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.