"Pop's Bridge" by Eve Bunting, Illustrated by C.F. Payne

Image Courtesy of: http://images.betterworldbooks.com/015/Pop-s-Bridge-9780152047733.jpg

Bibliographic Citation

Title: Pop’s Bridge

Author: Eve Bunting

Illustrator: C.F. Payne

Year of Publication: 2006

Publisher City: Orlando

Publisher: Harcourt, Inc.

ISBN: 9780152047733

Author Website: No Author Website

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

Media Used for Artwork: Pastel

Awards

·         Parents’ Choice Award for Picture Books, Spring 2006

Annotation

Robert’s father is building the Golden Gate Bridge.  Though his parents say it is a team effort, Robert knows it is only his father.  It is only after a disaster that Robert comes to know the importance of teamwork.

Personal Reaction

                It is always essential for readers to hear how teamwork is essential for every aspect of life, be it personal, academic, or professional.  For older readers this book is good to reinforce what they were taught at a younger age.  Sports are now competitive for older readers, not just games.  School is even more important for them as well.  It can be easy to think how one person does something better than another.  What this picture book does is show how important teamwork is.  It was because of Robert’s father, Charlie’s dad, and many other fathers that the Golden Gate Bridge was built.  They succeeded together and suffered tragedy together.  Using an actual event to teach the lesson reinforces the point for readers.

                The mixture of caricature and realism blend well.  It is interesting how Payne makes the bridge so realistic, while the characters are almost unreal.  The bridge looks so realistic because it symbolized teamwork.  The characters are drawn as caricatures because they are suppose to represent the readers and any person they may know.  Seeing the building of the Golden Gate Bridge in illustrations was amazing to watch and breathtaking, it would make any reader wish they had been on the bridge on opening day.

"I, Doko: The Tale of a Basket" by Ed Young

Image Courtesy of: http://covers.openlibrary.org/w/id/259934-L.jpg

Bibliographic Citation

Title: I, Doko: The Tale of a Basket

Author/Illustrator: Ed Young

Year of Publication: 2004

Publisher City: New York

Publisher: Philomel Books

ISBN: 0399236252

Author/Illustrator Website: http://edyoungart.com/

Media Used for Artwork: Gouache, Pastel, Collage

Awards

·         New York Public Library, 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing, 2004

Annotation

From the perspective of a basket, readers learn about the generations of one family.  Even with many the many tragedies the family is forced to endure they still stay together, along with the basket.

Personal Reaction

                Readers have to be mature to read this book.  They must have an understanding of what death is.  Doko, the basket, spends its life seeing the many generations of one family.  While the basket remains the humans do not.  The basket sees many tragic deaths and injuries, but also many births and joy.  This book would be useful to understand the longevity of family.  How one generation affects the other, how death occurs no matter what, and also the importance of family.  The most impactful part of the story is when Yeh-yeh’s grandson tells his father,” I won’t need to buy another Doko when you are old and it is time to leave you on the steps.”

                The illustrations are similar to what is seen in Asian artwork, which works quite well with the setting of the story.  The mixture of collage, pastel, and gouache work very well together.  Every media used melds together to create one comprehensive piece.  The speckles of gold paint on all illustrations adds a curtain over the images, giving the feeling that readers are looking at a mysterious, foreign world not many get to see.

"Owney: The Mail-Pouch Pooch" by Mona Kerby, Illustrated by Lynne Barasch

Image Courtesy of: http://images.indiebound.com/859/356/9780374356859.jpg

Bibliographic Citation

Title: Owney: The Mail-Pouch Pooch

Author: Mona Kerby

Illustrator: Lynne Barasch

Year of Publication: 2008

Publisher City: New York

Publisher: Frances Foster Books

ISBN: 9780374356859

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

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

Media Used for Artwork: Pen, Watercolor

Awards

·         Bank Street College’s Best Children’s Books of the Year List, 2009

·         California Young Reader Medal, Picture Book for Older Reader Category, 2010

·         Kansas State Reading Circle Recommended Primary Titles, 2009

·         Vermont Red Clover Award 2010

·         South Carolina Book Award Nominee, 2010-2011

Annotation

Owney worked his way into the hearts of the workers at the Albany Post Office and soon the world.  Though he was a free spirit, he was still loyal to his job as guard of the mail.

Personal Reaction

                I am always a sucker for stories about dogs, especially when it comes to a dog’s immense loyalty and the adventures that occur from this.  Kerby’s adaption of the real story of Owney is no exception.  It is endearing to learn about how so many people embraced the dog, not only in the United States but around the world.  Older readers will appreciate this story because they are at an age where they will be able to take care of an animal.  Learning about the loyalty an animal can have can help them mature and be prepared to take the responsibility of taking care of a pet.  Readers may also enjoy the movie “Hachi: A Dog’s Tale” if they are interested in this type of story.

                The illustrations work well in showing not only the personality of Owney, the humans he came in contact with, and also the places he travelled.  It was great to see Owney on a boat looking at the Statue of Liberty after his journey around the world.  The illustrations are snapshots into his life, from his time at the Albany Post Office, to his journey around the world, and his retirement.  Also, the addition of the many tags Owney received on the inside of the front and back covers shows the extent of his travels beyond what is shown in the body of the book.

"Basho and the River Stones" by Tim Myers, Illustrated by Oki S. Han

Image Courtesy of: http://imagethumbnails.milo.com/004/968/908/290/4968228_3711908_290.jpg

Bibliographic Citation

Title: Basho and the River Stones

Author: Tim Myers

Illustrator: Oki S. Han

Year of Publication: 2004

Publisher City: New York

Publisher: Marshall Cavendish

ISBN: 9780761451655

Author Website: http://www.timmyersstorysong.com/TM_Website/Homepage.html

Illustrator Website: No Illustrator Website

Media Used for Artwork: Watercolor

Awards

·         Junior Library Guild selection, 2004

·         NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book, 2005

·         Nominated for California Young Reader Medal (Picture Books for Older Readers Category), 2007-2008

·         School Library Journal Starred Review

Annotation

Basho lives in harmony with the foxes who like to eat from the cherry trees on his property until one selfish kitsune tricks Basho.  The kitsune and Basho soon learn the importance of friendship and what wealth really is.

Personal Reaction

                With the popularity of manga and anime this story is a great addition to teach older readers more about the Japanese culture.  Not only will they learn the name of Basho, one of Japans most famous haiku poets, they will also learn about the popular myth of kitsunes.  In myth people should be wary of the foxes that can transform their appearance and other items.  But Myers reinvents the story to show how kitsune’s could be friends with humans.  It works quite well that both Basho and the fox learn a lesson.  Instead of the fox constantly being the trickster, he realizes his own morals and need to help the poet he tricked in the first place.

                The illustrations mix classic images from the Japanese culture flawlessly to tell the story that Myers created.  I adore the fact that all of the foxes wear traditional robes along with Basho.  This shows that they are more than just animals in myth.  The patterns of the robes are also used as background on some of the pages, which is a good visual reminder to readers.  I enjoy the fact there is so much detail in the images that compliments the simplicity of the haiku poems in the text.  It shows how the poems are just more than a few lines.  The illustrations show that haiku’s speak volumes.

"And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon" by Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel, Illustrated by Janet Stevens

Image Courtesy of: http://images.swap.com/images/Books/83/9780152022983.jpg

Bibliographic Citation

Title: And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon

Author: Janet Stevens & Susan Stevens Crummel

Illustrator: Janet Stevens

Year of Publication: 2001

Publisher City: San Diego

Publisher: Harcourt, Inc.

ISBN: 0152022988

Author Website: http://www.janetstevens.com/ & http://www.susanstevenscrummel.com/

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

Media Used for Artwork: Watercolor, Colored Pencil

Awards

·         California Young Reader Medal (Picture Books for Older Readers), 2004

·         American Library Association’s Notable Book, 2002

·         Child Magazine's "Best Books of 2001"

·         Colorado Book Award, 2002

·         Irma S. and James H. Black Honor Book, 2001

Annotation

The Dish and the Spoon have run away from their rhyme.  The Cat with his fiddle, the laughing Dog, and the jumping Cow set out to find their lost comrades so that they can be read tonight.

Personal Reaction

                What happens when the rhymes everyone knows gets turn upside down?  This picture book gets written.  Stevens and Crummel take the classic Mother Goose rhymes and fairy tales all children know and reworks them.  The reboot makes an exciting adventure.  Older readers will appreciate this story because it is maturing the rhymes and fairy tales they grew up for them to enjoy.  It shows how they can continue to read stories that they know and love, but in different ways.  It would be interesting if for an assignment students rewrite a classic tale they know and love after reading this book.

                The use of illustrations give readers a visual cue of the characters feelings as they journey through the world of fairy tales and Mother Goose rhymes.  Stevens did a great job of adding humor to her work.  For example, when the trio travels to the Big Bad Wolf’s house the reader sees a fake sheep costume hanging up and the Wolf wearing an apron and bunny slippers.  It is interesting to see how Stevens interpreted the characters that readers will know so well.  She took the time to personify each of them so that they are more then the brief lines from a childhood rhyme.