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