Habibi/Module 6

Bibliography:

Nye, Naomi Shihab. 1997. Habibi. New Your, NY: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Children. ISBN: 0689801491

Plot Summary:

Liyana and her family move from St. Louise, Missouri to Jerusalem,  her father's homeland.  Liyana is a typical teenager, she has a crush on her first boy, has many girlfriends, enjoys shopping and other teenage activities. Suddenly life as she has known it is changing drastically. Will she like Jerusalem and adjust to its culture or resent her family for moving?

Critical Ananlysis:

I think this is a story students can relate to in many ways, in this day and age so many families move due to job loss and changes. Although Liyana's family moves purely by choice, it is still hard on Liyana, meeting new family members, going to a new school, living in a new house, leaving behind many things and people she loves. She learns quite a bit about her family history and much more about her father "Poppy".  She also has a new boy she likes, but he is "different" than her family and that causes problems.   Teenage girls in particular could find something in this book they can relate too.

The descriptions in the book of Liyana's school, their family members and culture are very "visual". I felt as if I was in the hotel room with all the aunts talking in a different language. I imagined myself in the shop with Liyana, when she first sees a cute boy. I've also felt out of place as Liyana does at times in the novel.

Review Excerpts:

Publishers Weekly: This soul-stirring novel about the Abbouds, an Arab American Family,puts faces and names the victims of violence and persecution in Jerusalem today. Believing the unstable situation in that conflict-ridden city has improved, 14-year-old Liyana's family moves from St. Louis, Mo. to her father's homeland. However, from the moment the Abbouds are stopped by Jewish customs agents in the airport, they face racial prejudice and discord."

Connections:

This site has some of Nye's poems you can listen to.

http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/174

This site has links to books and information about Naomi Shihab Nye.

http://www.barclayagency.com/nye.html

Naomi Shihab Nye Poetry books

King and King

Bibliography:

de Haan, Linda, and Nijland Stern. 2002 KING AND KING. Tricycle Press. ISBN: 1582460612

Summary:

The Queen feels it is time for her son, the Prince to get married. She is ready to pass the throne to him, but only after he finds a suitable princess to marry.  One by one princesses from all over come to try and entice the Prince into marrying them. Each princess has a "unique" quality, but none of them appeal to the Prince. Finally Princess Madeleine arrives, along with her brother Prince Lee.   Prince Bertie and Prince Lee both remark "Oh, what a wonderful Prince!"  A wedding is for the Princes' and they become "King and King".

Critical Analysis:

King and King is a colorful, vibrant book with unique characters.  The authors and illustrators are from the Netherlands.  It could be a controversial book due to the homosexual theme, although it is written in a fun way very young readers may or may not pick up on the theme. The pictures are full of color and the "royal kitty" appears all through the story adding another element to it.  It also depicts people as being unique, both with the Prince and the various Princesses.  

Reviews:

School Library Journal: The book presents same-sex marriage as a viable, acceptable way of life within an immediately recognizable narrative form, the fairy tale. However, those looking for picture books about alternative lifestyles may want to keep looking for a barrier-breaking classic on the subject.

Connections:

**note: this is the first book I am unable to find links or lesson plans to support the use of**

King & King and Family: Join newlyweds King Lee and King Bertie on their journey into the noisy jungle.

Grandfather's Journey

Bibliography:

Say, Allen. 1993.  Grandfather's Journey.  Houghton Mifflin Company. New York, NY. 0-395-57035-2.

Plot Summary:

A Japanese American tells the story of his grandfather's journey to America, which he later enjoys the journey for himself and how both men were torn by their love of both countries.

Critical Analysis:

I loved this book. The illustrations are beautiful and tore at my heart. I thought the way Allen Say included illustrations of the men in both traditional Japanese dress and American dress added to the story.  I felt the colors Say chose depicted the feelings of the characters in each illustration as well, for example the illustration of the grandfather and his bride to be are in rich, bright colors, but the illustration of the the Japanese family and children after the war were in darker shades.  I feel this story shows how you can love two places equally and want to return to both as often as possible.  I loved the last line, " The funny thing is, the moment I am in one country, I am homesick for the other. "   I feel that many readers could relate to this statement, if not about countries, other places in their lives. 

The illustrations depicted a variety of pictures of Japan as well as the United States. Many of the illustrations could have been photos in a family album, which makes you feel connected to the people in the story. 

Reviews:

Horn Book:

The immigrant experience has rarely been so poignantly evoked as it is in this direct, lyrical narrative that is able to stir emotions through the simplicity of its telling.

Connections:

www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/authors/allensay/

http://faculty.salisbury.edu/~elbond/grand.htm

This site has classroom connections for every subject!

Lon Po Po

Bibliography:

Young , Ed. Lon Po Po.  Scholastic, Inc. New York, NY. 0-59044069-1.

Plot Summary:

This book is the Chinese version of Little Red Riding Hood.  It is the story of three sisters who are left home alone while their mother goes to visit their grandmother PoPo.  A mean wolf comes to their house and pretends to be PoPo, but the sisters will not be outsmarted. The sisters work together and convince the wolf that he should allow them to hoist him into the tree to eat some Ginko nuts.  The clever sisters outwit the evil wolf and tell their mother all about it when she returns home.

Critical Analysis:

Lon Po Po won the Caldecott Medal in 1990. The pictures are in dark, watercolors and add to the suspense of the story.  Ed Young does a nice job of retelling an American favorite with a Chinese twist. He incorporates Chinese elements into the story such as Ginko nuts, the names of the girls, Shang, Tao, and Paotz and the name they refer to their grandmother by, Po Po.  The clever way the sisters trick the wolf and get away would be interesting to children. I do feel the pictures are a little bit scary for small children. I also wonder why Ed Young chose to draw the sisters all looking so much alike. In one illustrations the sisters look almost identical except each is a little larger than the other.

Review Excerpts:

School Library Journal:  The text possesses that matter-of-fact veracity that characterizes the best fairy tales.  The watercolor and pastel pictures are remarkable: mystically beautiful in their depiction of the Chinese countryside, menacing in the exchanges with the wolf, and positively chilling in the scenes inside the house. Overall, this is an outstanding achievement that will be pored over again and again.

Connections:

This website is a wealth of information on everything related to the book LonPoPo

http:.www.vickiblackwell.com/lit/lonpopo.html

http://web.bsu.edu/00smtancock/Cyberlesson/LonPoPo/

http://www.uvm.edu/~outreach/units/LonPoPo.pdf

Bibliography:

Yep, Laurence. 2000. Cockroach Cooties. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN: 0786824190.

Plot Summary:

Cockroach Cooties is the story of two brothers that work together to get rid of the school bully, Arnie-zilla.  When they realize Arnie is terribly afraid of bugs, roaches in particular they use their new pet, Hercules to save the day, and their lives.

Critical Analysis:

The younger of the brothers, Bobby manages to draw the attentions of Arnie-zilla the school bully.  His older brother Teddy has to decide whether he wants to stay out of it, thus saving his own skin, or help out Bobby.  It's the same situation many brothers find themselves in during their lifetime.  Teddy and Bobby discover Arnie's weakness is a fear of roaches, so they pay a visit to the "Bug Lady", Charlie.  

Other than the book cover their are not any illustrations for this book, but it becomes clear early on that Bobby and Teddy live in Chinatown, and are Chinese Americans.  Through out the book references are made to their culture and family history.  There are also references made about tourists and how some of them take pictures of Bobby and Teddy on the street.  The boys attend Chinese school as well as public school.  Although these boys are Chinese-Americans and that is mentioned in various ways, it is not an important aspect of the story. The story revolves around family and how they stick together and take care of each other. There are some humorous parts that include specifics of being Chinese Americans such as when they go to dinner for their mother's birthday. It is mentioned that Bobby and Teddy's family are always on time, on American time, not Chinese time like the extended family members who are always late to family events.

Review Excerpts:

School Library Journal: Readers will either be instantly attracted to Cockroach Cooties or completely repelled by it, but those who can stomach the idea of crushed crickets in their chocolate-chip cookies will eat it up.

Connections:

Meet the Author:  www.eduplace.com/kids/hmr/yep.html

This is a good interview that could encourage budding writers.  It also lists other books written by Laurence Yep.

http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/yep.htm

Laurence Yep Teacher Resource File

http://suzyred.com/2002cooties.html

Alice Yazzie's Year

Alice Yazzie's Year

Bibliography:  

Maher, Ramona. 1977, 2003. Alice Yazzie's Year. Ill. Begay, Shonto, 2003. Berkeley, CA. Tricycle Press. ISBN: 1-58246-080-9.

Plot Summary:

This is the story of the year Alice Yazzie is eleven. A poem is written in free verse format telling about what happens during each month of that year.  It is told from the viewpoint of Alice, what she sees and how she feels about what is happening around her. 

Culture Markers:

Both author and illustrator embark on making this picture book an authentic representation of Navajo culture and life.  Each poem begins with the name of the month in English and beside it the name that the Navajos call that month.  At the back of the book is a wealth of information titled "Notes about the Navajo Country and Ways of Life" written by Carl N. Gorman Director of Navajo Resources and Curriculum Development at the Navajo Community College in Arizona.  The illustrator, Shonto Begay was born and raised in the Navajo Nation community and is a descended from a line of medicine men.  

Reviews:

Booklist:  "Begay's paitings, impressionistic dabs and swirls of brilliant color, sometimes muddy faces and expressions, but like the words, the wild patterns and hues leave room for imaginations to fill in the spaces. Whether read alone or aloud, the poems tell an affecting story about contemporary Navajo life through an appealing young character with a strong sense of history and herself."

Connections:

www. shontobegay.com

Teachers could begin the school year having students work on a free verse poem about what they see and experience each month. Then put them together in a book at the end of the year for students to keep.

Jingle Dancer

Bibliography:

Smith, Cynthia Leitich. 2000. Jingle Dancer. Ill. by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publisher. ISBN: 0-8307-2852-2.

Plot Summary:

Jenna wants nothing more than to participate in the tribe's powwow and jingle dance, so she begins practicing the traditional dance by watching video tapes of her grandmother's past performances.  She has a problem though, she does not have a dress that "sings" to wear in the performance. She eventually has enough jingles for her dress and she is able to dance in the family powwow.

Critical Analysis:

This  is a wonderful story of family traditions and how family members can work together to support and encourage each other and pass down  traditons. It is also a great demonstration of how older and younger family members can come together and create strong relationships as well as memories and traditions to carry on. Although this story involves todays Native American family, any child could relate to the story of family members loving and encouraging one another.  There are various Native American terms used throughout the story giving it an authentic feel and introducing readers to those terms.  The illustrations are amazing and full of detail and color. They intertwine modern American life in the illustrations but also include a variety of Native American artifacts in the pictures as well. This would be a wonderful springboard for classroom discussions.

Review Excerpts:

School Library Journal:  "a welcome addition to stories about traditions passed down by woman of culture."

Connections:

www.cynthialeitichsmith.com    Cynthia Leitich Smith, Official author site and home of CHILDREN'S & YA LITERATURE RESOURCES.  This site includes teachers' guides for her books.

Native American Literature

Turtle's Race with Beaver

Bibiliography:

Bruchac, Joseph and Bruchac, James. 2003. Turtles Race With Beaver. Illustrations, Aruego, Jose and Dewey, Ariane.  Dial Books for Young Readers, NY, New York. ISBN 0-8037-2852-2.

Plot Summary:

This is a version of "The Tortoise and the Hare" adapted from the Seneca oral tradition. It is a classic story of wisdom versus physical strength.  This version is about a turtle and a beaver who both claim the pond is theirs. Instead of choosing to work together and share the pond, the beaver challenges the turtle to a race. Knowing she does not have any hope of winning the race, turtle accepts the challenge.

Crititical Analysis:

The Bruchac's use the familiar story of the Tortoise and the Hare but tell it in the Traditional Seneca oral version. Turtle lives in the pond and find the Beaver has built a dam. She offers to share the pond, but Beaver refuses and offers a race as the solution.  All the animals come out to watch, and surprisingly Turtle wins.  The illustrations are cute, showing a lot of detail in the scenery and animals as well as their faces.  Bruchac pulls on his Indian Heritage and uses stories from his Grandfather and other Indian elders.

Review Excerpts:

"Polished, cohesive, and energetic...the story begs to be told."  School Library Journal

"The illustrations extend the humor of the text perfectly...a winner." Kirkus

Connections:

Joseph Bruchac's webpage:  www.josephbruchac.com

www.josephbruchac.com/bruchac_biography.html

First People-The Legends  www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/TurtlesRaceWithBear-Iroquois.html

Native American Legends

Module 3

Baseball in April and other Stories

Soto, Gary.  Baseball in April and other Stories. 1990.  Harcourt, Inc. Orlando, Florida.  ISBN:0-15-202567-7.

Plot Summary:

This is an amazing collection of eleven short stories centered around everyday life of Hispanic teenagers growing up in Fresno, California.

Critical Analysis:

I think Soto does an amazing job of presenting life in the Hispanic culture in these stories. He intertwines Spanish words in the text of the story, sometimes explaining with context clues, other times leaving the reader to figure out the definition themselves. He paints a clear picture of the characters, describing their dress, homes, family values, etc in great detail. I love how while reading this book I could picture myself in the kitchen watching a mother make tortillas, or a grandpa "bribing" his favorite grandson to make a phone call for him.  Although the stories take place in a poor area, the stories are those of teenagers everywhere.

Review Excerpts:

School Library Journal:  Young readers should easily identify with the situations, emotions and outcomes presented in these fine short stories.

Connections:

www.garysoto.com

A few of Gary Soto's titles that sound interesting to me.

Mud Is Cake

Bibliography:

Ryan, Pam Munoz. Mud Is Cake.  2002. MacPhail, David. Ill.  Hyperion Books for Children. New York, NY. ISBN 0-7868-0501-3.

Plot Summary: 

This story is told in a childlike voice about all the things you can pretend, starting with mud is cake.  The pictures are gorgeous, water-color type illustrations and add to the creativity of the story.

Critical Analysis:

Although Munoz-Ryan writes a variety of books this one is not geared towards a particular ethnicity.  The boy and girl in the story are fair skinned, the girl has blondish, puffy hair and the boy has a very short dark haircut.  The animals are realistic, but are dressed in clothes and costumes that a child might imagine. The language is easy to follow and understand and simple English words.

Review Excerpts:

School Library Journal: An excellent choice for storytimes and one on one sharing.

Connections:

http://pammunozryan.com/

Riding Freedom

Esperanza Rising

Moses Goes To A Concert/Module 6

Bibliography:

Millman, Isaac.  2002.  Moses Goes to a Concert. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN: 0374453667.

Plot Summary:

Moses and his classmates attend a concert together. All of the students are deaf, and surprisingly so  is the percussionist.  The students use balloons to "hear" the vibrations of the instruments.  

Critical Analysis:

At first glance of the cover of the book I thought Moses had a problem with his eyesight. The glasses he is wearing are very thick and I wonder why the illustrator chose to draw the main character that way. Nothing in the story mentions him having poor eyesight.  Through out the book there are signs for various parts of the context and words to describe the ASL. The pictures are colorful and fun, the story is an easy read, but also full of information on children with a hearing disability. For example, the teacher provides a balloon for each student so that they can "hear" the concert by vibrations. I thought that was a wonderful addition to the story, it is also discussed how people with hearing loss can "hear" through the vibrations in their feet. (something I did not know)   The over all story is that of being able to do or accomplish anything you want despite obstacles you may have to face. This is the first in the Moses series.

This story would be wonderful to use in a classroom or library to help students understand more about people who are hearing impaired.  I feel it would also be a fun way to begin teaching students basic signs to enable them to communicate with a deaf person. It would also help to take out the "mystery" of a student who was deaf and help children to see that a deaf student is just like them.

Reviews:

School Library Journal excerpt: "Cheerful watercolor illustrations show the multiethnic children enjoying themselves at the concert, while smaller cartoon strips feature Moses' additional comments in sign language. 

Connections:

http://my-ecoach.com/online/webresourcelist.php

Activities for before, during and after reading "Moses Goes to a Concert".

Music connections: http://www.playmusic.org/

Marimaba! Animales from A to Z

Bibliography:

Mora, Pat. 2006. Ill. Cushman, Doug. !Miramaba! New York, NY: Clarion Books. ISBN 0-618-19453-3

Plot Summary: Once a year, at night when the zoo keepers are asleep the animals get together and have a party.

Critical Analysis:

The story is so much fun to read silently and orally to a group.  The illustrations are bright, colorful and full of details.  Each page focuses on a different letter of the alphabet and has a variety of animals. Mora uses Spanish words that are similar in spelling to the same word in English. She is very clever in the use of them and those words are in a different color to make them more visable to the reader.  Within some of the illustrations other Spanish words are placed, adding more of a "Spanish lesson" for readers.

At the end of the book she provides as translation and pronunciation guide for readers. Mora has an illustration of the animal, the word, the phonetic spelling and the English word. This is a wealth of information for readers, both young and old.

Review Excerpts:

"This infectiously cheerful alphabet book includes both Spanish and English animal names(that are easily recognizable in both languages)." School Library Journal

Connections:

www.patmora.com  

This site has wonderful information about Pat Mora, her books, appearances, and ideas for using her books in the classroom or library.

Uno Dos, Tres/One, Two, Three  by Pat Mora

The Honest-to-Goodness Truth

McKissack, Patricia C. 2000. The Honest-to-Goodness Truth. Ill. Potter, Giselle. New York, NY. Aladdin Paperbacks. ISBN: 0-613-61627-8

Plot Summary:

Libby Louise tells a fib. She feels remorseful and that outweighs the punishment given by her mother for fibbing. When Libby Louise decides she should be completely honest all the time, she ends up losing friends and causing problems along the way.

Critical Analyis:

I feel this book would be appropriate for any age to teach that "honesty might not always be the best policy", or "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all".  The illustrations are childlike and depict everyone as individuals. The African Americans have similarities in their appearances and have some traditional African American hairstyles and but nothing that makes the illustrations appear stereotypical.  All the children in the story are dressed similar regardless of race and/or color.  The text and dialogue are those that any child might use.

Review Excerpts:

The story is very much a lesson, but it's a subtle one, and Potter's colorful, naive-style illustrations capture innocence and eagerness....

Booklist Jan. 2000

Connections: (other books by McKissack)

Mirandy and Brother Wind

Bugs!

Flossie and the Fox

Run Away Home

Miracle's Boys

Bibliography:

Woodson, Jacquelyn. 2000.  MIRACLE'S BOYS. New York, NY: Penguin  Books. ISBN: 0-698-11916-9.

 Plot Summary:

Everything has changed since their mother died. Lafayette is full of questions, and spends a lot of time feeling sad, lonely and guilty. His brother Charlie, or "New Charlie" is angry and mean, and older brother Ty'ree is working to keep the boys together and support them financially. 

Critical Analysis:

Miracle's Boys made me feel as if I lived in the apartment with these three boys. I cried even though I had read the book previously, it just really grabbed me.  I feel that Woodson did a fantastic job describing the living conditions and area they boys lived in. Each boy had his own physical description and I did not feel they were stereotypes. "New Charlie" spoke like a boy who had become hardened due to circumstances and events and his behavior depicted that as well. Ty'ree spoke eloquently and sounded educated, and Lafayette sounded like a small, hurt boy.  The names are those of African American men and we were given reasons for some of the name choices. 

Review Excerpts:

The fast-paced narrative is physically immediate, and the dialogue is alive with anger and heartbreak.  Booklist

Connections:

Winner of the Coretta Scott King award.

Other books by Jacqueline Woodson

If You Come Softly

Last Summer with Maizon

The House You Pass on the Way.

Module 2 African American Literature

Bibliography:

McKissack, Patricia C.  Ill. Pinkney, Jerry. 2001. GOIN' SOMEPLACE SPECIAL. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing.  ISBN 0-689-81885-8.

Plot Summary:  

Tricia Ann ventures out to the one place in her Southern town where everyone is welcome in the 1950's.  She endures rude remarks and hurtful events, but also encounters friendly people along the way.

Critical Analysis:

The illustrations in this book are gorgeous, they appear to depict African Americans as individuals by varying skin tones, body type and facial features.  The African Americans in the story are prominent in the illustrations where as the other people are more muted and have less color. The mode of transportation is walking and the city bus which would be appropriate for a young girl in the 1950's.  

Language seems to be appropriate for the era and age of the characters. Jim Crow Laws are the focus of the book and how African Americans were treated, but also how they managed to respond with dignity and pride.

Review Excerpts:

Adler, David A. A Picture Book of Rosa Parks.

Bridges, Ruby.  Through My Eyes.

Connections:

Texas Bluebonnet Nominee 2003-04

Examples of Jim Crow Laws:   http://academic.udayton.edu/race/02jcrow02.htm

The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis

The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis

Bibliography

Ellis, Deborah.  2000. THE BREADWINNER. Berkeley, CA: Publishers Group West. ISBN 0-88899-419-2.

Plot summary:

The story is set in Kubal, Afghanistan. The main character is 11-year old Parvana. She works with her father in the market, where he reads and writes letters for people to earn a living. The story tells of how Parvana's family works to survive both before and after her father is arrested by the Taliban.

Critical Analysis:

Parvana's story is heartbreaking and it brings the atrocities of how women and families are treated in that area of the world. I feel the story gives readers a good view of how life is for many in Afghanistan. Parvana's family is close, but their are issues: the 2 sisters do not get along, there is a brother who was killed and the family mourns for him, constant fear of the Taliban and the unknown of what they may do.

I feel language plays a huge part in this story because the author uses words like burqa, nan, pakul and many others that most Americans would not be familiar with. She also provides a list of words and definitions in the back of the book to help readers.

In the novel I felt there were quite a few "holes" that the author did not finish in the story. A few were: Who was the woman throwing gifts to Parvana? What did the buyer of the bones do with them? What happened to the rest of Mrs. Weera's family?

Review Excerpts:

Booklist: "Unfortunately, the novel never deals with religious facets of Afghan life, failing to explain that the Taliban sees itself, essentially, as a religious group. Nonetheless, The Breadwinner is a potent portrait of life in contemporary Afghanistan, showing that powerful heroines can survive even in the most oppressive and sexist conditions."

Connections:

Here is a Prereading WebQuest for grades 4-7 on The Breadwinner.

http://literacynet.org/cortez/

Eillis continues the story with the sequal, Parvana's Journey.

Koala Lou by Mem Fox

Koala Lou by Mem Fox

Fox, Mem. 1988. Koala Lou. Ill. by Pamela Lofts. Orlando, FL: Harcourt, Inc. ISBN 0152000763

Plot Summary:

Koala Lou is loved by everyone in the Bush, especially her mother. She is frequently told how much she is loved until other brothers and sisters become part of the family.  Koala Lou devises a plan to win back her mother's affection. 

Critical Analysis:

Koala Lou's story is touching in that is shows how innocent children are and how easily they are hurt. I think most children could relate to this book and see themselves as "Koala Lou".  I like that the setting is in the Australian Outback and the illustrations depict many animals native to Australia.  The illustrations are colorful and interesting.   Other than the animals depicted in the illustrations and the setting of the Olympic games being the "Bush Olympics" nothing else teaches about Australia. I think Fox could have put in vocabulary or other details to teach readers about that area of the world.

Review Excerpts:

School Library Journal:  "Koala Lou is appealing and truly believable...Fox brings out the best in her characters, and also conveys an important message about competition."

Publishers Weekly:  "A perfect example of why the Australian writer has become one of today's top authors of children's books."

Connections:

Teachers could use this book when teaching about various animals and could encourage students to research animals native to Australia. 

Other books by Mem Fox:

Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge

Night Noises

Guess What?

Possum Magic

The Pull of The Ocean

The Pull of the Ocean by Jean-Claude Mourlevat

Winner of the Prix Sorcieres

Mourlevat, Jean-Claude. 2006. The Pull of the Ocean. New York, NY: Delacorte Press: ISBN 0385733488.

Plot Summary:

Late one night a young boy awakens his brothers insisting that they must leave their home immediately or risk being killed by their father. The boys do as their brother directs them to and embark on a long journey that leads them nowhere.

Critical Anyalysis:

This novel is translated from the French book L'enfant Ocean, which is also loosely based on Charles Perrault's  Tom Thumb.  The story  is told in by the various characters in the story. Each gives a brief description of the part they played or what they saw happening with the 7 brothers.  There are 21 different descriptions. Hearing the story told from a variety of "voices" and viewpoints makes  for an interesting read.

Personally, I thought this story was odd and I did not enjoy reading it. The description of the family was well done, and I could easily visualize each character. I have not read Tom Thumb, maybe if I had I would have enjoyed this book more.  I felt the story went in a circle and did not have much of an ending.  

Connections:  

Teachers could easily choose other Batchelder Award books and have students discuss and compare them to each other.

Review Excerpts:

 School Library Journal: "A well-crafted mystery awaits anyone reading this fables jigsaw puzzle...a memorable novel that readers will find engaging and intellectually satisfying."

Publishers Weekly: "Mourlevat enchantingly blends the harshly read and the make-believe...[in this] effectively haunting, fluidly translated tale."

2007 Winner of the Mildred l. Batchelder Award

2007 Winner ALA Notable Children's Book

Creating My Blog

This BLOG is an assignment for the Multicultural Literature class I am taking at TWU. I will use the BLOG to post a summary, critical analysis, and extension ideas for each of the novels or picture books I read this semester.