GENRE 5 - HISTORICAL FICTION

ELIJAH OF BUXTON
by Christopher Paul Curtis

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Curtis, Christopher Paul. 2007. ELIJUAH OF BUXTON. New York, NY: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0-439-02344-0.

PLOT SUMMARY

Christopher Curtis’s, ELIJAH OF BUXTON, tells about a boy named Elijah, the first child born in freedom in his family. Living in a slave free, black community in Canada, Elijah’s family had escaped the oppression of the pre-Emancipation Proclamation and pre-Civil War frayed United States. Going about his daily routines, Elijah was faced with a dilemma when the preacher steals money that was supposed to be used to help others buy their freedom in the United States. Elijah shows his bravery when he is goes to the U.S. to get the money back. He soon discovered what his ancestors had endured.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The characters are very believable, donning personalities that are familiar and heartwarming.  The characters use language that is appropriate for it's time and for their culture.  The descriptions of their actions are colorful and enjoyable.  Having a conversation with the boys about hoop snakes, the preacher declares that after being bit, one's body explodes and they die of starvation.  Cooter questions this and the preachers replies, "Because, Cooter, no matter how much food you swallow, it simply falls through the hole where your internal organs used to be and drops to the ground right in front of you!" 

The plot allows the reader to learn about this time in history in a very accurate and meaningful way.  Young readers can easily relate to the feeling of Elijuh, making it easy for the readers to put themselves in his "shoes."  The plot is not overloaded with details, but rather brings them into the story in the events.  The setting is a very integral part of the story, from Canada to America.  The descriptions are vivid throughout the story, but the author's notes tell about Buxton and its importance.

The theme reflects the morals of the times, but is more reflective of history than of modern times.  However, the characters help to make the story timeless.  Treating men equal, living the good life, taking care of loved ones are all universal themes.

The author's voice captures the flavor of the times along with the speech pattern of that culture.  Many of the words are written with a slang.  An example of this is when Ma shook her head and said, "'Lijah, 'Lijah, 'Lijah. What'm I gunn do 'bout you?..."  The information is accurate and authentic.  The facts are intermingled throughout the novel to make it fun to read.

REVIEWS
Booklist starred (September 1, 2007 (Vol. 104, No. 1)
Grades 6-8.  Narrator Elijah tells an episodic story that builds a broad picture of Buxton’s residents before plunging into the dramatic events that take him out of Buxton and, quite possibly, out of his depth. In the author’s note, Curtis relates the difficulty of tackling the subject of slavery realistically through a child’s first-person perspective. Here, readers learn about conditions in slavery at a distance, though the horrors become increasingly apparent.  Many readers drawn to the book by humor will find themselves at times on the edges of their seats in suspense and, at other moments, moved to tears. A fine, original novel from a gifted storyteller.

Horn Book (November/December, 2007)
The story of the Underground Railroad, which led escaping slaves to Canada, has been richly celebrated in fiction.  There is no easy happy ending here, but, in a heart-rending scene, Elijah reacts with courtesy, courage, and respect, according the wretched their dignity and giving them the one gift of freedom in his power. This arresting, surprising novel of reluctant heroism is about nothing less than nobility.

Kirkus Review starred (August 15, 2007)
This is Curtis's best novel yet, and no doubt many readers, young and old, will finish and say, "This is one of the best books I have ever read." (author's note) (Fiction. 9+)

Library Media Connection (January 2008)
Award winner Christopher Paul Curtis doesn't fail to deliver with his latest novel. Curtis deals with the difficult topic of slavery from a youthful perspective, allowing Elijah to learn of its sadness and pain first hand. This is done without overwhelming the reader, by infusing the novel with humor. Character development and voice are great strengths of this terrific novel. Highly Recommended. Spencer Korson, Media Specialist, Bullock Creek High School & Middle School, Midland, Michigan

Publishers Weekly (September 10, 2007)
 The powerful ending is violent and unsettling, yet also manages to be uplifting. Ages 9-12. (Oct.) Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal (October 1, 2007)
Gr 4-8  Curtis's talent for dealing with painful periods of history with grace and sensitivity is as strong as ever.-Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.

AWARDS
Coretta Scott King Award 2008
Newbery Honor Book for 2008

CONNECTIONS
Days of Jubilee: The End of Slavery in the United States by Fredrick McKissack and Patricia McKissack
The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick
An Acceptable Time by Madeleine L'Engle
First in the Field: Baseball Hero Jackie Robinson by Derek T. Dingle
Sitting Bull Remembers by Wendell Minor and Ann Warren Turner

ACTIVITIES
Research about the underground railroad
Compare and Contrast the lives of the slaves to the freed slaves of Buxton

THE EARTH DRAGON AWAITS: THE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE OF 1906
by Laurence Yep

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Yep, Laurence. 2006.
THE EARTH DRAGON AWAITS: THE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE OF 1906. New York, NY: HarperCollins Children's Books. ISBN 0-060-27524-3.

PLOT SUMMARY

THE EARTH DRAGON AWAITS: THE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE OF 1906  is a historical fiction book based on a true story about the earthquake and fire that destroyed San Francisco in 1906.  Yep tells the story through the fictional characters of a family, their houseboy and his son, and others they meet through their struggle to survive.  Even though the characters are made up, the facts that surround the incident are true, including the night before the quake and some events that followed.  The story begins with in the Travis family home, with Ah Sing and his son, Chin, there too.  The Travis couple goes out for the evening, leaving Henry at home with Ah Sing.  When they return, Ah Sing and Chin return to China Town.  San Francisco and the surrounding area is awoken the following morning to an earth shaking event that will change their lives and the history of San Francisco forever.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Readers can identify with the characters in this story because Yep paints the picture of a normal family living in the city.  One important character in the story is the family dog.  Evidently, animals can feel the earth moving long before people can.  All the characters are very believable.  Little things like the fact that Mrs. Travis had an umbrella collection point to the fact that it rains often in San Fransisco.  The umbrellas play an important role in the plot as well.  The fact is that a wild horse really was stopped by people flapping umbrellas at him.  In this story, it was the Travis's.  Having a "houseboy" was also a very common occurrence in the early 1900's. 

Throughout the novel, Yep kept the details authentic to the time period, however the plot is not overwhelmed by details.  Rather, Yep worked the details into the plot in less assuming ways.  Also, the book is designed so that the chapters rotate between what Chin and his dad are experiencing, the Travis's, and facts about the event.
The setting is not only an integral part of the story, but what the story is about.  Yep is very clear about the various parts of San Francisco, which makes it interesting to visit today.  People still talk about the events of the earthquake and the Great Fire of San Francisco.  Moreover, quakes of today are often compared to the one of 1906.  The story is timeless and enjoyable to read no matter when you were born.  The statement that really captured just how profound the devastation was was a little sentence in the chapter where the library burned.  He says, "the wisdom of the ages turns to ashes."

This historical book is a "must read," easily accomplished in a short time due to it's simple terminology.

REVIEWS
School Library JournalGr 3-7-Yep covers all the most significant repercussions of the event, its aftershocks, and days of devastating fires, and peppers the story with interesting true-to-life anecdotes.  But the story as a whole should appeal to reluctant readers. Its "natural disaster" subject is both timely and topical, and Yep weaves snippets of information on plate tectonics and more very neatly around his prose. A solid supplemental choice.-Catherine Threadgill, Charleston County Public Library, SC Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews This is a timely reminder of a historical disaster that turned over 2000 acres of city into a wasteland. Each chapter is headed with a time and place to help less than proficient readers keep track of the narrative strands. Simple sentence structure and the use of present tense throughout make this a very accessible introduction. With little character development, the focus is on the what rather than the who. Still, this is solid historical fiction full of details about the times and backed up with an afterword explaining the author's connection and suggesting sources for further reading. It is notable especially for the attention paid to the experience of San Francisco's Chinese immigrants, and a good choice for reluctant readers. (Historical fiction. 3-6)

AWARDS
Georgia Book Award Nominees for 2007-2008

CONNECTIONS
Related Titles About San Fransisco:
ABCDrive! by Howland, N
Barrio: José’s neighborhood by Ancona, George
The cable car and the dragon by Caen, Herb; illustrated by Byfield, Barbara Nind
The City by the Bay: a magical journey around San Francisco by Brown, Tricia and the Junior League of San Francisco; illustrated by Kleven, Elisa
Celebrating Hanukkah by Hoyt-Goldsmith, Diane
Dancers in the garden by Ryder, Joanne; illustrated by Lopez, Judith
Earthquake by Lee, Milly; illustrated by Choi, Yangsook
Goodnight San Francisco by Gamble, Adam; illustrated by Cohen, Santiago
Hannah is my name by Yang, Belle
He's got the whole world in his hands by Nelson, Kadir

ACTIVITIES

Make travel brochure about San Fransisco
Research earthquakes
Research trolleys
Research the Chinese culture
Contact a classroom from China through the internet for penpals - http://www.studentsoftheworld.info/penpals/penpal_ads.php?Pays_Choisi=CHN

Contact a classroom from San Francisco for penpals


MOON OVER MAIFEST
by Clare Vanderpool

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Vanderpool, Sy. 2010. MOON OVER MANIFEST. New York, NY: Delacourt Press. ISBN 0-385-73883-8 .

PLOT SUMMARY

In this historical novel by Clare Vanderpool, twelve-year old Abilene Tucker was sent by her father to the somewhat deserted, lackluster town of Manifest, Kansas, to live with Pastor Shady Howard while her father worked in Iowa during the 1930s. When Abilene arrived she was bewildered about why her dad would send her there and was even more confused about why no one in town wanted to speak of her dad. Then Abilene found a hidden box of mystifying objects which led to her investigation of her dad’s past. While exploring, Abilene visits an elderly diviner who enlightens her with gripping stories from years past about two boys. This book offers enjoyable reading, urging readers to put the puzzles together in pursue of solving the mystery.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Vanderpool created characters who make the story believable and somewhat lovable.  Abilene is easy to identify with, whether one is thinking back to that age or living through it now.  The time period, early to mid1900's is represented in many ways, such as the way that the children were expected to entertain themselves and the modes of  transportation. "The movement of the train rocked me like a lullaby."

Sadie, the diviner, helped to bring the novel to live as well.  The novel almost seems to be as much her story as it is Abilene's.  The setting is very important to the plot, giving Abilene a reason to solve the mystery of her dad and his place in the town.  "Thinking of spies and people going insane made everyone seem a little frightening." The scenery is vividly described and contributes to the realness of the story.
Wanting to know one's heritage and family secrets is a universal theme in life.  This story is relevant at anytime.

REVIEWS
Booklist starred (October 15, 2010 (Vol. 107, No. 4))
Grades 5-8.  Vanderpool weaves humor and sorrow into a complex tale involving murders, orphans, bootlegging, and a mother in hiding. With believable dialogue, vocabulary and imagery appropriate to time and place, and well-developed characters, this rich and rewarding first novel is “like sucking on a butterscotch. Smooth and sweet.”

Kirkus Review starred (September 15, 2010)
Abilene and readers get so caught up in the past in this richly detailed, splendidly written novel that they easily make the transition between the Depression and WWI eras and long to learn more about the town that once was. Readers will love guessing how Abilene's dad fits into all the stories and townspeople's memories. The absolute necessity of story as a way to redemption and healing past wounds is at the heart of this beautiful debut, and readers will cherish every word up to the heartbreaking yet hopeful and deeply gratifying ending. (author's note) (Historical fiction. 10-14)

Library Media Connection (May/June 2011)
Anyone interested in historical fiction would be mesmerized by this story, even students who enjoy stories about adventurous kids will be satisfied. Recommended. Annette M. Mills, School Librarian, Triad High School, Troy, Illinois

Publishers Weekly (September 27, 2010)
Replete with historical details and surprises, Vanderpool's debut delights, while giving insight into family and community. Ages 9-12. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

School Library Journal (November 1, 2010)
Gr 5-8-  This thoroughly enjoyable, unique page-turner is a definite winner.-Renee Steinberg, formerly at Fieldstone Middle School, Montvale, NJ (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

AWARDS
Children's Books of the Year 2011 - 12 to 14
Newbery Medal Winner - 2011
Notable Children's Books 2011 - Older Readers
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People 2011

CONNECTIONS

Firehorse by Diane L. Wilson
Heart of a Shepherd by Rosanne Parry
Night Fires by George Edward Stanley
Tales from the Homeplace: Adventures of a Texas by Harriet Burandt and Shelley Dale
Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
Standing in the Light: The Captive Diary of  Catharine Carey Logan by Mary Pope Osborne

ACTIVITIES

Give students a lunch sack and have them bring 5 things in the unmarked sack that will give clues about them, then have them guess who brought the items.
Research spies and how they interact
Research the depression

GENRE 4 - NONFICTION AND BIOGRAPHY

THE TARANTULA SCIENTIST
text by Sy Montgomery
photographs by Nic Bishop

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Montgomery, Sy. 2004. THE TARANTULA SCIENTIST. Ill. by Nic Bishop. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin . ISBN 0-618-14799-3.

PLOT SUMMARY

THE TARANTULA SCIENTIST is an informational book about arachnids, hard to hold and read if you are an arachnophobia like me!  Montgomery teaches us about tarantulas and other arachnids, from spiders to scorpions, in a very adventurous way.  "Here she comes, he announces. She thunders out of the hole."  There is a map in the front of the book which comes in handy as Montgomery leads readers from one country to another in search of the several species of the big spiders.   

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The information in THE TARANTULA SCIENTIST is very detailed and Montgomery proves to be a true authority on tarantulas and the likes.  "He knows exactly what he is doing.  Sam is a spider scientist, or arachnololgist (pronounced "ar-rack-NAWL-o-gist")."  It is also helpful that the pronunciation of potential unfamiliar words is included in the text.

THE TARANTULA SCIENTIST is a very well organized book, leading readers from place to place in search of tarantulas, all the while giving information about other animals encountered along the way.   By the end of the book, the author mentions that readers can purchase their own tarantulas for pets.  A glossary is included at the end to help clear up any questions about terms used in the book. 

The book is very attractive, if you could call pictures of tarantulas, vinegaroons, poisonous frogs, etc to be attractive.  Just holding the book gives you the feeling that spiders are crawling on you!    The pictures are vivid in color, large, and certainly add to the information in the book.  The photos are well coordinated with the information on the page.  Going from place to place to enlighten readers about spiders helps keep the design simple and easy to follow.

The author and illustrator work well together to entice readers to learn about tarantulas.  They provide an abundance of information but in a way that the reader is not overwhelmed.  THE TARANTULA SCIENTIST unquestionably peeks curiosity and leads one to think.  "Amanda want to investigate their courtship and child rearing.  Do theses tarantulas also have a courtship dance? She'll be the first to find out."  All through the book questions are raised that encourage discovery. 

REVIEW EXCERPTS
Booklist (March 15, 2004 (Vol. 100, No. 14))
Gr. 4-7. Montgomery and Bishop, who worked together on Snake Scientist (1999), team up once again to deliver another fascinating slice of the natural world. Readers will come away armed with facts about spiders in general and tarantulas in particular, but even more important, they'll have a clear understanding of how the answers derived from research become the roots of new, intriguing questions.

Horn Book (July/August, 2004)
Writer and photographer team up again to bring us another excellent entry in the Scientist in the Field series. We follow arachnologist Sam Marshall on a field expedition to South America, and then back to his laboratory in Ohio to investigate several tarantula species. Information about spider basics, spider silk, and how to observe your own local spiders is woven into the main narrative. Montgomery is effective in showing how scientists' research questions integrate their field and laboratory study, and how Marshall's enthusiasm drives his scientific work.

Horn Book starred (Fall 2004)

This book follows arachnologist Sam Marshall on an expedition to South America to investigate several tarantula species. Information about spider basics, spider silk, and how to observe your own local spiders is woven into the main narrative. The color photography is so interesting that even the squeamish may take a second look at the hairy tarantulas portrayed in close detail. Websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Kirkus Review starred (February 15, 2004)
 Montgomery has a gift for scene-setting, describing Marshall's activities in just enough detail. She deftly weaves clear explanations and comparisons into the main text (" . . . their 'skin' is called an exoskeleton, because exo-like exit-means 'outside' "). Bishop's phenomenal photos show spiders mating, shedding their skin, even leaping through the air. It's enough to make Miss Muffet fall in love. (Nonfiction. 8-14)

School Library Journal (May 1, 2004)
Gr 5-10-Superb color photos abound in this spectacular series addition. Readers follow the career of Sam Marshall, tarantula scientist extraordinaire, from his "Spider Lab" at Hiram College in Ohio to the rain forests of French Guiana as he hunts for, finds, and studies the creatures he loves so well.  A treat, even for arachnophobes.-Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

AWARDS
2005 Robert F. Sibert Honor Book
2004 School Library Journal, Best Books of the Year
2005 Texas Bluebonnet Award
2004 John Burroughs Honor List of Nature Books for Children
2005 National Science Teachers Association and Children’s Book Council
Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children. The book received the further
distinction of being noted as a “Selector's Choice” among these outstanding
works for children.
2005 Notable Children’s Book in the Language Arts
2005 Voice of Youth Advocates Nonfiction Honor List
Kirkus Reviews Editor’s Choice List, a compilation of what reviewers
consider the top books of the year.

CONNECTIONS
Read other books by the author and/or illustrator

Other Books by Montgomery
Search for the Golden Moon Bear
Encantado: Pink Dolphin of the Amazon
The Man-Eating Tigers of Sundarbans
Journey of the Pink Dolphins; An Amazon Quest
The Snake Scientist
Walking with the Great Apes: Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, Birute Galdikas

Books written and photographed by Bishop
Backyard Detective: Critters Up Close
Digging for Bird Dinosaurs: An Expedition to Madagascar
Forest Explorer: A Life-Sized Field Guide
The Secrets of Animal Flight

Books with photographs by Bishop

Chameleon, Chameleon by Joy Cowley. by Joy Cowley.
Looking for Life in the Universe by Ellen Jackson. by Ellen Jackson.
The Red-Eyed Tree Frog by Joy Cowley. by Joy Cowley.
The Snake Scientist by Sy Montgomery. by Sy Montgomery.

Related Titles: Spiders

Tarantulas and Other Arachnids by Sam Marshall. by Sam Marshall.
Spiders and Their Kin by Herbert W. and Lorna R. Levi. by Herbert W. and Lorna R. Levi.
Florida’s Fabulous Spiders by Sam Marshall and B.B. Edwards. by Sam Marshall and B.B. Edwards.
Tarantula Shoes by Tom Birdseye. by Tom Birdseye.
Spiders and Their Webs by Margery Facklam. by Margery Facklam.
The Tarantula in My Purse and 172 Other Wild Pets by Jean Craighead George. by Jean Craighead George.

ACTIVITIES
Have the students go for a hike and draw one animal that they spy.  Then return to the classroom to research about the animal and give facts around the picture.  Then put all the pages together to form a book, written by the student scientists. 

Compare and contrast spiders and insects.
Write a narrative story from the viewpoint of the spider.

DOWN, DOWN, DOWN: A JOURNEY TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA
by Steve Jenkins

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Jenkins, Steve. 2009.
DOWN, DOWN, DOWN: A JOURNEY TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 0-618-9663-3.

PLOT SUMMARY
DOWN, DOWN, DOWN: A JOURNEY TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA is a nonfiction book about sea life and their surroundings, starting at the ocean's surface and descending to the ocean floor.  Jenkins takes us down, down, down, in a magical way that allows readers to actually get a feeling for what it is really like at different levels in the sea.  In the end, the author says it will take two hours to ascend to the surface and then I think he leaves an open opportunity for a sequel to the book.  "Some scientists believe that we've seen fewer than half the large animals living in the sea. If we're lucky, we'll encounter some of these unknown creatures on our return trip."
   
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Jenkins uses many details in temperatures in both Fahrenheit and Celsius, depth in both feet and meters, and sizes compared to the adult human body and/or size of a hand.  He is also very accurate about the light in the ocean at various levels.  This informational book is chocked full of facts about sea life and their environment. 

Likewise, the author organized the information by going down in different levels of the ocean, thus the title, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN.  It is arranged so that it is very "kid friendly."  At the end, is a glossary which gives details about each ocean creature featured throughout the book. 
 
The illustrations are very detailed as well.  As the book progresses, and the reader progressed deeper into the sea, the pages get darker, as does the ocean.  "We've reached the dark zone.  Not even the faintest sunlight can reach us here.  It's colder, and the pressure is enormous."  Just reading those words gives you the feeling of being there, an eerie and strange feeling! 

The writing style and display of pictures will definitely appeal to the young, especially the way that Jenkins included the details about the creatures at the end of the book.  The pages are not full of information that could be overwhelming.  The grid on the right of the page is a very resourceful way to show the depth of the ocean.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
Booklist (April 1, 2009 (Vol. 105, No. 15))
Grades 2-4. In this plunge into the deep, Jenkins displays his usual keen awareness of what is fascinating about biology and imparts it without sensationalism—the facts speak for themselves.

Horn Book (May/June, 2009)
Jenkins takes his signature collage to the oceans, sinking readers from the surface of the Pacific Ocean down nearly 11,000 meters to the bottom of the Marianas Trench.. Excellent details, including facts and to-scale comparisons to humans, are organized in the end pages of the book.
 
Kirkus Review (April 15, 2009)
 Once again, Jenkins provides an almost irresistible entry into our natural world for the youngest readers. (Informational picture book. 5-8)

School Library Journal (April 1, 2009)
Gr 3-6-The bold views tend to emphasize the weirdness of these little-known species, but the repeated message that humans have much to explore and learn in the deeper ocean is intriguing and inviting.

AWARDS
ALA Notable Book 2010
2009 Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book
New York Times-one of the eight most Notable Children's Books of 2009
2011 Beehive Book Award Nominee (Utah)
Bluebonnet Reading List. 2010 - 2011

CONNECTIONS
Related Literature About Oceans
The Fantastic Undersea Life of Jacques Cousteau by Dan Yaccarino
Thunder from the Sea by Joan Hiatt Harlow
The Giant Rat of Sumatra by Sid Fleischman
All Stations, Distress! The Titanic by Don Brown
Sea Clocks by Louise Borden
Hello, Ocean by Pam Munoz Ryan
Old Shell, New Shell by Helen Ward

ACTIVITIES
Have student choose one sea creature and research it.  Then student can make a poster with a picture and all the information on it.  Then display them in the hall or room.
Students become familiar with some of the latest discoveries in ocean research, including hydrothermal vents and historical shipwrecks. They explore the work of deep-sea explorer Robert Ballard and hypothesize about what they might find in the ocean.

WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALICE?
by Barbara Kerley
illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Kerley, Barbara. 2008. WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALICE? Ill. by Edwin Fotheringham. New York, NY: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0-439-92231-3.

PLOT SUMMARY

WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALICE?, a pictorial bibliography, is told in a very entertaining way by Barbara Kerley.  It begins with Alice, at two, losing her mother.  It seems that event created somewhat of a "rounder," to say the least.  She grew up headstrong, overcoming obstacles such as leg braces and sadness of her mother's absence.  Even though she was a tomboy, she was able to win over people with her infectious personality.  She left all to wonder, "What to do about Alice?"  She ended up an American legend, of sorts, they daughter of the President and wife of a Congressman.  This story is fun to read and the pictures are delightful.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Kerley accurately depicts the life of Alice Roosevelt in a way that children will enjoy reading.  The events that Alice participated in help to inform the reader of what was happening in history at that time.  Likewise, the story points out that girls were expected to act a certain way in that day, not like the girls of today who have the freedom to be themselves.  Even so, finishing school didn't work on Alice.  "And she still ate up the world, dancing the turkey trot at diplomatic balls and playing poker with the boys." 

The bibliography is told from the beginning of Alice's life to the end in chronological order.  The pictures guide you through a timeline with Alice growing up throughout the book.  At the beginning of the book, her dad is not President. 

The pictures correlate well with the story.  Fotheringham did a fabulous job of  rendering the style of clothes from the time period, the style of houses, transportation, etc.  The story is definitely enhanced by the artwork.  The words are easy to read on the pages, scattered in various places on the pages. 

At the end of the book, the author's note is informative and adds more understanding of the characters.  The book absolutely focuses on Alice and her life, mentioning others in historical ways.  The author and illustrator worked together to tell about the life of a historical figure in an intriguing manner. 

REVIEW EXCERPTS
Booklist starred (January 1, 2008 (Vol. 104, No. 9))
Grades K-3.  Kerley’s text has the same rambunctious spirit as its subject, grabbing readers from the first line: “Theodore Roosevelt had a small problem.” Children will be impressed with the way Alice took control of her life: eschewing formal schooling, she convinced T. R. to “let her loose in his library.” The large format gives Fotheringham, in his debut, plenty of room for spectacular art, which includes use of digital media. In almost every picture, Alice is running, motoring, racing. One clever spread shows what it was like to be a media princess: newspaper pages fly across the spread, obscuring Alice. There are a few flaws.

Horn Book (March/April, 2008)
This sassy biography of Alice Roosevelt Longworth validates President Theodore Roosevelt's famous quip about his oldest child: "I can be president of the United States, or I can control Alice. I cannot possibly do both." With a palette that emphasizes Alice Blue, her signature color, the illustrations often match Alice's spirit with zigzag streaks, circular pieces of spot art, and slanting figures. What to do about Alice? Enjoy!

Kirkus Review starred (February 1, 2008)

Theodore Roosevelt's irrepressible oldest child receives an appropriately vivacious appreciation in this superb picture book.  Fotheringham's digital illustrations perfectly evoke the retro styles of an earlier age, depicting a confident Alice sailing through life and tackling every challenge with delight and aplomb. The illustrator takes every opportunity to develop Alice's character further; one memorable spread shows a blandly smiling Alice leading her smaller siblings in riding trays down the White House stairs while the text merely remarks, "She watched her younger brothers and sister so her stepmother could get some rest." It's a gleeful celebration of a fully, unapologetically led life.

Library Media Connection (February 2008)
This successful melding of text and pictures showcases the life of Teddy Roosevelt's irrepressible daughter, Alice.  A subdued palette with touches of red highlights the vitality of the subject matter. Large cartoon-like images of Teddy and Alice effectively convey their larger-than-life personalities.  Alice's antics will have plenty of child appeal. The book does an excellent job of conveying a lot of history in an entertaining way as it illuminates the life and personality of one of America's icons. Highly Recommended. Quinby Frank, Librarian, Green Acres School, Rockville, Maryland

Publishers Weekly (March 31, 2008)
It's hard to imagine a picture book biography that could better suit its subject than this high-energy volume serves young Alice Roosevelt.  Debut illustrator Fotheringham creates the perfect mood from the start: his stylish digital art sets a fast pace, making use of speed lines (rendered in dots, these earn their names) and multiple vignettes to evoke characters in perpetual motion. His compositions wittily incorporate headlines, iconic images and plenty of Alice blue, too. Kids will embrace a heroine who teaches her younger step siblings to sled down the White House stairs ("Alice tried to be helpful," Kerley writes soberly as Fotheringham shows her in action), entertains dignitaries with her pet snake and captivates a nation with pranks and high jinks. Ages 4-8. (Apr.) Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal (March 1, 2008)
Gr 2-4-Kerley brings another historical figure to life.  Kerley's text gallops along with a vitality to match her subject's antics, as the girl greets White House visitors accompanied by her pet snake, refuses to let leg braces cramp her style, dives fully clothed into a ship's swimming pool, and also earns her place in history as one of her father's trusted advisers. Fotheringham's digitally rendered, retro-style illustrations are a superb match for the text. The energy in his pictures is palpable as when Alice is turned loose in her father's library and five Alices dart about followed by lines that trace her frenetic path as she reads eclectically and voraciously. The illustrations not only enhance but are frequently the source of humor: -Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.

AWARDS

Sibert Honor Book
Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book
Irma Black Award Honor Book
Parents Choice Award
Washington State Scandiuzzi Children's Book Award
California Collections
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
An ALA Notable Book
Capitol Choices
New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
Nominated for Young Reader awards in Texas, Illinois, Utah and Tennessee

CONNECTIONS
Stand Tall, Abraham Lincoln, by Judith St. George
If I Ran for President by Katherine Stier
George Washington's Teeth by Katherine Stier
Duck for President by Doreen Cronin
The Kid Who Ran for President by Dan Gutman 
Kennedy Assassinated by Wilborn Hampton

ACTIVITIES
Have students list the facts they learned about first daughter Alice Roosevelt.
Describe and list character traits for Alice.
Research a first daughter of interest.
Create a story “What To Do About ________?” based on their research.

Big Project - THIS IS JUST TO SAY; POEMS OF APOLOGY AND FORGIVENESS

GENRE 3 POETRY

WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN'T KNOW
by Sones, Sonya

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sones, Sonya. 2001. WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN'T KNOW. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0689841140

PLOT SUMMARY

WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN'T KNOW is a captivating book of poetry, which reads much like a novel, composed of short free verse poems. 
It is written from the prospective of a teenage girl, Sophie, who is trying to find herself in a world of family, cyberspace, school, friends and boys.  In the end, she befriends the school outcast, and eventually falls in love with him. 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN'T KNOW, by Sonya Sones, is a very easy and quick read.  I think the storyline is something to which most teenage girls would relate.  Mostly the poems are written in free verse, except one poem tucked about midway in the book.
"More or Less
If Dylan and I had met
by catting on the Net
in a room in cyberspace
instead of face to face..."
There was also one concrete poem in the book.  The author used language that is consistent with a teenager, especially a girl.  At times the storyline reminded me of the modern day Cinderella story, with the masked dancer at the party,  However, it seemed very believable throughout most of the book.  I don't really think boys would enjoy this book has it really seems to target female adolescents. 

REVIEW EXCERPT
Publishers Weekly (February 24, 2003)
"Drawing on the recognizable cadence of teenage speech, the author poignantly captures the tingle and heartache of being young and boy-crazy," wrote PW in a starred review. "She weaves separate free verse poems into a fluid and coherent narrative with a satisfying ending."

 

AWARDS
listed by the American Library Association as one of the Top 100 Most Banned Books of the Decade (2000–2010)
listed by the American Library Association as one of the Top Ten Most Challenged Books (2004 and 2005)
winner of the Iowa Teen Book Award (2005–2006)
Michigan Thumbs Up Award Honor Book (2002)
unanimously chosen an American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults (2002)
unanimously chosen an American Library Association Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (2002)
named an International Reading Association Young Adults' Choice (2003)
named a Booklist Editor's Choice (2001)
voted a VOYA Top Shelf for Middle School Readers (2003)
Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award: YA Recommended Title (2003–2004)
named a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age (2002, 2003, and 2004)
named a Texas Lone Star State Reading List Choice (2003–2004)
named a Top Ten Editor's Choice by Teenreads.com (2001)
named a Bookreporter.com Best of 2001 for Teens
chosen a Junior Library Guild selection
chosen a Scholastic Teen Age Book Club selection
chosen a Scholastic Trumpet Book Club selection
chosen a Scholastic Book Fair selection
nominated for the following state awards:
     Volunteer State Book Award (TN) (2004–2005)
     Utah Children's Choice Beehive Award (2003–2004)
     Garden State Teen Book Award (NJ) (2003–2004)
     Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award (2004)
     Rhode Island Teen Book Award (2004)
     South Carolina Young Adult Book Award (2003–2004)
     Missouri Gateway Reader's Choice Award for Teens (2003–2004)
     Wyoming Library Association Soaring Eagle Book Award (2003–2004)

CONNECTIONS
Other books written in verse for teens:
Aleutian Sparrow by Karen Hesse
A Bad Boy Can be Good for a Girl by Tanya Lee Stone
By the River by Steven Herrick
Crank by Ellen Hopkins
Crash Boom Love by Juan Felipe Herrara
The Geography of Girlhood by Kristen Smith
God Went to Beauty School by Cynthia Rylant
Hard Hit by Ann Warren Turner
Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown
Jinx by Margaret Wild
Keesha's House by Helen Frost
One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies by Sonya Sones
One Night by Margaret Wild
Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
The Realm of Possibility by David Levithan
Rubber Houses by Ellen Yeomans
Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham
Song of the Sparrow by Lisa Ann Sandell
Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy by Sonya Sones
Street Love by Walter Dean Myers
Things Left Unsaidn by Stephanie Hemphill
Who Killed Mr. Chippendale?: A Mystery in Poems by Mel Glenn

ACTIVITIES
Write in journals using free verse



COME SUNDAY

by Nikki Grimes

Illustrated by Michael Bryant

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Grimes, Nikki. 1996. COME SUNDAY. Ill. by Michael Bryant. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eardman's Publishing Company. ISBN 0-8028-5108-8

PLOT SUMMARY

COME SUNDAY is a picture book of poetry which is compiled of poems, mostly with rhythm and  rhyme.  The poems take you through a day, a Sunday, through the eyes of a little African American girl.  The poetry reveals her feelings, experiences, and thoughts as she progresses through the day.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This book of poetry, by Nikki Grimes, appeals to all the senses.  The poems all revolve around an ordinary Sunday.  I easily related to the poems, maybe because I am from the south or maybe because I went to church as a little girl.  I remember the blue haired women, white gloves on Sunday, women's hats and sneaking peeks during prayers.  The words in the poems flow easily, allowing for the reader to paint mental pictures.  These poems allowed me to connect to my childhood and warmed my heart.

The watercolor illustrations, by Michael Bryant, are detailed, colorful and vivid.  They fully support the text and aid in painting pictures in the mind of readers.  The pictures could almost tell the story without the poems. 

I love this book and will definitely read it to my students.  The one question I have in the back of my mind is whether this book will cause questions to be raised regarding religion in school.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
Booklist starred (Vol. 92, No. 19 (June 1, 1996))
Ages 4-8. Grimes and Bryant combine their talents in a book that's bursting with joy. Grimes' short poems, boxed neatly into each ink-and-watercolor double-page spread, capture both the jubilation of a spirit-filled African American congregation and the more solemn moments. Yet both author and illustrator make sure that all this wonder is reflected strictly from the child's point of view.

Horn Book (September, 1996)
In fourteen poems, a young girl named LaTasha describes a typical Sunday of worship at the Paradise Baptist Church. From the joyful rhythms of singing and swaying and the spiritual plunge of baptism to church suppers and visiting preachers, the conversational verse evokes both solemn and joyous moods. Loose-lined watercolors burst with life, aptly conveying a community gathered in worship.

Kirkus Review (1996)
Composed as a suite of pitch-perfect poems, Grimes (Portrait of Mary, 1994, etc.) affectionately portrays a young girl's enjoyment of the spirit and practice of Sunday services in her community's church. While some of Bryant's watercolor paintings are more skilled than others, the overall effect is one of exaltation tempered by serene faith. Whatever their religious background, readers will smile at the jubilation.

Publishers Weekly (April 8, 1996)
In lively and delicious poetry, accompanied by evocative, full-color illustrations, Nikki Grimes recounts LaTasha's Sunday adventures in Paradise--Paradise Baptist Church, that is. From rising in the morning, to greeting the blue-haired ladies at church, to the soft and powerful voice of the visiting lady preacher, the church offering, a baptism, a church supper and finally home to bed, Grimes brings the experience of Sundays at church to life. Reverent, funny and wildly energetic all at the same time, this is a wonderful book for introducing children to church life. Ages 5-9.

School Library Journal (June 1997)

Gr 1-4--Fourteen short poems narrated by an African-American girl that concentrate mostly on preparing for and going to church with family and friends. Bryant's lively watercolors reveal a congregation caught up in its worship. The people are of all ages and are dressed in their most colorful best. Light flows through stained-glass windows, and the minister's Afrocentric-style vestments add another touch of color. Grimes' topical poems are short and down-to-earth enough to engage children and occasionally will sweep them along with a bouncy rhythm or a spark of recognition that brings LaTasha's Sunday to life. Both the text and pictures evoke a celebration of one ethnic and religious group.

AWARDS

2009 Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize for Fiction

Finalist for The Commonwealth Prize

Finalist for Audie 2010 Award for Literary Fiction
Longlisted for The Sunday Times Literary Award

CONNECTIONS
Other books that would go along with this book are:
The Lord's Prayer by Tim Ladwig
When Daddy Prays by Nikki Grimes
Psalm Twenty-Three by Tim Ladwig
He's Got the Whole World in His Hands by Kadir Nelson
Baby Dance (Harper Growing Tree) by Ann Taylor
This Little Light of Mine by Public Domain
Tulip Sees America by Cynthia Rylant

ACTIVITIES
Visit places in the community where people go (nursing home, bank, church, park)
Discuss family traditions
Make a circle map that includes important people who have had an influence in your life




THE TREE THAT TIME BUILT
Selected by Mary Ann Hoberman and Linda Winston
Illustrated by Barbara Fortin

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Hoberman, Mary Ann, and Linda Winston. 2009. THE TREE THAT TIME BUILT. Brainerd, Minnesota: Bang Printing. ISBN: 978-1- 4022-2517-8

PLOT SUMMARY
This enlightening collection of poems centers around science and nature. The poems are categorized by themes. A glossary provides definitions for scientific and poetic terms.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This collection a poems, put together by Mary Ann Hoberman and Linda Winston, combines both science and art and is inspired by Charles Darwin and his contribution to literature and nature. Some of the poems are serious, while others are fun and quirky. Each section is titled either by a poem included in that section or by a notable line in a poem within the section. Likewise, every section is introduced with a prose piece. Most of the poems can be easily related to something with which children will identify. In the following lines from "Birth" from "Field of Wonder," one can contemplate how each of us fits into the universe.

Oh, fields of wonder
Out of which
Stars are born,
And moon and sun
And me as well,

The tree in the book is a sketch that was in Darwin's notes and is exhibited in a museum. The authors used this tree as their inspiration and thus THE TREE THAT TIME BUILT.


REVIEW EXCERPTS
Booklist (December 15, 2009 (Vol. 106, No. 8))
Grades 3-7. Even if the organization occasionally feels arbitrary, the well-chosen selections will provoke thought and inspiration. Explanatory notes accompanying many poems, a glossary of both scientific and poetic terms, short biographies of the poets, and an accompanying CD featuring a selection of the poems read aloud make this attractive and unusual hybrid of poetry and science a great choice for classroom sharing.

Horn Book (Spring 2010)
The selections beautifully capture the variety of the world's natural wonders.

Library Media Connection (January/February 2010)
This collection would be a great choice to use as a collaborative tool with Middle School Science and English classes.

Publishers Weekly (November 30, 2009)
Taken in total, the poems encompass nature's multitudinous qualities, from harsher realities ("On my early walk/ I passed the Frog Prince/ dead in a rut of the road," in Virginia Hamilton Adair's Early Walk) to its ability to inspire at its most microscopic, as Ralph Waldo Emerson writes, "Atom from atom yawns as far/ As moon from earth,/ as star from star." Ages 7-12

School Library Journal (January 1, 2010)
Gr 5 Up From the playful to the profound, the poems invite reflection and inspire further investigation.

AWARDS

2010 Lee Bennett Hopkins Honor Award

2009 Family Choice Award winner

2009 PW Cuffies Favorite Poetry Book

CONNECTIONS

Other books that would go along with this book are:

ABSOLUTELY WILD: Poems by Dennis Webster

WILD CRITTERS by Tim Jones

Douglas Florian's poetry books, (each with a different theme: insects, birds, beasts)

ACTIVITIES

Decorate rocks to reveal something about you

Take a nature walk

Research the life of a tree

Make salt maps of earth