Book Review (Graphic Novel): Rapunzel's Revenge

Bibliography Hale, Shannon and Dean Hale. 2008. RAPUNZEL’S REVENGE. Illus. Nathan Hale. Bloomsbury: New York. ISBN 159990070X

Summary
After being locked in a tower by the evil Mother Gothel, Repunzel escapes using her long, flowing hair. Her story takes a turn when she meets up with a young man named Jack and they embark on a journey to get revenge on Mother Gothel.

Critical Analysis
In Repunzel’s Revenge, Rapunzel is a strong female character that goes against the typical fairy tale role. She does not wait for her Prince Charming to arrive and save her, but instead she relies on her own brains and strengths to solve problems. The plot of the story follows the basic skeleton of the traditional version of Rapunzel, except the setting is a mix between the fantastical world of fairy tales and the Old West. The theme of the story is conquering evil, but in this version, Rapunzel is the heroine instead of a handsome prince.

Since this is a graphic novel, the illustrations play a key role in delivering the meaning of the book. Nathan Hale creates illustrations that are visually appealing and bring the story to life. The drawings are styled in a typical comic book manner, with speech bubbles for the dialog. Instead of the setting being told, readers are given a clear visual.

Review Excerpt and Awards
This graphic novel retelling of the fairy-tale classic, set in a swashbuckling Wild West, puts action first and features some serious girl power in its spunky and strong heroine. Young Rapunzel lives a lonely life, never knowing what lies beyond the high garden walls of her mother’s royal villa until one day she climbs the wall to see what’s on the other side. When she finds that the world outside is a dark place oppressed by her mother’s greed for power and uncovers the real secret of her own birth, she is imprisoned in a magic tree tower. In her years of captivity, she learns a lot about self-reliance and care for her exceptionally long hair, and eventually she is able to escape, vowing to bring down her mother’s cruel empire. Hale’s art matches the story well, yielding expressive characters and lending a wonderful sense of place to the fantasy landscape. Rich with humor and excitement, this is an alternate version of a classic that will become a fast favorite of young readers. Tina Coleman, Booklist

Strengths and Weaknesses
The strength of Rapunzel’s Revenge is the colorful illustrations that accompany the story. Hale is able to add emotion and feelings into the pictures and give a better sense of the story. The plot of the story is guided by his illustrations and they are the best feature of the book.

The biggest weakness of this graphic novel is the dialog between Rapunzel and Jack. The bantering between the two gets inane and predictable, as they are constantly trading barbs back and forth, even though it is clear they like each other.

Personal Response and Connections
Although I have read a few comic books, I have never read a graphic novel. I am not sure if all graphic novels are similar to Repunzel’s Revenge or not, but I did not like the story. I like how Rapunzel was a strong female character, but I thought the addition of the Old West setting was odd, especially when it is combined with the traditional magical setting of fairy tales. I did like how the two stories of Jack and the Beanstalk and Rapunzel were combined; it was a unique and fresh take on the stories.

I would use this book as a way to show how fairy tales can look different than traditional picture books. I would give students a chance to create their own graphic version of a fairy tale using the story elements.

Book Review (Young Adult): The Book Thief

Bibliography Zusak, Markus. 2005. THE BOOK THIEF. Alfred A. Knopf: New York. ISBN 9780307433848

Summary
Death narrates the story of a young German girl during World War II. Or as Death best states it, “It’s the story of one of those perpetual survivors--an expert at being left behind. It’s a small story really, about, among other things:

·         A girl

      ·         Some words

·         An accordionist

·         Some fanatical Germans

·         A Jewish fist fighter

·         And quite a lot of thievery”

Critical Analysis
The Book Thief is a low fantasy novel written for the audience of Young Adults. The main character of the story is Liesel Meminger, who overcomes the loss of many loved ones during World War II in Germany under the rule of Adolph Hitler. These losses include a father she never knew, her birth mother who had to give her away, her younger brother that dies on the way to the new home, and eventually the death of every person on her block, including her beloved adopted family and her best friend Rudy. There are very few Young Adults that could relate to young Liesel’s story directly, but they can easily relate to the struggles she faces, such as questioning her developing feelings for Rudy. The plot is directed by the narrator, who is Death himself, who weaves the story around the events of Liesel’s life.

Markus Zusak combines many of the attributes of Young Adult Literature, according to Donelson and Nilsen. Although the story is about a young adult girl, the narrator is Death, who is as old as time. Many YA’s struggle with life and death at this age and this book gives them some thoughts on what death could be like, but Zusak accomplishes this in a beautiful way that combines religions and humanities. Since this story was about World War II Germany, YA’s gain knowledge of the German and Jewish cultures, which exposes them to the world around them without sugar-coating the realities of that time. Although Death eludes to the loss of Liesel’s loved ones early in the book, the reader is still filled with hope for Liesel and that she will accomplish something greater.

The prevailing theme for The Book Thief is Liesel’s “rebellion of the established order.” By stealing books, it is her way of fighting against Hitler, who she ultimately blames for the loss of her family and friends.

Review Excerpt and Award
Death is the narrator of this lengthy, powerful story of a town in Nazi Germany. He is a kindly, caring Death, overwhelmed by the souls he has to collect from people in the gas chambers, from soldiers on the battlefields, and from civilians killed in bombings. Death focuses on a young orphan, Liesl; her loving foster parents; the Jewish fugitive they are hiding; and a wild but gentle teen neighbor, Rudy, who defies the Hitler Youth and convinces Liesl to steal for fun. After Liesl learns to read, she steals books from everywhere. When she reads a book in the bomb shelter, even a Nazi woman is enthralled. Then the book thief writes her own story. There's too much commentary at the outset, and too much switching from past to present time, but as in Zusak's enthralling I Am the Messenger (2004), the astonishing characters, drawn without sentimentality, will grab readers. More than the overt message about the power of words, it's Liesl's confrontation with horrifying cruelty and her discovery of kindness in unexpected places that tell the heartbreaking truth. Hazel Rochman, Booklist

·         Michael L. Printz Award, 2007 Honor Book

Strengths and Weaknesses
Both the strength and the weakness of The Book Thief is how the story skips around and does not happen sequentially. This was a weakness because sometimes it makes the story difficult to follow; passages had to be re-read in order to make sure it was understood correctly. The skipping around of the story is a strength because the Young Adult reader would be completely overwhelmed by all of the death that occurs toward the end of the book if they had not been prepared through the foreshadowing, especially with the loss of Papa Hubermann and Ruby Steiner.

Personal Response and Connections
One of the things that I did not like was how Death was just a bystander to the actions, especially toward the end I was hoping that he could do something to save Leisel’s loved ones. I also like how Death had human characteristics, for example, he has a boss who keeps expecting more from him without any thanks or appreciation. He even shows a sense of humor when the teacher, Sister Maria appears like the grim reaper, he says, “I like this human idea of a grim reaper. I like the scythe. It amuses me.”

One other response to the book is how Zusak sprinkles in just enough “bad words” to elevate the maturity level of the readers. He keeps the language authentic to the age group and the circumstances. The YA reader is treated like a YA reader, not a child.

This novel would be a terrific enrichment lesson on World War II. Many students are fascinated by this time period, especially the events in Germany, and this book delivers a different viewpoint on the war, plus it delivers a message of hope and overcoming difficulties.

Book Review (Fantasy): When You Reach Me

Bibliography Stead, Rebecca. 2009. WHEN YOU REACH ME. Wendy Lamb Books: New York. ISBN 9780385906647

Summary
12-year old Miranda is a typical girl struggling with friends, budding romance, and conflicts with her single mother; then to complicate matters, she starts receiving mysterious notes from a stranger.

Critical Analysis
In WhenYou Reach Me, Rebecca Stead creates a fictional setting that is realistic to young readers, but becomes low fantasy when the main character Miranda starts to receive notes that predict future events and actions. On the first page, the fantasy element is introduced in an intriguing way when her mom is invited to be a contestant on a game show on April 27, 1979. Miranda was told this date would be important by the mysterious person sending the notes. Stead masterfully develops the plot of the story by revealing parts of the mystery a little at a time to build suspense, and then she concludes the story with how all of the pieces of the mystery fit together. By using the first person point of view, the reader is able to see the events through Miranda’s eyes and get a greater sense of what is happening in the story. While this story does not deliver the common themes associated with fantasy, like good conquering evil and the main character overcoming something bigger, it does convey a message of how even minor events can have a major impact on the future. For example, when Miranda’s acquaintance Marcus met her other acquaintance Julia, it seemed very minor in the story, but this event eventually helps to solve the mystery of the notes, and saves a life as well.

Review Excerpt and Awards
This Newbury Medal Award winner reads like a book you are rediscovering from your childhood. It seems like it has always been around. Perhaps that is because Stead’s writing appears so effortless, the style so natural, as she tells the story of Miranda, an eleven year- old New Yorker trying to solve a mystery whose real nature is slowly revealed as the story unfolds. The more immediate puzzle is why Miranda’s oldest, best friend should be ignoring her. This new space in her life forces Miranda to negotiate the treacherous waters of early adolescence, trying to make new friends and understand people better, learning amongst other things that material privilege might not make for a better life. When You Reach Me has well developed, authentic characters and a tight plot that has many strands to draw together by the final pages including television quiz shows, time travel and naked men running through the streets of New York. A satisfying read that should remain popular as long as the classic A Wrinkle in Time to which it pays homage. Annalise Taylor, Carousel

·         Andre Norton Award, 2009

·         John Newbery Medal, 2010

Strengths and Weaknesses
The greatest strength of When You Reach Me is that the characters reflect the thoughts and feelings of the audience of young adult readers. Miranda has a best friend named Sal that she does everything with, but he decides he needs to make other friends other than Miranda. For the first time, Miranda has to reach out to others and try to make connections with them. This leads to some good friends and even her first kiss. One touching moment is when Miranda realizes that her one friend named Annemarie has deeper feelings for her other friend named Julia. This opens Miranda’s eyes to the thoughts and feelings that other people have. We see Annemarie’s feelings played out as she overcomes jealously that Julia could have other friends.

Another strength of the book is how Stead hands out the pieces of the story in little chunks, but it isn’t until the end of the story that all of the pieces come together to show love in a very deep and meaningful way.

Personal Response and Connections
I absolutely loved this novel. The story was so layered that just like A Wrinkle in Time, which was Miranda’s favorite book, each time you read the book you would learn not only something new about the story, but you could learn something new about yourself. This story played deeply in my mind, and will leave an imprint on my brain.  

I would use this novel as merely a read-aloud that could be discussed as a class. I would love for the students to visualize themselves as the characters and trace how each character impacts another character.

Book Review (Historical Fiction): The Game of Silence

Bibliography Erdrich, Louise. 2005. THE GAME OF SILENCE. Harper Collins: New York. ISBN 0060297905

Summary
Young Omakayas, a member of the Ojibwe tribe on an island of Lake Superior, continues daily life, even when her home is threatened by incoming “chimookomanag,” or white people.

Critical Analysis
When researching her own ancestry, Louise Erdrich was inspired to write the story of The Birchbark House, and its sequel, The Game of Silence. The Game of Silence is authentic to the time period and reflects the history of the white people claiming the land of the Native Americans. Erdrich weaves the daily life, as well as the customs and traditions of the Ojibwe tribe into the story. The reader gets a true picture of what life was like for the Native Americans. The characters of the story add to the authenticity of the story. The main character, Omakayas, is easily relatable to readers. Even though her way of life is very different than what children face today, her actions still resonate into today’s society. For example, she is plagued by her pesky little brother that does just about anything to annoy her. Also, Omakayas makes mistakes just like young adults do, like when she decided to pick the rice before the rice boss said it was ready. Omakayas’ character directs and guides the plot. All of the action of the story revolves around Omakayas and her reactions to the world and how she grows and changes in the year the story takes place.

The setting of the novel also adds to the realism of the story. The novel takes place when white people were starting to enter the land of the Native Americans. Omakayas even forms a friendship with a white girl, whom she calls “The Break-Apart Girl,” because it looks like she will break apart at the waist due to the style of her dress.

There are multiple themes woven throughout The Game of Silence that make the story engaging and relatable. Omakayas struggles to find her place in her tribe, which she eventually finds, despite the rivalry she has with another tribe member. Omakayas also learns that being with the people that she loves is more important than where they are located.

Erdrich adds to the authenticity of the story by including words that were used by the Ojibwe tribe. She even includes a glossary that defines the words. In the Author’s Note, Erdrich apologizes to the reader for any mistakes she may have made with the language, even though she used reliable resources.

Review Excerpt and Awards
Like its predecessor “The Birchbark House” (1999), this long-awaited sequel is framed by catastrophe, but the core of the story, which is set in 1850, is white settlers' threats to the traditional Ojibwe way of life. Omakayas is now nine and living at her beautiful island home in Lake Superior. But whites want Ojibwe off the island: Where will they go? In addition to an abundance of details about life through the seasons, Erdrich deals with the wider meaning of family and Omakayas' coming-of-age on a vision quest. Just on the edge of the child's daily life and coming ever closer are the whites--among them, a Catholic "soul-stealer" priest and a friendly teacher who helps the children learn to read and write both Ojibwe and English so that they can confront cheating white agents. Readers familiar with the first book will welcome the return of several richly drawn nonreverential characters, including Omakayas' pesky brother, her irritable mom, and her bold, tough mentor, Old Tallow. As Erdrich said in the Booklist Story Behind the Story, "Little House on the Lake" [BKL Ap 1 99], about “The Birchbark House,” her research into her ancestors revealed the horrifying history and also a culture rich, funny, and warm. In this heartrending novel the sense of what was lost is overwhelming. Hazel Rochman, Booklist

·         Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, 2006

Strengths and Weaknesses
The strength of The Game of Silence is in how relatable the main character is to young readers. Omakayas has a pesky brother, an older sister she admires, a mom that corrects her when she gets in trouble, and a tribe member that she has a rivalry with. This is very similar to what young readers face today. Most readers will be able to see a piece of themselves in Omakayas.

The main weakness of the book is that it is a sequel. The reader will have a greater understanding of the characters if they read The Birchbark House first because this will build greater background knowledge and understanding of the characters.

Personal Response and Connections
This is one of the first historical fiction novels for young readers that I really did not enjoy. I had trouble engaging with story and with the characters. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read The Birckbark House first. One part of the story I did enjoy was how Erdrich told the reader what happens to Omakayas after the novel ends. Instead of an epilogue, the future of Omakayas is revealed in a dream she has. She sees herself growing old and surrounded by family. After her dream, the story tells of Omakayas and her tribe leaving their land, but the reader knows what her future holds and the hope she has.

This novel would be an excellent supplement to the western expansion through the perspective of the Native Americans. With many history lessons, we see how the white people claimed the land without addressing how the Native Americans would have felt. Students can then write about how they would feel if they were kicked out of their homes.

Book Review (Historical Fiction): Catherine, Called Birdy

Bibliography Cushman, Karen. 1994. CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY. Clarion Books: New York. ISBN 0395681863

Summary
The year is 1290 in England and thirteen-year old Catherine, also known as Birdy, fights to find independence in a world where daughters are expected to do as their fathers tell them to do, including marrying for family monetary gain over love.

Critical Analysis
Catherine, Called Birdy reads like a diary straight from the medieval times in England. This historical fiction novel documents the daily life of a young girl on a manor as she tries to be obedient to her family, but wants to be able to make her own choices. During this time period in England, a daughter of a more well-to-do family was expected to marry whomever her father has selected for her, even if he has horrid table manners and bad teeth. Even though Catherine’s expectations are very different than what is expected in current times, her character is still relatable to young readers, especially in the mischievous ways she defies her parents, like by hiding her embroidery in the privy instead of working on it. Catherine dreams of being able to make her own choices, whether it be that she runs off to become a bard, or become a Crusader like her Uncle George.

The plot of the novel is realistic to the time period of the story. The story climaxes when Catherine is told she will marry the man she calls “Shaggy Beard” so her father can get some land in exchange. The reader is drawn into Catherine’s world through the plot and is made to feel empathy for her as she struggles to make choices for herself. The setting is vividly portrayed in the novel, from the dialog, to the details of the surroundings, and even the customs and traditions of the people work to draw the reader into medieval times to give a realistic picture of what life was like during that time. Through the Author’s Note, it is clear that Cushman has researched and depicted medieval life in an authentic manner.

Review Excerpt and Awards
Why must I learn to walk with a lady's tiny steps one day and sweat over great steaming kettles of dung and nettle for remedies the next? Why must the lady of the manor do all the least lovable tasks? I'd rather be a pig boy." This is just one of the entries in the diary of Catherine. A spirited, independent 13-year-old in 1290, Catherine records her daily activities and thoughts in this candid record that is filled with the rigid restrictions and raucous action of all the players in her life. Her father, a knight, wants to marry her to an old but wealthy suitor while she wants to be a scribe, a Crusader, a minstrel...anything other than a wife. Jan Lieberman, Children’s Literature

·         Carl Sandburg Literary Arts Awards, 1994

·         Golden Kite Award, 1995

·         John Newbery Medal, 1995 Honor Book United

Strengths and Weaknesses
The strength of Catherine, Called Birdy is the details that Cushman uses to depict life during medieval times. Often this time period is romanticized with brave knights and fair-haired maidens, but in reality it was a harsh time to live. Death lurked in every corner, even in something like childbirth or a simple wound. Even though life was hard, the people still found time to enjoy the merriments of life through celebrations. Even when death occurred, the people would find a way to eat, drink, and be merry. The novel shows that Birdy struggled with this concept; for example, she was excited about going to witness her first hanging, which was a town celebration, but in the end, she was disgusted by the reality of the loss of life.

One of the weaknesses of the book is engaging with the story. It wasn’t until the last twenty pages that a connection with the story and Birdy were developed. At that point, I didn’t want the story to end but I wanted to know more about what happens to Birdy.

Personal Response and Connections
Just about young person struggles with being independent and following the wishes of their parents, this is how Cushman relates to her audience of young readers. As an older reader, I had trouble connecting with Birdy because this is not where I am in my life with my parents. The best part of the book is when Birdy realizes she would not be who she is without her family, they are a part of her that cannot be taken away, even if she marries someone she doesn’t want to marry. It really hits home when she says, “I decided I cannot escape my life but can only use my determination and courage to make it the best I can.” This is a powerful message to young readers that they cannot run away and expect things to get better, but it is up to them to make their lives the best it can possibly be.

This novel would be a great discussion point for what life was really like in medieval times. It would tie in well with a history lesson on medieval life.

Book Review (Historical Fiction): Turtle in Paradise

Bibliography Holm, Jennifer L. 2010. TURTLE IN PARADISE. Random House: New York. ISBN 9780375936883

Summary
Eleven-year old Turtle is sent to live with her relatives in Key West, Florida when her mother gets a job working as a housekeeper for a lady that does not like children during the Great Depression.

Critical Analysis
Turtle in Paradise is a historical fiction novel set in 1935, during the Great Depression. This novel depicts the struggles people faced with lack of money and jobs during this time. Holm’s lends authenticity to the story by including an Author’s Note at the end of the novel. In the Author’s Note she writes how she was inspired by her own grandmother who lived in Key West. She also includes more information about Key West during the Great Depression and pictures from during that time. The climax of the novel revolves around the Labor Day Hurricane, which was a true event. Turtle and some other Key West children get stranded in a shack on an island while they were on a treasure hunt when a hurricane suddenly hits the town. This adds to the realism of the story. One of the nuggets of the story has fictional Turtle interacting with a writer who turns out to be Ernest Hemingway, who actually lived on the island during this time period. The plot of the story takes the reader on a believable journey to depression-era Key West because it depicts life as it really was during this time, complete with the struggles and hardships that people faced.

Turtle is a character that young readers will be able to relate to easily. She has a very realistic view of the world and prides herself as seeing things for what they are. She struggles with finding a place to fit in, especially in the strange environment of Key West. In the end of the novel she discovers what it is like to feel like she truly belongs somewhere. This theme relates to young readers because many of them also struggle with feeling accepted and they all want to feel like they belong.

Through the dialog and descriptions, Holm’s captures the reader’s attention and makes them feel like a part of the story. Through the dialog, the reader gets a feel of how people during this era spoke and interacted with each other. The people of Key West are shown to be very informal, close-knit, and skeptical of new people. The people address each other with nicknames, like “Pork Chop” and “Beans,” which according to the author, this was very common on Key West.

Turtle in Paradise combines all of the literary elements to deliver a story that is realistic and believable.

Review Excerpt and Awards
Eleven-year-old Turtle is not one to suffer fools gladly. And she runs into a lot of fools, especially the no-goods her starry-eyed mother meets. So it’s a tough little Turtle who arrives in Key West in June of 1935. She’s been sent to Florida to stay with relatives because her mother’s latest housekeeping job doesn’t allow children. Unfortunately, Mama has neglected to tell Aunt Minnie she’s coming, and Turtle gets the stink eye from cousins with monikers like Buddy and Beans. As Turtle soon learns, everything is different in Key West, from the fruit hanging on trees to the scorpions in nightgowns to the ways kids earn money. She can’t be part of her cousins’ Diaper Gang (no girls allowed), which takes care of fussy babies, but when she finds a treasure map, she hopes she’ll be on Easy Street like Little Orphan Annie. Holm uses family stories as the basis for this tale, part romp, part steely-eyed look at the Depression era. Reminiscent of Addie in the movie Paper Moon, Turtle is just the right mixture of knowingness and hope; the plot is a hilarious blend of family dramas seasoned with a dollop of adventure. The many references to 1930s entertainments (Terry and the Pirates, Shirley Temple) will mostly go over kids’ heads, but they’ll get how much comics and movies meant to a population desperate for smiles. An author’s note (with photos) shows Holm’s family close-up. Ilene Cooper, Booklist

·         Golden Kite Award, 2011

·         John Newbery Medal, 2011 Honor Book

Strengths and Weaknesses
One of the greatest strengths of Turtle in Paradise is the authenticity of the novel. Holm’s depicts the Great Depression and Key West with accuracy and believability. The reader gets a true sense of what it was like during the depression and the struggles that children had to endure. Most history books show the Great Depression from the perspective of the adults, and it is rarely seen how children coped during that time.

One of the weaknesses of the novel is that some of the references will go above the young reader’s heads. For example, when Turtle interacts with a writer in a bar, young readers will not know that Holm’s is referring to Ernest Hemingway, nor will they even know who he is.

Personal Response and Connections
Turtle in Paradise is more than a historical fiction novel about the Great Depression, it is about a young girl that struggles to belong and fit in. She discovers that paradise is not a fancy house with a happy ending, but it is being surrounded by those you love. She learns the hard way that people are not always as they seem, for example, Archie, her mother’s boyfriend, runs away with Turtle’s money she got as the result of a treasure hunt. She has learned the truth the hard way: “not all kids are rotten, and there are grown-ups who are sweet as Necco Wafers.”

This novel would be a great addition to a Social Studies lesson on the Great Depression. This book gives students the viewpoint of what it was like as children to live during this era. Students could then research more about children during the Great Depression.

Book Review (Nonfiction and Biography): Quest for the Tree Kangaroo

Bibliography Montgomery, Sy. 2006. QUEST FOR THE TREE KANGAROO: AN EXPEDITION TO THE CLOUD FOREST OF NEW GUINEA. Photographs by Nic Bishop.  Houghton Mifflin Company: Boston, MA. ISBN 0618496416

Summary
Sy Montgomery details a scientific expedition into the heart of New Guinea in search of the rare tree kangaroo with scientist Lisa Dabek and her crew. Along for the journey is photographer Nic Bishop, who captures the journey using his camera.

Critical Analysis
Quest for the Tree Kangaroo contains accurate and informative documentation that is based on an actual expedition into the forest of New Guinea. Montgomery has established herself as a reputable writer, plus since she was on the expedition, she was able to experience and document all of the events as a first hand witness. Photographer Nic Bishop is also known for his photographs of the natural world, and was also on the expedition. This book has many of the organizational features of informational texts, like an index, photo captions, and subheadings. This is helpful because information was not always presented in a logical manner, and the book was chock full of other information, not just information about the expedition. For example, there is a section of the book about the people of New Guinea, including pictures of school children.

This text-heavy informational book is supplemented with photographs by Nic Bishop. Sometimes the small font and the quantity of text on a page are overwhelming to the reader, especially younger readers. Young readers would still be able to gain information about the book by reading the photo captions and looking at the pictures.

Since this book was written by someone that was actually on the expedition, the style is unique and engaging. It is clear that Montgomery is passionate about her work and documenting what she sees. There is almost too much information included with the book.

Review Excerpt and Awards
Montgomery and Bishop follow award-winning titles such as The Tarantula Scientist (2004) with another beautifully illustrated entry in the Scientists in the Field series. This time, they join researchers on a grueling expedition in Papua New Guinea to track the rare Matschie's tree kangaroo. Montgomery gives a chronological, sometimes moment-by-moment account of the challenging climb into the remote cloud forest, the conditions in camp (rice-and-fern dinners, icy waterfall showers), and the awe-inspiring encounters with barely studied animals. The text occasionally veers into a casual tone ("a leech dropped into Lisa's eye. Yuck!") that seems aimed at a young audience, while the small font, exacting detail, and meandering narrative may demand older readers. Still, Montgomery gives an unusually strong, visceral sense of the work and cooperation fieldwork entails and the scope and uniqueness of this particular mission. She also communicates the thrill of studying animals in the wild, making observations, and discovering new information. As usual, Bishop's color photographs are exemplary and extend the excitement in stunning close-ups of creatures and of the team at work. Web resources, notes about conservation, and a glossary of Tok Pisin (the language spoken by the team's Papuan members) are appended. Gillian Engberg, Booklist

Awards:

Green Earth Book Award, 2007 Honor Book
Henry Bergh Children's Book Award, 2006 Winner Non-Fiction Environment and Ecology
Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children, 2007 Winner
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal, 2007 Honor Book

Strengths and Weaknesses
Quest for the Tree Kangaroo is filled with information about the expedition into New Guinea while looking for the tree kangaroo, which is a major strength for the book. Also, information is included that really gives readers an accurate picture of what it is like to be a field scientist. Montgomery also includes information about conservation and the importance of taking care of animals. Another strength of this book is the photographs by Nic Bishop. His photos bring life to the story and give meaning to the expedition.

One of the weaknesses of the book is that it almost contains too much information, the quantity of text could be overwhelming to less advanced readers; also the information can be too detailed. For example, there are seven pages dedicated to the people of New Guinea and how they live, which although it is good information, it doesn’t necessarily relate to the quest. Another weakness of the book is that more photographs could have been used to convey the information rather than text. For example, Montgomery mentions the cloud forest frequently, but there are very few pictures to show the forest.

Personal Response and Connections
Quest for the Tree Kangaroo is not just a book about an expedition into the forest of New Guinea, but it also a means to inspire children to follow their passions. Montgomery gives background information on the lead scientist, Lisa Dabek. We learn that she is allergic to animals and has asthma, and she has not let her circumstances stop her from pursuing her passions. Dabek says to “Follow your passion!” and your circumstances should not get in the way.

This book could be used for several library activities. One of the things that could be done is after reading this book; students can research a job that they feel they could be passionate about someday. Another activity would be to tie this book into wildlife and conservation study.

Book Review (Nonfiction and Biography): What Do You Do If Something Wants to Eat You?

Bibliography
Jenkins, Steve. 1997. WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN SOMETHING WANTS TO EAT YOU?  Houghton Mifflin Company: Boston, MA. ISBN 0395825148

Summary
In this concept book by Steve Jenkins, how animals defend themselves from other animals is explored. This book is filled with unusual and surprising examples. Some of the animals that are included are the clown fish, basilisk lizard, and the flying fish.

Critical Analysis
Jenkins informs and entertains readers in this informational book that is geared for younger readers, but can be enjoyed by older readers. The accuracy of the book is assumed, mainly because Jenkins has a gained a reputation for his books on the animal kingdom. The information in the book is either common knowledge by adults, or easy to verify. Since this book is written for younger audiences, the organization is simple and easy to follow. There is predictability with the pattern of the book; for example, on one page is the animal, and then when the page is turned, it is revealed how the animal defends itself. From the start, Jenkins engages the reader by telling them “most animals face the constant danger of being eaten by other animals. This book shows a few of the ways that they try to avoid this fate.” He closes the book by asking the reader to imagine what they would do if something wanted to eat you.

Jenkins has a unique design and style to this book. The font that is used to perfect for young readers and easy for them to follow. This couples with the artwork that Jenkins creates. Jenkins depicts the animals and their situations using collages made of cut paper. The artwork is intricate, but remains appealing to the readers. He is also able to give visual representation to the words, so the readers can see exactly what the words are saying.

Review Excerpt
The art of camouflage works on several levels here: Jenkins (Big and Little, 1996, etc.) cleverly conceals a factual compendium of 14 animal and insect defenses as a colorful picture book. Predators are depicted in pursuit of prey on each right-hand side of the spread; a flip of the page uncovers the clever escape mechanism employed by the would-be victim, from the bombardier beetle that can spray hot chemicals up to 500 times a second, to the glass snake that conveniently segments its tail. Whether curling up into an armor-plated ball, squirting clouds of ink, or imitating a leaf, the tricksters are described in a couple of sentences that invite further investigation of these survival techniques. Layered cut-paper collage animals are positioned in dramatic stances against textured handmade-paper backgrounds. In a few instances, the black typeface is difficult to discern when it is superimposed on the dark green of leaf or grass. One final question, "What would you do if something wanted to eat you?" takes readers into their own cat-and-mouse scenarios. A dashing look at natural escape routes. Kirkus Reviews

Strengths and Weaknesses
The artwork of What Do You Do if Something Wants to Eat You is both its strength and weakness. Jenkins creates amazing illustrations using cut paper and it is both beautiful and informing to look it. On the other hand, in my mind I kept wondering what it would really look like to see these animals defending themselves and I thought real photographs would also be helpful.

Personal Response and Connections
Jenkins created a beautiful and well-written informational book about animals and how they defend themselves. I had to read the book several times, the first time I read the words and glanced at the pictures, and the second time I glanced at the words and took my time looking at the pictures. I was especially amazed by the hog-nosed snake and all of the little pieces of paper that were used to create it. Even though this book is designed for younger audiences, I still learned some new things, like the glass snake is actually a type of lizard that has a tail that breaks into pieces if it is grabbed.

One of the activities that could be done with this book is to invite children to imagine what they would do to defend themselves if something wanted to eat them. Then they can be given paper to create their own collages, modeling the work of Jenkins.

Book Review (Nonfiction and Biography): Lincoln Tells a Joke

Bibliography
Krull, Kathleen and Paul Brewer. 2010. LINCOLN TELLS A JOKE: HOW LAUGHTER SAVED THE PRESIDENT (AND THE COUNTRY). Illus. Stacy Innerst. Harcourt Children's Books: Boston, MA. ISBN 9780152066390

Summary
This biography of Abraham Lincoln shows a different side of Lincoln than what is typically portrayed. This book details how Lincoln often used comedy to make hard situations better and to win people over by using humor.

Critical Analysis
In history books, there is very little, if any mention, of the outstanding sense of humor of our sixteenth president, Abraham Lincoln. In Lincoln Tells a Joke, Krull and Brewer use various sources, including primary sources, to tell the story of Lincoln as a very funny man. In the Note from the Authors, the authors indicate that "Lincoln's jokes in this book are from collections compiled by a variety of people...some of his clever remarks were passed on by eyewitnesses; some are second-hand, third-hand, or further removed." A bibliography is also included which adds to the accuracy of the biography. Plus, Krull is a noted author of biographies for children. The organization of the book is user friendly to children. The information is presented in sequential order from Lincoln's birth to death, and quotes from Lincoln are dispersed throughout the book.

Innerst creates inviting artwork for the book using acrylics on illustration board. He clearly captures Lincoln's humor in the images, plus he is able to capture how people feel around him. The illustrations follow along with the biography and show different major events in Lincoln's life, like the Civil War. Also, the biography and the images perfectly balance each other, without being heavy on one side or the other.

Krull and Brewer have a unique style to Lincoln Tells a Joke. They take a completely different approach to giving information about Abraham Lincoln and present it in a way that is funny and gives the reader a distinctive view of Lincoln, since he is rarely portrayed as someone with such a keen sense of humor. This book gives a good background to Abraham Lincoln and his life story and will encourage readers to learn more.

This biography also portrays a very human side of Abraham Lincoln. Major events in his life are included, from his wedding to his tenure as president. He used his humor to diffuse intense situations. For example, in cabinet meetings he was known to say, "Gentlemen, why don't you just laugh?" Like the title says, laughter did save the president, and the country.

Review Excerpt
Laughter is not only good medicine. It can also be a political tool, human motivator, and saving grace, as the authors show in this upbeat overview of Lincoln’s life. Moving through the sixteenth president’s many challenges, from family deaths to lost elections to fighting slavery, the text emphasizes how Lincoln coped with a joke on his tongue and a smile on his lips. Many direct quotes are interwoven in a contrasting font within the spreads that delve into subjects such as his military service, when he faced “a good many bloody battles—with mosquitoes,” and marriage: “Here I am, and here is Mrs. Lincoln. And that’s the long and short of it.” Innerst’s acrylic artwork feels homey and humorous, very much in the style of his previous work with Krull, M is for Music (2003), and while not every word or picture is necessarily a hoot and a holler, they do present a positive portrait that humanizes the lionized man for whom it was “a love of laughter that kept him going.” Andrew Medler, Booklist

Strengths
The strength of this biography is in how the authors take a historical figure and make him exciting and interesting by giving the readers a different perspective of his life. Lincoln had an outstanding sense of humor that eased emotions and made people feel better about themselves and what was going on in the world around them. One of the other strengths of this biography is how it shows readers that Lincoln was an incredibly hard worker, and achieved great things because of his hard work. Although he was a jokester, he continually wanted to learn more and better himself. This is a great inspiration for students, and adults.


Personal Response and Connections
I really enjoyed this different view of Abraham Lincoln; I never knew he liked to joke around so much. I really like how the authors make him relatable and engaging. This book was a very refreshing and different biography of Abraham Lincoln. I am excited to read more by these authors.

One of the activities that could be done with this book is a springboard for researching famous people. This book shows that researching and writing about a person can be fun and entertaining, as well as a terrific learning experience, I think Abraham Lincoln would approve!

Book Review (Poetry): Red Sings from Treetops

Bibliography
Sidman, Joyce. 2009. RED SINGS FROM TREETOPS: A YEAR IN COLORS. Illus. Pamela Zagarenski. Houghton Mifflin Books for Children: Boston, MA. ISBN 9780547014944

Summary
This poetry book takes the reader through the four seasons while combining the sights, sounds, feels, smells, and tastes through colors.

Critical Analysis
Red Sings from Treetops immerses the reader in a journey through the seasons using colors to bring depth, thought, and feeling to the world in a poetic way. By using free verse poetry, Sidman is able to practically draw the reader into the seasons in  fresh, creative way. The structure and rhythm of the poem guide the reader through the seasons by using colors to associate with that season. For example, the color purple is used in the fall:

Fall smells
Purple:
old leaves, crushed berries,
squishy plums with worms in them.
Purple: the smell
of all things
mixed together.

The illustrations in this book are beautiful and capture the imagination. It is worthwhile to spend time soaking in the images that Zagarenski created using mixed media and gorgeous paints. The illustrations reflect the story and add continuity to the poem; there is even a hidden red bird on each page. Even without the illustrations, the images that are created in the mind are thought-provoking and striking and drop the reader into the scene. Older children will be able to understand the poem at a deeper level with the imagery, whereas this book would be an excellent resource for younger students for learning colors and seasons at a superficial level.

Review Excerpt and Awards
Describing seasons by colors is not an original concept, but this whimsical color calendar sparkles with creativity. Zagarenski's mixed-media paintings on wood and computer illustration have a European folk-art style. The described hues are block-highlighted in the text while the artwork details the imagery in the words. A woman and her white dog, both wearing paper crowns, wander through the four seasons, observing nature's palette: "In summer, / BLUE grows new names: / turquoise, / azure, / cerulean." A red bird flying across the pages becomes a continuity motif. In summer, RED is a delicate hummingbird; in fall, "RED swells / on branches bent low. / RED: crisp, juicy, / crunch!" In winter, "RED hops to treetops / ...begins to sing: / and each note drops / like a cherry / into / my / ear." The seasons flow into each other, bringing readers full circle. Fresh descriptions and inventive artistry are a charming inspiration to notice colors and correlate emotions. Details in the artwork will invite repeated readings and challenge kids to muse about other color icons. Kirkus Reviews, 2009

Claudia Lewis Award, 2010
Cybil Award, 2009
Randolph Caldecott Medal, 2010

Strengths and Weaknesses
The strength of this poetry book is the images that are created in the readers mind and how the author allows the reader to practically see, hear, smell, taste, and touch the seasons using colors. Also, the illustrations are stunning and reflect the poem in a beautiful and creative way. One of the weaknesses of the book is that the poem is almost too much to soak in at one reading. It almost needs to be chunked or else the reader might become overwhelmed by the imagery.

Personal Response and Connections
I was amazed at how colors were personfied in this poem; for example, Sidman describes the spring as "yellow and purple holding hands." I could clearly imagine these colors in my mind, and Zagarenski also gave life to these images through her illustrations.

One of the activities that could be done with this book is to have students close their eyes as sections of the poem are read, then have them draw what they picture in their mind, and then complete the activity by seeing how the illustration of the book compares to their own drawing.

Book Review (Poetry): bow wow meow meow

Bibliography
Florian, Douglas. 2003. BOW WOW MEOW MEOW: IT'S RHYMING CATS AND DOGS. Harcourt: San Diego, CA. ISBN 0152163956

Summary
A collection of 21 poems featuring cats and dogs with colorful, fun illustrations.

Critical Analysis
Bow wow meow meow is a topical collection featuring the writing and illustrations of Douglas Florian. The topic of this collection is cats and dogs. The poems in this book have a natural rhythm that is especially apparent when the poems are read aloud. Most of the poems feature rhymes, with the exception of some of the shape poems, like "The Leopard". Some of the poems use sound to add to the effect of the poem, like in "The Sheepdog" using the sh sound frequently. Florian uses a variety of language choices to make the poems stronger, for example, in the poem "The Chihuahua," Florian equivalates the sound of the barking dog to the name of the dog. The purpose of Florian's poems are to entertain the audience with humor, although some of the poems felt forced, like "The Manx." The poems also rely on the illustrations to convey meaning.


Review Excerpt and Awards
Another of Florian's themed poems, awash with delightful plays on words, puns, and animal observations is just the ticket for cat and dog lovers. Poems are neatly divided, half for dog, and second half, as cat...chat. Illustrations are loosely painted, appealing, and most appropriately "toothy." My favorite poem is the familiar pointer who points, not at foxes or hares--but at Frigidaires. Florian should be declared a national treasure. Susan Hepler, Ph.D., Children's Literature

Strengths and Weaknesses
The strength of "bow wow meow meow" is in how the poems and illustrations playfully work together to entertain the readers. The poems will especially appeal to animals lovers of all ages. Young children will giggle at some of the play on words, like in "The Lion" when Florian calls the lions roar "fur-ocious." One of the weaknesses of the book is the simplicity of some of the poems, like the two-lined poem "The Manx." It's almost like it was included in the book just because it was about a cat, not because it was a good poem.

Personal Response and Connections
This is a fun book that made me smile a few times, I can see how young children would be especially amused at some of the poems. The rhymes and word play delivers fun lessons for children on different types of poetry, as well as the shape poems. I especially liked the poem "The Dachshund" that compared the dachshund to a stretch limosine for fleas.

This book cold be used to inspire students to write their own poems and draw their own illustrations about animals. This book would also be a good lesson for shape poetry, especially "The Poodles."

Book Review (Poetry): Inside Out and Back Again

Bibliography
Lai, Thanhha. 2011. INSIDE OUT AND BACK AGAIN. Harper: New York, NY. ISBN 9780061962783

Summary
Ha is a ten-year-old girl that is forced to leave her home in Saigon, Vietnam in 1975. Ha and her family travel as refugees aboard a ship with squalid living conditions, and arrive in America to face even greater challenges.

Critical Analysis
In Inside Out and Back Again, Lai delivers a touching story of a young girl as she learns to adjust to a new country. This verse novel perfectly uses free verse poetry to convey young Ha's feelings and emotions. It also delivers a history lesson about Vietnam and the struggles that refugees face in coming to America. The rhythm of the poems is like thoughts coming straight out of the mind in brief snippets, but flow naturally when read aloud to form beautiful poetry. Each word is carefully selected to convey meaning in a concise manner, which delivers clear imagery to the reader or listener's mind. For example, Ha's favorite food is the papaya, and in the description of the papaya, the reader can almost see, feel, smell, and  taste the fruit. Through the language of the poems, Lai takes the reader on an emotional journey that leaves an imprint on the heart of the reader. And even though the book takes place in 1975, the universal theme of acceptance still resonates with all readers. The suggested age range for this book is ages 8-12, but  older readers will still be able to learn and grow because of this book.

The structure of the book also allows Lai to convey meaning in a concise manner. There are four different parts of the book: Saigon, At Sea, Alabama, and From Now On. Within each part, the author has a title for each poem that sequentially takes the reader through Ha's experience over the course of a year. This structure allows for Lai to guide the reader in a clear way so the poems can deliver the meaning and story, without becoming encumbered by details.


Review Excerpt and Awards
After her father has been missing in action for nine years during the Vietnam War, 10-year-old Hà flees with her mother and three older brothers. Traveling first by boat, the family reaches a tent city in Guam, moves on to Florida, and is finally connected with sponsors in Alabama, where Hà finds refuge but also cruel rejection, especially from mean classmates. Based on Lai’s personal experience, this first novel captures a child-refugee’s struggle with rare honesty. Written in accessible, short free-verse poems, Hà’s immediate narrative describes her mistakes—both humorous and heartbreaking—with grammar, customs, and dress (she wears a flannel nightgown to school, for example); and readers will be moved by Hà’s sorrow as they recognize the anguish of being the outcast who spends lunchtime hiding in the bathroom. Eventually, Hà does get back at the sneering kids who bully her at school, and she finds help adjusting to her new life from a kind teacher who lost a son in Vietnam. The elemental details of Hà’s struggle dramatize a foreigner’s experience of alienation. And even as she begins to shape a new life, there is no easy comfort: her father is still gone. Hazel Rochman, Booklist

John Newbery Medal Honor Book, 2012
National Book Award Winner: Young People's Literature, 2011

Strengths and Weaknesses
The strength of this novel is how the author masterfully draws the reader into an emotional tale of a young girl by using poetry. Each word is carefully selected to make the reader feel deeply and experience Ha's life as if they are right with her. One of the weaknesses of the book is that the reader is left wanting to know more about Ha and her future. Through the Author's Note, the reader is able to inference what possibly happened, but it is left at that.

Personal Response and Connections
Even though I was never a refugee, nor faced most of the challenges that Ha faced, I still felt connected to her. I remember being ten and how important it was to be accepted by my peers. One of the struggles Ha faces is learning the nuances of the English language. One of the stanzas in the book sums up the book in a nutshell:

Would be simpler
if English
and life
were logical.

Everybody questions why things happen, and there isn't always a good reason for why things happen as they do. I often think life would be better if things happened for logical reasons. In the end, I was deeply moved by Ha's story, I loved how the poetry told the story in a concise way, but I was still able to feel the emotions, sights, sounds, and feelings of Ha. This book moves and makes the reader feel deeply.

This poetry book is a terrific springboard for acceptance and tolerance lessons for students. Through Ha, students can feel what it is like to not be accpeted for who you are, and how to appreciate differences.

Book Review (Traditional Literature): The Three Cabritos

Bibliography
Kimmel, Eric A. 2007. THE THREE CABRITOS. Illus. Stephen Gilpin. Marshall Cavendish Children: Tarrytown, NY. ISBN 9780761453437

Summary
In this retelling of The Three Billy Goats Gruff, three cabritos (or goats in Spanish), attempt to cross a bridge over the Rio Grande in order to get to a fiesta in Mexico, but have to get past the Chupacabra (or monster) first.

Critical Analysis
Most children have heard the story of The Three Billy Goats Gruff, but Kimmel incorporates the Mexican/South Texas culture in this retelling. The characters are still three goats, or cabritos, but the troll is replaced by the legendary Chupacabra, who is rumored to suck goats until they look like dead cacti. The setting of the story is South Texas, along the Mexican border, which adds another cultural reference to the story. The theme still sticks with traditional literature in that it portrays good conquering evil. The illustrator included images that add depth to the story by using a pencil, and color was added using PhotoShop. The highlight of this book was how the South Texas/Mexican culture was incorporated in the story. Kimmel even includes a glossary in the back of the book with pronunciation and meaning of the Spanish words used in the book.

Review Excerpt
Noted folklorist Kimmel presents his own version of “The Three Billy Goats Gruff.” Here the goats (cabritos) are on their way to Mexico for a fiesta across the border. Alas, each in his turn is stopped by Chupacabra, a legendary creature who attacks farm animals. The story follows the familiar form but with a decidedly Spanish-flavored bent, including Spanish words (defined in the glossary). In Kimmell’s telling, it is the eldest brother who conquers the monster, not through might but by playing the accordion. (His accordion is a magical instrument, and it makes the chupacabra dance until he bursts.) The story moves briskly, but the fat, blue chupacabra is far from frightening, looking more like a Macy’s holiday balloon than anything that would scary a hardy goat. Recommended for larger libraries or those serving Hispanic communities. Ilene Cooper, Booklist

Strengths and Weaknesses
The strength of this book is that it incorporates the Mexican culture in a fun way. Also, instead of using violence to fight the "monster," the cabritos use music and their brains to get across the bridge. One of the weaknesses of this book is that it is almost identical to The Three Billy Goats Gruff, therefore nothing truly fresh or different was delivered to the reader.

Personal Response and Connections
As I was reading the book, I wondered if the book was culturally insensitive since it was written by a non-Mexican. I often wonder about the gray area of telling about a culture without it coming across as insensitive. On the back flap of the book, the reader is told that Kimmel often re-tells stories from other cultures. I think he does a terrific job of writing about and respecting the Mexican culture in this book.

There are many activities that could be done with this book. This book could be used as a springboard for discussion on the Mexican culture. This is would be especially good if there are students of Spanish or Mexican descent in the group because they may be able to share insights into the story and add their own traditions. This book would also make a terrific compare and contrast activity with the original story.

Book Review (Traditional Literature): Three Hungry Pigs and the Wolf Who Came to Dinner

Bibliography
Santore, Charles. 2005. THREE HUNGRY PIGS AND THE WOLF WHO CAME TO DINNER. Random House: New York. ISBN 0375929460

Summary
Bianca, the tree sniffing hunter of truffles, is forced off her farm along with her two piglets. She meets a hungry wolf and is befriended and protected by him.

Critical Analysis
Santore's variation of The Three Pigs is extremely different than the original tale. Other than three pigs and a wolf being involved in the story, there are very few other similarities. The theme of good and evil is still present, but the main theme is the friendship that is created by the pigs and the wolf. The setting of this story is in Italy, and begins with "Once upon a time," but it is not clear how long ago the story takes place; the illustrations are ambiguous to time frames. The illustrations serve to reflect the action of the story and portray the Italian countryside. The author has a note at the beginning of the book that references the Italian culture and the centuries old tradition of hunting for truffles. Without this note, the reader would not be able to see and learn about the culture portrayed in the book.

Review Excerpt
No huffing and puffing occurs in this tale from the creator of The Camel's Lament (2004) and numerous folklore retellings, but one finds stray whiffs of both "The Three Little Pigs" and "Little Red Riding Hood" in its unusual story line. Truffle-hunting pig Bianca is put to pasture after consuming the merchandise: "Bianca decided she loved eating truffles even more than hunting them!" While braving the woodlands of Alba, Italy (the region specializing in the fungal delicacies, an author's note explains), Bianca and her two piglets face a hungry wolf, but her quick thinking whets the predator's appetite for truffles over pork. The happy ending is too abrupt, and the child appeal of food that exudes a "musky aroma" is pretty much zilch. Still, many children will be drawn to Santore's beautifully finished watercolors, as compelling in depictions of dramatically emoting animal characters as in bird's-eye views of the sun-toasted countryside. Pair this, perhaps, with dePaola's Strega Nona, for another Italian tale about a gourmand who can't get enough of a good thing. -Jennifer Mattson, Booklist

Strengths and Weaknesses
The strength of this book lies in taking a familiar story (The Three Pigs) and instead of making it a story about good conquering evil, it is about forming friendships and helping others, although this goes against the traditional theme of this type of literature. One of the weaknesses of this story is that more cultural references could have been incorporated into the story. The reader could have learned more about Italian traditions and about the culture of the country.

Personal Response and Connections
Santore's retelling of the The Three Pigs is an extremely different variation of the original tale. It would be challenging for younger readers to correlate the two stories. I thought the book was fresh and original, but from the title and front cover artwork, I was expecting a different story. In the end, I was satisfied with what I did get.

One of the activities that could be done with this story is have the students re-write The Three Pigs and incorporate a pre-researched cultural reference for a different country.

Book Review (Traditional Literature): The Three Pigs

Bibliography
Wiesner, David. 2001. THE THREE PIGS. Clarion Books: New York. ISBN 0618007016

Summary
Instead of getting eaten, The Three Pigs embark on an adventure outside of the story. They find a couple of friends along the way, including the Cat and the Fiddle and a rescued dragon. They return to the third pigs brick house with their new friends, and are able to defeat the wolf.

Critical Analysis
In this version of the classic The Three Pigs, David Wiesner provides a twist to the story by having the pigs leave the traditional story instead of getting eaten by the hungry wolf. The setting of the story starts traditionally as the pigs go out to make their way in the world, but then they leave the traditional story and visit other books, for example a nursery rhyme book. At the end of Wiesner's version, the pigs return to the original setting after visiting other places. The theme of Wiesner's version remains the same, with good triumphing over evil. The illustrations uniquelly portray the story by showing the readers the actions instead of telling them. For example, instead of getting eaten, it appears the pigs crawl out of the book. This version of The Three Pigs is different from the traditional version because with the traditional version, the story can be clearly conveyed without illustrations; whereas with Wiesner's version, meaning would be lost without the illustrations. Also, with Wiesner's version, there are no cultural references that give children insight in to different cultures or beliefs.

Review Excerpt(s) and Awards
Out of the familiar world of the traditional porcine trio illustrated in the traditional style slink Wiesner's pigs, moving the pages of the story about, folding them into paper airplanes, and sailing into other familiar tales. They pick up a friendly dragon along with other friends as they reconstruct their own happy ending. Wiesner delights in deconstructing pages of illustrations and treating them as building materials. His porkers have real personalities! They also are performers, delivering their lines in speech balloons. Their glide along the empty pages is almost brazen. Their adventure is surreal for sure, but done with joy and bravado that demand repeated visits to experience it all. -Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature)

Caldecott Award Winner, 2001

Strengths and Weaknesses
One of the strengths of David Wiesner's The Three Pigs is that it portrays a different take on the traditional tale of The Three Pigs. Children will enjoy hearing a different version from the original tale. There are several weaknesses with this book. The first weakness is the lack of any cultural reference. Another waekness is that to fully understand the story, the pictures must be shown, which steers away from the oral tradition of this form of literature.

Personal Response and Connections
I thought this version of The Three Pigs was fresh and inviting to readers that are familiar to the original story. I like how the illustrations told much of the story, I especially liked the three pigs gliding through the air on a page of the book.

This story could be used as a compare and contrast lesson for students. Also, students could be invited to remake other classic stories in their own way.

Book Review: Kitten's First Full Moon

Bibliography
Henkes, Kevin. 2004. KITTEN'S FIRST FULL MOON. Greenwillow Books: New York. ISBN 0060588292

Summary
A kitten sees a full moon and is convinced that it is a bowl of milk. She tries several different tactics to get the bowl of milk, but ends up with a bug on her tongue, and then she tumbles down the steps trying to reach for the moon. She tries to get closer, but just can't seem to get there, even by climbing a tree. Then she spies the reflection of the moon in the water, and falls in trying to get it. She finally heads back home and finds a bowl of milk waiting for her.

Critical Analysis
The illustrations in this picture book reflect what is happening in the story and add another layer of understanding. The story has a simple plot that conveys the message to the reader about being unlucky, then getting lucky. The main character is a cute kitten, that although children don't think of themselves as kittens, they can still empathize with the kitten and make connections with the story. Henkes uses repetition to deliver the story ("Still, there was a little bowl of milk, just waiting"). This emphasizes the kitten's determination to get that bowl of milk and has the readers wondering if the kitten will achieve her goal. Any child of any culture can relate to this book because it delivers a message of continuing to try, and even if the goal is not achievable, there may be a different, unexpected award waiting in the end.

Review Excerpt(s)
In a surprisingly new guise, Henkes turns his hand for his 34th book to a retro look, with rough-hewn, black-and-white illustrations that pair perfectly with this deceptively simply story. When Kitten mistakes the full moon for a bowl of milk, she ends up tired, wet, and hungry trying to reach it. The coarse but masterfully controlled line with heavy black outlines contains vigor and exuberance, creating a spontaneous feeling. A keen sense of design uses double spreads and panels to depict the action and Kitten's puzzlement. Some spreads are almost all white space with dark shadows outlining Kitten and the moon. The style is reminiscent of Clare Newberry (Marshmallow, April's Kittens) without soft, fuzzy shapes, but artful in its gracelessness and naïveté, just like a kitten. Simply charming. -Kirkus Reviews, February 15, 2004

Strengths and Weaknesses
One of the strengths of this book is the simple black and white illustrations that mirror what is happening in the story. The reader is taken through the story with clear visuals that add depth and understanding to the story. Another strength of this book is that it shows that sometimes things just don't go as expected, but there is still hope. One of the weaknesses of the book is that it doesn't relate setting a goal, and even if you don't achieve that goal, you are still rewarded. This book portrays trying really hard, and just getting lucky in the end.

Personal Response and Connections
This is the first Kevin Henkes book I didn't really enjoy. I did not like that the kitten was rewarded by luck, not through trying really hard. Maybe I am looking at this book too deeply. But in the end, does the kitten really learn anything? Do the readers learn anything about themselves?

This book could be used as a springboard for a writing activity. Students could be invited to write about a time that they were lucky.

Book Review: Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!

Bibliography
Willems, Mo. 2003. DON'T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS! Hyperion Books for Children: New York. ISBN 078681988X

Summary
After a bus driver leaves the reader to watch his bus with the directions of not letting the pigeon drive, an intrepid pigeon tries to convince the reader to let him drive the bus, without much luck.

Critical Analysis
Mo Willems combines words and fun images to interactively engage the reader in this picture book. The main character of the book is a pigeon that is determined to drive a bus, he uses all of the devices he can think of to get his way. He asks nicely, he begs, he pleads, he tries to trick you, and he even has a complete temper tantrum. Any parent, teacher, or anyone that has anything to do with the age group this book is intended for (ages 2-6) will see some very similar devices used by children and the pigeon to get what is wanted. This carries across the theme of the story without getting overly moral. The style and illustrations used in this book are simple in form, but tell a story that is engaging to all age groups. This is a good example that less is more. This book can be considered cross-cultural because there are no markers that indicate it reflects a specific culture. Almost all children have experience with busses, birds, and begging for something they want.

Review Excerpt(s)
In his winning debut, Willems finds the preschooler in a pigeon: a cajoling, tantrum-throwing, irresistible bird. "I've got to leave for a little while," says a uniformed bus driver as he strolls off the opening pages. "I thought he'd never leave," says the big-eyed pigeon as he marches onto the next spread and begins his campaign to drive the bus. His tactics, addressed to an unseen audience, are many: he reasons ("I tell you what: I'll just steer"); he whines ("I never get to do anything!"); he's creative ("Let's play 'Drive the Bus'! I'll go first"); he bargains ("C'mon! Just once around the block!"). Finally he erupts in a feather-flying tantrum, followed by a drooping sulk that ends only when a truck arrives, and new road fantasies begin. Librarians may struggle with the endpapers, which contain important story content, but the design is refreshingly minimal, focusing always on the pigeon; he's the only image on nearly every earth-toned spread. Willems is a professional animator, and each page has the feel of a perfectly frozen frame of cartoon footage--action, remarkable expression, and wild humor captured with just a few lines. Preschoolers will howl over the pigeon's dramatics, even as they recognize that he wheedles, blows up, and yearns to be powerful just like they do. -Gillian Engberg, Booklist, September 1, 2003

Strengths and Weaknesses
One of the major strengths of this book is the universal appeal of the theme of the story. Just about every child tries the exact same tactics the pigeon uses to get what is wanted. Also, Willems delivers a message in a fun way; how funny would it be to young children that a pigeon wants to drive a bus! That is sure to get some giggles. I also like how Willems draws the audience in by asking them to interact with the story and be participants with the story. It is difficult to determine one weakness because the story and illustrations are conjoined together seamlessly and tell an engaging story with a good lesson, and it is delivered in a fun manner.

Personal Response and Connections
I absolutely love this book! I am kicking myself that as a mom to three kids and a former Kindergarten teacher, I have never had the opportunity to share this books with children. I am a sucker for that cute pigeon, and I probably would have let him drive the bus, he is so gosh darn endearing!

Parents and teachers of younger children can use this book several ways. The first way is to have children identify behaviors that they might have used to get what they want. Also, this can lead to a discussion of how to ask for things and ineffective ways of getting what they want. Another lesson is to have children determine why it is a bad decsion to let a pigeon drive a bus, then they can relate this to their own experiences of when someone has told them no about something they really wanted.

Book Review: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Bibliography
Viorst, Judith. 1972. ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY. Ill. by Ray Cruz. New York: Athenum Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0689300727

Summary
Have you ever had a day when it seems like nothing is going right? Alexander has that kind of day from the moment he wakes up until he falls asleep that night. His day started out with gum in his hair when he woke up,  then led to his brothers getting the cool prizes in their cereal boxes, then having to be squished in the car on his way to school, to then having trouble with his assignments and his friends in school. Things continue to go wrong for him after school when he finds out he has a cavity and gets new senakers he isn't happy with. He even had to see kissing on TV! His day finally ended when he fell asleep to his broken Mickey Mouse night light.

Critical Analysis
Alexander and the Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day is a well crafted picture book that tells an extremely relatable story about a very bad day that a young boy experiences. Readers can easily connect with the main character because chances are, they have experienced their own very bad day. The plot and settings of the story moves sequentially through Alexander's day so as to add continuity throughout the story. The illustrations of the book support the actions of the story by giving a visual of not only what Alexander was experiencing, but also reflects his emotions of how he is feeling about his day. There are a few cultural markers contained in the book, this is indicated by pictures of African American children within Alexander's school.

Review Excerpt(s)
Judith Viorst's 30-year-old black-ink-only classic has a better-than-average chance of withstanding the ravages of time, despite its lack of color and dated images (old '70s VW bugs, Mary Tyler Moore-era clothing). After all, who can't identify with the little protagonist when he wakes up on the wrong side of the bed one morning, and experiences a very bad day indeed...I know the feeling, and so does every single kid, making Viorst's cross-hatched ink sketches seem fresh as a daisy to yet another generation. -Vicki Arkoff, Midwest Book Review, November 2002

Strengths and Weaknesses
One of the strengths of this book is how relatable Alexander is to just about anyone. Also, the illustrations add another layer to the story by portaying his emotions in a sympathetic manner. One of the weaknesses of the book is that a stronger moral could have been presented by having at least one thing go right for Alexander, to show the reader that even when things are going horribly wrong, there is always some good thing to find.

Personal Response and Connections
As a reader, I was rooting for something good to happen to Alexander, he looks and seems so miserable! I could also relate to him because judging from the pictures, he seems to be the youngest of three children, which is how I grew up as well. And it seemed that my older sisters always got the best breaks. There were many times I wanted to go to a different place to live, just like Alexander wanted to go to Australia. Also, I noticed that dome of the things that happened to Alexander could have been prevented, like getting in trouble for punching his brother.

This book lends itself well to teaching activities. One of the activities would be to have the students create a new story about "Alexander and the Wonderful, Awesome, Very Good Day." Also, for upper elementary students, a discussion could be done about how Alexander created the horrible day and what he could have done to change it. This would also lead into discussions about how each person can choose the kind of day they are going to have, and how bad days vary according to the perspective you have.

Response from Children (ages 10, 10, and 12) and the Dog Max (age 3)
Well, I had a cute little video of my kids with their response to the book, but for some reason I keep getting an error when I try to upload it. :( I did find it interesting that my 12 year old daughter had the same reaction that I did in that she kept waiting for something good to happen to Alexander. My twin boys liked the book, one really liked the illustrations. My Dog Max said the book needed more dogs.