Poetry - OUT OF THE DUST

1. Bibliography: Hesse, Karen. 1997. New York: Scholastic, Inc. ISBN: 0-590-37125-8.

2. Plot Summary: Karen Hesse breaks the mold of young adult literature with Out of the Dust, a Newbery Medal winner written in free verse. This is the tragic, yet inspiring story of fourteen year old Billie Jo, growing up in the dust bowl of Oklahoma during the Great Depression. As the story unfolds, Billie Jo is scarred, both physically and emotionally, by a horrific event that results in the death of her mother and infant brother, and for which she is partly responsible. Furthering her misery is the loss of the use of her hands, taking away her only source of solace - her piano playing. Feeling the blame of the community and even more devastating, her own father, Billie Jo feels the need to break free from this life and the pain that it holds. Only when Billie Jo realizes that forgiveness is essential in moving her family forward, is she able to triumph over the tragedies that have plagued her and begin to heal.

3. Critical Analysis: A moving story of tragedy and triumph, Out of the Dust is depicted through the eyes of Billie Jo in straightforward free verse. Karen Hesse successfully merges a fictitious tale of personal tragedy with the historical misfortunes of the Great Depression era in which the story takes place. Adding to these circumstances are the hardships caused by the antagonistic dust that covers Billie Jo's Oklahoma community and seemingly mirrors the character's feelings of restlessness and constraint which blanket her young life.

The poetic and literary elements of Hesse's writing is key in shaping this poignant novel. Arranged in the format of a journal that shows the progression of a year, the text flows easily and does not suffer from the absence of rhyme. Short, free verse stanzas create an effortless rhythm, eliminating excess text and focusing on the raw emotions of Billie Jo. The author freely makes use of similes that accentuate the events of the story in vivid, and sometimes disturbing ways, as in Billie Jo's description of her mother after the accident-comparing her smell to that of "scorched meat". Other examples include the comparison of a much welcomed rain as "like the tapping of a stranger at the door of a dream"; the dust "like prairie fire, hot and peppery"; and the singing of her father that "starts and stops like a car short of gas, like an engine choked with dust".

Such figurative language is vital in capturing the graphic and emotional account of Billie Jo's suffering as well as her final resolution of forgiveness that is sure to evoke the same feelings in the reader. Time and again in Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse is successful in portraying the heroine in Billie Jo that is depicted in her strength of body and soul, her resolve to forgive, and her decision to prevail over tragedy.

4. Review Excerpts:

• Children's Literature: The always-inventive author of A Time of Angels has done it again. She's found a new approach to telling a compelling historical tale. In this "novel" she renders the story of a young girl struggling to survive the dust bowl through first person narrative poems. Young Billie Jo tells her story in a series of thoughtful and touching poems as she tries to come to terms with the horrific death of her mother, the loss of her talent to play the piano, and the threat of losing her father to long cancer. In this testament to the strength of one girl's will, Hesse takes a poetic turn at telling the story of the Oklahoma dust bowl during the Great Depression.


• Kirkus: Billie Jo tells of her life in Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl: Her mother dies after a gruesome accident caused by her father's leaving a bucket of kerosene near the stove; Billie Jo is partially responsible--fully responsible in the eyes of the community--and sustains injuries that seem to bring to a halt her dreams of playing the piano. Finding a way through her grief is not made easier by her taciturn father, who went on a drinking binge while Billie Joe's mother, not yet dead, begged for water. Told in free-verse poetry of dated entries that span the winter of 1934 to the winter of 1935, this is an unremittingly bleak portrait of one corner of Depression-era life. In Billie Jo, the only character who comes to life, Hesse (The Music of Dolphins, 1996, etc.) presents a hale and determined heroine who confronts unrelenting misery and begins to transcend it. The poem/novel ends with only a trace of hope; there are no pat endings, but a glimpse of beauty wrought from brutal reality.

5. Connections:

• Collect and display other novels by Karen Hesse for student check out.


• Research the impact of the Great Depression, more specifically its effects on children living in this era. Do an economic study of the time.


• Locate the dust bowl area of Oklahoma and discuss its geographical characteristics as described in the story. Are those characteristics still present today and how do its residents cope?

Poetry - DANITRA BROWN LEAVES TOWN

1. Bibliography: Grimes, Nikki. 2002. Danitra Brown Leaves Town. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, Inc. ISBN: 0-688-13155-7.

2. Plot Summary: Danitra Brown Leaves Town is a follow-up edition to Nikki Grimes' book, Meet Danitra Brown. While Danitra is looking forward to a trip to the country with her family, advising "surrender to summer, to raspberry ices and pink lemonade and walks on the beach ", Zuri is angry about the impending separation in which her "supposed-to-be best friend is leaving me, and loving it". Narrated by Zuri, Danitra and Zuri share their summer experiences apart through letters and poems.

3. Critical Analysis: The excitement that summer breeds in children and the pangs of separation are expressed through poetry in Nikki Grimes' story of two friends' summer apart. Aiding in the revelation of emotions are vividly detailed and realistic two page spreads of illustrations by artist, Floyd Cooper. Children will revel in the exhilaration of the season in poems such as Danitra's "First Night" with "clusters of fireflies dancing 'round my head, keeping me from bed for hours" and "Zuri's Fourth of July", "glistening in the light of the late-night fireworks". The kid-friendly language throughout the text allows young readers to relate to their own experiences and emotions through poetry presented in a story-like fashion. While ending rhyme is present in some of the poems with words like way/say, from/com, blurt/hurt in "The Bad Goodbye", it is not always predictable. Other poems such as "Big Plans" are written in free verse, yet consistently the arrangement of poetic lines allows the rhythm of the words to flow freely and easily. Danitra Brown Leaves Town successfully calls to mind the freedoms, adventures, daysdreams, thrills, and enduring friendships that grow in the childhood memories of summer.

4. Review Excerpts:

• Horn Book: In this follow-up to Meet Danitra Brown, Danitra's best friend Zuri again narrates, but this time the poems include letters written by both girls, who are separated for the summer. At home in the city Zuri makes new friends, while in the country Danitra enjoys a family reunion. Cooper's muted illustrations in this picture book capture the personalities of the two young friends.


• Kirkus Reviews: Fans of this author-illustrator team's "Meet Danitra Brown" (1994) will welcome their latest effort about Danitra and her best friend, Zuri Jackson. Told as a series of 13 poems and letters about the joys of summer and the strong bond of true friendship, this will resonate with many young readers who have savored the pleasures of Fourth of July fireworks, picnics and games, block parties, starry summer nights, and family reunions. It also explores honestly the feelings of sadness, self-doubt, and resentment that a child experiences when a cherished friend goes away, even for a short time. Here, Danitra goes off to the country for a family reunion and Zuri remains at home in the city. While Danitra brims with excitement, Zuri worries and quietly seethes that her friend is "leaving me, and loving it." To her surprise, though, Zuri discovers that life without Danitra isn't so bad after all. She makes a new friend and brims herself-with exuberance and renewed self-confidence-when she dances up a storm at a block party and beats the boys at softball. In their back-and-forth letters, the girls describe their new experiences and the fun each is having, but nothing compares to the joy they feel when they reunite at Danitra's homecoming. Grimes's poems read and flow well, and Cooper's paintings simply burst with energy and expressiveness. How nice for Zuri and for young readers that Danitra has returned.

5. Connections:

• After reading the book, have students write a letter to a friend about something that they have done on a family outing or vacation.


• Reread "Big Plans" from the story. Students can write a poem about what summer means to them.


• Read Meet Danitra Brown and discuss what the character is like and how this is illustrated in the two stories.

Poetry - IT'S RAINING PIGS & NOODLES

1. Bibliography: Prelutsky, Jack. 2000. It's Raining Pigs & Noodles. New York: Scholastic, Inc. ISBN 0-439-32929-9.

2. Plot Summary: It's Raining Pigs & Noodles is a collection of short, energetic poems written for the young and the young at heart. Readers will enjoy the diversity of these poems ranging from ridiculous to disgusting to just plain funny.

3. Critical Analysis: With effervescent humor, Jack Prelutsky has compiled another collection of poems sure to appeal to both children and adults. Over 100 poems illustrated with black and white sketch drawings by James Stevenson, provide visual satisfaction while maintaining the ultimate focus on the poetry. Word arrangements of poems like "I'm Caught Up in Infinity" (written in an horizontal figure eight), "Zigzag" and "I Am Winding Through a Maze" (both written to illustrate their titles), stimulate the eyes and mind and make reading these poems fun. The upbeat rhythm and simple rhyming language of words such as machine/clean, flat/cat in "I Build a Fabulous Machine" and relax/tracks, why/by in "It Is Foolish to Relax", make this a great introduction to poetry for young readers or as a read aloud. Children will also find entertaining the imagery fashioned by fictitious creatures and nonsensical words in poems such as "Dear Wumbledeedumble" ("the wings on the side of your head, your feathery chest and your leathery crest"), and will delight in appealingly gross poems like "My Tongue is Tasting Terrible ("all I ate was pickled snake, and chicken beaks on rye") and "Worm Puree" ("Worm puree, pink and gray, you're a heavenly entree."). Time and again, Prelutsky appeals to the senses of the child, as well as to the child in the grown-up. Kids will delight in It's Raining Pigs & Noodles and relish in the laughter it is sure to provoke, enticing the reader into a page-turning, poem-reading frenzy!

4. Review Excerpts:

• Horn Book: Prelutsky plays his way through silly images, nonsense words, and corny punch lines. Some of the 106 poems celebrate childhood mischief; and it wouldn't be Prelutsky without a bit of the gross. As in their previous books, Stevenson deftly follows the goofy tone in small homely pen sketches sprinkled among the verse. Some of the jokes will be best understood by adults, but the book is sure to tickle readers young and old.


• The Lorgnette - Heart of Texas Reviews: Children of all ages enjoy the poetry and word play of Jack Prelutsky. His books are always fun and full of things that childhood memories are made of. This one is no exception and is a must have book.

5. Connections:

• Read other collections of poems by Jack Prelutsky. Discuss what is similar and different in the style, language, and content.


• Use individual poems as prompts for student written poetry. For example, read "Today Was Not My Day at All", then have students add to the poem with other mishaps of the day.


• As a class, create an imaginary creature with a nonsensical name, then have students work with a partner to write a poem describing its features and behaviors. Share with the class.

Traditional Literature - PORCH LIES: TALES OF SLICKSTERS, TRICKSTERS, AND OTHER WILY CHARACTERS

1. Bibliography: McKissack, Patricia C. 2006. Porch Lies: Tales of Slicksters, Tricksters, and Other Wily Characters. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books. ISBN 0-375-83619-5.

2. Plot Summary: This collection of short stories, all told on a front porch, convey the richness of African American culture and history as passed down through oral tales. Each tale stands alone to reveal new characters, circumstances, and perhaps a lesson to be learned.

3. Critical Analysis: The simplicity of the times is revealed in this compilation of tales told from a front porch. The casualness of the front porch setting and informal dialect invite the reader to stop and listen. While characters have already been labeled as "slickster, trickster, [or] other wily characters" by title, each story is told in an unbiased manner leaving the reader with the final judgment, as in the tale "By the Weight of a Feather". In this story Clovis Reed comes to realize, through the help of a dream, that he can be more than others (and even himself) believed he could be.

"Aunt Gran and the Outlaws" is another example of the importance of not rushing to pass judgment. Steeped in her faith in God and the good of others, Aunt Gran prevails against a group of land bandits with the help of outlaws, Frank and Jesse James.

Porch Lies reflects how the African American culture uses stories and tales for a variety of reasons. In some cases they may be told for the underlying messages they portray, while others are told purely for the entertainment value. It is up to the reader to glean the lesson or purpose of these timeless tales.

4. Review Excerpts:

• School Library Journal: Grade 5 Up–These 10 literate stories make for great leisure listening and knowing chuckles. Pete Bruce flatters a baker out of a coconut cream pie and a quart of milk; Mingo may or may not have anything smaller than a 100-dollar bill to pay his bills; Frank and Jesse James, or the Howard boys, help an old woman against the KKK-ish Knights of the White Gardenia; and Cake Norris wakes up dead one day–again. Carrilhos eerie black-and-white illustrations, dramatically off-balance, lit by moonlight, and elongated like nightmares, are well-matched with the stories. The tales are variously narrated by boys and girls, even though the authors preface seems to set readers up for a single, female narrator in the persona of McKissack herself. They contain the essence of truth but are fiction from beginning to end, an amalgam of old stories, characters, jokes, setups, and motifs. As such, they have no provenance. Still, it would have helped readers unfamiliar with African-American history to have an authors note helping separate the truth of these lies that allude to Depression-era African-American and Southern traditions. That aside, theyre great fun to read aloud and the tricksters, sharpies, slicksters, and outlaws wink knowingly at the child narrators, and at us foolish humans.–Susan Hepler, formerly at Burgundy Farm Country Day School, Alexandria, VA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


• Booklist*Starred Review*: Gr. 3-5. Like McKissack's award-winning The Dark Thirty (1992), the nine original tales in this uproarious collection draw on African American oral tradition and blend history and legend with sly humor, creepy horror, villainous characters, and wild farce. McKissack based the stories on those she heard as a child while sitting on her grandparents' porch; now she is passing them on to her grandchildren. Without using dialect, her intimate folk idiom celebrates the storytelling among friends, neighbors, and family as much as the stories themselves. "Some folk believe the story; some don't. You decide for yourself." Is the weaselly gravedigger going to steal a corpse's jewelry, or does he know the woman is really still alive? Can bespectacled Aunt Gran outwit the notorious outlaw Jesse James? In black and white, Carrilho's full-page illustrations--part cartoon, part portrait in silhouette--combine realistic characters with scary monsters. History is always in the background (runaway slaves, segregation cruelty, white-robed Klansmen), and in surprising twists and turns that are true to trickster tradition, the weak and exploited beat powerful oppressors with the best lies ever told. Great for sharing, on the porch and in the classroom. Hazel RochmanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved.

5. Connections:

• After reading each story, discuss what, if any, lesson can be derived.


• Read trickster tales from other cultures to compare.


• Read Patricia C. McKissack's Newbery Honor Book, The Dark-Thirty: Southern Tales of the Supernatural.

Traditional Literature - IKTOMI LOSES HIS EYES

1. Bibliography: Goble, Paul. 1999. Iktomi Loses His Eyes. New York: Orchard Books. ISBN 0-531-30200-8.

2. Plot Summary: Guided only by his own arrogance, Iktomi the trickster, finds himself enthralled by a stranger (a trickster himself) able to take his eyes out of his head and then place them back again. Knowing this will impress others, Iktomi insists on learning the trick but fails to heed the stranger's warning that he must not do it more than four times a day. Iktomi finds himself in trouble when his own haughtiness causes him to lose his eyes. Conning an eye each from Mouse and Buffalo, Iktomi is finally able to make it home, despite his waned perception, only to be scolded by his wife.

3. Critical Analysis: Paul Goble, author and illustrator of Iktomi Loses His Eyes, has created a culturally based character through which he attempts to bestow the reader with underlying themes of human character. The reader is offered an explanation of his character at the beginning of the story in "About Iktomi", as well as an indication into the type of character about to be encountered as Iktomi declares, "This is more lies about me by that white guy, Paul Goble . . . So tell your librarians to ban the book." Additionally, "A Note for the Reader" is provided to guide the reader through the changes in type size and color of the text. Iktomi's thoughts, for example, are in small type and not meant to be read aloud; while gray type is meant to elicit comments from the reader. Illustrations, also by Goble, give insight into the culture of the Plains Indians. The great detail and color afforded to Iktomi, in relation to other scenes and characters, displays Iktomi's desire to be noticed above others.

Iktomi, throughout his misadventures, encompasses the negative qualities in humans through his display of vanity and selfishness. Iktomi's underlying purpose in this particular tale, is to show the blurred perception that can be caused by one's own egotism. "Blinded" by his desire to impress his friends, Iktomi does not realize that he is signing a deed for the sale of land in return for learning how to perform a stranger's trick, nor is he concerned with the stranger's warning and the impact his mistake will have on himself or others.

4. Review Excerpts:

• From School Library Journal, Grade 2-5: The infamous Lakota trickster is once again on the losing end of a trick. Iktomi watches as a man commands his eyes to leave his head and then calls them back. The mysterious stranger tells Iktomi the secret of his trick but warns him never to do it more than four times in one day. Naturally, Iktomi must show off his new skill to his friends and does so once too often. When he finds that he can't retrieve his eyes, he stumbles about until he convinces Buffalo and Mouse to each give him one eye. Unfortunately, these replacements don't provide the vision and perspective needed to maneuver in the human world. As in Goble's previous titles about this legendary rascal, this book operates on many levels. It is an amusing trickster tale as well as a symbolic story about limited perception and understanding. Historical elements about Plains Indian life are juxtaposed with contemporary objects and attitudes. Varied typography delineates the story's narration from Iktomi's thoughts and ongoing comments meant to elicit responses from listeners. Different fonts and crisp, colorful artwork create an attractive book. Fans of Goble's unique narrative and visual style won't be disappointed with the latest account of Iktomi's outlandish antics. Heide Piehler, Shorewood Public Library, WI Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.


• From Booklist: Multilayered and virtually multimedia, Goble's latest again presents a sly, very funny trickster tale with gorgeous illustrations. An obviously Bad Guy, with a black hat and a bottle of whiskey, gets the preening Iktomi to sign a land sale deed by teaching him how to throw his eyes from his head--and get them back--telling him that he can do this only four times a day. Iktomi immediately breaks that rule and finds himself eyeless. He tricks an eye each from Mouse and Buffalo, but their different sizes don't work well together. Goble does great things with the picture space: Iktomi, in full Plains regalia, resembles an image on a blanket or an anthropological watercolor. Other figures appear as small totems or as silhouettes. Goble plays with the text, too: Iktomi addresses the audience in small fonts (or handwritten scrawls) scattered across the pictures; the narrator's commentary (separate from the story) is in gray type. Goble lists his detailed sources and offers an introduction, but he also lets Iktomi have his say: "This is more lies about me by that white guy, Paul Goble." Goble enters the spirit of the trickster tale fully, making the book and its telling as tricky as Iktomi (whose name means spider). GraceAnne A. DeCandido --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

5. Connections:

• Read other Iktomi stories such as Iktomi and the Berries, Iktomi and the Boulder, and Iktomi and the Coyote. Discuss the lessons that can be learned from each.


• Students can work with a partner to read one of the Iktomi stories and create a book review including a summary of their story, underlying message, and illustration to compile into a class book.


• Research nonfiction materials on the Plains Indians and then other Native American tribes to compare. Use a map to plot their geographic locations, study the various cultures and traditions of each. This can lead to other extensions related to Native Americans.


• Students can create their own Iktomi story.

Traditional Literature - LITTLE GOLD STAR: A SPANISH AMERICAN CINDERELLA TALE

1. Bibliography: San Souci, Robert D. 2000. Little Gold Star: A Spanish American Cinderella Tale. New York: Morrow Junior Books. ISBN 0-688-14781-x.

2. Plot Summary: Teresa, the daughter of a sheepherder, is miserable when her father marries a jealous widow with two conceited daughters. Teresa's kindness despite her hardships, however, is rewarded with a touch by the Blessed Mary that leaves a gold star on her forehead. In turn, her vain stepsisters are punished with horns and donkey ears. With continued guidance and blessings from the Virgin Mary, Teresa catches the attention of Don Miguel, a wealthy and handsome gentleman. Despite the efforts of Teresa's stepmother and stepsisters to foil the romance, good prevails and Don Miguel and Teresa live happily ever after.

3. Critical Analysis: Set in New Mexico, this Cinderella tale is told with a Southwestern flair. Through the Author's Note, Robert D. San Souci stresses the importance of maintaining the Spanish origin of this classic tale and how he accomplished this task. While rooted in religion and Spanish culture, the similarities are still there - the evil stepmother and ugly stepsisters, the fairy godmother, the kind-hearted main character, and the handsome hero who saves her from a life of misery. The differences, however, lie in the presentation of these characters and the religious and cultural aspects of the storyline. Rather than a fairy godmother, the main character is blessed by the Virgin Mary for tending to Saint Joseph and the baby Jesus. In place of a beautiful ball gown and glass slippers, the Cinderella-like character, Teresa, is given a gold star upon her forehead that guides her savior, Don Miguel, to her.

Setting this tale apart from the well-known Disney version of the Cinderella story, are the notions of cultural tradition, punishment for unkind behaviors, and the selfless act of forgiveness. True to tradition and parental respect, Teresa will only agree to marry Don Miguel if he receives the permission of her stepmother, despite her evilness. Young children may find this Cinderella variation more violent than that to which they are accustomed as the stepmother kills a lamb given to Teresa as a gift by her father. Also deep-rooted is the religious notion of being punished for one's sins. While Teresa is blessed with a gold star for her kindness, her two stepsisters are punished with grotesque horns and donkey ears for their ruthfulness. In the face of their callous behaviors, however, the story ends with a most gallant act - that of Teresa's forgiveness for her adversaries, resulting in the disappearance of the sisters' horns and donkey ears and a kinder stepmother.

4. Review Excerpts:

• Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz, Children's Literature: This lengthy Southwestern folktale has a Cinderella-like heroine named Teresa and, instead of a fairy godmother, the Blessed Mary to help her. A gold star is placed on Teresa's forehead by Mary. At a feast, Teresa meets handsome Miguel, but she flees as in the traditional tale. Despite the efforts of the wicked stepmother and sisters, Miguel finds Teresa and, with Mary's help, a happy ending. Martinez's realistic watercolor drawings tell the visual story in theatrical stage settings on full pages. He includes many details of clothing and architecture while using dramatic lighting to enhance emotion. By accentuating the heroine's clean-cut goodness and the stepmother's deviousness, the artist adds to the pleasure of this variation on the moral story.
• John Peters, Booklist: The author of Cendrillon: A Caribbean Cinderella (1998) and the new Cinderella Skeleton [BKL S 1 00] here gives the ever-popular picture-book tale a Southwestern flavor. While washing the fleece of a lamb her cruel stepmother has killed, Teresa meets the Blessed Mary, who asks her to tend old Joseph and the Holy Infant. When Teresa is finished, Mary returns and rewards her with a touch that places a gold star on her forehead. When her callous, clumsy sisters rush off for similar decorations, they are given not stars but goat horns and donkey ears. In Sergio Martinez's elegant Hispanic settings, Teresa and her beau, Don Miguel, are slender, graceful figures, comically juxtaposed against Teresa's lumpish, elaborately dressed stepmother and stepsisters, who are portrayed with exaggerated expressions of dismay or annoyance. Mary reappears to help Teresa secure her stepmother's permission to marry, and by the unalloyed happy ending, horns and hairy ears have vanished, too. Cinderella fans have to be rapid readers to keep up with the steady stream of new renditions, but this consolidation of old and new published versions mixes laughter and romance in pleasing proportion--and features an unusual (to say the least) fairy godmother. A source note is provided.

5. Connections:

• Read other Cinderella tales representing different cultures and compare and contrast them. What characteristics are consistent throughout each?
• Discuss the story's New Mexico setting. Plot it on a U.S. map and research its history and geography.
• Look for other classic fairy tales that have been retold from a different cultural perspective.

Picture Books - TALKING WITH ARTISTS, VOLUME THREE

1. Bibliography: Cummings, Pat. 1999. Talking With Artists, Volume Three. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0-395-89132-9.

2. Plot Summary: Volume Three of Pat Cummings' book series, Talking With Artists, is a compilation of conversations with thirteen illustrators (some of which are authors, as well)of children's books. Each offers personal accounts of their childhood and journey to artistry, as well as advice for aspiring artists.

3. Critical Analysis: In this "kid friendly" book by Pat Cummings, children will get an inside look at how thirteen artists became the people they are today. Each artist presents "My Story" in their own words, then answers questions, such as "Where do you work?" and "What do you use to make your pictures?", providing distinction between each of the interviewees. Readers will also be able glimpse artwork from each artists' childhood.

Pat Cummings does an excellent job of creating a book that aspiring child artists will enjoy. Her interview questions are simple and straight forward, yet also relevant questions a child might ask. The use of the same questions asked for each artist, shows the variety that can be found in each and how this affects their art. Children will find inspiration in the childhood drawings of these artists and the advice and guidance they provide. The end of the book offers "Secret Techniques" from each artist and a bibliography of the favorite books they have illustrated.

4. Review Excerpts:

• Carolyn Phelan, Booklist: "In the third volume of her Talking with Artists series, Cummings features Peter Catalanotto, Raul Colon, Lisa Desimini, Jane Dyer, Kevin Hawkes, G. Brian Karas, Betsy Lewin, Ted Lewin, Keiko Narahashi, Elise Primavera, Anna Rich, Peter Sis, and Paul O. Zelinsky. As in the previous books, each entry includes examples of the artist's works from childhood and adulthood and information gathered from questions about the illustrator's life story, normal day, family, and favorite materials for making art. Pictures of each artist as a child and an adult personalize the profiles. Appended are bibliographies of five books by each illustrator and several pages of tips--"secret techniques" --for budding young artists. Beautifully designed to draw readers, this book will inspire many children to make art and possibly even to choose it as a career some day."
• CCBA: "Following the same format used in the highly engaging first two volumes of this series, Pat Cummings has interviewed 13 illustrators of children's books and asked them each to respond to the same questions. The result is 13 distinctive profiles that will give young readers insight into the artists as individuals, the work each one does, and the field of book illustration. Among the questions the artists answer: Where do you get your ideas? What is a normal day like for you? Where do you work? Do you have any children? Any pets? What do you enjoy drawing the most? Do you ever put people you know in the pictures? What do you use to make your pictures? How did you get to do your first book? Each profile begins with a brief narrative by the artist titled "My Story." Photographs of each artist as a child and as an adult accompany each profile, along with a reproduction of a piece of their artwork from childhood and one of their children's book illustrations. A listing of four or five of each artist's favorite examples of their own work in children's book illustration rounds out this fine collection of profiles that Cummings, herself a children's book illustrator and author, has compiled."
• D. Cannon, Parent Council: "Many children loose their inspiration to be artists as they grow up. This book invites youngsters to converse with illustrators and see how they sustained their passion for art. Learn the secrets that drive people to become artists and see how they stay motivated. Take a look at their personal lives and their pets. See examples of their art ranging from their childhood to their adult works. Each artist is introduced by a brief biography followed by questions and answers. A great book for any aspiring young artist. "

5. Connections:

• Encourage students to read books authored or illustrated by the featured artists and share.
• Have students create a portfolio of favorite drawings of their own.
• Gather copies of the first two volumes of this series. Assign groups to read about and research one artist to present to their class along with samples of their artist's work checked out from the library.
• Practice interviewing another person. Students can create and ask questions relevant to a parent's particular occupation, then share what they have learned with the class or invite parents to visit with the class about their job.
• Have a career day where students can dress up as what they want to be when they grow up.
• Practice letter writing skills by having students write a letter to their favorite book illustrator.

Picture Books - MOSES

1. Bibliography: Weatherford, Carol Boston., Illustrated by Kadir Nelson. 2006. Moses. New York: Hyperiod Books for Children. ISBN 078685175-9.

2. Plot Summary: Born into slavery, Harriet Tubman faces her doubts and fears in this courageous account of her escape to freedom. Guided by her faith, Harriet's journey is not just a physical one, but a spiritual journey as well. Harriet learns to place her fate in God's hands and by following his lead, she returns to South time and again to rescue her family and other seekers of the Promised Land.

3. Critical Analysis: Harriet Tubman, known to slaves as the Moses of her people, takes a spirtual journey in this book authored by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Kadir Nelson. The storyline, guided by a narrator, accounts Tubman's decision to leave her family in search of freedom, as well as the trials and fears of her journey, through her conversations with God. Throughout the book, the reader is directed to God's words by the scrolling, capitalized print, while Tubman's thoughts are displayed in italicized print. While the differences in text type allows the reader to easily distinguish between the narrator, Harriet, and God's words to Harriet, this distinction may be harder to convey as a read aloud story.

The spritual account of Harriet Tubman's initial escape is both inspirational and heart-wrenching. Nelson's illustrations provide gripping details of the darkness and despair of slavery. Fear and anguish, along with moments of hope and bravery are vividly portrayed in the face of Harriet Tubman throughout the story as she progresses from slave to free woman to guide of the Underground Railroad. Additional information provided in a Foreword and Author's Note enhance the reader's understanding of slavery and the road to freedom.

4. Review Excerpts:

• Marilyn Courtot, Children’s Literature: "The design of the book is quite remarkable. The story that tells of her escape appears in a normal font. The words that she hears from God are all in capital letters in a much larger font. There is a continuous dialogue or conversation with the Almighty. Many of the pictures are dark since her escape and travels took place at night and often her face and body reflect the despair and physical exhaustion that are part of her journey."
• The Horn Book Guide: "Weatherford's poetic telling and Nelson's atmospheric paintings of Tubman's role in the Underground Railroad portray the spiritual life of the African American visionary. From her days as a slave to her life as a free person, three narrative voices (a third-person narrator, Harriet herself, and God's words to Harriet) make clear that it was Tubman's faith that sustained her on the freedom journeys."
• Hazel Rochman, Booklist: "Nelson's stirring, beautiful artwork makes clear the terror and exhaustion Tubman felt during her own escape and also during her brave rescue of others. There's no romanticism: the pictures are dark, dramatic, and deeply colored--whether showing the desperate young fugitive "crouched for days in a potato hole" or the tough middle-aged leader frowning at the band of runaways she's trying to help. The full-page portrait of a contemplative Tubman turning to God to help her guide her people is especially striking."

5. Connections:

• Study other books illustrated by Kadir Nelson and compare the style of pictures.
• Start a class discussion about a time when students may have been scared and talk about what they may have done to help them cope with their fears.
• Gather and read other materials about Harriet Tubman. Students can write a short book report about what they have learned to share with the class.
• Let students navigate through National Geographic's Underground Railroad site at http://www.nationalgeographic.com/railroad/. This site places the user in various situations and allows them to make decisions about escape from the perspective of a slave.

Picture Books - FLOTSAM

1. Bibliography: Wiesner, David. 2006. Flotsam. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0-618-19457-6.

2. Plot Summary: In this enchanting picture book by author and illustrator David Wiesner, a day at the beach turns into a surprising discovery for a curious boy. Searching for flotsam along a shoreline, a young beachcomber finds an old underwater camera. After unsuccessfully searching for its owner, the boy has the camera's film developed and uncovers its adventurous past. Realizing that he now plays a role in this camera's adventures, the boy returns the camera to the sea to share its wonders with the next discoverer.

3. Critical Analysis: Two-time Caldecott Medal winner David Wiesner demonstrates his depth of artistry through vibrant watercolors in Flotsam. Despite the absence of words, Wiesner's illustrations provide the reader a clear storyline of the camera's discovery and the anticipation of what it holds; yet intricately detailed illustrations of mechanical fish, underwater cities, and mermaid communities lead the reader to wonder whether these images are actual photographs or figments of the young boy's imagination.

Recurring throughout Flotsam, is the theme of optical discovery. From examinations of a crab through a magnifying lens, to the perceptions of the naked eye, to an in-depth look at a picture through a microscope, Wiesner entices the reader to unlock the potential of discovery. The final resolution uncovers a lineage of history displayed through a series of pictures within pictures depicting past finders of the flotsam camera dating back decades. With each re-read unveiling new details, young and older readers alike will relish in the colorful and realistic illustrations of David Wiesner's Flotsam and the wonders it reveals.

4. Review Excerpts:

• SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "It's no surprise that this fantastic title from wordless book master Wiesner just won a Caldecott–readers will pore over every page looking for those details that are hard to catch the first time through! In this lusciously illustrated story, a beachcombing boy finds an underwater camera washed up on the shore and, when the film is developed, the images reveal amazing secrets from the deep."


• KIRKUS REVIEWS: "In Wiesner's much-honored style, the paintings are cinematic, coolly restrained and deliberate, beguiling in their sibylline images and limned with symbolic allusions. An invitation not to be resisted."


• PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: "Masterfully altering the pace with panel sequences and full-bleed spreads, he fills every inch of the pages with intricate, imaginative watercolor details. New details swim into focus with every rereading of this immensely satisfying excursion."

5. Connections:

• Read other books by David Wiesner, such as Tuesday and The Three Pigs. Compare and contrast the books by content and illustrations.


• Talk about the Caldecott Medal seal on the cover of the book and how these are awarded. Go on a Caldecott Medal scavenger hunt in the library and have children share their favorite Caldecott discovery.


• Have children bring in their own favorite photographs and talk about what is happening in the picture.


• Children can create their own underwater adventure scene using watercolors as in the story.