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Week 10 Activity: Reading Log #3

Graphic Novel

Citation: Telgemeier, Raina (2019). Guts. Scholastic.

Summary: This autobiographical graphic novel follows Raina throughout her fifth grade year and chronicles her experience with anxiety and digestive issues. Through therapy, Raina learns mindfulness techniques to help calm her anxiety and understand her own thoughts and feelings better. Though she keeps her experiences secret from her friends throughout most of the school year, she eventually opens up to them and finds that they are quite accepting of her in the end.

Comments: This graphic novel does an amazing job at realistically depicting the experience of anxiety. There are a few points throughout where Raina’s anxiety is visualized as a swarm of words (representing everything she fears) circling around her head with a green, sickly-looking background. I found this to be a very accurate depiction of what anxiety feels like, and believe it could help young readers with anxiety realize that they are not alone in their feelings. Though the cover of Guts is simple, it perfectly depicts the content of the story in the way that it displays a drawing of an anxious and sick looking face.

Library Use: I would definitely include this title in a display for Mental Health Awareness Month in May, as it does a great job of realistically and positively depicting the experience of going to therapy as a child.

Fantasy

Citation: Dahl, Roald (1961). James and the Giant Peach. Puffin.

Summary: This story follows James, a young boy who became an orphan and was forced to live with his two cruel aunts after his parents were eaten by a rhinoceros. One day, a mysterious old man offers James green glowing crystals and states that if he eats them, unbelievable things will happen to him. James ends up accidentally losing all the crystals after he spills them near a peach tree. As a result, the tree sprouts a peach which ends up growing larger and larger. James discovers a tunnel leading into the peach and climbs inside of it, where he meets a collection of bugs who, as a result of eating the spilled crystals, have grown into the size of humans and can now talk. James befriends the bugs and together they escape James’ cruel aunts by cutting the stem to the peach and allowing it to roll away into the ocean. It is then carried away by hundreds of seagulls and eventually lands in New York City, where James and the bugs end up living successful, happy lives.

Comments: According to Vardell, “The characters of fantasy are essential for the reader’s engagement with the story. It should be possible to identify with the main character(s), even if they’re not human” (235). This definitely applies to James and the Giant Peach’s collection of insect characters - they all have very human-like personalities and become James’ family when he has none. I also liked the way it combined fantastical elements (like talking, human-size bugs) with a sense of realism. For example, the bugs still retain their normal “bug functions” and these are sometimes used as points to move the plot forward, like when the spider and silkworm create strings to attach to the seagulls that carry the peach away.

Library Use: I think this would be a really fun book to do a reader’s theater activity with, as the characters are all full of personality and would be exciting for children to play. The fantastical elements of the story would allow the children taking part in readers theater to use their imaginations throughout the activity.

Non Fiction #1

Citation: Cherry-Paul, Sonja (2021). Stamped (For Kids): Racism, Antiracism, and You. Little Brown.

Summary: This is a middle grade adaptation of Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jayson Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi. It tells the story of how racism originated in America over the past several centuries and explains how racism continues to affect America in the current day. It also discusses current antiracist movements such as Black Lives Matter, and provides strategies for young readers to identify and stop racist thoughts/feelings that they might carry themselves.

Comments: Cherry-Paul did an excellent job at adapting Reynolds and Kendi’s YA novel for a younger audience. Each chapter focuses on a specific subject, and these chapters contain visual elements such as illustrations and timelines to aid readers’ understanding. There is also a section at the end of each chapter where readers are prompted to “pause” and discuss/reflect on key ideas and themes they have learned. This book does a great job of not only explaining the complex history of racism in America in a way that is easy for young readers to understand, but also takes several opportunities to address the reader directly and has them confront and examine their own previously-held thoughts and beliefs.

Library Use: Though this book is one that middle-graders should be able to get through on their own, they will definitely get more out of it if an adult reads it alongside them and serves as a guide/discussion partner. For a library, it would make for a great book for a discussion group - the prompts at the end of each chapter can serve as prompts for the discussion and the librarian can serve as the guide/moderator.

Non Fiction #2

Citation: Kay, Katty; Shimpan, Claire; Riley, JillEllyn (2020). Living the Confidence Code: Real Girls. Real Stories. Real Confidence. HarperCollins.

Summary: This is a collection of stories from inspiring young women around the world who chronicle their successes, failures, and missions to make the world a better place. Some of the young women featured in this book include activist Greta Thurnberg and Paralympic athlete Haven Shepherd.

Comments: This collection of stories is inspiring and accessible for young readers. The format in which these stories are told switches up with each new story, keeping things fresh and interesting throughout. Some are told in interview-style, some as essays, and even some in the style of graphic novels. Along with the stories themselves, there are confidence tips included throughout for readers to apply to their own lives. At the end of the book, there are blank pages designed for the reader to write down their own story, which I thought was a nice touch.

Library Use: Since this book gives readers the option of telling their own story at the end, I think it would be fun for participants in a discussion group for this book to be able to each share their story with the rest of the group (if they feel comfortable to).

Ebook

Citation: Bogert-Spaniol, Megan (2015). 10 Little Kittens. Cantata Learning.

Summary: This interactive ebook introduces young children to baby animals and the sounds they make with a song that also has them count to 10 and back again.

Comments: This was one of the titles included in Capstone’s collection of interactive ebooks. I liked the way the first page provided a brief introduction to baby animals and prompted the reader to turn the page upon hearing the sound of a baby animal. The next pages consisted of the “10 Little Kittens” song, with each new verse introducing a new baby animal and the sound it makes. Each word on the page lights up as the narrator reads/sings it, allowing children to follow along. Though this ebook is simple in terms of its interactivity, it is useful in teaching very young children early concepts around animals, sounds, and numbers.

Library Use: This interactive ebook reminded me a lot of library story time events designed for young children, especially the song included within the book. I would feature this ebook and ones like it as part of a “story time at home” collection, so children have the opportunity to get some of the fun and educational moments these story time events provide outside of the library.

Educational App/Game/Website

Citation: checkology.org. News Literacy Zone.

Summary: This news literacy site provides interactive lessons which teach students how to separate fact from fiction when it comes to information they see in the news, on television, or on social media.

Comments: We live in a world where we are constantly bombarded by information from a variety of sources. Because the majority of this information is able to reach us without being fact-checked, we are vulnerable to being swayed by misinformation. This is especially true for young people, who have grown up entirely under this kind of information landscape. This website is incredibly useful in helping students look at information from a critical perspective. It contains several lessons on topics such as InfoZones and Misinformation. I did the InfoZones lesson, which separates information into six different purposes: to inform, to persuade, to entertain, to sell, to provoke, and to document. The lesson defines each of these purposes and has students watch video clips and look at screenshots from news articles or social media sites, and then identify the purpose of each piece of information. The videos included in the lesson are fairly short, as to not risk the learner losing interest. Some of the example pieces of information cover topics that middle/high schoolers will find relevant, such as school lunch pricing issues. It is free to register for checkology and take several of the lessons, though some content is behind a paywall.

Library Use: This is definitely something I would promote as a librarian, since news literacy is a topic that I feel is incredibly important for young people to be knowledgable in these days. I would probably use it as an element of a larger news/information literacy program that focuses on teaching young people (probably late elementary-middle school age) how to fact check and identify misinformation.

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Final Learning Reflection

I am both surprised and impressed by how much I have learned about children’s literature and librarianship in the past ten short weeks. I have decided to use the Visual of Learning I created last week as a guide to discuss my key-take aways for this course:

One class topic which had a big impact on me was diverse books. This is something that I have always been interested in learning more about, as I know how important it is for children to be able to see themselves represented in the stories they read. A big take-away I gained from this topic was that the quality of the representation of diverse characters is just as, if not more, important than the representation itself. I was so happy to be introduced to Diverse BookFinder and to learn more about it by watching a webinar from the creators of the project. Through this webinar I not only learned more about how to use the website, but also got more insight as to why quality representation is so important. Andrea Jamison, a Valparaiso University librarian, states in the webinar that “your collection tells a story.” She gave the example of a collection which includes a large number of books containing Black characters. This looks good on the surface, but what if we were to take a closer look and find that most of these books were about slavery? Because slavery does not define the Black experience, this would not be quality representation. Because each book in the Diverse BookFinder site contains a review which evaluates the book’s representation of diverse characters, it is an incredibly useful tool that I can definitely see myself using in the future.

Another class topic that stood out to me was censorship. This is an issue that I have been curious about for quite some time, and through the ALA’s Freedom to Read Statement (2006) I became more informed about why fighting censorship is so important for us as librarians. The quote from this statement that stuck with me the most is: “To some, much of modern expression is shocking. But is not much of life itself shocking? We cut off literature at the source if we prevent writers from dealing with the stuff of life. Parents and teachers have a responsibility to prepare the young to meet the diversity of experiences in life to which they will be exposed, as they have a responsibility to help them learn to think critically for themselves.” This really resonated with me because I believe that books are a great way to safely expose young people to issues and experiences that they may encounter at some point in their lives. Though some may find these issues controversial and/or inappropriate for children to read about, it is important to remember that these topics are not included in children’s literature simply for the sake of shock value. For example, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume is a commonly challenged book due to the fact that menstruation a major aspect of the book’s subject matter. However, this is also the reason why the book has had such an impact on so many young readers, as it discusses an experience that so many of them have (or will eventually have), though one they may feel embarrassed to talk to others about.

A theme that was prevalent across several course topics was encouraging reluctant readers in finding the right starting point for developing a love for literature. According to Vardell (2019), “a child who doesn’t like to read has simply not found a book that really “grabbed” him or her” (2). However, I have learned that this starting point is sometimes something other than a traditional print book, such as a graphic novel, audiobook, or transmedia network. I was lucky enough to explore both graphic novels and audiobooks in-depth through my author study on Raina Telgemeier (displayed below) and my library program project on audiobooks.

One area that I am still curious to learn more about is transmedia networks. Though the article by Reynolds (2011) did a good job of explaining what they are by using examples such as Harry Potter, I would really like to explore some myself in the future so that I can better speak on and advocate for them as a librarian. According to Reynolds, these networks can be incredibly useful in building children’s critical thinking skills, as “looking beneath the surface of the text” is “foregrounded in the process of reading transmedia texts, whether this involves gathering clues about events, actions, characterization, or setting, or experimenting with point of view” (72).

There is so much more that I could discuss, but it would likely end up going on for far too long. The fact that I couldn’t possibly fit all my learnings into this short reflective essay speaks to the great experience I had in this class. Whether I end up working with children as a librarian in the future or not, I know that these teachings will stay with me and influence how I approach my career.

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Week 9 Activity: Visual of Learning

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Week 8 Activity: Film Discussion

The film I selected to view was “Just Breathe” by Julie Bayer Salzman and Josh Salzman. This is a short film (about 3.5 minutes long) which consists of young children discussing what anger feels like to them, then explaining mindfulness methods they use when they are angry in order to calm down.

Discussion Questions:

Who made this film and what was its purpose?

“Just Breathe” is a film made by Julie Bayer Salzman and Josh Salzman. The youtube description of this film states that Julie was inspired after learning that her young son and his classmates were being taught mindfulness as part of their kindergarten curriculum. Salzman decided to take an online course on mindfulness herself, and after feeling its positive effects was inspired to make this film with her husband, Josh. The film is unscripted, and includes Salzman’s son and his classmates discussing how they work through anger using mindfulness. The purpose of this film is to help children learn how to use mindfulness as a tool for processing difficult emotions. The children in the film describe emotions in ways which are likely relatable for young viewers, and also explain how to calm these emotions in ways which are accessible for the same young viewers. This film is quite short - just a little over three minutes long - but I think its message definitely has the potential to reach children and accomplish the purpose it was created for.

What did you notice about how sound was used in this film?

What stood out to me the most about this film sound-wise is the way that music was used. In the first half of the film, which mainly consists of the children describing how anger feels to them, the music feels somewhat tense - almost as if it’s building up to something. Then, when the children begin to talk about what they do to calm down from anger, additional layers are added to the music that change the feeling of it. The soft piano and humming vocals now give the music a more comforting feel, even though the tense, somewhat shaky music that started the film is still present underneath these new layers. Maybe the music itself is meant to represent the practice of mindfulness: the “tense” music represents unpleasant emotions, while the piano and humming might represent using mindfulness to change or calm these emotions. After the credits roll, the music stops and all is silent except for the sound of slow, deep breaths. I think this was another great use of sound in this film, as it felt very peaceful.

What characters or issues could you relate to, and why?

I actually related to a lot of what the children said about how anger feels to them. One girl described it as feeling like your brain is a jar full of glitter that has just been shaken up, and several others talked about feeling out of control, or like anger has taken over everything. Though I’m not someone who gets angry or frustrated very often, I would say that the way these kids describe it is pretty accurate to the actual experience. Anger, stress, or other negative emotions are definitely not fun, but we all deal with them from time to time. I think this film does a great job in showing children that they are not alone in these feelings, while also giving practical advice on how to ease these feelings the next time they arise.

Reflection

I was initially skeptical about selecting this film because of its length. Being only 3.5 minutes long, I didn’t think it would provide enough content to cover three discussion questions. I searched for some longer films, but none that interested me were available to view so in the end I went with “Just Breathe”. I’m glad I decided on this one, because I actually really enjoyed it. I didn’t expect to take away much from this film since it’s geared towards children, but the messages in it are useful for anyone of any age to hear. Answering the question about the use of sound had me re-watching the film a few times, and each time I noticed new details that only made my appreciation for the film increase.

Books to compliment this film discussion:

For younger kids: I Am Peace - A Book of Mindfulness. Susan Verde. (2017).

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/susan-verde/i-am-peace/

For older kids: Just Breathe - Meditation, Mindfulness, Movement, and More. Mallika Chopra. (2018).

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/mallika-chopra/just-breathe/

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Week 7 Activity: Reading Log #2

Reading Log #2

Traditional Tale

Scieszka, John. (1989). The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! Viking Children’s Books.

Summary: In this “fractured fairy tale”, the traditional story of The Three Little Pigs is told from the perspective of the wolf. As “Alexander T. Wolf” tells what he refers to as “his side” of the story, he is insistent that he is not so big and bad as we might believe, and that the events of the original Three Little Pigs story are all one big misunderstanding. For example, he only visited the pigs’ houses to borrow sugar for his grandmother’s birthday cake, and ended up blowing down the pigs houses by accident due to his sneezing cold. The wolf ends the story locked up in prison, though he still claims that he was framed for everything.

Personal Comments: Because this book is a “fractured fairy tale”, it gives a fresh, somewhat modern twist on a traditional story. This puts it in a unique position in terms of evaluation: some of the criteria for evaluating traditional tales applies to it, while some does not seem to fit. One quote from the Vardell text stood out to me while evaluating this book: “The reteller’s style in capturing a traditional tale is partly based on one individual’s unique voice and partly based on the need for capturing the sound of spoken language in print” (97). While reading this book, I kept thinking that it seemed perfect for a read-aloud event, as the Wolf (also the story’s narrator) tells the story with plenty of personality and humor. Vardell also states that “The themes in traditional tales are big, global messages with a clear stance on the importance of good triumphing over evil” (97). This is one of the evaluation criteria points which I feel this book diverges from, as “good” and “evil” aren’t so clearly defined in this version of the story. The “big bad” wolf is seen as more sympathetic, while the pigs (who are traditionally known as the “good” characters) are unfairly rude and judgmental to the wolf.

Library Use: I think this would be a great book to read to children directly after reading them the original Three Little Pigs story, then have them compare and contrast the two perspectives of the story’s events. The original story has very set-in-stone “good and evil” roles, while this version makes things more ambiguous. Therefore, hearing children’s thoughts on the wolf’s character would be interesting.

Poetry

Latham, Irene & Waters, Charles. (2018). Can I Touch Your Hair? Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship. Carolrhoda Books.

Summary: In this collection of poems, fictional elementary school versions of poets Irene Latham and Charles Waters are paired up for a poetry assignment. Irene is white, and Charles is black. The assignment has them writing poetry about their everyday experiences, which ends up highlighting their differences in an honest way. However, the assignment also shows them that they have more in common than they might have originally expected.

Personal Comments: One of the first things I noticed while reading this book is how the poems by Irene are structured quite differently than the poems by Charles. One question Vardell asks in regards to rhythm is “does the poet use short lines to create a staccato rhythm or long couplets to create a flow?” (130). Irene’s poems have short, staccato lines, while Charles’ poems have long, flowing lines. The fact that the two poets/characters poems always appear side by side on each set of pages does even more to highlight the differences between the two of them. Vardell also brings up the emotions involved in poetry: “poems also have an emotional impact, making us laugh or sigh or feel what the poet might have felt capturing this moment” (31). The poems in this book contain plenty of complex, sometimes uncomfortable emotions, but do so in what I feel is a realistic way that doesn’t feel forced. One point where this stood out to me was a poem where Charles discusses witnessing police brutality in the news, and feeling conflicting emotions as he recalls a time where a cop helped him untangle his shoelaces from a chain-link fence. The final line of this poem reads “it makes my heart twist, without any hope of being disentangled.”

Library Use: This book could be a great tool to start an honest discussion with children about race, as it goes beyond the typical “we’re all the same inside” message and really highlights the differences in growing up white vs. growing up black. I might ask children which poems they found relatable and which ones they did not, and if the ones they did not relate to taught them anything new.

Realistic Fiction

Rhodes, Jewell Parker. (2020). Black Brother, Black Brother. Orion Children’s Books.

Summary: This book tells the story of Donte, seventh-grader who is one of the only black boys at the upper-class prep school he attends. Donte’s older brother, Trey, presents as white. Because of this, he has a much easier time fitting in at school than Donte, who is constantly subjected to racist bullying by his classmates and discrimination by his teachers and the school’s faculty. Donte’s main bully, Alan, causes Donte to be suspended from school at the start of the book. Alan is the star of the school’s fencing team, so Donte decides to get back at him by beating him at his own game. He begins to learn how to fence and is coached by a former olympic fencer who now works at the Boys and Girls Club (and has also faced his share of racial discrimination). Through fencing and his new friendship with his coach, Donte is able to learn more about himself and grow as a person. Eventually, he faces off in a fencing match against Alan and wins.

Personal Comments: Vardell states that in realistic fiction, “we’re looking for a story that feels current, that could happen today in the world as we know it” (169). The start of this story sees Donte being suspended from school and taken into police custody over something he didn’t do, as a result of racial discrimination from his school’s faculty. Unfortunately, this is something that can and absolutely does happen today in the world - and it’s important for young readers to be aware of it. Vardell also notes that “the climax and conclusion of the story are also critical and should seem inevitable, but not obvious; hopeful, if not always happy” (170). While the story does end on a happy note, with Donte winning against Alan during the fencing championships, there are still aspects of the plot that are left open-ended. Donte’s mom’s court case against the school system is still ongoing, and not all of Donte’s issues at school have been completely resolved. The book ends with Donte taking part in a “heritage sit-in” at school, with the last line simply reading “One small step.” This sets a hopeful tone, despite the loose ends still present.

Library Use: This book explores a lot of interesting topics that would be worth discussing in a book group - probably for grades 5-7. Donte’s experience of being unfairly suspended and taken out of school by the police is something that unfortunately happens to young black students often in real life. Raising children's awareness on these issues by bringing up real-life news stories which describe cases similar to Donte’s is one way this book could be put into action. Another idea that could be inspiring for children is to invite a black fencer to come speak about the sport and their experiences in it.

Diverse Book

Gino, Alex. (2015). George. Scholastic.  

Summary: The story’s main character, George, is a transgender girl who calls herself Melissa. At the start of the story, Melissa keeps her gender identity a secret from her family and friends, and even has a hidden stash of fashion magazines in her room. When Melissa’s class puts on the play Charlotte’s Web, Melissa decides she wants to play the role of Charlotte in order to show the world who she really is. However, the role ends up going to Melissa’s friend, Kelly. After having a negative experience with coming out to her mom, Melissa works out a plan to swap roles with Kelly in the play. Melissa ends up successfully performing the role of Charlotte, and after seeing the performance her mom seems to understand her a bit better.

Personal Comments:

In the School Library Journal article “Can Diverse Books Save Us?”, school librarian Nancy Snow states that “we can help develop empathy if we read books about others and try to put ourselves in their shoes.” In this book, young readers get to see the world through Melissa’s eyes and experience some of her struggles of growing up transgender - including not being understood and accepted by classmates, teachers, and even her mom. Reading this book can help those who aren’t transgender understand and emphasize with those who are. It also has the potential to help young readers who are transgender feel seen or even better understand themselves. George is a contemporary realistic fiction novel, and Vardell states that “Most contemporary realistic novels for young people focus on the search for an independent identity, the desire for an understanding of one’s role within families, friendships, blossoming romances, and other landmarks of growing up into adulthood” (171). This fits the plot of the story well, as it entirely revolves around Melissa forming and becoming more comfortable and confident in her own identity.

Library Use: This would be a great book to feature during pride month as it gives young readers the opportunity to get a glimpse of what life is like for a transgender child. A way to highlight this book might be to invite a transgender activist/speaker to come speak about the book and also share some of their own experiences.

Challenged Book

Telgemeier, Raina. (2012). Drama. Scholastic.

Summary: This graphic novel follows seventh-grader Callie, who is in the stage crew of her school’s musical. Callie is a bit boy-crazy and tends to fall for anyone who is nice to her, which leads to her developing a crush on Jesse, a boy who is in the stage crew with her. Callie is also friends with Jesse’s twin brother, Justin, who confesses to her at lunch one day that he is gay. After two successful performances of the school musical, the final performance faces a setback when the musical’s lead actress refuses to perform after being broken up with by West, the other lead. Jesse rushes in at the last minute to replace her, even wearing a dress and kissing West as part of the performance. Jesse later goes to the school dance with Callie, but ends up ditching her to talk to West. When Callie confronts him about it, he confides that he is gay, but thanks her for being a good friend to him.

Personal Comments: According to the ALA, Drama was the seventh most banned or challenged book of the 2010s due to its LGBTQ content. Drama serves as a great contemporary realistic fiction story because much like in Raina’s autobiographical series, its plot weaves together more familiar issues that all young readers will find relatable with issues that are less common but still likely prevalent in many young readers lives, in this case discovering and accepting one’s sexuality. As Vardell states, “This expanding range of life experiences is part of our global society in the twenty-first century” (152). The themes in Drama are well-presented in the way that they “emerge naturally from the story, from the conflicts in the plot, and from the nature of the characters” (Vardell, 171).

Library Use: This would be another great title to highlight during pride month, considering there are three different LGBTQ characters in the story. Though the characters in this story are middle schoolers, I would probably want to discuss it with fourth or fifth-graders - according to Vardell, children “typically enjoy reading about protagonists who are a year or two older than they are, ostensibly giving them a glimpse of the growing up years ahead” (150).

Historical Fiction

Kushman, Karen. (1996). The Midwife’s Apprentice. Houghton Mifflin.

Summary: This story takes place in medieval Europe and follows a young homeless and nameless orphan girl. When the local midwife offers the girl food in exchange for work, she becomes the midwife’s apprentice. Though the midwife, Jane, is not very kind to the young girl, she works hard to learn all she can from her. Eventually, the girl ends up naming herself Alyce. Over time, Alyce becomes so skilled at midwifery that she is able to deliver babies on her own, but temporarily gives up on it after one particularly difficult experience with a delivery. However, Alyce comes to realize that she is truly passionate about being a midwife and feels that it has given her life purpose, and in the end she goes back to work for Jane.

Personal Comments: According to the Vardell text, an important aspect of historical fiction is accuracy and validity within the story’s plot. “Historical validity rests in accurately recreating the social fabric of the times and the patterns of daily life” (205). The Midwife’s Apprentice is very honest, sometimes brutally so, about what life was like for the poor during medieval times. Alyce starts the story without anything in the world: not a family, a home, or even a name - displaying the harsh reality of the lives of homeless orphaned children. It also goes into quite a bit of detail about childbirth (more than I was expecting from a children’s book, at least) and how dangerous it could be before the existence of modern medicine. Vardell also notes that in historical fiction, “Universal themes that still speak to readers of today carry as much weight as ever” (207). Though readers may not be able to relate to Alyce’s exact situation, they will still appreciate her experience of trying, failing, then trying again. One of the main themes of this story is resilience - a value which is important for young readers to witness in a character.

Library Use: This story goes into great detail about what midwifery and childbirth was like during medieval times, but things have definitely changed over the years. I think it could be interesting and educational to bring in an actual midwife who could do a presentation comparing and contrasting the book’s description of the profession during medieval times to what the profession is actually like today.

Audiobook

Parish, Peggy. (1963). Amelia Bedelia. Greenwillow Books. Narrated by Suzanne Toren.

Summary: On her first day as a maid for the Rogers family, Amelia Bedelia performs the chores on the list that was left for her. However, she ends up taking the instructions a bit too literally and as a result does not do any of the chores correctly. For example, when told to “dust the furniture” she sprinkles dusting powder on everything. When the Rogers family gets home, they find their house a complete disaster. They are about to fire Amelia, until they try the lemon meringue pie she baked for them. The pie tastes so good that they decide to keep Amelia as a maid despite everything she has done wrong.

Personal Comments: I chose this audiobook because I was curious about what the approach to it would be. As someone who is familiar with the print version of the book, I know that a lot of the humor comes from the pictures, as they tend to tell parts of the story that the text does not. I learned pretty quickly that the purpose of this audiobook is to help children as they read along to the print version of the book, rather than something to be listened to on its own. At the start of the audiobook before the story begins, the narrator instructs readers to “follow along in their book.” Considering that Amelia Bedelia is a beginning readers book, this kind of format makes sense. This audiobook was well-produced and met most of the Odyssey guidelines, such as the narrator having “good voice quality, diction, and timing.” The entire narration contained light, upbeat background music, which “represents the emotional and structural content of the text.”

Library Use: Amelia Bedelia is a beginning readers book, and this audiobook seems like it is meant to help children follow along as they read (rather than be listened to on its own). Despite this, it could still be a very useful tool if the library was to run a book group for children who are learning to read independently.

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Week 6 Activity - Virtual Book Discussion

A little over a week ago, a few of my classmates and I met up over Zoom to discuss the graphic novel Guts by Raina Telgemeier. Though I have taken part in a few book discussions in the past, this was my first time participating in one virtually, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I’m happy to say that it was a great experience! One of the downsides of being in an asynchronous online Masters program means that I have fewer opportunities to connect with my fellow students - so getting an hour of (virtual) face-to-face interaction was a refreshing change. I enjoyed how the discussion was somewhat structured, but not overly so. I felt like this format allowed for us to cover what we needed to about the book, but also freely connect it to some of our own experiences and let the conversation naturally flow to other topics. It was interesting to hear the perspectives of other members of my group, especially since several of them come from somewhat different backgrounds than I do - some are teachers, some are parents, some both. The personal anecdotes that came from these perspectives definitely made the discussion more interesting. One highlight was when the conversation flowed to the topic of graphic novels in general, and how they might serve as “gateway books” to reluctant readers. Someone brought up that because kids today are so often on their phones/tablets, they are used to visual stimulation and may need more than just words on a page in order to get into reading. This was something that I hadn’t really considered before, but I now think is an excellent point. I’ll definitely remember it in the future. Overall, I really enjoyed this book discussion. I admit that in the past year, I’ve found myself resisting taking part in virtual events for fear that they just won’t feel the same as in-person ones. However, I think this experience has made me more open-minded.

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Week 5 Activity: Diverse Books Webinar

For this week’s activity, I chose to attend the webinar Multicultural Picture Books: A Deeper Look at Your Collection. This webinar stood out to me because while reading the class description, I saw that it included details on a specific collection analysis tool (CAT) that can tell librarians which racial/cultural groups are represented within their collections and how it is that these groups are represented. I was very curious as to how this CAT worked, so I decided to watch the webinar to learn more.

This webinar began with an introduction to Diverse BookFinder. Dr. Krista Aronson, director of Diverse BookFinder and Dr. Andrea Breau, project coordinator of Diverse BookFinder stated the website’s mission, explained how it is that they developed (and continue to develop) the Diverse BookFinder collection, and gave step-by-step instructions for using the CAT. Since it was included as a resource in this week’s class readings, I had already browed the Diverse BookFinder site a bit earlier in the week. However, it was interesting and helpful to get a more intensive guide to using the site, which included how to browse and filter through the Diverse BookFinder collection. I learned that the CAT is free for librarians to use, and that all they need to do is upload a file containing the ISBNs of the picture books in their collections, and their collection will be cross-referenced with the Diverse BookFinder collection. This will provide data based on matches between the two collections, so the librarian can see how many books they have which contain representation of a certain racial/cultural group, as well as what kind of representation these books include.

The final third of this webinar consisted of a presentation by Andrea Jamison, a librarian and lecturer at Valparaiso University. Andrea’s presentation gave a deeper look into why tools like Diverse BookFinder are so important for librarians to use and why not only representation on its own matters in picture books, but also the specific kind of representation these picture books offer. For example, you might have a large number of books in your collection which contain Black/African/African American characters, which may look great as a statistic on its own, but what if the majority of these books are about slavery? This would not be the best kind of representation, as there is much more to the Black experience than just this one aspect. As Jamison explains it, your collection tells a story - both in what it includes as well as what it excludes.

I really enjoyed watching this webinar and learning more about Diverse BookFinder. I think it is an amazing tool for librarians as they can use it not just to analyze their own collection, but also to find books to fill the in the gaps where their collection might be lacking diversity-wise. Dr. Aronson and Dr. Breau mentioned some interest in expanding this tool to include books beyond just picture books (if they are able to get the funding for it) and I really hope to see this happen in the future.

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Week 4 Activity: Interview a Librarian

I interviewed Joanne, an elementary school librarian who also works part-time at the Cumberland Public Library as a children’s librarian. Given her insight into both the school library and public library world, this was an interesting interview that allowed me to learn more about both career paths and the ways in which they are similar and different. 

When asking Joanne about how she approaches staying up-to-date on the latest children’s books and current trends, she had a lot of methods to offer. One of these is journals - such as School Library Journal, Library Journal, and Booklist. Joanne reads through these journals upon their monthly release and will select books which have good reviews in more than one journal to add to her cart for monthly orders. Joanne also attends several webinars: some with a general “what’s new in children’s literature” theme as well as some that are specific to certain companies. She will occasionally meet with vendors for non-fiction books as well.

Joanne expressed that ordering books for the school library is a bit different than ordering them for the public library, as the school library has a very limited budget. She stated that looking at upcoming releases on Amazon, Ingram and BTOL is helpful in getting the most out of the budget she has. Finally, Joanne always talks to kids about what they’re currently reading and what kinds of books they would be interested in reading in the future. According to her, ordering what the kids want and what will get them reading is the major take away.

When asking Joanne what her favorite part about developing a children’s collection is, she stated that she really enjoys finding books that get kids excited about reading, especially those who are reluctant readers. She feels this is a bit easier at the public library, as parents of a reluctant reader are usually there to provide context on their child’s interests so that Joanne is easily able to give suggestions. To inspire children to read at school, Joanne talks to students about their interests and creates book displays based on a theme or sometimes centered around a specific project students are working on. I also asked Joanne about the most challenging part of developing a children’s collection. She again expressed that budget constraints are the biggest challenge, especially at school.

When discussing programming with Joanne, she stated that children’s book clubs have become less popular over the years. She believes this is because children are already given enough work to do outside of school, and a book club just gives them one more thing they have to read. She has tried alternatives to book clubs such as book sharing sessions, where children can come discuss their favorite books and give other children at the session ideas for future reading. She also does “book tasting” sessions at school, where children can read blurbs of various books and decide whether or not they want to read the entire thing. The goal in these programs is to introduce children to titles they may have never known about and to get them excited about reading something new.

Finally, I asked Joanne what skills she thinks are needed for librarians to successfully work with children. She believes it is very important for children’s librarians to have a strong understanding of children’s literature, and that reading lots of children’s books helps her constantly become more familiar with it. She also states that management skills are important, especially when it comes to programming. Joanne explains that developing management strategies will ensure that children are ready to learn what it is you are trying to teach them, and will help guarantee a well-run program.

Overall, this interview was a great experience that I feel I learned a lot from. Joanne’s passion for getting children excited about reading really showed, and it was inspiring to see.

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Week 3 Activity: Evaluating the poetry section of a children’s public library

For this week’s activity, I visited the William Hall branch of the Cranston Public Library and evaluated the poetry section of the children’s department. This was a very small library, and the children’s poetry section was made up of only two small shelves-worth of books.

Almost half of one of the shelves consisted of collections by Shel Silverstein: including books such as A Light in the Attic and Where the Sidewalk Ends. Though Silverstein’s books take up a large amount of space in this small collection, I understand the need for their inclusion considering their timelessness and popularity. As Vardell (2019) states, “His work is a staple of children’s poetry and has now been enjoyed by several decades of children” (113). I also noticed a few titles by Marilyn Singer, who was the winner of the 2015 NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. However, I did not see any titles from the 2017, 2019, or 2021 recipients of the same award.

Most of the books in this collection appeared to be anthologies or collections of various poems, though I did see a few single-poem books: there were three copies of The Night Before Christmas (again, understandable considering its popularity) as well as a picture book version of The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere. At first, I was a bit surprised to see this one included, as I was under the impression that this is not necessarily a children’s poem. However, Vardell (2019) did name it as a popular picture book addition to children’s poetry collections (121).

Though this collection was small, I was happy to see some diverse titles represented. One example that I found was I Remember: Poems and Pictures of Heritage. This collection focuses on the experience of individuals with different racial/cultural backgrounds growing up in the United States and contains works by award winning writers/poets such as Kwame Alexander, Margarita Engle, and Nick Bruel.

Another diverse title I noticed and took a closer look at was Can I Touch Your Hair?: Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship. This book consists of a collection of poems from Irene Latham and Charles Waters. It follows a unique fictional concept where elementary-school versions of Irene (who is white) and Charles (who is black) are paired up for a poetry assignment, where the two are assigned to write poems about their everyday experiences. Though the resulting poems they write highlight their differences in an honest way, they also reflect the things they have in common. I think this book seems like a great way to introduce children to conversations about race, and I was happy to discover it during my visit.

The books in this collection appeared to be in mostly good condition, though I did notice that a lot of the titles were published over ten years ago. To improve this collection, I would definitely add a few more newer titles - maybe from recent NCTE Award recipients such as Janet S. Wong or Paul B. Janeszko. I also feel like the collection could still be a bit more diverse. Finally, I had a bit of trouble even finding this section - if I hadn’t known which dewey number to look for, I probably would have completely missed it. I would definitely suggest some signage to indicate which shelves contain the poetry books. To promote the poetry section, I think it would be great to invite a few children’s poets to the library to do readings of their poems. A poetry workshop could also be a fun activity and would provide an opportunity for children to get creative.

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Reading Log #1: Picture Books

The Snowy Day

Jack Keats, E. (1962). The Snowy Day. The Viking Press.

The Snowy Day tells the story of Peter, a little boy experiencing winter’s first snowfall. Peter puts on his snowsuit, goes outside, and enjoys doing things such as making tracks in the snow, building a snowman, and sliding down a snow mountain. Before returning home, Peter puts some snow in his pocket to save for tomorrow. When he looks for the snow in his pocket later on, it is gone, and Peter is sad. However, the next day, Peter discovers that new snow has fallen, and goes out for more adventures.

Plot

Though the story itself is quite simple, it captures very well the wonder of going out to play in the snow as a young child. The main point of conflict in the story is when Peter places snow in his pocket only to realize later on that it is no longer there. While adults (and even most older children) reading this story will understand that the snow melted when Peter went inside, this kind of conflict is definitely believable when we consider Peter being a very young child who likely does not understand the concept of snow melting. However, all is remedied when Peter discovers the following day that even more snow has fallen.

Rhythm

There are several lines throughout this story that make for a great read aloud experience. One section where this occurs is when Peter is walking through the snow, with the line “Crunch, crunch, crunch, his feet sank into the snow”, and again with the line “Then he dragged his feet s-l-o-w-l-y to make tracks.” These lines encourage the reader to mimic the sounds of Peter’s footsteps, keeping the young reader engaged.

Artwork

Though all the illustrations in The Snowy Day are beautiful, one of my favorite uses of art in the story is on the pages where Peter realizes that the snow he had put in his pocket earlier has disappeared. The black and white, somewhat static-looking background serves as a backdrop to Peter’s sad feelings when he discovers his snow is gone, and also stands out from the other pages, all of which are very colorful.

The Snowy Day would work as an excellent read-aloud story time during the snowy winter months. If the library’s budget and location allowed for it, it would be the perfect book for a winter story-walk event.

Owen

Henkes, K. (1993). Owen. Greenwillow Books.

Owen’s titular character is a young mouse whose best friend and favorite possession is Fuzzy, an old yellow blanket that never leaves Owen’s side. Owen’s neighbor, Mrs. Tweezers, insists to Owen’s parents that he is getting too old to carry Fuzzy around everywhere, especially since he’ll be starting kindergarten soon. Per Mrs. Tweezers’ advice, Owen’s parents try to separate Owen and Fuzzy with tactics such as dipping Fuzzy in vinegar and telling Owen about “the blanket fairy”, a fairy who takes children’s blankets while they are sleeping and replaces them with “big kid” toys. When none of these methods work, Owen’s mom comes up with the solution of transforming Fuzzy into small handkerchiefs that Owen is able to carry to school with him, which satisfies everyone in the end.

Plot:

Owen’s plot presents a point of conflict early on: Owen will be starting kindergarten soon, and Fuzzy cannot go with him. Though Owen’s parents try to separate him and Fuzzy, Owen manages to cleverly outsmart them each time. Even though Owen is a young child, I found his sneaky ways of keeping Fuzzy by his side believable for someone his age, such as rubbing Fuzzy in sand after his parents dipped it in vinegar. The conflict is resolved in the end in a way that satisfies everyone and allows for compromise and growth on Owen’s part.

Characters:

The characters in this story felt very believable, from Owen, who is not quite ready to give up his childhood security blanket, to his parents, who want Owen to grow up and move on from Fuzzy, but are also anxious about making him upset, to Mrs. Tweezers, who is nosy and always offering advice (even when no one asked for it). Children at Owen’s stage of development who are taking their first (sometimes scary) steps towards independence are sure to relate to his character.

Theme:

Owen touches on early childhood fears such as separation anxiety. This is an anxiety that often comes up when children start school for the first time. Though many are anxious about being separated from their parents, some (like Owen) are anxious about being separated from a special security item. I can see many children at this age relating to the story, and benefiting from learning about the compromise Owen reaches with his parents in the end.

This story would be a great addition to a library’s “Getting Ready for Kindergarten” program for kids and their parents, as it directly deals with this topic.

Julian is a Mermaid

Love, Jessica. (2019). Julian is a Mermaid. Candlewick Press.

In Julian is a Mermaid, we follow Julian and his Abuela as they ride the subway home and Julian sees three women dressed as mermaids. Fascinated by them, Julian dreams of transforming into a mermaid himself. When he and Abuela get home, Julian uses some curtains, leaves from a potted plant, and Abuela’s makeup to transform himself into a mermaid. When Abuela finds him, she gives him some of her pearls to wear, then surprises him by bringing him to a parade full of mermaids, which they join.

Cultural Markers

Spanish words are regularly used throughout the story, with Julian’s grandmother being exclusively known as “Abuela”, as well as Julian’s grandmother calling him “mijo”. These words are a natural part of the story and are not explained or translated anywhere, which I think is a good choice as it feels more natural, and we really don’t need the translations to understand the story. The illustrations in the book also show characters with a diverse range of skin tones and body types.

Setting

Julian is a Mermaid takes place in New York City, which I actually only discovered after researching the story a bit more after reading it. However, it is obvious through the story’s illustrations that it takes place in an urban setting, with Julian and his Abuela riding the subway and walking through crowded streets. The parade that Julian and Abuela join in the end is actually a real parade: the Coney Island Mermaid Parade. I had no idea this existed, and was delighted to learn about it!

Theme

The theme of Julian is a Mermaid is perhaps the thing that makes it so special. Julian, a young boy, does something that is not traditionally masculine: dress up as a mermaid. However his Abuela accepts him as he is and encourages him to embrace his identity by bringing him to join a mermaid parade. This theme of self-love and acceptance sets such a great example for young readers and encourages them to look beyond the confines of traditional gender roles.

This book and its positive messaging would be a great fit for children’s programming, and I really love the idea of having a “mermaid dress up party” to go along with a read-aloud of the story.

The Book With No Pictures

Novak, B.J. (2014) The Book With No Pictures. Dial Books.

The Book With No Pictures makes for the perfect read-aloud experience. Though there isn’t really much of a “plot”, it is designed so that a reader (referred to the story as a grown-up) must say out loud all the words in the book, no matter how ridiculous they are. The words and phrases the reader must say out loud get more and more ridiculous as the story goes on, and are always followed up by the reader expressing how embarrassed they are about having to sound so silly.

Text

The Book With No Pictures uses several made up words, such as “BLORK.” And “BLUURF”, which are there to entertain the listener with how silly they sound. Most of the books’ pages contain only small snippets of text, making it a quick page-turner and keeping listeners engaged throughout.

Questions

The book’s text also contains questions to let the listener interact with the reader, such as “Can I stop reading?” and “Is this book a trick?”, which add to the feeling that the reader of the book is being forced against their will to sound ridiculous. This is sure to entertain young listeners.

Illustrations

Though the book is called The Book With No Pictures, Novak creatively uses different fonts and colors to illustrate the way in which the book’s words should be read. The book begins in plain black typeface, but the “silly” words and phrases appear in colorful, bold font. One detail I found pretty funny was whenever there was an interjection from the “reader” where they complain about how embarrassed they are to be reading this book, it appears in a small, narrow font, as if instructing the reader to make their voice “smaller” for these parts.

Though it would require a reader who really isn’t afraid to get silly, The Book With No Pictures would make for a very entertaining read-aloud event at a library. I also think it would be fun to do an activity where kids make their own books with no pictures, in which they make up their own silly words and phrases.

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Reflection: Childhood Reading Memories

When I think back to my earliest memories of reading, one of the first that comes to mind is the nightly routine of my parents reading me Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown. This apparently began when I was just a baby, but continued on until I was about three or four - just late enough for me to vaguely remember that it happened. I also remember how after we finished reading Goodnight Moon every night, my parents and I would reenact the story by saying “goodnight” to several items within my own room: the dollhouse, the stuffed animals, even the clothes hamper! This little routine not only helped me get ready for bed, but also allowed reading to be a part of my day-to-day life from a very early age.

An animation of Goodnight Moon narrated by Susan Sarandon. 

I loved picture books, and could often be found flipping through them on my own even before I could read. Of course, I also loved being read to. Though the majority of my memories consist of my parents reading to me, I can definitely remember attending a few story time sessions at my local public library - which I always loved.

Two-year-old Kelsey, deep in concentration.

As a child, one of my favorite picture book authors was Kevin Henkes. I remember my parents reading me Shiela Rae the Brave, Owen, and Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse. I loved the last story so much that I even got my own purple plastic purse as a birthday gift one year. When I was about five or six, my parents helped me write a fan letter to Kevin Henkes. To my surprise and joy, I got a thank-you letter back from him! That was such an exciting moment for me as a child, and I wish I still had that letter somewhere. Henkes continues to write amazing picture books to this day, and I’m always sure to check out his new ones whenever they arrive at the bookstore I work at.

Visit Kevin Henkes’ Website!

As I got a bit older, I graduated from picture books to chapter books. One of my favorite series of chapter books was the Junie B. Jones series by Barbara Park. I must have read almost every book in the series at least ten times. I actually found one of my old Junie B. books recently, and found myself laughing more than I expected to as I read through it. Even as an adult, I still found it funny.

Another favorite chapter book series of mine was Goosebumps by R.L. Stine. This was another series that I owned most of the books in, and there were quite a few of them! My favorite Goosebumps books were the ones in the Give Yourself Goosebumps series, which followed a “choose your own adventure” type of format. These were able to keep me entertained for days as I tried to get every possible ending the story contained.

My love for the Goosebumps series must have sparked a love for other scary children’s books, because a series I fell in love with when I got a bit older was Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz. As creepy as the short stories in this series were, the scariest part of these books was definitely the artwork, which I still get a bit creeped out looking at to this day.

Kind of terrifying, right??

There are so many more books from my childhood that I wish I could talk about in this post, but it would end up being way too long. I suppose I’m lucky that this is the case, as it shows that my upbringing was full of reading.

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Week 1 Activity - Favorite Picture Book

One of my all-time favorite picture books is The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. Published in 1964, The Giving Tree tells the story of the relationship between a boy and a tree throughout several stages of the boy’s life. When the boy is young, he spends most of his days with the tree; doing things such as gathering her leaves, climbing her trunk, and eating her apples. As the boy grows older, he visits the tree less and less. Whenever the boy does come back to visit the tree, she continuously gives up parts of herself for the boy (apples so he can make money, branches so he can build a house, her trunk so he can build a boat to sail away) in order to make him happy. When the tree is finally nothing but a stump, the boy, who is now an old man, returns to the tree for the last time. She explains that she has nothing left to give him, but he expresses that he doesn’t need much, just a place to sit and rest. As a stump, she is able to provide him this final thing, “And the tree was happy.”

Even as a young child, I found this story quite moving and a bit sad, though I wasn’t sure why at the time. Re-reading it now, I ask myself questions such as: Was the relationship between the boy and the tree unhealthy? Was the boy selfish? Was the tree too giving? Honestly, I’m not sure how to answer these questions, and I can understand how this story might be interpreted in multiple ways. I suppose what continues to make this story feel so powerful as I read it today is the way in which it explores the passage of time. It expresses how as children, we are content with the simple things in life, much like the boy is content with spending his days playing with the tree. However, as we grow older, the pressures of adulthood kick in and we strive for more, therefore losing the love of these simple pleasures. It isn’t until the end of the boy’s life that he rediscovers this love, wanting nothing more from the tree but a place to sit and rest. 

Though this book is short and easy to read, it manages to express a very profound message - making it one of my personal favorite children’s books.

Evaluation of The Giving Tree

Characters

This story follows two major characters: the boy and the tree. As the story progresses, we see the boy grow at a very rapid pace. We first see him as a young boy who is content with spending his days gathering the tree’s leaves to make into crowns or climbing the tree’s branches. We then briefly see him as a teenager who is perhaps experiencing his first serious relationship (I’ll touch on this again later when I talk about the book’s illustrations), then as a young adult who wants money, then as a middle-age adult who wants a house, then as an older adult who wants to escape from everything, then finally as an elderly man who simply wants a place to sit and rest. Though the boy ages very quickly throughout the story, the things that he wants the most at each age we see him at are believable and true to real life. This is why I feel that this story is just as much a book for adults as it is for children, as the adults reading it will be able to relate to the boy as he grows older. While the boy rapidly ages throughout the story, the tree remains the same (personality-wise) throughout. She serves as a sort of motherly figure to the boy in the sense that she gives to him unconditionally.  However, she does not seem to understand that the boy has aged every time she sees him, as she continues to ask him to “come and play”, even when he is an old man. Because of this childish innocence she holds throughout the story, I think that the children reading it will actually relate to her more so than the boy.

Theme

As I discussed in my original post on this book, I interpret The Giving Tree’s theme to be about growing up, and what we may lose in the process. However, I don’t feel that this theme was presented in a heavy-handed way by Silverstein. A child reading this story will see the boy growing up and growing apart from the tree, then finally finding his way back to her in the end. Though both the boy and the tree end the story in a physically rougher state than they started it in, they end it together, making it a happy (yet bittersweet) ending. Growing older is a very complex and emotional topic, yet I believe Silverstein manages to capture it in a way that is simple enough for young readers to comprehend.

Repetition

One line that is consistently repeated throughout this story (five times total) is “And the tree was happy.” This line usually follows a point in the story where the tree gives something to the boy. In the beginning it is simply her company, but then it evolves to her apples, then branches, then finally her entire trunk. At this point in the story “And the tree was happy…” is followed by, “but not really.” The twist on this repeated line signals to young readers that this is a turning point for the tree, showing that she has perhaps given away too much of herself and sacrificed her own happiness in an attempt to give the boy some. However, once the boy returns to the tree (now a stump) as an old man, the story concludes with the line “And the tree was happy”, showing that all is well.  

Predictability

As the boy grows up, the story follows a familiar structure: the boy visits the tree, she asks him to come and play, he states that he is too big, busy, old, etc. to play and asks her for something else, she gives up part of herself to help him get what he needs, and the boy leaves. This familiar structure continues until the end of the story, when the tree apologizes and states that she has nothing left to give the boy. This change-up in structure again signals a turning point in the story to young readers. Rather than the boy once again taking something from the tree like he has done throughout most of the story, he is back to simply being content with her presence, just as he was when he was young.

Artwork

There are a few instances in this story where the artwork shows us more than the text tells. One that stands out to me is the illustration that accompanies the line “And the boy grew older” on page 10. In this picture, we see two pairs of legs resting in the shade of the tree, along with an additional heart carved into the tree’s trunk reading “Me + Y.I”. (Note: prior to this, there was a heart carved into the tree’s trunk that reads “Me + T”, which is assumed to have been carved by the boy as a child with the “T” standing for “tree”). This illustration on page 10 shows us that the boy has entered his first relationship, even though this event is not explicitly stated in the text. One detail that I really love is how the two hearts remain in the illustrations throughout the story, until the boy cuts down the tree’s trunk, which removes the “Me + Y.I.” heart from the tree. However, even when the tree is just a stump at the end of the story, the “Me + T” heart remains.