Bibliography
Perrault, Charles. 1971. CINDERELLA: OR THE LITTLE GLASS SLIPPER. Ill. By Shirley Hughes. New York: Henry Z. Walck, Inc. ISBN 0809811898.
Plot Summary
This classis fairy tale follows Cinderella through her trials with an unappreciative family to a happy end as the new wife of a prince. After Cinderella’s mother dies, her father marries a woman with two daughters of her own, who all treat Cinderella poorly. She is made to do all the household chores, and not invited to go to the prince’s balls. Fortunately, a fairy godmother appears and adorns Cinderella in the finest clothes, coach and horsemen to be seen, and sends her off to the first nights ball. Cinderella is such a hit with the prince that she must return to the second night’s festivities, and looks even lovelier than the first night. She forgets her one rule, to leave before the clock strikes twelve midnight, and must run from the castle. She leaves a shoe behind, and the Prince uses it to find her, she is married to the prince, and shows much more love and kindness to her two stepsisters than they ever showed to her.
Critical Analysis
This early version of Cinderella is a great one for children. It is not the “Disney” Cinderella they all know, and offers a different view on Cinderella as a person than that well-known version. In this story Cinderella shows love and forgiveness to the two “Wicked” stepsisters, and is shown to be both beautiful and kind. The illustrations in this version of the tale are truly beautiful; they are ornate and colorful, showing great detail. These illustrations are also a nice variant from the cartoons in the Disney version of the tale. One aspect that sets this aside from other versions and fairy tales is that it does not have the traditional tag line “ and they lived happily ever after” pinned on the end. The mind simply assumes that it is so.
Review Excerpts
I could not find any Review excerpts for this edition, as it was published in 1971. The web reviews I found only allowed searches back through 1996.
Connections
This book opens the door to explore the world of Cinderella. Children can study multiple versions of this tale, from classic to modern day, and compare and contrast these stories.
A few Cinderella variants:
Sierra, Judy. 1992. CINDERELLA. ISBN 0897747275
Minters, Frances. CINDER-ELLY. ISBN 1563347237
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
The Four Gallant Sisters
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Kimmel, Eric A. 1992. THE FOUR GALLANT SISTERS: ADAPTED FROM THE BROTHERS GRIMM. Ill by Tatyana Yuditskaya. New York: Henry Holt and Company Inc. ISBN 0805019014.
Plot Summary
This Folk tale takes place “Once upon a time” when women were not able to hold jobs, and fend for themselves in the world. This was not the ideal time for four young sisters to be orphaned and left to make their way alone. These four sisters concocted a plan to disguise themselves as men, establish themselves in a trade, and return in seven years as accomplished individuals. One sister became a tailor, another a hunter, one a “finger artist” and the last a stargazer. Each became a master of their chosen field, and was awarded a magical gift.When the four returned home, they were employed in the King’s court, where their gender was challenged numerous times, and they nearly escaped being found out. In the end, they were discovered to be women, and were wed to four princes of their own.
Critical Analysis
This story has all of the elements of a traditional fairy tale variant of a folk tale. There is a rhythm and predictability to the writing, an element of magic, and the conventional beginning and end with “And they all lived Happily Ever After.” However, this is a leser known fairy tale, and is quite engaging to the reader. The Illustrations offer a lot of draw and pizzazz, as they show in detail the lives and experiences of these four gallant sisters.
Review Excerpt
School Library Journal – “Here's real reading pleasure. Kimmel takes an old tale, reworks it through the filter of contemporary consciousness, and couches his adaptation in the strong, direct language of a master storyteller. By changing the gender of the Grimms' ``The Four Artful Brothers,'' he creates a fresh and engaging tale without sacrificing the traditional structure and provides female characters who control their own destiny through hard work and intelligence and achieve a ``happily ever after'' ending.”
Connections
Featured stories by Eric Kimmel:
THE THREE PRINCES. ISBN 082341115
THE LADY IN THE BLUE CLOAK: Legends from the Texas Missions. ISBN 0823417387
BERNAL AND FLORINDA: A SPANISH TALE. ISBN 0823410897
Kimmel, Eric A. 1992. THE FOUR GALLANT SISTERS: ADAPTED FROM THE BROTHERS GRIMM. Ill by Tatyana Yuditskaya. New York: Henry Holt and Company Inc. ISBN 0805019014.
Plot Summary
This Folk tale takes place “Once upon a time” when women were not able to hold jobs, and fend for themselves in the world. This was not the ideal time for four young sisters to be orphaned and left to make their way alone. These four sisters concocted a plan to disguise themselves as men, establish themselves in a trade, and return in seven years as accomplished individuals. One sister became a tailor, another a hunter, one a “finger artist” and the last a stargazer. Each became a master of their chosen field, and was awarded a magical gift.When the four returned home, they were employed in the King’s court, where their gender was challenged numerous times, and they nearly escaped being found out. In the end, they were discovered to be women, and were wed to four princes of their own.
Critical Analysis
This story has all of the elements of a traditional fairy tale variant of a folk tale. There is a rhythm and predictability to the writing, an element of magic, and the conventional beginning and end with “And they all lived Happily Ever After.” However, this is a leser known fairy tale, and is quite engaging to the reader. The Illustrations offer a lot of draw and pizzazz, as they show in detail the lives and experiences of these four gallant sisters.
Review Excerpt
School Library Journal – “Here's real reading pleasure. Kimmel takes an old tale, reworks it through the filter of contemporary consciousness, and couches his adaptation in the strong, direct language of a master storyteller. By changing the gender of the Grimms' ``The Four Artful Brothers,'' he creates a fresh and engaging tale without sacrificing the traditional structure and provides female characters who control their own destiny through hard work and intelligence and achieve a ``happily ever after'' ending.”
Connections
Featured stories by Eric Kimmel:
THE THREE PRINCES. ISBN 082341115
THE LADY IN THE BLUE CLOAK: Legends from the Texas Missions. ISBN 0823417387
BERNAL AND FLORINDA: A SPANISH TALE. ISBN 0823410897
These stories by Eric Kimmel explore a variety of cultures, and allow students to see how one author can explore many different cultures and subjects.
Schoolyard Rhymes
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Sierra, Judy. 2005. SCHOOLYARD RHYMES: KIDS OWN RHYMES FOR ROPE SKIPPING, HAND CLAPPING, BALL BOUNCING, AND JUST PLAIN FUN. Ill by Melissa Sweet. New York: Alfred A. Kopf. ISBN 0375925163.
Plot Summary
This compilation of children’s songs, games and rhymes is fun and uplifting. The combination of many familiar rhymes and songs and eye catching and fun illustrations makes this book great for kids and classrooms. The rhymes are well put together, and the accompanying illustrations make them either more fun.
Critical Analysis
This book would be an ideal fun read aloud for younger students. The rhymes featured in this book have been popular with children for quite some time, and with a book like this to engage children in them, they are sure to stick around. This book can inspire children to get up and play, or to create poems and rhymes of their own.
Review Excerpts
The Horn Book- "This picture book rejoices in the rhymes of childhood -- not the adult-approved Mother Goose nursery rhymes but the sometimes spiteful, always zesty rhymes chanted by children themselves."
Kirkus Reviews- “Drawing on her Ph.D. in folklore, Sierra has compiled an upbeat selection of dozens of schoolyard rhymes and runny poems, complemented by Sweet's charming illustrations in watercolor and fabric collage . . . . There are many available collections of children's traditional rhymes, but this one uses bright colors, great illustrations and pleasing design elements to reach out to contemporary children."
Connections
The class could go out to the playground and practice singing and rhyming these fun songs!
This book would be a great lead in to a rhyming unit. This book could be read aloud, and then children could be prompted to come up with their own rhymes.
Explore rhyming dictionaries and discuss how to create a good rhyming phrase.
Rhyming Dictionary:
Young, Sue. SCHOLASTIC RHYMING DICTIONARY. ISBN 0439796423
Sierra, Judy. 2005. SCHOOLYARD RHYMES: KIDS OWN RHYMES FOR ROPE SKIPPING, HAND CLAPPING, BALL BOUNCING, AND JUST PLAIN FUN. Ill by Melissa Sweet. New York: Alfred A. Kopf. ISBN 0375925163.
Plot Summary
This compilation of children’s songs, games and rhymes is fun and uplifting. The combination of many familiar rhymes and songs and eye catching and fun illustrations makes this book great for kids and classrooms. The rhymes are well put together, and the accompanying illustrations make them either more fun.
Critical Analysis
This book would be an ideal fun read aloud for younger students. The rhymes featured in this book have been popular with children for quite some time, and with a book like this to engage children in them, they are sure to stick around. This book can inspire children to get up and play, or to create poems and rhymes of their own.
Review Excerpts
The Horn Book- "This picture book rejoices in the rhymes of childhood -- not the adult-approved Mother Goose nursery rhymes but the sometimes spiteful, always zesty rhymes chanted by children themselves."
Kirkus Reviews- “Drawing on her Ph.D. in folklore, Sierra has compiled an upbeat selection of dozens of schoolyard rhymes and runny poems, complemented by Sweet's charming illustrations in watercolor and fabric collage . . . . There are many available collections of children's traditional rhymes, but this one uses bright colors, great illustrations and pleasing design elements to reach out to contemporary children."
Connections
The class could go out to the playground and practice singing and rhyming these fun songs!
This book would be a great lead in to a rhyming unit. This book could be read aloud, and then children could be prompted to come up with their own rhymes.
Explore rhyming dictionaries and discuss how to create a good rhyming phrase.
Rhyming Dictionary:
Young, Sue. SCHOLASTIC RHYMING DICTIONARY. ISBN 0439796423
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Pass It Down: Five Picture Book Families Make Their Mark
Bibliography
Marcus, Leonard S. 2007. PASS IT DOWN: FIVE PICTURE BOOK FAMILIES MAKE THEIR MARK. New York: Walker & Company. ISBN 080279601
Plot Summary
This book explores the connections between five different picture book families, and how they
all came to be involved in the industry. Their family legacies have made a mark on the picture book world, with their involvement in meaningful books throughout the past century. This biographical exploration of the Crews, Hurd, Myers, Pinkney, and Rockwell families engages readers in the family histories, and the processes of picture book illustration and authoring.
Critical Analysis
This book really offers a good insight into the families featured within. It allows the reader to understand the family dynamics, and the childhood of the youngest family members. This is an interesting take on these artists and their works.
Review Excerpt
Kirkus Reviews- “Fascinating . . . An outstanding work about the connections between parents and children, editors and artists and readers and writers."
Connections
*Other books about Picture Books
Bang, Molly. PICTURE THIS:HOW PICTURE BOOKS WORK. ISBN 1587170302
Marcus, Leonard S. A CALDECOTT CELEBRATION: SIX ARTISTS AND THEIR PATHS TO THE CALDECOTT MEDAL. ISBN 0802786561
Marcus, Leonard S. 2007. PASS IT DOWN: FIVE PICTURE BOOK FAMILIES MAKE THEIR MARK. New York: Walker & Company. ISBN 080279601
Plot Summary
This book explores the connections between five different picture book families, and how they
all came to be involved in the industry. Their family legacies have made a mark on the picture book world, with their involvement in meaningful books throughout the past century. This biographical exploration of the Crews, Hurd, Myers, Pinkney, and Rockwell families engages readers in the family histories, and the processes of picture book illustration and authoring.
Critical Analysis
This book really offers a good insight into the families featured within. It allows the reader to understand the family dynamics, and the childhood of the youngest family members. This is an interesting take on these artists and their works.
Review Excerpt
Kirkus Reviews- “Fascinating . . . An outstanding work about the connections between parents and children, editors and artists and readers and writers."
Connections
*Other books about Picture Books
Bang, Molly. PICTURE THIS:HOW PICTURE BOOKS WORK. ISBN 1587170302
Marcus, Leonard S. A CALDECOTT CELEBRATION: SIX ARTISTS AND THEIR PATHS TO THE CALDECOTT MEDAL. ISBN 0802786561
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale.
Bibliography
Willems, Mo. 2004. KNUFFLE BUNNY: A CAUTIONARY TALE. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 0786818700
Plot Summary
In this Picture book, a young girl, Trixie, goes on a trip with her father, and her favorite stuffed bunny to the Laundromat in Brooklyn. Trixie is so excited to be helping her dad with the
laundry that she accidentally places Knuffle Bunny in the washer with the clothes.
After walking a few blocks toward home, Trixie realizes that the bunny is missing, but, because she is not yet able to speak she has no way of communicating with her dad. She screams and fusses and stresses her dad out until they arrive home and mom instantly notices it’s missing.
The threesome dashes back to the Laundromat in search of the missing Knuffle Bunny, and it is eventually found in the load of wash. After all this chaos, Trixie speaks her first words, Knuffle
Bunny!!
Critical Analysis
The illustration of this book is so unusual and eye-catching. Cartoon like drawings are done on top of photography of the streets of Brooklyn, giving the reader a sense of the community, and adding another level of interest. The writing is light and humorous, and allows the reader to feel the pain of both Trixie and her father, during their treacherous journey home. This book is both humorous, and endearing as you live this struggle with Trixie and her family.
Review Excerpt
School Library Journal review: “Knuffle Bunny's contrast of the cartoony characters over the scenic grayscale photography is best described as very, very right”
Connections
Willems, Mo. Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity. ISBN 1423102991
This book would be good for discussion about treasured items, family communication, and what it’s like to not be able to say what you need to.
Willems, Mo. 2004. KNUFFLE BUNNY: A CAUTIONARY TALE. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 0786818700
Plot Summary
In this Picture book, a young girl, Trixie, goes on a trip with her father, and her favorite stuffed bunny to the Laundromat in Brooklyn. Trixie is so excited to be helping her dad with the
laundry that she accidentally places Knuffle Bunny in the washer with the clothes.
After walking a few blocks toward home, Trixie realizes that the bunny is missing, but, because she is not yet able to speak she has no way of communicating with her dad. She screams and fusses and stresses her dad out until they arrive home and mom instantly notices it’s missing.
The threesome dashes back to the Laundromat in search of the missing Knuffle Bunny, and it is eventually found in the load of wash. After all this chaos, Trixie speaks her first words, Knuffle
Bunny!!
Critical Analysis
The illustration of this book is so unusual and eye-catching. Cartoon like drawings are done on top of photography of the streets of Brooklyn, giving the reader a sense of the community, and adding another level of interest. The writing is light and humorous, and allows the reader to feel the pain of both Trixie and her father, during their treacherous journey home. This book is both humorous, and endearing as you live this struggle with Trixie and her family.
Review Excerpt
School Library Journal review: “Knuffle Bunny's contrast of the cartoony characters over the scenic grayscale photography is best described as very, very right”
Connections
Willems, Mo. Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity. ISBN 1423102991
This book would be good for discussion about treasured items, family communication, and what it’s like to not be able to say what you need to.
Monday, June 15, 2009
The House in the Night
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Swanson, Susan Marie, THE HOUSE IN THE NIGHT. Ill. By Beth Krommes. Houghton Mifflin Company: Boston 2008, ISBN 9780618862443
Plot Summary
This picture book takes the reader through a journey into a house with a young child. This child is offered a key to a house and led to a waiting book. This book takes you on a journey through the sky, and eventually leads you back to the room, in the house, in the night. The scratchboard illustrations in this book are truly amazing, and really bring the words to life. While there are very few words in this book, the illustrations really add to the story, and let the imagination take flight. This book shows the imagination of a child, and the joy of reading, without ever stating it so plainly. The child is taken on a journey of the imagination, by simply opening the book on their bed, and then returns to fall fast asleep for the night.
Critical Analysis
This book would be great for younger elementary students, as there is a rhythm to it that is easy to follow, and the illustration will catch their eyes. This book was the winner of this year’s Caldecott award, solidifying its place as an important piece of children’s literature. Even without the illustration, the text creates a lovely rhyme, and gives the reader a sense of comfort and peace. This book can be enjoyed by children of all ages, and will surely become a classic!
Review Excerpt
School Library Journal (May 31, 2008)
“Swanson's words are short simple. "Here is the key to the house / In the house burns a light / In that light rests a bed." As we read, a small child places the key on a hook as a dog, a cat, and some kittens mill about. She walks into the room and spots a book on the bed. "In that book flies a bird." As the text grows expansive, discussing the bird's song, the girl imagines taking a trip on its back above the land, "Through the dark", past the moon, and the sun, and the sky. In the end she goes to bed, not far from the key in, "the house in the night, a home full of light." The shape of the story allows it to go from a small intimate story to an exciting flight around the world, and then back to bed where the little girl curls up cozily and falls asleep. It's a tribute to bedtime stories themselves, without ever being blunt about its potential applications.” – Elizabeth Bird
Connections
This book presents a great segway into exploring the medium of scratch board for art. The class could create their own illustrations and compare them to the ones in the book.
Collect other books with scratchboard illustrations, and share with the class.
Swanson, Susan Marie, THE HOUSE IN THE NIGHT. Ill. By Beth Krommes. Houghton Mifflin Company: Boston 2008, ISBN 9780618862443
Plot Summary
This picture book takes the reader through a journey into a house with a young child. This child is offered a key to a house and led to a waiting book. This book takes you on a journey through the sky, and eventually leads you back to the room, in the house, in the night. The scratchboard illustrations in this book are truly amazing, and really bring the words to life. While there are very few words in this book, the illustrations really add to the story, and let the imagination take flight. This book shows the imagination of a child, and the joy of reading, without ever stating it so plainly. The child is taken on a journey of the imagination, by simply opening the book on their bed, and then returns to fall fast asleep for the night.
Critical Analysis
This book would be great for younger elementary students, as there is a rhythm to it that is easy to follow, and the illustration will catch their eyes. This book was the winner of this year’s Caldecott award, solidifying its place as an important piece of children’s literature. Even without the illustration, the text creates a lovely rhyme, and gives the reader a sense of comfort and peace. This book can be enjoyed by children of all ages, and will surely become a classic!
Review Excerpt
School Library Journal (May 31, 2008)
“Swanson's words are short simple. "Here is the key to the house / In the house burns a light / In that light rests a bed." As we read, a small child places the key on a hook as a dog, a cat, and some kittens mill about. She walks into the room and spots a book on the bed. "In that book flies a bird." As the text grows expansive, discussing the bird's song, the girl imagines taking a trip on its back above the land, "Through the dark", past the moon, and the sun, and the sky. In the end she goes to bed, not far from the key in, "the house in the night, a home full of light." The shape of the story allows it to go from a small intimate story to an exciting flight around the world, and then back to bed where the little girl curls up cozily and falls asleep. It's a tribute to bedtime stories themselves, without ever being blunt about its potential applications.” – Elizabeth Bird
Connections
This book presents a great segway into exploring the medium of scratch board for art. The class could create their own illustrations and compare them to the ones in the book.
Collect other books with scratchboard illustrations, and share with the class.
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