The Book Thief - Fiction



Bibliography:

Zusak, Markus. 2005. THE BOOK THIEF. New York: Alfred A Knopf. 978-0-375-84220-7.

Plot Summary:

Liesel Meminger is a young girl in Nazi Germany, her brother has died and her Mom is taking her to live with a foster family.  During her brothers funeral Liesel finds a book partially buried in the snow and takes it as her own, this begins the story of Liesel’s obsession with books, taking them when she finds them; becoming The Book Thief.  During these difficult times Liesel builds a relationship with her new foster family especially her foster father Hans who teaches her to read, a Jewish boy named Max who her foster family is hiding from the Nazi’s and a neighbor boy named Ruby who will ultimately become her best friend.  This captivating story follows Liesel as she begins her obsession with books and reading and the relationships she builds during such a horrific time in Germany.

Critical Analysis:

Liesel is a young girl that many girls can admire and possibly identify with.  She never learned how to read but discovers a love of books.  She is admired by Ruby, the boy next door, but never gives into his desire to kiss her until she kisses him when he tragically dies.  And she develops a lovely relationship with her foster father who teaches her how to read. All circumstances that Liesel finds herself in are realistic, situations that many people can understand.  Being a young girl and developing these relationships allows young girls to identify with Liesel’s character and then the culture and dynamic of which she is now living. 

It is always tragic to read books that take place during World War II and discuss Nazi’s, concentration camps and the death of beloved characters but The Book Thief is written beautifully.  One unrealistic aspect of The Book Thief is the voice of Death, this is something many people and children can contemplate but The Book Thief gives Death interesting qualities.  The style of which Death is written is very unique and one that is not often found in books.  He has a voice periodically throughout the book but I think one of the most reassuring statements is when Death says, “When the war was over and Hitler delivered himself to my arms…”  Death is a topic that can scare children and adults alike and to read a book that gives Death a voice and to associate colors with circumstances is downright interesting.

The Book Thief’s plot is realistic in that it takes place during World War II Nazi Germany, there are Jewish people in hiding to keep from being captured by the Nazi’s and there were book burnings that took place per Hitler’s request.  These are all true events that took place in our world’s history.  This is one of the reasons this book is so intriguing, these are events that have taken place in history and we continue to be fascinated by the sequence of events and then to read about those events in a fictional novel makes it a special read.   

Review Awards and Excerpts:

Winner of the Michael L. Printz Honor Book Award

Winner of the Book Sense Book of the Year Award for Children’s Literature

Winner of the National Jewish Book Award

A Booklist Best Book of the Year

A Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book

A Kirkus Reviews Editor’s Choice

A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

An American Library Association Notable Book

“Beautiful and important.” – Kirkus Reviews, Starred

“An extraordinary narrative.” – School Library Journal, Starred

Connections:

·    The Book Thief is a young adult book that many adults have found enjoyment in reading too.  It deals with a true piece of world history, World War II and the impact it made on thousands of people’s lives.  This type of literature can be used as a tool to help teach children and adults about our history and what we can learn from it.  Dealing with different religions and opening the door to a conversation about being open minded of other people’s religious reviews is an incredibly important lesson to learn.  Reading The Book Thief aloud and having conversations about different aspects of the book will allow for a lively conversation that could possibly make a life long impact.

• Because The Book Thief takes place during World War II it would be a fantastic piece of literature   to use in a history class.  Doing a comparison of historical facts that are listed in history books and what is in the storyline would be an interesting assignment.  This is not considered a non-fiction book so there are aspects of the book that are probably fabricated or embellished so doing a comparison of what is real versus what is not would be a great lesson.

Babymouse Puppy Love - Fantasy

Bibliography:

Holm, Jennifer L. and Matthew Holm. 2007. BABYMOUSE PUPPY LOVE. New York: Random House. 978-0-375-83990-0.

Plot Summary:

Babymouse is an animal loving, rambunctious and imaginative little mouse.  She unfortunately has a problem keeping her goldfish alive!  As she and her mom go to the pet store to get her 6^th goldfish she talks her Mom into letting her have an animal that is a little less boring and one she can hold, and she goes home with Hammie the Hamster.  Babymouse doesn’t have all of her attention on Hammie and Hammie and he gets out of his cage and is lost.  As the story progresses Babymouse thinks of all different types of animals she could have and her mom lets her have some of them but it’s up to Babymouse to keep them from getting out and lost!  You discover that what Babymouse really wants is a dog, does she get one and can she keep from losing it?   

Critical Analysis:

Even though Babymouse is a mouse she has many characteristics that are similar to a humans’ and many of her mannerisms are similar to a child’s.  Many children get incredibly excited at the thought of having their own pet to care for, Babymouse is this way and her facial expressions show that excitement.  She gets frustrated and upset when she loses her pets just the way a child would.  Babymouses mom behaves in a way that many parents would too by lecturing her on how she could lose her animal but giving it another try to help build her confidence as a caregiver.  The simple yet realistic illustrations in Babymouse show these human and childlike characteristics which help a child identify with Babymouse.

How many children have had to flush a goldfish down the toilet?  Probably quite a few, this is a main storyline in Babymouse Puppy Love and one that children will understand.  The plot is logical; she loses one pet and would like to replace it with another.  Babymouse wants to prove she is responsible and can care for animals, very similar to how a child of a certain age would feel.

 I love how a narrator type character pops up throughout the book.  When Babymouse decides she wants to get a hamster the narrator jumps in and asks, “Do you know anything about hamsters, Babymouse?” and Babymouse actually answers the questions looking very pleased with herself by saying, “I got a book!”  It’s a very unique way to write a book and very engaging for the person reading it.

Review Excerpts and Awards:

“The text and illustrations successfully differentiate between reality and daydreams, and there’s a good amount of humor injected into both.” – The Horn Book magazine, starred

“Ruff, ruff!  Four paws up!” – The Canine Courier

Connections:

• The Babymouse series is perfect for pre-teens, Babymouse Puppy Love is a great book to read aloud and discuss different types of animals since so many are mentioned in this book.  Make a poster of all the different animals that live amongst the students in the classroom and discuss them, their needs and how to care for them. 

• In Babymouse Puppy Love there is a daydream where Babymouse is part of another well known book, Charlotte’s Web; this is a great way to segue into reading this book aloud.  She also daydreams of being in a circus and riding a horse on the open range so a teacher or librarian could look for another book dealing with either of these ideas to keep the theme going.   

Joey Pigza Loses Control - Realistic Fiction



Bibliography:

Gantos, Jack. 2000. JOEY PIGZA LOSES CONTROL. New York: Scholastic Inc. 0-439-33898-0.

Plot Summary:

Joey Pigza is a young boy who has ADD and has gone to live with his father for the summer.  Joey and his Dad are looking to start over and get a real father son relationship started.  Joey’s mother is rather nervous about the arrangement and Joey understands why when he sees his father for the first time.  “When I looked in the mirror I could see it in my eyes, and now I could see it in his.  Even with my medicine working real good.  I felt nervous inside he was so hyper.  Now I knew what Mom meant when she said he was like me, only bigger.”  Unfortunately Joey’s summer and the relationship between he and his father does not turn out the way he would have liked. 

Critical Analysis:

The characters in Joey Pigza Loses Control are very real characters; they have characteristics that many children will be able to identify with.  Joey is a sweet young boy who loves his dog Pablo but he also suffers from ADD which is a constant struggle for Joey and his Mom.  Joey’s Mom is a hard worker who wants the best for Joey and it is very difficult for her to drop Joey off at his father’s house for the summer as she is the most familiar with who this man really is.  Joey’s father is someone who has struggled with his own demons for a long time; he has suffered from alcoholism and a smoking addiction but he also suffers from many of the same ADD characteristics that Joey does.  These are all very real characteristics for people to have and ones that are very difficult for anyone to deal with.    

Joey Pigza Loses Control is a great realistic fiction novel for older children and younger teens to read but I wonder based on the subject matter how many children will seek this book out on their own.  The plot line is a serious one, dealing with very serious issues.  I like that the main character is male because I believe there are many books available dealing with similar issues for girls with the main character being female but not so much for boys.  There isn’t any sugar coating these serious subject matters and they are realistically represented within the storyline.  This book is a great way to open a conversation about a serious subject matter such as ADD or alcoholism.  The style in which the book was written is very natural and the way a young teen would actually speak, and the things Joey does are realistic such as play baseball.  At the beginning of the story Joey is bored playing his trumpet so he starts throwing things and pretending he’s throwing things at a moose which ultimately gets him into trouble, this is such a typical boy thing to do! 

Many children have to spend time between parents due to separation and divorce so I am sure many children can identify with the scene within the book where Joey’s mom is dropping him off at his Dads house for the summer.  She gives him emergency quarters for the pay phone if he needs it and an emergency $20.  It is clear she is scared to leave her son which I’m sure many children have seen in the eyes of their own mothers or fathers as they were dropped off to spend time with another parent or caregiver.  Scenes such as this one make this book so incredibly real and identifiable for children.  It’s heartbreaking to think so many children can identify with such aspects of the book but at the same time it’s reassuring to children that others experience similar things and feel the same way.    

Review Excerpts and Awards:

Newbery Honor Book

National Book Award Finalist

ALA Notable Book of the Year

A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

Connections:

• This is a book that would be best read with a parent or teacher out loud to allow a discussion of what is occurring in the story.  This story takes on such topics of ADD, divorce, dysfunctional adults, and alcoholism which can be very difficult for children to understand and then verbalize.  Joey gives a voice to these issues and it’s a great opportunity to have an open discussion or to write down personal thoughts of how any of this has affected each child or if each of them knows of someone that one of these issues has affected.  Creating a conversation about these topics is very important, it would allow a child to ask questions and get answers of why things happen the way they do.  It can be difficult for children to understand adult relationships and why they don't work sometimes or if an adult is suffering from a very serious illness such as alcoholism.

Moon Over Manifest – Historical Fiction



Bibliography:

Vanderpool, Clare. 2011. MOON OVER MANIFEST. New York: Random House. 978-0-385-73883-5.

Plot Summary:

Abilene Tucker’s father Gideon has been put Abilene on a train bound for Manifest Kansas to live with one of Gideon’s friends so Gideon can do work on the railroad.  Abilene is confused about why he would send her off since they’ve always managed before but what starts out as a boring time in Manifest turns into a mystery of who Gideon really is.  Abilene discovers a cigar box of various personal objects including a letter referring to a spy named the Rattler and with the help of her friends Lettie and Ruthanne they seek out the truth of Gideon’s past.

Critical Analysis:

The story of Gideon and piecing together the characters and timeline is a rather difficult thing to do in the audiobook version of Moon over Manifest.  The narrator does not change her voice significantly when speaking for different characters so it takes awhile to figure out who she is speaking for.  The book is listed for ages 9-12 but I am not sure if this book in the audiobook version is the easiest book to follow along with for this age group. 

The plot of Moon over Manifest is a pretty intricate one that brings up points in history that do not have a huge focus in children’s history books.  The Alcohol Prohibition of the 1920’s is a major focus within this story and is an example of this.  I would imagine it would take some additional explaining for children to fully understand that aspect of the story.  Another major point in history during this time period that children may not fully understand is the Influenza outbreak and how towns were quarantined with the intention of trying to control the outbreak.  Children are more familiar with what the flu is but not so much Influenza. 

The storyline and the mystery of who the Rattler is and who Gideon is is really remarkable and interesting but it is my belief there are aspects of the plot line that would require some additional explaining.  I feel for a young child to read or listen to this story on their own might be a little advanced but in a classroom setting read out loud by a teacher or a parent reading it with their child there would be an opportunity to explain certain points in history that a child might not fully understand. 

Overall this story is unique, interesting and entertaining.  Abilene is a sweet, adventurous girl who is put in situations that would scare many girls her own age such as getting on a train by herself and going to live with a man she’s never met.  Watching Abilene form a bond with Ruthanne and Lettie is so sweet because it’s a type of friendship you know Abilene has never experienced before.  You feel for Abilene and cheer for her through this story, hoping she finds what she is looking for in figuring out who Gideon really is.

Review Excerpts and Awards:

2011 Newbery Medal Winner

2011 Spur Award for Best Western Juvenile Fiction

“Readers will cherish every word up to the heartbreaking yet hopeful and deeply gratifying ending.” – Kirkus Reviews

“Replete with historical details and surprises, Vanderpool’s debut delights, while giving insight into family and community.” – Publishers Weekly

“Ingeniously plotted and gracefully told.” - The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Connections:

·         It would be fun for children after reading this story to create a box of personal objects that represent who they are and share them with the class or have the class try to piece together who the person is based on the objects in the box. 

R My Name is Rachel – Historical Fiction



Bibliography:

Giff, Patricia Reilly. 2011. R MY NAME IS RACHEL. New York: Random House. 978-0-375-83889-7.

Plot Summary:

Rachel loves school, books, Clarence her cat and Miss. Mitzy the owner of the flower shop down the street.  Rachel lives in the city with her dad, brother and sister, her mom died when she was about 2 years old.  It’s 1936, The Depression, Franklin Roosevelt is president and Rachel’s father has lost his job at the bank but he has heard of a bank job upstate in North Lake.  This move will require the family and Clarence to Rachel’s relief, to move to a farm without electricity and many unknowns. 

Critical Analysis:

Patricia Reilly Giff gives a voice to Rachel that is so sweet and genuine; she is someone if you were to meet her in real life you’d just love.  She is twelve years old and Patricia Reilly Giff has given an appropriate voice, emotion and feeling to Rachel that is so true to life.  I’m not sure how many twelve year olds would handle taking care of a house and farm, younger siblings and worrying about how to pay rent but Rachel does and it’s a remarkable story.  The relationship between Rachel who lost her mother at a young age and Miss. Mitzy is one to envy.  She was a support for Rachel; it gave her something else to think about during such a difficult time.

The Depression is a time in history that can be difficult to explain to younger children. Patricia Reilly Giff did an amazing job showing the effects of how the Depression effected people but didn’t feel it necessary to go into all of the extreme explanations of how it happened.  It would be easy for an author to get too much into the why’s and how’s the Depression occurred but of course this is not something children will understand.  In real life much of a child’s understanding of something that is above their head is their parents’ interpretation or comments of what is happening so for Patricia Reilly Giff to give phrases such as, “Can’t you ask Uncle Elliot for help with money?  Just until President Franklin Roosevelt fixes the Depression?”  From a child’s understanding they are naive in believing someone can fix something like the Depression and Rachel has that nativity that is so true for children especially children who are thrust into adult situations similar to Rachel’s. 

Review Excerpts and Awards:

“Rich characters and raw, real emotions make this much more than the usual horse story.” – The Horn Book Magazine

“The horror of war is clearly conveyed without graphic specifics, and the historical framework makes this a strong classroom choice.  It is the intertwined, personal stories of the two girls, though, they will win hearts.” – Booklist

“As usual, Giff’s characters are beautifully nuanced and entirely real, her prose is as streamlined and efficient as a galloping Thoroughbred and her quiet ending breaks your heart.  A stakes winner.” – Kirkus Reviews, Starred

“Thoughtfully crafted narratives…alternate between each heroine…As she brings these characters and history alive, Giff again demonstrates her own gift for storytelling.” – Publishers Weekly, Starred

Connections:

·         This book is a perfect opportunity for a discussion and many lessons on the Depression and why it occurred.  There are many layers from a government and business aspect of why the Depression occurred and if explained in the correct manner children can understand the Depression.  A lesson who Franklin Roosevelt was and what he did as our President during the Depression can be included too.  There are many age appropriate Biographies where children can do some research and bring facts back to the class to discuss further.   



Elijah of Buxton – Historical Fiction



Bibliography:

Curtis, Christopher Paul. 2007. ELIJAH OF BUXTON. New York: Scholastic Press. 978-0-439-02344-3.

Plot Summary:

Elijah lives in Buxton, Canada just north of the United States border.  He is proudly the first child to be born into freedom in a settlement of runaway slaves.  Elijah is fortunate to be growing up in an area where he has his best friend Cooter, school and a town full of people that know each other but he will soon see what horrific things the settlers of Buxton had to endure during their days as slaves in the United States.  When one of Elijah’s friends is robbed of the money he was going to use to buy his family out of slavery, Elijah sets off on a journey that open his eyes to a world he is not familiar. 

Critical Analysis:

There is a fine line that authors have to be aware of when writing historical fiction and making sure they do not stereotype characters.  Christopher Paul Curtis does an amazing job writing in a style that is indicative of this timeframe but does it in a way that doesn’t ever come across as offensive or demeaning.  He shortens and combines words to capture how they would be spoken in a more broken English and under educated manner that really makes you realize how little or no education many slaves didn’t receive.  A good example of this type of writing is, “And y’all choosed the most beautifullest, most perfectest day for doing it!  Only thing I’s got to ask is, what kept you?” 

Anyone who reads Elijah of Buxton will realize how much research Christopher Paul Curtis had to do to honor who the characters are and the setting of which the story takes place.  Due to this story taking place in the 1800’s Christopher Paul Curtis had to do enough research on Buxton Canada and slavery to create a visual image in his head so he could describe it accurately in his story.  He stated, “This novel came to me in a way that was far different than any other.  From the word ‘go’ Elijah and I became close friends.  When I’d go to the library to write, it was as if he were anxiously waiting for me, waiting to tell about his life, his worries, his adventures.”  This can be seen, heard and felt in Christopher Paul Curtis’ writing. 

Review Excerpts and Awards:

Newbery Honor

Coretta Scott King Author Award

Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction

TD Children’s Literature Book Award

CLA Book of the Year

Governor General’s Literary Award for Children’s Literature Finalist

Connections:

·         This book discusses slavery, this is a perfect opportunity for children to delve deeper into the United States’ history and learn more about slavery.  Where did slaves come from?  How were they captured?  What states practiced slavery?  A classroom of children could ask questions about slavery, compile a list and each student could be responsible for researching the information and bringing it back to the class and sharing it.  Slavery is a difficult topic to discuss but to do it as an open forum of question and answer would help all students learn and get the information.





Walt Whitman Words For America - Informational



Bibliography:

Kerley, Barbara. 2004. WALT WHITMAN WORDS FOR AMERICA. Ill. By Brian Selznick. New York: Scholastic Press. 0-439-35791-8.

Plot Summary:

At the age of 12 Walt Whitman worked as a printer’s apprentice and within “two years he was setting articles that he himself had written.”  When his first employer gave him a library card he later called that moment as “the signal event of my life up to that time.”  Walt Whitman’s goal was to help his country in some way; he discovered how to do this once the Civil War started.  Walt Whitman dedicated a large part of his life spending time with soldiers who were dying or who were severely injured during the Civil War.  He chronicled his experiences with these soldiers and ultimately wrote a book of poetry about the Civil War.  His experiences traveling the United States, the time spent with wounded and dying soldiers and his personal connection to President Abraham Lincoln shaped Walt Whitman’s poetry and helped make him one of the most famous American poets of our time.

Critical Analysis: 

Not many children or adults are aware of the work that Walt Whitman did during the Civil War; this book does an amazing job explaining everything Walt accomplished, why he did it and his amazing literary end result, Drum-Taps his book of Civil War poetry.  “The Good Gray Poet” wrote “….For all my days---not those of peace alone---the days of war the same…For all the brave strong men---devoted, hardy men---who’ve forward sprung in freedom’s help, all years, all lands….Thanks---joyful thanks!---a soldier’s, traveler’s thanks.”  Between the ways the story was written, so passionately and peaceful, to the beautiful illustrations depicting Walt and his journey it just makes you want to hug the man and say thank you.  At a time when so many men and woman are at war it’s a nice reminder to know there are people out there like Walt Whitman who are giving themselves selflessly to the wounded and dying soldiers.

The family element to this story is so refreshing too, as someone who has an older brother and to think not knowing if he’s harmed or even alive I cannot imagine what lengths I would go to get to him.  That is such a great element to the story and one children need to hear and identify with.  Reading about Walt rushing from hospital to hospital looking for his brother, not knowing what state his brother would be in when he was found was a bit heart wrenching.  It was wonderful to read at the end of the story how close Walt Whitman was to his parents and brothers and sisters, a man to truly admire and one for kids to look up to.

Barbera Kerley and Brian Selznick both stated within the book that they spent a tremendous amount of time researching Walt Whitman and his work with Civil War soldiers.  They were able to pull poems from his original works to incorporate them into the story but an actual photo of Walt Whitman is what began the research for the story.  Brian Selznick looked at many photographs taken during the Civil War times to create accuracy within the illustrations too.  Barbera Kerley and Brian Selznick did an amazing job taking real life information and images and turning them into an informational story that both children and adults will love.

 

 

Review Excerpts and Awards:

New York Times Bestseller

Robert F. Sibert Honor Book

An exuberant picture-book biography that focuses on Whitman's formative years and his selfless work as a Civil War nurse. Delightfully old-fashioned in design, its oversized pages are replete with graceful illustrations and snippets of poetry. – School Library Journal

Connections:

·         I would love to see children research Walt Whitman further, read his poetry, pick out a favorite and read it aloud to the class.  He is such a phenomenal man and I think he goes unrecognized in today’s schools.

·         Abraham Lincoln was mentioned briefly throughout this story; this is a great opportunity for children to research him further to read about his beliefs on slavery in the south and why he fought so hard to abolish it.  I would incorporate books on Abraham Lincoln in with this book and have a full discussion on slavery, why it’s wrong and what it would be like to grow up as a slave. 

Bodies from the Ice - Informational

Bibliography:

Deem, James M. 2008. BODIES FROM THE ICE. New York: Houghton Mifflin Books. 978-0-618-80045-2.

Plot Summary:

Glaciers all around the world are rapidly melting.  The bodies of men, woman and children who died on these glaciers hundreds if not thousands of years ago are being discovered because the ice is melting.  Artifacts that were buried with these bodies are also being discovered, scientists are able to run tests on these bodies and artifacts to help us further understand who our ancestors were, what they ate, how they hunted and how they lived.  Bodies from the Ice features amazing color photographs and drawings to help piece together five different stories about body discoveries made around the world.  The pictures that are included in this story add an amazing visual of what was discovered and the state of which these bodies were discovered.   

Critical Analysis: 

 James Deem does an amazing job piecing these individual stories together to make an incredible informational book.  Children will find amusement in the beautiful pictures that help piece the stories together.  Seeing pictures of bodies frozen in ice and then laid out on tables after they have been excavated adds a gross element that children will find appealing. 

James Deem not only tells the story of how these bodies were discovered but he also explains the terrain of which the person probably traveled, an explanation of possibly how or why the person died, how and why the bodies were discovered, what is going on environmentally that caused the discovery to take place as well as how our current environmental state is effecting the glaciers, our fresh water supplies and then how we can help rectify the situation.  There is so much more to these stories than just the discovery of the bodies alone and anyone who tries to educate children on the environment and how the melting of the glaciers is effecting mankind will appreciate this truly incredible informational book. 

James Deem is a retired college professor who has written many fiction and nonfiction books.  He had never been to a glacier before researching this book but now that he's been he hopes his book will help encourage children to visit a glacier before they are melted.  He wanted this book to be a memorial to the people who have perished in glacier deaths but to the glaciers too.  With this kind of passion one would have confidence in James Deem and him doing all of the research necessary to create such an amazing book. 

 

 

Review Excerpts and Awards:

2009 Robert F. Sibert Informational Award Honor Book

2011 Prairie Pasque Award Winner

Kirkus Reviews’ Best Children’s Books of 2008

Notable Book for Children 2009 - ALA

There are books about melting glaciers and books about frozen bodies, but this attractive offering combines the topics in a way that will intrigue readers. It begins with a chance discovery by walkers in northern Italy who find a thawing corpse originally thought to be from the 1800s. Scientists later realized the body was more than 5,000 years old. As glaciers melt throughout the world, more frozen bodies are appearing, adding greatly to the knowledge researchers have about history and culture. Individual chapters cover types of glaciers and why they are fertile territory for housing bodies; the Chamonix glacier, which saw women climbers in the early 1800s; and the mystery of George Mallory, who died trying to climb Mt. Everest. Perhaps most fascinating to kids will be the chapter on recently discovered Incan children sacrificed to the gods. The pictures of these children, looking as though they might be sleeping, are arresting. Heavily illustrated with historical memorabilia as well as photos of bodies, scenery, artifacts, and rather simplistic maps, this offers a lot to look at and learn about. Grades 4-7. --Ilene Cooper - Booklist

Connections:

·         What is so fascinating about this book is that it covers information on the discovery of bodies that were lost in glaciers but it also takes on an environmental element too.  Students could do science experiments to recreate burials within ice and how the bodies moved.  They could build mini-glaciers and bury objects within the ice and slowly melt the ice to watch how those buried items move down their man made glacier.  Basically replicating the how the buried bodies moved down the glacier over time as the seasons changed and the glacier ice has melted.

·         At the end of the book there is a section on Personal Ways to Help the Environment, many of the suggestions listed are easy to implement.  Have children raise money to buy a tree and plant it on the school grounds.  If the school doesn’t have a compost pile, have them create one with the lunch garbage.    Do a daily news report, have one child each day search the Internet or news sites to look for environment news and then report back to the class.  Have each child keep track of the number of miles their Mom and Dad drives and see who can cut back the most of number of miles driven per family.   

LET ME PLAY - Informational

Bibliography:

Blumenthal, Karen. 2005. LET ME PLAY. New York: Antheneum Books for Young Readers. 0-689-85957-0.

Plot Summary:

Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus for a white person.  Myra Bradwell was the first female lawyer and appealed one of the first sexual discrimination law suits to the U.S. Supreme Court. U.S. Representative Edith Green fought hard to get the Equal Pay Act and Title IX bill’s passed.  It is woman such as these that have helped paved the way for how woman are treated, how educated woman choose to be and the rights woman have that are equal to that of a man’s.  Let Me Play is a compilation of amazing stories of woman and men who have helped make sure that future generations of woman have the same opportunities as men.  These are the people who helped fight for woman's rights so they could play softball, take accelerated math and science classes, and go to law school and medical school.  It is stories such as these that future generations of girls and boys need to hear so they can realize the impact they can make on society. 

Critical Analysis: 

U.S. Representative Mrs. Edith Green was nicknamed by some as Mrs. Green: “Wicked Witch of the West.”  She was liked by some and disliked by many.  She used her southern charm to get the support of her male U.S. Representatives as well as President John F. Kennedy, but she also worked very hard and for many years to get bills passed that she was so incredibly passionate about.  It took 8 years for Congress to pass Mrs. Green’s Equal Pay Act in 1963.  This is the story of a woman who didn’t let anyone stand in her way; she never wavered in her belief that men and woman should be equal.  Mrs. Edith Green is a woman who should be a hero, mentor and role model for children and adults, her story is retold by Karen Blumenthal in such a passionate way that Mrs. Green would be proud. 

Even though Mrs. Edith Green’s bill was signed by President Richard Nixon on June 23, 1972 it wasn’t until late June 1974 that the rules for Title IX were actually laid out.  The new requirements for Athletics were the hot topic, it came down to males and females having equal opportunity in competitive sports but schools did not have to put as much money towards woman’s sports as men’s.  Females were entitled to the “same quality of locker rooms, coaching, travel and equipment as males were.”   The public had an opportunity to weigh in on the new changes and nearly ten thousand comments from the public flooded in.  More revisions had to be made and during all of this Mrs. Edith Green retired after twenty years in congress.  She had reached her goal of having this bill passed but who would have ever imagined there would be such upheaval in the small details of it. 

When it comes to understanding government, the passing of bills and how long it takes for the bills to actually go into effect is hard for many to understand much less children.  Karen Blumenthal does an amazing job of explaining the process, who is involved and how long the process takes.  This is not an easy feat to accomplish when writing a children’s book but she does it beautifully.  I think for many adults, like myself, who don’t have an advanced understanding of everything comes together a book such as this once can really help us understand too.  The book is written in a way that doesn’t speak down to children, it does incorporates pictures with the text as well as short stories of other woman who were making an impact as Title IX was being passed.  A very impressive book to say the least!

Two years were spent scouring archives, academic works and newspapers.  Time was spent tracking down participants and start athletes to help recreate what occurred during this volatile time.  These are all things that Karen Blumenthal did as she was preparing for the creation of Let Me Play.  This is all information that gives a reader that extra confidence that what the reader is actually reading is accurate and well researched information.  Karen Blumenthal put a tremendous amount of time and effort into the preparation for this book and you can tell as it's being read. 

 

 

Review Excerpts and Awards:

 ALA Amelia Bloomer Project

ALA Best Books for Young Adults

ALA Notable Children’s Books

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

Connections:

·         There are many famous people listed in this book briefly.    How many children have heard the brief line, Rosa Parks did not give up her seat on a bus for a white person, was arrested because of her actions but it received National News coverage and was a major turning point in the Civil Rights Movement?  Well there is a lot more to the story than this and more to who Rosa Parks was and this would be a great opportunity for children to delve deeper into who these people were, why they stood their ground and what ultimately happened to them.  A teacher could start off by sharing a story per day of this book, incorporating it into a history lesson and then having each child choose someone to research further to get even a better understanding of how civil rights and woman’s rights have changed over the years.

·         For a younger group there are many civil rights poems and picture books that deal with woman’s rights and civil rights.  Sharing an age appropriate poem or picture book and then following it up with a story for Let Me Play which might be a bit accelerated for the group but a great opportunity for a teacher to interpret what is being said and then opening up a discussion of how the children would feel if someone told them they couldn’t take a science class or play a sport.  This would bring the impact of what occurred during this time period back to a level of which they would be able to identify with.

Button Up! - Poetry

Bibliography:

Schertle, Alice. 2009. BUTTON UP!. Ill. By Petra Mathers. New York: Harcourt Children's Books. 978-0-15-205050-4

Plot Summary:

Button Up! is an adorable children's book compiled of fifteen short poems written from the perspective of various articles of clothing.  Some of the poems are heartwarming, such as Hand-me-down SWEATSHIRT, while others are just down right funny, such as Emily's UNDIES.  These poems are funny, smart and sometimes nostalgic!

Critical Analysis:

This is one of the most amusing children's poetry books.  The animal characters are cute and full of character, the illustrations are full of life, the topic of each poem is so original and each story is very relatable for children and adults.  The tone in Bertie's SHOELACES matches perfectly with the illustration of a cool, purple mohawk and sunglasses wearing character.  There is almost an attitude that is shared between Bertie's character and the phrasing of the poem.  The last line in the poem, "We're hang loose lances and we don't do bows!" is the exact attitude that you see in the illustrated character of Bertie.

The Song of Harvey's GALOSHES  is a fun story of a pig who splashes through puddles with galoshes on.  The way this poem is written is like a song with repetitious lines like "we're together when the sunny weather's gone, weather's gone" that adds such a great element to the story.  You can see the enjoyment of splashing through mud on Harvey's face but the way the poem is written with the repetitious, rhythmic lines and how it sounds as if you can sing the poem matches perfectly. 

Hand-me-down SWEATSHIRT is a poem that brings out a lot of emotion, it makes one think back to their favorite articles of clothing as a child and wonder where they are, who inherited them and were they loved as much as you loved it?  "I've been lost and recovered, been torn and been sewn, been dribbled on, tumbled in, rained on and blown."  This creates such a vivid image and almost gives the sweatshirt a human quality, you want happiness and enjoyment for the sweatshirt like you would a human or animal.  The illustration of a child wearing the sweatshirt standing by the ocean makes this poem almost cozy and warm and rather nostalgic for those who might be able to think back on their own favorite sweatshirt.

Review Excerpts and Awards:

2010 winner of the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award

"The whimsical illustrations pair perfectly with the wittiness of the text, and the whole is a clever and original poetic treat."--Booklist, starred review

"From delicately comical to downright funny, the art perfectly reflects the contagiously rhythmic, playful verse. Made for sharing, and worth learning by heart, too."--Horn Book, starred review

Connections:

• This is such a great book about different articles of clothing, all of which are their owners favorite!  A great school aged children project would be to have an open discussion about what their own favorite clothing item is after reading the book and then having each child write a poem about it would be and how they feel about that item would be so much fun!  The children would benefit from sharing their poems with the class too.  The children should draw an illustration to go along with their poem and then put together a bulletin board in the classroom, hallway or library showcasing their poetry and illustration skills. 

Boy Wonders - Poetry



Bibliography: 

Brown, Calef. 2011. BOY WONDERS. New York: Simon & Schuster. 978-1-4169-7877-0.

Plot Summary:

Boy Wonders is a wonderful rhyming picture book about a boy who is very inquisitive and asks a lot of questions, some of which are strangely obvious questions to ask.  His crazy inquires along with beautiful illustrations bring this book alive and make it so much fun to read aloud and explore the pictures. 

Critical Analysis: 

Boy Wonders is a beautiful rhyming picture book; it is what would be considered typical poetry because of its flow, rhythm and rhyme.  There are such lines in the book as, “Do bees get hives?  Do onions cry?  Is pepper apt to sneeze?  Do paper plates and two-by-fours remember being trees?”  Such great questions that can even stump an adult!  The flow of the book is fantastic, going from one crazy question to the next.  The rhyme of the story changes a little throughout and it is somewhat dependent on the type of question that is being asked by the boy.

“Do sleepwalking lumberjacks hunger for slumbersnacks?  Stacks of flapjacks perhaps?”  What a great tongue twisting line to say out loud that many children would get such a kick out of!  The words and sounds that Calef Brown uses are truly impressive and surprising, they are written in a way that really challenges a child’s vocabulary.  Brown uses such words as dickens, Argonaut, cantankerous and forage, all words that are not in the average vocabulary but are fun to say for children, they are meaningful addition to the overall impact of the story, as well as expand children's vocabulary.  Strangely enough Calef Brown has found the ability to write meaningful phrases and questions and illustrate the most perfect, fun pictures to go along with the crazy things the boy says. 

One of my favorite illustrations in this book is of a toucan dressed in a sweater, hat, boots and scarf.  Calef Brown personified this little character by giving the toucan the greatest expression of disbelief and annoyance on his face with this MASSIVE bill that takes up almost the whole page.  The wording in this poem is so odd but so fun to contemplate, “Would a HAPPY toucan from the Yucatan become cantankerous up in Anchorage or the Yukon?  How about Tucson?”  What an unusual thing to write and so much fun to say!

Review Excerpts and Awards:

2011 National Book Festival Author

Connections:

·         It would be so much fun to read through this book, have children answer the questions Calef Brown’s Boy asks and have them interpret what they don’t understand.  Illustrations can really enable a child to understand words or phrases they wouldn’t understand without the illustrations.  What a fun open discussion that would be to have children yelling out answers about whether they think all giraffes have a high pitched laugh and if gargoyles actually gargle with garlic oil!

What My Mother Doesn't Know - Poetry



Bibliography: 

Sones, Sonya. 2003. WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN’T KNOW. New York: Simon & Schuster. 978-0689855535

Plot Summary:

Sophie is a typical high school student dealing with typical high school issues; boyfriends, friends and where she fits into it all.  What My Mother Doesn’t Know is a lovely story about Sophie, her first love, wanting acceptance from her friends and finding love in the least likely place.      

Critical Analysis:

What My Mother Doesn’t Know is a unique novel written in verse, it is not what someone would consider traditional poetry.  The story is made up of a series of named poems, when you read them all together you have an amazing coming of age high school tale told from Sophie’s perspective.  Each poem is made of up of approximately 3-6 stanzas, each line of the stanza is like a short phrase but the stanza as a whole is a full thought or sentence.  There isn’t any particular rhythm or beat to each poem or the book as a whole, it’s a series of simple, meaningful, moving thoughts that come together to make a complete story. 

As stated previously What My Mother Doesn’t Know is not what someone would consider typical poetry.  The first element that most people think of when they hear the word poetry is that it rhymes and the vast majority of this book does not, for the most part it is written in prose.  There is an example of rhyming poetry within the book called More or Less where Sophie describes her boyfriend Dylan and had she not seen with her eyes everything she loves about him then she thinks she would have liked him less. This is an example of a typical teenage girl trying to understand why she has fallen for Dylan and why she is confused by those feelings.  Needless to say there is a nice flow to the lines and story but the author did not set out to make a rhyming novel written in verse.  This does not take away from the story or the feeling that you are reading something in verse.

There is a part of the story where Sophie begins to feel confused about how different she and Dylan are, the poem is called At the County Fair.  She starts each stanza with the words “If Only” and goes on to describe little things she likes but Dylan doesn’t or vice versa.  This is a turning point in the story that shows that Sophie is beginning to contemplate their differences and if it’s okay to be different.   

Culture Clash adds an element to this story that is completely unexpected; it addresses the idea that some people might not be comfortable with people who are Jewish.  “Dylan says when I meet his mother today I shouldn’t mention I’m Jewish.  I say okay, but can I tell her about the HIV positive thing?  He gives me a look.  I give him one back.”  It is such a simple poem but incredibly meaningful and shows how Sophie will not let someone push her around or make her feel bad for who she is and how she was raised.  This is such a great example to young people to always believe in who you are.

It’s a Beautiful Tree, “So tall and full, with all of its arms swooping up at the tips as if to say, “Ta da!”  This poem continues to describe the afternoon Sophie spent with her friend Murphy and his family, it felt like something out of a movie, you were there experiencing the decoration of a Christmas tree and Christmas songs for the first time with Sophie.  The imagery was so perfect in this poem it made you wish it was Christmas time.

Due to the content of this book and the length it is absolutely for a teen or young adult.  An adult would find pleasure in reading it’s unique style and the familiar story.  The story brings up emotions that many people could identify with and Sophie is a girl that many girls can admire and look to as a good example.  There are little life lessons within the story that are age appropriate for teens.  It’s a great novel written in a style not seen often but a very enjoyable read. 


Review Excerpts and Awards:

“Fast, funny, touching” – Booklist

Claudia Lewis Poetry Award

Winner of the Iowa Teen Book Award (2005-2006)

American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults (2002)

Booklist Editor’s choice (2001)

Connections:

·         Sonya Sones’ books are great books that encourage an open discussion.  Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy is another book by Sonya Sones that is autobiographical about her older sister having a nervous breakdown and being hospitalize.  Books such as Sonya Sones allow an open discussion for teenagers to identify with books and their own experiences.  Teenagers often feel they are alone in their feelings but Sonya Sones books put the teen years in perspective and allow teens to identify with the characters in her books.  Book clubs are a great way for people to identify with characters and share their own experiences, putting teens in small groups to host a book club would be a great lesson.  Having the teens dissect and interpret parts of the story and poem and share experiences is a great learning experience.