"John's Secret Dreams: The Life of John Lennon" by Doreen Rappaport, Illustrated by Bryan Collier

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Bibliographic Citation

Title: John’s Secret Dreams: The Life of John Lennon

Author: Doreen Rappaport

Illustrator: Bryan Collier

Year of Publication: 2004

Publisher City: New York

Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children

ISBN: 0786808179

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

Illustrator Website: http://bryancollier.com/

Media Used for Artwork: Watercolor, Collage

My Top 10 Favorite Picturebooks for Older Readers

Annotation

Through beautiful pictures, detailed prose, and John Lennon’s own lyrics readers are able to gain an understanding of the man and his life.  Readers will learn about his childhood, his time with the Beatles, and his untimely death.

Personal Reaction

                Any writer who takes such time to analyze the work of John Lennon should be appreciated.  It is amazing how Rappaport worked with Lennon’s lyrics to tell the story of his life.  Older readers who grew up with the Beatles will enjoy this book because it tells the story of the singer, as well as showcases his work.  This book will also be good for newer fans of the Beatles and Lennon who wish to know more about the band and the music.  The fact that Rappaport included a discography, list of songs used in the text, and further resources shows the great amount of work she did and also is a starting point for readers to conduct further research.

                Collier’s illustrations work well with the text.  The use of collage and watercolor develops an overall image of the type of music Lennon created as well as his life.  The collage adds a feeling of the pop culture he helped to develop.  It was choppy, showing the craziness of the fame he endured.  The use of watercolor showed the calm he seemed to fine after leaving the band and finding Yoko Ono.  The use of watercolor occurred when he began to write some of his most profound songs, such as “Imagine.”

"The Black Book of Colors" by Menena Cottin, Illustrated by Rosana Faria

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Bibliographic Citation

Title: The Black Book of Colors

Author: Menena Cottin

Illustrator: Rosana Faria

Year of Publication: 2006

Publisher City: Berkeley

Publisher: Groundwood Books

ISBN: 9780888998736

Author Website: No Author Website

Illustrator Website: No Illustrator Website

Media Used for Artwork: Textured Embossed

Awards

·         Grand Canyon Reader Award Nominees, 2011

·         Booklist Editor's Choice, 2008

·         New York Times Best Illustrated Books, 2008

·         School Library Journal’s Best Books for Children, 2008

·         Prairie Bud Award Nominees, 2011

·         Beehive Award Nominees, 2010

                                                                 

Annotation

A picture book that sets forth to teach the difficultly of explaining color to someone who is blind.  Readers must depend on their touch and listening skills to gain an understanding of what many be taken for granted.

Personal Reaction

                It is interesting that for this picture book a reader doesn’t necessarily have to depend on their eyes.  In fact it is listening and touch that are necessary to appreciate this book.  Hearing how color could be described to a blind person is fascinating.  Any reader could relate to the descriptions being made to describe color.  For example, I completely agreed with when green was described that it “tastes like lemon ice cream and smells like grass that’s just been cut.”  As a group, older readers can give their own examples of colors, through taste and smell.  It would be an interesting exercise that can develop descriptive skills, improving their writing skills.

                The addition of the Braille makes it apparent that people with sight and those who are blind can both enjoy the book.  It would be fascinating if a group of blind and sighted people read this book together and discussed it.  Then both parties would learn two perspectives from the same topic.  This book is a wonderful way to teach tolerance and understanding.

                Feeling the illustrations is very interesting.  Readers can forget how important touch is when they can see the color of the grass and sky.  The illustrations work well with the descriptions of color.  Both Cottin and Faria worked hard to help readers experience what it is like to be blind.  This is truly an amazing story.

"Quinn and Penny Investigate How to Research" by Thomas Kingsley Troupe, Illustrated by Sole Otero

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Bibliographic Citation

Title: Quinn and Penny Investigate How to Research

Author: Thomas Kingsley Troupe

Illustrator: Sole Otero

Year of Publication: 2011

Publisher City: Mankato

Publisher: Picture Window Books

ISBN: 9781404862906

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

Illustrator Website: http://www.wilkinsonstudios.com/mainPageFrameset.cfm?peopID=123&lookingfor=portfolio

Media Used for Artwork: Computer Generated

Copyright 2010/2011

Annotation

Quinn and his trusty pen, Penny, want to become detectives.  After being given an assignment to write a research paper by Ms. Readwell the duo work together solve the mystery of the Loch Ness monster.

Personal Reaction

Since research papers are very important during the school curriculum it is essential to teach students how to conduct the research.  As soon as children are old enough papers become a major factor in their grades.  This book is a wonderful tool to teach the different steps needed to complete a research paper.  Not only do readers learn the different steps needed to successfully conduct research for a school assignment, they are given an example through Quinn and Penny’s research about the Nessie.  Practical information is provided and doesn’t talk down to the reader so that the facts are easily taught. Also, as a librarian I am so glad that this book promotes using a library to conduct research for a school assignment.  

                The Sherlock Holmes attire Quinn wears helps set the mood to the feeling that a mystery is being solved.  The illustrations help to make the story fun, instead of tedious like directions for assignments.  Penny the Pen is really a great addition to the cast of characters.  Personifying the tool that students use in school is great since is reinforces the essential nature of research in school.

Curriculum: Grade 6- English: To teach the steps in conducting a research paper, teachers and librarians can use this book to reinforce the steps needed to be successful.  This book can be used as friendly reminders during the process and also a way to introduce the steps.  After reading about Quinn and Penny’s case, students can then conduct their own research and write a paper of their results.  It would be interesting if teachers can even use the key question used in the book.

"The Extraordinary Mark Twain (According to Susy)" by Barbara Kerley, Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham

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Bibliographic Citation

Title: The Extraordinary Mark Twain (According to Susy)

Author: Barbara Kerley

Illustrator: Edwin Fotheringham

Year of Publication: 2010

Publisher City: New York

Publisher: Scholastic Press

ISBN: 9780545125086

Author Website: http://www.barbarakerley.com/Site/Welcome.html

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

Media Used for Artwork: Computer Generated

Copyright 2010/2011

My Top 10 Favorite Picturebooks for Older Readers

Awards

·         Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Books, 2010

·         School Library Journal Best Books, 2010

·         Washington Post Best of 2010: Books for Young Readers

·         California Reading Association’s Eureka! Nonfiction Children’s Books Gold Award

·         CYBILS Nonfiction Picture Book Award, 2010

Annotation

This book teaches how anyone can write a biography by providing the steps taken for Mark Twain’s biographer, his daughter Susy.  Readers also get a chance to read actual excerpts from Susy’s biography, spelling errors and all.

Personal Reaction

                This is a very creative how-to-write book that any writer will appreciate.  The fact that Kerley actually took excerpts from Susy’s biography of her father is wonderful.  She worked with the words written by Susy, while adding how Susy came to write the biography.  The book teaches by example, with the aid of illustrations and humorous text.  The small journal entries that are placed throughout the book are adorable.  After learning a lesson a reader can see an example of how this writing this work.

                The illustrations are amusing, continuing with the humor of the text.  The caricatures of Mark Twain show his eccentric nature through the endearing eyes of his daughter.  Take for example him throwing his shirts out the window because they needed buttons sewn on them.  An interesting addition is the swirls used throughout the text that symbolize the written word.  For example, when Susy’s parents find her biography swirls pour out of the book, symbolizing all the work she put into it.

Curriculum: Grade 10-English: Since students will be reading novels by Mark Twain in this grade, Kerley’s book will be a good introduction to the author and his family life.  In addition to learning about Twain, teachers can have students write a biography about him, using the recommendations Kerley wrote at the end of the book.  The students can even use material from his autobiography, which also has excerpts from Susy’s biography.