two pages, which included one text poem, as well as one painting of the new creature. The creatures from the sea or ocean included the walrus, the barracuda, the lobster, the whale, and the toad. The birds included the pigeon, the kiwi and the rhea. The insects included the firefly, ants, the grasshopper and the caterpillar. Some mammals on the land included a camel, kangaroo, mole, anteater, bat and armadillo, and there was also one reptile, a boa.
2. Review excerpts/awards
*Harcourt Brace Children’s Books 1994.
*1995 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award,
*BEAST FEAST.
The School Library Journal issued the following review:“Each brief poem employs an Ogden Nashian twist of language… The book's design is as appealing as the verses themselves, pairing each selection with a full-page, splashy, bordered watercolor”
On Wordtrade.com, the author believed that the book is inventive and verbally playful while the colorful illustrations offer fanciful interpretations of the animals.
On AD author.com, M.J. Hollingshead wrote that Douglas Florian’s brilliant imaginative notions set down in individual rhymes coupled with an dependable flair for alliteration is highly engaging.
Publishers Weekly wrote that the book is a cheerful collection of brief, bouncy poems describing an eclectic roundup of animals. Each focusing on a single "beast," the entries range from snappy two-liners ("The rhea rheally isn't strange-- / It's just an ostrich, rhearranged") to relatively longer poems of cleverly rhymed couplets.
3. Questions to ask before reading
Invite the children to discuss the following:
*What do “beast” and “feast” mean for you? Do you know any synonyms that are similar to the two words? Look at the book’s cover and guess about the book’s content.
*Share your experiences with any creatures and what their characteristics are.
* How many animals have you seen? Could you share a story about your favorite animal and tell us what characteristics that animal has? Why do you love these animals?
* What is prose or poetry? Have you ever read any poetry about animals? What needs to be included in poetry?
4. Suggestions for reading poems aloud
*In the book, Beast Feast,-invite each child in the class to read a poem.
*Invite several volunteers to read one of their favorite poems in the book.
*Divide the class into three small groups, and each group takes turns reading couplets from each page as they go from group to group. One group can point to another child in one of the other groups to read next. Children could also change the order and beat and speed for fun when the teacher points to them to read or invite one leader to make the order or change the beat and speed of the poem.
*Sing the poem using a familiar melody instead of reading it. Each group member could sing two lines of the poem and the next member sings the next two lines, and so on. Then the next group does the same with the next poem or the groups could sing together in harmony.
5. Follow up activities (writing, art, science, etc.)
*Art activity
Teachers could invite children to draw their favorite creature in the book, as well as talk about the uniqueness of the creature and why they like it.
*Cooperative Initial Poem writing
Teachers could invite one or two children to share their favorite creature not mentioned in the book. Let them talk about their favorite animals and the characteristics these animals possess. Later, encourage other children to create one poem together for a favorite animal based on the characteristics they have discussed.
*Science observations and individual writing
Teachers could ask children to bring either pictures or a real pet to the class. Give them time to observe and discuss these animals. Then teachers could let students draw and write a small description of their favorite animal then share their drawings and stories with the class. Children could either work in pairs to create their poems or work alone to create their own poem.
6. Related web sites/blogs
* The author’s own blog is: http://floriancafe.blogspot.com/. This is where anyone can read the author’s introduction and book lists.
* Rainbows Bridge: http://rainbowsbridge.com/stories.htm. Look here for various Pet Poems and Stories which are posted by visitors to Rainbows Bridge.
*Joyce Sidman’s blog: http://www.joycesidman.com/. Look here for useful animal poetry information for teachers and young children.
*ETTC (Educational Technology Training Center): http://ettcweb.lr.k12.nj.us/forms/newpoem.htm. Look here for poetry introductions, poetry lesson plan ideas, guidelines and examples of various types of writing poetry.
*Kenn Nesbitt’s Poetry4 kids. com: http://www.poetry4kids.com/. Look here for many funny poems and poetry books, games, lessons, discussion forums, journals, rhyming dictionaries, and poetry podcasts for children.
7. Related books (poetry, nonfiction, fiction)
*Same author, but different poetry about animal
Florian, Douglas. 2005. Zoo's Who: Poems and Paintings. Orlando : Harcourt.
Florian, Douglas. 2001. Lizards, Frogs, and Polliwogs. San Diego, CA: Harcourt.
Florian, Douglas. 2002. Insectlopedia : Poems and Paintings. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace.
Florian, Douglas.2004. Mammalabilia. San Diego, Calif.: Harcourt.
Florian, Douglas. 2007. Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars: Space Poems and Paintings. Orlando : Harcourt.
*Different authors’ poetry about animals:
Harrison, Michael & Stuart-Clark, Christopher. 1997. The Oxford Book of Animal Poems. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Foster, John. 2007. My First Oxford Book of Poems. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Hughes, Langston. 1997. The Sweet and Sour Animal Book. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
2011年3月9日 星期三
Diamond Willow
1.BIBLIOGRAPHY
Frost, Helen. 2008. DIAMOND WILLOW. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 0374317763
2.PLOT SUMMARY
A 12 year-old-girl named Willow had a close dog friend named Roxy. Her father is a science teacher and her mother is of Athabasca descent. The spirits of their ancestors inhabit animals nearby them and protect them. One day she convinced her parents let her go with her dog to mush alone leading three dogs to her grandparents’ house. After a long time to consider the proposition, she started her exploration with three dogs. It was a good journey on the way to her grandparents’ house; however, after she went home, her father’s favorite dog, Roxy, accidentally hurt her eyes. She was so sorry for Roxy and did not know how to face her father with the bad news. She blamed herself and felt so guilty for Roxy. Her parents decided to euthanize Roxy because it cost a lot of money and they could not afford the treatment, besides it could not run and lead sleds again as a leading dog. After Willow heard the decision her parents made, she asked her best friend, Kaylie, if she could bring Roxy to her grandparents’ house for protection. Unfortunately, they encountered a terrible storm and got lost on the way to their destination. They shared a scary long, cold, dark, snowy night out of the house. After the long night, she discovered a family secret that she had a twin sister who died a few days after she was born. In the end, the magical things happened and things turned out much better.
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This is one of the best narrative verse novels that I have ever read. Honestly, I was not a fan of poetry and poems; however, I could not stop reading it until I finished because the book was so good. The plot of the verse novel made me fall in love with the story and create a strong version of each plot. The story is so powerful and magical. I could not imagine how much I would enjoy reading novels and poetry. I believe young adults and students will love this book the way that I did. I found several strengths in this book, including the story design, complex points of view, and emotional expressions, as well as one small weakness.
The fiction novel is very concise and well-designed. The story was told in diamond-shaped poems, with a hidden message for the reader printed at the center of each one. Readers can see the words in bold that conveys a secret message that the author gave to the readers of this great story. The special design matches the title of the book, Diamond Willow. Young readers will be attracted by the layout with the diamond designs. The arrangement of lines and verses gave readers a visually vivid mental picture of what a diamond willow would look like and what action could be taken through these images.
The story was narrated from different points of view, including Willow, her ancestors, and the animals. The book was most based on the twelve-year-old Willow's first-person point of view, so the story could convey more of her thoughts and feelings. For instance, on page 105, the bold message said that I (Willow) am actually enjoying this; on page 104, we dream the same dream together; on page 107, Roxy makes me laugh. All of these short messages expressed what she felt and thought. Furthermore, the author also employed some third-person points of view to present the perspective of her spirits and her ancestors themselves. For example, on page 17, from Willow’s great-great-grandfather (Red Fox) John, "Old time, they would not let a girl go off alone like that, and I have been watching him teach Willow how to run the dogs". On page 25, based on her great-great-great grandmother Jean's (Spruce Hen) speech, "But I have seen what is ahead, broken limbs are sticking out all over it. Willow won’t have time to stop her dog". Using these different voices with the special layout and line format, the author gave readers more hints to connect to a broader understanding. Before the accident, readers were alerted that something will happen later.
The emotional expression is so powerful and touches readers. The narration allows readers to strongly feel her love for her dog Roxy, as well as the situation she has been facing. When I read the book, I felt I was in her same shoes because the narrative words appeals to my emotional senses. For instance, on page 26, "I stumble; a branch jobs into my leg. Oww!", it is my own voice I hear, like the fault line of an earthquake, with everything breaking around it. Roxy sticks her face in the snow and the snow turns red. The plot expressed the accident and how hurt she felt. Even though the author did not mention that Roxy got hurt, the snow turning red gave readers a powerful imagery. I would say that the plot is very powerful with high emotional expression. Readers could absolutely feel when Willow began to panic. For example, on page 48, when she and her friend got lost; she said "I am not sure where we are. I don’t know which way to go from here. I taste panic rising in my throat. I swallow it. And then I a spruce then burst out in front of my face". I found the language so gorgeous and the noble expressions in the narrative poem provided a deep imaginative expression of feeling.
The felt that illustrations would have enhanced the story even more, so that is the one weakness I believe would have made the book even better. I enjoyed reading this book; however, I did not understand what a diamond willow stick was or what it looked like when I first read it, so illustrations would have made that clear. After searching on-line and reading further, I got more of an understanding about what the tree would look like. If the book provided some illustrations for young readers, especially those readers who do not have a large vocabulary, such as ESL students and young children, they may love this book and be willing to read it even more.
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
The book earned several honors and awards, including the 2009 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, the 2008 Mitten Award--Michigan Library Association, The Lion and the Unicorn Award for Excellence in North American Poetry: 2009 Honor Book, 2009 Winner of Best Books of Indiana, Children and Young Adult Book, and 2009 CCBC Choices List (Helen Frost, 2011).
On the Amazon’s website, Marilyn Taniguchi reviewed that Helen Frost’s poems offer thoughtful imagery and strong emotion. This elegant novel was a powerful drama with multifaceted characters (Amazon, 2011).
Hazel Rochman's review stated that Willow’s bond with Roxy is the heart of the tale, as well as the poems reflect how precious jewels of wisdom can grow around painful scars.
Marcia Calhoun Forecki wrote that Diamond Willow was such a beautiful book. She wanted to share the book with her ESL students (The reading Zone, 2011).
5.CONNECTIONS
I found another book that is also about love and a dog, entitled Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner. It is a relative book with a powerful and emotional ending. This book describes the special love for a dog, similar to the love Willow had for Roxy in DIAMOND WILLOW.
Gardiner, John Reynolds. 1992. Stone Fox. New York, Harper Collins. ISBN: 0064401324
References
Amazon. com., accessed March 7, 2011, http://www.amazon.com/Diamond-Willow-Frances-Foster-Books/dp/0374317763
Helen Frost blog, accessed March 7, 2011, http://www.helenfrost.net/item.php?postid=25
The reading Zone, assessed March 7, 2001
http://thereadingzone.wordpress.com/2008/12/23/diamond-willow-by-helen-frost/
The article was created on March. 7, 2011
Frost, Helen. 2008. DIAMOND WILLOW. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 0374317763
2.PLOT SUMMARY
A 12 year-old-girl named Willow had a close dog friend named Roxy. Her father is a science teacher and her mother is of Athabasca descent. The spirits of their ancestors inhabit animals nearby them and protect them. One day she convinced her parents let her go with her dog to mush alone leading three dogs to her grandparents’ house. After a long time to consider the proposition, she started her exploration with three dogs. It was a good journey on the way to her grandparents’ house; however, after she went home, her father’s favorite dog, Roxy, accidentally hurt her eyes. She was so sorry for Roxy and did not know how to face her father with the bad news. She blamed herself and felt so guilty for Roxy. Her parents decided to euthanize Roxy because it cost a lot of money and they could not afford the treatment, besides it could not run and lead sleds again as a leading dog. After Willow heard the decision her parents made, she asked her best friend, Kaylie, if she could bring Roxy to her grandparents’ house for protection. Unfortunately, they encountered a terrible storm and got lost on the way to their destination. They shared a scary long, cold, dark, snowy night out of the house. After the long night, she discovered a family secret that she had a twin sister who died a few days after she was born. In the end, the magical things happened and things turned out much better.
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This is one of the best narrative verse novels that I have ever read. Honestly, I was not a fan of poetry and poems; however, I could not stop reading it until I finished because the book was so good. The plot of the verse novel made me fall in love with the story and create a strong version of each plot. The story is so powerful and magical. I could not imagine how much I would enjoy reading novels and poetry. I believe young adults and students will love this book the way that I did. I found several strengths in this book, including the story design, complex points of view, and emotional expressions, as well as one small weakness.
The fiction novel is very concise and well-designed. The story was told in diamond-shaped poems, with a hidden message for the reader printed at the center of each one. Readers can see the words in bold that conveys a secret message that the author gave to the readers of this great story. The special design matches the title of the book, Diamond Willow. Young readers will be attracted by the layout with the diamond designs. The arrangement of lines and verses gave readers a visually vivid mental picture of what a diamond willow would look like and what action could be taken through these images.
The story was narrated from different points of view, including Willow, her ancestors, and the animals. The book was most based on the twelve-year-old Willow's first-person point of view, so the story could convey more of her thoughts and feelings. For instance, on page 105, the bold message said that I (Willow) am actually enjoying this; on page 104, we dream the same dream together; on page 107, Roxy makes me laugh. All of these short messages expressed what she felt and thought. Furthermore, the author also employed some third-person points of view to present the perspective of her spirits and her ancestors themselves. For example, on page 17, from Willow’s great-great-grandfather (Red Fox) John, "Old time, they would not let a girl go off alone like that, and I have been watching him teach Willow how to run the dogs". On page 25, based on her great-great-great grandmother Jean's (Spruce Hen) speech, "But I have seen what is ahead, broken limbs are sticking out all over it. Willow won’t have time to stop her dog". Using these different voices with the special layout and line format, the author gave readers more hints to connect to a broader understanding. Before the accident, readers were alerted that something will happen later.
The emotional expression is so powerful and touches readers. The narration allows readers to strongly feel her love for her dog Roxy, as well as the situation she has been facing. When I read the book, I felt I was in her same shoes because the narrative words appeals to my emotional senses. For instance, on page 26, "I stumble; a branch jobs into my leg. Oww!", it is my own voice I hear, like the fault line of an earthquake, with everything breaking around it. Roxy sticks her face in the snow and the snow turns red. The plot expressed the accident and how hurt she felt. Even though the author did not mention that Roxy got hurt, the snow turning red gave readers a powerful imagery. I would say that the plot is very powerful with high emotional expression. Readers could absolutely feel when Willow began to panic. For example, on page 48, when she and her friend got lost; she said "I am not sure where we are. I don’t know which way to go from here. I taste panic rising in my throat. I swallow it. And then I a spruce then burst out in front of my face". I found the language so gorgeous and the noble expressions in the narrative poem provided a deep imaginative expression of feeling.
The felt that illustrations would have enhanced the story even more, so that is the one weakness I believe would have made the book even better. I enjoyed reading this book; however, I did not understand what a diamond willow stick was or what it looked like when I first read it, so illustrations would have made that clear. After searching on-line and reading further, I got more of an understanding about what the tree would look like. If the book provided some illustrations for young readers, especially those readers who do not have a large vocabulary, such as ESL students and young children, they may love this book and be willing to read it even more.
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
The book earned several honors and awards, including the 2009 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, the 2008 Mitten Award--Michigan Library Association, The Lion and the Unicorn Award for Excellence in North American Poetry: 2009 Honor Book, 2009 Winner of Best Books of Indiana, Children and Young Adult Book, and 2009 CCBC Choices List (Helen Frost, 2011).
On the Amazon’s website, Marilyn Taniguchi reviewed that Helen Frost’s poems offer thoughtful imagery and strong emotion. This elegant novel was a powerful drama with multifaceted characters (Amazon, 2011).
Hazel Rochman's review stated that Willow’s bond with Roxy is the heart of the tale, as well as the poems reflect how precious jewels of wisdom can grow around painful scars.
Marcia Calhoun Forecki wrote that Diamond Willow was such a beautiful book. She wanted to share the book with her ESL students (The reading Zone, 2011).
5.CONNECTIONS
I found another book that is also about love and a dog, entitled Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner. It is a relative book with a powerful and emotional ending. This book describes the special love for a dog, similar to the love Willow had for Roxy in DIAMOND WILLOW.
Gardiner, John Reynolds. 1992. Stone Fox. New York, Harper Collins. ISBN: 0064401324
References
Amazon. com., accessed March 7, 2011, http://www.amazon.com/Diamond-Willow-Frances-Foster-Books/dp/0374317763
Helen Frost blog, accessed March 7, 2011, http://www.helenfrost.net/item.php?postid=25
The reading Zone, assessed March 7, 2001
http://thereadingzone.wordpress.com/2008/12/23/diamond-willow-by-helen-frost/
The article was created on March. 7, 2011
Red Sings from Treetops a year in colors
1.BIBLIOGRAPHY
Sidman, Joyce. 2009. Red Sings from Treetops a year in colors. Ill. by Pamela Zagarenski. New York: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN: 0547014945
2.PLOT SUMMARY
Poet and author Joyce Sidman portrayed four seasons with six or seven different poems using various colors, containing normal colors that people expect to see each season, such as yellow for spring, green for summer, brown for fall, white for winter, as well as some unexpected colors, such as blue in the springtime, gray for the summer night, purple for fall, and pink for winter. The poems made the four seasons come alive like a real person using different colors to express their characteristics. For example, in spring, red sings from treetops: Cheer-cheer-cheer, each note dropping like a cherry from the sound of a bird’s whistle. In spring, white sounds like storms (lightening). In summer, white clinks in drinks (ice) and yellow (the sun) melts everything. In the fall, yellow grows wheels and lumbers down the block (school bus). In the winter dawn, pink blooms powder-soft over pastel hills (the sun shining on the snow).
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This is a very creative and innovative poetry picture book describing colors and seasons. I could not imagine that seasons could combine all of these different colors revealing various magical senses through these colorful illustrations. When I read it, the magical power of tone and language in the book inspired me to read it over and over again. I really loved the paragraphs that show the unique, beautiful language the author uses to describe each season. For instance, “Where is blue? Humming, shimmering, snoozing in the lazy haze Dancing on water (waves) With yellow and Green In summer, Blue grows new names: Turquoise, azure, and cerulean”. Colors dances from spring to winter though the whole year. The author uses beautiful and powerful language and imagery; however, some of the language may be slightly advanced for young children. The poetry book possesses other strengths that make the book attractive to readers, including creativity, the rhythm of the poetry, personification, organization and arrangement, the unique usage of beautiful language, and the colorful illustrations.
First of all, poet Joyce Sidman employed her superior observational abilities to depict new perspectives of the four seasons. The four seasons merge with some common colors revealing a beautiful and imaginational view for people who appreciate the circle of life. The author used her unique play on words and language expression to convey a new image for readers. For example, on page 2, the author said that red sings from treetops: Cheer-cheer-cheer, each note dropping like a cherry into my ear. The red color symbolizes the bird whistling from the treetops. Another example on page 5, in spring, white sounds like storms: snapped twigs and bouncing hail, blink of lightning and rattling BOOM! Normally, people would not connect spring with the color white; however, the author offers a different perspective creating a new interpretation. By reading these descriptions of the seasons, readers can construct their own pictures that remind them of each season.
Personification is the other strength I found in the book. The author personified colors with human traits that acted like human beings or animals. All colors come to life and have unique characteristics in the book. For example, green is new in spring. Shy, purple hold hands, Green is queen; Black holds secrets in summer; in fall, green is tired, dusty, and crisp around the edges; in winter, red, orange, and yellow have all gone home. The author also implied metaphors comparing them with other images to express feeling and construct more imagination for readers to enjoy. For instance, yellow melts everything it touches… smells like butter, tastes like salt. White sounds like storms.
The organization and layout arrangement are other strengths I found. By reading through the whole book over and over again, readers would discover that the author put a lot of effort in the layout of the book though the organization and work design. In the beginning and end of book, the author utilizes the same descriptions that make the book complete. For example, in the opening part, Cheer-cheer-cheer, each note dropping like a cherry represented by the color red, and at the end thump-thump-thump is the red color of one’s heart. Furthermore, the author uses bold, colorful words, and shadow colors to emphasize the color more so that young readers can distinguish them easily.
Sometimes, the author applied a different layout format expressing the feature of the word. For example, “floats” was separated in different lines so that the word actually appears to float as shown below.
Ex.
F
lo
a
t
s,
Moreover, the repeating pattern is presented throughout the whole book. Readers can easily locate the same colors repeating over and over again in all of the seasons with different descriptions.
In summary, this is well-designed poetry picture book. Illustrations help the poetry come alive. However, I am concerned that the author’s play on words might confuse the very young reader and the book would probably be much more enjoyable for older children. As an adult reader, I felt I could really see and touch these colors via reading the poems. The lyrical lines evocative images were matched with illustrations expressing the beauty of the various colors of the four seasons. .
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
The book is a 2010 Caldecott Honor Book.
On the Amazon website, Kirkus reviews stated that it is charming inspiration to notice colors and the correlated emotions; and the Bulletin review expressed that this book has freshness and visual impact.
When I shared this book with my friend’s seven-year-old son, he loved it. He was so excited to show me that he could distinguish those colors from the book. He would yell out the colors, such as green, orange, and yellow when he saw them in the book. He also enjoyed the illustrations.
5.CONNECTIONS
I found another famous picture book about colors entitled, A Color of His Own. I love this book so much because the book not only talks about colors, but also indicates that people need to accept each other no matter what color they are. Even though this book did not mention seasons, it is a good relative book teachers could share with children.
Lionni, Leo. 2006. A Color of His Own. New York: Knopf Books. ISBN: 0375836977.
The other relative book I have found is SEASONS. The book mentioned the four seasons and provides rich colors and simple imagery together like the book Red Sings from Treetops a year in colors. The difference is the book also describes the activities that happen in each season.
Blexbolex. 2010. Seasons. New York: Enchanted Lion Books. ISBN: 1592700950
Another relative book entitled, Why Do Leaves Change Color? also talks about seasons and colors. It is a good supplement book for teachers. It would be a good science book for children after reading the Red Sings from Treetops a year in colors.
Maestro, Betsy. 1994. Why Do Leaves Change Color? New York, Collins. ISBN: 0064451267
References
Amazon. com., accessed March 8, 2011, http://www.amazon.com/Red-Sings-Treetops-Year-Colors/dp/0547014945
Amazon. com., accessed March 8, 2011, http://www.amazon.com/Color-His-Own-Leo-Lionni/dp/0679887857
Amazon. com., accessed March 8, 2011,
http://www.amazon.com/Seasons-Blexbolex/dp/1592700950/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=U
The article was created on March 8, 2011
Sidman, Joyce. 2009. Red Sings from Treetops a year in colors. Ill. by Pamela Zagarenski. New York: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN: 0547014945
2.PLOT SUMMARY
Poet and author Joyce Sidman portrayed four seasons with six or seven different poems using various colors, containing normal colors that people expect to see each season, such as yellow for spring, green for summer, brown for fall, white for winter, as well as some unexpected colors, such as blue in the springtime, gray for the summer night, purple for fall, and pink for winter. The poems made the four seasons come alive like a real person using different colors to express their characteristics. For example, in spring, red sings from treetops: Cheer-cheer-cheer, each note dropping like a cherry from the sound of a bird’s whistle. In spring, white sounds like storms (lightening). In summer, white clinks in drinks (ice) and yellow (the sun) melts everything. In the fall, yellow grows wheels and lumbers down the block (school bus). In the winter dawn, pink blooms powder-soft over pastel hills (the sun shining on the snow).
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This is a very creative and innovative poetry picture book describing colors and seasons. I could not imagine that seasons could combine all of these different colors revealing various magical senses through these colorful illustrations. When I read it, the magical power of tone and language in the book inspired me to read it over and over again. I really loved the paragraphs that show the unique, beautiful language the author uses to describe each season. For instance, “Where is blue? Humming, shimmering, snoozing in the lazy haze Dancing on water (waves) With yellow and Green In summer, Blue grows new names: Turquoise, azure, and cerulean”. Colors dances from spring to winter though the whole year. The author uses beautiful and powerful language and imagery; however, some of the language may be slightly advanced for young children. The poetry book possesses other strengths that make the book attractive to readers, including creativity, the rhythm of the poetry, personification, organization and arrangement, the unique usage of beautiful language, and the colorful illustrations.
First of all, poet Joyce Sidman employed her superior observational abilities to depict new perspectives of the four seasons. The four seasons merge with some common colors revealing a beautiful and imaginational view for people who appreciate the circle of life. The author used her unique play on words and language expression to convey a new image for readers. For example, on page 2, the author said that red sings from treetops: Cheer-cheer-cheer, each note dropping like a cherry into my ear. The red color symbolizes the bird whistling from the treetops. Another example on page 5, in spring, white sounds like storms: snapped twigs and bouncing hail, blink of lightning and rattling BOOM! Normally, people would not connect spring with the color white; however, the author offers a different perspective creating a new interpretation. By reading these descriptions of the seasons, readers can construct their own pictures that remind them of each season.
Personification is the other strength I found in the book. The author personified colors with human traits that acted like human beings or animals. All colors come to life and have unique characteristics in the book. For example, green is new in spring. Shy, purple hold hands, Green is queen; Black holds secrets in summer; in fall, green is tired, dusty, and crisp around the edges; in winter, red, orange, and yellow have all gone home. The author also implied metaphors comparing them with other images to express feeling and construct more imagination for readers to enjoy. For instance, yellow melts everything it touches… smells like butter, tastes like salt. White sounds like storms.
The organization and layout arrangement are other strengths I found. By reading through the whole book over and over again, readers would discover that the author put a lot of effort in the layout of the book though the organization and work design. In the beginning and end of book, the author utilizes the same descriptions that make the book complete. For example, in the opening part, Cheer-cheer-cheer, each note dropping like a cherry represented by the color red, and at the end thump-thump-thump is the red color of one’s heart. Furthermore, the author uses bold, colorful words, and shadow colors to emphasize the color more so that young readers can distinguish them easily.
Sometimes, the author applied a different layout format expressing the feature of the word. For example, “floats” was separated in different lines so that the word actually appears to float as shown below.
Ex.
F
lo
a
t
s,
Moreover, the repeating pattern is presented throughout the whole book. Readers can easily locate the same colors repeating over and over again in all of the seasons with different descriptions.
In summary, this is well-designed poetry picture book. Illustrations help the poetry come alive. However, I am concerned that the author’s play on words might confuse the very young reader and the book would probably be much more enjoyable for older children. As an adult reader, I felt I could really see and touch these colors via reading the poems. The lyrical lines evocative images were matched with illustrations expressing the beauty of the various colors of the four seasons. .
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
The book is a 2010 Caldecott Honor Book.
On the Amazon website, Kirkus reviews stated that it is charming inspiration to notice colors and the correlated emotions; and the Bulletin review expressed that this book has freshness and visual impact.
When I shared this book with my friend’s seven-year-old son, he loved it. He was so excited to show me that he could distinguish those colors from the book. He would yell out the colors, such as green, orange, and yellow when he saw them in the book. He also enjoyed the illustrations.
5.CONNECTIONS
I found another famous picture book about colors entitled, A Color of His Own. I love this book so much because the book not only talks about colors, but also indicates that people need to accept each other no matter what color they are. Even though this book did not mention seasons, it is a good relative book teachers could share with children.
Lionni, Leo. 2006. A Color of His Own. New York: Knopf Books. ISBN: 0375836977.
The other relative book I have found is SEASONS. The book mentioned the four seasons and provides rich colors and simple imagery together like the book Red Sings from Treetops a year in colors. The difference is the book also describes the activities that happen in each season.
Blexbolex. 2010. Seasons. New York: Enchanted Lion Books. ISBN: 1592700950
Another relative book entitled, Why Do Leaves Change Color? also talks about seasons and colors. It is a good supplement book for teachers. It would be a good science book for children after reading the Red Sings from Treetops a year in colors.
Maestro, Betsy. 1994. Why Do Leaves Change Color? New York, Collins. ISBN: 0064451267
References
Amazon. com., accessed March 8, 2011, http://www.amazon.com/Red-Sings-Treetops-Year-Colors/dp/0547014945
Amazon. com., accessed March 8, 2011, http://www.amazon.com/Color-His-Own-Leo-Lionni/dp/0679887857
Amazon. com., accessed March 8, 2011,
http://www.amazon.com/Seasons-Blexbolex/dp/1592700950/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=U
The article was created on March 8, 2011
Pond Circle
1.BIBLIOGRAPHY
Franco, Betsy. 2009. Pond Circle. Ill. by Stefano Vitale. New York, Margaret K. McElderry. ISBN 1416940219
2.PLOT SUMMARY
The book is about the food chain focusing on lives in the water pond near a girl’s house. The author introduced several creatures and what they ate. The book started from the water pond by a girl named Anna’s house, and then introduced the jade green algae, the mayfly nymph, the diving beetle, the loud bullfrog, and up the food chain to the howling coyote. At the end of the book, the girl named Anna gave an overview of all of the animals, insects, and plants that the author mentioned earlier, such as where algae grows, mayflies dart, frogs spring, snakes swim, skunks shuffle, raccoons rummage, and coyotes howl. She also gave the connection between the book and the real world out of her window.
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This is very fun, rhythmic poetry picture book. After reading through this book, the other book I read earlier entitled “The Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly” just came to my mind because they have similar sentence structure and story plot. There are several strengths of this book, including science, cognitive development, language, as well as rhythm.
The book is a good science supplement for students to understand how the food chain works in nature and improve language ability and fluency. The illustrations also help readers to understand the concepts and the author adds some rare names of animals, insects, and plant to enhance young reader’s vocabulary. As a person who is new English speaker where English is not the first language, the illustrations helped me to guess what the creature would look like and what actions the creatures used. For example, I did not know a nymph, beetle, skunk, or a coyote, until I saw the illustration of these creatures. Furthermore, the author used some action verbs that I was not familiar with, such as nibbled, gobbled, stalked, and dart. The illustrations helped me to understand the action that these verbs represented. Based on my personal experience, I believe this poetry picture book would be a good teaching supplement to expand children’s language learning, science concepts and enhance their imagination. With the illustrations, young readers could recognize and realize the names of the animals together.
The other strength I noticed was sentence structure and organization. Sentence structures are parallel, the same or similar, enabling readers to easily read aloud and memorize as they would a song. For instance, at the beginning of each new paragraph, as well as at the end of each paragraph, the author utilized the same sentences to emphasize rhythm and pattern. The first two lines are repeated in each new paragraph from the preceding one to create the meter of a poem. For instance, on page 11 to 12, the first two lines were “this is the snake, the garter snake”; on page 15-16, the first two lines were “This is the owl; the great horned owl.” At the end of each paragraph would be the line from the first page that said, “that filled the pond by Anna’s house’. Each new page, the author started with a new animal, plant, or insect, such as “this is algae, nymph, beetle, frog, owl, raccoon and coyote.” It is very well-designed and well-organized book. Each new page introduces new creatures presented in colorful illustrations that would catch the previous creature. In addition, readers could be intrigued to explore what creatures might become prey next.
Language and Rhyme
The author made language more vivid and actively used some powerful sensory adjectives emphasizing different animals, such as hungry raccoon, great horned owl, shy striped skunk, loud bullfrog, and the diving beetle. Furthermore, the author also employed some action verbs to construct the imagery for readers. For instance, on page 21to22, “Where algae grows, mayflies dart, beetles dive, frogs’ spring, snakes swim, skunks shuffle, owls swoop, raccoons rummage, and coyotes howl” These action verbs make the poem have a rhythm with vivid mental action pictures. Moreover, some expressions are funny and make people laugh, such as that “hungry raccoon, that stole the eggs, that dived for the skunk, that caught the snake, that swallowed the frog, that gobbled the beetle, as well as, that ate the nymph.”
In summary, the well-designed poetry is so amazing with many action verbs and colorful adjectives to emphasize the powerful language usage. Young readers not only can learn science knowledge, but also could enlarge their vocabulary and language fluency. I would highly recommend students to read it, especially ESL students. I have learned a lot of new knowledge and vocabulary from this book. It is a very interesting poetry book.
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
The author indicated that this is a rhythmic, cumulative story with rich, luminous paintings that capture the bold beauty of nature. It presented a short journey from the backyard experiences of all these different creatures.
On Amazon.com, one consumer, D. Fowler, had similar thoughts as me. She indicated that she thoroughly enjoyed the storybook format of a pond food chain adventure. She believed that it is a great way to introduce children to ecology. The rhythmical text was a lot of fun and reminded me a lot of the song "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly" because the text is repetitive and cumulative. (Amazon, 2011).
From the customer’s review on Amazon.com, Z. Hayes pointed out that the illustrations are so vivid and she was delighted by the rhythmic and flowing prose. She highly recommended that this book would be a great teaching supplement for the ecosystem in a pond and could be used for reading aloud.
5.CONNECTIONS
One relative book I have found is Hummingbird Nest by Kristine George. This poetry is an observant verse about hummingbirds. Through describing the observation, readers could closely see how the tiny birds emerge from the cracked eggshells. Pond Circle also provides a close view of the food chain cycle of life of the creatures in the pond. Both of them could be a good supplement for science and language courses.
George, Kristine O'Connell. 2004. Hummingbird Nest: A Journal of Poems. Orlando, Harcourt. ISBN 0152023259
The other relative book is a Caldecott Honor book entitled, In the Small, Small Pond. The author is both the writer and illustrator. The gorgeous illustrations and rhyming text were presented throughout the book. The book described the life cycle in a small pond.
Fleming, Denise. 1950. In the Small, Small Pond. New York, Henry Holt. ISBN 0805059830
Reference
Amazon. com., accessed March 5, 2011, http://www.amazon.com/Pond-Circle-Betsy-Franco/dp/1416940219
Google Book, accessed March 5, 2011, http://books.google.com/books
The article is created on March. 5, 2011
Franco, Betsy. 2009. Pond Circle. Ill. by Stefano Vitale. New York, Margaret K. McElderry. ISBN 1416940219
2.PLOT SUMMARY
The book is about the food chain focusing on lives in the water pond near a girl’s house. The author introduced several creatures and what they ate. The book started from the water pond by a girl named Anna’s house, and then introduced the jade green algae, the mayfly nymph, the diving beetle, the loud bullfrog, and up the food chain to the howling coyote. At the end of the book, the girl named Anna gave an overview of all of the animals, insects, and plants that the author mentioned earlier, such as where algae grows, mayflies dart, frogs spring, snakes swim, skunks shuffle, raccoons rummage, and coyotes howl. She also gave the connection between the book and the real world out of her window.
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This is very fun, rhythmic poetry picture book. After reading through this book, the other book I read earlier entitled “The Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly” just came to my mind because they have similar sentence structure and story plot. There are several strengths of this book, including science, cognitive development, language, as well as rhythm.
The book is a good science supplement for students to understand how the food chain works in nature and improve language ability and fluency. The illustrations also help readers to understand the concepts and the author adds some rare names of animals, insects, and plant to enhance young reader’s vocabulary. As a person who is new English speaker where English is not the first language, the illustrations helped me to guess what the creature would look like and what actions the creatures used. For example, I did not know a nymph, beetle, skunk, or a coyote, until I saw the illustration of these creatures. Furthermore, the author used some action verbs that I was not familiar with, such as nibbled, gobbled, stalked, and dart. The illustrations helped me to understand the action that these verbs represented. Based on my personal experience, I believe this poetry picture book would be a good teaching supplement to expand children’s language learning, science concepts and enhance their imagination. With the illustrations, young readers could recognize and realize the names of the animals together.
The other strength I noticed was sentence structure and organization. Sentence structures are parallel, the same or similar, enabling readers to easily read aloud and memorize as they would a song. For instance, at the beginning of each new paragraph, as well as at the end of each paragraph, the author utilized the same sentences to emphasize rhythm and pattern. The first two lines are repeated in each new paragraph from the preceding one to create the meter of a poem. For instance, on page 11 to 12, the first two lines were “this is the snake, the garter snake”; on page 15-16, the first two lines were “This is the owl; the great horned owl.” At the end of each paragraph would be the line from the first page that said, “that filled the pond by Anna’s house’. Each new page, the author started with a new animal, plant, or insect, such as “this is algae, nymph, beetle, frog, owl, raccoon and coyote.” It is very well-designed and well-organized book. Each new page introduces new creatures presented in colorful illustrations that would catch the previous creature. In addition, readers could be intrigued to explore what creatures might become prey next.
Language and Rhyme
The author made language more vivid and actively used some powerful sensory adjectives emphasizing different animals, such as hungry raccoon, great horned owl, shy striped skunk, loud bullfrog, and the diving beetle. Furthermore, the author also employed some action verbs to construct the imagery for readers. For instance, on page 21to22, “Where algae grows, mayflies dart, beetles dive, frogs’ spring, snakes swim, skunks shuffle, owls swoop, raccoons rummage, and coyotes howl” These action verbs make the poem have a rhythm with vivid mental action pictures. Moreover, some expressions are funny and make people laugh, such as that “hungry raccoon, that stole the eggs, that dived for the skunk, that caught the snake, that swallowed the frog, that gobbled the beetle, as well as, that ate the nymph.”
In summary, the well-designed poetry is so amazing with many action verbs and colorful adjectives to emphasize the powerful language usage. Young readers not only can learn science knowledge, but also could enlarge their vocabulary and language fluency. I would highly recommend students to read it, especially ESL students. I have learned a lot of new knowledge and vocabulary from this book. It is a very interesting poetry book.
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
The author indicated that this is a rhythmic, cumulative story with rich, luminous paintings that capture the bold beauty of nature. It presented a short journey from the backyard experiences of all these different creatures.
On Amazon.com, one consumer, D. Fowler, had similar thoughts as me. She indicated that she thoroughly enjoyed the storybook format of a pond food chain adventure. She believed that it is a great way to introduce children to ecology. The rhythmical text was a lot of fun and reminded me a lot of the song "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly" because the text is repetitive and cumulative. (Amazon, 2011).
From the customer’s review on Amazon.com, Z. Hayes pointed out that the illustrations are so vivid and she was delighted by the rhythmic and flowing prose. She highly recommended that this book would be a great teaching supplement for the ecosystem in a pond and could be used for reading aloud.
5.CONNECTIONS
One relative book I have found is Hummingbird Nest by Kristine George. This poetry is an observant verse about hummingbirds. Through describing the observation, readers could closely see how the tiny birds emerge from the cracked eggshells. Pond Circle also provides a close view of the food chain cycle of life of the creatures in the pond. Both of them could be a good supplement for science and language courses.
George, Kristine O'Connell. 2004. Hummingbird Nest: A Journal of Poems. Orlando, Harcourt. ISBN 0152023259
The other relative book is a Caldecott Honor book entitled, In the Small, Small Pond. The author is both the writer and illustrator. The gorgeous illustrations and rhyming text were presented throughout the book. The book described the life cycle in a small pond.
Fleming, Denise. 1950. In the Small, Small Pond. New York, Henry Holt. ISBN 0805059830
Reference
Amazon. com., accessed March 5, 2011, http://www.amazon.com/Pond-Circle-Betsy-Franco/dp/1416940219
Google Book, accessed March 5, 2011, http://books.google.com/books
The article is created on March. 5, 2011
2011年2月23日 星期三
There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
1.BIBLIOGRAPHY
Taback, Simms. 1997. There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. New York, Viking Juvenile. ISBN 0670869392
2.PLOT SUMMARY
There was an old lady who swallowed the fly. No one knew why the old lady swallowed the fly; however, she did not stop. After she swallowed the fly, she swallowed the spider to eat the fly. Then she swallowed a bird to eat the spider. After that, she swallowed a cat to eat the bird. When that was done, she swallowed a dog to get the cat, and then she swallowed a cow to get the dog. Finally, she swallowed a horse that was supposed to get the cow but it ended up taking the life of the lady who swallowed all those insects and animals because of her crazy food choices.
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The book is an imaginary story which contains some characteristics of a traditional folktale, such as rhymes, simple humor, and repetition. The illustrations were well-designed, and they portrayed humor throughout each page of the book. The interaction between the main character and these small creatures were fun too. The three main strengths I found are the rhyming patterns, sentence structures, character interactions, as well as the colorful funny illustrations.
Rhymes and Sentence structure
The whole story is filled with rhymes and repeating patterns. For instance, in every paragraph, the main sentence is repeated six times, “I don’t know why she swallowed the fly”. The other sentence which appeared at the end of each verse was “perhaps she’ll die”, and it was repeated 5 times. Furthermore, young readers will easily notice the verses and rhymes in each paragraph, such as “That wiggled and jiggled and tickled inside her”, where three words in the verse have a similar sound. Examples of other clever rhymes the author used in the story included, fly and die, spider and inside her, cat and that, and how and cow. In addition, I also found there are a lot of comparison sentences with the same basic sentence structure in the story. For instance, she swallowed the cat to catch the bird; she swallowed the bird to catch the spider; and she swallowed the spider to catch the fly. Using these similar sentence structures, young readers should be able to easily follow and memorize the lines. It is like poetry, so children can read the book aloud and sing it as a song.
Interaction and humor
The second strength is the character interaction and humor. The dialogue between the animals and the speaker make the story more attractive and funny. For instance, the dog said “I hope it’s a lie”; the cow said “There’s a tear in my eye”. Young children will find this added dialogue funny and fascinating. The dialogue makes the book more active and alive. Even though I am not a child, I still found myself laughing out loud and thoroughly enjoying the book. Furthermore, the book had small holes over the woman’s stomach showing the insect or animal after the woman had swallowed them. Young children will enjoy looking through the holes to see what was inside the woman’s stomach. They could also guess what the old lady would swallow next. The book creates a lot of interaction among the writer, illustrator, and the audience. Sometime the author expressed other peoples’ thoughts about the old lady, such as why the old lady swallowed the fly; would she die, and would people miss her dearly? The dialogue is based on a folktale first old in the 1940’s and the story made for a good picture book for both adults and children.
Illustrations
Though looking at the illustrations, I found more humor and magic on this book. First of all, I am impressed by the colorful illustrations. I felt so excited by looking at the many different colors the illustrator used in the book. I strongly believe the illustrator designed the art in the book based on children’s perspective because of clothes the old lady wears, the actions she took, and the personification of the animals. Even though these animals were swallowed by the old lady, readers will not be frightened or sad since these animals stayed calm and peaceful with a little confusion showing in their eyes why the old lady want to swallowed them in the first place. The whole book and the illustrations are filled with humorous actions and gestures. For example, on page 4 to 5, the old lady with big starry eyes covered her mouth with one hand and held an umbrella. Later, she unexpectedly wiggled and juggled her body with exaggerated expressions on page 7. All of animals had starry eyes expressing their surprising. Furthermore, the illustrations were well-designed and logically organized. For instance, in the beginning, the old lady looked normal as she swallowed the smaller creatures; however, she became bigger and bigger as she swallowed the larger animals like the cow and the horse. The other thing I noticed was the clues given by the illustrations. As an active storyteller, I would ask children to guess which animal the old lady would swallow next. The illustrator gave audiences a good clue as to what would be swallowed next. For example, on page 16, at the bottom of page, the dog stuck out its tongue and said “I hope it’s a lie”. On the next page, the old lady swallowed the dog. On page 20, the cow was placed in the right bottom corner like the dog had been placed earlier, so naturally, the old lady swallowed the cow on the very next page. The cow on the previous page said “There’s a tear in my eye”, and then on the next page, the cow was swallowed by the old lady. All of the illustrations in the book are funny and colorful.
In summary, both the dialogue and the illustrations in the book are well-designed with children in mind. These strengths were well-represented by the careful and refined creations done by the illustrator. I wish I had more space to write all of strengths I have found in this book. After I read it again and again, I found even more strengths in this book. It is one of the most amazing children’s books I have ever read. Parents and teachers could use this book for play, learning the names of different animal and insects, and language learning.
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
“Here was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly” is a Caldecott Honor Book; an ALA Notable Children’s Book, and A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year (Amazon, 2011).
On Amazon.com, the library journal indicated that each page in the book was full of details and humorous asides. According to Kirkus Reviews, it is good fun to watch the old lady bulge and bloat, and the sheer corniness of the verse continues to be deeply gratifying (Amazon, 2011).
When I read this book to my neighbor’s 7 year-old daughter, she loved it! She even told me what the old lady would eat next. She laughed out loud when she heard and saw that a spider was inside the old lady’s and felt it as it wiggled and jiggled and tickled inside her. After I read the book to her, she looked at the book over and over again.
5.CONNECTIONS
Last year, I visited a friend who was a retired librarian. She lent her teaching supplies for me to use in my other children’s literacy curriculum course. I saw a toy figurine woman who had a hole in the center of her stomach. Inside of her stomach, she used a transparent plastic bag glued together under the hole. Inside of the plastic bag, there were several creatures, such as a spider, a fly, and a cat. I had not read the famous folktale last year, so I thought it was just like The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. I used it to create the story for her grandchildren. Now, I get a chance to read this interesting book which made a connection with my previous experience. The Very Hungry Caterpillar is not a traditional tale, but the framework of the story is similar to Simms Taback’s There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. The difference is the main character is an old lady instead of a caterpillar. The little caterpillar was so hungry, so it kept eating a lot of food each day.
Carle, Eric. 1994. The Very Hungry Caterpillar. New York, Philomel. ISBN 0399226907
I found another Caldecott Medal Book by the same author entitled, Joseph Had a Little Overcoat. The book is filled with rhymes and attractive colors similar to the book, There was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly.
Taback, Simms. 1999. Joseph Had a Little Overcoat. New York, Viking Juvenile. ISBN 0670878553
The other connection book I have found is entitled, Peek-a-boo Who? The book is also created by Taback; however, the book is for earlier readers. It also contained rhymes and repetitive text that made this book interesting for young children to read and play.
Taback, Simms. 2006. Peek-a-Boo Who? New Jersey, Blue Apple Books. ISBN 1593541805
Reference
Amazon. com., accessed Feb 21, 2011, http://www.amazon.com/Very-Hungry-Caterpillar-Eric-Carle/dp/0399226907
Amazon. com., accessed Feb 20, 2011, http://www.amazon.com/There-Lady-Swallowed-Caldecott-Honor/dp/B0009HARWA/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1298514803&sr=1-2
Bussongs.com, accessed Feb 22, 2011,
http://bussongs.com/songs/there_was_an_old_lady_who_swallowed_a_fly.php
Nursery Rhymes, assessed Feb 22, 2011,
http://www.rhymes.org.uk/there_was_an_old_lady.htm
The article is created on Feb. 23, 2011
Taback, Simms. 1997. There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. New York, Viking Juvenile. ISBN 0670869392
2.PLOT SUMMARY
There was an old lady who swallowed the fly. No one knew why the old lady swallowed the fly; however, she did not stop. After she swallowed the fly, she swallowed the spider to eat the fly. Then she swallowed a bird to eat the spider. After that, she swallowed a cat to eat the bird. When that was done, she swallowed a dog to get the cat, and then she swallowed a cow to get the dog. Finally, she swallowed a horse that was supposed to get the cow but it ended up taking the life of the lady who swallowed all those insects and animals because of her crazy food choices.
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The book is an imaginary story which contains some characteristics of a traditional folktale, such as rhymes, simple humor, and repetition. The illustrations were well-designed, and they portrayed humor throughout each page of the book. The interaction between the main character and these small creatures were fun too. The three main strengths I found are the rhyming patterns, sentence structures, character interactions, as well as the colorful funny illustrations.
Rhymes and Sentence structure
The whole story is filled with rhymes and repeating patterns. For instance, in every paragraph, the main sentence is repeated six times, “I don’t know why she swallowed the fly”. The other sentence which appeared at the end of each verse was “perhaps she’ll die”, and it was repeated 5 times. Furthermore, young readers will easily notice the verses and rhymes in each paragraph, such as “That wiggled and jiggled and tickled inside her”, where three words in the verse have a similar sound. Examples of other clever rhymes the author used in the story included, fly and die, spider and inside her, cat and that, and how and cow. In addition, I also found there are a lot of comparison sentences with the same basic sentence structure in the story. For instance, she swallowed the cat to catch the bird; she swallowed the bird to catch the spider; and she swallowed the spider to catch the fly. Using these similar sentence structures, young readers should be able to easily follow and memorize the lines. It is like poetry, so children can read the book aloud and sing it as a song.
Interaction and humor
The second strength is the character interaction and humor. The dialogue between the animals and the speaker make the story more attractive and funny. For instance, the dog said “I hope it’s a lie”; the cow said “There’s a tear in my eye”. Young children will find this added dialogue funny and fascinating. The dialogue makes the book more active and alive. Even though I am not a child, I still found myself laughing out loud and thoroughly enjoying the book. Furthermore, the book had small holes over the woman’s stomach showing the insect or animal after the woman had swallowed them. Young children will enjoy looking through the holes to see what was inside the woman’s stomach. They could also guess what the old lady would swallow next. The book creates a lot of interaction among the writer, illustrator, and the audience. Sometime the author expressed other peoples’ thoughts about the old lady, such as why the old lady swallowed the fly; would she die, and would people miss her dearly? The dialogue is based on a folktale first old in the 1940’s and the story made for a good picture book for both adults and children.
Illustrations
Though looking at the illustrations, I found more humor and magic on this book. First of all, I am impressed by the colorful illustrations. I felt so excited by looking at the many different colors the illustrator used in the book. I strongly believe the illustrator designed the art in the book based on children’s perspective because of clothes the old lady wears, the actions she took, and the personification of the animals. Even though these animals were swallowed by the old lady, readers will not be frightened or sad since these animals stayed calm and peaceful with a little confusion showing in their eyes why the old lady want to swallowed them in the first place. The whole book and the illustrations are filled with humorous actions and gestures. For example, on page 4 to 5, the old lady with big starry eyes covered her mouth with one hand and held an umbrella. Later, she unexpectedly wiggled and juggled her body with exaggerated expressions on page 7. All of animals had starry eyes expressing their surprising. Furthermore, the illustrations were well-designed and logically organized. For instance, in the beginning, the old lady looked normal as she swallowed the smaller creatures; however, she became bigger and bigger as she swallowed the larger animals like the cow and the horse. The other thing I noticed was the clues given by the illustrations. As an active storyteller, I would ask children to guess which animal the old lady would swallow next. The illustrator gave audiences a good clue as to what would be swallowed next. For example, on page 16, at the bottom of page, the dog stuck out its tongue and said “I hope it’s a lie”. On the next page, the old lady swallowed the dog. On page 20, the cow was placed in the right bottom corner like the dog had been placed earlier, so naturally, the old lady swallowed the cow on the very next page. The cow on the previous page said “There’s a tear in my eye”, and then on the next page, the cow was swallowed by the old lady. All of the illustrations in the book are funny and colorful.
In summary, both the dialogue and the illustrations in the book are well-designed with children in mind. These strengths were well-represented by the careful and refined creations done by the illustrator. I wish I had more space to write all of strengths I have found in this book. After I read it again and again, I found even more strengths in this book. It is one of the most amazing children’s books I have ever read. Parents and teachers could use this book for play, learning the names of different animal and insects, and language learning.
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
“Here was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly” is a Caldecott Honor Book; an ALA Notable Children’s Book, and A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year (Amazon, 2011).
On Amazon.com, the library journal indicated that each page in the book was full of details and humorous asides. According to Kirkus Reviews, it is good fun to watch the old lady bulge and bloat, and the sheer corniness of the verse continues to be deeply gratifying (Amazon, 2011).
When I read this book to my neighbor’s 7 year-old daughter, she loved it! She even told me what the old lady would eat next. She laughed out loud when she heard and saw that a spider was inside the old lady’s and felt it as it wiggled and jiggled and tickled inside her. After I read the book to her, she looked at the book over and over again.
5.CONNECTIONS
Last year, I visited a friend who was a retired librarian. She lent her teaching supplies for me to use in my other children’s literacy curriculum course. I saw a toy figurine woman who had a hole in the center of her stomach. Inside of her stomach, she used a transparent plastic bag glued together under the hole. Inside of the plastic bag, there were several creatures, such as a spider, a fly, and a cat. I had not read the famous folktale last year, so I thought it was just like The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. I used it to create the story for her grandchildren. Now, I get a chance to read this interesting book which made a connection with my previous experience. The Very Hungry Caterpillar is not a traditional tale, but the framework of the story is similar to Simms Taback’s There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. The difference is the main character is an old lady instead of a caterpillar. The little caterpillar was so hungry, so it kept eating a lot of food each day.
Carle, Eric. 1994. The Very Hungry Caterpillar. New York, Philomel. ISBN 0399226907
I found another Caldecott Medal Book by the same author entitled, Joseph Had a Little Overcoat. The book is filled with rhymes and attractive colors similar to the book, There was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly.
Taback, Simms. 1999. Joseph Had a Little Overcoat. New York, Viking Juvenile. ISBN 0670878553
The other connection book I have found is entitled, Peek-a-boo Who? The book is also created by Taback; however, the book is for earlier readers. It also contained rhymes and repetitive text that made this book interesting for young children to read and play.
Taback, Simms. 2006. Peek-a-Boo Who? New Jersey, Blue Apple Books. ISBN 1593541805
Reference
Amazon. com., accessed Feb 21, 2011, http://www.amazon.com/Very-Hungry-Caterpillar-Eric-Carle/dp/0399226907
Amazon. com., accessed Feb 20, 2011, http://www.amazon.com/There-Lady-Swallowed-Caldecott-Honor/dp/B0009HARWA/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1298514803&sr=1-2
Bussongs.com, accessed Feb 22, 2011,
http://bussongs.com/songs/there_was_an_old_lady_who_swallowed_a_fly.php
Nursery Rhymes, assessed Feb 22, 2011,
http://www.rhymes.org.uk/there_was_an_old_lady.htm
The article is created on Feb. 23, 2011
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