Sunday, December 9, 2012

Module 15 Draw Me a Star


Summary:  This book starts with an artist.  Everyone in the story makes a request of the artist, something they’d like for the artist to draw.  The star wants a sun, the sun wants a tree, the tree wants a couple, so on and so forth.  In the end the star takes the artist on an adventure.  Impression:  I read about this book in our discussion this week and was intrigued by a children’s picture book that could be controversial.  When I read the book, I completely understood the point.  Take the illustration out of context, and it’s quite scandalous.  Read it within the context of the story, and it is an entirely different matter.  I understand that it could be an Adam and Eve allusion, but it sure seems like the story would not be changed to have drawn some clothes (or fig leaves for that matter) on them.  Suggestions for library setting:  Based on the letter from Eric Carle in the back, this could certainly be a springboard for a biography unit where the students interview a family member or write about a special family memory of their own.

Carle, Eric. (1992).  Draw me a star. New York: Philomel.

DRAW ME A STAR  A remarkable, quintessentially simple book encompassing Creation, creativity, and the cycle of life within the eternal. Introduced on the title page as a toddler drawing the first of five lines to make a star, an artist ages until, at the end, he's an old man who takes hold of a star to travel the night sky. Meanwhile, the first star says, "Draw me the sun"; the sun says, "Draw me a tree," and so on: woman and man; house, dog, cat, bird, butterfly, flowers, cloud; a rainbow arching over the middle-aged artist's whole creation; and back to the night and the stars. Carle's trademark style--vibrant tissue collage on dramatic white--is wonderfully effective in expressing the joy of creation, while the economy with which he conveys these universal ideas gives them extraordinary power. Yet the story is disarmingly childlike, concluding with an ingenuous letter from the author with instructions for drawing an eight-point star. Thanks be to the book for asking Carle to "draw" it!
Draw me a star.  (Sept. 1, 1992).  Kirkus Reviews.  Retrieved from:
      http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/eric-carle/draw-me-a-star/

A young boy is told (readers are not sure by whom) to ``Draw me a star.'' The star then requests that the boy draw it a sun; the sun asks for a ``lovely tree,'' and throughout his life the boy/man/artist continues to create images that fill the world with beauty. The moon bids the now-elderly artist to draw another star, and as the story ends, the artist travels `àcross the night sky'' hand-in-hand with the star. This book will appeal to readers of all ages; its stunning illustrations, spare text, and simple story line make it a good choice for story hour; but older children will also find it uplifting and meaningful. Especially pleasing is a diagram within the story, accompanied by rhyming instructions on how to draw a star: ``Down/ over/ left/ and right/ draw/ a star/ oh so/ bright.'' An inspired book in every sense of the word.
Larkin, E. (1992).  Draw me a star (Book Review).  School Library Journal, 3880.

Module 14 Crank


Summary:  Kristina is an average young lady.  She grew up with her mother, sister, and brother.  Even though her mother is remarried, things have been normal.  Then she goes to visit her dad.  Everything changes.  She discovers her inner wild child she names “Bree,” and Bree does all kinds of things Kristina would never do.  Bree breaks up a relationship and hooks up with a bad boy.  Bree tries crank and instantly gets addicted to walking with “the monster.”  The time spent at her dad’s changes Kristina’s life.  When she returns, the monster still calls to her.  She has to find new connections to get the crank she craves.  Bree insists on flirting with boys as well as disaster.  Things get worse and worse for Kristina as the addiction gets stronger.  She ends up getting raped, going to jail, dealing crank, and getting pregnant.  It’s the pregnancy that ends up finally releasing Bree and the monster’s hold on Kristina and waking her up to what has happened.  Impression:  For years, students have read and loved this book.  I was never curious enough to try it.  I’m glad I listened to the audio part of the time and read the book part of the time.  The unusual way the words were arranged on the page took an adjustment period, and the audio helped me get into the story itself.  At the same time, the word arrangement was intentional and creative.  The way there was a poem about Adam, and the words were arranged in three hearts added to the feel of the poem; likewise, there was a poem about snow falling, and the words fell whimsically like snow.  It’s not for the faint of heart, and I won’t go around suddenly recommending it to everyone.  I feel better about having it in our library though.  Suggestions for library setting:  These poems make poetry more accessible for students.  I can see these being great springboard poems that kids can try to emulate, not worrying about assonance or symbols but just playing with language, word choice, and word placement.  They could pick a structure like the conversation poems or the prison cinder blocks and try to write in that style.

Hopkins, Ellen.  (2004).  Crank.  New York:  Simon Pulse.

Nonfiction author Hopkins pens her first novel, written in verse, introducing 15-year-old narrator Kristina, who reveals how she became addicted to crank, and how the stimulant turned her from straight-A student to drug dealer, and eventually a teen mom. On a court-ordered visit to see her slimy and long-absent dad, she meets-and is instantly attracted to -- Adam, who sports a "tawny six pack,/and a smile." Soon, Adam introduces her to "the monster" (there, she also unleashes a new personality, id-driven Bree). Her addiction grows, as does Bree's control. Readers get a vivid sense of the highs and lows involved with using crank ("I needed food, sleep,/but the monster denied/every bit of it"). Her life changes quickly: Soon she's dating two guys, both of whom use crank; says "Fuck you" to her mom, can't keep tip with school, and loses her old friends. There are plenty of dramatic moments: The first time she does crank, for example, her dad joins her. That same night, she stumbles into a bad area and is almost raped, and Adam's girlfriend tries to kill herself. Later in the book, she does get raped and starts selling the drug for the Mexican Mafia. Readers will appreciate the creative use of form here (some poems, for instance, are written in two columns that can be read separately or together), and although the author is definitely on a mission, she creates a world nearly as consuming and disturbing as the titular drug.
Crank.  (2004).  Publishers Weekly, 251(44), 63-64.
Hypnotic and jagged free verse wrenchingly chronicles 16-year-old Kristina's addiction to crank. Kristina's dating alter ego, Bree, emerges when "gentle clouds of monotony" smother Kristina's life--when there's nothing to do and no one to connect with. Visiting her neglectful and draggy father for the first time in years, Bree meets a boy and snorts crank (methamphetamine). The rash is irresistible and she's hooked, despite a horrible crank-related incident with the boy's other girlfriend. Back home with her mother, Kristina feels both ignored and smothered, needing more drags and more boys--in that order. One boy is wonderful and one's a rapist, but it's crank holding Bree up at this point. The author's sharp verse plays with spacing on the page, sometimes providing two alternate readings. In a too brief wrap-up, Kristina keeps her baby (a product of rape) while Hopkins--realistically--offers no real conclusion. Powerful and unsettling.
Crank.  (2004).  Kirkus Reviews, 72(19), 961.

Module 13 The Baby-Sitter's Club Graphic Novel Kristy's Great Idea


Summary:  In this first book in the series, three girls who have grown up together start new adventures.  They all babysit, but sometimes it can be challenging for parents in their town to line up a sitter.  Kristy gets the idea to create a Baby-sitters Club, where the three girls and a new girl named Stacey all gather with their schedules ready, and the parents only have to make one phone call to access four girls.  It follows their adventures from dog-sitting (something they decide the club doesn’t do) to getting to know Kristy’s potential step siblings.  Along the way, they learn how to get along with potential step parents and about Stacey’s diabetes.  All of it is part of the struggles of growing up.  Impression:  I absolutely LOVED the Baby-sitters Club books as a kid.  I worked hard to collect all of the books, and they were proudly displayed on my bookshelf in my room.  It was interesting to see the graphic novel depictions of each of the beloved characters and to go back and relive the adventures of the girls.  Suggestions for library setting:  The graphic novel section of our library is super popular.  Though these books are a bit dated, I wonder if their adventures would stand the test of time.  I plan on loaning my personal copy of the first one to a couple of my graphic novel readers to get their opinion.  I’d love to see the Babysitters Club become popular with another generation of kids!

Telgemeier, Raina, and Ann M. Martin. (2006).  The Baby-sitters Club: Kristy's Great
       Idea (graphic Novel). New York: Graphix.

This graphic-novel version of a popular series describes how the Baby-Sitters Club was formed, focusing on the girls' friendships and some of their amusing jobs. Subplots include Kristy's gradual acceptance of her mother's boyfriend and their eventual engagement and Stacy's medical problem (readers may think it's anorexia, but it is really diabetes). The black-and-white cartoons are clear and uncluttered, and the language is simple enough for slow or reluctant readers.
Gordon, R.  (2006).  The Baby-Sitters Club:  Kristy’s great idea.  School Library Journal, 52(7), 128.

Telgemeier offers a spirited graphic novel adaptation of the debut title in Martin's The Baby-sitters Club series, the story of the four founding members of this fledgling club. The graphic-style black-and-white panels engagingly spotlight the camaraderie, as well as the minor spats, among the quartet of seventh-graders--outspoken tomboy Kristy, earnest, shy Mary Anne, artistic and free-spirited Claudia and the somewhat secretive newcomer to town, Stacey--as they team up to launch a baby-sitting service. Various sitting jobs provide the story's livelier moments: Kristy arrives at one stint to discover that her charges are rambunctious pooches rather than kids, and Mary Anne attempts to rescue a family's cat from the yard of an alleged witch. Telgemeier also portrays the tale's quieter moments, as Kristy gradually and credibly comes to accept her divorced mother's new fiancé and his children, and Stacey reveals that her mysterious behavior is due to the fact that she has diabetes. The artist adds abundant energy to the pages and, largely through amusingly exaggerated facial expressions, ably captures each character's personality. This will likely hook reluctant readers on this affable group of girls and may well spur a new generation of youngsters to move on to the original series. A second adaptation, The Truth About Stacey, is due in the fall.
Kristy’s great idea.  (2006).  Publishers Weekly.  252(17), 61.

Module 12 Just Being Audrey


Summary:  The life of Audrey Hepburn is featured in this biography.  It starts off with her childhood aspirations of being a ballerina and how that carried her through World War II.  At the end of the war, she realized that ballet wasn’t ever going to work for her because of the way she was built.  She gave acting a try.  Timing worked out perfectly, and she was cast for a play.  As a result of the play, she landed a role in Gigi.  From there, she ended up making over 20 movies.  In the end, she focused on giving back to others and advocated for UNICEF.  Impression:  I knew next to nothing about Audrey Hepburn, so I was curious about what makes her so iconic to so many people, beyond the black dress.  I had no idea that she’d had to go into hiding during World War II, and I knew nothing of her efforts to advocate for children.  It was a fun, inspiring story to read.  Suggestions for library setting:  In the past, our theatre teacher did a lesson that involved learning more about iconic celebrities.  At the time, Audrey Hepburn was on the list, but we didn’t have any print resources.  I can see adding this book or another like it about Audrey Hepburn’s life to the collection for this and other projects.

Cardillo, Margaret. (2011). Just being Audrey. New York: Balzer + Bray.

In this delightful introduction to Audrey Hepburn, readers learn that as a child, she was gangly and imaginative, in a world of her own. When she announced that she wanted to be the prima ballerina of all of Europe, her mother told her that the world was bigger than she was, and to always be kind, a tenet that seems to have stuck with her for life. She was born into a family of some privilege (her mother was a baroness), but their small wealth was no match for the advancing Nazi troops in World War II. Along with her family and 40 others, she hid in a country house with no heat and little to eat. Through the ordeal, she kept dancing and taught the other children. As the war in Europe ended, a UN volunteer gave her a chocolate bar, an act of kindness that seemed to inspire her. After the young woman realized that she would be more suited to acting, her Cinderella career took her from London to Broadway to Hollywood, but the power in this book lies beyond her fame in the spotlight. Her generous humanitarian spirit is seen through her actions and deeds as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF as she used her celebrity as a vehicle to assist others. With a light, sweet narrative style, readers can almost picture Hepburn dancing as they turn the pages. Evocative of the period, Denos's almost impressionistic pen-and-ink and watercolor artwork is lively and colorful. This picture-book biography is a great addition to any collection.

Donnelly, A. (2011).  Just being Audrey.  School Library Journal, 57(4), 158.

Just Being Audrey.  It’s hard to believe life for Audrey Hepburn was ever anything but smart clothes, quirky expressions, and wistful gazes into the eyes of Cary Grant, but Cardillo makes a strong case to the contrary. Growing up in WWII–era Europe, Audrey wanted only to be a dancer, but the other girls made fun of her physical hurdles: “She was too tall, her feet were too big, and her neck was too long,” and “her eyes seemed too big for her head.” Young readers will get the message: these were precisely the traits that made Audrey an iconic beauty as an adult. In short order, she was spotted by entertainment heavyweights for her  je ne sais quoi  and quickly catapulted to fame. Denos’ soft pastel illustrations cut just the right Audrey outline (complete with flapping neck scarf), and fans will especially enjoy picking out the movie roles depicted in a two-page spread of costumes. Her later humanitarian deeds are given their due, but it is Audrey’s simple kindness that is emphasized throughout.

Kraus, D. (2010).  Just being Audrey.  Booklist, 10(7), 43.

Module 11 How they Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous


Summary:  In this book, 19 people are covered.  The book spends just a bit telling about the accomplishments of the person and how they were famous in their lifetime.  Most of the text is dedicated to the unusual circumstances surrounding the person’s death.  Often, it was a case of not having the modern medical advances we sometimes take for granted.  For example, the horrific measures they put George Washington through before he eventually died could have been avoided with a simple round of modern day antibiotics.  After each person’s entry, there is a more informative section about the times in which the person lived or an aspect related to him/her.  Impression:  I’m not a huge fan of reading non-fiction, but I actually enjoyed the way this information was presented.  It was full of sarcasm, which I find appealing.  Middle schoolers really respond to that as well.  Suggestions for library setting:  Our sixth grade is doing a biography project on people who overcame obstacles.  Many of the people mentioned in the project are also in the book.  It will be an interesting ancillary to those learning more about their person.  Beyond the project, there are many in middle school who will find it entertaining to read about the disgusting way that many famous people met their end.

Bragg, Georgia. (2011).  How they croaked: The awful ends of the awfully famous. New
     York: Walker Childrens.



The most reluctant of readers will find it difficult to resist this consistently disgusting chronicle of the gruesome deaths of 19 famous people. Bragg opens with King Tut, discussing in gory details the embalming and mummification processes of the ancient Egyptians. Among the many macabre details is an explanation for why mummy eye sockets look empty: "Eyeballs shrink to almost nothing during the drying process" (the author notes that if mummy eyeballs are rehydrated, they return to almost normal size). Among the other famous figures profiled are Henry VIII, whose corpse exploded in its coffin while lying in state; George Washington, who was drained of 80 ounces of his blood by doctors before dying; and Marie Curie, who did herself in with constant radiation exposure. The accounts of how ill or injured people were treated by doctors through the 19th century reveal that medical practices were usually more lethal than the maladies. Between each chapter, there is a page or two of related and gleefully gross facts. Bragg's informal, conversational style and O'Malley's cartoon illustrations complement the flippant approach to the subject; the energetically icky design includes little skulls and crossbones to contain page numbers. Engaging, informative and downright disgusting. (sources, further reading, websites, index).
How they croaked: The awful ends of the awfully famous.  (Feb. 1, 2011).  Kirkus Reviews.  Retrieved from:
       http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/georgia-bragg/how-they-croaked/

 

Georgia Bragg has her tongue firmly in cheek as she describes "how some of the most important people who ever lived--died" in this engaging book (Walker, 2011). Beginning with King Tut and moving chronologically through to Albert Einstein, Bragg explains in a conversational style what maladies brought 19 of the great ones down. Listeners will be clued in to Henry VIII's gluttony, George Washington's little mouth of horrors, and James Garfield's oh-so-slow death by ignorance. Narrator L.J. Ganser uses sarcasm, timing, pauses, and tone to wring out every last ounce of disgusting, gross misery from the deaths of Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, Christopher Columbus, Napoleon, Mozart, and others. There are humorous subtitles to each story, such as "Marie Curie: You Glow Girl!," and sidebars that add to the history. Be sure to pair this with the print version so students can giggle at Kevin O'Malley's hysterical illustrations. A perfect choice for boys who are reluctant readers.
Melgaard, T. (2011).  How they croaked: The awful ends of the awfully famous.  School Library Journal, 57(11), 75.

Module 10 Revolution


Summary:  Meet Andi Alpers.  Her brother is dead.  Her mother is locked in a world of sorrow, and her absent father might as well be dead.  Ever since the loss of her brother, Andi is surviving the best she can.  She takes medicine for the depression, but nothing truly satiates the pain but music.  Though she’s capable, her grades start to fall, and the school alerts her father.  He whisks her mother off to a psychiatric hospital and Andi to France, where he expects her to work on a thesis she must write to graduate.  It is the discovery of a diary written during the French Revolution and a boy she met playing her guitar near the Eiffel Tower that interests Andi much more than her paper.  Through Alex’s story of her affection for the royal family, specifically Louis Charles, readers get a first-hand account of the events of the French Revolution.  Through Alex and with some support along the way from Virgil and even possibly some adventures in time travel, Andi is finally able to cope with the loss of her brother, who looked strikingly similar to the young prince.  Impression:  It took me a lot longer than the week we had to read this book, but it was completely worth it.  I loved the story within a story aspect that was present with following Andi in present times and following Alex in the past through her diary.  The way the two stories came together in the end with Andi believing she went two centuries back and wax Alex was a great way to “finish” the diary.  It was a very unusual way to tell a story, but it sure captivated me.  I found myself talking to Alex, telling her Orleans was a dirty double-crosser, but it was to no avail.  Suggestions for library setting:  Just like most books I’ve read this semester, I saw faces of students to recommend this to while I was reading it.  Through my enjoyment of it, I convinced two reading teachers and several students to read it, and one of my student aides has taken it on as a challenge.  For those who are interested in something similar to the upcoming release of Les Miserables, this will be a modern story about the French Revolution they can enjoy.

Donnelly, Jennifer. (2010).  Revolution. New York: Delacorte.

Revolution Andi Alpers, a 17-year-old music lover, is about to be expelled from her elite private school. Despite her brilliance, she has not been able to focus on anything except music since the death of her younger brother, which pushed the difficulties in her family to the breaking point. She resists accompanying her work-obsessed father to Paris, especially after he places her mentally fragile mother in a hospital, but once there works in earnest on her senior thesis about an 18th-century French musician. But when she finds the 200-year-old diary of another teen, Alexandrine Paradis, she is plunged into the chaos of the French Revolution. Soon, Alex’s life and struggles become as real and as painful for Andi as her own troubled life. Printz Honor winner Donnelly combines compelling historical fiction with a frank contemporary story. Andi is brilliantly realized, complete and complex. The novel is rich with detail, and both the Brooklyn and Paris settings provide important grounding for the haunting and beautifully told story.
Revolution. (2010).  Kirkus Reviews, 78(19), 994.
Andi Alpers's younger brother died two years ago and his death has torn her family apart. She's on antidepressants and is about to flunk out of her prep school. Her mother spends all day painting portraits of her lost son and her father has all but disappeared, focusing on his Nobel Prize-winning genetics work. He reappears suddenly at the beginning of winter break to institutionalize his wife and whisk Andi off to Paris with him. There he will be conducting genetic tests on a heart rumored to belong to the last dauphin of France. He hopes that Andi will be able to put in some serious work on her senior thesis regarding mysterious 18th-century guitarist Amadé Malherbeau. In Paris, Andi finds a lost diary of Alexandrine Paradis, companion to the dauphin, and meets Virgil, a hot Tunisian-French world-beat hip-hop artist. Donnelly's story of Andi's present life with her intriguing research and growing connection to Virgil overshadowed by depression is layered with Alexandrine's quest, first to advance herself and later to somehow save the prince from the terrors of the French Revolution. While teens may search in vain for the music of the apparently fictional Malherbeau, many will have their interest piqued by the connections Donnelly makes between classical musicians and modern artists from Led Zeppelin to Radiohead. Revolution is a sumptuous feast of a novel, rich in mood, character, and emotion. With multiple hooks, it should appeal to a wide range of readers.
Norton, E. (2010).  Revolution.  School Library Journal, 56(9), 150-152.

Module 9 The Trouble with Chickens


Summary:  This story follows the adventures of J.J. the dog and the pesky chickens with whom he shares the yard.  There is a mother and two chicks.  Come to find out, two other chickens went inside the house and disappeared.  “Moosh” bargains with J.J. to help rescue them.  Along the way, the plot thickens as Vince the Funnel, the inside dog, gets involved.  He and the chickens planned an elaborate ruse to try to help Vince avoid going to the vet to get tubes in his ears.  It takes J.J. some time, but he figures out the trick and is able to escape in the nick of time.  Impression:  This was a really cute story.  It reminded me of Hank the Cowdog from my days babysitting.  There was action, adventure, and a sarcastic narrator, all of which add up to make a fun book.  Suggestions for library setting:  This could certainly be a book that a librarian could book talk to students.  I could see it being used for struggling readers, because the story is quickly paced and carries the plot along at a quick pace.

Cronin, Doreen. (2011).  The trouble with chickens: A J.J. Tully mystery. New York, NY:
     Balzer + Bray.


THE TROUBLE WITH CHICKENS Popular farmyard chronicler Cronin (Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type, illustrated by Betsy Lewin, 2000, etc.)makes the jump to middle-grade fiction in this faux–hard-boiled mystery featuring talking animals. Her deadpan humor is much in evidence as she describes the circumstances under which retired search-and-rescue dog J.J. Tully undertakes the case of the missing chick. Puns abound, and J.J. is definitely not quite as clever as he believes himself to be, allowing readers to gently laugh at as well as with him. Sophisticated vocabulary and a complicated plot suggest the older range of readers as the most likely audience, but frequent illustrations and a relatively large font should make the story accessible to the younger end as well. Cornell’s black-and-white drawings extend both the humor and the action. In some pictures J.J. is slightly reminiscent of Scooby-Doo, another canine sleuth, while in others he is both distinctive and dogged in his determination to solve the puzzle. The chickens, mother and four chicks, are seriously silly looking and utterly adorable, which suits their surprisingly rounded characters just right.  Finding out how “Vince the Funnel” fits in, whether J.J. is being double-crossed by his client and how the climactic rescue will be resolved should keep readers engaged while Cronin’s constant word-play will keep them giggling. Fast and funny.
The trouble with chickens.  (Feb. 15, 2011).  Kirkus Reviews.  Retrieved from:
        http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/doreen-cronin/trouble-chickens/

The Trouble with Chickens Coming from a background in picture books, Cronin takes the leap into chapter books for younger readers. In classic Cronin style, the reader is introduced to J.J. Tully, retired search and rescue dog who is now living in the country. J.J. is asked by a mother chicken, Moosh, and two of her chicks to help find her two missing chicks, Poppy and Sweetie, in exchange for a cheeseburger. The missing chicks end up inside with Vince the Funnel, who looks like a "cross between a dachshund and a lamp." He needs the funnel because of an ear infection. Vince doesn't want to share his space with anyone else, so he devises a plan to get rid of both J.J. and the chickens. As the mystery unravels, the truth becomes clear to all players. This is a perfect choice for a read-aloud or a student who needs an easy transition into chapter books. Illustrations are creative and work well with this funny and fast-paced story that will make the reader want more adventures of J.J. and friends.
Mooney, M. (2011).  The Trouble with chickens.  Library Media Connection, 30(1), 63.