Dragon’s Gate

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Yep, Laurence. 1993. DRAGON’S GATE. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. ISBN 0-06-440489-7

AWARD(S) and STARS

• John Newbery Medal, Honor Book, 1994
• Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal, 2005

PLOT SUMMARY
Part of the Golden Mountain Chronicles, Dragon’s Gate is the story of Otter, adopted by a wealthy family friend living in Three Willows Village, China. Through an unfortunate accident, he kills a Manchu and must leave his “charmed life” to go to the “Land of the Golden Mountain”- America, to work with his Uncle Firefox and Father Squeaky constructing the transcontinental railroad. Otter befriends a young westerner named Sean, the son of the railroad bosses, realizing he’s an “outcast among outcasts,” yet heir to his uncle’s dreams and wisdom, he learns to “change things or go on being changed by events.” Through his tribulations and those of others – frostbite, whippings, explosions and an avalanche, Otter shows his ingenuity and backbone becoming the man he’s meant to be.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Laurence Yep weaves the events of 1865 to 1869 as he tells the story of 14-year-old Otter, the heir of his adoptive father Squeaky and Uncle Foxfire. He begins the story with great detail depicting the time and events occurring in China. The Chinese culture emerges throughout the book sometimes through conversations between Otter and his friend Sean like when they talk about chopsticks and forks. Vivid descriptions bring the reader to each scene, for example, “storm clouds like black-hulled warships on the attack” or “the (snow-covered) ridge reminded me of a tiger crouching, ready to spring.” Readers will relate to Otter as he changes becoming strong and unites his fellow workers.

Throughout the book Yep uses italics to indicate when the characters are speaking English instead of a Chinese dialect. At the conclusion of the book, an afterwards tells about the writing of Dragon’s Gate, the real events within the story and thanks to those who made it possible. Yep also includes a brief list of references aiding those interested in learning more about these events.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

• BOOKLIST (1994) – “This is an engaging survival-adventure story, a social history, a heroic quest. While the long tale brings together the many hardships known to have been suffered by Chinese laborers--cold and hunger, poverty and exhaustion, maimings and death--it is leavened by some humor. The language has an appealing naturalism, and the concerns (equality, identity, family loyalty, ethnic conflict) are universally human.”
• KIRKUS (1993) – “In a story enlivened with humor and heroism, Yep pays tribute to the immigrants who played such a vital role in our country's history.”
• SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (1994) – “Combining believable characters with thrilling adventure, Yep convinces readers that the Chinese railroad workers were indeed men to match the towering mountains of the west. Because the first few chapters, set in China, may be a bit confusing to children who have not read the previous two books, this will likely need booktalking.”

CONNECTIONS

• This story is the tale of a Chinese immigrant during the construction of the transcontinental railroad. There are other tales of Chinese immigrants. Offering an array of books both fiction and nonfiction about immigration would enrich the knowledge of the “melting pot” of America and strengthen students’ understanding of diversity. Here are a few books to consider:
• THE DRAGON’S CHILD: A STORY OF ANGEL ISLAND by Lawrence Yep, ISBN 978-0060276928
• PUZZLE OF THE PAPER DAUGHTER: A JULIE MYSTERY by Kathryn Reiss, ISBN 978-1593696580
• LANDED by Milly Lee, ISBN 978-0374343149
• THE GOLD RUSH: CHINESE IMMIGRANTS COME TO AMERICA (1848-1882) by Jeremy Thornton, ISBN 978-0823989591

·         The building of the transcontinental railroad was a momentous occasion in United States history. Researching about the construction of the railroad and its effects would make students realize its effect. Also learning about the railroad and its uses today would help students realize its impact. If available, visiting a nearby railroad museum would be invaluable. To start, visiting Yahoo! Kids list of eight sites: http://kids.yahoo.com/directory/Around-the-World/Countries/United-States/History/Westward-Movement/Transcontinental-Railroad . 

Hattie Big Sky

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Larson, Kirby. 2006. HATTIE BIG SKY. New York, NY: Delacorte Press. ISBN 978-0385735957

AWARD(S) and STARS

• John Newbery Medal, Honor Book, 2007
• School Library Journal Book Review Stars, 2006
• Booklist Book Review Stars, 2006
• YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, 2007
• Cybil Award, 2006

PLOT SUMMARY

Orphaned at five years old and moved from place to place, Hattie Brooks, or “Hattie Big Sky” as she names herself, inherits a Montana homestead from her uncle. In 1917, as her friend Charlie “fights the Kaisers” in France and living in a nine by twelve foot claim shack, Hattie learns through hardships and victories that the most important element to living the life of a homesteader is friendship. Hattie’s sense of humor, strong work ethic and stick-to-itiveness help her through a winter blizzard, a wolf attack, planting crops, a drought, anti-German sentiment, and the birth of a neighbor’s baby with help from her new friends. Little does Hattie know, but she’s the reason Charlie wants to head to Montana too.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Told in the first person, Kirby Larson uses humor, creativeness, and historical elements to bring the reader to the early 1900s in the wide expanses of Montana. Interspersed throughout the text are accurate accounts of this historical time like the beginning of Daylight Savings Time, World War I, petticoats and spittoons, using the “Monkey Ward catalog” for toilet paper in the outhouse, taking irons off the wood burning stove, and fetching water from the pump to warm for a bath. Similar references to the Montana setting are made like when it’s explained that buffalo chips are used for fires in the stove instead of wood. Larson uses numerous similes and metaphors to help the reader understand the text and relate to Hattie – “greeted by a sky like a gray flannel crazy quilt” or “blood began to simmer like sage hen stew.” Added features are the letters Hattie writes to her Uncle Holt and friend Charlie, as well as newspaper articles she writes which help document somewhat like a journal events in her life.  

Larson begins the book with brief acknowledgements and in the end shares two recipes, author’s notes and suggests further reading about Montana from books she read for her research. According to her notes, many of the scenes in the novel are based on real events her great-grandmother encountered ash she homesteaded alone in Montana.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

·         BOOKLIST (2006) – “Writing in figurative language that draws on nature and domestic detail to infuse her story with the sounds, smells, and sights of the prairie, she creates a richly textured novel full of memorable characters.”

·         CHILDREN'S LITERATURE (2006) – “This well-researched and gripping novel firmly places its lively heroine in loneliness and debt on her rugged uncle's land claim….. (Hattie’s) discovery of enormous strength within herself as she makes independent decisions on what is right, how to lead her life, and build her character makes this a delightful and empowering book for young women who will enjoy some of the eccentric Montana characters as much as Hattie's forthrightness and intimate concerns.”

·         KIRKUS (2006) – “Based on a bit of Larson's family history, this is not so much a happily-ever-after story as a next-year-will-be-better tale, with Hattie's new-found definition of home. This fine offering may well inspire readers to find out more about their own family histories.”

CONNECTIONS

• Most communities have historical centers or homes which can offer an opportunity for personal experience with items from the early 1900s. Visiting these centers or bringing someone from the center to talk to students about that time period would bring to life the trials that Hattie experienced.
• Many references are made to items that were used in the 1900s that are no longer used now. Students can compile a list of those items and research what they were, how they were used and what they looked like. Then students can determine what items are used now instead and create a “Before and Now” display. Some items mentioned in the novel are: outhouses, party line phones, petticoats, homemade salve for blisters, spittoons, wagons, buffalo chips for fuel, and washboards.
• The novel offers two recipes – Perilee’s Wartime Spice Cake and Hattie’s Lighter-Than-Lead Biscuits. These would be good to serve during a presentation of projects centered on the historical events depicted in the novel or during literature circles.

One Crazy Summer

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Williams-Garcia, Rita. 2010. ONE CRAZY SUMMER. New York, NY: HarperCollins Children’s Books. ISBN 978-0-06-076089-2

AWARD(S) and STARS

• Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction, 2011
• John Newbery Medal, Honor Book, 2011
• Coretta Scott King Book Award, 2011
• Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of the Year, 2001
• Booklist Book Review Stars, 2010
• Kirkus Book Review Stars, 2010
• School Library Journal Book Review Stars, 2010

PLOT SUMMARY
During the late 60s, Delphine Clark and her sisters, Fern and Vonetta, fly to spend a month during the summer with their mother, a self-claimed poet, who left them seven years earlier and doesn’t want them now reflected in her comments like “I didn’t send for you.” and “Didn’t want you in the first place.” Having grown up with their father and under the stern but loving grandmother Big Ma, the girls try to understand their mother Cecile Johnson, also known as Nzila, and gain her love. In charge of her sisters from the time they left Brooklyn and all throughout their stay in Oakland, California, Delphine uses her ingenuity and strong will to protect them. She bathes them, feeds them and even comforts them through difficult times. Much of their time is spent at a summer camp sponsored by the Black Panthers staying out of their mother’s hair and learning to be proud of who they are regardless of skin color or who their mother is. Through their courage and respect, they earn their mother’s attention and her form of love.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Narrated by Delphine, the oldest of three African-American sisters, One Crazy Summer takes readers through the adventures the three have while in the care of their mother. The characters are realistic, funny and each have a voice of their own depicting typical sibling relationships and rivalry. Rita Williams-Garcia sensitively adds historically significant events that occurred during this tumultuous time in America’s history like the Vietnam War, the jailing of Huey Newton, young Bobby Hutton’s shooting and the underground circulations of the Black Panthers. She  artfully includes small details about the era by adding titles of current TV programs such as, Mighty Mouse, Captain Kangaroo, Hogan’s Heroes, The Mike Douglas Show and by describing the “”white hippies with long, hanging hair.” Throughout the book, readers will appreciate Delphine’s strength and courage and question her mother’s parenting skills or lack thereof.

Readers will be drawn into the book by the beautiful jacket art by Sally Wern Comport as Delphine “reminisces” about her One Crazy Summer daydreaming. Similar to art produced in the 60s, she reflects the setting with the bright hot yellow sun and cars from that time.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

• SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (2010) – “Emotionally challenging and beautifully written, this book immerses readers in a time and place and raises difficult questions of cultural and ethnic identity and personal responsibility. With memorable characters (all three girls have engaging, strong voices) and a powerful story, this is a book well worth reading and rereading.”
• BOOKLIST(2010) – “Set during a pivotal moment in African American history, this vibrant novel shows the subtle ways that political movements affect personal lives; but just as memorable is the finely drawn, universal story of children reclaiming a reluctant parent’s love.”
• COOPERATIVE CHILDREN'S BOOK CENTER (2011) – “Rita Williams-Garcia’s fresh, funny novel resonates with depth and meaning that comes through the brilliant characterizations, sparkling dialogue, and a stunningly realistic recreation of a time and place in a story that concludes with a surprising, yet wholly satisfying resolution. She’s created a small masterpiece of a middle-grade novel that will have broad child appeal.”

CONNECTIONS

• Kekla Magoon’s The Rock and the River would be a good companion book to One Crazy Summer to compare and contrast the historical context, characters, and themes. Its strong protagonist is a 13-year-old boy also with ties to the Black Panthers. These would be good books to read in correlation to a study on the Civil Rights Movement.
• This book is rich with conversations between the sisters and others making this an excellent book for reader’s theater.
• Invite students to listen to Rita Williams-Garcia as she reads an excerpt of the book at http://www.teachingbooks.net/book_reading.cgi?id=4049&a=1.
• The Vierbo University offers a downloadable unit plan at http://www.viterbo.edu/uploadedFiles/academics/letters/english/UnitPlanOneCrazySummer.pdfwhich includes discussion questions, daily writing prompts, vocabulary exercises, research projects, information on 1968 and more.

Almost Gone: The World’s Rarest Animals

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Jenkins, Steve. 2006. ALMOST GONE: THE WORLD’S RAREST ANIMALS. Ill. by Steve Jenkins. New York, NY: HarperCollins Children’s Books. ISBN 978-0-06-053598-8

AWARD(S) and STARS

• School Library Journal Book Review Stars, 2006

PLOT SUMMARY
Are there any more crested shelduck in China? How about Miami blue butterflies in Florida? When was the last time someone saw a golden lion tamarin in the tropical forests of Brazil? Investigate animals that are near extinction and some that “gone forever” in Almost Gone: The World’s Rarest Animals. While discovering which animals are endangered, learn where to find these creatures and why their numbers are diminishing.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

In this Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Stage 2 series book, Almost Gone: The World’s Rarest Animals, Steve Jenkins introduces rare and extinct animals in short informative paragraphs. He prefaces the animal pages with a statement about the difficulty in counting these animals and that the accuracy of the number of remaining creatures can be questioned. He also gives an example in an introduction of the interconnectivity of the ecosystem using the life of a chickadee. Three sections are included: animals that are “almost gone”, “gone forever” and “coming back.” A world map can be found at the back of the book showing where each animal’s natural habitat is located and their average sizes.

Jenkins, known for his unique creative style, captures the essence of each creature using colored, cut or torn paper collages to create each of the illustrations. The front cover dons an Amur leopard, but frustratingly, there isn’t an informational paragraph about this creature, yet it is located on the map. Although informative, a researcher would need to investigate further sources for in depth facts about each animal. 

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

• School Library Journal (2006) – “This engaging title is informative as well as visually stunning.”
• Kirkus (2006) – “Although the breadth both geographically and zoologically is as complete as the 40-page picture-book format can allow, with the exception of an introduction, little attempt is made to contextualize the global dimensions of extinction and its effects on biodiversity-and why readers should be concerned.”
• The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (2006) – “Since there’s no connecting narrative, this is more like a series of thumbnail encyclopedia entries, and since there’s no rationale for inclusion of these particular species over other endangered, extinct, and reviving species, the selections seem somewhat random. Jenkins’ textured-paper composite figures retain their usual elegance, with color variations subtly suggesting the shimmer of scales or the shine of glistening skin.”

CONNECTIONS

• Research the animals in the book to see if there has been progress made in saving the animals close to extinction or research other animals that may be extinct or close to extinction and write a detailed informative paragraph similar to those that Steve Jenkins has written, then create a diorama of the animal in its natural habitat.
• Research zoos that have animals in captivity in order to protect them and increase their numbers. Then have the students write to that zoo to gain information about those animals and what the zoo is doing to help the animals.

Blizzard: The Storm that Changed America

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Murphy, Jim. 2000. BLIZZARD: THE STORM THAT CHANGED AMERICA. New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc.

AWARD(S) and STARS

• Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal, 2001
• Booklist Book Review Stars, 2001
• Bulletin Blue Ribbons, 2000
• Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of the Year, 2001
• Kirkus Book Review Stars, 2000
• School Library Journal book Review Stars, 2000
• YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, 2002

PLOT SUMMARY

In 1888, the greatest blizzard to date hit the East Coast. Lasting for three days, the “white and hostile visitor lurking outside” stopped trains, took down power lines and trapped hundreds of people away from home. This riveting account chronologically takes the reader through the events of the terrible storm, dotted with other historical facts including construction details about the Brooklyn Bridge, the creation of the subway system and other significant winter storms. Follow the individual accounts of various people like Sergeant Francis Long who climbed the 200 feet pole to fix the anemometer which measured and recorded the wind velocity during the storm. Learn how the people survived, or didn’t; adapted to the weather like burrowing in a snow cave to escape the brutal weather; and what changes came about as a result of this mighty natural disaster.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

With sensitivity, humor and documented detail, Jim Murphy shares the harrowing experiences of those affected by the “Great Blizzard” during the 19^th century. Without sensualizing the storm, each event is written accurately showing the determination and fortitude of some, the lack of sense of others and the effects of such an unrelenting storm. Written narratively, Murphy weaves first-hand accounts of the storm with newspaper accounts, weather maps, actual photographs and illustrations documenting this traumatic time. Each of these additional features is accompanied by an explanatory caption further enhancing the text’s factual information. Murphy takes the reader beyond the events of the storm by outlining the long-term impact on how we live in the United States today, for example, buried company wires, tougher ordinances for clean streets and detailed emergency plans.  Also included are an index and “Notes of Sources and Related Reading Materials” to assist the reader or researcher.  

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

·         Booklist (2001) – “Like Murphy's award-winning The Great Fire (1995), this is an example of stellar nonfiction. The haunting jacket illustration grabs attention, and the dramatic power of the splendid narrative, coupled with carefully selected anecdotes, newspaper accounts, and vintage and contemporary photos, will keep the pages turning. Murphy does a fine job describing the incredible storm, the reasons behind the tragic consequences, and the terrifying fates of victims.”

·         Children's Literature (2001) - “Murphy provides the personal touch with his accounts of individuals; some survived the storm and others did not. His clear and even-handed approach to describing the details makes this a page-turner.”

·         Kirkus (2000) – “Murphy's ability to pull in details that lend context allows him to tell this story of a place in time through the lens of a single, dramatic episode that will engage readers. This is skillfully done: humorous, jaw-dropping, thought-provoking, and chilling.”

CONNECTIONS

• Using a Venn diagram or chart, compare and contrast the blizzard of 1888 to more recent blizzards or with those discussed in the book. Discussion points can be made about the resources that are now available compared to the resources in 1888, what types of equipment are now available for blizzard-like weather, and invite participants to discuss how their families deal with emergency situations.
• The book discusses changes that occurred after this mighty storm such as each community created detailed emergency plans. Students can find out what their community’s emergency plan is for their type of extreme weather (tornadoes, snow storms, hurricanes) and create an educational poster to share with classmates or post in the community.
• This book discusses a natural phenomenon that occurred in 1888. Students may not know much about that time; students can research what the time period was like – what did people wear, what was the transportation like, what kind of music was popular, how many states were there in the United States? Time can be allotted to develop questions to research and then find the answers using various resources. After the information has been researched, students can present the information or write and illustrate an informational paragraph to be compiled into a class book.

Lincoln Tells a Joke: How Laughter Saved the President (and the Country)

BIBLIOGRAPHY Krull, Kathleen and Paul Brewer. 2010. LINCOLN TELLS A JOKE: HOW LAUGHTER SAVED THE PRESIDENT (AND THE COUNTRY). Ill. by Stacy Innerst. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-15-206639-0

AWARD(S) and STARS

• Publishers Weekly Book Review Stars, 2010
• School Library Journal Book Review Stars, 2010

PLOT SUMMARY
Did you know Abraham Lincoln was a poet? Or that he had a wart on his cheek? How about that he was six feet four inches tall? Well, you may be familiar with these facts, but did you realize our sixteenth president had a sense of humor? Lincoln Tells a Joke: How Laughter Saved the President (and the Country) shares Lincoln’s life from his birth in 1809 to his death at age fifty-six imbedding funny sayings from Lincoln himself, like when he told a neighbor, “It’s a great day for a race . . . . The human race!” Because of his extraordinary height and unusual looks, Lincoln could be heard poking fun at himself – “Common-looking people are the best in the world; that is the reason the Lord makes so many of them.” Humor helped him through sticky situations, yet not all “folks” appreciated its worth. Reading through the life of Lincoln in this biography will give you a sense of the historical events occurring during this time while tickling your funny bone!

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The couple, Kathleen Krull and Paul Brewer, approaches biography writing with a twist using interesting little known facts and humor. Although a brief list, Krull and Brewer use sources from 1901 to the present, as well as, “remarks passed on by eyewitnesses: some second-hand, third-hand, or further removed,” accurately and sequentially describing the events in Lincoln’s life including the funny excerpts readers will hope for after reading the title. Using a picture book style, students will be engaged with the text from beginning to end making this a good book for introducing biographies and Lincoln’s life. Krull and Brewer use different fonts to emphasize changes in time, show his mighty high-pitched “HEE HEE!”and to indicate actual words from Lincoln.

Stacy Innerst uses colorfully textured comical caricatures to bring the story of Lincoln to life from his lanky seventeen-year-old body too tall for the book’s page to his teetering pile of office papers while serving as a lawyer. Innerst includes many subtle hints of Lincoln’s life within the illustrations like the Quinn’s Jests book in his hands as a child and as the statue, the exaggerated height difference between his wife Mary Todd and himself, and a poster indicating his candidacy for the Illinois State Legislature. Children of all ages will be laughing “Ha, HA, ha, hA!” throughout the book.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

• Children’s Literature (2010) – “This innovative picture-book biography of the sixteenth president presents Lincoln’s life and legacy through the unusual lens of laughter, focusing on Lincoln’s sense of humor as both a coping mechanism in a life haunted by hardship and a political tool to win elections and then to govern a tragically divided nation.”
• Booklist (2010) – “Innerst’s acrylic artwork feels homey and humorous, very much in the style of his previous work with Krull, M is for Music (2003), and while not every word or picture is necessarily a hoot and a holler, they do present a positive portrait that humanizes the lionized man for whom it was “a love of laughter that kept him going.”
• School Library Journal (2010) – “Children will be drawn in by the straightforward prose, and librarians will enjoy sharing the book aloud.”

CONNECTIONS

• The authors include a link at the back of the book (www.lincolnbicentennial.gov/lincolns-life/words-and-speeches) to Lincoln’s “famous serious words.” Although not a working link, students can go to http://abrahamlincoln200.org/ to find out more information about Lincoln and his life.
• Using excerpts from this book, students can write a monologue of facts as told by Lincoln, then dress up as Lincoln to read it to a group.
• Compare this book with other picture books about Abraham Lincoln. Create a chart listing facts in common and different in each of the books. Here are some books to consider:

o   A PICTURE BOOK OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN  by David Adler, ISBN 978-082340816

o   ABE LINCOLN: THE BOY WHO LOVED BOOKS by Kay Winters, ISBN 978-1416912682

o   ABE LINCOLN’S HAT by Martha Brenner, ISBN 978-0679849773

o   ABRAHAM LINCOLN by Ingri and Edgar Parin D’Aulaire, ISBN 978-1893103269

Dark Emperor at OneTrueMedia.com

I hope you enjoy the following book trailer!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Button Up!: Wrinkled Rhymes

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Schertle, Alice. 2009. BUTTON UP!: WRINKLED RHYMES. Ill. by Petra Mathers. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-15-205050-4

AWARD(S) and STARS

• Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, 2010
• Paterson Prize for Books for Young People, 2010
• Booklist Book Review Stars, 2009
• Kirkus Book Review Stars, 2009
• School Library Journal Book Review Stars, 2009

PLOT SUMMARY

Childhood experiences are remembered throughout this unique book of poetry about clothes. While adorning various animal characters, the shoelaces “hang loose,” and the old t-shirt is offended it’s become a “dust rag.” Children will giggle reading about “Emily’s Undies” and “Clyde’s Costume” of gingham. An ostrich wearing a wool turtleneck sweater and pigs cavorting in mud or swimming the backstroke will surely delight children of all ages.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Each of the 15 poems that Alice Schertle has created tells a story about an article of clothing in its own voice and tone. The poems are spoken from the clothing’s point of view playfully sharing perspectives on how clothes might interpret their relationship with the person they’re on; for instance, “The Song of Harvey’s Galoshes” or “Hand-me-down Sweatshirt.” Schertle uses onomatopoeia, alliteration, lists and rhyme to expertly express the “feelings” of the clothing so children will be able to relate to their own experiences with dressing up.

Petra Mathers’ painted illustrations are perfectly suited for these witty verses. All of the animal characters from the pudgy pigs to the long-nosed alligators are set in familiar childhood surroundings further relating the text to children all over. For Bill’s Blue Jacket, Mathers puts an over-sized puffy blue jacket on a sweet cat. Don’t all children end up with a too-big jacket so it would last for another year? Even the animal toys for Joshua the alligator are indicative of typical stuffed animals.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

·         HORN BOOK – “From delicately comical to downright funny, the art perfectly reflects the contagiously rhythmic, playful verse. Made for sharing, and worth learning by heart, too.”

·         SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL – “Playful spreads and spot art suit the small, snappy verses beautifully. This whimsical little volume will make a delightful addition to poetry collections.”

·         BOOKLIST – “With varied rhymes and rhythms occasionally disrupted for emphasis, Schertle’s poetry is reminiscent of A. A. Milne and begs to be read aloud. . . The whimsical illustrations pair perfectly with the wittiness of the text, and the whole is a clever and original poetic treat.”

CONNECTIONS

·         For older children, initiate a discussion about favorite clothes, even have children talk with family members about items they liked when they were younger. After introducing various forms of poetry (list, acrostic, cinquain, etc.) have students write about one of their favorite pieces of clothing and illustrate it. Compile the poems in a new thematic poetry book about clothing.

·         Have younger children copy their favorite poem or the one they relate to the most and illustrate the poem. Perhaps even having a clothing “show and tell.”

Stepping Out with Grandma Mac

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Grimes, Nikki. 2001. STEPPING OUT WITH GRANDMA MAC. Ill. by Angelo. New York, NY: Orchard Books. ISBN 0-531-30320-9

AWARD(S) and STARS

·         Bank Street College Best Book of the Year, 2001

·         NOTE: Nikki Grimes received the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children in 2006

PLOT SUMMARY

Grandma Mac is introduced by her ten-year-old granddaughter in this book of poems as the young girl reminisces about the “grandma in my mind” contrasted with the strict grandmother she now knows. Understanding Grandma Mac’s strong personality is difficult for this young girl, but she begins to relate to Grandma Mac as she cleans, window-shops, eats and “steps out” with her. After a conversation with her mother, she acknowledges to herself, but not to her grandmother, that she’s just like her grandmother. Their relationship grows and she realizes through actions, smiles and unspoken admiration, Grandma Mac loves her.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Nikki Grimes tells the story of a young girl and her relationship with her grandmother in this book of 20 poems. She artfully uses each stand alone poem to relate a story about love and connection. In two of the poems, Grimes shares bits of Grandma Mac’s history and African-American culture using phrases such as, “slid through the Depression on elbow grease” and “Grandma’s cooking shows off her Southern side: yams, crab cakes, mustard greens –.” Those who have dealt with a tough grandma or loved one will be able to relate to the emotions captured in each poem.

Angelo’s seven realistic pencil drawings beautifully complement Grimes’ poems. Two of which bring to life the character of Grandma Mac and her granddaughter. For “Grandma’s Child,” the attitudes of the two are well-depicted in the illustration where they’re standing back-to-back with crossed arms looking over their shoulders. The other five illustrations, represented in fine details, include other possessions such as a white glove, perfume atomizer, and wig introduced in the poems.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

·          SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL – “Grimes captures the warm, often humorous relationship between a teen and her grandmother. . . . Readers who might be reluctant to enjoy poetry will find the size of the book manageable and the style of writing easy to understand. A rewarding poetry experience.”

·         BOOKLIST – “The touching poems will leave readers thinking about love not spoken, the spaces between the words.”

CONNECTIONS

·         At her website http://www.nikkigrimes.com/teacher.html, Nikki Grimes offers a Teaching Guide that uses Bloom’s Taxonomy to help students relate to the book and lists Multiple Intelligences Projects. Some examples are:

o   Write a poem about your own grandparent.

o   Compare and contrast Grandma Mac with her granddaughter using a Venn diagram.

o   Write dialogue between a grandparent and grandchild.

·         Read other poetry books by Nikki Grimes:

o   MEET DANITRA BROWN, ISBN 978-0688154714

o   UNDER THE CHRISTMAS TREE, ISBN 0688159990

o   IS IT FAR TO ZANZIBAR?, ISBN 978-0-688-13157-9

·         Use this book, STEPPING OUT WITH GRANDMA MAC, and other poetry books during African American History month celebrating the culture.

o   PASS IT ON: AFRICAN AMERICAN POETRY FOR CHILDREN by Wade Hudson, ISBN 978-0590457705

o   SPIN A SOFT BLACK SONG: POEMS FOR CHILDREN by Nikki Giovanni, ISBN 978-0374464691

o   JAZZ by Walter Dean Meyers, ISBN 978-0823421732