Review of WE ARE THE SHIP The Story of Negro League Baseball

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Nelson, Kadir. 2008. WE ARE THE SHIP; THE STORY OF NEGRO LEAGUE BASEBALL. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 9780786808328

PLOT SUMMARY:
Kadir Nelson tells the story of the Negro League Baseball teams. Well researched, and inspired by both a project while a student at Pratt Institute and Ken Burns' series about baseball, Nelson has written a beautiful tribute to the members of the former Negro League teams. The narration is done as a collective voice, and is as entertaining as it is informative. His paintings were based on research, but he admits in his Author's Note that he used some creative license.

Critical Analysis:
This book can be summed up in a word: beautiful. The narration is used as a collective voice, speaking for the many players that played in the Negro Leagues from the beginning in the 1920's to the ending that began around 1947. Forced out of the majors, the players formed their own league and the many teams were both entertaining and very skilled. They loved the game and had plenty of fans. Kadir Nelson, until this offering has illustrated books, but this time illustrated and wrote the book that includes lists for those members who made it to the major leagues, as well as the Baseball Hall of Fame, a bibliography, filmography, end notes for each chapter, and an index. There is a four page spread for the painting of the First Colored World Series portrait of the players, managers and officials. A foreward is offered by Hank Aaron and the text of the book is so captivating it makes it difficult to put down. The most compelling eighty-eight pages about baseball a young reader can encounter. This book won the Robert F. Sibert medal, the Coretta Scott King Honor medal and the Coretta Scott King winner medal.

Review Excerpt(s):
School Library Journal: "Social studies teachers and baseball fans of all ages will covet this delightful winnerof the 2009 Coretta Scott King author award illustrator honor award."

The Washington Post: "Divided into chapters labeled "innings", Nelson's inspiring book is a riveting read that is sure to be a home run with both kids and adults."

CONNECTIONS:

• Baseball books:

Feinstein, John. CHANGE-UP: MYSTERY AT THE WORLD SERIES. ISBN 9780375847592

Corbett, Sue. FREE BASEBALL. ISBN 9780142410806

Ritter, John H. BOY WHO SAVED BASEBALL. ISBN 9780142402863

Mochizuki, Ken. BASEBALL SAVED US. ISBN 9780785764601

Review of Wolves

BIBLIOGRAPHY


Simon, Seymour. 1993. WOLVES. New York, NY: Harper Collins. ISBN 0060225319





PLOT SUMMARY


People throughout history have demonized the wolf for many reasons. Fear of the carnivore may stem from the characterization the wolf has received in fairy tales, or the fear of the unknown about a creature that avoids human interaction. Either way, Seymour Simon has attempted to dispell the myths surrounding wolves in this volume with information about wolves that may surprise some young readers. He tells about the hierarchy of the pack and family dynamics, territories, and habits, including howling. Photographs from wildlife photographers add visual impact.



CRITICAL ANALYSIS

In this 32 page volume, Simon tells about the daily lives of wolves and asks the reader why wolves have been so maligned historically. Challenging the reader and then presenting the evidence is a nice, yet subtle way to get young readers interested in such a complex animal. His text reads more like a novel than an informational text. Using photographs from photographers Joe McDonald (wildlife photographer), Tom and Pat Leeson (wildlife and stock photograpers), Lynn M. Stone (stock photographer whose images appear on many informational books), Bob Winsett (stock photographer), Thomas Kitchin (stock photographer), Rolf Peterson (professor of Wildlife Ecology at Michigan Technological University, wildlife biologist, and photographer), and Art Wolfe (wildlife and world photographer) Simon weaves a story about loving, intelligent animals that are worthy of a deeper understanding.

The book does not offer an index, glossary or chapters separating information into categories, but is sure to be a treat for young readers as it encourages a respect for the wolf and further conservation. Published prior to the wolf reintroduction program in Yellowstone National Park, there is the expression of hope for such a conservation effort. It would be a treat to have Simon write a follow-up to this engaging text.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S):
Booklist: "The facts and the glorious photographs support Simon's plea for the animals' conservation. They debunk the big-bad-wolf horror stories without in any waydetracting from the fiercebeauty of the wolves' wild nature."

School Library Journal: " An introduction uses imagery to conjure up the spirit of the wolf; the conclusion touches on the animal's past and questionable future. An attractive and simple introduction, Candace Savage's Wolves (Sierra, 1989) has more to offer."

CONNECTIONS:

• Have students adopt a wolf and raise finds to support that animal through World Wildlife Fund.

http://www.worldwildlifefund.org

• Hold a mock trial debating the wolf reintroduction program in Yellowstone National Park or a trial debating the issues of the Bush Administration's announcement that killing wolves in the states surrounding the park would be allowed even though it violates the Endangered Species Act.
• Other texts to consider for information:

London, Jonathon. RED WOLF COUNTRY. ISBN 0525451919.
Paulsen, Gary. WOODSONG. ISBN 0689852509
Heinz, Brian J. THE WOLVES. ISBN 0803717369
Gibbons, Gail. WOLVES. ISBN 0823411273

• Text to consider to illustrate fiction:

Gaiman, Neil. THE WOLVES IN THE WALLS. ISBN 038097827X

Review of FIRST FOOD FIGHT THIS FALL AND OTHER SCHOOL POEMS

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Singer, Marilyn. 2008. FIRST FOOD FIGHT THIS FALL AND OTHER SCHOOL POEMS. New York: Sterling. ISBN 9781402741456

PLOT SUMMARY
Told through short poems by different students, this picture book poetry selection is quite humorous and should be a great addition to the beginning of the school year in an elementary classroom. Each verse is told about everyday life in school from the goings-on in the cafeteria, to the class field trip, class picture, and even the first snow. Children talk about thier favorite , and least favorite subjects in school and children can laugh with this 'class' all the way through their year.
Artwork by Sachiko Yoshikawa is rich, vibrant, colorful and quite delightful. Done in collage form and with mixed media, the colorful pages and so much charm and appeal to the poems that young children should thoroughly enjoy this book.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
School Library Journal-"...these poems resonate with mischievous good cheer."

Kirkus Reviews-"The interesting combination of identifiable poetic forms and Yoshikawa's amusing illustrations should make this a popular choice for classroom reading, as students recognize at least some of their own school experiences (though, one hopes, not food fights) in the poetry."

CONNECTIONS
Dakos, Kalli. 1995. IF YOU'RE NOT HERE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. ISBN 9780689801167
lansky, Bruce. 2004. IF KIDS RULED THE SCHOOL: MORE KIDS' FAVORITE FUNNY SCHOOL POEMS. ISBN 9780689032738
Shields, Carol Diggory. 1998. LUNCH MONEY AND OTHER POEMS ABOUT SCHOOL. ISBN 9780140558906

Review of WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN'T KNOW

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Sones, Sonya. 2001. WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN'T KNOW. New York: Simon & Schuster.
ISBN 9780689841149

PLOT SUMMARY
Sophie is a typical teenage girl who has many ideas about love, life, friends, and family. She wanders through a series of loves, both lost and found, as she looks for the one that she calls "Mr. Right and a half". As an only child she is quite close to her two best friends, Grace and Rachel. She worries about acceptance by her boyfirend's parents when they are introduced. (She is Jewish and he is not). But when she finds the one boy that she considers "The One" she realizes that he, too, has experienced many rejections and that the heart is where you should look first.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Pre-teen and teenage girls should enjoy this book as they will likely be able to relate to many of the ups and downs that Sophie experiences. A book in verse, it reads fairly fast and the material is relevant to the issues that young girls experience today. Sophie's parents fight a lot and she is always concerned about her father leaving and her mother watching TV more than paying attention to her. She defies her mother and regrets it at a later date. She goes through a series of boyfriends, and wonders what she saw in each of the previous ones. Her firends go away for Christmas and she is left alone over the winter break from school when she not only discovers her city again, but a new love that she previously overlooked and even made fun of.
Boys will not likely enjoy this book, so librarians and book sellers may want to keep that in mind when recommending selections.

REVIEW EXCERPTS-

School Library Journal-"Sone's book makes these often-difficult years a little more livable by making them real, normal, and OK."

Kirkus Reviews-"...a verse experience that will leave teenage readers sighing with recognition and satisfaction."

CONNECTIONS

Sones, Sonya. 2008. WHAT MY GIRLFRIEND DOESN'T KNOW. ISBN 9780689876035

Sones, Sonya. 2005. ONE OF THOSE HIDEOUS BOOKS WHERE THE MOTHER DIES.

ISBN 9781416907886

Review of Blue Lipstick; Concrete Poems

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Grandits, John. 2007. BLUE LIPSTICK: CONCRETE POEMS. New York: Clarion. ISBN 9780618568604

PLOT SUMMARY
This collection of poems by John Grandits centers around Jessie, a teenage girl and her family, friends, and life at school. She is irritated by her younger brother, Robert, jocks, cheerleaders, grownups talking and many things that irritate most teenagers. She loves her "rocker girl" image that she tries to maintain, music, volleyball, and her cat, Boo-boo Kitty. The poems are a humorous look into the life of a teenage girl, and the shape of the poems in text is extremely amusing.

Critical Analysis
Reading this book is a workout! The reader must turn the book in many directions to read the text, which is used to 'illustrate' the poem, making it quite delightful. Each page brings a new look at a usually mundane subject, like the poem titled "My Absolutely Bad Cranky Day". The poem spans a two-page spread requiring the reader to turn the book sideways and the timeline runs the length of her day. Each line has a letter of the alphabet highlighted (in order, of course), and the text runs through each letter as Jessie explains her day. The most unusual poem is "Go Look In The Mirror!" where her father tells her that she may not leave the house looking like that, then after she questions him, he tells her to go look at herself. The text is then placed in the 'mirror frame' and the reader must then choose to read the poem in a mirror or have the ability to read reverse print. She then describes her look and simply cannot understand what is wrong with how she looks!

This book is quite amusing, irreverent, and hilarious. The design of the book is unique. Children should enjoy the zany text twisting while reading it, and poetry may become a genre they enjoy more after reading this book. I wish it had been around when I was a child!

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

School Library Journal- "This irreverent, witty collection should resonate with a wide audience."

Horn Book-"A cover that'll grab adolescent girls' attention-and the poetry inside is equally appealing."

CONNECTIONS
Grandits, John. 2004. TECHNICALLY, IT'S NOT MY FAULT: CONCRETE POEMS. ISBN 061842833X
Janeczko, Paul B. A POKE IN THE I. ISBN 0763606618

Review of RAPUNZEL

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Zelinsky, Paul O. 1997. RAPUNZEL. New York: Dutton. ISBN 0525456074



PLOT SUMMARY

RAPUNZEL is retold and illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky in this variant of the old folktale. The story starts with a couple who, after many years, finally are expecting their first child. As the woman yearns foe some of the rapunzel herb she views in the garden below their home, her husband has to find a way into the garden. There is a problem: the garden is owned by a sorceress who has the garden sealed, with no window or door by which to gain entrance. So the husband climbs out of the window of his home and down to the garden to obtain the herb for his beloved wife. She demands more each day and as he complies with her wishes, he is caught by the sorceress. She is quite upset with him, but allows him to leave with both the herb and his life after he agrees to give her the child when it is born. The sorceress is true to her word and collects the female child upon her birth, naming her Rapunzel and whisking her away to a remote location. She cares for the child and keeps her in a luxurious tower. When she wants to visit Rapunzel, she calls for the girl to lower her long, beautiful hair and the sorceress climbs to the top of the tower. This tower, as the garden, has no entrance other than the window at the top. Soon a prince riding his horse through the same forest, hears Rapunzel singing from the tower and is instantly charmed and falls in love. He watches and soon discovers that the only way into the tower is to call for her to let down her hair. One evening when the sorceress is gone, he gets Rapunzel to let down her hair, climbs into the tower and proclaims his love for her. Rapunzel is at first frightened, but realizes that she loves him as well in in a ceremony that night in the tower, they marry. The prince visits every night and since the sorceress only visits in the day, the couple is happy until one day Rapunzel tells the sorceress that her dress is getting tight and she needs a new one. The sorceress is instantly angry as she realizes that Rapunzel has married and is expecting a baby. She banished Rapunzel to a far off land and waits for the prince to show up that evening when she scares him. He falls from the tower and the fall injures his sight. he wanders for a year, until he hears Rapunzel's singing and he reunites with her. She is so happy to find him that she cries and as tears fall into his eyes, his sight is restored. He realizes that they are in his kingdom and he and Rapunzel and the twin children, a boy and a girl, that she gave birth to during the year's separation, live happily ever after in the kingdom where they are gladly welcomed.



CRITICAL ANALYSIS

In this version of the familiar tale, Zelinsky has given a more gentle perspective on the story, along with beautiful oil paintings. The art is strongly reminiscent of Italian art. It is very detailed and is loaded with beautifully muted, yet rich colors. Zelinsky's story is sure to be a favorite of both children and adults for not only the story, but the beauty of the book.



REVIEW EXCERPTS

Publishers Weekly review: " A breathtaking interpretation gives the fairy tale new art-historical roots, with illustrations that daringly and effectively mimic the masters of Italian Renaissance painting."



Common Sense Media review:" This classic tale retold brims with passion and grace, and the emotional intensity of Paul O. Zelinsky's work is bewitching."



CONNECTIONS

Check out the author's website: http://www.paulozelinsky.com/rapunzel.html There are lesson plans to go with the book.
Also check out the author's site for other traditional folktales that were first published by the Grimm brothers. Have students study those traditional European folktales and then do a study of folktales that are part of other cultures and continents.

Other Rapunzel variants:
Isadora, Rachel. 2008. RAPUNZEL. Putnam. ISBN 0399247726
Stanley, Diane. 1997. PETROSINELLA: A NEOPOLITAN RAPUNZEL. Puffin. ISBN 0140554912
Storace, patricia. 2007. SUGAR CANE: A CARIBBEAN RAPUNZEL. Hyperion ISBN 0786807911

Review of THE THREE LITTLE PIGS

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Kellogg, Steven, re teller and ill.. 1997. THE THREE LITTLE PIGS. New York, NY: William Morrow and Company. ISBN 0688087310

PLOT SUMMARY
In this retelling of THE THREE LITTLE PIGS Steven Kellogg takes a humorous and fresh approach to an old tale. The pigs in this story are waffle makers and the mother pig, Serafina Sow, makes a good living bringing waffles to the world. When her three piglets graduate from Hog Hollow Academy she passes her business on to the three piglets and retires to the Gulf of Pasta. The piglets build homes nearby: Percy makes his of straw, Pete builds a log cabin, and Prudence builds a cozy brick home. When the bully arrives in the form of Tempesto, the wolf, things begin to move quickly. Tempesto arrives at the wafflery and attempts to eat the three pigs, telling them that he hates waffles and overturning the wafflery. After the piglets run to their respective homes, Tempesto, now enraged, follows and attempts to gain entrance. he first visits Percy, demolishing his straw house and blowing Percy to brother Pete's cabin. Before Percy's hut is destroyed, he manages to send a paper airplane containing a plea for help to the sheriff. The wolf successfully blows down Pete's cabin, as well and both brothers run to the safety of their sister's brick home. Tempesto was not able to blow down prudence's home and was bombarded by melons and other vegetables by the piglets. he devised a plan to enter the home through the chimney, but while he was executing this move, the piglet's mother, Serafina, drove up in a taxi announcing that the paper airplane had landed in her salad while she was eating. She was here to help. They placed a waffle iron in the fireplace and as soon as the wolf landed they proceeded to make a Wolffle out of him. he finally surrenders and they send him to the Gulf of Pasta in Serafina's place.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This story is a less violent version of the familiar tale. Most versions of the folktale have the first two pigs meet their demise and the wolf meet his in the end. For younger audiences, this is a friendly perspective, adding humor that most younger audiences will enjoy. The artwork is colorful, detailed and full of movement. The art also helps convey the humor with details like the the paper airplane landing in the ear of the sheriff, and an inmate in the jail laughing when Percy's bathtub lands on the sheriff. For children who enjoy irony and sarcasim, this will be a favorite.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL review: "Kellogg's usual busy, highly defined illustrations complement the humorous, clever text." "A tempting choice to pair with Jon Scieszka's The True Story of The Three Little Pigs (Viking, 1989) and your favorite traditional version for porcine storytime fun."

BOOKLIST review: "Just as Serafina's customers flock to The Wheeled Wafflery, so children will greet Kellogg's latest picture book with eagerness based on memories of his many satisfying books. Pure pleasure for Kellogg fans."

CONNECTIONS
Other versions of The Three Little Pigs:

Artell, Mike. 2006. THREE LITTLE CAJUN PIGS. Ill. by Jim Harris. Dial Press. ISBN 0803728158

Laird, Donivee. 1990. THREE LITTLE HAWAIIAN PIGS AND THE MAGIC SHARK. Ill. by Carol Jossem. Barnaby Books. ISBN 0940350254

Lowell, Susan. 1996. THE THEEE LITTLE JAVELINAS. Luna Rising. ISBN 0873586611

Marshall, James. 1989. THE THREE LITTLE PIGS. Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0803705913

Rubin, Vicky. 2007. THE THREE SWINGIN' PIGS. ill. by Rhode Montijo. Henry Holt & Co. ISBN 0805073353

Scieszka, Jon. 1996. THE TRUE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS. Ill. by Lane Smith. Puffin. ISBN 0140544518

Trivizas, Eugene. 1997. THE THREE LITTLE WOLVES AND THE BIG BAD PIG. Ill. by Helen Oxenbury. McElderry. ISBN 068981528X

Wiesner, David. 2001. THE THREE PIGS. Clarion Books. ISBN 0618007016

Other connections: have children research pigs in both fairy tale/folktale variants and informational texts. Decide how many similarities and or differences there are.