TALKIN' ABOUT BESSIE

By Nikki Grimes Illustrated by E. B. Lewis

Image Credit: www.librarything.com

1. Bibliography 

Grimes, Nikki, and Earl B. Lewis. Talkin' about Bessie: The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman. New York: Orchard, 2002. Print. ISBN 9780439352437

2. Plot Summary
Elizabeth Coleman is the first African American female that was licensed to fly a plane in the United States. Her story is told through the voices of people who knew her including her parents, flight instructor from France, and many others. Bessie was a girl who dreamed big and believed she could do anything she set her mind to including the being the first African American female to fly. 

3. Critical Analysis
TALKIN' ABOUT BESSIE is a biography of Elizabeth Coleman. The story is told through the voices of people who knew her and her dream of being an aviator. Nikki Grimes writes the story in free verse and dialect of the people attending her memorial service. The story is told chronologically and builds to a final entry of Bessie telling her experience of flying. Grimes includes source references to Bessie Coleman and aviation on the last page. 

Many cultural markers are present in the story. Many of the cultural markers include dialect of people such as: "Yessir! You might could say Bessie bore some watchin'"  We also see reference to the "one-room Colored schoolhouse" and the many chores that Bessie had to complete including the laundry done by using the washboard. 

E. B. Lewis' illustrations include full pages that show events of Bessie's life including her singing with the University band at her local church. The illustrations show people of African descent and many of the obstacles Bessie had to overcome to become a pilot. This included the many chores and cotton picking. The illustrations help the reader to see who Bessie was and her joy of flying.

I found this story to be very interesting and would be a good read for children in 3rd grade and above. This story helps the readers to understand the many struggles of African Americans.

4. Review Excepts and Awards
~2003 Coretta Scott King Author Honor

~2003 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award

~HORN BOOK (3/2003): "Watercolors on facing pages evoke each incident and often soften the harshness in Coleman's life. Grimes separates fact from fiction in an introduction and an endnote. Like Bessie, this tribute to her life soars."

~KIRKUS (10/2002): " The handsome design, large format, and beautiful artwork make this very attractive, but the lack of source notes or clarification of what's fictionalized-especially quotes-and the strange opening scene set at Bessie's wake as she speaks to her mother from her photo on the mantel, will leave many readers confused."

5. Connections
~This story could be read as an introduction to the life of Bessie Coleman. After reading the story, students could research more about her and use a web 2.0 tool to share their findings.

JOHN HENRY 

By Julius Lester Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

Image Credit: www.betterworldbooks.com 

1. Bibliography 

Lester, Julius, Jerry Pinkney, and Jane Byers. Bierhorst. John Henry. New York: Dial, 1994. Print. ISBN 9780803716070

2. Plot Summary

JOHN HENRY is a traditional literature story of the man that was known to be larger than life. At John Henry's birth, he began to grow instantly and began a man who was faster than a horse and  stronger than a machine. He challenged a machine operator to see who could tunnel through a mountain the fastest. John Henry swung his sledge hammers so fast while winning the challenge that rainbows surrounded him. 

3. Critical Analysis

JOHN HENRY is a traditional literature story from an African American folktale. This story is extremely fasted paced. From the time of John Henry's birth he is already growing into a young man. Lester used descriptive writing that most children can understand including "the air seemed to be dancing to the rhythm of his hammers" and "it was as hard as anger and so big around." Lester included a brief background on the legend of John Henry before the story begins. This will help readers to have a better foundation of John Henry before reading the story.

Cultural Markers for the story include various phrase like "Didn't nobody see John Henry" and "drinking a soda mom." Many children will need to use picture and context clues to understand the meaning of soda mom. Through this writing children will be exposed to language that was used in the past by African Americans. The reader is also exposed to the respect that children have for their elders including working on the house. John Henry also confronts the "meanest man in the state" where John Henry won the race and Freddy became nice.

In the illustrations by Jerry Pinkney we see many cultural markers including skin tone, facial features, and hairstyles. Even though the story moves quickly at the beginning, the illustrations help the reader to keep up with the pace.  The illustrations are mostly full page with colors that are blended using pencils, colored pencils, and watercolors. Pinkney helps the reader to comprehend how fast baby John Henry grew by using the illustrations to show him jumping from his mother's arms and the expressions on the faces of his parents. The illustrations also portray how big and strong John Henry was compared to others.

4. Review Excepts
~HORN BOOK (3/1995): "The original legend of John Henry and how he beat the steam drill with his sledgehammer has been enhanced and enriched, in Lester's retelling, with wonderful contemporary details and poetic similes that add humor, beauty, and strength. Pinkney's evocative illustrations -- especially the landscapes, splotchy and impressionistic, yet very solid and vigorous -- are little short of magnificent."

~SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (11/1994): " It will appeal to an older audience than Ezra Jack Keats's John Henry (Knopf, 1987) and is a fine addition to any folklore collection."

5. Connections
~ After reading this story, students can research the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad that went through West Virginia

~Read other stories about John Henry and compare contrast the stories.

A COOL MOONLIGHT

By Angela Johnson

Image Credit: www.goodreads.com

1. Bibliographic 

Johnson, Angela. A Cool Moonlight. New York: Puffin Books, 2003. Print. ISBN 0803728468

2. Plot Summary

Lila is a young girl who is about to turn nine years old and hasn't been in the sunlight since she was a baby. Lila was born with a rare allergy to the sun and some artificial lights, xeroderma pigmentosum. Lila is a child who stays up late at night to play outside in the moonlight and is home schooled by her mother during the day. Lila has two friends who only come to see her when she is playing in the moonlight alone, Alyssa and Elizabeth. With the help of these two friends and a "sun bag", Lila has decided that when she turns nine she will be able to go into the sunlight just like everyone else. 

3. Critical Analysis

A COOL MOONLIGHT by Angela Johnson is a short novel and consist of many things imaginary. At the beginning of the story the reader is left to believe that Lila's friends, Alyssa and Elizabeth are real until Lila's older sister never gets a chance to see them.  The reader is left trying to figure out what is real and what is fake throughout the story. Around the middle of the story I begin to think that Alyssa and Elizabeth were make believe friends until Lila sees them at a department store.  Then you begin to wonder again until the end of the story when Lila is being lifted into the air by fireflies. Most children will believe that Alyssa and Elizabeth were fireflies all along.

In the story we see a strong family bond who does everything they can to take care of Lila.  The mother home schools Lila, the older sister Monk takes Lila into town at night to hang out, and their father works nights so that he can be home during the day for Lila. Lila also has a birthday party at night and the family has taken night vacations in the past.

I could not distinguish any cultural markers in this story. The language in the story does not distinguish it as African American dialect. Dad comes home one morning and ask "what's up, kid?" This could be a phase used by anyone. The conversations in the story were simple sentences and much of the story was from Lila's point of view. Angela Johnson did not use any capitalization in the book including proper names. The language is simple sentences and with lots of white spaces. The only illustrations present in the book were of the sun and moon. Johnson uses words that describe the situation well for the reader including descriptive words. "it'll be just like a movie, me walking on the beach in the sun. seagulls will fly over and dive-bomb fish out in the water...it's going to be warm on my face with no blisters or burning."  

4. Review Excepts

~KIRKUS (9/2003): "Poignant, evocative, and as lingering as sunburn, Lila's story is one of courage, hope, and dreams."

~BOOKLIST (10/2003): "Though few readers suffer from Lila’s illness, many will recognize the ragged path she consciously takes as she lets go of a fantasy that has sustained her and begins to leave childhood behind. The book’s real magic resides in the spell cast by Johnson’s spare, lucid, lyrical prose. Using simple words and vivid sensory images, she creates Lila’s inner world as a place of quiet intensity— spun gossamer that proves immensely, unexpectedly strong."

5. Connections

~After reading this story, students could research more about the skin condition and how the condition is being treated. 

~Students could respond to the prompt, "If you couldn't go into the sunlight, what would you do and how would you interact with friends that could?"

SOLDIER BEAR

By: Bibi Dumon Tak Illustrated by: Phillip Hopman

Image Credit: www.hbook.com

1. Bibliography

Dumon, Tak Bibi., and Philip Hopman. Soldier Bear. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2011. ISBN 9780802853752

2. Plot Summary

During World War II, some Polish soldiers come across a newborn Syrian brown bear.  These soldiers adopt the bear and give him the name Voytek. Voytek becomes the soldier's mascot and a member of their family.  Voytek loves to take showers and raid the kitchen tents during his time at war. Voytek even helps the soldiers carry ammunition which leads to him being the official mascot for the transport company and listed as "Private Voytek." 

3. Critical Analysis

SOLDIER BEAR is a historical fiction novel set during World War II in British camps. Through this bear, not only the soldiers who adopted him, but many other soldiers are able to find peace. The soldiers are able to remember that there is life outside war and a future. Voytek is the soldier who helped to cheer others while drinking beer, eating cigarettes, and standing on his head. Through SOLDIER BEAR we are able to see the sadness and death of war. Voytek helps the soldiers to bond and become like family.

The illustrations include simple black and white drawings including some maps. These illustrations are usually located at the beginning of chapters with a few illustrations within the chapters. Through the illustrated maps, readers are able to get a sense of  World War II from a Polish / British position along with the challenges of fighting the Germans. 

Many of the cultural markings for SOLDIER BEAR consist of the location of the soldiers and various phrases. "Now I could do with a drink myself." The readers will understand in America that means, "Now I could have a drink myself." We are also presented with words such as quagmire and beret. Many children will be able to use context clues to understand the meanings of these words while others will need to consult a dictionary. Another cultural marking includes when the soldiers encounter a family who speaks in Italian. "The bear! The Bear! he shouted in Italian." The readers are able to understand that the characters of the story are among people of other cultures.  

Since this novel is historically based, the author neglected to include references for students to follow which is seen as a weakness. Also, sources for the photos located in the back of the book should have been included.

4. Review Excepts

~2012 Batchelder Award

~SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (February 2012): "This fictionalized account is an unusual and humorous perspective on wartime experiences. Photographs enrich the truth of the story."

~LIBRARY MEDIA CONNECTION (Jan/Feb 2012): "This is a most unusual and engaging book."

5. Connections

~Read this story as an introduction to a study unit on World War II.

~After reading this novel, research more about Voytek and the emblem he was honored with.

DOG IN BOOTS

By: Greg Gormley Illustrated by: Roberta Angaramo

Image Credit: www.thereisabookforthat.com

1. Bibliography

Gormley, Greg, and Roberta Angaramo. Dog in Boots. New York: Holiday House, 2011. ISBN 9780823423477

2. Plot Summary

After reading the story PUSS IN BOOTS, Dog thinks that he needs boots as well. He visits the shoe shop numerous times to request boots that are good for digging, swimming, scratching, or running. Every time he tries to complete a task with the boots and does not succeed. He returns the boots to the store because they are not quite right. After multiple trips, he finally asks the shop owner if he has boots "for digging and swimming and scratching and running." The shopkeeper reminds Dog that he has "paws," which are good for digging, swimming, scratching, and running. Dog then tries out his paws and realizes that they are perfect. Dog finally goes home and finds another story to read about a little girl in a red hood.

3. Critical Analysis
This simple fictional picture book is a wonderful read for children who are learning repetitive themes in literature. We see that Dog always returns to the shoe shop, but leaves with a pair a shoes that are only good for one task. Through this story, children are reminded that they should use what they were given.

DOG IN BOOTS does not have many cultural markings even though the author, Greg Gormley lives in England. One cultural marking is when Dog runs around the queen's pond and she scolds him for doing so. The story lacks a time frame and physical setting. If the physical setting of England were present, children would be able to see more cultural markings. A few words that are not used very often in America were present in the book.  These words included dreadful, fashionable, and magnificent. This alerts the reader that the story was written in England. Most young children will probably not be able to pick up on this use of terminology.

The illustrations help to bring the story to life and help the reader to keep up with the fast paced plot. The illustrations include many full pages and bright colors. Through the illustrations, the readers are able to see the challenges that Dog faces in each pair of shoes including his surprise when "he went flying head over high heels." At the very end of the book on the inside cover, we see Dog in various hats after reading the story of a girl in "a lovely red hood". Children will be able to predict what happened with hats compared to the shoes.

This is a wonderful story for a preschool read aloud.  I feel that the author should have included more cultural markers to help students see England through the characters.

4. Review Experts
~BOOKLIST (March 2011): "With a repetitive text filled with sly, kid-friendly jokes and comical, expressive acrylic paintings, this title exudes storytime fun."

~KIRKUS (February 2011): "Children will identify with Dog's good-natured struggle through trial and error, fall in love with the evocative and funny illustrations and laugh out loud at the satisfying ending. A truly enjoyable selection and a nice follow-up to a favorite fairy tale, just right for reading aloud."

~Texas 2x2 Reading List 2012

5. Connections
~As a class, have students write a sequel to the story called, "Dog in Hoods"
~After reading the story, have children design a shoe they would like to see Dog use.

KOALA LOU

By: Mem Fox Illustrated by: Pamela Lofts

Image Credit: www.mylittlebookcase.com.au

1. Bibliography

Fox, Mem, and Pamela Lofts. Koala Lou. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1989. ISBN 0152005021

2. Plot Summary

Koala Lou is a young koala who lives with her mother in Australia. Koala Lou is loved by her mother and is often reminded of this when her mother tells her, "Koala Lou, I DO love you!"  Over time things change and Koala Lou's family begins to grow. Her mother is busy with the younger siblings and doesn't remind Koala Lou of her love. Koala Lou feels that she should make her mother proud of her by winning the Bush Olympics. Unfortunately Koala Lou does not win, but her mother reminds her that she has always loved her and always will. 

3. Critical Analysis

KOALA LOU is set in Australia which is also home to author Mem Fox. In our story we see many animals that are from Australia through the illustrations. These animals include an emu, kangaroo, and a parrot to mention a few.  The illustrations are brightly colored and help to bring the text to life. On many pages we find a window (square) showing the reader the world of Koala Lou

Through this fictional story, we are reminded that the story was written with an Australian origin. The reader is reminded of this in the phrase "How're ya goin', blossom?" Another term we find in KOALA LOU is "gum tree" which refers to the eucalyptus that is found in Australia. The gum tree is also seen in the illustrations as Koala Lou's home and challenges during the Bush Olympics. 

This story is a reminder to children that they are loved by their mothers even when life becomes busy. The author uses this story line to help readers connect emotionally which is a strength for this book. Many children who have younger siblings will be able to relate with Koala Lou.  This story is idea for children who are facing new additions to their family and possible disappointments. They will be reminded of their mother's love for them.

4. Review Excepts

~HORN BOOK (02/1990) "In a gentle tale set in the Australian bush, Koala Lou wants to win the Bush Olympics. A good choice for story hour, bedtime, or reading aloud. Review, p. 757."

~KIRKUS REVIEW (1989) "This satisfying reworking of a familiar and ever-important theme is appealingly illustrated--bright colors, soft-edged sculptural forms, precise detail, dozens of expressive animals. Another winning import from one of Australia's favorite authors."

5. Connections

~Read this story during Mother's Day to help children remember the love that their mothers have for them.

~Use the story to help children deal with the new additions to their family and compare their feelings to the feelings of Koala Lou.

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