Non-fiction - Review #3 - Orbis Pictus/Sibert Award

Murphy, Jim. 2003. An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793. New York: Clarion. ISBN: 0395776082

Accuracy -

Jim Murphy is well-known for his riveting retellings of historical happenings. He has won many awards including two Newbery Honors, a Sibert Award, a Sibert Honor Award, and three Orbis Pictus Awards, among others.

Mr. Murphy has twelve pages of documented sources that are organized by subject. For example, he has sources that are firsthand accounts - non-medical, firsthand accounts - medical, yellow fever, and yellow fever - fiction to name just a few. His acknowledgements page contains many professionals employed by museums, libraries, historical societies, and universities.

He presents a balanced view of the epidemic and the major characters; he gives us the good and the bad of their personalities and the situations. For example, he recounts instances about Dr. Benjamin Rush that show his kindness and his arrogance. Mr. Murphy tells of the Free African Society and their roles as nursemaids and caretakers when many others had fled the city.

Organization -

This story is told in a narrative form and follows the timeline of the outbreak of the epidemic. Each chapter begins with a date to help the reader follow the progression of the epidemic. In addition, each chapter begins with a quote from someone who was living through the epidemic. There is a table of contents as well as an index at the end. Also included is a map showing places with specific impact to the story. These places are numbered and marked so the reader may understand their importance to the story.

Design-

There are many, many historical illustrations in this book. Many are of individuals mentioned in the book so the reader has a face to accompany the quotes. It makes the story more personal. In addition to the portraits, there are historical drawings of places mentioned in the book. There are reproductions of political cartoons, proclamations, and other historical documents. As there is no artwork from this epidemic, Mr. Murphy includes artwork depicting the same kinds of situations from other calamities around the world. All the artwork, illustrations and reproductions are in black and white. This adds to the very desolate and desperate feeling of the book.

Each page facing the new chapter title has a reproduction of part of a local newspaper from the epidemic or a page from Matthew Carey's list of the dead, 1794. Reading the names and reading the articles in the newspapers helps convey the very serious subject of the book. This is not just a story, it really happened and it was really terrible.

Style -

This book is filled with documented first hand accounts of the Yellow Fever epidemic to strike Philadelphia in 1793. Many different voices speak to us from the pages of the book. Doctors, politicians, regular citizens, and others account their experiences during the epidemic. Mr. Murphy allows their voices to help him tell this story.

In this book, Mr. Murphy relays not only the facts surrounding the epidemic but the various cures suggested to counter the fever, the accepted medical practices of the day, the lack of sanitation, the effect on local and national government and lessons learned and actions taken as a direct result of the epidemic.

At the end, Mr. Murphy brings the subject of Yellow Fever to modern applications, telling of more current outbreaks and efforts to find the cause and cure of this disease. Incidentally, one person living at the time of the epidemic in 1793 suspected the mosquito was to blame and published advice on how to contain the pest by destroying it's breeding grounds; advice we now hear to help avoid an outbreak of West Nile Virus.

Reviews -

School Library Journal - "This book tells the story of the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia and its effect on the young nation. Students will become immersed in the dramatic narrative as they read how fear and panic spread throughout the country's capital. The author masterfully weaves facts and fascinating stories in describing the course of the disease and the heroic roles played by a few doctors and the free African-American citizens of the city. Black-and-white reproductions of period paintings, maps, and news articles enhance this absorbing title."

Kirkus Reviews - "A mesmerizing, macabre account that will make readers happy they live in the 21st century."

Finalist for the 2003 National Book Award, Young People's Literature

A 2004 Newbery Honor Book

Winner of the 2004 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award

Connections -

*Investigate how other serious diseases have been cured, for instance, polio or small pox.

*Investigate other serious diseases that do not yet have a cure. How long have they been in existence?

*Read other books by Jim Murphy.

• The Long Road to Gettysburg ISBN-13: 9780395559659
• The Great Fire (Newbery Honor) ISBN-13: 9780590472678
• Across America on an Emigrant Train ISBN-13: 9780788722721
• Blizzard ISBN-13: 9780590673099
• The Boys' War: Confederate and Union Soldiers Talk About the Civil War ISBN-13: 9780899198934
• Inside the Alamo ISBN-13: 9780385325745

Biography - Review #2 - Russell Freedman

Freedman, Russell. 2002. Confucius: The Golden Rule. Ill. by Frederic Clement. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 0439139570.


Accuracy -

Russell Freedman is well-known for his non-fiction works as well as his biography works. He is the recipient of numerous awards including the Newbery Medal, three Newbery Honors, a Sibert Medal, and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award.

In this biography, he deftly negotiates between facts and imagination communicating clearly what is fact and what is not. As Confucius himself recorded nothing about his life or his sayings, this is a task that requires constant monitoring and communication with the reader.

Mr. Freedman sites three pages of sources, including an explanation of the difficulty in learning the events of Confucius' life. He also achieves the "gold standard" of biographies, that of documentable quotes. The end papers are filled with some of these quotes and they are scattered throughout the book.

Organization -

This book has no table of contents although it is organized by chapters and proceeds in linear fashion to relate the events of Confucius' life. Each chapter begins with a title and not just a chapter number. There are page numbers which help the reader find the various sayings scattered throughout the book. These are listed in a short index in the back of the book. This index also lists the location of the quote from The Analects of Confucius.

Design -

This book has the feel of a storybook as there are no charts or timelines. There are pictures throughout the book. They are paintings in a muted, hazy type style. I found an interesting note to the paintings. As Confucius supposedly had two large front teeth, this theme is carried into the illustrations. Each picture has an element of two white shapes reminiscent of Confucius' two large front teeth.

Style -

Through his writing, Mr. Freedman is able to convey Confucius' personality. His love of learning, his dedication to the reformation of his government, his wit and quirkiness are all evident in this book. Mr. Freedman also draws many parallels between Confucius' teachings and modern day ideas and sayings, thereby communicating to us that Confucius is still teaching even today.
His writing is straightforward and uses appropriate vocabulary. That he is a gifted writer is evidenced by the following quote. "Fanciful stories and legends have clustered about his [Confucius] name like iron filings drawn irresistibly to a powerful magnetic field." (Freedman 2002, 8)

Reviews -

Publishers Weekly - "Freedman draws on stories, legends and collected dialogues from The Analects of Confucius, written by his students, to reveal a man of deep perceptions as well as great humor...Skillfully and smoothly weaving Chinese history, culture and language into the narrative, Freedman also explains Confucian philosophy succinctly, without dumbing it down ("The first task of a true statesman, Confucius said, is to face the truth, to use words honestly")."

School Library Journal - "In writing this biography, Freedman faced two obstacles: a distorted popular idea of Confucius, and a paucity of data about the real man. He directly addresses the first, and his engaging book beautifully compensates for the second. He sets his subject in the context of strife-torn China, since Confucius was a radical reformer whose ideas had political applications. Politics, education, spirituality: the philosopher has something to say in all these areas, and Freedman compellingly conveys the profundity of his thoughts."

Booklist - "Freedman’s Confucius jumps off the page as a fiery revolutionary… The fascinating narrative seamlessly intersperses stories from the Analects with Chinese history and biographical information about Confucius, focusing on his philosophical brilliance… Clément’s muted, elegant paintings of towns, temples and the bucktoothed Confucius himself have a suitably ancient feel with jagged borders and fading colors."

Connections -

* Read other biographies from Russell Freedman.

• Lincoln: A Photobiography (Newbery Medal) ISBN-13: 9780395518489
• Out of Darkness: The Story of Louis Braille ISBN-13: 9780395968888
• The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane ISBN-13: 9780823410828
• The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights ISBN-13: 9780618159765
• Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery (Newbery Honor) ISBN-13: 9780395845202

* Read other non-fiction books by Russell Freedman.

• Children of the Great Depression ISBN-13: 9780618446308
• Who Was First? Discovering the Americas ISBN-13: 9780618663910
• Immigrant Kids ISBN-13: 9780140375947
• Children of the Wild West ISBN-13: 9780395547854

* Choose one of Confucius' sayings. Find a way it relates to your life or your situation. Write about it.

* Make a display of some of Confucius' sayings. Have fellow students vote for their favorite and create a graph displaying the results.

* Make a list of other sayings you can remember. Do some research and find out if they are attributable to Confucius or someone else.

Non-fiction - Review #1 - Steve Jenkins

Jenkins, Steve. 2007. Living Color. New York: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0618708979

Accuracy -

Steve Jenkins is a well-respected author of over 20 books. He has a reputation for accuracy and "stunning, eyepopping, inventive, gorgeous, masterful, extraordinary, playful, irresistible, compelling, engaging, accessible, glorious, and informative" books.

Steve Jenkins. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/catalog/authordetail.cfm?authorID=1643

Organization -

This book about how animals use color is organized around colors. The first page is an introduction with successive pages belonging to one color at a time. Examples are given for red, blue, yellow, green, orange, purple, and pink. Each two-page spread shows various animals and tells why and how each animal uses the color. Following the "color" pages is a more detailed explanation of other facets, such as if animals see color and how color is created. Towards the end of the book, Jenkins includes statistics about each animal, again by color, including length, habitat, diet, and an additional high-interest fact or two. He also includes titles of other books to read to learn more on the subject of animals and their colors.

Design -

The design of Living Color is eye-catching. Each page has a white background with bold, cut-paper collages of each animal. The message the animal is sending through color is summarized by one sentence, in the correct color, and further detailed in black text. For instance, on the red page, by the picture of the scarlet percher dragonfly it reads, "I'm all grown up. The male scarlet percher dragonfly changes from yellow-green to bright red when it is fully grown. Female dragonflies are attracted to its brilliant color."

Two animals with multiple colors, the cuttle fish and the chameleon, wrap around the page from one color to the next and further explanation continues. The cuttle fish is on the yellow and green pages. The chameleon is on the green and orange pages.

There are about 6 animals per two-page spread. This is visually appealing without being cluttered.

Style -

Steve Jenkins has a very clear writing style. He explains about the animals and their use of color in understandable terms. He also uses fun and familiar adjectives, like nasty, tasty, and lumpy, to describe the animals. This adds an element of whimsy to the text. From the variety of animals included, reptiles, amphibians, birds, fish, and insects, it is clear the author finds the subject fascinating. In the book, he raises some questions that do not have clear answers, such as why robin's eggs are blue.

Review Excerpts -

Kirkus Reviews - "Color by color, gorgeous collages against clean white backgrounds are accompanied by playful typography and cool factoids (did you know that sloths enjoy a greenish hue lent by algae growing in their fur?). Jenkins's design, always striking, reaches the heights of inspiration with this offering, as when the color-changing cuttlefish appears half on the yellow page and continues through the turn onto the green page, a sly trick repeated with the chameleon. It's a smorgasbord approach that does not seek to make connections beyond color, but rather to astonish the reader with the range of colors and adaptations found in the natural world.

Booklist - "From the pink fairy armadillo to the purple deep-sea dragonfish, readers will be fascinated by the panoply of critters that often seem the stuff of fairy lore, and educators will applaud the clever concept of presenting survival adaptations as a biological fashion show."

Publishers Weekly - "Jenkins once again astounds...the combination of easy-to-understand language and gorgeous illustrations makes this a prime choice for any young animal enthusiast's collection."

Connections -

* For younger readers, make a rainbow book. Choose one animal per color, tell how that animal uses color and illustrate a picture to go with the writing.

* This could be presented as reader's theater. Each student chooses an animal and writes a script from the animal's point of view to relay information about how the animal uses color. Organize the presentation by color.

* After reading the book, extrapolate the main reasons animals use color. Sort the animals by these reasons.

* Read other books by Steve Jenkins.

• Actual Size ISBN-13: 9780618375943
• Sisters & Brothers: Sibling Relationships in the Animal World ISBN-13: 9780618375967
• What Do You Do with a Tail Like This? ISBN-13: 9780618256280

* Read the books recommended by Steve Jenkins in the book, Living Color.

• Animals and Their Colors: Camouflage, Warning Coloration, Courtship and Territorial Display, Mimicry. by Michael and Patricia Fogdon. ISBN-13: 9780517514894
• Animal Dazzlers: The Role of Brilliant Colors in Nature by Sneed B. Collard III. ISBN-13: 9780613183703
• Dramatic Displays by Tim Knight. ISBN-13: 9781403432551
• Red Eyes or Blue Feathers: A Book About Animal Colors by Patrician M. Stockland. Illustrated by Todd Ouren. ISBN-13: 9781404809314

Poetry-Review #3-Karen Hesse

Hesse, Karen. 2001. Witness. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 0439271991

Plot Summary—

Witness is a verse novel set in 1924 in Vermont. The Ku Klux Klan is trying to gain a following. The story is told from the points of view of eleven different townspeople of different ages and professions. Two families are the targets of the Klan’s hatred, a Jewish family and an African-American family. Over the course of a year, the community must choose between hatred and acceptance.

Critical Analysis—

This novel is written in free verse. Each personality of the eleven characters is aptly portrayed. We can hear their voices and feel their emotions through their monologues. From the speech patterns of Esther Hirsh, it is evident she is a six-year-old Jewish immigrant, “so i made a long walk all by myself./ i did follow the train tracks and/ pretty quick daddy did have comings after me.” We feel Merlin Van Tornhout’s hatred of twelve-year-old African-American Leanora Sutter when he says, “i left school right then./ no amount of air will get the smell of her/ out of my nose,/ the soot of her out of my eyes.” We feel Leanora’s pride in her people as she learns of their great triumphs and sacrifices during the Civil War, “i marched home in a straight line,/ with my back tall,/ and thought about that regiment of men/ like a streamer of dark silk.”

Hesse masterfully tells this story from many points of view, from Klan supporters and those who simply looked the other way, to those who were the subject of Klan abuses and those who refused to be bullied. Each character has an integral part in the story and Hesse weaves every thread of verse into the completed tapestry of the novel with skill and an understanding of the completeness of the picture formed by each Witness.

Review Excerpts—

Publishers Weekly- "Hesse weaves together 11 distinct narrative voices to create a moving account of the Ku Klux Klan's encroachment on a small Vermont town in 1924. Told completely in verse, her quietly powerful novel addresses the inevitable loss of innocence that accompanies the fight for social justice."

Kirkus Reviews—“What Copeland created with music, and Hopper created with paint, Hesse deftly and unerringly creates with words: the iconography of Americana, carefully researched, beautifully written, and profoundly honest.”

School Library Journal—“The writing includes vivid images, such as when Leanora, the black girl, sees a burning cross. She hides in a closet: "in that dark and narrow place,/ i opened a hole for myself/ but no matter how i turned,/ the light from the cross/ curled its bright claws under the door." It also includes some quiet yet irreducible moments that resonate long after the book is put down. The small details seem just right, and demonstrate that this is much more than a social tract. It's a thoughtful look at people and their capacity for love and hate.”

Connections—

*Perform this verse novel as a play or reader’s theater piece.

*Read Karen Hesse’s Newbery Award winning verse novel, Out of the Dust ISBN 0590371258.

*Read Aleutian Sparrow ISBN 1416903275 by Karen Hesse.

*Many of Karen Hesse’s novels could be considered historical fiction. Find out more about the history included in her books.

Poetry-Review #2-Kristine O'Connell George

George, Kristine O’Connell. 2002. Little Dog and Duncan. Ill. by June Otani. New York: Clarion. ISBN 061811758X


Plot Summary—

This is the story of two dogs, Little Dog and Duncan, told exclusively through poems. Duncan is an Irish Wolfhound who comes to stay with Little Dog and his owners for a time. Readers watch the relationship between the dogs build and strengthen from the beginning of the visit to the inevitable parting upon the return of Duncan’s owners. Dog lovers will notice behaviors seen in their own dogs. Duncan and Little Dog pout and mope when Duncan is left. They each want what the other has. They both get the leashes tangled up around Little Dog’s owner and Little Dog defends his territory by hiding his toys and growling to claim his owner’s lap.


Critical Analysis—

George uses free verse to tell the story of Little Dog and Duncan. Each poem is a vignette of the time Little Dog and Duncan spend together. She uses placement of the words on the page to lend rhythm and emotion to each poem. For example, in the poem Hello!, readers can feel the uncertainty of Little Dog and Duncan’s first meeting.
Hello!
Little Dog and Duncan
touch noses,
wiggle,
wag.
Friend?
Friend!

In the poem Equality, the placement of each line helps convey the action of sharing back and forth between each dog. This blog does not seem to always publish text exactly as it is typed. The "Little Dog" sentences below should be indented about 6 spaces.
Equality
Duncan gets a hug.
Little Dog gets a hug.
Duncan gets pats.
Little Dog gets pats.
Duncan gets a cookie.
Little Dog gets a cookie.

Fair is fair.


Otani used watercolors for the illustrations in Little Dog and Duncan. Each picture is simple with white space around so that the reader’s eye is drawn to the most important elements in the illustrations and to the placement of the words in the poem. Both the word placement and pictures contribute to the emotional appeal of the book.


Review Excerpts—

PlanetEsme.com—Esme Raji Codell- “Besides being a tender and observant ode to canine life, O'Connell's natural, almost conversational free verse surreptitiously shows children what a poem can be.”

School Library Journal—“George has a real knack for choosing ordinary moments and describing them in accessible yet lyrical language, transforming the mundane into the magical. The poems have been pared down and polished to perfection; although written in free verse, they have the elegance and quiet eloquence of haiku.”

Book Magazine—“ Elegantly simple, short poems and appealing watercolors capture the excitement of the fun and friendship the dogs share and the slight tensions that spring from their different sizes.”

Claudia Lewis Poetry Award-2003


Connections—

*Identify the emotions conveyed in the book. Help students compare and contrast those emotions to how they feel when someone comes to stay with them for a while.

*Read the first poem book about Little Dog and his owner.

• Little Dog Poems Ill. by June Otani ISBN 0395822661

*Read other poem picture books by Kristine O’Connell George.

• Toasting Marshmallows Ills. by Kate Kiesler ISBN 061804597X
• The Great Frog Race and Other Poems Ill. by Kate Kiesler ISBN 0618604782
• Old Elm Speaks: Tree Poems Ill. by Kate Kiesler ISBN 0618752420
• Hummingbird Nest: A Journal of Poems Ill. by Barry Moser ISBN 0152023259

Poetry-Review #1-Jack Prelutsky

Prelutsky, Jack. 2002. Scranimals. Ill. by Peter Sis. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN 0688178197

Plot Summary—

This book, told exclusively through poems, tells the tale of two children’s wondrous journey to Scranimal Island. Here the inhabitants are mixtures of animals and plants or animals and other animals. Creatures such as the Rhinocerose (a rhinoceros and a rose), Spinachickens (spinach and chickens), and Toucanemones (toucans and anemones) are not quickly forgotten. In this imaginary land, the laws of predator and prey still hold true as a pride of Broccolions (broccoli and lions) stalk and subdue an Antelopetunia (antelope and petunia). There are animals to fear, like the dreaded Radishark (a radish and a shark), animals to endear, like the Pandaffodil (a panda and a daffodil), and animals no longer here, like the Avocadodo (an avocado and a dodo).

Critical Analysis—

Prelutsky is a master at rhyme. His poems have a predictable rhythm and meter and this remains true in Scranimals. In the poems, he gives the mixed up animals the traits inherent in each of the separate “parts.” For example, in the poem about the Bananaconda (a banana and an anaconda), he pens, “Oh sleek bananaconda,/ You longest long long fellow,/ How sinuous and sly you are,/ How slippery, how yellow./ You slither on your belly,/ And you slither on your chin./ You’re only unappealing/ As you shed your slinky skin.” Traits of a banana and an anaconda mix into a satisfying picture of this imaginary creature. The rhymes are not forced but flow naturally and effortlessly. In addition, the alliteration of the /s/ words delights the tongue as the poem is read aloud.

Another example of Prelutsky’s mastery of his craft is the poem about the Ostricheetah (an ostrich and a cheetah). Again in perfect rhyme and rhythm, he talks about this creature, attributing the traits of speed and fearfulness into one animal. His use of simple rimes (/-ast/, /-ace/, /-ing/, /-and/) gives a faster tempo to this poem. He writes, “With fur and feathers flying,/ It hurtles on and then,/ Somehow, not even trying,/ Accelerates again./ But when it tires of running,/ It doesn’t simply stand./ Though quick, it’s far from cunning--/ Its head goes in the sand.”

The pictures by Peter Sis are in black line art with watercolor and help to tell the story of this imaginary land. At the beginning, the children are preparing for their journey with their map, red and white life preserver, orange polka-dot umbrella, yellow backpack, and skateboard. In each illustration in the book, they are readily identifiable because of this colorful ensemble. On many pages, they are the most colorful part of the illustration. For each poem, Sis gives the reader visual impressions of the mixed animals. For readers who take time to study the illustrations, the previous mixed up animal and the next mixed up animal are placed discretely in the background of many illustrations.

Review Excerpts—

Publishers Weekly-“Prelutsky tweaks language with his characteristic glee, wedging in plenty of humor ("Poor Avocadodos, Ungainly and green, You're gone from today's Biological scene") and, as always when Sis is on board, his exquisite artistry raises the bar, adding depth to Prelutsky's light verse.”

School Library Journal—“…Prelutsky and Sis have pulled off something great here-it is their best collaboration to date.”

Horn Book—“The verses are peppy, singsongy, and clever. Imaginative and concrete illustrations transform this collection into a unified whole.”

Connections—

*Invite children to create their own mixed up animals and write a poem to go with their creation.

*Read other poem picture books by Jack Prelutsky.

• Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant and Other Poems Ill. by Carin Berger ISBN 0060543183 This one has mixed up animals again. This time they are mixed with household objects instead of other animals and plants.
• Awful Ogre’s Awful Day Ill. by Robert O. Zelinsky ISBN 0060774592
• The Terrible Tiger Ill. by Arnold Lobel ISBN 0689713002

*Read holiday collections of poetry by Jack Prelutsky.

• It’s Thanksgiving Ill. by Marylin Hafner ISBN 0060537116
• It’s Christmas Ill. by Marylin Hafner ISBN 006053706X
• It’s Valentine’s Day Ill. by Marylin Hafner ISBN 0060537124

*Read other collections of poetry by Jack Prelutsky.

• It’s Raining Pigs and Noodles Ill. by James Stevenson ISBN 0060763906
• The New Kid on the Block Ill. by James Stevenson ISBN 0688022715
• A Pizza the Size of the Sun Ill. by James Stevenson ISBN 0688132359
• Something Big Has Been Here Ill. by James Stevenson ISBN 0688064345