Module 10/Graphic Novels and Censorship Issues/August 3-August 7

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Collins, S.  (2008).  The hunger games.  New York:  Scholastic.

Summary

In the futuristic dystopian Panem,  there are twelve (really thirteen) districts that make up society.  There is also the Capitol, which is the enemy to the people but who run all of the districts.  Every year, each district has to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to compete in the hunger games:  a series of games televised that leaves only one participant living. This year, Primrose Everdeen is chosen from District 12 but her older sister Katniss volunteers to go in her place.  The boy from District 12 is Peeta Mellark, a friend of Katniss'.  The hunger games are devastating, as audiences watch 12 year old Rue die among others.  Katniss and Peeta are guided by Haymitch, a past winner of the Hunger Games.  In the end, it is Katniss and Peeta who survive, and instead of killing one another, they threaten to eat the poisoned berries and kill themselves which the Capitol will not allow.  Instead, the Capitol allows them both to win and punishes them by entering them both in the next round of games.  However, their defiance is what sparks the already building rebellion against the Capitol.  

My Impression

The book is an awesome beginning to a great trilogy.  It is exciting and a page-turner and I read it easily in one setting because I could not and did not want to put it down.  This book intrigued me so much that I dove into the world of dystopian novels and I found a new passion in reading.  I like the excitement of it and I loved the notion of a woman as the hero.  Katniss is everything a hero should be:  strong-willed, not easily swayed, protector of her family, and just a good person.  It was very easy to root for her throughout the story.  

Reviews and Awards

"Katniss Everdeen is a survivor.

She has to be; she’s representing her District, number 12, in the 74th Hunger Games in the Capitol, the heart of Panem, a new land that rose from the ruins of a post-apocalyptic North America. To punish citizens for an early rebellion, the rulers require each district to provide one girl and one boy, 24 in all, to fight like gladiators in a futuristic arena. The event is broadcast like reality TV, and the winner returns with wealth for his or her district. With clear inspiration from Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” and the Greek tale of Theseus, Collins has created a brilliantly imagined dystopia, where the Capitol is rich and the rest of the country is kept in abject poverty, where the poor battle to the death for the amusement of the rich. However, poor copyediting in the first printing will distract careful readers—a crying shame. [Note: Errors have been corrected in subsequent printings, so we are now pleased to apply the Kirkus star.]
Impressive world-building, breathtaking action and clear philosophical concerns make this volume, the beginning of a planned trilogy, as good as The Giver and more exciting. (Science fiction. 11 & up)."
(2010, May 20).  [Review of the book The hunger games].  Kirkus Reviews.  Retrieved from 
      https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/suzanne-collins/the-hunger-games/.

"If there really are only seven original plots in the world, it's odd that “boy meets girl” is always mentioned, and “society goes bad and attacks the good guy” never is. Yet we have Fahrenheit 451 , The Giver , The House of the Scorpion —and now, following a long tradition of Brave New Worlds, The Hunger Games .
Collins hasn't tied her future to a specific date, or weighted it down with too much finger wagging. Rather less 1984 and rather more Death Race 2000 , hers is a gripping story set in a postapocalyptic world where a replacement for the United States demands a tribute from each of its territories: two children to be used as gladiators in a televised fight to the death.
Katniss, from what was once Appalachia, offers to take the place of her sister in the Hunger Games, but after this ultimate sacrifice, she is entirely focused on survival at any cost. It is her teammate, Peeta, who recognizes the importance of holding on to one's humanity in such inhuman circumstances. It's a credit to Collins's skill at characterization that Katniss, like a new Theseus, is cold, calculating and still likable. She has the attributes to be a winner, where Peeta has the grace to be a good loser.
It's no accident that these games are presented as pop culture. Every generation projects its fear: runaway science, communism, overpopulation, nuclear wars and, now, reality TV. The State of Panem—which needs to keep its tributaries subdued and its citizens complacent—may have created the Games, but mindless television is the real danger, the means by which society pacifies its citizens and punishes those who fail to conform. Will its connection to reality TV, ubiquitous today, date the book? It might, but for now, it makes this the right book at the right time.
What happens if we choose entertainment over humanity? In Collins's world, we'll be obsessed with grooming, we'll talk funny, and all our sentences will end with the same rise as questions. When Katniss is sent to stylists to be made more telegenic before she competes, she stands naked in front of them, strangely unembarrassed. “They're so unlike people that I'm no more self-conscious than if a trio of oddly colored birds were pecking around my feet,” she thinks. In order not to hate these creatures who are sending her to her death, she imagines them as pets. It isn't just the contestants who risk the loss of their humanity. It is all who watch.
Katniss struggles to win not only the Games but the inherent contest for audience approval. Because this is the first book in a series, not everything is resolved, and what is left unanswered is the central question. Has she sacrificed too much? We know what she has given up to survive, but not whether the price was too high. Readers will wait eagerly to learn more."
(2008, Nov. 3).  [Review of the book The hunger games].  Publisher's Weekly.  Retrieved from 
     http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-439-02348-1.

2008 Cybils Award for Fantasy and Science Fiction-Young Adult
2009 Hal Clement Award
2010 Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award

Suggestions for Use
*Have construction paper, markers and pens and have children create their own dystopian society and what it would look like and what the government would be like.
*Have students create their own tribute poster advertising themselves. 
 

 

Module 10/Graphic Novels and Censorship Issues/August 3-August 7

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Green, J.  (2005).  Looking for Alaska.  New York:  Penguin Group.

Summary

The story follows the life of Miles, who transfers to Culver Creek Prep School to search for something more in his life.  As soon as he arrives, he is nicknamed Pudge and so that is his name for the remainder of the story.  Pudge makes fast friends with a group of boys and girls but most important to him is Alaska.  She is a mysterious girl and although she already has a boyfriend, Pudge can't help but to fall in love with her.  Much of the novel includes pranks:  pranks from Pudge's group, pranks from the Weekday Warriors, and pranks played on The Eagle, the dean of the school.  Everything comes to a head when the group plans the biggest  prank of all and they drink all night preparing for it.  However, Alaska leaves in the middle of the night and dies in a car crash.  The Eagle announces it at school the next day and Pudge is heartbroken and confused.  They never know what truly happened to Alaska and she remains the mystery she has always been.  In her honor, they pull the biggest prank the school has ever seen:  hiring a male stripper to perform at their ceremony.  

My Impression

I love anything by John Green...seriously, anything.  What I like a lot about his writing is it seems to be in layers.  Throughout the book he leaves little hints and things that tie other situations together and you don't realize it until you look back.  He also writes exactly like a teenager would speak.  I believe that is the big appeal of Green.  Also, I love that this was a mystery and there was never really any conclusion to the story.  I usually don't like this, but with a character like Alaska I felt it was very fitting out of respect for her.  

Reviews and Awards

"The Alaska of the title is a maddening, fascinating, vivid girl seen through the eyes of Pudge (Miles only to his parents), who meets Alaska at boarding school in Alabama. Pudge is a skinny (“irony” says his roommate, the Colonel, of the nickname) thoughtful kid who collects and memorizes famous people’s last words. The Colonel, Takumi, Alaska and a Romanian girl named Lara are an utterly real gaggle of young persons, full of false starts, school pranks, moments of genuine exhilaration in learning and rather too many cigarettes and cheap bottles of wine. Their engine and center is Alaska, given to moodiness and crying jags but also full of spirit and energy, owner of a roomful of books she says she’s going to spend her life reading. Her center is a woeful family tragedy, and when Alaska herself is lost, her friends find their own ways out of the labyrinth, in part by pulling a last, hilarious school prank in her name. What sings and soars in this gorgeously told tale is Green’s mastery of language and the sweet, rough edges of Pudge’s voice. Girls will cry and boys will find love, lust, loss and longing in Alaska’s vanilla-and-cigarettes scent. (Fiction. YA)"

(2010, June 24).  [Review of the book Looking for Alaska].  Kirkus Reviews.  Retrieved on 

      https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/john-green/looking-for-alaska-2/.

2006 Michael L. Printz Award

Booklist Editors' Choice Pick

2006 Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults

Suggestions for Use

*Have each person make up a nickname for themselves and tell why they would use that nickname

*Have students research their favorite last words of a famous person and share with the group     

   

Module 9/Poetry and Short Stories/July 28-August 3

Glass by Ellen Hopkins

Hopkins, E. (2007).  Glass.   New York:  Simon and Schuster.

Summary

Glass continues to follow the story of Kristina/Bree as she is now a single mom after being raped by Brendan in Crank.  Kristina has tried to clean up and even did for a while throughout her pregnancy and while she was breastfeeding, but she cannot beat the monster.  She doesn't know a lot of people in town so she seeks out Robyn, the cheerleader she used to do crank with.  She tricks her mom into letting her use the car and getting away for a night (with her mom's money) and goes to Robyn's college campus.  She almost immediately meets Robyn's dealer Trey and falls in love with him.  He offers crank that is more pure than anything she has ever tried.  Trey and Kristina make a connection and she returns home.  Soon, Trey is visiting Reno and calls Kristina up.  At this point she has gotten a job at a gas station and is trying to start a new life.  Kristina and Trey do meth together and she is introduced to Trey's cousin Brad who has the connections in Mexico for the pure drugs.  Kristina is soon living at Brad's because her mom kicked her out due to her neglecting Hunter during one of her binges (he was stuck under a chair and screaming and Kristina didn't even wake up).  Kristina soon realizes she has to quit her job because she doesn't want to work during Christmas (plus her boss is a pervert who asks her to do pornography for him on the side).  Brad offers to allow her to nanny his girls for a job.  That does not last long though because a strange love triangle comes about and both Trey and Kristina are kicked out.  They live in a motel together and are eventually caught with a lot of meth at a McDonald's and put into jail.  Throughout this, Kristina's mom has fought for custody of Hunter and Kristina also finds out she is pregnant with Trey's child.  

My Impression

To me, this book is sadder than Crank because so much more of it involves Hunter and Kristina's inability to take care of him because of her addiction.  It is also sad watching her yearn for the attention of men more so than the attention of her son.  At this point, she is completely torn away from her family and everything else just for a drug.  Again, I would not read this book for pleasure.  I only read it this one time and probably will not again.  I just find it so sad and disheartening but it is beautifully written and so honest.  

Reviews and Awards

"Hopkins's hard-hitting free-verse novel, a sequel, picks up where Crank left off. Kristina now lives in her mother's Reno home with her baby, but constantly dreams of “getting/ high. Strung. Getting/ out of this deep well/ of monotony I'm/ slowly drowning in.” When her former connection turns her on to “glass”: “Mexican meth, as/ good as it comes. maybe 90 percent pure,” Kristina quickly loses control again. She gets kicked out of her house after her baby gets hurt on her watch, starts dealing for the Mexican Mafia (“No problem. I'll play straight/ with them. Cash and carry”) and eventually even robs her mother's house with her equally addicted boyfriend. The author expertly relays both plot points and drug facts through verse, painting Kristina's self-narrated self-destruction through clean verses (“My face is hollow-/cheeked, spiced with sores”). She again experiments with form, sometimes writing two parallel poems that can be read together or separately (sometimes these experiments seem a bit cloying, as in “Santa Is Coming,” a concrete poem in the shape of a Christmas tree). But in the end, readers will be amazed at how quickly they work their way through this thick book—and by how much they learn about crystal meth and the toll it takes, both on addicts and their families. Ages 14-up. (Aug.)" 

(2007, Aug. 13).  [Review of the book Glass].  Publisher's Weekly.  Retrieved from 

       http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-4169-4090-6.

2008 ALA Top Ten for Young Adults

Suggestions for Use

*Have teenagers go to a rehab facility and meet with a counselor about the effects of drugs 

*Create posterboards representing the effects of meth and statistics of addiction  

 Module 9/Poetry and Short Stories/July 28-August 3

Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Hopkins, E.  (2004).  Crank.  New York:  Simon and Schuster.  

Summary

This harrowing tale follows the downfall of Kristina Georgia Snow who later becomes Bree.  Kristina visits her absentee father in Reno due to a court order not knowing that he hasn't changed much from the deadbeat dad he used to be.  Kristina meets Adam on her first day there, but after a few boring days she hangs out with Adam at her dad's workplace, the bowling alley.  This is where she tries crank for the first time and after Adam's girlfriend and Kristina's dad walk in, they all do it together.  This begins Kristina's downfall.  The meth creates a persona Kristina says has always been there:  Bree.  Kristina was a straight-A, goodie two shoes junior while Bree is a drug loving, sex loving, bad girl.  Eventually Kristina goes back to her hometown and it takes her mom and stepdad a while to catch on to what is really going on.  Her grades start slipping, she is smoking now, and due to bad choices with another guy who is on crank, she is raped and becomes pregnant.  She falls in love with Chase who is also on crank but he ends up moving away to go to school at USC.  She considers an abortion but once she feels her baby move inside of her she cannot do it.  She has the baby but the monster as she calls it is too strong.  For the most part she stays sober during her pregnancy, but it is not long until she is back on crank full force.  

My Impression

This book was sad and disturbing.  It is very well written and the poetry style makes it a very quick read even though it is well over five hundred pages.  Also, she tends to put the words into shapes according to what the entry is about:  questions marks, the letter T, etc.  I would not read this book again because the content is just so heartbreaking, but it is interesting to see inside the mind of an addict.  The writing is very honest and brutal at times.  It is just so sad to watch a girl with all the promise in the world get sucked into the world of drugs and it all fades away just like that.  There are other parts that are hard to read, like when her friend Robyn tells her of a crank addict who decided to keep her baby and then went on a 3 day binge and the baby cried so much she killed it.  It's just a very heavy subject and not one I would read for enjoyment.  It's just too sad. 

Reviews and Awards

"Hypnotic and jagged free verse wrenchingly chronicles 16-year-old Kristina’s addiction to crank. Kristina’s daring alter ego, Bree, emerges when “gentle clouds of monotony” smother Kristina’s life—when there’s nothing to do and no one to connect with. Visiting her neglectful and druggy father for the first time in years, Bree meets a boy and snorts crank (methamphetamine). The rush is irresistible and she’s hooked, despite a horrible crank-related incident with the boy’s other girlfriend. Back home with her mother, Kristina feels both ignored and smothered, needing more drugs and more boys—in that order. One boy is wonderful and one’s a rapist, but it’s crank holding Bree up at this point. The author’s sharp verse plays with spacing on the page, sometimes providing two alternate readings. In a too brief wrap-up, Kristina keeps her baby (a product of rape) while Hopkins—realistically—offers no real conclusion. Powerful and unsettling. (author’s note) (Fiction. YA)"

(2010, May 20).  [Review of the book Crank].  Kirkus Reviews.  Retrieved from 

      https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/ellen-hopkins/crank/.

New York Times' Bestseller

2005 Quills Award Nominee

2005 PSLA Top Ten for Teens

2006 Kentucky Bluegrass Award

2006 Gateway Reader Award Winner

Suggestions for Use

*Have a drug enforcement officer come in as a guest speaker to the library

*Have a former drug addict talk to teenagers about their life before and after   

  

 Module 8/Mystery and Series Books/July 21-July 27

 

The Boxcar Children Series by Gertrude Chandler Warner

 

Warner, G.C. (1942).  The boxcar children.  Morton Grove, Illinois:  Albert Whitman & 

    Company.  

 

Summary

This series follows the mysteries and adventures of four young children:  Henry, Jessie, Violet and Bennie Alden.  They are orphans and were being taken care of by their grandfather.  They felt like he was mean and angry so they ran away from him and took residence in a boxcar where they found the means to get their own food.  However, soon they realize something has to change or they will starve so Henry gets a job with Dr. Moore.  Through him and Dr. Moore's mother, Henry earns enough money and gets enough food from Mrs. Moore's garden to keep the family fed and taken care of.  Dr. Moore has done his own research though and realizes whose grandchildren the children are and gets them back with their grandfather.  The series goes on for many books, each book containing a different mystery.  The children always stick together though and take care of each other.  In each mystery, the children solve it themselves.  

 

My Impression

I love the Boxcar Children series, both the old and the newer versions.  They are simple and very down to earth and wholesome.  I like that the children solve the mysteries themselves because I believe that is an attraction for children who are reading the books.  I also like that they have a dog too.  Each mystery is unique and different so I didn't feel like I was reading the same thing over and over again.  I also love the diversity of the children and even though they are siblings they all take on a different role and have a different personality.  

 

Reviews and Awards

"If there is a shining example of a book considered a classic in spite of the fact that it has garnered no awards, my vote would go for Warner’s ultimate kids-living-on-their-own story. When I was a child I spent a frightening amount of time writing stories about independent children who were orphaned by various horrible means. Looking back, I suspect that my influence at the time had to be Ms. Warner. Yet you will not find her books mentioned in Louise Seaman Bechtel’s Books in Search of Children, Anita Silvey’s Children’s Books and Their Creators or even The Essential Guide to Children’s Books and Their Creators.  Minders of Make-Believe by Leonard Marcus makes no mention of it nor does Gertrude Chandler Warner have an entry in the 1971 edition of The Who’s Who of Children’s Literature, compiled and edited by Brian Doyle.  Finally, pick up a copy of your New York Times Parent’s Guide to the Best Books for Children by Eden Ross Lipson.  Nope.  Not there either.  Heck, nobody even sent me a quote of the reason they liked this book.  The reasons for this are manifold but one problem may be the fact that you are dealing with the titular book in what would later become a series.  Many is the library system that carries the Boxcar Children series but not that many kids know that the series had a single book begin it all that acted as a starting point.  The plot as described by Wikipedia says: “Originally published in 1924 by Rand McNally and reissued in 1942, the novel The Boxcar Children, tells the story of four orphaned children, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny. They get permission to stay overnight at a bakery but run away when they hear the baker’s wife say she will keep the older three and send the youngest, Benny, to an orphanage. They create a home for themselves in an abandoned boxcar in the forest. They fear their legal guardian, their grandfather, believing him to be cruel. They enjoy their freedom, but need to seek help when Violet becomes ill. They eventually meet their grandfather, James Alden, who is a kind and wealthy man. The children agree to live with him. James moves the beloved boxcar to his backyard so the children can use it as a playhouse. In the subsequent books, the children encounter many adventures and mysteries in their neighborhood or at the locations they visit with their grandfather.”  Who defends it?  Well me, for one. I have vivid memories of the book, having had it read to me in school.  Cleaning the silverware.  Hiding from the authorities.  It was simultaneously gripping and comforting all at once.  Add to that the fact that it’s not every book that lasts from 1924 onwards.  Lest you forget, a prequel to the series as written by Patricia MacLachlan called The Boxcar Children Beginning is due out this coming September."
(2012, May 15).  [Review of the series The boxcar children].  School Library Journal.  Retrieved
     from http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2012/05/15/top-100-childrens-novels-poll-99-
     the-boxcar-children-by-gertrude-chandler-warner/.

2011-2012 Children's Crown Gallery Nominee

Suggestions for Use
*Have a mini-mystery at the library for children to uncover
*Take children to a train museum to see what a real boxcar looks like 
 

  

 Module 8/Mystery and Series Books/July 21-July 27

Junie B. Jones series by Barbara Park

Park, B.  (2002).  Junie B., first grader at last! United States:  Random House.  

Summary
Junie B. Jones is a funny and outspoken kindergartener (then first grader) who has one adventure after the other.  I read several Junie B. books, ranging from both years of school.  The reader can expect a funny and interesting ride as she drives her parents crazy as well as her teachers and gets into arguments with Lucille, who is a very rich girl in Junie B.'s grade.  Her best friend in kindergarten is Grace (Junie B. calls her "That Grace") but in first grade they start to make new friends.  Grace is very athletic and Junie B. is most definitely not.  Junie B. parents try to be very patient with her but do tend to lose that patience when Junie B. will not cooperate.  The language used is that of a five to six year old, including grammatical errors and complete honesty when sometimes adults don't want kids to be honest.  These books are perfect for both girls and boys because Junie B. is quite a tomboy and hilarious so boys would enjoy the books just as well. 

My Impression
I literally laugh out loud when reading Junie B. books.  I have tried to buy the entire set.  I am only missing a few.  They are quick reads, usually under 30 minutes for an entire book.  As I said, they are laugh out loud funny and each character is quirky and interesting in their own right.  Park's writing is witty and clever and it makes the books just as enjoyable for adults as well.  I had so much fun reading them to my son and I was laughing the entire time.  She is just such a funny kid and I love her thought process.  

Reviews and Awards
" In the ``First Stepping Stone'' series, a genuinely funny, easily read story. Junie didn't like riding the bus to her first day of kindergarten, so when it's time to go home she hides in a supply closet until everyone but the janitor has left. She has a fine time exploring the contents of her teacher's desk, the school library, and the nurse's office--until she has to go to the bathroom and finds it locked. Only when Junie calls 911 to report this emergency is she located by the frantic adults who've been searching for her. Junie's abrupt, ungrammatical narration sounds just like the feisty young lady seen in the b&w drawings, with droopy socks, wispy hair, and spit-shined (literally--she licks them) shoes. Kids may need some persuading to read about a younger child, but they're sure to enjoy the understated humor. (Fiction. 6-9)"
(2010, May 20).  [Review of the book Junie B. Jones and the stupid smelly bus].   Kirkus 
     Reviews.  Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/barbara-park/junie
     b-jonesand-the-stupid-smelly-bus/.

"One of the initial titles released under the First Stepping Stone imprint, chapter books aimed at newly independent readers and arranged in series, Park's ( Skinnybones ) jolly caper is the first installment to feature Junie B., a feisty almost-six-year-old who is not at all happy about riding the bus on the first day of kindergarten. In fact, she doesn't like a single thing about this vehicle: not the kids who get on it (``Loud kids. And some of them were the kind who look like meanies''); not the door (``If it closes on you by accident, it will cut you in half, and you will make a squishy sound''); and not the black smoke it emits (``It's called bus breath, I think''). Other equally candid, on-target perceptions fill Junie B.'s first-person narrative, which is peppered with reader-involving questions (``Only guess what?''; `` 'Cause guess why?'') that help to propel the story at a whiz-bang pace. When a classmate tells Junie B. that kids will pour chocolate milk on her head on the way home, the spunky child finds a way to avoid the dreaded bus. Park convinces beginning readers that Junie B.-- and reading--are lots of fun. Ages 6-9. (Aug.)"  
(1992, July 27).  [Review of the book Junie B. Jones and the stupid smelly bus].  Publisher's 
     Weekly.  Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-679-82642-2.

New York Time's Bestseller
Children's Choice Awards

Suggestions for Use
*Children can tell stories about mischief they have gotten into
*Have a storyteller come in to read the books to children.  This is a great series to do that with.  

 Module 7/Information Nonfiction/Biography/July 14-July 20

Basketball Belles:  How Two Teams and One Scrappy Player Put Women's Hoops on the Map by Sue Macy
Illustrated by Matt Collins

Macy, S.  (2011).  Basketball belles:  how two teams and one scrappy player put women's hoops on 

     the map.  New York:  Holiday House.  

Summary

Told from the point of view of Agnes Morley, the woman who made the game-winning shot in the first women's intercollegiate basketball game in 1896, this book briefly but thoroughly tells the story of how college women finally got the chance to play the game of basketball.  The first game took place between Stanford and the University of California at Berkeley.  Morley was actually a rancher's daughter who was sent to Stanford to learn how to be a lady.  She joined Stanford's first basketball team and they ended up winning the first intercollegiate game 2 to 1.  There were actually 500 fans there, but men were not allowed to watch so it was only women cheering on the two teams.   Refereeing the game was also a woman, only she was wearing high heels. 

My Impression

I really, really, really liked this book.  First, I liked that the story was told in present tense.  It made it seem to have more action.  The book was not very long but that helped add to the action, much like when announcers talk at actual basketball games.  That is the kind of feel the writing had.  What was just as good, if not better, than the writing were the illustrations.  They are computer generated and just phenomenal.  They are very crisp and clean and illustrate the time period very well.  It's actually strange to see the women playing in long sleeve shirts and pants.  The book also has extras, such as a timeline, author's notes, and other sources to look at.  I was disappointed in the timeline though because even though it was published in 2011, the timeline ends in 1997.  I felt the author could have kept that going up until publishing.  

Reviews and Awards

"In 1896, a historic basketball game was played between the University of California at Berkeley and Stanford University. It was the first women’s intercollegiate game, played five years after basketball was invented. Agnes Morley, a rancher’s daughter, narrates the story and excels as a Stanford player during the groundbreaking event. The focus is on the play-by-play of the game, which had different rules for women and was attended by 500 cheering female spectators. Collins' digitally created artwork captures the dynamic game and develops the characters, from Morley’s determination as she brands a calf on her ranch to her team’s exuberance at their victory in the game. While seemingly meant to introduce readers to the history of women’s basketball, the story is so brief as to seem slight. Readers will crave more information: What types of shoes do the players wear? Why are the nets closed? How did this particular game come about? What happens next? An author’s note fleshes out some biographical details about Morley and the other players and discusses women's basketball in America. A timeline is included, but unfortunately it ends in 1997 with the introduction of the WNBA. A resource section lists books and places to visit, and a photograph of the 1896 Stanford women’s basketball team concludes the book. The excellent backmatter, however, doesn't compensate enough for the too-slim story. (Nonfiction 7-11). "

(2011, Feb. 10).  [Review of the book Basketball belles: how two teams and one scrappy player put 

      women's hoops on the map].  Kirkus Reviews.  Retrieved from 

      https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/sue-macy/basketball-belles/.

2012 Amelia Bloomer Book List

Suggestions for Use

*Have women basketball players come in and discuss why that first intercollegiate game was so important and how the game has changed from then to now

*Take a field trip day and watch a collegiate basketball game

 Module 7/Information Nonfiction/Biography/July 14-July 20

Baseball Saved Us by Ken Mochizuki
Illustrated by Dom Lee

Mochizuki, K.  (1993).  Baseball saved us.  New York:  Lee and Low Books.

Summary

It is during World War II, right after the Pearl Harbor bombing, and Shorty is a young Japanese boy who has just been pulled out of school in the middle of the day to be sent to an internment camp with his parents and brother because the Japanese Americans are thought to be a threat.  At the dusty, dirty camp, they are watched by guards in towers with guns.  Tensions are high and they are miserable.  One day, Shorty's dad decides to build a baseball field to give the camp residents some kind of outlet.  Everyone helps...relatives from other places ship in equipment, the women make uniforms out of the mattress material, and the men build the field.  Finally it is put together and they begin to play.  Shorty has bad memories of team activities because of getting made fun of or not getting chosen to play.  However, he participates and puts all of his anger into his hitting:  the anger towards the guard who is watching, anger towards being in the camp, and anger towards the war.  He hits well the first time, but it is the second time that he hits a home run to win the game that really makes the story.  However, even with a happy ending this story overall is very sad.

My Impression
I chose this book because it had to do with baseball and I loved the game.  I did not know there would also be a history lesson along with it.  I did like that the author used a wonderful storyline to talk about the war and the camps but tie in something positive as well. However, the tone of the book made me sad.  I would recommend this book for the story value but not necessarily for enjoyable reading.  I also did like how honest the story and characters were.  Mochizuki did not hide their anger or sadness.

Reviews and Awards
"These collaborators' prepossessing debut book introduces readers to a significant and often-neglected--for children, at any rate--chapter in U.S. history: the internment of Japanese-Americans during WW II. The nameless narrator and his family inhabit a camp in the parched American desert, where life becomes a bit more bearable after the internees build a baseball field, and the boy gains self-worth by hitting a championship home run. Although Mochizuki's stylish prose evocatively details the harsh injustice of the camps, some may feel the book suffers from uneven pacing. An introduction and much of the text are spent on background, leaving little time devoted to the actual camp regimen. In addition, the ending, in which the hero returns to school after the war and is again saved from prejudice by baseball, seems tacked on. Lee's stirring illustrations were inspired by Ansel Adams's photographs of the Manzanar internment camp. In the muted browns, sepias and golds of the desert, the artist movingly conveys the bleakness of camp life, with its cramped quarters, swirling dust storms and armed guards. The baseball scenes' motion and excitement lend effective contrast; the final illustration stands in particularly moving counterpoint to the earlier rigors. Ages 4-up. (Mar.)"
(1993, Mar. 1).  [Review of the book Baseball saved us].  Publisher's Weekly.  Retrieved from 
      http://publishersweekly.com/978-1-880000-01-4.  

1993 Parent's Choice Award
American Bookseller Pick of the Lists
San Francisco Chronicle Editor's Choice
 

Suggestions for Use
*Have a Japanese survivor from World War II come and speak to the children about his/her experience
*Have children go to the park for a "field trip" type day and play a game of baseball 

Module 6/Historical Fiction/July 7-July 13

Here Comes the Garbage Barge by Jonah Winter
 Illustrated by Red Nose Studio

Summary

Over 3,000 tons of garbage was sitting and stinking in Islip, Long Island so it was up to some men to decide what to do with it.  The plan they came up with to deal with the trash was to load it onto a barge and ship it to a place that could handle that much waste.  However, the barge made its way around the world and no one would take the nasty mess.  The captain drove over 6,000 miles in his tugboat stopping at port after port trying to get someone to take the trash.  Ironically, he ended up back in New York where the trash was burned in Brooklyn and then buried in a landfill in Islip.  The captain then drove away on his tugboat, trash free. 

My Impression

My favorite part of the book were the illustrations.  I thought Red Nose Studio did an amazing job illustrating with clay.  I enjoyed the story because of the tongue-in-cheek way it was told.  I think children would love the humor in the story while getting history at the same time.  It is not a book I would read over and over, but if doing a unit on recycling or disposal of trash, I would definitely use this book.

Reviews and Awards

"A stinky story never seemed so sweet. Winter tackles the true-life tale of the 1987 Garbage Barge fiasco in this entirely amusing mix of fact and fiction. When the city of Islip on Long Island ends up with too much garbage, some businessmen (merged into a single character here named Gino Stroffolino) decide the best solution is to ship it to a distant Southern contact. Trouble arises when the barge and stalwart Cap’m Duffy St. Pierre find themselves turned away at every port. From North Carolina to Mexico, from New Orleans to Belize, nobody wants the garbage—all 3,168 tons of it. The author has fun with this story, and his jovial tall-tale tone is well complemented by the eye-popping clay models provided by Red Nose Studio. The garbage in this book doesn’t just stink—it oozes and melts in the hot summer sun. A fantastic combination of text and image, this is sure to give the barge and story the infamy they deserve for a generation far too young to recall either the actual incident or the bad old days before we all recycled. (Picture book. 4-8)."

(2010, Jan. 15).  [Review of the book Here comes the garbage barge].  Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jonah-winter/here-comes-the-garbage-barge/.

Suggestions for Use

*Have a field trip day where children volunteer to pick up trash around the community

*Adopt an area of the highway sponsored by the library and go once a month to pick up that section

 Module 6/Historical Fiction/July 7-July 13

Tomas and the Library Lady by Pat Mora
Illustrated by Raul Colon

Mora, P.  (1997).  Tomas and the library lady.  New York:  Random House.

Summary

Tomas is a young boy who helps work in the fields with his parents.  They travel to where the work is:  Texas in the winter and Iowa in the summer.  Tomas is very sad when he has to leave Texas for Iowa.  However, one of Tomas' favorite things is listening to his Papa Grande tell his stories; he even has Papa Grande's stories memorized.  One night, Papa Grande suggests that Tomas go to the library.  He is intimidated at first, but he makes friends with the librarian and she introduces him to the world of books.  He gets lost in tales of the dinosaurs.  Soon, Tomas has become a storyteller himself because of all of the stories he is reading.  Tomas even begins teaching the librarian Spanish.  The day comes when it is time for Tomas to go back to Texas.  He teaches the librarian the final word, adios, and gives her sweet bread his mom made for her.  She gives him a book to take on his journey back.  Although Tomas is sad to leave, he has found a love for books that is sure to last him the rest of his life.  

My Impression

This book is both a good story accompanied by wonderful illustrations.  I really enjoyed the cultural aspect of it and how the author used Spanish words throughout the story.  Also, any child can relate to their first time in a place, even a library, and how intimidating it is.  Mora does a great job of being very vivid in his writing, creating a visual for the reader and using beautiful description words.  Mora and Colon make a wonderful team as the illustrations flow perfectly with the story and the characters are drawn flawlessly.  My favorite part about the book aside from the storyline and illustrations though is the fact that it is semi-bilingual.  I also love that it is a true story about Tomas Rivera. 

Reviews and Awards

" A charming, true story about the encounter between the boy who would become chancellor at the University of California at Riverside and a librarian in Iowa. Tomas Rivera, child of migrant laborers, picks crops in Iowa in the summer and Texas in the winter, traveling from place to place in a worn old car. When he is not helping in the fields, Tomas likes to hear Papa Grande's stories, which he knows by heart. Papa Grande sends him to the library downtown for new stories, but Tomas finds the building intimidating. The librarian welcomes him, inviting him in for a cool drink of water and a book. Tom†s reads until the library closes, and leaves with books checked out on the librarian's own card. For the rest of the summer, he shares books and stories with his family, and teaches the librarian some Spanish. At the end of the season, there are big hugs and a gift exchange: sweet bread from Tom†s's mother and a shiny new book from the librarianto keep. Colon's dreamy illustrations capture the brief friendship and its life-altering effects in soft earth tones, using round sculptured shapes that often depict the boy right in the middle of whatever story realm he's entered. (Picture book. 7-10)."

(2010, May 20).  [Review of the book Tomas and the library lady].  Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/pat-mora/tomas-and-the-library-lady/.

1997 Américas Award for Children’s and  Young Adult Literature Commended Title  

1999-2000 Texas Bluebonnet Master List Title
1999-2000 Nebraska Golden Sower Nominee

Suggestions for Use

*Have someone read the Spanish version and the English version of the book to children

*Teach simple Spanish words to children at the library

 

 Module 5/Fantasy and Science Fiction/June 30-July 6

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Roth, V.  (2011).  Divergent.  New York:  HarperCollins.  

Summary

Divergent is the first in a trilogy about futuristic Chicago, which has now become a dystopian society.  The story follows Beatrice Prior who has to choose which faction she will be in because she is now sixteen and all sixteen-year-olds must../ choose.  They have five choices:  Candor, Erudite, Amity,  Abnegation or Dauntless.  Although Beatrice has been raised Abnegation, when it comes time to choose in front of everyone, she chooses Dauntless.  Abnegation is a gentle faction but Dauntless is completely different and it doesn't take Beatrice long to realize that.  Also, when Beatrice takes the test that all teenagers take, the results that come back are surprising:  she is Divergent, so she does not have skills that attract one faction.  She is rare and this can be deadly for her.  Soon, she changes her name to Tris and begins making both friends and enemies.  She sees she is going to have to fight her way through initiation to make it to the end.  She watches as friends kill themselves and others get seriously injured due to competition.  Finally, she completes Dauntless initiation and becomes official.  As this is happening though. something else is brewing.  Soon she will have to lead a revolution against the government.  The rest of the story is told in the other two books, Insurgent and Allegiant. 

My Impression

I really liked Divergent and believe it is definitely the best of the three.  The action is from cover to cover and I feel like Tris' character is layered very well.  Every time I think she is a certain way, she makes a decision that completely throws me for a loop.  I love her relationship with Four and how it is based on mutual respect.  The story line is fast paced which makes it both a quick and easy read.  She is a strong female character and I really like that too.  She can easily be a role model for teenage girls.  She is brave, strong and does not show her fears, even during initiation when she couldn't even sleep at night because she may be attacked due to her advancing at the top in almost every category the initiates competed in.  This is a very well written book and starts the series off strong.  I would not re-read the series again because I strongly disliked the ending, but I would read this book on its own over and over.

Reviews and Awards
"The remnant population of post-apocalyptic Chicago intended to cure civilization’s failures by structuring society into five “factions,” each dedicated to inculcating a specific virtue. When Tris, secretly a forbidden “Divergent,” has to choose her official faction in her 16th year, she rejects her selfless Abnegation upbringing for the Dauntless, admiring their reckless bravery. But the vicious initiation process reveals that her new tribe has fallen from its original ideals, and that same rot seems to be spreading… Aside from the preposterous premise, this gritty, paranoid world is built with careful details and intriguing scope. The plot clips along at an addictive pace, with steady jolts of brutal violence and swoony romance. Despite the constant assurance that Tris is courageous, clever and kind, her own first-person narration displays a blank personality. No matter; all the “good” characters adore her and the “bad” are spiteful and jealous. Fans snared by the ratcheting suspense will be unable to resist speculating on their own factional allegiance; a few may go on to ponder the questions of loyalty and identity beneath the façade of thrilling adventure.
Guaranteed to fly off the shelves."  

(2011, April 5).  [Review of the book Divergent].  Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/veronica-roth/divergent/.

 

YALSA Teens' Top Ten Books

New York Times' Bestseller

 

Suggestions for Use

*Discuss the similarities and differences between dystopian novels and why they are so popular among teenagers 

*Have a movie night and watch the movie "Divergent."  You can also discuss with the teenagers after the movie what they liked better/worse than the book.   

 Module 5/Fantasy and Science Fiction/June 30-July 6

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

Meyer, S.  (2005).  Twilight.  New York:  Time Warner Book Group.

Summary

Twilight follows the story of Bella Swan after she moves from her mother's home in Arizona to her single father's home in Forks, Washington.  Bella has to start at a new high school and is worried, but soon falls in love with Edward Cullen who is very mysterious.  Come to find out, the entire Cullen family (who happen to be absolutely beautiful) are in fact a family of vampires.  When Edward and Bella first meet in class, he doesn't seem to take a liking to her.  However, he soon tells her it is because he could hardly control his vampire urges.  After Edward saves her life at the school, the two become inseparable. Although Bella has an inkling that the Cullen family are all vampires, Edward confirms it the night they have their first date.  Subsequently, Bella is almost attacked that night as well by a group of men but Edward comes to her rescue.  Meanwhile, a group of evil vampires are tracking the Cullens and find out about the human/vampire relationship.  They try to kill Bella while she is hiding in Phoenix but the Cullens' save her.  The story continues over three more books.

My Impression
I loved the entire series.  I stayed up all hours of the night to finish the story so I could move on to the next.  At times I think Bella is too dramatic but I can't help but to get sucked in to the love story.  The writing is wonderful and believable for teenagers.  I am not much for science fiction type stories and this is the only vampire storyline I have read.  It never seemed too supernatural or over the top though.  There was plenty of love, adventure, danger and normalcy to make it perfect.  I could read this series over and over.

Reviews and Awards
"Sun-loving Bella meets her demon lover in a vampire tale strongly reminiscent of Robin McKinley’s Sunshine. When Bella moves to rainy Forks, Wash., to live with her father, she just wants to fit in without drawing any attention. Unfortunately, she’s drawn the eye of aloof, gorgeous and wealthy classmate Edward. His behavior toward Bella wavers wildly between apparent distaste and seductive flirtation. Bella learns Edward’s appalling (and appealing) secret: He and his family are vampires. Though Edward nobly warns Bella away, she ignores the human boys who court her and chooses her vampiric suitor. An all-vampire baseball game in a late-night thunderstorm—an amusing gothic take on American family togetherness that balances some of the tale’s romantic excesses—draws Bella and her loved ones into terrible danger. This is far from perfect: Edward’s portrayal as monstrous tragic hero is overly Byronic, and Bella’s appeal is based on magic rather than character. Nonetheless, the portrayal of dangerous lovers hits the spot; fans of dark romance will find it hard to resist."
(2010, June 24).  [Review of the book Twilight]. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com 
      /book-reviews/stephenie-meyer/twilight-7.

New York Times' Bestseller
ALA Top Ten Books for Young Adults

Suggestions for Use
*Have teenagers begin journaling to see if their lives are similar to the high school lives of Bella and Edward
*Have a movie marathon night at the library showing all of the Twilight movies

 Module 4/Realistic Fiction/June 23-29

Ivy+Bean by Annie Barrows

Illustrated by Sophie Blackall

Barrows, A.  (2006).  Ivy + Bean.  San Francisco:  Chronicle Books.

Summary
Ivy and Bean are two girls who live on the same street but are very different.  Not only do they look different with Ivy and her long red hair and Bean with her short black hair, but their personalities are different as well.  Bean is crazy and mischievous and Ivy is reserved and a bookworm, or so Bean thinks.  After Bean tries to play a prank on her sister Nancy and it fails, Ivy comes in to save the day.  Bean learns about Ivy becoming a witch and trying to cast spells.  The girls decide to cast a spell on Nancy but it involves getting lots of worms.  The girls climb a lot of fences to get to Bean's (and they get in trouble on the way) but finally make it there and dig a hole to get out the worms.  They find Nancy crying through the window and although Bean begins to feel bad because Nancy may be crying about her, come to find out she is crying because she wants to get her ears pierced.  This makes Bean so mad that when Nancy comes out to get her, Bean throws worms in her face.  Ivy and Bean run around the yard and finally lock themselves in the playhouse where Nancy can't get to them.  Nancy ends up falling in the worm pit and dancing around, just like Ivy's spell was supposed to make her do.  And so the adventures begin with Ivy and Bean.

My Impression
This was a very cute book.  I like the idea of two young girls having adventures together.  None of it was harmful and instead it was hilarious.  I also like how contrasting both of their personalities are.   I can definitely see the appeal this series has on young girls.  I also enjoy what a tomboy Bean is.  I think sometimes authors get too wrapped up in making sure a girl is society's view of what a girl should be and same for boys.  However, Bean has great characteristics that make her a very likable person, even down to her nickname.  I would love to read the entire series of these books.

Reviews and Awards
"Barrows's debut children's book energetically kicks off a series about two seemingly unlikely pals, just right for kids moving on from beginning readers. Bean's mother suggests that she play with Ivy, the new girl across the street, "She seems like such a nice girl." Seven-year-old Bean says she already has plenty of friends ("Nice, Bean knew, is another word for boring"). After all, Ivy's long, curly red hair is neatly pushed back with a sparkly headband, and she always wears dresses and reads books; headband-, dress- and book-shunning tomboy Bean muses that Ivy "had never once in her whole life climbed a tree and fallen out." But when Ivy offers to get Bean out of a jam with her older sister, Nancy, Bean takes Ivy up on it. Bean discovers that the not-so-boring, wand-toting Ivy is in training to become a witch, and working on a spell that keeps its victim dancing for life—which sets Bean thinking about the ideal fate for bossy Nancy. Blackall's (Ruby's Wish ) half-tone spot art and full-spread illustrations deftly capture the girls' personalities and the tale's humor, while also filling out fun details about Ivy's room and the neighbors' backyards. Barrows's narrative brims with sprightly dialogue and tidily ties everything together—both Bean and Ivy find a fast friend and set the stage for Ivy and Bean and the Ghost that Had to Go , scheduled for the fall. Ages 6-10."
(2006, May 15).  [Review of the book Ivy + Bean].   Retrieved from 
      http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-8118-4903-6.

2007 ALA Notable Children's Book

Suggestions for Use
*Children can make up their own spells and share them with the group
*Set up an art center so children can make their own magic wands

 Module 4/Realistic Fiction/June 23-29

13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Asher, J.  (2007).  13 reasons why.  New York:  Penguin Group.

Summary

Hannah Baker is a high school girl who has just committed suicide by overdosing on pills.  However, before she killed herself, she left a series of thirteen tapes listing the twelve people (one person is on there twice) who may have contributed to her death.  The story is told by the perspective of Clay Jensen, one of the people on the tapes.  The tapes are sent to each of the twelve people.  After a person listens to the tapes, they are to send them on to the next person.  Before her death, she also made a second set of tapes and gave them to another boy in their grade, Tony.  Tony is watching to make sure each person listens to the tapes and sends them on.  If not, Tony is to release the tapes so that everyone can know what happened.  Clay is the only person who knows that Tony is involved like this.  In the tapes, Hannah walks each listener through the entire process, starting with when she kissed a boy and he told everyone it was more to the end when she reached out for help to the counselor but received none.  She also encloses a map so the listener can walk from place to place where each incident happened that led to her committing suicide.  

My Impression

This is one of my favorite books.  It is very haunting, yes, but it is a story that needs to be told.  As a high school teacher, I see a lot of cruelty and hurtful things said and done.  No one knows how far a mean statement or gesture can push another person.  This story takes a lot of separate incidences but shows how they combine to lead to something that should have never happened.  We now see so many kids committing suicide because of what is happening in school or online and we are not doing enough about it.  This book is a book that can change the way both children and adults treat people.  It can also teach them to stand up for one another and advocate for kindness.  

Reviews and Awards

“Everything affects everything,” declares Hannah Baker, who killed herself two weeks ago. After her death, Clay Jensen—who had a crush on Hannah—finds seven cassette tapes in a brown paper package on his doorstep. Listening to the tapes, Hannah chronicles her downward spiral and the 13 people who led her to make this horrific choice. Evincing the subtle—and not so subtle—cruelties of teen life, from rumors, to reputations, to rape, Hannah explains to her listeners that, “in the end, everything matters.” Most of the novel quite literally takes place in Clay’s head, as he listens to Hannah’s voice pounding in his ears through his headphones, creating a very intimate feel for the reader as Hannah explains herself. Her pain is gut-wrenchingly palpable, and the reader is thrust face-first into a world where everything is related, an intricate yet brutal tapestry of events, people and places. Asher has created an entrancing character study and a riveting look into the psyche of someone who would make this unfortunate choice. A brilliant and mesmerizing debut from a gifted new author."

(20 May, 2010).  [Review of the book 13 reasons why].  Kirkus Reviews.  Retrieved from 

      https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jay-asher/thirteen-reasons-why/.

2011 New York Times Bestseller

2008 YALSA Best Books for Young Adults

Suggestions for Use

*This novel could lead into very deep and thoughtful conversations in a student book club at the library.

*A student group at the library could do random acts of kindess. 

Module 3/Newberry/Printz/Coretta Scott King/Pura Belpre Winners/June 16-June 22

Nino Wrestles the World by Yuyi Morales

Morales, Y.  (2013).  Nino wrestles the world.  New York: Roaring Brook Press.    

Summary

Nino is a boy who wrestles the most vicious villains there are.   However, he comes up with creative and funny ways to do so.  He tickles the mummy into submission and defeats the alien by beating him in marbles.  Although the story is told in English, there are many Spanish words and the names are in Spanish so readers are getting both languages.  The illustrations are bright and expressive much like the language used in the book.

My Impression

I thought this was a very fun and exciting book.  The illustrations and words went very well together and I loved that the author used onomatopoeia throughout the book.  It made it very fun and exciting.  It was so cute that Nino was in his underwear and a mask.  I think a lot of little boys could relate to wearing that around the house.  Also, I loved the end when the "scariest" villains were actually his two sisters.  I thought it was a very cute and entertaining book.  

Reviews and Awards

"Little luchador Niño battles out-of-this-world opponents one by one until he finally meets his match.
Niño has a big imagination and a love of lucha libre, the popular Mexican masked wrestling. While his sisters nap, he becomes an impressive luchador, facing competitors often drawn from Mexican history and folklore. The text, unfolding as if by a commentator calling the action, begs to be read aloud. Challengers are vanquished not by violence but by gentle horseplay and clever wit—until Niño meets Las Hermanitas, awake from their naps, and must quickly devise a new strategy to take on such crafty adversaries. A multiple Pura Belpré medal winner, Morales’ (Just in Case, 2008, etc.) style of illustration continues to evolve with this title. She uses a graphic approach reminiscent of a comic book, with speech bubbles and sound effects, a smart choice for moving along the action of the plot. This design will appeal to children who may struggle to find picture books that match their interests and energy level, especially boys. Trading-card–style introductions to each opponent on the endpapers include pronunciation guidance for Spanish names. Occasional challenges with text placement and page flow keep this title from being flawless, but young readers will be so engrossed with this humorous story that these issues are easy to overlook"
(2013, March 20).  [Review of the book Nino wrestles the world].  Kirkus Reviews.  Retrieved 
     from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/yuyi-morales/nino-wrestles-world/.

2014 Pura Belpre Award

Suggestions for Use
*Have children come dressed as their favorite superhero for storytime
*Play a game of onomatopoeia where children have to come up with a word on the spot!

Module 3/Newberry/Printz/Coretta Scott King/Pura Belpre Winners/June 16-June 22

The Blacker the Berry by Joyce Carol Thomas

Illustrated by Floyd Cooper

Thomas, J.C. (2008).  The blacker the berry.  New York:  HarperCollins Publishers.

Summary

This is a compilation of poems about different types of African American skin color.  It is a beautiful book, both in its writing as well as its illustrations.  All of the illustrations are of very happy and content children, either laughing or reading or doing something they love.  The poems written are positive, encouraging children to be proud of who they are and what they look like.  Each color is compared to a type of berry (such as a raspberry or blackberry) and has an illustration of the child and a poem about that color.  

My Impression

To me, this book was breathtaking and eyeopening.  The illustrations are beautiful and I love that they show such happy children.  The poems are honest and uplifting.  I love the overall tone of the book.  She consistently preaches in a different way to be proud of what you look like.  Children can relate to this book, whether they are African American or not.  It teaches about the beauty of different skin colors and to truly embrace who you are. 

Reviews and Awards

"“What shade is human?” Thomas’s evocative, colorful poetry seeks to answer that question with this celebration of the diversity of African-American children across the spectrum. From “Raspberry Black” to “Golden Goodness,” Cooper’s soft and realistic illustrations almost leap from the page, incorporating natural images from the text in their depiction of a gallery of beautiful, self-confident children. Difficult intraracial social issues related to skin color are handled with truth and respect. For instance, in the poem “Snowberries,” a fair-skinned child speaks back to those who would question her identity: “The words cut deep down / Beyond the bone / Beneath my snowy skin / Deep down where no one can see / I bleed the ‘one drop of blood’ / That makes Black me.” On the page opposite, an auburn-haired girl smiles at the reader, eyes twinkling. An essential picture book that helps young children understand and appreciate differences in skin color. As the epigraph states so truthfully, “Colors, without black, / couldn’t sparkle quite so bright.”"

(2010, May 20).  [Review of the book The blacker the berry].  Kirkus Reviews.  Retrieved from 

     https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/joyce-carol-thomas/the-blacker-the-berry/.

2009 Coretta Scott King Award

Suggestions for Use

*Have an art station set up and have children draw and color pictures that represent what they believe is beautiful and unique about them 

Module 2/Caldecott Medal Winners/Picture Books/June 9-June 15

Llama Llama Mad at Mama by Anna Dewdney

Illustrated by Anna Dewdney

Dewdney, A.  (2007).  Llama llama mad at mama.  New York: Penguin Young Readers Group.

Summary 

Baby Llama is happily playing in his room when his mom comes in and tells him it is time to go run errands.  It isn't bad until they are at the Shop-O-Rama for far too long and Baby Llama gets mad and throws a fit.  Mama Llama calms him down and by the end of the trip baby is happy again. 

My Impression

I love the Llama Llama series and this is my favorite of all of them.  It is so cute and hilarious and the story is so true.  So many times I have seen kids who are simply over being at the store and running errands with their moms and they are screaming and crying.  I could read this book over and over again and laugh every time. 

Reviews and Awards

"The engagingly expressive and emotive protagonist of Llama Llama Red Pajama has another reason to be grumpy in this droll follow-up. Having survived bedtime in the earlier tale, Llama Llama here faces another childhood bugaboo: a shopping expedition. None too happy when Mama Llama drags him away from his toys, the overall-clad youngster discovers there’s little to like at Shop-O-Rama: “Yucky music,/ great big feet./ Ladies smelling way too sweet./ Look at knees and stand in line./ Llama Llama starts to whine .” Forced to try on itchy clothing and wait while Mama deliberates over food items, her increasingly disgruntled progeny decides, “It’s no fun at Shop-O-Rama./ Llama Llama/ MAD at Mama !” Sitting in the shopping cart, he furiously throws would-be purchases on the ground, creating toddler-tickling mayhem and eliciting from Mama the tale’s reassuring message: “Please stop fussing, little llama./ No more of this llama drama ./ I think shopping’s boring, too—/ but at least I’m here with you .” After helping her offspring clean up the mess, Mama holds his hand as they push the cart together, finishing their shopping as a team. After Mama (in a parent-pleasing diversion) remembers where she left the car, they drive off (“Say good-bye to Shop-O-Rama”) and are then seen happily holding ice cream cones (“Llama Llama/ loves his mama”). Snappy rhythm, pleasing rhyme and large-scale art—plus the easily identifiable experience depicted—make this an involving read-aloud, one that will leave kids and parents hoping Llama has many more adventures ahead. Ages 2-up" (2007, Sept. 16).  [Review of the book Llama llama mad at mama].  Publisher's

     Weekly.  Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-670-06240-9.  

Booksense Book of the Year Award, Honor Book, 2008 

Suggestions for Use

*Children can have storytime and tell about their worst experience at the store

*Children can also describe their favorite ways to spend time with their parents