Tan, Shaun. 2006. The Arrival. Ill. by Shaun Tan. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books. ISBN 0439895294

This wordless graphic novel tells the story of an immigrant who leaves his wife and child and goes to a new land to build a better life for his family. He meets many other immigrants and hears their stories as well, creating a collection of stories about leaving the past behind and starting over.

The pictures in this graphic novel are amazing. The sepia tones evoke the feeling of turn-of-the-century photographs, while the symbolism in the illustrations are powerful and make the immigrant experience of the protagonist more universal because it is less specific in place and time. The story is told through pictures that often seems like stop-motion photography in succession on the page, and portray powerfully the confusion and loneliness that immigrants face as they try to build a life in a place with a new culture, new language, and new customs (my favorite is the scene where the protagonist finds a job pasting up posters, but pastes them all upside down because the writing is unfamiliar). This setting of the novel feels like New York, but a more fantastical, chaotic, confusing New York, with buildings that jut sideways, circular streets that lead nowhere, and buildings shaped like teapots, teepees, and plates. The immigrant (and the reader!) find the animals strange, the maps impossible to navigate, and the way of doing things much different from his homeland. But his hope for a better future pushes him forward, and with the help of other immigrants (who each have their own story of why they had to leave their homeland) he begins to carve a place for himself in his new homeland, eventually sending for his family to join him. The reunion of the family (whom the reader can't help but love!) provides for a satisfying ending, but even more satisfying is the final scene of the protagonist's daughter helping a new immigrant navigate through this strange, new world.

While this novel is accessible to everyone, and would be a beautiful resource for any classroom whose students are studying turn-of-the-century immigration, it is particularly relevant and current during the heated debate about immigration that is raging in this country, especially in border states like Texas and Arizona.

AWARDS AND REVIEWS:

"The cover of The Arrival, made to look like old, worn leather, establishes a family photo album motif that Tan faithfully carries through the entire book. Inside, borderless sepia panels are arranged in careful grids. Creases and unidentifiable splotches elegantly blemish many of the pages. Tan completely eschews motion lines, sound effects and any other comics storytelling devices that would not be found in photographs. Even the spaces between the panels suggest a photo album: instead of the pencil-thin gutters found in most graphic novels, he uses generous half-inch strips of yellowed paper. The effect is mesmerizing. Reading The Arrival feels like paging through a family treasure newly discovered up in the attic."--The New York Times

"Stunning, powerful, gripping, moving-Tan's book is meticulously thought out and perfectly wrought, making use of both high-brow surrealism and extensive research into photographic records of immigrant stories. The story alternately displays Tan's heartfelt understanding of the dislocated existence of immigrants and his robustly imagined fantasy setting." --VOYA

"Frightening this new land may be, but there are friends everywhere, from the other immigrants who help the protagonist and tell their own tales of escape from oppression, war and fear to the whimsical beastie who attaches itself to him as his pet. Small panels move the story along; full- and double-page spreads provide dazzling panoramas. It's an unashamed paean to the immigrant's spirit, tenacity and guts, perfectly crafted for maximum effect." --Kirkus Reviews

CONNECTIONS:

Another graphic novel that deals with some of the same social issues is American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang.

Students could use this book as a jumping off point for their own family history, to discover stories of immigration or emigration.

For writing, students could take a few pages and work on writing their own captions for the pictures inside this "photo album". This would allow students to try to capture the emotion of the pictures and give their own interpretations of the symbols and strangeness that permeate through this story.

How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff

Rosoff, Meg. 2004. How I Live Now. New York: Random House. ISBN 0385746776

When Daisy's father marries and starts a new family with her "wicked" stepmother, Daisy is sent to England to live with her aunt and her cousins. While her aunt is rarely home, Daisy finds happiness for the first time in her life. She finds love in a sexual relationship with her first cousin, Edmond, and she finds friendship and understanding from her other cousins. But her happiness is short-lived when war breaks out and in order to survive and to protect those she loves, she has to grow up quickly.

I really, really wanted to like this book. And there were parts of the book that I did like: the narrator's stream of consciousness voice, the often poetic descriptions of the relationships that are formed in the book, and the sweet friendship that forms between Daisy and her younger cousin Piper. Daisy's journey from a self-absorbed teen to a responsible adult is believable and gripping, and she, as a character is engaging--funny and insightful by turns. The supporting characters (both the adults and the adolescents) are often believable, quirky, and endearing. But this book left me confused, quite frankly. I'm still wondering, Was this a book about war or a story of romance? Not that a book can't be both, but this one didn't achieve that for me. Although I liked the stream of consciousness effect overall, occasionally the run-on sentences drove me batty. There was much of this book that seemed real--the narcissism of teenagers, the British landscape--but there was so much of it that was vague (particularly about the government and the war) that I had a hard time suspending my disbelief.

REVIEWS AND RECOMMENDATIONS:

2005 Printz Award Winner

"Daisy's voice is uneven, being at times teenage vapid, while elsewhere sporting a vocabulary rich with 50-cent words, phrases, and references. In addition, Rosoff barely scratches the surface of the material at hand. At times, this is both intentional and effective (the enemy is never named) but for the most part the dearth of explanation creates insurmountable questions around the basic mechanisms of the plot. There is no explanation of how a small force could take out all communications (including cell phones) and proceed to overrun and to control an entire country. Perhaps even stranger, the ramifications of psychic abilities and underage sexual relationships between first cousins is never addressed." --School Library Journal

"This is a very relatable contemporary story, told in honest, raw first-person and filled with humor, love, pathos, and carnage. War, as it will, changes these young people irrevocably, not necessarily for the worse. They and readers know that no one will ever be the same. The story of Daisy and her three exceptional cousins, one of whom becomes her first lover, offers a keen perspective on human courage and resilience. An epilogue, set six years after the conclusion, while war still lingers, ends Daisy's story on a bittersweet, hopeful note." --Kirkus Reviews

CONNECTIONS:

This book would pair nicely with other "End of the World" novels like Alas, Babylon. Many of these feature nuclear destruction so it would be interesting to compare and contrast the fears of different time periods as shown through these novels.

This novel would be an excellent one to use as a guide for writing that falls outside of "five-paragraph-essay" type writing. Students could benefit by looking at the stream of consciousness style the author uses in the strong and compelling voice of Daisy.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Gaiman, Neil. 2008. The Graveyard Book. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN 0060530928

This book has one of the most interesting and creative concepts I've seen in a long time: a living boy who is raised in a graveyard by the spirits of the dead. The story opens with the murder of the toddler's family ("There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife.") and the toddler's escape to the graveyard up the hill, where he is adopted by a long-deceased couple. With mysterious guardians and other-world adventures, Bod's (short for Nobody) childhood unfolds itself in a tale that is both exciting and charming. As Bod makes friends among the living and the dead, he learns that the man who murdered his parents is still looking for him. Bod is determined to bring his parents' killer to justice. But can he do that without joining his graveyard family as truly dead? This creative story works so well because of its firm footing in classic literature (loosely parallel with The Jungle Book) and also because of the gentle humor of the story ("It takes a graveyard to raise a child," note the graveyard inhabitants when they first discover Bod.) In the world of the living Bod deals with typical teen concerns like bullying, but in the graveyard his own safety is the supreme concern. The characters (especially the graveyard characters) are extraordinarily engaging--from Bod's temporary guardian who turns out to be a werewolf, to the witch buried outside the consecrated ground who has her own emotional issues to work out. My only complaint was that the ending seemed unsatisfactory for such a delightful book: I am hungering for a sequel!

AWARDS & REVIEWS:

Newbery Award Winner, 2009

Hugo Award Winner, 2009

"The Graveyard Book, by turns exciting and witty, sinister and tender, shows Gaiman at the top of his form…The story's language and humor are sophisticated, but Gaiman respects his readers and trusts them to understand…In this novel of wonder, Neil Gaiman follows in the footsteps of long-ago storytellers, weaving a tale of unforgettable enchantment." --The New York Times

"Gaiman, famous for his creepy and often scary tales, Coraline and The Wolves in the Wall, has created in his new novel something that is neither creepy nor scary, despite its chilling first chapter and spectral cast of characters. This is a story about the power of family—whatever form it takes—and the potential of a child who is raised with love and a sense of duty." --Children's Literature

CONNECTIONS:

This book would make an excellent bridge into Rudyard Kipling's classic The Jungle Book, and would allow for a compare/contrast between the main characters, the plot events, etc.

Gaiman's other books include: The Wolves in the Wall, and Coraline for those who enjoyed this novel.

For older readers, this could be paired with a book like Spoon River Anthology, which are poems of headstones and epitaphs of one town's deceased.

The Game of Silence by Louise Erdrich

Erdrich, Louise. 2005. The Game of Silence. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN 0060297891

(I hadn't read the first novel in this series, and so there is always that awkward first part of the book where the characters are presented as old friends, except I didn't have any emotional attachment to them yet. However, in terms of the story itself, it wasn't necessary to read the first one to understand the plot.)

This novel opens with the young girl Omakayas watching refugees from another tribe arriving to beg her tribe for assistance. They are bedraggled, hungry, and desperate for a place of safety. Omakayas learns important lessons about kindness from her tribe's reaction to these newcomers, but the tribe learns important information from the refugees, as well. The white settlers are pushing the Ojibwan peoples farther and farther west into land that is already occupied by other tribes who are resentful of newcomers. The tension that the Omakayas' family feels is beautifully symbolized by the game of silence that the children play so that the adults can discuss serious issues. Omakayas' everyday routines of collecting rice at the rice camp, tanning moose hides, and learning to bead are lovingly detailed, giving a true sense of historical accuracy to Omakayas' story.

Omakayas in many ways is a typical adolescent feeling jealousy and anger while also learning about kindness and her own destiny. But in other important ways, Omakayas is clearly a Native American with Native American ideas and ways of looking at the world. She has dreams that are symbolic and prophetic, she views the older people in her family with deep respect, and she wants the way of life that she has always known to continue unchanged. This book is both a beautiful coming of age story and a powerful historical novel.

AWARDS AND REVIEWS:

"Against the backdrop of Ojibwa cultural traditions, Omakayas also conveys the universal experiences of childhood--a love of the outdoors, a reluctance to do chores, devotion to a pet--as well as her ability to cope with the seemingly unbearable losses of the winter. The author hints at Omakayas's unusual background and her calling as a healer, as well as the imminent dangers of the "chimookoman" or white people, setting the stage for future episodes. Into her lyrical narrative, Erdrich weaves numerous Ojibwa words, effectively placing them in context to convey their meanings. Readers will want to follow this family for many seasons to come." --Publisher's Weekly

"The first book won enormous praise, including a National Book Award nomination, but this novel is even better. The themes are not only more profound, but the episodic structure of the previous novel is also much exceeded by the interweaving plot threads of young love, sibling rivalry, and frustration with gender roles. The threat that the federal government poses to the community is more than just a framing device; it penetrates all the other concerns of the novel, drawing them tightly together. This novel combines all the emotion and joy of The Birchbark House with an impressive deftness of structure." --VOYA

CONNECTIONS:

I think young readers might enjoy playing the game of silence that is so pivotal to this story, and then reflect on their experience through writing (poetry, maybe?).

The Birchbark House by the same author is the first in this series for those who want to read them in order.

This could be paired with another novel that scrupulously details the everyday details of this time period, but from the settlers' perspective like The Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Crispin: At the Edge of the World by Avi

Avi. 2006. Crispin: At the Edge of the World. New York: Hyperion. ISBN 078685152

While the first book ends with Crispin renouncing his birthright to save his friend Bear, this second offering begins with Crispin and Bear traveling free at last. Unfortunately, the secret brotherhood to which Bear belonged mistakenly believes that he has informed on them, and begins to search for Crispin and Bear to avenge themselves. When Bear is injured, Crispin has to make new friends in unlikely places to save his friend. Danger continues to follow Bear, Crispin, and their new friend, Troth, across the ocean into the war-torn land of France. Throughout the novel, Crispin faces his own ignorance, makes difficult decisions, and learns lessons of loyalty, forgiveness, and survival.

This novel serves up a thoughtful exploration of growing up and also a pleasing piece of historical fiction. Avi captures the superstition and fear of the devil that would be typical in this time period perfectly in Crispin's initial negative reaction to Aude, a midwife who worships the old gods, but helps heal Bear. Those who are interested in the historical background of the novel will appreciate the author's note that gives an overview of the period of the novel.

AWARDS & REVIEWS:

"Avi takes the reader on another exciting adventure into the world of Old England. The charm of the scenery and the loveable characters make this book a must read. Do not hold back on cheering on Bear and Crispin as they struggle to survive in a world that they do not seem to belong to. What an awesome storyteller Avi has become, and may he honor us with more of Crispin's quests." --Children's Literature

"This second book in a planned trilogy explores even more thoughtfully the themes of religion, war, the motives of men, and the meaning of family. This is an extraordinary work of lyrical simplicity, nearly flawless in its execution, and a haunting tale of love and loss. Readers will devour this story and eagerly anticipate the conclusion of Crispin's adventures." --School Library Journal

CONNECTIONS:

Of course, readers should read Crispin: The Cross of Lead before reading this book in order to understand the strength of the relationship between Crispin and Bear.

This book could pair with an activity in the classroom: a medieval fair! Students could research historically accurate activities of a medieval fair and put it on for other classes or for their families.

This book could also be paired with Catherine, Called Birdy or The Midwife's Apprentice, both by Karen Cushman.

The language of this book would lend itself really beautifully to reader's theater. Students could get in small groups and write their own and then perform them for the class.

Jip: His Story by Katherine Paterson

Paterson, Katherine. 1998. Jip: His Story. New York: Penguin. ISBN 0140386742

Jip has lived and worked at the poor farm for as long as he can remember, having been dropped off the back of a wagon when he was only two years old. But although Jip is mostly content with his life, he wonders what kind of family doesn't return for their little boy when they realize that he's fallen out of the wagon. Jip's life begins to broaden beyond the farm when he builds a cage for Put, the insane man with occasional violent fits, who is to live at the poor farm, locked-up for safekeeping. Jip makes friends with Put, and begins to attend school. But his past soon catches up with him in ways that will change his world, and his sense of identity, forever.

Paterson's dialogue is always realistic, but in Jip: His Story, Paterson seems to be exceptionally deft. She writes the colloquial speech of Jip, Put, his schoolteacher, and her Quaker friend with a sure touch. The historical element of this story is fascinating, but not overly intrusive to the plot of the story itself. The main character of Jip is compassionate, hard-working, and understanding. Parents will appreciate the lessons of loyalty, acceptance, and kindness, while juvenile readers will appreciate the plot surprises and the exciting resolution to Jip's story.

AWARDS & REVIEWS:

Like Paterson's Newbery-winning Bridge to Terabithia and Jacob Have I Loved, this historically accurate story is full of revelations and surprises . . . While Jip's concerns provide insight into 19th-century society, his yearnings for freedom and knowledge are timeless. The taut, extremely readable narrative and its tender depictions of friendship and loyalty provide first-rate entertainment." --Publisher's Weekly

"Anything by Katherine Paterson is a pleasure to read." --Children's Literature

"Jip is a compassionate hero to be cried over, feared for, and cheered on. What could be better to read aloud or booktalk?" --VOYA

CONNECTIONS:

This book would be a great companion book to other fiction or non-fiction books about the Underground Railroad, Harriet Tubman, etc. Some titles: Underground Railroad Sampler, Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad, or Harriet Tubman: A Woman of Courage.

Readers who enjoy this book, may want to read Lyddie by Katherine Paterson, because the title character in Lyddie appears in this book as his inspirational teacher.

Lincoln: A Photobiography

Freedman, Russell. 1989. Lincoln: A Photobiography. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 0395518482

This well-written and well-organized biography of Abraham Lincoln is full of fascinating photographs, important quotes from the president and his contemporaries, as well as a clear delineation between the true Lincoln and the "legendary" Lincoln. The text is clearly written, and for once I really understood why the Civil War took so long for the North to win, when they had more people, more weapons, more factories, more everything. The book is organized chronologically, following Lincoln through his childhood, early years as a lawyer, his failures as an aspiring politician and his journey to the White House. Of course, the majority of the book focuses on his time as president and commander-in-chief. This book shows what an extraordinary leader Lincoln was, but it also shows that in many ways, that he was also an ordinary man with concerns as a father, husband and friend.

AWARDS & REVIEWS:

1988 Newbery Medal Winner
Jefferson Cup Award Winner

"Few, if any, of the many books written for children about Lincoln can compare with Freedman's contribution. More than 80 photographs and prints illustrate the crisp and informative text. The pictures have been well-placed to coordinate with the text; captions have been written with care as well. While many of the photographs are well-known, many less familiar pictures are also included." --School Library Journal

CONNECTIONS:

Other biographies by Russell Freedman include: Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery, The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane, Out of Darkness: The Story of Louis Braille, and so many others!

There's also a biography of Russell Freedman that students could read (Russell Freedman by Susan P. Bloom) if they are interested in what motivates his choices of who he writes about and why.

This biography would also be a great companion piece to portions of The Civil War: A Film by Ken Burns.

Danger! Volcanoes by Seymour Simon

Simon, Seymour. 2003. Danger! Volcanoes. New York: Sea Star Books. ISBN 1587171813

Beginning with a definition of a volcano along with definitions of lava, magma, and more, Simon also covers the different types of volcanoes found in the world: dome volcanoes, composite volcanoes, shield volcanoes, etc. Simon discusses both the fiery, destructive power and the creative power of a volcano (Did you know that most of the Earth's surface comes from volcanic eruptions?). The text is directly and simply written, and the pictures are evocative and stunning. My children had me read the book to them once, but then they thumbed through the book over and over, just looking at the amazing photographs of volcanic eruptions, lava flows, and ash clouds. This is a straightforward science text with fascinating pictures that will be sure to please younger children who are interested in the world around them.

AWARDS & REVIEWS:

"Volcanoes begins with two full-page spreads of volcanoes erupting, first with a sky of smoke and then with a sky of fire. There can be no doubt in youngsters' minds that they are reading about something powerful, and Simon describes the damage as well as the positive aspects of these explosions. The photographs are so compelling that it is a shame that they are not identified (although the sources are given). How a volcano changes the weather and how lava comes through that hole in the ground are left unanswered, but this introductory book is meant to whet the appetite, and that it does." --School Library Journal

"Basic information about volcanoes' inner core, shield, dome, and the different types of volcanoes and the serious danger that composites pose are all clearly presented." --Children's Literature

CONNECTIONS:

Other introductory volcano informational texts include Volcanoes by Franklyn Mansfield Branley, Time for Kids: Volcanoes from the TimeKids series, and Volcanoes by Nancy Harris and Lynn Armstrong.

This would be a great companion book to read with the time-honored tradition of building your own volcano using vinegar and baking soda!

For older readers, this piece could be used to briefly introduce the science behind Don Wood's graphic novel Into the Volcano.

Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. 2005. Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 0439353793

This non-fiction book tells the story of children and teenagers who grew up in Germany during Hitler's rise to power and throughout World War II. This book is organized chronologically, but also is organized around the experiences of twelve different young people: some of them were members of the Hitler Youth, some were resisters, and some were persecuted Jewish youth. One of the most beautiful things about this book is that it avoids moralizing: the story and experiences are told sparely, using primarily the young people's own words, gleaned from interviews, diaries, and memoirs. This allows the reader to draw their own conclusions about the Hitler Youth organization. While this book is filled with interesting facts about the day to day operation of the Hitler Youth, the book is also a treasure trove of poignant pictures that capture the public face of the Hitler Youth and the private shame of Hitler's anti-Semitic policies. This is an extremely interesting, informative and insightful book about what it was like to grow up "in Hitler's shadow".

AWARDS & REVIEWS:

1996 Newbery Honor Book
1996 Sibert Honor Book

"Bartoletti lets many of the subjects' words, emotions and deeds speak for themselves, bringing them together clearly to tell this story unlike anyone else has." --School Library Journal, starred review

"Nonfiction writing at its best. Essential for WWII collections as well as teaching units on conformity, peer pressure and resistance." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Bartoletti draws on oral histories, diaries, letters, and her own extensive interviews with Holocaust survivors, Hitler Youth, resisters, and bystanders to tell the history from the viewpoints of people who were there." --Booklist, starred review

CONNECTIONS:

Other books that are appropriate for this age group that could be paired with this non-fiction book include Number the Stars by Lois Lowry and Anne Frank's Diary. The back of the book also has an extensive reference list that a teacher might use to glean further first-hand information about the experiences of WWII.

Students could also conduct their own research on the people interviewed for this book (I found ample material about Helmuth Hubener, Karl Heinz-Schnibbe, etc.) and discuss what the author left out and why (for example, Helmuth Hubener was excommunicated from his church but reinstated posthumously).

Stop Pretending by Sonya Sones

Sones, Sonya. 1999. Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 0439250706

Stop Pretending, a beautifully written and honest verse novel, is the story of Cookie, whose sister "goes crazy" on Christmas Eve. Cookie writes about not only her sister's mental illness, but also other typical adolescent concerns: a new boyfriend, the betrayal of friends, and dealing with parents. Cookie's struggle to reconcile the happy memories of life with her sister before her mental illness with the harsh reality of visiting her sister in a mental institution is not only thought-provoking, but also makes for beautiful poetry. She wonders:

Does the
man who wanders
the neighborhood, wearing
three heavy overcoats in the
swelter

of the
summer, have a
little sister who lies
awake at night wondering where
he is?

Adolescents will identify with the confusion that Cookie feels--not just about her family situation, but also about school and friendships. Adolescent readers will also rejoice as Cookie begins to find her footing in this new world, this world where her sister is not quite the sister she remembers fondly, where her family doesn't quite work the way it did in the past, where she herself is not quite as carefree as she used to be.

AWARDS & REVIEWS:

2000 Best Books for Young Adults (ALA)
2000 Quick Picks for Young Adults (Recomm. Books for Reluctant Young Readers)

"Individually, the poems appear simple and unremarkable, snapshot portraits of two sisters, a family, unfaithful friends, and a sweet first love. Collected, they take on life and movement, the individual frames of a movie that in the unspooling become animated, telling a compelling tale and presenting a painful passage through young adolescence." --Kirkus Reviews

CONNECTIONS:

Compare one of the poems in this novel with a poem from another verse novel (maybe Out of the Dust) to look at the differences in the authors' style, meter, and word choice.

Students could create artwork for one of the poems or for several of the poems (one of the poems specifically talks about the art Cookie creates of her family: her mother's eyes are zippers, her father's eyes are broken windows).

Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars by Douglas Florian

Florian, Douglas. 2007. Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars. Ill. by Douglas Florian. Orlando: Harcourt. ISBN 9780152053727

This thematic collection of poems focuses on outer space, just as the title suggests. There are poems about galaxies, stars, the sun, Venus, and Earth, among others. While I have enjoyed other Douglas Florian poetry books, this one fell flat for me. The rhymes seemed simplistic and forced at times (for example: "On a clear night you might try / To gaze upon the starry sky. / A telescope or binoculars are / Great aids to observe a star."), and it seemed to me that the content information often overtook the poetry (probably much to a science teacher's delight!). However, there were several bright spots as well: the concrete poem on galaxies that spirals around and around, the playful spacing in some of the poems that provides illustration of concepts (like long spacing between each word of empty to convey the meaning of the word), and above all, the paintings. The paintings are a beautifully crafted combination of beauty and information, of design and function. With the cut-out holes in certain paintings allowing other colors to peep through from previous paintings, children will enjoy the bright colors and fascinating details.

AWARDS AND REVIEWS:

"The poet-painter's latest book brings warm wit to the outermost reaches of cold, dark space. . . . Florian's illustrations depict the marvels of space with luminous texture and detail." --The New York Times Book Review

"Nothing gladdens the heart of believers of good poetry for children more than a new collection by Florian. . . . This one literally sings the music of the spheres. . . . In both language and artwork, Florian strikes the perfect balance between grandeur and whimsy." --School Library Journal

CONNECTIONS:

This book is almost a must-read any time you teach about space or the solar system. Need I say more?

This book would also be an excellent example book for writing non-fiction poetry (perhaps a minilesson?)

Compare/contrast the author's other poetry collections/books: Beast Feast, Handsprings, Dinothesaurus and Insectlopedia, particularly looking at the way the author finds poetry in non-fiction topics.

Additional poetry books dealing with space:

Sing of the Earth and Sky: Poems about Our Planet and the Wonders Beyond by Aileen Fisher, illustrated by Karmen Thompson

Space Songs by Myra Cohn Livingston, illustrated by Leonard Everett Fisher

Star Walk, edited by Seymour Simon

This Is Just to Say by Joyce Sidman

Sidman, Joyce. 2007. This is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness. Ill. by Pamela Zagarenski. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN o618616802

This Is Just to Say is a delightful poetry collection. The fictional framework for the poems of apology and forgiveness is a sixth-grade class who is inspired by William Carlos Williams to write their own poems to people in their own lives. These poems are powerful--sometimes funny, often emotionally charged--and range in topic from an apology for dodge ball vendettas to an apology to a mother who is disappointed that her son doesn't win the spelling bee to a daughter apologizing to her father for not being perfect enough. One of the most interesting parts of this book is that during the second half of the book, the recipients of the poems of apology answer with their own poems.

The mixed media illustrations are whimsical and fun and appropriate for the theme of school (dictionary definitions are used as clothing, graph paper is the background of choice, etc.). The pages are colored in muted blues, reds, yellows and greens which tempers the often deeply emotional poems with a more playful illustration.

Teachers will love the different examples of different kinds of poems, but they will also love the free-form poetry which may free students to feel more confident in finding their own poetry voice.

AWARDS & REVIEWS:

2008-2009 Texas Bluebonnet Award

"While it is disappointing to realize that the authors of the poems are fictional, each poem still feels as if it were written by a child, expressing dismay at hurting a teacher's feelings or admiration to an older sibling who seems so much cooler than the author. The illustrations are reminiscent of drawings and doodles of children and manage to suggest that children had a direct hand in writing and illustrating the poems in the book."--Children's Literature

"Sidman's ear is keen, capturing many voices. Her skill as a poet accessible to young people is unmatched. Zagarenski's delicately outlined collage drawings and paintings are created on mixed backgrounds-notebook paper, paper bags, newspaper, graph paper, school supplies. This is an important book both for its creativity and for its wisdom." --School Library Journal

CONNECTIONS:

Teachers will find this book to be an extraordinarily helpful addition to their poetry teaching tools: it's full of different types of poem forms (haikus, pantoums, etc.) that could be used in minilessons to teach these poem forms. It is also a great source for finding figurative language to share with students.

Students can read William Carlos Williams' original "This Is Just to Say" poem. Students can then write their own poems of apology (or forgiveness) to people in their own lives based on either the form or the spirit of William Carlos Williams' original poem. They can ask the recipient to write a poem back in response.

With older students, this collection could be used as a framework for a response to a text: students could write poems of apology/forgiveness from one character in a novel or short story to another.

Dinorella by Pamela Duncan Edwards

Edwards, Pamela Duncan. 1997. Dinorella: A Prehistoric Fairy Tale. Ill. by Henry Cole. New York: Scholoastic. ISBN o590689487

An alliterative variant of the classic Cinderella tale, Dinorella is notable for its fantastic illustrations and its alliterative text. Dinorella is a dinosaur who wants to go to Duke Dudley's dance, but her dinosaur stepsisters keep her from the party with all kinds of work. When Dinorella's Fairydactyl shows up, the evening takes a turn for the better, and Dinorella gets to make an appearance (and save the day!) at Duke Dudley's dance after all. Cole's illustrations are so clever--prehistoric dinosaurs who dress in 1950s-era clothing (there is one picture of one of the dinosaurs putting on her pantyhose that is hilarious). The bright acrylics and creative touches (like the license plate which reads X-TNKT) make the illustrations a pleasure to look at.

The text, which is written using primarily D-words ("He dumped Duke Dudley and departed double-quick") is generally fun and light-hearted, but does occasionally flatten out because of the reliance on alliteration (calling teeth "dentures" for example, seems forced). Although the basic message of the book is lovely (being a hard worker is rewarded over laziness) some parents will have a problem with the name-calling ("disgusting dummy," "dopey domestic," etc.) in this book. However, although I as a parent had some reservations about this book, my kids love it, especially my four-year-old dinosaur-mad son. My six-year-old daughter likes to read it aloud, because she likes the way "all those D-words sound".

For me, the illustrations were the high point of this book, but my kids like to hear the story as well.

AWARDS & REVIEWS:

"Cinderella and dinosaur devotees may find humor in this retelling, but there's a forced zaniness in the settings and situations, and Dinorella comes off a bit daffy and dreary." Publisher's Weekly

"In this retelling of Cinderella, it is an indentured dinosaur who escapes her life of servitude through the aid of a fairy godmother to begin a new life with a prince. In this version, the fairy godmother is a pterodactyl and Dinorella rescues the prince from a meat-eating dinosaur by tossing dirtballs and diamonds. Filled with words beginning with "d" and comical illustrations, this light-hearted book takes a new slant on an old tale." Children's Literature

"The alliteration begins to get away from Edwards, dictating the storyline and resulting in dialogue and descriptions that prove distracting after the first few pages. The story deteriorates further with name-calling: "dopey domestic," "disgusting dummy," "dimwit," "dingbat," and "dumbhead." Cole dazzles in this dumbed-down classic, which goes from hilarious to tedious in very short order." Kirkus Reviews

CONNECTIONS:

This book could be a great way to teach alliteration (even to older students) and then ask them to try to write their own fairy tale variant using alliteration as well.

Dinorella could also be used as part of a Cinderella compare/contrast or as a fictional story to go along with a dinosaur unit.

Edwards has also written Some Smug Slug which also uses alliteration (although clearly, S-words instead of D-words). If students like the alliterative text, they might enjoy reading that as well.

And the Green Grass Grew All Around by Alvin Schwartz

Schwartz, Alvin. 1992. And the Green Grass Grew All Around: Folk Poetry from Everyone. Ill. by Susan G. Truesdell. USA: Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN o60227575

This collection of folk poetry (mostly playground poetry and folk poetry for children) is fun and whimsy. For grown-ups, it is also nostalgic--a great collection of poems that perhaps have been long forgotten. Children will enjoy the silly illustrations (which reminded me of Quentin Blake's illustrations in Roald Dahl's books) and reading familiar (often funny) rhymes that they have heard from friends or on the playground. However, many of these poems will be unfamiliar and new to most children, and this book may actually help preserve some of the older playground poems and sayings.

The book is divided into categories of poems--there are poems about people, poems about school and teachers (often hilarious), poems about animals, and so on. I often found myself laughing out loud at the audaciousness of the poems because they so clearly reflect the culture of children. For me it was a nice trip down memory lane, for children it will be a nice celebration of their own kinds of poetry and oral tradition.

AWARDS & REVIEWS:

Notable Children's Books of 1993 (ALA)
1993 Fanfare Honor List (The Horn Book)
1992 Books for Youth Editors' Choices (BL)
Children's Choices for 1993 (IRA/CBC)
Children's Books of 1992 (Library of Congress)
100 Books for Reading and Sharing 1992 (NY Public Library)
Bulletin Blue Ribbons 1992 (BCCB)
1993 Notable Trade Books in the Language Arts (NCTE)
1993-4 Alabama Emphasis on Reading Award

"Perhaps the best feature of the book, however, comes at the end where sources are provided for the rhymes. It is in this section that readers can see just how long some of these rhymes have been with us and where they came from." --Children's Literature

CONNECTIONS:

Many of these poems follow patterns or forms. ("Roses are red . . .") Students could be invited to write their own poems based on the forms of the poems in this collection.

Jack Prelutsky and Shel Silverstein are two other well-known writers of poetry for children. Many of their poems deal with the same kind of issues and themes as the poems collected in this book and could be used to compare/contrast or simply enrich a discussion about some of these poems.

The Goose Girl retold by Eric Kimmel

Kimmel, Eric A. The Goose Girl. Ill. by Robert Sauber. New York: Holiday House. ISBN 0823410749

This story, retold from the Brothers Grimm, follows a princess, betrothed to a faraway prince. Her mother sends her on her way with a talking horse and a handkerchief as a protective token. However, her serving maid usurps the princess' place, forcing the princess to wear her rags while she wears the princess' rich clothing. When they arrive at the distant palace, the serving girl is recognized as the princess, and the princess is set to work as a goose girl. The goose girl cannot hide her royal qualities forever, and the story resolves itself in typical fairy tale fashion--they all live happily ever after--except for the wicked serving maid!

The illustrations in this book match the tone of the text very well--the rich, detailed costuming and emotionally charged facial expressions of the characters complement the traditional language of the text. The setting portrayed in the illustrations is exactly what one imagines a fairly tale setting to be--heavily forested areas, imposing palaces with turrets and towers.

The retelling of this story does not resolve some of the issues of the original Brothers Grimm story. The reader may find it difficult to understand why the princess allows her serving maid to abuse her so vilely and eventually force her into trading places. The story also does not even attempt to explain the princess' strange ability to command the wind.

This retelling is certainly not for the very young--the language of the text is vocabulary intensive (it uses words like "jade" for an old horse and "frock" for a dress) and the rather gruesome end of the wicked serving maid may be disturbing for younger readers. However, older readers may enjoy the rich language and the magical elements of the story.

AWARDS & REVIEWS:

"With its castles and steeds, noblesse oblige and happy ending, this is a good choice for those looking for old-fashioned make-believe." Publishers Weekly

"This is one of those picture books that needs to find its way into the hands of older children and adolescents; they'll be the audience best equipped to appreciate the artwork's romantic appeal and the stark justice of the story." Booklist

CONNECTIONS:

For older readers, this could be a great introduction to many of the plot elements of Shannon Hale's Goose Girl. Readers could discuss how Hale deals with some of the unresolved issues of this picture book (The talking horse? The princess' ability to command wind?).

This would be a great story to use in a unit about the power of verbal persuasion.

Joseph Had A Little Overcoat by Simms Taback

Taback, Simms. 1999. Joseph Had A Little Overcoat. Ill. by Simms Taback. New York: Viking. ISBN o670878553

This Caldecott-winning picture book features Joseph, who has an overcoat which gets worn and old. He finds a way (again and again) to make the old, worn overcoat useful in a new way. The overcoat becomes, among other things, a vest, a scarf, a button, and finally, when nothing else can be made, Joseph makes "something" from "nothing" and turns his overcoat's journey into a story.

This is an engineered book with cutouts on various pages to show the new form of the original overcoat. Children will enjoy turning the pages to see what the coat becomes, but they will also enjoy seeing how Taback works the back side of the cutout into his illustrations.

The simply told story is based on a Yiddish folk song, and the text is fairly sparse but follows a somewhat predictable pattern ("Joseph had a little handkerchief. It got old and worn. So he made a button out of it") that will help struggling readers navigate the text more easily.

One of the best things about this picture book are the folk art-style illustrations which complement the story well. The bright colors and detailed drawings make this book a pleasure to read over and over again (and my children asked for it over and over again). This multicultural book explores the themes of frugality and making-do with an overall tone of joyousness. When I went to write this response, I had to search for the book because my own children had commandeered it (it was in the car, next to my son's prized McDonald's toy). They love the simple, easy-to-read text and the little surprises in the illustrations (like the mouse hole with little mouse eyes).

AWARDS & REVIEWS:

Caldecott Medal Book, 2000
"Vibrant rich colors, playful details, and skillfully-placed die cuts contribute to the books raucous merriment that takes this Yiddish folk song far beyond the simple words." Barbara Kiefer, chair of the Caldecott Award Committee

CONNECTIONS:

My kids pulled out the book Something from Nothing by Phoebe Gilman and did an informal compare/contrast of the language and illustrations that give the same story a much different feeling in the two books.
Another series which shares the same theme of frugality and making do is The Boxcar Children (particularly the first couple in the series). For older readers, Little House on the Prairie also shares the same theme.
During a read aloud of this book, students could use simple, cut out props (maybe even cut them themselves as each page of the story is read?) to make the reading more interactive.
Also this book would be a good one to use for choral reading or group reading.

A Caldecott Celebration by Leonard S. Marcus

Marcus, Leonard S. 2008. A Caldecott Celebration: Seven Artists and Their Paths to the Caldecott Medal. New York: Walker & Company. ISBN 0802797032

As the title implies, this book provides an insight into seven different Caldecott-winning authors (one from each decade of the award's history) and their journey in creating a Caldecott-worthy picture book. It is filled with interesting stories and facts about the award winning illustrators, and also contains quotes from their Caldecott acceptance speech. For example, William Steig (author/illustrator of Sylvester and the Magic Pebble) didn't start illustrating books for children until he was almost sixty years old. Chris Van Allsburg (author/illustrator of Jumanji) asked his wife to pose for his sketches of the wild monkeys, because he couldn't find photographs with monkeys in all the poses he needed.

Along with the back-story of each author's process, the book is also filled with photos of the illustrators, as well as early sketches they made as the stories began to take shape on the page. This book gives an informative and fascinating look at a few of the illustrators who helped shape children's literature through the years. Again, as the title suggests, it is truly a celebration of quality illustrations for children.

AWARDS & REVIEWS:
— 1999 ALA Notable Book
— starred reviews in School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist

CONNECTIONS:
--Have different groups read different books featured in this book, and then have them pair their reading with the section on their book. Have them present to the class on the process that the author went through. What was most interesting? What surprised them? How can seeing this process help them with their own writing?
--Look at the organization of this non-fiction text (along with others) to help students understand how different text structures can help (or hinder) our comprehension of the text.
--Related readings from the same author include Funny Business: Conversations with Writers of Comedy and Pass It Down: Five Picture Book Families Make Their Mark.
--Have students write a letter to their favorite Caldecott-award winning author, telling them what they like about the illustrations or asking any questions they might still have.

The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog by Mo Willems

Willems, Mo. 2004. The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog. Ill. by Mo Willems. New York: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 078681869

A funny picture book starring Pigeon (from Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! among other titles) and a clever little duckling who knows that persistence pays off. When Pigeon finds a delicious hot dog he wants nothing more than to enjoy eating it--all by himself. But Duckling keeps interrupting his meal with questions!

Willems writes this book with his trademark wry humor, using only the dialogue between the two characters (and the colorful, simple illustrations) to tell the story. Although the vocabulary is generally simple, there are some words that will stretch the young reader. For example, while Duckling takes notes, Pigeon describes the experience of eating a hot dog in this way: "They are a taste sensation. Each morsel is a joy! A celebration in a bun!" The interplay between the two characters is both fun and funny.

The illustrations add to the telling of this story as much, if not more, than the dialogue does. The deceptively simple drawings of Pigeon effectively convey his emotions, including his delight with the hot dog and his annoyance with the interfering Duckling.

Awards and Review Excerpts:
Booklist Online said: "Preschoolers who recognized themselves in the tantrum-throwing pigeon of the previous title will also see themselves in the calm, shrewd duckling that knows just how to get his way." Click here for full review.
Golden Archer Award for Primary, 2008

Connections:
--Because this book is written strictly in dialogue, it makes a perfect book for a student to read out loud with a partner, with one person reading the part of Duckling and one reading the part of Pigeon.
--Try other Mo Willems books: any of the Elephant and Piggie series (Today I Will Fly, My Friend is Sad, There is a Bird on Your Head!, etc.), Knuffle Bunny, Knuffle Bunny Too, etc.
--Compare the illustrations of Pigeon and Duckling with another illustrator who animates animals (like Rosemary Wells in Morris's Disappearing Bag). How do the illustrators show emotions in animals?
--Have students write their own glowing description of their favorite food. How would they describe it to someone who had never tasted it before?
--With older students, use this book as an example for a writing minilesson about effectively using dialogue to move a story forward.

Simply Wild About Books

One of my favorite books to read to my kids is Judy Sierra's fun rhyming book Wild About Books (illustrated by Marc Brown), featuring a librarian who takes books (and a love of reading) to the animals in the zoo. That's where the phrase "simply wild about books" comes from, and it rings true to me.

Although I like children's literature, my true love is young adult fiction, since I used to be a high school English teacher. Although I've been out of the classroom for five years now, I still find myself thinking of the kind of kid who might find a certain book enjoyable.