BIBLIOGRAPHY
Marchetta, Melina. 2006. Jellicoe Road. NY: Harper Teen. ISBN -- 9780061431838
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Melina Marcheta spins a tale foreign to most American teens, both because of the setting and the format. Taylor Markham may be a teen, but an Australian teen in a boarding school with none of the romance of days gone by might be a harder sell than many American teens might be willing to work for. There is no question that the characters are gripping. Taylor definitely has an appeal, as do Jonah, Raffaella, and Ben. She does have an intriguing story, but the plot is so convoluted that until the last pages, the reader may still not understand all of its intricacies. In a shorter work, what one learns in the first pages can be quickly recalled and placed neatly in its slot, but at 421 pages, some of those facts are lost to the reader. On the other hand, the tome does scream for a second read, if only to piece together the plot.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
"Melina Marchetta has a knack for writing stories that swallow you up and refuse to let you go until you've read every last word....Marchetta is a master at creating intriguing characters and her stories are heartfelt."- Sydney Morning Herald
A beautifully rendered mystery.- (Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
...the novel might put off casual readers, [but] patient, thoughtful teens will remain to extract clues from the interwoven scraps of Hannah's narrative... Elegiac passages and a complex structure create a somewhat dense, melancholic narrative with elements of romance, mystery, and realistic fiction (School Library Journal)
... nearly every relationship in Taylor’s life has unexpected ties to her past, and the continual series of revelations is both the book’s strength and weakness; the melodrama can be trying, but when Marchetta isn’t forcing epiphanies, she has a knack for nuanced characterizations and punchy dialogue. The complexity of the backstory will be offputting to younger readers, but those who stick it out will find rewards in the heartbreaking twists of Marchetta’s saga. (Booklist)
CONNECTIONS
*an excellent guide for use in the classroom is available at http://www.penguin.co.nz/webfiles/PenguinGroupNZ/files/OnJellicoeRdTeachNotes.pdf
*have students research Australia
*have students create a map of Jellicoe school, townie, and cadet lands based on the descriptions in the novel
*prepare a display of several novels with friendship, family, or Australian themes
Monday, November 30, 2009
Book Review Module 6 -- The Graveyard Book
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Gaiman, Neil. 2008. The Graveyard Book (Audio). NY: Harper Children’s Audio. ISBN -- 9780061551895.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Neil Gaiman creates for readers (and listeners) a world where a toddler can escape a killer by taking refuge in a graveyard and makes the reader fully believe that a couple there adopt him as the child they never had. Not only is Nobody (Bod for short) adopted by the Owenses, but by all of the graveyard’s inhabitants.
As the tale unfolds, the ghosts seem more and more like they are the real people and the townspeople the odd ones. Bod is fed and clothed by his guardians, especially with the help of Silas, who is the only one who can actually leave the graveyard, but he is also furnished a well-rounded education by Silas, Miss Lupescu, and Mr. Pennyworth.
Gaiman fully utilizes the setting of the British graveyard but also includes the village and some of its inhabitants to teach the readers that life is not always fair, growing up is hard no matter who your parents are, most rules are established for good reasons, and good character will always have its enemies. Yet he teaches these life truths through an engaging story and admirable characters.
The audio version is read by the author whose English accent makes the story even more wonderful. Each character has a unique and suitable voice. For this listener, the entire experience was totally enjoyable.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
--Neil Gaiman is one of the true gems in the audio industry... Gaiman gives each specter a different—and wholly appropriate—voice... an absolute showstopper. A.H.A. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2009 Audies Winner © AudioFile 2008
Praise for the print version
--Hugo Award for Best Novel (2009)
--Newbery Medal (2009)
--Locus Award for Best Young Adult Novel (2009)
--British Fantasy Award Nominee for Best Novel (2009)
--Cybils Award (2008)
--Audie Award Nominee for Thriller/Suspense (2009)
--American Library Association (ALA) Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) Notable Children's Book for Middle Readers (2009)
"Like a bite of dark Halloween chocolate, this novel proves rich, bittersweet and very satisfying." (Washington Post )
"Lucid, evocative prose and dark fairy-tale motifs imbue the story with a dreamlike quality. .this ghost-story-cum-coming-of-age-novel as readable as it is accomplished." (Horn Book (starred review) )
"The Graveyard Book is endlessly inventive, masterfully told and, like Bod himself, too clever to fit into only one place. This is a book for everyone. You will love it to death." (Holly Black, co-creator of The Spiderwick Chronicles )
"It takes a graveyard to raise a child. My favorite thing about this book was watching Bod grow up in his fine crumbly graveyard with his dead and living friends. The Graveyard Book is another surprising and terrific book from Neil Gaiman." (Audrey Niffenegger, author of The Time Traveler's Wife )
"Wistful, witty, wise-and creepy. This needs to be read by anyone who is or has ever been a child." (Kirkus Reviews (starred review) )
The Graveyard Book is everything everyone loves about Neil Gaiman, only multiplied many times over, a novel that showcases his effortless feel for narrative, his flawless instincts for suspense, and above all, his dark, almost silky sense of humor. (Joe Hill, author of Heart-Shaped Box )
"The Graveyard Book manages the remarkable feat of playing delightful jazz riffs on Kipling's classic Jungle Books. One might call this book a small jewel, but in fact it's much bigger within than it looks from the outside." (Peter S. Beagle, author of The Last Unicorn )
"After finishing The Graveyard Book, I had only one thought - I hope there's more. I want to see more of the adventures of Nobody Owens, and there is no higher praise for a book." (Laurell K. Hamilton, author of the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter novels )
"This is an utterly captivating tale that is cleverly told through an entertaining cast of ghostly characters. There is plenty of darkness, but the novel's ultimate message is strong and life affirming..this is a rich story with broad appeal. " (Booklist (starred review) )
"This is, quite frankly, the best book Neil Gaiman has ever written. How he has managed to combine fascinating, friendly, frightening and fearsome in one fantasy I shall never know, but he has pulled it off magnificently - perfect for Halloween and any other time of the year." (Diana Wynne Jones, author of The Chronicles of Chrestomanci )
"THE GRAVEYARD BOOK, by turns exciting and witty, sinister and tender, shows Gaiman at the top of his form. In this novel of wonder, Neil Gaiman follows in the footsteps of long-ago storytellers, weaving a tale of unforgettable enchantment." (New York Times Book Review )
"I wish my younger self could have had the opportunity to read and re-read this wonderful book, and my older self wishes that I had written it." (Garth Nix, author of The Abhorsen Trilogy )
CONNECTIONS
*Prepare a display of other Neil Gaiman books, as readers are sure to want more
*Compare and contract The Graveyard Book with Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book
*Watch the video on Gaiman’s website (http://www.mousecircus.com/videotour.aspx?VideoID=18) and have students choose a passage to practice reading aloud
Gaiman, Neil. 2008. The Graveyard Book (Audio). NY: Harper Children’s Audio. ISBN -- 9780061551895.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Neil Gaiman creates for readers (and listeners) a world where a toddler can escape a killer by taking refuge in a graveyard and makes the reader fully believe that a couple there adopt him as the child they never had. Not only is Nobody (Bod for short) adopted by the Owenses, but by all of the graveyard’s inhabitants.
As the tale unfolds, the ghosts seem more and more like they are the real people and the townspeople the odd ones. Bod is fed and clothed by his guardians, especially with the help of Silas, who is the only one who can actually leave the graveyard, but he is also furnished a well-rounded education by Silas, Miss Lupescu, and Mr. Pennyworth.
Gaiman fully utilizes the setting of the British graveyard but also includes the village and some of its inhabitants to teach the readers that life is not always fair, growing up is hard no matter who your parents are, most rules are established for good reasons, and good character will always have its enemies. Yet he teaches these life truths through an engaging story and admirable characters.
The audio version is read by the author whose English accent makes the story even more wonderful. Each character has a unique and suitable voice. For this listener, the entire experience was totally enjoyable.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
--Neil Gaiman is one of the true gems in the audio industry... Gaiman gives each specter a different—and wholly appropriate—voice... an absolute showstopper. A.H.A. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2009 Audies Winner © AudioFile 2008
Praise for the print version
--Hugo Award for Best Novel (2009)
--Newbery Medal (2009)
--Locus Award for Best Young Adult Novel (2009)
--British Fantasy Award Nominee for Best Novel (2009)
--Cybils Award (2008)
--Audie Award Nominee for Thriller/Suspense (2009)
--American Library Association (ALA) Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) Notable Children's Book for Middle Readers (2009)
"Like a bite of dark Halloween chocolate, this novel proves rich, bittersweet and very satisfying." (Washington Post )
"Lucid, evocative prose and dark fairy-tale motifs imbue the story with a dreamlike quality. .this ghost-story-cum-coming-of-age-novel as readable as it is accomplished." (Horn Book (starred review) )
"The Graveyard Book is endlessly inventive, masterfully told and, like Bod himself, too clever to fit into only one place. This is a book for everyone. You will love it to death." (Holly Black, co-creator of The Spiderwick Chronicles )
"It takes a graveyard to raise a child. My favorite thing about this book was watching Bod grow up in his fine crumbly graveyard with his dead and living friends. The Graveyard Book is another surprising and terrific book from Neil Gaiman." (Audrey Niffenegger, author of The Time Traveler's Wife )
"Wistful, witty, wise-and creepy. This needs to be read by anyone who is or has ever been a child." (Kirkus Reviews (starred review) )
The Graveyard Book is everything everyone loves about Neil Gaiman, only multiplied many times over, a novel that showcases his effortless feel for narrative, his flawless instincts for suspense, and above all, his dark, almost silky sense of humor. (Joe Hill, author of Heart-Shaped Box )
"The Graveyard Book manages the remarkable feat of playing delightful jazz riffs on Kipling's classic Jungle Books. One might call this book a small jewel, but in fact it's much bigger within than it looks from the outside." (Peter S. Beagle, author of The Last Unicorn )
"After finishing The Graveyard Book, I had only one thought - I hope there's more. I want to see more of the adventures of Nobody Owens, and there is no higher praise for a book." (Laurell K. Hamilton, author of the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter novels )
"This is an utterly captivating tale that is cleverly told through an entertaining cast of ghostly characters. There is plenty of darkness, but the novel's ultimate message is strong and life affirming..this is a rich story with broad appeal. " (Booklist (starred review) )
"This is, quite frankly, the best book Neil Gaiman has ever written. How he has managed to combine fascinating, friendly, frightening and fearsome in one fantasy I shall never know, but he has pulled it off magnificently - perfect for Halloween and any other time of the year." (Diana Wynne Jones, author of The Chronicles of Chrestomanci )
"THE GRAVEYARD BOOK, by turns exciting and witty, sinister and tender, shows Gaiman at the top of his form. In this novel of wonder, Neil Gaiman follows in the footsteps of long-ago storytellers, weaving a tale of unforgettable enchantment." (New York Times Book Review )
"I wish my younger self could have had the opportunity to read and re-read this wonderful book, and my older self wishes that I had written it." (Garth Nix, author of The Abhorsen Trilogy )
CONNECTIONS
*Prepare a display of other Neil Gaiman books, as readers are sure to want more
*Compare and contract The Graveyard Book with Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book
*Watch the video on Gaiman’s website (http://www.mousecircus.com/videotour.aspx?VideoID=18) and have students choose a passage to practice reading aloud
Book Review Module 6 -- Diary of a Wimpy Kid
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Kinney, Jeff. 2007. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Greg Heffley’s Journal. NY: Amulet Books. ISBN -- 9780810993136.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Jeff Kinney writes just what the title implies -- the diary of a kid, complete with illustrations. Greg Heffley is a completely believable character for anyone who has been or is currently enrolled in middle school. Greg has huge plans for his life (growing up to be rich and famous) which have little or nothing to do with his present reality (a short kid who does not like to do his homework or sports).
From bittersweet memories of head lice and the stinky-cheese touch (or dork touch, or whatever-touch) adults reading the book can remember and commiserate with middle school students and the misery that one school day can hold. The humorous illustrations add to the plot with dialogue in this otherwise monologue, which is a JOURNAL NOT A DIARY which was Greg’s Mom’s idea, anyway. Late elementary and all middle school students will definitely relate to Greg.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
From Publishers Weekly --Starred Review. Kinney has a gift for believable preteen dialogue and narration (e.g., "Don't expect me to be all 'Dear Diary' this and 'Dear Diary' that"), and the illustrations serve as a hilarious counterpoint to Greg's often deadpan voice...Kinney ably skewers familiar aspects of junior high life, from dealing with the mysteries of what makes someone popular to the trauma of a "wrestling unit" in gym class.
From School Library Journal -- Kinney does a masterful job of making the mundane life of boys on the brink of adolescence hilarious... it is an excellent choice for reluctant readers, but more experienced readers will also find much to enjoy and relate to in one seventh grader's view of the everyday trials and tribulations of middle school.
From Booklist -- ...laugh-out-loud novel ...short, episodic chapters...revolve around the adolescent male curse: the need to do incredibly dumb things because they seem to be a good idea at the time. Yet, unlike some other books about kids of this age, there's no sense of a slightly condescending adult writer behind the main character. At every moment, Greg seems real, and the engrossed reader will even occasionally see the logic in some of his choices. Greatly adding to the humor are Kinney's cartoons, which appear on every page. The simple line drawings perfectly capture archetypes of growing up, such as a preschool-age little brother, out-of-touch teachers, and an assortment of class nerds. Lots of fun throughout.
CONNECTIONS
*See this complete booklet of connections by an LSU LS student available at http://www.state.lib.la.us/empowerlibrary/Diary_of_a_Wimpy_Kid.doc
*Have students keep a diary for a set amount of time and have them illustrate it
*TeacherVision also has a great resource for extension activities with Wimpy Kid at http://www.teachervision.fen.com/childrens-book/diaries/28677.html?detoured=1
Kinney, Jeff. 2007. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Greg Heffley’s Journal. NY: Amulet Books. ISBN -- 9780810993136.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Jeff Kinney writes just what the title implies -- the diary of a kid, complete with illustrations. Greg Heffley is a completely believable character for anyone who has been or is currently enrolled in middle school. Greg has huge plans for his life (growing up to be rich and famous) which have little or nothing to do with his present reality (a short kid who does not like to do his homework or sports).
From bittersweet memories of head lice and the stinky-cheese touch (or dork touch, or whatever-touch) adults reading the book can remember and commiserate with middle school students and the misery that one school day can hold. The humorous illustrations add to the plot with dialogue in this otherwise monologue, which is a JOURNAL NOT A DIARY which was Greg’s Mom’s idea, anyway. Late elementary and all middle school students will definitely relate to Greg.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
From Publishers Weekly --Starred Review. Kinney has a gift for believable preteen dialogue and narration (e.g., "Don't expect me to be all 'Dear Diary' this and 'Dear Diary' that"), and the illustrations serve as a hilarious counterpoint to Greg's often deadpan voice...Kinney ably skewers familiar aspects of junior high life, from dealing with the mysteries of what makes someone popular to the trauma of a "wrestling unit" in gym class.
From School Library Journal -- Kinney does a masterful job of making the mundane life of boys on the brink of adolescence hilarious... it is an excellent choice for reluctant readers, but more experienced readers will also find much to enjoy and relate to in one seventh grader's view of the everyday trials and tribulations of middle school.
From Booklist -- ...laugh-out-loud novel ...short, episodic chapters...revolve around the adolescent male curse: the need to do incredibly dumb things because they seem to be a good idea at the time. Yet, unlike some other books about kids of this age, there's no sense of a slightly condescending adult writer behind the main character. At every moment, Greg seems real, and the engrossed reader will even occasionally see the logic in some of his choices. Greatly adding to the humor are Kinney's cartoons, which appear on every page. The simple line drawings perfectly capture archetypes of growing up, such as a preschool-age little brother, out-of-touch teachers, and an assortment of class nerds. Lots of fun throughout.
CONNECTIONS
*See this complete booklet of connections by an LSU LS student available at http://www.state.lib.la.us/empowerlibrary/Diary_of_a_Wimpy_Kid.doc
*Have students keep a diary for a set amount of time and have them illustrate it
*TeacherVision also has a great resource for extension activities with Wimpy Kid at http://www.teachervision.fen.com/childrens-book/diaries/28677.html?detoured=1
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Book Review Module 5 -- The Land
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Taylor, Mildred. 2001. THE LAND. NY: Phyllis Fogelman Books. ISBN 0803719507.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
As a lover of Mildred Taylor and the Logans, THE LAND was like a visit with a good friend. Recognizing some of the names from books later in the family’s story in this prequel gave me the same warm fuzzies as looking through old family photo albums. However, the rubric for evaluating historical fiction begs the question of the true quality of the work.
The characters are familiar, if only because the reader will recognize their descendants from other Taylor works. They must be believable, because Taylor fully explains her rationale for the work in the Acknowledgments; she took the characters from her own family’s stories. They do not, however, fit with any mainstream stories of Anglos and African Americans set during the same period. I know of no other white slave owners who recognized their children by slaves, especially none who allowed those children the same privileges as their legitimate children. Paul-Edward and Cassie were habitually fed at the table with their half-siblings and were taught to read and write. One must wonder if the family stories were embellished through the last 140 years, or if Taylor’s family really was so non-conformist. If so, how did they survive? The South was not known for encouraging individualism or even for allowing it.
If the reader can get past the question of believable characters, Taylor’s plot was a gripping tale of family, and friends, and hard work; love and marriage and death. The setting, again, was based on family lore. The story follows Paul-Edward from Georgia to East Texas to Mississippi, where Taylor’s other books are set. I particularly identified with the section on East Texas and the logging camps, imagining Paul-Edward on each slope of our land.
As a whole, I would recommend the book simply because it answers questions regarding the beginning of the Logan family. It does have its problems, but if readers loved Taylor’s other works, they will love THE LAND.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Readers...will grab this and be astonished by its powerful story. -- Booklist, starred review
Taylor's gift for combining history and storytelling is as evident here as in her other stories about the Logan family. -- Publishers Weekly, starred review
In this prequel to Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (Dial, 1976), readers meet the relatives of the Logan family who lived during Civil War and Reconstruction times... The ugliness of racial hatred and bigotry is clearly demonstrated throughout the book. The characters are crisply drawn and believable, although at times Paul's total honesty, forthrightness, and devotion to hard work seem almost too good to be true. While this book gives insight and background to the family saga, it stands on its own merits. It is wonderful historical fiction about a shameful part of America's past. Its length and use of the vernacular will discourage casual readers, but those who stick with it will be richly rewarded. For fans of the other Logan books, it is not to be missed. -- School Library Journal
CONNECTIONS
* Research the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments. How did they affect the lives of people like Paul-Edward Logan and other characters in the Logan stories?
*Research the Civil Rights Act of 1875.
*Assist students in writing their own family stories and family trees
*Display other Mildred Taylor books and encourage reading them in chronological order.
*Display other books about racism or discrimination which may include -- To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Sounder by William H. Armstrong, Color me dark : the diary of Nellie Lee Love, The great migration North by Pat McKissack, My name is Rachamim by Jonathan P. Kendall, Freedom Summer by Deborah Wiles and Jerome Lagarrigue, The Other Half of My Heart by Sundee T. Frazier, or Tofu Quilt by Ching Yeung Russell
Taylor, Mildred. 2001. THE LAND. NY: Phyllis Fogelman Books. ISBN 0803719507.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
As a lover of Mildred Taylor and the Logans, THE LAND was like a visit with a good friend. Recognizing some of the names from books later in the family’s story in this prequel gave me the same warm fuzzies as looking through old family photo albums. However, the rubric for evaluating historical fiction begs the question of the true quality of the work.
The characters are familiar, if only because the reader will recognize their descendants from other Taylor works. They must be believable, because Taylor fully explains her rationale for the work in the Acknowledgments; she took the characters from her own family’s stories. They do not, however, fit with any mainstream stories of Anglos and African Americans set during the same period. I know of no other white slave owners who recognized their children by slaves, especially none who allowed those children the same privileges as their legitimate children. Paul-Edward and Cassie were habitually fed at the table with their half-siblings and were taught to read and write. One must wonder if the family stories were embellished through the last 140 years, or if Taylor’s family really was so non-conformist. If so, how did they survive? The South was not known for encouraging individualism or even for allowing it.
If the reader can get past the question of believable characters, Taylor’s plot was a gripping tale of family, and friends, and hard work; love and marriage and death. The setting, again, was based on family lore. The story follows Paul-Edward from Georgia to East Texas to Mississippi, where Taylor’s other books are set. I particularly identified with the section on East Texas and the logging camps, imagining Paul-Edward on each slope of our land.
As a whole, I would recommend the book simply because it answers questions regarding the beginning of the Logan family. It does have its problems, but if readers loved Taylor’s other works, they will love THE LAND.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Readers...will grab this and be astonished by its powerful story. -- Booklist, starred review
Taylor's gift for combining history and storytelling is as evident here as in her other stories about the Logan family. -- Publishers Weekly, starred review
In this prequel to Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (Dial, 1976), readers meet the relatives of the Logan family who lived during Civil War and Reconstruction times... The ugliness of racial hatred and bigotry is clearly demonstrated throughout the book. The characters are crisply drawn and believable, although at times Paul's total honesty, forthrightness, and devotion to hard work seem almost too good to be true. While this book gives insight and background to the family saga, it stands on its own merits. It is wonderful historical fiction about a shameful part of America's past. Its length and use of the vernacular will discourage casual readers, but those who stick with it will be richly rewarded. For fans of the other Logan books, it is not to be missed. -- School Library Journal
CONNECTIONS
* Research the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments. How did they affect the lives of people like Paul-Edward Logan and other characters in the Logan stories?
*Research the Civil Rights Act of 1875.
*Assist students in writing their own family stories and family trees
*Display other Mildred Taylor books and encourage reading them in chronological order.
*Display other books about racism or discrimination which may include -- To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Sounder by William H. Armstrong, Color me dark : the diary of Nellie Lee Love, The great migration North by Pat McKissack, My name is Rachamim by Jonathan P. Kendall, Freedom Summer by Deborah Wiles and Jerome Lagarrigue, The Other Half of My Heart by Sundee T. Frazier, or Tofu Quilt by Ching Yeung Russell
Book Review -- Historical Fiction Module 5 -- Jip: His Story
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Paterson, Katherine. 1996. Jip: his story. NY: Lodestar Books. ISBN 0525675434.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Jip, short for Gypsy, lived on the poor farm where he was primarily responsible for the crops and livestock due to the manger’s laziness and inefficiency. Jip reportedly fell off the back of a gypsy’s wagon and was taken to the farm as an infant. Jip’s intelligence and compassion make living on the farm tolerable for himself and the other residents. When a raving lunatic is transferred to the farm, Jip finds himself also the primary caregiver for the lunatic, Put. Surprisingly, the “lunatic” is actually a wise man who befriends Jip and, when not suffering from an “episode”, helps Jip run the farm.
Paterson creates wonderfully complex characters who could very easily be transported to any time or place. Put could just as easily be a homeless man from any city, and the lazy manger could be any bureaucrat living off the toil of others. Paterson’s plot, too, is amazingly complex for such a short work and is suitable for a range from lower grades to college level. Her style is direct -- easy for the lower grades or older second language learners.
As the plot unfolds, the reader learns that Jip’s story is not as simple as it appears. Jip gets to attend school for a short while and is hungry for knowledge. There he is exposed to Dickens’s OLIVER TWIST and his dream of a family searching for him is fanned to full flame. When a stranger comes to town and hints that Jip does have a father who is searching for him, Jip is sure that his dreams will soon come true. Through hope and loss, Jip learns some hard truths about his past and the world he lives in which is just on the brink of a civil war.
Paterson reveals what ultimately happens to Jip in an endnote, and though the journey cost him dearly, Jip finally has his happy ending. It is just an ending that neither Jip nor the reader could have foreseen.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
This historical novel about a maltreated orphan "is full of revelations and surprises," said PW's starred review; "first-rate entertainment." -- Publisher's Weekly
Paterson's companion novel to Lyddie (Lodestar, 1991) rewards readers with memorable characters and a gripping plot…Paterson's story resonates with respect for the Vermont landscape and its mid-19th-century residents, with the drama of life during a dark period in our nation's history, and with the human quest for freedom. Fans of the previous book will relish meeting up with Lyddie and Luke again at a somewhat later period in their lives. Readers will be talking and thinking about this book long after they finish the last chapter.-- School Library Journal
What a story. It's not often that the revelations of the plot are so astonishing--and yet so inevitable--that they make you shout and think and shiver and cry. Paterson has taken the old orphan foundling tale, set it in Vermont in the 1850s, and made it new. …There are some problems with this book. Jip is idealized, too saintly to be true; in fact, as in Dickens, most of the characters are either totally good or totally bad. But the time and the place are drawn with powerful realism. Paterson's simple sentences lay bare the dark historical truth and the transforming light of love.--starred review Booklist
… As usual for Paterson, all the characterizations are penetrating--even the villains are interesting... Unfortunately, the ending is abrupt...and it is not clear what lesson Jip derives... Regardless, this is fine historical fiction.-- Kirkus Reviews
CONNECTIONS
*Create a Venn diagram of “then and now” on subjects found in the novel. These could include the following: treatment of orphans, the mentally ill, or the poor, OR attitudes toward education, schools, or teachers. Based on http://literacy.kent.edu/Oasis/Pubs/0300-25.pdf
*Have students compare the slaves on the Underground Railroad to the Jews trying to escape the Holocaust
*Locate and display other books about slavery and the Underground Railroad
Paterson, Katherine. 1996. Jip: his story. NY: Lodestar Books. ISBN 0525675434.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Jip, short for Gypsy, lived on the poor farm where he was primarily responsible for the crops and livestock due to the manger’s laziness and inefficiency. Jip reportedly fell off the back of a gypsy’s wagon and was taken to the farm as an infant. Jip’s intelligence and compassion make living on the farm tolerable for himself and the other residents. When a raving lunatic is transferred to the farm, Jip finds himself also the primary caregiver for the lunatic, Put. Surprisingly, the “lunatic” is actually a wise man who befriends Jip and, when not suffering from an “episode”, helps Jip run the farm.
Paterson creates wonderfully complex characters who could very easily be transported to any time or place. Put could just as easily be a homeless man from any city, and the lazy manger could be any bureaucrat living off the toil of others. Paterson’s plot, too, is amazingly complex for such a short work and is suitable for a range from lower grades to college level. Her style is direct -- easy for the lower grades or older second language learners.
As the plot unfolds, the reader learns that Jip’s story is not as simple as it appears. Jip gets to attend school for a short while and is hungry for knowledge. There he is exposed to Dickens’s OLIVER TWIST and his dream of a family searching for him is fanned to full flame. When a stranger comes to town and hints that Jip does have a father who is searching for him, Jip is sure that his dreams will soon come true. Through hope and loss, Jip learns some hard truths about his past and the world he lives in which is just on the brink of a civil war.
Paterson reveals what ultimately happens to Jip in an endnote, and though the journey cost him dearly, Jip finally has his happy ending. It is just an ending that neither Jip nor the reader could have foreseen.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
This historical novel about a maltreated orphan "is full of revelations and surprises," said PW's starred review; "first-rate entertainment." -- Publisher's Weekly
Paterson's companion novel to Lyddie (Lodestar, 1991) rewards readers with memorable characters and a gripping plot…Paterson's story resonates with respect for the Vermont landscape and its mid-19th-century residents, with the drama of life during a dark period in our nation's history, and with the human quest for freedom. Fans of the previous book will relish meeting up with Lyddie and Luke again at a somewhat later period in their lives. Readers will be talking and thinking about this book long after they finish the last chapter.-- School Library Journal
What a story. It's not often that the revelations of the plot are so astonishing--and yet so inevitable--that they make you shout and think and shiver and cry. Paterson has taken the old orphan foundling tale, set it in Vermont in the 1850s, and made it new. …There are some problems with this book. Jip is idealized, too saintly to be true; in fact, as in Dickens, most of the characters are either totally good or totally bad. But the time and the place are drawn with powerful realism. Paterson's simple sentences lay bare the dark historical truth and the transforming light of love.--starred review Booklist
… As usual for Paterson, all the characterizations are penetrating--even the villains are interesting... Unfortunately, the ending is abrupt...and it is not clear what lesson Jip derives... Regardless, this is fine historical fiction.-- Kirkus Reviews
CONNECTIONS
*Create a Venn diagram of “then and now” on subjects found in the novel. These could include the following: treatment of orphans, the mentally ill, or the poor, OR attitudes toward education, schools, or teachers. Based on http://literacy.kent.edu/Oasis/Pubs/0300-25.pdf
*Have students compare the slaves on the Underground Railroad to the Jews trying to escape the Holocaust
*Locate and display other books about slavery and the Underground Railroad
Book Review Module 5 -- Historical Fiction -- Rodzina
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Cushman, Karen. 2003. Rodzina. NY: Clarion. ISBN 0618133518.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Karen Cushman’s Rodzina offers a look at the 19th century orphan trains through the unique perspective of a young Polish girl. Cushman’s research is evident not just with the extensive bibliography, but through the seamless weave of historical detail and realistic story.
Rodzina Clara Jadwiga Anastazya Brodski may be just 12 years old, but she has already suffered the loss of her beloved parents and brothers. She expects nothing better when she is “selected” to board an orphan train headed west from Chicago in March of 1881. She is sure she will not be adopted, and if she is unlucky enough to be selected, she knows she will be doomed to a life of slavery. The plot of the story unfolds as the train continues its journey west, and readers appreciate the hardships of life on a train. Through freezing weather, days-old sandwiches, withered apples, the plight of orphans is revealed to the reader.
We are also introduced to the other orphans, who play lesser roles to Rodzina and Miss Doctor, the female chaperone who is also displaced and heading west to an unknown future. Miss Doctor is in the unfortunate position of being an educated woman in the latter 19th century, when women are supposed to be at home looking after their husbands. Unfortunately, Miss Doctor’s dreams are not so staid. Rodzina and Miss Doctor are at odds throughout the journey, and through their conflict, the reader is able to grasp the strength of these two females is a male-dominated world.
Cushman’s style, familiar to readers through A Midwife's Apprentice, effectively deals with the harsh realities as well as the tender moments experienced on this ride to California and the conflicts and that are resolved for an ultimately happy ending.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
"Rodzina is prickly, stubborn, and heart-sore but she's also honest, likable and smart...Enough unpredictability to nicely unsettle expectations." --The Horn Book
“It is 1881, and twelve-year-old Rodzina Clara Jadwiga Anastazya Brodski finds herself on an orphan train bound from Chicago to the west where, she is sure, she will be sold into slavery. . . . Rodzina’s musings and observations provide poignancy, humor, and a keen sense of the human and topographical landscape.”—School Library Journal, Starred
“A natural for American history or social studies classes, this is especially interesting as a women’s history title, with Rodzina portrayed as an unromantic protagonist, big, angry, tough. . . . Cushman talks about the history in a lengthy final note, and she includes a bibliography of other orphan books.”—Booklist, Starred
Booklist Top 10 Historical Fiction for Youth
CONNECTIONS**
• Divide students into groups. Assign them various cities that are mentioned in the book: Chicago, Illinois; Grand Island, Nebraska; Cheyenne, Wyoming; Ogden, Utah; Virginia City, Nevada; Reno, Nevada; Oakland, California. Have students research their assigned city and write an essay comparing and contrasting life in the 1800’s and today.
• Have students create a Polish-themed poster, with photographs of people, places or things associated with Poland or Polish-American culture.
• Have students trace on a map the route Rodzina’s train took, starting in Chicago and ending in California.
• Invite someone to your classroom that has either lived in orphanage, rode an Orphan Train or immigrated to the United States. Have each student compose a question and ask the guest.
**Taken from Kraemer, Courtney. Unk. Youth Services Librarian, Terrebonne Parish Library, Houma, LA. Available http://www.state.lib.la.us/empowerlibrary/2006%203-5%20Rodzina.pdf.
Cushman, Karen. 2003. Rodzina. NY: Clarion. ISBN 0618133518.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Karen Cushman’s Rodzina offers a look at the 19th century orphan trains through the unique perspective of a young Polish girl. Cushman’s research is evident not just with the extensive bibliography, but through the seamless weave of historical detail and realistic story.
Rodzina Clara Jadwiga Anastazya Brodski may be just 12 years old, but she has already suffered the loss of her beloved parents and brothers. She expects nothing better when she is “selected” to board an orphan train headed west from Chicago in March of 1881. She is sure she will not be adopted, and if she is unlucky enough to be selected, she knows she will be doomed to a life of slavery. The plot of the story unfolds as the train continues its journey west, and readers appreciate the hardships of life on a train. Through freezing weather, days-old sandwiches, withered apples, the plight of orphans is revealed to the reader.
We are also introduced to the other orphans, who play lesser roles to Rodzina and Miss Doctor, the female chaperone who is also displaced and heading west to an unknown future. Miss Doctor is in the unfortunate position of being an educated woman in the latter 19th century, when women are supposed to be at home looking after their husbands. Unfortunately, Miss Doctor’s dreams are not so staid. Rodzina and Miss Doctor are at odds throughout the journey, and through their conflict, the reader is able to grasp the strength of these two females is a male-dominated world.
Cushman’s style, familiar to readers through A Midwife's Apprentice, effectively deals with the harsh realities as well as the tender moments experienced on this ride to California and the conflicts and that are resolved for an ultimately happy ending.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
"Rodzina is prickly, stubborn, and heart-sore but she's also honest, likable and smart...Enough unpredictability to nicely unsettle expectations." --The Horn Book
“It is 1881, and twelve-year-old Rodzina Clara Jadwiga Anastazya Brodski finds herself on an orphan train bound from Chicago to the west where, she is sure, she will be sold into slavery. . . . Rodzina’s musings and observations provide poignancy, humor, and a keen sense of the human and topographical landscape.”—School Library Journal, Starred
“A natural for American history or social studies classes, this is especially interesting as a women’s history title, with Rodzina portrayed as an unromantic protagonist, big, angry, tough. . . . Cushman talks about the history in a lengthy final note, and she includes a bibliography of other orphan books.”—Booklist, Starred
Booklist Top 10 Historical Fiction for Youth
CONNECTIONS**
• Divide students into groups. Assign them various cities that are mentioned in the book: Chicago, Illinois; Grand Island, Nebraska; Cheyenne, Wyoming; Ogden, Utah; Virginia City, Nevada; Reno, Nevada; Oakland, California. Have students research their assigned city and write an essay comparing and contrasting life in the 1800’s and today.
• Have students create a Polish-themed poster, with photographs of people, places or things associated with Poland or Polish-American culture.
• Have students trace on a map the route Rodzina’s train took, starting in Chicago and ending in California.
• Invite someone to your classroom that has either lived in orphanage, rode an Orphan Train or immigrated to the United States. Have each student compose a question and ask the guest.
**Taken from Kraemer, Courtney. Unk. Youth Services Librarian, Terrebonne Parish Library, Houma, LA. Available http://www.state.lib.la.us/empowerlibrary/2006%203-5%20Rodzina.pdf.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Book Review -- Module 4 -- Informational Books -- Michelangelo
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Stanley, Diane. 2000. MICHELANGELO. NY: HarperCollins. ISBN 0688150861.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Diane Stanley biography presents interesting facts (with bibliography) interspersed with original watercolor, colored pencil and gouache. The illustrations are not prize-winning, but they do flow well with the story. One exception is the Adobe Photoshop-manipulated photos of actual Michelangelo works. Stanley attempts to combine her original work with that of the master, and the effect is a glaring offense to the senses. The sympathy behind the attempts is laudable, but she does not effectively carry out her plan.
The text, on the other hand, is fresh, interesting, and authentic. Stanley manages to convey many facts in a manner that is not overbearing or patronizing. She begins as most biographies do, at the beginning. One interesting point is that very little of the information is of personal nature. Only a couple of times do we get glimpses of Michelangelo the person rather than Michelangelo the artist. Once is when he is referring to his love of architecture. He remarked that it must have come to him along with his foster mother’s milk. Another is later in life when remarking upon his lack of a wife. “I already have a wife who is too much for me; one who keeps me unceasingly struggling on. It is my art, and my works are my children.”
REVIEW EXCERPTS
There is no one like Stanley (Leonardo da Vinci; Joan of Arc) for picture-book biography. She brings to the genre an uncanny ability to clarify and compress dense and tricky historical matter, scrupulous attention to visual and verbal nuances, and a self-fulfilling faith in her readers' intelligence. … Unfortunately, the digital techniques she used to good effect in Leonardo collaging in photos of her subject's work are not successful here. The … effect blemishes an otherwise outstanding work. Ages 8-up. (Sept.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --Publisher’s Weekly
Grade 4-7-As Michelangelo breathed life into stone, Stanley chisels three-dimensionality out of documents. Her bibliography lists original material as well as respected scholarship; from these sources she has crafted a picture-book biography that is as readable as it is useful. … An author's note and map provide historical context, the former explaining the impact of the classical excavations on the Renaissance sensibilities. Integrating Michelangelo's art with Stanley's watercolor, gouache, and colored-pencil figures and settings has the desired effect: readers will be dazzled with the master's ability, while at the same time pulled into his daily life and struggles. … For further information, readers may sample Gabriella Di Cagno's Michelangelo (1996) or Vittorio Giudici's The Sistine Chapel (2000, both Peter Bedrick). For fascinating facts with an attitude, try Veronique Milande's Michelangelo and His Times (Holt, 1996).
Wendy Lukehart, Dauphin County Library, Harrisburg, PA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. -- School Library Journal
Stanley continues her series of outstanding biographies, but this time she puts a new twist on some venerable art by using computer images. One of the most pleasing things about Stanley's books is the way her sturdy texts stand up to her strong artwork. That's particularly evident here, as she tells the story of Michelangelo's turbulent life in a style that is so readable, and occasionally so colloquial, that even children not readily interested in the subject will be drawn in. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association.--Booklist
"...Images of Michelangelo's art are photo-based and computer manipulated, and they're seamlessly integrated into the compositions...an in-depth picture of Michelangelo..." -- -- Bulletin of the Center for Children' s Books
CONNECTIONS
*Collect photographs of all of Michelangelo’s works and have students try to remember which ones they remember from his biography
*Get clay and have students try sculpting
*Collect other Michelangelo biographies and have students compare and contrast the information they find in each
Stanley, Diane. 2000. MICHELANGELO. NY: HarperCollins. ISBN 0688150861.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Diane Stanley biography presents interesting facts (with bibliography) interspersed with original watercolor, colored pencil and gouache. The illustrations are not prize-winning, but they do flow well with the story. One exception is the Adobe Photoshop-manipulated photos of actual Michelangelo works. Stanley attempts to combine her original work with that of the master, and the effect is a glaring offense to the senses. The sympathy behind the attempts is laudable, but she does not effectively carry out her plan.
The text, on the other hand, is fresh, interesting, and authentic. Stanley manages to convey many facts in a manner that is not overbearing or patronizing. She begins as most biographies do, at the beginning. One interesting point is that very little of the information is of personal nature. Only a couple of times do we get glimpses of Michelangelo the person rather than Michelangelo the artist. Once is when he is referring to his love of architecture. He remarked that it must have come to him along with his foster mother’s milk. Another is later in life when remarking upon his lack of a wife. “I already have a wife who is too much for me; one who keeps me unceasingly struggling on. It is my art, and my works are my children.”
REVIEW EXCERPTS
There is no one like Stanley (Leonardo da Vinci; Joan of Arc) for picture-book biography. She brings to the genre an uncanny ability to clarify and compress dense and tricky historical matter, scrupulous attention to visual and verbal nuances, and a self-fulfilling faith in her readers' intelligence. … Unfortunately, the digital techniques she used to good effect in Leonardo collaging in photos of her subject's work are not successful here. The … effect blemishes an otherwise outstanding work. Ages 8-up. (Sept.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --Publisher’s Weekly
Grade 4-7-As Michelangelo breathed life into stone, Stanley chisels three-dimensionality out of documents. Her bibliography lists original material as well as respected scholarship; from these sources she has crafted a picture-book biography that is as readable as it is useful. … An author's note and map provide historical context, the former explaining the impact of the classical excavations on the Renaissance sensibilities. Integrating Michelangelo's art with Stanley's watercolor, gouache, and colored-pencil figures and settings has the desired effect: readers will be dazzled with the master's ability, while at the same time pulled into his daily life and struggles. … For further information, readers may sample Gabriella Di Cagno's Michelangelo (1996) or Vittorio Giudici's The Sistine Chapel (2000, both Peter Bedrick). For fascinating facts with an attitude, try Veronique Milande's Michelangelo and His Times (Holt, 1996).
Wendy Lukehart, Dauphin County Library, Harrisburg, PA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. -- School Library Journal
Stanley continues her series of outstanding biographies, but this time she puts a new twist on some venerable art by using computer images. One of the most pleasing things about Stanley's books is the way her sturdy texts stand up to her strong artwork. That's particularly evident here, as she tells the story of Michelangelo's turbulent life in a style that is so readable, and occasionally so colloquial, that even children not readily interested in the subject will be drawn in. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association.--Booklist
"...Images of Michelangelo's art are photo-based and computer manipulated, and they're seamlessly integrated into the compositions...an in-depth picture of Michelangelo..." -- -- Bulletin of the Center for Children' s Books
CONNECTIONS
*Collect photographs of all of Michelangelo’s works and have students try to remember which ones they remember from his biography
*Get clay and have students try sculpting
*Collect other Michelangelo biographies and have students compare and contrast the information they find in each
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