Book Review - LILY'S CROSSING - TWU LS 5603 class assignment

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Giff, Patricia Reilly.  1997.  LILY’S CROSSING.  New York:  A Yearling Book.  ISBN 0780792971

PLOT SUMMMARY

Lily Mollahan is headed to Rockaway, the family’s usual summer residence; but this summer, 1944, Lily will have to spend the summer without her best friend and without her father.  The war will take both to other parts of the country.  Lily, reluctantly, meets Albert, a Hungarian war refugee.  They become the best of friends, but Lily has a habit of telling ‘little white lies’ and one of them  ignites a yearning and determination  so strongly in Albert, that he almost loses his life in the process of trying to assuage his guilt of leaving his little sister in France.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Ms. Giff draws upon personal recollections and experiences of her WWII summers in the New York/ Rockaway area for the setting and other memoriablia in the story such as songs, radio shows, businesses, black-out strategies, rationing, and victory gardens.  She drives home the point of controlled alarm/apprehension/trepidation in her description of the reactions of those who witness the training plane flying overhead, the blackout curtains being used, and the partially painted vehicle headlights.

There are two areas of authenticity concern.  One, is that Albert speaks English so well; it mentions he has an accent, but his sentence structure and syntax are American.  Second, for being 10-years-olds, the children seem to have too much freedom, especially considering they are on the water and there is the anxiety of a possible air/sea attack.

AWARDS

A 1998 Newbery Honor Book
An ALA Notable Children's Book
A Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book

REVIEWS

NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW: “easygoing language and swift, short paragraphs, the impact of the war on an American child is brilliantly told… For young readers, Lily's story is an energetic introduction to their grandparents' world. The paraphernalia of the mid-1940's are here in abundance. There are soap operas on the radio (''Portia Faces Life''), victory gardens, gas rationing, ''Lux Radio Theater,'' the liberation of Paris:… Spam, Shirley Temple movies, Kate Smith singing ''God Bless America.''

HORN BOOK MAGAZINE: “Details such as snatches of popular songs, movie titles, and blackout precautions are woven with great effect into a realistic story of ordinary people who must cope with events beyond their comprehension.”

BOOKLIST: “wry comedy and intense feeling…the happy ending is too contrived... The friendship story is beautifully drawn: both Lily and Albert are wary, reluctant, and needy; they quarrel as much as they bond, and in the end, they help each other to be brave.

PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY: “Exceptional characterizations and a robust story line….characters cope with wartime shortages, stumble into tragedy as sons and brothers fall in battle – in shor, lead complicated lives with the hope of redemption.”

NEWSMAGAZINE: “this book has two virtues rarely encountered in children's literature today. First, its two 11-year-old protagonists are not the wise ones; they recognize that they have much to learn from their elders. Second, both have suffered great loss.

TEACHING PRE K-8: “The book portrays very well the World War II era and the feelings that drive Lily. Gram is wonderful: she's strong, often difficult and she has a sense of propriety that often frustrates Lily, but sustains them both. “

CONNECTIONS

Books

Blume, Judy.  STARRING SALLY J. FREEDMAN AS HERSELF.  ISBN:  0440482534
Choi, Sook Nyul.  YOUR OF IMPOSSIBLE GOODBYES.  ISBN: 0440407591
Couloumbis, Audrey.  GETTING NEAR TO BABY.  ISBN:  0698118928
dePaola, Tomie.  26 FAIRMOUNT AVENUE.  ISBN: 0698118642
Drucker, Malka and Michael Halperin.  JACOB’S RESCUE.  ISBN: 0440409659
Fenner, Carol.  YOLONDA’S GENIUS.  ISBN:   0689813279
Fox, Paula.  THE SLAVE DANCER.  ISBN:  1606862227
Holm, Jennifer L.  OUR ONLY MAY AMELIA.  ISBN:  0064408566
Lowry, Lois.  NUMBER THE STARS.  ISBN: 0440227534
Maclachlan, Patricia.  JOURNEY.  ISBN:  0385304277
O’Dell, Scott.  MY NAME IS NOT ANGELICA.  ISBN: 0547406304
Speare, Elizebeth George.  CALICO CAPTIVE.   ISBN: 0618150765

Lessons

http://www.randomhouse.com/teachers/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780385321426&view=tg

Social Studies
During World War II, the U. S. government began rationing supplies. Ask students to find out what items were rationed. What was the purpose of a "Victory Garden"? Margaret's father goes to Detroit to make B-24 Liberator Bombers. What other jobs on the home front helped the war effort?

Encourage students to use reference sources and a map of Europe to trace the invasion of France by the Allies. Ask them to begin with the military's landing on Omaha Beach and follow their maneuvers through the small towns and cities that they liberated in France.

Math
Albert comes to Rockaway from Hungary via Austria, Switzerland, France and Canada. Ask students to calculate the approximate mileage over land and water of his trip. Have students call a travel agency and find out the flight time, including layovers, that Albert could expect if he were traveling today from Kennedy Airport in New York to Budapest, the capital of Hungary. How much would his flight cost?

Science
Lily feels close to her mother through the stars pasted on her bedroom ceiling. Each summer she brings one star with her to Rockaway. Why are the stars so important to her? Lily makes reference to the Big Dipper, Orion's Belt, and Cassiopeia. Ask students to research these constellations and draw a diagram of each. Some students may enjoy extending their research by locating other constellations that Lily might find in the summer skies at Rockaway.

Drama
Gram and Lily listen to "Portia Faces Life" on the radio. Divide the class into groups and ask each group to write a radio script for an episode of a show entitled "Lily Faces Life." Encourage each group to perform their script for the entire class.

Art
Mrs. Sherman has two war posters hanging in her shop. One says, "Loose Lips Sink Ships," and the other says, "Someone Talked." Ask each student to design a poster using one of these slogans.


Prepared by Pat Scales, Library Media Specialist, Greenville Middle School, Greenville, South Carolina.
VOCABULARY

Ask students to search for words in the novel such as convoy (76) that specifically pertain to the war. Then, ask them to locate words such as swell (116) and jetty (86) that refer to the coastal setting of the book. Have the class discuss the meaning of each word located.

Other sites for lessons and resources

http://www.galeschools.com/pdf/guides/LilysCrossing.pdf

http://warehouse.tecknoquest.com/samples/ENTr/lgls0508s.pdf

http://eduscapes.com/newbery/98c.html

http://faculty.salisbury.edu/~elbond/crossing.htm

http://faculty.salisbury.edu/~elbond/lily.htm

Book Review - LIZZIE BRIGHT - TWU LS 5603 assignment

BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Schmidt, Gary D.  2004.  LIZZIE BRIGHT AND THE BUCKMINSTER BOY.  New York: 
            Clarion Books.  ISBN  9780618439294

PLOT SUMMARY

Turner Buckminster moves to Phippsburg, Maine in 1912 and becomes friends with Lizzie Bright, an African-American slave descendent, who lives on Malaga Island across from town.  The towns’ leaders and Turner’s father are against this friendship and want to relocate the people on Malaga Island in order to bring in tourism as a new economy for the town.  Turner and Lizzie are befriended by Mrs. Cobb, whose death brings an unexpected windfall to Turner and sets the stage for more racial strife.  Tragedy assaults the residents of Malaga Island and the Buckminster family; the town and a prominent family are financially compromised.  But, friendship and forgiveness wins out.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS 

Gary Schmidt has delicately described the racial and economic/poverty tensions of this community during the early 1900’s.  Until the actual removal and burning of the Malaga Island people, there were not any other incidents leading up to the catistrophic conflict.

The friendship between Turner and Lizzie is quite plausible, two outcasts that find solace with each others simple outlook on life.  The eventual friendship between Turner and Willis is also credible; they are drawn together because of the injustice to people they care for.

This incident apparently did not draw national attention, but was an import episode to the history of Phippsburg.  Interestingly, there was no economic improvement from all the destruction.  Today, communities encounter similar conflicts when older sections are targeted to undergo revitalization.

Schmidt includes some historical facts in an Author’s Note, but does not offer any resources or bibliographies.

AWARDS 

2004 – Lupine Award
2004 – Voice for Youth Advocates (VOYA) Top Shelf
2004 – Booklinks Lasting Connections Selection
2004 – Kirkus Editors’ Choice
2004 – NY Public Library, 100 Titles for Reading
2004 – School Library Journal Best Book of the
2005 – Michael L. Printz Award
2005 – Newbery Honor Book
2005 – ALA Best Book for Young Adults
2005 – ALA Notable Children’s Book
2005 – Thumbs Up! (MI) Honor Book
2005 – New York Times Bestseller
2005 – Kansas State Reading Circle Recommendation
2005 – Capitol Choices Selection
2005 – Michael L. Printz Award Honor Book
2005 – Disney Adventures Finalist
2006 – Young Hoosier Book Award (IN) Nominee
2007 – Volunteer State (TN) Book Award Master

REVIEWS 

LIBRARY MEDIA CONNECTIONS:  “The friendships, which cross several generations, are believable and  moving…. This shameful incident is recounted with sensitivity and humor.”

BOOKLINKS:  “Based on Malaga's actual destruction in 1912, this complex historical novel is by turns funny and tragic, and Turner's earnest, memorable voice drives the story.”

HORN BOOK MAGAZINE:  “In 1911, Maine officials ejected the African-American, Native-American, and foreign-born residents from Malaga Island because they feared their presence would inhibit a projected tourist business. This historical incident ignites a rich novel… create a drama that examines the best and worst of humanity. Schmidt anchors this tragedy firmly within its historical setting, metaphorically connecting the natural surroundings with religion and society, revealing a place where appearances sometimes trump, and often mask, realities, but a place where one boy can see the eye of God in both the body of a whale and the soul of a man.”

KIRKUS REVIEWS: “Schmidt takes his time with his tale, spinning gloriously figurative language that brilliantly evokes both place and emotion. Turner himself is a wonderfully rich character, his moral and intellectual growth developing naturally from the boy the reader first meets. There can be no happy ending to this story, but the telling is both beautiful and emotionally honest, both funny and piercingly sad.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “From the sad and shameful actual destruction of an island community in 1912, Schmidt weaves an evocative novel.  Although the story is hauntingly sad, there is much humor, too. Schmidt's writing is infused with feeling and rich in imagery. With fully developed, memorable characters and a fascinating, little-known piece of history, this novel will leave a powerful impression on readers.”

BOOKLIST:  ‘The novel may be too long and detailed for some readers, with every plot strand and character accounted for. But the removal of the Mal-aga community really happened, and Schmidt weaves that history into a powerful tale of friendship and coming-of-age, adding a lyrical sense of the coastal landscape.  Characters are drawn without reverence in this haunting combination of fact and fiction”

CONNECTIONS 

Here are a few of the over 200 similar books found at: http://bookwizard.scholastic.com/tbw/bookAlikeSearch.do?Ntk=TBW_BookAlike7_SI&workId=4179&gradeOffset=0

Nonfiction

Haskins, James.   GET ON BOARD: THE STORY OF THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD.
             ISBN 978-0590454193

Nelson, Marilyn.  CARVER: A LIFE IN POEMS.  ISBN 978-1886910539

Nelson, Marilyn.  A WREATH FOR EMMETT TILL.   Ill. by Philippe Lardy.  ISBN 978-
            0547076362

Oppenheim, Joanne  F.   DEAR MISS BREED: TRUE STORIES OF THE JAPANESE
            AMERICAN INCARCERATION   DURING WORLD WAR II AND A LIBRARIAN
            WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE.  ISBN 978-0439569927

Fiction

Holm, Anne.  I AM DAVID.  ISBN 978-0152051600

 Lerangis, Peter.  SMILER’S BONES.  ISBN 978-0439344852

Lessons

http://www.mcelmeel.com/curriculum/yalit/LizzieBright_by_Ruppel.pdf
Four writing lessons can be found here: persuasive letter, epilogue, compare/contrast two characters, and Hoffner’s “What Really Happened” chart

http://www.mrsoshouse.com/ext/lizbbuckboy.html

Use your online research skills to find resources to assist you in answering the following ten sets of questions. These questions cover geography, science, literature, social sciences, health, animal science, math, and more.

Extras:

·         Sarah Burke wrote a review of the novel. Do you agree with her or disagree with her? Why?

·         Write a biography of Lizzie Bright or Turner Buckminster - Use the resources at Biography Maker,
references in the book, and your imagination

·         Design a PowerPoint™ presentation of the story elements - adapt to this book

·         Making Book Trailers with Photo Story 3 free software and free tutorial

·         Conduct a debate. Role play the opposing sides of the development issues exposed in the story
or a current development issue in your community, region or state.

·         Make a GoogleLitTrip for the story

http://www.mrsoshouse.com/ext/inthuntlitmshs.html

·         Make a crossword puzzle with vocabulary words

·         Make a travel brochure for Malaga, Maine

Book Review - THE GREEN GLASS SEA - TWU LS 5603 assignment

Bibliography 

Klages, Ellen.  2006.  THE GREEN GLASS SEA.  New York:  Viking.  ISBN: 0670061344

Plot Summary

The date is November 1943 – August 1945 in Los Alamos, NM; a community that does not officially exist.  11-year-old Dewey Kerrigan has traveled alone across country by train to join her father, a scientist, who is working on a secret project, called ‘the gadget’, for the army.  Here she meets [famous scientists] Feynman and Oppenheimer, who are also working on the project.

It is during this tumultuous time in U. S. history that Dewey herself is going through difficult personal times.  Even living with her father, every day is a challenge to traverse and find acceptance in the female-pretentious school-age community. When tragedy strikes, Dewey’s ‘family’ changes once again.

Critical Analysis

Klages made a personal trip to New Mexico to the Trinity site.  She researched several different university libraries and historical museums. She even found assistance on eBay from people who sent her vintage items.

She does a good job giving more weight to Dewey’s struggles and achievements, yet allowing the reader to understand that the science community was tackling their own obstacles and problems, morally as well as scientifically.

The appearance of heroic comic books/characters in this story adds a creditable pastime for these children.   Kids of this era also entertained themselves by creating ‘things’ from used/thrown away items, just as Dewey and others did in the novel. 

Awards

2007 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction
2007 Judy Lopez Memorial Award for Children's Literature
2007 New Mexico State Book Award (YA)2007 Quill Awards, Finalist (Young Adult)
2007 Northern California Book Awards, Finalist (Children's)
2007 Locus Awards, Finalist (Best First Novel)
2006-2007 Winter, Book Sense #1 Children's Pick
2007-08 Maine Student Book Award List
2007-08 Isinglass Teen Read List (New Hampshire)
2008 NeNe Award List (Hawaii)
2008 Bluegrass Award Master List (Kentucky)
2008-09 South Carolina Junior Book Award List
2009 One Book, One Nebraska for Kids2009 Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Award Master List, (Illinois)
2009 Rhode Island Teen Book Award List
Reviews

BOOKLIST: “several universal themes: finding ones place in a new and (in this case) very unique community; being different; and losing a parent”

PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY: (starred review)  “ambitious, meticulously researched novel set during WWII…. successfully recreates life at Los Alamos Camp, where scientists and mathematicians converge with their families to construct and test the first nuclear bomb…. Details about the era-popular music, pastimes and products-add authenticity to the story as do brief appearances of some historic figures including Robert Oppenheimer....the author provides much insight into the controversies surrounding the making of the bomb and brings to life the tensions of war experienced by adults and children alike.”

THE HORN BOOK (starred review):  “Klages evokes both the big-sky landscape of the Southwest and a community where "everything is secret" with inviting ease and the right details, focusing particularly on the society of the children who live there…. Cameo appearances are made by such famous names as Richard Feynman (he helps Dewey build a radio) and Robert Oppenheimer, but the story, an intense but accessible page-turner, firmly belongs to the girls and their families; history and story are drawn together with confidence.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL:  “Clear prose brings readers right into the unusual atmosphere of the secretive scientific community, seen through the eyes of the kids and their families. Dewey is an especially engaging character…. Occasional shifts into first person highlight the protagonist's most emotional moments, including her journey to the site.... After the atomic bomb test succeeds, ethical concerns of both youngsters and adults intensify as the characters learn how it is ultimately used.”

BOOKLIST:  “The mystery and tension surrounding “war work” and what Dewey knows only as “the gadget” trickles down to the kids living in the Los Alamos compound, who often do without adult supervision… The characters are exceptionally well drawn, and the compelling, unusual setting makes a great tie-in for history classes.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL:   “ Discussions of physics, mathematical functions, cultural boundaries, and censorship make this exceptional story even more fascinating”

KIRKUS REVIEWS: “well researched and undeniably earnest, this child's-eye view of the development of the atom bomb seems unlikely to find a wide or enthusiastic audience….lots of information but little insight…too much description and too little action means these characters fail to come to life, making their interactions unconvincing and uninteresting… Unusual and thoughtful, but ultimately unsuccessful.”

Connections

Non-fiction books

Taylor, Theodore.  AIR RAID--PEARL HARBOR!: THE STORY OF DECEMBER 7, 1941
             ISBN 978-0152164218

Sakurai, Gail.  CORNERSTONES OF FREEDOM™: JAPANESE AMERICAN
             INTERNMENT CAMPS.  ISBN 978-0531186909

Fiction books

London, Jack.  WHITE FANG.  Ill. by Ed Young.  ISBN 978-1613820780

Miller, Sarah.  MISS SPITFIRE: REACHING HELEN KELLER.  ISBN 978-1442408517

Hahn, Mary Downing.  STEPPING ON THE CRACKS.  ISBN 978-0547076607

Zindel, Paul.  THE GADGET.  ISBN 978-0440229513

Klages, Ellen.  WHITE SANDS, RED ME.  ISBN 978-0670062355

Speare, Elizabeth George. THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND.  ISBN 978-0547550299.

Lowry, Lois.  NUMBER THE STARS.  ISBN 978-0547577098

Taylor, Theodore.  THE BOMB.  ISBN 978-0152061654

Activities

These are found at http://teacher.scholastic.com/clubs/lit_circle_pdfs/greenglasssea_t.pdf

1. Reread the letter on page 190 that Jimmy Kerrigan writes to Dewey from Washington, D.C. Then reread the passage on page 199 in which Dewey explains to Suze what the letter really says. Exchange letters with a classmate, using a code like the one Jimmy Kerrigan used. See if you can break your classmate’s code.  What information did you try to pass along in secret?

2. Using descriptions from the text, draw a map of the Hill. Include as many places as you can remember from the book. Possible locations to plot on your map might be the Tech PX, the dump, Morganville, and the tree house. Make sure to include a legend for your map. Then, compare your map with a classmate’s map. How are the maps similar? How are they different?

3. Dewey and Suze like to read comic books. Some of their favorite characters are Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel, and Captain America. Use a blank sheet of paper and colored pencils or crayons to create your own comic book hero or heroine. Give your character a name. What special powers does he or she have?  References to comic books and comic book characters can be found on pages 87, 151, 181, 195, 202, 242, and 257.

Book Review - OUR ELEANOR - TWU LS 5603 assignment

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Fleming, Candace.  2005.  OUR ELEANOR: A SCRAPBOOK LOOK AT ELEANOR ROOSEVELT’S REMARKABLE LIFE.  New York:  AtheneumBooks for Young Readers. ISBN 9780689865442.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Fleming regales’ hers readers with “gold standards” (Vardell 2008, 246) of Eleanor’s own words: about women’s political goals, “we want to gain for ourselves a place of real equality, and the respect of men….This means with the men, not for them” (Fleming 2005, 50); about teaching, “I teach because I love it…[she emphasized] the connection between things of the past and things of today” (58); about libraries, “We have got to make our libraries the center of a new life in the mind,…so we must insist on libraries for every community,…[the] stimulation of intellectual thought, individual curiosity and the chance to make a democracy…” (102); about her life, “These crowded hours have been interesting and stimulating.  They have, I hope, been useful.  They have, at least, been lived to the hilt” (156). Every single quote is substantiated in the Source Notes.

Fleming packs this book with stimulating tidbits of Eleanor’s life that beg to be read about further.  She gives us a timeline of Eleanor’s life, an abridged family tree, seven chapters that are loosely chronological, a list of more books-videos-and websites about Eleanor, picture credits, source notes, and an index; all this additional information validates the authenticity of the research.

The photos of people, places, events, and historical documents take us back to an era of by-gone days.  There are approximately 200 of them and their source of verification is on the Picture Credits page.  They range from personal photos and correspondence to cartoons to presidential papers.

The tributes given at Eleanor’s death speak of a person loved dearly by many around the world: “flags… flew at half-mast, the first time such an honor had been accorded a woman”; “the United Nations…delegates…stood for a one-minute silent tribute” (154); “I told her she was the first lady of the world” said Harry S. Truman (155); wrote Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, “No woman…have so well understood and articulated the yearnings of men and women for social justice” (154); “Eleanor Roosevelt was like a mother to the world and we are like orphans because of her death” from a fifth grader (154).

AWARDS

ALA Amelia Bloomer Project
ALA Best Books For Young Adults
ALA Notable Children's Books
CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book
CCBC Choices (Cooperative Children's Book Council)
IRA Teachers' Choices
Jefferson Cup Honor Book
KSRC Senior High School Titles - Top Pick
NYPL 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award
Pennsylvania School Librarian Association (PSLA) "Top Ten (Or So)" Young Adult Books
Publishers Weekly Best Books
SLJ Best Book of the Year

REVIEW EXCERPTS

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: ‘Using a scrapbook approach, Fleming surrounds her brief narrative with arrays of diary entries, contemporary news clippings, cartoons, letters, period photographs, and other documentary evidence-all of which combine brilliantly to bring out the rich, complex character of the First among all First Ladies…. While the arrangement is chronological from Roosevelt's parents' marriage to her own death, the narrative is not linear per se. Rather, each of the seven chapters leads readers through the subject's busy life with short sections of text… Much of the story is told within the meaty sidebars covering supporting perspectives, enlightening details, and amusing anecdotes”

LIBRARY MEDIA CONNECTION: “This scrapbook biography employs oral history transcripts, books, and photographs…. captures her vulnerability and her humanity…. Some chapters focus on specific time periods, while others focus on themes in her life…. one gains renewed respect for this woman who did so much for so many”

BOOK LINKS: “this intimate, unvarnished, and ultimately deeply moving portrait takes a pastiche approach to humanizing a legendary life…. invites readers into a camaraderie with the timid, neglected little girl who grew up to become the woman many nicknamed "copresident," ….however, a structural choice that seems to encourage assumptions rather than heading them off”

HORN BOOK MAGAZINE: “unabashed tribute and absorbing history…. copious primary

and secondary sources…. Fleming is adroit in conveying the complexity and imperfections as well as the remarkable capabilities…. Fleming begins with a personal note, timeline, and family tree and concludes with a bibliography of children’s biographies and other sources”

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “Fleming relies on the prolific words of Eleanor herself, family members, friends and observers to enhance this multi-faceted life story”

KIRKUS REVIEWS: “Had Eleanor Roosevelt kept a scrapbook--an incredibly well-organized and thorough scrapbook--this is how it might feel to look through it… The source notes are thorough and the bibliography recommends several books for young readers, as well as videos and Web sites. Photographs, family trees, sketches and even a report card add visual appeal.”

CONNECTIONS

Other books to read
Fleming, Candace.  BEN FRANKLIN’S ALMANAC: BEING A TRUE ACCOUNT OF THE GOOD GENTLEMAN’S LIFE.  ISBN
Freedman, Russell.  ELEANOR ROOSEVELT: A LIFE OF DISCOVERY.  ISBN 
Freedman, Russell.  LINCOLN: A PHOTOBIOGRAPHY.  ISBN 
Ryan, Pam Munoz.  AMELIA AND ELEANOR GO FOR A RIDE.  ISBN

Fleming lists six books, four videos, and six websites about Eleanor for additional information.

Lessons/Activities 

Fleming has several lessons on her website http://www.candacefleming.com/pdf/CGEleanor.pdf:
1) Make a timeline of Mrs. Roosevelt’s life. Add some of the following items to the timeline based on the age level of your students: your grandparents’ births, wedding date, parents’ births, wedding date, you and your sibling’s birth dates, other important dates in your life, important dates for your community or school, predict some things you think might happen in the future that would be important.

2) Jigsaw puzzle – draw squiggly lines on cardstock to look like 10 puzzle pieces; in each section write one thing that was important to Mrs. Roosevelt (things she did, people she knew, how she felt about something); write a title on the back side; cut up the puzzle.  Now do the same thing for your own life; notice how your interests or likes or friends do not have to relate to each other.

3) Poetry – write an “I AM” poem using metaphor and simile to describe yourself based on these things:  a color, a food, a season, a feeling, an animal, something you find in nature or outside, an object; end with the words “I am me”

More lesson ideas can be found at http://eduscapes.com/newbery/94d.html:

1) Write letters – go to ‘Dear Mrs. Roosevelt’ at http://newdeal.feri.org/eleanor/index.htm; read some of the letters written; compose a letter to Mrs. Roosevelt about something you want to know.

2) Compare and contrast – Mrs. Roosevelt was a very popular first lady.  Choose another first lady and compare/contrast the two of them and their roles.

Book Review - THE TOP OF THE WORLD - TWU LS 5603 assignment

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Jenkins, Steve.  1999.  THE TOP OF THE WORLD: CLIMBING MOUNT EVEREST.  Boston, MA:  Houghton Mifflin Company.  ISBN 0395942187

 CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Jenkins draws upon the expertise of mountaineers, authors, a geologist, and a climber/photographer to garner his information for this unique trek to Mt. Everest.  His information is categorized and flows smoothly.  He briefly describes the mountain, the country, the history, the culture, and the people of the Himalayas.  He introduces us to five acclaimed mountaineers, three who accomplished the fete and two who perished.  Readers are educated in the appropriate apparel and equipment needed.  Over half the book is dedicated to explaining the difficulties of this climbing experience and the dangers one might expect to encounter. 

Jenkins is also the illustrator of this book with a background as a graphic designer.  For this book, and many others, he uses torn or cut paper collage.  This effect is eye-catching, but does not reveal the natural beauty or the three dimensional reality of the actual scenery. 

AWARDS

1999 Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards Winner, Nonfiction
2000 Orbis Pictus Honor Book
School Library Journal Best Books of 1999
Horn Book Fanfare 2000 List
Notable Books for Children, 2000 ALA-ALSC
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal
Texas Bluebonnet Books for 2000-2001

REVIEW EXCERPTS

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “a compendium of historical information and practical tips…showcase for his stunning cut-paper collage….text is a little disjointed….a few blocks of copy, dropped onto the textured are, are simply hard to read”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Jenkins' paper cut illustrations are extraordinary--feathery light to catch the effect of fog radiating off the mountains, mottled and striated to replicate rocky plateaus, pebbled to look like ice flowers”

HORN BOOK MAGAZINE: “On nearly every spread there is an inset or sidebar providing additional information…. and other facts that are of interest but would break the forward motion of the main story. Exceptional design handles these bits of text remarkably well: the insets are clearly separate from the central spread, using a different background color and smaller type, while the torn paper edges of each sidebar allow it to become integrated into the spread. In a few instances, however, the typeface threatens to become lost in the texture and color variations of its background paper.”

NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW: “In a brief bibliography, the artist cites the right experts, like Chris Bonington, Reinhold Messner and Galen Rowell. The book teaches children about the thrills and risks of big mountains without frightening them.”

CONNECTIONS

Other books to read
Chester, Jonathan.  YOUNG ADVENTURERS’ GUIDE TO EVEREST.  ISBN 9781582460697
Graham, Ian.  AVOID CLIMBING MOUNT EVEREST! (THE DANGER ZONE).  ISBN 
            97819066714321
Jenkins, Steve.  WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN SOMETHING WANTS TO EAT YOU?  ISBN 
            9780618152438Weintraub, Aileen.  MOUNT EVEREST.  ISBN  9780823956364
Wibberley, Leonard.  THE EPICS OF EVEREST (Laurel-leaf Mayflower book).  ASIN
             B0007DMKPSLessons
Mount Everest Math Puzzles Map found at http://mteverest.homestead.com/mathpuzzles.html
Video games about Mt. Everest found at http://mteverest.com/games/
Science facts and information using Mt. Denali at http://pbskids.org/nova/denali/index.html
See how Steve Jenkins made his book MOVE! at
            http://www.stevejenkinsbooks.com/makingbooks.html

Book Review - BODIES FROM THE ICE - TWU LS 5603 Assignment

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Deem, James. M.  2008.  BODIES FROM THE ICE: MELTING GLACIERS AND THE RECOVERY OF THE PAST.  Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.  ISBN 9780618800452

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

A 5,300-year-old body found in Italy, a 290-year-old body found in Switzerland, a 500-year old body found in Peru, several (sacrificial) children’s bodies found in the Andes, and a 150- to 300-year old body found in Canada.  What do these bodies have in common?  They were all discovered because of melting and receding glaciers.  Deem incorporates anthropology, archaeology, geography, glaciology, and history in this book that he took two years to research and write, which included traveling to visit exhibits, museums, and other sources.  He also spent time in Chamonix, France exploring glaciers in the area.  Along with the stories of these discoveries, Deem also gives the reader a peek into types of glaciers and their changing environments (global warming), people who dared to climb glaciers, and a few suggestions for helping the environment. Color photographs, lithographs, historical paintings, and archival photos of postcards, souvenir booklets, and magazine/newspapers compliment this enlightening account.  Deem completes his text with a list of glaciers that can be visited, other websites to look into, a bibliography, illustration credits, and an index.

AWARDS

2009 Robert F. Sibert Informational Award Honor Book
2011 Prairie Pasque Award Winner
2009 AAAS/Subaru SB & F Prize for Excellence in Science Books Finalist
Kirkus Reviews’ Best Children’s Books of 2008
Notable Book for Children 2009
2009 Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students K-12
2009 Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People
2008 New York Public Library, 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
Capitol Choices Noteworthy Book 2009 (10-14)
CCBC Choices 2009
Takoma Park Maryland Library, Best Kids Books of 2008

Nominated for:
2010-2011 Young Hoosier Book Award (middle grades)
2011 Garden State Teen Book Award (Nonfiction Grades 6-12)

REVIEW EXCERPTS

LIBRARY MEDIA CONNECTIONS: “This book is a treat to look at, but is also chock-full of enough text and factual information to be a great resource for research reports.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “When glaciers melt, things appear – like human bodies….the body was over 5,300 years old!”

SCIENCE TEACHERS: “Gripping stories are accompanied by highly informative expedition photographs”

HORN BOOK MAGAZINES: “Deem…continues his interest in mummified bodies…a tour of mummified bodies found in ice the world over….give us an intriguing peek into various cultures.”

BOOKLIST: “Individual chapters cover types of glaciers and why they are fertile territory for housing bodies…perhaps most fascinating for kids will be the chapter on recently discovered Incan children sacrificed to the gods…the pictures…are arresting”

KIRKUS REVIEW: “Once glaciers were popular tourist attractions; now they are in the process of disappearing from the face of Earth. So the book became a memorial to glaciers as much as to the fascinating people and objects that have been found in them.”

CONNECTIONS

Other Books to Read
Buell, Janet.  ICE MAIDENS OF THE ANDES. (Series: Time travelers).  ISBN 0805051856
Deem, James M.  BODIES FROM THE BOG. ISBN 0395857848
Kudalis, Eric.   ICE MUMMIES: FROZEN IN TIME. (Series: Mummies). ISBN 0736813071
Lauber, Patricia. TALES MUMMIES TELL. ISBN 0690043880
Prior, Natalie Jane. THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRESERVED PEOPLE: PICKLED, FROZEN,       AND MUMMIFIED CORPSES FROM AROUND THE WORLD.  Ill. and map by            Karen Carter. ISBN 0375822879

Lessons
Mr. Deem has two sites where you can locate his (copyrighted) ideas for writing activities, teachers guides, other stories, scavenger hunts, and study skills:http://www.jamesmdeem.com/index.htm
http://www.mummytombs.com/market/books/child/advpicturebooks/deem.icebodies.htm

Games, quizzes, and other fun activities can be found at:http://www.mummytombs.com/mummylocator/featured/kwaday.htm

BOOK REVIEW - WHAT IS GOODBYE? (Class assignment-TWU-LS 5603)

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Grimes, Nikki.  2004.  WHAT IS GOODBYE? Ill. by Raúl Colón.  New York: Hyperion Books for Children.  ISBN 0786807784

PLOT SUMMARY
Jesse and then Jerilyn each share their thoughts and feelings following the death of their big brother Jaron.  This brother and sister take us on a one year journey with them as they learn of their brothers’ death, experience different phases of grief, and finally accept the new dynamics of their family life.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Grimes has researched the effect of death on children quite well.  Her words are simple, but the message is deep…..emotional, gut-rendering, heart-felt, and painful.  Death pays a visit to a regular, normal family like yours or mine.  These two children pour out all their hurt, pain, anger, and confusion in their everyday life; trying to figure out how to live a normal day when a major piece of their lives is missing. They have to make room for each others’ sorrow as well as their parents.  Grimes’ powerful, insightful, and informative journal is a valuable must-read for children and adults alike. 

Grimes has Jesse speak through rhythm and rhyme: ABAB/CDED/FGHG; AABB/CCDD; ABAC/DEDF/GHGH.  Usually his story is shorter.  Although Jerlyn's voice doesn't rhyme very often (usually not at all, and when it does, there is only one or two words per poem) - mound/sound, beat/seat, chatter/matter, thing/sting - Grimes is still able to give it rhythm and flow.  Her last poem, Photograph ~ Poem for Two Voices, is a fun poem to read out loud and ends the book on a gleeful and upbeat note, letting children know that there is happiness after tragedy.

Colón's use of symbolism, hues of blue, for most of the illustrations is significant.  He has captured the innocence and sadness of these two young children with his diverse expressive eyes.  His pictures accentuate the feelings of having no control over their circumstances …..emotionally or physically (Jesse when the truck leaves with Jaron’s belongings; Jerilyn when she sits on the couch and her mom will not hold her hand).

AWARDS
ALANotable Book 2004
Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year
CapitolChoices
CCBCBest Choices 2005
Chicago LibraryBest of the Best Books for Kids
NCTENotable Book 2005 (Children's Literature Assembly)
New York Public Library 100 Books for Reading and Sharing
Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts
Parents' Choice Silver HonorAward 2004
School LibraryJournalBest Books 2004

REVIEW EXCERPTS

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL – “a prime example of how poetry and story can be combined to extend one another.”

BLACK ISSUES BOOK REVIEW – “simple and direct, poetic search for healing in a family devastated by the loss of a son.”

BOOKLIST – “rhymed couplets…singsong sounds…tight rhythm…feels distractingly at odds with the somber subject and raw emotions—feelings that Grimes get just right.”

KIRKUS REVIEWS – “Grimes succeeds in creating distinct personalities for each member of the family and distinctly different ways of dealing with their grief as well.”

PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY – “Colón's inset paintings, often incorporating symbolic elements that convey the abstract quality of feelings, round out this portrait of a loving family coping, alone and together, with their grief

BOOKPAGE – “Grimes, who lost her father when she was 15, calls upon those memories… take the reader through the familiar painful process we all experience when a loved one dies.”

CONNECTIONS

Other Books to read

Collins, David R.  TO THE POINT: A STORY ABOUT E. B. WHITE.  (Series: A Carolrhoda creative minds book). Ill. by Amy Johnson. ISBN 0-87614-345-1 (lib. bdg.)

Grollman, Earl A.  TALKING ABOUT DEATH: A DIALOGUE BETWEEN PARENT AND CHILD.  ISBN 978-0807023617

Lewis, J. Patrick.  ONCE UPON A TOMB: GRAVELY HUMOR4OUS VERSES.   Ill. by Simon Bartram. ISBN 9780763618377

Marta, Suzy Yehl.  HEALING THE HURT, RESTORING THE HOPE.  ISBN 978-1427607423

Schaefer, Dan Ph.D., & Lyons, Christine.  HOW DO WE TELL THE CHILDREN? A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE FOR HELPING CHILDREN TWO TO TEEN COPE WHEN SOMEONE DIES.  ISBN 978-1458726582

Woodson, Jacqueline.  LOCOMOTION.  ISBN 9780142415528