BIBLIOGRAPHY
Montgomery, Sy. 2004. SEARCH FOR THE GOLDEN MOON BEAR. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 9780618356508.
PLOT SUMMARY
The scientific search for a possible new species of bear leads Sy Montgomery and other scientists on a quest around the world. The chance encounter in China of this "Moon Bear" in 1988 was the beginning of research that ended in October of 1999. Detailed description is given to the procedures followed in this scientific study, which includes DNA collection and analysis. The final answer to this scientific study was not what the researches expected to find.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The beginning of the book reads like a Raiders of the Lost Ark movie. A sighting of an unusual bear in a cage in China was intriguing. Sy Montgomery, a female scientist living in New Hampshire heard this story upon their return. Thus begins her journey to the other side of the world. Montgomery does a good job at the beginning and writes a captivating story. After the initial description of the particular bear they were researching, a four page spread giving background on the eight species of bear is helpful. Learning that all bears have the Latin word Ursa (bear) in their name was interesting. This could lead to a discussion of the star formation Ursa Major and Ursa Minor and why they were so named. Beautiful color photographs help move the story along. A large map of the region at the beginning of the story outlines the area they studied. The book is divided into chapters, with headings of the contents. Montgomery asks questions of other scientists, as children might, during the story to explain what they are doing during their research. She also gives interesting regional information about the towns that would interest children. The picture of the fried bug snacks and the description with a picture of the largest leech she'd ever seen is a "gross" effect sure to please students!
The appendices at the back of the book would enable those who are interested in more information on this subject. Where to learn more about bears and how to help them, further reading and facts about bears are listed. I also liked the photos of the author throughout the book. Girls are not traditionally seen as research scientists and the exposure to a woman who encounters danger in her job could be appealing to those children who like adventure.
PERSONAL OPINION
Toward the end of the book one of the chapters is entitled "Cracking the Code". Montgomery gives a detailed explanation of how DNA is analyzed. I can't see students reading this entire chapter. The story loses momentum as we are bogged down in reading pages of scientific findings that is fascinating to scientists but not always as exciting for children. This made the results rather anticlimactic as I'd lost some interest in the story.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
From School Library Journal
"While on an expedition to the Amazon, a fellow scientist told Montgomery about a bear seen years before in Yunnan, China–a bear with tall round ears, a white crescent on its chest, a bushy mane, and a coat as golden as a palomino. Later, a chance meeting with a young Cambodian unearthed a recent photo of a golden bear. From these encounters a scientific expedition to Southeast Asia evolved, seeking to determine if this honey-colored creature was a new species or a previously unseen color variation of Ursus thibetanus. Montgomery's conversational text takes readers to open-air markets and fruit farms in Cambodia, a wildlife breeding center and a zoo in Thailand, and hillside tribal villages in Laos (with a hefty interlude of tropical rain forest investigation), seeking the elusive animal."
From Booklist
"As in Encantado: Pink Dolphin of the Amazon (2002), nature writer Montgomery has adapted this from a longer work she wrote for adults. Here she chronicles her travels in war-torn Southeast Asia in search of an elusive golden-furred bear, hoping to nab tufts of its hair for DNA analysis to confirm a species not previously known to science. Though discussions of the region's bloody history have been toned down, Montgomery does frame the adventure with thought-provoking context."
AWARDS
Outstanding work of Non Fiction- New Hampshire Literary Review
One of the top five Non Fiction books of the year by Book magazine
Top Ten Science Book of the Year by Booklist
ALA Editor's Choice
CONNECTIONS
Students could be asked to "design" a bear no one had seen before. Artwork could be part of a bulletin board display with facts about the eight species of bears.
As a class, students could trace the route the scientists used to gather information for the story. The map from the front could be copied onto individual sheets for students to plot.
Students who liked this book might enjoy:
Montgomery, Sy. ENCANTO: PINK DOLPHIN OF THE AMAZON. ISBN 9780618131037
Montgomery, Sy. THE SNAKE SCIENTIST. ISBN 0395871697
Montgomery, Sy. THE TARANTULA SCIENTIST. ISBN 9780618915774
Friday, March 14, 2008
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
ANIMAL FACT/ ANIMAL FABLE
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Simon, Seymour. 1979. ANIMAL FACT/ ANIMAL FABLE. Illus. by Diane de Groat. New York, NY: Crown Publishers, Inc. ISBN 9780517537947.
PLOT SUMMARY
Seymour Simon examines popular myths about animals and determines whether they are true or not. The format of the book is a guessing game. A myth is listed with a humorous cartoon depicting the description of the myth. The reader must turn the page to learn if the myth is fact or fable.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Everyone loves to play games. Seymour Simon is a former science teacher and it is obvious he's learned to incorporate games into teachable moments. There are twenty animal myths examined in this book. Simon begins each fact or fable quiz with the myth printed at the bottom of the page and a humorous cartoon of the myth above the statement. Students could determine as a group or by themselves the answer before they turn the page. The following page uses bold lettering to begin with "FACT" or "FABLE", followed by the explanation. Simon keeps his explanations very simple so that children of a younger age could understand it. Even though this book was written in 1979, the answers are timeless. Children of all ages love to read and learn about animals. You can open the book anywhere and begin reading. I can see students reading this again and again until they get all the answers correct!
Children love to read books that are funny. The cartoon drawings by Diane de Groat are so outrageous, kids can't help but laugh when they read the myth page. The drawings de Groat uses on the answer pages are totally different. They are actual representations of the animal, many depicted in their natural habitat. The answer page is washed with color and the text is printed on top of the illustration. The large print is easy to read and does not detract from the painting.
PERSONAL OPINION
I enjoyed reading this book myself. I too played it as a guessing game. There are many non-fiction books about animals that get bogged down in the detail. The simple explanations make it easy for any age to read and understand. I can see a child reading this book and sharing it with others to see if they got the answers right.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
From Publishers Weekly
"The best kind of book, one that entertains while it educates."
CONNECTIONS
Students could take one of the twenty animals from the book and find five facts not listed in the book about the animal.
The teacher could prepare a Fact and Fable game. One separate note cards write the word FACT and FABLE. Take the myths from this book and write them on individual note cards. Put them in a pile face down. Students would draw a card and determine if it was a fact or fable and place it in the correct pile. Another student or the teacher could use the book to tell them if they were right or wrong.
The class could brainstorm other animal myths and research them as a class to determine if they were fact or fable.
Students who liked this book might like:
Bryant, Mark. THE CAT NAME COMPANION: FACTS AND FABLES TO HELP YOU NAME YOUR FELINE. ISBN 9780806516714
Meltzer, Milton. HOLD YOUR HORSES! A FEEDBAG FULL OF FACT AND FABLE.
ISBN 9780060244774
Miller, Karen and Sergio Ruzzier. MONSTERS AND WATER BEASTS: CREATURES OF FACT OR FICTION? ISBN 9780805079029
Simon, Seymour. 1979. ANIMAL FACT/ ANIMAL FABLE. Illus. by Diane de Groat. New York, NY: Crown Publishers, Inc. ISBN 9780517537947.
PLOT SUMMARY
Seymour Simon examines popular myths about animals and determines whether they are true or not. The format of the book is a guessing game. A myth is listed with a humorous cartoon depicting the description of the myth. The reader must turn the page to learn if the myth is fact or fable.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Everyone loves to play games. Seymour Simon is a former science teacher and it is obvious he's learned to incorporate games into teachable moments. There are twenty animal myths examined in this book. Simon begins each fact or fable quiz with the myth printed at the bottom of the page and a humorous cartoon of the myth above the statement. Students could determine as a group or by themselves the answer before they turn the page. The following page uses bold lettering to begin with "FACT" or "FABLE", followed by the explanation. Simon keeps his explanations very simple so that children of a younger age could understand it. Even though this book was written in 1979, the answers are timeless. Children of all ages love to read and learn about animals. You can open the book anywhere and begin reading. I can see students reading this again and again until they get all the answers correct!
Children love to read books that are funny. The cartoon drawings by Diane de Groat are so outrageous, kids can't help but laugh when they read the myth page. The drawings de Groat uses on the answer pages are totally different. They are actual representations of the animal, many depicted in their natural habitat. The answer page is washed with color and the text is printed on top of the illustration. The large print is easy to read and does not detract from the painting.
PERSONAL OPINION
I enjoyed reading this book myself. I too played it as a guessing game. There are many non-fiction books about animals that get bogged down in the detail. The simple explanations make it easy for any age to read and understand. I can see a child reading this book and sharing it with others to see if they got the answers right.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
From Publishers Weekly
"The best kind of book, one that entertains while it educates."
CONNECTIONS
Students could take one of the twenty animals from the book and find five facts not listed in the book about the animal.
The teacher could prepare a Fact and Fable game. One separate note cards write the word FACT and FABLE. Take the myths from this book and write them on individual note cards. Put them in a pile face down. Students would draw a card and determine if it was a fact or fable and place it in the correct pile. Another student or the teacher could use the book to tell them if they were right or wrong.
The class could brainstorm other animal myths and research them as a class to determine if they were fact or fable.
Students who liked this book might like:
Bryant, Mark. THE CAT NAME COMPANION: FACTS AND FABLES TO HELP YOU NAME YOUR FELINE. ISBN 9780806516714
Meltzer, Milton. HOLD YOUR HORSES! A FEEDBAG FULL OF FACT AND FABLE.
ISBN 9780060244774
Miller, Karen and Sergio Ruzzier. MONSTERS AND WATER BEASTS: CREATURES OF FACT OR FICTION? ISBN 9780805079029
Sunday, March 2, 2008
WHEN GORILLA GOES WALKING
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Grimes, Nikki. 2007. WHEN GORILLA GOES WALKING. illus. by Shane Evans. New York, NY: Orchard Books, An Imprint of Scholastic, Inc.
ISBN 9780439317702
PLOT SUMMARY
Cecilia has a pet cat named Gorilla. Author Nikki Grimes uses poetry to tell of a love/hate relationship with a pet cat who has a mind of his own.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Children love to read about pets. Author Grimes reminds us all that we can love our pets one minute and be annoyed with them the next. Each thought about her pet cat Gorilla is recorded in a separate poem with an appropriate title. When Grimes first begins describing the cat she does not mince words. "A fierce meow, a tiger's claws - Gorilla ain't no Santa Paws./ She hisses when a stranger's near. /She chases dogs. She has no fear. /She has no tail. She's rain-cloud gray./ I love that cool cat more each day." In this poem we see the personality of the cat but learn it makes no difference, Cecilia still loves him! The description of the color "rain-cloud gray" is a memory that anyone could picture. The final line of the books reminds the reader that "When you see my pet. I'm Gorilla's human. Don't ever forget!" Gorilla comforts Cecilia when she's sad, plays with her and sleeps with her at night. This is a little girl who dearly loves this cat. Nikki Grimes uses rhyming and haiki as forms of poetry in this book.
The artwork in this book is bold in color without details. The simple paintings look child like in their simplicity but the splash of color on every page surrounds the poetry and makes it very easy to read. Cecilia, an African American girl, is pictured with her cat, Gorilla throughout the book. Gorilla's facial expressions reflect the poem on the page. When he's sick, the painting on him shows him with his eyes closed and his tongue stuck out. In the poem "Chase" he is pictured very happily trying to catch a fly. You can see the joy on his face.
PERSONAL OPINION
There are not enough books featuring African American characters. This book of poetry is an every day look at a pet, something everyone, regardless of culture, could relate to. Some children have a preconceived notion of poetry. Grimes book of poetry would make children laugh and if read aloud, they'd want to check it out on their own to reread.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
From School Library Journal
"In a series of delightful poems, a girl introduces her cat, Gorilla, and describes her pet's many interests, talents, and behaviors. While the feline is decidedly the star of this show, Cecilia also shares tidbits about her own life, such as getting into trouble for making a mess and feeling sad when her best friend moves away. The rich and rewarding relationship enjoyed by cat and human comes through loud and clear."
From Booklist
"In interlinked poems, Cecilia, a young African American girl, introduces her "cool cat,"---a fierce, tailless, gray shorthair named Gorilla. In spare, expressive lines and bold colors, Evans' dynamic paintings capture the messy intimacy of the cat and human bond. Also evident is the sense that Gorilla isn't just a pet; she's also a mirror. Like many children, Cecilia sees her own best and worst qualities in her bossy, beautiful cat, who is, she says, "like stubborn me." A fill-the-page portrait of dreadlocked, brown Cecelia, arm and arm with a blue-eyed, white best friend opens this playful, insightful poetry collection (classified as fiction) with an image of open-hearted friendship."
CONNECTIONS
Students would be asked to write a poem about their pet. For those who may not have a pet, ask them to choose their favorite animal and write a poem. In another session, art work could be done to correlate with the poem written. Poems could be read aloud to the class and bound in a book for students to read. (You may need to ask that they not write about a pet cat, as many would copy what was in this particular book).
Students who liked this book would also like:
Grimes, Nikki. THANKS A MILLION. ISBN 9780688172923
Grimes, Nikki. A POCKETFUL OF POEMS. ISBN 9780395938683
Simms, Tayback. I MISS YOU EVERY DAY. ISBN 0670061921
Grimes, Nikki. 2007. WHEN GORILLA GOES WALKING. illus. by Shane Evans. New York, NY: Orchard Books, An Imprint of Scholastic, Inc.
ISBN 9780439317702
PLOT SUMMARY
Cecilia has a pet cat named Gorilla. Author Nikki Grimes uses poetry to tell of a love/hate relationship with a pet cat who has a mind of his own.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Children love to read about pets. Author Grimes reminds us all that we can love our pets one minute and be annoyed with them the next. Each thought about her pet cat Gorilla is recorded in a separate poem with an appropriate title. When Grimes first begins describing the cat she does not mince words. "A fierce meow, a tiger's claws - Gorilla ain't no Santa Paws./ She hisses when a stranger's near. /She chases dogs. She has no fear. /She has no tail. She's rain-cloud gray./ I love that cool cat more each day." In this poem we see the personality of the cat but learn it makes no difference, Cecilia still loves him! The description of the color "rain-cloud gray" is a memory that anyone could picture. The final line of the books reminds the reader that "When you see my pet. I'm Gorilla's human. Don't ever forget!" Gorilla comforts Cecilia when she's sad, plays with her and sleeps with her at night. This is a little girl who dearly loves this cat. Nikki Grimes uses rhyming and haiki as forms of poetry in this book.
The artwork in this book is bold in color without details. The simple paintings look child like in their simplicity but the splash of color on every page surrounds the poetry and makes it very easy to read. Cecilia, an African American girl, is pictured with her cat, Gorilla throughout the book. Gorilla's facial expressions reflect the poem on the page. When he's sick, the painting on him shows him with his eyes closed and his tongue stuck out. In the poem "Chase" he is pictured very happily trying to catch a fly. You can see the joy on his face.
PERSONAL OPINION
There are not enough books featuring African American characters. This book of poetry is an every day look at a pet, something everyone, regardless of culture, could relate to. Some children have a preconceived notion of poetry. Grimes book of poetry would make children laugh and if read aloud, they'd want to check it out on their own to reread.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
From School Library Journal
"In a series of delightful poems, a girl introduces her cat, Gorilla, and describes her pet's many interests, talents, and behaviors. While the feline is decidedly the star of this show, Cecilia also shares tidbits about her own life, such as getting into trouble for making a mess and feeling sad when her best friend moves away. The rich and rewarding relationship enjoyed by cat and human comes through loud and clear."
From Booklist
"In interlinked poems, Cecilia, a young African American girl, introduces her "cool cat,"---a fierce, tailless, gray shorthair named Gorilla. In spare, expressive lines and bold colors, Evans' dynamic paintings capture the messy intimacy of the cat and human bond. Also evident is the sense that Gorilla isn't just a pet; she's also a mirror. Like many children, Cecilia sees her own best and worst qualities in her bossy, beautiful cat, who is, she says, "like stubborn me." A fill-the-page portrait of dreadlocked, brown Cecelia, arm and arm with a blue-eyed, white best friend opens this playful, insightful poetry collection (classified as fiction) with an image of open-hearted friendship."
CONNECTIONS
Students would be asked to write a poem about their pet. For those who may not have a pet, ask them to choose their favorite animal and write a poem. In another session, art work could be done to correlate with the poem written. Poems could be read aloud to the class and bound in a book for students to read. (You may need to ask that they not write about a pet cat, as many would copy what was in this particular book).
Students who liked this book would also like:
Grimes, Nikki. THANKS A MILLION. ISBN 9780688172923
Grimes, Nikki. A POCKETFUL OF POEMS. ISBN 9780395938683
Simms, Tayback. I MISS YOU EVERY DAY. ISBN 0670061921
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
KEESHA'S HOUSE
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Frost, Helen. 2003. KEESHA'S HOUSE. New York, NY: Frances Foster Books Farrar,
Straus and Giroux. ISBN 9780374400125
PLOT SUMMARY
This book of poetry for teens is written as a contemporary novel. The plot revolves around a cast of characters who are interconnected. Stephie is a pregnant teenager afraid to tell her parents and the girlfriend of star athlete Jason who is worried about his college options. Keesha is a friend who moves out to get away from her father who is abusive when he drinks. Dontay is unhappy in foster care; Carmen lands in jail when she's caught drinking. Harris is a gay teen whose parents don't understand. Katie's mother has boyfriends who molests her. Helen Frost also gives the parents of these teens a voice as their lives begin to unravel.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Helen Frost has written a moving story in chapter book form. With the turn of every page, a new character has a voice. Their name is written next to the title to keep the characters straight as you read this disturbing but realistic tale of teenagers in crisis. Once the six characters are introduced, the voices of adults are also portrayed so the reader can interpret both sides of the story. The voices are realistic and the reader can form a picture of them in their mind as they hear them speak on the page. Even though many different character are featured, it is easy to keep their stories straight because of the way Frost depicts them speaking.
Most teens reading this book would not realize it is poetry as it's not presented in a traditional form. Frost succeeds in creating a compelling, realistic story about teens that would make them want to turn the page, regardless of the genre. The reader learns of the poetry methods used when they finish the story.
At the end of the book, Frost gives notes on the forms of poetry utilized in her novel. The reader then learns about Sestinas which is a poem of six six-line stanzas, originally without rhyme, in which each stanza repeats the end words of the lines of the first stanza. (For example, in THAT ONE WORD she writes as her ending stanza line, "Freeze frame on that one word: Did you say". The first line of the next stanza reads, "him? I used to try to think of I'd say", ending with the same word as the last line of the stanza above. Frost also writes in sonnet form and gives specific chapter notations which enables the reader to refer back to the poem. The author employs English, Italian, crown and hybrid sonnets in this sad but realistic tale.
PERSONAL OPINION
I really enjoyed this book and will recommend it to our high school librarians. The book can be read in a short amount of time and I found myself going back to reread specific characters stories. The anguish of the parents dealing with their children's situation is real. Frost's biography details her work with juvenile detention facilities. She has used their stories to weave this believable tale. I learned about crown sonnets and referred back to the poems to determine how they were written.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
From School Library Journal
"Frost has taken the poem-story to a new level with well-crafted sestinas and sonnets, leading readers into the souls and psyches of her teen protagonists. It sounds like a soap opera, but the poems that recount these stories unfold realistically. Revealing heartbreak and hope, these poems could stand alone, but work best as a story collection. Teens may read this engaging novel without even realizing they are reading poetry."
From Booklist
"Like Virginia Euwer Wolff's True Believer (2001) and much contemporary YA fiction, this moving first novel tells the story in a series of dramatic monologues that are personal, poetic, and immediate, with lots of line breaks that make for easy reading, alone or in readers' theater. Frost talks about the poetic forms she has used, the sestina and the sonnet. But most readers will be less interested in that framework than in the characters, drawn with aching realism, who speak poetry in ordinary words and make connections."
AWARDS
Michael L. Printz Honor Book
CONNECTIONS
Students would enjoy dividing up these characters and reading them aloud as if it were a play (and it reads that way). Discussion of ways to portray the voice of the character could be done as a class as the readers work through this novel.
Readers who enjoyed this might like:
Going, K.L. FAT KID RULES THE WORLD. ISBN 0399239901
Johnson, Angela. THE FIRST PART LAST. ISBN 9780689849237
Lynch, Chris. FREE WILL. ISBN 9780064472029
Frost, Helen. 2003. KEESHA'S HOUSE. New York, NY: Frances Foster Books Farrar,
Straus and Giroux. ISBN 9780374400125
PLOT SUMMARY
This book of poetry for teens is written as a contemporary novel. The plot revolves around a cast of characters who are interconnected. Stephie is a pregnant teenager afraid to tell her parents and the girlfriend of star athlete Jason who is worried about his college options. Keesha is a friend who moves out to get away from her father who is abusive when he drinks. Dontay is unhappy in foster care; Carmen lands in jail when she's caught drinking. Harris is a gay teen whose parents don't understand. Katie's mother has boyfriends who molests her. Helen Frost also gives the parents of these teens a voice as their lives begin to unravel.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Helen Frost has written a moving story in chapter book form. With the turn of every page, a new character has a voice. Their name is written next to the title to keep the characters straight as you read this disturbing but realistic tale of teenagers in crisis. Once the six characters are introduced, the voices of adults are also portrayed so the reader can interpret both sides of the story. The voices are realistic and the reader can form a picture of them in their mind as they hear them speak on the page. Even though many different character are featured, it is easy to keep their stories straight because of the way Frost depicts them speaking.
Most teens reading this book would not realize it is poetry as it's not presented in a traditional form. Frost succeeds in creating a compelling, realistic story about teens that would make them want to turn the page, regardless of the genre. The reader learns of the poetry methods used when they finish the story.
At the end of the book, Frost gives notes on the forms of poetry utilized in her novel. The reader then learns about Sestinas which is a poem of six six-line stanzas, originally without rhyme, in which each stanza repeats the end words of the lines of the first stanza. (For example, in THAT ONE WORD she writes as her ending stanza line, "Freeze frame on that one word: Did you say". The first line of the next stanza reads, "him? I used to try to think of I'd say", ending with the same word as the last line of the stanza above. Frost also writes in sonnet form and gives specific chapter notations which enables the reader to refer back to the poem. The author employs English, Italian, crown and hybrid sonnets in this sad but realistic tale.
PERSONAL OPINION
I really enjoyed this book and will recommend it to our high school librarians. The book can be read in a short amount of time and I found myself going back to reread specific characters stories. The anguish of the parents dealing with their children's situation is real. Frost's biography details her work with juvenile detention facilities. She has used their stories to weave this believable tale. I learned about crown sonnets and referred back to the poems to determine how they were written.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
From School Library Journal
"Frost has taken the poem-story to a new level with well-crafted sestinas and sonnets, leading readers into the souls and psyches of her teen protagonists. It sounds like a soap opera, but the poems that recount these stories unfold realistically. Revealing heartbreak and hope, these poems could stand alone, but work best as a story collection. Teens may read this engaging novel without even realizing they are reading poetry."
From Booklist
"Like Virginia Euwer Wolff's True Believer (2001) and much contemporary YA fiction, this moving first novel tells the story in a series of dramatic monologues that are personal, poetic, and immediate, with lots of line breaks that make for easy reading, alone or in readers' theater. Frost talks about the poetic forms she has used, the sestina and the sonnet. But most readers will be less interested in that framework than in the characters, drawn with aching realism, who speak poetry in ordinary words and make connections."
AWARDS
Michael L. Printz Honor Book
CONNECTIONS
Students would enjoy dividing up these characters and reading them aloud as if it were a play (and it reads that way). Discussion of ways to portray the voice of the character could be done as a class as the readers work through this novel.
Readers who enjoyed this might like:
Going, K.L. FAT KID RULES THE WORLD. ISBN 0399239901
Johnson, Angela. THE FIRST PART LAST. ISBN 9780689849237
Lynch, Chris. FREE WILL. ISBN 9780064472029
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
ZOO'S WHO
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Florian, Douglas. 2005. ZOO'S WHO. Orlando, FL: harcourt, inc. ISBN 9780152046392
PLOT SUMMARY
In this book of poems written and painted by Douglas Florian his thoughts are given on twenty-one animals found in the zoo. The poetry is short and sometimes nonsensical verse.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Florian's book is fun to read. The use of made up words in this book are an unexpected treat. When describing a penguin, the author uses the phrase "penguindy weather" which conjures up a visual image. The girth of a penguin - it has "penguinsulation". The poem on slugs employs the use of a space between each letter. This slows down the reading of the poem much like the movement of a slug. My favorite poem about a snake has the letter "s" repeated in the shape of a snake moving and eventually spelling out the word "snake". Other poems are done in rhyme and shapes. The poem about an ant uses words with ANT in them capitalized. It's very effective.
Just taking a picture walk through the book before reading is a dessert for the primitive eyes. The simplistic art employs stamped letters, words, collaged pieces and paint. Each animal has its name stamped somewhere in the piece. On the opposite page, each corresponding poem is centered with vast white space around to draw the reader into the words.
PERSONAL OPINION
Elementary students like to be silly. This book of poetry would fill that need. The poems are usually only four lines which would also appeal to a younger age group. The primitive art work is a change from most artwork portrayed in children's books.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
From Booklist:
"Florian continues his series of books that deal with animal life in all its permutations. These short poems often make their points in clever ways: "Lizards laze / And lizards bask. / What's their favorite food? / Don't ask!" Or "I'm not a seagull. / I'm royal. / I'm regal. / All birds are not / Created eagle." Not all the poems are so pithy, but there's plenty of humor throughout to keep kids going. However, children will need a certain sensibility to understand the wordplay. The artwork, which is simple enough for them to enjoy, always has unexpected bits. For instance, a painting of a shark--mouth open, teeth bared----is highlighted by a collage of what's inside his mouth: a tiny fan, a small pliers, and other miniature objects. "
From School Library Journal:
"Quick quips, wordplay, and poetic license mark Florian's continuing scheme of paying homage to animals in short verse and imaginative paintings. Though readers may expect to meet zoo animals this time around, they will encounter quite an eclectic assortment of creatures as the term "zoo" is apparently intended in a wider sense. "Slugs are ugly./Slugs are lowly./Slugs climb mountains/Very slowly." If the verses seem rather slow, too, they're mostly quite short and some will evoke a chuckle. The mixed-media art facing each of the 21 entries is intriguing."
CONNECTIONS
After reading this book orally, the class could be asked to compose a four line poem about an animal not mentioned in this book. For younger grades it could be done together as a class. For upper elementary they could each write an animal poem. When they have finished, they could employ Florian's technique of stamping the animal name and creating a piece of art using collage, stamps and paint.
Students who enjoyed this would also enjoy:
Florian, Douglas. BOW WOW MEOW MEOW IT'S RHYMING CATS AND DOGS.
ISBN 0152163956
Florian, Douglas. BEAST FEAST. ISBN 9780152017378
Florian, Douglas. MAMMALABILIA. ISBN 9780152050245
Florian, Douglas. LIZARDS, FROGS AND POLLIWOGS. ISBN 9780152052485
Florian, Douglas. 2005. ZOO'S WHO. Orlando, FL: harcourt, inc. ISBN 9780152046392
PLOT SUMMARY
In this book of poems written and painted by Douglas Florian his thoughts are given on twenty-one animals found in the zoo. The poetry is short and sometimes nonsensical verse.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Florian's book is fun to read. The use of made up words in this book are an unexpected treat. When describing a penguin, the author uses the phrase "penguindy weather" which conjures up a visual image. The girth of a penguin - it has "penguinsulation". The poem on slugs employs the use of a space between each letter. This slows down the reading of the poem much like the movement of a slug. My favorite poem about a snake has the letter "s" repeated in the shape of a snake moving and eventually spelling out the word "snake". Other poems are done in rhyme and shapes. The poem about an ant uses words with ANT in them capitalized. It's very effective.
Just taking a picture walk through the book before reading is a dessert for the primitive eyes. The simplistic art employs stamped letters, words, collaged pieces and paint. Each animal has its name stamped somewhere in the piece. On the opposite page, each corresponding poem is centered with vast white space around to draw the reader into the words.
PERSONAL OPINION
Elementary students like to be silly. This book of poetry would fill that need. The poems are usually only four lines which would also appeal to a younger age group. The primitive art work is a change from most artwork portrayed in children's books.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
From Booklist:
"Florian continues his series of books that deal with animal life in all its permutations. These short poems often make their points in clever ways: "Lizards laze / And lizards bask. / What's their favorite food? / Don't ask!" Or "I'm not a seagull. / I'm royal. / I'm regal. / All birds are not / Created eagle." Not all the poems are so pithy, but there's plenty of humor throughout to keep kids going. However, children will need a certain sensibility to understand the wordplay. The artwork, which is simple enough for them to enjoy, always has unexpected bits. For instance, a painting of a shark--mouth open, teeth bared----is highlighted by a collage of what's inside his mouth: a tiny fan, a small pliers, and other miniature objects. "
From School Library Journal:
"Quick quips, wordplay, and poetic license mark Florian's continuing scheme of paying homage to animals in short verse and imaginative paintings. Though readers may expect to meet zoo animals this time around, they will encounter quite an eclectic assortment of creatures as the term "zoo" is apparently intended in a wider sense. "Slugs are ugly./Slugs are lowly./Slugs climb mountains/Very slowly." If the verses seem rather slow, too, they're mostly quite short and some will evoke a chuckle. The mixed-media art facing each of the 21 entries is intriguing."
CONNECTIONS
After reading this book orally, the class could be asked to compose a four line poem about an animal not mentioned in this book. For younger grades it could be done together as a class. For upper elementary they could each write an animal poem. When they have finished, they could employ Florian's technique of stamping the animal name and creating a piece of art using collage, stamps and paint.
Students who enjoyed this would also enjoy:
Florian, Douglas. BOW WOW MEOW MEOW IT'S RHYMING CATS AND DOGS.
ISBN 0152163956
Florian, Douglas. BEAST FEAST. ISBN 9780152017378
Florian, Douglas. MAMMALABILIA. ISBN 9780152050245
Florian, Douglas. LIZARDS, FROGS AND POLLIWOGS. ISBN 9780152052485
Monday, February 18, 2008
THE TURKEY GIRL
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Pollack, Penny. THE TURKEY GIRL. 1996. Illustrated by Ed Young. Boston, MA: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 0316713147
PLOT SUMMARY
A Native American Zuni girl who spends her days herding turkeys is nicknamed The Turkey Girl. In this Indian version of Cinderella, she learns why it is important to keep promises.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The similarities between this tale and the standard Cinderella includes a poor orphan girl in tattered clothing, talking animals, an upcoming dancing celebration requiring fancy clothing and a promise that will be broken.
The cultural differences in this story are evident in both the illustrations and choice of words used. The young girl pictured throughout the book is a Native American Zuni Indian. You don't get a clear picture of her features until the middle of the book, as Ed Young chooses to use pastels to suggest images. When her facial features are shown in one drawing, the black braids outlining her face suggest an Indian heritage.
Young covers all space with subtle colors but most drawings are not clearly defined to leave the definition up to the imagination of the reader. The story opens with an outside look of Turkey Girl's pueblo village, all done in light pinks, purples and white. The turkeys are simple in their design. Young uses chalk and oil crayon in tones of orange to depict the heat of the day in this Native American desert.
Penny Pollock retells this story by defining how she came upon the story using language Zuni's would use to describe the sun rising. Pollock immerses us in their culture by describing the yucca-cactus sandals, pinon nut gathering and a doeskin dress with rare shells and turkey feathers.
The only joy in the story is at the dance where Turkey Girl was not an outcast. Like the traditional story, she gets caught up in the moment and forgets her promise to leave on time. The somber moral at the end of the story reminds us of the importance of keeping one's promise.
PERSONAL OPINION
Although this is a folk tale, I would not share it with younger children. The illustrations are very subtle and the tale is told for an older audience. There were several pages that were hard to read due to the choice of print on top of the pastel colored page.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
From Publishers Weekly
"In this sobering Native American variation of the Cinderella story, the focus is not on finding true love but on remaining true to one's promises. To repay the kindness of the poor orphan girl who tends them, the tribe's turkeys dress her in a fine doeskin robe so she can attend the Dance of the Sacred Bird. So enthralled is she with the dancing that she breaks her promise to return to the turkeys before dawn and consequently loses her friends forever. Pollock frequently interrupts the narrative with references to Zuni clothing and dwellings-the girl's yucca sandals, her "turquoise necklaces and earrings of delicate beauty." In contrast, Young's (Lon Po Po) characteristically abstract illustrations evoke the sunlight and heat of the pueblo villages with few visual clues about the story itself. Except for the heroine's beautiful face, the characters and setting are hazy shadows, often appearing simply as dark silhouettes."
From School Library Journal
"In this version of the Cinderella story, a poor outcast Zuni girl who tends turkeys longs to attend the Dance of the Sacred Bird. Observing her suffering, the turkeys outfit her in a white doeskin dress adorned with rare shells, as well as turquoise necklaces and earrings, and silver bracelets. To prove that she remembers them, she promises to return from the dance "before Sun-Father returns to his sacred place." As in other retellings, she does not keep her word. At this point, the story diverges greatly from the version with which most American children will be familiar: when she finally returns home, the turkeys have abandoned her forever. As an author's note points out, the story symbolically reinforces the moral that "when we break our trust with Mother Earth, we pay a price."
AWARD
Aesop Accolade Award
CONNECTIONS
Students who enjoy this book could retell another fairy tale in their own words, using the Indian setting as a backdrop.
Students might also enjoy:
Reinhart, Jewell. DOMITILA: A CINDERELLA TALE FROM THE MEXICAN TRADITION.
ISBN 9781885008138
Reinhart, Jewell. ANGKHAT: THE CAMBODIAN CINDERELLA. ISBN 9781885008091
San Souci, Robert D. LITTLE GOLD STAR: A SPANISH AMERICAN CINDERELLA TALE.
ISBN 9780688147808
Pollack, Penny. THE TURKEY GIRL. 1996. Illustrated by Ed Young. Boston, MA: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 0316713147
PLOT SUMMARY
A Native American Zuni girl who spends her days herding turkeys is nicknamed The Turkey Girl. In this Indian version of Cinderella, she learns why it is important to keep promises.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The similarities between this tale and the standard Cinderella includes a poor orphan girl in tattered clothing, talking animals, an upcoming dancing celebration requiring fancy clothing and a promise that will be broken.
The cultural differences in this story are evident in both the illustrations and choice of words used. The young girl pictured throughout the book is a Native American Zuni Indian. You don't get a clear picture of her features until the middle of the book, as Ed Young chooses to use pastels to suggest images. When her facial features are shown in one drawing, the black braids outlining her face suggest an Indian heritage.
Young covers all space with subtle colors but most drawings are not clearly defined to leave the definition up to the imagination of the reader. The story opens with an outside look of Turkey Girl's pueblo village, all done in light pinks, purples and white. The turkeys are simple in their design. Young uses chalk and oil crayon in tones of orange to depict the heat of the day in this Native American desert.
Penny Pollock retells this story by defining how she came upon the story using language Zuni's would use to describe the sun rising. Pollock immerses us in their culture by describing the yucca-cactus sandals, pinon nut gathering and a doeskin dress with rare shells and turkey feathers.
The only joy in the story is at the dance where Turkey Girl was not an outcast. Like the traditional story, she gets caught up in the moment and forgets her promise to leave on time. The somber moral at the end of the story reminds us of the importance of keeping one's promise.
PERSONAL OPINION
Although this is a folk tale, I would not share it with younger children. The illustrations are very subtle and the tale is told for an older audience. There were several pages that were hard to read due to the choice of print on top of the pastel colored page.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
From Publishers Weekly
"In this sobering Native American variation of the Cinderella story, the focus is not on finding true love but on remaining true to one's promises. To repay the kindness of the poor orphan girl who tends them, the tribe's turkeys dress her in a fine doeskin robe so she can attend the Dance of the Sacred Bird. So enthralled is she with the dancing that she breaks her promise to return to the turkeys before dawn and consequently loses her friends forever. Pollock frequently interrupts the narrative with references to Zuni clothing and dwellings-the girl's yucca sandals, her "turquoise necklaces and earrings of delicate beauty." In contrast, Young's (Lon Po Po) characteristically abstract illustrations evoke the sunlight and heat of the pueblo villages with few visual clues about the story itself. Except for the heroine's beautiful face, the characters and setting are hazy shadows, often appearing simply as dark silhouettes."
From School Library Journal
"In this version of the Cinderella story, a poor outcast Zuni girl who tends turkeys longs to attend the Dance of the Sacred Bird. Observing her suffering, the turkeys outfit her in a white doeskin dress adorned with rare shells, as well as turquoise necklaces and earrings, and silver bracelets. To prove that she remembers them, she promises to return from the dance "before Sun-Father returns to his sacred place." As in other retellings, she does not keep her word. At this point, the story diverges greatly from the version with which most American children will be familiar: when she finally returns home, the turkeys have abandoned her forever. As an author's note points out, the story symbolically reinforces the moral that "when we break our trust with Mother Earth, we pay a price."
AWARD
Aesop Accolade Award
CONNECTIONS
Students who enjoy this book could retell another fairy tale in their own words, using the Indian setting as a backdrop.
Students might also enjoy:
Reinhart, Jewell. DOMITILA: A CINDERELLA TALE FROM THE MEXICAN TRADITION.
ISBN 9781885008138
Reinhart, Jewell. ANGKHAT: THE CAMBODIAN CINDERELLA. ISBN 9781885008091
San Souci, Robert D. LITTLE GOLD STAR: A SPANISH AMERICAN CINDERELLA TALE.
ISBN 9780688147808
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
MOONBEAMS, DUMPLINGS AND DRAGON BOATS
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Simonds, Nina, Leslie Swartz and the Children's Museum, Boston. 2002. MOONBEAMS, DUMPLINGS AND DRAGON BOATS. Ill. by Meilo So. New York, NY: Gulliver Books.
ISBN 9780152019839
PLOT SUMMARY
This wonderful collection of folk tales, recipes and crafts can be enjoyed by both young and old. Simonds and Swartz, in conjunction with the Children's Museum of Boston have compiled a celebration of the five major Chinese Festivals. Each festival begins with a brief description of the event and appropriate recipes and crafts to make for the festival.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In this treaury, Simonds and Swartz showcase major Chinese celebrations. Simplistic terms make it easy for those unfamiliar to understand what takes place during each festival. Most are familiar with Chinese New Year. This book give equal time to The Lantern Festival, Cold Foods Festival, Dragon Boat Festival and the Mild Autumn Moon Festival. Chinese calliagraphy is shown on each page, below the title. The last page of the book lists a pronunciation guide to Chinese vowels and consonants.
Illustrator Meilo So effectively uses watercolor and gently washes her depictions across each page. Her pictures are vibrant with color. So creates a detailed, busy visual description of the each festival. One gets a sense of what takes place without actually being there. The cover is recreated within, a busy festival scene that captures your eye. All that is missing is the smell of the food being prepared.
For Chinese American children who may not be familiar with every festival, this book is a visual treat. Families could take all or some of the ideas and celebrate them together as a way to celebrate their heritage.
PERSONAL OPINION
This book was a pleasure to read. The whimsical illustrations showcased the joy of these festivals. If my own children were younger, I'd like to do some of the activities listed in the book.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
From School Library Journal
"Each section begins with a one-page description of the history and customs of the festival and is followed by a four- to six-page story, from one to three recipes, and two or three crafts or games. The headings on each page appear in both English typeface and Chinese calligraphy; a guide to Chinese pronunciation is included. The ample white space surrounding the text is filled with small, whimsical watercolor illustrations. Each of the four sections is introduced by a dynamic, detailed watercolor painting on a double-page spread."
From Booklist
"Each section explains the holiday, tells stories related to it, and offers at least one activity and one recipe. Attractively designed, the pages include plenty of white space, creating a fine background for So's brilliantly colored, stylized paintings. The recipes, some of which require the use of food processors and hot woks, are often beyond the culinary skills of the average child, though interested adults can use them to broaden their children's experience of Chinese culture."
AWARDS
Parents Choice Award
Book Award Red Cedar Books Award
CONNECTIONS - READERS MIGHT ALSO ENJOY:
One of these festivals could be chosen to study for a week. Each day a different story, art project or activity could be done together as a class. This could culminate on the final day of displaying the art work and cooking using some of the recipes provided in the book.
This book could be a part of a study on cultures in the classroom. Books on other countries could be used to compare similar recipes or folk tales.
Dorow, Sara. WHEN YOU WERE BORN IN CHINA: A MEMORY BOOK. ISBN 9780963847218
Chan, Hingman. CELEBRATING CHINESE NEW YEAR: AN ACTIVITY BOOK. ISBN 9781932457049
Lewis, Rose A. I LOVE YOU LIKE CRAZY CAKES. ISBN 9780316525381
Simonds, Nina, Leslie Swartz and the Children's Museum, Boston. 2002. MOONBEAMS, DUMPLINGS AND DRAGON BOATS. Ill. by Meilo So. New York, NY: Gulliver Books.
ISBN 9780152019839
PLOT SUMMARY
This wonderful collection of folk tales, recipes and crafts can be enjoyed by both young and old. Simonds and Swartz, in conjunction with the Children's Museum of Boston have compiled a celebration of the five major Chinese Festivals. Each festival begins with a brief description of the event and appropriate recipes and crafts to make for the festival.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In this treaury, Simonds and Swartz showcase major Chinese celebrations. Simplistic terms make it easy for those unfamiliar to understand what takes place during each festival. Most are familiar with Chinese New Year. This book give equal time to The Lantern Festival, Cold Foods Festival, Dragon Boat Festival and the Mild Autumn Moon Festival. Chinese calliagraphy is shown on each page, below the title. The last page of the book lists a pronunciation guide to Chinese vowels and consonants.
Illustrator Meilo So effectively uses watercolor and gently washes her depictions across each page. Her pictures are vibrant with color. So creates a detailed, busy visual description of the each festival. One gets a sense of what takes place without actually being there. The cover is recreated within, a busy festival scene that captures your eye. All that is missing is the smell of the food being prepared.
For Chinese American children who may not be familiar with every festival, this book is a visual treat. Families could take all or some of the ideas and celebrate them together as a way to celebrate their heritage.
PERSONAL OPINION
This book was a pleasure to read. The whimsical illustrations showcased the joy of these festivals. If my own children were younger, I'd like to do some of the activities listed in the book.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
From School Library Journal
"Each section begins with a one-page description of the history and customs of the festival and is followed by a four- to six-page story, from one to three recipes, and two or three crafts or games. The headings on each page appear in both English typeface and Chinese calligraphy; a guide to Chinese pronunciation is included. The ample white space surrounding the text is filled with small, whimsical watercolor illustrations. Each of the four sections is introduced by a dynamic, detailed watercolor painting on a double-page spread."
From Booklist
"Each section explains the holiday, tells stories related to it, and offers at least one activity and one recipe. Attractively designed, the pages include plenty of white space, creating a fine background for So's brilliantly colored, stylized paintings. The recipes, some of which require the use of food processors and hot woks, are often beyond the culinary skills of the average child, though interested adults can use them to broaden their children's experience of Chinese culture."
AWARDS
Parents Choice Award
Book Award Red Cedar Books Award
CONNECTIONS - READERS MIGHT ALSO ENJOY:
One of these festivals could be chosen to study for a week. Each day a different story, art project or activity could be done together as a class. This could culminate on the final day of displaying the art work and cooking using some of the recipes provided in the book.
This book could be a part of a study on cultures in the classroom. Books on other countries could be used to compare similar recipes or folk tales.
Dorow, Sara. WHEN YOU WERE BORN IN CHINA: A MEMORY BOOK. ISBN 9780963847218
Chan, Hingman. CELEBRATING CHINESE NEW YEAR: AN ACTIVITY BOOK. ISBN 9781932457049
Lewis, Rose A. I LOVE YOU LIKE CRAZY CAKES. ISBN 9780316525381
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