The Coretta Scott King is awarded by the American Library Association to outstanding African-American authors and / or illustrators. Obviously, the award is named for Coretta Scott King, a large figure of utmost respect in the African-American community; King, the wife of Martin Luther King, Jr., was the epitome of someone who worked diligently to uphold the honor of African-Americans.
In 2000, the Coretta Scott King Award was given to the Christopher Paul Curtis novel Bud, Not Buddy. Bud, Not Buddy is a wonderful account of the orphan Bud, who, through his trials and tribulations over the course of the novel, the reading audience feels has suffered so much in his short life. The reader sees Bud leave the orphanage and into the home of the Amos family, a horrible family who severely abuses Bud. Bud decides to run away, and then, he sets out on a true adventure to find his father, based on a clue his mother left in his suitcase before she died. His adventure takes him to a jazz club, where Herman E. Calloway is playing.
Curtis' novel is a wonderful historical adventure, told through the eyes of Bud, a sympathetic character who any reader could fall in love with, while at the same time, feel extreme amounts of sorrow. This novel definitely does not paint a very favorable picture of the foster system of the 1930s in Michigan; however, the novel does show how resilient a young man can be, despite the many obstacles that can be found in his way.
In addition to the Coretta Scott King award, Bud, Not Buddy also won the Newbery Medal and the ALA Best Book for Young Adults. The author, Curtis, also wrote The Watsons Go to Birmingham -- 1963, also a Newbery Honor book and a Coretta Scott King Honor book.
Nate Smith
Resources:
American Library Association. (2008). Coretta Scott King award. Retrieved April 7, 2008 from http://www.ala.org/ala/emiert/corettascottkingbookaward/corettascott.cfm.
Curtis, C. P. (1999). Bud, not buddy. New York: Delacorte Press.
Monday, April 7, 2008
The Bracelet / Yoshiko Uchida and Joanna Yardley
Yoshiko Uchida's children's book The Bracelet is a wonderfully written narrative that is both a pleasant story to read as well as an informative historical lesson concerning the Japanese Americans that were affected during the 1940s. Uchida's book uses the main character, Emi, to show how several Japanese Americans were stripped from their normal lives and normal living conditions and were shipped to "camps" to stay because of America's involvement in World War II.
In The Bracelet, Emi's friend, Lauren, gives her a bracelet before Emi is forced to leave her home and go with her family to a strange location to live. Thinking that the bracelet will be her connection to her old life, Emi swears to never take it off. Unfortunately, she loses the bracelet, but soon realizes that it is her memories and not a material possession that will keep her connected to how wonderful her life used to be before the war.
The Bracelet is not only a wonderful children's book, but also a wonderful history lesson for parents to share with their children. This book allows parents and teachers to share the horrible effects Japanese Americans had to deal with during World War II; the book also offers a follow-up page at the very end that shares how the government, several years later, tried to recompense these Japanese American citizens.
Yoshiko Uchida has written several children's book, and many of these books focus on Japanese American culture. Some of her most noteworthy children's books are A Jar of Dreams and The Best Bad Thing. This novel, The Bracelet, was based on Uchida's own experiences during World War II.
Nate Smith
Resource:
Uchida, Y. (1993). The bracelet. New York: Philomel Books.
In The Bracelet, Emi's friend, Lauren, gives her a bracelet before Emi is forced to leave her home and go with her family to a strange location to live. Thinking that the bracelet will be her connection to her old life, Emi swears to never take it off. Unfortunately, she loses the bracelet, but soon realizes that it is her memories and not a material possession that will keep her connected to how wonderful her life used to be before the war.
The Bracelet is not only a wonderful children's book, but also a wonderful history lesson for parents to share with their children. This book allows parents and teachers to share the horrible effects Japanese Americans had to deal with during World War II; the book also offers a follow-up page at the very end that shares how the government, several years later, tried to recompense these Japanese American citizens.
Yoshiko Uchida has written several children's book, and many of these books focus on Japanese American culture. Some of her most noteworthy children's books are A Jar of Dreams and The Best Bad Thing. This novel, The Bracelet, was based on Uchida's own experiences during World War II.
Nate Smith
Resource:
Uchida, Y. (1993). The bracelet. New York: Philomel Books.
Newbery Winner # 2 / A Single Shard
Linda Sue Park's children's novel A Single Shard is a phenomenal book about how hard work and determination can provide wonderful end results. The book takes place in 12th century Korea, and Park does a wonderful job of taking a story that could be extremely distanced from today's young readers and making it relevant.
The book's central character, Tree-ear, is an orphan who, after some bit of mischief, works closely with his idol, a master potter named Min. Tree-ear is fascinated with Min and his ability to work so well with pottery, and when another character Kim visits the potter's location and tells how the palace wants a new commission, Tree-ear is eager to take Min's pottery to the distant palace to show the talent of his master potter. Not terribly surprising in the novel, Tree-ear is "attacked" by robbers on his way to the palace and all of Min's work is destroyed and broken; all that is left is a "single shard," but Tree-ear thinks this shard of pottery is still enough to prove Min's talent as a master potter. Tree-ear is right; when he makes it to the palace, Kim is impressed with the potter's work, and when Tree-ear makes it back to Min with the news, he discovers some personal tragedies. In the end, however, all is well, and Min adopts Tree-ear, and Tree-ear finally begins to learn to be a potter himself.
The novel does a wonderful job of showing children how hard work can prove beneficial, and many teachers and parents could use this novel as a guide to how the human spirit can overcome many obstacles. Many times, people are judged by just a small aspect of themselves, sometimes something as small as a "single shard," so people should be prepared to make sure even the smallest aspect of themselves can represent their hard work and effort to the strongest degree.
Nate Smith
Resource:
Park, L. S. (2001). A single shard. New York: Clarion Books.
The book's central character, Tree-ear, is an orphan who, after some bit of mischief, works closely with his idol, a master potter named Min. Tree-ear is fascinated with Min and his ability to work so well with pottery, and when another character Kim visits the potter's location and tells how the palace wants a new commission, Tree-ear is eager to take Min's pottery to the distant palace to show the talent of his master potter. Not terribly surprising in the novel, Tree-ear is "attacked" by robbers on his way to the palace and all of Min's work is destroyed and broken; all that is left is a "single shard," but Tree-ear thinks this shard of pottery is still enough to prove Min's talent as a master potter. Tree-ear is right; when he makes it to the palace, Kim is impressed with the potter's work, and when Tree-ear makes it back to Min with the news, he discovers some personal tragedies. In the end, however, all is well, and Min adopts Tree-ear, and Tree-ear finally begins to learn to be a potter himself.
The novel does a wonderful job of showing children how hard work can prove beneficial, and many teachers and parents could use this novel as a guide to how the human spirit can overcome many obstacles. Many times, people are judged by just a small aspect of themselves, sometimes something as small as a "single shard," so people should be prepared to make sure even the smallest aspect of themselves can represent their hard work and effort to the strongest degree.
Nate Smith
Resource:
Park, L. S. (2001). A single shard. New York: Clarion Books.
Newbery Winner # 1 / Holes
I have heard wonderful things about Louis Sachar's novel Holes over the years, but I have never had the opportunity to read it for myself to discover if it was as good as everyone always claimed it was. In short, this novel met every one of my expectations.
Holes is the story of Stanley Yelnats, a young boy who has been sent to a camp designed to "straighten him up." While there, he and several other boys are forced to dig huge holes every day. While there, he eventually makes friends with the small group of boys in his group, while at the same time makes enemies with the camp's warden, a woman who, as you read the novel, has ulterior motives as to why these boys are forced to dig these giant holes. One of his friends, Zero, runs away from the camp, and Stanley goes after him. They survive in the desert, and at the same time, start putting together the warden's intentions. In the end, Stanley gets released from the camp, and the warden is discovered to be the evil slave-driver she really is.
This novel does an excellent job of balancing the main plot with several subplots that occured several years earlier in the same area. While reading the novel, readers become more and more engaged with the characters, wondering how the plots will eventually intertwine. When all is revealed, readers are extremely satisfied with Sachar's abilities to make it conclude in a way that works both for the characters as well as for the readers. Holes definitely lived up to all of the expectations I had prior to reading this Newbery Medal winning novel.
For this book, Sachar won numerous award in addition to the Newbery Medal, including the National Book Award, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, and the Christopher Award for Juvenile Fiction. Sachar has also written other young adult books, such as There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom and Dogs Don't Tell Jokes.
Nate Smith
Resources:
Sachar, L. (2000). Holes. New York: Yearling.
Holes is the story of Stanley Yelnats, a young boy who has been sent to a camp designed to "straighten him up." While there, he and several other boys are forced to dig huge holes every day. While there, he eventually makes friends with the small group of boys in his group, while at the same time makes enemies with the camp's warden, a woman who, as you read the novel, has ulterior motives as to why these boys are forced to dig these giant holes. One of his friends, Zero, runs away from the camp, and Stanley goes after him. They survive in the desert, and at the same time, start putting together the warden's intentions. In the end, Stanley gets released from the camp, and the warden is discovered to be the evil slave-driver she really is.
This novel does an excellent job of balancing the main plot with several subplots that occured several years earlier in the same area. While reading the novel, readers become more and more engaged with the characters, wondering how the plots will eventually intertwine. When all is revealed, readers are extremely satisfied with Sachar's abilities to make it conclude in a way that works both for the characters as well as for the readers. Holes definitely lived up to all of the expectations I had prior to reading this Newbery Medal winning novel.
For this book, Sachar won numerous award in addition to the Newbery Medal, including the National Book Award, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, and the Christopher Award for Juvenile Fiction. Sachar has also written other young adult books, such as There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom and Dogs Don't Tell Jokes.
Nate Smith
Resources:
Sachar, L. (2000). Holes. New York: Yearling.
Caldecott vs. Newbery
The Caldecott Medal is a prestigious award given annually to the artist of the year's most distinguished children's picture book. This award is given by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association. This extremely sought-after honor is named after the nineteenth century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. In addition to the winner, several runners-up are awarded with an "honor" status award.
The Newbery Medal is an equally prestigious award that is given to the year's most outstanding author of an American book for children. This literary award is named after John Newbery, an eighteenth century juvenile literature publisher. The Newbery Medal is also awarded by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association. Like the Caldecott Medal, several Honor Books are named as runners-up to the award winner.
Since both awards are given by the same organization, the Association for Library Service to Children, and the distinction between the awards is so distinct, one being awarded to a picture book while the other being awarded as a literary award, no one can claim that either award is any more prestigious than the other. Consequently, the authors of children's picture books strive to win the Caldecott Medal, and the authors of children's literature equally strive to win the Newbery Medal.
Nate Smith
Resources:
Association for Library Services to Children. (2008). Caldecott Medal. Retrieved April 7, 2008 from http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/awardsscholarships/literaryawds/caldecottmedal/caldecottmedal.cfm.
Association for Library Services to Children. (2008). Newbery Medal. Retrieved April 7, 2008 from http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/awardsscholarships/literaryawds/newberymedal/newberymedal.cfm.
The Newbery Medal is an equally prestigious award that is given to the year's most outstanding author of an American book for children. This literary award is named after John Newbery, an eighteenth century juvenile literature publisher. The Newbery Medal is also awarded by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association. Like the Caldecott Medal, several Honor Books are named as runners-up to the award winner.
Since both awards are given by the same organization, the Association for Library Service to Children, and the distinction between the awards is so distinct, one being awarded to a picture book while the other being awarded as a literary award, no one can claim that either award is any more prestigious than the other. Consequently, the authors of children's picture books strive to win the Caldecott Medal, and the authors of children's literature equally strive to win the Newbery Medal.
Nate Smith
Resources:
Association for Library Services to Children. (2008). Caldecott Medal. Retrieved April 7, 2008 from http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/awardsscholarships/literaryawds/caldecottmedal/caldecottmedal.cfm.
Association for Library Services to Children. (2008). Newbery Medal. Retrieved April 7, 2008 from http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/awardsscholarships/literaryawds/newberymedal/newberymedal.cfm.
Dr. Seuss Extravaganza
After reading Horton Hears a Who! for my book versus film blog, I felt that reading The Cat in the Hat and The Lorax would be a simple enough task. It had been years since I had picked up any Dr. Seuss book, and to be honest, I wondered when I read these three books why Dr. Seuss is so popular with children. His popularity, to me, should lie with adults moreso than children, due to his overwhelmingly apparent subtext and analogies.
There is a little The Cat in the Hat in all of us. We all wish we had a friend who showed up when our parents were not around and encouraged us to be as bad as we want to be. However, sooner or later, our responsible-side must reappear and get us grounded back to reality. Children still love this book because of its sing-song rhyme pattern and familiar graphics, but I am curious to know that even after one reads this book to children if he or she would ask the children what the book was about if the children could tell the reader. Several other books have this same appeal to children; books such as Peter Pan have that same appeal to children, but again, if someone asks the children what the book was about, I doubt most children would understand the complex analogies the author James Barrie is trying to make.
What a wonderful book The Lorax is. I must admit, I do not remember reading this book as a child, but as an adult, I loved everything about it. Yes, the ever-present Dr. Seuss rhyming "fun" is present yet again, but there is a level of sophistication and adult-appeal that I do not always feel with Dr. Seuss that I definitely felt while reading The Lorax. There is a deeper truth here, discussing the horrible effects of deforestation. Teachers and parents could use this children's book in a discussion with their children about nature and humanity's desire to tear down the rain forests. In my experiences with children's books, I felt this same didactic nature when I read Flotsam by David Wiesner; the feeling was for a different reason, but again, the book could be used to appreciate the past, to gain a sense of a world larger than one's self, and to see ourselves as a part of a much larger picture.
Nate Smith
There is a little The Cat in the Hat in all of us. We all wish we had a friend who showed up when our parents were not around and encouraged us to be as bad as we want to be. However, sooner or later, our responsible-side must reappear and get us grounded back to reality. Children still love this book because of its sing-song rhyme pattern and familiar graphics, but I am curious to know that even after one reads this book to children if he or she would ask the children what the book was about if the children could tell the reader. Several other books have this same appeal to children; books such as Peter Pan have that same appeal to children, but again, if someone asks the children what the book was about, I doubt most children would understand the complex analogies the author James Barrie is trying to make.
What a wonderful book The Lorax is. I must admit, I do not remember reading this book as a child, but as an adult, I loved everything about it. Yes, the ever-present Dr. Seuss rhyming "fun" is present yet again, but there is a level of sophistication and adult-appeal that I do not always feel with Dr. Seuss that I definitely felt while reading The Lorax. There is a deeper truth here, discussing the horrible effects of deforestation. Teachers and parents could use this children's book in a discussion with their children about nature and humanity's desire to tear down the rain forests. In my experiences with children's books, I felt this same didactic nature when I read Flotsam by David Wiesner; the feeling was for a different reason, but again, the book could be used to appreciate the past, to gain a sense of a world larger than one's self, and to see ourselves as a part of a much larger picture.
Nate Smith
Let's Talk About Race / Julius Lester
Let's Talk About Race, written by Julius Lester and illustrated by Karen Barbour, is an excellent book for children to read; this children's book does an excellent job of creating a multi-cultural environment within its pages and allowing children to learn how people are "different," but really, how people are all the same.
Lester uses an interesting narrative to get his point across; he communicates directly with the reader. He uses lines such as "Your race is not all that you are. My race is not all that I am. Yes, I am black but I am also a man. I am of medium height. I have a deep voice and a loud laugh. (I love to laugh. Do you?)" to create an open communication with the readers, asking questions and trying to find commonalities.
The graphics / illustrations in the book are wonderful, creating an atmosphere of beauty among the many different races represented. Children who read this book can see how people may look different, but all people are realistically the same. The book shows people "without their skin," relating how, if humans had no skin, we would look exactly the same. This concept is one that Lester easily communicates in such a way that children can easily understand.
Julius Lester is a Newbery Honor Book Award winner for To Be a Slave, a Caldecott Honor Book Award winner for John Henry, and a National Book Award finalist for Long Journey Home: Stories from Black History. Lester is an accomplished civil rights activist, radio talk-show host, and a professor at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
Nate Smith
Resource:
Lester, J. (2005). Let's talk about race. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.
Lester uses an interesting narrative to get his point across; he communicates directly with the reader. He uses lines such as "Your race is not all that you are. My race is not all that I am. Yes, I am black but I am also a man. I am of medium height. I have a deep voice and a loud laugh. (I love to laugh. Do you?)" to create an open communication with the readers, asking questions and trying to find commonalities.
The graphics / illustrations in the book are wonderful, creating an atmosphere of beauty among the many different races represented. Children who read this book can see how people may look different, but all people are realistically the same. The book shows people "without their skin," relating how, if humans had no skin, we would look exactly the same. This concept is one that Lester easily communicates in such a way that children can easily understand.
Julius Lester is a Newbery Honor Book Award winner for To Be a Slave, a Caldecott Honor Book Award winner for John Henry, and a National Book Award finalist for Long Journey Home: Stories from Black History. Lester is an accomplished civil rights activist, radio talk-show host, and a professor at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
Nate Smith
Resource:
Lester, J. (2005). Let's talk about race. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Books vs. Films
In this blog, I will be discussing three books and the film versions that have been adapted from the original books. Books have, for decades, been the inspiration for many filmmakers, and children's books have been some of the most popular films ever produced. For this blog, I tried to choose books and films that would not only appeal to a variety of children, but also that would read and watched by different age children.
My first choice was Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events. I chose this book / film combination because of the popularity of the book series, according to both the public children's librarians as well as the elementary school librarians to whom I have spoken. When I first chose this book / film combination, I did not realize that the 2004 film version actually is an adaptation of the first three books in this popular series. I can definitely understand why the books are so popular; the characters are fun, blurring the lines between fantasy and reality. The three children, who are the main characters, are orphans, being taken from relative to relative in the first three books, and in each case, they are being "chased" by Count Olaf, a relative who is very interested in the money the children are destined to inherit. The film, in my opinion, does not live up to the books. Count Olaf, portrayed by Jim Carrey, is most certainly the highlight of the film, but the overall adaptation does not communicate the same fantasy and "other world" situations that I loved so much in the books.
After I finished up Lemony Snicket, I focused my attention on an older book, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, a wonderful book by James Bond author, Ian Fleming. Written for his son, Fleming wrote an extremely interesting book about a car, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang that "looks out" for its owners in several hair-raising and dangerous situations. The book was not necessarily an "easy" read, written almost in a stream-of-consciousness style that I think most children would find difficult. On the other hand, the film adaptation of this book could appeal to any child who views it. When making the film version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the writers decided to turn this children's book into a musical. The filmmakers chose a wonderful actor, Dick Van Dyke, to serve as the inventor / father in the story, and he does a wonderful job leading his family through this adventure. Adding such songs as "Toot Sweets," "Hushabye Mountain," and "Truly Scrumptious," a song named after one of the main characters of the film who falls in love with the children, who in turn fall in love with her. Both the book and film "work," but the film comes across in such a way that makes it irresistible to viewers.
The third book / film combination is a Dr. Seuss classic that has recently made its name just as familiar in the film world -- Horton Hears a Who! Dr. Seuss' classic book is one that many, many children learn to grow and love; the story focuses on an elephant, Horton, who hears a "Who" on the top of this dandelion-style flower. Unfortunately, no one else can hear the "Who," leaving Horton to look like a fool and the people of WhoVille in desperation. The 2008 film version is wonderful in every way. The filmmakers did an excellent job of keeping the Dr. Seuss story very close to its original; however, they added enough modern "updates" to make it interesting to today's audiences. Children going to see the film hear such things as "WhoSpace," referencing today's popular website MySpace, and "WhoPhone," which sounds very similar to an iPhone. Choices like these inclusions, as well as choices of actors' voices, such as Jim Carrey and Steve Carell, make this Seuss story perfect for today's film audiences. Every adult and every child who I know who love the original book and who have seen the new film version are extremely happy with the adaptation.
Nate Smith
Sources:
Fleming, I. (1964). Chitty chitty bang bang: The magical car. Cutchogue, NY: Buccaneer Books.
Geisel, T. S. (1982). Horton hears a who! New York: Random House.
Hayward, J., & Martino, S. (Directors). (2008). Horton hears a who! [Motion picture]. United States of America: Blue Sky Studios.
Hughes, K. (Director). (1968). Chitty chitty bang bang [Motion picture]. United Kingdom: United Artists.
Silberling, B. (Director). (2004). Lemony snicket's a series of unfortunate events [Motion picture]. United States of America: Paramount Pictures.
Snicket, L. (1999). A series of unfortunate events: The trouble begins. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.
My first choice was Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events. I chose this book / film combination because of the popularity of the book series, according to both the public children's librarians as well as the elementary school librarians to whom I have spoken. When I first chose this book / film combination, I did not realize that the 2004 film version actually is an adaptation of the first three books in this popular series. I can definitely understand why the books are so popular; the characters are fun, blurring the lines between fantasy and reality. The three children, who are the main characters, are orphans, being taken from relative to relative in the first three books, and in each case, they are being "chased" by Count Olaf, a relative who is very interested in the money the children are destined to inherit. The film, in my opinion, does not live up to the books. Count Olaf, portrayed by Jim Carrey, is most certainly the highlight of the film, but the overall adaptation does not communicate the same fantasy and "other world" situations that I loved so much in the books.
After I finished up Lemony Snicket, I focused my attention on an older book, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, a wonderful book by James Bond author, Ian Fleming. Written for his son, Fleming wrote an extremely interesting book about a car, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang that "looks out" for its owners in several hair-raising and dangerous situations. The book was not necessarily an "easy" read, written almost in a stream-of-consciousness style that I think most children would find difficult. On the other hand, the film adaptation of this book could appeal to any child who views it. When making the film version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the writers decided to turn this children's book into a musical. The filmmakers chose a wonderful actor, Dick Van Dyke, to serve as the inventor / father in the story, and he does a wonderful job leading his family through this adventure. Adding such songs as "Toot Sweets," "Hushabye Mountain," and "Truly Scrumptious," a song named after one of the main characters of the film who falls in love with the children, who in turn fall in love with her. Both the book and film "work," but the film comes across in such a way that makes it irresistible to viewers.
The third book / film combination is a Dr. Seuss classic that has recently made its name just as familiar in the film world -- Horton Hears a Who! Dr. Seuss' classic book is one that many, many children learn to grow and love; the story focuses on an elephant, Horton, who hears a "Who" on the top of this dandelion-style flower. Unfortunately, no one else can hear the "Who," leaving Horton to look like a fool and the people of WhoVille in desperation. The 2008 film version is wonderful in every way. The filmmakers did an excellent job of keeping the Dr. Seuss story very close to its original; however, they added enough modern "updates" to make it interesting to today's audiences. Children going to see the film hear such things as "WhoSpace," referencing today's popular website MySpace, and "WhoPhone," which sounds very similar to an iPhone. Choices like these inclusions, as well as choices of actors' voices, such as Jim Carrey and Steve Carell, make this Seuss story perfect for today's film audiences. Every adult and every child who I know who love the original book and who have seen the new film version are extremely happy with the adaptation.
Nate Smith
Sources:
Fleming, I. (1964). Chitty chitty bang bang: The magical car. Cutchogue, NY: Buccaneer Books.
Geisel, T. S. (1982). Horton hears a who! New York: Random House.
Hayward, J., & Martino, S. (Directors). (2008). Horton hears a who! [Motion picture]. United States of America: Blue Sky Studios.
Hughes, K. (Director). (1968). Chitty chitty bang bang [Motion picture]. United Kingdom: United Artists.
Silberling, B. (Director). (2004). Lemony snicket's a series of unfortunate events [Motion picture]. United States of America: Paramount Pictures.
Snicket, L. (1999). A series of unfortunate events: The trouble begins. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
The Man Who Tricked a Ghost / Laurence Yep and Isadore Seltzer
Laurence Yep retells an ancient Chinese ghost story from the third century A.D. in The Man Who Tricked a Ghost. Yep shares the story that follows the protagonist Sung, a brave young man who is scared of nothing. On his way home from a friend's house, Sung runs into a ghost. Not scared at all, he befriends the ghost who eventually reveals to him that he is on his way to find a man by the name of Sung because he has heard that Sung has been bragging that nothing scares him. Sung tricks the ghost into believing that he is a ghost as well, and he also gets him to reveal that human spit is the ghost's greatest weakness. After several tactics and trickery, the ghost eventually transforms into a ram, and Sung spits on him, sells him to local farmers, and reaps the benefits of not being afraid of ghosts.
Yep does a wonderful job of bringing this ancient Chinese folktale to life for children of today's generation. In addition to his wonderful storytelling, Seltzer's bold illustrations complement the story perfectly. The illustrations keep the Chinese tradition and flair in mind, being remindful of ancient Chinese prints; however, they are bold, using brilliant colors and dynamic shapes to help tell Yep's story.
Yep's story would be extremely useful for children who are perhaps afraid of what lies beneath their beds because it showcases how good things can happen to someone who is not afraid. In addition, the story's main character, Sung, epitomizes how a young man who uses his intelligence to his advantage can overcome many obstacles. So, whether a parent wants to use Yep's story as a lesson in overcoming fears or as a lesson on how intelligence can be beneficial, children can definitely reap the rewards of this ancient Chinese folktale re-told in a dynamic, fun, modern way.
Laurence Yep's novels have many times focused on Chinese Americans, and they have won numerous awards, including the Newbery Honor, the ALA Notable, and the Boston Globe-Horn Book. These books include The Starfisher, The Rainbow People, Dragonwings, and Child of the Owl (Yep, 1993).
Nate Smith
Resource:
Yep, L. (1993). The man who tricked a ghost. Mexico: BridgeWater Books.
Yep does a wonderful job of bringing this ancient Chinese folktale to life for children of today's generation. In addition to his wonderful storytelling, Seltzer's bold illustrations complement the story perfectly. The illustrations keep the Chinese tradition and flair in mind, being remindful of ancient Chinese prints; however, they are bold, using brilliant colors and dynamic shapes to help tell Yep's story.
Yep's story would be extremely useful for children who are perhaps afraid of what lies beneath their beds because it showcases how good things can happen to someone who is not afraid. In addition, the story's main character, Sung, epitomizes how a young man who uses his intelligence to his advantage can overcome many obstacles. So, whether a parent wants to use Yep's story as a lesson in overcoming fears or as a lesson on how intelligence can be beneficial, children can definitely reap the rewards of this ancient Chinese folktale re-told in a dynamic, fun, modern way.
Laurence Yep's novels have many times focused on Chinese Americans, and they have won numerous awards, including the Newbery Honor, the ALA Notable, and the Boston Globe-Horn Book. These books include The Starfisher, The Rainbow People, Dragonwings, and Child of the Owl (Yep, 1993).
Nate Smith
Resource:
Yep, L. (1993). The man who tricked a ghost. Mexico: BridgeWater Books.
Noah's Ark / Jerry Pinkney
In all honesty, this was the only book available at my local library that was illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. There were several others that the library has in their collection, but all others were currently checked out. I am not a religious person at all, and I literally had an inner debate in the stacks of my library's children's area as to whether I should check out this book, or if I should just wait until another book is returned. I decided to take the road most convenient and check out Jerry Pinkney's Noah's Ark, and after reading the book, I did not regret my decision at all.
Jerry Pinkney, in Noah's Ark, tells the very familiar tale of Noah and his family. God tells Noah that a "storm" is coming and that he should start building an ark to keep him and his family safe. The ark should be big enough to house all of the earth's animals, as well as enough food to eat and for the animals to eat. The townspeople mock Noah, but the storm comes and Noah's family is safe aboard the ark. The storm ends, and Noah releases the animals back into the wilderness.
Anyone who grew up in church knows the story of Noah, but it is not the story itself that makes this book so unbelievably wonderful; the illustrations are spectacular. Noah's Ark showcases Pinkney's talent extremely well, allowing him to draw every animal the mind can think of, Noah and his family, as well as the beautiful landscape that serves as the backdrop of the story. My favorite image within the book is actually the two-page spread of the ark under construction. Pinkney's illustrations make the reader feel as if he or she is transported to another time, another place, watching Noah build this amazing ark. This story may be a religious one, but religious or not, no reader can debate the wonderful talent of Jerry Pinkney's illustrations.
Jerry Pinkney has also illustrated Aesop's Fables, as well as four Caldecott Honor books, including John Henry, The Ugly Duckling, Mirandy and Brother Wind, as well as The Talking Eggs. In addition to these honors, Pinkney has also received the King Honor twice, the Coretta Scott King Award five times, and four gold medals from the Society of Illustrators (Pinkney, 2002).
Nate Smith
Resource:
Pinkney, J. (2002). Noah's ark. New York: SeaStar Books.
Jerry Pinkney, in Noah's Ark, tells the very familiar tale of Noah and his family. God tells Noah that a "storm" is coming and that he should start building an ark to keep him and his family safe. The ark should be big enough to house all of the earth's animals, as well as enough food to eat and for the animals to eat. The townspeople mock Noah, but the storm comes and Noah's family is safe aboard the ark. The storm ends, and Noah releases the animals back into the wilderness.
Anyone who grew up in church knows the story of Noah, but it is not the story itself that makes this book so unbelievably wonderful; the illustrations are spectacular. Noah's Ark showcases Pinkney's talent extremely well, allowing him to draw every animal the mind can think of, Noah and his family, as well as the beautiful landscape that serves as the backdrop of the story. My favorite image within the book is actually the two-page spread of the ark under construction. Pinkney's illustrations make the reader feel as if he or she is transported to another time, another place, watching Noah build this amazing ark. This story may be a religious one, but religious or not, no reader can debate the wonderful talent of Jerry Pinkney's illustrations.
Jerry Pinkney has also illustrated Aesop's Fables, as well as four Caldecott Honor books, including John Henry, The Ugly Duckling, Mirandy and Brother Wind, as well as The Talking Eggs. In addition to these honors, Pinkney has also received the King Honor twice, the Coretta Scott King Award five times, and four gold medals from the Society of Illustrators (Pinkney, 2002).
Nate Smith
Resource:
Pinkney, J. (2002). Noah's ark. New York: SeaStar Books.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Caldecott Medal Winner # 5 / The Man Who Walked Between the Towers
Mordicai Gerstein's The Man Who Walked Between the Towers tells the story of Philippe Petit, a tightrope walker, who, in 1974, dared to string a rope between the "Twin Towers" in New York City and walk across. As you can imagine, Gerstein's book discusses the controversy that this feat caused amongst the onlookers and passersby; in addition, the book showcases Petit's run-in with the police and what punishment accompanied his daring challenge. The story is an interesting one that constantly encourages the reader to ask, "Did this really happen?" This encouragement of questions showcases how much a single book can affect a reader and how much a book can want to know more.
The artwork within the book is a beautiful collection of ink and oil paintings. The perspective of the drawings is the most interesting aspect of the artwork, showing the huge feat from above Petit and making the entire city visible below him. The book also has two pull-outs that create huge panoramic views that are spectacular for the reader, and the artwork varies from whimsical images of Philippe Petit to more serious views of New York City.
Perhaps the most impactful aspect of this children's book is its place in history. Seeing that the Twin Towers no longer exist in New York City, this book provides not only beautiful imagery and artwork that can help children visualize something that they will never be able to see in person, but also a bit of history about a man and a city that leaves them wanting to know more. In any case, this book is beautiful, and the book allows the reader to imagine a whimsical bit of history in something that is now a very serious topic.
Mordicai Gerstein is both the author and illustrator of The Man Who Walked Between the Towers; in addition, he has written over thirty other children's books, including What Charlie Heard about Charles Ives (Gerstein, 2003).
Nate Smith
Resource:
Gerstein, M. (2003). The man who walked between the towers. Brookfield, CT: Roaring Brook Press.
The artwork within the book is a beautiful collection of ink and oil paintings. The perspective of the drawings is the most interesting aspect of the artwork, showing the huge feat from above Petit and making the entire city visible below him. The book also has two pull-outs that create huge panoramic views that are spectacular for the reader, and the artwork varies from whimsical images of Philippe Petit to more serious views of New York City.
Perhaps the most impactful aspect of this children's book is its place in history. Seeing that the Twin Towers no longer exist in New York City, this book provides not only beautiful imagery and artwork that can help children visualize something that they will never be able to see in person, but also a bit of history about a man and a city that leaves them wanting to know more. In any case, this book is beautiful, and the book allows the reader to imagine a whimsical bit of history in something that is now a very serious topic.
Mordicai Gerstein is both the author and illustrator of The Man Who Walked Between the Towers; in addition, he has written over thirty other children's books, including What Charlie Heard about Charles Ives (Gerstein, 2003).
Nate Smith
Resource:
Gerstein, M. (2003). The man who walked between the towers. Brookfield, CT: Roaring Brook Press.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Caldecott Medal Winner # 4 / So You Want to Be President?
So You Want to Be President? is a delightful, fun-filled reading experience for children that is supplemented with hilariously accurate drawings and images of the presidents from both the past and present. Judith St. George gives us a wonderful fact book of the presidents, ranging from telling her readers various physical characteristics of the presidents to sharing what presidents liked to eat, what presidents liked to do as their hobbies, and what presidents enjoyed the company of an animal as a pet during their tenure in the White House. David Small, the illustator of this fact collection, does a splendid job of capturing the essence of each and every president in brilliant caricature style.
The book does a nice job of sharing its purpose with its title. Asking its readers "So you want to be president?" showcases an opportunity to share the numerous facts about the presidents with the aspiring-to-be-president readers. Even the front illustration captures the overall purpose of the book, showing a caricatured Mt. Rushmore. I will admit, however, that the book got a little tiresome with the countless facts; I understand that there must be an inclusion about every president, but several presidents "show up" numerous times in the book, leaving this reader a little exhausted with presidential knowledge. However, I will be the first to say that I have never been a true fan of American history; the scandals and love affairs of European history has always attracted me more.
Interestingly, I had my stack of children's literature books that I had just checked out of the local Louisville Public Library in my high school classroom, and one of my students asked what they were for. I was explaining my graduate school class and its purpose while, at the same time, describing the books I had chosen to read. I offered my students a loose description of each one, only mentioning that one was "about presidents," and immediately, one of my high school juniors asked, "Is it So You Want to Be President? I loved that book!" I told him it was, in fact, that book, and he came bounding out of his seat to re-live his elementary school level favorite book. This revelation sparked an interesting discussion in my class, each student wanting to share what his or her favorite books were when they were growing up. I found the discussion delightful, and while I may not have fallen in love with So You Want to Be President?, one of my students would have taken it home with him if I would have allowed it.
Judith St. George has written a wide variety of books, but it is her non-fiction books for children that have gained her the most notoriety, including Sacagawea, To See With The Heart: The Life of Sitting Bull, and Crazy Horse. David Small also won a Caldecott Honor Medal for the 1998 book The Gardener, which was written by Sarah Stewart (St. George & Small, 2000).
Nate Smith
Resource:
St. George, J., & Small, D. (2000). So you want to be president? New York: Philomel Books.
The book does a nice job of sharing its purpose with its title. Asking its readers "So you want to be president?" showcases an opportunity to share the numerous facts about the presidents with the aspiring-to-be-president readers. Even the front illustration captures the overall purpose of the book, showing a caricatured Mt. Rushmore. I will admit, however, that the book got a little tiresome with the countless facts; I understand that there must be an inclusion about every president, but several presidents "show up" numerous times in the book, leaving this reader a little exhausted with presidential knowledge. However, I will be the first to say that I have never been a true fan of American history; the scandals and love affairs of European history has always attracted me more.
Interestingly, I had my stack of children's literature books that I had just checked out of the local Louisville Public Library in my high school classroom, and one of my students asked what they were for. I was explaining my graduate school class and its purpose while, at the same time, describing the books I had chosen to read. I offered my students a loose description of each one, only mentioning that one was "about presidents," and immediately, one of my high school juniors asked, "Is it So You Want to Be President? I loved that book!" I told him it was, in fact, that book, and he came bounding out of his seat to re-live his elementary school level favorite book. This revelation sparked an interesting discussion in my class, each student wanting to share what his or her favorite books were when they were growing up. I found the discussion delightful, and while I may not have fallen in love with So You Want to Be President?, one of my students would have taken it home with him if I would have allowed it.
Judith St. George has written a wide variety of books, but it is her non-fiction books for children that have gained her the most notoriety, including Sacagawea, To See With The Heart: The Life of Sitting Bull, and Crazy Horse. David Small also won a Caldecott Honor Medal for the 1998 book The Gardener, which was written by Sarah Stewart (St. George & Small, 2000).
Nate Smith
Resource:
St. George, J., & Small, D. (2000). So you want to be president? New York: Philomel Books.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Caldecott Medal Winner #3 / Kitten's First Full Moon
Kitten's First Full Moon, written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes, is a well-deserved Caldecott Medal Winner. This children's book is written with the very young child in mind; it discusses the world of curiosity and how many times, this curiosity can be quite disasterous. Tackling curiosity makes perfect sense for a children's book written for this age level because the entire world is a world of curiosity for children of a pre-kindergarten age. In Henkes story, a small kitten sees her first moon and is convinced that it is a giant bowl of milk in the sky. The kitten struggles to reach the moon, and then, she sees the moon's reflection in a pool of water and dives right in. The "soaked" kitten struggles back home only to find a bowl of milk on the front porch. While in this case, the curiosity did not "kill the cat," it most certainly made her a little wet behind the ears.
The images in Kitten's First Full Moon were initially not impressive to me. I thought to myself, "This book won a Caldecott Medal!?!" But then, I looked again. When I gave the book a second glance, I saw something more than I saw the first time. I saw wondrous black and white images, tones of grey, and a quiet subtlety that has not existed in my other Caldecott Medal Winner selections. At first, I was looking at what was not there that was in my other selections, but as I said, with my second glance, I noticed what this book offered that the others did not. In fact, Kitten's First Full Moon tells such a complete story visually that the words are almost unnecessary.
I must admit, I chose this book at first because I love cats. From that initial choice, I connected with Kitten's First Full Moon on more levels than just that first one. I grew to love its imagery; I fell in love with the protagonist; I laughed when I saw the kitten jump into the pool of water; I smiled when she finally got to enjoy her bowl of milk. I would definitely recommend this selection for young children and for parents who are "itching" to have that conversation about curiosity with their children.
Kevin Henkes has written thirty-three other books for children, including the bestseller Wemberly Worried and the Caldecott Honor Book Owen (Henkes, 2004).
Nate Smith
Resource:
Henkes, K. (2004). Kitten's first full moon. New York: Greenwillow Books.
The images in Kitten's First Full Moon were initially not impressive to me. I thought to myself, "This book won a Caldecott Medal!?!" But then, I looked again. When I gave the book a second glance, I saw something more than I saw the first time. I saw wondrous black and white images, tones of grey, and a quiet subtlety that has not existed in my other Caldecott Medal Winner selections. At first, I was looking at what was not there that was in my other selections, but as I said, with my second glance, I noticed what this book offered that the others did not. In fact, Kitten's First Full Moon tells such a complete story visually that the words are almost unnecessary.
I must admit, I chose this book at first because I love cats. From that initial choice, I connected with Kitten's First Full Moon on more levels than just that first one. I grew to love its imagery; I fell in love with the protagonist; I laughed when I saw the kitten jump into the pool of water; I smiled when she finally got to enjoy her bowl of milk. I would definitely recommend this selection for young children and for parents who are "itching" to have that conversation about curiosity with their children.
Kevin Henkes has written thirty-three other books for children, including the bestseller Wemberly Worried and the Caldecott Honor Book Owen (Henkes, 2004).
Nate Smith
Resource:
Henkes, K. (2004). Kitten's first full moon. New York: Greenwillow Books.
Caldecott Medal Winner # 2 / The Hello, Goodbye Window
The Hello, Goodbye Window is a collaborative effort between author Norton Juster and illustrator Chris Raschka. The concept of a collaborative effort in a children's book makes perfect sense to me; someone may have a wonderful idea for a story, but can not create the images that would appeal to a child. Together, Juster and Raschka have created a wonderful story with beautiful, watercolor-like imagery.
The concept behind the story is a fairly simple one: there is a window from which a child's grandparents would always be to either greet or say farewell with a wave. In the book, the authors explore the different uses and possibilities that exist with the window, from looking a one's reflection at night to greeting the brand new day with a robust yell. As I said, the story is a simple; however, the graphics and images within this book are stunning. Raschka utilizes unconventional "coloring" techniques to tell the story of this book. He colors outside of the lines, using block coloring as someone would see when a four-year-old is trying to stay inside the lines with a magic marker. In addition, Raschka juxtaposes colors that one would not conventionally choose to put together, and puts blocks of colors throughout that are not necessarily connected to anything and are not necessarily meant to represent anything, but are just there to provide a colorful background.
Another aspect of this beautiful children's book that I enjoy is the inter-racial relationship that exists between the grandparents, and when the parents show up to "pick up" their child from the grandparents' house, the reader also sees that the parents are an inter-racial couple as well. It is not only wonderful to expose this progressive concept to children through their literature, but also, it is wonderful to help them realize that not only new couples can be inter-racial, but couples as old as grandparents can be inter-racial. This story could have been told with a conventional Caucasian couple, a conventional African-American couple, but the authors chose to share their simple and beautifully illustrated story with an inter-racial couple, and I applaud them for that choice.
Norton Juster is also the author of the famed classic The Phantom Tollbooth, and Chris Raschka has written Happy to Be Nappy, little tree, and another Caldecott Honor Book Yo! Yes?.
Nate Smith
Resource:
Juster, N. & Raschka, C. (2005). The hello, goodbye window. New York: Michael Di Capua Books.
The concept behind the story is a fairly simple one: there is a window from which a child's grandparents would always be to either greet or say farewell with a wave. In the book, the authors explore the different uses and possibilities that exist with the window, from looking a one's reflection at night to greeting the brand new day with a robust yell. As I said, the story is a simple; however, the graphics and images within this book are stunning. Raschka utilizes unconventional "coloring" techniques to tell the story of this book. He colors outside of the lines, using block coloring as someone would see when a four-year-old is trying to stay inside the lines with a magic marker. In addition, Raschka juxtaposes colors that one would not conventionally choose to put together, and puts blocks of colors throughout that are not necessarily connected to anything and are not necessarily meant to represent anything, but are just there to provide a colorful background.
Another aspect of this beautiful children's book that I enjoy is the inter-racial relationship that exists between the grandparents, and when the parents show up to "pick up" their child from the grandparents' house, the reader also sees that the parents are an inter-racial couple as well. It is not only wonderful to expose this progressive concept to children through their literature, but also, it is wonderful to help them realize that not only new couples can be inter-racial, but couples as old as grandparents can be inter-racial. This story could have been told with a conventional Caucasian couple, a conventional African-American couple, but the authors chose to share their simple and beautifully illustrated story with an inter-racial couple, and I applaud them for that choice.
Norton Juster is also the author of the famed classic The Phantom Tollbooth, and Chris Raschka has written Happy to Be Nappy, little tree, and another Caldecott Honor Book Yo! Yes?.
Nate Smith
Resource:
Juster, N. & Raschka, C. (2005). The hello, goodbye window. New York: Michael Di Capua Books.
Caldecott Medal Winner #1 / Flotsam
David Wiesner's 2007 children's book Flotsam is a wonderful selection. When I first opened Flotsam, I'm not sure that I knew what I expected. Up to this point, I have not really exposed myself to a lot of children's literature; I do not have children myself, and I do not come across many opportunities to share children's literature with other friends' children. So, when I went to the local library to choose my Caldecott and Newbery winners, I really did not have anything to guide me other than basic intuition.
I chose Flotsam because of the title; I thought it was a "sophisticated" title for a children's book. If and when a child chooses to read this book, he or she has an automatic opportunity to increase his or her vocabulary. Overall, the book impressed me as not only a children's book, but also as a philosophical piece of literature. Flotsam is a picture book, telling the story of an underwater camera that washes up on shore. A young boy finds the camera and develops the film, finding a wonderous world that exists underwater that no one knows about, and he also finds a photograph of someone holding a photograph, holding a photograph, etc. He gets a microscope and sees that this tradition has been going on for years, so he takes his own picture holding the picture and send the camera back out into the sea.
This book appeals to my love of photography; I have always been amazed how the simple art of "taking a picture" can capture a moment or memory and help it exist for a lifetime. Appropriately, the "pictures" and images in Wiesner's book are wonderful; the pictures range from realistic images of the boy and his world to the fantastical images of underwater worlds. Also, I am fascinated by the intense philosophical possibilities with this children's book. If I did have children, I would use this book as an opportunity to share how we, as human beings, are part of something much bigger. Life has existed before us, and life will exist after us.
I am extremely impressed by David Wiesner's Flotsam; I would recommend it to anyone. I have never read a children's book like this one, and I hope that, over the course of this class, I run across other books that impress me as much as this one has.
Wiesner has also won two other Caldecott Medals for Tuesday and The Three Pigs and two Caldecott Honors for Sector 7 and Free Fall (Wiesner, 2006).
Nate Smith
Resource:
Wiesner, D. (2006). Flotsam. New York: Clarion Books.
I chose Flotsam because of the title; I thought it was a "sophisticated" title for a children's book. If and when a child chooses to read this book, he or she has an automatic opportunity to increase his or her vocabulary. Overall, the book impressed me as not only a children's book, but also as a philosophical piece of literature. Flotsam is a picture book, telling the story of an underwater camera that washes up on shore. A young boy finds the camera and develops the film, finding a wonderous world that exists underwater that no one knows about, and he also finds a photograph of someone holding a photograph, holding a photograph, etc. He gets a microscope and sees that this tradition has been going on for years, so he takes his own picture holding the picture and send the camera back out into the sea.
This book appeals to my love of photography; I have always been amazed how the simple art of "taking a picture" can capture a moment or memory and help it exist for a lifetime. Appropriately, the "pictures" and images in Wiesner's book are wonderful; the pictures range from realistic images of the boy and his world to the fantastical images of underwater worlds. Also, I am fascinated by the intense philosophical possibilities with this children's book. If I did have children, I would use this book as an opportunity to share how we, as human beings, are part of something much bigger. Life has existed before us, and life will exist after us.
I am extremely impressed by David Wiesner's Flotsam; I would recommend it to anyone. I have never read a children's book like this one, and I hope that, over the course of this class, I run across other books that impress me as much as this one has.
Wiesner has also won two other Caldecott Medals for Tuesday and The Three Pigs and two Caldecott Honors for Sector 7 and Free Fall (Wiesner, 2006).
Nate Smith
Resource:
Wiesner, D. (2006). Flotsam. New York: Clarion Books.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Introduction!
Hey guys,
I'm super excited about the possibilities of pursuing the blogging world after this class, but for now, I will focus my blogs on the wonderful world of children's literature, or as it is often phrased on Jeopardy!, "Kiddie Lit." I hope you enjoy reading my rants, ramblings, and off-beat commentary!
Nate Smith
I'm super excited about the possibilities of pursuing the blogging world after this class, but for now, I will focus my blogs on the wonderful world of children's literature, or as it is often phrased on Jeopardy!, "Kiddie Lit." I hope you enjoy reading my rants, ramblings, and off-beat commentary!
Nate Smith
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