Module 5

Historical Fiction

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Cantos, J.  (2011). Dead end in Norvelt. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux.

PLOT SUMMARY

 It was the summer of 1962 in historic Norvelt, Pennsylvania and all Jackie Gantos wanted to do was play baseball with his friends, read books, and have as few nosebleeds as possible. However, his grand plans are waylaid when his father’s Japanese sniper rifle fired one evening while he was playing with it.  Jackie protested his innocence in loading the rifle, but to no avail.  His punishment- help old, arthritic Miss Volker write obituaries for the town’s last living original residents.  In the span of two months Jackie would come to learn more about history, friendship, and himself that he’d ever dreamed.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The author, Jack Gantos, did an amazing job of wearing history into the fictional adventures of the story’s protagonist, who also happens to be his namesake.  Although the character, Jackie Gantos, years for many of the same things boys his age have in summer of 1962, he seems to possess an old soul, keen on learning, no matter how he gets the information.  It was interesting to see how many of the historical facts relayed within the text related to the current event or situation taking place in the story.  I found the historical background of Norvelt, itself, to be the most interesting.  Although some of the story’s hijinks were a bit unconvincing, it was a fun read nonetheless.

REVIW EXCERPTS

“A bit of autobiography works its way into all of Gantos’ work, but he one-ups himself in this wildly entertaining meld of truth and fiction by naming the main character…Jackie Gantos.”        -Publisher’s Weekly, Starred Review

“Cantos, as always, delivers bushels of food for thought and plenty of outright guffaws.”             -Booklist

CONNECTIONS

This is a perfect story to pair with a non-fiction text on the Great Depression.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Cushman, K. (1995). The midwife’s apprentice. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing.

PLOT SUMMARY

Brat is a homeless waif in during the Middle Ages.  She has no memory of a home or family.  She has moved from village to village begging scraps and working for a place to sleep when she can.  On a cold morning, Jane Sharp, the village midwife, finds Brat sleeping in a dung heap.  After attempting to run Brat out of the village, she realizes it was rather smart of her to use the dung heap to stay warm and decides to use her for help and calls her Beetle.  Beetle eventually becomes the midwife’s apprentice, but Sharp is abusive and never formally trains her.  Beetle begins to realize she has potential and takes the name “Alyce”.   However, after a rather difficult birthing situation with the miller’s wife, Alyce runs away to another village.  Although Alyce found work and learned to read, she yearned to be a midwife. After helping to deliver a baby, Alyce knew she had found her calling and returned to Jane Sharp and refused to leave until she’s taken back as the midwife’s apprentice.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Karen Cushman captured the spirit of the Middle Ages in the triumphant journey of The Midwife’s Apprentice.  Although it begins with a heartbreaking scene of a young girl sleeping in a dung heap, the storyline is humorous, and the text is simple.  The protagonist’s character is as authentic as the medieval setting.  Cushman provides the reader with a brief but fascinating history of midwives and the perils of childbirth during the Middle Ages at the end of the book.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

“Some of the characterizations lack consistency (particularly that of the midwife), the lplot depends on a few too many conveniences and the development of the themes seems hurried—but no matter.” -Publisher’s Weekly

“How Brat comes to terms with her failure and returns to Jane’s home as a true apprentice is a gripping story about a time, place, and society that 20^th-century readers can hardly fathom.” -Kirkus Review

CONNECTIONS

This book would be suitable for teaching about the Middle Ages or in women’s studies.

BIBLIOGRAPY

Bradley, K. B. (2015). The war that saved my life. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.

PLOT SUMMARY

Ada is a young girl, crippled by a club foot, has never been outside the one room flat she shares with her cruel and abusive mother and younger brother Jamie.  Ada, who never learned to walk, can no longer bear the emotional and physical abuse she suffers at the hands of her mother. Ada secretly teaches herself to walk in hopes that her mother will no longer be embarrassed of her disability.  However, World War II is looming and children are being evacuated from London in the event of air raids by the Germans.  When Ada discovers her mother is only going to send her brother away, she successfully plans to escape with Jamie.  Once she and Jamie arrive at their new adoptive village outside London, the siblings are forced upon a single, childless woman named Susan Smith.  In Susan, the children find the nurturing and caring they never received from their own mother and Ada discovers she is capable of more than she ever imagined.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Kimberly Brubaker Bradley gives no quarter to the emotional well-being of the reader in The War That Saved My Life.  She opens the story by diving right into the heart of the abuse suffers at the hands of her mother.  Although the setting is the English countryside during World War II, the story itself is of one girl’s triumph over life’s hardships.  The historical aspect of the story does, however, lend itself to the plot to make it relevant.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

“The plot at times stretches credulity…but the emotional content feels completely true, especially in the recognition of how deeply Ada has been damaged and just how far her journey will be to both physical and mental health.” -The Horn Book, Starred Review

“Ignorance and abuse are brought to light, as are the healing powers of care, respect and love.  Set against a backdrop of war and sacrifice, Ada’s personal fight for freedom and ultimate triumph are cause for celebration.” -Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

CONNECTIONS

This is a book which can be used to shed some light on the effects of World War II on the children who were evacuated from London during that time.

  

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Williams-Garcia, R. (2010).  One crazy summer. [Audible Audiobook].  Retrieved from audible.com.

PLOT SUMMARY

In the summer of 1968, the Gaither sisters, Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern are sent by their father to Oakland, California, to meet the mother who had abandoned then seven years before. Unbeknownst to the girls, their mother, Cecile Johnson, had no interest in being a parent.  In an effort to be rid of the girls as much as possible, Cecile sends them to The People’s Center where the Black Panther Party serves equal helpings of breakfast and Black Power at their children’s day camp.  As the girls try desperately to connect with their mother, Delphine discovers she doesn’t just want a connection, she wants answers. 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

In One Crazy Summer, Rita Williams-Garcia introduces readers to the vivid personalities which are the Gaither sisters.  In the audiobook, the narrator, Sisi Aisha Johnson, tells the story the voice of oldest sister Delphine, capturing all of the intended curiosity and maturity portrayed in the book.  The Black Panther Party is used to provide support to the both the plot and the historical aspect of the story.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

“Emotionally challenging and beautifully written, this book immerses readers in a time and place and raises difficult questions of cultural and ethnic identity and personal responsibility.  With memorable characters (all three girls have engaging, strong voices) and a powerful story, this is a book well worth reading and rereading.” -School Library Journal, Starred Review

“The story is tightly centered around three sisters.  In sparse, poetic prose Williams-Garcia layers nuanced descriptions and brief, evocative scenes to create three utterly distinctive character.”       -New York Times

CONNECTIONS

This book can be adapted into reader’s theater scripts.

Module 6

Fantasy

BIBLIOGRAPHY

DiCamillo, K. (2014). Flora and Ulysses: The illuminated adventures. Ill. by K. G. Campbell.  Somerville: Candlewick Press. ISBN 9780763660406.

PLOT SUMMARY

Flora Belle Buckman has deemed herself a cynic, especially since her parents divorce.  Little does she know her life is about to take an unsuspecting turn in the form of a squirrel.  Her neighbor, Mrs. Wickham accidentally runs over a squirrel with a high powered vacuum.  After Flora rescues the squirrel, she names him Ulysses, after the vacuum.  Ulysses has developed super powers as a result of his near-death experience with the vacuum.  He also begins to write poetry on her mother’s typewriter.  Flore and Ulysses forms and bond that her mother is determined to break, leaving Flora feeling unloved.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Flora and Ulysses, by Katie DiCamillo and illustrated by K.G. Campbell is a cute story of friendship and family.  Campbells comic laced illustrations in pencil are well blended to subtly enhance both shadow and light.  The illustrations are spread throughout the text and provide strong support of DiCamillo’s laugh-out-loud text.

REVIW EXCERPTS

“The very witty text and droll comic book style black and white illustrations perfectly relay the all too hilarious adventures of Flora, Ulysses, and a cast of eccentric characters who learn to believe in the impossible and have “capacious” hearts.” -Kirkus Review, Starred Review

“Campbell’s full page and spot pencil illustrations accentuate the mood, while interspersed comic book pages “illuminate” Ulysses’ superhero adventures and serve as a nice visual complement to Flora’s love of comics.” -Horn Book

CONNECTIONS

This would be a nice resource to teach diversity in friendship.

  

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Gaiman, N. (2008). The graveyard book [Audiobook].  Retrieved from  https://www.hoopladigital.com/title11588418.

PLOT SUMMARY

Nobody “Bod” Owens wants to be a normal boy, but he finds this rather difficult as he lives in a graveyard and is being raised by its supernatural residents. Bod, who is human, is the sole survivor of a mysterious murder plot which claimed his entire family.  Bod has been granted full access to the graveyard to protect his life and, after a time, is free to interact with the human world.  Although Bod tries to become acclimated with the world outside the graveyard, with some difficulty, he doesn’t give up, even into his teen years, and neither does the deadly evil which, all these years later, still seeks him out.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The Graveyard Book, authored by Neil Gaiman and narrated by Derek Jacobi, is an enthralling tale of fantasy and adventure.  Each chapter is punctuated at the beginning and end with some lively, but lightly sinister music.  Although Jacobi speaks with an accent, he enunciates each word clearly and has a talent for conveying the emotion of the speaker and tone of the situation all while creeping the reader out.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

“This is not yet another silly little fantasy novel, but something with weight and depth.” -School Library Journal

“When the chilling moments do come they are genuinely frightening as only Gaiman can make them and redeem any shortcomings.” -Publisher’s Weekly

CONNECTIONS

This format of The Graveyard Book would be useful as a model of how fluid reading sounds.

BIBLIOGRAPY

Telgemeier, R. (2010). Smile. New York: Graphix.

PLOT SUMMARY

Raina is a happy-go lucky pre-teen who falls down and damages her two front teeth one night.  She and her family discover she will have to undergo multiple oral procedures over a long period of time which will affect her appearance.  Raina struggles to find acceptance no only with her friends and family, but with herself.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

In this graphic memoir, Raina Telgemeier catalogs the physical and emotional effects she suffered through after an oral injury in her pre-teens.  She is open and honest about her experience through the sharing of some painfully embarrassing events.  The story has a fluid balance that chronicles her numerous dental visits between her attempts at navigating the pitfalls of being a teenager.  The brightly hued illustrations bring Raina’s personal turmoil and triumph to life with vivid facial expressions and body language.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

“This book should appeal to tweens looking for a story that reflects their fears and experiences and gives them hope that things get easier.” -Publisher’s Weekly

“Drawing on a deceptively simple style, Telgemeier has a knack for synthesizing the preadolescent experience in a visual medium.” -New York Times

CONNECTIONS

This would be good in a middle school drama class where portions of this book can be assigned to different groups, and have each one develop a script for one act.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Telgemeier, R (2016). Ghosts. New York: Graphix.

PLOT SUMMARY

Cat is not happy her family has moved to Bahia de la Luna, California, but her sister Maya suffers from cystic fibrosis and the change in climate would be good for her health.  The girls are told that ghosts inhabit their new town, which excites Maya, but Cat is skeptical.  Their friend and neighbor, Carlos takes them to meet the ghosts, but they accidentally injure Maya, causing her to require hospitalization. Cat is angry about what happened to Maya and takes it out on Carlos and wants nothing more to do with ghosts.  However, when Maya creates and alter for their late grandmother, Cat must face her fears and they both learn death is only a loss of life, not love.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Author and illustrator Raina Telgemeier does a wonderful job of using the cultural Dia de los Muertos celebration to broach the subjects of childhood illness and death in the book, Ghosts. The book is broken down by months instead of chapters, giving the reader a broader sense of time, which also supports character development.  The text includes a mixture of English and Spanish dialogue to which further authenticates the cultural aspect of the book.  Although the events of story are indeed fantastical, it can certainly open the conversation gateway about death with a child.  Telgemeier’s colorful illustrations are fantastic at conveying emotion through facial expression.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

“Telegemeier deftly weaves serious topics through the breezy presentation and masterfully and concisely adds layers of meaning with small gestures that subtly nudge at feelings about death.” -Booklist, Starred Review

“Telgemeier’s  bold colors, superior visual storytelling, and unusual subject matter will keep readers emotionally engaged and unable to put down this compelling tale.” ­-Kirkus Review, Starred Review

CONNECTIONS

This book could be paired with a nonfiction text on cultural celebrations. 

Module 4

Nonfiction and Biography

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bryant, J. (2014). The right word: Roget and his thesaurus. Ill. by Melissa Sweet. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. ISBN 9780802853851

PLOT SUMMARY

Peter Mark Roget was about eight-years-old when he began creating word lists.  He often found himself taking walks in the garden and writing lists of words with similar and opposing meanings.  Even as Roget went on to become a well-respected physician and inventor, he never lost his passion for having the right word.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Jen Bryant created an amazingly account of Peter Roget’s life and love of words.  The text of the story keeps the focus on Roget by avoiding showy, unnecessary words.  The illustrations, by Melissa Sweet, are comprised of a variety of mixed media such as vintage bingo numbers.  Sweet also uses varied formats to create her illustrations including standard story frames, shadow boxes, and junk journal pages to highlight Roget’s love of words.

REVIW EXCERPTS

“Together with Bryant’s sympathetic account, Sweet’s gentle riot of images and words humanized the man behind this ubiquitous reference work and demystifies the thesaurus itself.” – Publisher’s Weekly, Starred Review

“Echoing Roget’s obsession with words, Sweet’s intricate and elaborate college illustrations – made out of textbooks, graph paper, maps, fabric, typewriter keys, and other found objects – put words on center stage.” – Booklist, Starred Review

CONNECTIONS

This would be a wonderful book to use to introduce and extend a word choice lesson in writing.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Jenkins, S. (2002). Life on Earth: The story of evolution. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

PLOT SUMMARY

Life on Earth tells the history of the earth and how plants, animals, and people came into being through the process of evolution. The story begins well over 3 billion years ago, chronicling the development of various life forms from the simple to the complex and continues to encompass species extinctions and Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Steve Jenkins provides young readers the opportunity to explore the great question of how life on Earth began without being offensive.  Jenkins on briefly mentions the common belief about life prior to Darwinism without explicitly pointing the finger at creationism.  While the illustrations are beautifully rendered, they are somewhat disappointing as they seem to be constructed more out of the need to take up white space, without consideration of their relative size.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

“The author has taken on the formidable task of investigating the scientific theories of the innumerable branchings, proliferations, and extinctions of life on planet Earth.  His lucid text primordial ocean to the appearance of modern man.” – School Library Journal, Starred Review

“Because evolution is sometimes not taught in all schools, so few good texts exist on it for this age.  Factual and fascinating, this one belongs in every library.” -Kirkus Review

CONNECTIONS

In a school where evolution is taught, this would be a great beginner book to use to help students develop an understanding of evolution.  In a school where evolution is not taught, this is a great book to have as a resource for student research.

BIBLIOGRAPY

Freedman, R. (2004). The voice that challenged a nation: Marian Anderson and the struggle for equal rights. New York: Clarion Books.

PLOT SUMMARY

Marian Anderson had a natural talent for singing.  As a young girl, growing up in Philadelphia, Marian received overwhelming support to help her develop her budding musical talents and education.  She toured the United States but became unhappy about not being able to find a tour manager and having to deal with the Jim Crow laws of the South.  Marian went on to find the success and acceptance she had been yearning for in Europe.  Upon her return to the United States she found her battles with inequality were far from over.  When the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) refused to allow her to perform in Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., because she was black, Anderson unintentionally became the face of equal rights as politicians, dignitaries, and celebrities became her mouthpiece for change. 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Russell Freedman presents an endearing story of perseverance in Marian Anderson.  The author provides detailed and balanced account of Anderson’s personal and professional life, including her struggles and triumphs.  Beautiful black and white photographs provide archrival support, not only in the telling of Anderson’s story, but it’s timeline as well.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

“Copious quotes form Anderson’s autobiography, papers and interviews her resonant voice – and personal grace – to animate these pages.” -Publisher’s Weekly, Starred Review

“Well-chosen, well-placed archrival photographs, clear writing, abundant research seamlessly woven into the text, and careful documentation make an outstanding, handsome biography.” -Kirkus Review

CONNECTIONS

This book can be used to support curriculum on the equal rights movement.  It can also be used to develop a compare and contrast model of the differences in racial tolerance between the United States and European countries before and after World War II.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Nelson, K. (2008). We are the ship: The story of Negro league baseball. New York: Jump at the Sun.

PLOT SUMMARY

We are the Ship is more than a history of the Negro league baseball, from its humble beginnings, led by Rube Foster in 1920 to its demise nearly three decades later.  It is a testament of the passion which drove the players, African American and Latino alike, to suffer the indignities of racial discrimination, all for the love of the game.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Khadir Nelson does an excellent job of combining quality storytelling with amazing illustrations to create an undeniable page-turner.   The author’s use of collective voice narration is so masterful in its telling, the reader feels almost as if they are listening to group of players relaying the league’s history.  He further enhances the writing in cataloguing many of the leagues movers and shakers, on and off the field, in ins beautifully detailed paintings.  These renderings capture the features of the players and personalities of the story with a perfect balance of shadow, light, tone and texture.  Nelson’s illustrations could function solely as a pictorial history of Negro league baseball.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

“Using the voice of “Everyman” in the league, this book will attract readers because of the full and double-page, vibrant, realistic oil paintings, and immerse the reader in the compelling story being told.” -Library Media Connection

“If the story is the pitch, though, it's the artwork that blasts the book into the stands.” -Booklist, Starred Review

CONNECTIONS

The illustrations in the book could be used in an art lesson on how to develop physical characteristics such as defining cheekbones and muscles.

Module 3

Poetry

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Woodson, J. (2014). Brown girl dreaming. New York: Penguin Group.

PLOT SUMMARY

Brown Girl Dreaming is a memoir, by Jacqueline Woodson, that tells the story of her childhood.  Shortly after her birth in Columbus, Ohio, Woodson’s parent’s stormy marriage ended, and her mother takes her and her two older siblings to live with their grandparents in Greenville, South Carolina.  It was here that Woodson developed a love for storytelling.  Although she and her siblings never quite felt at home in South Caroline, they had come to love the red dirt roads, the sound of crickets, and their grandparents.  However, this was not to last as their mother had gone to New York to make a life for them there.  When Woodson was finally old enough to attend school, they were uprooted once again and moved to Brooklyn, New York, with a new baby brother and some new challenges.  As her family struggled through tragedy, illness, and poverty, Woodson finds she has a passion for words and a talent for writing.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Woodson uses a first-person present tense voice coupled with free verse to give the reader a glimpse of how interpreted her world as a child.  Although written in free verse, she makes it easy for one to understand the people, places, and events of her life through the use of imagery, figurative language, similes, and metaphors.  While there are no illustrations in this book, the reader is provided family trees of both her parents at the beginning of the book and pictures of her family members at the end to tie the names and faces together.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

“You can read “Brown Girl Dreaming” in one sitting, but it is as rich a spread as the potluck table at a family reunion.  Sure, you can plow through the pages, grabbing everything in one go, like piling a plate high with fried chicken and ribs, potato salad and cornbread. And yes, it’s entirely possible to hold that plate with one hand while balancing a bowl of gumbo and a cup of sweet tea with the other.  But since the food isn’t going anywhere, you’ll make out just as well, maybe even a little better, if you pace yourself.” – New York Times

“The writer’s passion for stories and storytelling permeates the memoir, explicitly addressed in her early attempts to write books and implicitly conveyed through her sharp images and poignant observations seen through the eyes of a child.  Woodson’s ability to listen and glean meaning from what she hears leads to an astute understanding of her surroundings, friends, and family.” ­-Publisher’s Weekly, starred review

CONNECTIONS

This book can be used in writing lessons on free verse, imagery, or figurative language.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Lewis, J. P. (2006).  Once upon a tomb: Gravely humorous verses. Ill. by Simon Bartram. Massachusetts: Candlewick Press.  ISBN 0763618373

PLOT SUMMARY

Once Upon A Tomb, by J. Patrick Lewis pokes fun at the death of different persons based on either their profession or personality.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Simon Bartram’s illustrations are so incredibly bold and detailed, it almost leaves one feeling as if the poems are there to support the artwork and not the other way around. Most of Lewis’ poems are in verse and have a distinctive rhythm.  His choice of language is fun but cumbersome at times.  I found the funniest poems to be those which described the profession of the deceased in one or two lines.  My personal favorite is the mailman’s epitaph. 

REVIEW EXCERPTS

“A couple of poems lack the instantly accessible images that make the others such winners, but overall these are a total scream.” -Publisher’s Weekly

“The devilishly deadpan acrylic paintings raise the dead to a higher humor level, infusing liveliness into the scenes and animating the hearse verse with visual puns.” -Kirkus Reviews

CONNECTIONS

The illustrations in this book can be used in an art lesson on shadow and light.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

McCall, G. G.  (2011). Under the mesquite. New York: Lee & Low Books.

PLOT SUMMARY

Under the mesquite, by Guadalupe Garcia McCall, is a story of a daughter’s resiliency in the face of death.  Fourteen-year-old Lupita just wants to be a normal teenager.  When her mother is diagnosed with cancer, Lupita struggles to maintain that normalcy and hold her family together as she navigates her way through high school.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Under the mesquite is a series of free verse poems that read like individual vignettes, which combined tell a story.  Although McCall uses a combination of imagery, similes, and metaphors in her writing, the emotions of the piece are palpable.  The author’s injection of Spanish from the beginning to the end of the text highlights her retention of her heritage.  And while many of the words used are defined in the text, there is a glossary of names, Spanish words, and cultural references at the end of the book.

REVIW EXCERPTS

"With poignant imagery and well-placed Spanish, the author effectively captures the complex lives of teenagers in many Latino and/or immigrant families.” -Kirkus Reviews, starred review­

“The Spanish words and phrases sprinkled liberally throughout Under the mesquite add an exotic flavor to the free verse, yet never inhibit the flow or clarity of the story.” -Mary Englefried, Common Sense Media

CONNECTIONS

This selection can be used in a diversity lesson or book talk for middle school students.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Lewis, J. P. (2005). Heroes and she-roes: Poems of amazing and everyday heroes. Ill. By Jim Cooke.  New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.  ISBN 0803729251

PLOT SUMMARY

Heroes and she-roes is J. Patrick Lewis’ tribute to some culturally diverse heroes and heroines.  While many of those he chose to honor are famous, some represent a generalized group such as teachers and firefighters, and one of which is a dog. There is a brief annotation after each poem to provide some background on the person or profession being spotlighted.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

J. Patrick Lewis effort to honor the efforts of a diverse group of individuals fell a somewhat flat with Heroes and she-roes.  Most of the poems are in verse and many of them feel contrived and off key.  The illustrations seem to fit the same pattern, some with features which border on caricature.

REVIW EXCEPTS

“The illustrations, oil paint on illustration board, feels ponderous.  Ghandi looks like Yoda…Cesar Chavez’s head floats in a migrant worker’s sky like the Wizard of Oz.” -Kirkus Reviews

“This is an important title that will inspire young people and perhaps encourage them to look more deeply into the lives of others as well as their own.” -School Library Journal

CONNECTIONS

This selection can be used to emphasize the culturally diverse humanitarian efforts men, women, and children from around the world

Module 2

Traditional Literature

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Kimmel, E. A. (2007). Rip Van Winkle’s return. Ill. by Leonard Everett Fisher. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 0374363080

PLOT SUMMARY

Rip Van Winkle’s Return, by Eric Kimmel, is an adaptation of the Washington Irving classic folktale Rip Van Winkle.  The title character is a lazy, ne’er-do-well, who lives in a Dutch village, situated between the Hudson River and the Catskill Mountains, in New York.  Rip is married and has a young son and daughter.  His wife, Dame Van Winkle is constantly nagging him to be a more responsible husband and father.   Her pleas fall on deaf ears as Rip seems to spend more time playing with the children in the village while his own offspring run wild.  One day, after being admonished by his wife in front of the other men at the inn, Rip and Wolf, head into the woods where he hears someone calling his name.  He sees a stranger, wearing old fashioned Dutch clothing, carrying a keg of liquor.  Rip helps the man carry the keg up the mountain were another unknown group of men, dressed like the stranger are bowling.  Although Rip finds the situation peculiar, he stays and serves the men while they bowl.  He also helps himself to some of their liquor and falls into a deep sleep.  When he awakens he remembers everything prior to falling asleep but he doesn’t understand why his rifle has rusted and his dog is gone. Rip returns to the village but doesn’t recognize anyone.  The American Revolution has taken place, as there’s a picture of George Washington hanging at the hotel where the inn once stood.  Rip discovers many of the people he knew have died, including his wife.  He’s saddened by her death and prays she’s at peace.  He’s reunited with his children and realizes he wasted his life.  He and his son rebuild their home and farm.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Kimmel’s version of Irving’s telling maintains most of the original storyline with some exceptions.  In Irving’s tale, Rip does not morn the passing of his wife nor does he change his ways.  This retelling is still a story of caution, which warns against laziness, but ends on a hopeful note, with the notion that it’s never too late to change one’s ways.  The illustrator, Leonard Everett Fisher, uses varying shades of color to reflect light and shadow. The trees and mountains of the Catskills are dappled with sunlight, shadow is enhanced on clothing, and the facial features of most of the characters are distinguishable, yet murky. 

REVIEW EXCERPTS
“Kimmel remakes the Washington Irving classic into a shorter, more moralistic episode, preserving major events but changing the original by having Rip, after his long sleep, suffer remorse for his lazy ways and go forth with his grown children to become an industrious farmer.” – Kirkus Review

"Fisher brings his dramatic painterly style to the large picture-book pages to enhance the read-aloud experience."-School Library Journal

CONNECTIONS

This story can be used in history to highlight the change in political attitudes in the American settlements before and after the American Revolution.

BIBLIOGRAPH Y

Schwartz, C. S. (2012). The three ninja pigs. Ill. by Dan Santat. New York: Penguin Young Readers Group.  ISBN 9780399255144

PLOT SUMMARY

This story, which is set in Japan, begins with the three little pigs being fed up by the wolf’s behavior.  The wolf is a bully who’d go around town blowing houses down.  The three pigs, two brothers and one sister, decided to enroll in ninja school to defeat the wolf.  Pig One begin training in aikido but quit in less than two weeks.  Pig Two took up jujitsu, but like Pig One, he quit after learning a few skills.  Pig Three learned the art of karate.  She practiced for months until she mastered her intended craft.  Eventually, the wolf visited Pig One at his straw hut.  Pig One was insufficiently prepared to do battle with the wolf and ran away to his brother, Pig Two.  Pig Two turned out to be equally unprepared and both pigs then ran to their sister, Pig Three.  It only took for Pig Three to demonstrate the depth of her skills to scare the wolf off.  All three pigs felt triumphant and went back to ninja school to complete their training.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

In this laugh out loud version of The Three Little Pigs, Corey Schwartz combines rhyme with martial arts to defeat the notoriously bad wolf.  As with most other versions of this fairy tale, Schwartz makes the three pigs siblings, but assigns the dedicated, wolf tail kicking role to that of the sister.  The characters are somewhat stereotypical in this girl power tale.  Dan Santat’s illustrations provide an authentic setting with elements found in Japan such as bamboo, cherry blossoms, snow capped mountains, and bonsai trees.  The finishes with a brief glossary of Japanese words used in the story.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

“A fractured fairy tale to outcharm the original, “The Three Ninja Pigs” manages to one-up the well-worn story by setting it in Japan, sprinkling it with the language and discipline of martial arts. All in hilarious, impeccable rhyme.” — The New York Times Book Review

“While the idea of three gi-clad pigs fighting the big bad wolf is a winner, the subtle-as-a-karate-chop moral about not quitting puts a bit of a damper on the fun.” -Publisher’s Weekly

“Santat’s illustrations are done with Sumi brush on rice paper and finished in Photoshop. The colors, patterns and themes nicely incorporate those of Japanese art, and the setting, with its background mountains, cherry blossoms and traditional rooftops, is firmly Japanese.”-Kirkus Review

CONNECTIONS

This story can be used for teaching students about the importance of staying in school or showing students they can do anything if they try hard enough.  This story can also be used in a compare and contrast activity with the original version of The Three Little Pigs.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Taback, S. (1999). Joseph had a little overcoat. New York: Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers.

PLOT SUMMARY

The story begins with Joseph working outside in his old, worn, and patched overcoat.  He restyles the overcoat into various clothing items, each one smaller than the last. When Joseph lost the last item he produced from the remnants of the overcoat, a button, he decided to write a book it. 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This book was originally adapted in 1969 by Simms Taback from a Yiddish folk song.  The story itself is repetitious, much like a song, and easy to read.  The primary location of the story seems to be the countryside as there is livestock and crops.  The illustrations are colorful, fun, and include interesting details.  Every other page gives the reader with a context clue in the form of a pattern cut out as to what new clothing item Joseph is going to make.  The book ends with a copy of the sheet music and lyrics to the song, “I Had a Little Overcoat.”

REVIEW EXCERPTS

“Striking gouache, watercolor, and collage illustrations are chock-full of witty details-letters to read, proverbs on the walls, and even a fiddler on the roof.” -School Library Journal

“This diverting, sequential story unravels as swiftly as the threads of Joseph's well-loved, patch-covered plaid coat. A flip of the page allows children to peek through to subsequent spreads as Joseph's tailoring produces items of decreasing size.” -Publisher’s Weekly

CONNECTIONS

This book provides a refreshing outlook on recycling.  So often we hear of recycling cans and bottles, but next to nothing on recycling and reusing clothing.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Wiesner, D. (2001). The three pigs. New York: Clarion Books.

PLOT SUMMARY

The Three Pigs, by David Wiesner, is a retelling of the folktale The Three Little Pigs. In this story, the three pigs set out in the world, each building his house. The wolf visits the first pig and blows down his house of straw. Unbeknownst to the wolf, he blew the pig out of the story and into the books white space. When the wolf goes to the home of the second pig, the first pig rescues him by telling him how to get away. They go to the house of the third pig and show him how to escape. The pigs then flip the script on the wolf by butting the story frames off the page. They fold the wolf into a story frame by making it into a paper airplane and fly away on it. The three pigs crash land near the nursery rhyme, Hey Diddle Diddle, by Mother Goose. As they walk into the story, their bodies change to match the artistic style of the other characters. They quickly decided to leave and the cat with the fiddle follows them. The pigs then go into a story of a dragon who’s guarding a golden rose. They saved the dragon from being killed by taking it with them into the book’s white space. The pigs decided to go home and take their new friends with them. They reset their story frames and pick up the where the originally left off. Before the wolf could huff and puff at the brick house, the dragon came out and scared him away. 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Wiesner uses his illustrations to extend the story. The most noticeable feature of the illustrations is although the actions of the characters change, the story text does not. The illustrations themselves provide the overarching theme of empowerment.  When given the opportunity the characters make their own choices, without regard as to how the story is written. The range of textures and colors Wiesner uses to mark the different illustration styles of each of the different stories represented in the book, pays homage to their respective authors and illustrators. 

REVIEW EXCERPTS

“On the last few pages, the final words of the text break apart, sending letters drifting down into the illustrations to show us that once we have ventured out into the wider world, our stories never stay the same.”-Kirkus Reviews

“Children will delight in the changing perspectives, the effect of the wolf's folded-paper body, and the whole notion of the interrupted narrative. Wiesner's luxurious use of white space with the textured pigs zooming in and out of view is fresh and funny.” -School Library Journal

CONNECTIONS

The illustrations of David Wiesner’s The Three Pigs could be used for creative writing.  This could be done using individual pages or specific story frames on a page.