Genre 6- Graphic Novel: Rapunzel's Revenge

Bibliographic Information
Hale, Shannon and Dale Hale. RAPUNZEL'S REVENGE. New York, NY: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books. ISBN: 978-1599900704

Plot and Critical Analysis
This is not the typical telling of the story of Rapunzel, the princess locked away by the evil witch, alone in the tower, waiting for a prince to rescue her. This is the story of a girl who went out into the world and conquered it after learning that her mother, the evil Gothel, took her as payment after a poor farmer stole greens from her garden. Instead of a tower, Rupunzel lives in a villa behind a great wall (resembling a dam, more than a wall in height), until she scales the walls one day and meets the poor mine workers, her birth mother included. Her tower is not made of stone, but a very tall tree (given Gothel's growth magic)with a hollowed out room. There Repunzel spent years, with the growth hormone affecting her hair and nail growth before escaping. Before she can return to Gothel's villa or to her mother, she travels with a boy Jack (as in "Jack and the Beanstock") and she uses her long briads as lassos to fight theivs and protect them as they wander back to the mines to free her mother.

The graphic novel is divided into parts, each part a different portion of Repunzel's journey to both her mother and to teach Gothel a lesson. It takes on a more adult tale including flirting as a plan, egocentric characters, theives and kidnapping,and oppression. Repunzel and Jack travel through the badlands, a swamp, and the dessert that all surround Gothel's villa - the source that dried up the land and left the famers indebted to pay taxes to Gothel so she'd give them part of her growth magic.

In each part of the tale, Jack and Rapunzel not only visit different parts of the town, but readers will notice each part is inhabited by different ethnicities, cultures, and lifestyles, providing quite the diversity of people treated poorly by the powerful Gothel. It hits upon the topics of oppression and slavery, but then throws in compassion or humor and of course all ends well in the world, with Jack's Beanstock helping to save the day and Rapunzel reunited with her mother. The text is both comical in Rapunzel's narration as well as plot driven in dialog.

Hale, of no relation to the authors, provides illustrations both colorful and expressive. The reader can see someone's hesitation, joy, anger, and fear, but also is given the excitement of
graphic novels when illustrations shows Rapunzel using her hair as lassos to fight the bad guys. Flashbacks occur in a faded/yellowing illustration, but even those are clear to the feeling they are meant to cause.

Awards and Reviews
ALA Notable Children's Books - Middle Readers Category: 2009
Amelia Bloomer Lists - Middle Graders Fiction: 2010
YALSA Great Graphic Novels for Teens: 2009
YALSA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults: Twists on the Tale (2010)

School Library Journal
Starred Review. Grade 5 Up–This is the tale as you've never seen it before. After using her hair to free herself from her prison tower, this Rapunzel ignores the pompous prince and teams up with Jack (of Beanstalk fame) in an attempt to free her birth mother and an entire kingdom from the evil witch who once moonlighted as her mother. Dogged by both the witch's henchman and Jack's outlaw past, the heroes travel across the map as they right wrongs, help the oppressed, and generally try to stay alive. Rapunzel is no damsel in distress–she wields her long braids as both rope and weapon–but she happily accepts Jack's teamwork and friendship. While the witch's castle is straight out of a fairy tale, the nearby mining camps and rugged surrounding countryside are a throwback to the Wild West and make sense in the world that the authors and illustrator have crafted. The dialogue is witty, the story is an enticing departure from the original, and the illustrations are magically fun and expressive. Knowing that there are more graphic novels to come from this writing team brings readers their own happily-ever-after.–Cara von Wrangel Kinsey, New York Public Library
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Booklist
This graphic novel retelling of the fairy-tale classic, set in a swashbuckling Wild West, puts action first and features some serious girl power in its spunky and strong heroine. Young Rapunzel lives a lonely life, never knowing what lies beyond the high garden walls of her mother’s royal villa until one day she climbs the wall to see what’s on the other side. When she finds that the world outside is a dark place oppressed by her mother’s greed for power and uncovers the real secret of her own birth, she is imprisoned in a magic tree tower. In her years of captivity, she learns a lot about self-reliance and care for her exceptionally long hair, and eventually she is able to escape, vowing to bring down her mother’s cruel empire. Hale’s art matches the story well, yielding expressive characters and lending a wonderful sense of place to the fantasy landscape. Rich with humor and excitement, this is an alternate version of a classic that will become a fast favorite of young readers. Grades 5-8. --Tina Coleman

Connections
With the growing trend of graphic novels, it is a great way to combine different elements into this popular style. For instance, both a twist on a classic fairy tale as well as an empowering story of a female heroine, the Hales provide a creative and entertaining read. This is a nice connection from a recognizable children's fairy tale to something a teen would pick up for familiarity only to be faced with more adult themes and innuendos.

Similar Readings
Ella Enchanted (Gail Carson Levine): While it is not a graphic novel, it is the modern take on an enchantment and encourages girls to be true to themselves. Also a Newberry Honor.
Igraine The Brave (Cornelia Funke): A girl who wants to be a knight gets to prove her bravery when her parent's magical books are stolen.

Genre 6 - Contemporary Realistic Fiction: Looking for Alaska

Bibliographic Information
Green, John LOOKING FOR ALASKA. New York, NY: Dutton. ISBN: 978-0525475064.

Plot and Critical Analysis
Miles leaves his friendless, boring life behind in Florida to attend a prep school in Alabama at the age of 16. There he comes across eccentric, but intelligent, group of friends, difficult teachers who he is all but too happy to please, and life changing events. He finds his place in a school that even with its typical high school cliques and struggles, is focused on education and knowledge. As a skinny, tall, awkward boy who has a memory full of famous people's last words, he is eager to finally have a group of friends. Within this group he learns of loyalty, crushes, and friendship. Along the way there are experiences faced by all teens - fights, pranks, school stresses, peer pressure - and a few experienced by most teens - drunkenness, talk of sex, death, the unknown. Each character has their demons and their quirks, which is representative of all teenagers who will read this. The dialogue from hanging out, fighting, and discussing difficulties of their past is clear and age appropriate with sarcasm, cuss words, and use of trendy phrases.

It develops into a more serious story than pranks and crushes, when a main character dies. The loss and shock of both death and the characters sense of responsibility is felt heavily by the reader. Events occur throughout that are very realistic for teen behavior, but it is with this unexpected tragedy that the portrayal of these teenagers is highly accurate. The other character's thoughts and feelings are very accurate to not only how people of all ages would grieve, but it is more so focused on teens trying to make sense of this situation and loss.

The reader can tell by the structure of the novel, that something huge in Mile's life is pending. Passages are separated into two parts. Part One of the novel is a count down of days "before" and the second part is a count of "days after". As anyone would feel this same divide in life - a divide caused by immense tragedy - it is a very clear way for the author to portray the significance of this event in Miles' life and provide forshadowing for the reader.

Awards and Reviews
Booklist Editors' Choice - Books for Youth - Older Readers Category: 2005
Kentucky Bluegrass Award: Grades 9-12
Michael L. Printz Award
School Library Journal Best Books: 2005
School Library Journal Best Books: 2005
YALSA Best Books for Young Adults: 2006
YALSA Outstanding Books for the College Bound - Literature and Language Arts: 2009
YALSA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults: Death and Dying (2009)
YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers: 2006

School Library Journal
From the very first page, tension fills John Green's Michael L. Printz Award-winning novel (Dutton, 2005). Miles Halter, 16, is afraid that nobody will show up at his party because he doesn't have many friends. He loves to read biographies and discover the last words attributed to famous people. He's particularly intrigued with the dying words of poet Francois Rabelais: "I go to seek a great perhaps." Miles is leaving his loving Florida home for the "great perhaps" of the same Alabama boarding school attended by his father. Ominous chapter headings (40 days before, 10 days after) reveal that something tragic may happen. At school, Miles is accepted by a brainy group of pranksters led by his roommate and Alaska Young, a smart and sexy feminist. The teen becomes captivated by his new friends who spend as much energy on sex, smoking, drinking, and cutting-up as they do on reading, learning, and searching for life's meaning. As the school year progresses, Miles's crush on Alaska intensifies, even after it becomes evident that her troubled past sometimes causes her to be self-destructive. This novel is about real kids dealing with the pressures of growing up and feeling indestructible. Listeners will be riveted as the friends band together to deal with the catastrophic events that plague their junior year, and rejoice at their triumphs. Jeff Woodman clearly delineates the voices for each character in an age-appropriate, smart-alecky manner, injecting great emotion while managing not to be overly sentimental. This story belongs in all collections for older young adults, especially those who like Chris Crutcher, David Klass, and Terry Trueman.—JoAnn Carhart, East Islip Public Library, NY --JoAnn Carhart (Reviewed February 1, 2007) (School Library Journal, vol 53, issue 2, p63)

Publishers Weekly
This ambitious first novel introduces 16-year-old Miles Halter, whose hobby is memorizing famous people's last words. When he chucks his boring existence in Florida to begin this chronicle of his first year at an Alabama boarding school, he recalls the poet Rabelais on his deathbed who said, "I go to seek a Great Perhaps." Miles's roommate, the "Colonel," has an interest in drinking and elaborate pranks—pursuits shared by his best friend, Alaska, a bookworm who is also "the hottest girl in all of human history." Alaska has a boyfriend at Vanderbilt, but Miles falls in love with her anyway. Other than her occasional hollow, feminist diatribes, Alaska is mostly male fantasy—a curvy babe who loves sex and can drink guys under the table. Readers may pick up on clues that she is also doomed. Green replaces conventional chapter headings with a foreboding countdown—"ninety-eight days before," "fifty days before"—and Alaska foreshadows her own death twice ("I may die young," she says, "but at least I'll die smart"). After Alaska drives drunk and plows into a police car, Miles and the Colonel puzzle over whether or not she killed herself. Theological questions from their religion class add some introspective gloss. But the novel's chief appeal lies in Miles's well-articulated lust and his initial excitement about being on his own for the first time. Readers will only hope that this is not the last word from this promising new author. Ages 14-up. (Mar.) --Staff (Reviewed February 7, 2005) (Publishers Weekly, vol 252, issue 6, p58)

Connections
Any teenager who has experienced what it is like to be the awkward kid or move to a new school, will be drawn to Miles. He is a good kid just trying to find friends and find an environment where he can enjoy school, as well as meet some girls. Clearly, the big connection here is of belonging, love, and death. All very heavy experiences as we come of age. These issues are delicately handled by Green, but the writing in emotional and at times, heart wrenching to read. As characters face loss and feelings of guilt, the stages of grief are addressed, which actually would be beneficial to readers to understand the normalcy in grief and acceptance of it as a part of life, even if not understanding death.

A positive element to this story, and perhaps more significant than the death, is this group of friends. There are both males and females in this group seen as equal valuable members in comrodary, leaders, and best friends. They are from different backgrounds, of different ethnicities, and from different socioeconomic backgrouds, yet they come together to create their own family at the school. This group of friends is a positive role modle not because of their friends death, but becuase it shows how these friends stay together and support one another through a difficult time. A positive example for any teen reader, even though I imagine the alcohol use and mention of sexual experiences has some parents hesitant about this book.

Similar Readings:
This will go down on your permanent record: a novel (Susannah Felts): A story of a new kid in town befriended by an eccentric, artistic neighbor and their misguided adventures.
Vandal (Michael Simmons): Focuses on the struggle in the brother relationship and how abuse at the hands of one brother impacts their relationship until a tragedy changes the family.

Genre 6 - Fantasy: The Graveyard Book

Bibliographic Information
Gaiman, Neil. THE GRAVEYARD BOOK. Ill. by Dave McKean.New York, NY: Harper Collins Publisher. ISBN: 978-0060530945.

Plot and Critical Analysis
Bod (short for Nobody Owens) is a boy living in a graveyard since he was a toddler and he escaped the man who killed his family. The toddler crawled into the graveyard and was protected by the ghosts within where he had parents who cared fro him, a man neither living nor dead bring him food and clothes from the human world, and had the magic of the graveyard protecting him. I assume, this is why no one heard a baby crying in a graveyard. Clearly, it takes on some fantasy with the ghosts (good guys) and the ghouls (bad guys), but the overall theme of trying to learn of one's true identity, friendships, and self determination are all present.

The main elements of other genres are present in this novel through character development, plot, and theme. Bod is believable in thought process and as he ages, he gets more clever and more comfortable standing up to others. At a young age, he finds exploring the graveyard enough to delight his days, but as he gets older and more knowledgeable, he begins to wonder what is outside the walls of the graveyard. As any early adolescent, he wonders about the world and the people in it and how he fits in with this world. Towards the end Bod even has the beginning of an interest in girls when he and Scarlett are reunited. The plot attention grabber from the beginning, builds perfectly to the climax of “The Jacks” arrival and actions. Bod must face what he has been hiding from his entire life in the safety of the graveyard. While the reader knows that Jack and Bod will eventually come across each other again, the climax sneaks up on the reader. While the introduction of a new character later in the book is an obvious sign to adults, younger readers will not be expecting the kind Mr. Frost to be Jack’s killer. In fact, this brings up a valuable lesson for the reader about not being tricked by strangers.

Gaiman’s tone is appropriate and often gothic throughout, which is fitting to the setting. His descriptions of the cool – from the breeze to Silas’s hand – and Bod’s feelings or revelations at different times keep the tone haunting and cool. There are the occasional sketches by McKean which provide a haunting visual for Silas (the neither living nor dead character that is Bod's protector), The Sleer (the evil, ghostlike protector of the unknown), and The Lady in Grey (Angel of Death)


Awards and Reviews
ALA Notable Children's Books - Middle Readers Category: 2009
Booklist Editors' Choice - Books for Youth - Older Readers Category: 2008
Hugo Awards: Best Novel
Kentucky Bluegrass Award: Grades 6-8
Locus Young Adult Book Award
Newbery Medal
Oprah's Kids' Reading Lists - New Releases: 10-to-12 Years
USBBY Outstanding International Books - Grades 6-8: 2009
Wisconsin Library Association Children's Book Awards: Elizabeth Burr/Worzalla Award
YALSA Best Books for Young Adults: 2009

School Library Journal
Somewhere in contemporary Britain, "the man Jack" uses his razor-sharp knife to murder a family, but the youngest, a toddler, slips away. The boy ends up in a graveyard, where the ghostly inhabitants adopt him to keep him safe. Nobody Owens, so named because he "looks like nobody but himself," grows up among a multigenerational cast of characters from different historical periods that includes matronly Mistress Owens; ancient Roman Caius Pompeius; an opinionated young witch; a melodramatic hack poet; and Bod's beloved mentor and guardian, Silas, who is neither living nor dead and has secrets of his own. As he grows up, Bod has a series of adventures, both in and out of the graveyard, and the threat of the man Jack who continues to hunt for him is ever present. Bod's love for his graveyard family and vice versa provide the emotional center, amid suspense, spot-on humor, and delightful scene-setting. The child Bod's behavior is occasionally too precocious to be believed, and a series of puns on the name Jack render the villain a bit less frightening than he should be, though only momentarily. Aside from these small flaws, however, Gaiman has created a rich, surprising, and sometimes disturbing tale of dreams, ghouls, murderers, trickery, and family.—Megan Honig, New York Public Library --Megan Honig (Reviewed October 1, 2008) (School Library Journal, vol 54, issue 10, p144)

Publishers Weekly Review
Starred Review. A lavish middle-grade novel, Gaiman's first since Coraline , this gothic fantasy almost lives up to its extravagant advance billing. The opening is enthralling: “There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife.” Evading the murderer who kills the rest of his family, a child roughly 18 months old climbs out of his crib, bumps his bottom down a steep stairway, walks out the open door and crosses the street into the cemetery opposite, where ghosts take him in. What mystery/horror/suspense reader could stop here, especially with Gaiman's talent for storytelling? The author riffs on the Jungle Book , folklore, nursery rhymes and history; he tosses in werewolves and hints at vampires—and he makes these figures seem like metaphors for transitions in childhood and youth. As the boy, called Nobody or Bod, grows up, the killer still stalking him, there are slack moments and some repetition—not enough to spoil a reader's pleasure, but noticeable all the same. When the chilling moments do come, they are as genuinely frightening as only Gaiman can make them, and redeem any shortcomings. Ages 10–up. (Oct.) --Staff (Reviewed September 29, 2008) (Publishers Weekly, vol 255, issue 39, p82)

Connections
It will not take a child who has been orphaned and is growing up in a graveyard to identify with Bod and what he goes through. True, being able to "fade" and see the ghosts of the graveyard is not included with similar experiences, but the feelings of wanting friends, trying to figure out the world, and other age experiences are similar. Readers will find both honesty and playfulness in Bod as well as thoughtfulness well beyond his years. Other characters will be similar to people children come across in their own lives: parents, mysterious adults, peers, and a significant teacher. The subtheme of the honorable Guard verses The Jacks' fraternity of power hungry criminals and murderers ends with good conquering evil, but with a cost. This will echo the trials of life similarly as other fantasy titles.


Similar Readings:
Orphans of Chaos (John C. Wright): Another supernatural contemporary fiction novel about boys who possess powers and after learning they have been kidnapped from their parents and are not aging at the same rate of others, they plan their own escape.
Green Witch (Alice Hoffman): The story of a girl who is turned to for help and, in turn, goes to women like her who are believed to be witches to help the townspeople. There is also a love story which is one of the mentioned themes of this genre.

Genre 5: Historical Fiction - Matilda Bone

Bibliographic Information
Cushman, Karen MATILDA BONE.New York, NY: Clarion Books. ISBN: 0395881560.

Plot and Critical Analysis
Similarly with the lead character in Jip, Matilda is an orphan. Raised by a priest then sent to become the bone setter's apprentice she cannot seem to grasp the different path her life has taken. Praying to Saints to get back to a life of scholarly centered living, cleanliness and riches, Matilda is first to complain at the dirtiness of her new home, all detailed descriptively by Cushman. The senses are given full attention to the sights and smells of "Blood and Bone Alley" and of Matilda's caregiver and her wild red hair. As Matilda learns of her new duties as an apprentice, she also learns more about people, specifically that one does not need an education or to speak Latin to be good at their job or to be a kind person. She also learns that intelligence is measured in different ways and learns that things are not often black and white, but that life is messy, some things are out of an individual's control, and that you must think independently. These lessens occur from her interactions with other characters, all diverse in ability, education, and traits - even accents. They are believable as to the types of people that would be in a town - the pompous educated physician, the fish sellers in the market, and fellow apprentices who befriend Matilda. There are valuable lessons about thinking for oneself and realizing life is uncertain and Matilda's thought process is similar to how many children would begin questioning their surroundings.

Cushman's details to the trade of bone setting is riveting and a little gruesome, which adds elements children will love as well as authenticity towards the medieval practice. There are bone settings, illnesses, struggles of the poor, even a quick surgery on the street, all of which offer details of what medical care for the poor was like at this time. The details included are accurate, but nicely mixed with dialog so children will feel they are reading more fiction than facts of history. Even though this is set in the past, the aspects of growing up that Matilda faces are the same aspects that children of any period have faced. Readers will find commonalities with Matilda, from the simplicity of learning new chores to questioning which adults are truly honorable and dependable.

Awards and Reviews
Parents' Choice Awards - Fiction: 2000
School Library Journal Best Books: 2000
School Library Journal Best Books: 2000

Booklist
Books for Youth, Older Readers: Gr. 6-8. Matilda Bone joins Alyce, the midwife's apprentice, and Catherine called Birdy as Cushman's latest heroine of the Middle Ages. But in this story, setting not character takes precedence. Matilda has lived her 14 years in a manor house where Father Leufredus has taught her Latin and encouraged her fear of going to hell. Now, with the priest off to London, Matilda finds herself in Blood and Bone Alley where, much to her dismay, she's been apprenticed to Peg the Bonesetter. It's a whole new world for Matilda, who spends her time mentally conversing with saints and thinking herself better than those around her, as she begins to learn about healing. Bloodlettings, bone settings, foul remedies, and scary surgeries abound throughout the book, and it's easy to lose track of Matilda's evolution. It's the illness and the healing (and the death) that's the focal point here, not pious, whiny Matilda, who takes an inordinately long time to learn that the dependable, hardworking people she comes in contact with are worth more than the fools and cheaters whose learning she admires. Readers will find much of interest here, but it probably won't be the evolution of Matilda. ((Reviewed August 2000)) -- Ilene Cooper

School Library Journal
Gr 4-8-A fascinating glimpse into the colorful life and times of the 14th century. Orphaned Matilda, 13, has lived the good life in a manor where she was well educated by Father Leufredus. Things change drastically, however, when he abandons her, leaving her to serve as an assistant to a bonesetter in return for food and shelter. Matilda is expected to cook the meals, tend the fire, and generally assist Red Peg. And Peg has her hands full dealing with this self-righteous, pious child who snobbishly sprinkles Latin in her everyday speech and continuously brags about her ability to read and write. Peg, however, allows Matilda time to ponder her new role and teaches her, by example, that kindness and friendship go a long way toward lessening the harshness of life in this small English village. Matilda constantly prays for help, guidance, and deliverance. The saints, and this child knows many, respond with humor and sometimes sound advice. The theology espoused by Matilda is consistent with the time period and Father Leufredus has taught her well. She has no thoughts of her own-only the musing and learning of Father Leufredus. She stiffly withholds herself from all attempts at friendship and kindness, and she feels more and more alone. However, when she meets a kitchen maid who joyfully introduces her to the market square, her eyes slowly open to the world around her. Readers witness her spiritual and emotional growth as she blossoms from a self-centered "nincompoop" to a compassionate, competent assistant. Cushman's character descriptions are spare, with each word carefully chosen to paint wonderful pictures. This humorous, frank look at life in the medical quarters in medieval times shows readers that love and compassion, laughter and companionship, are indeed the best medicine.-Kit Vaughan, Midlothian Middle School, VA Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

Connections
Focusing on two very detailed elements such as the medieval times and medicine, Cushman has opened the door for these topics for further investigation. A reader may be more interested in medieval living than bonesetting or find the development of medicine more of interest, but either way, this fiction will lead a reader to nonfiction where facts and true biographies await.

As all children grow into their own personalities, they question the world around them, and question their purpose. While Matilda may focus more on praying to the Saints for guidance, her uncertainty towards her decisions is felt throughout - a commonality many readers will share with this character. This theme of adjusting her beliefs occurs with her ideas of what makes someone educated, religious expectations, and even what makes someone a good person. She must decide if she will believe what she has been taught or believe what she is seeing and experiencing. In the end, Matilda complaining ceases and she finds enjoyment and a sense of belonging in her new life, even as she admits she may not be a bone setter forever, it is good for her life at this point. She still does not know her life's path, but she has learned from her experiences and has made important decisions on her own.

In the Author's note at the end, readers will learn more of medieval medicine and research Cushman came across before writing this story. She is the first to admit that Blood and Bones Alley is a creation and that she found no town resembling this one. That is just one example of how she stays truthful and accurate in her writing. She is well respected in the genre of historical fiction and her other books are listed as well, which may connect a child to other pieces of this genre. Finally, Cushman offers cited text at the end to encourage readers to read facts about this time period and the practice of bone setting.

Similar Readings
The making of a knight: how Sir James earned his armor (Patrick O'Brien): a similar piece of historical fiction set in medieval times, only this is an account focused on a boy entering knighthood.
The puppeteer's apprentice (Anne D. Love): Another story of a young girl being an apprentice. This time, however, it is to fulfill a dream and done by hard work.

Genre 5: Historical Fiction - The Storm in the Barn

Bibliographic Information
Phelan, Matt. THE STORM IN THE BARN. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press. ISBN: 978-07636-36180.

Plot and Critical Analysis
There are multiple storms occurring in this story. First, the story between Jack and his father, who it seems views Jack as a worthless son unable to do anything correctly and one who always messes up. Secondly, is the storm of the town and their survival against the dust. It is a story of the dust bowl, set in Kansas in 1937. The land is dry, it hasn't rained in years, and farms and livelihoods are diminishing. Finally, is the storm to which the title refers. The storm in the barn is a formed entity of the Rain, which has taken on a ghost-like form trapping the thunder in a bag. The Rain has trapped the thunder which keeps the rain from falling, thus the Rain-man figure has gained the worship of the people, which he believes makes him powerful. As Jip tries to make it day to day as a bullied kid, a loving brother, and a son seeking his father's love, he witnesses a strange light blasting from the barn - a nice contrast to the bland, earthly colored illustrations which have been the only visual colors at this time. That leads him to the barn where the rain is hiding.

The setting is given at the beginning and is the only fact actually written out. The remainder of historic elements come though the character's text (discussions about the dust, lack of rain, etc) and the illustrations of this graphic novel. While one of Jip's sisters is sick from the dust, the other has never known rain. This is especially vital to include to get the seriousness across to any reader. Children of any age will be stunned to find out there is a child who does not know what rain is or that people have gone so long without seeing it. This is especially accurate as people did die due to the dust or abandon their farms and move. The dust seems to escape the pages in Phelan's illustrations with most pages being of shades of brown, greys, and blues for the ground, houses, and clothing. The few exceptions are the rain (a bolder blue) and whenever stories are told or memories of an earlier time are shared - color then enters the illustrations with bright yellows, greens, and reds indicating a time of life and happiness.

This graphic novel is historical fiction for the theme of the dust bowl and how it changed people's lives. The farm life is portrayed by clothes, worries of work and family, and the everyday problems of a child being picked on at school. Readers will relate to the family life portrayed in this book or perhaps, the lack of self-worth Jack feels both from his peers and his father. The farmers are not portrayed as ignorant;however, many are superstitious and one wonders if this idea of the Rain as a thinking and speaking figure was created by other superstition or the author. It is a nice story for at the end Jack battles the Rain and releases the thunder, both releasing the rain over the town and releasing the cloud of stress over his father.

Awards and Reviews
ALA Notable Children's Books - Middle Readers Category: 2010
Booklist Editors' Choice - Books for Youth - Middle Readers Category: 2009
Scott O'Dell Historical Fiction Award
Scott O'Dell Historical Fiction Award
YALSA Great Graphic Novels for Teens: 2010

School Library Journal
Starred Review. It is 1937 in Kansas, during the Dust Bowl, and 11-year-old Jack can barely remember a world with plentiful water and crops. Unable to help his father with a harvest that isn’t there, and bullied by the other boys his age, he feels like a useless baby. Stories offer a refuge, and there are multiple stories in this work. Jack’s mother tells about the time when the land was a fertile “paradise.” Jack’s invalid sister, Dorothy, is readingThe Wizard of Oz , gaining inspiration from the adventures of another Kansan of the same name. Jack’s friend comforts him with folktales about a brave man named Jack who masters nature, battling the King of the West Wind, the King of Blizzards, and the King of the Northeast Winds. In the end, Phelan turns the Dust Bowl into another one of Ernie’s “Jack” tales when the real Jack encounters the Storm King in an abandoned barn and finds out that he has been holding back the rain. The boy must then gather the strength to determine his own narrative, as well as his parched town’s future. Children can read this as a work of historical fiction, a piece of folklore, a scary story, a graphic novel, or all four. Written with simple, direct language, it’s an almost wordless book: the illustrations’ shadowy grays and blurry lines eloquently depict the haze of the dust. A complex but accessible and fascinating book. –Lisa Goldstein, Brooklyn Public Library, NY --Lisa Goldstein (Reviewed September 1, 2009) (School Library Journal, vol 55, issue 9, p190)

Publishers Weekly
Set during the 1930s, when Kansas farmers tried to survive during a terrible drought, this graphic novel for younger readers shows a boy discovering that he can save his family by bringing back the rain. Jack Clark is a shy 11-year-old whose father thinks he's useless at practical chores. The boy is not used to having any responsibilities, so when he sees a dark figure lurking in an abandoned barn near their house, he doesn't want to do anything about it. He'd rather chalk it up to “dust dementia,” until he realizes that the brooding shape is the rain, which has withdrawn from the land so that people will yearn for it until they are willing to worship it as a god. What Jack does next won't surprise readers who've seen countless puny but plucky heroes in juvenile fiction. The big novelty here is the Dust Bowl setting, and Phelan's art emphasizes the swirling, billowing clouds of fine grit that obscure even nearby objects. Older readers might have appreciated more text to make up for the lack of visual clarity, but kids will identify with Jack and appreciate his success. (Sept.) --Staff (Reviewed August 17, 2009) (Publishers Weekly, vol 256, issue 33, p51)

Connections
Portraying historical fiction in the format of a graphic novel is a great way to connect an ignored genre of literature with a growing trend (graphic novels). By making a story focused on a part of history into a vivid, illustrative text, children who read graphic novels may be exposed to historical fiction and those that read historical fiction may be exposed to the graphic novel. Anytime genres mix, the results will be the introduction to something new. This could lead to children or teens taking an element of history and not only creating a story from it, but creating some art as well.

Probably most children do not focus on the dust bowl when it comes to history. There are other parts that are much more exciting: war, discoverers, natural disasters. Yet, Phelan's story will grab anyone's attention based on this idea of the Rain retaliating against mankind. Also, the illustrations of the Rain are a bit frightening with his skeletal features which older children will enjoy. The hardships are exhibited more through the illustrations than the text, but I do not see this as a negative aspect. In fact, I think the story being mostly visual would assist in bringing other younger readers to this genre of historical fiction - a task that has proven challenging in the past.

Similar Readings
The Last Brother: A Civil War Tale (Trinka Hakes Noble and illustrated by Robert Papp): A story of historical fiction of a brother who accompanies his last brother to battle in an effort to protect him even though he is younger and the bugler. Also, a graphic novel historical fiction.
Life in the Dust Bowl (Sally Senzell Isaacs): An informational text about the hardships of the dust bowl and how families survived.

Genre 5: Historical Fiction - Jip

Bibliographic Information
Peterson, Katherine. JIP: HIS STORY. New York, NY: Puffin. ISBN: 979-0142404118.

Plot and Critical Analysis
Jip, an orphan who fell off a wagon in Vermont as a toddler, now lives on a farm for the poor, orphaned, and abandoned of his town. As more people come to live on the farm “the lunatic” joins them to an unfriendly greeting. All but Jip, who takes the lunatic Put, could care less about this man, but Jip takes him on as another creature on the barn to care for and then later, a friendship blooms when Put is in good spirits. As Jip faces questions meant for older people he has to face the cruelness of humanity at a very young age. As the year continues, Jip learns more about people and their cruelty and kindess. Any reader will probably have faced similar hardships as Jip up to this point in the story. This will help the reader relate to Jip so that when the plot twists they may be as confused as Jip about his circumstances, where to go, or how this new revelation could occur. This is especially true with a truth is revealed to Jim, which leads him on a journey away from the only home he has known for his own survival. As Jip processes his fate, the questions he asks and personal doubts he faces are believable to a child his age.

As Jip’s story unravels, the reader will face psychoses, drunkenness, slavery and prejudice, and death. It takes place before the Civil War and although it is set in the north, the issues of slavery and people as "property" take over the plot. It begins fairly upbeat with friendship developing in the lease expected places, a teacher supporting a student, and the creation of families; however from the climax through the ending, children will have lots of questions with this storyline – especially when it comes to the makeup of DNA. The friendship between Jip and Put develops throughout the story, resulting in each choosing to protect and help the other over their own needs and survival. The authenticity of the slave catchers, and their cruelty, is both raw and very real.

Historically speaking, the topic of slavery, slave catchers, and the underground railroad is fairly accurate. The cruelty and focus on capture takes priority over human decency and kindness. The people that are against this practice are the town's educator and a family of Quakers. True to the beliefs of Quakers, their representation throughout this novel is of compassion and helpfulness. The epilogue continues to story a few years later to where Jip is returning to America to fight in the Civil War for the freedom of others, which helps show the reader that one should always fight for what is right.

Awards and Reviews
ALA Notable Children's Books: 1997
Booklist Editors' Choice - Books for Youth - Older Readers Category: 1996
Parents' Choice Awards - Story Books: 1996
Parents' Choice Awards - Story Books: 1999
School Library Journal Best Books: 1996
School Library Journal Best Books: 1996
Scott O'Dell Historical Fiction Award
Scott O'Dell Historical Fiction Award
YALSA Best Books for Young Adults: 1997

Publishers Weekly
Abandoned as an infant, Jip West accepts his grim fate on a Vermont poor farm without question until a series of disturbing events changes his beliefs about himself and the people around him. The turning point occurs when, in the year 1855, Jip (who has a gift for "handling beasts and residents") becomes caretaker of a lunatic brought to the farm. The boy's growing friendship with the mysterious, moody man called Put coincides with Jip's discovery that his mother was a runaway slave. Tension mounts when Jip's biological father, the master of a Southern plantation, arrives to retrieve his "property." Like Paterson's Newbery-winning Bridge to Terabithia and Jacob Have I Loved, this historically accurate story is full of revelations and surprises, one of which is the return appearance of the heroine of Lyddie. While Jip's concerns provide insight into 19th-century society, his yearnings for freedom and knowledge are timeless. The taut, extremely readable narrative and its tender depictions of friendship and loyalty provide first-rate entertainment. Ages 10-14. (Oct.)

Kirkus Reviews
Starred Review. Set in the 1850s, this story centers on a boy named for his supposed abandonment by gypsies and for his swarthy complexion. Jip lives on the local poor farm, doing chores and caring for the animals. He befriends a caged lunatic, "Put"; a menacing stranger appears who inquires about Jip's background and turns the boy's life upside down. As he straggles to find answers, he is given the opportunity to attend school and is befriended by the teacher, whom readers will recognize from Lyddie (1991), and her Quaker sweetheart. Through this friendship, Jip is able to face his ancestry and the fact that he must escape or suffer dire consequences. As usual for Paterson, all the characterizations are penetrating--even the villains are interesting. An epilogue lets readers in on Jip's success in reaching Canada and his decisions as the Civil War begins. Unfortunately, the ending is abrupt: Put is sacrificed, and it is not clear what lesson Jip derives from putting his friend in harm's way. Regardless, this is fine historical fiction. (Kirkus Reviews, September 15, 1996)

Connections
Even after finishing JIP, I was still thinking about the story. Any reader, especially a young one who has only begun learning or witnessing prejudice (be it racial or to the disabled), will be left feeling personally connected to the characters of Jip and Put. It is real, tragic, and at times upsetting for both the treatment towards Jip and the demise of Put. By covering this topic in a fictional sense, the reader is drawn into the world of the characters and forgets that this did occur in our history. This will most likely lead young readers to inquire to the underground railroad or how humanity could allow the practice of one human "owning" another. The writing is believable as are the elements of farm life, school life, and the language spoken by the Quakers. It then opens to discussion to slave traders, slavery in general, the division in the United States on their tolerance towards it, and even the biological facts of biracial children.

The setting is detailed and believable whether it's describing a farm in Vermont, a creek in the woods, or the details in the smell of a filthy Put in a state of madness. It is not until two thirds into the book that the reader is fully aware of Jip's situation. The topics of the underground railroad, slave catchers, and biracial children - who were viewed as property and slaves - are realistically addressed for this age group and offer details and facts to introduce any child to these topics authentically. Towards the end, the tone takes on a more serious and emotional turn than the beginning of a simple story about a boy on a farm. Any reader will be left thinking about the circumstances during the 1850s in our country and slavery, and their own morals. The theme shows children that not only can they, at a young age, do what is right and be kind to those less fortunate, but that they should grow up standing for what is right. In the 1850s women did not have a say, nor did African Americans, yet it is Jip's female teacher who is one of the strongest characters, along with Jip, in this story.

Similar Readings
Allen Jay and the Underground Railroad (Marlene Targ Brill): It continues the themes of both the Quaker involvement in the underground railroad and the freeing of slaves.
From Midnight to Dawn: the Last Tracks of the Underground Railroad (Jacqueline L. Tobin): Offers a history of the underground railroad, both its creators and the people it freed.

Genre 4: Informational Books - Penguins

Bibliographic Information
Simon, Seymour. PENGUINS. New York,NY: Harper Collins. ISBN:978-0064462211

Plot and Critical Analysis
Seymour Simon, one of the most respected authors for children's science books, offers an inside look at penguins and their habitat. In conjunction with the Smithsonian Institute, this book provides an accurate look into how penguins live and offer basic facts of the birds that can't fly. With both the reputation of Mr. Simon and the Smithsonian Institute, any parent or teacher knows this is a trustworthy source with information that children can cite as well as know its accurate. Different penguin species are addressed, offering brief introductions and photos of each in an easily readable layout as a new species or topic occurs with the turning of each page. The similarities among the 17 species are addressed as well as their differences, but only a few get multi-page spreads. Details such as how penguins attract their mate, the differences among species, and the importance of a penguin's call are addressed. There are photos identifying each species, penguin's habitats, and examples of penguin behavior. Each set of pages offer information about a species type on one page with a corresponding picture on the other page so that listeners can recognize the penguin they are learning about. The text is written in clear sentences with humorous facts as well as basic information and the addition of both a glossary and index can assist the reader as well.

The photographs provided by numerous photographers are clear images. Some are of penguins on land, others in water. Some are taken in the sun while others are in harsher elements such as snowstorms. The variety of photographs truly grasp the lifestyle and habits of these animals. Each photograph is up close to the penguin(s) so that readers can truly view these birds. Also, by being so clear and up close, readers can recognize the differences between species which goes along with the message of the text. Children will delight in the fluffy newborn penguin photos, but parents be warned - the page dealing with predators offers the visual of a dead penguin. All in all, the photographs are just as significant as the text of this book as most children, and even adults, have never come across a penguin other than at a zoo.

Awards and Reviews
Seymour Simon is the recipient of:
The Science Books & Films Key Award for Excellence in Science Books
Empire State Award
Jeremiah Ludington Award

School Library Journal
In his signature photo-essay format with appealing full-page color photographs, Simon provides a broad overview of Antarctic penguins' physical characteristics and behavior. Mating, egg laying, and care of the young are described, as are the animal predators and human factors that threaten the survival of penguins. A few species—emperor, king, gentoo, macaroni, Adélie—each get an individual page of description. Readers will find more detailed information in Laurence Pringle's Penguins! Strange and Wonderful (Boyds Mills, 2007) and in several of the many other books available on this popular animal, but Simon's photographs are eye-catching. A serviceable introduction that will have familiarity for the author's many fans.—Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston --Margaret Bush (Reviewed October 1, 2007) (School Library Journal, vol 53, issue 10, p140)

Kirkus Reviews
Striking color photographs, often filling a page or more, distinguish this addition to the extensive literature about penguins. Six different species are shown close up and in their natural habitat. The well-organized text describes where these appealing birds live; how they walk, feed and swim; their mating and chick-rearing; and predators, before going on to distinguish among the species and summarize modern threats. Direct references to the pictures on the facing page make this content easy for the youngest reader or listener to follow, although they may be confused by the statement that Gentoo penguins' orange bill "sets them apart from other penguins" when the species illustrated before and after that page are also shown with orange bills. The author of more than 200 books for young readers, Simon packs a great deal of information into his relatively simple, smooth writing. There is no map but the end matter includes a glossary, index and suggestions for further reading, including websites about penguins and the Smithsonian, as well as other titles by the author. (Nonfiction. 4-7) (Kirkus Reviews, October 15, 2007)

Connections
Any informational book offers an educational opportunity. In the case of this book, children could go on to read about other birds or even aquatic animals to compare and contrast a penguin to each. As the penguin lives part of the time in water and is a bird, that cannot fly, a child could look into how traits vary from other mammals as well as birds that fly. As there are also numerous picture books about penguins, this nonfiction source could be beneficial to share with a younger audience just for brief facts and real life photographs of their recognized fictitious characters, such as Tacky the Penguin. With learning about one animal, there can always be the connection to study other animals, climates, or how humans influence the world of animals, and how it is important to care for other living creatures.

Similar Readings:
Killer Whales (Seymour Simon): Another Simon and Smithsonian partnership, but this one about whales.
My season with penguins: an Antarctic journal (Sophie Webb): For those interested in penguins, they may enjoy this book on a woman's experience living among penguins for two months.

Genre 4: Social Histories - Our Eleanor

Bibliographic Information
Fleming, Candace. OUR ELEANOR: A SCRAPBOOK LOOK AT ELEANOR ROOSEVELT'S REMARKABLE LIFE. New York,NY: Atheneum books for Young Readers. ISBN:978-0689865442.

Plot and Critical Analysis
Beginning with a diagram of the Roosevelt Family, this informational book is filled with personal details of Eleanor's life, historic facts of her upbringing, information on how she became Mrs. Roosevelt, and the work she did in her lifetime. It addresses her time before becoming first lady through her productive years all the way to her death. It is clearly written with facts and personal accounts alike. The visual elements range from family photos, diary entries, newspaper photos and articles. Its layout resembling a scrapbook allows visual breaks from text, diversity among the pages, and divided passages which would allow a young reader an obvious stopping point for a reading session. The design is very appealing and it provides a variety of primary resources which would be a great example for children in the method of researching. These sources not only correspond to the text, but add a much more personal feel so that any reader will see an intimate look into her life. In the back are source notes, suggested reading, picture credits and an index.

The length and details suggest this book is for older children and perhaps adults who want a introductory look into the life of this first lady. The language used is appropriate for an informational source of both life details as well as historical events. In fact, this is a great book to read out loud as there are brief summaries of topics which offer details in a short informative synopsis. Of high significance is the overall tone of this book. It portrays Eleanor Roosevelt in such a respected light, far above the previous first ladies, covering her struggles in childhood of loneliness to her determination and sense of service into her adulthood.

Awards and Reviews
ALA Notable Children's Books, Older Readers Category: 2006
School Library Journal Best Books: 2005
School Library Journal Best Books: 2005

School Library Journal
Starred Review. Grade 4-8–This presentation does for the longest-serving First Lady what Russell Freedman's Lincoln: A Photobiography (Clarion, 1987) did for an earlier inhabitant of the White House. While the arrangement is chronological from Roosevelt's parents' marriage to her own death, the narrative is not linear per se. Rather, each of the seven chapters leads readers through the subject's busy life with short sections of text filled with well-documented first-person accounts and direct quotes. Much of the story is told within the meaty sidebars covering supporting perspectives, enlightening details, and amusing anecdotes. Fleming is honest, respectful, and astute throughout, addressing both successes and controversies with balance (not to mention with candor, as when she approaches the issue of Eleanor's sexuality with the statement Was She or Wasn't She?). Not a spread goes by without incredible archival photographs or reproductions, newspaper and magazine clippings, handwritten letters, and diary entries. Many of them have never been published in a book for young people, and they all provide relevant and fascinating insight. The title suggests an intimacy between reader and subject, which is strengthened by a design suggesting a family album. Pages are jam-packed with information in varying fonts and formats, yet still manage to remain clearly and logically laid out. Basic research tools include a time line, family tree, and extensive source notes. Enjoyably educational, Our Eleanor will be a core title in all collections for years to come.–Andrew Medlar, Chicago Public Library, IL


Booklist
Gr. 6-9. As in Fleming's Ben Franklin's Almanac: Being a True Account of the Good Gentleman's Life (2003), which was a 2004 Booklist Top 10 Biography, this takes a pastiche approach to humanizing a legendary life. Through anecdotes and archival photos drawn from an assortment of sources, Fleming invites readers into a camaraderie with the timid, neglected little girl who grew up to become the woman many nicknamed "copresident," and whose flouting of accepted gender roles earned her admiration and ridicule in equal measure. The details of Roosevelt's life are certainly riveting; however, Fleming's jigsaw-puzzle approach is probably best suited for use in conjunction with more traditional narratives, such as Russell Freedman's Newbery Honor Book Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery (1993). In terms of Roosevelt's sexuality, for instance, the frank details about Roosevelt's bonds with known lesbians appear 15 pages before a segment that asks "Was She Or Wasn't She?" (Answer: who knows?)--a structural choice that seems to encourage assumptions rather than heading them off. That said, a broad audience, including many adults, will be intrigued by the volume's photo-album immediacy. Those eager to gain perspectives from other biographers may be frustrated by a list of related books primarily geared to younger children, although multimedia resources and exhaustive source notes offer plenty of opportunities to extend this intimate, unvarnished, and ultimately deeply moving portrait. Jennifer Mattson

Connections
One of the reasons I have always admired Eleanor Roosevelt is because of her focus on equality and sense of humanity. She was an advocate for equal rights, equal pay for female workers, and worked to improve the lives of others through an improvement in public housing and welfare. In her writings, some of which are shared in this source, a reader can see how the most basic of courtesies can become an important aspect in life when you witness people not being given the same respect as others. I think for any child reading a book on the Roosevelts, Civil Rights activists, or a book focused on people striving to be kind to others provides an important opportunity for the reader to connect literature to their own lives. Eleanor Roosevelt was a compassionate writer and a compassionate person and hopefully for girls especially, it will show that how someone acts and the kindess they offer is far superior to any superficial element of attractiveness. Reading about a woman who began life with a sad and lonely childhood to later live as one of America's most respected first ladies is inspiring for any young girl. Readers may then like to learn more about first ladies, parts of the world, equal rights issues,the depression, war, or any of the events that were so positively influenced by the actions of Eleanor Roosevelt.

Similar Readings:
With courage and cloth: winning the fight for a woman's right to vote (Ann Bausum): Focuses on woman's roles for another battle of equality - the right to vote.

Abigail Adams: first lady (Janet Hubbard Brown): Offering the details of the life of another influential first lady.

Genre 4: Informational Books- An American Plague

Bibliographic Information
Murphy, Jim. AN AMERICAN PLAGUE: THE TRUE AND TERRIFYING STORY OF THE YELLOW FEVER EPIDEMIC OF 1793. New York, NY: Clarion Books. ISBN: 978-0395776087

Plot and Critical Analysis
As the title states, this is about the Yellow Fever epidemic that swept through the country in 1793. Mr. Murphy is an award winning author for other works of juvenile nonfiction and judging by this example of his work it is clear why he is so respected. He can deliver facts in a clear and informative way as well as add supporting details which any reader is likely to remember. His focus on the plague reads as clearly and entertainingly as a novel, which guarantees the reader will likely remember its details which educate and inform. It begins with the chapter, "No One Noticed" of the early stages of the plague then goes through the fear and aftermath of this epidemic. By choosing the social history type of format, he has included primary documents such as journal entries, newspaper articles, and photographs, which assists in personalizing this part of American history. The facts of the early days of the epidemic immediately focus on the topic while having diary entries offer a factual sense of fear, and not one created by the author. The imaginative responses do not appear, but instead when an emotional reaction is offered, it is from a primary source. This helps the reader understand the real-life element to this book and not an overly dramatic piece of entertainment. These personal accounts are even more personal as they appear in the writer's hand or are next to the writer's photograph. For example, when the entries focus on the constant sound of the church bell (signifying another death) even over a terrible storm, the reader can understand how haunting the sounds were felt by the townspeople.

Anyone reading this book could do it in one sitting as it's clearly outlined in a chronological sequence and, to many, an unknown part of history which would draw them into the text even further. The chapters are brief with many visual aspects and photographs included to keep someone reading into the next chapter. It is very readable with facts easy to remember and personal accounts difficult to forget.
While reading, I would imagine a child would wonder what they would have felt like during this confusion and hysteria. It is not difficult to get deep into the details of this disaster. It is clearly written with enough death and mystery to attract children who are developing their critical thinking skills and have probably seen some sadness and death in their own lives.

Awards and Reviews
ALA Notable Children's Books: 2004
Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards: Nonfiction
NCTE Orbis Pictus Nonfiction Award
Newbery Honor Books: 2004
Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children's Non-Fiction
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal
School Library Journal Best Books: 2003
Vancouver Children's Literature Roundtable Information Book Award
YALSA Best Books for Young Adults: 2004

School Library Journal
Grade 6-10-If surviving the first 20 years of a new nationhood weren't challenge enough, the yellow fever epidemic of 1793, centering in Philadelphia, was a crisis of monumental proportions. Murphy chronicles this frightening time with solid research and a flair for weaving facts into fascinating stories, beginning with the fever's emergence on August 3, when a young French sailor died in Richard Denny's boardinghouse on North Water Street. As church bells rang more and more often, it became horrifyingly clear that the de facto capital was being ravaged by an unknown killer. Largely unsung heroes emerged, most notably the Free African Society, whose members were mistakenly assumed to be immune and volunteered en masse to perform nursing and custodial care for the dying. Black-and-white reproductions of period art, coupled with chapter headings that face full-page copies of newspaper articles of the time, help bring this dreadful episode to life. An afterword explains the yellow fever phenomenon, its causes, and contemporary outbreaks, and source notes are extensive and interesting. Pair this work with Laurie Halse Anderson's wonderful novel Fever 1793 (S & S, 2000) and you'll have students hooked on history.
Mary R. Hofmann, Rivera Middle School, Merced, CA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Booklist
Gr. 6-12. History, science, politics, and public health come together in this dramatic account of the disastrous yellow fever epidemic that hit the nation's capital more than 200 years ago. Drawing on firsthand accounts, medical and non-medical, Murphy re-creates the fear and panic in the infected city, the social conditions that caused the disease to spread, and the arguments about causes and cures. With archival prints, photos, contemporary newspaper facsimiles that include lists of the dead, and full, chatty source notes, he tells of those who fled and those who stayed--among them, the heroic group of free blacks who nursed the ill and were later vilified for their work. Some readers may skip the daily details of life in eighteenth-century Philadelphia; in fact, the most interesting chapters discuss what is now known of the tiny fever-carrying mosquito and the problems created by over-zealous use of pesticides. The current struggle to contain the SARS epidemic brings the "unshakeable unease" chillingly close. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Connections
Being an informational book, the facts included explain and answer many questions before a reader could ask them. The details included are helpful in reminding the reader of the time period and what was (and was not) available to the doctors and scientists of the late 1700's. This leads the reader to realize how science and medicine are an ever-evolving discovery. The conclusion is that there have been over 150 years of numerous yellow fever outbreaks in this country. It also mentions the treatments and further developments, such as DDT, but the result is that there is still no cure for yellow fever and that it most likely will have another outbreak.

This book could also help a child learn how science and medicine does progress and that sometimes it is better to look for reasoning and facts instead of being influenced by mass hysteria, such as thinking smoking a cigar or chewing garlic would keep someone from not getting the illness. Also included is an index, a bibliography, and many visual aids which will assist any child who needs to refer to an earlier passage or return to it in multiple reads. This will be made easier by the table of contents, index, and 13 pages of sources.

Similar Readings
Pandemics: epidemics in a shrinking world (Miriam Segall): Addresses other epidemics, in a modern world, and how doctors and technology helps to detect, treat, and prevent communicable diseases.
When plague strikes: the Black Death, smallpox, AIDS (James Cross Giblin): Focuses on various health crises of the past and in the present world, could offer a source exhibiting the growth and progress of medicine from each epidemic to the next.

Genre 3, Poetry Books: Something on My Mind

(Amazon)

Bibliographic Information
Grimes, Nikki. 1978. SOMETHING ON MY MIND. Ill. by Tom Feelings. New York, New York: Dial books for Young Readers. ISBN: 0803702736.

Plot and Critical Analysis
Each poem is from a different point of view, yet all seem to be from the same neighborhood, the same feeling, and the same feelings of isolation. While a few focus on friends and belonging, most poems long for an unknown place or missing person. Some are hopeful and some seem to already have given up and are accepting to circumstances - poor, ignored, alone. Short and brief, each poem seems more of a diary entry, something one wouldn't want to share, but something that expresses one's most inner thoughts and doubts. It is a brief collection, but leaves the reader feeling sad for each child speaking the poems. Even the few happy ones have elements of sadness: missing someone, realizing youth has an end.

The text of each poem is different, as if spoken by a different child. There is no set rhyme or rhythm, which actually leads to the feeling of it as a collection of children's thoughts. There are common elements in both the words and Feelings illustrations - neighborhood, loneliness, impatience. The emotion is high. Even if the poems aren't meant to evoke empathy, they do as one can not ignore the abandonment felt by many children who live with hardships. Tom Feelings illustrations are personal, simple, touching, and depressing. Eyes appear to be glazed over or looking away from the reader, supporting the words "waiting", "lonely" and sadness as they appear throughout the text. His illustrations are a bit haunting, but even without the illustrations, the reader can feel each child definitely has something on his/her mind. While it may not be a recognized award winner, Something on my Mind should easily be considered a classic for the insights into a community it offers as well as showing common feelings of childhood that many children may be able to relate.

Awards and Reviews
Coretta Scott King Award

Publisher's Weekly:
...the artist and the lyricist couldn't reveal the thoughts of the boys and girls here more acutely if they were inside their subjects' skins."
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

There were no available reviews from NoveList through Ebscohost, Nikki Grimes' website, Barnes and Noble, or Amazon.com other than what is already mentioned.

Connections
Poetry can be simple truths and exhibit honest feelings. These poems are very personal about life, childhood, and waiting for the future. If teachers or parents wanted to encourage written exploration to their children, then this book would easily help to not only encourage a child's writing, but also encourage children to share their own feelings of isolation and confusion of the world. Even the illustrations themselves could show a new art form to children. The simplicity of pencil or charcoal on paper in a world of cable television and over-stimulation could offer a refreshing, yet simple form of expression as well as a new outlet to any child or adolescent.

Similar Readings
Bronzeville Boys and Girls (Gwendolyn Brooks): Similar poetry about neighborhoods, childhood experiences, and similar illustrations in the original print.
Daydreams (Tom Feelings): A continuation with the dreaming of childhood and illustrations by Feelings, but also an example to show the illustrator turned poet in these poems of daydreamers.

Genre 3, Poetry Books: Diamond Willow

(amazon)

Bibliographic Information
Frost, Helen. DIAMOND WILLOW. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 978-0374317768

Plot and Critical Analysis
Similarly with most 12 year olds, Diamond Willow wonders why she does not fit in with her peers and trying to prove she is not a little girl anymore – both to her parents and to herself. This verse novel has a clear and direct voice in its main narrator, but also flows easily from narrator to narrator. Her self assertion takes a turn when on her solo dog sled trip to her grandparents a dog is accidentally injured due to a fallen tree in the path. As Willow travels through the story, both figuratively and metaphorically, reincarnated family members watch over her and even interact with her to assist in her actions and comprehension. While the point of view changes regularly, the verse is conversational and easy to follow. She flees with Roxy, the injured dog, to take Roxy to her grandparents house so they’ll keep her. As they get stuck in the snow, the town begins to look for them all the while animals in the forest (all reincarnated family relatives) protect Willow. As she learns of a family secret, Willow becomes honest with herself and finds that she is listened to and that she does have friends. Without giving the end away, both girl and dog find themselves where they’ve always wanted to be and are much happier due to their friendship with each other.

The title, and narrator’s name, refers to a type of bark that has a darker diamond shape throughout the bark. This novel itself has a hidden jewel within the plot. The author takes this reference and not only makes it the narrator’s name and the title, but uses this diamond shape in the layout of text. Similarly to the artistic darker diamond in the bark, there are bolded words throughout each page to give the hidden, deeper meaning to the text. Such phrases as “It is my fault” (26) and “I want a true friend” (74) are bolded in paragraphs with the surrounding text acting as background to the overall point of each page. While the diamond shaped text of each page changes among points of view, it reads clearly even though visually, the text is not in a traditional form.

Awards and Reviews
Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award (Pennsylvania Center for the Book)
Mitten Award (Michigan)
Texas Lone Star Reading Lists: 2009
Pritz Honor Book author

School Library Journal
When a diamond willow's bark is removed, sanded, and polished, it reveals reddish brown diamonds, the dark center of which are the scars of missing branches. Frost has used this image to craft an intricate family story in diamond-shaped verse. In her small Alaskan town, 12-year-old Diamond Willow, named for the tree, prefers to be just "Willow" but muses that if her parents had called her "Diamond," "…would I have been one of those sparkly kinds of girls?" Instead she describes herself as an average, part-Athabascan girl with one good friend, who finds herself more comfortable around her family's sled dogs than with people. Her story takes a heartrending turn on a solo dogsled trip to visit her grandparents, and Willow is soon caught up in an intense adventure that leads to the discovery of a family secret. As she unravels the truth, Willow comes to understand the diamonds and scars that bind her family together. She also gains awareness of her own strength and place in her community. Willow relates her story in one-page poems, each of which contains a hidden message printed in darker type. At key intervals, the narrative is continued in the voices of her ancestors, who take the form of animal spirits—Red Fox, Spruce Hen, Mouse, Chickadee, Lynx—and her sled dogs. Frost casts a subtle spell through innovative storytelling. Her poems offer pensive imagery and glimpses of character, and strong emotion. This complex and elegant novel will resonate with readers who savor powerful drama and multifaceted characters.—Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA --Marilyn Taniguchi (Reviewed June 1, 2008) (School Library Journal, vol 54, issue 6, p140)

Kirkus Reviews
Diamond Willow, a young Alaskan of Athabascan and European descent, doesn't have many friends; she's happiest when she's sledding her father's dogs and visiting her grandparents. When her first solo dogsled trip to her grandparents ends with a terrible crash that blinds her father's favorite dog, Roxy, she sets to making sure that Roxy will live out her days with care and not undergo euthanasia—a decision that leads to an amazing revelation about her family. Frost presents her story in a series of poems in Willow's voice, using a form inspired by the marks on a diamond willow stick; roughly diamond-shaped and no two exactly alike, each contains a "hidden message" printed in boldface that spans several lines and encapsulates the poem. It's a novel idea, and largely works quite well. Less effective are interstitial narratives in the voices of the characters' ancestors, who take part in the story as animals. This device, although integrated into the narrative as a whole, serves to distract the reader from the quiet power of Willow's story. Flawed, but not fatally so. (author's note) (Fiction. 10-14) (Kirkus Reviews, June 15, 2008)

Connections
Not poetic in rhyme, but poetic in story, Diamond Willow shows a new style of writing to its young readers. Visually, the diamond shapes on each page, made by the text, is interesting and assists the reader as they quickly read through this book. While younger children may find talking animals or animals with human thoughts funny or exciting, this book may cause a question for older children as it supports reincarnation. As Willow travels through Alaska and in the story she is monitored by ancestors who are now living as animals. While they are a comfort to her and provide security at times, some parents may not want their children being introduced to the concept of reincarnation. Also, the secret the family shares with Willow at the end is great for a storyline, but may be too serious for younger readers. I would encourage kids to read other verse novels for a new form and possible as a way to get them more comfortable with poetry.

Similar Reads:
Thunder from the Sea (Joan Hiatt Harlow): Another tale of a child and his best friend, his dog, living in a remote area and not knowing of their purpose when a new baby comes home.
Out of the Dust (Karen Hesse)Set in prose, this is a story of a girl and her family living in the Dust Bowl era and their hardships.

Genre 3, Poetry and Poetry Books: Dinothesaurus

(amazon)

Bibliographical Information
Florian, Douglas. 2009. Ill. by Douglas Florian. New York, NY: Antheneum books for Young Readers. ISBN 978-4169-79784

Plot and Critical Analysis
A poetically creative way to teach about dinosaurs from their beginnings, their traits and appearances, to even question their extinction. It takes on a chant like rhythm even phonetically spelling out dinosaur names so that the reader can both pronounce the word and continue the rhythm. In addition to the rhythm are the rhymes at the end of each line, grouping varies between two lines and three lines. Each dinosaurs rhyming description also varies among very brief 4 word sentences to lengthier sentences and rhyming adjectives. More than just cute non informative rhymes, the text actually teaches about dinosaurs including herbivore definition, measurements, and which dinosaurs were smarter than others. In rhyme, it offers witty puns and even dinosaur self acceptance.

The illustrations range from sketches, to collages and stencils. Some pictures are comical accenting the gender of the dinosaur while others focus on elements such as the long neck or pointy spikes. Cleverly, being a thesaurus, there are letters incorporated into all of the drawings and sometimes text from dictionaries. Text and illustrations together create a vivid image on each page providing the reader with a different take because one is focused more on the rhyming than the fact it is a non fiction book and one is learning. However, one is focused more on the humor and illustrations than the fact they are learning while reading this book (I have already suggested it to all my dino-loving friends with small children).

There is a glossary at the end offering straight forward facts on the topic of each page whether it's a dinosaur type or a topic, such as the end of dinosaurs. This is a modern take on poetry, with humorous rhymes or images on each page. I would say this is appealing both to the reader and to the listener

Reviews
Publishers Weekly, Starred Review,
Florian's free-flowing, witty collection of poems and collages about dinosaurs is a giganotosaurus delight—perhaps his best work ever. The poems marry facts with a poet's eye for detail: the Brachiosaurus was “longer than a tennis court” and the Ankylosaurus says, “We like spikes and we like scutes/ (Bony plates we wear as suits).” Small experts will appreciate the “Glossarysaurus” at the end, but the heart of the book is in its humor, the spontaneity of both illustrations and poems, and Florian's slightly askew view of the Mesozoic creatures. A Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton spews cutout images of things a T. rex might actually have eaten, along with a tumble of other things (newspaper clippings, a boot, a building), while the text ends with a great pun (“I find it terrific/ That it's T-rex-tinct”). The tiny (20-inch) Micropachycephalosaurus stares up at a huge display of his enormous name spelled out phonetically, in illuminated caps and as a rhombus. Art and text will encourage aspiring paleontologists and poets to parse these pages again and again. Ages 6–up. (Mar.) --Staff (Reviewed January 19, 2009) (Publishers Weekly, vol 256, issue 3, p60)

Kirkus Reviews
In the fine tradition of Jack Prelutsky's Tyrannosaurus Was a Beast, illustrated by Arnold Lobel (1988), a set of dinophile-pleasing verses penned by a poet with a rare knack for wordplay and silly rhymes finds apt visual setting fronting playful images of monsters rearing up from extinction to grin toothily at young viewers. Sandwiched between poems about the Age of Dinosaurs and its sudden end, Florian parades 18 creatures, from Pterosaurs ("They were not ptame. / They were ptenacious— / From the Ptriassic / Pto the Cretaceous.") to T. Rex, then closes with an informative "Glossarysaurus," plus museum and source lists. Spectacularly depicted (as is his frequent custom) on paper bags in crayon and collage, the poet's dinos are easily recognizable despite being freely rendered and, often, semitransparent. Collage elements add to the visual excitement, often to great effect—a skeletal, iPod-sporting T. Rex prepares to chow down on a heap of cut-out dinosaur bits—and always with enormous playfulness. Children fixated on explicit gore may be left unmoved, but to everyone else this will be a dino-delight—especially when read aloud. (Picture book/poetry. 5-10) (Kirkus Reviews, January 15, 2009)

Connections
As this book is intended for younger children, one could focus on the basic lesson of rhyming words. Not every rhyme in this book is poetic masterpiece, but they are fun and show how words sound alike. Children could create a poem about their favorite animal and focus on the daily habits of the animal or behaviors. I also think this provides an early example of how to create art using one than more tool - for instance, collaging and drawing together. There is another element to this book based on its illustrations.

Similar Readings
First Dinosaur Encyclopedia (Caroline Bingham)- also focuses on basic dinosaur facts
Dinosaur Bones (Bob Barner) - teaches about dinosaurs and uses a "dinometere" to compare measurements

Genre 2, Traditional Literature: The Gifts of Wali Dad

Bibliographic Information
Shepard, Aaron (retold). 1995. Ill. by Daniel San Souci. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing. ISBN 0684194457

Plot and Critical Analysis
In this Indian and Pakistani tale, a simple grass cutter gives one gift that leads to a triangle of gift giving. Its resolution showing each characters different versions of happiness. For Wali Dad, he saved his money for a lifetime and with the extra bought a gift to be presented to the Queen of Khaistan, whom a merchant informed him was the most noble of ladies. She is grateful and returns a present, but the simple grass cutter does not know how to process gifts from queens and has the merchant take it to the most noble man the merchant knows: the King of Nekabad. With this developing cycle, the kind wishes to return the kindess with an even better gift, one that Wali Dad sends onto the queen. As this transference of gifts continues Wali Dad grows more and more ashamed thinking both royal houses are making his life more difficult and how will he explain his role. As both queen and king come to meet their gift giver, or who they think is their gift giver, Wali Dad's troubles are solved when he is visited by two "peris from Paradise" - visions. They turn his hut into a castle and he greets his visitors with pride. Upon greeting, the king and queen fall in love and leave Wali Dad behind never knowing of his involvement, but that their gift giver is their love. The legend ends with all characters finding their own happiness be it a simple life in a grass hut or true love.

While the setting is established as different villages in the Middle East it never mentions the length of travel for this merchant turned delivery man. Time elapses quickly between visits (and pages), yet the plot is always centered around Wali Dad. This allows the reader to understand Wali Dad's shock when he is given gifts of silk and horses (appropriate for the riches of that part of the world) as he was only focused on giving simple gift to a noble lady.

San Souci's illustration at times are divided with multiple images on one page which assists the plot and allows the reader to follow along even before any words are read aloud. When gifts are on a page, they are the focus of each illustration, becoming more grand and detailed as they progress. The images clearly show the distinctions between a grass cutter and royalty, but are stylistically cohesive. One would imagine the significance of two countries coming together important, but perhaps the message of Wali Dad is more significant in showing the reader how to find happiness in the simplest of life's pleasures, such as cutting grass or finding honest work.

Reviews

Kirkus Reviews
A comic folktale with a plot of crystalline symmetry. Wali Dad is a poor grass-cutter who discovers that he has saved more money than he needs. He gets rid of it by buying a bracelet to send to a princess, but she sends him a bigger gift in return. The distraught Wall Dad sends her gift on to a prince, but the prince responds with an even larger present of his own. Anguished, Wall Dad now sends this gift to the princess, and the escalation of gift-giving continues until the prince and the princess decide to meet the generous old man. When they show up at his house, they see each other and instantly fall in love. This happy story by Shepard (The Enchanted Storks, p. 394) has no evil characters and an irresistible hero, pictured by San Souci as a skinny old man with kind eyes and a big nose. The skillfully constructed watercolors are sometimes laid out in storyboard-fashion: The page is broken up into several frames, with different shots of the same scene. A fun, well-crafted book, with nothing out of place. (Kirkus Reviews, April 15, 1995)

School Library Journal
Grade 2-5?A superior retelling of the "Story of Wali Dad the Simple-hearted," one of the best-loved tales in Andrew Lang's Brown Fairy Book (1965; o.p.) (and later in Lang's Olive Fairy Book [1968; o.p., both Dover]). Shepard has condensed the story, stressing its comic elements, and?with San Souci?has brought it to life for new audiences. Wali Dad is content to be a simple grass-cutter. When his frugal habits result in a lot of money?more than he can ever use?he buys a gold bracelet and asks a merchant to give it to the noblest woman in the world: the queen of Khaistan. She sends Wali Dad a gift in return. So he asks the merchant to take her gift to the noblest man in the world: the king of Nekabad. The king then sends a reciprocal gift, which Wali Dad passes on to the queen. The exchanges continue, the presents growing more and more extravagant, until Wali Dad, with the aid of two peris (benevolent beings akin to fairies), brings the young queen and king together. They marry, and Wali Dad happily returns to his simple life. San Souci's full- and double-page watercolor illustrations depict a comic, expressive Wali Dad with an oversized head dominated by a huge nose. Full of interesting details, the pictures support and enlarge upon the text. A worthy addition.?Marilyn Taniguchi, Santa Monica Public Library, CA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Connections

Beginning with a simple gift, massive exaggerations ensue. This helps show children how one action leads to another, in the case of the queen and king trying to outdo each other in lavish gifts. Wali Dad, like many characters is this genre, is a simple man who ends up with a very unusual outcome. This story exhibits the lifestyle, gifts, dress, and values in the culture which could offer children a look into a different world. San Souci's illustrations, more realistic than exaggerated other than Wali Dad's facial expressions, exhibit the similarities and differences a reader could identify comparing this village to their own city. The character of Wali Dad is one that was simply trying to gift a gift and just wants get back to his simple life and the reader will find a full circle to the story with Wali Dad ending right where he began.

Similar Readings:
The Old Woman and the Eagle (Idries Shah): Another tale from the Middle East of thinking for oneself and not allowing other people to label you.

In the Moodlight Mist: A Korean Tale (Daniel San Souci): To address diversity among folktales, this can provide both an inside look into another culture as well as exhibit the diversity of San Souci who is both an author and an illustrator.