REVIEW: Red Sings from Treetops a year in colors

Sidman, J.  (2009).  Red Sings from Treetops:  A year in colors.  New York:  Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.

9780547014944


Appetizer:  Within the 28 poems (approximately, I'm so bad at math I don't even trust my ability to count anymore), this picturebook shares the way the different colors behave during the four seasons (beginning with spring).  The colors are repeated, their presence in nature expressed in different ways varying from season to season.

I absolutely LOVE the way the colors are personified in the poems.  My favorite is a portion of the poem about green in the spring:

"Green is new

in the spring.  Shy.

Green peeks from buds,

trembles in the breeze."

How beautiful is that image?!  I heart it fiercely.

As one of the Caldecott honor books for this year, you can also expect that the illustrations are beautiful.  And that is the case.  There is fantastic use of colors and designs that help add to the tone and feelings of the poetry.  The illustrations help to provide a sense of magic for the illustrations.  For example, on the page that describes black in the fall, an inky whale is incorporated into the sky since the moon swims "through its cool sky-pool."  (I know that probably sounds weird.  But you can always check out the book for yourself and hopefully it will make a little more sense then)

Dinner Conversation:

"In SPRING
Red sings
from treetops:
cheer-cheer-cheer,
each note dropping
like a cherry into my ear."

"And here in secret places,
peeps Pink:
hairless,
featherless,
the color of
new
things."

"Green is queen
in summer."

"Purple pours
into summer evenings
one shadow at a time,"


To Go with the Meal:

Aside from enjoying some beautiful poetry (and some Caldecott honor earning illustrations) a teacher could use this book in a lesson about the use of colors in poetry and how they help create different meanings, images and emotions.

Rather than share the poems of this picturebook in just one sitting, a teacher could regularly present the poems throughout the school year to reflect the changes in seasons (that is of course, assuming the class is being taught in a part of the world where it actually snows in the winter).

In response to hearing or reading these poems, children could write their own poems, paying attention to incorporate colors into their writing.

Another route would be to include the poems into a science lesson on the causes of the seasons.


Tasty Rating:  !!!!

REVIEW: A River of Words

Bryant, J.  (2008).  A River of Words:  The story of William Carlos Williams.  Grand Rapids, MI:  Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.

*Takes a brief moment to wave at Eerdmans Books*  I know somebody whoooooooo wooooooooorks there!  *waves again*

9780802853028


Appetizer:  This picturebook biography focuses on the younger years of Willie Williams's (1883-1963) life as a poet--His childhood nature walks, his enjoyment of listening to his teacher read poetry, experimenting with writing his own poetry to deciding to become a doctor.

A poet herself, Jen Bryant uses lyrical language to share Williams's story.   I especially liked that she called Williams "Willie" throughout the narrative, which helps him to seem more childlike and relatable than DR. WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS.  I also liked that she kept referring back to his mother and how she'd tell her neighbors about Willy's successes.  That also should (hopefully!) be a relatable experience for young readers.

I thought it was a very nice touch to include several of Williams's poems on the end papers as well as in the narrative.  Bryant's lyrical language worked well around Williams's poetry.

Bryant's writing also worked exceptionally well with Melissa Sweet's illustrations.  On one page in particular, Bryant describes Willie  listening to the perfect turn of the river's music while on a walk.  Sweet's illustration of that page incorporates words such as "gurgle" and "hush" into the waves and flow of the river.  I thought that was a very nice touch.  (And, you know, it plays into the title of the book....)

And that's not the only place where things like that happen.  Sweet includes many poems in a child's handwriting throughout the illustration, which shares the wonderful message that kids can write their own poems.  She also used old book covers and end pages as the basis for her collages throughout the book.  I can see why A River of Words received a Caldecott Honor.  (BTW, 6 days until the new winners and honors are announced!!!!!!!!!)


Dinner Conversation:

"Like the other boys in Rutherford, New Jersey,
Willie Williams loved to play baseball
and to race his friends up and down the street."

"But when Mr. Abbot read poetry to Willie's English class,
Willie did not feel hurried.  The gentle sounds and
shifting rhythms of the poems were like the music
of the river.  As the teacher read each line, Willie
closed his eyes and let them make pictures in his mind."

"One night, alone in his room, Willie began to write
his own poems.  At first, he imitated the famous
English writers he had learned about in school."

"He had pictures in his mind that didn't fit exactly
into steady rhythms or rhymes.
"I have never seen a swan or an archer," Willie thought.
"I want to write about ordinary things--"


To Go with the Meal:

Not only can A River of Words be used to provide background when studying the poetry of William Carlos Williams, but the picturebook could be used to start conversations and writings on nature, the ordinary or writing in free verse.  A teacher could mention how if a student finds something they love (like poetry!) they can still make time to work on it even as they are assigned to do other things in school or to take on other jobs later on (as Williams did).

A teacher could also use the artwork to encourage students to make their own collages from found objects.

As one of the poets discussed in Sharon Creech's Love That Dog, a teacher could bring in this picturebook biography to give middle grade readers more background about the poet.

This book also has the side benefit of sharing the typical work of a doctor.  It may capture some readers' attention as being an enjoyable job.


Tasty Rating:  !!!!

REVIEW: Golem

Wisniewski, D.  (1996).  Golem.  New York:  Clarion Books.

0395726182

Entertainment Rating:  !!!

In Prague, tensions are running high among the various religious factions.  Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel knows that bloodshed will soon follow.  In a dream, he is directed to call upon the Golem, a giant made of clay who might be able to save his people.

What makes Golem amazing are the cut paper illustrations.  While the illustrations are predominantly dark (and potentially a bit spooky for some kids), the use of lighter colors which are used sparingly provide a nice shock for the mind.  (Although they could also be accused of being creepy too:

What's also fun (and potentially sad, it it works...to speak in vaguely spoilerish terms) is that the reader is meant to feel for the Golem character, who is excited to experience the small things in life.  Again, hoping I'm not being too spoilery, but this book could be used to help ease students into the idea of a not completely happy ending.

Activities:

Since the book addresses the fact that there are religious disputes and tensions in the world (*gasp*) this book can be used to voice opinions about religious conflicts.  The teacher can provoke conversations about how some cities are the settings of great conflict and attacks.

If a teacher wanted to avoid the potential difficulties of a discussion about religion, he or she could prevent the story of the golem as folklore and discuss it that way.

Since the religious tensions in the story mounted because false rumors were being spread about the jews, a teacher could focus a practical discussion on combating rumors in the classroom and seeking to understand one another.

Also, because the Golem is a sympathetic character, a teacher could draw his or her students' attention to other sympathetic beasts in children's literature (another good starting point is beauty and the beast).

Golem could also be used to demonstrate the power of language.

Quotes of Note:

"Within the beautiful city of Prague, fierce hatreds have raged for a thousand years."

"Golem was a giant of living clay, animated by Cabala, mystical teachings of untold power."

"The words soared aloft and unleashed the power of Life itself.  As lightning strikes iron and flashes to earth, so the infinite energy of creation blazed through the rabbi into the coarse clay."

"The sky is rising," said Golem.  "The sky changes from black to blue.  It is very beautiful."

REVIEW: Casey at the Bat

Bing, C. & Thayer, E.L.  (2000).  Casey at the Bat.  New York:  Handprint Books.

1929766009

The classic poem of Casey at the Bat:  A ballad of the Republic is wonderfully illustrated in the style of an old black and white Newspaper by Bing.  Color still manages to be incorporated when objects are placed upon the newspaper pages.

Bing also uses newspaper clippings and the occasional hand-written note to share informative historical tid-bits or nicknames that are outside of the original lyrics of Casey at the Bat.  (Although as I teacher, I would not put too much pressure on a young student to read these notes on a first read through.  The print is small, and in places, hard to discern.  But as a big plus, one of the notes draws attention to the treatment of African Americans in the early leagues...Think of it as an introduction to the much longer We Are the Ship).

Without getting specific, the ending of this story may be disappointing to some.  Said disappointment can encourage a discussion on moving beyond disappointments and trying hard or accepting opportunities early on, instead of waiting for the last opportunity.
Hmmm.
Was that not vague enough?  Or too vague?  Confusing?


Activities:

After sharing this book, kids may be inspired to create their own class newspapers.  Or a teacher could bring in some old local newspapers to have students go through.

A teacher could also share other versions of the Casey at the Bat poem and encourage students to compare it across TV clips, songs and books.

This is a good recommendation for baseball fans.


Quotes of Note:

"The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day;
The score stood four to two with but one inning more to play."

"They thought if only Casey could but get a whack at that--
We'd put up even money now with Casey at the bat."

"And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,
And Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.
Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped-
"That ain't my style," said Casey.  "Strike one," the umpire said."

"They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain,
And they knew that Casey wouldn't let that ball go by again."

REVIEW: Kitten's First Full Moon

Henkes, K.  (2004).  Kitten's First Full Moon.  Greenwillow Books.

0060588292

I love this book.  It is my hope that it becomes a classic (and I don't think I'm alone in that).  It captures a child's emotions, imagination and sense of wonder well.

A young kitten sees the full moon in the sky and believes it to be a bowl of milk.  She sets out farther and farther from home, trying to get a lick of the tasty milk.  Since children will have a better understanding of the moon, reflections in ponds, etc. most kids find humor in the Kitten's misunderstandings as she learns about the world.  They can also relate to the kitten's emotions of hunger and fear and the sense of security and comfort she finds in the end.

Shared in gray-scale, the illustrations are simple, but capture the kitten's emotions well--with round surprised eyes when surprise is called for.

Activities:

Kitten's First Full Moon may be used as a read aloud for fun, to familiarize students with cats, the moon, the fact that objects will reflect off of still water, the need to be careful when leaving home, the sense of safety at being welcomed back, the idea of setting lofty goals for yourself and not giving up.

Many younger students are prone to pretending to be cats after a teacher shares this story with them, so said teacher should be ready to give the cild some milk in a bowl instead of a glass.

Quotes of Note:

"It was Kitten's first full moon.

When she saw it, she thought,

there's a little bowl of milk in the sky.

And she wanted it."

"So she closed her eyes

and stretched her neck

and opened her mouth and licked."

"But Kitten only ended up

with a bug on her tongue.

Poor Kitten!"

"Still, there was a little bowl of milk, just waiting."

REVIEW: Blueberries for Sal

McCloskey, R.  (1976).  Blueberries for Sal.  New York:  Viking Press.

0670175919

In this classic, little Sal and her mom go to pick blueberries on the aptly named Blueberry Hill with the intention of canning them.  Sal complicates this plan by eating every blueberry that comes near her.  On the other side of the hill, another mother and child are out looking for berries, a anthropomorphized bear and her cub.  Both cub and child wind up separated from their mothers while eating the berries, they wind up following each other's mother.

This text has the potential to feel strange to students who are raised outside of the context of picking fresh berries and canning.  Despite this, a teacher could help make it relatable by emphasizing the idea of eating a favorite fruit.  This book could also be accused as being dated in terms of its gender roles (no fathers are present as care givers and Sal's mother is shown wearing a skirt despite the fact she is trekking up a hill).

For teachers on the hunt for a longer picturebook read aloud, this book is on the text-heavy side and is longer than the average picturebook by 20 pages.

McCloskey's illustrations are done realistically in black and white and earned the book a Caldecott Honor .

Activities:

A teacher could use this story to set up a lesson on addition and subtraction, as Sal picks and eats the berries.

A teacher could use this to kick off a lesson on bears, their habitats, foods, behavior patterns, need for hibernation.

And of course, after sharing this book, an adult could take the student berry picking or be taught how to can berries or make jam.

A teacher could also pair Blueberries for Sal with Are You My Mother? and discuss what a child should do if they become lost.

Quotes of Note:

"One day, Little Sal went with her mother to Blueberry Hill to pick blueberries."

"She picked three more berries and ate them.  Then she picked more berries and dropped one in the pail-Kurplunk!  And the rest she ate.  Then Little Sal ate all four blueberries out of her pail!"

"On the other side of Blueberry Hill, Little Bear came with his mother to eat blueberries."

"Little Bear and Little Sal's mother and Little Sal and Little Bear's mother were all mixed up with each other among the blueberries on Blueberry Hill."

REVIEW: Freight Train

Crews, D.  (1978).  Freight Train.  New York:  Greenwillow Books.

0688841651

Holy crud.  This book is from the 1970s.  When I originally read it, I assumed it had been published within the last few years.  So, when I saw the striking colors of the train and it's smoke, I just assumed it was accomplished with recent technology.  No biggie.  Then I noticed the Caldecott Honor medal on the front of the book.  Which triggered a whole, "why haven't I seen this book before" line of questioning.  Answer:  The book was originally published and awarded before I was born.  Sensical.  But this also caused me to be a tad bit more impressed by the illustrations.

In a simply fashion, Freight Train, in poetic language, labels the different cars of a train that passes by, starting with the back (and much loved caboose) and moving forward.  After that, the picturebook shares action verbs and locations where the train goes.  The illustrations lend themselves to having students name the different colors and shapes.  Young readers will probably be entertained by the blurred colors of the train cars in motion and of the varied color of the smoke.  

I must admit, I learned a bit about the different names of the train cars.  What I would normally call "that one part, the bucket segment, the car that holds stuff that looks like coal" is also known as the "hopper car."  This however is not to be confused with the lower more box-shaped version that also seems to carry coal, called the gondola car.  Not to forget the tender car--which is located where I grew up thinking the coal cart went.  Are the other cars not holding coal?  Am I just confused?  What is the difference among these cars besides shape and size?  I don't know.  Please explain.

Also worth noting, there is an dual English/Spanish language version of the book as well.  (I put the English first, because it seems the book privileges that language)

Activities to Do with the Book:

This could be a wonderful book to share with young students who are interested in trains or transportation in general.  Sometimes a book like this can be especially effective with reluctant readers.

After sharing this book, a parent or teacher could guide a child in putting a model train together, making sure to name all of the different cars.

Also, if a teacher wanted to focus in on the potential pollution caused by the illustrated train, a teacher could discuss the various types of fuel or power used to make different types of transportation work.

Favorite Quotes:

"A train runs across this track."

"Red caboose at the back"

"Orange tank car next"

"Purple box car"

"Freight train.

Moving.

Going through tunnels

Going by cities

Crossing trestles."

REVIEW: A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever

Frazee, M.  (2008).  A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever.  New York:  Harcourt, Inc.

 

9780152060206

 

During the summer, two boys (James and Eamon) spend the week with Eamon’s grandparents while attending an outdoor day camp.  While the boys are reluctant to enjoy some of the nature activities, they eventually find the perfect activity for them.

 

This book was one of the Caldecott honor books for 2008.  For me, the reason that this honor is deserved is because of the disconnect between the text and the illustrations which creates most of the irony and humor in the story.

 

A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever captures a sense of childhood (and particularly boyhood) well. 

 

While the book could be used as a class read aloud, it’d probably be more effective as a small group or individual read aloud, so a teacher could take time with the book and point out the points where the text and illustrations are contrasted.

 

 

Activities to do with the book:

 

As a teacher, I would probably share this book with small groups of students before or after summer breaks and draw attention to the disagreement between the text and the illustrations and urge them to create their own stories and illustrations in response.

 

A teacher could encourage students to consider and narrate and illustrate some of their own best weeks ever.

 

Also since the book incorporates dialogue bubbles, a teacher could narrate the majority of the story, but have the students read the dialogue between the two boys.

 

 

Favorite Quotes:

 

”One hot summer day, James went on a long drive to Bill and Pam’s house so he could go to a week of nature camp with his friend Eamon.”

 

“As the nature camp week went by, James and Eamon practically became one person.  They did everything together in exactly the same way.  To save time, Bill began calling them Jamon.”

 

“Then at last, James and Eamon finally got real busy with something…and it turned out to be the very best part of the best week ever.”

REVIEW: The House in the Night

Swanson, S.M. (2008). The House in the Night. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

0618862447

This gentle poem was inspired by the classic nursery rhymes collected by the Opies in the 1950s. And it has that old-school feel. So do the illustrations, which, while mainly black and white, also feature the intentional use of yellow. The text is warm, attempting to create a sense of home. But the illustrations do have a decidedly rural feel.

The objects and illustrations mentioned and shown in the text are interconnected and come full-circle, allowing new readers to begin to develop meaning and connections. Plus the rhythm of the lines will appeal to young readers. It has a similar feel to Wood’s The Napping House (1984).

This is the 2009 Caldecott winner.

Activities to do with the book:

Students could write their own poems or create their own illustrations in response to the book. This is a great book to have new readers follow along with using their finger or to read aloud for the first time.

Children could also be asked tentatively why certain objects and creatures are yellow or how all of the pages are interconnected.

This would be a good bedtime read.


Favorite Quotes:

“Here is the key
to the house.”

“The house in the night,
a home full of light.”


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REVIEW: The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Selznick, B. (2007). The Invention of Hugo Cabret. New York: Scholastic Press.

0439813786

This Caldecott winner redefined what a picturebook is. Over five hundred pages long, The Invention of Hugo Cabret interweaves illustrations and text to create deeper meaning, many deeper meanings. Set in Paris in the 1930s, Hugo Cabret is an orphan living in the walls of the city’s train station, winding the clocks after his alcoholic uncle has disappeared. Involving magicians, silent films, dreams, trains, imagination and family, this books seeks to show the interconnections among various objects and people to create meaning and a fabulous invention.

While working in a museum, Hugo’s father, also a watchmaker, had discovered a mechanical man that a magician would have used to impress audiences in a show. The watchmaker becomes obsessed with trying to repair the machine. After his father dies in a fire, Hugo is taken in by his uncle and decides to take up his father’s work on the mechanical man, guided only by his father’s old notebook. That is, until the notebook is taken by an angry old shop owner in the train station. Having caught Hugo stealing mechanical parts, the old man takes the notebook from Hugo. To regain it, Hugo must partner with the goddaughter of the old man.

The book is split into two parts, in similar fashion to how some older movies contained two acts.

I have read this book three times. Each rereading has revealed more connections among the various elements of the text. Despite this, it is the presence of the illustrations that make this story extraordinary.


Activities to do with the book:

This is a wonderful book to share with students to encourage them to seek connections and make meaning of the text.

Since the book is so huge, but also consists of so many illustrations and pages only half-filled by text, it can bolster young or struggling readers’ confidence in their ability to read.

This book could be used to trigger lessons about Western culture in the 1930s. Students could research the history of movies, trains, magic shows, and even the rise of the Nazi party.


Favorite Quotes:

“I want you to picture yourself sitting in the darkness, like the beginning of a movie. On screen, the sun will soon rise, and you will find yourself zooming toward a train station in the middle of the city” (Introduction).

“But another story begins, because stories lead to other stories, and this one leads all the way to the moon“ (p. 255).

“If you’ve ever wondered where your dreams come from when you go to sleep at night, just look around. This is where they are made” (387).