Hello, I'm Richard Nimz, prospector of the written word and literary explorer extraordinaire. Alright, now I've got a picture book with content that I'm personally rather fond of, being about space and all. It hasn't won any awards, or even gotten reviewed in any big papers, so I think that it's perfect for this blog. It's called Space Station Mars, and it was written by Daniel San Souci.
Citation: San Souci, Daniel (2005). Space Station Mars. Berkeley, California: Tricycle Press.
Summary: One day, a bunch of kids are sitting out in the backyard when a meteor streaks across the sky. Kids being kids, they decide to find it. They do, but they have no idea what it is or if it's radioactive or not. That's when Neil comes in. A nerd complete with chemistry set and crystal radio, he organizes the gang into a laboratory (of sorts) dedicated to finding out about the aliens who might be responsible for this rock. What he discovers, though, could mean the difference between life or death for an entire planet. (Before you get the wrong idea, there are no real aliens, although the last page makes it kind of unclear)
Impressions: I thought it was alright. I'll admit, the story is kind of ridiculous, but I was willing to go along with it (kids will be kids, after all). The artwork is great, and the scene where Neil presents two 'aliens' with the rock near their 'spaceship' really is phenomenal (as an added bonus, that 'spaceship' really exists). While science is, understandably, thrown under the bus at several points, there are still enough instances of good science that it could be used as a jumping off point to talk about science. There's even a message in code at the end that I would love to use as a puzzle to teach kids about cryptography. In closing, it's like Gina Clifford said: "Young children will enjoy this book read aloud and established readers will find this book easy to read. The illustrations are lively and fun, capturing a youngster's imagination."
Sources:
Clifford, Gina (5 May, 2008). Family Reads: Space Station Mars. Family Reads. Retrieved from http://www.familyreads.com/2008/05/space-station-m.html
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Module 5: Monster
Hello, I'm Richard Nimz, prospector of the written word and literary explorer extraordinaire. Like last week, I'm focusing on a less mainstream award. This time, it's the Michael L. Printz Award, actually a series of awards given out for literary excellence in teen literature or related fields. In an interesting twist, the book I'm reviewing was written by a ten-time Coretta Scott King honoree/award-winner (eleven counting his lifetime achievement award). The book: Monster by Walter Dean Myers, winner of the first Michael L. Printz Award in 2000.
Citation: Myers, Walter Dean (2001). Monster. New York City: HarperTempest.
Summary: Aspiring teenage filmmaker Steve Harmon is arrested one day for participating in a robbery that led to a murder. Now facing the possibility of life in prison, Steve already has jury opinion stacked against him for being young, black, and most importantly, on trial at all. What follows is a part-screenplay, part-diary of his trial and the events that led up to his arrest. No-one is sure how it will end, but it doesn't look good.
Impressions: This was pretty good. Actually, it was really good. It was quite an eye-opening look into the court system, from actually getting arrested to the trial itself. Both Steve and the ringleader for the robbery have their own defense attorneys going up against the state prosecutor, but while one attorney is trying to acquit them both, Steve's is trying to distance Steve from the robber/murderer. We don't know whether or not Steve actually participated in the robbery, but I still liked him, mainly because of what he was going through. My only real complaint is the screenplay portion of the book. Steve's film teacher calls him gifted, but I doubt that I'd be watching the film he wrote. Basically, as Tammy L. Currier wrote: "Filled with ambiguity, this fast-paced nail-biter will have you at the edge of your seat unable to put it down. Perfect for teens and adults alike, MONSTER raises interesting questions about the path to crime and our judicial and prison systems."
Use: This would easily find good use as a guide for young people on why to stay out of prison (and hopefully to obey the law). If the city wanted to do a 'scare 'em straight' day to keep people from offending, this book would be on the top of the list of books to be read out loud and in detail. Not as effective as an actual visit to a prison, but whatever I can do...
Sources: Currier, Tammy L. (21 Apr, 1999) Monster | Teenreads. teenreads. Retrieved from http://www.teenreads.com/reviews/monster-0
Citation: Myers, Walter Dean (2001). Monster. New York City: HarperTempest.
Summary: Aspiring teenage filmmaker Steve Harmon is arrested one day for participating in a robbery that led to a murder. Now facing the possibility of life in prison, Steve already has jury opinion stacked against him for being young, black, and most importantly, on trial at all. What follows is a part-screenplay, part-diary of his trial and the events that led up to his arrest. No-one is sure how it will end, but it doesn't look good.
Impressions: This was pretty good. Actually, it was really good. It was quite an eye-opening look into the court system, from actually getting arrested to the trial itself. Both Steve and the ringleader for the robbery have their own defense attorneys going up against the state prosecutor, but while one attorney is trying to acquit them both, Steve's is trying to distance Steve from the robber/murderer. We don't know whether or not Steve actually participated in the robbery, but I still liked him, mainly because of what he was going through. My only real complaint is the screenplay portion of the book. Steve's film teacher calls him gifted, but I doubt that I'd be watching the film he wrote. Basically, as Tammy L. Currier wrote: "Filled with ambiguity, this fast-paced nail-biter will have you at the edge of your seat unable to put it down. Perfect for teens and adults alike, MONSTER raises interesting questions about the path to crime and our judicial and prison systems."
Use: This would easily find good use as a guide for young people on why to stay out of prison (and hopefully to obey the law). If the city wanted to do a 'scare 'em straight' day to keep people from offending, this book would be on the top of the list of books to be read out loud and in detail. Not as effective as an actual visit to a prison, but whatever I can do...
Sources: Currier, Tammy L. (21 Apr, 1999) Monster | Teenreads. teenreads. Retrieved from http://www.teenreads.com/reviews/monster-0
Friday, November 29, 2013
Module 5: Zora and Me
Hello, I'm Richard Nicholas Nimz, prospector of the written word and literary explorer extraordinaire. Well, now I can be more in keeping with my blog's title and talk about more obscure awards, like the Coretta Scott King book awards. These are a family of awards and honors dedicated to Black authors and illustrators who honor black culture and universal values. The list of honorees is a list of books I had never read by people I had never heard of, including one that I read which does not particularly make me want to read any more (although this is probably due to taste and not quality). This book is Zora and Me, written by Victoria Bond and T.R. Simon, recipients of the John Steptoe Award for New Talent (one of the Coretta Scott King Awards).
Citation: Bond, Victoria & Simon, T.R. (2010). Zora and Me. Sommerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press.
Summary: The narrator of the book is a childhood friend of future authoress Zora Neale Hurston, who at that point in her life is a storyteller whose imagination knows no bounds. When a local woman falls into a swimming hole, Zora declares the culprit to be a man who can transform into an alligator. When an itinerant black man is murdered on the train tracks, though, the truth is much more mundane. Zora and her two friends endeavor to get to the bottom of the matter, even as tensions mount between their small black town and the nearby white city.
Impressions: I didn't like it. Racism is not a favorite topic of mine, and the main character is one of those oppressed blythe spirits whom the author obviously admires that I've come to abhor. Both of those opinions, however, are my personal opinions, so I don't doubt that there are people who will disagree with me on that point. I'll admit that it's a good book to include if you want to talk about history at your library. I, however, wasn't engaged by either of those two matters, so I wound up slogging through what was a pretty decent story (though don't expect to guess who the murderer is).
Another thing, more controversial than my other complaints, comes from how the races are treated. Yes, I know that my own white race was responsible for visiting a score of troubles on other innocent people based on race. That's why I don't like reading books where white characters are either the bad guy or the token good guy whose part-time job is to shill the chosen minority (although, to my relief, white people don't really show up). My last big gripe about the book is that one of the characters, a woman of mixed race named Gold, is given such a hard time by most of the black townsfolk (though not the leads) for trying to fit in among white people (for rejecting her own culture). While a much more justified reason for disliking her shows up, that earlier part didn't give me any reason to sympathize with the black townsfolk (there is no justification for their treatment of her that'll change my mind), and even now I'd rather be reading about her rather than the actual protagonists.
Dissenting opinion: This comes courtesy of June Weltman, a writer for the Jacksonville's Florida Times-Union. To quote:
"Zora and Me" is the fictional creation of two new writers. They have used the early upbringing of the celebrated African-American novelist and folklorist Zora Neale Hurston to weave a mystery that will capture young readers...This is the kind of story that lingers with a certain gentleness toward some of life's harsh realities. It would be a good book for summer reading and family discussion."
I know that people will disagree with me about this book, and that's fine. Just let me disagree in peace. Better yet, if you can, find me something by black authors that I might like. African-American authors could use more publicity.
Sources:
Weltman, June (11 Jun, 2011). Book review: Fiction: 'Zora and Me' offers life lessons in imagined youth of author Zora Neale Hurston | jacksonville.com. The Florida Times-Union. Retrieved from http://jacksonville.com/entertainment/literature/2011-06-12/story/book-review-fiction-zora-and-me-offers-life-lessons
Citation: Bond, Victoria & Simon, T.R. (2010). Zora and Me. Sommerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press.
Summary: The narrator of the book is a childhood friend of future authoress Zora Neale Hurston, who at that point in her life is a storyteller whose imagination knows no bounds. When a local woman falls into a swimming hole, Zora declares the culprit to be a man who can transform into an alligator. When an itinerant black man is murdered on the train tracks, though, the truth is much more mundane. Zora and her two friends endeavor to get to the bottom of the matter, even as tensions mount between their small black town and the nearby white city.
Impressions: I didn't like it. Racism is not a favorite topic of mine, and the main character is one of those oppressed blythe spirits whom the author obviously admires that I've come to abhor. Both of those opinions, however, are my personal opinions, so I don't doubt that there are people who will disagree with me on that point. I'll admit that it's a good book to include if you want to talk about history at your library. I, however, wasn't engaged by either of those two matters, so I wound up slogging through what was a pretty decent story (though don't expect to guess who the murderer is).
Another thing, more controversial than my other complaints, comes from how the races are treated. Yes, I know that my own white race was responsible for visiting a score of troubles on other innocent people based on race. That's why I don't like reading books where white characters are either the bad guy or the token good guy whose part-time job is to shill the chosen minority (although, to my relief, white people don't really show up). My last big gripe about the book is that one of the characters, a woman of mixed race named Gold, is given such a hard time by most of the black townsfolk (though not the leads) for trying to fit in among white people (for rejecting her own culture). While a much more justified reason for disliking her shows up, that earlier part didn't give me any reason to sympathize with the black townsfolk (there is no justification for their treatment of her that'll change my mind), and even now I'd rather be reading about her rather than the actual protagonists.
Dissenting opinion: This comes courtesy of June Weltman, a writer for the Jacksonville's Florida Times-Union. To quote:
"Zora and Me" is the fictional creation of two new writers. They have used the early upbringing of the celebrated African-American novelist and folklorist Zora Neale Hurston to weave a mystery that will capture young readers...This is the kind of story that lingers with a certain gentleness toward some of life's harsh realities. It would be a good book for summer reading and family discussion."
I know that people will disagree with me about this book, and that's fine. Just let me disagree in peace. Better yet, if you can, find me something by black authors that I might like. African-American authors could use more publicity.
Sources:
Weltman, June (11 Jun, 2011). Book review: Fiction: 'Zora and Me' offers life lessons in imagined youth of author Zora Neale Hurston | jacksonville.com. The Florida Times-Union. Retrieved from http://jacksonville.com/entertainment/literature/2011-06-12/story/book-review-fiction-zora-and-me-offers-life-lessons
Module 4: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
Hello, I'm Richard Nimz, prospector of the written word and literary explorer extraordinaire. My second, and last, Newbery award winner is a good book that also has a movie based on the series (two actually). Whereas the movie based on the Chronicles of Prydain series is divisive in terms of whether it was good or not, almost everyone agrees about how to rank the movies (first is good, second is bad). This book is Robert C. O'Brien's Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, winner of the Newbery award for 1972.
Citation: O'Brien, Robert C. (1994). Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. Orlando, Florida: Harcourt Brace.
Summary: Mrs. Jonathan Frisby is a regular field mouse, who was widowed several years earlier and whose son, Timothy, now suffers from pneumonia. While she was ordered to keep Timothy indoors, soon the plow will come and destroy their home. Desperate, she is sent to the rats living in the rosebush for help moving her house to the lee of the big stone, where it will be safe. Once there, she finds a story of genetic experimentation and escape, a story involving her late husband.
Impressions: This was a good book, although I consider the movie to be better. Mrs. Frisby is not given a first name of her own in the book, which is somewhat annoying. Also, the book seems to dawdle a little on the tests the rats go through. However, that is all trivial compared to the book's successes. The story is interesting, as well as the world of the rats. Also, perhaps showing what kind of tests the rats go through can do some good: it's just mazes with small electric shocks being the worst things the rats go through. To borrow from Eclectic Indulgence: "I believe this is a great book for children as well as adults - one filled with both magic and meaning that all can take something from."
Sources:
(29 May, 2012) Eclectic Indulgence... classic literature reviews: Review: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh by Robert C. O'Brien. Eclectic Indulgence. Retrieved from http://eclectic-indulgence.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-mrs-frisby-and-rats-of-nimh-by.html
Citation: O'Brien, Robert C. (1994). Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. Orlando, Florida: Harcourt Brace.
Summary: Mrs. Jonathan Frisby is a regular field mouse, who was widowed several years earlier and whose son, Timothy, now suffers from pneumonia. While she was ordered to keep Timothy indoors, soon the plow will come and destroy their home. Desperate, she is sent to the rats living in the rosebush for help moving her house to the lee of the big stone, where it will be safe. Once there, she finds a story of genetic experimentation and escape, a story involving her late husband.
Impressions: This was a good book, although I consider the movie to be better. Mrs. Frisby is not given a first name of her own in the book, which is somewhat annoying. Also, the book seems to dawdle a little on the tests the rats go through. However, that is all trivial compared to the book's successes. The story is interesting, as well as the world of the rats. Also, perhaps showing what kind of tests the rats go through can do some good: it's just mazes with small electric shocks being the worst things the rats go through. To borrow from Eclectic Indulgence: "I believe this is a great book for children as well as adults - one filled with both magic and meaning that all can take something from."
Sources:
(29 May, 2012) Eclectic Indulgence... classic literature reviews: Review: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh by Robert C. O'Brien. Eclectic Indulgence. Retrieved from http://eclectic-indulgence.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-mrs-frisby-and-rats-of-nimh-by.html
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Module 4: The High King
Hello, I'm Richard Nimz, prospector of the written word and literary explorer extraordinaire. From excellence in art to excellence in storytelling, now I move on the John Newbery Medal winners. These are usually books that have been named as the best of their year. However, I would say that this one might also be a recognition of its entire series. It's Lloyd Alexander's The High King, last book in the Chronicles of Prydain series and winner of the 1969 Newbery Medal.
Citation: Alexander, Lloyd (1999). The High King. New York: H. Holt.
Summary: The book begins on the heels of the previous book in the series: Taran Wanderer, with Taran and Gurgi returning home to Princess Eilonwy. Before Taran can ask the princess to marry him, though, Fflewddur Fflam comes in with an injured Prince Gwydion, whose magic sword Dyrnwyn has been stolen by the Death-Lord Arawn. On the way to retrieve it, the company finds that Arawn is planning a battle to conquer Prydain once and for all. Now the final battle is brewing, and anyone can die opposing the forces of the Lord of Death.
Impressions: Good. The prose is right and the plot behind it is gripping. It's interesting to see how Taran has grown as a character since the first book in the series, which is underscored by how he is now able to draw Dyrnwyn, when he was unable to in the first book under similar circumstances. So many things that readers of the series know pass away in this book, and it feels sad to watch every departure. In short, a fitting conclusion to an epic series.
Another person's opinion: "The High King is the end to an epic journey for Taran, the protagonist, who has grown tremendously in wisdom and strength over the course of the series, from an assistant pig-keeper to a great warrior. Taran comes of age and makes the most important decisions of his life, and the book culminates in a mighty battle between the forces of good and evil. The presence of an excellent heroine in Eilonwy gives female readers a strong character to identify with. Alexander’s writing is graceful in dealing with serious themes of death and destruction, juxtaposed with the inner turmoil in Taran’s mind. The characterisation is rich, allowing for still more development of Taran and Eilonwy, and the descriptive passages are lyrical as always. There is subtle humour in Eilonwy’s delicate observations, and the battle sequences are full of excitement. Readers of 12 and older who enjoy fantasy will lap up this wonderful piece of writing; but while The High King stands alone as a superb book and is capable of being read as such, readers will enjoy the series best in sequence, beginning with The Book of Three." (Cumiskey)
Uses: The Chronicles of Prydain series draws heavily on Wales and Welsh mythology, so the whole series (The High King included) can be used in a display for any event involving Wales (perhaps as part of a greater event involving the United Kingdom).
I loved this book; I loved the series as a whole. Don't let any bad words about the Disney movie sway you, the series is well worth your time. You might even like the movie (the author did, after all).
Source:
Cumiskey, Donal (n.d.). Inis Magazine - Review- The High King. Inis Magazine, Issue #17. Retrieved from http://www.inismagazine.ie/reviews/book/the-high-king
Citation: Alexander, Lloyd (1999). The High King. New York: H. Holt.
Summary: The book begins on the heels of the previous book in the series: Taran Wanderer, with Taran and Gurgi returning home to Princess Eilonwy. Before Taran can ask the princess to marry him, though, Fflewddur Fflam comes in with an injured Prince Gwydion, whose magic sword Dyrnwyn has been stolen by the Death-Lord Arawn. On the way to retrieve it, the company finds that Arawn is planning a battle to conquer Prydain once and for all. Now the final battle is brewing, and anyone can die opposing the forces of the Lord of Death.
Impressions: Good. The prose is right and the plot behind it is gripping. It's interesting to see how Taran has grown as a character since the first book in the series, which is underscored by how he is now able to draw Dyrnwyn, when he was unable to in the first book under similar circumstances. So many things that readers of the series know pass away in this book, and it feels sad to watch every departure. In short, a fitting conclusion to an epic series.
Another person's opinion: "The High King is the end to an epic journey for Taran, the protagonist, who has grown tremendously in wisdom and strength over the course of the series, from an assistant pig-keeper to a great warrior. Taran comes of age and makes the most important decisions of his life, and the book culminates in a mighty battle between the forces of good and evil. The presence of an excellent heroine in Eilonwy gives female readers a strong character to identify with. Alexander’s writing is graceful in dealing with serious themes of death and destruction, juxtaposed with the inner turmoil in Taran’s mind. The characterisation is rich, allowing for still more development of Taran and Eilonwy, and the descriptive passages are lyrical as always. There is subtle humour in Eilonwy’s delicate observations, and the battle sequences are full of excitement. Readers of 12 and older who enjoy fantasy will lap up this wonderful piece of writing; but while The High King stands alone as a superb book and is capable of being read as such, readers will enjoy the series best in sequence, beginning with The Book of Three." (Cumiskey)
Uses: The Chronicles of Prydain series draws heavily on Wales and Welsh mythology, so the whole series (The High King included) can be used in a display for any event involving Wales (perhaps as part of a greater event involving the United Kingdom).
I loved this book; I loved the series as a whole. Don't let any bad words about the Disney movie sway you, the series is well worth your time. You might even like the movie (the author did, after all).
Source:
Cumiskey, Donal (n.d.). Inis Magazine - Review- The High King. Inis Magazine, Issue #17. Retrieved from http://www.inismagazine.ie/reviews/book/the-high-king
Module 3: Sylvester and the Magic Pebble
Hello, I'm Richard Nimz, prospector of the written word and literary explorer extraordinaire. Well, one Caldecott winner to go, and this one is not only older, it's more controversial. It's not that controversial now; heck, the scandalous part is amusing now. This book is Shrek author William Steig's Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, winner of the 1970 Caldecott Award.
Citation: Steig, William (1969). Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. New York: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers.
Summary: While wandering around, Sylvester the donkey (of doubtful relation to Donkey the donkey) finds a magical pebble that grants his wishes. However, when attacked by a lion, he makes a foolish wish to be turned into a rock. Now unable to use his magic pebble to change himself back, Sylvester is trapped for months as a rock, and his parents are scared, then sad, for what may have happened to their son.
Impressions: This is a sign that books for small children can still have good drama, at least for me. Sylvester is presented as a normal donkey, not a jerk who had something coming, but a completely innocent person who just made one mistake. As a result, it's easy to feel scared along with his parents, feel sad for them when their search turns up nothing, and happy for all of them at the end, when they are reunited. The artwork is OK, but the story is where the book really shines.
Uses: The controversial part of the book comes from one page where the police Sylvester's parents go to are portrayed as pigs. That's it. That is the whole controversy in a nutshell. In 1969, that made sense. In 2013, not so much. As such, this book loans itself really well to a demonstration of controversial books, whether they're still controversial today or if they're perfectly acceptable now.
To close, I quote Abbey Anclaude, "Sylvester's humorous illustrations of fully dressed farm animals conducting daily business upright are set against the simple and endearing text...Sylvester and the Magic Pebble was recognized by the California Teachers' Association as one of the 100 Best Books of the Century. The good news is that Sylvester will continue to delight young readers for centuries to come."
Sources:
Anclaude, Abbey (Aug, 1999). Sylvester and the Magic Pebble review | BookPage. BookPage. Retrieved from http://bookpage.com/review/sylvester-and-the-magic-pebble-hardcover/sylvester-and-the-magic-pebble-review
Citation: Steig, William (1969). Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. New York: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers.
Summary: While wandering around, Sylvester the donkey (of doubtful relation to Donkey the donkey) finds a magical pebble that grants his wishes. However, when attacked by a lion, he makes a foolish wish to be turned into a rock. Now unable to use his magic pebble to change himself back, Sylvester is trapped for months as a rock, and his parents are scared, then sad, for what may have happened to their son.
Impressions: This is a sign that books for small children can still have good drama, at least for me. Sylvester is presented as a normal donkey, not a jerk who had something coming, but a completely innocent person who just made one mistake. As a result, it's easy to feel scared along with his parents, feel sad for them when their search turns up nothing, and happy for all of them at the end, when they are reunited. The artwork is OK, but the story is where the book really shines.
Uses: The controversial part of the book comes from one page where the police Sylvester's parents go to are portrayed as pigs. That's it. That is the whole controversy in a nutshell. In 1969, that made sense. In 2013, not so much. As such, this book loans itself really well to a demonstration of controversial books, whether they're still controversial today or if they're perfectly acceptable now.
To close, I quote Abbey Anclaude, "Sylvester's humorous illustrations of fully dressed farm animals conducting daily business upright are set against the simple and endearing text...Sylvester and the Magic Pebble was recognized by the California Teachers' Association as one of the 100 Best Books of the Century. The good news is that Sylvester will continue to delight young readers for centuries to come."
Sources:
Anclaude, Abbey (Aug, 1999). Sylvester and the Magic Pebble review | BookPage. BookPage. Retrieved from http://bookpage.com/review/sylvester-and-the-magic-pebble-hardcover/sylvester-and-the-magic-pebble-review
Module 3: This is Not My Hat
Hello, I'm Richard Nimz, prospector of the written word and literary explorer extraordinaire. For this post and the next, I'm delving into a special kind of classic book: the winners of the Randolph Caldecott Medal. These books have been deemed the best the year had to offer in terms of artistic talent, and this next one has a very distinct style reminiscent of the never-even-nominated Eric Carle. It's This is Not My Hat, by Jon Klassen, winner in 2013.
Citation: Klassen, Jon (2012). This is Not My Hat. Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press.
Summary: The book is about a little fish who's stolen the hat off of a much bigger fish. More specifically, it's about how the big fish finds the little fish in spite of the little fish's claims that he won't be caught. In the end, the big fish gets his hat back (and the little fish seems to have vanished).
Impressions: I liked this book. While the book could have just said that stealing something is wrong, this book shows that the thief relied on things being a certain way (which they weren't in the end), also making this book about actually making plans rather than just depending on things being a certain way and presuming that everything will turn out in your favor. However, Roger Sutton appears to have read a little more into it. According to him, "given that children’s literature champions the small and the weak, there is also this [moral]: Don’t get caught. Depending on where you are on the political spectrum, “This Is Not My Hat” could be a cautionary tale of either righteous class struggle or uppity proletarians." Regardless of interpretation, however, I liked the cutout style of art and found the color palette to be very suiting for the story. Basically, this is good, and I advise checking it out.
Sources:
Sutton, Roger (9 Nov, 2012). 'Little Tug' and 'This is Not My Hat' - NYTimes.com. The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/11/books/review/little-tug-and-this-is-not-my-hat.html?_r=0
Citation: Klassen, Jon (2012). This is Not My Hat. Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press.
Summary: The book is about a little fish who's stolen the hat off of a much bigger fish. More specifically, it's about how the big fish finds the little fish in spite of the little fish's claims that he won't be caught. In the end, the big fish gets his hat back (and the little fish seems to have vanished).
Impressions: I liked this book. While the book could have just said that stealing something is wrong, this book shows that the thief relied on things being a certain way (which they weren't in the end), also making this book about actually making plans rather than just depending on things being a certain way and presuming that everything will turn out in your favor. However, Roger Sutton appears to have read a little more into it. According to him, "given that children’s literature champions the small and the weak, there is also this [moral]: Don’t get caught. Depending on where you are on the political spectrum, “This Is Not My Hat” could be a cautionary tale of either righteous class struggle or uppity proletarians." Regardless of interpretation, however, I liked the cutout style of art and found the color palette to be very suiting for the story. Basically, this is good, and I advise checking it out.
Sources:
Sutton, Roger (9 Nov, 2012). 'Little Tug' and 'This is Not My Hat' - NYTimes.com. The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/11/books/review/little-tug-and-this-is-not-my-hat.html?_r=0
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Module 2: Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery
Hello, I'm Richard Nimz, prospector of the written word and literary explorer extraordinaire. There's another classic book as the topic of this post, although I'd never even heard of it before the reading list was posted. It appears to be well-loved, though, given that it not only made the National Education Association's Teachers' Top 100 Books for children list, but was also adapted into a play. Ladies and gentleman, this is Deborah and James Howe's Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery!
Citation: Howe, Deborah and James (1979). Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.
Summary: Harold the dog and Chester the cat are pets of a family that shall be hereafter called the Monroes. The family came back from a Dracula movie with a baby rabbit that they name 'Bunnicula'. As the days go by, the two pets find that the name is more fitting than their owners could've guessed. Vegetables show up drained of juices and completely white. The bunny itself has an interesting fur pattern that looks like a cape and in place of its big front teeth are two fangs. Today, it feeds on vegetables. Tomorrow, however, could be blood...
My impressions: I wish I liked this book more. There are several moments that I found pretty funny mixed in with moments that I find silly. (The cat confusing a S-T-E-A-K with a S-T-A-K-E? Not funny to me. The cat trying to drive a piece of meat through the bunny's heart. Funny.) However, it's surprisingly imaginative, and the most memorable good part of the book is in something that I can't tell you without spoiling the book.
Uses: The book really does feature an imaginative bit of thinking, and I would love to honor that at the library. I would love to use it as an example of imaginative thinking regarding horror tropes.
Just let me say it as S. K. List said it: "Thousands of young readers have given this book their approval, and they're sure to be joined by thousands more -- with good reason...One typical older fan remembers the book vividly: "It's funny, creative, and just silly enough not to be stupid. The animals are well characterized, too, in the way they talk. It's a great book.""
Sources:
List, S. K. (n.d.) Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery - Book Review. Common Sense Media. Retrieved from http://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/bunnicula-a-rabbit-tale-of-mystery
Citation: Howe, Deborah and James (1979). Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.
Summary: Harold the dog and Chester the cat are pets of a family that shall be hereafter called the Monroes. The family came back from a Dracula movie with a baby rabbit that they name 'Bunnicula'. As the days go by, the two pets find that the name is more fitting than their owners could've guessed. Vegetables show up drained of juices and completely white. The bunny itself has an interesting fur pattern that looks like a cape and in place of its big front teeth are two fangs. Today, it feeds on vegetables. Tomorrow, however, could be blood...
My impressions: I wish I liked this book more. There are several moments that I found pretty funny mixed in with moments that I find silly. (The cat confusing a S-T-E-A-K with a S-T-A-K-E? Not funny to me. The cat trying to drive a piece of meat through the bunny's heart. Funny.) However, it's surprisingly imaginative, and the most memorable good part of the book is in something that I can't tell you without spoiling the book.
Uses: The book really does feature an imaginative bit of thinking, and I would love to honor that at the library. I would love to use it as an example of imaginative thinking regarding horror tropes.
Just let me say it as S. K. List said it: "Thousands of young readers have given this book their approval, and they're sure to be joined by thousands more -- with good reason...One typical older fan remembers the book vividly: "It's funny, creative, and just silly enough not to be stupid. The animals are well characterized, too, in the way they talk. It's a great book.""
Sources:
List, S. K. (n.d.) Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery - Book Review. Common Sense Media. Retrieved from http://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/bunnicula-a-rabbit-tale-of-mystery
Module 2: Freight Train
Hello, I'm Richard Nimz, prospector of the written word and literary explorer extraordinaire. I'm going to break with my title now and delve into 'classic' fiction, since I'm at that module in my class. Still, this is a book I've never heard of, so I imagine that it's possible that many other people haven't heard of it either. So, with that in mind, I present Freight Train by Donald Crews.
Citation: Crews, Donald (1978). Freight Train. New York: Greenwillow Books.
Summary: I feel a little silly including a summary of the plot of the book, since there isn't one, really. It's just a picture of a train going on its way, showing the different kinds of cars on the train, the different colors of the rainbow (and black), and the various things a train might pass by or through on its way. There isn't really a plot, just a bunch of things the author wants to show us.
My impressions: Still, I liked it. The art is simple, but still appealing and it touched on that childish love of trains I still have. It also went beyond the usual cars on a train, the caboose, the coal car, and the engine, and actually listed other cars, like the hopper car and the gondola car. My only regret is that what these cars actually do is never listed. I hear that the author made an updated version called Inside Freight Train in 1991 that showed what the cars carried, but plain old Freight Train is a good enough book. To quote Karyn Wellhousen's review: "Donald Crews has effectively captured our enchantment with trains... His style draws readers quickly into the book...".
Uses: The main use I can think of is to use it as a springboard when and if my library decides to talk about trains. However, this book is also a Caldecott honor book, and it could also be used as inspiration for an art day at the library, for kids and adults alike.
In conclusion, another good book. Feel free to check it out if your kid has an interest in trains, he won't be disappointed.
Sources:
Wellhousen, Karyn (n.d.). Freight Train - Book Review. Common Sense Media. Retrieved from http://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/freight-train
Citation: Crews, Donald (1978). Freight Train. New York: Greenwillow Books.
Summary: I feel a little silly including a summary of the plot of the book, since there isn't one, really. It's just a picture of a train going on its way, showing the different kinds of cars on the train, the different colors of the rainbow (and black), and the various things a train might pass by or through on its way. There isn't really a plot, just a bunch of things the author wants to show us.
My impressions: Still, I liked it. The art is simple, but still appealing and it touched on that childish love of trains I still have. It also went beyond the usual cars on a train, the caboose, the coal car, and the engine, and actually listed other cars, like the hopper car and the gondola car. My only regret is that what these cars actually do is never listed. I hear that the author made an updated version called Inside Freight Train in 1991 that showed what the cars carried, but plain old Freight Train is a good enough book. To quote Karyn Wellhousen's review: "Donald Crews has effectively captured our enchantment with trains... His style draws readers quickly into the book...".
Uses: The main use I can think of is to use it as a springboard when and if my library decides to talk about trains. However, this book is also a Caldecott honor book, and it could also be used as inspiration for an art day at the library, for kids and adults alike.
In conclusion, another good book. Feel free to check it out if your kid has an interest in trains, he won't be disappointed.
Sources:
Wellhousen, Karyn (n.d.). Freight Train - Book Review. Common Sense Media. Retrieved from http://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/freight-train
Monday, November 25, 2013
Module 1: Bats in the Library
Hello, I'm Richard Nimz, prospector of the written word and literary explorer extraordinaire. I've started this blog to fulfill a class assignment on youth literature. I'm thinking that I might continue this for a different audience (if I remember and I feel like it), but for now, I'm going to stick to the curriculum. Right now, that means Books about reading, and I've decided that means Bats in the Library by Brian Lies.
Citation: Lies, Brian (2008). Bats at the Library. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Summary: The book has a pretty simple plot, as most picture books are. Basically, someone left a window open at the library and a whole bunch of bored bats take that opportunity to go to the library. From there, the book prettymuch details things that ordinary people might do, such as have a storytime or play with the photocopier, or things that normal people wouldn't do, such as make shadow puppets or play in the water fountain. Finally, though, daybreak comes and the bats flee the library until next time.
My impressions: I had to choose between this book and The Plot Chickens by Mary Jane and Herm Auch, and I decided to pick the one I liked the best by far. I like the concept of animals doing human things in a library, and the fact that these are bats (which usually get a bad reputation) makes it even better. The bats actually look really cute rather than scary here, as bats that eat fruit or insects as opposed to blood tend to do. The rest of the artwork is good, too, and the portion where bats imagine themselves in the books they're reading really is one of the best sections of the book by far. The entire book is told in poem, and told nicely in poem, although that really doesn't hold a candle compared to the illustrations. In closing, I can totally understand why this book was placed on TIME magazine's top 10 list of children's picture books for 2008: to quote Amy Lennard Goehner, it's a "beautifully illustrated rhyming tale..." that delivers well "the message that's every parent's mantra: reading rocks!"
Uses: I would love to share this book with kids as part of a storytime, but I think that there are other ways to put it to use. Firstly, the furry/anthro population gets a bad rap as being inappropriately interested in animals when they really just think animals with human traits are cool. I could use this as a display to show that what the furry fandom thinks is cool is not always indecent. Alternatively, I could use the section of the book that shows the bats putting themselves in their favorite fiction to kick off the child portion of a fanfiction day at the library, letting the kids think of ways they could insert themselves into their favorite books or movies (or I could just use the picture as a decoration, with the author's permission, of course).
In closing, I think that this is a fun book that should be shared with children. Try and locate it the next time you're at the library.
Sources:
Goehner, Amy Lennard (3 Nov. 2008). "Bats at the Library, Written and illustrated by Brian Lies - The Top 10 Everything of 2008 - TIME. TIME Magazine. Retrieved from http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1855948_1863719_1863734,00.html
Citation: Lies, Brian (2008). Bats at the Library. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Summary: The book has a pretty simple plot, as most picture books are. Basically, someone left a window open at the library and a whole bunch of bored bats take that opportunity to go to the library. From there, the book prettymuch details things that ordinary people might do, such as have a storytime or play with the photocopier, or things that normal people wouldn't do, such as make shadow puppets or play in the water fountain. Finally, though, daybreak comes and the bats flee the library until next time.
My impressions: I had to choose between this book and The Plot Chickens by Mary Jane and Herm Auch, and I decided to pick the one I liked the best by far. I like the concept of animals doing human things in a library, and the fact that these are bats (which usually get a bad reputation) makes it even better. The bats actually look really cute rather than scary here, as bats that eat fruit or insects as opposed to blood tend to do. The rest of the artwork is good, too, and the portion where bats imagine themselves in the books they're reading really is one of the best sections of the book by far. The entire book is told in poem, and told nicely in poem, although that really doesn't hold a candle compared to the illustrations. In closing, I can totally understand why this book was placed on TIME magazine's top 10 list of children's picture books for 2008: to quote Amy Lennard Goehner, it's a "beautifully illustrated rhyming tale..." that delivers well "the message that's every parent's mantra: reading rocks!"
Uses: I would love to share this book with kids as part of a storytime, but I think that there are other ways to put it to use. Firstly, the furry/anthro population gets a bad rap as being inappropriately interested in animals when they really just think animals with human traits are cool. I could use this as a display to show that what the furry fandom thinks is cool is not always indecent. Alternatively, I could use the section of the book that shows the bats putting themselves in their favorite fiction to kick off the child portion of a fanfiction day at the library, letting the kids think of ways they could insert themselves into their favorite books or movies (or I could just use the picture as a decoration, with the author's permission, of course).
In closing, I think that this is a fun book that should be shared with children. Try and locate it the next time you're at the library.
Sources:
Goehner, Amy Lennard (3 Nov. 2008). "Bats at the Library, Written and illustrated by Brian Lies - The Top 10 Everything of 2008 - TIME. TIME Magazine. Retrieved from http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1855948_1863719_1863734,00.html
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