A Step From Heaven by An Na

1. Bibliography
Na, An. 2001. A Step from Heaven. Asheville, N. C.: Front Street. ISBN 978188690584

2. Plot Summary
The story of Young Ju and her family begins when she is four and her family is preparing to move to “Mi Gook”, America, from Korea. Young Ju believes that she is going to heaven where she will see her grandfather but is disappointed to learn that America is not heaven. Her American uncle tells her “Mi Gook is almost as good as heaven. Let us say it is a step from heaven.” Young Ju adjusts to school and a little brother as well as the rules, the words and the accents of a new country. Her parents work multiple jobs in order to fulfill their dreams of owning their own home and living the American dream. The pressure on her father pushes him to drinking and physical abuse of Young Ju and her mother. The abuse escalates to the point where Young Ju must call the police to save her mother’s life. After being released from jail, her father returns to Korea leaving the rest of the family to go on as best they can without him. The story end with Young Ju preparing to leave for college while her mother and brother move into a small house all their own.

3. Critical Analysis
An Na’s tale of poverty, acculturation and abuse is told in first-person present-tense narration. Na uses brief sections that are more like titled anecdotes than chapters. Her inclusion of Korean terms requires the reader to employ the use context clues and possibly some rereading at the beginning but they then become almost unnoticed as the story continues. She also allows the reader to experience what it is like to be in a new situation and not being able to understand what is being said, like when Young Ju first arrived at school (“Tees es Yung,” the witch teacher says. “Wah ko um, Yung,” they say.) Through Young Ju’s narratives the reader discovers each character. Her father Apa grows increasingly violent and defensive as he drinks more. Her mother Uhmma tries to make the best of their situation and works hard to keep the family together. Her brother Joon is the long awaited boy who is allowed to do things that would be considered unacceptable for a girl to do (“Young Ju, Apa says, shaking his head. Joon Ho is a boy. It is natural for him to pee outside.”) The ongoing coming-of-age theme is intertwined with Young Ju’s struggle of not becoming too American as her parents fear and being ashamed of her family’s situation. But Young Ju is portrayed as an intelligent girl who continues to thrive despite her situation. She receives moral support to succeed from her mother (“I am proud of you, Young Ju, Uhmma says, looking down into my eyes. You are a smart girl and someday you will be a smart woman.”) And as the story ends, the reader sees her connect with her mother and fully understand where they have come from.

4. Review Excerpts and Awards
Starred review in Booklist: “As in the best writing, the particulars make the story universal.”
Starred review in Publishers Weekly: “Equally bright are the prospects of this author; readers will eagerly await her next step.”
Starred review in School Library Journal: “A beautifully written, affecting work.”
Review in Horn Book: “Each of these vignettes displays an astonishing and memorable force.”
Review in VOYA: “This beautifully written book, a tale of both tragedy and eventual triumph, is likely to bring tears to the eyes of any reader.”
ALA Best Books for Young Adults
ALA Notable Children’s Books
Michael L. Printz Award

5. Connections
· Discuss questions raised by immigration. What would make a family or an individual leave their homeland and seek a new life in another country? What kinds of problems could an immigrant face building a new life? What are some of the problems faced by the Park family?
· Read the interview with An Na by Cynthia Leitich Smith at www.cynthialeitichsmith.com/lit_resources/authors/interviews/AnNa.html.
· Other Korean American fiction titles:
Czech, Jan M. An American Face. ISBN 9780878678183
Lee, Marie G. Finding My Voice. ISBN 9780395621349
Recorvits, Helen. My Name is Yoon. ISBN 9780374351144
Shin, Sun Yung. Cooper’s Lesson. ISBN 9780892391936
Son, John. Finding My Hat. ISBN 9780439435383

The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron

1. Bibliography
Patron, Susan. 2006. The Higher Power of Lucky. Ill. by Matt Phelan. New York: Antheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN 97814169091945

2. Plot Summary
Ten-year-old Lucky Trimble lives with her guardian and her beloved dog in Hard Pan, California (population 43) and dreams of becoming a world famous scientist one day. Lucky’s mother was electrocuted by stepping on a downed power line; her father sent for his first wife who lives in France to take care of Lucky until she can be placed in a foster home two years ago. Lucky eavesdrops on the twelve-step meetings that she cleans up after and hears the members talk about finding their higher power. She hopes that someday she can find her higher power and have some control over her life. Lucky is concerned that Brigitte wants to return to France and she will have to go to an orphanage and become a ward of the state. Lucky’s concern leads her to run away hoping to cause worry, sadness, and a change in Brigitte’s heart (“Lucky liked the idea that by running away she could make people do things they wouldn’t do otherwise.”). She runs away during a desert dust storm and when the air finally clears, so does the haze of Lucky’s uncertainty.

3. Critical Analysis
Patron’s novel is bases on a memorable cast of characters and a distinctive sense of place. Lucky is a multidimensional character exhibiting moments of meanness and big-heartedness. Her predicament is gripping. Many readers will identify with her feeling that some times she “wanted to change everything, all the bad things that had happened, and some times she wanted everything to stay the same forever.” Patron reveals Brigitte through interactions with Lucky and her flashbacks. Brigitte left France with “her own French life going along, full of plans, and her old French mother” when Lucky’s father called. She has stayed for two years and has made plans to legally adopt Lucky and open her own restaurant in Hard Pan. Two minor characters that appear frequently throughout the story are Lucky’s best friend, Lincoln, who has an obsession with tying knots and challenges her to see things in a new light and five-year-old Miles who is a tiresome pest to Lucky. The plot is revealed as Lucky goes through a typical day in her small town. Details of the past are provided in Lucky’s thoughts and memories. Patron’s style of revealing the story in parts maintains the interest of the reader. The small, subtle illustrations compliment the plot well.

4. Review Excerpts and Award
Starred review in Kirkus: “Readers will gladly give themselves over to Patron, a master of light but sure characterization and closely observed detail. A small gem.”
Review in Booklist: “Lucky is a true heroine, especially because she’s not perfect: she does some cowardly things, but she takes pains to put them to rights.”
Review in Horn Book: “Patron’s episodic tale of a grieving insecure little girl is never heavy-handed or maudlin, due in part to quiet bursts of humor.”
Review in School Library Journal
John Newberry Medal Winner

5. Connections
· Discuss what things students would include in their survival-kit backpacks and why.
· Research different types of knots. Which ones would be easy for a beginner? How many can you successfully make?
· Other titles by Susan Patron:
Five Bad Boys, Billy Que, and the Dustdobbin. ISBN 9780531059890
Bobbin Dustbobbin. ISBN 9780531054680
Maybe Yes, Maybe No, Maybe Maybe. ISBN 9780531054826
Burgoo Stew. ISBN 9780531059166
Dark Cloud Strong Breeze. ISBN 9780531068151

The Field Guide by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black

1. Bibliography
Black, Holly and Tony DiTerlizzi. 2003. The Field Guide. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN 9780689859366

2. Plot Summary
Nine-year-old twins, Jared and Simon, their thirteen-year-old sister Mallory and their mom move into great-aunt Lucinda’s rundown Victorian house after their father leaves them. The children begin hearing strange noises in the walls immediately and find and destroy a nest in the wall. The children find a secret room, an old book, Arthur Spiderwick’s Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You, which turns out to be a guide to faeries and eventually, a little brownie named Thimbletack who is about the size of a pencil and talks in rhyme. Strange things happen to Mallory and Simon at night after they destroy Thimbletack’s nest. Jared is blamed for tying Mallory’s hair to the headboard and freezing Simon’s tadpoles. The children appease the brownie by building him a new home. As the book ends, he warns the children that keeping the field guide will result in harm.

3. Critical Analysis
The first book in this series is written in short paragraphs in a smooth, approachable style with each chapter ending with suspense. Though this book does not contain much of the story’s plot, it introduces the characters and the story to follow and ends leaving the reader wanting to read the sequel. The characters are well established in this volume and so is their family dynamic. Jared has been labeled as a troublemaker (“She thinks you’ve been acting weird ever since Dad left. Like getting into all those fights at school.”) while Simon is an animal lover who brought with him fish, mice, and lizards among other animals. Mallory’s main focus is fencing and is very competitive, and their mother Helen is appreciative to have somewhere to live (“If your great-aunt Lucinda hadn’t let us stay, I don’t know where we would have gone. We should be grateful.”). Black uses detailed descriptions to help the reader visualize the happenings in the story (“Taking a breath, Jared pushed up the lid. It was full of very old, moth-eaten clothes. Underneath, there was a pocket watch on a long chain, a tattered cap, and a leather satchel full of old, odd-looking pencils and cracked bits of charcoal.”) The black-and-white in depth illustrations that appear on almost every two page spread compliment the text while bringing the strange world the Spiderwick Estate alive. A table of contents, a list of “full-page” illustrations, a map of the Spiderwick Estate, and an introductory letter from the authors as well as a copy of the original letter to Mrs. Black and Mr. DiTerlizzi from the Grace children can be found at the beginning of the text.

4. Review Excerpts and Award
Starred review in Kirkus: “Readers who are too young to read Harry Potter independently will find these have just the right amount of menace laced with appealing humor and are blessed with crisp pacing and, of course, DiTerlizzi’s enticingly Gothic illustrations.”
Starred review in Publishers Weekly: “Appealing characters, well-measured suspense and an inviting package will lure readers on to The Seeing Stone...Youngsters may well find themselves glancing over their shoulders as they eagerly follow the events.”
Review in VOYA: “Nearly every second page is embellished with the ink drawings of DiTerlizzi, evoking a delicious classical sense in this modern fantasy. Black...keeps the dialogue snappy and the children’s personalities distinct.”
Review in Horn Book: “The individual books do not stand alone and the first mostly sets the stage, but the writing is fast paced and action-packed. Retro black-and-white spot art adds atmosphere.”
Review in School Library Journal
International Reading Association’s Children’s Choices

5. Connections
· Create your own brownie. Write a description of his/her personality including likes and dislikes. Be sure to include an illustration.
· Take the trivia quiz over the Spiderwick Chronicles at www.kidsreads.com/funstuff/trivia/spiderwick-triv.asp.
· Subsequent titles in this series:
The Seeing Stone. ISBN 9780689859373
Lucinda’s Secret. ISBN 9780689859380
The Ironwood Tree. ISBN 9780689859397
The Wrath of Mulgarath. ISBN 9780689859403

The River Between Us by Richard Peck

1. Bibliography
Peck, Richard. 2003. The River Between Us. New York: Dial Books. ISBN 9780803727359

2. Plot Summary
This tale begins in 1916 when fifteen-year-old Howard travels by car with his father and twin brothers from Saint Louis to Grand Tower, Illinois, to visit his grandparents and great aunt and uncle for the first time. Grandma Tilly spends several afternoons telling Howard about two events that changed the lives of Tilly and her twin brother Noah - the arrival of two mysterious strangers from New Orleans and the Civil War. “She handed over the past like a parcel, seizing these days to do it,” thought Howard. The tale shifts from Howard’s point of view to Tilly’s when she was a fifteen-year-old in 1861. Howard learns about the two strangers that stay with Tilly’s family and alter their lives. Tilly tells that Noah ran off to join the Union Army and how she and Delphine, one of the mysterious strangers, nursed him back to health with the help of a young doctor so that he could return home as Tilly’s mother wanted. The tale takes a tragic turn and more secrets are revealed. Before Howard and his family return home, he learns from his father a surprise about his ancestry.

3. Critical Analysis
Peck’s captivating mystery is set in two different time periods - 1916 and 1861. He utilizes two different narrators to present the each part. Howard begins and ends the tale and provides the foundation and closure of the family’s trip to Grand Tower. Grandma Tilly explains the historical aspect of the family in 1861. Both narrators give the reader background to the time period and a look at the events that were occurring then. The characters grow and become lifelike through their experiences and the background events. He provides an emotional side to the characters that allows the readers care about them. The way in which the story is set up allows the reader to get to know the characters as teenagers and elders. Peck’s inclusion of a strong female in Delphine causes controversy in Grand Tower but inspires growth in Tilly and her mother. The backdrop of the Civil War and Peck’s descriptions make the events of the story very believable. He includes “A Note on the Story” at the end of the book where he gives information about the research and where his ideas came from. Peck also gives further information on the “gens de couleur.” The themes of war, politics, morality and race are delicately examined throughout this novel. This novel will appeal to middle school age students and up.

4. Review Excerpts and Awards
Starred review in Kirkus Reviews: “Peck writes beautifully, bringing history alive through Tilly’s marvelous voice and deftly handling themes of family, race, war and history. A rich tale ful of magic, mystery, and surprise.”
Review in School Library Journal: “In this thoroughly researched novel, Peck masterfully describes the female Civil War experience, the subtle and not-too-subtle ways the country was changing, and the split in loyalty that separated towns and even families.”
Review in Library Media Connection: “Peck is at this best in this richly layered family drama full of intrigue and mystery that reveals the harsh, complex realities of war.”
Starred eview in Booklist: “Peck’s spare writing has never been more eloquent than in this powerful mystery in which personal secrets drive the plot and reveal the history.”
Review in VOYA: “Peck’s expert use of colloquial English again transforms this fascinating story into a rare literary treat...”
Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction
ALA Books for Young Adults
ALA Notable Children's Books

5. Connections
· Locate the towns from the novel using a map of the Mississippi River. Include Cairo, Grand Tower, Carbondale, St. Louis, and New Orleans.
· Create a timeline of historical dates from the novel, such as Lincoln’s Inauguration, the Battle of Bull Run, the Battle of Belmont and the attack on Fort Sumter.
· Other historical fiction novels about the Civil War:
Hunt, Irene. Across Five Aprils. ISBN 9780425102411
Melman, Charles. Landsman: A Novel. ISBN 9781582433677
Olmstead, Robert. Coal Black Horse. ISBN 9781565125216
Reeder, Carolyn. Shades of Gray. ISBN 9780689826962
Wells, Rosemary. Red Moon at Sharpsburg. ISBN 9780670036387

Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman

1. Bibliography
Cushman, Karen. 1994. Catherine, Called Birdy. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 9780395681862

2. Plot Summary
Fourteen-year-old Catherine strikes a deal with her brother Edward the monk so she can forego the much despised task of spinning in favor of keeping a diary of her daily life. Edward believes that keeping the diary will help her become more learned and less childish. Catherine is known as Birdy because of her love and keeping of various kinds of birds. She records aspects of her daily life and includes her hatred for her household duties (“14th day of September - Tangled my spinning again. Corpus bones, what a torture.”), her wonderings about her future, her dislike for her brothers and frustration with her parents, and her attempts to avoid any possible marriage arranged by her father. Her father is a minor lord of Lincolnshire who is using Catherine’s marriage to suit his financial needs. She finally resigns herself to wed an older, unattractive man that she refers to as Shaggy Beard only to receive word that she will not have to marry him after all. The Author’s Note discusses further discusses life and culture of Medieval England and includes a list of additional resources for further reading.

3. Critical Analysis
Cushman’s medieval tale is a revealing and humorous look into a very difficult period in time. Death is commonplace, Catherine shares a bed with her old nurse, and her mother has miscarriage after miscarriage. Since the story is presented in a diary format, the reader is able to get to know Catherine well. She is a complex young narrator who possesses a wild imagination, a wealth of hope and a bunch of tenacity. In her hopes to escape an arranged marriage, she dreams of becoming a scribe, a Crusader, a minstrel until she finally resigns herself to her destiny realizing “I am who I am wherever I am.” Many other characters are introduced through Catherine’s diary though none are as deeply developed as Catherine. The reader is able to get to know her family and her friends Aelis from Belleford and Perkin the goat boy more so than some of the minor characters since she interacts with them on a more consistent basis. Much of the novel centers on Catherine’s attempts to scare off any possible suitors (she pretends to be mad, sets fire to the privy one is using, disguising herself as an ugly serving girl, etc.) The reader learns about her life, family, trials and joys. The diary begins almost as a dreaded homework assignment (“12th day of September - I am commanded to write an account of my days: I am bit by fleas and plagued by family. That is all there is to say.”) but Catherine’s attitude changes and she begins to describe her adventures and gives confessions. The novel is a coming-of-age of sorts for Catherine as she finally accepts her place in her world and discovers that she can still be true to herself.

4. Review Excerpts and Awards
Starred review in Kirkus Reviews: “The period has rarely been presented for young people with such authenticity; the exotic details will intrigue readers while they relate more closely to Birdy’s yen for independence and her sensibilities toward the downtrodden.”
Review in School Library Journal: “A feminist far ahead of her time, she is both believable and lovable...Superb historical fiction.”
Review in Publisher’s Weekly
Review in Booklist
Review in Horn Book
Newbery Honor Book
ALA Best Books for Young Adults
ALA Notable Books for Children

5. Connections
· Read Cushman’s The Midwife’s Apprentice. Compare and contrast the lead characters and their situations.
· Read in conjunction with social studies Medieval European societies unit.
· Catherine’s mother housed a Jewish family for the night. Research why the Jews were being expelled from England at this time.
· Catherine’s uncle George is part of the Crusades. Research the Crusades and their importance at this time.
· Nonfiction books about Medieval life:
Gies, Joseph and Frances Gies. Life in a Medieval City. ISBN 9780060908805
Gies, Joseph and Frances Gies. Life in a Medieval Village. ISBN 9780060920463
Gies, Joseph and Frances Gies. Life in a Medieval Castle. ISBN 9780060906740
Cosman, Madeleine Pelner. Fabulous Feasts: Medieval Cookery and Ceremony. ISBN 9780807608982
Duggan, Alfred. Growing up in Thirteenth Century England. ISBN 9780394912080

Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan

1. Bibliography
MacLachlan, Patricia. 1985. Sarah, Plain and Tall. New York: Harper & Row. ISBN 9780066241025

2. Plot Summary
This tale is set in the Midwest during the late 19th century. It is about a widowed farmer, Jacob, who advertises for a wife, and his two children, Anna and Caleb. When Sarah arrives from Maine for a trial period, she is homesick. The children fear she will not stay, and when she goes off to town alone, the family is concerned that she is gone for good. When she returns, she explains that “I will always miss my old home, but the truth of it is I would miss you more.”

3. Critical Analysis
MacLachlan’s short tale of abandonment, loss and love is about a family’s hope for a new beginning. The story is told through the point of view of Anna, the elder child. The characters are developed through dialogue (“Sarah said ‘later,’” Caleb whispered to me as we spread his hair about. “Sarah will stay.”) and the exchange of their letters. The plot is well-developed as well. The reader gets caught up in the “will she stay” or “will she go” excitement created through the characters. MacLachlan provides many details of farm life and of a time before electricity and motorized vehicles, such as “Papa taught Sarah how to plow the fields, guiding the plow behind Jack and Old Bess, the reins around her neck.” Through descriptions in the story the reader is able to determine the setting. MacLachlan is not forthcoming with exact details of the setting although she informs the reader that the family lives in the Midwest and Sarah is from Maine. Anna and Sarah’s descriptions allow the reader to picture the family’s home and farmland. MacLachlan carefully chooses her words so that the reader is not overwhelmed with descriptions and events. This in addition to the rhythmic flow makes this tale easy to read.

4. Review Excerpts and Awards
Starred review in School Library Journal: “A short but moving book that is anything but plain - for those who prefer quality to quantity.”
Review in Book Links: “This Newbery Medal-winning book is a perfect example of a masterfully crafted story for transitional readers.”
Review in Kirkus Reviews: “A warming, delicately tuned story”
Review in Booklist
Newbery Award winner
Scott O’Dell Award Winner for Historical Fiction
ALA Best Books

5. Connections
· Compare the coastal region to the plains region include geographical features, weather and resources in Social Studies.
· In Art, draw Sarah’s home in Maine using Sarah’s descriptions and the Witting’s home on the prairie using Anna’s descriptions.
· Provide information about each of the five types of shells Sarah brought from Maine using print and web resources.
· Create a flower chart about each of the flowers mentioned in the book. Include pictures as well as growing conditions.
· Other books in this Patricia MacLachlan trilogy:
Skylark. ISBN 9780064406222
Caleb’s Story. ISBN 9780060236052

The Boy on Fairfield Street: How Ted Geisel Grew Up to Become Dr. Seuss by Katherine Krull

1. Bibliography
Krull, Kathleen. 2004. The Boy on Fairfield Street: How Ted Geisel Grew Up to Become Dr. Seuss. Ill. by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher. New York: Random House. ISBN 9780375922985

2. Plot Summary
The childhood and youth of Ted Geisel, also known as Dr. Seuss, are told in this picture book biography. The story begins, “Once upon a time, there lived a boy who feasted on books and was wild about animals.” It goes on to tell of his love of drawing and making others laugh as well as the troubles that he faced being a German in the United States during the first World War. The story continues with Ted surprising many by attending Dartmouth College and writing for the college humor magazine and with Ted going to Oxford and meeting his future wife. It ends when he is twenty-two and “his future looked bright.” Additional pages complete Ted’s life “On Beyond Fairfield Street” and provide a bibliography of works written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss.

3. Critical Analysis
Krull’s informative biography about the childhood and youth of Dr. Seuss gives readers a glimpse into the author and illustrator’s formative years where many of his ideas came from. The information is presented in the style of a story. It begins with when and where he was born along with information about his family and community. It continues with his school years and college until he moves to New York to make it on his own. Krull includes his successes (winning first prize in the Springfield Union’s drawing contest) and disappointments (not receiving a medal from ex-President Theodore Roosevelt for selling the Liberty Bonds because the Boy Scouts did not make sure there were enough). The supplementary pages of information about Geisel’s life help complete the story of Dr. Seuss while the addition of “For Further Reading” and the websites encourage readers to learn more.

The full page paintings by Johnson and Fancher further create the setting and a feeling of nostalgia begun by Krull’s well-written text. The soft, muted illustrations complement the visual created by Krull. The inclusion of Geisel’s own drawings adds a little Seuss-flavor to the tale of his life.

4. Review Excerpts and Awards
Starred review in Kirkus Reviews: “The magic of his name will make this a huge hit, but it’s the lively writing that puts the hat on the cat.”

Starred review in School Library Journal: “This picture-book biography is a winner...Krull’s work is a terrific look at the boyhood of one of the most beloved author/illustrators of the 20th century.”
Review in BookList: “A delightful picture-book biography about Geisel that chronicles how he became an innovative writer and illustrator beloved by readers young and old.”
Review in Library Media Connection: “Kathleen Krull presents a touching view of the life of Ted Geisel from early childhood visiting the zoo to his young adult years at Dartmouth College, as well as the poignant events that shaped his life.”
Review in Horn Book
Review in Publisher’s Weekly

5. Connections
· Use this title in connection with Read Across America day in March. Can be used as promotion or to provide history behind the day.
· Collective biographies by Kathleen Krull:
Lives of Writers: Comedies, Tragedies (And What the Neighbors Thought). ISBN 9780152480097
Lives of Artists: Masterpieces, Messes (And What the Neighbors Thought). ISBN 9780152001032
Lives of Extraordinary Women: Rulers, Rebels (And What the Neighbors Thought). ISBN 9780152008079
Lives of Presidents: Fame, Shame (And What the Neighbors Thought). ISBN 9780152008086
Lives of Musicians: Good Times, Bad Times (And What the Neighbors Thought). ISBN 9780152480103
Lives of Athletes: Thrills, Spills (And What the Neighbors Thought). ISBN 9780152008062
· Other biographies by Kathleen Krull:
Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez. ISBN 9780152014377
Presenting Paula Danzinger. ISBN 9780805741537
Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolf Became the World’s Fastest Woman. ISBN 9780152012670
Marie Curie. ISBN 9780670058945
Leonardo da Vinci. ISBN 9780670059201

Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon by Catherine Thimmesh

1. Bibliography
Thimmesh, Catherine. 2006. Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 9780618507573

2. Plot Summary
The story of the Apollo 11 mission unfolds from beginning to end in this factual nonfiction work. Quotes and anecdotes from many people in various professions from engineers to seamstresses bring the full story of the mission to light. This text begins with the dream and the challenge set forth by President John F. Kennedy, “landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to Earth” to the Maiden Voyage and its challenges to Homeward Bound.

3. Critical Analysis
Thimmesh’s behind-the-scenes perspective and full-color NASA photos create a documentary feeling in this 16 chapter narrative. Thimmesh used personal and taped interviews, NASA transcripts, books, and newscasts in the construction of this fact-filled, well-written text. She describes the events that happened in sequential order from Kennedy’s challenge in May 1961 to the splashdown on July 24, 1969. The well-known event is told through the eyes of the astronauts and NASA personnel as well as many nonastronauts, “The regular folks whose efforts made an impossible mission possible in the first place.” Quotes and memories from the backroom support guys, the space suit test subject, the men in charge of the satellite that received the images of the lunar walk, Portable Life Support System monitors, the photography department, and a parachute system engineer give a more human and dramatic account to this story. The NASA photos with clever caption boxes provide the background for the white text. Thimmesh includes an author’s note, resources, a bibliography, and a glossary. Older elementary and middle school students will enjoy the story of how 400,000 in a team effort landed “an actual man, on the actual Moon.”

4. Review Excerpts and Awards
Starred review in Kirkus Reviews: “This beautiful and well-documented tribute will introduce a new generation to that triumphant time.”
Review in Library Media Connection: “With exciting you-are-there language and stunning historical photographs, this book captures the excitement of the Apollo mission to the moon.”
Review in VOYA: “Those adults old enough to remember the spell that was cast over America when Apollo 11 landed on the moon will understand the importance of this historic event. Thimmesh provides a colorful and impacting overview.”
Review in Horn Book
Review in Publisher’s Weekly
Review in School Library Journal: “This dramatic account will mesmerize even readers already familiar with the event-and also leave then awed by the level of care and dedication it took to surmount so many daunting technological challenges.”
ALA Best Books for Young Adults
Orbis Pictus Honorable Mention for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award

5. Connections
· Utilize this text in a unit on space exploration in addition to the resources presented in the text “For Further Exploration.”
· Other Apollo 11 titles:
Combs, Lisa M. Rocket to the Moon: The Incredible Story of the First Lunar Landing. ISBN 9780816763313
Crewe, Sabrina and Dale Anderson. The First Moon Landing. ISN 9780836833973
Green, Carl R. Apollo 11 Rockets to First Moon Landing. ISBN 9780766051645
Hehner, Barbara. First on the Moon: What It Was Like When Man Landed on the Moon. ISBN 9780786804894
Mason, Paul. The Moon Landing, July 20, 1969. ISBN9780739852361

Actual Size by Steve Jenkins

1. Bibliography
Steve Jenkins. 2004. Actual Size. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 9780618375943

2. Plot Summary
This nonfiction picture book utilizes cut and torn paper illustrations to express how small or big or short or long a variety of animals are. “All of the animals in this book are shown at actual size, so you can see how you measure up to creatures both large and small,” Jenkins states on the first page in the book. Each of the eighteen animals and insects is depicted to scale though some of them only partially fit on the page. A line or two of information is given about each animal in addition to their height (or length) and weight. A paragraph of further information is provided about each animal presented including the title page’s pygmy shrew and the final page’s giant Gippsland earthworm.

3. Critical Analysis
Jenkins’ eye-catching work is based on the accuracy of the size of each animal. The customary length or height as well as the weights of most of the animals are provided with each collage illustration. A simple sentence of text accompanies every life-size illustration - “This is too close to a great white shark!” The choice of vocabulary is simple enough for young listeners but not too easy for older elementary readers. More information about each featured animal’s habitat and behaviors is found on the final four pages of the book. These pages include smaller yet complete images of the animals. Jenkins’ style peaks a reader’s curiosity with the effortless text and striking illustrations and provides them with enough information at the finale to satisfy until additional sources can be found. The three-page spread of the saltwater crocodile’s open snout and the leaping Goliath frog are sure grab a readers’ attention.

4. Review Excerpts and Awards
Starred review in BookList: “An unusual, unusually effective tool for connecting children to nature’s astonishing variety.”
Review in Kirkus Reviews: “A new exploration of the biological world, from one of the current masters of collage, features life-size - not scaled - representations of the extremes of the animal kingdom.”
Review in Horn Book
Review in School Library Journal: “Mixing deceptive simplicity with absolute clarity, this beautiful book is an enticing way to introduce children to the glorious diversity of our natural world, or to illustrate to budding scientists the importance of comparison, measurement, observation, and record keeping. A thoroughly engaging read-aloud and a must-have for any collection.”
International Reading Association’s Children’s Choices
Orbis Pictus Honor Book for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children

5. Connections
· Use to introduce a length measurement unit in mathematics.
· Use in science in conjunction with a study on animals.
· Other titles about size:
Harris, Nicholas. How Long? ISBN 9781410300669
Jenkins, Steve. Prehistoric Actual Size. ISBN 9780618535781
Osborn, Kevin. Actual Size: 250 Actual Size Images of the Real World. ISBN 9780385198851
Walker, Richard. The Children’s Atlas of the Human Body: Actual Size Bones, Muscles, and Organs in Full Color. ISBN 9781562945039

Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse

1. Bibliography
Hesse, Karen. 1997. Out of the Dust. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 9780590360807

2. Plot Summary
The narrator, Billie Jo, is a young teenage girl living on a wheat farm in Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl. The verse novel allows the reader to experience her life from January 1934 to December 1935. Billie Jo’s mother dies after a tragic accident in which she mistakes a bucket of kerosene for water. The accident also causes injury to Billie Jo’s hands that halts her dreams of playing piano. Her father withdraws and Billie Jo tries her best to cope and fill her mother’s shoes on the farm. To calm her restlessness, she takes a train west only to return when she reaches Flagstaff. As she and her father walk home, “I tell him about getting out of the dust / and how I can’t get out of something / that’s inside me.” The story ends with the hope of a new beginning for Billie Jo and her father.

3. Critical Analysis
Hesse writes the novel in diary-like entries using free-verse poems. She concisely describes life during the dust storms of the 1930’s as well the feelings and emotions of a teenage girl who experiences the loss of her mother, baby brother, and her dreams of being a piano player. Hesse’s language choices allow the reader to move easily through the novel and create a natural, easy rhythm to the poems. She pithily exposes and explores Billie Jo’s feelings and experiences (“That is / heaven. / How supremely / heaven / playing piano / can be.”) Hesse’s poetry allows the reader to vividly see Billie Jo and to feel her pain and grief and hope (“And I’m learning, watching Daddy, that you can stay / in one place / and still grow.”)

4. Review Excerpts
Starred review in Booklist: “The story is bleak, but Hesse’s writing transcends the gloom and transforms it into a powerfully compelling tale of a girl with enormous strength, courage, and love.”
Starred review in School Library Journal: “Hesse’s ever-growing skill as a writer willing to take chances with her form shines through superbly in her ability to take historical facts and weave them into the fictional story of a character young people will readily embrace.”
Review in Horn Book
Review in Kirkus Reviews
Review in Booklist
Starred review in Publishers Weekly
Review in VOYA
ALA Best Books for Young Adults; ALA Notable Children’s Book
Newbery Award winner
Scott O’Dell Award winner

5. Connections
· Use individual poems, such as “The Path of Our Sorrow,” “Art Exhibit” and “Guests,” to supplement a history lesson on the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl.
· Use in conjunction with a journal/diary writing assignment in a language arts class to demonstrate an alternate way of writing an entry.
· Compare to other historical fiction written in journal form, such as Katelan Janke’s Survival in the Storm: the Dust Bowl Diary of Grace Edwards (ISBN 0439215994) and Marissa Moss’s Rose’s Journal: the Story of a Girl in the Great Depression (ISBN 0152024239)
· Dust Bowl nonfiction:
Andryszewski, Tricia. The Dust Bowl: Disaster on the Plains. ISBN 1562947478
Coombs, Karen Mueller. Children of the Dusty Days. ISBN 1575053608
Farris, John. The Dust Bowl. ISBN 1560060050
Isaacs, Sally Senzell. Life in the Dust Bowl. ISBN 9781588102485
Levey, Richard. Dust Bowl!: the 1930s Black Blizzards. ISBN 9781597160070

Fold Me a Poem by Kristine O'Connell George

1. Bibliography
George, Kristine O’Connell. 2005. Fold Me a Poem. Ill. by Lauren Stringer. Orlando, FL: Harcourt, Inc. ISBN 9780152025014

2. Plot Summary
The 32 poem collection details the events of a boy’s day creating origami animals. He begins the day with a “square sheet of paper - / folded, suddenly wakes up. / Good morning, Rooster.” The boy creates a collection of animals from buffalo and dogs to peacocks and penguins. A variety of exciting events occur including a race between a cheetah and a lion, needing to separate the foxes from the rabbits, and “Ostrich’s Injury” where the boy says, “I’m so sorry / my cat / attacked. / Glue? / Staple? / Tape? / Band Aid?” The boy later finds “slinky pieces of foil” and asks, “Who wants wings?” When the stars come out at night, the boy adds his own star to the sky. As he falls asleep, he hears “soft papery whisper-thumps” causing him to wonder “Is someone dancing?”

3. Critical Analysis
George’s short free-verse poems create the playful imagery of a boy’s imaginary world of a range of origami animals. She allows for a wealth of options in the poem entitled “Possibilities” - “Forty bright sheets / of colored paper, / a world of animals. / Who will be next?” George shows a humorous side when a moth asks, “Why didn’t you / save any butterfly colors / for me?” and a more serious side when the ostrich is attacked by his cat. The smooth rhythm of the poetry is natural and appropriate and allows the reader to move easily through the collection of poems.

Stringer’s colorful acrylic paintings supply additional details to George’s verses. She captures the details of the folds used to create the origami animals as well as the vibrant paper they are crafted from. In A Note from the Illustrator, Stringer explains how she learned origami and provides eight titles to look for if the reader is interested in learning “how to make your own paper animals.”

Fold Me a Poem is appropriate for all elementary ages. Younger students would enjoy the story told through the poems and illustrations while it would be enjoyed by older students because of the topic and humor as well. The book does not include reference aids that might be helpful to older students nor does it include origami instructions.

4. Review Excerpts
Starred review in Kirkus Reviews: “This engrossing collaboration is more a motivator than a teaching resource.”
Review in Horn Book
Review in School Library Journal: “Some of the selections exhibit a creative spark, while others tend to take their meaning from the illustrations, which are the real strength of the presentation.”
Review in Booklist: “Unusual, handsome, and good for reading aloud.”
Review in Publishers Weekly: “This unusual poetry volume is a dazzling celebration of imagination.”
Review in Library Media Connection

5. Connections
· Use in an art class to introduce a unit on origami.
· Discuss story elements including cause and effect and problem and solution.
· Use as a basis for creating a class book of a students’ day utilizing poetry.
· Origami How-To Books:
Berry, Thiranut Deborah. Origami for Fun! ISBN 9780756516895
Boursin, Didier. Easy Origami. ISBN 9781552979280
Boursin, Didier. Origami Paper Animals. ISBN 9781552096222
LaFosse, Michael G. Making Origami Animals Step by Step. ISBN 9780823958771
LaFosse, Michael G. Origami Activities: Asian Arts & Crafts for Creative Kids. ISBN 9780804834971

Please Bury Me in the Library by J. Patrick Lewis

1. Bibliography
Lewis, J. Patrick. 2005. Please Bury Me in the Library. Ill. by Kyle M. Stone. Orlando: Gulliver Books. ISBN 9780152163877

2. Plot Summary
This collection of 16 poems by J. Patrick Lewis honors libraries, books and reading. The poems include “What If Books Had Different Names?” (“Furious George, / Goodnight Noon”), “Necessary Gardens” (an acrostic using the word language), “Please Bury Me in the Library” (“Please bury me in the library / With a dozen long-stemmed proses.”), “The Big-Word Girl” (“Of all the clever girls I know, Elaine’s the one who counts. / But what she counts are syllables / In words I can’t pronounce.”), and “Ab-so-lu-tas-ti-cal” (“Paint me a picture book, Parrot. / Honey me poetry, Bee. / Hush me a lullaby, Owl. / Bookmark me, Flea. / Paint me and honey me, hush me right / Into an ab-so-lu-tas-ti-cal night.”) The book includes a table of contents as well as acknowledgments written in couplet form.

3. Critical Analysis
Lewis’s verses are short and typically light and humorous with the last few poems being deeper and more thought-provoking (“A good book is a kind / Of person with a mind / Of her own / Who lives alone, / Standing on a shelf / By herself.”) The collection includes haikus, an acrostic, couplets, free-verse and quatrains. The smoothly written poems would be enjoyed by students of varying ages from primary to early middle school age.

Stone’s acrylic paintings add a whimsical touch and are a perfect match to this collection of poems. Some illustrations are a single page opposite the poem while others encompass two pages setting the background for the verse. There are several small pencil drawings added in that do not feel out of place in this book. Stone did an excellent job capturing the feel of Lewis’s poetry.

4. Review Excerpts
Starred review in Kirkus Reviews: “This offering from the prolific Lewis won’t stay buried long, no matter where it is planted.”
Review in Horn Book
Review in School Library Journal: “A semi-swell collection of 16 poems celebrating books, reading, language, and libraries.”
Review in Booklist
Review in Publishers Weekly: “Lewis and Stone’s combination of sentimental rhymes and at times ghoulish whimsy creates a volume of poetry about reading that may leave bookworms with a bit of indigestion.”

5. Connections
· Using the poem “What If Books Had Different Names?” have the students create new names for some of their favorite books.
· Other poetry books on libraries:
Hopkins, Lee Bennett. Good Books, Good Times! ISBN 9780064462228
Huff, Barbara A. Once Inside the Library. ISBN 9780316379670
Pearson, Debora. When I Went to the Library. ISBN 9780888995131

And the Green Grass Grew All Around collected by Alvin Schwartz

1. Bibliography
Schwartz, Alvin. 1992. And the Green Grass Grew All Around: Folk Poetry from Everyone. Ill. by Sue Truesdell. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 9780613182317

2. Plot Summary
Schwartz begins this collection of folk poetry with an introduction explaining his experiences with this genre of poetry and stating, “This book is my personal record of such ‘folk poetry.’” He includes 300 poems in the fifteen chapters with the titles of People, Food, School, Teases and Taunts, Wishes-and Warnings, Love and Marriage, Work, Stories, Nonsense, Riddles, Fun and Games, Rain and Shine, A Tree, Animals and Insects, and Other Things (“prunes, teapots, dentists, ladybugs and everything else you can think of”) as well as background information about some of the poems in the text. The Notes section includes information on different types of folk poetry with fifteen additional rhymes, and the Sources section provides resources and information about the poems “with another twenty-one rhymes.” Schwartz supplies the reader with a bibliography and an index of first lines.

3. Critical Analysis
Schwartz’s large collection of child-friendly familiar and unfamiliar rhymes include wishes and taunts, riddles and games, parodies, nonsense rhymes, stories, and poems about love, food, school, and animals. For each chapter there is an introductory statement of what is contained in that chapter as well as an illustration and a rhyme to spark the reader’s interest. Some poems include music to which it is to be sung while others have historical information. For “The Titanic,” Schwartz includes “The ocean liner S.S. Titanic sank during the night of April 14, 1912, after crashing into an iceberg in the North Atlantic. More than fifteen hundred of its passengers drowned.” The information about “rhymes we use to learn who will be It” and the changing gender roles of jump ropers are some of the interesting additions included in this collection. The detailed notes and bibliography offer sources, variants and related information for those curious to learn more about folk poetry.

Truesdell’s black and white pen and watercolor cartoon-like illustrations express the poetry effortlessly. They are a wonderful complement to the rhymes gathered by Schwartz from children throwing food to teasing to “the old man is snoring” to the personified animals.

4. Review Excerpts
Starred review in Booklist: “The late Alvin Schwartz has left a joyful legacy in this collection of folk poetry for everyone to share.”
Starred review in School Library Journal: “A marvelous book that is sure to become a classic if children have any say in the matter.”
Review in Kirkus Reviews: “It’s hard to imagine a child who wouldn’t greet this treasure trove with enthusiasm.”

5. Connections
· Introduce students to the poem/song “The Green Grass Grew All Around” (Schwartz, 118) through this version on the Reading Is Fundamental site. http://www.rif.org/assets/Documents/readingplanet/ReadAloud_Stories/TheGreenGrassGrewAllAround.html
· Create a class book of folk poetry that students have heard or located through research.
· Introduce students to some of the jump rope, ball bouncing, and clapping rhymes.

The Gingerbread Man by Eric Kimmel

1. Bibliography
Kimmel, Eric. 1993. The Gingerbread Man. Ill. by Megan Lloyd. New York: Holiday House. ISBN 9780823408245

2. Plot Summary
An old woman and an old man bake a gingerbread man, but as they are putting on his last peppermint button, the gingerbread leaps up and runs out the door shouting, “I’ll run and run as fast as I can. You can’t catch me. I’m the gingerbread man!” The gingerbread man continues running down the road. As he passes an old sow, a dog, a horse and a cow, he repeats his chant. When he comes to a river, he meets a sly fox who offers to help him across the river. The fox tricks the gingerbread man into climbing further and further up his back until the gingerbread is “snapped up...in one bite.” The story ends on a positive note by stating, “But don’t be sad, for that wasn’t the end of the gingerbread man.” The rhyme that follows states that gingerbread men return when someone bakes more gingerbread.

3. Critical Analysis
Kimmel’s retelling of the familiar tale has an upbeat pace that works well for read-alouds. He includes the expected cast of characters in the well-known plot. The repetitiveness of the gingerbread man’s actions and dialogue allow young children to join in the reading.
“I’ll run and run as fast as I can.
You can’t catch me. I’m the gingerbread man!
I ran from the woman. I ran from the man.
I’ll run from you. See if I can!”
The story ends in a recognizable way with the fox catching the gingerbread man. But Kimmel provides a soft anecdote that gingerbread men do return with a positive illustration of smiling gingerbread men and women to prove the point.

Lloyd uses two-page watercolor illustrations to capture the action of the swift moving gingerbread man and his pursuers. The illustrations provide a modern feel to this classic tale.

4. Review Excerpts
Starred review in School Library Journal: “A book that’s sure to hold every reader and story-hour audience through to a most satisfying delicious ending.”
Review in Horn Book: “A fresh retelling of a perennial favorite for reading aloud.”
Review in Book Links
Review in Booklist: “The familiar tale gets a lift in this sprightly edition.”
Review in Teacher Librarian

5. Connections
· Retell the story on a felt board or using simple costumes or masks for each character.
· Compare and contrast different versions and variations of the Gingerbread Man using a Venn diagram.
· Create a gingerbread man and watch him come to life on www.starfall.com. The interactive gingerbread activity is found by clicking on “Gingerbread.”
· Younger children would appreciate being able to decorate and eat a real gingerbread man cookie.
· Other Gingerbread Man stories:
Brett, Jan. Gingerbread Baby. ISBN 9780399234446
Squires, Jan. Gingerbread Cowboy. ISBN 9780060778644
Page, Nick. Gingerbread Fred. ISBN 9781846101625
Ernst, Lisa Campbell. The Gingerbread Girl. ISBN 9780525476672
Holub, Joan. The Gingerbread Kid Goes to School. ISBN 9780448426747

Jarrell, Randall. The Gingerbread Rabbit. ISBN 9780060527688

Bubba, the Cowboy Prince by Helen Ketteman

1. Bibliography
Ketteman, Helen. 1997. Bubba the Cowboy Prince: A Fractured Texas Tale. Ill. by James Warhola. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0590255061

2. Plot Summary
In this fractured tale of Cinderella, Bubba lives on a ranch in Texas with his wicked stepdaddy and his “hateful and lazy stepbrothers.” Bubba does the work of three ranchhands without complaining. When the prettiest and richest woman in the county, Miz Lurleen, decides that she wants companionship, she issues an invitation to all of the ranchers in the state. Bubba spends all day getting his stepbrothers ready for the ball but does not have time to get ready himself. As he heads out to check on the herd, a thunderstorm rolls in. The thunderhead turns out to be Bubba’s fairy godcow who swishes her tail and makes Bubba “downright purty.” At the ball, Bubba dances with Miz Lurleen until the clock strikes midnight when Bubba returns to his old self, “He looked sorry, and he smelled worse.” He returns home on his cow losing one of his boots along the way. Miz Lurleen goes from ranch to ranch in search of the cowboy who left his boot behind. When Bubba tries on the boot, it fits perfectly causing Miz Lurleen to shout “You’re my prince in cowboy boots!” They ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after ranching together.

3. Critical Analysis
This Cinderella parody is untraditional in that the Cinderella character is played by an overworked cowboy, the handsome prince is “purtiest and richest gal in the county,” and the fairy godmother is a cow who swishes her tail to make wishes come true. Ketteman stays true to the plot of Cinderella by including a mean step family, a ball, the fairy godcow and her magic, the loss of the boot, and the reunited couple living happily ever after but she uses western flair through language and spelling, such as “Git them doggies along there” and “Why, you’re cute as a cow’s ear,” to establish this as a Texas tale.

Warhola’s colorful oil paintings are the perfect match to Ketteman’s narrative. The two page paintings provide a western visual that reflect the cultural aspects of the tale. Additional paintings of characters of the story are included on the copyright and dedication pages.

4. Review Excerpts
Review in Booklist: “With a male in the starring role, this charming and funny retelling may hold more appeal for young boys than the traditional version may.”
Review in Publishers Weekly: “Just the ticket for buckaroos lookin’ fer a good read.”
Review in Kirkus Reviews: “There are no surprises in this version except in the hilarious way the premise plays itself out and in Warhola’s delightful visual surprises.”

5. Connections
· Read Perrault’s original version of Cinderella and compare and contrast story elements found in Cinderella and Bubba the Cowboy Prince.
· After reading several Cinderella fractured fairy tales, have the students create their own versions, either as a class or in groups.
· Other Cinderella fractured fairy tales:
Perlman, Janet. Penguin Cinderella: Or the Little Glass Flipper. ISBN 9780140555523
Johnston, Tony. Bigfoot Cinderrrrrella. ISBN 9780698118713
Lowell, Susan. Cindy Ellen: A Wild Western Cinderella. ISBN 9780060274474
Jackson, Ellen B. Cinder Edna. ISBN 9780688162855
Minters, Frances. Cinder-Elly. ISBN 9780140561265

A Caldecott Celebration: Six Artists and Their Paths to the Caldecott Medal by Leonard S. Marcus

1. Bibliography
Marcus, Leonard S. 1998. A Caldecott Celebration: Six Artists and Their Paths to the Caldecott Medal. New York: Walker & Co. ISBN 0802786588

2. Plot Summary
Marcus profiles six Caldecott illustrators, one from each decade. Each chapter begins with a photograph of the illustrator, information about the award-winning book including the medium used in the illustrations, and a quote from the Caldecott acceptance speech. Marcus provides background information about the artists’ lives in addition to the creation of the Caldecott-winning book. Many illustrations and sketches from these books are included with photographs of related artwork.

3. Critical Analysis
The short 5 to 7 page chapters provide readers with a wealth of information gleaned from Marcus’s interview with each illustrator. Marcus presents the inspiration of these award-winning books, the process of creating the book, and how it affected their careers. Marcus states in the Introduction, “You are about to meet the people who made them. And you are about to see six works of art as ideas in the making: sketches and scribbles on the way to becoming books that readers prize.” He does this successfully as the reader is introduced to each artist and the story behind the book as well as photos and drawings pertaining to each.

4. Review Excerpts
ALA Notable/Best Books
Starred review in Booklist: “A beautifully made book, this will serve as a fine resource for children interested in illustration and for teachers researching author/illustrator studies.”
Starred review in Publishers Weekly: “Filled with witty anecdotes and pithy observations” “With Marcus’s sure hand guiding this tour, readers will find cause for celebration.”
Starred review in School Library Journal

5. Connections
· Read the Caldecott titles presented in this book to learn the history behind each award-winning book and artist.
· Read the Marcus’s updated version of this text, A Caldecott Celebration: Seven Artists and Their Paths to the Caldecott Medal (ISBN 9780802797049) to learn the background for Mordicai Gerstein’s 2004 Caldecott winner The Man Who Walked Between the Towers.
· Other books about Randolph Caldecott:
Caldecott, Randolph. Randolph Caldecott's Picture Books. ISBN 9780873282239
Bankston, John. Randolph J. Caldecott and the Story of the Caldecott Medal. ISBN 9781584152002
Hegel, Claudette. Randolph Caldecott : an Illustrated Life. ISBN 9781888105605

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type by Doreen Cronin

1. Bibliography
Cronin, Doreen. 2000. Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type. Ill. by Betsy Lewin. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN 9780689832130

2. Plot Summary
When Farmer Brown’s cows find a typewriter in the barn, they begin making demands for electric blankets and go on strike. The cows include the hens in their demands; the hens also go on strike. When Farmer Brown finally relents to the cows demands in exchange for the typewriter, the typewriter is intercepted by the ducks who make a demand for a diving board.

3. Critical Analysis
Cronin’s unexpected storyline of cows typing and requesting electric blankets because “the barn is very cold at night” is entertaining. The use of notes on the barn door is a creative way to introduce readers to a variety of text within the story. The repetitive “Click, clack, moo. Click, clack, moo. Clickity, clack, moo.” helps young readers understand the sounds of a real typewriter. Cronin uses teamwork between the cows and hens to increase the level of conflict as the story develops. The surprise ending provides the reader with more unexpected humor.

The watercolor illustrations provide a colorful backdrop to the lively text. Lewin’s paintings of the animals and Farmer Brown add perspective to the story. The illustrations portray the cows with innocent eyes as they gather around the typewriter to write their requests. The illustrations also further express Farmer Brown’s frustration with the animals as they strike.

4. Review Excerpts
Caldecott Honor Book
ALA Notable/Best Books
Booklist: “Lewin’s wild line-and-watercolor cartoons are perfectly suited to this barnyard farce about animals that go on strike to demand better working conditions.”
Starred review in Horn Book: “The illustrations (splashy watercolor washes) and economical prose are equally delightful.”
Starred review in School Library Journal: “A laugh-out-loud look at life on a very funny farm.”

5. Connections
· Discuss vocabulary such as “neutral party” and “ultimatum.”
· Read other books by Cronin and Lewin, such as
Click, Clack, Quackity-Quack: an Alphabetical Adventure. ISBN 0689877153
Click, Clack, Splish, Splash: a Counting Adventure. ISBN 0689877161
Giggle, Giggle, Quack. ISBN 0689845065
Dooby Dooby Moo. ISBN 0689845073
Duck for President. ISBN 0689863772
· Read nonfiction books about animal communication:
Carter, Kyle. Animals that Talk. ISBN 1559161159
Kalman, Bobbie. How Animals Communicate. ISBN 0865057354

Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes

1. Bibliography
Henkes, Kevin. 2004. Kitten’s first full moon. New York: Greenwillow Books. ISBN 9780060588281

2. Plot Summary
In this simple picture book, Kitten mistakes the full moon for a bowl of milk. In her desire to get the milk-bowl moon, she ends up with a bug on her tongue, tumbles down the steps, chases it but never gets closer, and jumps into a pond. But when poor Kitten returns home, she finds a real bowl of milk waiting for her on the porch.

3. Critical Analysis
Kevin Henkes provides a naïve but persistent character in Kitten. She tries, unsuccessfully, various methods to reach the bowl of milk in the sky. After each attempt, Henkes writes “Poor Kitten!” and “Still, there was the little bowl of milk, just waiting.” Kitten continues to try until finally “she was wet and sad and tired and hungry.” Readers are drawn to Kitten for her tenacity but feel sorry for her as she returns home finally giving up. Henkes uses simple, repetitive text to further draw the reader in.

The simple black and white illustrations are created using gouache and colored pencil. The bold strokes provide a dramatic contrast between the night sky and the white of the kitten, the moon and the milk. Henkes uses horizontal illustrations to portray Kitten’s chasing of the moon and multiple panels to show Kitten racing down the tree to the pond as well as returning home defeated. In addition he uses full page and vertical half page illustrations to depict the story. The variety of illustrations gives the reader many views of Kitten.

4. Review Excerpts
Caldecott Medal Winner
ALA Notable/Best Books
Starred review in Booklist: “Henkes creates another winner in this simple, charming story”
Starred review in School Library Journal: “An irresistible offering from the multifaceted Kenkes”
Starred review in Horn Book: “The rhythmic, action-oriented text is just right for small children.”

5. Connections
· Compare Kitten’s travels and the ending with those of Max’s from Where the Wild Things Are.
· Gather other books illustrated by Henkes and compare the illustrations, noting line, color, and style.
· Other books about nocturnal adventures and celebrations:
Asch, Frank. Moongame. ISBN 0671664530
Wallace, Nancy Elizabeth. The Sun, the Moon, and the Stars. ISBN 0618263535