THE LLAMA WHO HAD NO PAJAMA by Mary Ann Hoberman

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Hoberman, Mary Ann.  1998.  THE LLAMA WHO HAD NO PAJAMA.  Ill. by Betty Fraser.  San Diego, CA : Harcourt Brace & Co. ISBN 0152001115 0152001115

 

BOOK REVIEW

THE LLAMA WHO HAD NO PAJAMA is a collection of 100 poems written by Mary Ann Hoberman.  The length of the poems varies from a mere three lines to two pages long.  It is well-organized with a table of contents in the front of the book and an index of first lines in the back of the book.   These features make the book a great resource for a teacher trying to find a specific poem by Mary Ann Hoberman to share with a group of students.   The poems are about subjects children can relate to like animals, balloons and money.  The illustrations by Betty Fraser are simple and done in watercolor.    

 

Many of the poems have the traditional rhyming at the ends of the lines.     The poem the book is named after, THE LLAMA WHO HAD NO PAJAMA, is an excellent example of this.  Later in this same poem, “Or what in the world will I wear?  Or what in the world, In the wumberly world, In the wumberly world will I wear?” shows clever use of alliteration and meter.     

 

Mary Ann Hoberman carefully crafted the meter and arrangement of words in some of her poems.   In “Rabbit”, the words are arranged so that all the lines with “bit” in them line up.  The rhythm of this poem sounds like a rabbit hopping.  Even though the poems do not have the imagery or emotional content that some other collections of poems have, the meter, clever word rhyming, arrangement of words, and alliteration make up for this deficiency. 

 

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

 

Horn Book Magazine, 1998.    “The poems--peppy verses immediately identifiable as Hoberman's by their use of alliteration and repeated words and lines--seem to cover every subject under the sun; all are dependably child-centered.”

CONNECTIONS.    

*  The anthology has many poems about different animals and insects. Students can read a poem about an animal that they are studying in science. 

INSIDE OUT & BACK AGAIN by Thanhha Lai

1.      BIBLIOGRAPHY

Lai, Thanhha. 2011. INSIDE OUT & BACK AGAIN.  New York, NY: HarperCollins Children’s Books. ISBN 9780061962783

 

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

Há lives in Saigon with her family.  Her family is forced to flee Vietnam during the Vietnam War.  They move to Alabama.  In the verse novel, Há gives a personal account of her thoughts and feelings throughout her family’s move from Saigon to United States.

 

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

In this highly emotional verse novel, the author, Thanhha Lai, captures the heart of a girl named Há. She shares her hopes, dreams, and struggles as she transitions to life in the United States.  The author does a great job depicting the emotional struggles of being an immigrant to the United States.  Even though the story is fictional, Thanhha Lai has used experiences and emotions from her childhood when she fled from Vietnam with her family as a child.  The character, Há has many experiences and emotional struggles that parallel the author’s struggles in the transition from Vietnam to the United States. 

 

The succinct verses really capture the emotional struggles.  For example, “Unless, Father has sent word that he’s safe after all.  I shiver with hope.”  The book is divided into four Parts:  “Saigon”, “At Sea”, “Alabama” and “From Now On.”   The book is then further divided into titled journal entries that each end with a date.   The author seems to want to make the reader feel like you are reading Há’s journal.  There is not much rhyming in the book but the author put much thought into the rhythmic flow of the verses which helps enhance the emotional quality of the book. 

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Children's Notable Books, 2012

Newbery Honor Books, 2012

School Library Journal, 2011

 

5. CONNECTIONS.  

 *Great book for a student who has immigrated to the United States since the book deals with the difficult emotional and cultural transitions of moving to a new country. 

*Other verse novels:

Spinelli, Eileen.  THE DANCING PANCAKE. ISBN 97803758587039780375858703

 

Creech, Sharon.  LOVE THAT DOG.  ISBN 0060292873006029287300602928730

 

THE WORLD'S GREATEST: POEMS by J. PATRICK LEWIS

 

1.  BIBLIOGRAPHY

Lewis, J. Patrick. 2008. THE WORLD’S GREATEST: POEMS.  Ill. By Keith Graves. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books LLC. ISBN 9780811851305

 

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

THE WORLD’S GREATEST: POEMS is not an anthology of the best poems in the world but a book of poems about world records.   Some of the poems depicting world records are  “The Shortest Street”, “The Biggest Potato” and “The Longest Time a Message Was in a Bottle at Sea.” 

 

3.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS

All of the poems are about world records and include information about the world record.  The information often includes the date, location and more specific information about the world record.  The poems are in many styles including limericks and concrete poetry.  For example, “The Tallest Christmas Tree” is written in the shape of a tree.  “The Shortest Street” poem is short and each line is short just like the actual street.   “The Crookedest Building” is a poem about the Leaning Tower of Pisa.   The poem is typed so that it leans!  

 

The illustrations fill the entire page and are as zany as the words.   The bright colors and nice layout will keep the attention of any child.  The pictures were done with acrylic paints and colored pencils. 

 

4.  REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Horn Book Magazine, 2008.  “Readers drawn in by the clever hook will marvel at the record-holders…”

Kirkus Reviews, 2008. School Library Journal, 2008.  "sprightly, clever collection"

 

Kirkus Review, 2008.  “…a goofy celebration of (mostly) equally zany world records.”

 

5.  CONNECTIONS.   

*Other humorous poetry books:

Lewis, J. Patrick and J. Yolen.  LAST LAUGHS: ANIMAL EPITAPHS.  ISBN 9781580892605ISBN 9781580892605

 

Silvdrstein, Shel.  WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS.  ISBN 0060572345 0060572345

THE THREE LITTLE PIGS by James Marshall

1.      BIBLIOGRAPHY

Marshall, James. 1989. THE THREE LITTLE PIGS New York,  NY: Grosset & Dunlap. ISBN 0448422883

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

Each of the three little pigs builds a house.  The first pig builds its house of straw. The wolf comes and blows the house down.    The second pig builds its house of sticks.  The wolf comes and blows that house down also.  The third pig builds its house of bricks.  The wolf tries to blow the brick house down but he cannot.  The wolf then tries to trick the pig by getting him out of the house to go on different outings including picking apples from the apple tree.  However, the clever pig always escapes the wolf.   The wolf is frustrated and decides to jump down the chimney but the pig has a pot of boiling water ready for the wolf.   The wolf falls into the boiling water and the pig gobbles him up for dinner. 

3.      CRITICAL ANALYSIS

James Marshall’s version of the THREE LITTLE PIGS is a traditional version.   He retains the pig’s classic“No, no, no, not by the hair of my chinny chin chin” and the wolf’s “then I’ll huff and  I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house in.”   The first two pigs escape to the third pig’s house in many versions of this story but the first two pigs are eaten up in this version.   The story ends with the wolf falling into the boiling pot of water and the pig cooking the wolf for dinner.    Many versions just have the wolf running away from the pig’s house instead of getting eaten.   The large, bold lettering of the text makes the book great for beginning readers.  

The gruesomeness of the pigs being eaten is curtailed by not having any illustrations of those events.   The illustrations are simple with bright primary colors. 

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

School Library Journal, 1989

5. CONNECTIONS

*Other versions of THE THREE LITLE PIGS:

Guarnaccia, Steven.  THE THREE LITTLE PIGS: AN ARCHITECTURAL TALE.  ISBN 9780810989412

Artell, Mike.  THREE LITTLE CAJUN PIGS.  ISBN 08003728158

RAPUNZEL by Paul O. Zelinsky

1.      BIBLIOGRAPHY

Zelinsky, Paul O. 1997. .RAPUNZEL.  New York, NY: Dutton Children’s Books. ISBN

0525456074

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

For years, a husband and wife wanted to have a child.   One spring, she was with child.   The wife began to crave the Rapunzel that was in the Sorceress’ garden so the husband took some from the garden.  One day, the sorceress saw him in the garden and made him promise to give her the child when she was born.  The Sorceress took the child, named her Rapunzel and put the girl in a tall tower away from society.   No one can get in the tower unless Rapunzel lowers her hair.  A prince hears her beautiful singing and he climbs up her hair to get in the tower.  He visits her often.   When the sorceress finds out Rapunzel is with child, she cuts off Rapunzel’s hair and sends her out into the wilderness.   The sorceress tricks the prince into climbing up the cut hair.  The shock of seeing the sorceress causes the prince to fall and become blind.   While the prince wonders around the woods blind, he hears Rapunzel’s singing and is reunited with Rapunzel.   Rapunzel’s tears heal the prince’s sight and they live happily ever after. 

3.      CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Zilinsky’s RAPUNZEL is a traditional retelling of the classic fairytale.   The focus of the story is on the plot and not the characters.  The book does not include much description of the feelings of the characters.   For example, “Rapunzel lived alone in her rooms above the treetops, visited only by the sorceress.”   There is no mention of her feelings.

 In contrast to the text, the illustrations are extremely expressive.   Much detail is given to the facial expressions in most of the illustrations.  The illustrations in the book are done to replicate painting from Italian Renaissance Paintings.  This book would be great for an older reader to experience the story of Rapunzel since the formal painting illustrations and small print give the book a more mature feel.  

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Caldecott Medal, 1998

Book Links, 2004

Horn Book Magazine, 1998.  “Simply put, this is a gorgeous book; it demonstrates respect for the traditions of painting and the fairy tale while at the same time adhering to a singular, wholly original, artistic vision.”

Burns, Mary M.  “Book Review” HORN BOOK MAGAZINE, January-February 1998.  http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=6639768a-4c78-4258-866e-7ff580f09e10%40sessionmgr4&vid=4&hid=22&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=a9h&AN=90852 (accessed February 13, 2013)

 5. Connections

 *Other books illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky:

Lesser, Rika.  HANSEL AND GRETEL.  Ill. By Paul O. Zelinsky.  ISBN: 9780525461524

Zelinsky, Paul O.  RUMPELSTILTSIN.  ISBN: 0525442650

 

THREE SAMURAI CATS.by Eric A. Kimmel

1.      BIBLIOGRAPHY

Kimmel, Eric A. 2003. .THREE SAMURAI CATS.  Ill by Mordicai Gerstein. New York, NY: Holiday House. ISBN 08234174250823417425

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

A daimyo, a powerful lord, had a rat that terrorized everyone in the castle.   The daimyo went to the dõchõ, the senior monk, for a samurai cat to help force the rat to leave.   The first samurai cat was defeated and the dõchõ sent another samurai cat.  The second cat was a strong, mighty warrior but he was also defeated by the rat.   The third samurai cat was old, decrepit and blind in one eye.  This cat seemed useless since it just slept, ate and ignored the rat.  During the Obon Festival, the rat decided to take all the sticky rice balls and make a giant rice ball.   As the rat was rolling the rice ball, he tripped and got stuck under the rice ball.   The wise old Samurai cat then took this opportunity to defeat the rat when the rat was helplessly stuck under the rice ball.  

3.      CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This book resonates with the theme of the strongest does not win.  As the dõchõ explains in the book, “The first two cats tried to overcome the rat with force.  Neko Roshi, on the other hand, allowed his opponent to defeat himself.”  This twist of the two strong cats being defeated while the last old, feeble cat defeats the rat is the twist that makes this story stand out.  

The illustrations are done in a comic-like format.  Mordicai Gerstein used pen, ink, and oil paint on vellum paper when doing the illustrations.  The characters wear traditional Japanese garments and the buildings are also Japanese.   At the end of the book, the author explains some of the Japanese words and gives some background information on Samurai, etc.   Some of the reviews recommend the book for PK-2^nd or PK-3^rd grade but I believe the vocabulary is too much for PK and Kindergarten students.   With all the Japanese terms, PK and Kindergarten students will have a hard time understanding what is going on and will lose interest.  

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Book Links, 2003

School Library Journal, 2003

Horn Book Magazine, 2003

Kirkus Reviews, 2003

5. CONNECTIONS

*  A great book to use with a lesson on Japan. 

*Have students compare and contrast the books: THREE SAMURAI CATS and THE THREE LITTLE PIGS.