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.