Set to Sea by Drew Weing

Drew Weing - author. Set to sea. Seattle, Washington: Fantagraphics, 2010. ISBN: 978-1-60699-368-2

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

Media: pen and ink

Genre: graphic novel, adventure, comic

Annotation: A portly potbellied landlubbing poet, who finds himself in a slump while writing about life at sea, gets shanghaied aboard a ship and gets an inside view on the trials and tribulations of sailor life.

My thoughts:

This is Drew Weing’s debut 2010 graphic novel, though the crosshatched full-page black and white panels could have been published in bygone eras. Sailors, pirates, and the high seas set this comic adventure book. The style and characters are very reminiscent of the classic Popeye comic strip. Only these characters definitely cast in Popeye-like story. These are characters that do not get lots of spinach. They don’t swim with mermaids (unless tossed to sea by pirates). And, these sailors don’t have time to tan on their backs. (Popeye song) These sailors toast “long hours, short rations, and not even a stone to mark your grave!” Though the giant hero is able to steal away brief moments for his poetry and is able to find wordlessly communicate the solace he finds as the sunrises in the artic.

There is very little dialogue throughout the book. So, the images provide the narrative. And, they do so very effectively. The transition of our fat hero poet starts from when he is depicted more as a vagrant poet wandering local pubs (and getting the boot) to an honorable sailor who protects his mates and publishes legitimate stories about life at sea. In the end, the patched up barely held together coat is replaced and his is adorned in the garb of a fine gentlemen. He even has a nice eye patch to cover his eyeball-less eye that was shot out by a pirate. He can sit in the “Angry Kitten” (the same bar where he was given the boot) write leisurely while snoozing and is waited upon by said owner/ boot possessor.

It’s nice to see a protagonist grow not only materially but also in maturity. This is also depicted through the tribulations at sea when the whalelike character befriends his fellow crewmen, fights pirates, muscles the steer during a storm, has a moby dick moment, gives his mates advice, works the directional cross, saves a mate during a storm, etc. He no longer sulks around making up stories. He lived it.

The visual storytelling really stands out for me. This is not the common current style. It is unique. Every page holds a carefully crafted illustration that probably can be discussed in terms of historical cartoon/ illustration devices.

Literary devices:

Use of onomatopoeia: tok, whuf, oooaaa,urk,whok, krak, urrgh, zzz

Use of rhyme:

“If I even survive the trip

I set to sea on a clipper ship

But work and woe is what I found

A thousand leagues till I touch ground

I survive this –something- trip / endless? trackless?”

“All hands on deck’ and ‘mainsail-haul’

The timbers groan, the sailors curse

The only fate that would be worse…”

Reading level/ Interest Age

Grades 8-12 (Warning: The poet graphically gets his eye shot out and encounters with pirates include violence, retaliation, and lots of black and white blood. This makes the recommended age group understandable.)

Reviews and Awards

Booklist starred review

“With hints of The Odyssey, Moby Dick, Popeye and Treasure Island, Weing has created a modern classic in the pirate genre.” (School Library Journal )

“Set to Sea's one-panel-per-page layout lets Weing's visual storytelling shine, but only if you resist the urge to tear through the pages quickly. Go too fast, and you'll miss the touching, wordless way Weing communicates the death of a supporting character. Or, worse, you'll skim over a gorgeous arctic sunset clearly inspired by the Gustave Dore engravings for Coleridge's Rime of the Ancient Mariner.” Glen Weldon, NPR

Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol

 

Anya’s Ghost.

Vera Brosgol – author and illustrator. (2011). Publisher: First Second(:01): New York. Hardcover. ISBN: 978-1596437135.

Author website: http://verabee.com/index.html

Media: Watercolor, pen and ink.

Genre: Graphic novel, multicultural, horror

Annotation

A lonely teenage girl struggling with everyday problems encounters and befriends a ghost. Only there is a problem, what happens if this ghost is less Casper and more poltergeist?

Plot Summary

Anya, an angst ridden teenage girl who is an imigrant from Russia going to a Catholic school in suburban Massachusetts, wants to fit into mainstream teenage culture and wants to be popular. She tries to assimilate and blend in with her peers. For example, she went to speech therapy to lose her accent, dresses like the other girls, she eats American foods, and she rejects the Russian food (Cblphnkh) that her mother cooks because it is Russian and weight self-consciousness.

Anya is leaving high school one day when she trips and falls down a well in a park.  Terrified that she is doomed to perish in the well, Anya discovers that she is not alone. There is a ghost girl and skeleton from 1918 with her. When she is finally rescued, she discovers that the ghost had an ulterior motive. The ghost, Emily, has followed her home. At first, the ghost is helpful. The ghost assists with course work, gives her intel about a boy she has a crush on, boosts her confidence, provides style advice, and so on. The ghost seems like a supportive friend that teenagers often want.

But, as the story progresses, Anya starts to realize that the ghost’s story isn’t quite right. As the ghost becomes more co-dependent, demanding, erratic, and scheming Anya begins to suspect that the ghost is leaving out information and decides to investigate the said story. She discovers that there is more to the ghost and the story and that her family might be in danger.

My thoughts

This is a good young adult graphic novel for teens and is popular for many reasons. Social anxiety, body image, friendship, health, peer pressure, family difficulties, and assimilation are issues that are effectively addressed in this graphic novel. 

Anya, as a character, is so relatable for many teenage girls. She is a combination of social outcast rebellion and intelligent but insecure wallflower. The character progresses through the story and in the end she realizes that the popular kids have issues below the surface. Anya ultimately becomes more secure with her own being and confident that she doesn’t have to fit in with the popular kids.

The illustrations are monochromatic done in black and white with a touch of purple toned grey. The lines are thick and smoothly in a typical graphic style. Anya is drawn as a curvy girl with dark hair and freckles.

A couple of red flags: One personal concern that I have is that the character does smoke cigarettes (and cut classes) through the first part of the book. This characterization of the rebel smoker is cliché and perhaps causes teenage girls to smoke. The characterization adds to the problem even though the character confronts the habit in the final pages of the book. In addition, there is underage drinking at the party that changes her views about popularity. Overall, the spooky supernatural themes are mild and there is no overt violence.

Curricular connections

Popular for teenage girls.

Literary Devices:
Use of onomatopoeia: beep! Beeeep!, Clap!, pant pant, gasp, tweet tweet, briiiing, whip, duck, rrrring, sizzle, krak, thump, tug, and THUD.

Use of Simile: “You may look normal like everyone else, but you're not. Not on the inside.”

Reading level/ Interest Age

 Younger high school.

Reviews and Awards

Cybils awards 2011 in the Graphic Novel category

Booklist starred review

Kirkus starred review

School Library Journal starred review

“Anya’s Ghost is a masterpiece, of YA literature and of comics.”—Neil Gaiman

"Remarkable. . . . with an attitude and aptitude reminiscent of Marjane Satrapi (Persepolis) who likewise conveyed the particulars of an immigrant adolescence, Brosgol has created a smart, funny and compassionate portrait of someone who, for all her sulking and sneering, is the kind of daughter many parents would like to have. And the kind of girl many of us maybe once were.” -- The New York Times

Cinderella Skeleton by Robert Souci and David Catrow

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.

Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up By Sitting Down.

Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney, illustrator (2010).  Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up By Sitting Down.  New York City, NY: Little, Brown and Company.  ISBN: 978-0-316-07016-4

Author website: No website found.

Ilustrator website: http://www.brianpinkney.net/

Media: watercolor and india ink

Genre: biography, non-fiction, juvenile literature, civil rights movement, history

Annotation

Four African American students in Greensboro (NC) peacefully refuse to leave Woolworth’s lunch counter that only served white people. Their peaceful nonviolent act would inspire others to follow and led to more sit-ins and the end of segregation.

My thoughts

Many have said ‘this is a powerful book’ and it really is. Based on true events that happened in Greensboro in 1960, this book serves as a pictorial representation of a pivotal turning point in our country’s social history. Sit-in: How Four Friends Stood up by Sitting Down is also is a good representative for the power of a good picture book. The storyline, quotes, comments, and illustrates all combine to make this a great multicultural picture book that showcases the Civil Rights and the struggle for equality of the 1960s.

Andrea Davis Pinkney takes this great event and through the personal perspectives of the teenagers and storyline she makes it come alive and become more relatable for children and teens. The book effectively demonstrates the power of people when they work together for a cause that is right inspired by Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. Actual quotes from Dr. King's speeches within the text to help explain the protesters motivation to keep peaceful. These teenagers sat at a counter and asked for a simple doughnut and coffee. This was a peaceful sit-in for justice and equality not a complex revolution or a political scheme.

The watercolors by Brian Pinkney come across as modern and classic. They added to the story and did not distract from the powerful words and storyline.

The food metaphor and the story really hits you in the gut. Typically, the Civil Rights Movement is one that young people have trouble relating to because of its complexity, but stories such as this really help bring it to life. I also really enjoyed the back of the book's Civil Rights Timeline (in paragraph form from 1954 to 1964), the photograph of the "Greensboro Four" in Woolworth's, the more in depth look at the incident and the times, and additional recommended book and website resources. These 40 pages are really packed with information!

Memorable Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.’s quotes.

“We must meed violence with nonviolence.”

“Demonstrate… calm dignity.”

“We are all leaders.”

“We must… must meet hate with love.”

“Be loving enough to absorb evil.”

Other memorable quotes:

“They sat straight and proud. And waited. And wanted. A doughnut and coffee, with cream on the side.”

“Practicing peace while other showed hatred was tougher than any school test.”

“… it’s not about food – it’s about pride.”

Curricular connections

This material can be added into a Civil Rights Lesson plan for History and Social Studies (grade 4-6). Both the words and art can be added to a discussion.

Literary devices

Use of Metaphor: The recipe for equality and integration throughout the book.

Use of Repetition: “They did not need menus. Their order was simple. A doughnut and coffee, with cream on the side.”

Reading level/ Interest Age

Grades 4-6

Reviews and Awards

Jane Addams Honor Book (Awards)

Booklist Starred Review

School Library Journal Starred Review

Meadowlands: A Wetlands Survival Story by Thomas F. Yezerski

Yezerski, T. (2011). Meadowlands: A Wetlands Survival Story. New York: Farrar, Straus, Giroux. ISBN. 978-0374349134.

Annotation

Nonfiction picture book that is an environmental education and exploration of the wetlands known as the Meadowlands outside of New Jersey.

My thoughts

This nonfiction ecological picture book looks back at the history of the Meadowlands and examines the biological diversity of the wetlands. Overall, I found it to be a very thorough and impressive book. The book provides a rich ecological history through prehistory to contemporary efforts of preservation and conservation of the Meadowlands.

Yezerski looks at how the wetlands were used as a garbage dump and filled with trash until the mid-80s. The effect that the pollution had on the environment became evident through the declining species and overall quality of the wetlands. Shifts of public awareness in the mid80s helped recover the wetlands and the waning biodiversity.

The truthful look at the effects that civilization has had on the region is eye opening while the account of preservationists is hopeful. The balance is perfect and leaves the reader with a sense of hope for not only the Meadowlands but also for other affected areas. It also gives the message that urbanization effects the environment but we can do our part to also save the animals and rich diversity of these regions.

Even though this book is about a specific region, it is a perfect book for learning more about the environment and ecology. Its detailed framework can really be applied to most natural environments near urbanized areas. Hopefully, the last pages will inspire people to look for there own ‘Meadowlands’ to preserve.

Beautifully detailed watercolor illustrations frame each double spread picture make reading this book a field study experience within itself. Children can seek out objects so this book can also be used as an activity search for the objects book and vocabulary/concept builder.

Curricular connections

Grade 4 or 5- Science- Yezerski provides the perfect amount of information for an elementary school audience.

Reading level/ Interest Age

Ages 7-10

Reviews and Awards

A New York Times Notable Children's Book for 2011

One of Horn Book’s Best Nonfiction Books of 2011

Author website: www.thomasfyezerski.com/

Media: ink and watercolor

Genre: nonfiction, environment

The Money We'll Save by Brock Cole

Cole, B. (2011). The money we'll save. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux. ISBN: 978-0374350116.

Annotation

Times are tough in this nineteenth century New York City tenement, so Ma asks Pa to try to save money while grocery shopping. Pa takes her suggestion. He comes home with a baby turkey that’s alive.

My thoughts

Talk about great timing. Illustrated to appear out of the turn of the nineteenth century, this book shows a struggling family making do and living happily with what they have. 

This book has a lot going for it. There is the unique situation of a small New York City tenement with a country turkey. The humorous antics that transpire when trying to keep the pseudo-wild bird in the unnatural captivity of the home. There is the unique text that flows and makes this a great read along for younger audiences. There is the concept of being content in owns environment without falling into over consumerism. (As implied by the family existing on their means without sketching debts to buy the best groceries and appearing happy- Pa doesn’t appear despondent. He makes it work). And finally, there is the art.

More about the book- moral issues of eating animals are implied. This book doesn’t get into depth that but it certainly is implied by the family’s resistance to eating the turkey claiming it would be like eating their neighbor. This would be a nice book for parents, children, teacher’s to use for related discussions. It doesn’t toss out the point and say think about food sources, but it certainly leads the reader down that path of thinking about where the meat comes from.

I highly recommend this book! In fact, it is the new “Christmas Story” (80's movie) of my family.

Reading level/ Interest Age

Editorial reviews suggest that this book is for 4 and up (I would suggest that the up equal older readers and anyone looking for a humorous/holiday picture book).

Reviews and Awards

Horn Book’s Best Picture Books of 2011

Starred reviews

Author website: No website found.

Media: Ink and watercolor.

Genre: holiday, juvenile picture book

Remember: The Journey to School Integration by Toni Morrison

Morrison, Toni - author. (2004). Remember: The Journey to School Integration. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. ISBN: 978-0618397402

Annotation

Photographs taken during the period after segregated schools were declared unconstitutional that captures this important and difficult time of integration in American history.

My thoughts

These powerful photographs became Toni Morrison’s inspiration for the fictional narrative. These two elements, narrative and photographs, can actually be discussed as separate but equal in importance in the production of this book.

These archival photographs go a step beyond journalizing because they are so close to the subjects. These are not merely newspaper photos documenting the difficulties. They show the good and bad, and the façade of good. Photos of newly integrated students sitting together during a quaint circle time lesson are followed by photos of Caucasian teenagers protesting integration. A young boy wears a klan hood and smiles for the camera while watching a Ku Klux Klan cross burn. There are some disturbing truthful photographs that can be invaluable in a history/social studies class.

In addition, Toni Morrison provides the facts. Brown v. Board of Education is an important part of history, but the dry legal case name often causes history classes to simplify the lesson. The narrative and book will flesh it out. Morrison also includes a New York Times front-page announcement of the court decision and a key event timeline for civil rights and school integration history. Photo notes provide additional interesting facts. These are incredible, compelling, and unforgettable photographs and a very important time that shouldn’t be forgotten.

Curricular connections

Social Studies and Middle School History/civil rights.

Reading level/ Interest Age

Grade 4-12

Reviews and Awards

Coretta Scott King Award

Bccb Blue Ribbon Nonfiction Book Award (Awards)

Author website: www.tonimorrisonsociety.org/

Media: Photography

Genre: nonfiction, history

Memories of Survival Esther Nisenthal Krinitz and Bernice Steinhardt

Krinitz, Esther Nisenthal and Bernice Steinhardt. (2005). Memories of Survival. Illustrated by Esther Nisenthal Krinitz. Hyperion, New York.

Reader’s Annotation: Memories of Survival is Esther Nisentha Krinitz’s memoir of her daring survival during World War II in Poland, which she tells through her own amazing artwork made of embroidery and fabric collage.

Evaluation: When the Jews of Esther’s Polish village are forced to leave for a concentration camp, she decides not to follow orders, and it turn runs away with her sister, Mania. Memories of Survival is the true story of Esther Nisenthal Krinitz whose life and happiness was turned upside down by the arrival of the Nazis in Poland in 1938. Each page of this moving memoir features a large and colorful illustration that Krinitz embroidered and sewed herself in order to tell her story. Krinitz also wrote captions to go with each of her illustrations. Her daughter also contributes to these pages by adding additional details about Esther’s life or facts about Poland, Jews or World War II.

Memories of Survival is a heartbreaking, yet uplifting, story about a young woman who survived in the midst of turmoil and death. Her beautiful and meaningful artwork is a testament to her unwavering spirit and her book is a must-read for any reader interested in learning more about World War II and its debilitating effects on Jewish people.

Interesting links: Art and Remembrance Foundation at: http://artandremembrance.org
was created by Krinitz’s two daughters who also helped write and publish this book.
Media: Needlework, including embroidery and fabric collage.
Curricular connection: Middle school History: This book would be a great addition to a middle school lesson or unit of study on the Holocaust or World War II.

The Search by Eric Heuvel, Ruud van der Rol and Lies Schippers

Heuvel, Eric, Ruud van der Rol, and Lies Schippers. (2009). The Search. Illustrated by Eric Heuvel. Farrar Straus Giroux, New York.

Reader’s annotation: Esther Hecht was separated from her family during the German invasion of Amsterdam. Now with the help of her grandson she sets out to find the truth about what happened to them.

Evaluation: At first glance, The Search looks like a classic comic book from the 1950’s, with vibrant colors and plenty of speech bubbles and action to keep any reader interested until the end. The Search however is the moving story of Esther Hecht, now a grandmother living in the United States, who wants to find out what happened to her family during World War II.

Esther and her parents were separated during the Nazi invasion of Amsterdam, and while Esther survived by running away and hiding, her parents did not survive the concentration camps. With the help of her grandson, Daniel, Esther finally learns the horrible and searing truth.

Written in conjunction with the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, The Search introduces readers to World War II and its effects. Through Esther and the other characters, readers learn about Hitler’s rise to power, his subsequent persecution of Jews and the atrocities that these people faced.

While the subject is bleak and powerful, the comic format of this book makes it more accessible for tween readers. Learning about the devastation of World War II is never easy but Heuvel and his team provides this information in such a way that will appeal to a new generation of readers.

Author/illustrator website: http://www.eric-heuvel.nl/ (in Dutch)
Media: Pen and ink.
Curricular connection: Middle school history: Introduces readers to the effects of WWII on Jewish people and the eventual creation of concentration camps.

The Harmonica by Tony Johnston

Johnston, Tony. (2004). The Harmonica. Illustrated by Ron Mazellan. Charlesbridge, Watertown, MA.

Reader’s annotation: After the Nazis invade Poland, a boy is separated from his parents. Forced to play his harmonica for a concentration camp officer for survival, the boy unknowingly brings joy to fellow prisoners.

Evaluation: Based on a true story, this is a beautiful and heart-wrenching book that follows a Jewish boy as he is separated from his parents by the Nazis and taken to a concentration camp. Allowed to keep the harmonica that his father gave him, the boy is forced to play Schubert songs for a Nazi camp officer. Unknowingly, the boy also brings joy to his fellow prisoners as he plays the familiar, beautiful music. Aptly named, this story highlights the universal nature of music and its ability to give hope in even the most horrible of conditions.

This is the first children’s book Ron Mazellan illustrated. The strong use of color to convey tone and mood draw your eyes to the illustrations. Warm earth tones are used to capture the connection and happy times the boy and his parent share, which then changes to cold and sombre blue and grey tones, representing the Nazi’s arrival and the boy’s new existence in a concentration camp.

Ron Mazellan has recently illustrated Irena’s Jars of Secrets, also included in this bibliography.

Author website: No author website.
Illustrator website: http://ronmazellan.com/
Media: Mixed media on illustration board.
Curriculum connection: 5-7th grade History: Concentration camp and Holocaust survival.
Literary element: Use of simile - “who might hear the notes and be lifted, like flights of birds."
Awards:
2004 Notable Children's Book of Jewish Content
AJL Sydney Taylor Notable Books for Older Readers
Independent Book Award Finalist (Picture Book 7+)
IRA/CBC Children's Choices
Jewish Stars: Recommended Books w/Jewish Themes
National Jewish Book Award finalist
Storytelling World Award -- Honor Title.

Good-bye Marianne: The Graphic Novel by Irena N. Watts

Watts, Irena N. (2008). Good-bye Marianne: The Graphic Novel. Illustrated by Kathryn E. Shoemaker. Tundra Books, Toronto, ON.

Reader’s annotation: Hitler’s Germany is no longer safe for Jews, and when Marianne gets the chance to leave her home, family, and life behind for England, she finds herself struggling to make a decision.

Evaluation: Based upon the novel by the same name, original author Irene N. Watts and illustrator Kathryn E. Shoemaker have created a poignant and touching graphic novel about young Marianne Kohn, a young Jewish girl living in Berlin in 1938.

Marianne’s world has quickly crumbled around her – her father has disappeared, she is kicked out of school, and the Gestapo makes unannounced raids in her apartment and on the street. Marianne and her mother live in fear and solitude, hoping for change and the endurance to survive Hitler’s regime. When Marianne is offered the chance to leave Germany on a kindertransport to England, she must choose between her home and freedom.

Kathryn E. Shoemaker’s pencil illustrations are simple yet evocative. The lack of color iterates the darkness of the time and the fear and unknown that the Jews of Germany faced. Watts and Shoemaker have made Marianne’s story accessible and meaningful for middle grade readers. As Marianne must decide her fate, readers will feel her anguish. Saying good-bye is never easy. Saying good-bye for a lifetime - unbearable.

This graphic novel will stay with readers long after the last page has been read, with its haunting images and meaningful story.

Author website: http://irenenwatts.com/
Illustrator website: No illustrator website.
Media: Pencil.
Curricular connection: Makes the Holocaust and the terror the Jews faced feel real and tangible to middle school readers. 7th grade History Holocaust studies.

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: The Anne Frank House Authorized Graphic Biography by Sid Jacobson

Jacobson, Sid. (2010). Anne Frank: The Anne Frank House Authorized Graphic Biography. Illustrated by Ernie Colón. Hill and Wang, New York.

Reader’s annotation: The story of how the Jewish family, the Franks, became a family and struggled through WWII. Illustrated in graphic novel format.

Evaluation: This is not simply the diary of Anne Frank in graphic novel format, but an all encompassing history of the Franks - from how her parents met and ending with the death of Otto Frank in 1980. This book is offers a great history lesson by providing the reader with a political map from 1942 and snapshots of other events relating to the WWII and the Holocaust.

The detailed feelings from the text are clearly substantiated by the facial expressions of the characters. Each graphic represents an important piece of the story, giving the reader the feeling of watching a silent film with text in between. Divided into ten chapters, the reader has the opportunity to pause in between defining events, although staying away from the book for very long is difficult.

This is an outstanding piece of history and biography of one the world’s most famous young women.

Author website: No author website.
Illustrator website: No illustrator website.
Media: Pen and ink.
Curricular connection: Middle school History: Understanding a historical perspective of WWII and the Holocaust.

Rose Blanche by Christophe Gallaz and Roberto Innocenti.

Gallaz, Christophe, and Roberto Innocenti. Rose Blanche. Mankato, Minn.: Creative Editions, 1985. Print. ISBN: 978-2921620802.

Author website: No website found.

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

Media: oil paint

Genre: juvenile fiction, historical fiction

Annotation

Rose Blanche is fictional story about a German schoolgirl risking her life to secretly bring food to the imprisoned children in a nearby Nazi concentration camp.

Summary

Rose Blanche follows a group of Nazi soldiers after they arrest a fleeing boy and discovers a concentration camp. After seeing the imprisoned children, Rose tried to help by taking food to the camp daily until the town is liberated. Tragically, on the same day as the liberation, Rose travels to the concentration camp to bring food to the children and is deeply saddened to discover that the camp is gone. At this point, through the fog, “there was a shot.” Rose Blanche is killed by an allied bullet in the end.
 

My thoughts

Rose Blanche honestly depicts the atrocities of war. Because this is a story about World War II from the perspective of a young girl, the author does not provide historical details and doesn’t explain many things in the story. The effect of capturing the viewpoint of a young girl who does not completely understand the war is very effective. Most people usually do not understand what occurs during wars. Innocenti and Gallaz leave the reader intentionally unenlightened during many parts of the book to reinforce this feeling of limited knowledge.

Key concepts such as Nazi, Swasticka, Holocaust, Jewish, concentration camp, are also not mentioned but are descriptively shown in the illustrations. The tragedies of the Holocaust are expressed through imagery and limited language leaving the reader to follow visual cues and graphic allusions to the concluding events. This method of leaving symbols and events seen but wordless and unexplained is really a horrifying concept. These are unexplained tragedies, ruthless savagery, and horrifying monstrosities, but to Rose Blanche it is simple: she must help the children.

There is so much unspoken but implied in this book that will make it more appropriate for a mature audience. Then there is the disappearance of the children and Rose’s own death which was the result of a careless mistake. Even the final liberation is also not understood by the young child. Soldiers enter the town and are identified in the text as ‘speaking another language and wearing different uniforms.’ This book does an excellent job at bringing the experience alive but the reader should have a basic understanding of the war.

Innocenti’s powerful and very realistic paintings are amazing. These illustrations are what captured my attention when I was trying to decide on a book for this genre.

Banned Book

This is considered a controversial picture book. This is partially because of its graphic nature and mature content. This book truly captures the true horror of war and the feeling of being helpless. That is something that should not be banned. I do feel that teachers should teach the material to bring a complete understanding to young children to get the full picture. In addition, librarians should use discretion and should suggest this book for older readers already familiar with the Holocaust and World War II. But I don’t think that it should be censored or re-edited from the original text. Many things should be challenged, the Holocaust was a terrible event that many would like to forget. It is, however, important to keep younger generations educated and aware of these events and perspectives. Rose Blanche provides a springboard for discussion and allows children find a viewpoint that will in turn change their own. Hopefully, through witnessing Rose’s perspective young readers will become empowered. 

Literary devices

Use of symbolism: The main character is named after the "Rose Blanche" (or the French White Rose) was a group of young German protestors that were executed for their resistance to the war.

Curricular connections

Social Studies grade 4-8  (Holocaust, World War II, European front)

Humanities grade 4-8 (Discussion: historical fiction and narrative shifts)

Reading level/ Interest Age

There is controversy surrounding this book due to it graphic nature and deep topics. Because of this controversy and mature discussions (the Holocaust and Rose’s death), I would recommend this book for older students rather than elementary students.

Reviews and Awards

Roberto Innocenti received the Hans Christian Andersen Medal for Illustration, 2008

Mildred L. Batchelder Award, 1986. This award is given to an American publisher for an outstanding children's book that was originally published in a foreign country in another language.

Golden Apple, Biennale of Illustrators, Bratislava, 1985

American Library Association Notable Book, 1986

Boston Globe Horn Book Honor Book citation, 1986