The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain -Peter Sís

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sís, Peter. 2007. The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain. Farrar, Straus, and Giroux: New York. ISBN 9780374347017.

PLOT SUMMARY

This book is a true history of Czechoslovakia under Soviet occupation, an autobiography of Peter Sís’s childhood behind the Iron Curtain and a graphic novel all at the same time. Expertly crafted and well recognized for the impact it has had on millions of people –and now me.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Peter Sís is an internationally acclaimed illustrator, author, and filmmaker. He was born in Brno, Czechoslovakia, in 1949. He often writes about his life growing up during The Cold War in Czechoslovakia.

In The Wall Sís provides the narrative of his life at the bottom of each page. Surrounding the fascinating illustrations are italicized notes about socialistic influences and reactions of the people to the communist directives conveyed in the illustration. He repeatedly uses the word Compulsory to convey that the people had no choice but to conform to the new laws. He writes with the voice of a child in the beginning of his life. His voice matures as he does. Sís’s illustrations show his emotions maturing, his ideas changing with each page–taking the reader through those very experiences. Even giving the Communists pig faces! The narrative Sís focus on the influences of art and music on his generation and conveys his personal experiences -his own unique perspective on life. He uses a clever combination of text, photographs, maps, and drawings to contrast his natural creativity against the symbols and responses associated with communist ideology. He impresses on the reader that our dreams are our own; no one can take them away. He also teaches us –and this is important- that creativity can be discouraged but not revoked.

The Wall, as Sís draws it, divides two worlds. On one side the convivial lands of the west are labeled with positive experiences such as Equality, Happiness, Liberty, Justice, Truth, Knowledge, Integrity, and Freedom –even our Statue of Liberty beckoning from the background. On the other side are the darker lands east of the wall; home of Terror, Suspicion, Injustice, Corruption, Lies... Sís depicts himself flying away from these terrible lands on the wings of his art, his dreams carrying him to a new world and happier life.

Sís drew me into this book with his ingenious symbolism, his journal entries, and the way he uses color to communicate the relationship between real world and dreams. I’ve never made a connection like this with history before, particularly not with Eastern Europe. There are many details to pull out and study; it's a seek-and-find adventure for all readers, and a social history lesson for older students; an amazing introduction for lessons on European history, the cold war, or social oppression. After reading this book, my head is full of questions and curiosity about their culture and history.

Read this book with your children. Because we should never forget how precious freedom is.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

“Peter Sís, who has entranced children and adults with his magical stories and drawings, has taken his talent to a new level. Peter, born to dream and draw, is now also teaching the tragic history of his native Czechoslovakia under communism in this beautiful, poignant, and important work for those of all ages.” Madeleine Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State

"The ecstatic energy and big-spirited inventiveness of the artists drawings make the once all but unimaginable realization of that dream visible for all to see." The New York Times Book Review

“Peter Sís’s book is most of all about the will to live one’s life in freedom and should be required reading for all those who take their freedom for granted.” Václav Havel, former president of the Czech Republic


CONNECTIONS

Featured Author: Peter Sís http://www.peterSís.com/

There is an interview with Sís on http://us.macmillan.com/thewall talking about The Wall and his work telling the stories of growing up in Czechoslovakia. This website was a joy to find -I particularly enjoyed the audio clips. To hear Sís talk about his experiences was insightful, and emotional. There are also reviews, biography, excerpts from the book, and even a teacher’s guide that provides classroom ideas for The Wall. From the teacher’s guide one lesson stuck with me: analyzing his emotions and how they evolve through the illustrations:


· Compare how Sís presents the realities of life and the way he responded to those realities.

· Ask how the Sís communicates his emotions in his pictures and how he changes when he discovers that “there were things he wasn’t told.”

· Also discuss the use of the color red in the book and the emotions that red provokes in the reader. What more information do you get from the use of color through the book, and what emotions are conveyed?


AWARDS FOR THE WALL

Caldecott Honor (2008) and Sibert Medal (2008)
American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults; American Library Association Notable Children's Books; Caldecott Honor Book; IRA Notable Books for a Global Society; Boston Globe - Horn Book Award; New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Books of the Year; Orbis Pictus; Amazon.com Top 10 Editors’ Picks: Children; Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year; CCBC Choice (Univ. of WI); Children's Books: 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing, New York Public Library; Eisner Award Nominee; Parents' Choice Award Winner; NCSS-CBC Notable Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies; Booklinks Lasting Connection; Booklist Editors' Choice; Booklist Top 10 Biographies for Youth; Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books Blue Ribbon Award; Horn Book Magazine Fanfare List; Kirkus Reviews Editor's Choice; Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books of the Year; School Library Journal Best Books of the Year; VOYA's Nonfiction Honor List; Robert F. Sibert Award - Medal; Capitol Choices Noteworthy Titles for Children and Teens; Illinois Read for a Lifetime Award Master List; Michigan Great Lakes Great Books Award Master List; New Mexico Battle of the Books Master List; North Dakota Flicker Tale Children's Award Master List; Utah Beehive Book Award Master List
http://us.macmillan.com/thewall

Life on Earth the story of evolution - Steve Jenkins

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Steve Jenkins. 2002. Life on Earth the story of evolution. : Houghton Mifflin: Boston. ISBN 9780618164769.

PLOT SUMMARY

In Life on Earth the Story of Evolution, Steve Jenkins explores the history of evolution on earth and introduces young readers to Charles Darwin and genetics. This book provides the basics for children learning about science, biology, and evolution. It's great as a seek and find or naming book, and for initiating more specific conversations about evolutionary history.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This book begins with the first bacteria and progresses through the emergence of human life as we look now. Jenkins tells the story of Charles Darwin’s research and how he developed his theories of evolution and natural selection. He explains how offspring have traits from both parents, resulting in mutations both positive and negative. Jenkins touches on the evolution of mammals, reptiles, fish, and insects. He identifies the oldest designs still around today: bacteria, alligators, etc. The main story is presented in large text using language that is easy to understand and digest. In smaller font intermingled with the pictures are interesting facts that connect ideas, satiating curiosities about the animals. A delightful illustration toward the end breaks down evolution as if it were in a 24 hour period, midnight being modern day. According to this analogy, dinosaurs went extinct at 11:39pm and the first humans appeared at 11:59:58 pm.

Stunning paper collage illustrations truthfully portray each animal. Handmade papers provide variety of texture and fiber effects: torn paper resembles the fuzziness of hair and grass, careful cutouts become spikes and toenails, and the patterns from the pulled fibers give depth to the illustrations I’ve never seen in collage work.

Across pages 4-7 Jenkins fashioned all sorts of animals and included the name of each. Reading with my 3 year old daughter, we pointed at and name each animal; she patiently sounded out the long names with us. She was engrossed for long time, repeating their names, independently reading ahead. Later we switched roles; she asked me the name (if I said wrong, she corrected meJ) and flipped back and forth through the pages that revisited her favored animals. On the final page, Jenkins provides a number index stating each of those corresponding animals’ names, where they lived, and if they’re extinct, how long ago they were on Earth. Did you know the Bear Beetle only lives in California? Adjacent to the index is his bibliography and citations for further reading.

Overall this was an awesome book, for both the toddler and adults. I’m sure it will be a hit for the middle years as well! It is a great addition to any classroom or home.

Jenkins said in an interview, "In my books, I try to present straightforward information in a context that makes sense to children. Children don't need anyone to give them a sense of wonder; they already have that. But they do need a way to incorporate the various bits and pieces of knowledge they acquire into some logical picture of the world. For me, science provides the most elegant and satisfying way to construct this picture." Read more: http://biography.jrank.org/pages/936/Jenkins-Steve-1952.html#ixzz0UzyCAxTg


REVIEW EXCERPTS

The information spans an impressive range; Jenkins organizes and presents it with a clarity that demonstrates his mindfulness of the audience. Bright-eyed frogs appear ready to jump off the pages; a shark swims menacingly toward readers; a wooly mammoth looks soft enough to pet. Science at its most inviting. -Publishers Weekly

"An accessible introduction to a complex topic [that] taps into children's sense of wonder about the world, which is the great starting point for scientific exploration." -Christine Hepperman, New York Times Book Review

CONNECTIONS

Steve Jenkins has only been illustrating for less than ten years, but in that time he’s impressed us all with his gift of creating nonfiction works of art. He depicts various animal characteristics and capabilities in kid-friendly terms. In his acceptance speech for the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Nonfiction for The Top of the World: Climbing Mount Everest, Jenkins said, "In my books, I try to present straightforward information in a context that makes sense to children. Children don't need anyone to give them a sense of wonder; they already have that. But they do need a way to incorporate the various bits and pieces of knowledge they acquire into some logical picture of the world. For me, science provides the most elegant and satisfying way to construct this picture."

He starts with photographs from books or those he takes himself. Once he has the overall ideas in his head, he begins putting things on paper. He begins with sketches based on the references and how he envisions them on the page. Then he decides what paper to use for the details of the collage, and begins to tear and cut the paper into animals, layer by layer In an interview on childrenslit.com Jenkins says “[that's] one of the appeals of this kind of art for kids, that they are filling in part of the information. So not only is it satisfying for me to find a piece of paper that is at the same time a hippopotamus's skin, but I think kids get the same satisfaction from filling in the details and making it into a hippo as well as a piece of paper.” Read more, it’s a great interview: www.childrenslit.com/childrenslit/mai_jenkins_steve.html

School Library Journal: In Living Color Here is another interview with Steve Jenkins in which he discusses how he makes his books.

http://www.stevejenkinsbooks.com/
Invite this author to come do a session with your reading community. Make collages, make paper books, tell stories.

Awards for Life on Earth

Booklist Editor's Choice citation, and School Library Journal best books of the year citation, both 2002, and NCTE Orbis Pictus Recommended Book citation, 2003.
http://biography.jrank.org/pages/936/Jenkins-Steve-1952.html#ixzz0UzxxFWQq

Walt Whitman: Words for America - Barbara Kerley

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Kerley, Barbara. 2004. Walt Whitman: Words for America. Ill. Brian Selznick. New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 9780439357913.




PLOT SUMMARY

This biography tells the story of Walt Whitman’s life from childhood through the Civil War, and the experiences that inspired his writing.


CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The book begins with Walt’s early years as a printer's apprentice in Brooklyn, where his love of words was born. By the age of 19, Walt was writing and printing his own newspaper. Forever a free and curious spirit he was an avid reader and would run the beaches reciting Shakespeare. He talked constantly with people and carefully recorded his observations in homemade notebooks. He was devastated by his country divided and also compelled to serve, Walt nursed every soldier he could-Union & Confederate, black & white. “By getting to know them and sharing many intense and affecting experiences, he began to see a greater life purpose: His writing gave these men a voice.” Through his writing about these experiences he achieved his greatest aspiration--to capture the true spirit of America.

This is a brilliant historical account of Walt Whitman's contribution to America. The historical information is detailed and accurate, but keeps a dynamic pace so that young readers remain engaged. Kerley manages a simple but revealing account of a very complex man. Whitman's eloquent voice resonates across the pages through quotes from his correspondence, and the bountiful journal entries he kept in little notebooks. Brian Selznick's paintings portray every detail of the textures and materials of the 19th century world in which the poet lived. In his notes Selznick describes his travels to Walt’s home, holding his belongings, and studied portraits of the man to learn about his subject. His research experiences found their way into his illustrations. The art is exceptional. It adds to the reading experience through the intricate details and realistic representation of the era.

My favorite illustration in this book is the collection of portraits of Civil War soldiers. Each portrait is based on an actual photo of a real soldier, and the one portrait in color is really Whitman's brother George. Each painting captures the expression of the soldiers; some of them are very young! Selznick talks about this painting in his notes: “I found an indispensable book called The Civil War… I discovered an actual spread of photographs of young soldiers arranged in rows just like I had imagined… I used it as reference for my book.” He also mentions the picture where Walt and his brother are reunited in the hospital; he left out the holes dug underneath the tents where the wounded would crawl to stay warm.

In the end of the book, additional biographical facts are provided, along with a full bibliography. This section talks about his personal life and beliefs not included in the main story: his connections to President Lincoln, his ailing health, his intense compassion for the human experience. This final section removes any doubts as to the research and dedication that the authors put into the integrity of their story. Additional insight into Whitman’s life is provided through the authors’ notes telling their inspirations and experiences writing the book. Finally, the full text of poems cited in the story, a wonderful end to a remarkable book.



REVIEW EXCERPT

"An exuberant picture-book biography that focuses on Whitman's formative years and his selfless work as a Civil War nurse. Delightfully old-fashioned in design, its oversized pages are replete with graceful illustrations and snippets of poetry. The brilliantly inventive paintings add vibrant testimonial to the nuanced text."-School Library Journal


CONNECTIONS

Walt wanted to capture the spirit of America in his poems. As a class, brainstorm what ideas and objects best represent the spirit of America. Then invite students to write their own poems about America.

Learn more about Whitman online:
http://www.whitmanarchive.org/
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/ihas/poet/whitman.html

AWARDS:
Sibert Honor BookCalifornia Book AwardBest Book Award -- Oppenheim Toy PortfolioALA Notable BookBest Children's Books -- Publishers WeeklyBest Illustrated Books -- New York Times100 Titles for Reading and Sharing -- New York Public LibraryNominated for Young Reader Awards in Kentucky, New Mexico, and Tennessee
http://www.barbarakerley.com/Walt.html

Doodle Dandies: Poems That Take Shape - J Patrick Lewis

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Lewis, J Patrick. 1998. Doodle Dandies: Poems That Take Shape. Ill. By Lisa Desimini. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN 9780689810756

PLOT SUMMARY

In Doodle Dandies: Poems That Take Shape, Lewis and Desimini present a series of concrete poems where words are arranged in the shape of the thing they are describing and collage is created to tell the story of the poem.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The illustrations are bright and colorful, the poems are whimsical and entertaining. Desimini incorporates all sorts of materials into her collage. Not all of them rhyme, but each poem flows through the shape, leaving the reader with a very clear image of the subject in mind. In one illustration, for a poem called "Dachshund", takes the shape of a dashund and cast a dog-shaped shadow while the woman with a diamond rings and purple hair holds the leash, as described in the poem. Photographs, cut outs, drawings, and textart all come together in this creative collage to bring the words to life. In "Lashondra Scores!" each line of the poem includes a word with the letter O which Desimini portrays as a basketball, the text creates an arc that follows the ball from Lashondra's hand to the hoop. Different kinds of poetry are included in the compilation: haiku, internal rhyming, combination of two poems overlapping (“Synchronized Swim Team”). The only thing that could improve this volume would be adding texture to the pages to create a fully three dimensional experience for the reader.

Illustrator Desimini called it "A true collaboration of text and art presenting poems that are pictures that are poems." (http://biography.jrank.org/pages/1729/Lewis-J-Patrick-1942.html) I think this is a treat for the ear and the eye, and a great introduction to poetry for children.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

“From endpaper to doodled endpaper, this mix of clever language and visual delights makes a dandy treat for all ages. Desimini's mixed-media illustrations and Lewis's inventive poems converge in a single work stronger than either would be independent of the other.” Publishers Weekly ( June 29, 1998)

“Every page of this book is well designed, creating words and images that work together in harmony. From the lavender endpapers that feature a mix of childlike drawings and letters in different typefaces, and the magic-marker doodles surrounding the various shapes on the CIP page, to the final page, each spread is fresh and inviting. Doodle Dandies captures the joy that wordplay can bring. It deserves a place on every library shelf.” -Kathleen Whalin. School Library Journal (August 01, 1998)

CONNECTIONS

Kids will have a great time exploring these verses to see how words and artistic materials can literally shape a poem. They will equally enjoy creating poems of their own that mimic the shape of their subject.

Extend the poetry to include making an object (3D art project) and then writing the poem on the sculpture. Or write a poem, then create a shape for it that the student can copy the poem onto. Give attention to the media with which the shape is created. If the poem is about –try to use the same materials to create the object.

RECOGNITIONS

Young Hoosier Book Award Nominee 1999-2000.

From A Child's Heart - Nikki Grimes.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Grimes, Nikki. 1993. From a Child’s Heart. Ill. Brenda Joysmith. New Jersey: Just Us Books. ISBN 0940975442.

PLOT SUMMARY

This book of poems that are a child's prayers to God about her everyday hopes, dreams, and fears. She asks God for understanding and blessings, and always remembers to thank Him for listening to her requests.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Nikki Grimes' prayer-poems are wonderful, touching the hearts of young and old alike. The emotion conveyed through Brenda Joysmith's illustrations add to each poem’s potency. The prayers are written directly to God, addressing Him as a friend. It’s often said that children are closest to God. They know that He is nearby and can talk to Him anytime, about anything. There are no reservations in their expressions. In these poems the child prays for peace in the home, for confidence, for friends, for grandma, for work, school …all of the things that we struggle with growing up, and those we want to never end. She remembers to always thank God for blessings. Her introspection is surprisingly astute. “I’m always too something in somebody’s eyes.” Reading the poems bring memories back from childhood –not being picked for the ball team or wishing summer would never end. The connection between author and reader is realized in this collection of poetry.

I’m not a poet scholar and I’m not sure what styles are called, but I can see patterns in which the words rhyme or relate. There is a fine rhythm to reading the poem like a child telling a story. Not all of them rhyme, but the words flow together naturally, bringing the innocence along. Sometimes the prayer is a conversation or simple thanksgiving. I enjoyed them very much.

Nikki talks about writing this book in the introduction:
“Like the children in this book, when I was a child, I talked to God about my hopes, my fears, my longings, and all the ordinary, everyday concerns that touched my life. I still do. It's awesome to know that the God of the Universe is listening, that He cares, that He understands me, even when no one else does. I needed to know that when I was growing up. I think all children do, whether five years old or fifty. That's the reason I've decided to share the prayers of my childhood with you...” from From A Child's Heart © 1993 by Nikki Grimes.

I chose this poem (below) to highlight because it reminds me of a prayer I once said as a child. My grandmother passed one year ago and reading this brought vivid memories for me. The picture is my grandmother looking out across our Rio Grande Valley.

One More Year

Lord,
Please give my Grandma one more year. Just one.
I know she’s been around a while,
But You don’t need her half as bad as me.
You see, she’s been my mom and dad as far back as memory goes
And she knows the ins and outs of being free inside.
When she got sick last night, I cried.
Don’t know what I'd do without her.
I guess I'd make it if I tried,
But I can wait.
Can’t You?

REVIEW EXCERPT

"To see the world without prejudice, hate or physical pain is to look at the world through a child's eyes. In these short poems, Grimes reveals the hearts and souls of children as they speak one-on-one to the Creator." American Visions http://www.nikkigrimes.com/


CONNECTIONS

Something I like to do with children is to write out a prayer (let’s make it a poem) and put it inside a helium balloon. Say the prayer aloud or internally as you let the balloon go up into the sky. It’s easy to imagine with them that the balloon is on it’s way to heaven, delivering our prayer to God.

Apples for the Teacher has a selection of children’s prayers and prayerful activities for different occasions. http://www.apples4theteacher.com/childrens-prayers/


AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

Benjamin Franklin Picture Book Award
ABA-CBC Books Mean Business
http://www.nikkigrimes.com/

Desert Willow -Helen Frost

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Frost, Helen. 2008. DIAMOND WILLOW. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 9780374317768.




PLOT SUMMARY

This is a verse novel about a young girl coming of age during the Alaska winter. 110 poems compile the story of a young girl, Willow, who is finally old enough for her first solo journey from her home and her grandparents all by herself on the dog sled. An accident happens on the way back home that injures their best dog, and her best friend, Roxy. The poems tell of her brave adventure to save Roxy, find the meaning of her name and learn a secret along the way. Her family and friends help her through every challenge proving that love is a powerful and timeless bond. The cover art is by Max Grafe.




CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Poems are presented in different shapes, particularly diamonds. There is no rhyming scheme, no particular rhythm catches the ear, just a really great story presented in a creative way. Each page is like an individual chapter in the story, presented as a poem without the traditional requirements of rhyme and rythm. The animals observing Willow’s movements are actually her grandkin passed on into their next lives as animals. They watch and interact with Willow and her friends. The Spruce Hen is really Willow’s great-great-great-grandmother, Jean. The dog, Roxy, is really her…well, you’ve got to read to find out. The humans don’t seem to recognize their relatives for who they are, but do feel a sense of familiarity and share a traditional belief that the animals could be kin.

As with the natural diamond willow, each poem contains a darker center. Bolded words inside the poems create a hidden verse that brings an emotional depth to the story revealing the characters’ internal thoughts and feelings. Helen Frost has a knack for writing I haven’t encountered for a long time. I’ll read more of her works now that I’ve discovered her.

I must say that I am not a big poetry fan –small doses suffice. Some modern poetry I do enjoy is Slam Poetry, in performance is always best. When I first picked up the books for this module, I cringed at the 100+ pages of poetry for this section, no matter what shape. I skimmed through them to decide which title I would read for the review. Frost’s work caught my attention because of the Diamond Willow wood and the Alaskan setting. From the moment I opened it, I didn’t want to put this book down. I was captivated by how she presented her poems through the eyes of the grandkin-animals, and through the eyes of a surprisingly intelligent girl. None of the whiny adolescent language that I expected was there. I will recommend this volume to the next person looking for Alaska, or poetry, or even just a good piece of fiction.



WHAT IS A DIAMOND WILLOW?
The Diamond Willow is not a species of willow tree Diamond willow is found throughout colder northern climates, especially Alaska, the Great Plains, Minnesota and Michigan. Collecting these wooden jewels requires trekking into swamps, bogs, and riverbeds; places that are only accessible for a short period each year. The diamonds are actually more like elongated ovals with pointed ends with deepest point in the center. According to the Artisans Quarterly Review article(2:2 2009), “Diamond in the Willow, ”the shapes form as the result of an attack of a fungus particular to the willow family, Valsa Sordida. “The tree reacts to the fungus much like an oyster reacts to sand; it causes an irritation that results in the tree growing around the root of the fungus.” Depending on the size and shape of the wood, the diamond willow is useful for lamps, table legs, coat racks, chair frames, walking sticks, or any number of other creative projects. In our book, Willow made a lamp with the stick her father gave her, taken from a very special tree. http://www.artisansofthevalley.com/docs/Artisans_Quarterly_Review_Vol2_Issue2_2009.pdf




REVIEW EXCERPT

“Diamond Willow aims younger than Frost's usual teenaged fare. Examining the relationship between a girl and her sled dog, Frost combines her standard intelligent wordplay with a story that will catch in the throats of dog lovers and people lovers alike.” Elizabeth Bird. http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/


HONORS AND AWARDS FOR DIAMOND WILLOW

2010 North Carolina Children’s Book Award Master List
2009 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award
2009 Texas Lone Star Reading List
2009 Best Books of Indiana, Children and Young Adult
2009 CCBC Choices List
2009-2010 Vermont Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award Master List
2009-2010 Keystone to Reading Book Award Master List (Pennsylvania)
2009 Honor Book: The Lion and the Unicorn Award for Excellence in North American Poetry
Bank Street List of Best Children's Books
Indie Next Kids' List Great Read
Cybil’s Middle Grade Fiction Finalist
Capitol Choice’s Noteworthy Titles for Children and Teens
Mitten Award--Michigan Library Association
http://www.helenfrost.net/item.php?postid=25




CONNECTIONS

This would be a great piece to read aloud in a round robin. The group members can take turns reading whole poems and listening to the story unfold.

The sound of language: Frost’s writing is a wonderful introduction to the prosody of storytelling and even the anthropomorphic applications of language. Frost says in her biography, “I love the music of language, the intricacies of the way sound patterns and patterns of meaning intersect and weave together, the way language brings its own history into a story so that the story becomes multi-layered--the story of the narrative and the story of how the narrative takes shape within language.”

Check out other books and poetry by Helen Frost on her website, http://www.helenfrost.net/.