International Literature

poetry-2011 USBBY Outstanding International Books list





Bibliographic data
Argueta, Jorge. 2010. Arroz con leche: Un poema para cocinar/Rice Pudding: A Cooking Poem. Ill. Fernando Vilela. Toronto, Ontario: Groundwood Books; Bilingual edition. ISBN-10: 088899981X








Plot summary
A poem about cooking rice pudding told through the voice of a young boy who loves all kind of rice but loves rice pudding best of all. The poem is written in both English and Spanish.

Critical analysis
Arroz con leche is a traditional Latino rice pudding made with milk, sugar and cinnamon. Jorge Argueta who is from El Salvador, has written a delightful “Cooking Poem” about this yummy dish. The poem is written in both Spanish and English. The poem does not lose any of its sweetness in either language because Argueta uses imagery that awakens all five senses. “There is magic in the kitchen” as the process of cooking rice pudding is described as compared to nature and music. “In the kitchen the rice is singing” as it is sprinkled into the pot. “The flames heating the pot /are rainbow hands” and sugar and salt become “Salt stars and sugar snow”.

While a traditional step by step recipe with a list of ingredients, measurements and time would be beneficial for some readers I think that its absence gives readers a chance to make the dish their own by allowing them to make the rice pudding by envisioning it as the narrator does. It reminds me how my abuelita would tell me how to cook a dish when I would ask her for a recipe. There was never an actual written recipe just the knowledge and experience of cooking for so many years that had been passed down from one generation to the next. She too would describe the recipe using analogies and the senses that helped guide her cooking.

The illustrations by Fernando Vilela, who is from Brazil, are done in black ink outlines, earth tone colors and white. The white brings out the ingredients as described in the poem, white raindrops of rice, a waterfall of milk, and salt stars and sugar snow. The boy and his family are drawn with Latino features, brown skin and black hair. The illustrations show the joy the boy has in making his favorite food as his mother lovingly watches and supervises him. Argueta made sure to place an asterisk in the text by parts where adult supervision is needed for children who want to make the rice pudding themselves. The “ribbons” of steam and aroma engulf the home and family in all its sweetness and love.

This “Cooking Poem “about arroz con leche is a delicious treat for the eyes, ears and mouth.

Awards
2011 USBBY Outstanding International Books
2011-2012 Tejas Star Book Award

Review excerpts
Booklist v. 107 no. 5 (November 1 2010) p. 53
“A lyrical, lovely bilingual ode to rice pudding? Well, lovers of that creamy confection won't be surprised at the emotion it engenders. After first telling readers how he likes all kinds of rice--white, brown, fried, stewed--award-winning poet Argueta proceeds, making every step in preparing the dish sound like a great adventure.”—Ilene Cooper

School Library Journal v. 56 no. 9 (September 2010) p. 142
PreS-Gr 3-“A boy goes to the market to buy ingredients for rice pudding. What ensues is a poetic journey of making the sweet treat, step by step. The bilingual text is not a straightforward recipe, but could be followed to make the traditional dish. “ - Shannon Dye, Peoria Public Library, Peoria, AZ

Connections
Jorge Argueta is writing a series of Cooking Poems.
Argueta, Jorge. 2009. Sopa de Frijoles/BeanSoup. Ill. Yockteng, Rafael. Toronto, Ontario: Groundwood Books; Bilingual edition. ISBN-10: 0888998813

Take the ingredients mentioned in the book and with adult supervision make rice pudding.

Write a cooking poem from a recipe for a favorite food.


Picture Book




Bibliographic data
Fox, Mem. 1985. Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge. Ill. by Julie Vivas Brooklyn, N.Y.: Kane/Miller Book Publishers. ISBN: 0916291049






Plot summary
Wilfred lives next door to an old people’s home. He likes to visit with the residents, especially with one lady who has four names like him, Miss Nancy Alison Delacourt Cooper. Then one day Wilfred finds out that Miss Nancy has lost her memory and he wants to know what a memory is. He goes about asking all the residents “What’s a memory?” and they all respond with varying answers what a memory means to them. Wilfred decides to look for memories for Miss Nancy since she has lost hers. He fills a basket with items that fit the descriptions his friends told him what a memory was. The items help Miss Nancy find her memories.

Critical analysis
This sweet story is about friendship and memories. The innocence of young Wilfrid is charming when he asks the residents about the definition of memory and is touching when he tries to find things that will help his friend find hers. Each of his friends has a different meaning of what a memory is, “something warm” “something from long ago” “something that makes you cry” or “something that makes you laugh” “a memory is precious as gold”. Wilfrid takes all their memories and makes some of his own and in return he helps Miss Nancy remember hers.

The watercolor illustrations by Julie Vives are pleasant, sweet and soft. The elderly residents are realistic in their posture and body shape although the bellies do look a bit exaggerated. Wilfrid however looks like a child with boundless energy as he visits his friends.

Mem Fox is from Australia and “Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge” was her first book published in the United States in 1985. With the exception of a word or two like cricket and porridge, the story transcends the globe. Young and old, friendship and memories and memory loss are universal no matter what country you live in or what culture you belong to. Everyone can relate to this heart warming story.

Review excerpts
School Library Journal
The illustrations splashy, slightly hazy watercolors in rosy pastels contrast the boy's fidgety energy with his friends' slow, careful movements and capture the story's warmth and sentiment." – John Peters, New York Public Library

Connections
Storylinonline.com is a website from the Screen Actors Guild where celebrities read children’s books. View and listen to the video of “Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge” read by Bradley Whitford.

Students can interview grandparents or other older adults and ask them what a memory means to them.

Students can create a memory basket using items that fit that description of what a memory means to the characters of the story. They can fill it with objects that are warm, something from long ago, something as precious as gold, something that makes you cry and something that makes you laugh.


Novel- Batchelder Award 2003



Bibliographic data
Funke, Cornelia. 2001. The Thief Lord. Translated from German by Oliver Latsch. New York. Chicken House, Scholastic. ISBN 9780545227704










Plot summary
Prosper and Bo runaway from Hamburg Germany after their mother passes away and their aunt wants to separate the brothers. The siblings go to Venice, Italy because their mother had told them stories about the city. The boys join a group of street children who live in an abandoned theater. The leader of the group is a boy named Scipio who calls himself the Thief Lord. The children survive through petty theft and selling items the Thief Lord steals. The Thief Lord is commissioned to steal a mysterious broken wooden wing and the children set about planning the heist. A detective hired by the brothers’ aunt finds the small band of children and he reveals Scipio’s true identity. The children continue with their planned heist and awaken the owner of the home, Ida. She agrees to let them have the broken wooden wing after she explains its part of a magical merry go round and if she could go with them to the exchange. The adventures that ensue take the children on a journey full of magic and life changing events.

Critical analysis
The story was originally written in German by Cornelia Funke and translated into English by Oliver Latsch. The setting of the story, the city of Venice is very much a character in the story. Prosper and Bo’s mother told the boys many stories about the city’s culture, art, and architecture. The alley and canals served as a great way for the children to lose the adults chasing after them. A map of the city is provided at the beginning of the book to provide readers with a sense of location. The story is a fantasy but the city of Venice is real and is described with so much detail and accuracy that when the fantasy elements come to light halfway through the book the reader may be surprised if the genre is unknown before reading it.

The characters are a diverse group. The group of children includes a girl, a boy of African descent, an Italian, and the brothers who are German. The detective is not a native of Italy but has lived in the city for several years. Although the story was originally written in German, and later translated to English, the Italian language is also part of the story. Characters have Italian names and Italian words and phrases are written throughout the novel. A glossary of Italian words is included at the back of the book.

The story is full of suspense and mystery. It is a story of friends who take care of each like family and people who are searching for a place to belong. When the story moves into the realm of fantasy it takes on the magical quality of a good adventure story for children who want to be adults and adults who want to be children.

Awards
2003 Mildred L. Batchelder Award for Outstanding Translated Book
Child Magazine Best Book of the Year
Parenting Magazine Book of the Year
Zurich Children's Book Award
Book Award from the Vienna House of Literature
Swiss Youth Literature Award
New York Times Bestseller and Notable Book
USA Today Bestseller
Book Sense Book of the Year Award
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
Child Magazine Best Book of the Year
ALA Notable Children's Book
NCTE Notable Children's Book in the Language Art
Winner of the 2005 Young Readers Choice Award (Senior Division)

Review excerpts
The Horn Book v. 78 no. 6 (November/December 2002) p. 754-5
"The story moves at a slow pace, lingering in explanatory dialogue and descriptions of Venice, but the idiosyncrasy and resonance of the central carousel image create a potent, continental atmosphere that laces the tale with a bit of excitement. In the course of pursuing the carousel's mystery, Victor and Ida and the brothers fob off Prospero and Bo's aunt with the kind of child she really wants and band together as a new kind of family—a sweet and comforting conclusion that will satisfy readers whose hearts have been touched by the loyalty and courage of the two brothers and the rewarded generosity of their new foster parents."-Anita L. Burkam

The New York Times Book Review v. 107 no. 46 (November 17 2002) p. 31
"In Germany and England, critics have compared 'The Thief Lord' to a Dickens tale, probably because of its obvious resemblances to 'Oliver Twist.' But it also has the feel of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' with its transformations, disguises, role reversals and revelations, and its final harmonious resolution of destinies. One of the virtues of this splendid novel—Funke's first to be translated into English—is its final vision of youth and age, in which children who have been betrayed by life regain their trust in their elders. In turn, the best of grown-ups find adventure in that most daunting task: protecting the young while giving them the freedom to grow."-Rebecca Pepper Sinkler

Connections
Inkheart Trilogy by Cornelia Funke
Cornelia Funke. 2003. Inkheart. Translated from German by Anthea Bell.
New York. Chicken House, Scholastic. ISBN 0439852706

Cornelia Funke. 2007. Inkspell. Translated from German by Anthea Bell.
New York. Chicken House,Scholastic. ISBN 0439554012

Cornelia Funke. 2008. Inkdeath. Translated from German by Anthea Bell.
ew York. Chicken House,Scholastic. ISBN 0439866286

Writing prompt: If you were to go for a ride on the magical merry go round would you want to become older or younger? Why? What would you do?

Fiction, Fantasy and Young Adult

Fantasy
Graphic novel





Bibliography
Holm, Jennifer L. & Holm, Matthew. 2005. Babymouse Queen of the World. New York: Random House. ISBN 978037583229

Summary
Babymouse dreams of being queen of the world. She also dreams of being invited to Felicia Furrypaws slumber party "the real queen" and most popular kid at school. Her friend Wilson Weasel, whom she's been friends with forever, invites her over to his house on Friday night for movies and Babymouse accepts his invitation. But Babymouse still wants to be invited to Felicia's slumber party. Babymouse has a list of ways to try and get an invitation to Felicia Furrypaws slumber party. She finally gets inivited when she gives Felicia her book report when Felicia forgets her own and asks Babymouse for her book report. Babymouse imagines all the fun things they will do but is dissapointed when Felicia and her friends simply want to play with make up and watch romantic movies. Babymouse tries to fit in but makes a mess of everything. She misses her friend Wilson and realizes she is already "Queen of the World" because she has a friend who doesn't boss her around and accepts her for who she is.

Critical Analysis
This graphic novel is very cute and girly. Tween girls will quickly identify with Babymouse and her struggles to be accepted by the popular girl at school and laugh at her wild imagination and zany daydreams. The illustrations are simple but capture the emotions and antics of Babymouse so well. Babymouse's reality is illustrated in black and white with a touch of pink. Her fantasies are colored with a lot more pink to set them apart. She has a very vivid and wild imagination that helps her deal with her little dilemas. The crazy adventures Babymouse creates in her mind helps her deal with the everyday struggles of school, friends and growing up. It is through her daydreams that Babymouse realizes that she has more fun being herself and hanging out with her true friend Wilson who accepts her for who she is. Babymouse finally realizes she already is the "Queen of the World" because she has "cupcakes, exciting books, sassy style and good friends." Those are all the things a girl needs to be "Queen of the World."

Awards
2006 - Gryphon Award
2006 - ALA Notable Children's Book
2006 - New York Book Show Awards

Reviews
The Horn Book v. 82 no. 1 (January/February 2006) p. 80-1
"Babymouse faces the challenges of a sometimes-cruel world that await her each morning when she reluctantly emerges from under her heart-covered duvet. Each challenge brings its own accompanying daydream, rich in pink hues and dramatic overtones. . . . Babymouse is here to stay, and fans of Fashion Kitty and Captain Underpants will now add her to their collection of well-thumbed volumes to read over and over again."

"Emergent readers will cheer "Babymouse!"-Kirkus Reviews

Connections

website
http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/babymouse/

read other books in the series Babymouse by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm

Create a mini graphic novel about a daydream adventure Babymouse has while in school.





Fantasy
young adult







Bibliography
Gaiman, Neil. 2008. The Graveyard Book. ill. Dave McKean. New York: Harper Collins Publications. ISBN 9780060530921

Audiobook: unabridged read by Neil Gaiman
Format: CD

Summary
A toddler unknowingly escapes a murderer named Jack who has just killed his entire family. The baby walks into a graveyard and his dead mother's ghost implores the ghosts that reside in the graveyard to protect her son. The ghosts that live in that graveyard decide to take care of him and raise him as one of their own. They give him the "Freedom of the Graveyard" and name him Nobody Owens.

Nobody, or Bod for short, has many adventures while growing up in the graveyard. He has been granted the "freedom of the graveyard" and can do most things that ghosts can do such as talk to all the ghosts, see in the dark and fade to make himself unseen. As a young boy he meets a little girl and together they explore the graveyard and the mysteries under the hill. A few years later he winds up getting sucked down a ghouls-gate but manages to get out. The ghosts do their best to educate Bod but he is eager to learn about the world so they reluctanly agree to let him go to school. While there he tries to help some kids who are being bullied and gets noticed in a world that is still dangerous for him. Bod's childhood friend returns to the graveyard and unwittingly takes Bod to Jack. Bod learns who he is and why his family was murdered and uses his wits, what he has learned by experience and what the ghosts have taught him to save himself and his friend. Now that the world is safe for him and he has grown into a young man Bod must leave the graveyard and go out into the world to live his life.

Critical Analysis
"It takes a graveyard to raise a child." A graveyard full of ghosts from different time periods raise an orphaned little boy whose family is just murdered. The story begins with the gruesome murders of a family. The graveyard setting and characters of ghosts, ghouls, and monsters might at first seem scary and creepy but quickly the story shows how much "life" there is in the world of the dead. This book is a mix of fantasy and horror and has the universal themes of good versus evil and about growing up and finding your place in the world. The story is also about the power of love and family. Although this family consists of ghosts, they clearly love and care and protect Nobody Owens as though he were one of their own.

Gaiman has such a witty and wicked sense of humor and writing style. He has created a wonderful cast of characters who are very alive, despite the fact that most of them are dead. The ghosts are the good characters in this story, even the witch ghost. Even though they are dead they still have their human personalities and quirks both good and bad. The ghouls were just bunch of bumbling creatures who are dammed to live a life similar to a vulture, feeding off those unlucky souls who stumble through the ghoul-gate. The Sleer, the scary monster in the hill, is neither good nor evil but simply looking for a master. It is the living who are scary, a greedy pawnshop owner, school bullies and the group that the murderer Jack belongs to, the Jacks of All Trades.

The story has a lot of foreshadowing yet it is full of mystery and suspense. The reader knows that Bod will eventually meet up with Jack but is kept in suspense as to who Jack is and why he killed Bod's family and must finish the job and kill him. While the reader waits for that climatic scene to come, the reader gets to know Nobody Owens and the adventures he has while living in the graveyard.

The story comes full circle at the end as Bod sets out to live his life in the world after having lived in a graveyard amongst the dead. The reader is left feeling sad he is leaving his home and family yet happy that Bod is finally safe to go out into the world and live his life.

Audiobook:
The unabridged audiobook is read by Neil Gaiman himself. His British accent is clear and pleasing to listen to. He reads at an nice even pace with changes in his tone and accent for the diaglogue between characters and the emotions they are experiencing. As the suspense in the story builds so does his suspense in his voice. Each CD begins and ends with music. The music is "Danse Macabre" by Bela Flack on the banjo. The song plays an important part in the chapter "The Danse Macabre" as Bod participates in a dance between the living and the dead and then later realizes that even though he lives amongst the dead, he is really alive. Gaiman's mesmerizing voice and British accent will draw listeners in to the suspense of this fantasy/horror book.

The ghostly illustrations in the book are done by Dave McKean and add a visual element of the graveyard and its inhabitants. The audiobook provided the musical number that plays an integral part in the chapter "The Danse Macabre". Reading and listening to the story in both formats added a multisensory experience to the story and made the fantasy come alive.

Awards
Newberry Award 2009
Hugo Award for Best Novel 2009
Carnegie Medal 2010
Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor Book
Best Indie Young Adult Buzz Book
Audiobook of the Year
ALA Notable Children's Book
ALA Best Book for Young Adults
ALA Booklist Editors' Choice
Horn Book Fanfare
Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Book
Time Magazine Top Ten Fiction
Cooperative Children's Book Center Choice
New York Public Library's 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
New York Public Library Stuff for the Teen Age
Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award (Vermont)

Reviews
The New York Times Book Review v. 114 no. 7 (February 15 2009) p. 15
"While ‘The Graveyard Book’ will entertain people of all ages, it's especially a tale for children. Gaiman's remarkable cemetery is a place that children more than anyone would want to visit. They would certainly want to look for Silas in his chapel, maybe climb down (if they were as brave as Bod) to the oldest burial chamber, or (if they were as reckless) search for the ghoul gate. Children will appreciate Bod's occasional mistakes and bad manners, and relish his good acts and eventual great ones. The story's language and humor are sophisticated, but Gaiman respects his readers and trusts them to understand."

The Horn Book v. 84 no. 6 (November/December 2008) p. 703-
"Lucid, evocative prose . . . and dark fairy-tale motifs imbue the story with a dreamlike quality. Warmly rendered by the author, Bod's ghostly extended family is lovably anachronistic; their mundane, old-fashioned quirks add cheerful color to a genuinely creepy backdrop. McKean's occasional pages and spots of art enhance the otherworldly atmosphere. . . . Gaiman's assured plotting is as bittersweet as it is action-filled—the ending, which is also a beginning, is an unexpected tearjerker—and makes this ghost-story-cum-coming-of-age-novel as readable as it is accomplished."

Connections

other books by Neil Gaiman
Gaiman, Neil, and P. Craig Russell. Coraline: The Graphic Novel. ISBN 9780060825454

Gaiman, Neil. M is for Magic. ISBN 9780061186479

Compare and contrast The Jungle Book and The Graveyard Book
Kipling, Rudyard. The Jungle Book. ISBN 1110013258






Contemporay realistic fiction
young adult






Bibliography
Anderson, Laurie Halse.1999.Speak.New York:Farrar,Straus,Giroux.
ISBN 0374371520

Summary
A traumatic experience during the summer before her freshman year has rendered Melinda Sordino practically mute. She starts of the school year with all her friends hating her because they thought she had called the cops on them during a party. The only friend she has is a new girl to the school. Melinda goes through the motions and attends school but the only thing that interests her is her Art class. She is failing her classes, she starts to skip school, she dresses in baggy clothes, and she loses her only friend. Her only interest is the tree she is trying to create into a work of art for class. When her old friend might possibly suffer the same thing that happened to her, Melinda gets the courage to finally admit to herself what has happened and say something to save her friend from it. She finally begins to heal within herself and slowly speak about what has happened.

Critical Analysis
This contemporary realistic fiction novel is dark, brooding, depressing, funny and hopeful.
The protagonist, Melinda, tells her story through her thoughts and emotions even though she hardly speaks. Melinda's downward spiral into depression and eventual healing takes course over a school year from the first day of 9th grade to the last day of the school year. The book is organized in to four parts, one for each marking period and shows Melinda's grades as they go down as the year progresses.

The high school setting is realistic and sterotypical at the same time. It is those stereotypes that bring a touch of humor to Melinda's story. The teachers are typcial as the weird English teacher, free spirited art teacher and the social studies/coach who yells a lot. The high school officials try to be politically correct in trying to find a proper mascot for the school. The clans or cliques are typcial of most high schools: Jocks, Cheerleaders, Thespians, Goths and Marthas just to name a few. Melinda is the outcast of the school, most people hate her for what they think she did and do not take the time to notice that she is suffering from depression.

Anderson's writing style is bit different than a typical novel. Most of the novel takes place inside Melinda's head. The dialogue that does take place is written like a script. A blank line is left after "Me: ______________________ " to show Melinda's inability to speak her thoughts and emotions. The reader gets to experience all of Melinda's pain with her but does not know the source of it. Melinda refers to her attacker at IT and it is not until Melinda is able to admit to herself about what has happened to her that the reader knows the cause of her depression.

The symbolism of the tree in Art and the tree in Melinda's yard symbolizes her inner turmoil and eventual healing. The only thing Melinda likes about school is her Art class. She is assigned to create a tree into a work of art. It is through Art and a real tree that Melinda slowly tries to work through the immense pain she is suffering. At first she has a hard time time trying to create a work of art that is tree. Then as she slowly comes to terms with her pain she is able to create that tree into a work of art. Anderson spells it out for young readers when the teacher "Hairwomen" talks about symbolism in books. It is easy for young readers to understand the symbolic meaning of Melinda cleaning the tree in the front yard of her home and creating trees as works of art with her depression and healing.

This book is a must read for young adults. It gives a voice and hope to those teenagers who have not found their voice yet to speak out about depression, rape and isolation.

Awards
ALA Best Book for Young Adults
ALA Top-10 Best Book for Young Adults
ALA Quick Pick for Young Adults
Edgar Allen Poe Award finalist
IRA Young Adult Choice
Junior Library Guild Selection
Michal L. Printz Honor Book (American Library Association)
National Book Award Finalist
New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age
New York Times Bestseller List
SCBWI Golden Kite Award
YALSA Popular Paperback for Young Adults

Reviews
School Library Journal v. 45 no. 10 (October 1999) p. 144
"This powerful novel deals with a difficult yet important topic—rape. . . . Anderson expresses the emotions and the struggles of teenagers perfectly. Melinda's pain is palpable, and readers will totally empathize with her. This is a compelling book, with sharp, crisp writing that draws readers in, engulfing them in the story."

Booklist v. 96 no. 2 (September 15 1999) p. 247
"Anderson perfectly captures the harsh conformity of high-school cliques. . . . Melinda's sarcastic wit, honesty, and courage make her a memorable character whose ultimate triumph will inspire and empower readers."

Connections

*view the movie version of the novel "Speak" 2004 compare and contrast the book and the movie

*The last line of the book is spoken by Melinda to Mr. Freeman "Let me tell you about it." after he asks her "You've been through a lot, haven't you?" Write what you think Melinda would tell Mr. Freeman .

other books by Laurie Halse Anderson

Anderson, Laurie Halse. 2007. Twisted. New York: Viking.ISBN 0670061018

Historical Fiction

Bibliography
Erdrich, Louise. 2006. The Game of Silence. New York. HarperCollins. ISBN 0064410293










Plot Summary
Omakayas is a 9 year old Ojibwe girl living on an island in Lake Superior in 1850. A group of people arrive on her island frightened, starved and weather-beaten. They have been displaced by the chimookomanag, or white people, who have run them off their homes and lands. Omakaya's community begins to fear that they are next to be run off their lands. The children play "The Game of Silence" so that their elders can discuss what they need to do to stay safe and keep their lands. Four messengers are sent to further investigate and the book chronicles the year the tribe anxiously awaits their return. During this time Omakayas discovers she has a unique gift and she learns to accept it. Their messengers return and their worst fears are confirmed, they must move to new lands. The Game of Silence is no longer a game, it is a matter of life or death as Omakayas and her family now have to cross enemy territory to reach their new homes.

Critical Analysis
This is the sequal to The Birchbark House. Lousie Erdrich is planning to write a series of books about Omakayas and her family that will span several decades. This book is the second in the series. The story is set in 1850 on an island on Lake Superior. Omakayas is "9 winters old" and white settlers are forcing the Native Americans to move from their lands. The story is rich in culture and what life was like for the Ojibwe nation as they struggled to keep their way of life as white pioneers were overtaking their lands.

The story is third person narrative and told from the viewpoint of Omakayas. The everyday life of Omakayas and her family is described using authentic Ojibwe language and clear details that depict the clothing, food and customs of the Ojibwe people. The book avoids sterotyping all white people as greedy settlers. There is a young girl that Omakayas is friends with, the "Break-Apart Girl", despite a difference in culture and language. There is a good balance of adventure, humor and historical details that tells the fictional story of Omakayas' during this turbulent time of change for Native Americans. The story ends with hope so that the reader will want to continue reading about the life and adventures of Omakayas. "Here, after all, was not only danger but possibility. Here was adventure." Omakayas is ready for the next stage of her life and the reader is ready to read more about it.

Pencil illustrations drawn by Erdrich are sprinkled throughout each chapter depicting the objects, clothing and physical characteristics of the Ojibwe people in the mid 1800's. Erdich is an Ojibwe descendant and this story is a "labor of love" for her as she states in her letter from the author. A glossary and pronunciation guide of Ojibwe terms is included at the end of the book with references provided for further study of the Ojibwe language. The end of the paperback book contains EXTRAS such as a letter from the author, a map of Omakaya's adventures and a guide for readers to create their own family tree.

For young readers in grades 5-8.

Awards
*Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction 2006
*Kirkus Editor’s Choice
*Horn Book Fanfare
*ALA Notable Children’s Book
*ALA Booklist Editors’ Choice
*New York Times Notable

Review Excerpts
The New York Times Book Review v. 110 no. 25 (June 19 2005) p. 14
"Louise Erdrich, the author of many acclaimed books for both adults and children, has embarked on a series nearly parallel to [Laura Ingalls Wilder's ‘Little House’ series] and for the same audience of middle grade readers, but told from an altogether different angle. . . . The first book in the series, ‘The Birchbark House,’ was published in 1999 and covered Omakayas's seventh year. . . . In ‘The Game of Silence,’ the second book in the series, Omakayas discovers with some dismay that she has a special connection with the spirit world. The connection will shape her destiny. . . . In these first books, has Louise Erdrich matched Laura Ingalls Wilder's achievement? I think so. She has created a world, fictional but real: absorbing, funny, serious and convincingly human."

The Horn Book v. 81 no. 4 (July/August 2005) p. 469
"On one tense night, when she has a powerful dream that saves her father's life, Omakayas finally starts to understand her destiny and her gifts. Erdrich's own gifts are many, and here she has given readers another tale full of rich details of 1850s Ojibwe life, complicated supporting characters, and all the joys and challenges of a girl becoming a woman."

Connections
*read other books about Omakayas and her family by Louise Erdrich
Erdrich, Louise. 2002. The Birchbark House. New York. HarperCollins.
ISBN 0756911869

Erdrich, Louise. 2010. The Porcupine Year. New York. HarperCollins.
ISBN 9780064410304

*read "The Little House on the Prairie" series by Laura Ingalls Wilder
compare and contrast the lives of Omakayas to that of Laura Ingalls.

*research the history and culture of the Ojibwe nation

*create a family tree of your own family





Bibliography
Schmidt, Gary D. 2007. The Wednesday Wars. New York. Clarion Books. ISBN 0618724834







Plot Summary
Holling Hoodhood is a seventh grader living in Long Island growing up in the 1960's. Holling is a normal 13 year old boy, he has family pressures, sibling rivalry, he has run ins with bullies, he expereinces his first crush, he thinks his teacher hates him and he has to take a standarized state test.

Intially Holling thinks his teacher Mrs. Baker hates him because he is the only student left on Wednesday afternoons because the rest of his classmates have to attend religious education classes and he doe not. She starts off giving him mundane cleaning chores but then introduces him to the world of Shakespeare. She becomes his mentor and close confidant as she helps him out throughout the school year with the various struggles he encounters. He learns to like reading Shakespeare, he joins the track team, saves his sister a couple of times and comes of age during his seventh grade year.

Critical Analysis
This realistic fictional novel is historical fiction in the sense that it is set during the school year of 1967-1968. Historical people such as President Lyndon Johnson, the Beetles, Bing Crosby and Walter Cronkite are mentioned several times throughout the novel. The assassinations of Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr, atomic bomb drills and the Vietnam War play minor parts of the story that makes it historical as well. Although prominent historical people are mentioned throughout the novel and the Vietnam War does have an effect on the lives of some of the characters in the story, they could easily be replaced with contemporary counterparts of today. Politicians, musicians, celebrities, newscasters, sports players, color coded terror alerts and the war in the Middle East today can replace the historical ones and the basic plot and the theme of the story would not change.

It is simply a story about a seventh grade boy growing up and learning how to deal with the problems that come up in his life. This story is also about the difference a teacher can make in a young person's life. Mrs. Baker is that teacher that has a huge impact on Holling's life. The relationship between Holling and Mrs. Baker is what drives the story. She is there for him when his parents are not and she helps him deal with dating issues and coaches him in running. She introduces him to the world of Shakespeare and Hollings relates the plays to what is going on in his life. Most middle school boys and even girls can relate to some of the experiences Holling has during his seventh grade year. Holling has a very sarcastic sense of humor and it is cute how he uses curses from the Bard. "Toads, beetles, bats" and "pied ninny" are a couple of his favorite ones. It is a clean wholesome coming of age story that young readers will find both funny and poignant.

Awards
*Newberry Honor Book 2008
*ALA Notable Children's Book 2008
*ALA Best Book for Young Adults 2008
*Booklist Editors' Choice 2007
*National Parenting Publications Book Award 2007
*NY Public Library, 100 Titles for Reading 2007
*Book Sense Award Finalist 2007

Review Excerpts
The New York Times Book Review v. 112 no. 50 (December 16 2007) p. 23
"While ‘The Wednesday Wars’ was one of my favorite books of the year, it wasn't written for me. Sometimes books that speak to adults miss the mark for their intended audience. To see if the novel would resonate as deeply with a child, I gave it to an avid but discriminating 10-year-old reader. His laughter, followed by repeated outbursts of ‘Listen to this!,’ answered my question. Best of all, he asked if I had a copy of ‘The Tempest’ he could borrow."

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books v. 61 no. 1 (September 2007) p. 52
"Mrs. Baker would feel right at home in the same faculty room with other such 1960s paragon teacher types as Sandy Dennis and Sidney Poitier, and it's no surprise that Holling comes to appreciate Shakespeare as deeply as he does Mrs. Baker, but running plotlines of both the manic and tender varieties—from rats behind the ceiling tiles to strained attitudes toward a Vietnamese classmate—keep the story racing along. Fans of the author's Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy may be pleasantly surprised to see Schmidt's lighter, even sillier side."

Connections
*read plays by Shakespere
--The Tempest
--The Merchant of Venice
--Macbeth
--Julius Cesear
--Romeo and Juliette
--The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
--Much Ado About Nothing

*research the historical people and events mentioned in the book
--The Vietnam War
--Mickey Mantle
--Martin Luther King Jr.
--Walter Cronkite
--Bobby Kennedy
--The Beetles
--Bing Crosby Christmas Special
--President Lyndon B. Johnson
--Atomic bomb drills





Bibliography
Napoli, Donna Jo. 2006. Bound. New York. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 0689861753






Plot Summary
A Cinderella story set in the Northern Provinces of China during the Ming dynasty.

Xing Xing lives with her Stepmother and half sister Wei Ping. Her parents have passed away and Stepmother is desperately trying to find a husband for her daughter Wei Ping. After the girls father's death, Stepmother has decided to go against his wishes and bind Wei Ping feet so she would be suitable for marriage. Stepmother has no intentions of finding Xing Xing a husband because she is not her biological daughter. Xing Xing is a strong girl who can complete the chores of both girls since Wei Ping cannot due to her foot binding and the pain and infections it has caused her.

Xing Xing finds a little white fish in a nearby spring which grows to be a beautiful white carp. The beautiful fish always goes to her when she goes to the spring and seems to follow her when Xing Xing has to travel to another village to sell dates as medicine to a wandering doctor. Xing Xing believes that the fish is the reincarnated spirit of her mother, who has come to watch over her.

Then the step mother commits an act that dearly hurts Xing Xing so they can attend a local cave festival to find Wei Ping a husband. Xing Xing finds some treasure her mother left behind for her and pretends to be ill so as not to attend the festival with her stepmother and sister. She puts on the green dress, pearls and gold shoes her mother has left behind and decides to attend the fesitval on her own. Fearing she has been seen by her stepmother and sister, Xing Xing runs off and loses a shoe as she flees from the festival. The shoe is discovered and rumors abound that it belonged to a beautiful young girl. The prince hears the rumors, buys the shoe and searches for it's owner and plans to propose marriage to the one whom it fits. He arrives at Xing Xing's cave home, she presents the other shoe and it fits and the prince proposes marriage and Xing Xing accepts.

Critical Analysis
The story follows the basic plot of a typical Cinderella story. Deceased parents, Step mother, step sister, forced to complete manual labor, fairy godmother, (reincarnated spirit of mother), big celebration, from rags to beautiful dress, missing shoe and prince in search of the owner of the shoe ready to propose marriage.

But there is so much more to this Cinderella tale that makes it it's own story. The setting for one is distinctive and rich in the description of the Chinese culture and customs of the time period, the early Ming dynasty in the 1300's. The characters are fully developed characters and not typecast as the typical characters in a Cinderella story, but instead bound by the time and place of the setting of the story. The stepmother is not evil, she is only following the customs and tradtions of her culture and society. The respect for their ancestors spirits and elders and the status of women shows the beliefs of the Chinese culture and the reasons why the step mother is the way she is and the choices she makes. Nor is the step sister bad, she is suffering from the pain of the binding of her feet. Xing Xing and Wei Ping have a close sister relationship and clearly care for each other. Their conversations and the things Xing Xing does for her sister show how much love she has for her. Xing Xing wants to ease her sister's pain and tries to bring joy to her when she brings in the beautiful white fish in a bowl as a pet.

This retelling is also a coming of age story as Xing Xing finds herself and her strength through her experiences. A postscript from the author, Donna Jo Napoli, is included that explains her inspiration and how her version differs from traditional Chinese Cinderella tales in setting and time. She wanted to include the cave homes, foot bindings and "social revolutions of the first Ming emperor". This version is a very interesting retelling of the classic Cinderella tale and introduces readers to a different culture and time through a familiar story.

Awards and Nominations
*ALA Best Books For Young Adults
*CCBC Choices (Cooperative Children's Book Council)
*Charlotte Award Suggested Reading List (NY)
*Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best
*Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award Master List (VT)
*Kansas State Reading Circle Middle School Titles
*Kentucky Bluegrass Award Master List
*Kirkus Editor's Choice NYPL "Books for the Teen Age"
*PSLA Fiction List Publishers Weekly
*Best Books School Library Journal Best Books of the Year
*Thumbs Up! Award Master List (MI)
*Westchester's Choice

Review Excerpts
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books v. 58 no. 5 (January 2005) p. 222
"A retelling of one of the oldest tale types, this deftly written novel creates a unified set of folklife rhythms and nuances and makes them accessible to the modern reader. Xing Xing is a dutiful, honorable daughter who does not think to question most of the customs that bind her to her fate; even when she speaks out for her own welfare in the final scene, her bid for freedom is a moderate one, limited by the opportunities given women in her world. However, her bravery and intelligence, couched in the author's lilting prose and the absorbing details of the historical period, will win her many fans among today's readers."

School Library Journal v. 50 no. 11 (November 2004) p. 150, 152
Gr 5-9-Napoli takes the elements of the traditional Chinese version of "Cinderella" and creates a powerful and moving story........ Napoli retains the pattern of the traditional Chinese tale with only a few minor changes: she sets the story in the northern province of Shaanxi during the Ming dynasty rather than in a minority community in southern China. She fleshes out and enriches the story with well-rounded characters and with accurate information about a specific time and place in Chinese history; the result is a dramatic and masterful retelling.

Connections
*read picture book Cinderella stories of different cultures
* research the Ming Dynasty of China
*research the practice of binding feet in ancient China
*write your own version of a Cinderella story set in modern times or based on your cultural heritage.

Nonfiction: Informational books and Biography

Bibliogrpahy
Kerley, Barbara. 2010. The Extraordinary Mark Twain (According to Susy).Ill by. Edwin Fotheringham. Scholastic Press. ISBN 978-0-545-12508-6

Summary
Thirteen year old Susy writes a biography about her famous father Mark Twain. This is the story of Susy during the year she wrote her biography about her dad. Actual quotes from her dad and Susy herself tell the story from when Susy decides to write about her dad to when she stopped having filled over 130 pages. Inserted within each double page layout is a mini journal two page spread with Susy's actual writing.

Critical Analysis
A biography within a biography. The design of this picture book biography is a unique way to tell the story about someone's life who happened to write about the life of someone famous as seen through their own eyes, as a family member and not the public persona. Quotes from Susy and Mark Twain himself add to the authenticity of the book. The illustrations were done in digital media and are large and take up the whole double page layout. The illustrations set the time period and reflect the personality and character quirks of Mark Twain. A selected time line of Mark Twain's life and author's note about the man himself and Susy give a brief history of their lives. It also explains what sparked Kerley's idea to write about Susy Clemens. Kerely also provides tips on "Writing an Extraordinary Biography...with a lot of help from Susy." Essentially the tips are woven within the text telling how and why Susy wrote about her father. Young readers may not be familiar with Mark Twain yet but they will learn a few facts about him and his daughter. This book will inspire children to write about their own family members and maybe even read books by Mark Twain.

Awards
2010 CYBILS Nonfiction Picture Book Award Best Children’s Books 2010
-- Publishers Weekly Best Books 2010
-- School Library Journal Best Books for Children and Teens 2010
-- Kirkus Reviews Best of 2010: Books for Young Readers
-- Washington Post A Junior Library Guild selection 100 Titles for Reading
and Sharing
-- New York Public Library Eureka! Nonfiction Children’s Books Gold Award,California Reading Association
--Oregon Book Award Finalist
--NCTE Orbis Pictus Recommended Book Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People
--Notable Children’s Book in the English Language Arts
--CCBC Choices 2011
--Nominated for the Texas Bluebonnet Award 2011-2012

Review Excerpts
The New York Times Book Review v. 115 no. 20 (May 16 2010) p. 15
"[Mark Twain's] 13-year-old daughter, Susy, in secret, chronicled his life. From her notes, the source of a great new book—‘The Extraordinary Mark Twain’—you can conclude either that he was the best father who ever lived, or that he was simply favored by his era, that time before muckraking memoirs and celebrity-daughter tell-alls. Or perhaps a bit of both. . . . Ages seven to eleven."

The Horn Book v. 86 no. 1 (January/February 2010) p. 101-2
At age thirteen, Susy Clemens wrote a biography of her father, Mark Twain, an undertaking that informs this unusual account covering both Susy as biographer and Twain as biographee. . . Separate fonts represent Kerley's narrative, Susy's direct quotes, and Twain's own words. Fotheringham's muted palette and large, sturdy illustrations provide discreet counterpoint to this complicated design. The target audience may not be familiar with Twain's work for a few more years, and Kerley's author's note references . . . may be lost on middle-grade readers. The art of writing is not, however, and an appended guide to writing biographies sums up Susy's approach."

Connections
Barbara Kerley provides tips for young readers to write a biography of member of their family.

Read other books by Barbara Kerley
Kerley, Barbara. Walt Whitman: Words for America. Ill. Brian Selznick. New York. Scholastic Press. ISBN 9780439357913

Kerley, Barbara. 2008. What to do about Alice: How Alice Roosevelt broke the rules, charmed the world, and drove her father Teddy crazy!. Ill. by Edwin Fotheringham. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0439922313

Read books by Mark Twain
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
The Prince and the Pauper A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court

Bibliogrpahy
Simon, Seymour. 2000. Gorillas. New York. Harper Collins. ISBN 0060230355

Summary
The physical characteristics, behavior, communication, diet and family life of gorillas is described. Each double page spread layout has a full page color photograph of a gorilla and the oppostie page contains informational text about the lives of gorillas. Simon writes at a level that is appropiate for elementary school students to read and easily understand.

Critical Analysis
This photo essay book has captivating full page photos of gorillas next to a full page of text. The narrative style of Simon is easy for children to read and understand. The narrative flows as it begins with a descpriton of three different species of gorillas and continues with a description of their physical characteristics, family life, diet, communication, vulnerabilities and efforts to save gorillas from extinction. Simons makes connections young readers can easily relate to such as "Like human children young gorillas spend a lot of time playing."
A map of the locations where gorillas live would be helpful for children to view but was lacking in the book. Children who mistake gorillas for fearsome creatures will learn about their gentle, peaceful lives and human like qualities after reading this book.

Review Excerpts
The Horn Book v. 76 no. 6 (November/December 2000) p. 773
"While the stunning, highly expressive photographs dominate in space and impact, Simon's concise and child-friendly writing means that a fairly full picture of gorilla behavior, physiology, habitat, and daily life is amply conveyed in just sixteen pages of text. . . . The constant comparisons to humans—while helping children understand concepts, and emphasizing that indeed 'gorillas and humans share ninety-eight percent of their DNA'—do present the danger of misinterpretation. Statements such as 'If you gaze into the eyes of a gorilla and think how human it looks, you won't be far wrong!' can lead to a false conflation of human and gorilla behavior patterns. . . . The book ends on a strong conservationist note, which should resonate with readers who empathize with the peaceable animals portrayed in this book."

School Library Journal v. 46 no. 10 (October 2000) p. 153 Gr 3-6
A clear, concise picture of these endangered creatures and their lifestyle. Simon includes information on the three gorilla species and their physical differences, their habitats, diet, daily habits, various behaviors, and decreasing populations. The extremely handsome, oversized color photos enhance the readable text and complement it perfectly. Sadly missing is a map so that children can see how restricted the gorilla's range has become. However, this attractive, informative book certainly deserves a place in all collections, even those already holding Paul Burgel's well-written Gorillas (Carolrhoda, 1993).-Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

Connections

Children can draw pictures of gorillas.

Find documentaries about gorillas and view them.

Smithsonian Collins Series: Harper Collins Publishers
Other animal books in the series
Cats, Dolphins, Dogs, Snakes, Spiders, Sharks, Penguins, Wolves, Whales, Snakes

Fiction books about gorillas
Rathman, Peggy. 1994.Goodnight, Gorilla. New York. Putnam. ISBN 9780698116498

Osborne, Mary Pope. 2002. Good Morning Gorilla (Magic Tree House series #26. New York. Random House Books for Young Readers. ISBN 9780375806148

Durango, Julie. 2010. Go-Go Gorillas. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9781416937791

Other nonfiction books about gorillas
Thompson, Sarah L. 2006. Amazing gorillas (I can read. New York. Harper Collins. ISBN 0060544619

Redmond, Ian. 2000. Eyewitness books: Gorilla, Monkey and Ape. DK Children. ISBN 9780789460363

Turner, Pamela. 2005. Gorilla Doctors: Saving Endangered Great Apes. New York. Houghton Mifflin Books. ISBN 0618445552

Bibliography
Deem, James M. 2008. Bodies From the Ice: Melting Glaciers and the Recovery of the Past. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 9780618800452

Summary
The book covers frozen mummies that have been discovered all over the world, from the Alps in Europe, to the Andes in South America, to Mount Everest in Asia to a glacier in British Columbia. The book starts with an account about the discovery of a 5,300 year old frozen mummified full body of a man on the Niederjoch Glacier in the Otztal Alps. The second chapter describes and explains how glaciers move and how bodies have possibly become trapped in the ice and moved along with the glaciers. A brief history of how human viewed glaciers centuries ago and how some people who became interested in exploring and studying glaciers is described in the next chapter. Not all frozen mummified bodies were the results of accidents. Some discoveries of frozen mummies were the result on an intentional sacrifice. Frozen mummies of children were discovered in the Andes in chambers built by the Incas to please their gods. Another chapter describes the mystery behind an expedition by George Mallory and Andrew Irvine to be the first person to reach the summit of Mount Everest. The last chapter is dedicated to the slow disappearance and preservation of glaciers.

Critical Analysis
This children’s book is an historical and informative book about glaciers and how bodies have been mummified and discovered many years later. It begins with the most famous discovery, Otzi, and ends with an informative chapter about the uncertainty of the loss of glaciers and the effect it would have on the world. Each chapter describes the frozen mummies found on different continents of the world. It is a well researched book that describes the histories and discoveries of frozen mummies and the scientific explanation of glaciers and investigations of the bodies. The text features it includes are contents, photographs, maps, illustrations from the past,captions, textboxes,lists,index, acknowledgments and bibliography.

The photographs of glaciers are breathtaking and the photos of the mummies are intriguing. The photos of glaciers next to past photos and drawings give readers an eye-opening view to the significant changes that have occured on glaciers. "But such remarkable discoveries have a high price." writes Deem. The melting and retreating glaciers have allowed the frozen mummies to be discovered in recent years but we may soon lose that history and the wonder of those giant glaciers if it continues at the same rate it has within the past century. Bodies from the ice is a well written book that clearly explains this to readers.

The audience is for children in grades 5-8, but the book can be enjoyed by adults as well.

Awards
--2009 Robert F. Sibert Informational Award Honor Book awarded by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association
--Finalist for the 2010 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books --Kirkus Reviews' Best Children's Books of 2008
--Notable Book for Children 2009 chosen by the American Library Association
--2009 Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students K-12 chosen by the National Science Teachers Association and the Children's Book Council
--2008 New York Public Library, 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
--Capitol Choices Noteworthy Book 2009 (10-14)

Nominated for:
--The Young Hoosier Book Award, Middle Grades, 2010-2011
--The South Dakota Library Association Prairie Pasque Awards for Grades 3-5, 2010-2011
--The Garden State Teen Book Award for Nonfiction Grades 6-12, 2011

Review excerpts
Science Books & Films v. 45 no. 2 (March/April 2009) p. 70-1
"Deem has compiled a highly useful and readable volume on a unique aspect of human history and prehistory. . . . The book is small, but accurately portrays the process of science from discovery to investigation. A general audience would benefit from reading it, and it is appropriate as well for junior high and high school audiences. The book could also be used for classroom discussions."

The Horn Book v. 85 no. 1 (January/February 2009) p. 111 "
[This book] comfortably sits at the intersection of several disciplines: anthropology, archaeology, geography, glaciology, and history. . . . Deem gives his readers a brief primer on glaciers before treating them to a tour of mummified bodies found in ice. . . . Glaciers—and the preserved past they offer up—give us an intriguing peek into various cultures, yielding information on everything from human sacrifice to occult superstition to sporting endeavors. . . . The book design, with its variety of photographs, captions, and sidebars, seals the appeal."

Connections
Other books by James M. Deem and frozen mummies
Deem, James M. 2005. Bodies from the Ash: A life and death in Ancient Pompeii. Boston. Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 9780618473083

Deem, James M. 1998. Bodies from the Bog. Boston. Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0618354026

Dubowski, Mark and Dubowski, Eathy East. 1998. Ice Mummy: The Discovery of a 5,000-Year-Old Man. New York. Random House. ISBN 0679856471

Poetry

Bibliography
Grandits, John. c2007. Blue Lipstick: Concrete Poems. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 9780618568604






Plot Summary
Jessie is a 15 year old freshman in high school who plays volleyball and the cello. She fights with her little brother. She wants to stand out in the crowd yet she wants to fit in. She feels misunderstood. She is full of angst. She is a typical teenage girl. She writes poetry to express her thoughts and emotions. She writes her poetry in concrete form. The poems take on the shape of the subject of the poem. Some of the things she writes about are: a bad hair day, her teachers, her parents, her cat, her friends, her family, playing volleyball and the cello.

Critical Analysis
This book is written by a grown man, John Grandits but it totally has the voice of a teenage girl. He capture’s the angst so well. Most teenage girls will be able to relate to Jessie and her daily life’s trials and tribulations.

The concrete poems were written using over 50 different typeface fonts. The use of a variety of typeface fonts make each concrete poem unique and somehow fits with each topic. For example the poem "Grownups Talking:" uses a few different fonts to distinguish between the questions and comments Jessie hears from adults and her thoughts. The use of fonts is also cleverly used to describe the differences between Jessie and her friend in "Silver Spandex" as the lines of the poems are written to take the shape of a guitar and a cello.

Some drawings are mixed in with the poem to add effect. For example "The Wall" is a free verse poem written on the background of a brick wall with names and small descriptions of people in Jessie's life on both sides of the wall.

Other poems you have to twist and turn the book around to read it but that only adds to the effect of how most typical teenage girls think and feel. "Bad Hair Day" is an excellent example of this. It is about one day when Jessie decides to color her hair blue and then regrets it after it is done because it did not have the desired effect. The lines of the poem take the shape of her hair. The page is black with a simple line drawn as the top of a head and two eyes. Half of the head has white text that represent her bleached hair, and the other half has blue text and the lines go in different directions to represent the blue dyed hair gone bad.

Although Boo Boo kitty yawned at Jessie’s reading of her English Assignment to “create a poem for someone you love: then read it out loud to him or her.” Boo Book kitty did have fun playing with it and loved it so much that she ate it. You will not yawn while reading these poems but you will have so much fun reading them that you might want to eat one up, just don’t puke it back up like Boo Boo kitty.

Review Excerpts
The Horn Book v. 83 no. 4 (July/August 2007) p. 408-9
Grandits playfully, and quite effectively, channels a teenage girl's dreams, anxieties, and pet peeves—all in a series of concrete poems, no less—in this much stronger follow-up to Technically, It's Not My Fault. We first meet ninth-grader Jessie on the book's cover, as she's busy defending her lipstick purchase. . . . Her words (i.e., the poem) form the frame kissed by electric-blue lips. It's a cover that'll grab adolescent girls' attention—and the poetry inside is equally appealing. . . . It's to Grandits's credit that his protagonist isn't confined to a 2D existence. She leaps right off the page, in turn feisty and insecure."

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books v. 61 no. 1 (September 2007) p. 26-7
"While the entries are absolutely prose rather than poetry, and it would have helped tremendously to have an up-front clue that this is a narrative series rather than a collection of discrete elements, the sequence is genuinely clever and effective. . . . Design is friendly and accessible, with black complemented by a cool peacock blue that offers contrast in both typeface and shaded backgrounds, and the multiplicity of fonts (identified on the last page) are thoughtfully employed. This has enough acuity to appeal to fans of sophisticated poetry and enough energy to draw those who find the sophisticated stuff merely dull, and it will undoubtedly inspire a multitude of curricular uses."

Awards
LEE BENNETT HOPKINS POETRY AWARD, 2008 Honor Book, United States.

SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA JOURNAL BEST BOOKS, 2007

Notable Children's Books, 2008 ALSC

Connections
Students can create and write their own concrete poems.

The author's note is a poem titled "Pocket Poem". It is about a few poems the author keeps in his pocket to carry with him daily “in case of an emotional emergency.” Students can read poems and find a few favorite ones to carry their pocket and read it whenever they need a “little snack for the soul”.

Read "Technically, It's Not my Fault: Concret Poems" also by John Grandits. This book is a companion book for Blue Lipstick. It contains concrete poems written by Jessie’s little brother, Robert.

Grandits, John. 2004. TECHNICALLY, IT'S NOT MY FAULT: CONCRETE POEMS. NewYork: Clarion. ISBN 061842833X







Bibliography
Singer, Marilyn. 2010. Mirror Mirror. Illus. by Josee Masse. NewYork: Dutton. ISBN 0525479015







Plot Summary
Mirror, Mirror is a book of reversible verse. The poems can be read forward and backwards. Traditional fairy tales and folk tales usually have a hero and villain. Each side is presented in a short poem and if you flip the poem and read it backwards, the other side's viewpoint is revealed. Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, The Ugly Duckling, Snow White, Jack and the Beanstalk, Goldilocks, Hansel and Gretal, Rumplestiltskin, The Frog Prince, and Beauty and the Beast are the tales used to tell these reverso poems.

Critical Analysis
Reverso is a form of poetry that is written to be read forward and backwards. It take a different meaning when it is read backwards. Here is an example of what reversible verse looks like that is on the back cover of the book.

UP
or
Down-
A poem
in
a puzzle


A puzzle
in
a poem-
Down
or
Up

It is a clever poetic devise and works well with fairy tales and folktales. Most of the poems present the hero and villian's view. It works well with some poems such as "In the Hood" which presents the perspective of Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf. There are other poems such as "Rapunzel's Locks" in which it was hard to tell which character's voice was used for the poems. Another poem, " The Doubltful Duckling" present the point of view of the ugly duckling and his struggle with self acceptance of his looks.

Each double page layout has two poems and an illustration. The illustrations are brilliantly designed to also tell both sides of the story. A scene from each tale is spilt in half showing both the sides of the story and poems. The split flows from one character/poem to the other seemlessly with contrasting colors or alternating light and dark colors.

Reversible verse is a new and interesting way to tell old fairy tales and folk tales. Children will have fun reading the poems and identifying with the characters from each poem. Adults will marvel at the brillance it took to write the poems and the choice of words to make the poems work as reversible verse.

Review excerpts
The Horn Book v. 86 no. 2 (March/April 2010) p. 79-80
"Through a poetic invention she dubs the reverso, Singer meditates on twelve familiar folktales, and, via the magic of shifting line breaks and punctuation, their shadows. . . . In the main, the poems are both cleverly constructed and insightful about their source stories, giving us the points of view of characters rarely considered. Similarly bifurcated illustrations, Shrek-bright, face the poems. . . . Primary, intermediate."

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books v. 63 no. 8 (April 2010) p. 353
"Talented poet Singer here creates her own poetic form, dubbed by her ‘reversos’: a verse that reveals a different poem when the lines are reversed bottom to top, with changes only in punctuation, capitalization, and line breaks. Fourteen such top-to-bottom/bottom-to-top pairings are featured, all focusing on folklore, most on particular tales, and the result is neatly, astonishingly clever."

Awards
Cybils (Children’s and Young Adult bloggers’ literary awards) Award in Poetry 2010

Connections
Read the original versions of each fairy tale or folk tale.

Young students can identify which character's voice is telling the poem.

Older students might try to compose a sentence or two that can be read forward and backwards. Only punctuation and capitalization is allowed to be changed, not the words.










Bibliography
Frost, Helen. 2008. Diamond Willow. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 0374317763









Plot Summary
Willow is a normal 12 year old Athabascan girl who lives in a small town in Alaska. She is a typical 12 year old, trying to find herself and her place in her world. She wants to be independent and begs her parents to allow her to mush the family dogs to her grandparent’s house, 12 miles away. Her parents reluctantly agree and Willow sets off on her first solo trip. Along the way the spirits of her past ancestors watch over her in various animal forms. Her first trip was successful but on her return trip she takes a turn to fast and runs into a fallen tree which blinds the lead dog, Roxy. Willow’s parents decide that Roxy must be euthanized and when Willow realizes what they plan to do she decides to take Roxy to her grandparent’s house to save her. Willow convinces her best friend to go with her and the two girls take off and along the way a snowstorm starts. They veer off the main trail and have trouble finding their way back before it gets dark. The girls take refuge under a spruce tree for the night. They survive the night and Willow makes it to her grandparent’s house with Roxy. Willow’s parents are relieved she is OK and she convinces them to keep Roxy. They decide it is time to let her know about a family secret and the significance of everything in her life comes to light.

Critical Analysis
Most of this story is told in free verse, diamond shaped poems for Willow’s narration and prose for her ancestors who are reincarnated into animals that Willow encounters on her journey. There is another poem told through bolded words within each diamond poem.

The imagery of the diamond shaped poem is significant because not only is it Diamond Willow’s name, it is also symbolizes her life. The diamond willow tree takes it name because when the bark is removed, sanded and polished, there are reddish-brown diamonds with a dark center. The center is the scar of a missing branch that had broken off. It is easy to envision the diamonds on the wood through the different shaped diamond form of each poem. The bolded words within each diamond shaped poem, which are meant to resemble the scar of the missing branch, reveals another poem which is Willow's journey to self discovery.

This story could have easily been told in prose but the diamond shaped poems have so much significance in this story that part of its emotional impact would be lost. It would just be another story about a young girl’s journey of self discovery.

Review Excerpts
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books v. 61 no. 10 (June 2008) p. 424-5
"Frost invents an ingenious poetic form for her story. . . . Interspersed with [the] poems are prose passages from the perspective of Willow's late ancestors and relatives, whose spirits now inhabit animals that watch over the girl as she ventures into the fraught territory between childhood and adolescence. Frost has spun metaphoric gold out of an evocative natural landscape, and she knows just how to craft it into an elegant and moving story of a young girl's deepening understanding of the relationships she shares with those around her."

The Horn Book v. 84 no. 4 (July/August 2008) p. 444
"The first-person, present-tense narrative is typeset in diamond shapes echoing the pattern of diamond willow wood. Bold-faced words at the heart of each diamond hold an additional nugget of meaning. As a dog and dogsled story, this has appeal and wears its knowledge gracefully. Considerably less graceful is Frost's inclusion of animal guides who are the spirits of Willow's deceased relatives and who function as fairy-godmother figures to assist her; the blend of realism and magic-cum-religion stretches credulity just a little too far."

Connections
Students can write their own diamond shaped poems.

Students can read books about Alaska and dog sledding.

Traditional Literature

Bibliography
Pinkney, Jerry (2009). The lion and the mouse. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0316013560

Plot Summary
In the African Serengeti, a mouse fleeing an owl and runs up onto the back of a lion only to find herself in his paws. The lion releases the mouse. The mouse returns to her burrow and family of eight baby mice. Later that day, the lion gets trapped in a net set by hunters. Upon hearing the lion’s roar the mouse rushes to the lion and chews on the ropes until the lion is set free. The mouse takes a piece of rope to her babies and the Lion returns to his family of five cubs. The mouse family and lion family become friends.

Critical Analysis
This gorgeous picture book retells Aesop’s fable, “The Lion and the Mouse” using only illustrations and a little bit of onomatopoeia. The beautiful illustrations were done using pencil, watercolor and colored pencils on paper. The pictures depict the African Serengeti in rich color and detail. The lion and the mouse are not the only animals in the story, zebras, monkeys, giraffes, and elephants are just a few animals that make the setting very realistic. The only text used in the story is the sounds the animals make. This picture book could easily be imagined as an illustrated version of an event that was caught on film by scientists who film documentaries of animals in the wild.

Aesop’s fables are short, but Pinkney's version is a full story, vivid and exciting. “Readers” who are unfamiliar with Aesop’s fables may not know that the mouse bargained for his life and promised to one day return the favor. Although that detail is omitted through the lack of text, the illustrations clearly show the interaction between the animals. The eyes of each creature are expressive and the “reader” can imagine the conversation taking place between them. Those few words of onomatopoeia that are used are enough to capture the emotions of the animals. From the small “ GRRR” to the little “squeak”s to the large “RRROAARRRRRRRRRRR”, even the size of the fonts used exclaim the emotions of the creatures. Although the moral of the fable, “Little friends may prove great friends” is not stated in the story, it is evident in the actions of the mouse. The mouse looks around upon hearing that great, big roar and quickly goes to the aid of the lion to help him in his time of need and return the favor of releasing her. The added element of each creature reuniting with their families adds to the story and the moral that no matter how small and insignificant you may seem everyone on this Earth has an important role in life.

Review Excerpts
The Horn Book v. 85 no. 6 (November/December 2009) p. 658-9
"By retelling Aesop's fable entirely in his signature pencil and watercolor art, Pinkney encourages closer exploration of the pleasing detail with which he amplifies it. The mouse has just escaped an owl when she makes the mistake of running up the lion's back; his decision to let her go, over three full spreads, is all the more eloquent for being wordless. . . . On every page, this beautiful book suggests even more than it tells about its real setting, and about that fabulous world where such bargains are made. . . . Preschool, primary."

School Library Journal v. 55 no. 9 (September 2009) p. 146
“The ambiguity that results from the lack of words in this version allows for a slower, subtle, and ultimately more satisfying read. Moments of humor and affection complement the drama. A classic tale from a consummate artist.” Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library

Connections
Other versions of The Lion and the Mouse
The Lion and the Mouse by Bernadette Watts Edith M.B.B. and Aesop
ISBN 0735821291

Other traditional tales by Jerry Pinnkey
Little Red Riding Hood ISBN 0316013552
Little Red Hen ISBN 0803729359
The Ugly Duckling ISBN 068815932X
Three Little Kittens ISBN 0803735332

Children can write the story of The Lion and the Mouse in their own words using the pictures by Jerry Pinkney as a guide.

Children can research information about mice and lions

Children can read other fables by Aesop.




Bibliography
Lowell, Susan (1992). The Three Javelinas. Ill. Jim Harris. Luna Rising: Bilingual Edition ISBN 0873586611






Plot Summary
One day three little javelinas living in the Sonoran Desert decide to trot away and seek their fortune. Soon the path divides and each goes their separate ways. The first javelina gets caught in a whirlwind and lands in some tumbleweeds and he decides to make a house with them. The coyote smells the “juicy piggy” and asks the javelina to let him in, to which the javelina replies “Not by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin!” So the coyote huffs and puffs and blows the tumbleweed house down but the javelina manages to escape. The second javelinas encounters a Native American woman who is gathering saguaro ribs to knock down cactus fruit and he decides to build a house using the sticks. The first javelina finds his brother and the two take a rest from the heat. The coyote soon finds them and again he asks to enter their house, to which the two javelinas reply “Not by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin” The coyote proceeds to blow the house down but the javelinas escape into the desert. The third javelina, a girl, meets a man making adobe bricks from mud and straw and asks him for a few bricks to make herself a house. The brothers find her and take refuge in her house. The coyote has followed the brothers and tries again to blow the house down but is unsuccessful. So he decides to enter the house through the stove pipe. The girl javelina quickly lights the stove and the coyote is burned and he runs away. When you hear a coyote howling at night, it is the coyote remembering what happened to him when he tried to eat the three little javelinas.

Critical Analysis
This retelling of the classic folktale, “The Three Little Pigs’ is a full of southwestern flavor. The setting is the Sonoran Desert, in the Southwestern part of the United States. Three cultures mix together, Anglo, Native American and Mexican in the Southwest to form a culture of it's own. The story is presented in both Spanish and English and is equally engaging in both languages. The familiar refrains of “The Three Little Pigs, are used along with language that reflects the cultures and region. The text and illustrations capture that southwestern style through the earth tone colors, people, animals and items used to build the homes. The javelinas are dressed in clothes typically associated with cowboys and the desert. Tumbleweeds, saguaro cactus ribs, and adobe bricks fill in nicely as straw, sticks and brick from the traditional tale, to make it uniquely southwestern in style.

Real javelinas and coyotes live in the deserts of the southwestern area of North America and throughout Central and South America. Javelinas are not true pigs but are part of the swine family. They look very much like a very hairy pig. They do indeed have a hairy “chinny, chin chin” so that familiar chant from other versions/variants of “The Three Little Pigs” fits so well here.

This version is also a bit of a pour quoi tale as it explains why the coyotes howl at night. Coyotes are often characterized as tricksters in Native American tales from North America. The coyote that purses the javelinas is no different here as he tries to trick the javelinas into letting him in by huffing and puffing and blowing down their homes, exactly like the wolf in the traditional versions.

The three javelinas consist of two males and one female. It is the female who builds the strongest house and is smart enough to quickly light the stove before the coyote could enter. Girls will like that added twist because traditionally the pigs are all male.

This version of “The Three Little Pigs” is a wonderful story that kids will love to listen to or read. Children that live in the Southwest part of the United States will relate to it and other children can learn a little bit about it. Bilingual kids will especially like it that it is written in two languages.


Review Excerpts
From Publishers Weekly
In her first book for children, Lowell spices the story with elements of Native American, Mexican and Old West culture. …………This clever and flavorful change of scene puts a diverting spin on an old favorite. Harris's lively, finely detailed illustrations, with the bristling, pink-nosed peccaries clad in cowboy outfits, amusingly contrast the villain's vigorous wiles with the title characters' cozy domesticity. Sprightly fun. Ages 3-8.

From School Library Journal
Grade 2-4-In this humorous Southwestern variant of the familiar story, three desert javelinas (hairy cousins to the ordinary pig) set off one day to seek their fortunes. The first makes his home from a pile of tumbleweeds. Soon after, Coyote arrives and effortlessly blows it away to get at the plump little creature. Shaken, the portly javelina runs to his brother's house, which is built from the sticks of a dried saguaro cactus. Coyote, as sneaky as he is quick, demolishes that shaky structure and sends two frightened javelinas running into the desert. The brothers eventually find refuge in the home of their sister. This smart little javelina has constructed her home out of sturdy adobe bricks. Unable to huff and a puff his way in, Coyote tries entering through the stove pipe on the roof. When sister javelina realizes what he is up to, she quickly lights her pot-belly stove and sends Coyote howling into the desert (an action he repeats to this day). This engaging retelling appears in both Spanish and English, and has many accurate regional details. The text is fast-paced and witty in both languages, and is accompanied by energetic, full-page illustrations done in rich earthy tones that evoke the setting as faithfully as the text. Whether read aloud or in amused solitude, this is a picture book that will be enjoyed again and again.-Donna J. Murray, Queens Borough Public Library, NY

Connections
Other tales of The Three Little Pigs
The True Story of the Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith ISBN 0140544518
The Three little pigs by James Marshall ISBN 0448422883
The Three Pigs by David Wiesner ISBN 0618007016
The Three Little Pigs by Steven Kellogg ISBN 0064437795
The Three Little Pigs: An Architectural Tale by Steven Guarnaccia ISBN 0810989417
The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugene Trivizas ISBN 068981528X
The Three Little Tamales by Eric A Kimmel ISBN 0761455191
The Three little Gators by Helen Ketteman ISBN 080757824X

Children can research facts about Javelinas and Coyotes

Children can write their own version of Three Little Pigs using another animal.



























Bibliography
Bruchac, Josesph. (19944) The Great Ball Game. Ill. Susan L. Roth. Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0803715390

Plot Summary
The birds and the animals get into an argument over who was better and decided to settle the quarrel by playing a ball game. The first side to score a goal would win the argument. The animals divided up into two groups, those with wings and those with teeth. One animal, the bat, had both wings and teeth and neither side wanted him on their team. The bear feels sorry for the bat and allows him to be on his team but he had to let the bigger animals play first. The game lasts all day, past sunset, and neither team has scored a goal yet. The animals grow tired and cannot see well in the dark. The bat come in and scores the first goal for the animals with teeth. The bat is accepted as an animal and allowed to give the penalty to the birds. The bat declares that the birds must leave their land for half of each year and continues to fly at dusk to see if the animals still need him.

Critical Analysis
This Muskogee tale retold by Joseph Bruchac is a simple pour quoi tale about why birds migrate for the winter and bats fly out at dusk. It also tells how two quarrelsome groups came to a peaceful resolution to their dilemma about who was better. The game the animals and birds play is similar to a Native Americans game that eventually became known as Lacrosse.

The illustrations were created using paper collected from all over the world and several other kinds of paper which were handmade. The use of the different papers and earth tone colors are rich and distinctive. The animals are realistic looking but the teeth are a bit distracting and take away from some of the animals making them looked distorted.

The story is simple but the lessons are great. "You are not very big, but sometimes even the small ones can help." The bear tells the bat after finally accepting him on the animals with teeth team. This comment the bear says is a very similar to the moral of Aesop’s tale of the Lion and the Mouse, “Little friends may prove great friends”. The bat proves to the animals with teeth that his wings are beneficial. The lessons here are many. Everyone, no matter how small can be a valuable member to the group. Disputes can be resolved without violence. We should celebrate our difference rather than fighting about who is better. This story is a great read aloud with its simple text and tale of an exciting game that explains why birds fly south for the winter.

Review Excerpts
The Horn Book v. 70 (November/December 1994) p. 738
"Bruchac's retelling is elegant and graceful. By paring the story down to its essential elements, he has rendered it perfect for reading aloud. The story is enhanced by Roth's artful cut- and torn-paper collages, which include handmade paper as well as paper collected from various parts of the world. Her compositions feature carefully posed birds and animals juxtaposed against brilliantly colored or patterned backgrounds. Bruchac provides a page of detailed and illuminating source notes."

School Library Journal v. 40 (December 1994) p. 96
"This pourquoi tale is told in clean, spare sentences with the emphasis on action and character. In a foreword, Bruchac briefly discusses ball games in traditional Native American life, including the role of sports in conflict management. He mentions two other written versions of the story, as well as Louis Littlecoon Oliver's, which he cites as his source. Unfortunately, the cut-and-torn paper illustrations are too crudely done to convey character or provide details that would have enriched the book. The helter-skelter compositions distract readers from what is otherwise an entertaining tale."

Connections
•Students can research facts about bats.
•Young children can make a list of animals with teeth and animals with wings.
•Children can find information about the game of lacrosse or view a video of the game.
•Children can learn about animals that migrate for the winter.
•Children can make paper collage animals using different kinds of paper.

Other books by Josheph Bruchac
The First Strawberries: A Cherokee Story ISBN 0140564098
Racoon’s Last Race ISBN 0803729774
The Great Ball Game: A Muskogee Story ISBN : 0803715390