BIBLIOGRAPHY
Schwartz, Alvin. AND THE GREEN GRASS GREW ALL AROUND: FOLK POETRY FROM EVERYONE. Ill. by Sue Truesdell. New York: HarperTrophy, 1999.
PLOT SUMMARY
This book contains over 250 folk poems passed down from generation to generation. The book is arranged by category so that it is easy to find poems about anything.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This collection of folk poetry provides a wide array of poems from various cultures and generations. The book is arranged by category so that it is much easier for someone to find a poem on a particular topic. I had a hard time knowing where one poem ended and another began because of the lack of titles.
One interesting thing about the book is that Schwartz gives side notes as to how to read the poems. For example, if the poem has a melody that goes along with it such as “On top of Spaghetti” to the tune of “On top of Old Smoky”. In the fun and game section, he provides a brief note about what to do with each game. For instance, in the poem “Clapping” he states when to clap ones hands.
This is a great book to use as a way to make poetry fun. There may be a limit to the educational use of the book, but there is certainly no limit to the fun to be had.
The illustrations in the book are simple little diagrams or figures. They do a great job of breaking up the poems and giving something to look at however I do not see them adding any help to the actual poems themselves.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
A marvelous book that is sure to become a classic if children have any say in the matter. Schwartz has gathered sassy, funny, scary, and slightly naughty children's folk poetry heard on schoolgrounds and wherever else kids are having fun. SLJ
It's hard to imagine a child who wouldn't greet this treasure trove with enthusiasm. Kirkus Reviews
CONNECTIONS
This book would be a great source for a lesson in poetry. The limitless amounts of poems in this book allow for a lesson in many different types of poems. Have the students go through the book and pick out types of poems. Ex. Limerick, haiku, sonnet.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Bubba, the Cowboy Prince
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ketteman, Helen. BUBBA, THE COWBOY PRINCE. Ill. by James Warhola. New York: Scholastic Press, 1997.
PLOT SUMMARY
This version of the “Cinderella” story is a unique one. In this story roles are reversed as Bubba, a boy, lives with his evil step brothers and step father. He does all of the work around the house. A lovely rancher wants to marry a man so she throws herself a ball to find the right man. Bubba’s fairy godcow makes is possible for him to go to the ball where the rancher falls in love with him. Bubba loses a boot at the ball and when the rancher comes looking for the man that fits the boot she finds Bubba and they live happily ever after.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
BUBBA,THE COWBOY PRINCE, is a Texan fairy tale. This story is a new version of the traditional story “Cinderella”. This story has some rather unique characteristics. The story does not start out “once upon a time” it just goes right into setting the plot. Bubba, the main character is a nice, innocent, hard worker that would do anything for anyone. Bubba’s step father and brothers are the exact opposite. In most tradition fairy tales there is a good character and an evil character. This story is no exception. Bubba is good and the step family is evil.
The rhythm of the story makes it easy and fun to read. It seems to be based upon one or two days and is told as the day goes on. The setting of the story is a ranch in Texas. That is a key piece of information to know when reading the book. Some of the lines written could possibly be harder for those not from Texas to understand. For example,
“lower than a rattlesnake in a gully” and “whiter than a new salt lick” are two analogies used in the story that may not be used anywhere but in Texas. I feel that it gives the story extra charm and a different kind of culture.
The end of the story is formal and informal at the same time. It ends with the ever popular line “They lived happily ever after”, it then continued on to say “roping, and cowpoking, and gitting them dogies along”. This is just another example of how the author took the traditional Cinderella story and made it her own.
The illustrations in this book are half of the fun. The whimsical depictions of the characters and animals bring a humorous side to the story that may have not been there without them. The illustrations are grand and colorful, very visually appealing, especially to the young crowd.
This story was a great example of a tradition tale being retold in a new time and a new way. This is a great way for a new generation to hear the story of Cinderella. I am also quite fond of the fact that this time the girl got to chase down the boy!
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
A Cinderella parody features the off-the-wall, whang-dang Texas hyperbole of Ketteman and the insouciance of Warhola, who proves himself only too capable of creating a fairy godcow; that she's so appealingly whimsical makes it easy to accept the classic tale's inversions. Kirkus Reviews
CONNECTIONS
What a great introduction into a Texas unit. Although this would work for a young group of student I would not use it as a material for an older group.
For a lesson with an older group, this book would be a great example of stereotyping. With the use of slang, cowboys, and big hair, students could list all stereotypes in the book and explain why or why not they are acceptable.
Ketteman, Helen. BUBBA, THE COWBOY PRINCE. Ill. by James Warhola. New York: Scholastic Press, 1997.
PLOT SUMMARY
This version of the “Cinderella” story is a unique one. In this story roles are reversed as Bubba, a boy, lives with his evil step brothers and step father. He does all of the work around the house. A lovely rancher wants to marry a man so she throws herself a ball to find the right man. Bubba’s fairy godcow makes is possible for him to go to the ball where the rancher falls in love with him. Bubba loses a boot at the ball and when the rancher comes looking for the man that fits the boot she finds Bubba and they live happily ever after.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
BUBBA,THE COWBOY PRINCE, is a Texan fairy tale. This story is a new version of the traditional story “Cinderella”. This story has some rather unique characteristics. The story does not start out “once upon a time” it just goes right into setting the plot. Bubba, the main character is a nice, innocent, hard worker that would do anything for anyone. Bubba’s step father and brothers are the exact opposite. In most tradition fairy tales there is a good character and an evil character. This story is no exception. Bubba is good and the step family is evil.
The rhythm of the story makes it easy and fun to read. It seems to be based upon one or two days and is told as the day goes on. The setting of the story is a ranch in Texas. That is a key piece of information to know when reading the book. Some of the lines written could possibly be harder for those not from Texas to understand. For example,
“lower than a rattlesnake in a gully” and “whiter than a new salt lick” are two analogies used in the story that may not be used anywhere but in Texas. I feel that it gives the story extra charm and a different kind of culture.
The end of the story is formal and informal at the same time. It ends with the ever popular line “They lived happily ever after”, it then continued on to say “roping, and cowpoking, and gitting them dogies along”. This is just another example of how the author took the traditional Cinderella story and made it her own.
The illustrations in this book are half of the fun. The whimsical depictions of the characters and animals bring a humorous side to the story that may have not been there without them. The illustrations are grand and colorful, very visually appealing, especially to the young crowd.
This story was a great example of a tradition tale being retold in a new time and a new way. This is a great way for a new generation to hear the story of Cinderella. I am also quite fond of the fact that this time the girl got to chase down the boy!
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
A Cinderella parody features the off-the-wall, whang-dang Texas hyperbole of Ketteman and the insouciance of Warhola, who proves himself only too capable of creating a fairy godcow; that she's so appealingly whimsical makes it easy to accept the classic tale's inversions. Kirkus Reviews
CONNECTIONS
What a great introduction into a Texas unit. Although this would work for a young group of student I would not use it as a material for an older group.
For a lesson with an older group, this book would be a great example of stereotyping. With the use of slang, cowboys, and big hair, students could list all stereotypes in the book and explain why or why not they are acceptable.
Pedro and the Monkey
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Souci, Robert D. San. PEDRO AND THE MONKEY. Ill. by Michael Hays. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1996.
PLOT SUMMARY
In this story, a young man’s heart overtakes him when he catches a monkey that has been stealing from him. For his kindness and letting the monkey go, the monkey sets on a goal of getting the richest man in town’s daughter to marry the young man. Through twists and turns the monkey pulls the whole thing off and the young man marries the rich girl.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
PEDRO AND THE MONKEY is a Filipino version of “Puss in Boots”. The starts off as folktales often do with the statement “long ago”. Good way to start off seeing as how the story has been passed down from generation to generation so it had to be a long time ago. After that statement, the author jumps right into the story. Immediately the monkey comes into the picture. The story is organized in a way that is repetitive yet keeps you wondering. For instance, the monkey always has Pedro give up something that he shouldn’t and it always turns out to be the right thing to do however, nearing the end you start to wonder if he is doing the right thing by listening to the monkey. One part of the story that made me think this was when the monkey asked Pedro for his last centavos (a monetary unit). When Pedro does what he is asked, the reader hopes that he did the right thing and will be rewarded in the end, which he does.
Pedro, the main character in the story is a typical traditional character. He is a good hearted person with innocence and selflessness. The character of the monkey is a bit harder to understand. He seems to be good, but sometimes during the story I was left wondering whether he was really good or if he was just good at being bad. To my surprise the monkey was actually good.
The story was a typical story until it came to the part with Burincantada, the giant. I did not see that coming, although the presence of mythical creatures often appears in folktales.
The illustrations in the story were done with acrylics on linen. The technique adds textural appeal to the pages of the story. The actual pictures of Pedro, the monkey, and the giant bring them to life. The illustrations added interest to the story. This would be a great “read aloud” story.
My first impression after reading this book was confusion. I am not used to being surprised by the ending of books. The book was a bit different because the ending turned out happily, the way it is suppose to turn out however the path to get their was deceitful. Technically no one got hurt as a result of the deceitfulness but I still feel that it may not be a great moral or example to set for children. Maybe next time the monkey could help Pedro actually EARN the money rather than fooling people into thinking he has it.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Happy endings all around. Hays' acrylic-on-linen pictures have a painterly quality that, along with the book's beautiful design, adds to San Souci's sober and straightforward retelling. BOOKLIST
The narrative is vivid, expressive, and fun to read aloud, especially when the monkey spins his stories. Hays's acrylic on linen illustrations amplify the story, and the fabric texture adds dimension to the paintings. The artist employs cool pastels and pale golds that are as refreshing as a cold drink on a hot day, and his use of light enhances the paintings, which are as expressive as the text they illustrate. A successful and appealing collaboration. SLJ
CONNECTIONS
Great material use for a lesson in different cultures. There are several words in the book that were new to me so that would be a great way to have the students look up new words from a different culture.
This would be a great book to use as a lesson in predictive texts. For instance, read half of the story and then have the students write down what they think will happen next based on the context of the story.
Souci, Robert D. San. PEDRO AND THE MONKEY. Ill. by Michael Hays. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1996.
PLOT SUMMARY
In this story, a young man’s heart overtakes him when he catches a monkey that has been stealing from him. For his kindness and letting the monkey go, the monkey sets on a goal of getting the richest man in town’s daughter to marry the young man. Through twists and turns the monkey pulls the whole thing off and the young man marries the rich girl.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
PEDRO AND THE MONKEY is a Filipino version of “Puss in Boots”. The starts off as folktales often do with the statement “long ago”. Good way to start off seeing as how the story has been passed down from generation to generation so it had to be a long time ago. After that statement, the author jumps right into the story. Immediately the monkey comes into the picture. The story is organized in a way that is repetitive yet keeps you wondering. For instance, the monkey always has Pedro give up something that he shouldn’t and it always turns out to be the right thing to do however, nearing the end you start to wonder if he is doing the right thing by listening to the monkey. One part of the story that made me think this was when the monkey asked Pedro for his last centavos (a monetary unit). When Pedro does what he is asked, the reader hopes that he did the right thing and will be rewarded in the end, which he does.
Pedro, the main character in the story is a typical traditional character. He is a good hearted person with innocence and selflessness. The character of the monkey is a bit harder to understand. He seems to be good, but sometimes during the story I was left wondering whether he was really good or if he was just good at being bad. To my surprise the monkey was actually good.
The story was a typical story until it came to the part with Burincantada, the giant. I did not see that coming, although the presence of mythical creatures often appears in folktales.
The illustrations in the story were done with acrylics on linen. The technique adds textural appeal to the pages of the story. The actual pictures of Pedro, the monkey, and the giant bring them to life. The illustrations added interest to the story. This would be a great “read aloud” story.
My first impression after reading this book was confusion. I am not used to being surprised by the ending of books. The book was a bit different because the ending turned out happily, the way it is suppose to turn out however the path to get their was deceitful. Technically no one got hurt as a result of the deceitfulness but I still feel that it may not be a great moral or example to set for children. Maybe next time the monkey could help Pedro actually EARN the money rather than fooling people into thinking he has it.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Happy endings all around. Hays' acrylic-on-linen pictures have a painterly quality that, along with the book's beautiful design, adds to San Souci's sober and straightforward retelling. BOOKLIST
The narrative is vivid, expressive, and fun to read aloud, especially when the monkey spins his stories. Hays's acrylic on linen illustrations amplify the story, and the fabric texture adds dimension to the paintings. The artist employs cool pastels and pale golds that are as refreshing as a cold drink on a hot day, and his use of light enhances the paintings, which are as expressive as the text they illustrate. A successful and appealing collaboration. SLJ
CONNECTIONS
Great material use for a lesson in different cultures. There are several words in the book that were new to me so that would be a great way to have the students look up new words from a different culture.
This would be a great book to use as a lesson in predictive texts. For instance, read half of the story and then have the students write down what they think will happen next based on the context of the story.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Creation of Children's Picture Books
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Marcus, Leonard S. A CALDECOTT CELEBRATION; SIX ARTISTS SHARE THEIR PATHS TO THE CALDECOTT MEDAL. New York: Walker Books for Young Readers, 1999.
PLOT SUMMARY
A CALDECOTT CELEBRATION is a non-fiction publication celebrating six Caldecott award winning illustrators. The book starts off with a brief historical background on Rudolph Caldecott and the award named after him. The following chapters follow six Caldecott award winners and discuss how their creations came to be.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This book is had an interesting way of putting a group of people together into one book that have something in common. The book is divided nicely by person. The sections go on to describe the illustration process from beginning to end. The chapters follow a chronological order by year.
Perhaps the most interesting features in this book are the showings of the beginning stages of illustrations from some of the award winning books.
The end of the book gives a list of Caldecott winning books in order by year won. This would be an excellent reference source.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
“The text is remarkable for the smooth integration of explanatory material with overall commentary, and selective detail creates a sense of intimacy and understanding.” HORN BOOKS
CONNECTIONS
*This book could be used as a connection to a lesson focused on authors. Students should research different authors, pick on, and write and biography about their life.
*This book could be used as a reference to awards in literature. Student should each research one literary award and present it to the class.
Marcus, Leonard S. A CALDECOTT CELEBRATION; SIX ARTISTS SHARE THEIR PATHS TO THE CALDECOTT MEDAL. New York: Walker Books for Young Readers, 1999.
PLOT SUMMARY
A CALDECOTT CELEBRATION is a non-fiction publication celebrating six Caldecott award winning illustrators. The book starts off with a brief historical background on Rudolph Caldecott and the award named after him. The following chapters follow six Caldecott award winners and discuss how their creations came to be.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This book is had an interesting way of putting a group of people together into one book that have something in common. The book is divided nicely by person. The sections go on to describe the illustration process from beginning to end. The chapters follow a chronological order by year.
Perhaps the most interesting features in this book are the showings of the beginning stages of illustrations from some of the award winning books.
The end of the book gives a list of Caldecott winning books in order by year won. This would be an excellent reference source.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
“The text is remarkable for the smooth integration of explanatory material with overall commentary, and selective detail creates a sense of intimacy and understanding.” HORN BOOKS
CONNECTIONS
*This book could be used as a connection to a lesson focused on authors. Students should research different authors, pick on, and write and biography about their life.
*This book could be used as a reference to awards in literature. Student should each research one literary award and present it to the class.
Illustrations by Mo Willems
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Willems, Mo. KNUFFLE BUNNY: A CAUTIONARY TALE. New York: Hyperion, 2004. ISBN 0-7868-1870-0
PLOT SUMMARY
This story is about a father and young daughter, not yet at the age to speak, that take a trip to the laundry mat to clean their clothes. On the way home from the laundry mat the young girl throws a fit but her father does not know what is wrong with her because she cannot speak to tell him. Just when he becomes frustrated they arrive home to find that the young girl’s bunny has been left at the laundry mat. They rush back to find the bunny. When they finally find it, the young girl says her first words, “knuffle bunny”.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This story seems like an updated version of stories we have either heard or experienced our whole lives. The characters consist of the father who is clueless and easily frustrated, the mother who knows it all, and the daughter who simply wants what she wants. This is the typical family dynamic that is seen over and over again.
Luckily for this book, the illustrations were unique and interesting. The use of actual photos of the Brooklyn setting combined with the completely unrealistic cartoon people made this book visually appealing. This is a book that parents would not mind reading to their children because they are equally intrigued with the illustrations.
This book combines a typical story line with a new, unique illustration format to create a fabulous book.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
“This everyday drama will immediately register with even pre-verbal listeners.” HORN BOOKS
“This amusing, universal tale is cleverly illustrated with hand-drawn cartoons juxtaposed onto digital photographs that reflect a well-traveled and familiar city neighborhood route.” SLJ
CONNECTIONS
If I were going to use this book as a resource for a lesson I would incorporate the idea that real life and fiction literature can be tied together.
For example; I would give the assignment that the students should take one simple experience they have had such as going on a picnic and creating a fiction story around it. This would show the students that you can make something new and interesting out of something that happens every day.
Willems, Mo. KNUFFLE BUNNY: A CAUTIONARY TALE. New York: Hyperion, 2004. ISBN 0-7868-1870-0
PLOT SUMMARY
This story is about a father and young daughter, not yet at the age to speak, that take a trip to the laundry mat to clean their clothes. On the way home from the laundry mat the young girl throws a fit but her father does not know what is wrong with her because she cannot speak to tell him. Just when he becomes frustrated they arrive home to find that the young girl’s bunny has been left at the laundry mat. They rush back to find the bunny. When they finally find it, the young girl says her first words, “knuffle bunny”.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This story seems like an updated version of stories we have either heard or experienced our whole lives. The characters consist of the father who is clueless and easily frustrated, the mother who knows it all, and the daughter who simply wants what she wants. This is the typical family dynamic that is seen over and over again.
Luckily for this book, the illustrations were unique and interesting. The use of actual photos of the Brooklyn setting combined with the completely unrealistic cartoon people made this book visually appealing. This is a book that parents would not mind reading to their children because they are equally intrigued with the illustrations.
This book combines a typical story line with a new, unique illustration format to create a fabulous book.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
“This everyday drama will immediately register with even pre-verbal listeners.” HORN BOOKS
“This amusing, universal tale is cleverly illustrated with hand-drawn cartoons juxtaposed onto digital photographs that reflect a well-traveled and familiar city neighborhood route.” SLJ
CONNECTIONS
If I were going to use this book as a resource for a lesson I would incorporate the idea that real life and fiction literature can be tied together.
For example; I would give the assignment that the students should take one simple experience they have had such as going on a picnic and creating a fiction story around it. This would show the students that you can make something new and interesting out of something that happens every day.
Caldecott Award Winner
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Taback, Simms. JOSEPH HAD A LITTLE OVERCOAT (Caldecott Medal Book). Library Binding ed. New York: Viking Juvenile, 1999. ISBN 0-670-87855-3
PLOT SUMMARY
Joseph is a man that wears the same overcoat every day. When the overcoat becomes too worn he turns it into something smaller; a jacket. As it becomes more worn he makes it into smaller and smaller things so that he can get as much use out of it as possible. In the end when he can no longer make something out of the material he writes a book about the coat. The moral is that you can always make something out of nothing.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Joseph had a Little Overcoat is a classic story with Joseph as the main character. The plot is simple and clear. There is little to no build up of background or of the character. It is clear from the beginning that the main object of the story is this worn overcoat. The story continues in a chronological, obvious order. As the coat gets worn, it gets made into something new. The climax is small, although it does leave the reader to wonder what will happen next. The moral of the story is clear and precise at the end of the story. It is a moral that is ageless.
The illustrations of the book are what give excitement to the viewer. The pictures are bright and lively, great for the viewing of young children. The illustrator uses watercolors, gouache, pencil, ink, and collages in his work. While the illustrations are plenty, they do not have a great deal of elaboration in them, although it is not missed. The human figures are a bit extreme and cartoon like which is great for young viewers. Perhaps the most interesting visual aspect of this book is the cut outs from page to page which allow the viewer to see through the page to see what Joseph will be making next.
I found the story to be simple and cute. The illustrations are what made reading the story worthwhile.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
“clever, visually engrossing, poignant, it's worth holding on to.” HORN BOOK
“The only clever though in the garish folk-primitive illustrations are the jacket-, vest-, etc. sized holes which show readers the progressive diminishing of the old coat.” SLJ
CONNECTIONS
*This story would be a good reference to use when teaching a class of young children to not be wasteful.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/03/lp308-01.shtml
This website provides a lesson on using things we would normally throw away to make something beautiful out of.
*It would also be a good lesson for parents to show their children that not all people are privileged and always get new things. We must be grateful for the things we have.
Taback, Simms. JOSEPH HAD A LITTLE OVERCOAT (Caldecott Medal Book). Library Binding ed. New York: Viking Juvenile, 1999. ISBN 0-670-87855-3
PLOT SUMMARY
Joseph is a man that wears the same overcoat every day. When the overcoat becomes too worn he turns it into something smaller; a jacket. As it becomes more worn he makes it into smaller and smaller things so that he can get as much use out of it as possible. In the end when he can no longer make something out of the material he writes a book about the coat. The moral is that you can always make something out of nothing.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Joseph had a Little Overcoat is a classic story with Joseph as the main character. The plot is simple and clear. There is little to no build up of background or of the character. It is clear from the beginning that the main object of the story is this worn overcoat. The story continues in a chronological, obvious order. As the coat gets worn, it gets made into something new. The climax is small, although it does leave the reader to wonder what will happen next. The moral of the story is clear and precise at the end of the story. It is a moral that is ageless.
The illustrations of the book are what give excitement to the viewer. The pictures are bright and lively, great for the viewing of young children. The illustrator uses watercolors, gouache, pencil, ink, and collages in his work. While the illustrations are plenty, they do not have a great deal of elaboration in them, although it is not missed. The human figures are a bit extreme and cartoon like which is great for young viewers. Perhaps the most interesting visual aspect of this book is the cut outs from page to page which allow the viewer to see through the page to see what Joseph will be making next.
I found the story to be simple and cute. The illustrations are what made reading the story worthwhile.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
“clever, visually engrossing, poignant, it's worth holding on to.” HORN BOOK
“The only clever though in the garish folk-primitive illustrations are the jacket-, vest-, etc. sized holes which show readers the progressive diminishing of the old coat.” SLJ
CONNECTIONS
*This story would be a good reference to use when teaching a class of young children to not be wasteful.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/03/lp308-01.shtml
This website provides a lesson on using things we would normally throw away to make something beautiful out of.
*It would also be a good lesson for parents to show their children that not all people are privileged and always get new things. We must be grateful for the things we have.
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