Mermaid Queen by Shana Corey

Mermaid Queen. Shana Corey. Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham. 2009. [April 2009]. Scholastic. 48 pages. ISBN 978-0439698351.

Annotation

This picture book chronicles the life of Australian Annette Kellerman; record setting swimmer, swimsuit innovator, movie star, and performer.

My thoughts

Annette Kellerman beat the odds. When she was young she couldn’t walk, so her father taught her how to swim. Swimming strengthened Annette’s leg and resolve and she set records and created her own water performances making her internationally popular. When she got to America, in the early 1900’s she was amazed to see the beach fashion “stocking and shoes, bloomers and bathing dresses, collards and corsets and caps.” As a new woman, and nonconformist, Annette dove into water in her racing suit. Beach fashion changed shortly after her bold move.

I was not aware of Annette Kellerman before reading this book. I enjoyed the book and like that this period is illustrated. Young girls not only learn about Kellerman’s biography but can also witness the great changes that have been made since. This is an entertaining book and a story of a strong female role model that I would recommend.

Curricular connections

Grade 4 and up: Social Studies/ women’s history

Reading level/ Interest Age

Preschool and up.

Reviews and Awards

N/A

Author website: No author website found.

Illustrator website: www.edfotheringham.com/

Media: Digital Media

Genre: Nonfiction, biography

So You Want to Be President? by Judith St. George and David Small

St. George, Judith. David Small (illustrator). So You Want to Be President?  (2004). New York: Philomel. 56  pages.  ISBN: 0-399-24317-8.

Annotation

Previous Presidents of the United States are introduced in this picturebook with lots of facts, trivia, caricatures, and entertaining details.

My thoughts

I like informational picturebooks and especially those that make learning classroom knowledge easy and enjoyable. This book accomplishes this and presents random facts will help children to remember the 42 previous presidents. For example, some of the memorable and unusually funny facts are: George Washington’s love for dancing, Theodore Roosevelt’s son bringing a horse into the White House elevator, William Howard Taft getting a head of cabbage thrown at him during a speech, and George Bush’s dislike of broccoli. By making the former presidents into relatable people, St. George makes this a successfully entertaining informational book. There is a great deal of information by the end of the book and most children will be able to remember these new facts. I also liked the appendix at the end of the book lists the former presidents and gives factual information (such as birth place and year, dates in office, and what the president is most remembered for).

Artwork

This Caldecott Medal winning illustrations by David Small really adds sense of humor and bring this book to life. Small’s portrays these former presidents as caricature’s with inflated heads and exaggerated expressions. These caricatures will help with future identification of presidents through photographs or newspaper cartoons. The colors are also high intensity and bright which also make the picture interesting.

Curricular connections

Grade 5: American history- Presidents

Reading level/ Interest Age

Grade 1 and up/ Age 6 and up.

Reviews and Awards

Winner of the 2001 Caldecott Medal

ALA Notable Children's Book, 2001

Author website: http://www.judithstgeorge.com/

Illustrator website: http://davidsmallbooks.com/

Media: Ink, watercolor and pastel chalk

Genre: Juvenile picture book, Nonfiction

Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse by Marilyn Singer and Josee Masse

Singer, M., & Masse, J. (2010). Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse. New York, N.Y.: Dutton Children's Books. ISBN: 978-0525479017.

Annotation

A picture book of reversible poems based on popular fairytales that includes different perspectives from the main character and villain using the same words.

My thoughts

Talk about misunderstanding someone’s words. It’s fascinating how the same words, the same poem, can be written in the opposite direction to give a new meaning and different tone. The only changes are capitalization and punctuation, but the points of view and perspective are entirely different. This book is a clever turn on words and an interesting word play with familiar characters from childhood fairytales. And, it makes an individual think about word order and perspective. The book truly shows that there are two different sides to the story and entire picture.

Curricular connections

Humanities- poetry grades 2-6: Recommended for readers who enjoy poetry and playing with words, lovers of fairy tales, teachers who teach writing (or poetry/fairy tales), or anyone who loves children’s books.

Lesson Plan

See 'Lesson Plan' page

Reading level/ Interest Age

Grades 2-6

Reviews and Awards

2011 ALA Notable Children’s Books, All Ages; 2011 NCTE Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts; CLA Notable Children's Books in the English Language Arts 2011; Children's Book Committee Bank Street College of Education Children's Choices - Best Books of 2011, Special Interests, Poetry; Booklist 2010 Editor’s Choice, Books for Youth, Nonfiction, Middle Readers; Booklist Lasting Connections of 2010, Language Arts; Horn Book Fanfare, Best Books of 2010, Poetry; Kirkus Reviews 2010 Best Children’s Books; Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Books 2010, Picture Books

"The poems are both cleverly constructed and insightful...giving us the points of view of characters rarely considered." --Horn Book

"A mesmerizing and seamless celebration of language, imagery, and perspective." --Kirkus, starred review

Author website: marilynsinger.net/

Illustrator website:  www.joseemasse.com/

Media: acrylic paint on illustration board

Genre: poetry

The Composer is Dead by Lemony Snicket and Carson Ellis

Snicket, Lemony – author, Carson Ellis - illustrator, and Nathaniel Stookey -. music The composer is dead. New York: HarperCollins, 2009. ISBN: 978-0061236273

Author website: http://www.lemonysnicket.com/

Ilustrator website: http://carsonellis.com/

Media: Oil paints and ink

Genre: juvenile picture book, music

Annotation

The composer is decomposing and an investigator is called in to investigate in this whodunit of the music world. In this perplexing murder mystery, everyone seems to have a motive, an alibi, and everyone is a musical instrument.

My thoughts

Everyone loves Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf. Many have grown up on it without really questioning the appropriateness of the classic because it is a classic. Well, this is a witty “Peter and the Wolf” for the 21^st century. It is contains the same lessons of the instruments and parts of an orchestra but without the gun-toting toddler out to shoot an instinct driven wolf. Now, don’t get me wrong, Peter the Wolf still is a classic. This performance/book/disc, however, can join it as another unique classic in this genre of music picture books. It certainly is a classic and is a humorous mystery that teaches different instruments.

Memorable quotes:

“Everyone forgets about us,” said the Violas bitterly. “We play the notes in the chords that nobody cares about. We play crucial countermelodies nobody hears.”

“We were doing bird imitations,” said the flutes, the shiniest and highest pitched of the woodwinds. It seems like that’s all we ever do.”

“Of course,” he said, “the Conductor! You’ve been murdering composers for years! In fact, wherever there’s a conductor, you’re sure to find a dead composer!” Snicket points out. "Beethoven — dead! Bach — dead! ... Schubert — unfinished, but dead!"

Curricular connections

Music (kindergarten and up) for teaching different instruments.

Reading level/ Interest Age

K and up/ Age 5 and up

Reviews

"It's funny, buoyant and engaging, and like Snicket's brilliant "Series of Unfortunate Events," it trusts children's taste for the sanguinary far further than many timorous parents and children's authors are inclined to."— SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE (March 22, 2009)

"You'd be hard pressed to find a sym-phunnier crime story than this."— TIME MAGAZINE

½ 王子 Èrfēnzhīyī Wángzǐ (½ Prince) by Yu Wo

Yu Wo - author. ½ 王子 Èrfēnzhīyī Wángzǐ (½ Prince). (2004) Choi Hong Chong - illustrator. Tong Li Publishing, Taiwan. ISBN: 97889867391209.

Author website: http://www.wretch.cc/blog/kim1984429

Ilustrator website:

Media: pen and ink

Genre: manga, fiction, fantasy, comics

Annotation

It’s 2100A.D. in this futuristic manga about a virtual reality game called "Second Life"* where the 19-year-old protagonist, Feng Lan, is challenged by her twin to play in a life changing game. *This is a different Second Life.

Summary

It’s a boring summer break for Feng Lan until her twin brother comes home with the newest virtual reality game “Second Life.” This virtual reality game is really real. “The realism level is 99%. Even the slightest wind, the buzz of insects, and the chirping of birds seem life-like.” Feng Lan is challenged by her brother to play against him in “Second Life” and taunts her by saying that “girls are afraid of pain” and “being a girl would be so easy. You don’t have to fight, since someone will always volunteer to fight for you.” This incites her to play. While her brother is using the bathroom, she puts on the dream gaming device and starts to play.

Feng Lan is surprised, however, to discover that she is first online and that she can be granted one wish. Determined to prove to herself and her brother that her abilities are independent of her gender/sex and that she can win without gender benefits, she requests to play as a male avatar. Feng Lan is granted her request and plays as a handsome elfin named “Prince.” The adventures start here. From this point on, Prince gatherers other characters to form the “Odd Squad.” One companion is a meat bun.

Later in the series, the Odd Squad fights against opponents to win a large city named Infinity City and Prince gatherers players to fight against the threat of the Lord of Life.

My thoughts

This is the first manga/manhua series that I have ever read. I did not know what to expect. This particular one is amusing and interesting. Fantasy has always appealed to me and this has lots of that in addition to some plot twists and humor. 

(Half Prince can be read online through: http://www.mangareader.net/278/12-prince.html)

Curricular connections

This book could be used outside of class for teens interested in gender and identity construction. 

Reading level/ Interest Age

Grade 9 and up

Amelia and Eleanor Go For A Ride: Based On A True Story by Pam Muñoz Ryan and Brian Selznick

Ryan, Pam Muñoz, and Brian Selznick. 1999. Amelia and Eleanor Go For A Ride: Based On A True Story. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN: 978-0590960755.

Annotation

Amelia, the famous aviator Amelia Earhart who was the first woman to fly the Atlantic Ocean; and Eleanor was Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady of the United States and committed activist for human rights take to the sky in this picture book based on a true incident.

My thoughts

It’s great to see a book about these two historically strong women doing things that were out of the social norm of their time. This story is based on the night of April 20, 1933 when Eleanor Roosevelt invited Amelia Earhart to the White House for dinner. During the dinner, Amelia was asked what it is like to fly at night. “Very few people in the whole world had ever flown at night, and Amelia was one of them.” The guests listen with closed eyes imagining the experience of flying at night. Eleanor asks about the view of the Capital at night and Amelia arranges for a ride on an Eastern Air Transport Plane (a Curtis Condor twin-motor airplane). Within an hour, the two women were up in the air experiencing a clear night’s view of the area between Baltimore and Washington D.C.

This little known true account revealed a spontaneous side of Eleanor Roosevelt and takes the reader back to a time when flying at night was a big deal. So many things have changed over the last century, but hopefully the feeling of being completely in awe of the stars remains the same. With Eleanor and Amelia’s bold personalities, and Selznick’s breathtaking illustrations, readers are inspired to take actions to make their own dreams to come true.

Focus on the Art

Brian Selznick’s pencil illustrations capture this bygone era by resembling old photographs and carry this story beautifully. The details have been carefully researched (actual China patterns, an Evening Star newspaper from Washington D.C. with factual headlines, furniture and fashions of the time period, etc.) In addition, there is a beautifully illustrated nighttime view of Washington D.C that captures the Capital dome and famous monuments.

Curricular connections

Grade 4-6: Social studies lesson with focus on Amelia Earhart and Eleanor Roosevelt and also the geography of the area described in the story.

Literary devices

Use of Metaphor: (p. 5) “Amelia and Eleanor were birds of a feather.”

Reading level/ Interest Age

Ages 5-9

Reviews and Awards

ALA Notable Children’s Book

Book Sense Book of the Year Finalist

Author website: http://www.pammunozryan.com/

Illustrator website: http://www.theinventionofhugocabret.com/

Media: Pencil on Paper

Genre: Juvenile picture books, nonfiction

John, Paul, George, and Ben by Lane Smith

Smith, L. (2006).  John, Paul, George, and Ben.  New York City, NY: Hyperion Books for Children.  ISBN: 9780786848935.

Annotation

The book tells the stories of young John Hancock, Paul Revere, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson with wonderful illustrations and wit to match.

My thoughts

Overall, this book is educational and fun. It teaches about the founding fathers and the early history of the United States with small bouts of laugh out loud humor. Lane Smith uses stories that show the ‘early signs’ of each adult personality (example: Paul Revere was loud) and how those traits (bold, noisy, honest, clever, and independent) would affect American history before, during, and after the Revolutionary War.

As a bonus, the book has extras such as facts on the Founding Fathers at the end. The also author admits to “taking liberties” with facts so he included a true/false section at the end of the book to “set the record straight” which is a necessary addition for readers.

Curricular connections

Grade school- Middle school: History: American Revolution

Literary devices

Use of Allusion: the titles link of the founding fathers’ first names to the Beatles and “Revolution” (Beatles song).

Reading level/ Interest Age

Ages 5 and up/ Preschool and up

Reviews and Awards

NY Times Best Illustrated Books: 2006

NY Times Notable Children’s Books: 2006

Publisher’s Weekly Best Children’s Books: 2006

SLJ Best Books for Children: 2006

Author website: http://www.lanesmithbooks.com/

Media: pen and ink. Texture was achieved by using oil paint on canvas, handmade parchment paper, and weathered pulp board.  Illustrations also used the collage technique to combine the media. (Information retrieved from the copyright page of the book.)

Genre: Juvenile picture book

The Cartoon History of the Modern World: Part II: From the Bastille to Baghdad by Larry Gonick

Gonick, Larry. (2009). The Cartoon History of the Modern World: Part II: From the Bastille to Baghdad. Harper, New York, NY. ISBN:  978-0-06-076008-3.

Author website: http://www.larrygonick.com/

Media: pen and India ink

Genre: nonfiction, history, cartoon, graphic novel

Annotation

The last volume of Larry Gonick’s 30+ year magnum opus Cartoon History of the World series. Like the other volumes, this volume takes Modern history presents assiduously diligent research and scholarly data, while illustrating finer historical nuances, then adds memorable twists and scintillating comical information, then puts it all into graphic novel format.

My thoughts

Voila. This is a history book that is anti-textbook boredom and provides insights, perspectives, wisdom, irony, and humor. There are disasters, near disasters, and should have been disasters. Along with history that does not make it into the typical world history book. Importantly, this book takes textbook history and condenses it into memorable easy-to-learn history in a contemporary format that will appeal to teenagers and adults.

It starts by covering China and Japan then continues to Enlightenment then propels forward onward for the next 300 pages to conclude the journey of modern history with the recent economic crisis. The panels don’t sugarcoat history or try to leave out unpleasant details. It’s real history really funny.

Curricular connections

Larry Gonick interview* quotes- 

“Humor is a teaching tool. The best humor, the best jokes, the most meaningful are the ones that come out of some unexpected connection in the narrative.”

In response to why do people respond to the cartoon histories, Larry Gonick comments “because in general history is such a dull subject and people are so happy and relieved to find something that treats it in a way that entertains them and makes it come alive. To me, history is the record of all the best stories that have happened to human beings. Everything that you want in good literature.”

*This is from a video accessible on youtube see below.

Reading level/ Interest Age

Teen and up

Reviews and Awards

“Lively cartooning and pretension-puncturing wit.” (Booklist )

“The final installment of Gonick’s deeply funny and impeccably researched series has finally arrived... Brilliantly funny, the series finds the inherent humor in history...” (Publishers Weekly )

“Funny, informative, and comprehensive, Gonick’s history concludes with this second volume. His unique wit, sense of irony, and passion for humanity’s complex story of triumphs, compromises, and disasters are as evident here as they are in his previous books... An insightful review of history.” (School Library Journal)

… and many other positive reviews.

How the Sphinx Got to the Museum by Jessie Hartland

Hartland, Jessie. How the Sphinx got to the Museum. Maplewood, NJ: Blue Apple Books, 2010. Print. ISBN: 978-1609050320.

Annotation

Chorus like description of how the Sphinx of Hatshepsut got to New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.

My thoughts

The San Francisco De Young had a Hatshepsut exhibit some time ago and learned about the infamous Stepson. When I saw this book, I was immediately interested even without knowing what the book was about. It had mention of Hatshepsut and that was enough for me. It did end up as an interesting story about how the Sphinx of Hatshepsut got to the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. I found it to not be what I expected, but it was an educational cumulative piece that answers the questions that many museum goer’s ask. “How did it get here?” A bonus to the educational function of this book is that it is a great nonfiction read-aloud with its fun chorus and chant like text. Children will enjoy participation with the text and the repetition will help children learn and memorize the who’s and what’s of this piece and museum procurement. Jessie Hartland includes a page of “More History” and a page of “Additional Facts and Figures” to add more information and background to the story of the Sphinx.

Focus on Artwork

Jessie Hartland’s consistent style is childlike and cheerful. The simple pictures allow the readers/listeners to focus on the text. The titles of the people are all uniquely collaged with different font types that add a bit of fun to the repetition. The illustrations look like they have been colored with marker in an expressive manner without focuses on line clarity. The people are illustrated in vague cartoonlike ways and are identifiable by clothing and geographic location.

Literary devices

Use of Repetition: The docent retells the many steps and people who contributed to the sphinx's story each time a new part is introduced in a kind of chorus. “Hatshepsut commissioned, the sculptors sculpted, the priests admired it, and the stepson had it destroyed.” The story continues with it being rediscovered centuries later in a pit by an archaeologist, brought to America, and restored. Each time ending with the start of the sphinx’s story and how it was “ordered by the pharaoh.”

 Use of Rhythm: The chorus of people who helped bring the sphinx is rhythmic like “There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly.”

Reading level/ Interest Age

Grade 1 and up.

Reviews and Awards

Starred reviews.

Author website: www.jessiehartland.com/

Media: collage and markers

Genre: Juvenile picture book

Reach for the Stars: and Other Advice for Life's Journey by Serge Bloch

Bloch, S. – author (2010). Reach for the Stars: and Other Advice for Life's Journey. New York: Sterling. ISBN: 978-1402771293.

Annotation

A boy and his dog are given advice in the form of popular and inspirational quotes and euphemisms.

My thoughts

This is an inspirational book that explains the how to handle the good and the bad parts of life with quotes and euphemisms with humorous illustrations. The illustrations in this book make these sometimes weird sounding and popular figure of speech/euphemisms understandable. This is a good concept book for children and will assist in building an optimistic thought process.

The illustrations that incorporate photographs with ink drawings keep this book edgy and humorous.

Literary devices

Use of sayings:

You’re got your whole life ahead of you!

You won’t always be top dog. In fact, sometimes you’ll be in the doghouse.

Reading level/ Interest Age

Preschool and up.

Reviews and Awards

Serge Bloch has won a gold medal at the Society of Illustrators

Horn Book 2010

Author website: www.sergebloch.net

Media: pen and ink drawings with photography

Genre: juvenile picture book

Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon and Dean Hale

Hale, Shannon and Dean. Illustrated by Nathan Hale. Rapunzel’s Revenge. New York: NY Bloomsbury. ISBN 1-59990-070-X

Annotation

A graphic novel based on the classic fairy tale but with some twists. This adventurous version is set in the Old West and Rapunzel uses her hair as a lasso and finds a unique posse for this adventurous book.

My thoughts

In the beginning of this graphic novel, Rapunzel escapes from her tower and the adventure begins. She then takes on a sidekick outlaw named Jack, and fights her way back home to face Mother Gothel and frees the oppressed people under Gothel’s rule all while using her hair as a lasso in an Old West setting. Importantly, Rapunzel is a strong female who can take care of herself without having to be saved by her Prince Charming. Personally, I love stories set in the Old West and I like fairytales and adventure stories. This story combined the three genres to produce an entertaining graphic novel with a strong female protagonist (another plus), so I would recommend this book. This modern twist on the fairytale is suitable for older readers such as teenagers. Boys will enjoy reading about the outlaw Jack, and girls will enjoy reading about Rapunzel. It is a good book for both boys and girls.

Reading level/ Interest Age

Age 10 and up.

Reviews and Awards

ALA 2009 Notable Children's Book

YALSA 2009 Great Graphic Novel for Teens

Nominee for the Texas Lone Star reading list

Texas Maverick Graphic Novel

Starred reviews in Horn Book, Library Media Connection, School Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly

Positive Reviews in Booklist and Wilson’s Children’s and Junior High School

Author website: http://www.squeetus.com/stage/main.html

Illustrator website: http://www.shannonassociates.com/artist/nathanhale

Media: Pen and ink and gouache

Genre: Graphic novel

Red Sings From Treetops: A Year in Colors by Joyce Sidman and Pamela Zagarenski

Sidman, Joyce, Joyce Sidman, and Pamela Zagarenski. Red Sings From Treetops: A Year in Colors. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2009. ISBN: 0547014945.

Annotation

A collection of poems describing different seasons with colors, sounds and smells.

My thoughts
This book is the winner of the 2010 Caldecott Award. This book is an interesting twist for a concept book. It combines a collection of poems with seasons and colors to produce a visual stunner.

The short  pieces of poetry are great attention getters and would be great for a class lesson on how to write poetry and would be good for a read aloud setting. It would also be good for children learning the seasons and colors.

Focus on Artwork

Pamela Zagarenski's illustrations really add to the text. They really show and explain the text very well and are painted in bright vibrant colors. The entire book is beautifully illustrated with complicated layers, textures, and intense color combinations with a color palette that is based in earth tones and subtly changes to convey each season. This book teaches children about color and really does a great job at that through using the varying hues and also by including the written word typed in the given color throughout the book. In addition, Zagarenski creatively uses type. The lettering is seen both vertical and horizontal.

Curricular connections

Grade 4- Middle School

Elementary School: color poems

English/Humanities: Creative Writing: students can write their own color poems

Art: colors and nature

Literary devices

Use of Rhyme

“Green trills from trees, clings to Pup’s knees, covers all with leaves, leave, leaves!”

Use of simile

 “…each note dropping like a cherry into my ear.”

Quotes

And White?/White/Whispers,/Floats,/Clumps,/Traces its wet finger/on branches and stumps./White dazzles day/and turns night/inside out.

Where is Green in winter?/Green darkens, shrinks,/stiffens into needles./Green waits in the hearts of trees,/feeling/the earth/turn.

Reading level/ Interest Age

Grades 1-4; Ages 6 – 9

Reviews and Awards

2010 Caldecott Honor Book

2010 winner of the Claudia Lewis Poetry Award

Booklist, 2009. Horn Book, 2009. School Library Journal, 2009.

Winner of the Cybils Award

A Lee Bennett Hopkins Honor Book

A School Library Journal Best Book

New York Public Library’s 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing

Author website: www.joycesidman.com

Illustrator website: www.atthegallery.com/artists/zagarenski.html

Media: Mixed media paintings on wood and computer illustration

Genre: Poetry, juvenile picture book