Poetry - The New Kid on the Block

Bibliography
Prelutsky, Jack. 1984. THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK. by James Stevenson. New York: Greenwillow Books. ISBN 0688022715

Plot Summary
Prelutsky's The New Kid on the Block is a collection of over 100 humorous and silly poems about such strange creatures and people as underwater wibbles and Granny Grizer.

Critical Analysis
Prelutsky's rhymes are a laughfest for the young and young at heart. In no way predictable, his poems feature characters and events you'd never dream of from a boneless chicken to a zoosher to a boy with a nose between his toes to a woman washing garbage before she throws it out. The rhymes are sprinkled with alliteration, tongue twisters, and flow in perfect rhythm. Stevenson's black and white loose pen and ink sketches are lively, a perfect partner for the author's playful poetry.

Review Excerpt(s)
Horn Book: "A fine prescription against the blues at anytime of year."
Kirkus Reviews: "A wealth of funny new verse from a favorite poet...Hilarious black and white art. Another winner from this talented pair."

Connections
*Other poetry books written by Jack Prelutsky and illustrated by James Stevenson:
SOMETHING BIG HAS BEEN HERE. ISBN 0688064345
A PIZZA THE SIZE OF THE SUN. ISBN 0688132359
IT'S RAINING PIGS AND NOODLES. ISBN 006029194X

Poetry - Little Dog and Duncan

Bibliography
George, Kristine O'Connell. 2002. LITTLE DOG AND DUNCAN.by June Otani. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 061811758X

Plot Summary
In this companion to Little Dog Poems, Kristine O'Connell George puts together a series of poems about a little girl and her experiences with her dog and a dog visitor who comes over to spend the night. The poems describe the two dogs of different sizes who turn out to be alike in many ways.

Critical Analysis
George's simply-worded poems tell a heartwarming tale of Little Dog and Duncan, two dogs of opposite sizes. The owner of Little Dog, a young girl, tells about the goings-on about the house as the two dogs interact with each other and despite their differences, end up having a good time together. The touches of humor in "Seating Plan," "Walk" and "No Way" are endearing to readers, especially dog owners, who can relate to canine antics. June Otami's watercolor illustrations show the tender story with bright colors and white backgrounds making the characters and events stand out.

Review Excerpt(s)
School Library Journal - "Glowing with warmth and gentle humor, this book makes a great choice for reading aloud, or for quiet sharing while children are snuggled up with their favorite pet or stuffed pooch."
BookList - "This time the poems coalesce into a simple, loving story."

Connections
*Invite children to compose their own poems about a pet or favorite animal.
*Companion book to Little Dog and Duncan:
George, Kristine O'Connell. LITTLE DOG POEMS. ISBN 0395822661

Collection of Traditional Literature: Horse Hooves and Chicken Feet: Mexican Folktales

Bibliography
Philip, Neil. 2003. Horse Hooves and Chicken Feet: Mexican Folktales. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0618194630

Plot Summary
Neil Philip shares his collection of Mexican folklore, some of which were collected in Mexico and many others from the Mexican population of Colorado and New Mexico. The folktales are varied, with characters including cats, magicians, witches, priests, lovers, and supernatural beings. A witch turns a girl's brothers into blue oxen, a tailor outsmarts the devil in a sewing contest, a priest unknowingly spends many years viewing just one glimpse of glory. An introduction, notes on the stories, and a bibliography are included for reference.

Critical Analysis
Folklorist Neil Philip puts together a varied and entertaining collection of folktales from the Mexican and Mexican American storytelling traditions. The retellings are witty and spiritual, inviting readers into a magical world populated by an assortment of characters. Jacqueline Mair's colorful illustrations are bold and whimsical. They are crafted in the style of Mexican folk art, which fits the theme of the collection and complements the text perfectly.

Review Excerpt(s)
Booklist - "useful and attractively presented...stories are simply yet effectively retold...exuberant illustrations...illuminating introduction...An extensive bibliography...a solid collection"
School Library Journal - "Richly varied collection...distinctive flavor...stylish and humorous retellings...alive with bright color...a well-put-together package. Clearly superior...enjoyable volume."

Connections
*Other folktale collections:
Hayes, Joe. The Day It Snowed Tortillas/El dia que nevaron tortillas: Folktales told in Spanish and English. ISBN 0938317768
Mandela, Nelson. Nelson Mandela's Favorite African Folktales. ISBN 093329909
Milbourne, Anna. Stories from India. ISBN 0794511511

Cinderella Variant - Adelita: A Mexican Cinderella Story

Bibliography
dePaola, Tomie. 2002. Adelita: A Mexican Cinderella Story. by Tomie dePaola. New York: Puffin Books. ISBN 0142401870

Plot Summary
After the death of her mother and later, father, Adelita becomes servant to her stepmother and stepsisters, who evict the family housekeeper, Esperanza. One morning her stepmother announces they are invited to a party at Senor Gordillo's ranch to celebrate their son Javier's homecoming (who happens to be Adelita's childhood friend). Rumor is that he will be looking for a wife. Adelita is not allowed to go, but finds a way to get there and something to wear with the help of Esperanza. Upon first sight, Javier falls in love with her and looks for her after her early departure from the party. He remembers the beautifully embroidered shawl she wore and finds her when he sees it hanging from her window. They marry, invite Esperanza as their housekeeper, and live happily ever after.

Critical Analysis
Tomie dePaola's Mexican Cinderella story is a delightful folktale variant. The text is straightforward and spanish phrases and their translations are placed throughout the text to bring authenticity. The story has no magical elements, which makes for a more realistic tale.

The acrylic paintings display Mexican themed borders and colors. Details within the pictures such as religious objects, pottery, and Mexican themed decor create authentic-looking Mexican settings. DePaola does an excellent job capturing not only the Mexican culture, but also the reader's eye through his splendid illustrations.

Review Excerpt(s)
Publisher's Weekly - "There's no pumpkin coach or glass slipper in sight, but Cinderella fans will find much to like in dePaola's original twist, infused with Mexican warmth and color."
BookList - "DePaola uses all the familiar elements but removes much of the magic, giving this version a realistic patina that in no way diminishes listening enjoyment."

Connections
*This folktale variant can be compared and contrasted to the Disney version of Cinderella that we all know.
*Other Mexican Cinderella stories:
Coburn, Jewell Reinhart. Domitila: A Cinderella Tale from the Mexican Tradition. ISBN 1885008139
Hayes, Joe. Estrellita de oro/Little Gold Star: A Cinderella Cuento. ISBN 0938317687

Traditional Literature - The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses

Bibliography
Goble, Paul. 1978. The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses. by Paul Goble. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks. ISBN 0689716966

Plot Summary
The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses is a retelling of a Native American tale about a girl's love and special understanding of wild horses. One day, while she takes a nap among the grazing horses, a storm comes and separates the girl and pack of horses from the tribe. She lives contentedly with the horses until one day members of her tribe find her. They take her home to reunite with her people, but she becomes lonely and ill, because she longs to live with the wild horses. Sensing her special connection to the animals, her people allow her to return to roam free with the wild horses where she feels a true sense of belonging and happiness.

Critical Analysis
Paul Goble's retelling of this Native American folktale is smoothly done. The main character's special love for and connnection to the wild horses is truly felt throughout the story. The text lends itself to be read aloud and enjoyed, especially by those with a fondness for animals.

The illustrations are perfectly executed to compliment the text. The southwestern style watercolor paintings beatifully depict the Native American culture and the bold colors enhance the reader's feeling of the true beauty of nature.

Review Excerpt(s)
Horn Book - "Both storytelling and art express the harmony with and the the love of nature which characterize Native American culture."

Connections
*This is a great book to use for a Social Studies unit on Native Americans.
*Other Native American folktales:
DePaola, Tomie. The Lengend of the Indian Paintbrush. ISBN 0698113608
Oughton, Jerrie. How the Stars Fell into the Sky: A Navajo Legend. ISBN 0395779383
McDermott, Gerald. Arrow to the Sun: A Pueblo Indian Tale. ISBN 0140502114

A Caldecott Celebration: Six Artists and Their Paths to the Caldecott Medal

Bibliography
Marcus, Leonard S. 1998. A Caldecott Celebration: Six Artists and Their Paths to the Caldecott Medal. New York: Walker and Company. ISBN 0802786561

Plot Summary
Book historian Leonard S. Marcus celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Caldecott Medal by presenting the profiles of six winners of the award, one from each decade of the medal's history--Robert McCloskey, Marcia Brown, Maurice Sendak, William Steig, Chris Van Allsburg, and David Wiesner. The path to each artist's success as as a noted illustrator is shared with readers.

Critical Analysis
Marcus' introduction to the book explains the origin of the Caldecott Award and its significance. The profile of each artist featured is uniform in format. Each begins with a picture of the winning book's front cover, a photograph of the illustrator, the year in which the medal was awarded, brief biographical facts, the publisher, and the medium used to create the illustrations. A quote from the artist's acceptance speech is framed, creating interest to the reader.

Marcus dedicates five to eight pages to each artist, relating the artist's life and mixing it with commentary from the artist himself. The commentary is insightful, as it reveals the ways in which the artists work and their personal reactions to receiving the award. The pages attract attention with a multitude of illustrations, some of which show preliminary drawings leading up to the finished art for the winning book. This allows readers to see the evolution of the artists' ideas and get a more in depth understanding of the creation of a picture book.

Review Excerpt(s)
The Horn Book - "The text is remarkable for the smooth integration of explanatory material with overall commentary, and selective detail creates a sense of intimacy and understanding. The research never overpowers the narrative, but the reader knows that it is there--a firm footing for the structure it supports."
Book Report - "This 'celebration' supplies valuable background material for teachers and librarians and an informative and inspirational resource for students interested in picturebooks and their creators."

Connections
*Other books about the creation of chidren's picture books:
Salisbury, Martin. Illustrating Children's Books: Creating Pictures for Publication. ISBN 0764127179
Evans, Dilys. Show and Tell: Exploring the Fine Art of Children's Book Illustration. ISBN 0811849716

Picture Book: Leonardo the Terrible Monster

Bibliography
Willems, Mo. 2005. Leonardo and the Terrible Monster. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 0786852941

Plot Summary
In this comical picture book, Mo Willems writes about Leonardo, a monster who is terrible, that is, terrible at being a monster. He cannot scare anyone, so in desperation, he looks to find a scaredy-cat kid to scare "the tuna salad" out of. He finds Sam, a depressed and vunerable-looking boy. After his monster act, the victim sheds a tear, not out of horror, but because he is having a very bad day. This leads Leonardo to make an unexpected decision, to be Sam's friend instead of a terrible monster.

Critical Analysis
Willem's writing is simple but engaging. His comparisons of Leonardo to other scarier monsters creates a character we feel is desperate in his desire to be up to par. The text is printed in a large, unique font and all in caps, with certain words and phrases printed in a different color for added emphasis. Willem's illustrations are simple and uncluttered. His use of muted pastels convey mood, such as the gray background for depressed Sam and the purple background for gloomy Leonardo as he finds out about Sam's bad day.

Review Exerpt(s)
Bulletin for the Center for Children's Books - "In his visuals, Willems once again proves that a few well-paced lines, simple shapes, and evocative fonts can be wonderfully effective in the hands of a master animator."
The Horn Book - "Willem's story plays out like a theatrical perfomance on tall, uncluttered, muted-color pages.

Connections
*Other books about monsters:
Leuck, Laura. My Monster Mama Loves Me So. ISBN 0060088605
Sendak, Maurice. Where the Wild Things Are. ISBN 0064431789

Caldecott Award Medal Book: Flotsam

Bibliography
Wiesner, David.2006. Flotsam. by David Wiesner. New York, NY:Clarion Books. ISBN 0618194576

Plot Summary
In this beautifully crafted wordless picture book, David Wiesner shows the unexpected discovery of a young boy spending what initially seemed to be a regular day at the beach. That is, until an old camera washes up on shore. Photographs captured by the camera reveal to the boy a secret kind of underwater world he never could have imagined and a series of kids, who like him, happened to stumble upon the camera during their day at the beach.

Critical Analysis
Wiesner's watercolor illustrations do the talking as his sequence of scenes reaveal the story's events. Subtle tones are used to show scenes on the beach, while deeper and more vibrant tones are used to depict the fantastical underwater world. This secret underwater world is revealed in full page illustrations that capture the eye and stimulate the imagination. Wiesner ingeniously creates a photograph of a picture within a picture, within a picture and so on, to reveal to the boy all those who discovered the camera before him.

Review Excerpt(s)
The Horn Book - "The meticulous and rich detail of Wiesner's watercolors makes the fantasy involving and convincing."
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books - "There are a multitude of appeals in the story--the fanciful undersea world, the kids-only secret, the web of connections across time and distance--and Wiesner's cinematic visual narrative fills the story out cunningly."

Connections
*The worldless format of the book makes it great for students to write a story based on the illustrations.
*Other wordless picture books:
Lehman, Barbara. The Red Book. ISBN 0618428585
Bang, Molly. The Grey Lady and the Strawberry Snatcher. ISBN 0689803818