Laurence Yep Books

Image retrieved October 7, 2007, fromhttp://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsY/yep-laurence.html.

The Man Who Tricked a Ghost
Initially, I set out to read The Dragon Prince: A Chinese Beauty and the Beast Tale with my daughter since she loves anything to do with princes and princesses. Despite the beautiful artwork, she did not even sit through the first three pages. We went back to our public library and found The Man Who Tricked a Ghost. I don't know if it had to do with the Halloween season or what, but she wanted me to read this one every night for a week.
Like my daughter, I too enjoyed this book more. For me, I love to read and teach trickster tales, so this was right up my alley. An avid fan of Halloween and all things eery, I also loved the scary illustrations that complemented the storyline. In fact some of the illustrations were so scary, that I was hesitant to show some of them to my four-year-old, but consider sharing this with my seventh graders for a Halloween treat. Never before had I seen such scary illustrations in a children's book.
Novels

1. Sweetwater. New York: Harper & Row, 1973.
2. Dragonwings. New York: Harper & Row, 1975.
3. Child of the Owl. New York: Harper & Row, 1977.
4. Sea Glass. New York: Harper & Row, 1979.
5. Dragon of the Lost Sea. New York: Harper & Row, 1982.
6. Kind Hearts and Gentle Monsters. New York: Harper & Row, 1982.
7. The Mark Twain Murders. New York: Four Winds, 1982.
8. Liar, Liar. New York: Morrow, 1983.
9. The Serpent's Children. New York: Harper & Row, 1984.
10. The Tom Sawyer Fires. New York: Morrow, 1984.
11. Dragon Steel. New York: Harper & Row, 1985.
12. Mountain Light. New York: Harper & Row, 1985.
13. Shadow Lord: A Star Trek Novel No. 22. New York: Pocket Books, 1985.
14. Monster Makers, Inc. New York: Arbor House, 1986.
15. The Curse of the Squirrel. New York: Random House, 1987.
16. The Rainbow People. New York: Harper & Row, 1989.
17. When the Bomb Dropped: The Story of Hiroshima. New York: Random House, 1990.
18. Dragon Cauldron. New York: HarperCollins, 1991.
19. The Star Fisher. New York: Morrow, 1991.
20. Tongues of Jade. New York: HarperCollins, 1991.
21. The Lost Garden. Englewood Cliffs: Messner, 1991.
22. Dragon War. New York: HarperCollins, 1992.
23. Dragon's Gate. New York: HarperCollins, 1993.
24. The Butterfly Boy. New York: Farrar Straus & Giroux, 1993.
25. The Man Who Tricked a Ghost. Mahwah, NJ: Bridgewater, 1993.
26. The Shell Woman & the King: A Chinese Folktale. New York: Dial, 1993.
27. The Boy Who Swallowed Snakes. New York: Scholastic, 1994.
28. The Ghost Fox. New York: Scholastic, 1994.
29. The Junior Thunder Lord. Mahwah, NJ: Bridgewater, 1994.
30. Tiger Woman. Mahwah, NJ: Bridgewater, 1994.
31. The City of Dragons. New York: Scholastic, 1995.
32. Later, Gater. New York: Hyperion, 1995.
33. Thief of Hearts. New York: Harper, 1995.
34. Tree of Dreams: Ten Tales from the Garden of Night. Mahwah, NJ: Bridgewater, 1995.
35. Hiroshima. New York: Scholastic, 1995.
36. Ribbons. New York: Putnam, 1996.
37. The Mongolian Shepherd. New York: Scholastic, 1996.
38. The Case of the Goblin People. New York: HarperCollins, 1997.

Adult Books

1. Seademons. New York: Harper & Row, 1977.

Plays

1. "Pay the Chinaman" in Between Worlds: Contemporary Asian-American Plays. Misha Berson, ed. New York: Theatre Communications Group, 1990, pp.176-196.
2. Dragonwings. New York: Dramatist Play Service, 1993.

Short Stories

1. "Selchey Kids," in Wollheim, Donald A. and Terry Carr. eds. World's Best Science Fiction 1969. New York: Ace, 1969.
2. "My Friend, Klatu," in Signs and Wonders. Roger Elwood, comp. Old Tappan, NJ: Revell, 1972. also in Visions of Tomorrow. Roger Elwood, ed. New York: Ace, 1976.
3. "Looking-Glass Sea," in Strange Bedfellows: Sex and Science Fiction. Thomas N. Scortia, ed. New York: Random House, 1972, pp.165-177.

Edited Works

1. Yep, Laurence, ed. American Dragons: Twenty-Five Asian American Voices. New York: HarperCollins, 1993.

Articles

1. "Writing Dragonwings." Reading Teacher. Vol. 30, No. 4 (January 1977): 359-363.
2. "Fantasy and Reality." Horn Book. Vol. 54 (April 1978): 136.
3. "Attack of the Giant Teenage Space Dogs: Notes of a Science Fiction Film Fan." Top of the News. Vol. 39, No.1 (Fall 1982): 92-94.
4. "The Green Cord." Horn Book. Vol 65 (May-June 1989): 318-22.
5. "A Cord to the Past." CMLEA. Vol. 15 (Fall 1991): 8-10.
6. "A Garden of Dragons." The ALAN Review. Vol. 19, No. 3 (Spring 1992): 6-8.

Other Media

1. Laurence Yep. Filmstrip/cassette. Westminster: Random House/Miller/Brody, 1981.
2. The Curse of the Squirrel. Sound recording. Music by Arthur Custer. New York: Random House, 1989.
3. The Rainbow People. 3 Cassettes. Prince Frederick: Recorded Books, 1993.
   AWARDS

Lists retrieved October 6, 2007, from http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/~kvander/yep.html.

Yoshiko Uchida Books

Image retrieved October 6, 2007, from http://www.berkeley.edu/news/berkeleyan/2005/03/images/uchida.jpg.

The Invinsible Thread

I chose this book because I used to teach Farewell to Manzanar, another true story about the Japanese internment camps set up in the U.S. shortly after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941. Like Farewell to Manzanar, from the moment I started reading The Invisible Thread, I was hooked.
Uchida does a wonderful job capturing the trials and tribulations of her youth growing up in California during the 30's. She describes the embarassment and shame she feels because of her Japanese heritage. While she feels completely American, she knows that she will always be looked upon as a foreigner because of her slanted eyes, yellow complexion, and black hair. She is even embarassed by her parents for the Japanese customs (bowing, eating at a picnic with chopsticks, etc.) they practice in public.
However, Uchida does a wonderful job of capturing the essence of her parents' gentle and giving spirits, even in the most dire of situations -- being uprooted from their perfect lives in sunny California and being placed in internment camps, where they became prisoners. Initially, her father was sent away to one camp while the Uchida ladies were sent to another one. At this camp, the Uchida family was forced to live in a horse stall at a race track, a tough but bearable situation because eventually the family reunites there. Then, they were sent to live at a camp in a desert in Utah. Conditions were so physically unbearable that the Uchida parents begged their grown American-born daughters to look for jobs and leave them behind since they were born in Japan. Eventually the daughters do so. Although Uchida is angry at her country's betrayal and infringement upon their civil rights, Uchida uses the quiet strength learned from her parents to overcome the prejudice and hatred heaped on her by her own country.
As a minority who grew up in predominantly white rural town, I could relate to Uchida's self-hatred. I hated my dark skin and black hair. Even when I was told I looked "exotic," I wanted to be Barbie-blonde and white. After all, exotic to me meant different from the norm. Not until now have I read a children's book that captured the feelings of my youth. I would have loved to have read this when I was younger. However, at the same time, I wonder if it would have been impactful.

Jerry Pinkney Illustrated Books

John Henry written by Julius Lester

As mentioned in my Julius Lester posting, I love the stories of John Henry, and Julius Lester's John Henry is no exception. Although Julius Lester's story of John Henry did not hold my four-year-old's attention, Jerry Pickney's illustrations did. They helped her see what her limited knowledge of the time period could not. She understood from the first picture of John Henry lifting his cradle over his head that John Henry was no ordinary person. The pictures of John Henry and Ferret-Faced Freddy racing helped her understand that the story is set in a time before cars, computers, and other technological advances she has always known. The picture of the mountain helped her understand the task that John Henry accomplished in beating the steam drill and how it could kill him. The picture of John Henry's funeral train showed her what the memory of John Henry's spirit means to many.

Like most parents, I enjoy sharing bits and pieces of my childhood with my daughter. Although I could not remember all of the words to the John Henry spiritual I learned in school, I could share with her the memories of singing it. Without Pickney's illustrations, I might not have had that opportunity.

Other Pinkney Illustrated-books Written by Julius Lester

1. The Tales of Uncle Remus, Dial (New York, NY), 1987.
2. More Tales of Uncle Remus: Further Adventures of Brer Rabbit, His Friends, Enemies, and Others, Dial (New York, NY), 1988.
3. Further Tales of Uncle Remus: The Misadventures of Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, Brer Wolf, the Doodang, and All the Other Creatures, Dial (New York, NY), 1990.
4. The Last Tales of Uncle Remus, Dial (New York, NY), 1994.
5. Sam and the Tigers: A New Telling of Little Black Sambo, Dial (New York, NY), 1996.
6. Black Cowboy, Wild Horses: A True Story, Dial (New York, NY), 1998.
7. Uncle Remus: The Complete Tales (contains The Tales of Uncle Remus, More Tales of Uncle Remus, Further Tales of Uncle Remus, and The Last Tales of Uncle Remus), Phyllis Fogelman Books (New York, NY), 1999.
8. Albidaro and the Mischievous Dream, Phyllis Fogelman Books (New York, NY), 2000.
9. The Old African, Dial (New York, NY), 2004.

Illustrator and Adaptor

1. Rudyard Kipling, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, Morrow (New York, NY), 1997.
2. Hans Christian Andersen, The Little Match Girl, Phyllis Fogelman Books (New York, NY), 1999.
3. Hans Christian Andersen, The Ugly Duckling, Morrow (New York, NY), 1999.
4. Aesop's Fables, SeaStar Books (New York, NY), 2000.
5. Hans Christian Andersen, The Nightingale, Phyllis Fogelman Books (New York, NY), 2002.
6. Noah's Ark, SeaStar Books (New York, NY), 2002.

Illustrator

1. Joyce Cooper Arkhurst, reteller, The Adventures of Spider: West African Folk Tales, Little, Brown (Boston, MA), 1964.
2. Adeline McCall, This Is Music, Allyn & Bacon (Boston, MA), 1965.
3. V. Mikhailovich Garshin, The Traveling Frog, McGraw (New York, NY), 1966.
4. Lila Green, compiler, Folktales and Fairytales of Africa, Silver Burdett (Morristown, NJ), 1967.
5. Ken Sobol, The Clock Museum, McGraw (New York, NY), 1967.
6. Harold J. Saleh, Even Tiny Ants Must Sleep, McGraw (New York, NY), 1967.
7. John W. Spellman, editor, The Beautiful Blue Jay, and Other Tales of India, Little, Brown (Boston, MA), 1967.
8. Ralph Dale, Shoes, Pennies, and Rockets, L. W. Singer (Syracuse, NY), 1968.
9. Traudl (pseudonym of Traudl Flaxman), Kostas the Rooster, Lothrop (New York, NY), 1968.
10. Cora Annett, Homerhenry, Addison-Wesley (Boston, MA), 1969.
11. Irv Phillips, The Twin Witches of Fingle Fu, L. W. Singer (Syracuse, NY), 1969.
12. Fern Powell, The Porcupine and the Tiger, Lothrop (New York, NY), 1969.
13. Ann Trofimuk, Babushka and the Pig, Houghton (Boston, MA), 1969.
14. Thelma Shaw, Juano and the Wonderful Fresh Fish, Addison-Wesley (Boston, MA), 1969.
15. Ken Sobol, Sizes and Shapes, McGraw (New York, NY), 1969.
16. Francine Jacobs, adapter, The King's Ditch: A Hawaiian Tale, Coward (New York, NY), 1971.
17. Joyce Cooper Arkhurst, More Adventures of Spider, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1972.
18. Adjai Robinson, Femi and Old Grandaddie, Coward (New York, NY), 1972.
19. Mari Evans, JD, Doubleday (Garden City, NY), 1973.
20. Adjai Robinson, Kasho and the Twin Flutes, Coward (New York, NY), 1973.
21. Berniece Freschet, Prince Littlefoot, Ginn (Lexington, MA), 1973.
22. Beth P. Wilson, The Great Minu, Follett (Chicago, IL), 1974.
23. Mildred D. Taylor, Song of the Trees, Dial (New York, NY), 1975.
24. Cruz Martel, Yagua Days, Dial (New York, NY), 1976.
25. Mildred D. Taylor, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, Dial (New York, NY), 1976, reprinted as Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry: Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Edition, Penguin (New York, NY), 2000.
26. Phyllis Green, Mildred Murphy, How Does Your Garden Grow?, Addison-Wesley (Boston, MA), 1977.
27. Eloise Greenfield, Mary McLeod Bethune (biography), Crowell (New York, NY), 1977.
28. Verna Aardema, Ji-Nongo-Nongo Means Riddles, Four Winds Press (New York, NY), 1978.
29. Lila Green, reteller, Tales from Africa, Silver Burdett (Morristown, NJ), 1979.
30. Rosebud Yellow Robe, reteller, Tonweya and the Eagles, and Other Lakota Indian Tales, Dial (New York, NY), 1979.
31. Eloise Greenfield and Lessie Jones Little, Childtimes: A Three-Generation Memoir, Crowell (New York, NY), 1979.
32. Virginia Hamilton, Jahdu, Greenwillow (New York, NY), 1980.
33. Claudia Zaslavsky, Count on Your Fingers African Style, Crowell (New York, NY), 1980.
34. William Wise, Monster Myths of Ancient Greece, Putnam (New York, NY), 1981.
35. Barbara Michels and Bettye White, editors, Apples on a Stick: The Folklore of Black Children, Coward (New York, NY), 1983.
36. Valerie Flournoy, The Patchwork Quilt, Dial (New York, NY), 1985.
37. Crescent Dragonwagon, Half a Moon and One Whole Star, Macmillan (New York, NY), 1986.
38. Barbara Gibson, Creatures of the Desert World and Strange Animals of the Sea, edited by Donald J. Crump, National Geographic Society (Washington, DC), 1987.
39. Nancy White Carlstrom, Wild, Wild Sunflower Child Anna, Macmillan (New York, NY), 1987.
40. Julia Fields, The Green Lion of Zion Street, Macmillan (New York, NY), 1988.
41. Pat McKissack, Mirandy and Brother Wind, Knopf (New York, NY), 1988.
42. Verna Aardema, Rabbit Makes a Monkey of Lion, Dial (New York, NY), 1989.
43. Robert D. San Souci, The Talking Eggs, Dial (New York, NY), 1989.
44. Marilyn Singer, Turtle in July, Macmillan (New York, NY), 1989.
45. Crescent Dragonwagon, Home Place, Macmillan (New York, NY), 1990.
46. Jean Marzollo, Pretend You're a Cat, Dial (New York, NY), 1990.
47. Sonia Levitin, The Man Who Kept His Heart in a Bucket, Dial (New York, NY), 1991.
48. Arnold Adoff, In for Winter, Out for Spring, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1991.
49. Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God, University of Illinois Press (Urbana, IL), 1991.
50. Virginia Hamilton, Drylongso, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1992.
51. Gloria Jean Pinkney, Back Home, Penguin (New York, NY), 1992.
52. Colin Eisler, selector, David's Songs: His Psalms and Their Story, Dial (New York, NY), 1992.
53. Thylias Moss, I Want to Be, Dial (New York, NY), 1993.
54. Johanna Hurwitz, New Shoes for Silvia, Morrow (New York, NY), 1993.
55. Nancy Willard, A Starlit Somersault Downhill, Little, Brown (Boston, MA), 1993.
56. Gloria Jean Pinkney, The Sunday Outing, Dial (New York, NY), 1994.
57. Valerie Flournoy, Tanya's Reunion, Dial (New York, NY), 1995.
58. Rudyard Kipling, The Jungle Book: The Mowgli Stories, Morrow (New York, NY), 1995.
59. Alan Schroeder, Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman, Dial (New York, NY), 1996.
60. Robert D. San Souci, reteller, The Hired Hand: An African-American Folktale, Dial (New York, NY), 1997.
61. Gary Paulsen, Sarny, A Life Remembered, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1997.
62. Barbara Diamond Goldin, reteller, Journeys with Elijah: Eight Tales of the Prophet, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1999.
63. Patricia C. McKissack, Goin' Someplace Special, Atheneum (New York, NY), 2000.
64. (With Brian and Myles C. Pinkney) Gloria Jean Pinkney, In the Forest of Your Remembrance: Thirty-Three Goodly News Tellings for the Whole Family, Penguin (New York, NY), 2001.
65. Arthur Herzog Jr. and Billie Holiday, God Bless the Child, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2003.
66. (With Brian and Myles C. Pinkney) Gloria Jean Pinkney, compiler, Music from Our Lord's Holy Heaven, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2005.

Lists retrieved October 6, 2007, from, http://biography.jrank.org/pages/590/Pinkney-Jerry-1939.html.

Julius Lester Books

Image retrieved October 6, 2007, from http://members.authorsguild.net/juliuslester/index.htm.

John Henry

I chose this book because I remembered singing about John Henry in my elementary music classes. I loved that song because of the story of perseverence it told. While that has been over 25 years, I still enjoyed the story of John Henry as told by Julius Lester.

First, I love reading and teaching folktales. I like how they make the unbelievable seem believable (John Henry growing from an one-day-old infant into a manchild who busts through his parents' front porch roof). I enjoy how they rely upon the personification of nature to make the main character seem superhumanample (animals and the sun, moon, and stars serve as witnesses to the great feats of John Henry). However, what I like most about folktales is the spirit of humanity they capture. In John Henry, children learn to always do their best no matter what it may personally cost them. Even though John Henry dies with the hammer in his hand, he defeats the steam drill. In the end, people across the United States come out to celebrate what he accomplished in his short life. This proves to be a valuable lesson for all, not only children, to learn.

Click the link below to directly access a list of Lester's books from his web site:
http://members.authorsguild.net/juliuslester/works.htm.

Dr. Seuss Books

1. The Cat in the Hat
2. The Lorax

Children's Books Produced as Featured Films

1. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Image retrieved December 1, 2007, from http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n30/n153992.jpg.

Laurie Halse Anderson’s novel, Speak, and the film adaptation produced by Showtime Entertainment contain many similarities, as well as some striking differences. The film version allows us to see Melinda’s metamorphosis on screen as she comes to terms with being raped, and in turn becomes a stronger person as a result. The film eliminates much of the seemingly unnecessary dialogue, leading to a more concise image of Melinda and her interactions (or lack thereof) with the people around her. For example, the novel contains details about Melinda’s relationship with her art teacher, Mr. Freeman, as it slowly builds throughout the school year. In the film version, many of these details are eliminated, and Melinda’s growing trust in Mr. Freeman centers around the scene involving the creation of her turkey bone sculpture.

The film version uses voiceovers in place of the internal dialogue Melinda uses throughout the novel. However, much of the film and novel centers around what is unsaid. Melinda effectively expresses herself through her actions, body language, and facial expressions, in many instances eliminating the need for words. This is especially helpful in conveying Melinda’s unique voice and adds depth and realism to her character. The film also uses flashbacks to a greater extent than the novel, to show the change Melinda has undergone as a result of her rape. In addition, viewing Melinda’s numerous “tree based” art projects on screen helps the audience better understand the emotions she is expressing through her artwork.

2. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

After reading the book and then seeing the movie, I was disappointed. The movie started roughly at chapter 4 in the book. Unfortunately for movie goers, the beginning of the book was very important since it foreshadowed what happens throughout the book. I actually viewed the movie with someone who had not read the book, and he became very confused. After filling him in on parts skipped from the book, he understood more thoroughly and enjoyed the rest of the movie. However, the movie did nail the characters’ descriptions and behaviors, which is important to understanding their motives. Overall, the movie portrayed the book accurately, besides the exposition of the story being skipped. However, as in most cases, I enjoyed the book more than the movie.
Image retrieved December 1, 2007, from http://www.sorenz.dk/Harry%20Potter%20and%20the%20Goblet%20of%20fire%20teaser.JPG.

3. The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

Image retrieved December 1, 2007, from http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/christmas/kids-books/the-polar-express.html.



Hardly any differences exist between the book and movie versions of The Polar Express, a story about restoring a boy's belief in Santa Claus. The the animation in the movie mirror the illustrations in the book. While the illustrations are pleasing, the animation is stunning. They kept by four-year old enthralled. Additionally, the dialogue used in the movie is verbatim the dialogue used in the book.

However, the book itself is only 2o pages or so long. Thus, to create a story that is long enough to be a feature film, the script writer had to take some liberties with the plot and add some additional elements. These elements did not detract from the original theme of the book. With the addition of the soundtrack, The Polar Express movie is quite captivating. I would highly recommend it and the book to others.

Caldecott and Newbery Awards: What is the Difference?

The Newbery Award is a yearly award given "...to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children" (American Library Association [ALA], 2007). The award was created to encourage good writing in children's literature. It was the first award given for children's literature.

According to the ALA (2007), the Caldecott Award is a yearly award given "...to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children." Created in response to the Newbery Award, the Caldecott Award was created to encourage good artistic endeavors in children's literature.

Although the Newbery Award originated first, it is not more important than the Caldecott Award. Nor is the Caldecott Award more important than the Newbery Award. Both are important in guaranteeing that children have worthwhile books to read, so that they develop of lifetime love of reading.

When I first started to read, I often chose my books based upon the illustrations. The books with the best, most interesting illustrations caught my attention, and those were the ones I read. As I read more and more books, I recognized that some of the books I chose had medals on their covers, so I started looking for more books with these medals. Not until I learned about Caldecott Medals in grade school, did I understand that others appreciated the artwork as much as I did.

As I became older, I became a better reader. As I learned about the Newbery Awards in school, I continued looking for books with medals. Afterall, the Caldecott Award-winning books had not failed me. For me, the medals on the front of the book meant that this was a good book. Being an avid reader, I wanted to read good books. The medals just made finding good books easier for me.

References

American Library Association. (2007). About the Caldecott Award. Retrieved November 6, 2007, from http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/awardsscholarships/literaryawds/caldecottmedal/aboutcaldecott/aboutcaldecott.htm.

American Library Association. (2007). About the Newbery Award. Retrieved November 6, 2007, from http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/awardsscholarships/literaryawds/newberymedal/aboutnewbery/aboutnewbery.htm.

Coretta Scott King Award Book

Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes

Wow, what a powerful book! Bronx Masquerade should be required reading for middle and high schoolers for its abilility to show that the angst of searching for one's identity and place in the world is universal to all regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or socio-economic status.

Set in a modern-day English class at a school in the Bronx, the story begins when Wesley turns in "a bunch of poems" in place of an essay on poetry from the Harlem Renaissance. Mr. Ward, the teacher, asks Wesley to share a poem with his classmates. To Wesley's shock, no one laughs. Instead, others ask to read their poems. From this arises Open Mike Friday, the time Mr. Ward sets aside for his students to share their poetry. Grimes uses first person point of view to express the thoughts and inner conflict of each student. Following this is the student's reading of an original poem on Open Mike Friday. Then Tyrone, a jaded black teen depressed about what the future holds for him, responds. As each new classmate opens up, we see Tyrone and his classmates become more secure with each other and themselves because of their similarities.

Although this is a fictional piece, the characters' strong voices echo those of today's students. As I read, I saw current and former students, as well as myself and my former classmates, in these pages. The anger, the self-hatred, the lack of confidence, the self-doubt, the desire to be loved, and the eventual self-acceptance these characters demonstrated was palpable. I had intended to teach Scorpions by Walter Dean Myers for Black History Month; instead, I am now teaching Bronx Masquerade!

Image retrieved October 6, 2007, from http://www.ala.org/ala/emiert/corettascottkingbookaward/CSKwinners/cskpastwinners/cskpastwinners.htm.

Newbery Award and Newbery Honor Books

1. The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron

Image retrieved October 8, 2007, from, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7484149.

When eight-year-old Lucky's mother is killed by a down livewire in a thunderstorm, Lucky's always-absent father makes arrangements for his ex-wife, Brigitte, to come from France to take care of her in Hard Pan, California. Life in this desert town of 43 is slow and hard. Most of the town is out of work and live off government subsidence, including Lucky and Brigitte. To pass the time, Lucky eavesdrop on the town's addiction meetings (AA, Smokers' Anonymous, Gamblers' Anonymous, etc.). While listening to the addicts share, Lucky realizes that they all overcame their addictions with the help of a Higher Power. Still grieving the loss of her mother and feeling sure that Brigitte will want her old life back, lonely Lucky runs away to find her Higher Power.

I loved this book! Patron did a wonderful job of developing the characters. Despite the hardships experienced by the citizens of Hard Pan, I understood why they chose to remain in a town whose industry was no longer thriving. They had each other and took care of one another, warts and all. Had Patron not created such interesting and unique characters, it might have been less plausible that the people of Hard Pan would have remained.

Needless to say, the controversial use of "scrotum" on the first page of the book didn't bother me (some librarians have been pulling the book from shelves), and I would not have a problem with my child reading it. Since it has 5.5 reading level (mid-year fifth grade), she probably wouldn't attempt until possibly 4th grade. I am betting by that time that she may have already heard worse on the playground or on TV.

2. The View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg

image retrieved October 9, 2007, from http://www.simonsays.com/content/book.cfm?tab=25&pid=407414

The View from Saturday is about four sixth-grade students from different walks of life who come together as teammates for Mrs. Olinkski's academic team. Mrs. Olinkski's assembles her team without knowing why she has chosen these particular four and without knowing that they have formed a foursome, whom they have dubbed The Souls.

The story of The Souls' journeys to one another are told as four individual vignettes from first person point of view. Scattered among these vignettes is the story of how The Souls came to be, and how they became the most successful sixth grade academic team in Epiphany Middle School history.

I chose this book because I participated on my school's academic team and coached one at a local high school. I had hoped the book would have centered more uponthe team and its meet. However, it focused more on the individual stories and the Saturday tea parties The Souls had a Mr. Vingh's inn. While I enjoyed the mystical nature of Julian Singh (one of The Souls) and his father, I did not particularly enjoy the book.

Caldecott Award and Caldecott Honor Books

1. The Hello, Goodbye Window illustrated by Chris Raschka and written by Norton Juster
image from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:GOODBYEWINDOW-1-.jpg

The artwork in The Hello, Goodbye Window is stunning. Showcasing a vibrant, inquisitive, magical world, it captures the excitement most children have about going to Grandma's house and doing as they please (within certain parameters). Reading this book took me back to visiting my grandparents' house and to the joy I experienced there.

For one week every summer, I did what I wanted to do, ate what I wanted to eat, slept where and when I wanted to sleep (What child doesn't love a feather bed on the floor?), and wore what I wanted to wear (prom dresses from the 60's). The monotony of day-to-day to life at home subsided when I explored their fields, waded the creek, played in the barn, and more. I thoroughly enjoyed reminiscing with my four-year-old daughter about my visits to her great-grandparents' house. She now wants to see Mamaw and Pop-pa's house as I did, and I am more than happy to oblige.

As a writing teacher, I see real potential in using this book with my seventh grade students to demonstrate memoir writing about a special object. However, at a few points in the book, the author strays from the importance of the Hello, Goodbye Window in the narrator's life and discusses life with Nanna and Poppy in general (i.e. Poppy playing Oh, Susannah on his harmonica, Poppy fixing breakfast, Poppy chasing the narrator with the water hose, etc.). This lapse in writing cautioned me as a writing teacher, but as a parent, I will gladly share this book and my memories with my little girl!

2. Joseph Has a Little Overcoat written and illustrated by Simms Taback

image from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Cm_joseph_overcoat.jpg

I love this book! The illustrations are simplistic, but the color combinations and the die-cuts make them jump off the page. As a result, the story is captivating for children and adults. My daughter loved the repetition of each article of clothing becoming "old and worn." She also loved guessing what the next article Joseph would make. I loved studying the illustrations for the "pictures" of Joseph's friends and family, the Yiddish phrases embroidered throughout Joseph's home in Poland, and the headlines of the Morning Freiheit ("Fiddler On Roof Falls Off Roof"). I spent more time studying the artwork than I did the plot!

The illustrations really connect the audience to the Jewish culture. My daughter noticed items unfamiliar to her (a menorah and Hebrew text); I noticed names and places unfamiliar to me (Sholom Aleichem and Chelm). Having very little knowledge on Jewish faith and culture, I turned to the Internet to find that Joseph Had a Little Overcoat was full of cultural references unknown to me. Sholom Aleichem was known as the "Yiddish Mark Twain"; Chelm, a real town in Poland, was written about in Jewish folklore and passed from generation to generation. Armed with this new knowledge, I can now expose my daughter to the diversity of the Jewish culture.

Although I have read nothing else by Taback, I look forward to reading There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, a Caldecott Honor Book and the New York Times Best Illustrated Book for 1997.

3. The Three Pigs written and illustrated by David Wiesner

image from http://www.vickiblackwell.com/lit/threepigs.html

I initially read this book because I like to use familiar children's stories in my seventh grade language arts class to demonstrate how changing a literary element like setting or point of view alters plot. In the past, I have used The Three Little Javelinas (The Three Little Pigs in the Southwest) and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs (The Three Little Pigs from the wolf's point of view) with great success. As a teacher looking to add to my Three Little Pig resources, this beautifully illustrated book did not do "it" for me. I have yet to figure out how to use it in my classroom.

However, as a mother I enjoyed sharing this picture book with my daughter. Never before had a book physically come alive for her. When the wolf blew the first pig out of the story, her eyes lit up. When all three pigs "left" the story to explore, she asked a million questions. When they flew on a paper airplane constructed from the pages of The Three Little Pigs, she belly-laughed.

Perhaps my English major background has limited my view of what a "good" book is. However, reading The Three Pigs with my daughter brought to mind my early readings of pictures books that enthralled me with their art instead of the words. As I reminisce about my favorite picture book and the fun I had trying to mimic the artwork in it, I add to my to-do list, "Buy The Snowy Day." After all, winter is around the corner, and I cannot wait to share it with her.

image from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:SnowyDayKeats.jpg

4. When Sophie Gets Angry- Really, Really Angry... written and illustrated by Molly Bang

My little girl and I both loved this book. The wonderful artwork really conveyed Sophie's feelings, the behaviors that resulted from them, and how those behaviors affected others. The illustrations made it easy to discuss with her more appropriate ways to handle anger.

When Sophie got angry, my daughter and I mimicked her expression. When she kicked and screamed, we kicked and screamed. When she roared, we roared. The entire time my four-year-old, who has been known to kick and scream in anger, laughed and exclaimed, "Why is she doing this when she is angry? This is fun!"

Eventually Sophie calms down when she takes a walk outside. To enhancing the calm mood, Bang uses beautiful, serene blues and green-- a stark contrast to the vibrant reds and oranges used during Sophie's angry stage. At the end, "Everything's back together again." Once again, Bang does a wonderful job of tying the illustrations to the plot, for the audience sees Sophie and her family gathered around the dining room table finishing a puzzle and enjoying each other now that their missing piece (Sophie) has returned.

When I registered for this class, I did not look forward to it at all. How would I ever be able to analyze a children's book? Well, this book, although written in simple prose, lends itself to analysis because of the way the illustrations improve the plot and theme of it.
Image retrieved October 9, 2007, from, http://www.scholastic.ca/titles/whensophiegetsangry/images/spread.jpg

5. The Man Who Walked Between the Towers written and illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein

Image retrieved October 9, 2007, from http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0761317910.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg.

This book tells the true story of Philippe Petit, a young Frenchman who walked a tightrope stretched between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in 1974. As I was only 3 in 1974, I had never heard this story before. Gerstein told it in such a captivating way that I researched it a little deeper to learn more about it. Anytime a book has it readers wanting to learn more, the book has to be well-written. Still enthralled with the story of Petit, I asked my mother if she remembered this day. She reminisced about it, the building of the Towers, and other stories she recalled about them. Anytime a book opens up dialogue between the generations, it has to be appreciated.

In addition to the captivating storytelling, Gerstein's artwork is mindblowing. Pull-out pages really give readers the birdseye perspective Petit experienced as he walked the tightrope. Additionally, these pages show the audience the sense of awe that bystanders had as the witnessed this daring feat. Since my mom is also an artist, I enthusiastically showed the artwork in the book to her. She studied the pictures as much with her hands as she did with her eyes. story more captivating. My mom, my daughter and I enjoyed the artwork and the way it complemented the story as much as the story itself.

Since the book was written in 2003, Gerstein acknowledges to his audience that the Towers no longer exist. However, this acknowledgement does not focus on the devestating day they came down. Instead, he chooses to acknowledge that some of the memory of the Towers are indeed "joyful," particularly the morning "...Petit walked betwenn them in the air."

As I shared this book with my daughter, she asked what happened to the Towers. I realized that I wasn't quite ready to explain to this inquisitive preschooler the details of why they were gone. I quickly told her that they had been damaged. For now this seems to work, but I intend to revisit this book with her when she is old enough to understand the tragic events of 9/11.