HISTORICAL FICTION BLOG #2: THE ART OF KEEPING COOL
Bibliographic Data
Lisle, Janet Taylor. 2000. THE ART OF KEEPING COOL. New York,NY: Simon & Schuster. ISBN: 0-689-83787-9
Plot Summary
This historical fiction book for teens is set in Rhode Island in 1942 during World War II while Nazi submarines are torpedoing U.S. ships off the coast. Thirteen year old Robert has moved with his mother and younger sister from Ohio to stay with his Grandpa’s house in Rhode Island while his father is off fighting in the war. He gets to be friends with his cousin Elliot, a budding artist who keeps his talent hidden. Together they attempt to solve a few mysteries: why will Grandpa never speak of Robert’s father? And what is Abel Hoffman, a famous German artist doing living as a recluse in the backwoods?
Critical Analysis
The setting is vividly described. When Robert and his younger sister Carolyn sneak off to hear the big guns fire off for military exercise you can almost hear the explosions and see the fiery field ablaze almost to the beach embankment. The characters are real and believable. Elliot has a quiet and meek demander, Grandpa is stubborn and almost ruthless self, and Robert is hard working, curious and kind. One of the most interesting characters is Abel Hoffman, who is mysterious at first, but as his character develops we are able to see the war from a different point of view. The climax of the plot comes very near the end of the book and I felt that it was wrapped up a little quickly in the last chapter. I would have liked to get to know the fathers character a little more or seen more resolution between the father and grandfather. But you know what, there are not always nicely packaged endings in real life and this piece of historical fiction stays true to that.
Review Excerpt(s)
From Publishers Weekly
"This wrenching WWII novel traces the relationship between two 13-year-old American boys and a German-born Expressionist painter reputed to be a spy. The intimate first-person narrative brings universal themes of prejudice and loss to a personal level." Ages 10-14. (May) Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Like Hahn's Stepping on the Cracks (1991), this is a powerful story of World War II at home, told by a young teenager who comes to question both friends and enemies and finds the dark inside himself. Robert is excited by the hometown military maneuvers and threatening submarines near his grandparents' New England village, where he's living while his dad's away fighting the Nazis. But the battle inside his family is scarier than the military exercises. Why Robert’s father is never mentioned? What's the secret of why he left as a teenager and never came back? And why does Robert's friend and cousin, Eliot, cower before their raging grandfather? Shy, artistic Eliot has dangerous secrets, too: he's helping a German painter, Abel Hoffman, who lives in a shack near the beach. Is Abel a Nazi spy, as the angry mob in the village believes? To Robert's lasting shame, he helps them track the fugitive, then he hears about the Nazi mobs that attacked "degenerative" writers and artists like Abel and burned their work. Is the U.S. any different? Lisle weaves together the thrilling war action and the spy mystery with the battles in Robert's family and Robert's personal struggle with anger, jealousy, guilt, and betrayal. There's nothing reverential about the portrait of the gifted "crackpot" artist; in fact, all the characters are drawn with subtlety and depth (except, perhaps, the demonized Grandpa). Like Abel's expressionist art, Lisle's story shows and tells what's behind the appearances of things, the "hidden feelings and memories, terrors and passions . . . everyone knows are there but cannot speak about." Hazel RochmanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Connections
A Boy at War: A Novel of Pearl Harbor by Harry Mazer
The Last Mission by Harry Mazer
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
HISTORICAL FICTION BLOG #1 THE MIDWIFE'S APPRENTICE
HISTORICAL FICTION BLOG #1: THE MIDWIFE’S APPRENTICE
Bibliographic Data
Cushman, Karen. 1995. THE MIDWIFE’S APPRENTICE. New York: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0-395-69229-6
Plot Summary
In this historical fiction novel we are introduced to an unwashed, unnourished, unloved and unnamed girl who is so poor she must sleep in the dung heap for warmth. This girl becomes an apprentice to Jane the midwife and grows to learn that she is a worthy person, worthy of name, worthy of love and with a place in this world.
Critical Analysis
The setting of the story takes place in a village somewhere in Medieval England. The village is vividly described, as is the cottage that Alyce stays in with Jane the midwife, and later the Inn in the next village over. The characters seem real and believable and the reader is able to emphasis with the protagonist. She has nothing and has never been loved so the reader can understand why she has little self worth and runs away after failing to deliver Emma Blunt’s baby on her own. The plot is realistic to the time period and the main character, Alyce’s character develops from the beginning of the story to the end. At the beginning she feels unworthy of even a bed to lie on, and in the end she comes to know herself and understand that she is a worthy person. She makes a decision to not give up and to keep trying to better herself and her situation. The style and dialog capture the time but do not overwhelm the story. The characters does not use current slang in their dialogue, instead they capture the speech patterns of the era. For example Joan the Bailiff’s wife moans, “Let me die. By the bones of Saint Mildred, let me die. Or help me to die.” The story has a universal theme of growing and coming to know oneself that is as relevant today as it is in the historical context of the story.
Review Excerpt(s)
From Publishers Weekly
In reviewing this 1996 Newbery winner, PW said that Cushman "has an almost unrivaled ability to build atmosphere, and her evocation of a medieval village, if not scholarly in its authenticity, is supremely colorful and pungent." Ages 8-12. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Like Cushman's 1994 Newbery Honor Book, Catherine, Called Birdy, this novel is about a strong, young woman in medieval England who finds her own way home. Of course, it's a feminist story for the 1990s, but there's no anachronism. This is a world, like Chaucer's, that's neither sweet nor fair; it's rough, dangerous, primitive, and raucous. Cushman writes with a sharp simplicity and a pulsing beat. From the first page you're caught by the spirit of the homeless, nameless waif, somewhere around 12 years old, "unwashed, unnourished, unloved, and unlovely," trying to keep warm in a dung heap. She gets the village midwife, Jane Sharp, to take her in, befriends a cat, names herself Alyce, and learns something about delivering babies. When she fails, she runs away, but she picks herself up again and returns to work and independence. Only the episode about her caring for a homeless child seems contrived. The characters are drawn with zest and affection but no false reverence. The midwife is tough and greedy ("she did her job with energy and some skill, but without care, compassion, or joy"), her method somewhere between superstition, herbal lore, common sense, and bumbling; yet she's the one who finally helps Alyce to be brave. Kids will like this short, fast-paced narrative about a hero who discovers that she's not ugly or stupid or alone. Hazel Rochman --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Connections
Other historical fiction novels by Karen Cushman
Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman
The Ballad of Lucy Whipple by Karen Cushman
Matilda Boone by Karen Cushman
Bibliographic Data
Cushman, Karen. 1995. THE MIDWIFE’S APPRENTICE. New York: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0-395-69229-6
Plot Summary
In this historical fiction novel we are introduced to an unwashed, unnourished, unloved and unnamed girl who is so poor she must sleep in the dung heap for warmth. This girl becomes an apprentice to Jane the midwife and grows to learn that she is a worthy person, worthy of name, worthy of love and with a place in this world.
Critical Analysis
The setting of the story takes place in a village somewhere in Medieval England. The village is vividly described, as is the cottage that Alyce stays in with Jane the midwife, and later the Inn in the next village over. The characters seem real and believable and the reader is able to emphasis with the protagonist. She has nothing and has never been loved so the reader can understand why she has little self worth and runs away after failing to deliver Emma Blunt’s baby on her own. The plot is realistic to the time period and the main character, Alyce’s character develops from the beginning of the story to the end. At the beginning she feels unworthy of even a bed to lie on, and in the end she comes to know herself and understand that she is a worthy person. She makes a decision to not give up and to keep trying to better herself and her situation. The style and dialog capture the time but do not overwhelm the story. The characters does not use current slang in their dialogue, instead they capture the speech patterns of the era. For example Joan the Bailiff’s wife moans, “Let me die. By the bones of Saint Mildred, let me die. Or help me to die.” The story has a universal theme of growing and coming to know oneself that is as relevant today as it is in the historical context of the story.
Review Excerpt(s)
From Publishers Weekly
In reviewing this 1996 Newbery winner, PW said that Cushman "has an almost unrivaled ability to build atmosphere, and her evocation of a medieval village, if not scholarly in its authenticity, is supremely colorful and pungent." Ages 8-12. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Like Cushman's 1994 Newbery Honor Book, Catherine, Called Birdy, this novel is about a strong, young woman in medieval England who finds her own way home. Of course, it's a feminist story for the 1990s, but there's no anachronism. This is a world, like Chaucer's, that's neither sweet nor fair; it's rough, dangerous, primitive, and raucous. Cushman writes with a sharp simplicity and a pulsing beat. From the first page you're caught by the spirit of the homeless, nameless waif, somewhere around 12 years old, "unwashed, unnourished, unloved, and unlovely," trying to keep warm in a dung heap. She gets the village midwife, Jane Sharp, to take her in, befriends a cat, names herself Alyce, and learns something about delivering babies. When she fails, she runs away, but she picks herself up again and returns to work and independence. Only the episode about her caring for a homeless child seems contrived. The characters are drawn with zest and affection but no false reverence. The midwife is tough and greedy ("she did her job with energy and some skill, but without care, compassion, or joy"), her method somewhere between superstition, herbal lore, common sense, and bumbling; yet she's the one who finally helps Alyce to be brave. Kids will like this short, fast-paced narrative about a hero who discovers that she's not ugly or stupid or alone. Hazel Rochman --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Connections
Other historical fiction novels by Karen Cushman
Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman
The Ballad of Lucy Whipple by Karen Cushman
Matilda Boone by Karen Cushman
Sunday, October 21, 2007
BIOGRAPHY BLOG #1: Out of Darkness The Story of Louis Braille
BIOGRAPHY BLOG #1: OUT OF DARKNESS THE STORY OF LOUIS BRAILLE
Bibliographic Data
Kielser, Kate. 1997. Out of the Darkness The Story of Louis Braille. by Russell Freedman. New York, NY. Clarion Books. ISBN: 0-395-77516-7
Plot Summary
Most everyone knows about the system of Braille, which is the reading and writing system for the blind. But did you know the story of Louis Braille who invented this system? Louis Braille who lived in France in the year 1821 wanted to read and write but as a blind boy was unable to do so as there was not yet a good system in place. This is the story of a young boy’s determination to create a way for the blind to read and write and come “out of the darkness.”
Critical Analysis
This book is very interesting and readable, it reads very much like a story, as it is the story of Louis Braille’s life. The book is attractive and caught my eye with the title and the watercolor drawing of a blind boy sitting on the corner bench in France. Once I read the first chapter I was hooked. The writer brings us into the story where a small boy sits in the dark of his dormitory punching holes across a page with the sharp point of a stylus. We learn this boy is Louis and he is a student at the Royal Institute for Blind Youth in France and that he wasn’t born blind. The next chapter is titled The Accident and really interests the reader to find out more and keep reading.
The organization is very logical. After the introduction, it begins the story with Louis’s early childhood and leads into his time at the Royal Institute for Blind Youth in France and eventually to his death. The most significant facts, people and dates are included. The reader learns about “embossed books” the cumbersome system of reading and writing developed by Valentin Hauy that was in place when Louis first goes to school. We also learn about Louis’s meeting with Captain Barbier, the inventor of “nightwriting” or sonography, which Louis uses as a model for his own system. The black and white pencil sketch illustrations complement the story of his life. The chapter titled, The Braille Cell, a diagram of the system of Braille and the Braille alphabet is shown. There is also a diagram of the grooved slate, sliding ruler, and stylus used to write sonograpahy and later Braille. The author Russell Freedman is a highly qualified writer whose acclaimed titles include three Newberry Honor Books: Lincoln: A Photobiography; Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery and The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane as well as Kids At Work: Lewis Hine and the Crusade Against Child Labor, an Orbis Pictus Honor Book.
Review Excerpt(s)
From School Library Journal
Grade 3-6.
An extremely well-written and informative book that tells about Braille's life and the development of his alphabet system for the blind. Freedman's gift for making his subjects both accessible and intriguing comes through wonderfully in this book. Readers learn not only about Braille and his struggle to communicate through the written word once he lost his sight, but also how long it took for his revolutionary innovation to become universally accepted. They also become aware of how isolated the blind were before his invention. Finely detailed pencil drawings and diagrams appear throughout the readable narrative. An entertaining and fascinating look at a remarkable man.?Melissa Hudak, North Suburban District Library, Roscoe, ILCopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Gr. 4^-8.
More than 170 years ago, a blind French boy at age 15 invented a system of raised dots on paper that allows the sightless to read and write. Without melodrama, Freedman tells the momentous story in quiet chapters in his best plain style, making the facts immediate and personal. At age 3, Louis Braille was blinded in an accident with a knife. From the age of 12, he worked doggedly, sometimes secretly through the night at a special school in Paris, punching dots on paper, trying to develop a simple code for the alphabet that the blind could read with their fingertips. Woven into the story is an awareness of how the blind child experiences the world, what he remembers. Tension mounts as he refuses to be discouraged by technical and bureaucratic setbacks, until eventually he proves his system to his school and finally to the world. The handsome book design is clear and open. A diagram explains how the Braille alphabet works, and Kate Kessler's full-page shaded pencil illustrations are part of the understated poignant drama. But what about documentation? Is the opening chapter partially fictionalized? No sources are given for the facts and quotes throughout the book, and there's no bibliography. Hazel Rochman
Connections
Other Biographies by Russell Freedman
Lincoln: A Photobiography
Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery
The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane
Kids at Work: Lewis Hine and the Crusade against Child Labor
Bibliographic Data
Kielser, Kate. 1997. Out of the Darkness The Story of Louis Braille. by Russell Freedman. New York, NY. Clarion Books. ISBN: 0-395-77516-7
Plot Summary
Most everyone knows about the system of Braille, which is the reading and writing system for the blind. But did you know the story of Louis Braille who invented this system? Louis Braille who lived in France in the year 1821 wanted to read and write but as a blind boy was unable to do so as there was not yet a good system in place. This is the story of a young boy’s determination to create a way for the blind to read and write and come “out of the darkness.”
Critical Analysis
This book is very interesting and readable, it reads very much like a story, as it is the story of Louis Braille’s life. The book is attractive and caught my eye with the title and the watercolor drawing of a blind boy sitting on the corner bench in France. Once I read the first chapter I was hooked. The writer brings us into the story where a small boy sits in the dark of his dormitory punching holes across a page with the sharp point of a stylus. We learn this boy is Louis and he is a student at the Royal Institute for Blind Youth in France and that he wasn’t born blind. The next chapter is titled The Accident and really interests the reader to find out more and keep reading.
The organization is very logical. After the introduction, it begins the story with Louis’s early childhood and leads into his time at the Royal Institute for Blind Youth in France and eventually to his death. The most significant facts, people and dates are included. The reader learns about “embossed books” the cumbersome system of reading and writing developed by Valentin Hauy that was in place when Louis first goes to school. We also learn about Louis’s meeting with Captain Barbier, the inventor of “nightwriting” or sonography, which Louis uses as a model for his own system. The black and white pencil sketch illustrations complement the story of his life. The chapter titled, The Braille Cell, a diagram of the system of Braille and the Braille alphabet is shown. There is also a diagram of the grooved slate, sliding ruler, and stylus used to write sonograpahy and later Braille. The author Russell Freedman is a highly qualified writer whose acclaimed titles include three Newberry Honor Books: Lincoln: A Photobiography; Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery and The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane as well as Kids At Work: Lewis Hine and the Crusade Against Child Labor, an Orbis Pictus Honor Book.
Review Excerpt(s)
From School Library Journal
Grade 3-6.
An extremely well-written and informative book that tells about Braille's life and the development of his alphabet system for the blind. Freedman's gift for making his subjects both accessible and intriguing comes through wonderfully in this book. Readers learn not only about Braille and his struggle to communicate through the written word once he lost his sight, but also how long it took for his revolutionary innovation to become universally accepted. They also become aware of how isolated the blind were before his invention. Finely detailed pencil drawings and diagrams appear throughout the readable narrative. An entertaining and fascinating look at a remarkable man.?Melissa Hudak, North Suburban District Library, Roscoe, ILCopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Gr. 4^-8.
More than 170 years ago, a blind French boy at age 15 invented a system of raised dots on paper that allows the sightless to read and write. Without melodrama, Freedman tells the momentous story in quiet chapters in his best plain style, making the facts immediate and personal. At age 3, Louis Braille was blinded in an accident with a knife. From the age of 12, he worked doggedly, sometimes secretly through the night at a special school in Paris, punching dots on paper, trying to develop a simple code for the alphabet that the blind could read with their fingertips. Woven into the story is an awareness of how the blind child experiences the world, what he remembers. Tension mounts as he refuses to be discouraged by technical and bureaucratic setbacks, until eventually he proves his system to his school and finally to the world. The handsome book design is clear and open. A diagram explains how the Braille alphabet works, and Kate Kessler's full-page shaded pencil illustrations are part of the understated poignant drama. But what about documentation? Is the opening chapter partially fictionalized? No sources are given for the facts and quotes throughout the book, and there's no bibliography. Hazel Rochman
Connections
Other Biographies by Russell Freedman
Lincoln: A Photobiography
Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery
The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane
Kids at Work: Lewis Hine and the Crusade against Child Labor
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
NONFICTION BLOG #3: HITLER YOUTH
NONFICTION BLOG #3 HITLER YOUTH: GROWING UP IN HITLER’S SHADOW
Bibliographic Data
Campbell Bartoletti, S. 2005. Hitler Youth: Growing up in Hitler's Shadow. New York: Scholastic, Scholastic Nonfiction. ISBN: 0-439-35379-3
Plot Summary
In this nonfiction book the reader is taken on a journey through Nazi Germany from the date the Hitler Youth was formed in 1926 to the date Germany collapses as Allies invade in 1945. This book is about the millions of boys and girls who belonged to Hitler Youth. Twelve young people’s personal stories are interwoven in the book; from the story of Elizabeth Vetter who at age 8 told her Hitler Youth leaders on her father, which led to his arrest, to the story of Hans and Sophie Scholl who joined Hitler Youth eagerly as children but later rebelled and joined with other on a dangerous campaign against Hitler, the Nazis, and the War.
Critical Analysis
The author Susan Campbell Bartoletti explains in the Authors Note at the end of the book how she came to research for the book. She researched and read many books on the subject including Hitler’s chilling autobiographical work, Mein Kampf. She continued her research by traveling to Germany and visiting Berlin, Nuremberg, and riding out to the Nazi Party Rally Grounds. She used oral histories, diaries, letters, and other personal accounts. She also met and interviewed former members of the Hitler Youth where they shared stories, memories and photographs.
The layout of the book is visually appealing. The book begins with a table of contents. The next page introduces each of the 12 young people in the book with a picture and a small brief biography. There are ten chapters ranging from Chapter 1: “For the Flag We Are Ready to Die” Hitler’s Rise to Power, to Chapter 7: “Serving a Mass Murderer” The Holocaust Begins to the conclusion in Chapter 10: “I Could Not Help but Cry”. Each page of text includes black and white historical photographs of young people in the book that complement the text and captions are included to further explain the photo. The back of the book contains an epilogue which tells what became of the young people in the book, a timeline, the authors note, information about the photographs, quote sources, a bibliography, and index.
The writing is clear and interesting. Each chapter begins as a personal story of one of the young people in the book while including dates and information on what was happening in Nazi Germany at the time. Quotations and first person accounts are used throughout the book are much more descriptive and moving than the author’s narrative would be alone. The writing is objective and encourages critical thinking skills of the reader. It encourages further reading as well. After reading this I would like to further read and research the topic. It is important to learn and understand history so we do not repeat it.
Review Excerpt(s)
From School Library Journal
Starred Review. Grade 5-8–Hitler's plans for the future of Germany relied significantly on its young people, and this excellent history shows how he attempted to carry out his mission with the establishment of the Hitler Youth, or Hitlerjugend, in 1926. With a focus on the years between 1933 and the end of the war in 1945, Bartoletti explains the roles that millions of boys and girls unwittingly played in the horrors of the Third Reich. The book is structured around 12 young individuals and their experiences, which clearly demonstrate how they were victims of leaders who took advantage of their innocence and enthusiasm for evil means. Their stories evolve from patriotic devotion to Hitler and zeal to join, to doubt, confusion, and disillusion. (An epilogue adds a powerful what-became-of-them relevance.) The large period photographs are a primary component and they include Nazi propaganda showing happy and healthy teens as well as the reality of concentration camps and young people with large guns. The final chapter superbly summarizes the weighty significance of this part of the 20th century and challenges young readers to prevent history from repeating itself. Bartoletti lets many of the subjects' words, emotions, and deeds speak for themselves, bringing them together clearly to tell this story unlike anyone else has.–Andrew Medlar, Chicago Public Library, IL Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
Starred Review* Gr. 7-10. What was it like to be a teenager in Germany under Hitler? Bartoletti draws on oral histories, diaries, letters, and her own extensive interviews with Holocaust survivors, Hitler Youth, resisters, and bystanders to tell the history from the viewpoints of people who were there. Most of the accounts and photos bring close the experiences of those who followed Hitler and fought for the Nazis, revealing why they joined, how Hitler used them, what it was like. Henry Mentelmann, for example, talks about Kristallnacht, when Hitler Youth and Storm Troopers wrecked Jewish homes and stores, and remembers thinking that the victims deserved what they got. The stirring photos tell more of the story. One particularly moving picture shows young Germans undergoing de-Nazification by watching images of people in the camps. The handsome book design, with black-and-white historical photos on every double-page spread, will draw in readers and help spark deep discussion, which will extend beyond the Holocaust curriculum. The extensive back matter is a part of the gripping narrative. Hazel RochmanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Connections
Ann Frank: Diary of a Young Girl by Ann Frank
Edith's Story: The True Story of a Young Girl's Courage and Survival During World War II by Edith Velmans
A Child of Hitler by Alfon Sheck
Bibliographic Data
Campbell Bartoletti, S. 2005. Hitler Youth: Growing up in Hitler's Shadow. New York: Scholastic, Scholastic Nonfiction. ISBN: 0-439-35379-3
Plot Summary
In this nonfiction book the reader is taken on a journey through Nazi Germany from the date the Hitler Youth was formed in 1926 to the date Germany collapses as Allies invade in 1945. This book is about the millions of boys and girls who belonged to Hitler Youth. Twelve young people’s personal stories are interwoven in the book; from the story of Elizabeth Vetter who at age 8 told her Hitler Youth leaders on her father, which led to his arrest, to the story of Hans and Sophie Scholl who joined Hitler Youth eagerly as children but later rebelled and joined with other on a dangerous campaign against Hitler, the Nazis, and the War.
Critical Analysis
The author Susan Campbell Bartoletti explains in the Authors Note at the end of the book how she came to research for the book. She researched and read many books on the subject including Hitler’s chilling autobiographical work, Mein Kampf. She continued her research by traveling to Germany and visiting Berlin, Nuremberg, and riding out to the Nazi Party Rally Grounds. She used oral histories, diaries, letters, and other personal accounts. She also met and interviewed former members of the Hitler Youth where they shared stories, memories and photographs.
The layout of the book is visually appealing. The book begins with a table of contents. The next page introduces each of the 12 young people in the book with a picture and a small brief biography. There are ten chapters ranging from Chapter 1: “For the Flag We Are Ready to Die” Hitler’s Rise to Power, to Chapter 7: “Serving a Mass Murderer” The Holocaust Begins to the conclusion in Chapter 10: “I Could Not Help but Cry”. Each page of text includes black and white historical photographs of young people in the book that complement the text and captions are included to further explain the photo. The back of the book contains an epilogue which tells what became of the young people in the book, a timeline, the authors note, information about the photographs, quote sources, a bibliography, and index.
The writing is clear and interesting. Each chapter begins as a personal story of one of the young people in the book while including dates and information on what was happening in Nazi Germany at the time. Quotations and first person accounts are used throughout the book are much more descriptive and moving than the author’s narrative would be alone. The writing is objective and encourages critical thinking skills of the reader. It encourages further reading as well. After reading this I would like to further read and research the topic. It is important to learn and understand history so we do not repeat it.
Review Excerpt(s)
From School Library Journal
Starred Review. Grade 5-8–Hitler's plans for the future of Germany relied significantly on its young people, and this excellent history shows how he attempted to carry out his mission with the establishment of the Hitler Youth, or Hitlerjugend, in 1926. With a focus on the years between 1933 and the end of the war in 1945, Bartoletti explains the roles that millions of boys and girls unwittingly played in the horrors of the Third Reich. The book is structured around 12 young individuals and their experiences, which clearly demonstrate how they were victims of leaders who took advantage of their innocence and enthusiasm for evil means. Their stories evolve from patriotic devotion to Hitler and zeal to join, to doubt, confusion, and disillusion. (An epilogue adds a powerful what-became-of-them relevance.) The large period photographs are a primary component and they include Nazi propaganda showing happy and healthy teens as well as the reality of concentration camps and young people with large guns. The final chapter superbly summarizes the weighty significance of this part of the 20th century and challenges young readers to prevent history from repeating itself. Bartoletti lets many of the subjects' words, emotions, and deeds speak for themselves, bringing them together clearly to tell this story unlike anyone else has.–Andrew Medlar, Chicago Public Library, IL Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
Starred Review* Gr. 7-10. What was it like to be a teenager in Germany under Hitler? Bartoletti draws on oral histories, diaries, letters, and her own extensive interviews with Holocaust survivors, Hitler Youth, resisters, and bystanders to tell the history from the viewpoints of people who were there. Most of the accounts and photos bring close the experiences of those who followed Hitler and fought for the Nazis, revealing why they joined, how Hitler used them, what it was like. Henry Mentelmann, for example, talks about Kristallnacht, when Hitler Youth and Storm Troopers wrecked Jewish homes and stores, and remembers thinking that the victims deserved what they got. The stirring photos tell more of the story. One particularly moving picture shows young Germans undergoing de-Nazification by watching images of people in the camps. The handsome book design, with black-and-white historical photos on every double-page spread, will draw in readers and help spark deep discussion, which will extend beyond the Holocaust curriculum. The extensive back matter is a part of the gripping narrative. Hazel RochmanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Connections
Ann Frank: Diary of a Young Girl by Ann Frank
Edith's Story: The True Story of a Young Girl's Courage and Survival During World War II by Edith Velmans
A Child of Hitler by Alfon Sheck
Saturday, October 13, 2007
NONFICTION BLOG #2: THE MAN-EATING TIGERS OF THE SUNDARBANS
NONFICTION BLOG #2: THE MAN-EATING TIGERS OF THE SUNDARBANS
Bibliographic Data
Briggs, Eleanor. 2001. THE MAN-EATING TIGERS OF THE SUNDARBANS. by Sy Montgomery. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN: 0-618-07704-9
Summary
In this photo essay the reader is taken on a trip to the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve along the Bay of Bengal, between the countries of India and Bangladesh. About three hundred people a year are killed by the tigers of the Sundarbans and no one knows why. This book asks questions and shares findings from scientists and the natives to try to solve the mystery of the man eating tigers of the Sudarbans.
Critical Analysis
The layout of the book is very attractive. I was immediately drawn to the book because of the beautiful photography of the tiger on the cover as well as the title, THE MAN-EATING TIGERS OF THE SUNDARBANS. The author Sy Montgomery traveled to the Sundarbans on four separate expeditions searching for answers to the mysteries surround the tigers that live there. She listened to scientists and stories of the villagers who live by and respect the tigers on the reserve. I believe this sort of research and travel lead to a very accurately written nonfiction book. The layout is logical and there is a clear sequence to the information. There are six sections separated by titles much like chapters. The first section titled The Tiger is Watching serves as an introduction and attention grabber, where many questions and ideas on how to solve the mystery of the man eating tigers are posed to the reader. Other sections include A Visit to the Sundarbans, which serves to teach the reader about the natural wildlife of the Sundarbans, How Tigers Live, What the Scientists Say, What the Villagers Say and lastly Tiger Magic. The writing is clear, lively and exciting and avoids “talking down” to the reader. The writing encourages curiosity in the reader by sharing hypothesis from scientists and villagers stories to encourage critical thinking skills. Facts are presented but the author acknowledges that the answers are not black and white and therefore lead to more questions and inquiry. The photography complements the journey the reader is taken on to the Sundarbans. There are many pictures of wildlife, villagers, mangrove forests and close up photos of the tigers, which along with the personal voice of the writing make it seem as if the reader has been taken on a personal trip to the Sundarbans themselves. The back of the book includes a section on how to say some phrases in Bengali, statistics on tigers, other books on tigers and a list of organizations helping tigers.
Review Excerpt(s)
From School Library Journal
Gr 5-9-These unusual creatures of the Sundarbans-a mangrove forest stretching along the Bay of Bengal in India and Bangladesh-really do hunt and eat humans. Montgomery invites readers to journey with her to the region to better understand these elusive animals. "And here you-leave cars behind. You can get to the tigers' forest only by boat." She introduces several knowledgeable residents who describe their experiences. The author also explains many aspects of the rapid loss of the world's tiger population, the little understood behavior of this region's tigers, the lives and beliefs of local people, and the special features of the habitat and its role in supporting a chain of animal life. The largely conjectural knowledge of the tigers is handled carefully, but the lack of immediacy may tax the patience of readers expecting the more dramatic encounter with tigers suggested by the title and cover photo. The mysterious creatures are well concealed by the mangroves, and the few appearing here in handsome photographs are actually in captivity..-Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Gr. 4-7. The author of the acclaimed Snake Scientist (1999) has spun off this title from her 1995 adult book Spell of the Tiger, but this oversize volume has clearly been written with young people in mind. It immediately captures attention with fresh, engaging writing that turns a scientific study into a page-turning mystery. Montgomery carefully sets the place: a flooded forest called the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve, which runs along the bay dividing India from Bangladesh. It's the text, with as many questions as answers, that excites, as a fascinating topic meets a talented storyteller. Ilene CooperCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved Booklist, ALA, Starred Review : "Immediately captures attention with a fresh, engaging style that turns scientific study into a page-turning mystery. . . . A fascinating topic meets a talented storyteller."
Connections
Encantado: Pink Dolphin of the Amazon by Sy Montgomery
Man-Eaters of Kumaon (Oxford India Paperbacks) by Jim Corbett
Journey of the Pink Dolphins: An Amazon Quest by Sy Montgomery
Jungle Lore by Jim Corbett
The Man-eating Leopard of Rudraprayag (Oxford India Paperbacks) by Jim Corbett
Activities
Students can write to some of the organizations helping tigers for more information.
Bibliographic Data
Briggs, Eleanor. 2001. THE MAN-EATING TIGERS OF THE SUNDARBANS. by Sy Montgomery. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN: 0-618-07704-9
Summary
In this photo essay the reader is taken on a trip to the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve along the Bay of Bengal, between the countries of India and Bangladesh. About three hundred people a year are killed by the tigers of the Sundarbans and no one knows why. This book asks questions and shares findings from scientists and the natives to try to solve the mystery of the man eating tigers of the Sudarbans.
Critical Analysis
The layout of the book is very attractive. I was immediately drawn to the book because of the beautiful photography of the tiger on the cover as well as the title, THE MAN-EATING TIGERS OF THE SUNDARBANS. The author Sy Montgomery traveled to the Sundarbans on four separate expeditions searching for answers to the mysteries surround the tigers that live there. She listened to scientists and stories of the villagers who live by and respect the tigers on the reserve. I believe this sort of research and travel lead to a very accurately written nonfiction book. The layout is logical and there is a clear sequence to the information. There are six sections separated by titles much like chapters. The first section titled The Tiger is Watching serves as an introduction and attention grabber, where many questions and ideas on how to solve the mystery of the man eating tigers are posed to the reader. Other sections include A Visit to the Sundarbans, which serves to teach the reader about the natural wildlife of the Sundarbans, How Tigers Live, What the Scientists Say, What the Villagers Say and lastly Tiger Magic. The writing is clear, lively and exciting and avoids “talking down” to the reader. The writing encourages curiosity in the reader by sharing hypothesis from scientists and villagers stories to encourage critical thinking skills. Facts are presented but the author acknowledges that the answers are not black and white and therefore lead to more questions and inquiry. The photography complements the journey the reader is taken on to the Sundarbans. There are many pictures of wildlife, villagers, mangrove forests and close up photos of the tigers, which along with the personal voice of the writing make it seem as if the reader has been taken on a personal trip to the Sundarbans themselves. The back of the book includes a section on how to say some phrases in Bengali, statistics on tigers, other books on tigers and a list of organizations helping tigers.
Review Excerpt(s)
From School Library Journal
Gr 5-9-These unusual creatures of the Sundarbans-a mangrove forest stretching along the Bay of Bengal in India and Bangladesh-really do hunt and eat humans. Montgomery invites readers to journey with her to the region to better understand these elusive animals. "And here you-leave cars behind. You can get to the tigers' forest only by boat." She introduces several knowledgeable residents who describe their experiences. The author also explains many aspects of the rapid loss of the world's tiger population, the little understood behavior of this region's tigers, the lives and beliefs of local people, and the special features of the habitat and its role in supporting a chain of animal life. The largely conjectural knowledge of the tigers is handled carefully, but the lack of immediacy may tax the patience of readers expecting the more dramatic encounter with tigers suggested by the title and cover photo. The mysterious creatures are well concealed by the mangroves, and the few appearing here in handsome photographs are actually in captivity..-Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Gr. 4-7. The author of the acclaimed Snake Scientist (1999) has spun off this title from her 1995 adult book Spell of the Tiger, but this oversize volume has clearly been written with young people in mind. It immediately captures attention with fresh, engaging writing that turns a scientific study into a page-turning mystery. Montgomery carefully sets the place: a flooded forest called the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve, which runs along the bay dividing India from Bangladesh. It's the text, with as many questions as answers, that excites, as a fascinating topic meets a talented storyteller. Ilene CooperCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved Booklist, ALA, Starred Review : "Immediately captures attention with a fresh, engaging style that turns scientific study into a page-turning mystery. . . . A fascinating topic meets a talented storyteller."
Connections
Encantado: Pink Dolphin of the Amazon by Sy Montgomery
Man-Eaters of Kumaon (Oxford India Paperbacks) by Jim Corbett
Journey of the Pink Dolphins: An Amazon Quest by Sy Montgomery
Jungle Lore by Jim Corbett
The Man-eating Leopard of Rudraprayag (Oxford India Paperbacks) by Jim Corbett
Activities
Students can write to some of the organizations helping tigers for more information.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
NONFICTION BLOG #1: ANIMALS NOBODY LOVES
NONFICTION BLOG #1 ANIMALS NOBODY LOVES
Bibliographic Data
Simon, Seymour. 2001. ANIMALS NOBODY LOVES. Vancouver, British Columbia: Chronicle Books LLC. ISBN: 1-58717-080-9
Plot Summary
In this attractive photo-essay nonfiction book, Seymour Simon teaches us about the most unlovable of animals. While many of the animals are familiar, some are more unusual like the Gila Monster and the Man-of-War. The facts and details about each animal are presented in a personal voice which makes each animal interesting and exciting to read and learn about. We also learn little know facts : Did you know that headless cockroaches can live for as long as a week ? or that piranha’s have killed more people than the great white shark?
Critical Analysis
The layout of the book is attractive, inviting and well organized. The book begins with an introduction explaining what the book is going to be about and setting the stage for keeping an open mind about the animals that are going to be discussed. The book is made up of double pages spreads for each of the 20 featured unlovable animals. For each animal presented there is a full page color photograph of the animal. The photographs are full page sized close ups that capture the animal in their natural habitat. The photograph of the piranha is one of my favorites. The reader is able to look at the piranha’s sharp pointed row of teeth while reading the text:
“Piranhas can strip the flesh from a large animal in just a few minutes. There are horrible stories of people being eaten alive by piranhas. No wonder this small fish is so feared.”
Wow, that definitely doesn’t read like a boring textbook! As from this excerpt from the book you can tell that the writing is clear, lively and interesting. The sharing of interesting details and little know facts show that the author is enthusiastic about the subject.
The book ends with some questions for the reader which encourages critical thinking and more reading. The last page asks these questions:
“Do you feel any differently about the animals in this book now that you know more about them? If you do, can you think of any reasons that made you change your mind? Perhaps you might make your own list of animals that you don’t love and think about why each of these animals is on your list.
Review Excerpt
From BooklistGr. 4-6. The photos (and even the text) won't do much to change the reputation of animals such as the vulture and the rat, but there's no denying they'll draw a crowd and a chorus of "Gross." The pictures are fine, large, and in full color, as fascinating as they are repulsive and scary: the yawning jaws of a shark; a hyena consuming bloody food; a wasp enlarged bigger than a human fist, stinging a grasshopper. Simon puts forward some interesting facts and dispels a few myths about these 20 unlovable subjects, but report writers won't find enough material here, nor are there notes to lead curious kids on to more information. There's no question this will look great on display, but it will serve kids best when it's presented with more fact-rich natural histories. Stephanie ZvirinCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Connections
Crocodiles and Alligators by Seymour Simon
Gorillas by Seymour Simon
Spiders by Seymour Simon
Snakes by Seymour Simon
Wolves by Seymour Simon
Sharks by Seymour Simon
Big Cats by Seymour Simon
Wild Babies by Seymour Simon
Activities
Ask students to call out the names of some animals they don’t love
Write the list on the white board as students call out animals names
Group students to research more about one of the animals
Go to the library for students to look at other trade books on the animals and write up some new learned facts.
Bibliographic Data
Simon, Seymour. 2001. ANIMALS NOBODY LOVES. Vancouver, British Columbia: Chronicle Books LLC. ISBN: 1-58717-080-9
Plot Summary
In this attractive photo-essay nonfiction book, Seymour Simon teaches us about the most unlovable of animals. While many of the animals are familiar, some are more unusual like the Gila Monster and the Man-of-War. The facts and details about each animal are presented in a personal voice which makes each animal interesting and exciting to read and learn about. We also learn little know facts : Did you know that headless cockroaches can live for as long as a week ? or that piranha’s have killed more people than the great white shark?
Critical Analysis
The layout of the book is attractive, inviting and well organized. The book begins with an introduction explaining what the book is going to be about and setting the stage for keeping an open mind about the animals that are going to be discussed. The book is made up of double pages spreads for each of the 20 featured unlovable animals. For each animal presented there is a full page color photograph of the animal. The photographs are full page sized close ups that capture the animal in their natural habitat. The photograph of the piranha is one of my favorites. The reader is able to look at the piranha’s sharp pointed row of teeth while reading the text:
“Piranhas can strip the flesh from a large animal in just a few minutes. There are horrible stories of people being eaten alive by piranhas. No wonder this small fish is so feared.”
Wow, that definitely doesn’t read like a boring textbook! As from this excerpt from the book you can tell that the writing is clear, lively and interesting. The sharing of interesting details and little know facts show that the author is enthusiastic about the subject.
The book ends with some questions for the reader which encourages critical thinking and more reading. The last page asks these questions:
“Do you feel any differently about the animals in this book now that you know more about them? If you do, can you think of any reasons that made you change your mind? Perhaps you might make your own list of animals that you don’t love and think about why each of these animals is on your list.
Review Excerpt
From BooklistGr. 4-6. The photos (and even the text) won't do much to change the reputation of animals such as the vulture and the rat, but there's no denying they'll draw a crowd and a chorus of "Gross." The pictures are fine, large, and in full color, as fascinating as they are repulsive and scary: the yawning jaws of a shark; a hyena consuming bloody food; a wasp enlarged bigger than a human fist, stinging a grasshopper. Simon puts forward some interesting facts and dispels a few myths about these 20 unlovable subjects, but report writers won't find enough material here, nor are there notes to lead curious kids on to more information. There's no question this will look great on display, but it will serve kids best when it's presented with more fact-rich natural histories. Stephanie ZvirinCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Connections
Crocodiles and Alligators by Seymour Simon
Gorillas by Seymour Simon
Spiders by Seymour Simon
Snakes by Seymour Simon
Wolves by Seymour Simon
Sharks by Seymour Simon
Big Cats by Seymour Simon
Wild Babies by Seymour Simon
Activities
Ask students to call out the names of some animals they don’t love
Write the list on the white board as students call out animals names
Group students to research more about one of the animals
Go to the library for students to look at other trade books on the animals and write up some new learned facts.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
POETRY BLOG #3 A Pizza the Size of the Sun
POETRY BLOG #3: A Pizza the Size of the Sun
Bibliographic data
Stevenson, James. 1994. A PIZZA THE SIZE OF THE SUN. by Jack Prelutsky. New York: Greenwillow Books. ISBN 0-688-13235-7
Plot Summary
In this collection of poetry by Jack Prelutsky shares all types of humorous poems, including lyric, limerick, and concrete poems that children will enjoy, relate to, and most of all have fun reading. Poems include My Brother’s Really Stingy, Quentin Quimble Quamble Qualye the tattletale, and Gloppe’s Soup Shoppe to name a few. Children can read from start to finish, or pick and choose poems at random.
Critical Analysis
Jack Prelutsky’s poems are very imaginative, varied and humorous. He creates imaginary animals such as Moopies and Doddies and the Fummawummalummazumms in his rhymes. Prelutsky uses rhythm, rhyme, and alliteration in his poems. This collection includes concrete poems, such as I Was Walking in a Circle, where the poem is written on the page as a representation of a circle and the reader has to read the poem in the circle turning the book around in the process. Concrete poems are meant to be seen more than heard and often do not have a rhyming scheme or particular rhythm. The poem, I Was Walking in a Circle, does have a rhyming scheme as the words red and said do rhyme, but the visual is the most important part of the poem. Prelutsky uses word play and has even has fun with the way the poems are presented on the page. For example in I Am your Mirror Image, the reader has to look at the poem in the mirror to read it, also in Reverso is Name My, the reader has to figure out to read the poem left to right instead of the normal right to left. In the concrete poem a Dizzy Little Duzzle, the poem is never-ending, but the words fly around the page like a little bug. I also like the play on words in the poem If. This poem uses the double meanings of words like pain and pane, peal and peel, pries and prize, hares and hairs, and bear and bare to create a fun rhyming poem. These poems are great to read as an adult read aloud, unison, chorus and groups. The poem Rat for Lunch is a great poem to read with a class. The students can read aloud the repeated lines of the poem, while the teacher reads the rest of the pieces of the poem in between the chorus.
Rat for lunch! Rat for lunch!
Yum! Delicious! Munch munch munch!
One by one or by the bunch –
Rat, oh rat, oh rat for lunch!
James Stevenson’s water color black and white cartoon illustrations complement the poem very well. In I Got out of Bed, and I’m Proud of My Preposterpus the picture simply makes the poem. In other poems the illustrations add to the humor and wit of the poetry. Children will fall in love with the silly and fun poems and pictures in this poetry collection.
Review Excerpts
Booklist, 9/15/96 Gr. 3-6.
Prelutsky is up to his old tricks, using verbal sleight of hand to create another magical anthology of light verse. Poems such as "Penguins" display an elegance of wit and style: "Penguins cautiously reside / on our planet's underside, / Where they're careful not to cough, / lest they trip and tumble off." Others appeal to a grosser humor ("Eyeballs for sale! / Fresh Eyeballs for sale! / Delicious, nutritious, / not moldy or stale") or to children's delight in wordplay (I hide my dromedary / inside of our garage, / my parents don't suspect it's there / it's wearing camel-flage"). Librarians who have trouble locating concrete poems (in which the words are placed on the page in a shape suggested by the poem's subject) for school assignments will be glad to find a few examples here. The verse finds perfect visual expression in Stevenson's witty ink drawings touched with gray wash. A delightful addition to poetry collections that will not stay on the shelf for long.
Horn Book,9/10/96
The duo responsible for The New Kid on the Block and Something Big Has Been Here have again combined talents to create an appealing collection of short poetry. Stevenson's spirited line and wash drawings effectively convey the tone of the jaunty, usually funny, often silly, sometimes gross, and always childlike poems.... A fast-paced and accessible collection that's loads of fun.
Connections
The New Kid on the Block by Jack Prelutsky
Something Big Has Been Here by Jack Prelutsky
Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
Falling up by Shel Silverstein
Activities
Students read poems from books and pick their favorite to memorize and/or read aloud to the class
Adult read aloud, chorus and groups
Bibliographic data
Stevenson, James. 1994. A PIZZA THE SIZE OF THE SUN. by Jack Prelutsky. New York: Greenwillow Books. ISBN 0-688-13235-7
Plot Summary
In this collection of poetry by Jack Prelutsky shares all types of humorous poems, including lyric, limerick, and concrete poems that children will enjoy, relate to, and most of all have fun reading. Poems include My Brother’s Really Stingy, Quentin Quimble Quamble Qualye the tattletale, and Gloppe’s Soup Shoppe to name a few. Children can read from start to finish, or pick and choose poems at random.
Critical Analysis
Jack Prelutsky’s poems are very imaginative, varied and humorous. He creates imaginary animals such as Moopies and Doddies and the Fummawummalummazumms in his rhymes. Prelutsky uses rhythm, rhyme, and alliteration in his poems. This collection includes concrete poems, such as I Was Walking in a Circle, where the poem is written on the page as a representation of a circle and the reader has to read the poem in the circle turning the book around in the process. Concrete poems are meant to be seen more than heard and often do not have a rhyming scheme or particular rhythm. The poem, I Was Walking in a Circle, does have a rhyming scheme as the words red and said do rhyme, but the visual is the most important part of the poem. Prelutsky uses word play and has even has fun with the way the poems are presented on the page. For example in I Am your Mirror Image, the reader has to look at the poem in the mirror to read it, also in Reverso is Name My, the reader has to figure out to read the poem left to right instead of the normal right to left. In the concrete poem a Dizzy Little Duzzle, the poem is never-ending, but the words fly around the page like a little bug. I also like the play on words in the poem If. This poem uses the double meanings of words like pain and pane, peal and peel, pries and prize, hares and hairs, and bear and bare to create a fun rhyming poem. These poems are great to read as an adult read aloud, unison, chorus and groups. The poem Rat for Lunch is a great poem to read with a class. The students can read aloud the repeated lines of the poem, while the teacher reads the rest of the pieces of the poem in between the chorus.
Rat for lunch! Rat for lunch!
Yum! Delicious! Munch munch munch!
One by one or by the bunch –
Rat, oh rat, oh rat for lunch!
James Stevenson’s water color black and white cartoon illustrations complement the poem very well. In I Got out of Bed, and I’m Proud of My Preposterpus the picture simply makes the poem. In other poems the illustrations add to the humor and wit of the poetry. Children will fall in love with the silly and fun poems and pictures in this poetry collection.
Review Excerpts
Booklist, 9/15/96 Gr. 3-6.
Prelutsky is up to his old tricks, using verbal sleight of hand to create another magical anthology of light verse. Poems such as "Penguins" display an elegance of wit and style: "Penguins cautiously reside / on our planet's underside, / Where they're careful not to cough, / lest they trip and tumble off." Others appeal to a grosser humor ("Eyeballs for sale! / Fresh Eyeballs for sale! / Delicious, nutritious, / not moldy or stale") or to children's delight in wordplay (I hide my dromedary / inside of our garage, / my parents don't suspect it's there / it's wearing camel-flage"). Librarians who have trouble locating concrete poems (in which the words are placed on the page in a shape suggested by the poem's subject) for school assignments will be glad to find a few examples here. The verse finds perfect visual expression in Stevenson's witty ink drawings touched with gray wash. A delightful addition to poetry collections that will not stay on the shelf for long.
Horn Book,9/10/96
The duo responsible for The New Kid on the Block and Something Big Has Been Here have again combined talents to create an appealing collection of short poetry. Stevenson's spirited line and wash drawings effectively convey the tone of the jaunty, usually funny, often silly, sometimes gross, and always childlike poems.... A fast-paced and accessible collection that's loads of fun.
Connections
The New Kid on the Block by Jack Prelutsky
Something Big Has Been Here by Jack Prelutsky
Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
Falling up by Shel Silverstein
Activities
Students read poems from books and pick their favorite to memorize and/or read aloud to the class
Adult read aloud, chorus and groups
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