Novel Review - Angus, Thongs and Full-frontal Snogging: confessions of Georgia Nicholson - TWU LS 5623-20 - SU 2012

Rennison, William and Bryan Louis. Angus, Thongs and Full-frontal Snogging: confessions of Georgia Nicholson. New York, Harper Tempest, 1999. Print. ISBN 978-0-06-447227-2, 234 p. What kind of life could Georgia possibly have with crazy parents, a too-big nose, friends who think you disappear when hot boys come around and an odd but loving little sister who keeps peeing in the corner of her room? If you add in Angus, here near wildcat-sized feline counterpart you get a crazy life indeed. Follow her through her misadventures, kissing lessons, heartthrobs and heartbreaks as her journal gives you the play by play of her quintessential British teenage life. Rennison takes us through the life of Georgia Nicholson, a British teen who uses so much slang we need an English-to-English dictionary to understand “nuddy-pants,” “snogging” “poxy.” Her life seems teenage typical. “God I hate my parents! Me stupid?? They’re so stupid. She wishes I was still Libby’s age so she could dress me in ridiculous hats and earflaps and ducks on. God, God, God!!!” (pg. 20). While some teenagers might enjoy it, it can come off as a bit over-the-top stereotypical. Young Georgia thinks of nothing substantial at all. There isn’t a single thought that goes through her head that isn’t about boys, fashion, kissing, farting in assembly or trying to find, or hide from, her newest boy obsession. Even when her father moves away to New Zealand for work and her mother appears to be having an affair with the contractor hired to redo her living room, she gives as little care to that as she would to a fly buzzing around her head. It is unfortunate that Georgia couldn’t have been written with more substance. While many teenagers are into sex, fashion and fitting in, they also feel real feelings, are concerned over their parents, want to be successful in life and actually have more than one vapid thought in their head. Renniston leaves her protagonist sorely lacking in this area. The one redeeming quality of Georgia, though, is the sweet relationship she maintains with her little sister. Whether the girl is slapping her in the face, putting oatmeal on her big sister’s cheeks or peeing in Georgia’s bed there is always love, compassion and caring for the little girl. Libby may be a mess but Georgia handles her with kid gloves and would do anything for her. That is the one element of the book that gives it a smattering of realism and makes it feel as if Georgia could actually have real human emotions that don’t revolve around girly-girl silliness and boys. While I had to force myself through the first fifty pages I am glad I finished the text. It is a fluffy read and while I wouldn’t recommend it for YA readers wanting something of substance, it could certainly be fun for a light read. Think of it as a Harlequin romance book for teenagers! Rennison, William and Bryan Louis. Angus, Thongs and Full-frontal Snogging: confessions of Georgia Nicholson. New York, Harper Tempest, 1999. Print.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind - Novel Review - TWU LS 5623-20 SU2012

Kamkwamba, William and Bryan Mealer. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. New York, Adobe Digital Edition, 2009. Digital. ISBN 978-0-06-193769-9, 292p. The jagged pieces of junk wood, scrap metal and bicycle parts climbed into the air as he lashed them together. What had leapt into his mind when he began checking out books from the library to fill the void left when he could no longer afford school was becoming a reality. Though just a teenager famine, grief, poverty and struggle couldn’t keep him from achieving his goal. The wind was part of Malawi, and soon William Kamkwamba would be a part of its history. William said it best when he said, “We must encourage those still struggling to keep moving forward. My fellow students and I talk about creating a new kind of Africa, a place of leaders instead of victims, a home of innovation rather than charity…I want them to know they’re not alone” (pg. 291). William and his co-author Bryan Mealer take readers on an epic journey through one young man’s life, both simple and remarkable at the same time. The humanness of William’s autobiographical account is what draws readers in. His struggles, in particular the devastatingly real re-telling of his country’s struggle through famine, is both heart-wrenching and gripping. While all Young Adult readers may not be able to connect with the utter poverty and suffering William describes, the moments of loss and hardship are still tangible, even at times uncomfortable. In this respect I caution adults choosing this book for their YA readers as they must be aware that some moments of the autobiography can be difficult to read, at times. The extended account of the famine is, in particular, troubling. While not necessarily a negative it is something readers should be aware of. And yet, through it all, William’s ingenuity and desire to bring something as simple as electricity to his home brings readers in. His creative and scientific mind is wonderful to read about in action and his overcoming of obstacles will have readers cheering. In addition the wonderful things that happen to William later in life as he moves towards more progress are merely icing on the cake. The book puts on no airs, is accurate, thoughtful, charming and gripping. Every young person mature enough to handle the content of this book should read it, period. Kamkwamba, William and Bryan Mealer. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. New York, Adobe Digital Edition, 2009. Digital.

When My name Was Keoko Novel Review- TWU LS 5623-20 - SU2012

Park, Linda Sue. When My Name Was Keoko. New York, Yearling, 2002. Print. ISBN 0-440-41944-1, 192p. The Japanese had been in Korea so long that Sun-hee didn’t even know how to read her own language. As the war dragged on Sun-hee, her brother, mother, father and Uncle each maintained their pride and defied the Japanese in their own way. From the small musings of a girl’s diary to acts of defiance so large they could result in death. What happens to her family during the time Sun-hee’s name was Keoko? And will they ever be the same after the occupation? “If the Japanese lost the war, Uncle could come home. If they lost, Abuji could be the principal of his own school. We could learn Korean history. We could use our real names again! And Abuji could teach me the Korean alphabet. How could an alphabet - letters that didn’t even mean anything by themselves - be important?” (pg. 107). The attempted erasure of the Korean identity from the peninsula during the Japanese occupation of the early 20th century appears in stark reality in Linda Sue Park’s historic novel. While the humanity of the characters rings true the verisimilitude of the historic elements is accurate and helps connect readers to the time and place. With an accompanying bibliography and an Author’s Note that explains the many connections to real people and events that the novel has, the accuracy of the information is without question. These two elements, the highly tangible human element of the characters and the accuracy of the historic elements make this book an excellent example of historical fiction. One element that was a bit confusing at the beginning was the shifting perspective between Sun-hee’s telling of the story and her brother Tae-yul’s telling. It was a bit jarring at first. After the first few changes, though, the flow became more established and it helped to fully realize the story. While this was a bit distracting in the beginning it did not adversely affect the overall appreciation I had for the story. This is one to recommend to all young people and would go especially well with a social studies class working through this particular time period or for additional reading to learn more about an element of history not often covered in the classroom. Park, Linda Sue. When My Name Was Keoko. New York, Yearling, 2002. Print.

Anna Dressed in Blood - Novel Review - TWU LS 5623-20 - SU2012

Blake, Kendare. Anna Dressed in Blood. New York, Tor Teen eBooks, 2011. Digital. eISBN 978-1-4299-8281-8, 369p. She was supposed to be the kill that would finally prepare him to avenge his father. As Cas made his way to Thunder Bay and the Canadian wilderness he only knew that he was drawn to the story of this ghost as he had been to no other he dispatched in the last two years. He would play the high school game as he always did, make the contacts, learn her story, but in the end it would all be about her, the most powerful ghost he would ever meet. Anna Dressed In Blood would become a part of him, more than he ever intended, and Cas would find his life changed forever the moment he passed through her door. “’I don’t want to do this again,’ the hitchhiker whispers. ‘This is the last time,’ I say, and then I strike, drawing the blade across his throat…in less than a minute he’s gone, leaving not a trace behind” (pg. 14). Kendare Blake’s tantalizing tale of a teenage ghost killer who confronts one of the most powerful and heart-wrenching ghosts in North America is a spine-tingling page turner that kept me intrigued from start to finish. I became so invested in the wonderful story of Thesius Cassio, or Cas, and his friends and family that upon completing my reading I pre-ordered book two, due for release this August. What is most enjoyable about this tale is that it is the best of many previously told tales intertwined in a wonderful new way and placed in the realm of the supernatural. What Blake get’s out of this new recipe is a wonderful taste full of familiar flavors but brought together in a wholly unique way. A love story that shouldn’t exist, a young man’s drive to avenge the death of his father, the seemingly impossible coming together of a group of high school students from different cliques and an obsessed villain who has been manipulating the story unknowingly from the onset are the tried-and-true story elements that come together in Anna Dressed in Blood. The author gets the most credit in this story for making a fresh and lively supernatural adventure that has a satisfying reveal at the end, while still leaving the reader wondering what happened next. It should be noted to parents that there is a significant amount of violence and carnage in this book. I do not consider this a negative for appropriate age readers but I would not necessarily recommend this to younger readers. Parents should preview this text and make a determination as to whether or no they feel it is appropriate for their child. While the ferocity of the combat scenes may be considered unnecessary by some, I personally find it gives the text a verisimilitude that is necessary for us to buy in to the story line. If one is in the business of sending deadly ghosts to their final destination it only makes sense that danger and fighting for one’s life would accompany the career choice. So long as parents are aware that they should preview the text, this book would be enjoyable for most Young Adult readers. Blake, Kendare. Anna Dressed in Blood. New York, Tor Teen eBooks, 2011. Digital.

Anna Dressed in Blood - Novel Review - TWU LS 5623-20 - SU2012

Blake, Kendare. Anna Dressed in Blood. New York, Tor Teen eBooks, 2011. Digital. eISBN 978-1-4299-8281-8, 369p. She was supposed to be the kill that would finally prepare him to avenge his father. As Cas made his way to Thunder Bay and the Canadian wilderness he only knew that he was drawn to the story of this ghost as he had been to no other he dispatched in the last two years. He would play the high school game as he always did, make the contacts, learn her story, but in the end it would all be about her, the most powerful ghost he would ever meet. Anna Dressed In Blood would become a part of him, more than he ever intended, and Cas would find his life changed forever the moment he passed through her door. “’I don’t want to do this again,’ the hitchhiker whispers. ‘This is the last time,’ I say, and then I strike, drawing the blade across his throat…in less than a minute he’s gone, leaving not a trace behind” (pg. 14). Kendare Blake’s tantalizing tale of a teenage ghost killer who confronts one of the most powerful and heart-wrenching ghosts in North America is a spine-tingling page turner that kept me intrigued from start to finish. I became so invested in the wonderful story of Thesius Cassio, or Cas, and his friends and family that upon completing my reading I pre-ordered book two, due for release this August. What is most enjoyable about this tale is that it is the best of many previously told tales intertwined in a wonderful new way and placed in the realm of the supernatural. What Blake get’s out of this new recipe is a wonderful taste full of familiar flavors but brought together in a wholly unique way. A love story that shouldn’t exist, a young man’s drive to avenge the death of his father, the seemingly impossible coming together of a group of high school students from different cliques and an obsessed villain who has been manipulating the story unknowingly from the onset are the tried-and-true story elements that come together in Anna Dressed in Blood. The author gets the most credit in this story for making a fresh and lively supernatural adventure that has a satisfying reveal at the end, while still leaving the reader wondering what happened next. It should be noted to parents that there is a significant amount of violence and carnage in this book. I do not consider this a negative for appropriate age readers but I would not necessarily recommend this to younger readers. Parents should preview this text and make a determination as to whether or no they feel it is appropriate for their child. While the ferocity of the combat scenes may be considered unnecessary by some, I personally find it gives the text a verisimilitude that is necessary for us to buy in to the story line. If one is in the business of sending deadly ghosts to their final destination it only makes sense that danger and fighting for one’s life would accompany the career choice. So long as parents are aware that they should preview the text, this book would be enjoyable for most Young Adult readers. Blake, Kendare. Anna Dressed in Blood. New York, Tor Teen eBooks, 2011. Digital.

White Cat Novel Review - TWU LS5623-20 - SU12

Black, Holly. White Cat. New York, Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2010. Print. ISBN 978-1-4169-6396-7, 310p. Cassel was the white sheep in a family of con artists and curse workers. With curse work having been made illegal decades earlier, everything in the family “business” is conducted in the shadows, or in the case of Cassel’s mom, from prison. Whether working emotions, physical curses, luck or memory curses the family is in deep and Cassel may be in deeper than he realizes. What he discovers about himself as he delves into the family secrets revolves around stolen memories, lost loves and one white cat. Holly Black’s White Cat is a fun, intriguing jaunt into the world of magical organized crime and the families who practice. What began as a fun and simple look into the lives of curse workers became a spine-tingling, interwoven onslaught of a “whodunit” that kept me turning each page quickly and with anticipation. Cassel, true to form of any great Young Adult Lit protagonist, is a wonderful ball of mess and untapped potential whose world is turned upside down as he begins to unravel his own hidden past. As Cassel noted, “I can’t trust the people I care about not to hurt me. And I’m not sure I can trust myself not to hurt them, either. Friendships suck” (pg. 93). What was most intriguing about the story as a whole, though, was that while Black took us down what we were sure would be tried and true paths through a magical story, at each new fork she took the road less traveled by. Family issues led readers to hate the wrong brother, the love story became entangled and ended bitter-sweet and sad yet satisfying, and the oddest of political affiliations led to a set of friendships that became part of Cassel’s plans to redeem himself and save the love of his younger days.. At each new turn Black made me raise my eyebrows and say to myself, “Really? I hadn’t thought it would be that!” Read this book for no other reason than to be surprised by new twists on what could have been a standard magical fantasy tale. No story is perfect, though, and while I don’t wish to give away a substantial element of the ending I will say that, for me, the culmination of the love story factor was a bit heartbreaking. While it did follow through with Black’s wonderful ability to bring new turns to a standard story, the shift in how the love story ended was slightly unsatisfying for me. I am sure, though, that it would be right up the alley of other readers. And it is certainly not enough to detract from the overall enjoyment of this particular bit of fantasy. All of the elements are in place, we have strong central characters, an amazing plot and just enough reality in our fantasy to make it all perfectly plausible…minus the ability to curse individuals with the slightest touch of a bare hand to skin. Read and enjoy! Black, Holly. White Cat. New York, Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2010. Print.

The First Part Last - Novel Review - TWU LS5623-20 - SU2012

Johnson, Angela. The First Part Last. New York, Simon Pulse, 2003. Print. ISBN 978-0-689-84922-0, 132p. Feather was never supposed to be in his life, Nia was. For sixteen year-old Bobby, replacing the love of his life with the child they created together has given him a life he never expected to have. Told from the perspective of both the past and the present, readers journey with Bobby as he learns to be the man he can be, a diamond in the rough polished to shining through a horrible tragedy. Angela Johnson’s Michael L. Printz winning novel draws readers deftly into the life of new teenage father Bobby as he grows to cherish his baby daughter, Feather. Told in beautifully accessible language with a limited but gripping cast of characters the realness of the story shines through as a hook to readers of all ages. Neither too graphic nor too bland the story is perfect for young adults as it handles mature situations in a manner that is both honest and considers the issue from a teenage perspective. “Some kids my age are hanging around this arcade I’ve been wanting to check out, but haven’t had the time, and probably won’t ever have. They lean against the games and each other. I look at them and feel like I’m missing something” (pg. 111). By far the most exceptional element of this wonderful read is the deft way that Johnson makes readers fall in love with her protagonist, Bobby. Though he made a mistake in his past, it was truly a mistake, and one we watched him struggle with. We saw the loving but disjointed relationship of his divorced parentsd as they struggled to come to grips with the pregnancy of Bobby’s girlfriend. We see Bobby through his friends eyes, young men who love him and are still with him no matter what. Bobby makes the book and his love for Feather, his cherubic daughter, and Nia, the girl he will never hold again, keeps us clinging to the last page. In struggling to find a negative element to this novel to give perspective The only issue that came to mind was that the literary element whereby the author shifts back and forth in subsequent chapters from the present to the past might cause some issues for younger or less able readers. Comprehension and story sequence must be built over time as the components of the story from two different time periods unfold. This could cause issues for some readers. It also, though, creates a great opportunity to assist young adult readers in connecting story elements in their mind and in attempting to predict story outcomes. Overall, a fantastic read and highly recommended for most YA readers! Johnson, Angela. The First Part Last. New York, Simon Pulse, 2003. Print.

How I Live Now - Novel Review - TWU LS5623-20-Sum2012

Novel Review - how I live now Rosoff, Meg. How I Live Now. New York, House Digital, Inc., 2004. Digital. ISBN 0141318015, eISBN 0375890548. 192p. Moving to live with her cousins in England couldn’t be any worse than having to play nice with her father’s new family-to-be. Yet Daisy is surprised by how well she fits into her odd grouping of new family members. As war looms she draws closer to this group of cousins. While her aunt becomes trapped in another part of the country, violence arrives at the farm. A taboo love blooms even as the family members are torn apart by the conflict. It will take all of Daisy’s emotional, physical and mental power to survive the fight that follows to reunite with her family of the heart. As a winner of the Guardian Award, the Whitbread Children’s Book of the Year Award and the coveted Michael L. Printz Award of 2004, much has been written and said about how I live now. The excitement brewing about this book was rewarded in its reading with both amazing and troubling aspects. The initial chapters were rather jarring and difficult to read. The style of stream-of-consciousness first person writing that hinges on excessively long compound sentences was difficult to fall into. I found myself struggling to be enveloped in the story-line as I was constantly trying to edit sentences in my mind. I understand the writer’s technique as a means of authenticating the teenage voice of daisy, the protagonist. Still, it made the book much more difficult to read. I would most certainly not choose this book for struggling or second language readers as trying to follow the story line would be very hard for them. An additional issue surfaced with the incestuous relationship of Daisy and her cousin Edmund. While the author worked to show that the relationship was non-traditional it is still the significant romantic enouncter of the book, and one which the entire story and its aftermath are predicated on. “The real truth is that the war didn’t have much yto do with it except that it provided a perfect limbo in which tewo people who were too young and too related could start kissing without anything or anyone making us stop…There was nowhere to go and nothing to do that would remind us that this sort of thing didn't happen in the Real World” (pg. 50). As an adult reader I can see where some concern might arise over this relationship being glamorized. Also of concern for parents might be Daisy’s devotion to an anorexic lifestyle which is only mitigated by the demands of fleeing from a war zone. These three elements can make the book a difficult read, or a difficult choice for adults to give to young people. As always, adults should thoroughly preview texts they that might be of concern before giving them to their children. Ensure the child is mature enough to handle the subject matter. The story line itself, the adventure that develops when the children flee the farm in the English countryside and fall in with various groups controlled by or running from the occupying forces, is an amazing tale. Determination, wits, special abilities and love and caring all surface as we follow Daisy and her younger cousin, Piper, especially. They grow into their abilities and Daisy begins to see how resilient she is when she takes on the responsibility of keeping Piper safe and reuniting the family. The story elements are satisfying enough to make this a very good read, however adults should again preview the text to ensure their young readers are mature enough and prepared for the violence, incest and adult issues that are infused through Rosoff’s award-winning story. Rosoff, Meg. How I Live Now. New York, Random House Digital, Inc., 2004. Digital.

Bridge to Terabithia-Novel Review-TWU LS5623-20-SU2012

Paterson, Katherine. Bridge to Terabithia. Rev. ed. New York: Harper Trophy, 2003. Print. ISBN 0690046359. 163p. Jess Aarons’ dreams of being the fastest boy in his grade are shattered the first day of school when he is beaten by the new girl in town, Leslie. In quick time, however, experience bonds them into fast friends. As Jess’ neighbor Leslie uses her imagination to open Jess’ mind to an amazing land of their own creation, Terabithia. When tragedy strikes, however, Jess is left to struggle with the understanding that relationships don’t last forever, and we learn to grow, or we lose ourselves. This award winning piece of young adult literature is a staple of English courses, surviving numerous challenges over the course of its thirty-plus years in circulation. Listed as one of the ALA’s 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books complaints have been waged against the book for possible occult references, the inclusion of death in the story line, and a number of other issues (Top 100). Still, the popularity of the story as a great piece of YA literature keeps it popular. Central to the story is the growth of Jess Aarons from a somewhat shy, introverted and self-limiting young man to one who grows to trust his own imagination, creativity, courage and selflessness. Seeking only to make a name for himself through his running, with Leslie’s help and the experiences she gives him he begins to challenge what he knows and believes of others, and himself. In their magical land of Terabithia which Leslie originates and is the driving force for, Jess begins to see possibilities for himself and even begins to create the world along with her. Previously hiding his artwork, one of his true talents, he grows in his courage to share it and the value he places on it himself. Both Jess and Leslie are the crowning jewels of the book. Their frankness, their honest friendship and the challenges that they face and master together are what make this work such a model for stories of growth, development and finding faith in oneself that are such a staple of young adult literature. Please be aware that the remainder of the review contains spoilers. Do not read further if you wish to avoid pivotal information about the climax of the book. In considering possible faults for this novel the truthfulness and real-to-life nature of the children’s experiences are somewhat tarnished by the complete neglect of dealing with guilt Jess would feel at being away with his choir teacher at the time of Leslie’s death. This element of Jess’ confrontation with the loss of his friend is essentially glossed over and, especially for modern readers, an expression of that guilt seems necessary. While we see Jess grow after losing Leslie, as embodied by his bringing of his little sister into Terabithia, we see little to no crisis or self-doubt related to Jess being with the woman he has a crush on at the moment Leslie needs him most. We see the reality of teenage emotions related to the feeling of closeness to and “owning” a friend more so even than her family in this passage: “That meant Leslie was gone. Turned to ashes…How could they dare? Leslie belonged to him. More to him than anyone in the world. No one had even asked him. No one had even told him” (pg. 145)” The realness of this passage as a common young adult response to a loss like this is so honest. Yet I felt myself constantly searching for the struggle of guilt that would naturally come with the scenario of Leslie’s death that Paterson portrays in the novel. Overall however the popularity of the book shows the extent to which young adult readers find commonality between themselves and the young protagonists of the book. Growth, a true friendship, memorable times and new beginnings keep this book in print and in the hands of readers year after year. Paterson, Katherine. Bridge to Terabithia. Rev. ed. New York: Harper Trophy, 2003. Print. "Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009." American Library Association. American Library Association, 2012. Web. 20 June 2012. .

Novel Review - A Day No Pigs Would Die-TWU LS5623-Su2012

Novel Review - A Day No Pigs Would Die Peck, Robert N. A Day No Pigs Would Die. New York: Laurel-Leaf, 2000. Print. ISBN 978-0-394-48235-4 In a moment of fear-induced bravery Rob saves the life of a neighbor’s cow and her unborn calf. The sweet white piglet he is given as a gift of gratitude becomes his friend, confidant and pride and joy as Rob grows to manhood through the struggles of farm living. As the son of a pig slaughterer Rob is no stranger to hard times but the true test of his courage comes when becoming a man conflicts with the desires of his heart. As a work of classical young adult literature A Day No Pigs Would Die is considered a model of the coming-of-age story. Both joy and sorrow are woven through its pages as the author shares moments of his life growing up hard on a 5 acre Vermont family farm. By its very nature this work may connect more with some young readers than others as urban children may find the tale of growing up a farmer foreign to their understanding. Additionally certain elements of the language specific to both the Vermont country vernacular as well as farm life can make more reticent readers pause. “With a handturn, papa sunk holes into the fresh planks at both ends, and into the old wood beyond. In each hole he used a mallet to pound in a trunnel peg of white oak that he had soaking in linseed oil. And the sty was done” (pg. 39) Struggling readers and readers whose native language is not English may find drawing meaning from the context more difficult, however this book provides all of the knowledge necessary for understanding and enjoyment to the capable young adult reader. The story of Rob and his sweet pig Pinky still has the power to draw readers in, though, as the care and love given to and received from an animal can transcend urban and rural boundaries. This story line, more than those related to farm life and rural education, specifically makes this book still viable for most young adult readers. That being said the violence of Rob’s difficult choice and the loss of his father as well as the abruptness of the conclusion can be somewhat jarring. Reality sets in quickly for readers of this book and the subtleness of the relationship of Rob and his father may be less tangible than modern readers are accustomed to. This book has much to offer as a classic description of Vermont farm life in the 1930’s and still holds value for modern readers, even if there are moments that may be painful or slightly difficult to grasp. In many ways the story is timeless and the boy’s love for both his family and his pig still communicate even in the 21st century.

American Born Chinese - Book Review - TWU LS5603 - Spring 2012

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Yang, Gene Luen. 2006. AMERICAN BORN CHINESE. Color by Lark Pien. New York: First Second. ISBN 1596431520 2. PLOT SUMMARY Tales of the Monkey King, an American-Born Chinese (ABC) named Jin Wang and the ultimate Anglo-American boy Danny and his stereotypical Chinese cousin Chin-Kee are the pillars this award winning graphic novel rest upon. Upon beginning this graphic novel the reader is introduced to what they come to know as a traditional tale of the Monkey King. When he is shunned at a party of the heavens for being a monkey, he pushes himself to learn more disciplines of Kung Fu in order to change himself as he wills it. With these powers his story line continues as he exacts revenge on those that mocked him, and finally confronts the god of his existence, who punishes him for his crimes by trapping him under a mountain of magically sealed rock. Entertaining as this story is, it is the elements related to Jin Wang that are the most compelling. As he struggles to find his identity in the country of his birth he calls into question his race, his language, the barbaric treatment of other children, and whether one should change themselves for love. It is Jin’s story that keeps the reader connected. The introduction of Danny’s storyline might seem a bit confusing as we are shown how his sometimes awful Chinese cousin Chin-Kee seems to come in and ruin his perfectly scripted white American teen life. It is only later that we find out all three of these stories actually center around Jin, as Danny is revealed to be Jin, changed into his idealized American self. Chin-Kee is actually the Monkey King, long since made aware of the need to accept and love one’s own identity. In the end the reader is left hopeful that Jin will be able to accept and love himself as an American Born Chinese, and that others can too. 3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS Jin is the perfect teen protagonist as he encounters nearly every emotion young people that age are apt to go through. He fights to belong, chooses to change himself to fit in better, hurts others to protect himself, swoons over the opposite sex, feels jealousy and anger and struggles with simply knowing who he is. He is very compelling and rings absolutely true to readers. If the characters of Danny and Chin-Kee seem a bit false and one dimensional, it is because they are. The reader should know that something isn’t quite right here, and the reveal at the end makes that unease all the more satisfying. We are told that these people were not who they were supposed to be, and told why. The entire theme of finding ones identity and learning to love and accept yourself are bound up in the development of the characters and how they all relate to Jin. After revealing himself to be Chin-Kee in his effort to help Jin find his true identity and stop being the transformed version of Danny he becomes, the Monkey King speaks to us. We are left with these parting words in a simply drawn panel focusing only on the Monkey King’s face. “You know, Jin. I would have saved myself five hundreds years’ imprisonment beneath a mountain of rock had I only realized how good it is to be a monkey.” Yang’s illustrations allow the setting to come to life. The drawings of most locations are non-descript allowing the high school, the homes and the outdoor scenes to take place almost anywhere in America. The focus on the drawings remains steadfastly on the characters. Even the elements of the story which appear to occur in China, those related to the early adventures and imprisonment of the monkey king, are still relatively undetailed allowing the reader to again transfer those graphic experiences in their mind’s eye to their own experiences. The overall style of the graphic novel in words and images is that of simplicity, clearness and a focus on the people involved. The transformations they take, as symbolized by the transformers the young boys have as they begin their journeys, are what the novel is about. 4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S) THE NEW YORK TIMES: ““[W]ith Chin-Kee’s striking embodiment of ethnic confusion and self-betrayal, Gene Luen Yang has created that rare article: a youthful tale with something new to say about American youth..” PUBLISHERS’ WEEKLY REVIEW: “This much-anticipated, affecting store about growing up different is more than just the story of a Chinese-American childhood: it's a fable for every kid born into a body and a life they wished they could escape. The fable is filtered through some very specific cultural icons: the much-beloved Monkey King, a figure familiar to Chinese kids the world over, and a buck-toothed amalgamation of racist stereotypes named Chin-Kee. Jin's hopes and humiliations might be mirrored in Chin-Kee's destructive glee or the Monkey King's struggles to come to terms with himself, but each character's expressions and actions are always perfectly familiar. True to its origin as a Web comic, this story's clear, concise lines and expert coloring are deceptively simple yet expressive.” 5. CONNECTIONS 2006 National Book Awards Finalist *Students could use this graphic novel as a jumping off point into a study of prejudices and stereotyping in the media. Students could collect physical and digital examples where stereotyping is present in the media and create a critical analysis as to why advertisers and others feel the necessity to use stereotypes. *Students could be asked to research and locate, with the help of their teacher and librarian other books that consider identity and finding one’s true self. They can then read this additional report and create a comparison and contrast presentation over the two novels.. *Other graphic novels and comic collections for YA readers by Gene Luen Yang: Yang, Gene Luen. ANIMAL CRACKERS. ISBN-10: 1593621833 Yang, Gene Luen. THE ETERNAL SMILE. ISBN-10: 1596431563

Ship Breaker - Book Review - TWU LS5603 - Spring 2012

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Bacigalupi, Paolo. 2010. SHIP BREAKER. New York: Little Brown and Company. ISBN 9780316056212 2. PLOT SUMMARY Nailer thought the greatest “lucky strike” he might ever get in his life would be to stay small enough to work light crew for a few more years. Luckily for him a lack of food and the hard life that working salvage entailed were doing their job to keep him small and able to climb through the rusty hulks of the great ships of the past. For Nailer, a good day was making quota, spending time with his crew and staying away from his drug and alcohol enraged father. All of that changed, though, when a city-killer storm blew into town bringing a gorgeous, young, rich girl whose troubles captured him just as much as her deep eyes and playful smile. “If he was honest with himself Nailer could admit he had no idea what he was doing. He was making it up as he went along, some new version of the future, and all he really knew was that this strange swank girl needed to be a part of it.” As the trouble continues to brew among both the wealthiest of the wealthy merchants and the lowest of the low scrap-workers, Nailer and Nita, Lucky Boy and Lucky Girl, have to trust that there luck will continue to hold. 3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS As family become enemies, friends become family, and the truth about the ties that bind are slowly revealed in this engaging and at times harrowing novel by Paolo Bacigalupi. Set in a future where the great cities of the past are devastated by natural disasters grown too large to ever prepare for, where trade routes have shifted to now race over the melted North Pole, and where the barter system has re-emerged for those not swank enough to hold good Chinese Red cash, the tale seems all too likely to happen. The protagonist of the tale is utterly relatable to teen readers as a young man working as an adult, struggling to care for himself in a time when the remaining parent he has is more likely to hurt him than help him. He finds solace in the other members of his light salvage crew, until he comes face to face with how need and greed can make one turn on even a blood oath. When his chance comes to let greed overshadow choosing to protect the life of another, Nailer chooses life. The reoccurring theme in the Ship Breaker is really two sides of the same coin. First, family is a choice, not something based on biology alone, and one must choose to care and support those we love most deeply. The other side of this coin is that even if one’s own nature may reveal tendencies to act or think wrongly, we can also choose to overcome our baser nature. The world Bacigalupi reveals in his National Book Award Finalist tale is rich in texture and character nuances that ask the reader to evaluate people on a multitude of levels, not simply what is on the surface. Swanks, ship breakers and salvage yard rats as well as genetic half-breeds who also reveal their ability to choose their destiny bring the novel to life. As the world of a post natural apocalypse Earth is traversed by clippers of remarkable technology and grace, the day to day life of the struggling ship breaker is disheartening. Yet it also reveals the ability of young people to rise above trials, band together and fight for their own survival. The grittiness of the world the novel is set in is paired with a flowing narration that keeps readers engaged. The details of sights, smells, sounds and feelings of both pain and pleasure are tangible and entrancing, and they are told with particular significance from the perspective of the teenagers at the heart of the story. There is a reason why this book is an award winner! 4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S) PATRICK NESS -THE GUARDIAN: “It's a taut, disciplined novel, moving with tremendous coiled energy and urgency. I found it a tad colourless in places, but Nailer is a fine hero, complicated and questioning, always wondering whether he's doomed to inherit his father's failings or whether he can make his own destiny.” KIRKUS REVIEWS: “As Nailer experiences brutal betrayals, he relies on his wits and learns the people worth calling family are the ones who “[cover] your back.... Everything else [is] just so much smoke and lies.” In Bacigalupi’s defiled, depressing landscape populated by mercenary humans and mechanical dog-men, Nailer’s loyalty offers hope.” 5. CONNECTIONS 2010 National Book Award Finalist 2011 Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature *Students could research one element of climate change discussed in the book such as growing storms, loss of the polar caps, coastal city loss, etc. Then students could embed quotes from the novel into presentations on their chosen climate change subject. *Students could embed this book in a design course where they attempted to redesign the ships that Nailer and his crew salvage into more environmentally friendly ships. This project could be as simple or as advanced as student skill dictates. It could also incorporate simple digital drafting programs or even CAD drafting as well. *Other books for high school readers about a post-apocalyptic world: Aretha, David. MEMORY BOY. ISBN-10: 0060288116 Aguirre, Ann. ENCLAVE. ISBN-10: 0312650086

The Graveyard Book - Book Review - TWU LS5603-Spring 2012

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Gaiman, Neil. 2008. THE GRAVEYARD BOOK. With illustrations by Dave McKean New York: Harper Collins Children’s Books. ISBN 9780060530921 2. PLOT SUMMARY When a frightening killer ends the lives of his parents and older sister, a young boy finds himself cared for and hidden by the spirits of a local graveyard. Named Nobody Owens by his adoptive ghost parents Bod, as he comes to be called, learns the skills of the graveyard from his guardian, Silas. As one who walks between the worlds Silas is able to bring food to Bod and often goes on extended leaves from the graveyard. It is not until later that Bod learns the truth of these trips. Silas and others who can cross between the worlds have been working to protect him from the man who originally killed his family and who seeks even now, with his brethren, to finish the job he began years earlier. It takes not only the love and support of his ghostly family, but also the courage, determination and skill of Bod himself to end the deadly game those chasing him are playing. 3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS The truest telling element of a Young Adult fantasy novel is the protagonist and the ability of young readers to make a connection to them. Nobody Owens most certainly fits the bill. As is often felt by many teenagers Bod walks the line between two worlds, never fully fitting in either. Those once his friends as a child drift away as he ages, and he must continually seek his own identity in a place that is not made for him. While the love and support he receives from his graveyard family are helpful, he must learn to survive on his own. Only by confronting his fears and the dangers of the world is Bod ever truly free to live. This plot and the nuances of Bod’s character will ring very true for young adult readers. Though set in the unlikely location of a somewhat run-down graveyard, the believability of the inhabitants and the daily “life” they engage in as they while away the days after their deaths are both evocative and engaging. Both a maturation story and a fight against evil where only one can prevail, the plot elements are tested and true for Fantasy and are a large part of why Gaiman’s book is a Newbury medal winner. This struggle against those wishing to end his life is evident from early in the book, yet as Bod grows older, the concern crystalizes in his mind. “The only way into the northwest part of the graveyard was through the Egyptian Walk. And to get there he would have to go past the little man with the black silk rope. A man who was looking for him, and who wanted him dead…” Yet it is Bod’s resilience and his belief in himself that wins through in the end. Bod grows to recognize his skills and trust that he will be able to do the right thing. “He was Nobody Owens, he told himself. He was a part of the graveyard. He would be fine.” This growing belief in his own abilities also mirrors the transition teenagers make as they move from reliance to self-reliance. The mists of the graveyard, the feel of the terrain and the visions of his home in both daylight and moonlight help to bring this book and Nobody’s situation to life. As the themes of maturation and the struggle against wrongdoers are developed, it is the characters that live in the graveyard and the graveyard itself, that help fully develop the reader’s connection to Bod and his predicament. Gaiman does a compelling job of bringing this world to life, and readers can accept it, connect with it and become engrossed. 4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S) THE NEW YORK TIMES: ““The Graveyard Book,” by turns exciting and witty, sinister and tender, shows Gaiman at the top of his form.” KIRKUS REVIEWS: “Wistful, witty, wise—and creepy. Gaiman’s riff on Kipling’s Mowgli stories never falters, from the truly spine-tingling opening, in which a toddler accidentally escapes his family’s murderer, to the melancholy, life-affirming ending…Closer in tone to American Gods than to Coraline, but permeated with Bod’s innocence, this needs to be read by anyone who is or has ever been a child.” 5. CONNECTIONS 2009 Newbury Medal Winner *Students could combine the reading of this book with their own charcoal drawings of scenes from the story. By extension they could choose to work in other mediums and compare and contrast how their own representations might affect the interpretation of the story when compared to McKean’s original black and white illustrations. *Students could engage in a local history project where they visit a graveyard with older graves, if possible. Students can learn to do rubbings and work with local historians and genealogists to research the lives of the individuals they find rubbings for. Additional pre-work by the teacher to recommend gravestones where local history and connections are likely to appear would support this connection. *Other books for YA readers with a teenage protagonist and a melancholy setting: Gaiman, Neil. CORALINE. ISBN-10: 0380807343 Gaiman, Neil. MIRRORMASK. ISBN-10: 0060821094

Hattie Big Sky - Book Review - TWU LS 5603 - Spring 2012

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Larson, Kirby. 2006. HATTIE BIG SKY. New York: Delacorte Press. ISBN 0-440-23941-9 2. PLOT SUMMARY When orphaned Hattie receives a surprising letter informing her that a long-forgotten uncle has left her his homestead claim in Montana, a new life flashes before her eyes. Having been passed along from one unwilling family member to the next she leaves behind her harsh and uncaring aunt, yet mourns losing her more supportive and comforting uncle. When she arrives, however, her “proving up” appears more difficult that she realized. As she learns to live life under the big Montana sky, she becomes embroiled in the harsh realities of a country turning on its resident “alien enemies,” and anything else German in word or deed. As dachshunds become “liberty dogs” and threatening pamphlets of patriotism are left on her table, she begins to wonder what she has gotten into. While she makes friends with many of her neighbors she witnesses the depths that people will sink to in the name of patriotism. With fires burning and lives and well-being threatened, Hattie comes to see both the best and the worst of those she shares the Montana country-side with. In the end, however, courage and knowing right from wrong become the true measure of the kind of people Hattie wants to be around, and who she herself works to become. 3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS Larson’s Newbury Award winning book stands tall on its character development. Hattie, Perille, her German husband Karl, neighbors Leafie and Rooster Jim, and the Civic League and the uncertain and at t9imes frightening Traft weave together to show the best and the worst of what can happen in homestead struggles and on the home front of wartime. Through the stories told by Hattie and experienced by her neighbors as well as through the letters Hattie gets from her school friend at war Charlie, we are shown into the world of war with the Germans and with the hard Montana country-side. The characters drive the plot of the story, that of determination, self-reliance and neighborly compassion in times of great trial. As days turn to months Hattie tries to “prove up” her claim by laying 480 rods of fence and planting forty acres of crops. During this time she finds strength in herself and in her neighbors. She learns to stand strong against what life throws at her, as well as the often despicable acts others will do in the name of their country, based on fear and lack of understanding. This proves to be the central theme of the book. While Hattie struggles to find a middle ground between rampant patriotism and supporting those she loves and cares for, both German and American, she begins to see her own strength and how community can be built and supported. Authenticity for this book is supported through a bibliography, further reading and a significant acknowledgement by the author of the basis of her story in the real life struggles of her own great grandmother. In addition a Reader’s Guide with questions for discussion and answers by the author allows students to better understand the validity of the story of the Montana homestead and wartime woven by the author. 4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S) Newbery Honor 2007 ALA Notable Children's Books 2007 COMMONSENSEMEDIA.COM: “This warmhearted and gritty story of early 20th century pioneering is more realistic than most novels of this genre. The bad guys are not quite as bad as they seem, things don't always work out as you might hope, people die unexpectedly of unadventurous things such as disease, and life is hard but never unremittingly bleak. The little moments of friendship and kindness shine bright, and the result is not rose-tinted, but recognizably true.” LIBRARIANSBOOKREVIEWS.COM: This story is fantastic! I just fell in love with Hattie and I laughed and cried through everything she faced and overcame. Her determination, her strength of character and will can inspire any person to do difficult things..” 5. CONNECTIONS *Students can create their own homestead in diorama form to better understand the fencing and crop requirements. *Students can connect this story to their math classes by figuring the area of Hattie’s homestead, multiple ways lay 480 fence rods as well as what percentage of her homestead would be farmed if she planted her original forty acres, as well as if she planted the sixty acres that Karl helped her to plow. *Other historical fiction books for children about homesteading: Landau, Elaine.. THE HOMESTEAD ACT. ISBN: 0-516-27902-5 Isaacs, Sally Senzell. LIFE ON A PIONEER HOMESTEAD. ISBN-10: 1-57572-313-1

One Crazy Summer- Book Review - TWU 5603- Spring 2012

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Willians-Garcia, Rita. 2010. ONE CRAZY SUMMER. New York: Amistad. ISBN 9780060760885 2. PLOT SUMMARY When Delphine, Vonetta and Fern, a trio of sisters from New York, travel to Oakland, California to spend a month of summer with the mother who abandoned them years ago, they have no idea what a crazy summer it will be. Serving in spirit both her poetry and the Black Power movement that boils in Oakland and other cities in the 1960’s their mother Cecile is anything but maternal. Yet these young women, through their time spent in a community summer school supported by the charitable work of the local Black panthers, find a connection to their mother they never thought would exist. Fear and loss turn to acceptance and even pride as they reconnect with a woman so foreign to them they cannot even pronounce her new name, Nzila. Their connection grows, though, as their summer in Oakland leads to them new understandings of themselves and the woman who chose her pride over her children. 3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS Williams-Garcia uses the conflicting characters of the absentee mother Cecile/Nzila and the strong but highly conservative grandmother of the girls, Big Ma to show the forces drawing on many Black-American children in the tumultuous 1960’s in America. While the older sister, Delphine, tries to balance her desire to care for her sisters with her need to confront her mother and the environment she has been thrust into, the younger sisters exhibit both the desire to fit in, Vonetta, and the desire to be true to oneself, the youngest Fern. The author gives young readers a taste of the variety of experiences that children in and around the Black Power movement of the era might have encountered, and does so convincingly. Set in and around the city of Oakland, California, Williams-Garcia tells the tale of the three sisters as they struggle thro8ugh not only culture shock, but a battle of identity. They hear Big Ma in their mind’s eye trying to keep them on the straight and narrow as a Black woman trying to raise three young girls in a white world. When the younger girls began to act up in the airport, “Big Ma grabbed them by the first scruff of fabric she could get ahold of, bent down, and told them to ‘act right.’ There weren’t too many of ‘us’ in the waiting area, and too many of ‘them’ were staring.” Yet when they get to their birth-mother Cecile’s home in Oakland they are left to be cared for at a Panther day camp that tries to teach the girls to stand up for their rights, to protest and to try to bring change through confrontation. The entire plot unfolds in this context, and as the girls begin to accept a combination of these two identities, so too do the readers. This is the central theme of the story, respect for oneself as well as an acceptance of how flawed individuals can be loved, can be family. While the background of the Black Panther movement, unnecessary arrests included, counts this book as historical fiction, it is above all else a story of family, and the struggles we engage in to love those in our lives most difficult to understand. In terms of the authenticity of this particular work, very few sources are specifically sited. In an acknowledgements section at the end of the text the author specifically notes Black Panther accounts and perspectives as well as The Black Panther Intercommunal News Service. While general news articles and readings from the time period are noted no other specific sources are mentioned. The authenticity of the work could be better verified with an additional bibliography or works referenced section. 4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S) READINGRUMPUS.COM: “Author Williams-Garcia simply understood that most folks wouldn’t be shedding any of those tears for Delphine’s mother. I'm sure Ms. Williams-Garcia knew it was Delphine and the crazy summer she grew into a young lady of strength her mother could never have that makes One Crazy Summer an award-nomination worthy title..” KIRKUS REVIEWS: Each girl has a distinct response to her motherless state, and Williams-Garcia provides details that make each characterization crystal clear. The depiction of the time is well done, and while the girls are caught up in the difficulties of adults, their resilience is celebrated and energetically told with writing that snaps off the page..” 5. CONNECTIONS Coretta Scott King Award Winner National Book Award Finalist *Students could compare and contrast, through primary source research, the differing actions and reactions of groups supporting equal rights for Black-Americans in the 1950’s and 1960’s. *Students could attempt to locate primary source documentation such as newspaper articles and interviews that they could then compare to Williams’-Garcia’s telling of the story and determine how authentic they feel the story is based on their findings. *Other books for high school readers about Black Power and the Civil Rights Movement: Aretha, David. BLACK POWER. ISBN-10: 1-59935-164-1 Anderson, Michael. THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. ISBN-10: 1-40344-179-0

The Earth Dragon Awakes - Book Review-TWU 5603-Spring 2012

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Yep, Laurence. 2006. THE EARTH DRAGON AWAKES. New York: Harper Collins Children’s Books. ISBN 9780329675981

2. PLOT SUMMARY
The everyday lives of Henry, the child of a well-to-do San Francisco family and his friend Chin, the son of Henry’s family’s “houseboy” take a tumultuous turn when the ground beneath their feet moves viciously. While they spent their days prior to the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 reading “penny dreadfuls” and dreaming of heroes like Wyatt Earp, they spent the days after seeing their families and friends become true heroes. Pulling trapped neighbors out of wrecked homes and fighting fires are only a short number of the events these two families take part in as the story of how this horrific series of events affected hundreds of thousands living in the greater San Fran area. While moments of sadness ring true, the overall message is one of hope and courage, which young readers can take to heart.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Yep has a true gift for creating genuine, down-to-earth and accessible characters for young readers in truly authentic and accurate settings. Henry and Chin, from different backgrounds, different cultures, different nations and different worlds are an unlikely set of friends whose strong desire to reunite after the quake keeps readers pushing for them. “Chin watches the column of smoke rising from the south and east. ‘Henry should be okay. His house is to the west.’ His father brushes the fuzz on the crown of Chin’s head. ‘You worry too much.’”

In addition to Chin and Henry their fathers, mothers and friends are richly detailed, with their eccentricities, fears, hopes and strengths portrayed in rich detail. These characters are woven into a plot that seamlessly moves back and forth between the dual fights for survival waged by the two families from such different lives in San Francisco. Yet the fires that rampage through the city after the great quake succeed in consuming both Nob Hill and Chinatown alike. No area is safe, regardless of its affluence. Yep expertly helps young readers see that when nature becomes the enemy, wealth is no protection.
Through both visual language and excellent geographic wherewithal Yep helps young readers to truly “see” the city of San Francisco at the turn of the century. The flavor of the buildings, the lives of butchers, bankers and soldiers, the green of the parks and the smell of the water churning with boats of every size and shape come to life through the author’s words.

In all this though, the theme of strength, courage and devotion to friends and family in times of crisis rings through. Young readers will feel a sense, as Henry and Chin later realize, that they are seeing the heroic in the every day. While Yep certainly has created these characters for us, their authenticity, and the reality of the struggles they endure, make us believe that others out there must have lived much as these two families did during this event.

Yep is careful to ensure that young readers feel connected to the truth of the story, most specifically in his afterward. He notes in a more expository manner statistics related to the quake and the fire that followed as well as selected readings to help students find further information. A bibliography is not included however the additional readings feel sufficient to verify to a reasonable extent the authenticity of the piece. Finally a series of photographs, credited on the t.p. verso allow readers to truly see what young people and their families would have seen during this time. It is a masterful telling and one that will surely bring students to a new level of interest in the topic.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
GOODREADS.COM: “Based on actual events and told from the alternating perspectives of two young friends, The Earth Dragon Awakes is a suspenseful novel about the 1906 San Francisco earthquake by Newbery Honor author Laurence Yep.”
KIRKUS REVIEWS: “…this is solid historical fiction full of details about the times and backed up with an afterword explaining the author’s connection and suggesting sources for further reading. It is notable especially for the attention paid to the experience of San Francisco’s Chinese immigrants, and a good choice for reluctant readers.”

5. CONNECTIONS
*Students could create their own “penny dreadful” based on the stories of true life heroes they research and read about in their local, regional or national newspapers or through online searches.
*A mapping activity would be an ideal curricular connection as students use the locations in the story to map out the series of events on historic city maps of San Francisco. These can then be overlaid on maps of the current city and students can hypothesize how a quake of this magnitude would affect the modern city today.
*Other historical fiction books for children about the San Francisco earthquake of 1906:
Sibley, Linda.. DAVID EXPERIENCES THE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE. ISBN: 0-7569-0297-5
Kudlinski, Kathleen V. EARTHQUAKE! : A STORY OF OLD SAN FRANCISCO. Original ISBN-10: 0-14-036390-4 *From the Once Upon America historical fiction series.

Marie Curie-Book Review- TWU LS5603 - Spring 2012

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Krull, Kathleen. 2007. MARIE CURIE. New York, NY: Puffin Books. ISBN 9780142412657

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Kathleen Krull does another stand-up job in the Giants of Science biography series with her take on the life and work of Marie Curie. In a world of science dominated by men Krull takes young readers through Marie’s early days struggling to find lab space and components to work with to the trying times where she sat by and watched her work read aloud at symposium by others. “Marie’s report ‘Rays emitted by Uranium and Thorium Compounds’ was read aloud by one of her professors. She couldn’t read it aloud because she wasn’t a member, no women were allowed.” Additionally her life with her beloved Pierre, good times and bad are also part of the tale. Through the loss of the great minds of science to radiation poisoning, Krull even brings young readers into the work of Marie Curie’s daughter who carried the torch of scientific greatness after the renowned woman’s death. In a touching and all too human tale of brilliance mixed with personal trials and tragedies, Krull makes this biography shine with huge moments that changed the world and small moments that changed only the lives of the Curie family. It is indeed a great telling and one that will grab young readers and keep them enthralled.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Krull has often been recognized for her outstanding work in non-fiction for young readers and this biography is no different. Taking pains to stay true to the sources she uses quotes from those involved and cites a nice array of works in her bibliography that are specifically chosen for further reading by her younger readers. Indexed to allow readers to seek out key information about the scientific great, the biography is written in a chronological manner that allows the reader to see the life and work of Madame Curie develop over the years. The language used is age-appropriate and very accessible to young readers. The tone is informative without being dry, enticing without being melodramatic. Overall, the piece is a definite home-run. In addition Boris Kulikov’s illustrations give readers a glimpse into what the life and times of Marie Curie may have looked like. They are not so over-bearing, though as to detract from the story. The book is organized in a way that quotes are embedded into the voicing of the work. It allows the true primary-source material to speak directly to the young readers and Krull flows from her narrative into the quotes and out again with ease. A well-organized and well-designed book, it would be a great addition to any school or home library.


4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
GOODREADS REVIEW: “As with her previous star-studded biographies of Leonardo da Vinci, Isaac Newton, and Sigmund Freud, all three chosen as ALA Notable Books, Kathleen Krull offers readers a fascinating portrait of this mythic giant of science who abhorred publicity. And she also places Curie’s ground-breaking discovery of two elements within the framework of science at that time.”
KIRKUS REVIEWS: “Krull presents another top-notch scientific biography in the outstanding Giants of Science series. Readers have come to expect chatty, direct narratives that develop distinct characters and place those individuals squarely in the context of both their times and their disciplines, and this account of the noted physicist’s life delivers the goods.”

5. CONNECTIONS
*Science teachers could incorporate this and other Giants of Science biographies into units on inventors as well as on a study of the periodic table of elements and the identity of properties of matter.

*Other Marie Curie biographies
Wishinsky, Frieda. MANYA'S DREAM : A STORY OF MARIE CURIE. ISBN 1894379535
Cobb, Vicki. MARIE CURIE. ISBN 9780756638313

Blizzard! - Book Review - TWU LS5603-Spring 2012

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Murphy, Jim. 2000. BLIZZARD!. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc. ISBN 0590673106

2. PLOT SUMMARY
The New England Great Blizzard of 1888 takes center stage in Jim Murphy’s profoundly accessible Blizzard! While imbued with excerpts from newspaper and eye-witness accounts as well as primary-source images, the telling reads like an intriguing story, with the lives of the inhabitants taking center stage. Saddening and surprising at times, Murphy takes young readers through harrowing accounts of the almost animalistic behaviors of the storm fronts that collided to hunt down and bury the north-eastern United States. The slow onset of the storm, the frightening life of tenement dwellers and the sad loss of life for many of those who braved then storm and broken by moments of heroism, determination, and even amusement, such as the tale of the hundreds of individuals who attempted to cross the frozen river under the Brooklyn Bridge only to end up riding down the currents on huge chunks of ice. As they were later rescued, the humor of the particular series of events comes forth. Murphy works hard to make this tale one that young readers will find engaging and draw them in to read more of his work.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Murphy works hard to ensure that his work is based on solid primary-source evidence as noted throughout the text and in well-documented chapter on notes on sources and related materials. While certain license is taken in terms of the emotional responses that those caught in the terrible storm may have faced, the author worked diligently to let the voices of those souls speak for themselves whenever possible.

Written in a very novel-like style Murphy’s Blizzard is easy to read and in a style that younger readers will be able to readily grasp. The organization is chronological in nature though at times Murphy moves not only through time but space as well, to inform readers of events happening concurrently in various locations in the affected area. Overall the story is written in such a manner that the informative nature of the book is perfectly blended with the narrative style often employed by the author in other works.

The design of the book has the feeling of reading an older newspaper. All images and even the text are in a sepia tone and its seems to make the book feel more warm and enticing, a nice juxtaposition from the chilling information contained within. Relying heavily on photographs and artist’s sketches from the period, the book has a good mix of text and images, with block quotes dispersed throughout in a larger font. The overall feel of the entire work is one that is meant to inform, not frighten, but it does so in a conversational and engaging manner.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
GOODREADS REVIEW: “Newbery Honor Book author Jim Murphy orchestrates with fact, science, technology, and sociology the testimony of survivors and victims to tell the harrowing story of the phenomenal blizzard that crippled New York City in March, 1888.”
BARNES AND NOBLE REVIEW: “Newbery Honor Book author Jim Murphy orchestrates with fact, science, technology, and sociology the testimony of survivors and victims to tell the harrowing story of the phenomenal blizzard that crippled New York City in March, 1888.”

5. CONNECTIONS
*Teachers in science and geography courses could use this text as a tie-in to multiple instructional units on severe weather phenomenon.
*Teachers in history courses could use Murphy’s work as a jumping-off point for the development of technological advancements in response to natural disasters throughout history.

*Other books about the weather events in history:
Latham, Donna. HURRICANE! : THE 1900 GALVESTON NIGHT OF TERROR. ISBN 9781597160711
Lusted, Marcia Amidon. THE 2004 INDIAN OCEAN TSUNAMI. ISBN 9781604530476

They Called Themselves the K.K.K. - Book Review-TWU LS 5603-Spring 2012

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. 2010. THEY CALLED THEMSELVES THE KKK: THE BIRTH OF AN AMERICAN TERRORIST GROUP. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. ISBN 9780618440337

2. PLOT SUMMARY
While young readers may have been introduced through lessons on the Civil Rights protests and activities of the 1950’s and 1960’s to the entity known as the Ku Klux Klan, this work takes a more unique approach to introducing readers to the birth of the organization itself. Setting the stage in the Reconstruction-Era Southern United States, the inception of this group as a social club where a few former confederates and confederate-sympathizers met to lament the loss of their way of life is the beginning of this tale. Bartoletti continues through the growth of the organization into its early acts of fear-mongering and beyond into its spread as a multi-state organization with local, regional and district chapters. Interspersed with quotes from both KKK members and the terrorized Black Americans that were the victims of the group’s attacks, the social commentary helps move the story along. From the moment when six Tennessee Confederate officers decided to, “let us get up a club,” through the 1905 book and film, The Clansman, the early years of this sad element of American history are explained to young readers in as appropriate a way as possible.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Through a long list of credible sources including slave narratives, court records, newspaper stories and primary source images such as lithographs and sketches, the accuracy of this piece appears high. An extensive list of quote sources, as well as a well presented bibliography for verification and research purposes support the thoroughness of Bartoletti’s work as well as giving a good starting off point for student research.

While many informational non-fiction works for young readers are written in a manner that allows for non-sequential reading and reference, They Called Themselves the KKK is written in a way that really lends itself to being read as a story, from beginning to end. Elements such as a timeline, quote attributions and an index allow the book to be used as a resource and looked at out of sequence however the full effect is best obtained when reading the book from cover to cover.

Both the design and style of this book allow it to be read much more in the manner of a non-fiction book. While relying exclusively on black and white images in the manner of primary resources, pull-out quotes, differences in font and style type and a tone that suggests much more of a newspaper story than a history textbook, the work is accessible to young readers because it seeks to make the events approachable, yet still realistic and compelling. Bartoletti makes a point to inform readers that in certain quotes language of the time period is seen and the author chose not to change it for fear of negating the impact and validity of the work. With this warning in advance, young readers and the adults supporting them can be armed to work through the more difficult elements of language and content the book covers.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
GOODREADS REVIEW: “Documentation is superb, and even the source notes are fascinating. An exemplar of history writing and a must for libraries and classrooms.”
KIRKUS REVIEWS: “This is the story of how a secret terrorist group took root in America’s democracy. Filled with chilling and vivid personal accounts unearthed from oral histories, congressional documents, and other primary sources, this is a book to read and remember.”

5. CONNECTIONS
*Tie ins to an instructional unit based on the Slave Narratives as well as work during Black History month and any lessons related to Reconstruction and the Civil Rights movement are all appropriate.
*Have students engage in a Reader’s Theater created in an age appropriate manner for your particular students based on Marcia Cebulska's play Now Let Me Fly or use the author’s youth versions of her play to perform at a celebratory event. http://nowletmefly.com/downloads/index.php

*Other books about the Civil War and Reconstruction:
Asim, Jabarri. THE ROAD TO FREEDOM: A STORY OF RECONSTRUCTION. ISBN 9780769634326
Murphy, Jim. THE BOYS WAR: CONFEDERATE AND UNION SOLDIERS TALK ABOUT THE CIVIL WAR. ISBN 9780780722224

Book Review - Black Stars in a White Night Sky - TWU LS5603 - Spring 2012

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lawson, JonArno. 2006. B;LACK STARS IN A WHITE NIGHT SKY. Ill. By Sherwin Tjia. Honesdale, Penn.: Wordsong. ISBN 9781590785218

2. SUMMARY
JonArno Lawson weaves together a poetic tapestry for a child that takes flights of fancy and of the mundane throughout the course of Black Stars in a White Night Sky. From the juxtaposition of light and dark, to the personification of tree-climbing kangaroos and dessert-preferring pigeons, Lawson makes sparkling poetry for the young and young at heart.

Old Man Margulis

“Old man Margulis
throws cake to the pigeons;
he claims that their feelings get hurt
by the same old dull bread crumbs and sunflower seeds --
‘What they coo for, my friends,
Is dessert.’”

While not specifically connected or associated with a particular theme this collection of works by JonArno Lawson does evoke, as a whole, a feeling of lightness and joy in the interesting aspects of life, as well as a recurring connection between the human and natural world that will entice young readers.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Rhythm, rhyme and sound play are at the forefront of Lawson’s work in this volume.

The Crepe Eaters

“They eat their crepes
behind drawn drapes,
they sneeze and cough politely.

How quickly they
avert their eyes
from anything
unsightly.

Whatever happens,
good or bad,
They take it
very lightly.”

Most, though not all, of the individual poems in this work have a strong rhyming pattern and a sauntering rhythm that is engaging and appropriate for children. Additionally the introduction of new words in rhyming patterns help support the acquisition of word sounds by young readers. Additionally Lawson’s use of sound adds an element of fun that is pervasive.

From The Knuckle-Nicking Buckle

“I nicked my knuckle
On my buckle
Fastening my belt;”

In addition to Lawson’s solid use of rhythm, rhyme and sound to draw in young readers, these delightful poems are couple with wonderful black and white illustrations by Sherwin Tija. The strong, dynamic images range from single drawings confined to a small portion of the page surrounded by whitespace, to full page detailed illustrations of environments that are often literal representations of the poetry they support. These illustrations use just enough detail to create a strong image while still remaining animated enough to support the fun and lightness of Lawson’s poetry.

Overall the entire collection is enjoyable and perfectly suited for young readers. The poems cover interesting topics in enticing ways and are paired with illustrations that enhance the whimsy of the poems. It is a wonderful choice for school, classroom and home libraries.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Review in WASHINGTON POST BOOK REVIEW "These playful verses pass the true-poetry test: They show the world in a new light. As even his titles prove, Lawson likes to turn words and ideas inside out and upside down, roll them around and see what surprises shake out. Who could resist dipping into 'The Maple Leaves That Mabel Leaves' or 'Frog on the Cob'? But he also shows an unexpected range of feeling.”
Review in KIRKUS REVIEWS: Staid design masks a terrific collection of poetic surprises, observations and ruminations on topics as varied as discovering sunken treasure but not taking it, meeting an unusually eloquent ‘Elephant,’ considering the prospect of eating ‘Frog On A Cob’ again… and, in the title poem, using the ‘inward-gazing mind’ to reverse what the ‘outward-dazing eye’ sees.”

5. CONNECTIONS
*This book of poetry would be a wonderful choice as a stimulus for pen and ink drawing units in an art class. While a number of the poems have illustrations, students could choose poems that did not to illustrate themselves. Additionally students could seek out images, or the teacher could provide images, to stimulate writing in JonArno Lawson’s style and allow students the chance to create their own works.
*Students could, after finishing a study of Black Stars seek out Lawson’s other book of poetry for children, The Man in the Moon-Fixer’s Mask and compare and contrast the two books as a whole, using the elements of poetry to create diagrams and charts by element.
Other children’s poetry books:
McCord, David. EVERYTIME I CLIMB A TREE. ISBN 9780316158855 (*Out of print but many copies still able to be purchased.)
Viorst, Judith. SAD UNDERWEAR AND OTHER COMPLICATIONS. ISBN 9780689833762

Book Review - Stop Pretending: what happened when my big sister went crazy - TWU LS5603 - Spring 2012

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Sones, Sonya.. 1999. STOP PRETENDING: WHAT HAPPENED WHEN MY BIG SISTER WENT CRAZY. New York: HARPERTEMPEST. ISBN 9780064462188

2. SUMMARY
In the most excruciatingly sorrowful, poignant and emotion-laden manner, Sonya Sones carries us through the journey of her older sister’s fall into debilitating mental illness. From the tender age of twelve we see through younger sister’s eyes as the family of four becomes a family of three, as her older sister takes up residence in a psychiatric facility. We are drawn in line by line, poem by poem, through the uproar and turmoil caused in the family, and in the shifting social relationships the knowledge of her sister’s illness causes in young Sonya’s school. We are given flashes of brightness when good days come by, the rage and sorrow that flow through the poetry of anger that cannot help but be felt by her parents, and even poems of new love and joy as the protagonist finds an accepting love who is able to see her family’s flaws and love her just the same. While normalcy isn’t reached at the end of the verse novel, one can feel the healing that has begun, and hopes for the best for the family, and any others struggling with the same issues.
“My sister gives her a high five.
It’s my turn.
I look around the table
At my whole family
And put down BETTER.”

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
“I can
remember what
things were like before she
got sick; my whole family climbed
into

the big
hammock on the
moondappled beach, wove
Ourselves together, and swayed as one.”

From the first two stanzas of the first poem on the first page of the book, the reader is overwhelmed with a sense of unwinding, of coming apart, of fraying. While no one rhythmic pattern is carried throughout the book, Sones’ relatively short-lined, terse representations of the emotions welling through her adolescent self during the years her sister fell-prey to the worst affects of her fight with manic-depression are a perfect match between form and function. Rhyming is not often seen in the novel, though there are internal rhymes to be found occasionally; “Sister’s in the psycho ward and when I visit, I glance toward the other patients’ twisted faces, quaking fingers, frightened eyes, wishing I could somehow break her out of here…”

The poetry is rich with the sounds, sights and smells of the mundane of life when amplified by the conspicuous absence of a loved one;

“knowing my father is sitting in there
in the dark
staring at the flickering screen,

too weary to talk
or even sit in silence
next to someone on the couch”

This was a book I simply couldn’t put down. The story, every ounce of it told through the poetry of Sones, had as much rich detail and drama as a thousand-page novel. This book is an excellent choice for readers of nearly any age from young adult and up.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Notable Children's Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies 2001
National Council for SS &Child. Book Council and 2000 Best Books for Young Adults (ALA)
2000 Best Books for Young Adults (ALA)2000 Quick Picks for Young Adults (Recomm. Books for Reluctant Young Readers)

Review in teenreads.com: “Read individually, each poem seems ordinary enough, but when read all together --- their collective power is breathtaking. Many of the poems can be difficult to read, but the book ends on a high note, with all four family members playing a very irregular game of Scrabble. Similar to Karen Hesse's Newbery Award-winning OUT OF THE DUST in its use of blank verse, STOP PRETENDING speaks to the power of images and is a compelling and provocative memoir.”
Review in KIRKUS REVIEWS: “The form, a story-in-poems, fits the story remarkably well, spotlighting the musings of the 13-year-old narrator, and pinpointing the emotions powerfully. She copes with friends who snub her, worries that she, too, will go mad, and watches her sister’s slow recovery. To a budding genre that includes Karen Hesse’s Out of the Dust (1997) and Virginia Euwer Wolff’s Make Lemonade (1993), this book is a welcome addition.”

5. CONNECTIONS
*Partner this book with a Health and Life skills unit on mental health or family, including inviting in a class speaker to help clarify understandings of mental illness and its presence and stigma in society. This activity is most appropriate for high school students.
*Have students engage in a journaling activity for one month, after which they too will create a short verse novel of their own poems. Students wishing to may have their books published for reading in the classroom or school library.
Other verse novels focusing on loss, life struggles and seeking normalcy in family:
Herrick, Steven. BY THE RIVER. ISBN 9781932425727
Hopkins, Ellen. CRANK. ISBN 9781416995135

Bronx Masquerade - Book Review - TWU LS5603 - Spring 2012

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Grimes, Nikki. 2002. BRONX MASQUERADE. New York: Speak. ISBN 9780142501894

2. SUMMARY
In an intriguing combination of young adult narrative fiction interwoven with adolescent poetry voiced from the many identities that make up Mr. Ward's high school English class, Nikki Grimes paints an incredible tale of how poetry can open doors. By implementing Open Mic Fridays an English teacher, Mr. Ward, opens up an entirely new arena for self-expression, identity and connection among his often disenfranchised kids. Along with struggling against stereotypes as well as the limitations life can put on people, these young adults show through their poetry and first person narratives how much can change when expression is appreciated and feelings are given poetic voice. While every ill in each of their young lives is not addressed, author and poet Grimes ensures that the work these “kids” put into their poetry tells a satisfying over all story, with sweet and stunning poetry that supports to story, but also can be read wonderfully in a stand-alone performance.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
“Daily
I notice you frown
at my thick casing,
feel you poke me
with the sharp tip
of your booted words.” by Janelle Battle
---------------------------------------
“In case I forgot to tell you,
I’m allergic to boxes; Black boxes, shoe boxes
New boxes, You boxes -
Even cereal boxes
Boasting Champions” by Devon Hope
---------------------------------------
“When I was seven,
I looked to heaven
And dreamed
Of going to the moon
But pretty soon
Somebody came along
To change
my tune.” by Steve Ericson

With every new teenage identity she squirms into to write the poems that create the skeleton of this mixed poetry novel, a new aspect of author/poet Nikki Grimes seems to emerge. Following no one standard rhythm or rhyme patter, playing with alliteration, assonance and consonance and embedding language choices distinctly identifying the individual imaginary author, Grimes perfectly introduces you to eighteen some-odd high school students who share with you a unique identity, perspective and set of issues through their poetry. The overall emotional coaster very much resembles the genuine ups and downs of high school life. Grimes does such justice to each of her “kids” the reader cannot help but get caught up in believing that these are legitimate individual students sharing their life pains and pleasures through poetry.

While more individual poems might have been preferred the overall length of the text is appropriate for middle and high school readers. It also is an excellent means of introducing hesitant older students to the art of poetry in a more organic manner.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
2003 Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
Review in GOODREADS.COM: “Award-winning author Nikki Grimes captures the voices of eighteen teenagers through the poetry they share and the stories they tell, and exposes what lies beneath the skin, behind the eyes, beyond the masquerade.”
Review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “A flowing, rhythmic portrait of the diversity and individuality of teen characters in a classroom....Competent and reluctant readers alike will recognize and empathize with these teens. As always, Grimes gives young people exactly what they're looking for — real characters who show them they are not alone."

5. CONNECTIONS
*This is the PERFECT book to begin one’s own open mic days or poetry slams for middle to upper school students. Spin-offs from this can include allowing students to combine other forms of expression such as art or music.
*Gather books of poetry written by actual teenagers and compare how Grimes presented these young people. Ask students to evaluate how authentic her poetry sounded, and choose specific poems to compare and contras
Other Nikki Grimes poetry books:
Grimes, Nikki. COME SUNDAY. ISBN 9780802851086
Grimes, Nikki. C IS FOR CITY. ISBN 9781404629424

The History of the Three Little Pigs - Book Review - TWU 5603 - Spring 2012

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Unknown author. 2006 (Release Date of eBook). THE HISTORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS. Ill. L.Leslie Brooke. Project Gutenberg. eBook # 18155

2. PLOT SUMMARY
In a far more intricate plot than most standard versions of the story of the three little pigs, this timeless tale redistributed by Project Gutenberg delves far more deeply into the benefits of being wise and hardworking. The first little Pig, in his house made of straw, is quickly consumed by the scheming Wolf. The second little Pig, in his house made of furze, also meets the same sad fate, and within only the first few pages. It is the tale of the third Pig, the wise and industrious third Pig, that fills the remainder of the pages. Whether foiling the Wolf with his house of brick, leaving earlier than the Wolf for the turnip patch that might have trapped most others, or outsmarting the lupine creature when the Wolf finds him up a tree, the third Pig is always victorious. In the end the Pig wins the final test of wits when the angered Wolf decides to climb down the chimney after the succulent little pork morsel. In a far more frightening end to the tale than many others the Wolf ends up falling into the open pot the Pig has placed in his fire. “And the little Pig put on the cover again in an instance, boiled him up, and ate him for supper, and lived happy ever after.”

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The intensity of the story as it follows the third Pig through his trials with the Wolf makes for excellent reading. A classic Trickster Tale, the third Pig’s deceptions outsmart the hungry Wolf time and again. After being trapped up the apple tree and convincing the Wolf that the Pig would give him an apple, “the little Pig said; ‘I will throw you down one.’ And he threw it so far that, while the Wolf was gone to pick it up, the little Pig jumped down and ran home.”

The language is somewhat more traditional than modern children’s books or traditional tales tend to use. “’Ready!’ said the little Pig, ‘I have been and come back again, and got a nice pot-full for dinner.” This does not detract from the enjoyableness of the story however.

L. Leslie Brooke’s illustrations, in both black and white and full color, are interspersed throughout the book and bring the characters to life. Reminiscent of the realistic, yet anthropomorphized, animals of Beatrix Potter, Brooke’s Pigs and Wolf are lifelike, with wrinkles, fur, fine ears and squiggly tales. They also, though, offer very natural smiles, grimaces and gestures that articulate their human-like qualities.

Readers should be aware that three of the four characters in this version of the story die in rather gruesome fashion. Along with the traditional tales of the Brothers Grimm, parents and teachers should make educated decisions regarding when and how to use this specific telling of the classic story.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Additional reviews for this specific book have not been forthcoming due to its age. While reviews of other Three Little Pigs stories abound, specific ones for this version are not.

5. CONNECTIONS
*A Trickster Tales Festival with each student reading aloud and dressing as their favorite characters from a Trickster Tale book would be a wonderful way to introduce multiple Trickster Tales.
*A visit by a petting zoo to the school along with correctly-leveled non-fiction books on pigs would give students a better understanding of these amazing animals and their intellect.
*Other books for children with Trickster heroes or heroines:
Aardema, Verna. ANASAZI FINDS A FOOL. ISBN 0803711646
Blundell, Tony. BEWARE OF BOYS. ISBN 0688109241

Dust Devil - Book Review - TWU 5603 Spring 2012

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Isaacs, Anne. 2010. DUST DEVIL. Ill. by Paul O. Zelinsky. New York: Schwartz Wade Books. ISBN 9780375982699 (eBook)

2. PLOT SUMMARY
This TALL Montana tale of how Angel tamed the stormy steed she calls Dust Devil is a treat for readers of all ages. Extending on the success of their previous Caldecott Honor Book that introduced the world to “Swamp Angel”, Isaacs and Zelinsky return with a fantastical tale in a western setting with all the makings of legend. When Angel relocates from Tennessee to the wide open spaces of Montana she begins by making, “a few adjustments.” She moves mountains to make buttes which provide her shade, she plants corn which grows in a day, rides storms into submission and, on her mighty mount Dust Devil, chase Backward Bart and his Flying Desperados all around and finally jail them for good. Their nasty mosquito mounts go on to change the Montana landscape and lead to more adventures, “but that’s another story.”

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Excellent for both reading to oneself and reading aloud to a rapt audience, Dust Devil, paints pictures with words that are only enhanced by Zelinsky’s images. Reminiscent of the wonderful Walt Disney cartoon tall tales, the story evolves to explain many of the great natural wonders of the state of Montana. “So Angel grabbed an armful and planted mountains one by one on the prairie. ‘That’s a beaut,’ she’d say proudly every time she set one down. And to this day, every stand-alone peak in Montana is called a butte.” The humorous writing, with the detail and flavor that makes the story come to life, will keep readers coming back for more stories of Angel. Most likely her legend will grow like that of Pecos Bill.

The humor of the story is coupled with the larger than life representations through Zelinsky’s illustrations. The oil paintings on wood veneers are vibrant and colorful with clean lines and a significant amount of detail. When Backwards Bart rides atop his wily mosquito, the weight of his large frame can be seen to bear down on the bug. The clean lines of Dust Devil’s strong hooves seem to embed into the door of the jail as he bends down the sharp, drilling noses of the mosquitos. The illustrations are a most necessary and fantastic element of the book.

One element of the book that may be a significant challenge for early readers is the dialog of Backwards Bart and his gang. While the backwards language is engaging and fun to work through, almost like a puzzle or game embedded in the story, this may make reading difficult for some younger readers. This would be a great element to be read aloud and puzzled through with young listeners together.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Review in KIRKUS REVIEWS: “Singsongy, colloquial narration guides readers from predicament to outlandish predicament with humor and folksy charm. Angel’s antics, pictured in oval and rectangular panels and surrounded by rippling wood grains, neatly explain the topography of the West in traditional folk-story fashion (wrestling the bucking bronco, Angel’s feet drag across the ground, creating the Grand Canyon).”
Review in THE NEW YORK TIMES: “In the end, of course, the heroine saves the day through bravery, pluck and a clever ploy. In all the scuffling, Angel creates the Sawtooth Range and the geysers of Yellowstone, a couple of Montana-size instances of what an economist might call unintended consequences.”

5. CONNECTIONS
*A story circle where each student researches and presents one other tall tale explaining the West can lead to comparisons and contrasts with folktales from other cultures that explain natural phenomenon. Suitable for older students.
*Children can create a puppet show representing the characters in Dust Devil, and then design a with the characters that explains another phenomenon of the West.
Schanzer, Rosalyn. DAVY CROCKETT SAVES THE WORLD. ISBN 0688169229
Bania, Michael. KUMAK’S FISH: A TALL TALE FROM THE NORTH. ISBN 0882405837

Beautiful Blackbird - Book Review - TWU 5603 Spring 2012

Due to my being located in China I am forced to choose books which I am able to find either in my school library or in eBook format for either iPad or Kindle. I was able to find Beautiful Blackbird and purchased it for the iPad at the start of our course. It was not until reading the chapter assigned for this module that I saw the extensive book study done on Beautiful Blackbird. As this was already the book I had purchased I chose to review it anyway, though I know that it is covered in a significant amount of detail in the text.

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bryan, Ashley. 2003. BEAUTIFUL BLACKBIRD. New York: Atheneum Books. ISBN 1442436862 (eBook)

2. PLOT SUMMARY
In this beautifully retold Zambian folktale, the birds of Africa in all their solid colors envy and celebrate the beauty of Blackbird. Through the story the characteristics Blackbird embodies, from his joyful nature to his feathers which, “gleam all colors in the sun”, are celebrated by the other birds. Through the “Beak and Wing Dance” the other birds chant the beauty of black. As the birds continue their dance, Ringdove, in is solid grayness, seeks out Blackbird to share his black coloration and add to Ringdove’s beauty. While reminding the other birds that, “Color on the outside is not what’s on the inside”, he shares his black color from the blackening brew he mixes in his gourd. Over days and nights of dances and celebrations the birds, down even to the small birds, get their own touch of black to add to their unique beauty. In the end, however, they each are uniquely themselves, for none of them can ever be Blackbird.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The joy of Ashley’ Bryan’s Beautiful Blackbird lies in the rhythm of the language and the simple truth that uniqueness and identity are not based on what one looks like, but on who they are. In this Beast tale of the Ila-speaking culture Bryan expertly holds to the oral-tradition style with lines that beg to be spoken in groups in a sing-song manner.
“Oh Blackbird, can we have some of that blackening too?
We all need what your black can do.
You're such an artist with your feather brush,
a touch of your black will be good for us.”

A true joy to read aloud, children will be mesmerized by the pattern of the language as well as the “moral” of the story, which stresses that one will never be exactly like another even if you strive to mimic their appearance. True identity comes from within. As Blackbird notes, “We’ll see the difference a touch of black can make. Just remember, whatever I do, I’ll be me and you’ll be you.” The telling of the story and its identified protagonists and animal creatures all ring true for the African culture from which Bryan derived this tale. The genuineness will also serve readers well.

In addition to the oral-tradition style of the story as well as the support for unique identity, one of the most startling parts of the book are the beautiful images derived from cut-paper collages that Bryan imbues the book with. Their simple, yet magical presence again calls back to the patterns and colors of the art of many African cultures. The entire book in all its facets is one to be enjoyed and shared out loud for the joy it will bring to listeners.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Coretta Scott King Award (ALA) ,
Texas 2x2 Reading List
Review in KIRKUS REVIEWS: This telling, by the master storyteller, just aches to be read aloud; the lively rhythms keep the simple folktale rollicking along. The cut-paper collage illustrations are full of color, but it’s of blandly similar intensity until Blackbird arrives with his blackening brew.
Review in SIMON AND SCHUSTER: “Ashley Bryan's adaptation of a tale from the Ila-speaking people of Zambia resonates both with rhythm and the tale's universal meanings -- appreciating one's heritage and discovering the beauty within.”

5. CONNECTIONS
*using this story to inform a performance in collaboration with the theater or drama teacher would give students of any age the opportunity to bring the tale to life. This would also be a good chance for a high school student to take on the role of student-director and work on their stagecraft while presenting a performance that young children would engage with easily.
*Other tales from African traditions could be collected and compared and contrasted. Students could be given the opportunity to re-illustrate their favorites in the paper cut-out collage fashion.
*Other books for children from Ashley Bryan:
Bryan, Ashley. LET IT SHINE. ISBN 9780689847325
Bryan, Ashley. ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT. ISBN 9781416989394 (Note* This is a songbook)

The Tale of Peter Rabbit: A Read & Listen Picture Book - Book Review - Genre 1 - TWU LS5603-20

Due to my living in China this book was purchased through iBooks and viewed on an iPad. It is a standard picture book with accompanying narration that may be turned onn or off. Mention of variations between the print and digital editions of the text are noted.

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Potter, Beatrix. 2005. THE TALE OF PETER RABBIT (A READ AND LISTEN PICTURE BOOK). Project Gutenberg eBook EBook # 14838. Original copy produced by Robert Cicconetti, Ronald Holder and the PG Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdg.net).

2. PLOT SUMMARY
A wonderful, timeless story is what Beatrix Potter wove when she wrote The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Having heard variations on the story I could not recall having read it for myself. I thoroughly enjoyed the sweet, straightforward storyline, and the meetings with the various animals that lived in Mr. McGregor’s garden. The moral of the story is not overhanded or overt, but smoothly interwoven into the consequences of Peter’s actions. There is no denying the reason this book is an ageless classic is because the storyline is so engaging and easily connects to readers young and old.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This book is considered the “perfect” picture storybook for good reason. The tale is woven effortlessly and brings the readers through every twist and turn of Peter’s naughty romp in Mr. McGregor’s garden, with all of the joy, sadness, fright and relief that it contains. The illustrations, too are so quietly beautiful in detail ans nuance, and so perfectly paired with the story that it is the measure to which all other picture storybooks must measure themselves.

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing this classic in a new light through the Read and Listen Picturebook format supported by Project Gutenberg. The original illustrations and text were paired with a wonderful narration that was well performed and would draw children in. The original 1902 text and images were preserved and are now shared in an entirely new format that makes use of the best that digital technologies have to offer for keeping children engaged in reading.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Review in Kids Book Review.com: “With Beatrix Potter’s beautiful fluid text, timeless illustrations and mischievous hero – this book is as charming as ever. I still love you, Peter!”
Review in Amazon.com: “Beatrix Potter's animal stories have been a joy to generations of young readers. Her warm, playful illustrations in soft colors invite children into the world of words and flights of fancy. Once there, she gently and humorously guides readers along the path of righteousness, leaving just enough room for children to wonder if that incorrigible Peter will be back in McGregor's garden tomorrow.”


5. CONNECTIONS
*This book can lead to a wonderful opportunity for children to engage in analysis and comparison and contrast at an early age when multiple versions and editions of this tale are brought together in the classroom. Students can fill in charts and graphs, create and give surveys and then analyze the results and even engage in the democratic process by “voting” for their favorite edition, version or set of illustrations.
*Students can take off from here and enjoy the entire series of Peter Rabbit books from Beatrix Potter in addition to the first story.

*Other books for children about rabbits:

Bianco, Margery Williams. THE VELVETEEN RABBIT. ISBN 978-1-59197-757-5
Na, Il Sung. SNOW RABBIT, SPRING RABBIT: A BOOK OF CHANGING SEASONS. ISBN 978-0-375-86786-6