Wabi Sabi by Mark Reibstein and Ed Young

Mark Reibstein – author. Ed Young - illustrator. Wabi Sabi. New York: Little, Brown, 2008. ISBN: 978-0-316-118257

Author website: No author website found.

Ilustrator website: http://edyoungart.com/

Media: Mixed media collage.

Genres: Fictional picture book, haiku, bilingual, Japanese philosophy, Japanese poets, Zen, Taoist philosophy, identity, cultural identity

Annotation
 Japanese cat, Wabi Sabi, wanders across Japan in a search for what her name means. Through haiku, she finds real beauty in unexpected places and discovers the meaning of her name and philosophy.

My thoughts
This Zen Buddhism/Taoism philosophy is effectively broken down into its most simple elements and illustrated beautifully by award winning illustrator Ed Young. For a book, that intends to take this highly unexplainable Zen/ Taoist concept, a way of seeing beauty in life and simply see things, it does a nice job.

The cat’s journey starts by receiving an unsatisfactory answer from her owner. She asked her owner “what is the meaning of my name.” The owner replied, “That's hard to explain.” And that is all she says. She continues to question other animals until she is led to a wise old monkey who teaches her the meaning. This journey in addition to teaching the philosophy also teaches empirical research. This is the idea of questioning multiple people to find an answer and to gain a full understanding of an idea.

The reader also experiences a physical journey and can partly experience part of Japanese culture through this book. The book has the unusual way of turning the pages upward vertically and is read top to bottom similar to classical Chinese and Japanese traditional scroll paintings/ calligraphy/ texts. The haiku is also traditional.

I have had the opportunity to travel to Ginkakuji (the “Silver Temple”) and I loved reading the poetic descriptions and linking it to Wabi Sabi. “Yellow bamboo stalks bow by teahouse doors so low emperors must kneel. Dark building, floating, sit on white sand seas. A stream sweeps small stones, chanting.”

Literary Devices
Use of Personification: Wabi Sabi the cat represents Wabi Sabi the Zen Buddhism and Taoist philosophies.

Use of Simile: "He moved things as if they were gold, although they were wooden or clay."/ “As simple as a brown leaf. So ordinary!”/

Use of oxymoron: "She saw that everything was alive and dying too."

Reading level/ Interest Age
 K- grade 3. (Arguably, all ages). The simply complex philosophy and beautiful collages also can be used for older readers. This book can be used by teachers when introducing Japanese Zen or Taoist philosophies, or for learning about the haiku as a poetry structure, or for art teachers (the collages are really visually interesting and are good inspiration for class projects).

Reviews and Awards

ALA Notable Book (2008)

New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book for 2008
Booklist starred review

Drawing From Memory by Allen Say

Allen Say – author and illustrator. Drawing from memory. New York: Scholastic Press, 2011. ISBN: 978-0-545-17686-6

Author website: No author website found.

Media: watercolors, pen and ink, pencils, and photographs.

Genre: autobiographical, biography, memoir, nonfiction

Annotation

Caldecott Medalist Allen Say’s autobiography chronicling his pathway into the arts and his apprenticeship with Noro Shinpei, Japan’s premier cartoonist, while growing up in Japan during and post WWII.

My thoughts

I was captivated while reading Allen Say’s memoir, Drawing From Memory. The combinations of Say’s prose and choice of illustrations made it very easy to get a mental movie while experiencing his life’s story. The flow of it really makes it hard to put down and can easily be read in one sitting. The tone of his prose was very candid and down to earth which made this an enjoyable and somewhat uplifting experience.

This book is an exception to the norm, but was quite an experience. At twelve years old, he moved out to attend school and lived in his own apartment. He worked hard, maintained clear goals, and worked toward actualizing his dreams. He sort of made a lesson plan layout for his life; this is a good life example for children.

It seems necessary to mention the art. He studied with one of Japan’s key political cartoonists and clearly found his own style. The sketches provide a realistic look into an artists’ life. A person does not become a Caldecott Medalist for their illustrative abilities overnight; oil paintings do not start with perfect glossy strokes. He worked at his craft, was born with talent, and found teachers to guide him. Say serves as a really good example of an artist. Many children become discouraged from the arts early because they can’t achieve realism right away. He provides hope. Similarly, too many artists expect to make it big right away. He provides reality.

On a side note, I think that Allen Say was verrrry lucky. Japan during this time period was scary and very tragic, as the war racked the lives away from many people. Young, middle aged, old; talented, genius, average; in areas there was no discrimination and way to determine who would become successful or not. Allen Say did become successful and from his writing he was able to maintain a healthy psychology. (Many of that generation are not that way. Americans travelling in Japan might pick this energy up from older generations. It is a sad part of history).

Allen Say-San focuses on his plight, relationship, teachers, and experiences as an artist. He turns the story away from a boy growing up during war and postwar Japan. (Maybe this is the naivate of youth and during the postwar period he was not as affected personally). In any case, the context does add a lot to his story. Librarians can/should suggest books to assist in providing the conjunction of postwar Japan to this story. Then Allen Say’s memoir is really inspiring and different than the norm of the time. I think… in any case, it would be interesting to read more.

Curricular connections

Most students are required to read an autobiography/memoir at some point this one can go into the librarian’s mental toolbox for that books and artists in that category.

Reading level/ Interest Age

Grade 5 and up/Ages 10 and up

Reviews and Awards

Sibert Winner
Discussion of awards and are still pending.

The Stephen Hawking Story: The Boy Who Turned Disability into the Ability to Embrace the Stars by T.S. Lee

T. S. Lee- author. Chad Walker- translator. The Stephen Hawking Story: The Boy Who Turned Disability into the Ability to Embrace the Stars. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Joyful Stories Press, 2009. First printing 2010. ISBN: 978-0-981954295.

Author website: No author website found.

Media: Pen and ink

Genre: Graphic Novel, Biography, Comic, Science

Annotation

Fictionalized manga biography about the genius physicist Stephen Hawking. The comic biography shows on how Hawking survived Lou Gehrig's and worked to become one of the world’s top physicists.

My thoughts

Stephen Hawking is a brilliant man and has striven through a lot of adversity and personal challenges to accomplish all of the things that he has accomplished. Overall, I think that this is a good biography. It kept information simple and did not oversimplify Hawking’s life or ideas. This level, the simple manga comic, makes it so that younger readers can know what Hawking is responsible for and learn about his work on black holes and the secrets of the universe and other highlights of science (like Galileo, Newton, and Einstein). Physicists, however, might cringe at the jump in physics to manga. So far, this book has not had too many reviews so it is difficult to know how actual scientists perceive the science in this graphic novel. It can be noted that the actual details of physics might have otherwise shied younger readers away from Hawking’s achievements and science.

Most the book focuses on how Stephen Hawking coped with being diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease). He learned in his early twenties that he had this disease and was given a couple of years to live. After the diagnosis and physical paralysis, he went on to get his advanced degrees, publish multiple books and articles (including the pivotal A Brief History of Time), propose many new theories, was appointed Lucasian Professor of Mathematics from Oxford University, and became one of the youngest Fellows of the Royal Society. In 1985 due to pneumonia had had a tracheotomy, which rendered him unable to speak without the aid of a voice synthesizer. Through all of this he continued with his interests about the universe and personal goals. The manga graphic novel starts with his children love for books (and memory for details) and covers these events.

Stephen Hawking has lived more than 40 years since he learned he had the disease. He beat the life-expectancy odd for people with ALS and serves as a role model for ALS patients, others who face adversities, and now also children. In addition, this book takes away mystery around the man who speaks with a voice synthesizer. This graphic novel format makes it so that his differences are not as intimidating or different.

Use of sophisticated language

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease), epitome, Einstein’s theory of relativity, universal gravitation, celestial bodies, modern theoretical physics, inertia acceleration, reciprocal actions, singularity theorems, theories, degradation, tracheotomy, voice synthesizer.

Reading level/ Interest Age

Grade 3-8

Reviews

The School Library Journal notes that fictionalized manga biographies are “appealing, but their usefulness is limited by their uneven translations” and made the criticism that statements are “incorrect, unclear, unsupported, and occasionally downright weird.” There are – other biographies in this series. I have not read the other biographies but the Stephen Hawking Story one did not contain too many overt errors. 

Benno and the Night of Broken Glass by Meg Wiviott

Wiviott, Meg. (2010). Benno and the Night of Broken Glass. Illustrated by Josée Bisaillon. Kar-Ben Publishing, Minneapolis, MN.

Reader’s annotation: In 1938 Berlin, a cat experiences gradual changes in his neighborhood until one night, known as Kristallnacht (The Night of Broken Glass), where Jewish people are terrorized and arrested by the Nazis.

Evaluation: Initially, this book may appear simplistic; however, it provides a unique introduction to Kristallnacht and the beginning of the Holocaust in a sensitive and honest manner. Set from the unique perspective of a neighborhood cat, Benno, who roams in and out of local homes, readers are able to understand that Germans and Jewish people once lived together as neighbors.

However, the mood in Berlin is slowly changes. The lack of food, the burning of books, and the severing of ties between the German and Jewish families all lead up to November 9, 1938, also known as Kristallnacht, or The Night of Broken Glass.

The author and illustrator do a remarkable job depicting the chaotic atmosphere as Nazis stormed into neighborhoods burning books, arresting and killing Jewish people, and destroying Jewish businesses and synagogues. After that night, many of the Jewish people disappeared and life would never be the same, even for Benno the cat.

The Afterword provides a detailed account and two photographs of Kristallnacht, which are beneficial for classroom discussion. This book achieves a good balance of portraying the terror of Kristallnacht and is suitable for middle grade readers. 

Author website: http://megwiviott.com/

Illustrator website: http://joseebisaillon.com/

Media: Collage, drawing, and digital montage. 

Curricular connection: Introduction to Kristallnacht, which is considered the beginning of the Holocaust. 

Awards: 2010 Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards-Gold Medal. 

Anne Frank by Josephine Poole and Angela Barrett

Poole, Josephine. (2005) Anne Frank. Illustrations by Angela Barrett. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, NY. ISBN: 978-1-60060-439-3

Author website: No website found.

Ilustrator website: No website found.

Media: drawn and painted

Genre: Juvenile literature, biography, history

Annotation

Meticulously researched visual narrative picture book that captures the beautifully inspirational moments along with the haunting and horrifying times of Anne Frank’s life.

My thoughts

Anne Frank’s story is told simply but in no means is it simple. The story begins “with an ordinary little girl, someone you might sit next to in class” and proceeds from her birth in Frankfurt (1929) to being discovered by the Nazi’s in the attic, to the posthumous discovery of her diary after World War II. Many facts about the social conditions and social transitions are effectively communicated by visually and through the text.

Focus on the artwork
The illustrations really make this book special. In an interview by Magic Pencil, Angela Barrett discusses the research that went into creating the illustrations. She states that it was important to get all the details correct and she kept in mind that there are people alive who remember those details. She aimed for historically authenticity and incorporated symbolism into both her technique and the elements within the illustrations. “Things matter and the way people persecute you is they take the things away from you.” The transition from wealth to disparity is represented in the book by showing in the beginning that the family did have beautiful things to the end where Anne and Peter sit side by side with basically nothing…. just each other.

Additionally and very importantly, are the emotional elements that are depicted within the representation of the character of Anne Frank. From photographs, Bennett seems to capture her likeness. The last picture of the Anne’s nightmarish apprehension by the Nazi’s is haunting and full of emotional punch. Her eyes look out from the page affixed to the helpless reader but her lips are pressed tightly together. It seems to be a wordless cry out to the reader.

Oddly, for this genre and topic, the book presents a great deal of information in a very manageable way making it a good book to be further deconstructed and discussed. This is an easy-to-understand introduction to the Holocaust.

Quotes

“There was a man called Hitler- a stiff little man with a mustache- he talked a lot and made big promises. Huge crowds gathered round him. They had no jobs, no hope. No wonder they cheered when he promised to make Germany rich and strong again.”

This point can be added into a discussion to understand what was going on with the Germans during this period. Many people can’t understand how they would allow such atrocities to occur. These simple sentences provide a rationale that young audiences can understand and can be added into the discussion in addition to racism and prejudices that brought forth the genocide of the Holocausts. Many times historical events can be broken down to economic foundations.

Curricular connections

History 6^th or 7^th grade- provides Anne’s Frank’s personal perspective in a visual narrative. This book can accompany the literary classic The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank.

Reading level/ Interest Age

Grade 4-7 Grade level 3-5?

Reviews and Awards

Booklist Starred Review

School Library Journal Starred Review

Interview-

http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/features/magicpencil/learning_barrett_interview_4.html

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

The Boy Who Loved Words by R. Schotter and G. Potter

Schotter, R., & Potter, G. (ill.) (2006). The Boy Who Loved Words. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books. ISBN: 978-0375836015.

Annotation

Selig is an unordinary boy. He loves words and he loves to collect words and share his favorites with other people.

My thoughts

This is a wordy book, but in a really good way. The Boy who Loved Words is a great book for readers who love words and for children who enjoy learning new words. In the back there is a glossary that includes words in the story. The extra words that are on just about every pages, including the inside front and back covers are not included in the glossary. I loved the intent of the book and the many marvelous words. All of the descriptive words and different types of words that were used are great vocabulary builders. This book is great for both in and outside of the class and makes learning new words fun. The words really are impressive. It also helps teach children how to learn meanings through context which is also an important skill.

Potter’s style and warm-toned illustrations give this book a vintage feeling. Overall, they compliment the story and incorporate the words into the picture in a way that is fun for children.

Curricular connections

Grade 1-5: Social Studies: vocabulary lessons

Art: Students can make their own wordy pieces of art.

Literary devices

Use of Sophisticated Words: predilection, emporium amphora, disburse, lozenge, lemon, licorice, tintinnabulating, oddball, aflutter, windmill, tantalizing, chum, dusk, gusto, licketysplit, rucksack, savory, slumber, spry, strudel, tantalizing, toddle, etc.

Use of Metaphor: Waving her arms in the air, she was a windmill of worry.

Reading level/ Interest Age

Preschool and up.

Reviews and Awards

Parents’ Choice 2006 Gold Award Winner.

Author website: www.ronischotter.com/

Illustrator website: www.gisellepotter.com/

Media: Pencil, ink, gouache, gesso, watercolor, and collage

Genre: Juvenile picture book

Trickster: Native American Tales: A Graphic Collection by Matt Dembicki

Matt Dembicki - author. Trickster: Native American Tales: A Graphic Collection. Golden, Colo.: Fulcrum Pub., 2010. ISBN: 978-1-55591-7241

Author website: http://matt-dembicki.blogspot.tw/

Ilustrator website: There are 21 different illustrators.

Media: Various medias mainly pen and ink, watercolor, pencil.

Genre: Graphic Novel, Anthology

Annotation
 Twenty-one folktales based on various ‘trickster’ characters from a span of Native American tribes.

My thoughts

I’m constantly revising my opinion about this book. Right now, it is neutral and even though it is not a personal favorite, it is a book worth knowing about to recommend to younger readers because it might appeal to them and teach them some valuable lessons.

Originally, I checked out the 2010 edition, Trickster: Native American Tales: A Graphic Collection. Perhaps, part of the problem is that I was excited about this book and had high expectations. I think that there is a very rich tradition of Native American tales and art to be preserved and that the majority of stories in this book failed in representing both. There were some very good successes, some that were acceptable, and some that failed. This pattern of successful and those that aren’t as good seem to be typical of anthologies.  

Instead, a few stories represented good concepts and stories with cartoonish and commercialized illustrations that were not so good and added text that seemed too silly (like in the "Rabbit's Choctaw Tail Tale"). I understand that it not meant for adult connoisseurs and see that this humor might potentially be amusing for children learning about Native American folklore and are interested in the Trickster character. I did like "The Coyote and the Pebbles", "Raven the Trickster", "Azban and the Crayfish", "Rabbit and the Tug of War", and a couple of others.

My personal opinion is that the folklore would have been better served with art other than American styled cartoon art. But, in hindsight, I guess if that is what it takes to bring these stories to younger reader then so be it. It would probably be better to recommend this book and encourage an interest and supplement it with other Native American books than to dismiss it entirely.  

Overall, maybe I’m being too harsh and judging it more for myself than for its intended audience. I think that it is great that there was an attempt to make this anthology. In addition, I am aware that there aren’t too many folklore books being published for this demographic and there are even less on Native American folklore. That does add a few good points to this book. In addition, the range is impressive. There are over twenty stories and over twenty artists to illustrate those stories. And of course, it is interesting to compare the idea and representation of the trickster from the differing folklores. Short folklore stories provide a quick window into the tribes that might otherwise be lost.

Curricular connections
This book can act as a supplement to the academic studies of Native Americans or suggested to children interested in folklore, tricksters, Native Americans, cartoons, history, etc. Native American Studies grade 5-8.

Literary Devices
Use of Metaphors: (an example: the Raven kicking the sea anemones because he can and because he delights in disorder can serve as a deeper metaphor for the need of a good leader.)

Reading level/ Interest Age

Grade 3/ Age 9 and up

Rewards

2010 Cybil’s nominee

Leonardo's Horse by Jean Fritz and Hudson Talbot

Fritz, Jean - author & Talbott, Hudson - illustrator. (2001). Leonardo's Horse. New York: Putnam. ISBN: 978-8811580478.

Annotation

The true story of Leonardo’s dream of creating a giant horse statue is a little known one dwarfed by his other feats, but this book encapsulates the bronze horse’s journey and the process centuries later to bring it to life by Charles Dent.

My thoughts

The unique dome shape of the book makes this book physically stand out and the illustrations will also be eye catching. In addition, this story is one that is not as well known as Leonardo’s other inventions and creations. It gives a unique perspective into Leonardo’s mind and humanizes this man who was a genius and a man ahead of his years.

The pages when Leonardo became ‘depressed’ because his goal of creating the statue is never fulfilled is unfortunate and sad yet it shows young readers a version of a healthy dreamer who was invested in his creations. Leonardo da Vinci is a popular role model for many people after learning about him during primary school years. Leonardo worked very hard his entire life thinking and creating the feats that he became known by and still had disappointments. He was a real person with real feelings.

The majority of the book is about the later creation of the statue that was actualized by Charles Dent and Nina Akamu in a dome during the late 1980s. The horse was intended to be a gift from the American people to the people of Italy. Many people were involved in the production of the horse using modern technology and there were still complications with the creation of the horse.

The illustrations also standout because Hudson Talbott’s artwork brings the reader back to the Renaissance and takes them through the process of creating Leonardo’s horse statue. The book features a 10-step process from clay- to plaster- to bronze diagram describing the phases of making bronze sculptures. Talbott's illustrations also look similar to Leonardo's which lend the book a sense of authenticity. 

Curricular connections

Elementary school and Middle school (grade 4-7- Renaissance/history/ art)

Reading level/ Interest Age

Grade 3-6/ Age 5 and up.

Reviews and Awards

Starred reviews from SLJ, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, and The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books.

Author website: No official website found.

Illustrator website: The Books and Illustrations of Hudson Talbott

www.hudsontalbott.com/

Media: watercolors, pen and ink, colored pencil, and collage

Genre: Juvenile literature, nonfiction, biography

Frida by Jonah Winter and Ana Juan

Winter, J., & Juan, A. (2002). Frida. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books. ISBN: 978-0590203203.

Annotation

Picture book biography about Frida Kahlo’s childhood, how she learned to paint, how painting saved her life, and why she kept painting.

My thoughts

Frida Kahlo was an amazing artist. I had the chance to visit the Frida exhibition at the San Francisco MOMA a couple of years ago. After seeing her amazing self-portrait paintings in person, I became more inspired by her creativity and strength so I was really looking forward to this book.

I thought that Winter's choice to illustrate Frida's childhood was interesting since I've read more about her years after the accident with mention of polio. This made this book even more relevant to the audience of young readers and made her more of an inspirational figure that children can understand and aim to emulate.

I loved the illustrations in this book. The illustrations portray story of Frida with a similar palette and that are familiar elements to Frida’s own paintings, but the style is true to Ana Juan’s own unique artistic voice. The simplicity of the story explains Frida's life in a way that kids can understand. The pictures illustrated the happiness and creativity in Frida's life.

Curricular connections

Elementary school- Art and Biographies or Spanish

Reading level/ Interest Age

Ages 4 and up.

Reviews and Awards

Americas Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature Honorable Mention (Awards)

Author website: No official website found.

Illustrator website: www.anajuan.net/

Media: Acrylics and wax on paper.

Genre: Juvenile literature, biography