Book Reviews: 2013

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

SHIP BREAKER by Paolo Bacigalupi

1.BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bacigalupi, Paolo. 2010. SHIP BREAKER. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 9780316056212

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Nailer works on the light crew stripping copper wire from the old grounded oil tankers. His day by day existence of struggling to make quota was turned upside down when he discovered a clipper ship wrecked on the beach after a hurricane. He realizes the find could be his “lucky strike” to a better life when he sees how much of the ship and the contents of the ship are worth. He then discovers that there is one survivor, a wealthy girl named Nina. He must then choose to save the girl or abandon the girl and cash in on the find. He chooses to save the girl. Nina and Nailer then begin a dangerous adventure of finding Nina’s crew. Their journey includes an attempt to escape from dangerous half-men and Nailer’s cruel father, Richard Lopez. Will Nailer and Nina find Nina’s loyal crew or will they succumb to their enemies? Find out by reading SHIP BREAKER by Paolo Bacigalupi.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Paolo Bacigalupi throws the reader into the story by starting the story with no background knowledge of what is going on. The reader has to gradually figure out what is going on. The world Nailer lives in is a stark, futuristic view of the gulf coast. In this world, there is a large economic gap between the wealthy and poor. Global warming and pollution have taken a toll on the earth. The characters are well-developed in the story and each character has a specific personality. The characters often struggle when making difficult decisions. When deciding to help Nina or use her to gain money, Nailer struggles to do what is right. “You want to be like Sloth? he asked himself, Do anything just to make a little more cash?”

Bacigalupi chooses the language of the characters to show their background. Nailer uses swear words and lives in survival mode. Nina, from her wealthy background, is shocked by some of the things that Nailer says and does. Both Nina and Nailer change through the book as the other person’s perspective changes their perspective. The book has a lot of violence that is described in detail. The fantasy characters of half-men seem to be believable in the story because they are well described and seem to have characteristics of both dogs and people. The book has no illustrations inside. The book’s cover is designed to look like oxidized copper with the title looking like someone scratched “Ship Breaker” in the copper. This makes the book look like it has been salvaged from one of the oil tankers in the book. The book has non-stop action so beware that the reader will not want to put the book down!

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Children's Notable Books, 2011

Michael L. Printz Award Winners, 2011

Texas Lone Star Reading List, 2011

TAYSHAS High School Reading List, 2011

Horn Book Magazine: “This thriller will grab and keep readers’ attentions as Nailer and Nita “crew up” in their fight to survive.”

School Library Journal: “A fast-paced post-apocalyptic adventure…”

5. CONNECTIONS.

* Students can use a double-bubble thinking map to compare life in the United States during Nailer’s futuristic time period with life in the United States today. (A double-bubble map is similar to a Venn diagram.)

*Teachers can connect this book to a lesson about global warming and climate change.

*Other fantasy books by Paolo Bacigalupi:

Bacigalupi, Paolo. THE DROWNED CITIES. ISBN 9780316056243

Bacigalupi, Paolo. THE ALCHEMIST. ISBN 9781596063532

BABYMOUSE: MAD SCIENTIST by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm

1.BIBLIOGRAPHY

Holm, Jennifer L. and Matthew Holm. 2011. BABYMOUSE: MAD SCIENTIST. New York, NY: Random House. ISBN 9780375865749

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Babymouse wants to do a science project for the science fair. She decides to do her project on amoebas. She discovers an amoeba that eats cupcakes and can talk. She ends up getting 2^nd place at the science fair on her amoeba science fair project.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Babymouse has an active imagination. She has many crazy daydreams like drinking a science experiment and becoming a giant. Another daydream is that she travels to the moon in a giant cupcake lunar module. Neil Armstrong’s words are changed to “that is one step for babymouse… one giant leap for…mold!” It seems that the purpose of the book is to entertain through Babymouse’s zany, comedic adventures. Children in middle school will relate to Babymouse and her adventures. Just like many students, she has problems being late to her classes and dislikes having to work on her science fair project over the weekend.

The book is a graphic novel and does not have a lot of words so it is a great book for older students who struggle with reading. The only colors in the book are pink, black and white. Towards the end of the story, the reader is introduced to Squish. Squish is green and green is added to the book after Squish is introduced in the story. The book’s use of pink, pink hearts around the page numbers and the fact that babymouse is a girl make this book more appealing to girls.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Booklist: “…then she discovers an amoeba named Squish. The book introduces this new graphic-novel series character by snazzy use of the color green, which nicely counteracts the pink hues of the rest of the book.”

5. CONNECTIONS.

* Students can create their own cartoon story and then share them with the class.

*Other graphic novels:

Hale, Shannon. RAPUNZEL’S REVENGE. ISBN 9781599900704

WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON by Grace Lin

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Lin, Grace. 2009. WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 9780316114271

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Minli, her mother, Ma and her father, Ba live in a poor town at the bottom of fruitless mountain. They had to work hard in the rice fields just to make a meager living. After hearing about the Old Man of the Moon, she begins a quest to find out how her family can change their fortune. There are many magical characters along the journey including talking fish, talking monkeys, and a dragon that cannot fly. The dragon joins her trek to see the Old Man of the Moon so that he can ask him how he can learn to fly. Once Minli reaches the Old Man of the Moon, the Old Man of the Moon states that “every ninety-nine years, someone comes here with their questions. But I will answer only one. So choose your question carefully.” Minli selflessly gives up asking her question to the Old Man of the Moon so that the dragon can learn how he can fly. This selfless act begins a series of events that change not only the fortune of her family but the fortune of her entire community.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON is original fantasy set in the style of a Chinese folk tale. With her extensive reading and cultural knowledge of Asian Cultures, Grace Lin’s story seems to be realistically set in China. The characters have Chinese-sounding names like Minli, Da-Fu, A-Fu, Ba and A-Gong. The numerous illustrations and pictures are reminiscent of traditional Chinese art. These pictures depict Asian-style architecture and landscapes. The book has short chapters with wide line spacing which may help readers who are transitioning from picture books to chapter books. Sadly, there are quite a few typos in the book.

Grace Lin does not include many details about the personalities of the characters but readers can become captivated by the magical adventures of the main character, Minli. Throughout the book, there are original stories that use characters, myths and legends from Chinese folklore. The titles of some of these folklore-inspired stories are “The Story of the Green Tiger and the Tea,” “A String of Destiny,” and “The Story of the Dragon’s Gate.” In the Author’s note, Lin lists some of the books that inspired her to write WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON. While the focus of the book is on the story, there are many times in the story where one character will show a negative character trait while another character shows the opposite character trait. The characters end up getting what they deserve.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Newbery Honor Book, 2010

Children's Notable Book , 2010

Horn Book Magazine:

“Lovely full-page illustrations in blues, reds, greens, and luminous golds as well as delicate

chapter-openers, all influenced by traditional Chinese art, contribute to

this original, folklore-inspired fantasy’s sense of timelessness.”

5. CONNECTIONS.

* Grace Lin uses her knowledge of Chinese folktales, myths and legends to expand on the characters and make up new stories with the characters from the folktales. Teachers can read some folktales to students and then have students write the history of a specific character or continue the story from where it originally ends.

*Other books by Grace Lin:

Lin, Grace. DUMPLING DAYS. ISBN 9780316125901.

Lin, Grace. LING & TING: NOT EXACTLY THE SAME!. ISBN 9780316024525

Lin, Grace. STARRY RIVER OF THE SKY. ISBN 9780316125956

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

ONE CRAZY SUMMER by Rita Williams-Garcia

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Williams-Garcia, Rita. 2010. ONE CRAZY SUMMER. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 9780060760885

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Seven years ago, Delphine and her two younger sisters,Vonetta and Fern, were abandoned by their mother, Cecile. Even though their mother abandoned them, their father believes it is time for them to visit their mother in California. The three sisters spend the summer with their mother, Cecile. When the girls arrive in California, Cecile makes it clear that she really does not want them there and is not affectionate toward the girls. Cecile has them go to the People’s Center run by the Black Panthers and tells them to stay away from the house as long as possible every day. At the People’s Center, the girls eat breakfast and attend the special program for children. Throughout the “crazy summer,” Delphine, Vonetta and Fern learn about the civil rights movement and Cecile begins to open up her heart to her children

3.      CRITICAL ANALYSIS
ONE CRAZY SUMMER is written from a child’s view point. As the story progresses, you see how the girls' perceptions of civil rights change. The girls desperately want to be loved by their mother. Sadly, many children will relate to having parents separated and not receiving the love they so desperately need from their parents. The dialogue among the girls seems realistic for the age and time period.   The characters personalities seem to jump right off the page.

The book is set in the summer of 1968 amidst the civil rights movement. In the book, the girls participate in a rally and attend the daily children’s program at the People’s Center that is sponsored by the black panthers. The book does a good job showing the injustice between the treatment of blacks and whites. However, the book does not depict all the aspects of the Black Panther Party which hinders the authenticity of the book. From reading the book, you see the Black Panthers as a group that cares for the poor and promotes equality peacefully.   What the book does not show is that the group would use any means necessary, including violence, to bring forth the change that they wanted. In the book, Delphine does remember seeing the black panthers on the news back home and that they were violent but then she remembers how they were not that way at all at the center. From reading this, the reader assumes that since what she sees in person is peaceful, that the news depicted the black panthers wrong. For research, the author states that she has read articles, books, interviews and The Black Panther Intercommunal News Service but no bibliography is given.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner, 2011
Children’s Notable Book, 2011
Newbery Honor Book, 2011
Book List: “Civil discontent seen through the eyes of children reveals another side of African American history in this compelling novel.”

5. CONNECTIONS

* Great book to read for black history month.

*Other related books:

Shelton, Paula Young. CHILD OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. ISBN: 9780375954146
Zeiger, Jennifer. THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. ISBN: 9780531250297

MATILDA BONE by Karen Cushman

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Cushman, Karen. 2000. MATILDA BONE. New York, NY: Clarion Books. ISBN 0395881560

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Set in Medieval England, MATILDA BONE is about a girl named Matilda who was sent to assist Red Peg the bonesetter on Blood and Bone Alley. Matilda wishes to return back to the manor and live with Father Leufredus but she realizes that she has no choice but to stay and assist Red Peg the bonesetter in her medical practice. Her new life is strange to her and she feels “like a duck, a duck living among chickens.” The book gives us a glimpse of day to day life in medieval times as we follow Matilda through her experiences and adventures. On Blood and Bone Alley, Matilda begins to find her place in the world.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

“You will also be brewing our lotions, potions, tonics, and ointments.” Medieval life was busy with hard work. Cushman lets the reader experience medieval life through the eyes of Matilda. The characters in the story are well rounded and the reader gets to know them gradually like Matilda does since the book is written from her perspective. Many idioms are sprinkled throughout the book like “You beef-brained ninny!” The unusual sayings make the conversations seem authentic for the time period and socioeconomic class that the story is set in.

Young readers can relate to Matilda struggles since many children today struggle with feelings of not fitting in. As the story continues, Matilda begins to develop friendships with others and to feel like she is a part of the community. Cushman included author’s notes and a list of sources that she used in writing the book. The table of contents and titles of chapters are set in an old-fashioned style and make the book look old. MATILDA BONE is truly a fascinating book.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Horn Book Magazine: “Matilda's very seriousness accounts for much of the humor in Cushman's novel: her heroine cannot see her own foolish single-mindedness.”

School Library Journal: “A fascinating glimpse into the colorful life and times of the 14th century.”

5. CONNECTIONS

* Great book to include when studying medieval history.

*Other books by Karen Cushman:

Cushman, Karen. THE MIDWIFE’S APPRENTICE. ISBN 0395692296

Cushman, Karen. ALCHEMY AND MEGGY SWANN. ISBN 9780547231846

Cushman, Karen. CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY. ISBN 0395681863

BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY by Ruta Sepetys

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sepetys, Ruta. 2011. BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY. New York, NY: The Penguin Group. ISBN 9780399254123

2. PLOT SUMMARY

15 year old Lina and her family are arrested by the Soviet secret police. Her dad has been separated from the rest of the family. Lina, her mother and brother are sent to Siberia. Lina and her family fight to survive the horrible conditions. During their imprisonment, Lina documents their experience through pictures and journaling. Lina and her brother survive 12 years of their imprisonment. The book ends with some construction workers finding an old glass jar with Lina’s writings and drawings about their time in imprisonment.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

“They took me in my nightgown.” This was Lina’s beginning of her long ordeal as a prisoner of the Soviets. This stark story is very realistic and young readers will relate to the story being told through 15 year-old Lina. Ruta Sepetys did research in order to depict the events accurately. While the characters are fictional, some of the trials of the characters are based on the experiences of actual people from

Lithuania

The book includes a time line and map of the different camps Lina and her family were sent to. The book has an unusual ending because the book stops the story abruptly while Lina and her brother are still prisoners. An epilogue explains that some construction workers find Lina’s writings and drawings years later. The reader has to fill in the gaps of the story.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Children's Notable Books, 2012
Texas Lone Star Reading List, 2012
TAYSHAS High School Reading List, 2012
Horn Book Magazine: "So begins a human drama caling forth the best and worst of human behaviors--courage, anger, fear, confusion, little kindnesses, and egregious selfishness."

5. CONNECTIONS

*Books about Stalin:

Otfinoski, Steven. JOSEPH STALIN: RUSSIA’S LAST CZAR. ISBN 1562942409

Zuehlke, Jeffrey. JOSEPH STALIN. ISBN 9780822534211

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

OUR ELEANOR: A SCRAPBOOK LOOK AT ELEANOR ROOSEVELT’S REMARKABLE LIFE by Candace Fleming

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

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

2. PLOT SUMMARY

OUR ELEANOR: A SCRAPBOOK LOOK AT ELEANOR ROOSEVELT’S REMARKABLE LIFE is a biography of Eleanor Roosevelt’s life. The book begins with her birth to Ana and Elliott Roosevelt in 1884 and ends with her funeral on November10, 1962. The book covers all of the areas of Eleanor’s life from personal to political.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

As the title suggests, the book’s layout is like a scrapbook. There are copies of newspaper articles, letters, and photos throughout the book. The chapters are not written in the normal fashion but most pages are divided into sections with each section having a heading and information on an aspect of Eleanor’s life. All the “articles” relate to the title of the chapter. Fleming did not idolize Eleanor but instead painted a realistic picture of the former first lady. For example, she included that her daughter Ana said that her mother, Eleanor, was “very unpredictable and inconsistent…inconsistent in her feelings—sweet and lovely one hour and the next very critical, very demanding, and very difficult to be with.”

The book includes a time line and an abridged Roosevelt family tree at the beginning of the book. The book has an index and source notes at the end of the book. There many copies of newpaper articles, letters and photos. The photos vary in size and shape which makes the book more visually appealing. From reading this book, readers will gain a well-rounded perspective on the life of Eleanor Roosevelt.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

A Junior Library Guild Selection

BOOK LINKS: “…this intimate, unvarnished, and ultimately deeply moving portrait takes a pastiche approach to humanizing a legendary life.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “An intimate biography of an unhappy child who grew up to become an American icon.”

HORN BOOK MAGAZINE: “This richly rendered account of the life and accomplishments of Eleanor Roosevelt is both unabashed tribute and absorbing history.”

5. CONNECTIONS

*The book can be used to support a lesson about Eleanor Roosevelt.

*Other nonfiction books by Candace Fleming:

Fleming, Candace. THE LINCOLNS: A SCRAPBOOK LOOK AT ABRAHAM AND MARY. ISBN 9780375836183

Fleming, Candace. AMELIA LOST: THE LIFE AND DISAPPEARANCE OF AMELIA EARHART. ISBN 9780375841989

Fleming, Candace. BEN FRANKLIN’S ALMANAC: BEING A TRUE ACCOUNT OF THE GOOD GENTLEMAN’S LIFE. ISBN 0689835493

HITLER YOUTH: GROWING UP IN HITLER’S SHADOW by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. 2005. HITLER YOUTH: GROWING UP IN HITLER’S SHADOW. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc. ISBN 0439353793

2. PLOT SUMMARY

HITLER YOUTH: GROWING UP IN HITLER’S SHADOW gives the reader a glimpse of what it was like to be a Hitler Youth from 1933-1945. Hitler understood that young people’s drive and energy could be a powerful force in politics. The book shows how much the youth propelled the Nazi movement and how loyal many were to the cause. The book also includes accounts of those youth who resisted the Nazi movement. Many of these resistors paid a high price. By learning the stories of these young people, readers can acquire knowledge and a greater understanding about the World War II era.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Bartoletti wrote in the foreword of the book that “this is their story” and the author was successful at letting their voices be heard. Bartoletti’s use of many primary sources and quotes make this book very personal. Most pages have at least one quote which not only makes the book more interesting but it also shows that Bartoletti did extensive research for the book. The bibliography is extensive. She even did interviews with former Hitler Youth and Jews who grew up during that time period. There are many primary sources used in the bibliography and these personal accounts sweep the reader into the dark world of the Nazis. The book has engaging prose and is not like the dry history books of the past. The book has many photos.

The book is organized in chronological order. The chapters of the book have a catchy title followed by a more descriptive subtitle. The chapter titles engage a reader’s curiosity while the subtitles help students who are trying to find information about a particular event in history. The bibliography includes a symbol by books that children might find interesting. The back of the book also includes many other resources including a timeline, quote sources, and an index. The dark times that the book is about is mirrored by absence of any color inside the book besides black and grey. The book is a gem that should be in all children’s library collections.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Newbery Honor Book

Robert E. Sibert Honor Book

BOOK LINKS: “An epilogue describes what happened to the teens profiled, and a time line, source notes, bibliography, and more round out this gripping book.”

5. CONNECTIONS

* Reading sections from HITLER YOUTH: GROWING UP IN HITLER’S SHADOW by Susan Campbell Bartoletti will be a great way to enhance a lesson on the Nazi’s and Germany. The students can then think about what they would have done if they lived in Germany during that time period.

*Other nonfiction books by Susan Campbell Bartoletti:

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. BLACK POTATOES: THE STORY OF THE GREAT IRISH FAMINE, 1845-1850. ISBN 0618002715

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. GROWING UP IN COAL COUNTRY. ISBN 0395778476

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. THEY CALLED THEMSELVES THE K.K.K.: THE BIRTH OF AN AMERICAN TERRORIST GROUP. ISBN: 9780618440337

BIGGEST, STRONGEST, FASTEST by Steve Jenkins

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Jenkins, Steve. 1995. BIGGEST, STRONGEST, FASTEST. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0395697018

2. PLOT SUMMARY

BIGGEST, STRONGEST, FASTEST is a nonfiction book about the “record holders of the animal world.” The book covers fourteen different animal record holders from the African elephant, “the biggest land animal” to the Etruscan shrew, “the world’s smallest mammal.”

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This delightful book will capture both the attention of fact lovers and art lovers. For each animal, Jenkins describes what record that animal holds in one simple sentence. He then has a section of the page that explains the record in more detail which sometimes gives comparisons that children can relate to. An example of this is when Jenkins writes that “others, like the blue whale, are bigger than a house.” Next to the section that explains the record in more detail, he includes a small picture showing the record compared to something the child would be familiar enough to tell the size, strength etc. For example, he includes a picture of a man next to a giraffe so children can see how tall a giraffe really is! Even though there are not many words in the book, there is a lot of information in this book! Jenkins was very careful to be succinct and make every word count so that children do not get overwhelmed with the number of words.

The back of the book has a chart which is useful for reference. The chart lists the name of each animal with the following information for each animal: record, size, diet and range. The chart in the back of the book is in alphabetical order but the book does not discuss the animals in alphabetical order which might have been helpful for reference. Jenkins included a bibliography in the front of the book that lists his sources that he used for the book. Most of the illustrations in the book span two pages with a few illustrations that span one or three pages. The blue whale and the sun jellyfish are intentionally over three pages to emphasize their size because they are the biggest and longest animals respectively. The illustrations are not photos like most nonfiction books about animals. Jenkins chose to use paper collage to make the illustrations for the book instead of photos. The collage makes the animals seem to have different textures. The backgrounds are not all the same and have different textures. The book is truly a work of art!

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

HORN BOOK MAGAZINE: “A book that will stimulate thought and discussion about animals, art, and comparisons. “

Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Large, clear print; fascinating facts; and beautiful, detailed, cut-paper collages make this an excellent title a delight.”

5. CONNECTIONS

*After reading the book, students can classify the students in their class. (tallest, shortest, fastest, etc.)

*Other nonfiction books by Steve Jenkins:

Jenkins, Steve. PREHISTORIC ACTUAL SIZE. ISBN 0618535780

Jenkins, Steve. ACTUAL SIZE. ISBN 0618375945

Jenkins, Steve. THE BEETLE BOOK. ISBN 0547680848

Jenkins, Steve. JUST A SECOND. ISBN 0618708960

Jenkins, Steve. NEVER SMILE AT A MONKEY: AND 17 OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER. ISBN 06189