Babymouse: Beach Babe

by Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm

Holm, Jennifer L., and Matthew Holm. 2006. Beach babe. London: HarperCollins Children's. ISBN 0-375-83231-9.

SUMMARY
After getting through the last day of school, Babymouse learns during supper that the family is summer vacationing for a week at the beach. Bursting with enough energy to fill ten football fields; Babymouse enjoys a week full of sunbathing, snorkeling, sand, and surfing. Of all the lessons she learns however; none are as important as the lesson on family values. Squeak, Babymouse’s little brother, wants nothing more than to enjoy his summer week playing with Babymouse. After several unsuccessful attempts, he runs away, believing no one likes him. A wave of guilt overcomes Babymouse as she realizes the attempts her brother made to do nothing more than just play and spend time with her. Realizing how much she truly loves her little brother, Babymouse sets out to find him. When she does; their summer beach vacation ends with a bang!

The characters in this low fantasy series are personified mice. The main character, Babymouse, is full of life, imagination, and a zeal for adventure. She shows no fear and tackles life head on. She often times escapes into her daydreams where of course, she is the heroine. Her mannerisms and behavior are typical of many kids, who have active imaginations. The same can be said for her younger brother, Squeak, who is portrayed as the all annoying younger brother, who constantly wants to “tag along”. These traits, which are observable in young children, make it possible to identify with the characters. Babymouse’s maturity level develops before our eyes when she realizes the importance of family and how much she loves her little brother.

Just as the main character; the plot is full of adventure and action. The illustrations add to the creativity of the story and helps bring the setting alive. The story’s overall theme reminds us of how vivid a child’s imagination can blossom. It allows us to see how self-centered we can sometimes be and also points out the importance of family.
The authors’ style draws the reader into their world of imagination. They appropriately incorporate the use of action words that not only moves the story along but also work cohesively with the illustrations to create a distinctive framework for the story. Examples of such action words are “Tweeeeet!!!”, “Crash”, “Hurrah!!”, and “Vroom!”.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
N/A

EDITORIAL REVIEWS
Babymouse's family spends summer vacation at the beach. During boring or difficult times, the young mouse uses her imagination to take her to far more interesting and exciting places. Her younger brother wants to play with her, but, like most big sisters, Babymouse wants nothing to do with him. When he runs away, she realizes how important he is to her, and how much fun they can have. The story moves quickly, and readers are sure to notice that whenever Babymouse has trouble with a character, it is illustrated as a cat. The black-and-white cartoons are highlighted with splashes of pink that become darker when the action intensifies. This book will be popular with young graphic novel fans as well as devotees of the genre in general, especially reluctant readers. --School Library Journal

If Ian Falconer's pig Olivia grew a few years and turned into a mouse, she would be Babymouse. In this third hyperkinetic, pink-washed adventure, as frolicsome and breathlessly paced as the previous two, the squiggly whiskered heroine heads for a family summer on the beach. Packed with the energy of 100 kids, she launches a catastrophic surfing career and tries to keep little brother Squeak out of her fur. Adventurous and refusing to stick to gender-stereotyped pursuits, Babymouse is on the lookout for a partner to share her flights of fancy. A slight penchant for selfishness notwithstanding, before the summer is through, she realizes that the perfect playmate has been sitting right under her pink nose all along. Both story and art take full advantage of the lively possibilities of Babymouse turned loose from school (where teachers educate via the "blah blah blah" method) to explore the larger world with an imagination run wild. --Booklist

CONNECTIONS-Reading
1. Holm, Jennifer L., and Matthew Holm. 2009. Babymouse. 12, Burns rubber. New York: Random House.
2. Holm, Jennifer L., and Matthew Holm. 2008. Babymouse. 10, The musical. New York: Random House.
3. Holm, Jennifer L., and Matthew Holm. 2011. Babymouse, 15. New York: Random House Childrens Books.

Speak

by Laurie Halse Anderson

Anderson, Laurie Halse. 1999. Speak. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux. ISBN 0-374-37152-0.

SUMMARY
It is the summer before her freshman year and Melinda is invited to an “end of the summer” party. Unaware that attending this party will dramatically change her life, Melinda attends the party with her friend, Rachel. At the party, Melinda meets a senior, Andy Evans, who takes her to a secluded area and rapes her. Melinda calls 911. The police show up not only breaking up the party but also arresting several for underage drinking. Unsure and scared, Melinda leaves the party, walking home alone. Melinda tells no one of the incident, not even her parents. With no one to talk to and friends, who are all blaming her for calling the police; Melinda faces a difficult freshman year.

The story unmistakably depicts a tragic life event with supporting events that are all probable and true to life. The characters, especially the protagonist, whose struggle throughout the story is evident, are genuine characters living and breathing within our schools today. The award winning qualities of the story are magnificently displayed through the author’s style. The author meticulously exposes the strengths and weaknesses of each character, allowing the reader to also feel the depression and loneliness that Melinda feels, the selfishness of her once friend, Rachel (aka Rachelle), the arrogance of Andy Evans, and the enthusiasm of the Mr. Freeman, the art teacher.

The author’s style brings authenticity to the story through the creation of the character’s dialogue and the language of the story, both of which accurately and appropriately reflect the way children at that age think and talk even today. The book’s setting focuses primarily on school, allowing the author to tie into the plot issues pertaining to acceptance by peers, bullying, young adult relationships, young adult relationships with parents, gender, culture, and how a parent being unemployed can affect a family. The author also incorporates the home environment setting, displaying how Melinda interacts with her parents and furthermore, how her parents interact with each other. By merging both settings, the author allows the reader a much deeper understanding of how the actions and characters are affected.

The story’s theme; as controversial as many parents may argue it to be, definitely has a personal resonance for the child reader. The theme and issues, which emerge are all meaningful and significant to a child reader. As serious as the act of rape is, the author’s styles allows the theme to naturally flow into the story from the perspective of the protagonist. The author creates the tone and mood of the book as one of seriousness by inviting the reader into Melinda’s thoughts and her emotions.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
ALA Best Book for Young Adults
ALA Top-10 Best Book for Young Adults
ALA Quick Pick for Young Adults
Edgar Allan Poe Award finalist
IRA Young Adult Choice
Junior Library Guild Selection
Michael L. Printz Honor Book (American Library Association)
National Book Award Finalist
New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age
New York Times Bestseller List
SCBWI Golden Kite Award
YALSA Popular Paperback for Young Adults
Booklist Editors’ Choice
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books Blue Ribbon Book
Fanfare, The Horn Book’s Honor List
Los Angeles Times Award finalist
Publishers Weekly Bestseller
Booklist Top 10 First Novels (1999)
Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year (1999)

EDITORIAL REVIEWS
“The book's overall gritty realism and Melinda's hard-won metamorphosis will leave readers touched and inspired.’” --Publishers Weekly

“Melinda's sarcastic wit, honesty, and courage make her a memorable character whose ultimate triumph will inspire and empower readers.” --Starred Review, Booklist

“An uncannily funny book even as it plumbs the darkness, Speak will hold readers from first word to last.” --Starred Review, The Horn Book

CONNECTIONS-Activities
1. Write an essay on a time in your life when you stood up for what was right.
2. Research sexual harassment and write an essay.
3. Draw a picture of how you feel after you have finished reading Speak.

by Rebecca Stead

Stead, Rebecca. 2009. When you reach me. New York: Wendy Lamb Books. ISBN 0-385-73742-4.

SUMMARY
The year is 1979, Miranda, who is a 6th grader, lives with her mother in an apartment in Upper West Side New York City. Although there is a homeless man living on the corner of Miranda’s street, who rants the words “book bag pocket shoe” and her mother has been chosen to appear on the game show, $20,000 Pyramid, life for Miranda is quite normal. That is however, until her best friend Sal is punched in the stomach and Miranda begins receiving odd notes. As if things could not get any weirder, Miranda not only learns the identity of the boy, who punched Sal, she also learns that he is not the bad person; she had perceived him to initially be. Throughout the story, Miranda learns the meaning of friendship and becomes a witness to the one of life’s many mysteries.

The author’s skills and ingenuity are definitely reflected throughout this literary award winner. Incorporating features from various genres, When You Reach Me, is not only your science fiction/mystery story; it is also a work of historical fiction. The child’s place in New York City during 1979 is clearly depicted by the exposure of how children during this time were more independent. There are multiple age appropriate and significant themes, which are subtly incorporated into the story to include independence and friendship. All the characters, especially Miranda’s, are characters we can all identify with in one form or another. Miranda’s thoughts and perspective demonstrate her strengths and weaknesses, which in turn, engages and moves the reader through the story’s events.

The author magnificently creates a story, which can stand the test of time. The dialogue is not specific to the slang or colloquialisms of the time however; it is as realistic as it is age-appropriate. Although the story’s plot does contain references specific to the time and place identified and also contains the element of imagination; it still holds true to the genre of contemporary realism. The author’s style creates the tone and mood of the book through the story’s events such as the mysterious appearances of the notes, the disappearance of Jimmy’s $2 bills, and the rose left on Annemarie’s doormat. The best part of the plot is that although I would surely agree that it is unmistakably imaginative, including many unexpected twists and turns, the author superbly prepares the reader for the cause and effect of the story’s events. The reader is not left at the conclusion of the story unsure as to what just happened but rather, exhaling with a satisfied feeling of delight.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
Winner of the 2010 Newbery Medal
Winner of the 2010 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Fiction & Poetry
2009 Parents’ Choice Gold Award Winner

EDITORIAL REVIEWS
"[W]hen all the sidewalk characters from Miranda's Manhattan world converge amid mind-blowing revelations and cunning details, teen readers will circle back to the beginning and say,'Wow ... cool.'" --Starred Review, Kirkus

"[T]he mental gymnastics required of readers are invigorating; and the characters, children, and adults are honest bits of humanity no matter in what place or time their souls rest." --Starred Review, Booklist

"Closing revelations are startling and satisfying but quietly made, their reverberations giving plenty of impetus for the reader to go back to the beginning and catch what was missed." --Starred Review, The Horn Book Magazine

"This unusual, thought-provoking mystery will appeal to several types of readers." --Starred Review, School Library Journal

CONNECTIONS-Activities

1. Have a discussion focused on friendship:
a. Why does Sal stop talking to Miranda?
b. Why does Miranda stop disliking Julia?
c. Why does Miranda become Alice’s bathroom partner?
2. Have a discussion focused on stealing:
a. Collin takes bread from Jimmy’s restaurant.
b. The laughing man steals Jimmy’s bank full of $2 bills.
c. Miranda’s mom takes office supplies from work.

CONNECTIONS-Reading
1. L'Engle, Madeleine. 1962. A wrinkle in time. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.

The Wednesday Wars

By Gary D. Schmidt

Schmidt, Gary D. 2007. The Wednesday wars. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0-618-72483-4.

SUMMARY
The story is of Holling Hoodhood, a student in Ms. Baker’s seventh grade class at Camillo Junior High. Holling is convinced that Ms. Baker hates him. On Wednesdays while half of the class leaves for catechism class and the other half for Hebrew School, he is left alone to spend the afternoon with his teacher, Ms. Baker. The afternoons are filled with cleaning erasers, extra worksheets, cleaning the cage of the classroom’s pet rats, and washing the class chalkboard, however; when an unfortunate incident occur involving chalk dust and mouth-watering cream puffs, Holling is faced with reading Shakespeare instead of chasing the class pet rats, which accidentally got away from Holling as he was cleaning their cage. The author has created a compelling work of historical fiction; incorporating just the right amount of growing up in the 60’s, politics, and the Vietnam War with Shakespeare, yellow tights, and sentence diagramming.

Every reader, both young and old, will be able to identify with each character in this story. The author does a marvelous job of bringing out each character’s personality and the patterns of their daily life appropriate for that time. Although the time is 1967, the behavior and mannerisms they all display are familiar and real within our own homes and schools. The story’s protagonist, Holling Hoodhood is your typical seventh grade boy, who loves baseball, doesn’t get along with his older sister, and would not be caught dead in “girl” tights.

The social fabric of the time is clearly made obvious throughout the book through the incorporation of not only a focus on life at school yet furthermore, also a focus on life at home. The book contains many references to the Vietnam War and the political views of that time yet as serious as these subjects are, the author does an amazing job of keeping the narration true to a youthful point of view. For instance, I especially could not stop from giggling as I am reading Ms. Baker’s and the student’s reactions to the atomic bomb drills they are required to perform at school. The plot is most definitely not overwhelmed by historical details. The historical references, which are presented, are naturally integrated into the story.

The story’s setting is the year 1967; news of the Vietnam War can be heard from television sets all across America as Walter Cronkite reports for CBS. Songs from the Monkees can be heard playing from the bedroom of Holling’s sister. This is the same sister, who comes to dinner with a flower painted her cheek and calls herself a “flower child” because she wants to “believe in a bigger cause”. The author creates a historical setting of the time by including the attitudes, values, and morals of the time from various perspectives; those against the war, those for the war, those who have lost a loved one in war, and those who live in hope. In between the seriousness, the author also ties into the story the attitudes, values, and morals on baseball, friendship, family, school testing, Shakespeare, and the value of money.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
Newbery Honor Award, 2008
Cybils Finalist (Young Adult Fiction, 2007)
ALA Best Books for Young Adults, 2008
Judy Lopez Memorial Award, 2008
ALA Notable Children’s Book, 2008
IBBY Honour Book, 2010

EDITORIAL REVIEWS
"Schmidt...makes the implausible believable and the everyday momentous...a gentle, hopeful, moving story." --Booklist

"Schmidt rises above the novel's conventions to create memorable and believable characters." --Horn Book

"[An] entertaining and nuanced novel.... There are laugh-out-loud moments that leaven the many poignant ones." --School Library Journal

CONNECTIONS-Activities:
1) Have a discussion with students regarding which school year has been their most memorable thus far and why?

CONNECTIONS-Reading:1) Murray, Stuart. 2005. Vietnam War. New York: DK Pub.
2) Kadohata, Cynthia. 2007. Cracker!: the best dog in Vietnam. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

The Midwife's Apprentice

By Karen Cushman

Cushman, Karen. 1995. The midwife's apprentice. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0-395-69229-6.

SUMMARY

The story is of a young girl, who is as unsure of her name and age as she is of where she is going to lay her head down to sleep every night. She has neither home nor family and has only known of herself by the name Brat. Despite the many life obstacles she faces, she tackles life day by day and with each passing day she learns through her experiences and encounters more and more about herself; she learns self-value, her inner strength, her ability to learn, and most importantly her ability to love and be loved. With this self revelation, she becomes skillful in the profession of midwifery, a profession during 14th century medieval England, which included a “combination of common sense, herbal knowledge, and superstition.”

The characters within this story are all individuals we can easily identify within on our lives. Although I would like to hope that many of our children will never have the opportunity to experience being homeless and without a family; the truth of the matter is that it is an unfortunate circumstance, which still occurs today. The author does a magnificent job in creating characters with real personalities. It is each character’s behavioral qualities in conjunction with the attitudes, values, and morals of that time in history, which brings genuineness and authenticity into each character and the story as a whole. Every character in the story, including the cat, appears realistic and credible.

The author expertly weaves the very spirit of each character throughout the story’s theme and setting. The attitudes, values, and morals for that time in history are evident throughout the story. The fact that they continue to hold relevancy today brings an authenticity to the story. For instance, the attitude and the value of determination; we are all taught that when one fails, you don’t give up but rather, get back up and try again. We are also taught that we must take life by the reins and not sit on the sidelines; we take every opportunity, every experience and squeeze the knowledge from it to become a better person. In the story, Brat begins to change her life and take “the reins” through her experiences and the self-knowledge she obtains from each her encounters.

The setting of the story is descriptively created through the lively narratives of the small English village, the cottages, the merchant, the inn, and the manor. We are taken alongside each character as if we are seeing, hearing, touching, and smelling the area through their senses at that particular moment in time. The solid floor of the cottage is beneath my feet as Brat, renamed Beetle by the mid-wife, sweeps the cottage’s dirt floor, sprinkling it with water and stamping it to keep it hard packed. I am walking beside Beetle at the merchant and seeing all the “bright booths with flags and pennants flying.” My nose just as Beetle’s nose quivers “at smells of roasting meats and fresh hot bread and pies stuffed with pork and raisins.” The author’s vivid recreation of the events appropriate to that time and place add to the authenticity of the story.

The author’s note provides insight into the history of midwifery. It reveals the historical accuracy of certain aspects within the story for instance, the choice of herbs and how they were used in practice and the superstitious rituals. It was not until I read the author’s note that I became aware of these detailed facts. The accuracy of these facts is a demonstration of the author’s ability to create a story realistic to the time period without overwhelming it with details. Until reading the author’s note, I truly believed that the midwife’s use of herbs and superstitious chants were part of her character and not factual. The author’s style captures not only her own individual voice however; it also captures the very essence of daily life within that time in history. The dialogue is suitable to the story; I love how it captures the language of that time and place.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS:
Newbery Medal, 1996
Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Reader’s Choice, 1998
ALA Best Books for Young Adults, 1996
A Horn Book Fanfare Best Book, 1996
ALA Notable Children’s Book, 1996
New York Public Library 1995 List of Recommended Books
Booklist “Books for Youth Editors’ Choice”
School Library Journal Best Books of the Year, 1995
An American Bookseller Association Pick of the Lists

EDITORIAL REVIEWS:
In reviewing this 1996 Newbery winner, PW said that Cushman "has an almost unrivaled ability to build atmosphere, and her evocation of a medieval village, if not scholarly in its authenticity, is supremely colorful and pungent." --Publisher Weekly

“An insider’s look at the life of Birdy, 14, the daughter of a minor English nobleman. The year is 1290 and the vehicle for storytelling is the girl’s witty, irreverent diary. She looks with a clear and critical eye upon the world around her….A feminist far ahead of her time, she is both believable and lovable….Superb historical fiction.” --School Library Journal, starred review

“Catherine’s rebellious nature, questioning mind, and underlying kindness to all creatures make her an amusing and sympathetic figure; the vivid picture of medieval life presents a seemingly eye-witness view of a culture remote from contemporary beliefs. Fascinating and thought-provoking.” --The Horn Book Magazine, starred review

CONNECTIONS-Activities:
1) Create an artistic cover for the book illustrating an interesting scene from the story.
2) Research life during medieval England then write a short story that is set during that time.
3) Act out certain parts in the story focusing on how you believe the characters felt at that time.

Elijah of Buxton

Written by Christopher Paul Curtis

Curtis, Christopher Paul. 2007. Elijah of Buxton. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0-439-02344-0.

SUMMARY
Elijah of Buxton, Canada, was the first child born into freedom. Knowing no other life than to be free, the story takes eleven year old Elijah through his daily life on the settlement. From school, to chores, to rock fishing, Elijah’s life is filled with love, family, and neighbors; all until the day the preacher steals the very same money Elijah’s friend, Mr. Leroy, is saving to buy his family from slavery in the South. Determined to help his friend get the money back, Elijah leaves the only life he knows behind and ventures out on a perilous journey to America. What he discovers is a life told many times by his parents yet, unbelievable until he became a witness for himself. Elijah returns back to Buxton without his friend’s money however; he brings back with him a new found respect for freedom and hope in the form and name of a little soul.

The characters in this story are as real and believable as the very same image, which stares back at you in the mirror. Although young readers today may be not fully comprehend the institution of slavery and the appreciation of freedom; they can relate to the daily life patterns of an eleven year old boy, who is free. The author stays true to a youthful point of view by doing just that. He does a tremendous job of recreating Elijah’s pattern of daily life. His daily life consists, amongst other things, of rock fishing, chores, friends, pranks, church, and going to school. The author dramatically recreates that time in history by playing on the reader’s emotions and thoroughly describing the settlement and area at that time all the way down to the weather conditions common to the area.

All the characters within the story remain true in the clothing, the attitude, and what I found even more compelling; in the language of the time. “Well, Elijah, seem to me what’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.” The author uses a dialect within the story that brings authenticity. There is a reasonably good amount of dialogue within the story however; it works as an advantage by capturing the speech patterns of the era. The author’s style brings each character to life through the use of mannerisms and the language and idioms appropriate to the time. All these elements work in unison to bring authenticity to the story.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
Booklist Top of the List: Best of Editor’s Choice, 2007
TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award, 2008
Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People, 2008
CLA Book of the Year, 2008
Governor General’s Literary Award Finalist
Newbery Award Honor Book, 2008
Red Maple Nominee
Coretta Scott King Award, 2008
Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction, 2008
ALA Notable Children’s Book, 2008
Michigan Notable Books, 2008
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, 2007
Great Lakes Book Award Finalist (Children’s Chapter Books, 2008)
A Horn Book Fanfare Best Book, 2007
Odyssey Award Nominee (2009, Listening Library, Narrated by MirronWillis)

EDITORIAL REVIEWS
After his mother rebukes him for screaming that hoop snakes have invaded Buxton, gullible 11-year-old Elijah confesses to readers that "there ain't nothing in the world she wants more than for me to quit being so doggone fra-gile." Inexperienced and prone to mistakes, yet kind, courageous, and understanding, Elijah has the distinction of being the first child born in the Buxton Settlement, which was founded in Ontario in 1849 as a haven for former slaves. Narrator Elijah tells an episodic story that builds a broad picture of Buxton's residents before plunging into the dramatic events that take him out of Buxton and, quite possibly, out of his depth. In the author's note, Curtis relates the difficulty of tackling the subject of slavery realistically through a child's first-person perspective. Here, readers learn about conditions in slavery at a distance, though the horrors become increasingly apparent. Among the more memorable scenes are those in which Elijah meets escaped slaves—first, those who have made it to Canada and, later, those who have been retaken by slave catchers. Central to the story, these scenes show an emotional range and a subtlety unusual in children's fiction. Many readers drawn to the book by humor will find themselves at times on the edges of their seats in suspense and, at other moments, moved to tears. A fine, original novel from a gifted storyteller. --Booklist

Floating up like a bubble through layers of history, buoyed with hope and comic energy…Elijah of Buxton tells the story of Elijah Freeman, the first freeborn child in the historic Elgin Settlement, a village of escaped slaves in Canada…As in his previous novels, Curtis is a master at balancing the serious and the lighthearted: as Langston Hughes said of the blues, "not softened with tears, but hardened with laughter." He has already received a Newbery medal and an honor for two novels rooted in the experience of black Americans: "The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963 and Bud, Not Buddy. His latest book is another natural award candidate and makes an excellent case, in a story positively brimming with both truth and sense, for the ability of historical fiction to bring history to life. --The New York Times

Set in 1860, 11-year-old Elijah is the first child born into freedom in Buxton, Canada, a settlement of runaway and freed slaves, in Christopher Paul Curtis's Newbery Honor book (Scholastic, 2007). When money that Elijah's friend has been saving to send to America to buy his family's freedom is stolen, Elijah crosses the border into Detroit on a dangerous mission to help recover it. Narrated by Elijah, the horrors of slavery are revealed. This engrossing tale is read by Mirron Willis who effortlessly varies his rich, textured voice to make each character unique. This story will captivate listeners. --School Library Journal

CONNECTIONS-Activities:
1) Have a discussion about why Chloe gave her baby to Elijah? Follow up with thoughts about how the baby’s life will be different in Buxton.
2) Discuss the “underground railroad”. If possible, review with students the following National Geographic website, which takes users on a journey through the Underground Railroad. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/railroad/

CONNECTIONS-Reading:
1) Anderson, Laurie Halse. Chains. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2008

LETMEPLAY: The Story of Title IX - the law that changed the future of girls in America

Written by Karen Blumenthal

Blumenthal, Karen. 2005. Let me play: the story of Title IX : the law that changed the future of girls in America. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0-689-85957-0.

SUMMARY
In this non-fictional work of art, author Karen Blumenthal examines the history of Title IX; the law that opened the doors of educational and athletic opportunities for all American girls. This book is an exceptional informational book in that it provides an in-depth look at the events and individuals, who not only advocated for women’s rights, for instance the right to vote and the right for equal pay; it also chronologically details the events and documents the women, who advocated and supported Title IX. Throughout the book there are narrations of various women and their personal battles to overcome discrimination of various forms.

Karen Blumenthal is an acclaimed author. She has more than 25 years of experience as a financial journalist and was the Journal’s Dallas bureau chief for eight years. She is highly recognized as a non-fictional writer and has received several distinguished awards and nominations for her writings including several for this book. Ms. Blumenthal writes with experience and precision. She avoids stereotypes by capturing the sentiments and reactions of the time from several perspectives. She provides factual information and documents the information through source notes for each chapter, photo credits, and a selected bibliography. She also includes a section that lists relevant books and websites “for further information”. The relevant books focus on girls and sports, women’s rights, and information about Title IX.

The organization of the book is chronological in sequence. It begins with events in 1848 and continues with prominent milestones up through the year to 2003. Reference aids are provided and include a table of contents, a title IX timeline, and an index. There are several illustrations and cartoons throughout the book. They are all appropriate and compliment the text magnificently. On a blog posting I came across, Karen Blumenthal states, “As a nonfiction author, I've come to appreciate that powerful photographs and cartoons of the day can truly help bring a time period alive for a young reader.” I do agree, the cartoons invite the reader into the book and motivate the reader to look in depth at the subject matter.

The author’s unique style, which is visible through her word usage and how she combines the text and illustrations all work together to present a work of literature that clearly and appropriately demonstrates her enthusiasm. Page after page, the author’s presentation of the information is direct and without misunderstanding. One can especially appreciate the chapter headings, which are quite catchy and suit the topic. The “instant replays” adds emphasis and the “player profiles” encourages thinking and further reading.

AWARDS/NOMINATIONS
• ALA Amelia Bloomer Project
• ALA Best Books For Young Adults
• ALA Notable Children's Books
• Bank Street Best Books of the Year
• CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book
• CCBC Choices (Cooperative Children's Book Council)
• Golden Spur Award Honor Book
• IRA Children's Book Award Notable
• Jane Addams Children's Book Award
• Kansas State Reading Circle Middle School Titles
• Maine Student Book Award Master List
• SLJ Best Book of the Year
• SSLI Book Award Honor Book

EDITORIAL REVIEWS
Starred Review. Grade 7 Up -A fascinating look at the birth, growth, stagnation, and final emergence of Title IX. While acknowledging the controversy surrounding this law, the author is unwaveringly supportive of its passage and implementation. Interesting and easy-to-follow chapters highlight the process of creating, revising, fighting for, and ultimately passing this legislation that gave girls and women equal access to physical-education classes, gymnasiums, universities, and graduate schools. Human-interest stories personalize the issues, and photographs of congresswomen fighting for equal opportunities for girls, women demonstrating, and the ultimate victory-a woman on the cover of Sports Illustrated-show how challenging, yet ultimately rewarding, the battle has been. Charts depict amazing statistics about the increase in athletic participation by females from 1970 to 2001. Cartoons show the humorous but painfully true attitudes of our culture toward women as they have strived to achieve equality in this country. The book closes with a "Then and Now" section highlighting the changes Title IX has brought about. Lynn M. Messina's Sports in America (H. W. Wilson, 2001) and Victoria Sherrow's Encyclopedia of Women and Sports (ABC-CLIO, 1996) both offer bits of information, but nothing out there comes close to Blumenthal's portrait of the emergence of women athletes in our society. --School Library Journal

Gr. 6-9. As in Six Days in October (2002), a compelling overview of the 1929 stock market crash and a financial primer, Wall Street Journal editor Blumenthal uses specific facts and fascinating personal stories to give readers a wide view of history. Here, the author looks at American women's evolving rights by focusing on the history and future of Title IX, which bans sex discrimination in U.S. education. Profiles of groundbreaking female athletes and legislators deftly alternate with highlights of the women's movement, from the early twentieth century through today. The dull paper stock diminishes the many black-and-white photos, but the images are still gripping, and relevant political cartoons and fact boxes add further interest. Few books cover the last few decades of American women's history with such clarity and detail, and this comprehensive title draws attention to the hard-won battles, the struggles that remain, and the chilling possibility that rights, if not fiercely protected, can easily be lost. --Booklist

http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2011/09/guest-post-karen-blumenthal-on-power.html

The Voice that Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights

by Russell Freedman

Freedman, Russell. 2004. The voice that challenged a nation: Marian Anderson and the struggle for equal rights. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0-618-15976-2.

SUMMARY
In this outstanding work of non-fiction the life and musical achievements of African-American vocalist, Marian Anderson, are narrated. Her accomplishments in the field of Music-Arts are brought to the forefront highlighting the influence they each had not only on her personally yet, the affect they each had on the country and the civil rights movement. Russel Freedman’s reputation as a non-fictional writer is highly recognized. He has written more than 40 nonfiction books for young people and is the recipient of the Newberry Medal Award and also of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award. In 2005 he was awarded the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Honor for this particular work of literature.

Acclaimed author, Mr. Freedman writes with passion and enthusiasm; his distinctive style of narration breathes life into the events as if they are being relived. I was instantly drawn into the life of Marian Anderson and my interests awaken; I was motivated to learn more. Through the author’s style and voice; I too, was standing there amongst the crowd on that Easter Sunday, on April 9, 1939. Russell Freedman brings the factual sentiments of the time by incorporating quotes with credible sources that are documented within the “Chapter Notes” at the end of the book. To guide the reader, a selected bibliography is provided. It includes informative scholarly articles, a documentary video, published interviews, and biographies.

The artful appearance of the book’s cover does not necessarily draw attention however, the title definitely makes one take a second look; “The Voice that CHALLENGED a Nation”. On the other hand, once the book is opened, page after page; the book is filled with photographs that are exceptionally detailed and compliment the text brilliantly. Each photograph adds depth to every chapter by providing an appropriate visual complimentary to the events. There are not only photographs of Marian Anderson in all aspects of her life, furthermore; there are photographs that depict relevant events during that time; for instance on page 55 there is photograph of a newspaper clipping, which headlines “Mrs. Roosevelt Quits D.A.R.”.

The organization of the book is chronological and easy to follow. Chapter one begins with the greatest memorable event; Marian Anderson singing to the nation from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. The remaining chapters narrate Marian Anderson’s life from childhood to that memorable event, and continuing on to her passing. Reference aids include a table of Contents, chapter notes, selected bibliography, selected discography, picture credits, and an index.

AWARDS
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Honor, 2005
Newbery Honor Book, 2005

EDITORIAL REVIEWS
Grade 5-9–In the initial chapter, Freedman movingly and dramatically sets the stage for the performer's historic 1939 Easter concert at the Lincoln Memorial. In less than two pages, he captures the huge crowd's eager anticipation, briefly describes the controversy sparked by the Daughters of the American Revolution's refusal to allow Anderson to appear at Constitution Hall, and mentions the significance of the concert. He leaves readers at the moment when "A profound hush settled over the crowd.… she closed her eyes, lifted her head, clasped her hands before her, and began to sing." The author then switches to a chronological account of Anderson's life from her childhood in Philadelphia through her acclaimed U.S. and European concert tours in the 1920s and 1930s. He then gives a fuller account of the famous outdoor concert, which he refers to as a milestone in both musical and civil rights history. Freedman acknowledges that the singer did not set out to be a political activist or a crusader for civil rights. Numerous archival photographs, thorough chapter notes, a selected bibliography of works for both adult and younger readers, and a selected discography of currently available Anderson CDs are included. This inspiring work once again demonstrates Freedman's talent for showing how a person's life is molded by its historical and cultural context. Readers of Pam Muñoz Ryan's When Marian Sang (Scholastic, 2002) will appreciate this lengthier account of Anderson's life, as will all readers of biography, U.S. history, and musical history. --School Library Journal

"In his signature prose, plain yet eloquent. Freedman tells Anderson's triumphant story . . . Older readers and adults will want this too." --Booklist

"Freedman offers the story of a movement encapsulated in the biography of an extraordinary African-American woman." --Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"A masterful biography...The prose is sharp and clean with generous use of quotations...a superb choice." --VOYA

The Tarantula Scientist

Text by Sy Montgomery

Photographs by Nic Bishop

Montgomery, Sy, and Nic Bishop. 2004. The tarantula scientist. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. ISBN 0-618-14799-3.

SUMMARY
Travel with arachnologist, Sam Marshall, as he passionately explores the rainforest of French Guiana in search of the world’s biggest and hairiest spiders; the tarantula. Much is not known of these mysterious and scary-looking spiders however, acclaimed author Sy Montgomery in collaboration with spider scientist extraordinaire, Sam Marshall and renown photographer, Nic Bishop; documents in a award honoree work of literature the physical attributes and habitat of the Goliath birdeater tarantula; the largest species of spider on the planet.

The magnificent combination of the author’s style and design is what makes this informational book a work of literature and not just a book of facts. Author Sy Montgomery invites the reader to share in the thoughts and experiences of the tarantula scientist by using a narrative voice from the point of the view of the spider expert. The style adds credibility to the work. It also allows the reader to share in the excitement of the exploration and appreciate the knowledge, which is presented at an appropriate vocabulary level. The photographs are superb! They draw the reader into the book by creating a sense of inquisitiveness. They are all appropriate, detailed, and compliment the text precisely.

The author provides the right amount of information to spark an interest in the subject and motivate the reader for further exploration. Adding to the accuracy of the informational book, there are endnotes that detail how the book was researched, spider statistics, spider websites, and even a note that provides contact information in the event you visit French Guiana or if you are considering buying a tarantula. A selected bibliography is provided. The organization of the book contains a layout, which is both logical in sequence and follows a pattern of general-to-specific. The author begins by first discussing the area of exploration, French Guiana. He then introduces the subject of interest; discussing it in general terms and only then moving on towards more specific and detail information. Reference aids in the forms of a glossary of technical terms is provided along with an Index.

AWARDS
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Honor, 2005.
Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Award Nominee 2007

EDITORIAL REVIEWS
Grade 5-10-Superb color photos abound in this spectacular series addition. Readers follow the career of Sam Marshall, tarantula scientist extraordinaire, from his "Spider Lab" at Hiram College in Ohio to the rain forests of French Guiana as he hunts for, finds, and studies the creatures he loves so well. The conversational text contains as much spider lore as scientific investigation and provides a cheerful look at a dedicated scientist. (The fact that he did not do well in school may encourage those late bloomers who have not yet found their passion in life or believe it to be far beyond their academic grasp.) Informative, yes, but even more important, this is a vivid look at an enthusiastic scientist energetically and happily at work, both in the field and in the lab, questioning, examining, testing, and making connections. A treat, even for
arachnophobes. --School Library Journal

Gr. 4-7. Montgomery and Bishop, who worked together on Snake Scientist (1999), team up once again to deliver another fascinating slice of the natural world. This time they venture to the French Guiana rain forest, where they follow arachnologist Sam Marshall on his quest for his favorite quarry: tarantulas. Enthusiasm for the subject and respect for both Marshall and his eight-legged subjects come through on every page of the clear, informative, and even occasionally humorous text. Bishop's full-color photos, which concentrate on detail, not scale, are amazing--Marshall coaxing an elusive tarantula into the open or bringing readers literally face-to-face with a hairy spider. The section on students' research seems tacked on, but it adds an interesting sidelight to the book, which is longer and richer in both text and illustrations than others in the Scientists in the Field series. Readers will come away armed with facts about spiders in general and tarantulas in particular, but even more important, they'll have a clear understanding of how the answers derived from research become the roots of new, intriguing questions. --Booklist

Diamond Willow

by Helen Frost

Frost, Helen. 2008. Diamond Willow. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
ISBN 0-374-31776-3.

Diamond Willow is a verse novel, which tells the story of 12year old Diamond Willow. Willow, who sees herself as being an ordinary girl, wants to be likable; she wants her parents to notice that she is growing up, and most of all she wants to mush the family’s sled dogs to Grandma’s and Grandpa’s all by herself. She knows she can do yet, will her parents believe the she can? Upon their approval, Diamond sets out to her grandparent’s home. On her return trip, misfortune strikes. Torn between self guilt and love for her sled dog, Roxy; Willow sets into action a plan to save the family’s best sled dog. Little did Willow know that the plan to save Roxy would also bring to light a past, which will also save her from her own inner confusion.

The rhythm of this verse novel is free verse. The poem is read as a narrative and is presented in diamond-shaped poems. The inspiration for the shapes is taken from forms found in polished diamond willow sticks. When the bark is skinned off and the stick is polished it reveals reddish-brown diamonds. The centers of the diamonds are dark scars where the missing branches were once attached. Representative of these scars; hidden within each diamond-shaped poem is a hidden message emphasized in bold font. The poet also includes prose pieces throughout the poem. These pieces are narrated by Willow’s ancestors or the ancestors of other characters within the poem. The spirits of the ancestors have all taken the form of animals common throughout the area. Through their narrations they provide context for the events throughout the poem. The flow of the poem’s rhythm was extremely easy to follow. Initially, I did not quite grasp the prose pieces as far as the connection between the narrator of the pieces and the animal form. It was not until the third prose piece that I made the connection. Once the connection was made, I was captivated even more.

The language of the poem as a collective whole is beautifully arranged. It comes at you from the perspective of 12year old Willow and there is sadness, fear, joy, happiness, peace, and love. The sound comes together through the use of various styles including onomatopoeia words for instance on page 26, “I stumble; a branch jabs into my leg. Oww!” I do believe that this effortlessness in the use of language and sound coming together is what makes this verse novel such a joy to read. It draws you into the poem, captivating you to the very end. The hidden messages within the poems are like “icing on the cake”. It moves the poem forward and gives the poem deeper meaning. I felt as if a secret was being shared with only me. There are no pictures throughout this verse novel however; the poet’s choice of words and poetic style creates mental images that are as vivid as if they were on paper. I could see Willow behind her pack of dogs riding with such quickness through the snow covered trails. I could hear Roxy’s howl when she was not allowed to go into house and the bond that Willow and Roxy share is beyond words.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS:
Lion and the Unicorn Award for Excellence in North American Poetry Honor Book
An Indie Next Kids' List Great Read
Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year
CCBC Choice (Univ. of WI)
Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award
Capitol Choices Noteworthy Titles for Children and Teens
IN Eugene & Marilyn Glick IN Authors
Louisiana YR Choice Book Award Master List
North Carolina Children's Book Award Master List
Texas Lone Star Reading List
Vermont Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award Master List

EDITORIAL REVIEWS:
When a diamond willow's bark is removed, sanded, and polished, it reveals reddish brown diamonds, the dark center of which are the scars of missing branches. Frost has used this image to craft an intricate family story in diamond-shaped verse. In her small Alaskan town, 12-year-old Diamond Willow, named for the tree, prefers to be just "Willow" but muses that if her parents had called her "Diamond," "…would I have been one of those sparkly kinds of girls?" Instead she describes herself as an average, part-Athabascan girl with one good friend, who finds herself more comfortable around her family's sled dogs than with people. Her story takes a heartrending turn on a solo dogsled trip to visit her grandparents, and Willow is soon caught up in an intense adventure that leads to the discovery of a family secret. As she unravels the truth, Willow comes to understand the diamonds and scars that bind her family together. She also gains awareness of her own strength and place in her community. Willow relates her story in one-page poems, each of which contains a hidden message printed in darker type. At key intervals, the narrative is continued in the voices of her ancestors, who take the form of animal spirits—Red Fox, Spruce Hen, Mouse, Chickadee, Lynx—and her sled dogs. Frost casts a subtle spell through innovative storytelling. Her poems offer pensive imagery and glimpses of character, and strong emotion. This complex and elegant novel will resonate with readers who savor powerful drama and multifaceted characters. --School of Library Journal

Set in a remote part of Alaska, this story in easy-to-read verse blends exciting survival adventure with a contemporary girl’s discovery of family roots and secrets. Middle-schooler Willow’s dad is Anglo, and her mother is Athabascan. The girl longs to spend more time with her traditional Indian grandparents even though she knows she will miss computers and other things that are a part of her life. When her beloved dog, Roxy, is blinded in an accident (partly Willow’s fault), and her parents want to put the dog down, Willow tries to take Roxy to Grandma and Grandpa. The two are caught in a raging blizzard, and Willow is saved by the spirits of her ancestors, who live on in the wild animals around her. Frost, who spent years teaching in Alaska, blends the young teen’s viewpoint with a strong sense of place and culture. The casual diamond shape of the poems reflects how precious jewels of wisdom can grow around painful scars. Willow’s bond with Roxy is the heart of the tale. Give this to fans of dog stories and to readers who liked Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet (1987). --Booklist

CONNECTIONS –Related books:
Keisha’s House
Spinning Through the Universe
Crossing Stones
Hidden

bees, snails, & peacock tails

by Betsy Franco, Illustrated by Steve Jenkins

Franco, Betsy, and Steve Jenkins. 2008. Bees, snails, & peacock tails: patterns & shapes-- naturally. New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books. ISBN 1-416-90386-0.

Bees, snails, & peacock tails is a poem picture book, which looks at shapes and patterns within nature. From snakes to bees as far as the eyes can see, poet, Besty Franco speaks of several geometrical shapes and patterns, which one can find on animals or within their environments. To name a few, she explores the natural hexagons of beehives; how they fit side by side, the intricate patterns of spider webs, the symmetrical “stunning eyes” of the moths, and the perfect straight line of marching ants. The illustrations are all vibrantly displayed and the poetry is engaging. In closing, Betsy Franco provides snapshots of factual information on the animals, which she has included in her poem.

The rhythm of this poetry book is rhyming. The poet uses short lines to create a staccato rhythm that flows as naturally as water flowing gently. The patterns of the rhyming scheme are varied however; they are not overly complicated nor forced. The matching sounds are at the ends of the lines however, not every line ends with a matching sound. The pattern moved the poem forward effortlessly, sounding natural and maintaining a song quality when read aloud. The poem incorporates a rhyming scheme that fits quite delightfully with the words and meaning of the poem. The poet absolutely did not lose word meaning for rhyme. The poem expresses factual meaning and did not leave room for interpretation. For example, bees create beehives that are hexagonal in shape; snakes do shed their old skin, and the puffer fish does puff up with the sense of danger.

The sound of the poem is in the words the poet has chosen to create the rhyming scheme in addition to the integration of how the poet inserted breaks within the sentences. For instance, the first line of the poem reads, “In the day (break) and the night, (break) on the land (break) and in the flight. The “breaks” create pauses, which place emphasis on the rhyming words. The poet integrates both the use of assonance and consonance and also uses the style of applying the same words and also the same words within words. For instance, “you’ll find inside (break) fit side (break) by side (break) by side (break) by side. I would surely agree that with the combination of the poet’s artistic use of description along with the sound, the poem does take on a dramatic and musical quality.

The language the poet has chosen to utilize within the words of the poem is collectively fundamental yet, significant. As a collective whole the poem provides factual information that is meaningful to children. It is not figurative language which is open for interpretation or fictional. The words and phrases are arranged distinctly and brilliantly. For instance, when the poet is describing the spider webs; the poem reads, “They spin lacy lines, then go round and round.” Another example is when the poet is speaking of the swans and the geese, “Look up in the sky and seasonally you’ll notice it’s filled with graceful Vs.” The illustrations are vibrant in color and work harmoniously with the language of the poem, however; I would say that I believe the poet’s language alone gives depth to the poem and creates the imagery splendidly. The illustrations are a wonderful bonus.

I believe that the poet fantastically captures the emotion of excitement one feels when exploring the intricacies and wonders of nature. She also manages to magically extend this enthusiasm into the field of shapes and patterns. The excitement is not forced but occurs naturally through the poet’s use of poetic style and the poem’s language. Illustrator, Steve Jenkins, works in melody with Betsy Franco. He uses the artistic style of collage to create vibrant illustrations, which appear to pop out at you on each page. I especially liked the page that illustrates the moths. The background color is black, which creates an effect that feels as if the moths are bursting from the page. If one looks closely at the illustrations you can see that the illustrator takes every opportunity to incorporate various elements of nature. For instance the moth’s antennas are actually leaves. There were two pages, which I had a difficult time with. The illustrations were magnificent however; the text of the poem is wrapped around the illustration to place emphasis on the “round” shape and “swirl” pattern. It was difficult to read the poem without turning the entire book around. I initially found it odd; however, in hind sight I can surely envision the children having a good laugh if the reader is animated with the movement to stress the element of shapes and patterns. As stated by Professor Vardell, “Success depends so much on our own positive presentation of poetry.”

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS:
Kentucky Bluegrass Award Master List
Mockingbird Award – nominated
Bill Martin Jr. Picture Book Award - nominated

EDITORIAL REVIEWS:
This poetry picture book about patterns in nature has some spreads on which rhymes sing and artwork thrills—and others that disappoint. The peacock page delights readers with a Jenkins collage at his feathery best and these clever lines: "If you should meet a peacock pair,/the male's the one with all the flair./The female, who is rather plain,/is dazzled by his patterned train." In the spread about symmetry in moths' wing patterns, the insects' furry bodies seem to pop from the paper, but the text's attempt to rhyme "eyes" with "side" and "spring" with "wings" doesn't measure up. A clever spiral poem on the topshell snail is accompanied by a surprisingly flat and listless illustration. Awkward scanning in the rhymes throughout will make the book especially hard to read aloud without practice. Jarring in a book that is scientific in tone despite its poetic format is the statement that sea stars "grow back an arm/if they get into scrapes,/for they take such great pride/in their bright, starry shapes." One or two simple facts about the habits of each animal are included in the end matter. --School of Library Journal

The duo behind Birdsongs (2007) teams up again in this winning introduction to the patterns and shapes found in the natural world. From the dazzling eyes of the male peacock’s feathers to the hexagonal chambers of the bee’s hive, Franco’s spirited poems explore the many forms and functions of nature’s geometry. Verses tuck neatly into each subject’s double-page spread or cleverly echo its shape, mimicking the spiral lines of a snail’s shell or the rounded exterior of a puffer fish, and an appending section explains the scientific facts behind each poem. Jenkins’ masterful collage work, which renders everything from the transparency of dew drops on a spider web to the soft gray fur of a deer mouse, will have readers impulsively reaching out to feel the tactile appearance of the shaped and textured papers. The perfect precursor to a science unit or a simple walk in the park. Further information on each of the animals is appended. --Booklist

CONNECTIONS-Activities:
Have children look around the room and point out as many shapes and patterns.
Have children point out on one page of the book all the rhyming words.

Red Sings from Treetops

by Joyce Sidman, Illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski

Sidman, Joyce, and Pamela Zagarenski. 2009. Red sings from treetops: a year in colors. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. ISBN 0-547-01494-5.

Red Sings from Treetops is a poem picture book, where poet Joyce Sidman shares the colors and senses she associates with each season. Illustrations and poem come together to create a fanciful display and expression of sight, sound and imagination. In spring, “green is new” and “yellow shouts with light!” In summer, “yellow melts everything it touches…smells like butter, tastes like salt. In fall, “brown rustles and whispers underfoot” and in winter, “In the winter woods, gray and brown hold hands.”

The poet uses a poetic style that incorporates the combination of rhyming rhythm with that of free verse For example, page one reads, “Red sings from treetops: cheer-cheer-cheer, each note dropping like a cherry into my ear. Red turns the maples feathery, sprouts in rhubarb spears; Red squirms on the road after the rain.” The combination of both styles may cause the rhythmic flow of the poem to appear unnatural; especially with children, who are exposed more often than not to rhyming schemes alone. I would agree, especially in reference to this poem picture book, with Professor Vardell, where in our text she suggest, “reading the poem aloud yourself so children can hear how the words and rhythm sound”, prior to inviting them to participate. I do believe that the arrangement of lines and verses was a decision by the poet and used primarily to create a rhythmic flow with just the right amount of cadence.

The poet incorporates rhyming schemes through various methods. She uses rhyming words at the end of lines and also uses the same word within the lines. For example, “Black holds secrets in summer: night-sky Black, underneath-stones Black.” This method gives the color greater emphasis. Another example can be heard when the poet expresses the color orange in fall, “Orange ripens in full, heavy moons, thick with pulp and seed. Orange flickers, all smoke and candles. Orange eyes. Orange cheeks. Orange teeth.” The sound of the poem is a mixture of repeated words, as the previous example illustrates and also evident in the example, “cheer- cheer- cheer,” and onomatopoeia words like; “BOOM”, “Snap!”, and “crunch!” I would most surely agree that these unique styles add drama to the poem.

The language of the poem is bursting with a variety of elements. There are similes and metaphors; “Yellow smells like butter, taste like salt.” “White sounds like storms:” There are descriptive phrases and words; “snapped twigs and bouncing hail,” “delicate petals” and there is also the use of personifications; “Red whispers along my finger with little beetle feet.” The integration of all these elements brings to life all the meaningful relations within the poem. They all work together much like the systems within a human’s body. I can hear the strong thump, thump, thump of the heartbeat within the poem.

This imaginative and exceptional use of language provides an imagery of the poem which extends beyond one’s imagination. In combination with the sensational artistic illustrations, poet and illustrator come together to create a play of the senses. The illustrations are intricate images in vivid color, packed with collaged fragments of decorative pattern and texture. The t.p. verso of the book reads, “The illustrations are mixed media paintings on wood and computer illustrations.” The details of the illustrations are so exceptional that one can hear “red singing from the treetops.” I do believe that the poet is sharing with us her perceptions of the seasons as she experiences them. Through the poets use of various styles; she does a marvelous job in capturing those moments and allowing the reader to feel and share in her wonderment. The feeling grows naturally through the poem’s language and the poet’s use of poetic tools.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS:
Caldecott Honor Book , 2010
Winner of Bank Street Claudia Lewis Award
Winner of the 2007 Cybils Award
A Lee Bennett Hopkins Honor Book
A School Library Journal Best Book
New York Public Library’s 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
Texas Bluebonnet Master List
A Booklinks Lasting Connection

EDITORIAL REVIEWS:
"It's wonderfully strange to read of colors with sounds, smells and tastes." --New York Times Book Review

"A charming inspiration to notice colors and correlate emotions" --Kirkus Reviews

"Sustaining the playfulness of the text and its sense of awe, mystery, and beauty, the illustrations contribute gracefully to the celebration." --Horn Book

"As the title implies, the colors that surprise on every page, do sing." --Booklist

CONNECTIONS –Activities
Have a discussion with the children allowing them to express which colors they associate with each season and why.

Have each child draw a picture of their favorite season using the color(s) they associate with that picture. On the back of the picture they can write which smells and sounds they associate with that season.

Swamp Angel

By Anne Isaacs, Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky

Isaacs, Anne, Paul O. Zelinsky, and Sarah Reynolds. 1994. Swamp Angel. New York: Dutton Children's Books. ISBN 0-525-45271-0.

Swamp Angel is the tale of the “greatest woodswoman” in Tennessee. Born August 1, 1815, Angelica Longrider was as big as she was gawky. That gawkiness however, Angelica outgrew and in place blossomed a courageousness and spirit, which earned her not only the name Swamp Angel, yet much more importantly; respect amongst all. That respect extended to the very same men, who taunted her about joining them in the competition to capture Thundering Tarnation, the prowling giant bear; whose fur was so thick bullets could not get through. Thundering Tarnation had to be caught; life on the pioneer was difficult enough without that beast of a bully raiding the very same cellars where the winter’s food was stored. Of all those, who set out to capture Thundering Tarnation, it was Swamp Angel, who after several heroic battles with the bear; exterminated it. She fed thousands of people for the whole winter with the meat of the bear, blanketed the state of Montana with his pelt and even left a lasting impression on the stars.

The main characters of this tale are Angelica Longrider, the valiant heroine and Thundering Tarnation, the prowling vermin. Author, Anne Isaacs, does a marvelous job in creating these two characters, who are quite distinct yet, ironically possess equal amounts of fierceness and determination. I do believe that this technique of creating such a monstrous beast with such great strength and a heroine, who is able to match that strength, is an effective approach that places greater emphasis on the heroine’s character and personality. I would not say that the characters in this tale are complicated however; I would agree that the heroine is quite dynamic in that she begins not being able to climb a tree without assistance to battling with a bear, “tossing him so high in the sky he was still on his way up at nightfall.” Even after a “slow start” in life, she is portrayed as confident and strong; qualities which I do believe many young girls need help relating to today.

I would agree that the plot of this tall tale is both episodic and bursting with action. I can imagine a storyteller animatedly narrating this tale leaning into an audience of kids all of who are at the edge of their seats. The sequence of the story moves forward quite effortlessly. We are first introduced to the main character, Angelica. We are not only introduced to her character however; there is an importance on her behavior and personality. Right after, we are then introduced to Thundering Tarnation, who in this tale is representative of malevolence. The trouble that Thundering Tarnation is causing is established within the story and a resolution to that trouble is introduced; a competition to kill the bear. The resolution is now set into action. The author places emphasis on the bear’s cleverness by sharing in the tale many of the hunters defeated encounters. Each conflict builds upon the next. There is a moment of suspense when Swamp Angel (Angelica) finally meets the bear, face to face. The battle between the two begins. I would not say that the final resolution, which is the bear’s death, comes quickly; however I agree that the lengthy fight between Swamp Angel and the bear only adds strength to Swamp Angel’s character and to the greatness of the overall success of the plot.

The setting of this tall tale is within the pioneer days in the backwoods wilderness of Tennessee. The period marked the American Frontier. The beginning of the tale takes us back to the day, August 1, 1815, the birth day of Angelica Longrider. As is typical with traditional tales, time moves forward rapidly as Angelica turns two and then becomes full grown. The story takes us back to an event, which occurred at the age of twelve however, that was primarily to explain to the reader how Angelica Longrider received the name “Swamp Angel”. Once the background information was established, the plot begins, “Once upon a summer in the Tennessee wilderness…” I would most definitely agree that the setting in this tale is of great importance for it plays a crucial role in helping us understand the characters, their personalities; all of which brings life to the story.

The long draw out fight between Swamp Angel and the Thundering Tarnation makes the theme of this tale to be both tense and suspenseful. I would not say that there are big, global messages, however; there is a strong emphasis on character and values and on culture and diversity. I would state that I consider the style of this tale to have a western flare. The sound of spoken language is captured in print through the use of dialect specific to the culture and time and also through various idiomatic expressions. Swamp Angel is quoted as stating, “Varmint, I’m much obliged for that pelt you’re carryin’.” If we take a closer look at the word “carrying”, we notice that the “g” is left off. The same style of word expression can be seen when Swamp Angel states, “Confound it, varmint, if you warn’t the most wondrous heap of trouble I ever come to grips with! The dialect and idiomatic expressions brings forth a southern twang that encompasses not only the style of this tale but also the cultural markers. The descriptions of the characters also add to the style and cultural markers. The men are referred to as “buckskins”. Their caps are not baseball caps typical of today’s wear but rather, “coonskin caps”. The people are referred to as settlers and pioneers; they live in cabins, store their winter’s food in root cellars, and travel by means of wagons through wagon trails.

The illustrations in this tale have a life of their own yet, compliment and extend the story perfectly. The artistic style is reminiscent of American folk art framed by natural wood grain. The art technique used is oil painting and on the t.p. verso of the book it reads, “The illustration for this book were painted in oils on cherry, maple, and birch veneers.” The style compliments the story immensely as the story occurs within the American Frontier and is set within the wilderness of Tennessee. This tale is a prime example of illustration and story coming together to create an award winning book. The detail in each illustration is astonishing, adding depth to each character. I like how through the illustrations we can see the all sides to Swamp Angel. For instance, on one page she is illustrated helping others by putting out a house fire and on another page, she sitting on the hillside knitting, and then on another we can vividly see the wind blowing and the muck flying as she is wrestling with the beastly bear. The illustration, which displays Swamp Angel and Thundering Tarnation coming face to face, is priceless. The facial expressions are so apparent that I can easily see Swamp Angel speaking the words.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS:Caldecott Honor Book, 1994
Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book, 1995
ALA Notable Book, 1994
New York Public Library, 100 Books Every Child Should Read
New York Times Best Illustrated Books of 1994
School Library Journal Best Books of 1994
Booklist Children's Editors Choices, 1994
Publisher's Weekly Best Books of 1994
Time Magazine's 8 Best Children's Books, 1994
Parenting Magazine Reading-Magic Award, 10 Best Books of 1994
Notable Trade Book in Language Arts, National Council of Teachers of English, 1995

EDITORIAL REVIEWS:
"This delightful production deserves a place in all tall tale collections." -- School Library Journal

"A perfect introduction to folk tales and storytelling." --Booklist

“Move over, Paul Bunyan, you are about to meet Swamp Angel, an original creation in the tall-tale tradition whose exploits are guaranteed to amaze and amuse a wide swath of readers. . . Visually exciting, wonderful to read aloud, this is a picture book to remember.” --Horn Book

CONNECTIONS –Activities
Discuss with children the differences between a tall tale and a true story; have children pick out parts from the tale, which they believe to be true.

Have a discussion about life on the American frontier, relating parts of the story that resemble.

The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs!

As told to Jon Scieszka; Illustrated by Lane Smith

Scieszka, Jon, A. Wolf, and Lane Smith. 1991. The true story of the 3 little pigs. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 0-140-54451-8.

Told from a first person narrative by the wolf; Alexander T. Wolf shares his side of the story, recounting “how it really” happened. It all started, he explained, when he innocently visited his neighbors to borrow a cup of sugar. All he wanted to do was bake his granny a cake for her birthday. If only he did not have that awful sneezing cold. It wasn’t his fault that the first pig built his house out of straw or that the second built his with sticks. He sneezed once and there the homes went; right on top of the pigs. Would you leave good food to spoil? What about that last pig? Haven’t we all been taught to be polite?

The main characters in this fractured folktale remain true to those portrayed in the original version of the story; the wolf and the three pigs. The twist however, is in who is portrayed as good and who is portrayed as evil. According to Wolf, he was framed. It was the news reporters, who in an attempt to spice up the truth portrayed him as the “evil one” when in fact, the three pigs were bad and he was innocent. The author does not over complicate the characters. He creates them as anthropomorphic animals, representative of basic human traits. The language that the author has utilized throughout the tale brings the characters to life.

The plot consist of a formulaic pattern; it incorporates the literary “rule of three”, specifically used in this tale to contrast between the three homes. The plot draws the audience in with each conflict; building and building on the last until the final resolution, which comes quickly and surprisingly. The setting of the tale is established quickly and rather paradoxically; “Way back in Once Upon a Time time.” Through the illustrations and the tale there is a sense of time passing however, it is vague. The description of the pig’s home, their behavior, and the health of the wolf helps in understanding the wolf and with making his “side” of the story believable.

The tale is a parody of the original version of the tale and is told from the perspective of the wolf. The theme of this tale can be interpreted to be “there are always two sides to a story”. It can also be inferred from the ending of the tale that many times the truth is exaggerated to make the story much more exciting. Due to the nature of this tale, I would not say that the themes are “big, global messages” however, they can be subtly inferred. The fractured tale also deviates from the “happily ever after” ending when the wolf, which is the representation of goodness in this tale, is “framed” and goes to jail.

The author does a great job in paradoxically capturing his voice through that of the wolf. He also manages to maintain the integrity of the original tale through the characters, plot, setting and style. There is a strong sense of rhythm as the author sparingly incorporates a rhyming scene. The illustrations complement the story and are very appropriate. I would also say that they extend the tale. The portrayal of the wolf is one of kindness. He is wearing glasses, a nice shirt with a bowtie and pants. His character through the illustrations resembles that of a “school teacher”. As the wolf is describing his diet and comparing that to a cheeseburger, which a human may consume; the illustrations extends the story by illustrating a cheeseburger with several layers. Sandwiched between the layers one can see “bunnie” ears; the illustration created visualization to the comparison. The illustration moves the tale along; the wolf can be seen whistling along as he walks to the first pig’s home. The wolf’s nose becomes the focus of the illustration as the wolf felt the sneeze about to occur. When the wolf does sneeze that “great sneeze”; the illustration becomes the focus. I would say that although the illustrations do have a cartoon appearance; their design and layout work appropriately and in conjunction with the story.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS:
Book Awards: ALA Notable Book; School Library Journal Best Book of the Year; The New York Times Best Book of the Year; Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
Film Awards: ALA Notable Video; KidsFirst! Short Film Award
Audio Awards: ALA Notable Recording

EDITORIAL REVIEWS:
"Designed with uncommon flair," said PW, this "gaily newfangled version of the classic tale" takes sides with the villain. "Imaginative watercolors eschew realism, further updating the tale." --Publishers Weekly

Victim for centuries of a bad press, Alexander ("You can call me Al") T. Wolf steps forward at last to give his side of the story. Trying to borrow a cup of sugar to make a cake for his dear old Granny, Al calls on his neighbors--and can he help it if two of them built such shoddy houses? A couple of sneezes, a couple of dead pigs amidst the wreckage and, well, it would be shame to let those ham dinners spoil, wouldn't it? And when the pig in the brick house makes a nasty comment about Granny, isn't it only natural to get a little steamed? It's those reporters from the Daily Pig that made Al out to be Big and Bad, that caused him to be arrested and sent to the (wait for it) Pig Pen. "I was framed," he concludes mournfully. Smith's dark tones and sometimes shadowy, indistinct shapes recall the distinctive illustrations he did for Merriam's Halloween ABC (Macmillan, 1987); the bespectacled wolf moves with a rather sinister bonelessness, and his juicy sneezes tear like thunderbolts through a dim, grainy world. It's the type of book that older kids (and adults) will find very funny. --School Library Journal

Did the story of the three little pigs ever seem slightly biased to you? All that huffing and puffing--could one wolf really be so unequivocally evil? Finally, we get to hear the rest of the story, "as told to author Jon Scieszka," straight from the wolf's mouth. As Alexander T. Wolf explains it, the whole Big Bad Wolf thing was just a big misunderstanding. Al Wolf was minding his own business, making his granny a cake, when he realized he was out of a key ingredient. He innocently went from house to house to house (one made of straw, one of sticks, and one of bricks) asking to borrow a cup of sugar. Could he help it if he had a bad cold, causing him to sneeze gigantic, gale-force sneezes? Could he help it if pigs these days use shabby construction materials? And after the pigs had been ever-so-accidentally killed, well, who can blame him for having a snack? --Amazon.com Review

CONNECTIONS-Activities:
Generate discussion groups with older children: Compare both perspectives; the three pigs versus the wolf. Which perspective do you believe to be true and why?

Introduce the concept of versions to younger children by having them color a picture with pre-chosen colors then have them color the same picture with different colors.

The Ox of the Wonderful Horns and Other African Folktales

by Ashley Bryan

Bryan, Ashley. 1971. The ox of the wonderful horns, and other African folktales. New York: Atheneum. ISBN 0-689-31799-9.

The Ox of the Wonderful Horns and Other African Folktales is a collection of five tales originating from Africa each retold by author, Ashley Bryan. The folktale for review is “The Ox of the Wonderful Horns”. The tale is that of a young boy named Mungalo, who is the son of a rich chief. The chief is wealthy not only in riches but also in wives. Of all the wives, Mungalo’s mother was the chief’s favorite. This caused resentment amongst the other wives, who even after Mungalo’s mother passed, continued to take out their jealousy and anger on Mungalo. Throughout the years, Mungalo suffered the wrath of his father’s wives however; Mungalo remained humble and obedient. He never strayed from believing in his mother’s promise that one day his father would give him a great white ox. Through that promise, Mungalo is awarded with goodness and righteousness. He explores the land and in time, with a wife of his own; he returns back to his father’s village, where he is now treated with kindness.

The characters in this folktale stay true to the classic characteristic of “good versus evil”. The main character, Mungalo, is the quintessence of goodness. His father’s “other wives” represent evil, corruption, and wickedness. Although Mungalo’s mother is mentioned briefly, I would say that it is of great importance for she symbolizes the human trait of “love and kindness”. Emphasizing this trait allows no room for misinterpreting the wickedness of the other mothers. Throughout the story there are several symbolisms, which one can self interpret. There are the ox’s horns; which I interpreted to symbolize hope and determination. The various obstacles which Mungalo and the ox face display a strong foundation in trust and loyalty. The story is not overly complicated with characters. The characters are representative of the African culture and traditions. Just as the singer, who takes the ox’s horns from Mungalo as he slept; I do believe each character serves a purpose and moves the story along it’s high and low points.

The plot of this story, which I would describe as being full of action, brings forth several emotions. It begins by creating a state of disbelief at how Mungalo is treated by his father’s many wives. As an outcome, there also develops a sense of sympathy for Mungalo. When Mungalo decides to leave his father’s home, suspense develops as we travel with Mungalo and face his many obstacles. Through theses obstacles, we experience both sadness and triumph. Each obstacle represents conflict, which is then followed by a resolution. I would agree that each point of conflict is as crucial to the story as the next. I would also satisfactorily agree that the story’s ending does in fact follow the characteristic pattern of that of a folktale; a happily ever after ending.

The setting is clearly defined and acknowledged throughout the story. I do not believe that it is an integral part of the story however; it functions informatively and guides the story along a period of time. Much like many of the other aspects of this folktale, its roots are clearly depicted through the setting and word usage. For example, Mungalo is from a village, where his father is chief. In the African culture it is tradition and custom for the village chief to be permitted to have more than one wife. It is also characteristic for African folktales to make reference to the vastness of the land, which this tale clearly describes throughout the story. Lastly, on page 38, the word usage in the phrase, “three moons passed”, is used to show a passing of time.

The theme of this folktale is most surely one of good triumphing over evil. It ends “happily ever after” in that Mungalo finds love and returns to his father’s village where he is welcomed by all including the very same mothers who were in the beginning cruel to him. I would say that there exist several morals within this story however; they are not forced upon the reader. Some of the morals may elude a younger audience however; I do believe that at a young age we are taught to not be “mean” to others. We are also taught at a young age to not steal. These are two morals of the story, which I believe children will be able to understand.

The style of this story is culturally specific, reflecting the African culture. As is the custom with African folktales; the folktale serves the purpose of preparing young people for life by providing lifelong lessons or morals to be learn. African folktales many times also include proverbs. I read that a single tribe may have as many as a thousand proverbs of their own. As is also common with African folktales, the main character of this folktale, aside from Mungalo, is an ox. African folktales frequently involve animals as the principle characters. Another example that the style is culturally specific can be seen through the description and mentioning of the land, the villages, the huts, the food, the names, dress and work habits of the characters.

The illustrations throughout this folktale are few however; each one artistically emphasizes an important element of the folktale. The illustrations compliment the story and reflect the cultural heritage of the tale however; I would not say that they extend the story. I would describe the art to be more of a visual abstraction, which is customary to African art.

The cultural markers throughout this folktale are plenty and I believe, accurately reflect the culture. From the setting of the village, the daily work of the characters, the initiation into the tribe, the vastness of the land, to the tradition of chief’s having more than one wife; the reader can gain insight into the culture and customs. The illustrations are also cultural representations of African art. Throughout the story certain words are used which also have cultural orientations, for example; kraal. Kraal, as defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary, is a village of southern African natives.

In addition to The Ox of the Wonderful Horns”, the author presents four additional tales. There is a table of contents and source information is provided for each tale. Each tale contains minimal illustrations however; they are also reflective of the cultural heritage of the tale. I do not believe the tales are familiar to young readers and believe they are intended for adults to share with young readers.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS:
N/A

COMMUNITY REVIEW:
One of several folktale collections created by African-American artist and author Ashley Bryan, The Ox of the Wonderful Horns contains five tales, taken from the folk traditions of three African nations. Unlike Beautiful Blackbird - the first of Bryan's titles that I read, which, save for the artwork, did not impress me greatly - the source material for these selections is prominently listed, at the beginning of the book. I appreciated that (unattributed, or clumsily revised folklore being one of my pet peeves), enjoyed the tales themselves, and thought Bryan's block-print illustrations were gorgeous. I'm glad I gave this author/artists another try! Abigail -8/24/09

CONNECTIONS-Related Books:
Ashley Bryan’s African Tales, Uh-huh
Lion and the Ostrich Chicks and Other African Folk Tales