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

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

Cinderella Skeleton by Robert D. Souci and David Catrow

Robert D. Souci- Author. David Catrow- Illustrator. San Diego: Silver Whistle/Harcourt, 2000. 32 pages. ISBN: 978-0152050696.

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

Ilustrator website: http://www.catrow.com/

Media: Pencil and watercolor.

Genre: Fairytale/ folklore, Halloween

Annotation

A retelling of the classic fairytale, Cinderella, told in a rhyming macabre verse, with characters that are ghoulish skeletons, and is set in a graveyard. In this story, however, Cinderella Skeleton loses more than her shoe.

My thoughts

Cinderella Skeleton is another retelling of the timeless fairytale with a touch of Tim Burtonesque dark humor that should draw giggles out of unexpecting audiences. Cinderella, as most expecting audiences know, is traditionally a story of unjust oppression and triumphant reward. There are thousands of Cinderella stories adding up to millions of words that generally fall into these same concepts and storyline. Cinderella is bullied by her stepsisters and mother, finds escape in a ball thrown by the Prince, also finds love in the ball, loses love, she finds love again, and then the happy ending.

The words for most Cinderella stories stay mostly the same. Except for the words in Cinderella Skeleton. This poetic rhyming book is very different than other versions of Cinderella. Through rhyme, alliteration, and its ghoulish concept, Robert D. San Souci makes this a unique and cleverly written tale that becomes more about the experience of the language rather than Cinderella’s standardized plight. Examples of alliteration in this story are “decayed decrepit/ withered wreath/ common clay/ pursuing prince/ witch’s warning/ burnished bones.”

In addition, this storyline and setting is completely displaced from the ordinary and usual version because of the unique slant. This is a story of the undead dead and takes place in a graveyard and its mausoleums. In contrast to the traditional character, this Cinderella “hung up cobwebs everyplace, arranged dead flowers in a vase, littering the floor with dust and leaves, fed the bats beneath the eaves: she shad no time for rest or fun.”

Contributing to the text are David Catrow’s spooky illustrations that compliment the lushness of the language. The skeleton stepmother is adorned is a lush fur collared dress while the stepsisters are more skeleton’s do fou-fou. Color schemes suggest the sunset, night, or sunrise with the exception of a bright yellow spread dedicated to the moment of Cinderella’s first connection with Prince Charnel. They add just the right amount of spooky creepy to keep the book light and humorous.

The challenging vocabulary, complex rhyme scheme, and the macabre theme made this book more suitable for readers in Grades 3-7 than preschoolers or a Halloween storytime for older listeners. I found this copy at the Taipei Public Library Da’An (Main) Branch.  

As a side note, I recognize that this might not be considered an “outstanding” picture book. The one that I was going to write about, American Born Chinese, is only considered to have folklore as a subgenre. I still would recommend it because it includes a basic telling of Monkey King and is a good book, but I did not know if it ‘qualified’ for this discussion post since the folklore part was not the book’s main focus. Unfortunately, I haven’t had time to investigate an adequate pictorial Monkey King/ Journey to the West this week, but it will make it onto my blog when I find it. I love the stories of Monkey King.

C01總館
398.2 S229	1	書刊	Due: 2012/7/11

Literary Devices
Use of Rhyme

Cinderella Skeleton

Heard Charnel say, “Your beauty burns

Like bonfires ablaze at night.

Your brightness fills me with delight!

Dance with me, lady, I implore.”

She smiled; he led her to the floor,

Where they waltzed with

Graceful dips and turns.

Use of Alliteration:

decayed decrepit/ withered wreath/ common clay/ pursuing prince/ witch’s warning/ burnished bones

Reading level/ Interest Age

Grades 3-7