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The Girl Who Drank the Moon

By: Kelly Barnhill

Bibliography:

Barnhill, Kelly. Girl Who Drank the Moon: Winner of the 2017 Newbery Medal. Place of Publication Not Identified: Algonquin of Chapel Hill, 2019. ISBN: 978-1616207465

Plot Summary:

In The Girl Who Drank the Moon, the people of the Protectorate are afraid of the witch from the woods.  They offer the newest baby as a sacrificial offering in order to keep the witch from terrorizing the town. The people always do this offering without realizing that the witch from the woods is a good witch.  Xan, the good witch whom lives with a Tiny Dragon and a Swamp Monster, always rescues the babies and finds them a good, loving family who’ll care for them.  On their journey back home, Xan feeds the babies starlight.  Then one year, as the youngest baby was being offered to the witch, her mom was lost in her sorrow.  She was locked down in the tower and was taken care by the Sisters of the Star.  Xan, on the other hand, rescues the beautiful baby girl that was left in the woods.  On their way back home, Xan accidentally feeds her moonlight, which gives her extraordinary magic powers.  Due to this, she decides that she’ll raise her and names her Luna.  As the years passes and Luna approaches her thirteenth birthday, her magical powers become apparent, while Xan begins to deteriorate. Meanwhile, Antain, a young man from the Protectorate, finds the courage to end the Day of the Sacrifice (as his son is the next baby to be offered to the witch).  He’s willing to take all measurable accounts in order to keep his family safe. What will happen to Xan once Antain finds her in the woods? The readers will be surprised to learn who the real witch is, and they will be amazed at the unexpected ending of this graphic novel.

 Critical Analysis:

The Girl Who Drank the Moon is a fantasy fairy tale which includes witches, dragons, monster, enchanted objects and magic. Barnhill did a fabulous job creating characters that are lovable, delightful and courageous and others that are despicable and evil. With these characters, Barnhill was able to display relationships between the love of family and true friendship.  Barnhill describes the immense feelings of a mother who lost her beloved daughter.  The pain that Luna’s mom felt as she was separated from her daughter made filled her with sorrow. But deep down in her heart, she knew her daughter was alive.  She constantly reminded herself of that as she said, ‘She is here, she is here, she is here.’ She also describes the bravery of Antain to defend his growing family. He was willing to do everything in his hands so his wife could keep their baby without offering it to the witch.   He was willing to change the offering of the Day of Sacrifice by defeating the evil witch.

Barnhill describes the settings of the novel as a safe place, the Bog, the town of the Protectorate and the convent of the Sister of the Star. The author states ‘In the beginning, there was only Bog, and Bog and Bog.  The Bog was everything and everything was the Bog.’  This makes the reader believe that the Bog is a place where there would be no conflict.  Then, there’s the town of the Protectorate, where everything seems to be in order and then the convent of the Sister of Star, where they care for people.  The reader will come to the true conclusion that ‘things are not what they seem’.

Review Excerpts:

Winner of the 2017 Newbery Award The New York Times Bestseller An Entertainment Weekly Best Middle Grade Book of 2016 A New York Public Library Best Book of 2016 A Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2016 An Amazon Top 20 Best Book of 2016 A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2016 A School Library Journal Best Book of 2016 Named to KirkusReviews’ Best Books of 2016 2017 Booklist Youth Editors’ Choice

“Impossible to put down . . . The Girl Who Drank the Moon is as exciting and layered as classics like Peter Pan or TheWizard of Oz.” —The New York Times Book Review   “A gorgeously written fantasy about a girl who becomes “enmagicked” after the witch who saves her from death feeds her moonlight.” —People    “[Barnhill’s] next middle grade sensation.” —EW.com   “With compelling, beautiful prose, Kelly Barnhill spins the enchanting tale of a kindly witch who accidentally gives a normal baby magic powers, then decides to raise her as her own.” —EW.com, The Best Middle-Grade Books of 2016   « “Guaranteed to enchant, enthrall, and enmagick . . . Replete with traditional motifs, this nontraditional fairy tale boasts sinister and endearing characters, magical elements, strong storytelling, and unleashed forces.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review   « “Rich with multiple plotlines that culminate in a suspenseful climax, characters of inspiring integrity, a world with elements of both whimsy and treachery, and prose that melds into poetry. A sure bet for anyone who enjoys a truly fantastic story.” —Booklist, starred review   « “An expertly woven and enchanting offering.” —School Library Journal, starred review   « “Barnhill crafts another captivating fantasy, this time in the vein of Into the Woods . . . Barnhill delivers an escalating plot filled with foreshadowing, well-developed characters, and a fully realized setting, all highlighting her lyrical storytelling.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review   « “Barnhill writes with gentle elegance, conveying a deeply emotional and heartrending tale with accessible, fluid prose. Characters are skillfully developed: the heroes are flawed, the villains are humanized, and they are forgiven for sins they may or may have not intended. The swamp monster and dragon provide plenty of moments of humor to leaven the pathos, while the setting is infused with fairy tale elements, both magical and menacing, and given a tragic history. Fans of Barnhill’s The Witch’s Boy and Iron Hearted Violet will find similar intersections of love, loss, and identity here.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, starred review   « “The Girl Who Drank the Moon takes a probing look at social complexity and the high cost of secrets and lies, weaving multiple perspectives, past and present, into one cleverly unfolding fairy tale. Barnhill crafts wonderfully imperfect characters with poetic prose, warmth and wit. The resiliency of the heroes may be partly because of magic, but also because of critical thinking, empathy, deep love and the strength of family in all its unconventional manifestations. Thoughtful and utterly spellbinding.” —Shelf Awareness for Readers, starred review  “A modern fable about a witch named Xan, who accidentally gives a baby moonlight instead of starlight, and the child, Luna, who grows up to be magical and dangerous. Factor in a Perfectly Tiny Dragon, a swamp monster, a not-so dormant volcano, and a mysterious woman with a tiger’s heart and, well, you’ve got something truly magical.” —NW Book Lovers   “Barnhill’s impeccable writing makes for effortless reading, while she spins her plot with perfect pacing. Packed within the story are some tremendously thought-provoking themes which elevate this quite beyond an ordinary fantasy and make it a superb choice for a middle-grade-and-older book club.” —OrangeMarmaladeBooks.com   “Barnhill is a fantasist on the order of Neil Gaiman.” —Minneapolis Star Tribune “[The Witch’s Boy] should open young readers’ eyes to something that is all around them in the very world we live in: the magic of words.” —The New York Times “This spellbinding fantasy begs for a cozy chair, a stash of Halloween candy and several hours of uninterrupted reading time.” —The Washington Post

 Connections:

Gather other Kelly Barnhill books to read such as:

v  The Witch’s Boy ISBN 978-1616205485

v  The Mostly True Story of Jack ISBN 978-0316056724

v  Iron Hearted Violet ISBN  978-0316056731

v  The Unlicensed Magician ISBN 978-1848639188

 Classroom Connections:

v  This book can be used at the beginning of a Reading Lesson.

v  This book can be used as a Writing Activity.

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Baby Mouse: Queen of the World

By: Jennifer Holm

Bibliography:

Holm, Jennifer L., and Matthew Holm. Babymouse: Queen of the World! New York: Random House, 2005. ISBN: 978-0375832291

Plot Summary:

In Babymouse: Queen of the World, Babymouse wants to live a life full of glamour, excitement and adventure.  Unfortunately, that does not have for her.  No matter what Babymouse doesn’t have any of those things in her life. It is until she finds out that Felicia Furrypaws, a popular cat from school, is having an exclusive slumber party. She thinks this is the opportunity she has been waiting for.  An opportunity in which she will get to conquer the status of ‘Queen of the World.’  On the day of Felicia’s party, she realizes that it’s the same day she’s having a Monster Movie with her best friend, Wilson. What will Babymouse do now that she has two important events on the same day?  The reader will be surprised to read of the decision Babymouse took and the important lesson she learned.

Critical Analysis:

Babymouse, is a graphic novel that has a funny storyline. Holm’s humor in this story is due to the vivid imagination the adventurous Babymouse has. She imagines herself as ‘Babymouserella’ stating that ‘In Cinderella, the mouse pulls the carriage. Duh!,’ her locker transforms into a blackhole where everything is lonely and then she finds herself in the Wild West, as she realizes the there are no games at the Felicia’s slumber party.  Holm creates the mood of the story through the different emotions that Babymouse goes through in real life.  As she’s experiencing normal life events, Babymouse imagines what it would be in an exciting and adventurous world.

Holm’s uses multiple panels in this graphic novel.  She helps create the mood by providing panels that are horizontal and vertical.  Holm’s also included a lot of detail when Babymouse’s imagination runs wild.  Holm’s uses the same color scheme-black and white-throughout the book.  Pink is added only on the focus illustrations to emphasize the importance events occurring in the story.  Speech bubbles are included to emphasize the different emotions throughout the book.

Readers can relate to this graphic novel as the storyline depicts Babymouse trying to fit in at school. Readers will also conclude that having good friends is more important than being popular among a group of children. Babymouse realized that she couldn’t imagine not having Wilson as a best friend. It would be like ‘a dress without a heart.’

 Review Excerpts:

The Chicago Sun-Times: "Move over, Superman, here comes Babymouse!" Starred Review, The Horn Book: "Nobody puts Babymouse in the corner!" Booklist: "Cute, smart, sassy Babymouse is fun and funny, and this book, like its predecessors, will draw reluctant readers as well as Babymouse fans." The Bulletin: "An almost absurdly likeable heroine."

Connections:

Gather other Jennifer Holm books to read such as:

v  Baby Mouse: Our Hero ISBN 978-0375832307

v  Baby Mouse: Beach Babe ISBN 978-0375832314

v  Baby Mouse: Rock Star ISBN  978-0375832321

v  Baby Mouse: Puppy Love ISBN 978-0375839900

 Classroom Connections:

v  This book can be used at the beginning of a Social Studies Lesson.

v  This book can be used as a Writing Activity.

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The Fault in Our Stars

By: John Green

Bibliography:

Green, John. The Fault in Our Stars. New York: Dutton Books, 2012. ISBN: 978-0525478812

Plot Summary:

In The Fault in Our Stars, sixteen year old Hazel Grace is dying from cancer, which is why she is tethered to an oxygen tank.  Even though, her mother encourages to attend a ‘Support Group,’ she only goes to make her mother happy.  One day, to her surprise, she sees a new face at the group.  Isaac’s friend, Augustus Waters, attends the cancer group to support him.  Hazel’s and Augustus’ attraction is immediately, that they become close friends. Soon, they both exchange their favorite book titles. After reading The Imperial Affliction, Augustus soon becomes obsessed, as much as Hazel, in knowing what happened to the other characters in the book.  Hazel and Augustus contact the author, Peter Van Houten (through his assistant) to get answers.  Unfortunately, Peter tells them that he cannot reveal the answers over the phone or through mail.  The only way is if they would travel to Amsterdam. Sadly, days before the trip, Hazel falls ill and is in ICU.  Once the doctors assure she can travel, they head to Amsterdam to meet with Peter Van Houten.  To their surprise, they find out that Peter is rude and obnoxious towards them, without knowing that the reason was because he lost his daughter to cancer at the age of 8 years.  Unfortunately, Augustus’ cancer returns and is attacking every part of this body.  After his death, she learns that he left some letters for Peter to write Hazel’s eulogy through his thoughts, but there was nothing to add to Augustus’ words.

Critical Analysis:

The Fault in Our Stars is a breathtaking Young Adult Fiction Novel.  This is a beautiful novel that readers will become part of the character’s emotions. The characters of the novel show love, strength and courage as they are fighting cancer and concealing their own pain to avoid their family’s suffering.  It also depicts that you deciding to love someone and be loved with all the obstacles one must face while dealing with a terrible disease.

This novel is written on a first-person narrative, making it easier to connect to the characters and their emotions.  All the positive and negative events in the novel bring the characters closer to each other, making the reader to fall in love with the story line.

Not only is this a love story, but it’s a book about cancer.  When it comes to cancer, people don’t know what to expect or how to act.  Green mentions the terrible side effects of having cancer, such as amputations, loss of sight, unstable emotions. Near death experiences and death.  This bring some kind of knowledge about the difficult disease that many people are afraid of or that feel intimated by it.

Review Excerpts:

“Damn near genius . . . The Fault in Our Stars is a love story, one of the most genuine and moving ones in recent American fiction, but it’s also an existential tragedy of tremendous intelligence and courage and sadness.” —Lev Grossman, TIME Magazine "The greatest romance story of this decade." —Entertainment Weekly   “This is a book that breaks your heart—not by wearing it down, but by making it bigger until it bursts.” —The Atlantic   “A story about two incandescent kids who will live a long time in the minds of the readers who come to know them.” —People   “Remarkable . . . A pitch-perfect, elegiac comedy.” —USA Today   “A smarter, edgier Love Story for the Net Generation.” —Family Circle    “Because we all need to feel first love again. . . . Sixteen-year-old Hazel faces terminal cancer with humor and pluck. But it isn’t until she meets Augustus in a support group that she understands how to love or live fully.” —Oprah.com, a Best Book selection and one of “5 Books Every Woman Needs to Read Before Her Next Birthday”   “[Green’s] voice is so compulsively readable that it defies categorization. You will be thankful for the little infinity you spend inside this book.” —NPR.org   “Hilarious and heartbreaking . . . reminds you that sometimes when life feels like it’s ending, it’s actually just beginning.” —Parenting magazine    “John Green deftly mixes the profound and the quotidian in this tough, touching valentine to the human spirit.” —The Washington Post    “[Green] shows us true love—two teenagers helping and accepting each other through the most humiliating physical and emotional ordeals—and it is far more romantic than any sunset on the beach.” —New York Times Book Review   “In its every aspect, this novel is a triumph.” —Booklist, starred review     “You know, even as you begin the tale of their young romance, that the end will be 100 kinds of awful, not so much a vale as a brutal canyon of tears. . . . Green’s story of lovers who aren’t so much star-crossed as star-cursed leans on literature’s most durable assets: finely wrought language, beautifully drawn characters and a distinctive voice.” —Frank Bruni, The New York Times   “A novel of life and death and the people caught in between, The Fault in Our Stars is John Green at his best. You laugh, you cry, and then you come back for more.” —Markus Zusak, bestselling and Printz Honor–winning author of The Book Thief   “The Fault in Our Stars takes a spin on universal themes—Will I be loved? Will I be remembered? Will I leave a mark on this world?—by dramatically raising the stakes for the characters who are asking.” —Jodi Picoult, bestselling author of My Sister’s Keeper and Sing You Home   “John Green is one of the best writers alive.” —E. Lockhart, National Book Award Finalist and Printz Honor–winning author of The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks and We Were Liars

Connections:

Gather other John Green books to read such as:

v  Looking for Alaska ISBN 978-0142402511

v  Paper Towns ISBN 9780142414934

v  Turtles All the Way Down ISBN  978-0525555360

v  An Abundance of Katherines ISBN 9780142410707

Classroom Connections:

v  This book can be used at the beginning of a Reading Lesson.

v  This book can be used as a Writing Activity.

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One Crazy Summer

By: Rita-Williams Garcia

Bibliography:

Williams-Garcia, Rita. One Crazy Summer. Waterville, ME: Thorndike Press Large Print, 2018.  ISBN: 978-0060760908

Plot Summary:

One Crazy Summer tells the story of three sisters that travel on their own to see their estranged mother in Oakland, California.  Once they get to Oakland, they face several challenges. While the girls hope to spend time with their mother and go to Disneyland, their reality is totally different. The girls’ dreams of connecting with their mother were broken when Cecile told the girls ‘I didn't send for you. Didn't want you in the first place. Should have gone to Mexico to get rid of you when I had the chance.’  Cecile does not care for the girls, so she sends them to ‘The People’s Center,’ which is ran by Black Panthers, making it one crazy summer. The People’s Center is a camp where the girls received breakfast and got a ‘radical education’ as they go there every day.  After learning about the rally to protest the injustices of the killing of Bobby Hutton and the imprisonment of Huey Newton, Delphine was not sure in wanting to participate, while Vonetta and Fern were excited about the upcoming event.  After a trip to San Francisco, the girls get back to finding their mother and two Black Panther members being arrested. Will this encourage the girls to participate in the rally?  Will the girls get to know their mother better before they head back to Brooklyn? The readers will be surprised with this moving story.

 Critical Analysis:

One Crazy Summer is a moving and heartbreaking historical fiction story.  The author, Rita Williams-Garcia, did an exceptional job portraying the story through the view of an eleven year-old girl.  Delphine is seen as a sensitive, intuitive and strong young girl, as she always did her best to take care of her younger sisters. Rita Williams-Garcia delightfully contemplates the 1968 Oakland Civil Rights Movement with the journey of Delphine, Vonetta and Fern.

This book also reveals several issues, such as the Civil Rights Movement, the Black Panthers, identity and abandonment.  The girls discovered many things throughout their time at The People’s Center about the Black Panthers.  Delphine always thought about the importance of identity by stating that ‘A name is important. It isn’t something you drop in the litter basket or on the ground. Your name is how people know you.’  She didn’t understand why her mother had changed her name, changing her identity. It was also important for the girls to understand why their mother had abandoned them. One Crazy Summer is a book in which readers will fall in love with because it was a summer where the girls made a lot of discoveries.

 Review Excerpts:

·         National Book Award finalist

·         Coretta Scott King Award 

·         Newbery Medal Honor

·         Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction 

★ “Delphine is the pitch-perfect older sister, wise beyond her years, an expert at handling her siblings...while the girls are caught up in the difficulties of adults, their resilience is celebrated and energetically told with writing that snaps off the page.” (Kirkus Reviews (starred review)) ★ “Regimented, responsible, strong-willed Delphine narrates in an unforgettable voice, but each of the sisters emerges as a distinct, memorable character, whose hard-won, tenuous connections with their mother build to an aching, triumphant conclusion.” (Booklist (starred review)) ★ “The setting and time period are as vividly realized as the characters, and readers will want to know more about Delphine and her sisters after they return to Brooklyn.” (Horn Book (starred review)) ★ “Emotionally challenging and beautifully written, this book immerses readers in a time and place and raises difficult questions of cultural and ethnic identity and personal responsibility. With memorable characters (all three girls have engaging, strong voices) and a powerful story, this is a book well worth reading and rereading.” (School Library Journal (starred review)) “Delphine’s growing awareness of injustice on a personal and universal level is smoothly woven into the story in poetic language that will stimulate and move readers.” (Publishers Weekly) “In One Crazy Summer Williams-Garcia presents a child’s-eye view of the Black Panther movement within a powerful and affecting story of sisterhood and motherhood.” (Monica Edinger, The New York Times) “One Crazy Summer absolutely blew me away. What an amazing and beautifully written story. This novel is just glorious.” (Jacqueline Woodson, author of the Newbery Honor Book After Tupac & D Foster)

Connections:

Gather other Simms Taback books to read such as:

v  P.S. Be Eleven ISBN  978-0061938641

v  Gone Crazy in Alabama ISBN 978-0062215895

v  Like Sisters on the Homefront ISBN  978-0140385618

v  Jumped ISBN 978-0060760939

 Classroom Connections:

v  This book can be used at the beginning of a Social Studies Lesson (past events).

v  This book can be used as a Writing Activity (alternative ending).

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The Ballad of Lucy Whipple

By: Karen Cushman

Bibliography:

Cushman, Karen. The Ballad of Lucy Whipple. New York City, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1996.ISBN: 978-0395728062

Plot Summary:

The Ballad of Lucy Whipple depicts the story of a twelve year-old girl named California Morning Whipple who moves to California in the Summer of 1849.  After losing her father and brother to pneumonia, she is dragged West to Lucky Digging, California in search of a better life by her stubborn mother, which Grampops referred to her as ‘mule stubborn’.  When she gets there, she finds the place to be very disappointing. California decides to change her name as she states in her letter to her loving grandparents ‘I call myself Lucy now. I cannot hate California and be California.  I know you will understand.’   Lucy California decided to sell pies to miners in order to earn money to go back to Massachusetts as she though California was an ‘awful’ place. Will Lucy California be miserable until she returns to Massachusetts or will she do everything possible to change her way of thinking?  Readers will learn of the unexpected way in which Lucy stops being miserable.

Critical Analysis:

The Ballad of Lucy Whipple is a funny and heartwarming Historical Fiction story. The author, Karen Cushman, describes the life of the California mining settlement together with the story of how Lucy manages to find her way home to Massachusetts.  It provides information about the women and how they helped in the mining settlement in California.  Cushman describes Lucy, the main character, as a strong and determined young girl that was going to do everything possible to find her way back home.

Karen Cushman did an exceptional job providing an “Author’s Note’ to provide additional information about the facts that happened during the Gold Rush.  She also provides references for readers to find information about the history of the Gold Rush.  Readers will fall in love with this book as it provides important information about the California Gold Rush intertwined with a funny story.

 Review Excerpts:  

Connections:

"Cushman’s heroine is a delightful character, and the historical setting is authentically portrayed. Lucy’s story, as the author points out in her end notes, is the story of many pioneer women who exhibited great strength and courage as they helped to settle the West."-School Library Journal, Starred

"The recent Newbery medalist plunks down two more strong-minded women, this time in an 1849 mining camp—a milieu far removed from the Middle Ages of her first novels, but not all that different when it comes to living standards. . . . With a story that is less a period piece than a timeless and richly comic coming-of-age story, Cushman remains on a roll."-Kirkus Reviews with Pointers

Gather other Karen Cushman books to read such as:

v  The Midwife’s Apprentice ISBN  978-0547722177

v  Matilda Bone ISBN 978-0547722429

v  Catherine, called Birdy ISBN   978-0547722184

v  Rodzina ISBN  978-0544540293

 Classroom Connections:

v  This book can be used at the beginning of a Social Studies Lesson (past events).

v  This book can be used as a Writing Activity (alternative ending).

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Turtle in Paradise

Jennifer L. Holm

Bibliography:

Holm, Jennifer L. Turtle in Paradise. New York: Yearling Newbery, 2016.ISBN: 978-0375836909

Plot Summary:

Turtle in Paradise depicts the story of an eleven year-old girl named Turtle.  It is 1935 and jobs are scarce.  Unfortunately, Turtle is sent to Key West, Florida to live with some relatives she has never met before because her mother finds a job as a housekeeper and the lady doesn’t like kids.  When Turtle gets to Florida, she finds herself with the Diaper Gang.  The Diaper Gang consists of her boy cousins and two friends, which take care of babies, as they have the secret formula to get rid of a diaper rash in exchange for candy.   On her staying at Key West, Turtle learns many things, such as family secrets, scams, buried pirate’s treasures and broken dreams. She learns that she has a grandmother she never knew of.  One several occasions, she takes care of her bad-tempered, invalid grandmother.  On one of these encounters, she finds a map to the buried treasure of Pirate Black Caesar.  The children head to the little key with the small shack, to search for the treasure.  The children were hot, dirty and exhausted as they were looking for the treasure. ‘We’ve dug a dozen holes all over the key, and all we’ve found is a whole lot of nothing.  It is like looking for hair on Mr. Edgit’s head.’  With great disappointment, the children decide to head back.  It’s not until Turtle’s foot catches something that makes her fall.  Laughing she says, ‘My bungy found it!’  She had found the spot that was on the map.  Soon they realize that they are stranded on the key, as they lost the boat.  Staying overnight, the children don’t know how to get back home.  To make things worse, the Hurricane of 1935 hit Key West, Turtle with fear.  Will the children be able to head back to Key West?  Will Turtle have a Hollywood ending like the orphan Annie or Sherley Temple? Reader will be surprised to read about the real paradise in Turtle’s life.

Critical Analysis:

Turtle in Paradise is a delightful and funny Historical Fiction story.  It is also portrayed through the eyes of Turtle as she has to deal and overcome different obstacles at a very young age.  Turtle is described as a smart and strong girl, as she still manages to stay strong after separating from her mother.  The author, Jennifer L. Holms mentions the events the happened during that time, such as that Mr. Edgit through that ‘President Roosevelt will not get us out of this Depression’ and the Hurricane that hit north of Key West, Florida, leaving a lot of damage and many loses.  

Jennifer L. Holms also provides a ‘Author’s Note’ providing information of the actual events and how she was inspired to write about in this novel.  She was inspired by her family’s recollections and everyday life, as well as providing the secret remedy, which was a family remedy of cornstarch, to treat a diaper rash.  She also provides resources that are available for additional information of the events that occurred in this novel, such as the Great Depression and the Labor Day Hurricane.  This book will be very appealing to young children as it is filled with adventure and humor.  

Review Excerpts:  

Connections:

Newberry Award

Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews: “Sweet, funny and superb” Starred Review, Booklist: "Turtle is just the right mixture of knowingness and hope; the plot is a hilarious blend of family dramas seasoned with a dollop of adventure." Starred Review, Publishers Weekly: "This humorous adventure effectively portrays Turtle as caught between her mother's Hollywood-inspired dreams and the very real family . . . that offer a different kind of paradise." Review, School Library Journal: "This richly detailed novel was inspired by Holm’s great-grandmother’s stories. Readers who enjoy melodic, humorous tales of the past won’t want to miss it."

Gather other Jennifer L. Holm books to read such as:

*  Penny from Heaven ISBN  978-1524719807

*  The Third Mushroom ISBN 978-1524719807

*  The Fourteenth Goldfish ISBN  978-0375871146

*  Full of   Beans ISBN  978-0553510386

 Classroom Connections:

*  This book can be used at the beginning of a Social Studies Lesson (past events).

*  This book can be used as a Reading Activity (Sequence of Events).

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The Great Fire

By: Jim Murphy

Bibliography:

Murphy, Jim. The Great Fire. New York: Recorded Books, 2013. ISBN:  978-0439203074

 Plot Summary:

The Great Fire depicts the happening of one massive tragedies of 1871 in American History. Chicago, a developing city at the time, was deeply damaged in the massive fire, as there was much confusion and they were unable to locate the it.  The fire spread so much, that it left nearly 100,000 people homeless and looking for family members. Could there have been a way to contain the fire?  Readers will be impressed to learn how Chicago was able to be rebuilt.

Critical Analysis:

Jim Murphy uses different types of media to tell the devastating events of 1871 Chicago fire. He does an amazing job taking the reader back to the horrifying event through the use of historic photographs, the sepia-tones images, newspaper clippings and engravings.  He also includes a small portion of the city of Chicago in a map to demonstrate the progression of the fire through the city. Throughout the book, Jim Murphy also provides quotes from witnesses and research in the captions of each image.  Every image is full of details and historic information that readers will be driven to this book.

Review Excerpts:

A Newbery Honor Book

ALA Best Books for Young Adults NCTE Orbis Pictus Award Boston Globe/Horn Book Honor Book

BCCB Blue Ribbon Book

Jefferson Cup

"The Great Fire will automatically draw readers with its fiery cover and illustrations of disaster, but the text will keep them reading." -- Booklist "[Murphy] puts the incident in perspective, giving it stunning immediacy for contemporary readers." -- Kirkus Reviews

 Connections:

Gather other Jim Murphy books to read such as:

* An American Plague ISBN 978-0395776087

*  Blizzard! The Storm that Changed America ISBN 978-0590673105

*  The Boys' War: Confederate and Union Soldiers Talk About the Civil War

ISBN 978-0395664124

*  Truce ISBN 978-0545226288

Classroom Connections:

* This book can be used for a Social Studies Lesson.

*  This book can be used as a Reading Lesson.

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What to do about Alice?

By: Barbara Kerley

Bibliography:

Kerley, Barbara. What to Do about Alice? Weston Woods Studios, 2010. ISBN:  978-0439922319

 Plot Summary:

In What to do with Alice?, Theodore Roosevelt finds himself with a small problem that he doesn’t know how to handle.  This small problem is his daughter Alice Lee Roosevelt, which was always on the go, breaking the rules.  She made an adventure out of every experience in her life.  While her father called it “running riot,” she called it “eating up the world.”  What c aused Theodore Roosevelt to think about giving up his presidency in order to control Alice?  The readers will be amazed at all the things Alice did.

Critical Analysis:

What to do about Alice? is a picture biography of the life of Alice Lee Roosevelt. The author, Barbara Kerley, portrays Alice Lee Roosevelt as a strong-willed, smart young girl who won’t be stopped.  She is determined and lives life to the fullest, “from the time she was a little girl, she ate up the world.”

The illustrator, Edwin Fotheringham, mesmerized the readers with a retro style to emphasis an earlier time. His illustrations are full of details, motion and movement.  For example, when Alice travels, we can see various illustrations that caption the moments as she’s traveling through the world. He did an amazing way in adding colors that contrast, as well as adding collages through some of the events that Alice lived in.

Review Excerpts:

Sibert Honor Book  Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book  Irma Black Award Honor Book Parents Choice Award  Washington State Scandiuzzi Children's Book Award California Collections  A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year An ALA Notable Book Capitol Choices New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing Nominated for Young Reader awards in Texas, Illinois, Utah and Tennessee

"Irrepressible Alice Roosevelt gets a treatment every bit as attractive and exuberant as she was....  Kerley's text has the same rambunctious spirit as its subject, grabbing readers from the first line....  The large format gives Fotheringham, in his debut, plenty of room for spectacular art.-Booklist "Kerley's text gallops along with a vitality to match her subject's antics, as the girl greets White House visitors accompanied by her pet snake, refuses to let leg braces cramp her style, dives fully clothed into a ship's swimming pool, and also earns her place in history as one of her father's trusted advisers.... Fascinating. -School Library Review "It's hard to imagine a picture book biography that could better suit its subject than this high-energy volume serves young Alice Roosevelt." - Publishers Weekly,

"What to do about Alice?  Enjoy!" Horn Book "Superb."-Kirkus Reviews

 Connections:

Gather other Barbara Kerley books to read such as:

*  A Cool Drink of Water ISBN 978-0792254898

*  One World, One Day ISBN 978-1426304606

* A Home for Mr. Emerson ISBN 978-0545350884

*  The Extraordinary Mark Twain ISBN 978-0545125086

Classroom Connections:

*  This book can be used at the beginning of a Social Studies Lesson.

*  This book can be used in a Reading Lesson.

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Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras

By: Duncan Tonatiuh

Bibliography:

Tonatiuh, Duncan. Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras. New York: Abrams, 2015. ISBN:  978-1419716478

 Plot Summary:

Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras depicts the life of the Mexican artist and printmaker José Guadalupe Posada, also known as Lupe and/or Don Lupe. Posada started drawing at a young age.  He also learned different printing techniques, such as lithography, engraving and etching.  Posada is well known for his calaveras drawings and the images of the calaveras are tied with Mexico’s Day of the Dead. The images of the calaveras are associated with events that Posada lived. What messages are these calaveras implying?

Critical Analysis:

Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead, is the biography of José Guadalupe Posada. Tonatiuh portrayed Posada’s life in a delicate way, as well as providing information on events that happened in his life, such as the Mexican Revolution. Tonatiuh also provided information on the three print techniques Posada used throughout his life.  In addition, he added a crash course on how Posada created the images.  Another amazing point Tonatiuh provides is an author’s note, a glossary and a bibliography to provide supplemental support to readers and to provide additional information.

Tonatiuh’s illustrations fit nicely to Posada’s black and white calaveras. He also provides Posada’s calaveras in a full page to emphasis the events happening in Posada’s life.  Alongside of the images of the calaveras, there’s a question to communicate Posada’s message or have readers initiate a meaning of the representation.  For example, Don Lupe saw Mexico City change dramatically during his lifetime and ‘Don Lupe drew some wild skeletons racing and trampling one another.  Was he saying that…we can try to go faster but one day we will all reach the same finish line and become calaveras?’ Every page is full with details that readers will enjoy learning about cultural traditions.

Review Excerpts:

A Sibert Award Winner, Pura Belpré

Honor Book, New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books of 2015

International Latino Book Award Finalist

 "Tonatiuh further marks himself as a major nonfiction talent with this artistically beautiful and factually accessible offering that effectively blends artistic and political content for young readers."-Kirkus Review

"Playful but informative, this picture book offers a fascinating introduction to the artist and his work."-Booklist

"The beautifully expressive Day of the Dead–inspired illustrations on heavy paper pages sport borders of bones, grinning skeletons, and Tonatiuh’s signature figures shown in profile, influenced by the ancient Mexican art of his ancestors... A stunning work, with great possibilities for lesson plans or tie-ins with Day of the Dead."-School Library Journal

 Connections:

Gather other Duncan Tonatiuh books to read such as:

*  Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote ISBN 978-1419705830

*  The Princess and the Warrior: A Tale of Two Volcanoes ISBN 978-1419721304

* Danza!: Amalia Hernández and Mexico’s Folkloric Ballet ISBN

978-1419725326

*  Dear Primo: A Letter to My Cousin ISBN 978-0810938724

 Classroom Connections:

This book can be used at the beginning of a Social Studies Lesson (Cultural Traditions and History of Art).

This book can be used as a Reading Activity (Author’s Purpose)

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Juana & Lucas

Bibliography:

Medina, Juana. Juana & Lucas. Candlewick Pr, 2016

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Under the Mesquite

Under the Mesquite

By: Guadalupe Garcia McCall

Bibliography:

 McCall, Guadalupe García. Under the Mesquite. New York: Lee and Low Inc., 2011. ISBN: 1600604293

Plot Summary:

In Under the Mesquite, Lupita’s life changes dramatically when her mother is diagnosed with cancer.  Dealing with her mother’s illness, she’s faced with new challenges and roles. When her parents go out of town for her mother’s treatment, Lupita stays in charge of her seven younger siblings, to support her mother in every way possible. Overburden with all the new responsibilities, Lupita finds comfort in writing poems under a mesquite.  Will Lupita be able to overcome all these challenges?  

Critical Analysis:

Written in free verse, Under the Mesquite, is a novel for young adults that depicts many themes/experiences, such as immigration, responsibilities, growing up and dealing with mortality.  This novel portrays emotion, strength, love and a strong family bond. The reader can feel the different emotions and pain that Lupita goes through as she’s trying to deal with the changes in her life.  McCall uses the English and Spanish languages in her novel, to express the way many people near the border express themselves.  McCall also provides a glossary, in which she provides words and phrases, the pronunciation and the meaning of the Spanish words, providing Non-Spanish speakers a reference to go to understand the meaning of the words.

Review Excerpts:

Pura Belpre Author Award ALSC/Reforma

William C. Morris YA Debut Award Finalist YALSA

2013 Tomas Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award

Américas Award Honorable Mention Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs (CLASP)

Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Finalist Assembly on Literature for Adolescents

2012 International Latino Book Awards – Honorable Mention

2013 International Literacy Association’s Promising Poet Award

A promising, deeply felt debut. --Kirkus Reviews This stunning debut novel in verse chronicles the teenage years of Lupita, a character drawn largely from the author s own childhood...The simplicity of the story line belies the deep richness of McCall s writing. Lupita, a budding actress and poet, describes the new English words she learned as a child to be like lemon drops, tart and sweet at the same time and ears of corn as sweating butter and painted with chili-powdered lime juice. Each phrase captures the essence of a moment or the depth of her pain. The power of Lupita s story lies also in the authenticity of her struggles both large and small, from dealing with her mother s illness to arguments with friends about acculturation. This book will appeal to many teens for different reasons, whether they have dealt with the loss of a loved one, aspire to write and act, are growing up Mexican American, or seeking their own identity amid a large family. Bravo to McCall for a beautiful first effort. --School Library Journal

Told in verse sprinkled with Spanish terms (a glossary is included), this story of Lupita s high-school years details her increasing responsibility within her large Mexican American family after Mami is diagnosed with cancer. Caring for seven younger siblings, keeping up with schoolwork and her drama roles, and staying connected with her classmates and friends while the worries gnaw at her take their toll, but she is strong. There are also moments of intense vulnerability. As high-school graduation nears, Lupita sees that her mother may not be there for it: Suddenly I realize / how much I can t control, how much / I am not promised. The close-knit family relationships, especially Mami and Lupita s, are vividly portrayed, as is the healing comfort Lupita finds in words, whether written in her notebooks or performed onstage. --Booklist

Connections:

Gather other Guadalupe García McCall books to read such as:

v  Summer of the Mariposas     ISBN 1620140101

v  All the Stars Denied     ISBN 1620142813

v  Shame the Stars      ISBN  620142783

 Classroom Connections:

v  This book can be used at the beginning of a Reading Lesson.

v  This book can be used as a Social Studies Lesson.

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A Hippopotamusn’t and /Other Animal Verses

A Hippopotamusn’t and Other Animal Verses

By: J. Patrick Lewis

Bibliography:

Lewis, J. Patrick. A Hippopotamusn’t and Other Animal Verses. New York: Penguin Group, 1990. ISBN: 0803705182

Plot Summary:

In A Hippopotamusn’t and Other Animal Verses, the reader can enjoy reading this book of poems.  This collection consists of 35 poems about different animals.  Some of the poems have rhythm and rhyme, while others don’t. If you like reading about tomcats, flamingos or other animals, this is a great book to read.

Critical Analysis:

A Hippopotamusn’t and other animal verses it’s a collection of poems that can be used to introduce poetry to children.  J. Patrick Lewis uses rhyme and rhythm patterns, hyperbole, as well as different forms of imagery throughout the humorous poems.  As the reader goes through the different stories, we can see that J. Patrick Lewis has some fun with words, as he uses wordplay.  Some words are italicized, bolded, elongated and in flamingo form, as it relates to the poem.  As you’re reading the Flamingo poem, the Camel poem, the Wolf poem and the River-Lover poem, you can see the wordplay, which makes it more fun and interesting to read.  Other poems are typed in block and centered styles.

The illustrations show a lot of details on each animal.  The illustrators give life to the animals through the use of different medias, such as tempera paint, dyes, ink and pen, colored pencils and pastels.

Review Excerpts:

While some of Lewis's animal verses are perhaps more successful than others, all are brimming with puns and good fun. The donkey, for example, "is an ani-mule / Who won't put up with ridi-cule" and although Tom Tigercat "is noted / for his manners and his wit. / He wouldn't think of lion, / no, he doesn't cheetah bit." Unlike Jeanne Steig's Consider the Lemming , the emphasis here is not on characterization but on the joyful exhuberance with which Lewis ( The Tsar and the Amazing Cow ) embraces and stretches language--reminiscent of Ogden Nash. Chess ( Tommy at the Grocery Store ) contributes her distinctive, wittily drawn animals that cavort and grin from every page. The hippopotamus flosses between his huge teeth; a farmer, his wife and their dog share a vision of a roasted chicken as a blue-tailed cock ambles by. From the owl's "mouse-mad night" to the kimono-clad "very first Rhino (from Tokyo)" who reposes under cherry blossoms telling "joke after jokeo," this successful collaboration is very merry. Publlishers Weekly

Kindergarten-Grade 5-- A parade of animals, insects, and birds--tomcat, pelican, flamingo, turkey, slug--march through these 35 delightful poems--one per page. With a sense of poetic humor reminiscent of the work of X. J. Kennedy, Lewis offers lines that are generously descriptive in an amusing way: a tomcat is "The bird-watching bandit/ On needle-point claws/ The chief of detectives/On marshmallow paws"; a flamingo is a "long/ cooooooooool drink/ of something pink"; a robin is "ready/ to play tug-of-worm." Lewis reflects on the poses of a giraffe taking a drink, a praying mantis eating, and on the electrifying habits of an eel. These poems will excite young readers with their freshness and perhaps ignite their own creativity as well. The illustrations have a humor all their own. Many of the creatures (and the people) have the wide-eyed zany appearance that is so characteristic of Chess' work. Her animals range from cartoonlike to stylized--all done in strikingly detailed full-color tempera paint, colored pencil, pastels, and pen-and-ink. An entertaining collection of poems, cleverly illustrated. – School Library Journal

Connections:

Gather other J. Patrick Lewis books to read such as:

v  The Good Ship Crocodile     ISBN 1568462387

v  Please Bury Me in the Library     ISBN 0152163875

v  Freedom like      ISBN  0898129737

v  Black Swan White Crow Told Me    ISBN 0689318995

 Classroom Connections:

v  This book can be used at the beginning of a Science Lesson to introduce an animal unit.

v  This book can be used as a Writing Activity to write poems.

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The Llama Who Had  No Pajama

The Llama Who Had No Pajama

By: Mary Ann Hoberman

Bibliography:

Hoberman, Mary Ann. The Llama Who Had No Pajamas. San Diego: Harcourt and Brace, 1998. ISBN: 0152055711

Plot Summary:

In The Llama Who Had No Pajama, the author Mary Ann Hoberman emerged 100 favorite poems.  This collection consists of many topics, from animals and birthdays to ice skating.  Readers, children and adults, enjoy reading this book, as it conveys the experiences of childhood.

Critical Analysis:

The Llama Who Had No Pajama, is an extensive collection of Mary Ann’s favorite poems. Each poem was written with different rhythm and rhyme.  Some poems were written with alliteration. Mary Ann Hoberman provides humor in the poems, which will be a way to engage readers to continue reading and develop a sense of awareness in poetry.

The illustrator, Betty Fraser, did an excellent job with the pictures in the book. Readers can easily be engaged in the vivid colors that are displayed throughout the book.  The illustrations show details that relate to the poem.  We can see the details on the children’s faces that show expressions on the poem The Birthday Bus.  Illustrations were done in gouache and watercolor on Bristol paper.

Review Excerpts:

"Hoberman's rhythms are lively and agile, and her imagination and sense of humor are still in tune with young readers. Fraser's simple but detailed gouache and watercolor illustrations exhibit the same qualities . . . Good for beginning or experienced readers of poetry, this should indeed become a favorite."--School Library Journal "This collection of some forty years of Hoberman verse is a charmer."--The Horn Book

Connections:

Gather other Mary Ann Hoberman books to read such as:

v  You’ll Read to Me, I’ll Read to You  ISBN 0316013463

v  A House is a House for Me  ISBN 0142419567

v  The Seven Silly Eaters  ISBN 0152024409

v  One of Each  ISBN 0590514377

 Classroom Connections:

v  This book can be used at the beginning of a Science Lesson to introduce animals.

v  This book can be used in a Reading Lesson during phonological awareness.

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The Three Little Pigs and the Somewhat Bad Wolf

The Three Little Pigs and the Somewhat Bad Wolf

By: Mark Teague

Bibliography:

Teague, Mark. The Three Little Pigs and the Somewhat Bad Wolf. New York: Orchard Books, An Imprint of Scholastic, 2013.  ISBN: 9780439915014

 Plot Summary:

When the farmer and his wife decide to move to Florida, the farmer pays the three little pigs for their work at the farm and ‘send[s] them on their way.’  The three little pigs begin their journey into becoming independent.  The first two pigs sacrifice a nice, solid home over ample supplies of ‘potato chips’ and ‘sody-pops’ (since they can afford ‘junk food’ as they build their homes out of straw and sticks).  The third pig, a female, constructs a ‘big, beautiful and strong’ brick house with a vegetable garden, providing safety and security.  Once the ‘hungry and somewhat bad’ wolf appears in the story, we can imagine what’s going to happen.  After all the huffing and puffing, will the three little pigs live to tell the tale? The ending of this story has an extraordinary surprise bring foes together.

Critical Analysis:

Everyone that is familiar with the classic tale of The Three Little Pigs will entitle that Teague added a funny twist to this classical tale.  From the beginning of the story, the reader can see the different personalities the character portray.  While the two brothers are careless and laid-back, the female is more dynamic and determined to get things done the right way.  Even the wolf portrays a different personality than from the original tale.  

The reader will remain engaged in this classic tale, as Teague added humor to it.  The silliness in this story make readers want to continue to read nonstop (like when the wolf blows the house, he says “I can’t believe that worked!).  Teague’s illustrations are very detailed in oil painting recalling the 50’s.  The colorful illustrations of the sody-pop, the deliveryman in a white folded paper hat and the vespa reflect how the story can connect with that time period.

Review Excerpts:

Parent’s Choice Award: Silver Honor

"Teague's oil paintings are marvelously detailed and brightly colored. His pigs are full of personality, and their human traits and accessories are sure to delight. A fine addition to the fractured-fairy-tale shelf." -Kirkus

"[A] humorously entertaining and refreshing adaptation of the classic tale . . . a thoroughly delightful reading experience." -School Library Journal

"Readers familiar with the original tale will be amused by Teague's humorous meta-commentary . . . as well as the clever details in his creamy, textured oil paintings." -Publishers Weekly

"Animated with drama and deadpan wit, Teague's large-scale oil paintings show up very well from a distance, making this a good story-hour choice." -Booklist

Connections:

Gather other Mark Teague books to read such as:

v  Pigsty ISBN: 0590459155

v  Funny Farm ISBN:  043991499X

v  Jack and the Beanstalk and the French Fries ISBN: 0545914310

v  The Sky is Falling ASIN: B01F81QUOK

 Classroom Connections:

v  This book can be used at the beginning of a Reading Lesson (Compare and Contrast).

v  This book can be used as a Writing Activity (alternative ending).

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The Four Gallant Sisters

The Four Gallant Sisters

By Eric A. Kimmel

Bibliography:

Kimmel, Eric A., and Tatyana Yuditskaya. The Four Gallant Sisters. New York: H. Holt, 1992. ISBN: 0805019014

Plot Summary:

After the dead of their mother, the four sisters embark in a journey in order to learn a trade. Once they were highly skilled, the four sisters seek the new king and asked to be of service.  The four sisters had to prove that they were skilled, wise, intelligent and courageous.  Once the sisters became the king’s assistants, his mother was doubtful, believe that the sisters were not men. She states that ‘women possess more skills than you imagine,’ when the king refused to believe that his assistants were women.  Will the sisters be able to accomplish the mission that the king has given them in saving his princess and her brothers from the dragon?

Critical Analysis:

The four gallant sisters is a folktale which acknowledges strong women as the protagonists of the story.  The four sisters have to work hard and demonstrate their skills to the king and his people.  At the same time, it portrays some reversed sexism since the sisters did not act like men. The  mother’s perspective is that men and women have different ways of showing consideration.

The folktales take you back in time to the 16th century. The text is framed in a parchment-like scroll, while the illustrations reflect details from the European era, as well.

Review Excerpts:

Here’s real reading pleasure. Kimmel takes an old tale, reworks it through the filter of contemporary consciousness, and couches his adaptation in the strong, direct language of a master storyteller." --School Library Journal

Freely adapting and combining two of the Grimms' tales (unidentified, but ``The Four Accomplished Brothers'' has a similar scenario) in a long new story sparkling with incident, Kimmel creates a lively saga of four self-reliant sisters who disguise themselves as men and earn skills that are then used to rescue the king's fiance from a dragon. In some delightful byplay, the old queen tries to prove by the heroes' inherent generosity and tidiness that they are women, but it's the rescued princess who clinches it: ``Who but women would undertake such trials without demanding a reward?'' Yuditskaya, a recent Russian emigr‚, depicts this good-humored update in an opulent Renaissance setting with glowing theatrical backgrounds and figures detailed in vigorously telling line. Kirkus

Weaving together two tales by the Brothers Grimm, author Kimmel has created a feminist story with four satisfyingly strong female protagonists. Following their mother's death, each one sets off, disguised as a man, to learn a trade--"that way we can provide for ourselves and not be dependent on anyone." When they reconvene seven years later, they pool their newly acquired skills to battle a dragon and rescue the prince's bride and her four brothers. Kimmel's engrossing adaptation, while deftly told, is guilty of some reverse sexism: the queen mother perceives that the heroines are not men because men are not so tidy, clever or selfless. In the book's becoming design, each page's text is framed in a parchmentlike scroll; the illustrations, however, are less successful. Attempting to echo 16th-century European art, Yuditskaya's graceless work is weakened by rudimentary faces on posturing figures. Still, this well-intentioned book should be particularly appealing to girls. Publisher Weekly

Grade 2-5-- Here's real reading pleasure. Kimmel takes an old tale, reworks it through the filter of contemporary consciousness, and couches his adaptation in the strong, direct language of a master storyteller. By changing the gender of the Grimms' ``The Four Artful Brothers,'' he creates a fresh and engaging tale without sacrificing the traditional structure and provides female characters who control their own destiny through hard work and intelligence and achieve a ``happily ever after'' ending. Four sisters set out to make their way in a man's world disguised as boys. Each apprentices herself to a teacher and returns with a master's skills and a magical gift appropriate to her calling. Taken into the King's service, the sisters use their collective knowledge and magic to rescue their monarch's betrothed and her four brothers. Readers will be captivated by the original and authentic characters. The dialogue is sharp and crackling with wit, flowing naturally off the tongue, making this a perfect choice for telling. Yuditskaya's illustrations flesh out the setting and characters in bright textured colors overlaid with the dusty gold of old vellum. Her figures are solid and believable--sturdy enough to undertake courageous action. Humorous and creative touches reward the discerning eye. A most satisfying selection. School Library Journal

Connections:

Gather other Eric Kimmel books to read such as:

v  Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock ISBN: 9780823407989

v  The Three Little Tamales ISBN: 0761455191

v  A Horn for Louis ISBN: 0375840052

v  Cactus Soup ISBN: 0761458328

 Classroom Connections:

v  This book can be used at the beginning of a Reading Lesson (Retelling).

v  This book can be used as a Writing Activity (alternative ending).

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There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Fly

There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Fly

By Simms Taback

Bibliography:

Taback, Simms. There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. New York: Penguin Group, 1997. ISBN: 0670869392

Plot Summary:

In There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Fly, the old lady who is walking outdoors swallowed a fly. The animals that were bystanders don’t know why.  As this happens, so does the refrain “I don’t know why she swallowed a fly. Perhaps she’ll die.”  Every time the Old Lady swallows an animal, it’s bigger animal than the previous one without dying.  What will happen to the Old Lady if she continues to swallow animals?  The readers will be surprised to know the tragic ending of this story but will learn an important lesson.

Critical Analysis:

There was on Old Lady who Swallowed a Fly, is a folk poem that has a catchy rhyme to it.  Readers enjoy reading and (perhaps) singing this story, as it is a nonsensical story created in di-cut pages to show all the animals the lady swallowed.  Taback’s humor in this story is due to the absurdity of the lady and the witty comments, such as ‘she’ll leave us high’ and ‘and dry,’ from the animals.

Taback’s illustrations are full of bright, bold colors laid over a black or orange background, making the colors stand even more.  On every page, Taback includes a variety of media with impressive details.  Taback did an awesome job creating a collage of illustrations associated with the specific animal the lady swallowed.  For example, when the lady swallowed a cat, Taback created a collage with objects, animals and even newspaper articles that are related to cats. Every page is full of bright, bold colors, that it will sure capture the eye of many readers of different age.

Review Excerpts:

Caldecott Honor Book 2008

PreSchool-Grade 3. From cover to moral (never swallow a horse), this cleverly illustrated version of an old folk favorite will delight children. Each page is full of details and humorous asides, from the names of different types of birds, to a recipe for spider soup, to the rhyming asides from the spectating animals. As for the old lady, with her toothy grin and round bloodshot eyes, she looks wacky enough to go so far as to swallow a horse. A die-cut hole allows readers to see inside her belly, first the critters already devoured and, with the turn of the page, the new animal that will join the crowd in her ever-expanding stomach. The pattern of the lady's dress, with its patchwork of bright, torn colored paper pasted on black, is used as the background motif for the words. The text is handwritten on vivid strips of paper that are loosely placed on the patterned page, thus creating a lively interplay between the meaning of the words and their visual power. All in all, this illustrator provides an eye-catching, energy-filled interpretation that could easily become a classic in itself. - School Library Journal

A die-cut hole approach to an old favorite that offers a view of the old lady's stomach and its expanding bestiary. The text has the look of a ransom note (a touch the devoured creatures might appreciate), but the jaunty colors--set skipping by a judicious use of black--keep the dark side of the poem at bay. Those accustomed to the streamlined version of this ditty won't know what to make of the comments scattered throughout the pages, little asides quipped by animals not yet swallowed; these rhyme with the ``perhaps she'll die'' line of the poem. Fortunately, these additions can be easily ignored or inflated according to taste, and full concentration given to the poem itself and the wild, eye-catching artwork: It is good fun to watch the old lady bulge and bloat, and the sheer corniness of the verse continues to be deeply gratifying. (Picture book. 4-8) -- Kirkus

The book is beautifully illustrated and lovingly designed by Simms Taback, and the publisher should be given enormous credit for the careful way it has produced the book and carried through his concept, which is a dandy. Taback has graciously crammed the back cover with a widely varied gallery of flies that is worthy of at least one bedtime session all by itself. (Ages 5 to 8)- The New York Times

Connections:

Gather other Simms Taback books to read such as:

v  There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Rose ISBN 9780545352239

v  Joseph had a Little Overcoat ISBN 9780670878550

v  The House that Jack Built ISBN  0142402001

v  Kibitzers and Fools: Tales My Zayda Told Me ISBN 0142410659

 Classroom Connections:

v  This book can be used at the beginning of a Reading Lesson (Sequencing/Prediction).

v  This book can be used as a Writing Activity (alternative ending).

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A Ball for Daisy Book Review

A Ball for Daisy

By: Chris Raschka

Bibliography:

Raschka, Chris. A Ball for Daisy. New York: Schwartz & Wade; 1 edition. 2011.  ISBN: 9780375858611

Plot Summary:

Daisy is a playful dog that finds joy and excitement playing with her favorite toy, a red ball. Everywhere Daisy goes, the ball goes with her.  Daisy will even spend her resting time close to her ball.  Then one day, while playing in the park, something unexpected happens. Unfortunately, Daisy’s joy and enthusiasm turns into sadness and anguish when a bigger, brown dog pops her beloved toy. Will Daisy be able to replace her torn ball with another toy?  Or will Daisy continue to be sad while missing her red ball?  What new life changing event could happen when Daisy loses her favorite toy?  As Daisy and her owner visit the park, Daisy is surprised when the owner of the brown dog gives her a new blue ball.

Critical Analysis:

This is a story in which children can easily relate to and fall in love with.  Any children who loves dogs will understand the joy and the pain Daisy goes through in the story.  What could cause a dog to change from being overjoyed to extremely depressed? From the beginning, Daisy, an ecstatic dog, loves to play with her red ball inside and outside her house. She can spend countless hours with her favorite toy.  The only problem is that she has to cope with the fact that her toy will not last forever, after a dog pops her ball at the park.  It’s not until she receives a new blue ball, that Daisy becomes cheerful again, and possibly lead to the beginning of a new friendship.  

‘A Ball for Daisy’ is a wordless picture book that allows the reader to use his/her imagination as they tell the story.  Raschka uses different brush strokes, watercolor, ink and gouache to portray the illustrations in the story, focusing on the main characters.  He uses color to shows Daisy’s emotions (the background on the small panels) and movement throughout the book.  In order to depict the passage of time, he uses small panels on some pages, portraying a gentle flow of the plot. In the end, this is a beautiful, fun story that allows the reader to relate to the different emotions Daisy feels throughout the story.

Review Excerpts:

·  2012 Randolph Caldecott Medal Winner

·   Starred Review, School Library Journal "Raschka’s genius lies in capturing the essence of situations that are deeply felt by children."

·  Starred Review, Horn Book "a story that is noteworthy for both its artistry and its child appeal."

· Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews “Rarely, perhaps never, has so steep an emotional arc been drawn with such utter, winning simplicity.

 Connections:

Gather other Caldecott Medal books to read such as:

*  The Stray Dog, ISBN 0060289333

*  My Friend Rabbit ISBN 9780761315353

 Gather other Chris Raschka books to read such as:

*  The Purple Balloon, ISBN 0375841466

*  The Hello, Goodbye Window, ISBN 0786809140

*  Yo! Yes, ISBN 9780439921855

*  Mysterious Thelonious, ISBN 0531300579

Classroom Connections:

This book can be used for an Oral Language Activity.

This book can be used at the beginning of a Writing Activity.