Book Review: SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson

Bibliography

Anderson, Laurie Halse. SPEAK. New York: Square Fish, 1999. ISBN 0312674392.

Plot Summary

At the end of a summer party, Melinda Sordino calls the police, but leaves before telling them or anyone else what really happened. When school starts, Melinda is a freshman in high school, and everyone hates her for ruining the party. Melinda’s grades start slipping and she starts skipping classes. While Melinda struggles at school, her parents spend much of their time working and they communicate via sticky notes on the counter. Melinda becomes morose and silent. 

There is more to what happened at that summer party, but Melinda tries everything to not think or speak about it. Then her ex-best friend, Rachel, starts dating that boy, that boy Melinda doesn’t want to think about or speak about, the boy that filled her life with pain and shame. Melinda tries to warn Rachel, but Rachel doesn’t want to believe her. When Melinda is in jeopardy, she finds her voice again to save herself. With the truth now out, Melinda learns to let go of her shame and guilt, so that she can begin to heal.

Critical Analysis

The plot of SPEAK is an original and at times heartbreaking take on a very tough topic. The main character’s experiences and thoughts slowly build up to the climax and final revelation in a believable and authentic way. The story is written from the point of view of Melinda, a teenager that has gone through something traumatic. The details of her pain and guilt is gradually laid bare in her thoughts as she begins to understand that what happened to her was not her fault. The language and character development is believable and reflected the way the average teenage might think or speak, even though the book was published more than a decade ago.

Teen readers might feel that SPEAK is a truthful portrayal of the common reality of the spitefulness and peer pressure of high school. Readers might identify with much of what happens in this novel, no matter what their age. The tone of the story might reflect a need by the author to educate readers on identifying the signs of possible abuse. Anderson balances educating readers and telling the story of recovering emotionally and mentally from rape. Though some might consider the topic of rape and sexual assault controversial, SPEAK is still relevant and powerful for young adult readers.

Review Excerpt(s)

1999 National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature

From School Library Journal

“This is a compelling book, with sharp, crisp writing that draws readers in, engulfing them in the story.”

Dina Sherman

From Booklist

“In her YA fiction debut, Anderson perfectly captures the harsh conformity of high-school cliques and one teen's struggle to find acceptance from her peers. Melinda's sarcastic wit, honesty, and courage make her a memorable character whose ultimate triumph will inspire and empower readers.” Debbie Carton

From Kirkus

“The plot is gripping and the characters are powerfully drawn, but it is its raw and unvarnished look at the dynamics of the high school experience that makes this a novel that will be hard for readers to forget.”

Book Connections

Other books by Laurie Halse Anderson:

CATALYST. ISBN 0142400017.

CHAINS. ISBN 1416905863.

WINTERGIRLS. ISBN 067001110X.

Activities for SPEAK:

• Have students watch the independent film based on the book and compare and contrast the book and film versions.
• Have students find and locate different resources that provide support and help for sexual assault victims. Discuss in small groups what each student could do to help someone like Melinda and then write individual essays on ways to help someone who has been sexually assaulted.

Book Review: SAVVY by Ingrid Law

Bibliography

Law, Ingrid. SAVVY. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2008. ISBN: 0142414336.

Plot Summary

Mississippi Beaumont, otherwise known as Mibs, is excited for her thirteenth birthday, but not for the usual reasons. Mibs comes from a very special family who come into a very special power or savvy on their thirteenth birthdays. Her oldest brother, Rocket, uses his electrical savvy to keep the family car running and her brother, Fish, accidentally caused a hurricane with his water savvy on his thirteenth birthday. Mibs’ grandfather can move mountains with his savvy, while her mother does everything perfect, even her mistakes. Mibs’ father is the only one in the Beaumont family without a savvy. 

Mibs is excited to see what her savvy might be, until her father is injured and in a coma after a serious car accident two days before her birthday. Mibs’ mother and Rocket go to be with their father in the hospital, while Mibs and her other siblings stay with the preacher’s family from their church. When her birthday arrives, Mibs is convinced that her savvy will help wake her father and decides to find a way to get to the hospital ninety miles away. Mibs, Fish, their younger brother Samson, and the preacher’s kids, Bobbi and Will Junior, sneak a ride on a pink bible delivery bus driven by twitchy and kind delivery man, Lester. 

On their journey to get to her father, Mibs learns more about her savvy and herself, makes new friends, and has a budding romance develop with Will Junior, who has a secret himself. After finally getting to see her father, Mibs’ savvy does help her father, and helps him discovery his own savvy.

Critical Analysis

SAVVY is a coming-of-age novel with a magical twist. The main character, Mibs, is now a teenager and her journey to save her father and understand her savvy teaches her valuable lessons about family, growing up, and accepting our differences. Even without a savvy, the reader can relate to these themes and the characters. Each character is clearly distinct from the others, with their unique quirks and foibles, even those without an obvious savvy. 

By the end of the story, readers feel an affinity for all of the characters, even snarky sixteen-year-old Bobbi (and fidgety, stuttering Lester), and are invested in their outcomes. Though the novel is a fantasy, and many of the characters have a special power, the characters are developed in a way that the reader feels like they could be friends with the character or could identify themselves in one or all of the characters.

The plot of the story is plausible and reasonable. Even though the Beaumont family has special powers, the author has written their journey in such a way that makes it feel like it could have really happened. The plot and characters of SAVVY are fantastical, though other elements are more realistic. The setting is in the middle of nowhere, in a place the Beaumont family likes to call Kansaska-Nebransas. Though the setting may not be fantastical, the author provides enough details for readers to visualize the surroundings. Law’s use of language and alliteration create a vivid and simple fantasy that is entertaining and touching.

Review Excerpt(s)

2009 Newbery Honor winner

From School Library Journal

“With its delightful premise and lively adventure, this book will please a wide variety of audiences, not just fantasy fans. Definitely an author to watch.” Elizabeth Bird

From Booklist

“Law’s storytelling is rollicking, her language imaginative, and her entire cast of whacky, yet believable characters delightful.” Francisca Goldsmith

Book Connections

Read the companion novel to SAVVY by Ingrid Law:

SCRUMBLE, ISBN 0142419621.

Read other Newbery Honor fantasy books:

Lin, Grace. WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON, ISBN 0316038636.

Black, Holly. DOLL BONES, ISBN 1416963995.

McGraw, Eloise. THE MOORCHILD, ISBN 1416927689.

Activities for SAVVY:

• Have students write about a power or savvy, real or imaginary, that they would like to have and how they would use their savvy.
• Ask students to consider their own life journeys. What have been the high and low points of their lives? Have students create a visual map of their lives using a Web 2.0 tool like Prezi, and extend their maps by exploring and predicting their future too.
• Have students read the tall tale of Eva Mae El Dorado Two-Birds Ransom that Ingrid Law wrote and based her novel SAVVY on and have students compare and contrast both stories. The tale of Eva Mae can be found at http://www.penguin.com/static/packages/us/yreaders/savvy/savvy_exc_orig_01.php. 

Book Review: BABYMOUSE: QUEEN OF THE WORLD! by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm

Bibliography

Holm, Jennifer L. and Matthew Holm. BABYMOUSE: QUEEN OF THE WORLD! Random House, 2005. ISBN 0375832297.

Plot Summary

In BABYMOUSE: QUEEN OF THE WORLD!, Babymouse dreams about being Queen of the World, but her everyday life as middle schooler is less than glamorous. One day, Babymouse overhears the “real queen” Felicia Furrypaws tell her friends that she is having a sleepover and now Babymouse want to be invited. To get an invitation to the sleepover, Babymouse gives her book report to Felicia since Felicia forgot to bring hers to school. 

Babymouse gets her invite and goes to the sleepover, but remembers that she agreed to watch a movie with her best friend Wilson. Babymouse hopes Wilson will forgive her and goes to the sleepover, where she gets bored and lets her imagination get her into hilarious trouble. Babymouse quickly gets fed up with the boring sleepover and the Felicia’s attitude and leaves the party. She finds herself at Wilson’s, where she realizes her life isn’t boring and the glamorous things she thought she wanted were not what she needed after all.

Critical Analysis

In this first graphic novel in the BABYMOUSE series, the sassy and imaginative main character, Babymouse, is relatable and funny. Even though she is a mouse, many middle school students should be able to connect to her desire to fit in, while enjoying Babymouse’s daydream adventures. A quick read, the plot is believable and logical. Babymouse tries to find her place socially (which includes the typical angst and envy found in adolescence), and yet learns that good friends are more important than being popular. 

One of the themes for this story includes learning that good friends are important and the things we think we want are not always what we need. These are common themes that young readers should identify with and understand. The lively text of Jennifer L. Holm and the graphics by Matthew Holm fit together perfectly to create a graphic novel full of humor and energy. The language is appropriate to the characters and young readers. 

The wild imaginings of Babymouse, such as her daydream of being Babymouserella, are very entertaining and reminiscent of the adventures of the comic strip "Calvin & Hobbes." This is the first book in the BABYMOUSE series and after reading QUEEN OF THE WORLD!, readers will want to gobble up the 13 other books in the series.

Review Excerpt(s)

2006 ALA Notable Children's Book winner

2006 Gryphon Award winner

From Kirkus Reviews

"Emergent readers will cheer 'Babymouse!'"

From Booklist

“The Holms spruce up some well-trod ground with breathless pacing and clever flights of Babymouse's imagination, and their manic, pink-toned illustrations of Babymouse and her cohorts vigorously reflect the internal life of any million-ideas-a-minute middle-school student.” Jesse Karp

Book Connections

Novels by Jennifer L. Holm:

TURTLE IN PARADISE, ISBN 037583690X.

PENNY FROM HEAVEN, ISBN 0375836896.

OUR ONLY MAY AMELIA, ISBN 0064408566.

Other books in the BABYMOUSE series:

BABYMOUSE #2: OUR HERO, ISBN 0375832300.

BABYMOUSE #3: BEACH BABE, ISBN 0375832319.

BABYMOUSE #4: ROCKSTAR, ISBN 0375832327.

Other graphic novels by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm:

SQUISH #1: SUPER AMOEBA, ISBN 0375843892

SQUISH #2: BRAVE NEW POND, ISBN 0375843906

SQUISH #3: THE POWER OF THE PARASITE, ISBN 0375843914

Activities for BABYMOUSE: QUEEN OF THE WORLD!:

• Use the BABYMOUSE graphic novels to entice and provide support to reluctant and struggling readers.
• With a document camera, project the illustrations from BABYMOUSE without the text showing and ask students to create the text for each panel. Then have student compare their responses with the original text.
• Have students plan and create their own graphic novel.

Book Review: CHICKADEE by Louise Erdrich

Bibliography

Erdrich, Louise. CHICKADEE. New York: Harper, 2012. ISBN: 0060577902.

Plot Summary

Chickadee and Makoons, eight-year-old twin brothers, have never been apart until Chickadee is kidnapped in the middle of the night and taken far from his family. Traveling from the North Woods of Minnesota to the Great Plains, Chickadee’s family searches for him, while Chickadee fights to be reunited with his Ojibwe tribe. Like the changes in the land from forest to plains, Chickadee meets many people and has many new experiences along his journey back to his family. 

Some experiences are unpleasant or a culture shock, like acting as servant to his kidnappers or being helped by a dour Mother Anthony and sweet Sister Seraphica. Other experiences were enjoyable and enlightening like riding in the oxcart train with his Uncle Quill, meeting the Metis, or seeing the big houses of St. Paul. While Chickadee is gone, Makoons falls ill and their mother and father, Omayakas and Animikiins, are desperate to find one son and heal the other. When Chickadee is finally reunited with his family in the Great Plains, he brings a healing song to Makoons that he learned from his guardian and namesake, the chickadee.

Critical Analysis

CHICKADEE is the fourth book in The Birchbark House series by Louise Erdrich. The story follows an extended family from the Ojibwe tribe in 1866. The setting of time and place are important to the story and highlights the cultural differences between the Ojibwe characters and the white settlers. The rich descriptions of the woods of Minnesota and then the Great Plains and the customs and traditions of the Ojibwe (and a little about the Metis) give authenticity to the story.

CHICKADEE gives readers some key messages that are both historical and relevant to present times. The book is enthralling and the characters are funny and endearing. Readers are drawn in by the author’s charming writing style and the unpretentious portrait Erdrich paints of the lifestyle and customs of the Ojibwe people. The pencil drawings sprinkled throughout the book fascinate the reader, despite their simplistic nature.

At the end of the book, an Author’s Note discusses the Ojibwe language and there is a glossary and useful pronunciation guide for the Ojibwe terms used in CHICKADEE. Though this is the fourth book in a series, readers can follow the story easily without needing to read the first three books, though they will probably want to read all three if they haven’t just to learn more about the characters and the Ojibwe.

Review Excerpt(s)

Winner of the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction

From School Library Journal

“Readers will be more than happy to welcome little Chickadee into their hearts.” Lisa Crandall

From Booklist

“In the fourth book in Erdrich’s award-winning Birchbark House series, the focus moves to a new generation. As always, the focus is on the way-of-life details as much as the adventure. Most affecting are the descriptions of Makoons’ loneliness without his brother.”

Book Connections

Read other books in the Birchbark House Series by Louise Erdrich:

THE BIRCHBARK HOUSE, ISBN 0786814543.

THE GAME OF SILENCE, ISBN 0064410293.

THE PORCUPINE YEAR, ISBN 0064410307.

Read other books by Louise Erdrich:

THE RANGE ETERNAL, ISBN 0786802200.

GRANDMOTHER’S PIGEON, ISBN 0786801654.

BOOKS AND ISLANDS IN OJIBWE COUNTRY: TRAVELING THROUGH THE LAND OF MY ANCESTORS, ISBN 006230996X.

Activities for CHICKADEE:

• Conduct a study of the author, reading biographies and listening to interviews. Learn why the author wrote CHICKADEE and her experience as a Native American.
•  Read the other books in the Birchbark House Series, then have students conduct research on the Ojibwe people. Students can create projects on how the Ojibwe people lived, their food, their traditions and customs, and religions. Have students present their findings to the group and display their projects in the library or classroom.
•   Help students become pen pals or have Skype sessions with students at a Native American school to learn about each other’s customs and traditions.

Book Review: THE EARTH DRAGON AWAKES: THE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE OF 1906 written by Laurence Yep

Bibliography

Yep, Laurence. THE EARTH DRAGON AWAKES: THE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE OF 1906. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2006. ISBN 0060275243.

Plot Summary

Wishing for the adventure, two young boys, Henry and Chin, form an unlikely friendship reading about the heroics of Wyatt Earp in penny dreadfuls. While surviving the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906, the boys and their families experience an adventure of a lifetime that bonds the two families of different cultures together. Though the boys had once wished their fathers were like Wyatt Earp, each father proves by their actions in this story that everyday people no matter their background can be a hero.

Critical Analysis

In THE EARTH DRAGON AWAKES, Laurence Yep’s style is brief like a newspaper article, yet full of details that tell an entertaining and historically accurate story. The plot of the story is arranged in a lively and fast-paced manner as the characters struggle to survive the great earthquake and the fires that came afterwards. Readers are not overwhelmed with details, and the plot is realistic and authentic for the early 1900’s. Through the characters, setting, and dialogue, the author carefully details the discrimination that Chinese immigrants faced in San Francisco in 1906.

Informational text that teach the reader about earthquakes and fires is integrated seamlessly throughout the story, which enhances the authenticity of story. The Afterword at the end of the book provide even more information that is specific to the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and the recovery period after the disaster. The author provides the reader with a list of resources for further research and includes photographs taken of the destruction that occurred after the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake.

The black and white photographs provide the reader excellent visuals that heighten the reader’s understanding of the setting. The main characters are believable and identifiable to the modern reader, yet accurately portrays the attitudes and beliefs of the setting. The setting of San Francisco in 1906 is essential to the authenticity of the story. The descriptions of 1906 Chinatown are rich in detail and paint a picture of the culture of Chinese Americans in the early 20th century.

The story is more than just giving details about the 1906 earthquake. The author takes the characters on a journey that demonstrates human frailty and greatness.  Hardship can bring out the best and worst in all of us and as the character Henry states in THE EARTH DRAGON AWAKES, “we don’t have to look far for heroes. They were right under our noses all this time.”

Review Excerpt(s)

2007 Children’s Choice Historical Fiction for Advanced Readers

From School Library Journal

            “But the story as a whole should appeal to reluctant readers. Its natural disaster subject is both timely and topical, and Yep weaves snippets of information on plate tectonics and more very neatly around his prose.” Catherine Threadgill

From Booklist

“Told in the present tense, the narration provides a "you are there" sense of immediacy and will appeal to readers who enjoy action-packed survival stories.” Linda Perkins

Book Connections

Other books by Laurence Yep:

DRAGONWINGS, ISBN 0064400859.

THE DRAGON’S CHILD: THE STORY OF ANGEL ISLAND, ISBN 0062018159.

CITY OF FIRE, ISBN 0765358794.

Other historical fiction books about the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906:

Duey, Kathleen, SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE, 1906, ISBN 0671036025.

Tarshis, Lauren. I SURVIVED THE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE, 1906, ISBN 0606239367.

Hopkinson, Deborah. INTO THE FIRESTORM: A NOVEL OF SAN FRANCISCO, 1906, ISBN 0440421292.

Activities for THE EARTH DRAGON AWAKES: THE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE OF 1906:

•  Have students do a web quest or explore the artifacts and resources about the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake using the website, The Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco, at http://www.sfmuseum.org/1906/06.html
• Use graphic organizers to compare and contrast the different experiences of Henry and Chin during the earthquake. Explore the reasons behind any differences.
• Have students write a drama based on THE EARTH DRAGON AWAKES and present their work to the group or school.

Book Review: PAPERBOY by Vince Vawter

Bibliography

Vawter, Vince. PAPERBOY. New York: Delacorte Press, 2013. ISBN 0385742443.

Plot Summary

In July 1959, an eleven-year-old boy temporarily takes over a paper route to help his best friend, Rat, who is visiting his grandfather’s farm for a month. As a baseball pitcher with a good fast pitch, the boy, nicknamed Little Man, wasn’t concerned about throwing newspapers. 

Little Man was worried about coming face-to-face with the customers and being forced to speak with them. Because of Little Man’s stutter, he is anxious about talking to anyone, except for maybe, Mam, the kind lady that has cared for him since he was five and works as a housekeeper for his family.

While delivering newspapers, Little Man gets to know his various customers, such as Mr. Spiro and Mrs. Worthington, and soon learns that everyone has their own struggles. Though he faces some challenges with the paper route, it is his encounter with the neighborhood junkman that puts him in some danger. Little Man also learns a family secret during that hot summer in Memphis, which makes him examine his life a little deeper and helps him grow up a little.

Critical Analysis

In PAPERBOY, author Vince Vawter skillfully probes into the struggles of a boy whose severe stutter restricts his ability to communicate, producing a barrier in his relationships. The author’s style is unique and his use of block paragraphs and no comma or quotations helps create the voice of the main character. 

As the main character learns about being a paperboy, the reader learns about being a paperboy in 1959. The setting is vital to the story as the reader experiences the life and times of Memphis from the perspective of a boy on the verge of adolescence. The coming-of-age theme is relevant to current times, and readers can identify with secondary theme of learning to overcome life’s struggles.

In an Author’s Note, Vawter explains that the story is “certainly more memoir than fiction.” The author is writing what he knows, which makes the characters believable. The reader can’t help but feel sympathetic towards the struggles the main character and others experience as someone with a stutter. 

The plot of the story is presented accurately and yet in a way that a preteen and teen reader would understand. Though there is a stabbing in the story, the author handles that part of the plot without including any unnecessary gory details. The authenticity of Little Man’s experience is more profound when you realize that the author wrote from his own experiences as a stutterer.

Review Excerpt(s)

Newbery Honor Award Winner

From School Library Journal

“Vawter portrays a protagonist so true to a disability that one cannot help but empathize with the difficult world of a stutterer.”

From Booklist

"Reminiscent of To Kill a Mockingbird."

From Kirkus

“An engaging and heartfelt presentation that never whitewashes the difficult time and situation as Little Man comes of age.”

Book Connections

Other historical fiction Newbery Honor books:

Timberlake, Amy. ONE CAME HOME. ISBN 0375869255.

Vanderpool, Clare, MOON OVER MANIFEST. ISBN 0385738838.

Kelly, Jacqueline, THE EVOLUTION OF CALPERNIA TATE. ISBN 0805088415.

Activities for PAPERBOY:

• Explore online resources and learn more about PAPERBOY, including a Meet-the-Author Book Reading found at http://www.teachingbooks.net/book_reading.cgi?id=9558&a=1 and learn more about the author at http://www.vincevawter.com/.
• Research online and interview individuals to learn more about stuttering and other speech disabilities.
• Use graphic organizers to compare and contrast the similarities and differences between the 1950’s and current times. 

Book Review: THE EXTRAORDINARY MARK TWAIN (ACCORDING TO SUSY) by Barbara Kerley

Bibliography

Kerley, Barbara. THE EXTRAORDINARY MARK TWAIN (ACCORDING TO SUSY). Ill. by Edwin Fotheringham. New York: Scholastic Press, 2010. ISBN 0545125086.

Plot Summary

Bothered that so many people knew her father without really knowing her father, Susy Clemens decided to write his biography herself. Most people know Mark Twain as a humorist, but his 13-year-old daughter wanted others to know that he was more than just a funny person. In THE EXTRAORDINARY MARK TWAIN (ACCORDING TO SUSY), author Barbara Kerley gives a history of the renowned Mark Twain, as told by his daughter, Susy, in her journal.

Critical Analysis

The prose of author Barbara Kerley and illustrator Edwin Fotheringham, tell the story, THE EXTRAORDINARY MARK TWAIN (ACCORDING TO SUSY), with vibrant illustrations, flowing text, and lively font choices. The addition of handwritten entries from Susy’s actual journal are displayed in a type of book-within-a-book format where there are separate, smaller pages attached to the book’s larger pages. Impeccably, the text flows with Susy's chronicled details of Mark Twain’s private life and work during his most fertile years. 

Fotheringham’s inventive illustrations are dynamic and tell the story along with the text. Kerley includes a guide to writing biographies that could be valuable in teaching elementary and middle school students about biographies. The book is organized like a picture book, though the author has provided a list of sources of for the quotes used in the text, a time line, and an author's note that explains Kerley’s interest in Mark Twain lead to learning about Susy’s journal, which lead to writing this book.

Review Excerpt(s)

2010 CYBILS Nonfiction Picture Book Award

NCTE Orbis Pictus Recommended Book

From School Library Journal

“A delightful primer on researching and writing biographies, and a joy to peruse.” Sara Paulson-Yarovoy

From Booklist

“Though a story about someone writing a book sounds a bit static—and it sometimes is—Kerley manages to bring Susy and her famous father to life using plenty of household anecdotes.” Carolyn Phelan

Book Connections

Other books written by Barbara Kerley:

WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALICE?: HOW ALICE ROOSEVELT BROKE THE RULES, CHARMED THE WORLD, AND DROVE HER FATHER TEDDY CRAZY!, ISBN 0439922313.

A HOME FOR MR. EMERSON, ISBN 0545350883.

THOSE REBELS, JOHN AND TOM, ISBN 0545222680.

Other biographies about Mark Twain:

Rasmussen, R. Kent. MARK TWAIN FOR KIDS: HIS LIFE & TIMES, ISBN 1435261046.

Fleischman, Sid. THE TROUBLE BEGINS AT 8: A LIFE OF MARK TWAIN IN THE WILD, WILD WEST, ISBN 0061344311.

Burleigh, Robert. THE ADVENTURES OF MARK TWAIN BY HUCKLEBERRY FINN, ISBN 0689830416.

Activities for THE EXTRAORDINARY MARK TWAIN (ACCORDING TO SUSY):

• After reading THE EXTRAORDINARY MARK TWAIN (ACCORDING TO SUSY), use the author’s guide for writing biographies included near the end of the book to help students learn the elements of a biography.
• Read THE EXTRAORDINARY MARK TWAIN (ACCORDING TO SUSY), create a graphic organizer of what students learned about Mark Twain. Then read aloud or have students read one of Twain’s books and revisit the graphic organizer. Discuss with students their thoughts and perceptions about Twain before and after reading one of his books.

Book Review: ALMOST GONE: THE WORLD’S RAREST ANIMALS by Steve Jenkins

Bibliography

Jenkins, Steve. ALMOST GONE: THE WORLD’S RAREST ANIMALS. New York: HarperCollins Publisher, 2006. ISBN: 0060535989.

Plot Summary

Belonging to the Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science Series, ALMOST GONE: THE WORLD’S RAREST ANIMALS is a brief and colorful book about twenty-eight endangered or extinct animals from around the world. The facts presented are interesting, such as the coelacanth is considered a living fossil or the Abington Island tortoise is the rarest animal on earth with “Lonesome George” being the possible last tortoise living on earth. The short paragraph about each animal include a reason or theory about why the animals are endangered or extinct.

Critical Analysis

In ALMOST GONE, readers learn basic, yet interesting facts about rare and endangered animals like the giant stick insect, the world’s rarest insect, which is estimated to have fewer than ten left in nature. The Steve Jenkins’ illustrations of the animals are accurate and help provide details that the single paragraphs of text is not able to deliver fully. The organization is modest and flows from section to section, without the aid of a table of contents or index. The book’s Introduction briefly introduces the reader to the subject of the main section, endangered animals. The shorter final two sections are about extinct animals and endangered animals that are recovering. A map at the end of the book provides the locations of all the animals.

The colorful cut-paper collage illustrations are striking, especially the Abington Island tortoise and the Golden Lion tamarin. The layout of text and illustrations is appealing and easy to read. The style of the text is simple yet informative. Though maybe not the best choice for deep research, this book could lead the reader to further research the topic of endangered and extinct animals. ALMOST GONE helps open discussion for young readers about the earth they will inherit and the things they can do to help now.

Review Excerpt(s)

From School Library Journal

“This engaging title is informative as well as visually stunning.” Gloria Koster

From Booklist

“As usual, Jenkins' artwork is fascinating. His papers, apparently handpainted, are carefully matched to catch subtle variations of an animal's skin or a sense of the shagginess of its coat.” Stephanie Zvirin

Book Connections

Read other books by Steve Jenkins:

THE ANIMAL BOOK: A COLLECTION OF THE FASTEST, FIERCEST, TOUGHEST, CLEVEREST, SHYEST—AND MOST SURPRISING—ANIMALS ON EARTH, ISBN 054755799X.

ACTUAL SIZE, ISBN 0547512910.

EYE TO EYE: HOW ANIMALS SEE THE WORLD, ISBN 0547959079.

Activities for ALMOST GONE: THE WORLD’S RAREST ANIMALS:

•  Have students mark the locations of the rare animals on a globe using the map in ALMOST GONE as a reference.
•   Research the habitats for each of the animals. Have students create a poster or use a Web 2.0 tool to create a presentation for each animal and habitat and present them to the group. Display the information for others to view.
•   Compare and contrast the causes of endangerment and the different habitats using graphic organizers. 

Book Review: KAKAPO RESCUE: SAVING THE WORLD’S STRANGEST PARROT written by Sy Montgomery

Bibliography

Montgomery, Sy. KAKAPO RESCUE: SAVING THE WORLD’S STRANGEST PARROT. Ill. by Nic Bishop. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2010. ISBN 0618494170

Plot Summary

In the interesting informational text, KAKAPO RESCUE: SAVING THE WORLD’S STRANGEST PARROT, author Sy Montgomery and nature photographer Nic Bishop tell the story of efforts in New Guinea to save the kakapo, a rare flightless and unusual bird. On Codfish Island, the National Kakapo Recovery Team works to save the dwindling population of the kakapo. Given special permission to learn more about the kakapo, Montgomery and Bishop set out on a ten day expedition to Codfish Island to observe and learn about the kakapo and what scientists are still doing to save the parrots. KAKAPO RESCUE gives the story of their journey with these wonderful and trusting birds.

Critical Analysis

KAKAPO RESCUE: SAVING THE WORLD’S STRANGEST PARROT is based on the firsthand experiences of the author and photographer and is part of the nonfiction series, SCIENTISTS IN THE FIELD. An author’s note states that most research for the book was done onsite, though further research was conducted and a bibliography was provided. The text and photographs are correct and enlightening. The text is enhanced with color photographs taken by well-known nature photographer Nic Bishop and provide further detail and information to the story. 

KAKAPO RESCUE is organized in a logical manner with chapters and an index to help readers find specific information in the text. The few sidebars in the book give readers more information and facts about the topic. The style of the text demonstrates Montgomery’s passion for the kakapo and for saving the species from extinction. At the end of the book, information is provided about how readers can help save the kakapo as well. The story encourages advocacy and curiosity. The design of the book is attractive with large color photographs and readable text. Photographs are almost on every page, which younger and older readers should both enjoy and appreciate. The story is inviting and even provides moments that tug at the reader’s heart, especially dealing with the deaths of the kakapo. 

Review Excerpt(s)

Winner of the Robert F. Sibert Medal for the most distinguished nonfiction children's book of 2010.

From School Library Journal

            “Excellent photos and a readable, conversational text provide an intimate look at a concerted effort to save a drastically endangered species unfamiliar to most of the world outside Down Under.” Patricia Manning

From Booklist

“As usual, Montgomery's delight in her subject is contagious, and throughout her enthusiastic text, she nimbly blends scientific and historical facts with immediate, sensory descriptions of fieldwork.” Gillian Engberg

Book Connections

Other books by Sy Montgomery:

SAVING THE GHOST OF THE MOUNTAIN: AN EXPEDITION AMONG SNOW LEOPARDS IN MONGOLIA, ISBN 0547727348.

THE QUEST FOR THE TREE KANGAROO: AN EXPEDITION TO THE CLOUD FOREST OF NEW GUINEA, ISBN 054724892X.

CHASING CHEETAHS: THE RACE TO SAVE AFRICA’S FASTEST CAT, ISBN 0547815492.

Other books with pictures by Nic Bishop:

NIC BISHOP SNAKES, ISBN 0545206383.

BACKYARD DETECTIVE: CRITTERS UP CLOSE, ISBN 0439174783.

FOREST EXPLORER: A LIFE-SIZED FIELD GUIDE, ISBN 0439174805.

Activities for KAKAPO RESCUE: SAVING THE WORLD’S STRANGEST PARROT:

•  As part of an animal conservation unit, read this story as well as other books in the SCIENTISTS IN THE FIELD SERIES to learn more about endangered animals and how people are helping. Have students come up with their own ideas for rescuing endangered animals.
• Have students create a “Did You Know?” bulletin board display for the library about the kakapo parrot and other endangered animals. Make sure to include information about conservation efforts as well.
• After reading KAKAPO RESCUE, have students create science journals that explain what a kakapo is, how they live, what they eat, and other interesting facts.
• Brainstorm with students to get ideas for a kakapo service learning project and implement some of the ideas, such as a letter-writing campaign or fundraising.

Book Review: DOODLE DANDIES: POEMS THAT TAKE SHAPE by J. Patrick Lewis

Bibliography

Lewis, J. Patrick. DOODLE DANDIES: POEMS THAT TAKE SHAPE. Ill. by Lisa Desimini. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 1998. ISBN 068981075X.

Plot Summary

A book of shape poems, DOODLE DANDIES includes a variety of fun and funny poems with beautiful and vivid illustrations. In the first poem, “First Burst of Spring,” the words crawl along the page and burst forth to represent the first bud of spring. In the cute poem, “Dachshund” the words of the poem form the sweet shape of “a dog like a sausage.” In “Mirror,” the words of the poem are arranged on one page and reflected on the adjacent page as if reflected in a mirror. The poems presented in DOODLE DANDIES are varied and cover a range of emotions and subjects from nature to sports.

Critical Analysis

J. Patrick Lewis uses simple yet descriptive words that fit the subject of each poem. The arrangement of the words and illustrations support the meaning behind the words and delight the eye of the reader. Each poem has a unique rhythm and arrangement that conveys the meaning and emotion. Some poems use rhyme while others do not, but when rhyme is used it is effective and matches the tone and voice for the poem. A large part of the imagery involves the shape of the poem. The shape of each poem provides significance, which could be lost if arranged in more traditional lines and verses. 

Each poem delivers a different emotion from playful to silly and hopeful to secretive. Emotion is captured naturally and successfully. The variety of poems included in this book are interesting and would appeal to wide audience of all ages. The only thing each poem seems to have in common is the fact that they are all shape poems and all attractively illustrated. Lisa Desimini’s mixed media illustrations, from the doodles on endpapers to the amusing details on the inner pages, magnify the experience of the reader. Many teachers would find this book useful when teaching and motivating students to write their own shape poetry.

Review Excerpt(s)

From Publisher’s Weekly

"The interplay between words and pictures effectively conjures images from seasons, to sports, to the jungle. From endpaper to doodled endpaper, this mix of clever language and visual delights makes a dandy treat for all ages."

From School Library Journal

“Every page of this book is well designed, creating words and images that work together in harmony.”

From Booklist

“The history of poems shaped on the page goes back at least to the seventeenth-century poet George Herbert, and certainly Lewis Carroll used it well in Alice. Desimini and Lewis take that tradition to rowdy new heights.”

Book Connections

Other books written by J. Patrick Lewis:

POEM-MOBILES, ISBN 0375866906.

PLEASE BURY ME IN THE LIBRARY, ISBN 0152163875.

COUNTDOWN TO SUMMER: A POEM FOR EVERY DAY OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, ISBN 0316020893.

Other books illustrated by Lisa Desimini:

MY BEAUTIFUL CHILD, ISBN 0439738695.

MY HOUSE, ISBN 0805055169.

MOON CHILD, ISBN 1562824635.

Other books of shape poems:

Graham, Joan Bransfield. SPLISH SPLASH, ISBN 0618111239.

Janeczko, Paul B. A POKE IN THE I: A COLLECTION OF CONCRETE POEMS, ISBN 0763623768.

Roemer, Heidi. COME TO MY PARTY AND OTHER SHAPE POEMS, ISBN 0805066209.

Activities for DOODLE DANDIES:

• As a group, write a shape poem. Decide together the shapes and words for the poem.
• As a group, discuss the different shapes used and how making the words the outline of the shape is different than making the words create the actual shape, such as in the poems, “Giraffe” and “Dainty Lady."
•  Assign each student a shape and have them think of a poem that fits the shape. Present and display the poems.

Book Review: RED SINGS FROM TREETOPS: A YEAR IN COLORS by Joyce Sidman

Bibliography

Sidman, Joyce. RED SINGS FROM TREETOPS: A YEAR IN COLORS. Ill. by Pamela Zagarenski. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009. ISBN: 0547014944

Plot Summary

Told in seasonal poems, RED SINGS FROM TREETOPS brings color to life in words and illustrations. In spring, red sings from the treetops, while “green peeks from buds” and “white sounds like storms.” In summer, red runs along a little finger with ladybug feet, while “yellow melts everything it touches.” In fall, “green is tired” so brown takes over, and red hangs from trees in the shape of juicy apples. In winter, the white of snow, “whispers, floats, clumps” while black emerges in the bare branches of the trees. Even in winter, red sings from the treetops with the throat of a cardinal.

Critical Analysis

In RED SINGS FROM TREETOPS, color dances throughout the seasons and pages with delightful verse and illustrations. Each word and arrangement of the verses seems carefully chosen to express the joy of the seasons through color. The words and mixed media illustrations make color come to life as the character of a girl and her little dog walk through each page and season. The colorful and playful illustrations of Pamela Zagarenski add meaning for the reader and enhance the poem. The rhythm of Joyce Sidman’s poem flit gaily across the pages and the mouth like a bird flying from tree to tree. 

Sidman uses brilliant action words to describe color, like “green drips,” and “yellow shouts” in spring, or “purple pours” and “white clinks” in summer. In fall, “brown rustles” and “orange ripens,” while “blue breathes” and “pink prickles” in winter. Even without the aid of the illustrations, Sidman’s words create vivid mental pictures for the reader. The emotion portrayed is natural, not forced. While reading, I felt carefree like the words were fluttering in my heart while they danced off my tongue. The illustrations add to this light and childlike feeling. This would a great book to share with young children when discussing seasons and colors.

Review Excerpt(s)

2010 Caldecott Honor Book

From Horn Book

"Sustaining the playfulness of the text and its sense of awe, mystery, and beauty, the illustrations contribute gracefully to the celebration."

From Kirkus

"A charming inspiration to notice colors and correlate emotions"

Book Connections

Read other books by Joyce Sidman:

WINTER BEES & OTHER POEMS OF THE COLD, ISBN 0547906501.

BUTTERFLY EYES AND SECRETS OF THE MEADOW, ISBN 0618563135.

DARK EMPEROR AND OTHER POEMS OF THE NIGHT, ISBN 0547152280.

Other poetry books that are Caldecott Medal Winners:

Myers, Walter Dean. HARLEM, ISBN 0590543407.

Thayer, Ernest. CASEY AT BAT: A BALLAD OF THE REPUBLIC SUNG IN THE YEAR 1888, ISBN 1929766009.

Willard, Nancy. A VISIT TO WILLIAM BLAKE’S INN: POEMS FOR INNOCENTS AND EXPERIENCED TRAVELERS, ISBN 0812404661.

Activities for RED SINGS FROM TREETOPS: A YEAR IN COLORS:

• As a group, write a class poem about the colors found in the school and classroom. Assign individuals pages to illustrate. Publish the poem book and place in school library or classroom library.
• Study other books of poems by Joyce Sidman and use graphic organizers to compare and contrast the elements of poetry used by the poet in each book.
• Read RED SINGS FROM TREETOPS before showing the pictures. Page by page, have students visualize and guess what is being described. Then using a document camera, show the illustrations and reread the poem. Discuss the illustrations and how they compare with the poem.