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