What My Mother Doesn't Know

Bibliography:

Sones, Sonya. 2001. What My Mother Doesn't Know. New York: Simon & Schuster.
ISBN: 0-689-84114-0

Summary:

Sophie is almost fifteen and discovering what love really means.  She struggles with family issues involving a basically absent mother and father who don't provide the support she needs.  Dealing with the sometimes overwhelming and definitely confusing complexities of high school pressure, Sophie relies on her two best friends for guidance and support, while juggling her hormones and love life.  After her first couple, or few (but who's counting) first loves, it takes an unexpected masked-man to teach her the true meaning of love.

Analysis:

Sonya Sones's novel in verse reveals the life of a rather normal teenage girl dealing with hormones, peer pressure, family issues and boy trouble, all told in a very descriptive realistic tone.  Sophie, the heroine, is brought to life in Sones's free verse texts, told chronologically in journal-like form.  Readers come to love the sweet achingly-human character of Sophie who sees herself as "the Mount Everest of teenage girls" but also "full of possibilities" (pgs. 37, 130).  Sones's vivid language builds Sophie's voice that readers can hear as they observe and participate in her adventures.  Readers hear Sophie as she debates and struggles with her feelings for her Christmas vacation friend, "I mean I do like him, but I don't like him" (pg. 191).  Even the verse titles capture Sophie's essence, such as "Oh, Man" and "How Could I Have Forgotten" (pgs. 191, 145).  Sophie's struggles and triumphs create lasting emotions with the reader who feels the pain, joy and lustful feelings Sones's words emote.  Sophie's verses in What My Mother Doesn't Know tell her tale of teenage angst, love, loss and more love, giving readers a very relate-able precious glimpse into their own past, present or future.

Reviews:

Junior Library Guild selection

"Romantic and sexy, with a happy ending that leaves Sophie together with Mr. Right, Sones (Stop Pretending: What Happened when My Big Sister Went Crazy, 1999) has crafted a verse experience that will leave teenage readers sighing with recognition and satisfaction." - Kirkus Reviews 9/15/01

American Library Association - one of the Top 100 Most Banned Books of the Decade (2000-2010), Best Book for Young Adults (2002)

	“...Sones (Stop Pretending) poignantly captures the tingle and heartache of being young and boy-crazy ... With its separate free verse poems woven into a fluid and coherent narrative with a satisfying ending, Sophie’s honest and earthy story feels destined to captivate a young female audience, avid and reluctant readers alike.”- Publishers Weekly (found on www.sonyasones.com)

“... Sones is a bright, perceptive writer who digs deeply into her protagonist’s soul ... Sones’s poems are glimpses through a peephole many teens may be peering through for the first time, unaware that others are seeing virtually the same new, scary, unfamiliar things ... Sones’s book makes these often-difficult years a little more livable by making them real, normal, and OK.” - School Library Journal (found on www.sonyasones.com)
 
Connections:

• Personal journaling in free verse
• Study other novels in verse:
• Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy - Sonya Sones
• By the River - Stephen Herrick
• Out of the Dust - Karen Hesse
• Literacy extension - write about what happened to Sophie after slinking into the cafeteria

Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock

Bibliography:

Kimmel, Eric A. 1988. Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock. Ill. Janet Stevens. Holiday House: New York.

ISBN: 0-8234-0689-X

Summary:

Anansi the spider walks through the forest and finds a strong moss-covered rock.  "KPOM!" Anansi finds out the hard way that the rock is a magic rock, knocking out it's victims for an hour after uttering the magic phrase. Using this knowledge to his advantage, Anansi tricks his friends Lion, Elephant, Rhinoceros, Hippopotamus, Giraffe and Zebra by stealing their food while they are unconscious. Luckily Little Bush Deer is always watching and uses the magic rock against Anansi to right his wrongs and return the forest animals' food.

Analysis:

Eric A. Kimmel retells this West African tale by integrating it with the Caribbean culture's popular Anansi character. This trickster tale uses a basic storyline with repetitive phrases and sequences appropriate even for young readers as well as oral reading. Janet Stevens' brightly colored drawings create texture and movement on each page. The animals are brought to life through the skillful illustrations that draw the reader's eye.  Overall, Anansi teaches readers that someone is always watching and it is never nice to trick your friends in Kimmel's lively retelling of this old African tale.

Reviews:

"Anansi the Spider happens upon an unusual stone that magically puts him to sleep for an hour. The master trickster decides to use the rock to get the food stores from the rest of the local residents. Each animal is taken in turn to the strange moss-covered rock, says the magic phrase, and promptly falls asleep to have its food pilfered by Anansi. All the while, however, Little Bush Deer silently watches. Ultimately, it is small and shy Deer who outwits Anansi and returns the food to its rightful owners. Although no specific source is given, Kimmel has retold a West African tale (said to be known in Caribbean culture). The text is rhythmic, nicely building suspense to the inevitable conclusion. Stevens' complementary, colorful illustrations add detail, humor, and movement to the text. Here, Anansi is portrayed as a large eight-legged arachnid; his expression is in his motion. The other animals are almost realistic, although with facial expressions that are characteristic of the artist's work. This new picture book Anansi tale will be welcomed by all trickster fans." - School Library Journal (found on Barnes & Noble.com)

Connections:

• Review trickster tales - compare Anansi to other trickster characters in folktales, such as Coyote or Br'er Rabbit:
• Br'er Rabbit and the Rabbit Patch - Walt Disney
• Coyote: A Trickster Tale from the American Southwest - Gerald McDermott

• Compare Anansi stories for characters, problem/solution and moral/lesson:
• Anansi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti - Gerald McDermott
• Anansi and the Magic Stick - Eric Kimmel 
• Anansi Does the Impossible! - Verna Aardema

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat

Bibliography:

Taback, Simms. 1999. Joseph Had a Little Overcoat. Viking: New York.
ISBN: 0-670-87855-3


Summary:

Joseph has a little overcoat that becomes worn and tattered so he makes it into a jacket.  After some time the jacket becomes worn and tattered so Joseph makes it into something new.  Joseph continues to make new things out of his old clothing and eventually he even makes a story out of his adventures.  Joseph teaches readers that anyone can make something out of nothing.

Analysis:

Simms Taback adapts the traditional yiddish folk song, "I Had a Little Overcoat" to create the story of Joseph's thriftiness.  Told through repetitious phrases and highlighted with die-cut holes in the pages, Joseph's story is a delightful read that lends itself to audience participation.  Readers enjoy Taback's innovative watercolor, Gouache, pencil, ink and collage illustrations as they hold a treasure trove of noticeable additions to the fairly simple language of the tale.

Reviews:

2000 Caldecott Medal

"As in his Caldecott Honor book, There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, Taback's inventive use of die-cut pages shows off his signature artwork, here newly created for his 1977 adaptation of a Yiddish folk song. This diverting, sequential story unravels as swiftly as the threads of Joseph's well-loved, patch-covered plaid coat. A flip of the page allows children to peek through to subsequent spreads as Joseph's tailoring produces items of decreasing size. The author puts a droll spin on his narrative when Joseph loses the last remnant of the coat--a button--and decides to make a book about it. "Which shows...you can always make something out of nothing," writes Taback, who wryly slips himself into his story by depicting Joseph creating a dummy for the book that readers are holding. Still, it's the bustling mixed-media artwork, highlighted by the strategically placed die-cuts, that steals the show. Taback works into his folk art a menagerie of wide-eyed animals witnessing the overcoat's transformation, miniature photographs superimposed on paintings and some clever asides reproduced in small print (a wall hanging declares, "Better to have an ugly patch than a beautiful hole"; a newspaper headline announces, "Fiddler on Roof Falls off Roof"). With its effective repetition and an abundance of visual humor, this is tailor-made for reading aloud." - Publishers Weekly, 1999 (found on Barnes & Noble.com)

Connections:

• Yiddish folk songs study - create books from alternate songs/tales
• Create puppets/flannel board pieces to re-enact Joseph's tale
• Reduce/reuse/recycle activity - use found objects to create something new or even just a piece of artwork
• Author study - Simms Taback:
• There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
• This Is the House that Jack Built
• Where Is My Friend?
• www.simmstaback.com
  

The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs

Bibliography:

Scieszka, Jon. 1989. The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs. Ill. Lane Smith. Scholastic: New York. 

ISBN: 0-590-44357-7

Summary:

Alexander T. Wolf tells his tale of wrongful prosecution regarding the murders of two little pigs and the attempted murder of their other brother.  According to Al, he is not big or bad, it is just a case of a cold and a cup of sugar.  Al is making his sweet granny a birthday cake when he runs out of sugar and must go to a neighbor's house to ask for a cup of sugar.  He goes to the first little pig's house where he is ignored and due to a sudden sneezing fit, accidentally blows the first house down.  Always a waste-not, want-not type of guy, Al has a ham dinner and continues on to his next neighbors house.  The first little pigs brother, a busy little pig refuses to let the wolf in, just as Al has another sneezing attack and once again, causes a total house destruction.  Once again, in order to not let food spoil, Al has a second helping of ham and continues on his quest for a cup of sugar.  At the third little pig's house, Al is met with rude defiance, and even an insult to his dear old granny.  Just when Al is giving this pig a piece of his mind, sneezing and carrying on, the police and press show up sensationalizing the story and throwing Al in jail labeling him as big and bad.  Al is still looking for a cup of sugar.

Analysis:

Scieszka's fractured fairy tale utilizes an easy-going tone to relate the wolf's perspective of the classic three little pigs tale.  A. Wolf narrates the tale, attempting to issue sympathy from the reader.  Scieszka plays with words, saying the wolf "huffed" and "snuffed" and sneezed the houses down instead of the traditional huffing and puffing.  The playful narrative lends itself to comedic reading and playful re-enacting.  The illustrator, Lane Smith compliments Scieszka's antics with watercolor interpretations that depict the story with added comedic elements.  The reader sees a cute little animal burger and bunny ears sticking out of sweet old granny's birthday cake.  The sometimes dark illustrations set off the alternate version and make the reader think about what they've always been told is "the real story".


Reviews:

In this gaily newfangled version of a classic tale, Scieszka and Smith ( Flying Jake ) argue in favor of the villain, transforming the story of the three little pigs into a playfully suspicious, rather arch account of innocence beleaguered. Quoth the wolf: "I don't know how this whole Big Bad Wolf thing got started, but it's all wrong.'' According to his first-person testimony, the wolf went visiting the pigs in search of a neighborly cup of sugar; he implies that had the first two happened to build more durable homes and the third kept a civil tongue in his head, the wolf's helpless sneezes wouldn't have toppled them. As for his casual consumption of the pigs, the wolf defends it breezily ("It seemed like a shame to leave a perfectly good ham dinner lying there in the straw'') and claims cops and reporters "framed'' him. Smith's highly imaginative watercolors eschew realism, further updating the tale, though some may find their urbane stylization and intentionally static quality mystifyingly adult. Designed with uncommon flair, this alternative fable is both fetching and glib. - Publisher's Weekly

School Library Journal said of it, "Smith’s dark tones and sometimes shadowy, indistinct shapes recall the distinctive illustrations he did for Merriam’s Halloween ABC (Macmillan, 1987); the bespectacled wolf moves with a rather sinister bonelessness, and his juicy sneezes tear like thunderbolts through a dim, grainy world. It’s the type of book that older kids (and adults) will find very funny." - from School Library Journal online


# 14 Top 100 Picture Books Poll Results - School Library Journal, April 2009


Connections:

• Author Study of Jon Scieszka's books - www.jsworldwide.com for complete book list and information regarding the author and his life

• Traditional tales unit of study focusing on the Three Little Pigs tale: 
• The Three Little Pigs by Steven Kellogg
• The Three Little Pigs by James Marshall
• The Three Little Pigs by Paul Galdone

A Sick Day for Amos McGee

Bibliography:

Stead, Philip C. 2010. A Sick Day for Amos McGee. Ill. Erin E. Stead. Roaring Book Press: New York.

ISBN: 978-1-59643-402-8

Summary:

Amos McGee, a punctual zookeeper always makes time for his friends the elephant, tortoise, penguin, rhinoceros and owl every day.  One day Amos wakes up with a cold and can't come to work so his friends decide to visit his home to take care of him for a change.

Analysis:

Author Philip Stead's story about a mild-natured man and his animal friends is an endearing tale of friendship and dedication.  Philip presents Amos as a man with a routine who gets up at the same time everyday and prides himself on punctuality, "6 a.m. Right on time," he'd say.  Philip also depicts Amos as a conscientious friend any reader would like to have, one who spends time with his friends every day and does activities with them for their own enjoyment.  The text is repetitive when describing their activities as each one is qualified by its relationship to each of Amos's friends.  For example, Amos and the tortoise run races, but the tortoise is the one "who never ever lost" and Amos sits quietly with the penguin "who was very shy".  The juxtaposition of language creates an appealing and easy-to-read rhythm.  It is repeated during the second half of the story where the friends switch roles with Amos and take care of his needs.  The elephant and tortoise entertain him while the penguin and rhinoceros take care of his physical needs.  The mirror between the first and second half of the story create an easy-to-follow plot line that supports the author's message of friendship and love.

Paired with Amos's sweet story and arguably what makes the story exceptional are the unique illustrations of Erin Stead.  Erin, wife of the author Philip, debuts her pencil and woodblock printing illustrations in A Sick Day for Amos McGee.  The illustrations complement the simple text and add another dimension to the entire story.  Erin uses splashes of color mixed in to the gray scale pencil drawings, creating an eye-entertaining look into Amos's life.  The texture creates realism within the pictures and text where the boundaries of realism are stretched and broken.  The animals look so life-like as they ride the city bus to Amos's house.  Although the animals don't speak, Erin's illustrations make them come alive on the page, like how penguin places a comforting wing on Amos's leg as he lays sick in bed, or how elephant places the chess pieces in a row while they wait for Amos to arrive (you can almost feel their boredom).

Another element of the illustrations that make the book outstanding are the extra characters that pop up in the pictures.  Amos has a mouse that lives with him and follows him around, as well as a little bird.  The reader finds them "cheering" during Amos's race with the tortoise, listening to owl's story and all throughout the story.  They become part of the family even though they are not a part of the text.  Erin's attention to detail creates an interactive experience with the story, leaving the reader with a feeling of belonging to Amos's family and an urge to get a red balloon.

Reviews:

2011 Caldecott Medal

“Endearing, expressive characterization in spare illustrations rendered in muted tones distinguish this timeless picture book.  It’s a great day for Amos McGee!” said Caldecott Medal Committee Chair Judy Zuckerman. - from ALA website

"This gentle, ultimately warm story acknowledges the care and reciprocity behind all good friendships: Much like Amos’s watch, they must be wound regularly to remain true." - Kirkus Reviews

Connections:

• Discuss the illustrations and research woodblock printing techniques;  How do the illustrations effect your view of the story?  What would the story be like with different illustrations or no illustrations at all?

• Talk about friendship and what it means to be a friend; have students tell about times when their friends did something nice for them or when they did something nice for their friends

Pablo's Tree

Bibliography:

Mora, Pat. 1994. Pablo's Tree. Ill. Cecily Lang. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers: New York. ISBN: 0-02-767401-0

Summary:

It's Pablo's fifth birthday and he is excited to go to his grandfather's house to see his special tree.  Pablo's abuelito bought a tree for Pablo when he was very young and his grandfather decorates it specially for each birthday.  Pablo and his grandfather spend time playing with his new birthday toys and reminiscing about the story of how Pablo was introduced to the family and his tree.

Analysis:

Pablo tells his own story in first person narrative, introducing the reader to his family and family traditions in a very personal and welcoming way.  Author Pat Mora uses simple, clear text to portray this young child's thoughts and emotions creating truly relateable text for children.  Within the text Mora utilizes basic Spanish paired with the English equivalents to aide the portrayl of Pablo's Mexican-American heritage.  Mora also uses descriptive text to portray the love between Mama, Pable and Lito, like when Pablo describes how he gives Lito a "giant hug, and again I almost knock him down.  But he just smiles."  This kind of warm language shows the reader a loving family, a positive example of an adoptive family.

Paired beautifully with the text are the cut-paper illustrations of Cecily Lang.  The bright bold colors appeal to young children and mirror Pablo's exuberant personality and attitude.  The crisp clean lines of the characters make them stand out and draw the reader's eye.  The illustrations complement the text and extend Pablo's version of events by showing the character's emotions clearly exemplified by the illustrations depicting when Lito first held Pablo and when Lito first planted Pablo's tree.  The family's happiness is clear for any reader to see.

The bright bold illustrations paired with Pablo's young excited tone create an enjoyable energetic book about family tradition borne from love.  Many Hispanic ESL students enjoy this book because of the included Spanish phrases and words, that provide them with the opportunity to be facilitator/teacher.  Students enjoy Pablo and identify with him, creating a lasting impression and memorable character.

Reviews:

"Five-year-old Pablo can hardly wait to see how Abuelito, his grandfather, has decorated Pablo’s tree for his birthday. When Mamá first told her father that she was going to adopt a baby … Lito went out and bought the tree for his grandson … A lovely and resonant picture book that, like the tree that Pablo discovers decked with bells and wind chimes, rings with happiness and family love."—Booklist*

"This is a warm and gentle story, the tree-surprise aspect gives the tale a pleasing sparkle, and the characters provide a nice complement to all the WASP-y, Norman Rockwell families in adoption books—the family is Latino, and mom is a single parent." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books*

1994 Américas Commended List*

*from www.patmora.com

Connections:
  

• Discuss family traditions, have students share traditions they participate in with family members
• Discuss adoption and what it means to adopt a baby.  Why did Mama ask Lito, "what if the baby is a girl?"
• Books about family traditions: 

            A Birthday Basket for Tia - Pat Mora
            Family Pictures/Cuadros de Familia by Carmen Lomas Garza

• Books about adoption:

           Horace by Holly Keller
           A Mother for Choco by Keiko Kasza
           My Family Is Forever by Nancy Carlson

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble

Bibliography:

Steig, William. 1969. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. New York: Simon & Schuster Inc. ISBN 0-671-66154-X

Summary:

Sylvester is a donkey who collects rocks and one rainy day during vacation he finds a shiny, round, red pebble. Sylvester discovers the pebble grants wishes but on his way home he runs into a hungry lion and in a moment of panic, Sylvester wishes he were a rock to escape the lion. Sylvester lays there as a rock frustrated and sad because he is unable to change back while his family searches everywhere for him.  About a year passes when on a chance outing, Sylvester's parents come upon his shiny red pebble and Sylvester-the-rock.  They accidentally put the two rocks together and Sylvester wishes he were himself again! Sylvester and his parents are happily reunited. 

Analysis:

Sylvester's adventure with the magic pebble is an endearing story of love and loss that is meaningful for children of all ages. Sylvester is a convincing character with his naive outlook on life and his impulsive nature as illustrated when he turns himself into a rock to escape the hungry lion.  Sylvester's parents depict strong emotions of love and commitment to their son as they search tirelessly for him and continue to mourn their loss long after he is gone. These characters create a strong backbone to an easy-to-read-aloud story. The text lends itself to oral-telling in the verbal nature of Steig's language.  The plot is simple and easy to follow for all ages but the illustrations add a crucial element to the text as a whole. 

Steig uses soft, uncomplicated watercolor-like illustrations that depict and extend the story line.  The first visual paints a clear picture of Sylvester's family life with the father as the worker and head of the household and the mother as caretaker of the house.  All the characters seem content within the illustration and the picture itself displays a strong family bond.  The illustrations display character emotions, from the surprise on Sylvester's face (and even the duck's faces in the background) when the rain stops to the puzzlement of the lion when he discovers only a rock in the place where he saw a donkey to the despair of Sylvester's parents when they try to continue their life after realizing he is truly gone.  The illustrations continue setting the tone, and mood.  The reader can actually see how lonely Sylvester is as a rock, how frantically his parents look for him, and how exactly time passes as Sylvester is left to be just a rock.  

As a whole, Stieg's story of Sylvester the donkey is a widely adaptable story, that can be appreciated by a large audience.  The characters, plot and supporting illustrations tell a story of love, loss, devotion and triumph that is widely relate-able for many readers.  

Reviews:

 1970 Caldecott Medal winner

# 28 on A Fuse # 8 Production Reviews' Top 100 Picture Books Poll- 2009 (from School Library Journal)

          This book packed so much emotion, and such a lesson, into a narrative, without feeling 

           preachy. – Lauren Snyder

          Extravagantly beautiful. Tackles with no-holds-barred emotion one of the deepest childhood 

           fears, separation from a parent. – Anna Hebner 

 One Hundred Books that Shaped the Century- 2000, School Library Journal

          Droll and whimsical, poignant and silly, Steig made quite a splash when this 

         touching story of a donkey, whose wish seems to doom him to be a rock forever, won 

         a Caldecott Medal. Steig, who is clearly a winner with both children and adults, has 

         gone on to write and illustrate a Caldecott Honor book, as well as two Newbery Honor

         books.

Connections:

• Retelling Prop Box - paint a round rock or marble red and utilize as a retelling prop after reading Sylvester's story; pass around the "pebble" and discuss what the students would wish for if they had a magic pebble
• Artistic extension - discuss collections and go on a "treasure hunt" outside around building looking for different, shiny, attractive objects (be open to students' interpretations of "treasure") help students display their class collection of treasure
• Other available books by author/illustrator William Steig:

           The Amazing Bone (2011, Square Fish)

           Spinky Sulks (2011, Square Fish)

           Doctor De Soto (2010, Square Fish)

           Amos & Boris (2009, Square Fish)

           Shrek!  (2008, Square Fish)