"Math Curse" by Jon Scieszka, Illustrated by Lane Smith

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Bibliographic Citation

Title: Math Curse

Author: Jon Scieszka

Illustrator: Lane Smith

Year of Publication: 1995

Publisher City: New York

Publisher: Viking Books

ISBN: 0670861944

Author Website: http://www.jsworldwide.com/

Illustrator Website: http://www.lanesmithbooks.com/LaneSmithBooks/Lane_Smith_Books.html

Media Used for Artwork: Collage, Oil and Acrylic Paint

2009 Students’ List

Awards

·         American Library Association’s Best Books for Young Adults

·         Texas Bluebonnet Fanfare

·         Publishers Weekly Best Books of 1995

·         School Library Journal Best Books of 1995

·         Booklist Editors’ Choice Award

Annotation

A math teacher, Mrs. Fibonacci curses her student to think of the different aspects of daily life as math problems.  Literally everything involves math and worse yet for the student, everything involves fractions.

Personal Reaction

                Scieskza is a very tricky author for putting all of those math problems in a picture book.  Young readers could easily become confused by the story, but older readers on the other hand will be able to understand it and have to work to find the answers.  Parents or teachers can use this to help older readers work on solving math problems.  This book is especially useful for questions that involve fractions, which the narrator tried to avoid until the end.  While reading this book I couldn’t help but try to solve the problems presented.  It appears I was hit with the math curse as well.

                Smith’s illustrations are really amazing.  The collage method he uses adds a great deal of texture to each picture.  There are a variety of images used to create one illustration.  For example, the paper used for the birthday’s question is beautiful for the fact that it is actual paper being used to represent the table.  It must have taken a great amount of time to complete these, but it certainly adds a depth to the story that would not have been there if there was only text for a reader (that would have been too similar to a math textbook).

Curriculum: Grade 5 Math- This book can be read in class to help show students that teachers have an understanding of their math anxiety.  In addition, teachers can actually use the problems in this book in class for students to solve in class.

"Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood" by Marjane Satrapi

Image Courtesy of: http://www.randomhouse.com/pantheon/graphicnovels/art/persepolis_cover_big.jpg

Bibliographic Citation

Title: Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood

Author/Illustrator: Marjane Satrapi

Year of Publication: 2003

Publisher City: New York

Publisher: Pantheon

ISBN: 0375422307

Author/Illustrator Website: No Author/Illustrator Website

Media Used for Artwork: Ink

2009 Students’ List

Nonfiction Graphic Novel

My Top 10 Favorite Picturebooks for Older Readers

Awards

·         Fernando Buesa Peace Prize, 2003

·         New York Times Notable Book

·         Time Magazine “Best Comic of the Year,” 2003

·         Young Adult Library Services Association’s Alex Award, 2004

Annotation

This graphic novel tells the story of Marjane Satrapi as she grew up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution, a very turbulent time where her life was in constant change.

Personal Reaction

                What is happening in the Middle East is a huge concern for many people.  Yet in each country we are only given one side of the story.  The graphic novel autobiography from Marjane Satrapi provides another perspective that most American’s do not think about, someone from Iran.  Satrapi’s story attempts to show readers that not every person in Iran is an extremist, like the ones seen on the nightly news.  This is a good story to help keep people open-minded in a time when it is so easy to let biases and stereotypes dictate lives.

                The series of little vignettes is an interesting tool to deliver the story of the child’s life in the novel.  It works well because several different stories are told that interweave together, also it emulates a child’s mind that is always thinking of new things and topics.

                The illustrations are childlike as well, which also helps convey to readers that they are reading a story that is suppose to be from a child’s perspective.  Often times the figures and scenery are very simple, which puts emphasis on the words.  The use of black and white is very powerful, especially in moments where repetition of figures is used.  For example, in the section entitled “The Key,” the illustration of the girls beating their breasts is all the more powerful because it is in black and white.  There is no way to tell the girls apart, showing that they are all forced to deal with the circumstances of their lives.

Curriculum: Grade 10- According to California State Board of Education, students in 10^th grade history are to learn about “the challenges in the regions, including their geopolitical, cultural, military, and economic significance and the international relationships in which they are involved.”  The Middle East is one of these locations. 

This graphic novel would be a good addition to this part of the curriculum because it teaches about the history of a region from the perspective of someone who lived through it.  All material is biased to some degree, but by providing multiple perspectives students are able to form a better understanding of controversial topics.

Use of Allusion: When the family goes on a vacation the family is seen on a flying carpet, reminiscent of “Arabian Nights.”

Use of Simile: The children often use similes in an attempt to understand the choices made my the government and adults.
“The revolution is like a bicycle.  When the wheels don’t turn, it falls.”

Use of Sophisticated Language: The narrator uses a variety of words that can be difficult to understand.  Many are military or political terms.

“The truth is that 50 years ago the father of the Shah, who was a soldier, organized a putsch to overthrow the emperor and install a republic.”

"Coretta Scott" by Ntozake Shange, Illustrated by Kadir Nelson

Image Courtesy of: http://img2.imagesbn.com/images/33250000/33257055.JPG

Bibliographic Citation

Title: Coretta Scott

Author: Ntozake Shange

Illustrator: Kadir Nelson

Year of Publication: 2009

Publisher City: New York

Publisher: Amistad

ISBN: 9780061253652

Author Website: http://www.ntozakeshange.org/home.html

Illustrator Website: http://www.kadirnelson.com/

Media Used for Artwork: Oil paint

2009 Students’ List

Awards

·         School Library Journal Starred Review

·         Booklist Starred Review

·         Publishers Weekly Starred Review

Annotation

A biography picture book about Coretta Scott told through poetry.  But this story also tells the story of the Civil Rights Movement in which she was involved along with her husband Martin Luther King, Jr.

Personal Reaction

                A poem is used to convey part of Coretta Scott King’s life.  It is a unique way to tell a biography because facts can not be conveyed.  It is the emotions that Scott felt during her life that are felt.  Besides Scott’s life this picture book also conveys part of the Civil Rights Movement, such as the March on Washington.

                Nelson’s oil paintings are very detailed and add visuals to the poem by Shange.  This can aid readers in understanding what is being conveyed in the stanzas.  The detail in the eyes of characters makes it almost seem like a reader is looking at a picture.  There is a moment where Scott and her siblings are left by the white school bus and the reader can see the tears from the illustration.

                During Black History month, this book would be good as an introduction to the Civil Rights Movement.  Readers can understand the emotions that were behind people’s action in that time.  Then from there historical facts can be added for education.

Use of a Simile: Comparing the moon in a creative way beings the poem.

“some southern mornings

the moon

sits like an orange

sliver by the treetops”

Use of Repetition: In the illustrations repetition is seen a few times.  For example, the moon rising over blackened foliage is seen as are profiles of Scott and King where they were singing and praying.

"Rapunzel's Revenge" by Shannon and Dean Hale, Illustrated by Nathan Hale

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Bibliographic Citation

Title: Rapunzel’s Revenge

Author: Shannon and Dean Hale

Illustrator: Nathan Hale

Year of Publication: 2008

Publisher City: New York

Publisher: Bloomsbury

ISBN: 9781599900704

Authors’ Websites: http://www.squeetus.com/stage/main.html &

http://www.dreadcrumbs.com/

Illustrator Website: http://www.spacestationnathan.com/

Media Used for Artwork: Pencil, Ink

2009 Students' List

Fiction Graphic Novel

Awards

·         American Library Association’s Notable Children’s Book, 2009

·         Young Adult Library Services Association’s Great Graphic Novel for Teens, 2009

·         Eisner Award Nominee

·         Pacific Northwest Library Association’s Young Readers Choice Award, 2011

Annotation

A reinvention of the fairy tale of Rapunzel set as a western, with lassos and gun fights.  Rapunzel is not some damsel that must be rescued and sets out on her own journey of revenge.

Personal Reaction

                In literature and movies now reinterpreting classic stories is very popular, the reboot rules over all.  “Rapunzel’s Revenge” is one such graphic novel that takes a classic tale and modernizes it to keep readers interested.  Female readers will appreciate Rapunzel for her ability to think quickly and do things on her own.  Though Rapunzel is still locked in a tower, it is not because she is a damsel in distress, it is because she is strong willed and wouldn’t cave to pressure.  She doesn’t need to be saved by some prince, Rapunzel rescues herself.  The authors and illustrator take a few opportunities to make fun of the “classic” storylines of fairytales.  For example, while she is trapped in the tower, Rapunzel only has three books to read, and one is entitled “Girls who get saved and the Princes who save them.” 

Besides the powerful leading lady, the setting has changed as well.  The Hale’s (writers and illustrator) have set the fairytale in a Western, full of gunfights, horses, and lassos.  Changing the setting adds a great deal of tension; there is always another fight on the horizon.  Hale (the illustrator) took the Hales’ (the authors) ideas and created a world for the characters to run around in.  Because of the use of the graphic novel format there are panels were no words are spoken, yet a reader is still able to understand the action that is occurring.

This is definitely a fun read for older readers interested in fairytales and how they are being changed in the modern world.

Use of Alliteration:  Mother Gothel’s spells use alliteration.

Example:

“Grew Grow Growl Grot

Spin Spell Spool Spot

Flower Flutter Flicker Fly”

"The Enemy: A Book About Peace" by Davide Cali, Illustrated by Serge Bloch

Image Courtesy of: http://www.preboundbooks.com/ws/image/cover/33173/m

Bibliographic Citation

Title: The Enemy: A Book about Peace

Author: Davide Cali

Illustrator: Serge Bloch

Year of Publication: 2009

Publisher City: New York

Publisher: Schwartz & Wade Books

ISBN: 9780375845000

Author Website: http://www.davidecali.com/calilibri.htm

Illustrator Website: http://www.sergebloch.net/

Media Used for Artwork: Ink and Photography

2009 Students’ List

Awards

·         United States Board on Books for Young People’s List of Outstanding International Books, 2010

·         Kid's Indie Next List "Inspired Recommendations for Kids from Indie Booksellers", 2009

·         NCSS/CBC Notable Children's Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies, 2010

Annotation

Two enemies wait in two holes during a war, and one narrates.  At the beginning the soldier knows what he must do, kill his enemy.  But as time passes he begins to wonder if the war worth it.

Personal Reaction

                A complicated story told in a simple way.  The words and illustrations are minimalist but that makes the message of the story all that more powerful.  A mixture of photography and simplistic figures makes up the illustrations.  Many of the pages are filled with white, so the focus is on the soldier in his hole.  The world around him has disappeared because his focus is war.

The soldier who narrates (one can even argue that both soldiers are narrating, there is honestly no way of telling in the voices or the illustrations) knows nothing about his enemy, which is portrayed quite effectively.  He is an unreliable narrator because of the fact that he bases his hatred of the unknown enemy on what he has been told.  And at first it is fine but as time passes the soldier begins to wonder about why the two sides are fighting.

                Even though this story is very serious the author still adds some humor that helps to lighten what could be a very dark subject.  For example, once the soldier decides to attack his enemy he puts on his disguise of leaves and crawls to the other hole.  He states, “I put on Disguise Number Three-the bush- and leave” and there is the illustration of him doing so.  It seems so silly and absurd, yet for him it is logical.

                As a group, readers can discuss how the two enemies are in fact very similar and are most likely both narrating the story.  If one side wonders why there is a war, then the other must as well.  Yet there is the wonder if they will stop fighting.  There could be much debate about whether both bottles have letters asking to stop the fighting.  And hopefully there will be the same hope as the soldiers in the picture book. 

"Thoreau at Walden" by John Porcellino

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Bibliographic Citation

Title: Thoreau at Walden

Author/Illustrator: John Porcellino

Words by: Henry David Thoreau

Year of Publication: 2008

Publisher City: New York

Publisher: Hyperion Books

ISBN: 1423100387

Author/Illustrator Website: http://www.king-cat.net/

Media Used for Artwork: Brown and Black Ink

2009 Students’ List

Nonfiction Graphic Novel

Annotation

A graphic, pared down version of “Walden” by Henry David Thoreau.  The reader observes the moments of Thoreau’s isolation in the woods.  They may not necessarily know what he is thinking but have moments of deep thought as well.

Personal Reaction

                Older readers would appreciate this graphic novel adaption of Henry David Thoraeu’s journal entries with his time at Walden Pond.  As someone who has never read the original text I view this book as an introduction.  Students who are assigned Thoreau’s book would appreciate the work.  After reading the quotes from his works and the introduction and afterword I have a better sense of the time he spent and the time he spent to appreciate the world that was different from others.

                The illustrations are similar to what is seen in a comic strip, yet it does not take away from the philosophy of Thoraeu’s words.  When I looked at the cover the character was almost comedic.  Yet in the context of the graphic novel, the illustrations were simplistic that matched with Thoreau’s lifestyle.

The sparse nature of the illustrations and text worked well together to give an introduction to Thoreau’s work.  Porcellino did a wonderful job of working with the writing’s to create a world that would introduce and interest readers to seek out more information about the man portrayed in the novel.          

"A River of Words" by Jen Bryant, Illustrated by Melissa Sweet

Image Courtesy of: http://www.inspire4less.com/productimages/9780802853028.JPG.

Bibliographic Citation

Title: A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams

Author: Jen Bryant

Illustrator: Melissa Sweet

Year of Publication: 2008

Publisher City: Grand Rapids

Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers

ISBN: 978-0-8028-5302-8

Author Website: http://www.jenbryant.com/

Illustrator Website: http://melissasweet.net/

Media Used for Artwork: Watercolor, Collage

2009 Students’ List

Awards

·         Caldecott Honor Book 2009

·         School Library Journal Best Books 2008

·         New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Children's Books of 2008

·         National Council of Teachers of English’s Orbis Pictus Award 2009

·         Cooperative Children's Book Center Charlotte Zolotow Honor Award 2009

Annotation

The biography of doctor and poet, William Carlos Williams, told through a mixture of his poetry and scrapbook illustrations.  Even as Williams grows up and gets a professional job, he still returns to the poetry he loves.

Personal Reaction

                Biography picture books are becoming one of my new favorites when it comes to illustrated books.  These types of books convey information about a person’s life but also keep it entertaining.  Facts are not just stated, a story is developed.  Readers are allowed to see a brief glimpse of a life without becoming overwhelmed by dates and places.  That information was saved until the end of the book and recommendations of future reading was also provided.

                Because this story was about a poet it was nice to be given examples of his work.  The poetry was well weaved into the narration.  Bryant worked to make her writing work with Williams’ poetry so that a reader is not charred by the changes in styles.

                The illustrations in this book are so unique, not something that is normally seen in picture books.  It is as if the reader is looking through a scrapbook that Williams could have made himself.  The mix of collage and hand written stanzas makes the poems more intimate.

                Both author and illustrator wanted Williams’ work to be the focus, not themselves or their styles.  If a reader did not know any better they could believe that this book was written and narrated by Williams, himself.

                Poetry can be a difficult subject for older readers to understand, especially when they are first beginning to learn to analyze it.  This narrative teaches readers how to analyze the work of a particular poet, by telling about the poet’s inspiration and giving examples of his work.  But it still allows room for the reader to make their own judgment.  If only all poetry could be taught in this way, especially for early poetry enthusiasts.

               

Use of Metaphor: The poetry of William Carlos Williams, which is featured in this book, provides a few examples of metaphor usage.

Example:
“There is a bird in the poplars!

It is the sun!”

Use of Simile: Bryant has poetic moments in her biography of Williams that uses similes to describe him and his poetry.
“Like the water that sometimes ran slow, smooth, and steady, and other times came rushing in a hurried flood, Willie’s lines flowed across the page.”

"The Moon over Star" by Dianna Hutts Aston, Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

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Bibliographic Citation

Title: The Moon over Star

Author: Dianna Hutts Aston

Illustrator: Jerry Pinkney

Year of Publication: 2008

Publisher City: New York

Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers

ISBN: 978-0-8037-3107-3

Author Website: No Author Website

Illustrator Website: http://www.jerrypinkneystudio.com/

Media Used for Artwork: Watercolor

2009 Students’ List

Awards

·         American Library Association’s Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Award, 2009

Annotation

The story of a young narrator on the day that mankind first landed on the moon in 1969.  But the story is also about the narrator realizing more about her grandfather and his life.

Personal Reaction

                While this story is about a family in a town called Star watching the moon landing in 1969, there is another story going on as well, the story of Mae and her grandfather.  The family watches in amazement as the world changes by a group of men going to space, except for one member, Mae’s grandfather.  It is told how he thinks the space program is a waste of money.  As the story continues Mae begins to see how hard her grandfather has worked and where his views come from, and yet she still is fascinated and excited by the spacewalk.  One of the sweetest moments of the book is at the end when the grandfather tells his granddaughter to keep dreaming but to always remember the importance of home.

                On one level this book is about the moon landing, but on another it focuses on the people who were observing the event from a distance.  Readers can relate to the characters of Mae and her siblings because they have also been in the same position when dynamic things have occurred in the world that they were not directly involved in but where part of it none the less.  Some examples of this in recent history include: the events on 9/11, the death of Osama bin Laden, the tsunamis, the earthquakes in New Zealand and Japan, and so on.  Though they were not directly involved they still remember the news reports, such as Mae remembered Walker Cronkite saying “Man on the moon!” on the television.

                The watercolors in this book are beautiful.  The detail allows readers to actually see the age of the Grandfather that the narrator describes as well as the details of the families household and even the astronauts’ footprints on the Moon.

What is also interesting is the variety of images in the book.  The illustrations work with the narrative to visually tell the two stories that are going on: the walk on the Moon and Mae’s interaction with her grandfather.  With just a flip of the page a reader is brought to outer space then back to the family in the town of Star.  The visuals help to transition the reader back and forth between settings without jarring them by the suddenness.

One of the most powerful images is a double page picture of a rocket launching, which the children imagine while pretending to be astronauts in their front yard.  The reader is struck by the iconic nature of the image.  It is easy to understand how the children remember the many details of a rocket launch since they are currently living it and are bombarded by those detailed on television.

Use of Symbol: Star in this part of the novel is a symbol for Mae’s family and home.

Example: “Keep on dreaming, Mae,” he said.  “Just remember,

We’re here now together

On the prettiest star in the heavens.”

Use of Repetition: The story is divided into different sections and to indicate the beginning of a new section it starts with “Once upon a summer’s…”  It is the last word only that changes, showing the passage of time.

"The Composer is Dead" by Lemony Snicket, Illustrated by Carson Ellis

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Bibliographic Citation

Title: The Composer is Dead

Author: Lemony Snicket

Illustrator: Carson Ellis

Year of Publication: 2009

Publisher City: New York

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

ISBN: 978-0-06-123628-0

Author Website: http://www.lemonysnicket.com/

Illustrator Website: http://www.carsonellis.com/

Media Used for Artwork: Watercolor, Ink

2009 Students’ List

Awards

·         Time Magazine’s Top Ten Children’s Books of 2009

Annotation

The Inspector tries to solve the case of the murdered Composer by questioning the members of the Orchestra.  All of them are under suspicion but all have an alibi.  So then the question remains, who killed the Composer?

Personal Reaction

                This is such an amusing book that teaches readers about an orchestra and does so in a very creative way, as a murder mystery.  It allows questions to be asked, by the narrator, in this case the Inspector, so that a reader can learn about an orchestra without it becoming a boring lecture.  The author teaches readers about each section of the orchestra and uses advance vocabulary but does so without talking down to the reader.  Snicket’s respect of his readers and their intelligence can allow for a reluctant reader to feel empowered and continue to find other books to read.

                The illustrations are minimalist, usually having just one picture on a page: a fly, a bust, the Inspector, and so on.  The minimalism is continued in the actually drawings.  An example of this is the silhouette’s used when each part of an orchestra is introduced.  This allowed for a visual hint to readers that about with set of instruments was being taught.  The times that the pictures become more elaborate are when the instruments begin to play; scenes are created with music notes dancing through the scene.

A unique feature of this particular book is the accompanying CD which allows for a chance to listen to the story being narrated (by Lemony Snicket aka Daniel Handler) as well as listen to an orchestra perform (composed by Nathaniel Stookey and performed by the San Francisco Symphony).  This allows an opportunity for students to understand the impact of music on narration, adding a depth to the story.  The appreciation of music that is taught in this book and CD is desperately needed in schools now, especially with the continued loss of classes about the arts.

Curriculum: Grade 5- This book and its accompany CD can be used in the teaching about music.  Not only does the book allow children to understand the different sections of an orchestra and the dynamics.  The addition of the CD allows students to listen to the instruments they just learned about. At one point of the book a list of several famous composers is made, which can be a start off point to introduce these famous composers and their works.

Use of simile: When the Inspector talks to the Flutes, they compare to themselves to birds. 

Example: “AHA! the Inspector cried.  “Perhaps you murdered the Composer for making you act like birds!”

Use of repetition: Very early on in the book the Inspector declares how he will find the enemies of the dead composer somewhere in the orchestra, but does this by repeating the beginning of the line but changing the ending.
Example: “I will find them if they are lurking in the strings.  I will find them if they are lurking in the brass.  I will find them if they are lurking in the woodwinds.  I will find them if they are lurking in the percussion section.”

Use of Personification: When the Inspector talks to each section of the orchestra there is no description of individuals (in the text or illustrations), it is as if the instruments themselves are speaking.  This is also done through the illustrations when each section of the orchestra is introduced.  Instead of groups of people it is images of the instruments.
Example: “The Violins answered first, of course.”

Use of Onomatopoeia: The most dominate example of this in the book is when the Inspector repeatedly says “AHA!” after each group of instruments have spoken.

Use of sophisticated language: The use of specific instrumental names will help readers learn about orchestras.  And something amusing that the author does when using difficult words is define it in a unique way.
Example: “Last night was incredibly important for us,” proclaimed the Trumpets in a boisterous manner, a phrase which here means “loudly and with a certain arrogant rudeness.”