Hello, I'm Richard Nicholas Nimz, prospector of the written word. I've also talked about the Michael Printz award, supposedly for general excellence in fiction for youth. Last year I reviewed Walter Dean Myers' Monster, and I could believe that book was worthy of at least a shot at the title. This book, however, I'm not quite sure of. It's not bad, but I don't know if I'd call it the best youth fiction of a year where Rick Riordan released The Kane Chronicles: The Throne of Fire and Brandon Mull released Beyonders: A World Without Heroes (although I'll admit this book is more unique, I enjoyed those more). This is Midwinterblood.
Citation: Sedgwick, M. (2013). Midwinterblood. New York: Roaring Brook Press.
(For those who've noticed the discrepency with the release dates of the above books, this book won the 2014 Printz award for its first American release the year prior [competing with Rick Riordan's The House of Hades and Ruta Sepetys' Out of the Easy, in my humble opinion]. It was first released in the UK in 2011 by Odion Indigo.)
Plot: One day, far in the future, a reporter goes to a small island that seems to have stayed in the medieval days. Once on the island, he finds a woman he can't help but fall in love with as well as the leader of the island, whom he can't help but be suspicious of. He investigates the island, but he can't be prepared for just how much of a mystery he finds. This is a mystery that had gone on for thousands of years, and for many, many lives, all involving the same names.
Impressions: The mystery was quite intriguing and I thought that all of the revelations made sense. While the author cuts away from the first section at the most annoying part to do so and doesn't get back to the hanging plotline until the very end of the book, the other stories are mostly good. However, the author's use of overt symbolism can get annoying, some parts of the story might not add up, some parts of the story might add up in a slightly disturbing way, and the ending might not be satisfying. I could get involved with the mystery aspect of this story, but everything else can be iffy. Thus, I'd use this as part of a display for writers, showing how to do a mystery well, since that's where this book really shines, with its use of foreshadowing. This is an impressive book, but I just didn't enjoy it that much. You might.
Second opinion: "[A] story that's simultaneously romantic, tragic, horrifying, and transcendental is more than enough to hold readers' attention, no matter their age."
Citation: Midwinterblood. (2013). Publishers Weekly, 124.
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Module 5, Season II: P.S. Be Eleven
Hello, I'm Richard Nicholas Nimz, prospector of the written word. I've covered the Coretta Scott King awards last year, the awards for fiction that represent black people in a positive light. While that is a noble goal, the problem is that people are still reluctant to read stories about black people, even they could relate to the characters, mostly because they think that these books aren't for them. This year, I'm not going to talk about a book that won that award. I'm going to talk about its sequel: P.S. Be Eleven.
Citation: Williams-Garcia, R. (2013). P.S. Be Eleven. New York, NY: Amistad.
Plot: In the previous book, One Crazy Summer, three black girls spent time in San Francisco at a summer camp for Black Panthers (stay with me). In this book, they come home and try to live their lives in New York City. Their uncle comes home from the Vietnam War, but it's obvious he's not the same man he once was. Their father is getting remarried to another woman on a very quick time scale. The three girls are saving up to get into a Jackson 5 concert, but they might not have enough. And the three girls keep seeing politics in the world around them.
Impressions: I'll be honest, when I got this book, I expected to hate it. Stories about racism/sexism/homophobia/general bigotry too often tend to rely less on characterization and plot and more on the message 'white, straight men are stupid/evil and need (insert minority here) to be able to be good/smart' (see Avatar and almost any TV episode that deals with the issue). Now, writing for a message can be done well (in my opinion, see Quantum Leap season 4's "Justice" for an example), but if everyone has heard the message, you're doing nothing except pandering. However, since a book I read called Dear White People wasn't nearly as condescending as I thought it would be, I decided to give this a try.
I'm glad I did, because this was surprisingly good. Instead of cardboard cutouts whose flaws I was expected to adore or excuse, I saw characters that seemed very human. The main character is a kid, and her father and grandmothers' objections to her behavior do actually make sense and are treated as such. Even when they're in the wrong, they're not portrayed as demons given human shape, just people who can be good or bad. So many people refrain from watching stories about minorities, even non-racist people who say they can relate to the protagonists, just because they don't think those stories are for them. Therefore, I want to create a display of exempliary and fair (good and evil) stories about members of various minorities with the title 'This Is For Everyone', and I'd put this book on it. This book shows how to write minorities, as people with one influence of several informing their character.
Second opinion: "[Rita Garcia-Williams] brilliantly gets to the very heart of Delphine and each of her family members and friends... to create complex, engaging, and nuanced characters. Funny, wise, poignant, and thought-provoking..."
Citation: LEMPKE, S. D. (2013). P.S. Be Eleven. Horn Book Magazine, 89(3), 99.
Citation: Williams-Garcia, R. (2013). P.S. Be Eleven. New York, NY: Amistad.
Plot: In the previous book, One Crazy Summer, three black girls spent time in San Francisco at a summer camp for Black Panthers (stay with me). In this book, they come home and try to live their lives in New York City. Their uncle comes home from the Vietnam War, but it's obvious he's not the same man he once was. Their father is getting remarried to another woman on a very quick time scale. The three girls are saving up to get into a Jackson 5 concert, but they might not have enough. And the three girls keep seeing politics in the world around them.
Impressions: I'll be honest, when I got this book, I expected to hate it. Stories about racism/sexism/homophobia/general bigotry too often tend to rely less on characterization and plot and more on the message 'white, straight men are stupid/evil and need (insert minority here) to be able to be good/smart' (see Avatar and almost any TV episode that deals with the issue). Now, writing for a message can be done well (in my opinion, see Quantum Leap season 4's "Justice" for an example), but if everyone has heard the message, you're doing nothing except pandering. However, since a book I read called Dear White People wasn't nearly as condescending as I thought it would be, I decided to give this a try.
I'm glad I did, because this was surprisingly good. Instead of cardboard cutouts whose flaws I was expected to adore or excuse, I saw characters that seemed very human. The main character is a kid, and her father and grandmothers' objections to her behavior do actually make sense and are treated as such. Even when they're in the wrong, they're not portrayed as demons given human shape, just people who can be good or bad. So many people refrain from watching stories about minorities, even non-racist people who say they can relate to the protagonists, just because they don't think those stories are for them. Therefore, I want to create a display of exempliary and fair (good and evil) stories about members of various minorities with the title 'This Is For Everyone', and I'd put this book on it. This book shows how to write minorities, as people with one influence of several informing their character.
Second opinion: "[Rita Garcia-Williams] brilliantly gets to the very heart of Delphine and each of her family members and friends... to create complex, engaging, and nuanced characters. Funny, wise, poignant, and thought-provoking..."
Citation: LEMPKE, S. D. (2013). P.S. Be Eleven. Horn Book Magazine, 89(3), 99.
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Module 4, Season II: A Single Shard
Hello, I'm Richard Nicholas Nimz, prospector of the written word. Now it's time for the other end of the Newberys. As I said last time, the Newberys are like the Oscars; once well respected awards of excellence, but now ridiculed as being out-of-touch with the rest of the world. Although awards always have differences of opinions, the Newberys had a heyday in the nineties with books like Holes and Maniac Magee, both of which I read in elementary school. Case in point, 2002 award winner A Single Shard.
Citation: Park, L. S. (2001). A single shard. New York: Clarion Books.
Plot: A long time ago, in ancient Korea, there was an orphan named Tree-Ear who lived under a bridge with an old man. One day, he accidentally damages a piece of pottery and proposes to work for the potter in order to pay him back. Thus, over the months, Tree-Ear learns the process of pottery from a master, from scooping the clay to refining it to firing a pot in the kiln. He also grows closer to the potter and his wife, who loves him like the son they lost, although Tree-Ear must come to terms with the fact that, under the law, he may never be allowed to become his apprentice.
Impressions: It is criminal how underrepresented Korea is, and this book is a great way to get children interested. It goes into great detail on what Korea used to be like and the art of pottery, and the afterward explains even more. I was really quite engaged. Furthermore, it's just a good story about a homeless boy who manages to grow out of his situation. If there was an end to the days when the Newberys were relevant, then it wasn't before this year. If you see it, read it, at least for the setting.
Second opinion: "This quiet story is rich in the details of life in Korea during this period. In addition it gives a full picture of the painstaking process needed to produce celadon pottery. However, what truly stands out are the characters... [T]his book not only gives readers insight into an unfamiliar time and place, but it is also a great story."
Citation: Scotto, B. (2001). A single shard (Book Review) (Undetermined). School Library Journal, 158.
Citation: Park, L. S. (2001). A single shard. New York: Clarion Books.
Plot: A long time ago, in ancient Korea, there was an orphan named Tree-Ear who lived under a bridge with an old man. One day, he accidentally damages a piece of pottery and proposes to work for the potter in order to pay him back. Thus, over the months, Tree-Ear learns the process of pottery from a master, from scooping the clay to refining it to firing a pot in the kiln. He also grows closer to the potter and his wife, who loves him like the son they lost, although Tree-Ear must come to terms with the fact that, under the law, he may never be allowed to become his apprentice.
Impressions: It is criminal how underrepresented Korea is, and this book is a great way to get children interested. It goes into great detail on what Korea used to be like and the art of pottery, and the afterward explains even more. I was really quite engaged. Furthermore, it's just a good story about a homeless boy who manages to grow out of his situation. If there was an end to the days when the Newberys were relevant, then it wasn't before this year. If you see it, read it, at least for the setting.
Second opinion: "This quiet story is rich in the details of life in Korea during this period. In addition it gives a full picture of the painstaking process needed to produce celadon pottery. However, what truly stands out are the characters... [T]his book not only gives readers insight into an unfamiliar time and place, but it is also a great story."
Citation: Scotto, B. (2001). A single shard (Book Review) (Undetermined). School Library Journal, 158.
Module 4, Season II: The Cat who went to Heaven
Hello, I'm Richard Nicholas Nimz, prospector of the written word. Well, with the Caldecotts out of the way, now it's time to move on to the Newbery awards. Think of them as the Academy Awards for childrens' literature, supposedly for the best of the best of the year, but of dubious credibility nowadays. Last year, I reviewed books that were pretty close together. This year, however, I'm going to have a larger range, starting with one of the first honorees ever named: The Cat who went to Heaven, winner from 1931.
Citation: Coatsworth, E. J. & Ward, L. i. (1930). The cat who went to Heaven. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.
Plot: One day in ancient Japan, a starving artist's maid brings home a cat. Despite the artist's disapproval over bringing an 'evil' animal home, he lets her stay, and is surprised by her good behavior. Then, one day, a Buddhist temple commissions him to paint a scene from the life of the Buddha, which all of the animals bid the Buddha farewell before he dies. The artist gives his all into painting the portrait, and the cat takes a very keen interest in his work.
Impressions: I liked it, but it's popularity will probably not be that widespread. Most of the story is spent around telling various stories about the Buddha in his previous lives as various animals, and my own research has confirmed that at least some of these stories existed. However, several other important details about Buddhism are forgotten, such as the fact that Buddhists do not pray to the Buddha. In addition, the focus on the stories gets in the way of the main plot. On the other hand, these stories are good, and they focus on a theme of being willing to sacrifice yourself for others, which I think is a good message (but then again, I'm a Christian myself). In addition, if you can get past the inaccuracies, the story of the cat is actually very sad and heartwarming at the same time, although I'm reluctant to give away how. If it's in your library, feel free to check it out. If your library owns this book, I recommend using it to talk about Buddhism, particularly about misconceptions of Buddhism.
Second Opinion: "The Cat who went to Heaven is a simple parable that allows its reader to reflect and reconsider the true meaning of love, compassion, and mercy. It is reminiscent of the Christian story of the woman and her two last coins."
Citation: Buddhism and a cat: The cat who went to Heaven (2012, September 23). Gathering Books. Retrieved from http://gatheringbooks.org/2012/09/23/17220/
Citation: Coatsworth, E. J. & Ward, L. i. (1930). The cat who went to Heaven. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.
Plot: One day in ancient Japan, a starving artist's maid brings home a cat. Despite the artist's disapproval over bringing an 'evil' animal home, he lets her stay, and is surprised by her good behavior. Then, one day, a Buddhist temple commissions him to paint a scene from the life of the Buddha, which all of the animals bid the Buddha farewell before he dies. The artist gives his all into painting the portrait, and the cat takes a very keen interest in his work.
Impressions: I liked it, but it's popularity will probably not be that widespread. Most of the story is spent around telling various stories about the Buddha in his previous lives as various animals, and my own research has confirmed that at least some of these stories existed. However, several other important details about Buddhism are forgotten, such as the fact that Buddhists do not pray to the Buddha. In addition, the focus on the stories gets in the way of the main plot. On the other hand, these stories are good, and they focus on a theme of being willing to sacrifice yourself for others, which I think is a good message (but then again, I'm a Christian myself). In addition, if you can get past the inaccuracies, the story of the cat is actually very sad and heartwarming at the same time, although I'm reluctant to give away how. If it's in your library, feel free to check it out. If your library owns this book, I recommend using it to talk about Buddhism, particularly about misconceptions of Buddhism.
Second Opinion: "The Cat who went to Heaven is a simple parable that allows its reader to reflect and reconsider the true meaning of love, compassion, and mercy. It is reminiscent of the Christian story of the woman and her two last coins."
Citation: Buddhism and a cat: The cat who went to Heaven (2012, September 23). Gathering Books. Retrieved from http://gatheringbooks.org/2012/09/23/17220/
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Module 3, Season II: Three Little Pigs
Hello, I'm Richard Nicholas Nimz, prospector of the written word. Time for a more modern Caldecott winner, I think, and compared to the previous book, this really helps demonstrate how diverse the winners have been over the years. Whereas Cinderella was stylized and flat, this is a more realistic and three-dimensional style. This is David Wiesner's Three Little Pigs.
Citation: Wiesner, D. (2001). The Three Pigs. New York: Clarion Books.
Plot: The book starts out with the Big Bad Wolf about to blow down the Straw Pig's house. However, the wolf blows so hard that he blows the pig out of the story. That pig then takes his brothers out of the story, and the three go off to explore other books, including the nursery rhyme of the Cat and the Fiddle, and a story about a dragon, a knight, and a golden rose. In those stories, they find friends, friends who might be able to help them with their own story.
Impressions: I'm very impressed by the artwork. David Wiesner's mainly known for a very realistic style, so seeing him work with other styles as well is very interesting. The story also is very interesting, and the pages where the pigs explore the void between stories are very interesting in their silence. One small issue I have is that the dragon brings a golden rose with him, which he stole. Other than the pigs possibly being arrested as accessories to theft in the future, though, this is a great book, which can be very useful in getting kids to try different art styles, possibly even merging them together.
Second Opinion: "David Wiesner’s postmodern interpretation of this tale plays imaginatively with traditional picture book and story conventions and with readers’ expectations of both... Wiesner may not be the first to thumb his nose at picture-book design rules and storytelling techniques, but he puts his own distinct print on this ambitious endeavor."
Citation: Flynn, K. (May, 2001). David Wiesner reviews. The Horn Book Guide. Retrived from http://archive.hbook.com/magazine/reviews/group/wiesner.asp
Citation: Wiesner, D. (2001). The Three Pigs. New York: Clarion Books.
Plot: The book starts out with the Big Bad Wolf about to blow down the Straw Pig's house. However, the wolf blows so hard that he blows the pig out of the story. That pig then takes his brothers out of the story, and the three go off to explore other books, including the nursery rhyme of the Cat and the Fiddle, and a story about a dragon, a knight, and a golden rose. In those stories, they find friends, friends who might be able to help them with their own story.
Impressions: I'm very impressed by the artwork. David Wiesner's mainly known for a very realistic style, so seeing him work with other styles as well is very interesting. The story also is very interesting, and the pages where the pigs explore the void between stories are very interesting in their silence. One small issue I have is that the dragon brings a golden rose with him, which he stole. Other than the pigs possibly being arrested as accessories to theft in the future, though, this is a great book, which can be very useful in getting kids to try different art styles, possibly even merging them together.
Second Opinion: "David Wiesner’s postmodern interpretation of this tale plays imaginatively with traditional picture book and story conventions and with readers’ expectations of both... Wiesner may not be the first to thumb his nose at picture-book design rules and storytelling techniques, but he puts his own distinct print on this ambitious endeavor."
Citation: Flynn, K. (May, 2001). David Wiesner reviews. The Horn Book Guide. Retrived from http://archive.hbook.com/magazine/reviews/group/wiesner.asp
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Module 3, Season II: Cinderella, or the Little Glass Slipper
Hello, I'm Richard Nicholas Nimz, prospector of the written word. Well, it's time for the Caldecott winners again, the past award winners for excellence in illustration. As time's gone on, it's interesting to see past trends in illustration, and one good example is today's offering, Marcia Brown's adaptation of Cinderella.
Citation: Perrault, C., & Brown, M. (1954). Cinderella, or, The little glass slipper. New York, NY: Charles Scribner's Sons.
Summary: This is an adaptation of Perrault's version of the Cinderella story, and there really isn't any deviation. A man dies, leaving his daughter at the mercy of his stepdaughters and second wife. However, one day, a three-day ball is announced and the stepmother and daughters go, leaving Cinderella behind. With the help of a fairy godmother, Cinderella gets to go to all three nights, leaving a slipper behind on the third. The prince uses this slipper to track down Cinderella, she forgives her sisters' ill treatment of her and they all live happily ever after.
Thoughts: A bit mixed, and I feel like this would've been better if it had been a slightly longer book. I'm not a big fan of the style, watercolors and slightly exaggerated pencil drawings that purposefully don't quite contain the colors, but I imagine that there are people who do. This is a translation of the original French fairy tale, and it includes the original ending, with Cinderella just forgiving her stepsisters instead of punishing them, and the morals that a good heart makes everything possible and that material advantages may lose out to simple fate in the end. These are good messages. I really adore how Brown shows Cinderella talking to her stepsisters at the ball when they can't recognize her and I imagine such a scene would help show why she forgives them at the end (since 'purely out of the goodness of her heart' probably won't fly). Sadly, nothing is shown. However, the end result is good, and I can see this being useful introducing Charles Perrault and his fairy-tales. Seriously, those things need more exposure.
Second opinion: "This... has the smoothness of a good translation and a unique charm to her feathery light pictures."
(1954, June 15th). CINDERELLA. Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/marcia-brown/cinderella-10/
Citation: Perrault, C., & Brown, M. (1954). Cinderella, or, The little glass slipper. New York, NY: Charles Scribner's Sons.
Summary: This is an adaptation of Perrault's version of the Cinderella story, and there really isn't any deviation. A man dies, leaving his daughter at the mercy of his stepdaughters and second wife. However, one day, a three-day ball is announced and the stepmother and daughters go, leaving Cinderella behind. With the help of a fairy godmother, Cinderella gets to go to all three nights, leaving a slipper behind on the third. The prince uses this slipper to track down Cinderella, she forgives her sisters' ill treatment of her and they all live happily ever after.
Thoughts: A bit mixed, and I feel like this would've been better if it had been a slightly longer book. I'm not a big fan of the style, watercolors and slightly exaggerated pencil drawings that purposefully don't quite contain the colors, but I imagine that there are people who do. This is a translation of the original French fairy tale, and it includes the original ending, with Cinderella just forgiving her stepsisters instead of punishing them, and the morals that a good heart makes everything possible and that material advantages may lose out to simple fate in the end. These are good messages. I really adore how Brown shows Cinderella talking to her stepsisters at the ball when they can't recognize her and I imagine such a scene would help show why she forgives them at the end (since 'purely out of the goodness of her heart' probably won't fly). Sadly, nothing is shown. However, the end result is good, and I can see this being useful introducing Charles Perrault and his fairy-tales. Seriously, those things need more exposure.
Second opinion: "This... has the smoothness of a good translation and a unique charm to her feathery light pictures."
(1954, June 15th). CINDERELLA. Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/marcia-brown/cinderella-10/
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Module 2, Season II: The Story of Ferdinand
Hello, I'm Richard Nicholas Nimz, prospector of the written word, and now it's time for a classic picture book. This is another of the books everyone's heard of, and it's more likely they've read it or at least knows the story. I knew the story of this book even before I read it because I remembered the Disney adaptation I'd seen as a kid. This is The Story of Ferdinand.
Leaf, M. (1936). The story of Ferdinand. New York, NY: Puffin Books
Summary: Long ago in a city in Spain, young bulls fight each other to eventually make their way into the famous Spanish bullfights. However, one of them, Ferdinand, is more peaceful (and possibly aware of what happens to bulls that participate in a bullfight), only interested in sitting under a cork tree and smelling the flowers. However, he grows up to be the strongest of all of them, and when an ill-timed bee sting paints him as the roughest of bulls to the bullfighters, he quickly gets sent off to fight in the ring. However, the truth comes out in the end, and Ferdinand is sent home to live a peaceful life.
Impressions: This is a good read, but it might rankle a few people with how it sanitizes bullfighting. Then again, the bullfighters are as close to antagonists as the story gets. I sort of wish that the author had spelled out that the bull dies at the end of the fight, because this reads sort of like the stories of martyrs belonging to my own Catholic faith, who died rather than break their moral code (although this story has a less fatal ending). Then again, that would ruin the lighthearted mood. The prose is good and the illustrations, while black-and-white, have a slightly stylized look that is charming to look at. In short, I think it's worthy of the #17 spot on Elizabeth Bird's top 100 picture books.
Use: Again, I first heard about this story because of the Disney cartoon. Thus, an easy use of this book is as part of an event related to Disney's adaptations of various stories. This could represent one of the more faithful adaptations while The Frog Princess by E.D. Baker and Carlo Collodi's Pinocchio could represent looser adaptations. There could be an event where people could write out what they would change in the story. Another possible idea could be the theme of applicability, since I connected this story with the stories of Catholic martyrs. Maybe kids could see deeper meanings in various stories and movies than the author intended.
Source: Bird, E. (2012, Jun. 14). Top 100 Picture Books #17: The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf, illustrated by Robert Lawson -- @fuseeight A Fuse #8 Production. Retrieved from http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2012/06/14/top-100-picture-books-17-the-story-of-ferdinand-by-munro-leaf-illustrated-by-robert-lawson/#_
Leaf, M. (1936). The story of Ferdinand. New York, NY: Puffin Books
Summary: Long ago in a city in Spain, young bulls fight each other to eventually make their way into the famous Spanish bullfights. However, one of them, Ferdinand, is more peaceful (and possibly aware of what happens to bulls that participate in a bullfight), only interested in sitting under a cork tree and smelling the flowers. However, he grows up to be the strongest of all of them, and when an ill-timed bee sting paints him as the roughest of bulls to the bullfighters, he quickly gets sent off to fight in the ring. However, the truth comes out in the end, and Ferdinand is sent home to live a peaceful life.
Impressions: This is a good read, but it might rankle a few people with how it sanitizes bullfighting. Then again, the bullfighters are as close to antagonists as the story gets. I sort of wish that the author had spelled out that the bull dies at the end of the fight, because this reads sort of like the stories of martyrs belonging to my own Catholic faith, who died rather than break their moral code (although this story has a less fatal ending). Then again, that would ruin the lighthearted mood. The prose is good and the illustrations, while black-and-white, have a slightly stylized look that is charming to look at. In short, I think it's worthy of the #17 spot on Elizabeth Bird's top 100 picture books.
Use: Again, I first heard about this story because of the Disney cartoon. Thus, an easy use of this book is as part of an event related to Disney's adaptations of various stories. This could represent one of the more faithful adaptations while The Frog Princess by E.D. Baker and Carlo Collodi's Pinocchio could represent looser adaptations. There could be an event where people could write out what they would change in the story. Another possible idea could be the theme of applicability, since I connected this story with the stories of Catholic martyrs. Maybe kids could see deeper meanings in various stories and movies than the author intended.
Source: Bird, E. (2012, Jun. 14). Top 100 Picture Books #17: The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf, illustrated by Robert Lawson -- @fuseeight A Fuse #8 Production. Retrieved from http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2012/06/14/top-100-picture-books-17-the-story-of-ferdinand-by-munro-leaf-illustrated-by-robert-lawson/#_
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