SLIS 5420 Module 15 Censorship Issues DRAW ME A STAR

Draw Me a Star by Eric Carle

Book Cover

Image retrieved from http://childrenslithogg.blogspot.com/

Book Summary
An artist is asked to draw a star. He draws a star then he is asked to draw a sun. After the artist draws the sun, he is asked to draw a tree, then a couple, then a house, and so on. It comes back to the artist being asked to draw a star again. At the end of the story, the artist goes on a journey with the star.

Reference

Carle, Eric. (1992). Draw me a star, Puffin.

Librarian's Corner
Eric Carle's books are loved by adults and children so I was surprised to see Eric Carle's Draw Me A Star on the challenge list. The story started out just like a typical Eric Carle's story. I began to understand where parents might have trouble when I was looking at the page where the artist is drawing the couple and the couple have no clothing. Some of the readers may have the connection to Adam and Eve. I don't have a problem with this book, but this Eric Carle book won't be on my purchase list either.

Reviews
From Booklist
In this large, brightly illustrated picture book, an artist draws a star, which asks him to draw a sun, which asks him to draw a tree, which asks him to draw a man and a woman . . . and so on. There are biblical overtones, with the man and woman next to the tree looking like Adam and Eve before the Fall, but within a few pages the house is built, the tulips are up, and the scene becomes modern, from houseplants to clothes. Soon, the night asks the artist to draw a moon, and the moon requests a star, bringing the text full circle. Then there's a switch. A drawing lesson demonstrates how to make an eight-pointed star. Next, the artist's star carries him, floating Chagall-like, across the dark, star-spangled sky. On the last page, Carle addresses a letter to his "Friends" describing how his grandmother showed him how to draw a star while reciting a nonsense rhyme, and how his trip on a shooting star inspired this book. The illustrations, in Carle's signature style, are collages of painted, torn, and cut papers. A free-spirited, original offering. Category: For the Young. 1992, Putnam/Philomel, $15.95. Ages 4-7.

Phelam, Carolyn. (September 1992). [Review of the book Draw Me A Star, by Eric Carle]. Booklist, 89(2).

From Kirkus Reviews
A remarkable, quintessentially simple book encompassing Creation, creativity, and the cycle of life within the eternal. Introduced on the title page as a toddler drawing the first of five lines to make a star, an artist ages until, at the end, he's an old man who takes hold of a star to travel the night sky. Meanwhile, the first star says, "Draw me the sun"; the sun says, "Draw me a tree," and so on: woman and man; house, dog, cat, bird, butterfly, flowers, cloud; a rainbow arching over the middle-aged artist's whole creation; and back to the night and the stars. Carle's trademark style--vibrant tissue collage on dramatic white--is wonderfully effective in expressing the joy of creation, while the economy with which he conveys these universal ideas gives them extraordinary power. Yet the story is disarmingly childlike, concluding with an ingenuous letter from the author with instructions for drawing an eight-point star. Thanks be to the book for asking Carle to "draw" it! 1992, Philomel/Putnam, $15.95. Starred Review. © 1992 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Kirkus. (19925). [Review of the book Draw Me A Star, by Eric Carle]. Kirkus Reviews.

Value to the Library
Elementary School Library
The school librarian can have Draw Me A Star displayed with other Eric Carle books for a featured author display. The school librarian can also use this book to have a discussion with the students on their special memory and illustrate it.

SLIS 5420 Module 14 Poetry and Story Collecitons INSIDE OUT AND BACK AGAIN

Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai

Book Cover

Image retrieved from https://steepstairs.wordpress.com/tag/inside-out-and-back-again/

Book Summary
The book starts with the Lunar New Year's Day in 1975. Tet, a 10-year-old girl, shares her view on the world around her and what struggles she goes through. The book is divided into four parts: Saigon, At Sea, Alabama, and From Now On. Saigon is about Tet and her family's daily life before it falls: the markets, her friends, and her own papaya tree. At Sea documents what Tet and her family's life is like on the ship. Alabama is the longest part in the story. Even though Tet's family are now safe from war, there are still many uncertainties ahead of them. They have to get used to a different life style, different schooling, and a different language. The last part, From Now On, is short but signifies acceptance and closure to Tet's dad's not returning, and the whole family is ready to move on with their new life in a new land.

Reference

Lai, Thanhha. (2011). Inside Out & Back Again, Harper Collins Children's Books,  Harper Collins.

Librarian's Corner
I have never read a verse novel before and didn't know what to expect. I turned out to like this book, Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai a lot, and added other verse novel titles to my reading list. The major event in the verse novel is the start of the Vietnam War. I think this verse novel works well for students who are not ready for historical fiction since there are not a lot of descriptions of the war, but the descriptions of the protagonist's feelings of the whole ordeal are just as powerful. Even though the number of words in this verse novel can't compete with the number of words in other fiction books, this verse novel is able to reach the readers just as well. I particularly like the parts Tet shares her thinking on learning English. She is confused because the rules that she's learning don't always apply. I wonder if children who grow up in an English environment ever wonders about these grammar rules? I would recommend this book to grades 3 and up.

Reviews
From Booklist
Starred Review* After her father has been missing in action for nine years during the Vietnam War, 10-year-old Ha 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 Ha 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, Ha'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 Ha's sorrow as they recognize the anguish of being the outcast who spends lunchtime hiding in the bathroom. Eventually, Ha 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 Ha'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. Grades 4-8

Rochmand, Hazel. (January 201). [Review of the book Inside Out and Back Again, by Thanhha Lai]. Booklist, 107(9).

From Kirkus Reviews
An enlightening, poignant and unexpectedly funny novel in verse is rooted in the author's childhood experiences. In Saigon in 1975, 10-year-old Kim Ha celebrates Tet (New Year) with her mother and three older brothers; none of them guesses at the changes the Year of the Cat will bring. (Ha's father's been MIA from the South Vietnamese Navy for nine years.) On the eve of the fall of Saigon, they finally decide they must escape. Free verse poems of, usually, just two to three pages tell the story. With the help of a friend, the family leaves, and they find themselves trapped at sea awaiting rescue. Only one of her brothers speaks English, but they pick America as their destination and eventually find a sponsor in Alabama. Even amid the heartbreak, the narrative is shot through with humor. Ha misunderstands much about her new home: Surely their sponsor, who always wears his cowboy hat, must have a horse somewhere. In a school full of strangers and bullies, she struggles to learn a language full of snake's hissing and must accept that she can no longer be at the head of her class...for now. In her not-to-be-missed debut, Lai evokes a distinct time and place and presents a complex, realistic heroine whom readers will recognize, even if they haven't found themselves in a strange new country. 2011, Harper/HarperCollins, 272 pp., $15.99. Category: Historical fiction/verse. Ages 9 to 12. Starred Review. © 2011 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Kirkus. (January 2011). [Review of the book Inside Out and Back Again, by Thanhha Lai]. Kirkus Reviews, 79(2).

Value to the Library
Elementary School Library
When the school librarian does a book talk on verse novels and poems, Inside Out and Back Again can be one of the choices that he or she reads aloud. Or it can be introduced during Multicultural Month for food, customs, and beliefs. The three verse entries on English grammar can also be used start discussions on grammar rules to help students think about their use of English. Parts of this book can also be used to talk about newcomers and bullying.

SLIS 5420 Module 13 Graphic Novels and Series Books SMILE

Smile by Raina Telgemeier

Book Cover

Image retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Smile-Raina-Telgemeier/dp/0545132061

Book Summary

Just when a 6th grade girl, Raina, gets used to the idea of wearing braces hoping to be normal and have a ordinary junior high school experience, she falls and damages her two front teeth after a girl scout meeting. For the next 4 years, Raina goes through surgery, embarrassing headgear, braces, and retainers. During the same period of time, Raina also goes through a major earthquake, crushes on boys, and discovery true friendship. At the end of the book, Raina comes out of her metamorphosis into a confident girl with the right friends.

Reference

Telgemeier, Raina. (2010). Smile, Scholastic Inc. 

Librarian's Corner

I was very happy that I finally got a hold of this book. I've had several 5th grade girls asking for this book and was wondering about this book. I have never had strong feelings toward graphic novels, but Smile by Raina Telgemeier is one of the books that I could not put down and have to finish reading it at once. There are so many parts of the story that I can make connections with and this book truly took me back to my high school years. During those awkward years where everyone is trying to find his or her own place, I always thought that nobody would understand my feelings. But this book made me feel that I'm just like everybody else, even though that was a while ago.

Reviews

From Booklist

The dental case that Telgemeier documents in this graphic memoir was extreme: a random accident led to front tooth loss when she was 12, and over the next several years, she suffered through surgery, implants, headgear, false teeth, and a rearrangement of her remaining incisors. Accompanying the physical treatment came social rough spots with friends, while puberty delivered another set of curveballs with crushes, maturing bodies, and changing family expectations and judgments. Both adults and kids including various dental professionals and younger siblings are vividly and rapidly portrayed, giving quick access to the memoirist's world. Telgemeier's storytelling and full-color cartoony images form a story that will cheer and inspire any middle-schooler dealing with orthodontia. At the same time, she shows how her early career choice as an animator took root during this difficult period offering yet another gentle reminder that things have turned out fine for the author and can for her reader as well. Grades 5-8

Goldsmith, Francisca. (December 2009). [Review of the book Smile, by Raina Telgemeier]. Booklist, 106(8).

From Kirkus Reviews

Telgemeier has created an utterly charming graphic memoir of tooth trauma, first crushes and fickle friends, sweetly reminiscent of Judy Blume's work. One night, Raina trips and falls after a Girl Scout meeting, knocking out her two front teeth. This leads to years of painful surgeries, braces, agonizing root canals and other oral atrocities. Her friends offer little solace through this trying ordeal, spending more of their time teasing than comforting her. After years of these girls' constant belittling, Raina branches out and finds her own voice and a new group of friends. Young girls will relate to her story, and her friend-angst is palpable. Readers should not overlook this seemingly simply drawn work; the strong writing and emotionally expressive characters add an unexpected layer of depth. As an afterword, the author includes a photo of her smiling, showing off the results of all of the years of pain she endured. Irresistible, funny and touching—a must read for all teenage girls, whether en-braced or not. 2010, Graphix/Scholastic, 224p, $21.99. Category: Graphic memoir. Ages 12 up. © 2010 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Kirkus. (January 2010). [Review of the book Smile, by Raina Telgemeier]. Kirkus Reviews, 78(1).

Value to the Library

Elementary, Middle, and High School Library

The librarian can feature this book or another by Raina Telgemeier along with other graphic novels in a book display to promote graphic novels. The librarian can also create an anonymous wall where students share their most embarrassing moments and allow students to give feedback. The students might be surprised to find out that others also experience embarrassing moments and it's part of growing up.

SLIS 5420 Module 12 Biography and Autobiography ME... JANE

Me... Jane by Patrick McDonnell

Book Cover

Image retrieved from http://www.jennysbookreview.com/2011/12/18/me-jane-by-patrick-mcdonnell/

Book Summary
Jubilee, the stuffed toy chimpanzee that Jane got when she was little, accompanied Jane to observe and study the outdoors. Jane grew to love nature. Jane's curiosity about the nature encouraged her to read and learn all about it. She watched, felt, touched, studied, smelled, listened and every other thing she could do in nature and she felt the most alive when she was outside. One of her favorite book is Tarzan of the Apes, especially when there is a girl named Jane who lives in Africa to be with the animals. She wanted to be just like Jane. And one day... Jane's dream came true!

Reference
McDonnell, Patrick. (2011). Me... Jane, New York: Little, Brown and Company, Hachette Book
          Group.

Librarian's Corner
Me... Jane by Patrick McDonnell is a simple biography with a powerful message to inspire little minds with a dream. I was amazed at how a biography written in so few words can turn into a beautiful book. Biographies usually is the least liked section of the library by the primary students, but simple text and layered illustrations with Jane Goodall's childhood drawings and sketches really holds the attention of little kids, even the 4-year-olds!

Reviews
From Booklist
Starred Review* Little Jane loves her stuffed animal, a chimpanzee named Jubilee, and carries him everywhere she goes. Mainly, they go outdoors, where they watch birds building their nests and squirrels chasing each other. Jane reads about animals in books and keeps a notebook of sketches, information, and puzzles. Feeling her kinship with all of nature, she often climbs her favorite tree and reads about another Jane, Tarzan's Jane. She dreams that one day she, too, will live in the African jungle and help the animals. And one day, she does. With the story's last page turn, the illustrations change from ink-and-watercolor scenes of Jane as a child, toting Jubilee, to a color photo of Jane Goodall as a young woman in Africa, extending her hand to a chimpanzee. Quietly told and expressively illustrated, the story of the child as a budding naturalist is charming on its own, but the photo on the last page opens it up through a well-chosen image that illuminates the connections between childhood dreams and adult reality. On two appended pages, "About Jane Goodall" describes her work, while "A Message from Jane" invites others to get involved. This remarkable picture book is one of the few that speaks, in a meaningful way, to all ages. Preschool-Grade 3

Phelan, Carolyn. (March 2011). [Review of the book Me... Jane, by Patrick McDonnell]. Booklist, 107(14).

From Kirkus
Little Jane Goodall and Jubilee (her toy chimpanzee) ramble outside their English country home observing everyday animal miracles and dreaming of a life in Africa, "living with, / and helping, / all animals." Readers familiar with the groundbreaking primatologist will love seeing her as a conventional, buttoned-up child, wearing a plaid skirt, classic bob and hair clip as she squats in a coop to watch a chicken drop an egg. McDonnell's simple ink-and-watercolor illustrations appear as sunny, amorphous panels in ample white space. Purposeful black lines provide specificity with small suggestive strokes—a tiny apostrophic smile relays Jane's complete contentment sprawled in grass. Opposite pages offer groupings of faint, intricate stamps that correspond with young Jane's early outdoor experiences and engage readers with their fine details. The playful interplay among stamps, cartoonish drawings and real photographs of Jane reminds readers of a child's hodgepodge journal—one like Jane's, which appears as a double-page spread showing her animal studies, charts, games and doodles. Children will appreciate McDonnell's original format and take heart that interests logged in their own diaries might turn into lifelong passions. Backmatter includes a pithy biography, additional photographs and a letter and drawing from Jane herself—children will thrill at the connection. 2011, Little, Brown, 40 pp., $15.99. Category: Picture book/biography. Ages 2 to 10. Starred Review. © 2011 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Kirkus. (March 2011). [Review of the book Me... Jane, by Patrick McDonnell]. Kirkus Review, 79(5).

Value to the Library
Elementary School Library
Me... Jane would make a great choice for storytime for pre-k, kindergarten, and 1st graders. After storytime, the students can share their love and passion about certain things. The librarian can even help the 1st graders research on their interest to help them discover more about their likes and what they are good at.

SLIS 5420 Module 11 Informational Book A BLACK HOLE IS NOT A HOLE

A Black Hole is Not a Hole by Carolyn DeCristofano

Book Cover

Image retrieved from Images retrieved from http://www.carolyndecristofano.com/about/

Book Summary

This book clears up the misconception of a black hole being the kind of hole that we can dig in the ground or poke our finger through. The author thoroughly covers all aspects of a black hole to satisfy readers curiosity. She starts with a compare and contrast to something we might know about: whirlpools. Ms. DeCristofano then talks about the pull a black hole has. The next part is about how a black hole forms which goes into the relationship of light and space. After than, the author explains how scientists see black holes in space and she goes into the history of black hole discoveries. A timeline is included at the end of the book along with a glossary, author's notes, author's references, and an index.

Reference

DeCristofano, Carolyn. (2012). A black hole is not a hole, Charlesbridge.

Library's Corner

I had fun reading this book! I read more nonfiction books than fiction books every year and I'm impressed with A Black Hole is Not A Hole by Carolyn DeCristofano. Black holes are sort of a hard-to-grasp concept and yet the author is able to explain the best she can with things more down to earth. The author is very knowledgeable on the topic and has a great sense of humor that can keep readers' attention. It is a great introductory book for students who are interested in space.

Reviews

From Booklist
Starred Review* Writing with rare verve (A black hole is nothing to look at. Literally.), DeCristofano condenses recent astronomical discoveries into a high-energy account of what we know or guess about one of the universe's deepest and most unobservable secrets. Covering the life cycles of stars; the formation of black holes and weird optical and physical effects associated with them; more recent revelations of super-sized black holes at the centers of galaxies; and the general effects of mass on space, light, and matter, she presents a clear, well-rounded picture of the strange structure and stranger physics of black holes. After leading a wild ride over a black hole's event horizon (Right away, you would need a new nickname something like Stretch . . . .) and explaining theories about gravity from Newton's notions to Einstein's Spacey Ideas, DeCristofano leaves readers to ponder the truth of her claim that a black hole isn't a hole but NOT exactly NOT a hole either. Enhanced by a time line and a generous set of further resources and illustrated with plenty of cogent diagrams, space photographs, and Carroll's dramatic images of stellar whirlpools and mammoth jets of gas around cores of impenetrable blackness this book will snatch readers from their orbits and fling them into a lasting fascination with nature's most attractive phenomena. Literally. Grades 4-6
Peters, John. (February 2012). [Review of the book A black hole is not a hole, by Carolyn DeCristofano]. Booklist, 108(11).

From Kirkus
Oh, my stars! As the cover proclaims, a black hole may not be an actual hole, but readers will be glad they fell into this book. The volume guides readers on a (literally) out-of-this-world tour, dealing with topics and concepts that, in the hands of a less-gifted writer, might have remained obscure and unclear. DeCristofano handles the material with wit, style and singularly admirable clarity, frequently employing easy-to-understand and, yes, down-to-earth ideas and scenarios to help make complex principles comprehensible to readers of all ages. Carroll's illustrations, diagrams and charts, along with superb telescopic photographs (many courtesy of NASA) are splendid and filled with the drama and excitement of the limitless vastness of space. The handsome design and visuals greatly enhance the text and add much to readers' grasp of the subject. Stargazers will be entranced, and even those not especially attuned to matters celestial will come away feeling smarter, awestruck and with a sense of finally understanding this fascinating, other-worldly phenomenon. An excellent resource. Hole-y astronomy! (timeline, glossary, author's note, bibliography, image credits, index) 2012, Charlesbridge, 80 pp., $18.95. Category: Nonfiction. Ages 10 to 14. Starred Review. © 2012 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.
Kirkus. (January 2012). [Review of the book A black hole is not a hole, by Carolyn DeCristofano]. Kirkus Reviews, 80(1).

Value to the Library
Elementary School Library
The school librarian can demonstrate a KWL chart strategy using A Black Hole is Not a Hole since black holes are not commonly studied in school. The school librarian can examine children's prior knowledge on the topic and demonstrate how misconceptions can be corrected by reading nonfiction books. The school librarian can also help classroom teachers enhance the learning on nonfiction features such as: captions, vocabulary words, tables, charts, etc.

SLIS 5420 Module 10 Historical Fiction BROTHERS AT BAT

Brothers at Bat by Audrey Vernick

Book Cover

Image retrieved from https://bibliolinks.wordpress.com/2012/04/03/brothers-at-bat-by-audrey-vernick-illustrated-by-steven-salerno/

Book Summary

The setting of the book is in the 1930s where it was a norm for families to have a lot of children. The Acerra family had 16 children and 12 of them played baseball. The Acerras became the all-brother baseball team that played the longest in history. Not only did the Acerras love to play baseball, they also loved being on a team with each other. They supported each other and cared for each other. One of the Acerras lost an eye playing baseball and he continued playing baseball after his recovery. T.he Acerra team had to stop playing because 6 brothers decided to fight for their country in WWII. After the war, the Acerra team continued playing in leagues. The Acerras were recognized by the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997.

Reference

Vernick, Audrey. (2012). Brothers at bat: The true story of an amazing all-brother baseball team,
          Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Librarian's Corner

Since I'm a baseball kind of gal, I was very excited when I saw this title on the reading list. I was amazed at the story. Brothers at Bat: The True Story of an Amazing All-Brother Baseball Team by Audrey Vernick shows brotherly love during a difficult time in history. It also shows the dedication and perseverance from the Acerra brothers toward something they all loved. The vintage-style illustrations and the heart-touching story are a perfect fit. I also enjoyed the author's notes at the end of the book on the background of the story. Since my school is an IB (International Baccalaureate) school, having books that cover the IB learner profile in the library is important. Brothers at Bat: The True Story of an Amazing All-Brothers Baseball Team by Audrey Vernick is an asset to any library. The book goes along with a couple attributes emphasized in the IB program.

Reviews

From Booklist
Starred Review* In a 1930s New Jersey town, one family liked baseball so much that they made their own team. It wasn't that difficult. The Acerras had 16 children 12 of them boys. For 22 years straight, an Acerra played baseball in the local high school. In 1938, the oldest nine formed their own semipro team. With an age range of more than 20 years among the boys, there was always another Acerra coming up. Vernick, who interviewed the surviving members of the family, incorporates their remembrances into this very special exhibition of family loyalty and love of sports. The narrative takes them through their time on the field, the dissolution of the team when six of the guys went off to WWII (and all came home safely), and a team resurgence after the war. With plenty of highs (winning seasons) and a couple of lows (one brother lost an eye when a bunt went bad), the story rolls along easily. Best of all, though, is Salerno's fantastic art. Using a retro style that combines the look of 1950s TV advertising (think Speedy Alka Seltzer) and the exuberance of comic-book art, Salerno's pictures brim with vitality. The author's and illustrator's endnotes provide interesting context for this story of brotherly and baseball love. Grades 1-3.

Cooper, Ilene. (April 2012). [Review of the book Brothers at Bat, by Audrey Vernick]. Booklist, 108(16).

From Kirkus

At a time when local baseball was part of the American landscape, one family fielded its own team. The Acerra family numbered 16 children, 12 of whom were brothers who all loved to play baseball. The boys played in high school and later formed their own semi-pro team. They played wherever they could get a good game and were known as highly skilled players and crowd pleasers. They shared a special closeness and loyalty, joking and teasing, but always looking out for one another. That loyalty extended to a love of country as six of them fought in World War II, which was the first time they had been separated. After the war they continued to play in local leagues, with younger brothers taking over when big brothers aged out. In 1997 they were recognized by the Baseball Hall of Fame as the all-time longest playing all-brother team. Employing descriptive, conversational language in a matter-of-fact tone that doesn't sentimentalize, Vernick tells of a remarkable family, part of what has come to be known as "the greatest generation." Salerno's lively drawings, rendered in black crayon, gouache, watercolor and pastel with digital color added, complement the action, striking a balance between detail and expansiveness. A family's love and devotion to each other and to the game of baseball, depicted lovingly. (author's note; artist's note) 2012, Clarion, 40 pp., $16.99. Category: Picture book/biography. Ages 5 to 10. © 2012 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Kirkus. (February 2012). [Review of the book Brothers at Bat, by Audrey Vernick]. Kirkus Reviews, 80(3).

Value to the Library
Elementary School Library
The school librarian can have this book to be a part of a display of books that teach character education. The librarian can also read aloud this book during the time of the world series to celebrate baseball. The librarian can have a discussion with the students about their favorite sport and the students can share their experience if they play on a team.

SLIS 5420 Module 9 Mystery WHERE IS THE BIG BAD WOLF?

Where is the Big Bad Wolf? by Eileen Christelow
Book Cover

Image retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Wheres-Big-Wolf-Eileen-Christelow/dp/0618181946

Book Summary

Detective Phineas T. Doggedly, or just Doggedly, catches low-down, no-good, chicken-chasing, pig-poaching rascals. The only rascal in town is the Big Bad Wolf (BBW). After being caught, the wolf promises Doggedly to be good forever but betrays Doggedly's trust every single time. Doggedly hopes that the Big Bad Wolf's promise becomes true every time.

One day, three little pigs in a straw house gets in trouble. Doggedly rushes to catch the Big Bad Wolf but can't find him anywhere in sight. A strange-looking sheep is nearby to help the three little pigs. Doggedly goes to the BBW's house and he's got the flu! A few days later the three little pigs get in trouble in a sticks house. The BBW still is nowhere to be found and luckily the strange-looking sheep is there to assist the three little pigs. Doggedly is sure that it is the BBW this time but finds him  very sickly in the hospital. Some elderly cows take the three little pigs in and read the original tale to them. The next day the three little pigs decide to build a house out of brick and the strange-looking sheep gets nervous. Even with two elderly cows accompanying Doggedly to keep him awake at his night watch, Doggedly still doesn't catch the culprit in action. Doggedly races to the hospital and finds half of BBW still in a sheep costume. The BBW spends a few days in the jail and Doggedly hopes that the BBW means what he promises this time. Now the three little pigs are getting advice from a strange-looking horse...

Reference

Christelow, Eileen. (2002). Where is the big bad wolf? New York: Clarion Books, a Houghton        
            Mifflin Company.

Librarian's Corner

Where is the Big Bad Wolf? is written by the same author of Five Little Monkeys series. I was more familiar with the Five Little Monkeys series and have enjoyed all the Five Little Monkeys books. Where is the Big Bad Wolf kept me wondering the relationship between the helpful but strange-looking sheep and the Big Bad Wolf. The students will know the answer before the detective and not-so-smart conclusions from the detective will entertain the readers to the end of the story. This is a great book to introduce primary students to mysteries and children will naturally pay very close attention to the story to search for clues.

Reviews
From Booklist

Variations on the story of the "Three Little Pigs" are hardly in short supply, but this comic version has its his own pleasures, including a dumb dog detective and a wily wolf, who is literally in sheep's clothing. It's not that Detective Doggedly hasn't previously caught Big Bad Wolf, the town's only criminal. However, every time he intercepts Wolf committing a crime, Doggedly lets him go, relying on Wolf's promise that he'll never do it again. Of course, when the homes of the three little pigs keep getting blown down, the Wolf is the chief suspect. But Wolf is at home sick in bed, and the only animal at the scene of the crime is a kindly sheep who seems to be offering the pigs aid and advice ("Build a stick house. It's so easy!"). What's a detective to believe? Kids will know the answer; even little ones will be able to spot the wolf's visage under the woolly curls. As usual, Christelow provides cartoon-style artwork of the highest quality, complete with balloon dialogue. There's fun in both text and pictures, and here familiarity breeds hilarity. Category: Books for the Young--Fiction. 2002, Clarion, $15. PreS-Gr. 1.

Cooper, Ilene. (October 2002). [Review for Where is the Big Bad Wolf? by Eileen Christelow.] Booklist, 99(4).

From Kirkus Reviews

Three little pigs get some real bad advice from a wolf in a real goofy sheep disguise in this comical whodunit. The three little pigs are having their homes blown down-and escaping by the hair of their chinny-chin-chins-and Detective Doggedly believes it might be the work of the shiftless, no-account neighborhood wolf, the infamous BBW. But the only character found at the crime scenes is a newcomer to town: Esmeralda the sheep. Sure, kids will note, Esmeralda their foot, for her disguise is pretty transparent. She has also been giving the pigs construction ideas: straw is good, twigs are good, and cardboard's not bad. Two cows suggest a brick house, which foils the wolf and ends in his unveiling and incarceration. Short-term incarceration, that is, as he's soon back, this time tricked out as a horse, with more self-serving recommendations: "Pick peas after midnight, when everybody is asleep. They'll taste sweeter." So what if there are a few inexplicables here-How did the wolf con his way into that hospital bed?-this is good clownish fun, and the rough-and-tumble art keeps the farce bubbling. 2002, Clarion, $15.00. Category: Picture book. Ages 4 to 7. © 2002 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Kirkus Review. (July 2002). [ Review on Where is the Big Bad Wolf? by Eileen Christelow.] Kirkus Reviews, 70(14).

Value to the Library
Elementary School Library
The school librarian can read aloud this book to help enhance the fairy tale unit in language arts, especially when the classroom teachers have the students to add a twist in an original fairy tale. After reading aloud Where is the Big Bad Wolf?, the librarian can ask the students to brainstorm other animals that the Big Bad Wolf can dress up as to fool the detective. The librarian and also team up with the art teacher to have the students create pictures of the dressed-up Big Bad Wolf using different mediums of art: paint, crayons, color pencils, markers, cotton balls, etc.

SLIS 5420 Module 8 Fantasy and Science Fiction THE MIRACULOUS JOURNEY OF EDWARD TULANE

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

Book Cover

Image retrieved from http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2012/05/24/top-100-childrens-novels-59-the-miraculous-journey-of-edward-tulane-by-kate-dicamillo/#_

Book Summary

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo is a story about Edward Tulane, who is a rabbit made of china. He is a gift to a 10-year-old girl, Abilene Tulane, by her grandmother. Abilene loves Edward and treats him with an excessive amount of respect. Edward only loves himself because he does not know how to love others. But Edward's life soon takes a dramatic turn. He falls off the ship the Tulanes travel on. He spends about 9 months on the ocean floor until a storm brings him to a fisherman. The fisherman takes Edward home to his wife and his wife renames Edward and gives him a dress to wear. Then Edwards is on a journey with several different owners: a homeless guy with a dog, a brother and a sister who eventually dies from being sick, and finally he is broken into thousands of pieces by accident. Edward ends up being repaired and on a shelf in a doll store. One day a lady comes into the store and recognizes that Edward is the rabbit made of china that she once owned and she buys Edward for her own little girl.

Reference

DiCamillo, Kate. (2006). The miraculous journey of Edward Tulane, Candlewick Press.

Librarian's Corner

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane is a wonderful fiction that will gain interest from readers in the intermediate grades. Even though the setting is unfamiliar to the readers, it adds depth in this fictional story. This story contains many great examples of character traits. The plot also satisfies and teaches intermediate students about self-worth, self images, and loving self and others. Even though this book can be mistaken as a thick chapter book, the chapters are actually short and can be finished in a couple days. The illustrations found in the book are beautifully done and the story definitely will touch the readers deeply. I would be cautious with sensitive students though since the plot contains abandonment, neglect and home violence, and death.

Reviews

From Booklist
As she did in her Newbery Medal Book, The Tale of Despereaux (2004), DiCamillo tucks important messages into this story and once more plumbs the mystery of the heart--or, in this case, the heartless. Edward Tulane is a china rabbit with an extensive wardrobe. He belongs to 10-year-old Abilene, who thinks almost as highly of Edward as Edward does of himself. Even young children will soon realize that Edward is riding for a fall. And fall he does, into the sea, after mean boys rip him from Abilene's hands during an ocean voyage. Thus begins Edward's journey from watery grave to the gentle embrace of a fisherman's wife, to the care of a hobo and his dog, and into the hands of a dying girl. Then, pure meanness breaks Edward apart, and love and sacrifice put him back together--until just the right child finds him. With every person who taouches him, Edward's heart grows a little bit softer and a little bit bigger. Bruised and battered, Edward is at his most beautiful, and beautiful is a fine word to describe the artwork. Ibatoulline outdoes himself; his precisely rendered sepia-tone drawings and color plates of high artistic merit are an integral part of this handsomely designed package. Yet even standing alone, the story soars because of DiCamillo's lyrical use of language and her understanding of universal yearnings. This will be a pleasure to read aloud. Category: Books for the Young--Fiction. 2006, Candlewick, $18.99. Gr. 2-4. Starred Review.

Cooper, Ilene. (January, 2006). [Review of the book The miraculous journey of Edward Tulane, by Kate DiCamillo]. Booklist, 102(9)

.From Kirkus Review

Once again, DiCamillo harkens back to an older storytelling style, filled with magic and the transformational power of love. Edward Tulane is a china rabbit-dapper and serious and more than a little superior. His mistress, Abilene Tulane, loved him and "thought almost as highly of Edward as Edward thought of himself." Edward is interested in little beyond his own comfort and beauty. Indeed, everyone except for Abilene's grandmother, Pellegrina, condescends to him. She commissioned his making, ordered his dapper clothing and smart pocket watch and, in the end, demanded a good deal more of Edward than he thought he wanted to give. Her warning, "You disappoint me," thrusts Edward into the adventure that becomes his life. He learns about love, loss and consequences. Somewhere between fairy tale and fable, DiCamillo spins the tale of Edward, transformed by the lives he touches. The reader will be transformed too. Sumptuous gouache illustrations complement the old-fashioned, dramatic narrative. Keep the tissues handy for this one. 2006, Candlewick, 228p, $18.99. Category: Fiction. Ages 7 up. Starred Review. © 2006 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Kirkus. (January 2006). [Review of the book The miraculous journey of Edward Tulane, by Kate DiCamillo]. Kirkus Reviews, 74(2)/.

Value to the Library
Elementary School Library
The elementary school librarian can do a book talk on books that contain themes of journeys, survival, and dolls and toys such as: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Alice through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll, Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, The Doll People and The Meaniest Doll in the World by Ann M. Martin and Laura Godwin, and  The Sacrecrow and His Servant by Philip Pullman. 

SLIS 5420 Module 7 Realistic Fiction COUNTING BY 7S

Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Book Cover

http://www.amazon.com/Counting-7s-Holly-Goldberg-Sloan/dp/0803738552

Book Summary

A highly gifted, adopted 12-year-old girl, Willow Chance, lost both of her adopted parents in a car accident. She now stays with a Vietnamese family that she just recently got to know before a foster family is assign to her. Willows becomes the sister that Mai never had; a motivation for Mai's brother, Quang-ha who sees the same counselor as Willow (that's how Willow got to know the family), to do better in school; an assistance to Pattie (Mai and Quang-ha's mother) for expanding her nail salon business; an inspiration to Jairo Hernandez, a taxi driver, to go back to school for a career in the medical field; and helps Dell Duke, her counselor, to want to become better at anything. At the end, these new strangers in Willow's life also teach her the meaning of love and having a family.

Reference
Sloan, Holly Goldberg. (2013). Counting by 7s, Penguin Group.

Librarian's Corner
I am very glad to have read this book. This realistic fiction, Counting by 7s, is a book that I will recommend to all boys and girls although I think it attracts more girl readers than boys. I've read more books than usual ever since I started my LIS program and I have to say that Counting by 7s impressed me the most. The story is beautifully composed and I can see shadows of different characters in my personal life. Having read this book also makes me think more about the people around me and I'm more appreciative toward them. This is the only book so far that I want to read again. This book is great to use to teach writing, character traits, and also can be used for the social aspect. I recommend for 5th grade and up.

Reviews
From Kirkus
A story of renewal and belonging that succeeds despite, not because of, its contrivances.

Twelve-year-old genius Willow Chance was adopted as an infant by her “so white” parents (Willow is mixed race) and loses them both in one afternoon in a convenient (plotwise) car accident. Outside of her parents, she has a hard time making friends since her mishmash of (also convenient, plotwise) interests—disease, plants and the number seven—doesn’t appeal to her fellow middle-grade students. Losing her parents propels her on her hero’s-journey quest to find belonging. Along the way, her fate intertwines with those of a confident high school girl named Mai and her surly brother, Quang-ha; their energetic, manicure-salon–owning mother, Pattie (formerly Dung); Jairo Hernandez, a taxi driver with an existential crisis; and a failure of a school counselor named Dell Duke. With these characters’ ages running the gamut from 12 to high school to mid-30s and their voices included in a concurrent third-person narration along with Willow’s precise, unemotional first-person narration, readers may well have a hard time engaging. Relying heavily on serendipity—a technique that only adds, alas, to the “leave no stone unturned” feeling of the story—the plot resolves in a bright and heartfelt, if predictable conclusion.

Despite its apparent desire to be all things to all people, this is, in the end, an uplifting story.(Fiction. 10-14)

Kirkus Review. (June 2013). [Review for the book Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan.] Kirkus Review.

From School Library Journal

$16.99. ISBN 978-0-8037-3855-3. LC 2012004994.
Gr 5-8–Twelve-year-old Willow Chase lived with her adoptive parents in Bakersfield, California. There in the midst of the high desert, she grew a garden in her backyard, her sanctuary. She was excited about starting a new school, hoping this time she might fit in, might find a friend. Willow had been identified in preschool as highly gifted, most of the time causing confusion and feelings of ineptness in her teachers. Now at her new school she is accused of cheating because no one has ever finished the state proficiency test in just 17 minutes, let alone gotten a perfect score. Her reward is behavioral counseling with Dell Duke, an ineffectual counselor with organizational and social issues of his own. She does make a friend when Mai Nguyen brings her brother, Quang-ha, to his appointment, and their lives begin to intertwine when Willow’s parents are killed in an auto accident. For the second time in her life she is an orphan, forced to find a “new normal.” She is taken in temporarily by Mai’s mother, who must stay ahead of Social Services. While Willow sees herself as just an observer, trying to figure out the social norms of regular family life, she is actually a catalyst for change, bringing together unsuspecting people and changing their lives forever. The narration cleverly shifts among characters as the story evolves. Willow’s philosophical and intellectual observations contrast with Quang-ha’s typical teenage boy obsessions and the struggles of a Vietnamese family fighting to live above the poverty level. Willow’s story is one of renewal, and her journey of rebuilding the ties that unite people as a family will stay in readers’ hearts long after the last page.–Cheryl Ashton, Amherst Public Library, OH.

School Library Journal. (September 2013). [Review for the book Counting by 7s  by Holly Goldberg Sloan.] School Library Journal, retrieved from http://www.slj.com/2013/09/reviews/fiction-reviews/pick-of-the-day-counting-by-7s/#_.

Value to the Library

Elementary School Library
The school librarian needs to do a book talk on this book to the 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders since it is a Bluebonnet nominee. The book cover of this book can be used to for the realistic fiction display in the library. This book can also be used by the school counselor with gifted students, or students who are in similar situations as the main character of the story.

SLIS 5420 Module 7 Realistic Fiction IVY + BEAN WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA?

Ivy + Bean What's the Big Idea by Annie Barrows
Book Cover

http://www.blissandwhimsyblog.com/2012/04/earth-and-eco-friendly-reads.html

Book Summary

Ivy and Bean's second grade science class is talking about the science fair. Their teacher introduces global warming to the class and the class decides that global warming is going to be the theme of their science fair projects. Someone is building a robot; someone is trying to reduce the production of carbon dioxide by holding breaths; and someone is experimenting with a vacuum cleaner. So what will Ivy and Bean do? Do they want to mix chemicals and create a new solution? Or can they get the help from using ice cubes? Read on to find out what Ivy and Bean's science fair project is about.

Reference
Barrows, Annie. (2010) Ivy + Bean: What's the big idea? San Francisco: Chronicle Books.

Librarian's Corner
I have never read any of the books from the Ivy + Bean series and have been curious about this series ever since it came out. I enjoyed this book very much. I was surprised that this book held my interest to the end. I think the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders can definitely make connections with this series because they are going through the same things in life. As an adult, I think this is a fund book to read aloud to elementary aged children. I love the way the authors writes about adults through the eyes of Ivy and Bean - how adults are not fun and are always so serious. I also love that this book teaches the readers a concept or an idea. This series will help the readers to love reading and understand our daily life.

Reviews
From Children's Literature
Second-graders Bean and Ivy learn about global warming in their latest adventure. After hearing a presentation from fifth-graders about how the world will become desert-like, and how polar bears are endangered, they are glum. They are cheered by the news that the theme for the science fair will be global warming, and embark on trying out different ideas. Ivy and Bean experiment with ice cubes, rice and other things around them, and ultimately come up with a plan that gets parents involved. The fair culminates in them bringing a group of adults outside and having them lay down in the woods, breathing in fresh air, which makes the adults feel in touch with nature and care about global warming. The last chapter is called "Why Can't We Just Throw Ice Cubes in the Air?" that fleshes out scientific theories touched upon by Ivy and Bean, such as nuclear fission and tree-planting. Despite a heavy theme, Barrows is an adept writer whose characters never lose their optimism about saving the world. Ivy and Bean are excellent role models, and their adventure makes science go down easy. Elementary school readers will latch onto the girls and their lives, whether it's playing outside, being harassed by fifth-graders, or getting into trouble with parents. The illustrations lend depth to the story. While it is Book 7 in the "Ivy and Bean" series, readers do not need to have read the previous books to understand or relate to the characters. 2010, Chronicle Books, $14.99. Ages 9 to 12.

Leis-Newman, Elizabeth (n.d.) [Review on Ivy + Bean: What's the big idea? by Annie Barrows]. Children's Literature.

Value to the Library
Elementary School Library

When the school librarian is introducing series to the students, he or she can read aloud the first couple chapters of Ivy + Bean: What's the Big Idea? to the students. Or it can be a part of the book talk the school librarian plans on to have when introducing students to series.

SLIS 5420 Module 6 Picture Books THE DAY THE CRAYONS QUIT

The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
Book Cover

http://www.amazon.com/The-Crayons-Quit-Drew-Daywalt/dp/0399255370

Book Summary

Duncan loves to color. But when he opens his crayon box, he finds letters telling him that his crayons have had it! Red not only has to color anything that's red, it also has to work on holidays! Blue can never see over the crayon box because he is Duncan's favorite and gets short and stubby quickly. Yellow and Orange are fighting over being the color of the sun because Duncan uses both of them and they need him to make up his mind. Elementary aged children will greatly enjoy this book with humor and a little truth. The readers will not be able to color without thinking after reading this book. Recommended for K-4.

Reference
Daywalt, Drew. (2013). The day the crayons quit, Philomel Books.

Librarian's Corner
Before I read this book, I thought that this book would only be suitable for primary grades. After reading this book, I think besides being enjoyed by the primary students, upper elementary students can also get a kick out of it. Children naturally enjoy fiction stories and this book not only is great for enjoyment, it is also a wonderful teaching tool for teachers who teach writing. Drew Daywalt has done a fabulous job on showing persuasive writing using a kid friendly approach that can bring up debate even in kindergartners!

Reviews
From Booklist
Duncan's crayons are on strike. One morning he opens his desk looking for them and, in their place, finds a pack of letters detailing their grievances, one crayon at a time. Red is tired. Beige is bored. Black is misunderstood. Peach is naked! The conceit is an enticing one, and although the crayons' complaints are not entirely unique (a preponderance centers around some variation of overuse), the artist's indelible characterization contributes significant charm. Indeed, Jeffers' ability to communicate emotion in simple gestures, even on a skinny cylinder of wax, elevates crayon drawing to remarkable heights. First-class bookmaking, with clean design, ample trim size, and substantial paper stock, adds to the quality feel. A final spread sees all things right, as Duncan fills a page with bright, delightful imagery, addressing each of the crayons' issues and forcing them into colorful cooperation. Kids who already attribute feelings to their playthings will never look at crayons the same way again. Grades K-3

Barthelmess, Thom. (July 2013). [Review for the book The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt]. Booklist, 109(21).

From Kirkus
Duncan wants to draw, but instead of crayons, he finds a stack of letters listing the crayons' demands in this humorous tale. Red is overworked, laboring even on holidays. Gray is exhausted from coloring expansive spaces (elephants, rhinos and whales). Black wants to be considered a color-in color, and Peach? He's naked without his wrapper! This anthropomorphized lot amicably requests workplace changes in hand-lettered writing, explaining their work stoppage to a surprised Duncan. Some are tired, others underutilized, while a few want official titles. With a little creativity and a lot of color, Duncan saves the day. Jeffers delivers energetic and playful illustrations, done in pencil, paint and crayon. The drawings are loose and lively, and with few lines, he makes his characters effectively emote. Clever spreads, such as Duncan's "white cat in the snow" perfectly capture the crayons' conundrum, and photographic representations of both the letters and coloring pages offer another layer of texture, lending to the tale's overall believability. A comical, fresh look at crayons and color. 2013, Philomel, 40 pp., $17.99. Category: Picture book. Ages 3 to 7. © 2013 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Kirkus Review.(May 2013). [Review for the book The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt]. Kirkus Review, 81(9).

Value to the Library
Elementary School Library
The school librarian can incorporate this book into a read aloud with the upper elementary grades to enhance their learning in language arts, especially with the 4th graders since their language arts curriculum emphasizes heavily on writing. The Day the Crayons Quit can be used to teach writing with voice and writing from different perspectives. The school librarian can lead a discussion with the upper elementary students on many different topics, for instance, he or she can have the upper elementary students examine their own crayon boxes and brainstorm things that can be written into a letter from a specific color; or he or she can have the students brainstorm letters written by the same color crayons if they were owned by a girl.

SLIS 5420 Module 5 Other Award Winners WE ARE THE SHIP

We Are the Ship by Kadir Nelson
Book Cover

http://nileslibya.wordpress.com/2009/01/

Book Summary

This nonfiction book on the story of Negro League baseball from when it started in the 1920s through the end of it when Jackie Robinson went to the major league in 1947 is an informational book on the daily life of the players in the league and the way they played the games. This book does not just tell the history and the come-and-go of the Negro League baseball. It also tells of racial discrimination and triumphs and defeats on and off the field. It tells the story of many determined baseball players of color who overcame segregation, hatred, hardship, and unfair pay to just play baseball. It is a book about what our nation went though between the 1920s and 1940s and great sportsmanship.

Reference
Nelson, Kadir. (2008). We are the ship: The story of negro league baseball, Jump at the Sun/Hyperion Books for Children.

Librarian's Corner
The readers will understand what segregation did to a group of dedicated African American baseball players and lovers. These baseball players were treated differently because of their skin color when they played just as well as the players in the major league, but they kept on playing even when they didn't get much pay and had to suffer through many terrible conditions for the games. This book is a wonderful book to be on a PE teacher's or a coach's shelf because this book shows what great athletes are and mean. I've always enjoyed reading nonfiction and historical stories. This book has given me another opportunity to appreciate great athletes and courageous people who believed in themselves and had a dream.

Reviews
From Booklist
Starred Review* Award-winning illustrator and first-time author Nelson's history of the Negro Leagues, told from the vantage point of an unnamed narrator, reads like an old-timer regaling his grandchildren with tales of baseball greats Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, and others who forged the path toward breaking the race barrier before Jackie Robinson made his historic debut. The narrative showcases the pride and comradery of the Negro Leagues, celebrates triumphing on one's own terms and embracing adversity, even as it clearly shows the "us" and "them" mentality bred by segregation. If the story is the pitch, though, it's the artwork that blasts the book into the stands. Nelson often works from a straight-on vantage point, as if the players took time out of the action to peer at the viewer from history, eyes leveled and challenging, before turning back to the field of play. With enormous blue skies and jam-packed grandstands backing them, these players look like the giants they are. The stories and artwork are a tribute to the spirit of the Negro Leaguers, who were much more than also-rans and deserve a more prominent place on baseball's history shelves. For students and fans (and those even older than the suggested grade level), this is the book to accomplish just that. Grades 5-8

Chipman, Ian. (February 2008). [Review for the book We are the ship: The story of negro league baseball by Kadir Nelson.] Booklist, 104(11).

From Kirkus
Nelson continues to top himself with each new book. Here, working solo for the first time, he pays tribute to the hardy African-American players of baseball's first century with a reminiscence written in a collective voice "But you know something? We had many Josh Gibsons in the Negro Leagues. We had many Satchel Paiges. But you never heard about them" matched to a generous set of full-page painted portraits and stadium views. Generally viewed from low angles, the players seem to tower monumentally, all dark-skinned game faces glowering up from the page and big, gracefully expressive hands dangling from powerful arms. Arranging his narrative into historical "Innings," the author closes with lists of Negro Leaguers who played in the Majors, and who are in the Baseball Hall of Fame, plus a detailed working note. Along with being absolutely riveted by the art, readers will come away with a good picture of the Negro Leaguers' distinctive style of play, as well as an idea of how their excellence challenged the racial attitudes of both their sport and their times. (bibliography, index) 2008, Jump at the Sun/Hyperion, 96p, $18.99. Category: Nonfiction. Ages 10 to 13. Starred Review. © 2007 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Kirkus Review. (December 2007). [Review for the book We are the ship: The story of negro league baseball by Kadir Nelson]. Kirkus Review, 75(23).

Value to the Library
Elementary School Library
This book can be used as one of the books to display for the Black History Month in February. Not only does this book talk about segregation, it also shows sportsmanship and determination of these African American baseball players who's goal was to play baseball.

SLIS 5420 Module 5 Other Award Winners LET IT SHINE

Let It Shine by Ashley Bryan
Book Cover

http://books.simonandschuster.ca/Let-it-Shine/Ashley-Bryan/9780689847325

Book Summary

The book, Let It Shine, is a book with the lyrics and melody to three songs that were originally called "Negro Spirituals:" This Little Light of Mine, Oh, When the Saints Go Marching In, and He's Got the Whole World in His Hands. These "Negro Spirituals" were created by the enslaved African Americans. With laws against teaching the slaves to read and write, these African Americans managed to pass down these spiritual songs down from generation to generation by singing.

Reference
Bryan, Ashley. (2007). Let it shine, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division.

Librarian's Corner
After being reminded on how terrible slavery was from reading The Slave Dancer, it amazes me that these African Americans still had a way of having faith and believing in their Gods so they could move on each day. Through the lyrics of these three spiritual songs, I could feel their sorrow and hopes, and the words really send a positive message to get the slaves through the hardship. The author, also the illustrator, did a magnificent job on the colorful collages to demonstrate the positiveness of these spiritual songs. The melodies included at the end of the book enable readers who can play piano or other musical instrument to self teach themselves the songs. Recommend for grades 3 to 5.

Reviews
From Kirkus Review
An extra-large trim size, a vibrant palette and Bryan’s glorious cut-paper collage illustrations add up to a marvelous interpretation of three traditional African-American spirituals: “This Little Light of Mine,” “Oh, When the Saints Go Marching In” and “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.” Intriguing endpapers show larger-than-life hands set against flowing stripes of color, with scissors and cut-paper shapes hinting at the arresting artistic style within. Children in silhouette are the main design element for the first two songs, with the final song illustrated with remarkable images of huge hands holding up different elements of the world. The volume’s large size and brilliant colors make this a natural choice for a rousing sing-along with a group, and the musical notation for the songs is included. Incorporated into these final spreads with the music are concluding illustrations for every song, each focusing on a shining source of light. (Nonfiction. 3-8)

Kirkus Review. (Dec. 2006). [Review for the book Let It Shine, by Ashley Bryan.] Kirkus Review, retrieve from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/ashley-bryan/let-it-shine-2/.

From Booklist
The inspiring words of three well-known spirituals, "This Little Light of Mine," "Oh, When the Saints Go Marching In," and "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands," are matched with powerful construction-paper collage illustrations. Each double-page spread of this oversize picture book is an explosion of shapes and bright colors. Stocky figures, silhouetted against swirling colors are created from geometric shapes woven together. Rather than conceive a story to accompany the lyrics, Bryan presents series of scenes to reflect each set of lyrics. Children dance around with candles and march with saints; God holds a world of colored objects in his hands. The musical notation and lyrics for each song appear at the end of the book, as does a brief note from Bryan about the history of the spiritual and the changes he made in some of the lyrics. This will be hard to read without breaking into song. Category: Books for the Young--Nonfiction. 2007, Simon & Schuster/Atheneum, $16.99.

Enos, Randal. (November 2006). [Review for the book Let it Shine, by Ashley Bryan.] Booklist, 103(6).

Value to the Library
Elementary School Library

During Black History Month, the library can present a book talk featuring different literature on slavery and have a discussion on ways to keep going in difficult times.

SLIS 5420 Module 4 Newbery Winner THE SLAVE DANCER

The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox
Book Cover

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Slave_Dancer

Book Summary

The setting of the story is in New Orleans, Louisiana. One night when 11-year-old Jessie Bollier is walking back from his Auntie's house to his own, two men capture him in a canvas bag and takes to a ship, The Moonlight. Jessie plays his fife and these men need someone who knows how to play a music instrument on their transporting ship for the slaves to keep the slaves upbeat and dancing from time to time to stay healthy. Jessie experiences the hardship for months on a ship and also experiences many conflicting emotions toward his shipmates and slavery. The Moonlight goes through a storm right before it reaches land. Jessie and a slave boy about his age are the only two survivors. The slave boy is sent to the north for his safety and Jessie moves to Boston with his mother and sister and starts over his life. Even though the time on The Moonlight is not a long one but it haunts him for the rest of his life.

Reference

Fox, Paula. (1973). The slave dancer, Bradbury Press, Inc.

Librarian's Corner

The Slave Dancer is a good resource for 5th graders when they are studying the slave trade in American History. Even though all children in America study this part in history, it is still difficult for students to make sense and understand the ordeal. As an adult, I've gone through many classes in high school and college on slavery, but I was still shocked while reading this book. The Slave Dancer is one of the many great literature that covers that part in history with graphic descriptions of the horrible aspects of slave trade. The children are sheltered more in the present time compare to children lived in a couple decades ago. I would recommend this book to students 5th grade and up.

Reviews

From Historicalnovelsociety.com

This reissued Newbery Honor book tells what could easily be a true story. Beginning in 1839, thirteen-year-old Jessie Bollier is on the bustling New Orleans docks playing his fife for pennies. He does this every day to help support his widowed mother and ailing sister. He’s not afraid of the rough sailors who surround him; his father, until he drowned, was one of them. One night, he is kidnapped and carried aboard The Moonlight, bound for Africa. The hard men on the ship set him to work learning what might have been his trade anyway, but this is a slave ship. On the return voyage, he will “dance” the slaves, who will be released for a short time each day from the hold where they are packed like sardines. This book does not turn away from the horrors of the trade. Jessie carries buckets of human waste from the filthy hold and witnesses disease and floggings. He learns how the sailors justify the horror in which they participate, and how the man who smiles the most can be the one who betrays you. This is an unshrinking look at a terrible chapter in our history, and at the horror of slavery, which even today still exists. The Slave Dancer is moving, harrowing, and, unfortunately, entirely believable.

Historical Novel Society. (n.d.). [Review for the book The Slave Dancer, by Paula Fox.] Historicalnovelsociety.com.

From Kirkus
A forceful shipboard story of a boy impressed by slavers to exercise the captives, playing his fife for their bizarre daily dance.

Kirkus Review. (n.d.). [Review for the book The Slave Dancer,by Paula Fox.]. Kirkus Review.

Value to the Library
Upper Elementary Grades & Middle School

The Slave Dancer is going to be included in a display with books that cover topics on slavery and colonization when the 5th graders are studying this part of the American History in their social studies class. Many 5th grade teachers teach social studies topics using literature to kill two birds with one stone. As a librarian, I can help the fifth grade social studies or language arts teachers by sharing books on this topic in a display. I noticed that the students tend to check out books that are recommended by teachers. If the fifth graders are studying slavery and see these books displayed in the library, there is a better chance of these books being checked out.

SLIS 5420 Module 4 Newbery Winner FLORA & ULYSSES

Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo

Book Cover

Retrieved September 23, 2014, from http://bookbonding.wordpress.com/2014/02/04/review-of-newbery-winning-novel-flora-and-ulysses/

Book Summary

The 11-year-old Flora Belle Buckman, labeled by her mother as a "natural-born cynic" loves to read the comic book series, The Illuminated Adventures of the Amazing Incandesto!, which is about an ordinary janitor who became a superhero from an incident involving a cleaning solution because she loves and believes in superheroes! Flora's next door neighbors, the Ticknams, accidentally sucks up a squirrel with their super vacuum, Ulysses 2000X. Flora witnesses this incident and rushes to the Ticknams' yard and rescues the squirrel. The squirrel, later named Ulysses after the super vacuum, is saved and makes a connection with Flora. Flora wants to keep Ulysses as her pet because she truly believes he has super powers.

Flora lives with her mother, Phyllis, a romance novel writer and a heavy smoker, who is divorced. Phyllis is always on a deadline and Flora, a cynic, feels neglected. Flora feels her mother loves the shepherdess, Mary Ann, a lamp she ordered from Paris more than her.

Flora meets William Spiver, the Ticknams' grandson. Mrs. Tootie Ticknam, William Spiver, and Flora become the only ones who have witnessed Ulysses's super power. But Flora's mother wants Ulysses disappeared because after all, he is just a squirrel. Phyllis asks Flora's father, George Buckman, to bag the squirrel up and hit him with a shovel during his afternoon with Flora.

Many things happen that afternoon where Flora discovers the true identity of herself and learns her parents' love for her with Ulysses's super power!

Reference
DiCamillo, K. (2013). Flora & Ulysses, Candlewick Press.

Librarian's Corner
Who is not into superheroes? A big percentage of popular books among upper elementary students are about superheroes. Yes, they may be about well known superheroes like Superman, Batman, and others. Flora & Ulysses will grab attention from girl readers and there are many attributes that young readers are able to make connections to: a child with divorced parents, at an age that they begin to notice peers from the opposite sex, and also at the development stage where they want to be different with the rest of their peers, such as owning a pet with super powers. Recommended for grades 3-6.

Reviews
From Boolist
Starred Review* The story begins with a vacuum cleaner. And a squirrel. Or, to be more precise, a squirrel who gets sucked into a Ulysses Super Suction wielded by Flora's neighbor, Mrs. Tickham. The rather hairless squirrel that is spit out is not the same one that went in. That squirrel had only one thought: "I'm hungry." After Flora performs CPR, the rescued squirrel, newly named Ulysses, is still hungry, but now he has many thoughts in his head. Foremost is his consideration of Flora's suggestion that perhaps he is a superhero like The Amazing Incandesto, whose comic-book adventures Flora read with her father. (Drawing on comic-strip elements, Campbell's illustrations here work wonderfully well.) Since Flora's father and mother have split up, Flora has become a confirmed and defiant cynic. Yet it is hard to remain a cynic while one's heart is opening to a squirrel who can type ("Squirtl. I am . . . born anew"), who can fly, and who adores Flora. Newbery winner DiCamillo is a master storyteller, and not just because she creates characters who dance off the pages and plots, whether epic or small, that never fail to engage and delight readers. Her biggest strength is exposing the truths that open and heal the human heart. She believes in possibilities and forgiveness and teaches her audience that the salt of life can be cut with the right measure of love. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: DiCamillo has a devoted following, plus this book has an extensive marketing campaign. That equals demand. Grades 3-6

Cooper, I. (2013). [Review for the book Flora & Ulysses, by Kate DiCamillo]. Booklist, 109(19).

From Publishers Weekly
Like a Groundhog Day\n for middle grade readers, Mass's (Every Soul a Star\n) winning story features a girl seemingly trapped in her 11th birthday. Amanda seems doomed to relive her failed try-out for the gymnastics team, her mother being fired from her job and, worst of all, the party that even her best friend leaves early—to go to the party hosted by her former friend, Leo. The two have celebrated every previous birthday together (they were born on the same day), but a misunderstanding on their 10th has gone unresolved. After several repeats of the day, Amanda and Leo realize they are in this mess together and must work as a team. Girls will relate to Amanda's insecurities, and the confidence and insights she gains will resonate with them. Mass's expertise with pacing keeps the story moving at a lively clip, and her understanding of this age group is as finely honed as ever. Ages 9–12. (Jan.)\n"

Publishers Weekly. (n.d.). [Review for the book, Flora & Ulysses, by Kate Dicamillo]. Publishers Weekly.

Value to the Library
Flora & Ulysses is the 2014 Newbery winner and also a TX Bluebonnet nominee for 2014-2015. It is displayed with the rest of my Bluebonnet nominees. I will read aloud the first three chapters to my 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders to get them hooked on the book so it can be circulated among these grades. Two follow-up activities will be: 1) have these students create their own superheros on comic strips so they can both come up with a character using words and pictures, and 2) I will also read the last 2 chapters allowed to the students after a month and talk about poetry.

SLIS 5420 Module 3 Caldecott Winner GRANDFATHER'S JOURNEY

Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say

Book Cover

Image retrieved from http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/91TmGW9GiQL.jpg

Book Summary

The book, Grandfather's Journey, is written in the first person point of view on the author's grandfather. Grandfather left home, Japan, for the New World and explored many places in the New World and fell in love with California. He went home and married a lady then took her with him to San Francisco to start a family where they had a daughter. Then the man became homesick and eventually moved back to the little village of his childhood in Japan. The little village wasn't enough for the daughter so the man moved the family to a big city. Time went by and the daughter grew and got married in the city, soon the author was born. The man planned on visiting San Francisco again because he missed it terribly. But then World War II happened and the man's home was destroyed. He had to return to the village that wasn't enough for his daughter's childhood. He kept thinking about California but never had a chance to visit it again before he died. The little boy heard so much about California from his grandfather, once he was old enough, he paid a visit himself and made it home too. He also had a daughter. He finally felt what his grandfather felt. After all these years of listening to his grandfather about Japan and California, he finally had a way to make a connection with his grandfather.

Reference
Say, A. (1993). Grandfather's journey. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Librarian's Corner
The author study that I conducted while in college was on Allen Say. That was in the same decade as the publishing of this book. This book is a great resource for understanding the Japanese culture as it is so different than the American culture in many aspects. Generally American parents are very involved in their children's lives and so are the grandparents, and Asian parents and grandparents are not as involved. American parents' loves are more on the side that evolve around their children when it is the opposite in the Asian cultures.I think reading this book can help readers appreciate many things that they might not be paying attention to, like our family and this beautiful land that we live on. This book also points out "liking the new, abandoning the old" with the Grandfather moving to California and not thinking much about where he grew up until his daughter was a little grown. There are many things in life we rarely think about until we have to part with them or after we no longer possess them. Growing up in an Chinese family I can definitely relate to the message in Grandfather's Journey, especially when I am having my own family in the states and my parents aren't. Even though there aren't too many words on a page in this book, I think the structure of the sentences and the choices of words are powerful, as least it leaves me thinking about many things after reading the book. I think this book is more suitable for upper elementary students.

Reviews
From Kirkus ReviewsThe funny thing is, the moment I am in one country, I am homesick for the other," observes Say near the end of this poignant account of three generations of his family's moves between Japan and the US. Say's grandfather came here as a young man, married, and lived in San Francisco until his daughter was "nearly grown" before returning to Japan; his treasured plan to visit the US once again was delayed, forever as it turned out, by WW II. Say's American-born mother married in Japan (cf. Tree of Cranes, 1991), while he, born in Yokohama, came here at 16. In lucid, graceful language, he chronicles these passages, reflecting his love of both countries--plus the expatriate's ever-present longing for home--in both simple text and exquisitely composed watercolors: scenes of his grandfather discovering his new country and returning with new appreciation to the old, and pensive portraits recalling family photos, including two evoking the war and its aftermath. Lovely, quiet--with a tenderness and warmth new to this fine illustrator's work. 1993, Houghton Mifflin, $15.95. Starred Review. © 1993 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Kirkus Reviews. (1993). [ Review of the book Grandfather's journey, by Allen Say.].Kirkus Reviews.

From Publishers WeeklySay transcends the achievements of his Tree of Cranes and A River Dream with this breathtaking picture book, at once a very personal tribute to his grandfather and a distillation of universally shared emotions. Elegantly honed text accompanies large, formally composed paintings to convey Say's family history; the sepia tones and delicately faded colors of the art suggest a much-cherished and carefully preserved family album. A portrait of Say's grandfather opens the book, showing him in traditional Japanese dress, ``a young man when he left his home in Japan and went to see the world.'' Crossing the Pacific on a steamship, he arrives in North America and explores the land by train, by riverboat and on foot. One especially arresting, light-washed painting presents Grandfather in shirtsleeves, vest and tie, holding his suit jacket under his arm as he gazes over a prairie: ``The endless farm fields reminded him of the ocean he had crossed.'' Grandfather discovers that ``the more he traveled, the more he longed to see new places,'' but he nevertheless returns home to marry his childhood sweetheart. He brings her to California, where their daughter is born, but her youth reminds him inexorably of his own, and when she is nearly grown, he takes the family back to Japan. The restlessness endures: the daughter cannot be at home in a Japanese village; he himself cannot forget California. Although war shatters Grandfather's hopes to revisit his second land, years later Say repeats the journey: ``I came to love the land my grandfather had loved, and I stayed on and on until I had a daughter of my own.'' The internal struggle of his grandfather also continues within Say, who writes that he, too, misses the places of his childhood and periodically returns to them. The tranquility of the art and the powerfully controlled prose underscore the profundity of Say's themes, investing the final line with an abiding, aching pathos: ``The funny thing is, the moment I am in one country, I am homesick for the other.'' Ages 4-8. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly. (n.d.). [Review on Grandfather's journey, by Allen Say].Publishers Weekly.

Values to the Library
Elementary School Library
Since we are an International Baccalareate school, any book that raises global awareness needs to be considered. Allen Say's Grandfather's Journey is actually shelved in the IB collection in the "empathy" section. This book can be read aloud by the librarian or recommended to classroom teachers for read-aloud for the Multi-culture Month or Grandparents Appreciation Day. Students can write about what they will miss if they move away to another continent. This book can be used in both language arts and social studies. The students can study the different landforms in the different regions of the America and make suggestions on where Grandfather had traveled to. For a math activity, the students can estimate the distance between Japan and San Francisco using a map and a map scale. The students then can discuss different ways of travel using the average speed of the different transportation to figure out how long it takes for someone to travel from Japan to San Francisco or vise versa using different mediums.