Module 6-Picture Books

A Bad Case of Stripes

Shannon, D. (1998). A bad case of stripes. New York: Scholastic.

Summary

A young girl is very dependent on the approval of others and will only do what is popular.  Her constant stress over what others think starts turning her appearance crazy.  Polka dots and stripes and stars all imprint her body as she discovers that it's okay to be yourself.

Impression

A fun story that advocates individuality and thinking for yourself, this book was entertaining and wonderfully illustrated. 

Review

Ages 6-8. Camilla, who loves lima beans but won't eat them because it's not cool, finds that deferring to others isn't all it's cracked up to be. In fact, her desire to please and be popular causes her some spectacular problems: she suddenly breaks out in stripes, then stars, then turns "purple polka-dotty" at the behest of a delighted classmate. Her weird mutations, which stymie doctors and send the media into a frenzy, become more and more extreme until she finally blends into the walls of her room--her lips the red-blanketed mattress on her bed, her eyes the paintings on the wall. Will she never be herself again? Shannon's over-the-top art is sensational, an ingenious combination of the concrete and the fantastic that delivers more than enough punch to make up for the somewhat heavy hand behind the story, and as usual, his wonderfully stereotypic characters are unforgettable. The pictures are probably enough to attract young browsers (Camilla in brilliant stripped glory graces the jacket), and the book's irony and wealth of detail may even interest readers in higher grades. Try this for leading into a discussion on being different.

Booklist. (1998). 94(9/10).

Library Use
1.  Author or illustrator study on David Shannon.
2.  Booktalk about being an individual.
3. Comparing illustrator styles.

Module 5-Other Award Winners

Remember: The Journey to School Integration

Morrison, T. (2004). Remember: The journey to school integration. New York: Houghton Mifflin.

Summary

The author uses evocative photographs to put the feelings of a turbulent point of history in to words that are hard to say.  As school were integrated the nation divided, leaving children in the middle of a grown up war. 

Impression

This book is simply written and included beautiful black and white photographs of the segregation time period.  I think it won the award because it was so poignant and visually powerful.  I read this book out loud to my fourth graders and they were captivated.  Although they've heard about segregation and the Jim Crow laws, seeing actual pictures of these events really stirred their thoughts and made them take this topic to heart.  Seeing the actual photographs in this book made quite an impact on me. The hate in some people's faces is horrible, and I can not imagine having lived in that time period.

Review

Gr. 5-12. The photos are electrifying. Beautifully reproduced in sepia prints, the archival images humanize the politics of the civil rights movement. The leaders are shown, but the focus is on ordinary young people and the role they played in school integration. In her eloquent introduction, Morrison talks about what the pictures show: the reality of separate but equal, the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education decision, the nationwide movement to eliminate racist laws. On the page opposite each photo, however, she imagines the thoughts and feelings of kids in the photos, and the intrusive fictionalized comments get in the way of the visual images ("I think she likes me, but . . .What will I do if she hates me?"). The fiction is not about the angry white mobs; there's no verbal racist confrontation. But there's hatred in the pictures, and children will constantly turn back to the photo notes at the end to find out more. Every library will want this not for the condescending made-up stuff but for the stirring history.

Booklist (2004, April 15). 100(16).  Retrieved from http://titlewave.com/search?SID=1d7d7fe742b418730fc51c5a95a6ea36

Library Use
This is a wonderful book to really expose students to segregation and integration and to give them as much of a first-hand experience as they can come close to having.  It would be very beneficial to use during Black History Month.

Goin' Someplace Special

McKissack, P. (2001). Goin' someplace special. New York: Atheneum.



Summary

This is a fiction story based on the author's life growing up in a segregated town.  She embarks one day to go someplace special, and the book describes her experiences on her way.  Ending up at the city's library, the author feels the relief of knowing that everyone is welcome inside, no matter what color they are.

Impression

I also read this story aloud to my students, and although they liked it, they enjoyed the previous book more.  As a future librarian, it is nice to think of a library as a place where the main character felt safe and welcome.  I think this story is an easier one to present the topic of segregation to maybe younger students or those that have not learned about the topic before, but I think it is lacking in the real struggle that was faced by everyone who endured the racism. 

Review

Ages 5-8. Tricia Ann excitedly gets her grandmother's permission to go out by herself to "Someplace Special"--a place far enough away to take the bus and to have to walk a bit. But this isn't just any trip. Tricia's trip takes place in the segregated South of the 1950s. That means Tricia faces sitting at the back of the bus, not being allowed to sit on a whites-only park bench, and being escorted out of a hotel lobby. She almost gives up, but a local woman who some say is "addled,"but whom Tricia Ann knows to be gentle and wise, shows her how to listen to the voice inside herself that allows her to go on. She arrives at her special destination--the public library, whose sign reads "All Are Welcome."Pinkney's watercolor paintings are lush and sprawling as they evoke southern city streets and sidewalks as well as Tricia Ann's inner glow. In an author's note, McKissack lays out the autobiographical roots of the story and what she faced as a child growing up in Nashville. This book carries a strong message of pride and self-confidence as well as a pointed history lesson. It is also a beautiful tribute to the libraries that were ahead of their time.

Booklist (2001). 97(22).

Library Use

This would be a good book to have on display during Black History Month, and also to do a story time with younger readers who may not know exactly what segregation was about.

Module 4-Newberry Winners

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

Konigsburg, E. (1968). From the mixed-up files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. New York: Atheneum.

Summary
Claudia decides to run away to New York City and decides to invite her brother Jamie along because, well, he has money to finance her trip.  They hide out in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, doing everything from taking baths to sleeping there.  A statue is unveiled during their stay and they set out to solve the mystery of its origin, and find the answer from a eccentric woman named Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.  In the end they keep the answer to themselves and return home.  Claudia, who hoped to become "different" on her adventure, gets her wish because of the answer they find.

Impression
I really enjoyed this story and have recommended it to several students since I read it.  I know as a child I thought about running away when I felt especially mad at my parents, but always came to the conclusion that it would be a dangerous and irrational thing to do.  Claudia and Jamie however have a grand adventure when they run away and they end up solving a historical puzzle.  Claudia finds out more about herself on the trip, and her soul searching is relevant to the coming of age trials that many children her age go through.

Review
For 35 years, even readers who have never traveled to New York City have visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art, courtesy of Claudia Kincaid, heroine of From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg. Winner of the 1968 Newbery Medal, this novel charts one girl's mission to run away from her straight-As life to somewhere beautiful-the Met. In the process, she becomes obsessed with uncovering the secrets of a breathtaking statue. A 35th-anniversary dust jacket and a new afterword by the author caps this adventure that has captivated readers for more than a quarter-century.

Publisher's Weekly (2002). 249(49).

Library Use
This is just a fun story to recommend to students.  There's adventure, a little bit of mystery, and sibling dynamic, which speaks to a vast majority of children.

Holes

Sachar, L. (1999). Holes. New York: Dell Yearling.

Summary
Stanley Yelnats is cursed, and comes from a line of cursed Yelnats men.  A misunderstanding lands him in a camp for juvenile delinquents, digging holes in the desert all day long.  During his stay he learn that there is more to digging all of those holes than just punishment, and ultimately ends up breaking the family curse.

Impression
I cannot believe it took me so long to read this book!  I absolutely loved it and the message it sends about overcoming the hand your dealt.  You can't always avoid the things that happen to you, but you can continually stand up for what's right, be kind to others, love your family, and always try to do your best.

Review
PW's starred review of the 1999 Newbery Medal winner described it as a "dazzling blend of social commentary, tall tale and magic realism." Ages 10-up.

Publisher's Weekly (2000). 246(20).

Library Use
This would be a great book to include in a book talk about life choices and making the most of what you have.  It is also a great read aloud book.



Module 3-Caldecott Winners

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble

Steig, W. (1971). Sylvester and the magic pebble. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Summary

Sylvester collects unusual rocks, and one day he finds one that makes wishes come true!  He heads back home to show his parents, and when trying to hide from a hungry lion, he wishes that he were a rock.  He spends the next year as a rock in the middle of a field.  His parents end up having a picnic on him and his dad finds the magic pebble.  He places it on the rock as he eats and without knowing it is there Sylvester wishes he were a real donkey again.  He turns back in to himself and the family is reunited!  They put the magic pebble in a safe to maybe use when they need it in the future.

Impression

I used this book in a storytime with kindergartners and they loved it.  They were studying rocks in science at the time, so they were able to really connect.  We had a great discussion about what their parents would feel like if they went missing.  This book has some rather large words in it for kindergartners, but it did not totally interrupt the flow of the book nor impede comprehension.  Overall it was great to use and every student loved it.

Review

It's hard to believe that 30 years have passed since Sylvester held his magic pebble and turned himself into a rock. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, published in 1969, won the Caldecott Medal in 1970 and remains a favorite of children and adults. Author/illustrator William Steig, who has been in children's book publishing for roughly 35 years, shows no signs of stopping. Steig has published over 30 children's books, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble selling 500,000 copies alone. In fact, just last year Steig and his wife Jeanne worked together on A Handful of Beans, which was recognized by the New York Times as Best Illustrated Book.

Sylvester's humorous illustrations of fully dressed farm animals conducting daily business upright are set against the simple and endearing text. Simon &and Schuster has issued special anniversary editions of Sylvester with a 30th Anniversary bellyband on the hardcover and 30th Anniversary burst on the paperback. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble was recognized by the California Teachers' Association as one of the 100 Best Books of the Century. The good news is that Sylvester will continue to delight young readers for centuries to come.

Annclaude, A. (1999, August). Sylvester and the magic pebble review. Bookpage. Retrieved from http://bookpage.com/review/sylvester-and-the-magic-pebble-hardcover/sylvester-and-the-magic-pebble-review

Library Use

This book is great for a kindergarten or first grade storytime to tie in to a science unit on rocks.  It could also be used to go with a "be careful what you wish for" theme, or to talk about thinking before you speak or act.

Lon Po Po:  A Red-Riding Hood Story from China

Young, E. (1990). Lon Po Po: A red-riding hood story from China. New York: Philomel.

 Summary

The traditional fairy tale of Red Riding Hood is presented in its form from China.  Some differences emerge, such as the presence of three sisters as the main characters, and that they hide in a tree to stay away from the wolf, but overall the moral and theme of the story remains the same.

Impression

I love knowing that versions of the same story date back to before the time where people continents apart could communicate.  This is a beautifully illustrated version of Red Riding Hood and students are able to make connections to the tale that they are familiar with.

Review

Gr 1-5-- A gripping variation on Red Riding Hood that involves three little sisters who outsmart the wolf ( lon or long in Cantonese) who has gained entry to their home under the false pretense of being their maternal grandmother ( Po Po ). The clever animal blows out the candle before the children can see him , and is actually in bed with them when they start asking the traditional ``Why, Grandma!'' questions. The eldest realizes the truth and tricks the wolf into letting them go outside to pick gingko nuts , and then lures him to his doom. The text possesses that matter-of-fact veracity that characterizes the best fairy tales. The watercolor and pastel pictures are remarkable: mystically beautiful in their depiction of the Chinese countryside, menacing in the exchanges with the wolf, and positively chilling in the scenes inside the house. Overall, this is an outstanding achievement that will be pored over again and again.--John Philbrook, San Francisco Pub . Lib .

Philbrook, J (1989). The book review. School Library Journal. 35(16).

Library Use
This book could be presented or displayed in a cultural unit to represent stories that come from China.  It could also be used to compare and contrast different versions of stories.