The Wednesday Wars- A book review for Children's Literature Class

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Schmidt, Gary D. 2007. THE WEDNESDAY WARS. New York, NY: Clarion Books. ISBN 0618724834

PLOT SUMMARY

Holling Hoodhood, a seventh grader at Camillo Junior High School has to face a teacher who is out to get him, parents who ignore him, a bully, a girl-he-really-likes, and being Protestant.  Who can’t relate?  As Holling struggles to be a good son and succeed in school, the effects of the Vietnam War take hold of his community.  Holling’s sister is a “flower child” and wants to support Bobby Kennedy in his run for office, but then Kennedy is killed.  The school lunch lady’s husband is killed in action and Holling is standing by to watch the “great sadness” pour out of her.  His teacher’s son goes missing in the Vietnamese jungle and there is no news.  When he is miraculously found alive months later, he watches the “great joy” explode out of his teacher.  Throughout the course of the novel, Holling participates in a few shenanigans, joins the cross country team, takes the girl-he-really-likes out on a date, and learns to love Shakespeare.  In the end, he learns that he really does love his sister and that people are not always what they seem. 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This novel starts out innocently and humorously.  A typical seventh grade kid with a ridiculous name becomes our protagonist.  The reader can see themselves in his shoes with all the same problems (dating, school, parental expectations, bullies, teachers who hate us, and wanting to find out who we are).  Once we are hooked into our characters and following the often hilarious plot, the novel becomes a gripping account of people trying to understand the Vietnam War. 

This novel is set in 1967 in a Long Island suburb.  Schmidt does not come out and tell us where we are or what is happening, but he weaves the details of the setting into every aspect of the story.  The construction of the buildings (with asbestos tiles) and the teaching style (diagraming sentences and reading LOTS and LOTS of Shakespeare) are an integral part of the action.  Walter Cronkite delivers the news about what is happening in Vietnam every night, and Holling wants to drive his dad’s brand new 1968 Ford Mustang.

This novel is the first thing I have ever read about the Vietnam War that was meant to be entertaining.  The confusion the American people faced and the sorrow when men came home in coffins becomes real for the reader.

 Schmidt does an amazing job of hooking his reader with humor and junior high antics and then turning this coming of age novel into a tremendous source of understanding about a terrible time in our history.  How do I share with you all the events and lessons and changes that Holling faces in this novel?  I cannot even begin to cover them all here.  You are going to have to go read this book for yourself.  Go now.

AWARDS AND REVIEWS

·        Newbery Honor Book

·        ALA Notable Children’s Book

·        Texas Lonestar Reading List 2008

·        STARRED REVIEW from Publishers Weekly: “…first-person narration perfectly captures Holling's progression from an angst-filled yet innocent boy, to a wiser, self-aware young man. His reading is touching, funny and insightful; he manages to bring the listener back to a time—real or nostalgically re-imagined, at least—when the crack of a bat against a ball in Yankee Stadium or sharing a Coke with a girl at the Woolworth's counter was all any boy could want. This is a lovely, heartfelt novel, read with as much care as the author used to create it.”

·        STARRED REVIEW from Booklist: “…Schmidt, whose Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy (2005) was named both a Printz and a Newbery Honor Book, makes the implausible believable and the everyday momentous. Seamlessly, he knits together the story's themes: the cultural uproar of the '60s, the internal uproar of early adolescence, and the timeless wisdom of Shakespeare's words. Holling's unwavering, distinctive voice offers a gentle, hopeful, moving story of a boy who, with the right help, learns to stretch beyond the limitations of his family, his violent times, and his fear, as he leaps into his future with his eyes and his heart wide open.”

CONNECTIONS

·        Read and analyze a poem or a play by Shakespeare (one that is mentioned in this book would be ideal).

·        Cross-curricular history lesson about the Vietnam War, Bobby Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., the Civil Rights Movement, or the “Hippie” movement.

·        Cross-curricular lesson with an Outdoor Education or PE class to play baseball and discuss batting averages.

·        Students can write a personal narrative about a person that has made a strong impression in their lives.

·        Students can write a letter to somebody who has helped them through a hard time or always been there for them.

·        A lesson on our current military and how we can respect our soldiers.

·        Read other books by Schmidt:  LIZZIE BRIGHT AND THE BUCKMINSTER BOY or STRAW INTO GOLD.

Oh the rats!  You will have to read the book to learn about the HILARIOUS situation with the rats!

Images taken from: www.google.com

The Midwife's Apprentice- A book review for Children's Literature

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Cushman, Karen. 1995. THE MIDWIFE’S APPRENTICE. New York, NY: Clarion Books. ISBN 0395692296

PLOT SUMMARY

In this coming of age story, the puny orphan “Brat” becomes the midwife’s apprentice.  The midwife gives her all the terrible work to do, like boiling snails and making potions.  The two do not become friends because the midwife is afraid that the girl will learn the skills and the midwife will become obsolete.  “Brat” has some successes with delivering the baby for the bailiff’s wife, helping a fellow orphan find a home at the manor house, and learning how to birth twin calves.  She finally realizes that she is worthy of a name and names herself “Alyce.” While she is feeling confident, she plays a trick on the entire town because of their superstitions, and finds retribution against everyone who make fun of her or hurt her in any way.   However, as happens in life, she faces setbacks with her skill and runs away.  It takes time and friendship, but Alyce learns to overcome her fears and persevere in achieving her dreams.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

In this entertaining novel, Cushman creates a believable character in Alyce. She has an “unwashed, unnourished, unloved, and unlovely body” which immediately creates empathy for her.  The reader can relate to the feelings of not belonging, failure, and ugliness that Alyce feels at different times throughout the story.  Since Cushman creates a character that the reader can see themselves in, the reader follows on this journey and successfully learns the same lessons as Alyce.

Cushman uses humor throughout the story by including such things as “the rank smell of pigs who fart when they eat too much” and plays off of the superstitions of the times.  This is shown when Alyce makes some “hooves” and all the townspeople are convinced that the devil is running rampant through their town, causing people (surprisingly, these are the people who have hurt Alyce) to do evil things. 

Cushman does not write completely in the language of the times (thank goodness!), but includes many examples of words such as “rotting and moiling” to help the reader remember when and where we are.  She does not ever stop the action of the story to remind us of the times, but instead incorporates constant reminders through the food they eat, the jobs people have, and the strange medical customs Alyce learns.

AWARDS AND REVIEWS

·        Newbery Medal

·        ALA Best Book for Young Adults

·        ALA Notable Book for Children

·        Booklist Editiors’ Choice

·        Horn Book Fanfare Selection

·        School Library Journal, Best Books of the Year (Plus more)

·        From School Library Journal: “With simplicity, wit, and humor, Cushman presents another tale of medieval England. Here readers follow the satisfying, literal and figurative journey of a homeless, nameless child called Brat. . . . Earthy humor, the foibles of humans both high and low, and a fascinating mix of superstition and genuinely helpful herbal remedies attached to childbirth make this a truly delightful introduction to a world seldom seen in children’s literature.”

·        From Booklist, ALA STARRED Review:  “This novel is about a strong, young woman in medieval England who finds her own way home. . . . Kids will be caught up in this short, fast-paced narrative about a hero who discovers that she’s not ugly or stupid or alone.”

CONNECTIONS

·        Read this book while studying medieval times.

·        A cross-curricular lesson with Science about herbal remedies that actually have been proven to work versus the herbal and non-herbal remedies used during these times.

·        Use the name situation of the novel to have students write a paragraph explaining what name they would choose for themselves and why. 

·        In a counseling or leadership class, this book could be used to analyze for bullying and what can happen to both the bullied and the bully.

·        Read CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY by Karen Cushman, which is also set in this time period.

Images taken from:  www.google.com

BALLET FOR MARTHA Making Appalachian Spring- A book review for Children's Literature 5360

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Greenberg, Jan and Sandra Jordan. BALLET FOR MARTHA MAKING APPALACHIAN SPRING.  Ill. by Brian Floca. New York, NY:  Roaring Brook Press. ISBN 1466818613

PLOT SUMMARY

This is the story of how the choreographer and dancer Martha Graham collaborated with the composer Aaron Copland and the designer and artist Isamu Noguchi to create the ballet Appalachian Spring in the 1940s.  

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Greenberg and Jordan use figurative language and a descriptive vocabulary, “to the dancers, the stage is like an obstacle course,” to bring the dance alive to the young reader.  Their story brings life and renewed interest into a show that was first performed on October 30, 1945. By sharing the process, even the frustrating parts of collaboration, with the reader, children will learn that working together can be challenging, but that there are real life examples showing that it is worth the effort.  

Floca’s pictures are soft and beautiful.  They are watercolors and they blend in and out of the pages with a gentleness and flow that matches well with the writing style.

I also listened to the Brilliance Audio, unabridged version of the selection published in September 2012.  Sarah Jessica Parker did a wonderful job reading the story, but the Seattle Symphony conducted by Gerard Schwarz played throughout the reading and that made it absolutely enjoyable to hear.  The music actually brought the story alive for me.  My one year old enjoyed it so much that, on the second time through, she stole the phone and ran around listening to the complete score (that is played after the narration ends).  Beautiful!

AWARDS AND REVIEWS

• Sibert Honor Book
• NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
• ALA Notable Children’s Book
• IBBY Honor Book
• Top Ten Children’s Books 2010 (from several companies)

• Plus more…
• STARRED REVIEW, Horn Book Review:  “Using spare, concise sentences, the authors echo Graham’s approach to dance:  like the movements in her choreography, nothing is wasted, and in such exactness lies the beauty… Floca’s fluid, energetic line-and-watercolor illustrations echo the plain boldness… a remarkable book.”
• STARRED REVIEW, Booklist: “In this book… disparate elements come together.  Matching the mood of Graham’s moves, the writing is pared down but full of possibilities...what readers will surely want after putting this down is to see and hear Appalachian Spring for themselves.”

CONNECTIONS

• Students can choose one of the three collaborators to learn more about (start at Martha Graham Dance Company, the Aaron Copland House, or The Noguchi Museum websites).
• Music/Orchestra:  Students can follow the St. Louis Symphony Teacher’s Guide to School Performace so students can perform the music component of the ballet themselves.
• Read additional books for children about dance.  The School Library Journal has published a list, “A Dancer’s Dozen: Great BOoks for Wannabe Hoofers” that teachers can use as a resource.
• Students can write about an activity/sport that they participate in following the style of Greenberg and Jordan.
• Or, to get very creative, students can collaborate with another student about something they have a shared interest in and write a paper together to see how collaboration works.

Images taken from: https://images.macmillan.com/folio-assets/macmillan_us_frontbookcovers_1000H/9781596433380.jpg

HEART AND SOUL The Story of America and African Americans- A book review for Children's Literature 5360

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Nelson, Kadir. 2011. HEART AND SOUL The Story of America and African Americans. New York, NY:  Harper Collins. ISBN 0061730764

PLOT SUMMARY

In this moving tale of American history, an elder everywoman tells the story of her family’s history.  The story of her family meshes inextricably with the history of America.  She starts with her ancestors being captured in Africa, sold as slaves, and moves through emancipation, reconstruction, and the civil rights movement.  The narrative culminates with the narrator voting in the election with the first African American candidate in a presidential election.  This historical account tells the story of America from an often ignored perspective, the perspective of the African American.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Nelson has brought the African American story of America to life in this beautiful work of nonfiction.  I have read many books and articles about the events and people in American history.  I have read about every era that Nelson writes about.  I have never before cried when I read about Africans being captured.  I have never before cried when I read about an old lady voting.  But I cried as I read this.  I cried tears for the suffering of Americans.  I cried tears at the beauty and strength of the African American people.  With that in mind...

The narrator, Pappy’s granddaughter, tells the story of her family in the oral tradition with phrases such as, “so it’s important that you pay attention, honey.”  The style with which Nelson writes turns facts and details into a story that the reader can easily follow.  As our narrator tells the story of how her brothers “signed up for the war… I couldn’t go.. But my two younger brothers went off to war.  Not that I wanted them to go, mind you,” the reader actually cares about what happened.  When their divisions succeed, we shout out with excitement!  A history that has been told countless times is made fresh and exciting through Nelson’s unique style.

The epilogue pulls together all the different historical eras that the narrator’s family have lived through into a culminating chapter.  (And if you have a heart like mine, you will cry too.)  Nelson also has an author’s note, a timeline, an index, and a bibliography to back up his facts and give sources for further reading.

Nelson’s illustrations are captivating.  They are powerful paintings that look almost like photographs with their depth and attention to detail.  Nelson also uses interesting angles, like looking up at a sharecropper holding a basket of cotton at such an angle as to magnify his strength.  These images show African Americans to be strong and determined people.

The audiobook, published 9/227/11 and read by Debbie Allen is fantastic.  She has an empathetic, crackly voice that fits the narrator and adds a depth of emotion to the telling of the story.  Listening only to the audiobook would be a disservice because the pictures are so amazing, but listening to Debbie Allen tell the tale is also amazing.

AWARDS AND REVIEWS

• Coretta Scott King Award Author
• Coretta Scott King Award Illustrator
• Horn Book Fanfare
• Kirkus Reviews Best Children’s Book
• Publishers Weekly Best Book
• School Library Journal Best Book
• STARRED REVIEW, Publishers Weekly:  “Nelson knits together the nation’s proudest moments with its most shameful, taking on the whole of African-American history.  He handles this vast subject with easy grace… jaw-dropping portraits radiate determination and strength.  A tremendous achievement.”
• STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus:  “This intimate narrative makes the stories accessible to young readers and powerfully conveys how personal this history feels for many African-Americans.”
• STARRED REVIEW, School Library Journal:  “Provocative and powerful, this book offers a much-needed perspective for individuals of all ages seeking to understand America’s past and present.”

CONNECTIONS

• U.S. History connections are too numerous to list.  The book is well organized and a chapter could be read with the study of any era of American history.  It would be interesting to compare a section here with a section in a history book and have students note how the point of view changes the facts that are shared.
• Art- The angles and style of the art is very purposeful in sending a message.  Analyze the art for author’s purpose.
• Writing- Students can talk to a family member about a story of their family that connects to a historical era.  Students can write about that time period from their family’s unique perspective.

P.S. This is where I cried.

Pictures taken from: https://www.scholastic.com/content5/media/products/03/9780545722803_mres.jpg

FUNNY BONES: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras- a book review for Children's Literature 5360

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Tonatiuh, Duncan. 2015. FUNNY BONES Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras. New York, NY: Abrams Books.  ISBN 1419716478

PLOT SUMMARY

FUNNY BONES is the biography of Jose Guadalupe Posada, known as Lupe to his friends and family.  To the rest of the world, he is known only through his fantastic skeletons (calaveras) that he created to celebrate Dia de los Muertos. Tonatiuh introduces the reader to Posada right away as the most famous Calaveras artist, then he begins the story with Posada as a young boy learning about art.  The story follows Posada throughout his life and career, from his political cartoons to his calaveras.  From living in a small town to living in Mexico City.  From beginning to end, and beyond, Tonatiuh follows Posada’s artistic adventure completely by adding in a “how-to” for many of the artistic styles Posada used throughout his lifetime.  

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

One fascinating element of this biography is that Tonatiuh does not “dumb down” the story for his young readers.  He uses real terminology for art processes (lithography, engraving, etc.) that many adults don’t even understand, but he includes step by step pictures that show the process of how these processes are done to support his reader in understanding.  He also “keeps it real” and discusses adult issues, like political cartoons, and the fact that Posada had to leave town because his political cartoons put him and his family in danger.  This is all done in such a way that it respects the reader and helps them to understand complex issues.  

Tonatiuh’s illustrations are bright and cartoonish; they are inviting for the young reader.  One very creative addition to the biography are that the actual illustrations created by Posada are incorporated into Tonatiuh’s work, which adds an element of intrigue and evidence that this tale is true.

Tohatiuh adds questions towards the end of the biography that get the reader thinking about the purpose Posada had in mind when he created his art.  He also has included an index, glossary, bibliography, art credits, and an author’s note.  This information all supports his narrative and gives direction for further learning about Posada.

 AWARDS AND REVIEWS

• Pura Belpre Honor Book
• Sibert Medal Winner
• The New York Time’s Best Illustrated Children’s Book Award Winner
• International Latino Book Award Finalist
• Kirkus Review- “Tonatiuh further marks himself as a major nonfiction talent with this artistically beautiful and factually accessible offering that effectively blends artistic and political content for young readers.”
• STARRED REVIEW, Booklist- “Playful but informative, this picture book offers a fascinating introduction to the artist and his work.”

CONNECTIONS

• Students can use this biography as an introduction or connection during a study of Dia de los Muertos.
• Students study one of the forms of art mentioned in this book and practice making art following the same method that Posada did.
• In a political science or social studies classroom, this biography would be an excellent way to introduce the power of political cartoons and political dissidents.
• Continue to study Posada’s other art through online art galleries.

Pictures taken from: http://www.abramsbooks.com/product/funny-bones_9781419716478/ 

WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALICE? A book review for Children's Literature 5360

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Kerley, Barbara. 2008. WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALICE?.  Ill. By Edwin Fotheringham.  New York, NY: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0439922313

PLOT SUMMARY

What could keep a man like Teddy Roosevelt on his toes?  Not war.  Not running a state.  Not even running a nation.  But being a father to a spirited daughter- yes! Aside from being President Roosevelt’s daughter, Alice Roosevelt was also vibrant, bright, and inspiring.  In this entertaining biography, we follow young Alice as she begins to “eat up the world.” We travel with her through her unique education, travels abroad, fame and celebrity status as First Daughter, and right on through the rest of her life.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Kerley has done what I thought was impossible.  She has taken the facts known about Alice Roosevelt, Teddy Roosevelt’s oldest daughter, and put them together to create a fascinating story that held me,and my one year old daughter, spellbound from beginning to end.

The element of the book that I found to be the most compelling was that it focused on Alice’s personality and goals.  The story is about Alice as a human being, not Alice a president’s daughter, or Alice somebody’s wife.  From the very beginning of the story,  Alice “ate up the world” and never stopped.  I love more than words can express how much children need examples like Alice Roosevelt in their young lives.

The humor that Kerley writes with is such a refreshing style in the nonfiction genre that I found myself rereading just to make sure that this really was based on fact, and it is.  The facts and details are accounted for in the back of the book where the sources are cited and first hand accounts documented.  

The illustrations in this novel are absolutely fantastic.  They are beautiful, bright, and vivid full page color illustrations that draw the eye and hold the attention of even a small child.  They also add an extra layer of hilarity to the humorous story.  For example, when the text mentions that “Theodore Roosevelt had a small problem,” it shows the president with his eyes rolled up, wiping his head with a handkerchief.  I first read this book via audiobook without the illustrations, so when I read it with the illustrations, I cracked up, realizing how important the illustrations are to this selection (if you want to laugh, which I usually do!).  

The audiobook is also a fantastic addition.  It was performed by Katherine Kellgren, and she uses the instrument of her voice to show the humor of the situation on each and every page.  

AWARDS AND REVIEWS

-Sibert Honor Book

-Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book

-Irma Black Award Honor Book

-Parents Choice Award

-Plus more…

-Starred Review, Kirkus:  Theodore Roosevelt’s irrepressible oldest child receives an appropriately vivacious appreciation in this superb picture book.... Kerley’s precise text presents readers with a devilishly smart, strong-willed girl who was determined to live life on her own terms—and largely succeeded.

-Starred Review, School Library Journal:  Kerley’s text gallops along with a vitality to match her subject’s antics, as the girl greets White House visitors accompanied by her pet snake, refuses to let leg braces cramp her style, dives fully clothed into a ship’s swimming pool, and also earns her place in history as one of her father’s trusted advisers. Fotheringham’s digitally rendered, retro-style illustrations are a superb match for the text

CONNECTIONS

·         Have students ask themselves what “eating up the world” means.  Then they can make a list of what it would look like in their lives to “eat up the world.”

·         Learn about life in the White House and what it was like for other first children.

·         Students could choose one of Alice’s siblings and research them.

- Have students look up the color “Alice blue” and decide why that was the color named for Alice.  Then, have students decide which color they would like to have named after them and why.

-Writing assignment:  Does Alice remind you of anybody you know?  Explain who and why.

Photos taken from www.Amazon.com

Inside Out & Back Again- A Book Review for Children's Literature

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Lai, Thanhha.  INSIDE OUT & BACK AGAIN. New York, NY:  Harper Collins. ISBN 0061962783

PLOT SUMMARY

In this story told in verse, ten year old Ha Ma must leave her home against her wishes to flee a failing country.  She chronicles her journey across the sea, her time in a Florida refugee camp, and what life is like trying to adapt to a new culture in Alabama.  Through it all, Ha Ma shares her experience trying to master the dreaded English.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

In this touching story, our narrator, Ha Ma, tells the story of a refugee from a child’s perspective.  The innocence of the character and the simplicity with which she sees the world are shown through the figurative language and humor of Lai’s word choices.  In “First Rule,” Ha Ma complains that learning English is an exercise in “squeezing hisses/ through my teeth” and then muses, “Whoever invented/ English/ must have loved/ snakes.”  Through these lines, the reader giggles even while feeling Ha Ma’s frustration.

While the reader is swept away in the rhythm of the language describing even the most simple events, “Like magic a crepe forms/ to be filled with shrimp/ and eaten with/ cucumber and bean sprouts,” it is the heart of the reader that Lai wins.  It is through our humanity that we want to wrap little Ha Ma in our arms and protect her when she aches, “So this is/ what dumb/ feels like./ I hate, hate, hate it.”  This is the book that everyone should read before they judge an immigrant or say, “they should learn English if they want to come here.”  This is how I know this book is good; it fills me with a desire to want to change the world.

AWARDS AND REVIEWS

*Newberry Honor Book

*National Book Award Winner

*Starred review from Booklist: “Written in accessible, short free-verse poems… readers will be moved by Ha’s sorrow as they recognize the anguish of being the outcast.”

*Starred review in Publishers Weekly: “An incisive portrait of human resilience.”

*Starred review in Kirkus Reviews: “An enlightening, poignant and unexpectedly funny novel in verse.”

CONNECTIONS

*Social Studies connection to Vietnam in the 1970s

*Immigration and refugee story to connect with current events

*Also by the author:  LISTEN SLOWLY

*Students can write a poem about their own lives or about a time when they didn’t fit in.

Images taken from www.nationalbook.org