Bibliographic Data
Hale, Shannon and Hale, Dean. 2008. Rapunzel's Revenge. Illus. by Nathan Hale. New York: Bloomsbury.
Summary and Analysis
Shannon and Dean Hale bring their wit and humor to this graphic novel rendering of Rapunzel getting revenge on the evil Gothel, whom Rapunzel grew up thinking was her mother. The comic-book like story contains familiar elements from the classic fairy tale of Rapunzel. The twist in this tale is the setting, elements of the plot, the representation of Rapunzel as a sassy, independent gal, and the intertwining of another famous fairy tale character, Jack. In this version, Rapunzel saves herself from the tree prison in which Gothel had Rapunzel confined. On her quest to seek revenge for her family, Rapunzel encounters Jack, who subsequently becomes her travel partner and accomplice. During their journey to Gothel's villa, Rapunzel and Jack find themselves in several dilemmas and must fight the dangers of the various bandits and beasts they cross paths with. Rapunzel also sees the extent of Gothel's damage to the land and the lives it has effected. This spurs her desire for revenge and to usurp Gothel's magical power. Using her long braids and Jack's knack for getting out of trouble, Rapunzel makes her way back to Gothel's villa to free her real mother and take down Gothel.
The clever, Old West style of the dialogue and clothing alters the setting from enchanted fairy tale land to a place much like the untamed Wild West. Nathan Hale's vibrant and detailed illustrations tell the story along with the text. At some points in the story, like when Rapunzel is fighting the coyotes, the pictures show the events in place of text. Readers in grades 4 and up that are familiar with the fairy tale will enjoy this graphic novel version of Rapunzel.
Awards and Reviews
*ALA 2009 Notable Children's Book
*School Library Journal Starred Review: This is the tale as you've never seen it before. After using her hair to free herself from her prison tower, this Rapunzel ignores the pompous prince and teams up with Jack (of Beanstalk fame) in an attempt to free her birth mother and an entire kingdom from the evil witch who once moonlighted as her mother. The dialogue is witty, the story is an enticing departure from the original, and the illustrations are magically fun and expressive. © Reed Business Information
*Booklist: This graphic novel retelling of the fairy-tale classic, set in a swashbuckling Wild West, puts action first and features some serious girl power in its spunky and strong heroine. Hale’s art matches the story well, yielding expressive characters and lending a wonderful sense of place to the fantasy landscape. Rich with humor and excitement, this is an alternate version of a classic that will become a fast favorite of young readers.
Connections
*Compare/contrast this version to the original fairy tale of Rapunzel and any other versions
*View other graphic novel versions of classic fairy tales by Shannon and Dean Hale. Discuss their similarities in text and illustrations.
*Have students pick a classic fairy tale to place in a new setting. Brainstorm for the new setting: how the characters act, talk, dress; what do the buildings look like; what might you find in this setting (transportation, animals, etc . . .). Have students write how they would change the fairy tale using an alternate setting. Collaborate with the Language Arts teacher to have them write their new versions.
References
Bibliographic Data
Lord, Cynthia. 2006. Rules. New York: Scholastic.
Summary and Analysis
"Follow the rules." The first chapter title of the book, with every subsequent chapter being a rule that Catherine has for her autistic brother, David, though a few are her own. Catherine is twelve and her family life seems to revolve around the high demand needs of David. She began keeping a list of rules for David to remember in order to avoid any potential embarrassing situations, like "A boy can take his shirt off to swim, but not his shorts" and "This is Catherine's room. David must knock!" Set on the coast in Maine, Catherine is hoping this summer will be different with a potential new friend moving in next door. She forms an unexpected friendship with Jason, a disabled young man, who communicates with picture cards, that goes to the same clinic as David. When Catherine is faced with being accepted by her neighbor or being true to Jason as a friend, she has to make a choice based on good conscience. Meanwhile, she struggles to be understood by her parents and have them realize that she needs them just as much as David. This poignant and quick-to-read novel will have readers sympathizing with Catherine and understanding a little bit more about how different life is with an autistic child.
Lord writes in an honest and fresh way. Told in the first person from Catherine's point of view, the reader gets a real sense of how Catherine's life is affected by having an autistic brother. Her love for her brother is unquestionable, but it's also easy to see where she can become frustrated and jealous. Lord depicts David in a true form of autism. Being a mother of an autistic child herself, she knows the behaviors and mannerisms of this disability, as well as the joys and struggles that come with it. This book is good for any intermediate grade child and up that either has this struggle or knows someone with autism, as it provides wonderful insight.
Awards and Reviews
*Newbery Honor Book
*Schneider Family Book Award
*School Library Journal: Twelve-year-old Catherine has conflicting feelings about her younger brother, David, who is autistic. While she loves him, she is also embarrassed by his behavior and feels neglected by their parents . . . this sensitive story is about being different, feeling different, and finding acceptance. © Reed Business Information
*Booklist: Torn between love for her brother and impatience with the responsibilities and embarrassments he brings, [Catherine] strives to be on her parents' radar and to establish an identity of her own. . . The details of autistic behavior are handled well, as are depictions of relationships. © American Library Association
Connections
*Have students share rules they have to follow. How are their rules different from David's? Why?
*In what ways to do you get yourself out of a sticky situation? What rule might you write for that?
*Have you ever had to choose between two friends? What did you do and how did you decide what to do?
*If Catherine were to write a rule at the very end of the book, what do you think it would be?
References
Bibliographic Data
Johnson, Angela. 2003. The First Part Last. New York: Random House. Audiobook [unabridged].
Summary and Analysis
Narrated wonderfully by Khalipa Oldjohn, The First Part Last is a story about a New York City teenager who becomes a single father. He and his girlfriend, Nia, accidentally became pregnant. The two teens decide to put the baby up for adoption, but when the unexpected happens, Bobby takes on the role of being a father, a decision that will alter his life and future. Bobby struggles to balance high school and fatherhood as he desires to be the best father he can be to his daughter, Feather. Bobby has to find the balance between being a teenage boy and being a man. Told from sixteen-year-old Bobby's point of view, The First Part Last is an emotional and engaging fiction novel that looks at the issue of teen pregnancy and the decisions it involves from an insider's perspective.
The story's chapters switch back and forth between "Then" and "Now." Bobby relates the unfolding of events from when Nia found out she was pregnant to how he became a father in the "Then" chapters. In the "Now" chapters, Bobby tells what is currently happening and how it is being a father to Feather. The story is told with vivid detail, such as when Bobby is comparing Nia's house to his own. Johnson made the story more realistic by using language that is likely used by teens, which certainly makes the book more appropriate for older students in grades 9 and up. In this audio version, the narration by Khalipa Oldjohn is captivating and believable.
Awards and Reviews
*2004 Coretta Scott King Award
*2004 Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature
*School Library Journal: Brief, poetic, and absolutely riveting, this gem of a novel tells the story of a young father struggling to raise an infant. © 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
*Booklist: At 16, [Bobby's] scared to be raising his baby, Feather, but he's totally devoted to caring for her, even as she keeps him up all night, and he knows that his college plans are on hold. . . from the first page, readers feel the physical reality of Bobby's new world. . . Johnson makes poetry with the simplest words in short, spare sentences that teens will read again and again. © American Library Association.
Connections
*Have students discuss Bobby's decision. Do they agree or disagree? Why? What do they think they would do in his position?
*Focus on the author's style: language, sensory details, and using Bobby's voice to tell the story.
*Determine how the setting impacted the story and how the story may or may not change if the setting were different.
References
Bibliographic Data:
Speare, Elizabeth George. 1958. The Witch of Blackbird Pond. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Summary and Analysis:
Katherine "Kit" Tyler has grown up with her grandfather on the island of Barbados. She has never known a hard day's work and is used to fancy clothes and being treated with respect. But since her grandfather's death, Kit has been forced to sell off all their possessions. With no one left for her on the island, Kit takes what's left of her belongings and sets sail on a ship bound for North America, where her mother's sister, Rachel, lives with her family in Connecticut.
Set in 1687-1688 in colonial New England, there is much hard work to be done. Kit is welcomed coldly by her Uncle Matthew, and Kit's headstrong ways must be tempered. The small, Puritan town of Wethersfield is dull, religiously strict, and nothing like Kit had imagined. Kit struggles to adapt to this new way of life that grates against her independent nature. Her days become filled with labor and fatigue, with little time for herself, until she discovers the meadow with the tiny shack by the river. Here, she finds Hannah Tupper, an elderly Quaker woman rumored to be a witch. Kit finds that Hannah is no witch at all, but a kind and lonely old woman. Kit befriends Hannah and seeks refuge at Hannah's whenever she can, because that is the one place she can be herself.
When illness strikes the children of Wethersfield, angry townspeople blame Hannah Tupper and intend to arrest her for witchcraft. Kit is horrified at the thought and rushes into the night to save Hannah. But the witch hunt is not over. Soon the townspeople accuse Kit of being a witch. An unlikely person comes to her rescue, and it is through this that Kit discovers where her heart will feel at home.
This historic novel will intrigue audiences in grades 4 and up, though it will likely appeal to female readers more than male. It is not difficult to become attached to Kit. As she adjusts to a foreign place and way of life, one can only imagine what that experience must be like. Speare draws the reader into Kit's world and her mind, exposing what the strong-willed teenager is thinking. The time and setting of the novel lend themselves to the Puritanical beliefs and religious practice of the characters, as well as people's fear of the unfamiliar and those who are different from them. Speare uses actual historic figures as some of the characters in the story who were important men of the time, such as Sir Edmond Andros and Reverend Gersholm Bulkeley. Wethersfield is a real town in Connecticut, and according to the Author's Note, was one of the first Connecticut colonies.
Awards and Reviews
*John Newbery Medal, 1959
*Booklist: Strong plot, fully realized characters and convincing atmosphere distinguish this historical narrative of a girl whose rebellion against the bigotry and her Puritan surroundings culminates in a witch hunt and trial.
*School Library Journal: Unprepared for the religious intolerance and rigidity of the Puritan community, [Kit] is constantly astounding her aunt, uncle, and cousins with her dress, behavior, and ideas . . . There are several minor plots as well, including three romances, which help to bring this time and place to life.
Connections
*Research the two religious groups from the novel- Quakers and Puritans. Compare and contrast the two groups. Why would the Puritans dislike the Quakers so much? Is the characterization of Hannah as a Quaker and the Wethersfield Puritans accurate?
*For older students, discuss the ideas of bigotry and religious intolerance. Do those still exist today and in what ways? How does it affect our lives?
*As a social studies tie-in, discuss how the colonists had to make their living. In what ways are our lives different from the settlers? In what ways are they similar?
*An additional social studies tie-in: Research the Connecticut Charter that is used as a sub-plot. What was the charter and why would it have been important to the colonists? Why would they not want it to be revoked by the King of England?
*Complete a character map for Kit, tracing her changes as the novel progresses.
References
Bibliographic Data
Avi. 1989. The Man Who Was Poe. New York: Avon Books.
Summary and Analysis
On a cold night in 1848 in Providence, Rhode Island, a young girl named Sis goes missing. Her twin brother, Edmund, had only left to get food, and upon returning to the locked room, found his sister vanished. Their mother had gone missing a year prior, their Aunty Pru has not returned to their rented room in two days, and now Sis has disappeared. Young Edmund is desolate and begins to wander the dark streets. It is there that he bumps into a man who calls himself Auguste Dupin. Desperate, Edmund pleads for help from this complete stranger. Dupin agrees, but only because he has an agenda of his own. It is revealed later that Dupin is in fact Edgar Allan Poe. Poe wants to use Edmund's story as the basis for a new story, only Poe does not want to find Sis alive. As lies and deception are discovered, Edmund is able to find his mother. Edmund at last decides to take control of the situation in order to find his sister and bring her home.
This novel weaves in an historic time, place, and person with mystery, murder, and intrigue. Avi uses what is known about Edgar Allan Poe to create this fictional account. It is true that Poe was a suitor of a lady in Providence, though they did not marry. The language used in dialogue is representative of the times, as people spoke differently. Avi included a bit of biographical information about Poe at the end of the novel. The reader is carried on Edmund's journey and drive to find his sister. Edmund transforms from fragile, weak boy to determined, brave young man. This book, due to the dark nature of the story, is more suitable for grades 4 and up.
Awards and Reviews
*Horn Book Magazine: Suspenseful fiction that works extremely well.
*Children's Book Review Service: The writing is that of a true master . . . a suspenseful, thought-provoking novel that combines mystery with historical fiction.
Connections
*Read works by Edgar Allan Poe. Discuss his representation in the novel. Does it match his personality based on his works?
*Research the time period of the book. Look up images of the type of clothes described in the books to see what they actually looked like.
*An author study of Avi could also be done by reading other historic fiction novels he has written. Discuss what kind of research Avi must have to do before writing an historic fiction novel.
References
Bibliographic Data
Erdrich, Louise. 2005. The Game of Silence. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.
Summary and Analysis
It is 1850 on an island in Lake Superior. Omakayas resides with her Ojibwe family in a territory being settled by the chimookomanag, or white people. Omakayas's life is happy, until another native group seeks refuge with Omakayas's people. It is disovered that the Ojibwe are going to be forced to leave their homes and move west. Omakayas struggles to leave behind all that she knows and understand a new way of life. Afraid to go on her own spirit journey and discover what her dreams mean, she finally realizes that her dreams speak to her and reveal events to take place. As her wise grandmother, Nokomis, tells her "You will never control this gift. All you can do is try to understand why it is given to you." In this coming of age historic fiction story, Omakayas learns to accept change and embrace her gift.
Erdrich portrays the daily life of the Ojibwe people as they go through the seasons of the year, as well as seasons of life. The novel, which is relayed in the third person limited of Omakayas, provides readers with a glimpse into the culture and life of this Native American group. The author includes numerous details about the clothing, homes, hunting, and food preparation. The concept of close-knit families and a strong sense of community is evident through the interactions of various characters in the story. Love for family, despite an annoying younger brother and blossoming older sister, is clearly demonstrated by Omakayas. Erdrich also includes Ojibwe language throughout the text, with a glossary at the back of the book to aid in understanding. However, even within the text, there are clues to the word meanings. Erdrich wrote this as a sequel to The Birchbark House. The plot tends to move slowly, so students that enjoy more exciting novels may grow bored with this. Students in grades 5 and up may appreciate this historic novel more fully.
Awards and Reviews
*Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction
*Kirkus Editor's Choice
*New York Times Notable
*ALA Booklist Editor's Choice
*School Library Journal: Although the story is set on an island in Lake Superior in 1850, readers will identify with the everyday activties of the Ojibwe, from snowball fights to fishing excursions, providing a parallel to their own lives while encouraging an appreciation for one that is very different. Kimberly Monaghan, © Reed Business Information
*Starred Review in Booklist: . . . this long-awaited sequel is framed by catastrophe, but the core of the story, which is set in 1850, is white settlers' threats to the traditional Ojibwe way of life. . . In this heartrending novel the sense of what was lost is overwhelming. Hazel Rochman, © American Library Association.
Connections
*Research the setting of the story. Discover what other events were occurring at the time the novel takes place.
*Look up resources on the Library of Congress's American Memory Project (http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/umhtml/umrelh.html) for information about the Upper Midwest in the timeframe of the novel. Explore the materials and primary sources on the region and its geography and the Native Americans that resided in that region.
References
Bibliographic Data
Simon, Seymour. 2008. Smithsonian: The Human Body. New York: HarperCollins Publishing.
Summary and Analysis
In this captivating look at the miraculous human body, Seymour Simon provides a scientific overview of the twelve major body systems and their functions. In language that is not watered down, yet accessible, he explains each system of the body, identifying various parts that make up each system, as well as introducing scientific vocabulary. He starts with cells and works all the way through the body and ends by giving an overview of the human life cycle. The pages of text alternate from being black on white to white on black. Accompanying each page of text is a full-page photograph of the body system or parts being discussed. The photographs range from a cartoon-like depiction of muscles in a leg to the up-close magnification of hair on skin. The real-life, up-close photographs leap off the pages and compel the reader to examine them closely.
Simon provides a glossary of bold-faced terms from the text, as well as an explanation of the images found in the text. Additionally, an index is included to direct readers to specific content. This feature would make this book conducive to research. This text is most suitable for grades 3 and up, due to the vocabulary and depth of content covered.
Awards and Reviews
*School Library Journal: Simon has been cruising through the human body for a number of years, and here he pulls all the pieces together and adds a bit to the mix as he presents a cool look at the human interior. . .The text is clear and informative. ©Reed Business Information
*Booklist: . . . the book includes eye-catching new images and entirely new, clearly written sections of text discussing the integumentary system (skin, hair, nails), the urinary and excretory systems, the lymphatic system, and the reproductive system. A nice addition is the appended guide to the illustrations, though captions near the pictures and labeling on diagrams would have been even more useful to children.
Connections
*As students are learning about human body systems in Science, this book can be shared in the library, reading the sections of text that are pertinent to classroom study.
*Break the reading of this text up into several sessions. With each section, illustrate and label a full-size human body outline with facts that were learned for the various body systems.
*For older students, they may wish to choose one of the body systems to investigate further.
References
Tamra's Literature Review
