Genre V:
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Kadohata, Cynthia. 2006. Weedflower. New York. Atheneum. ISBN: 9780689865749
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Young Sumiko loves her family’s flower farm in Southern California. However, she doesn’t understand why the other children do not accept her and worries what will happen to her, her family and their farm now that Japan has attacked the United States at Pearl Harbor.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This novel overflows the heart and human spirit. We first meet Sumiko on her family’s flower farm in the days before the attack on Pearl Harbor. Unwanted by her schoolmates, she finds comfort in her grandfather, little brother, uncle, aunt and two young adult male cousins. Once the U.S. is attacked her family is divided as her grandfather and uncle are arrested and the rest of the family is evacuated to an internment camp in Arizona. Enduring the hard life that follows when her family is torn apart, and all of their civil rights are violated, Sumiko finds the true friendship she has been longing for. She also learns that she too, has prejudices and stereotypes of her own to deal with. Kadohata brings the theme of civil rights out in such a way that readers as young as third grade may understand. Readers will empathize with Sumiko’s right to live free as they also discover that we are charged to care for each other and should stand up to injustices. The novel is written with such talent that the reader can feel the unbearable heat of Arizona, the taste of its dust and see the intricate colors of Sumiko’s flowers. Readers are also able to enjoy the authentic mannerisms of each charter. Grandfather’s broken English and the use of Japanese words in the story, are expressions of Kadohata’s Japanese-American heritage. She sincerely blends the two without breaking either in half. Readers will feel they are in 1941 reading a current story. The author provides acknowledgements to her research and an end note for readers to use to find out more about this time in American and Japanese history.
4. REVIEW(S):
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: When Pearl Harbor is attacked, the lives of a Japanese-American girl and her family are thrown into chaos. Though often busy with chores, Sumiko enjoys working with the blossoms, particularly stock, or weedflowers (fragrant plants grown in a field). In the difficult days that follow the bombing, the family members fear for their safety and destroy many of their belongings. Then Uncle and Jiichan are taken to a prison camp, and the others are eventually sent to an assembly center at a racetrack, where they live in a horse stable. When they're moved to the Arizona desert, Sumiko misses the routine of her old life and struggles with despair.
KIRKUS: Kadohata combines impressive research and a lucent touch, bringing to life the confusion of dislocation.
5. CONNECTIONS
*Pair this novel with a unit about civil rights.
*Have students investigate the changes that occurred after the Japanese Americans were brought to Poston Arizona.
*Sumiko and her family were moved from Southern California to the desert of Arizona. Have students use different resources to study the differences in these two climates. Why was so hard to have a garden in the camp? What was the solution?
Thursday, July 29, 2010
A River Between Us by Richard Peck
Genre V:
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Peck, Richard. 2003. The River Between Us. New York. Listening Library. ASIN: B000E8JN42
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In this mysterious historical fiction tale, we meet the Pruitt family living simply in a small town in the hills of Illinois on the banks of the Mississippi river just as the American Civil War is about to breakout. Tilly, Noah, Cass and Mama run a farm on the Illinois side of the great river. One day a beautiful, vivacious young girl arrives on a boat from New Orleans and their lives are forever changed.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
I chose this novel in audio format. It is published by Random House’s Listening Library. It is a four disc, unabridged production packaged in a hard case with each disc in a protective slip. Performed by two readers, Daniel Passer and Lina Patel, the recording is three hours and fifty four minutes long. The sound and performance quality is high and if young readers enjoy this format, they will certainly find this novel absorbing. The production is recommended for ages ten and older. This listening experience was one of the best available with appropriately placed music and background enhancements. Daniel Passer reads the first and last chapters as a young man learning about his family’s past. Lina Patel reads all other chapters and masterfully changes her voice to “match” each character. The prejudices, behaviors, dress, verbiage and dialects of the time and region are all expressed honestly and accurately. Peck has expertly spun his research of the woman’s role in the Civil War and in historical Southern Louisiana society into a gripping and courageous account. This is a truly engaging story of love and pride in who you are and where you come from.
4. REVIEW(S):
BOOKLIST: At the start of the Civil War two mysterious young women get off a boat in a small town in southern Illinois, and 15-year-old Tilly Pruitt's mother takes them in. Who are they? Is the darker-complexioned woman the other woman's slave? Tilly's twin brother, Noah, falls in love with one of them--rich, stylish, worldly Delphine, who shows Tilly a world of possibilities beyond her home. Peck's spare writing has never been more eloquent than in this powerful mystery in which personal secrets drive the plot and reveal the history.
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: This historical novel set at the beginning of the Civil War actually opens in 1916, as 15-year-old Howard Leland Hutchings recounts his trip in a Model T to visit his father's childhood home in Grand Tower, IL. When he and his younger brothers meet the four elderly people who raised their father, the novel shifts to 1861, and the narrator shifts to 15-year-old Tilly Pruitt, the boys' grandmother. The novel ends with a return to 1916 and Howard's finding out his father's true parentage. In this thoroughly researched novel, Peck masterfully describes the female Civil War experience, the subtle and not-too-subtle ways the country was changing, and the split in loyalty that separated towns and even families. Although the book deals with some weighty themes, it is not without humor. A scene involving strapping on a corset is worthy of Grandma Dowdel herself.
5. CONNECTIONS (This book is for older readers, grade 7 and up)
*Pair this novel with these two nonfiction books: CIVIL WAR WOMEN: AMERICAN WOMEN SHAPED BY CONFLICT IN STORIES BY ALCOTT, CHOPIN, WELTY AND OTHERS by Frank D. McSherry and BEHIND THE BLUE AND GRAY: THE SOLDIER'S LIFE IN THE CIVIL WAR (YOUNG READER'S HIST- CIVIL WAR) by Delia Ray
*Teach students how to use appropriate websites to trace their genealogy.
http://www.worldgenweb.org/~wgw4kids/
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Peck, Richard. 2003. The River Between Us. New York. Listening Library. ASIN: B000E8JN42
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In this mysterious historical fiction tale, we meet the Pruitt family living simply in a small town in the hills of Illinois on the banks of the Mississippi river just as the American Civil War is about to breakout. Tilly, Noah, Cass and Mama run a farm on the Illinois side of the great river. One day a beautiful, vivacious young girl arrives on a boat from New Orleans and their lives are forever changed.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
I chose this novel in audio format. It is published by Random House’s Listening Library. It is a four disc, unabridged production packaged in a hard case with each disc in a protective slip. Performed by two readers, Daniel Passer and Lina Patel, the recording is three hours and fifty four minutes long. The sound and performance quality is high and if young readers enjoy this format, they will certainly find this novel absorbing. The production is recommended for ages ten and older. This listening experience was one of the best available with appropriately placed music and background enhancements. Daniel Passer reads the first and last chapters as a young man learning about his family’s past. Lina Patel reads all other chapters and masterfully changes her voice to “match” each character. The prejudices, behaviors, dress, verbiage and dialects of the time and region are all expressed honestly and accurately. Peck has expertly spun his research of the woman’s role in the Civil War and in historical Southern Louisiana society into a gripping and courageous account. This is a truly engaging story of love and pride in who you are and where you come from.
4. REVIEW(S):
BOOKLIST: At the start of the Civil War two mysterious young women get off a boat in a small town in southern Illinois, and 15-year-old Tilly Pruitt's mother takes them in. Who are they? Is the darker-complexioned woman the other woman's slave? Tilly's twin brother, Noah, falls in love with one of them--rich, stylish, worldly Delphine, who shows Tilly a world of possibilities beyond her home. Peck's spare writing has never been more eloquent than in this powerful mystery in which personal secrets drive the plot and reveal the history.
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: This historical novel set at the beginning of the Civil War actually opens in 1916, as 15-year-old Howard Leland Hutchings recounts his trip in a Model T to visit his father's childhood home in Grand Tower, IL. When he and his younger brothers meet the four elderly people who raised their father, the novel shifts to 1861, and the narrator shifts to 15-year-old Tilly Pruitt, the boys' grandmother. The novel ends with a return to 1916 and Howard's finding out his father's true parentage. In this thoroughly researched novel, Peck masterfully describes the female Civil War experience, the subtle and not-too-subtle ways the country was changing, and the split in loyalty that separated towns and even families. Although the book deals with some weighty themes, it is not without humor. A scene involving strapping on a corset is worthy of Grandma Dowdel herself.
5. CONNECTIONS (This book is for older readers, grade 7 and up)
*Pair this novel with these two nonfiction books: CIVIL WAR WOMEN: AMERICAN WOMEN SHAPED BY CONFLICT IN STORIES BY ALCOTT, CHOPIN, WELTY AND OTHERS by Frank D. McSherry and BEHIND THE BLUE AND GRAY: THE SOLDIER'S LIFE IN THE CIVIL WAR (YOUNG READER'S HIST- CIVIL WAR) by Delia Ray
*Teach students how to use appropriate websites to trace their genealogy.
http://www.worldgenweb.org/~wgw4kids/
Nightjohn by Gary Paulsen
Genre V
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Paulsen, Gary. 1993. Night John. New York. Recorded Books, LLC. ISBN 0788795236
2. PLOT SUMMARY
This historical novel is set in the harsh mid nineteenth century on an American plantation. This is an intense and brutal story of the realities of the time not suitable for readers younger than seventh grade. It is however, a tale of hope; hope in the midst of utter helplessness. Sarny is just a young girl when her owner, Waller, brings John to the plantation. As if coming in “bad” isn’t terrible enough, John reveals to Sarny that he actually escaped and returned by his own choice. What man would do that? One who had hope and dared to hold onto it at all costs.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
I chose this novel in audio format. It is published by Recorded Books, LLC. It is a two disc, unabridged set packaged in a hard case with each disc in a protective slip. Performed by one reader, Michele-Denise Woods, the recording is 1.5 hours long and recommended for ages thirteen and older. The sound and performance quality is very high and engaging. This listening experience was one of the best available. A most revealing interview with Gary Paulsen is included at the end of the recording. Paulsen also addresses the reader at the beginning of the audio peaking the reader’s interest right away. Paulsen explains how he came to write this story and the research that he conducted that helped to reveal it. The author has done an incredible job of capturing the soul of a slave girl through regionally and historically accurate dialect, facts and behaviors. He allows readers a glimpse into the plight of this enslaved child with his remarkable writing talent. Although most readers will not be able to identify with the dire situation in which Sarny, Mammy and John are forced to live; many will understand their fear, curiosity and courage.
4. REVIEW(S)/AWARD(S)
ALA Best Book for Young Adults
KIRKUS: Paulsen begins by saying that, ``Except for variations in time and character identification and placement, [they] are true and actually happened.'' But like that last phrase, some of the violence here is redundant: it's not necessary to describe three different but equally terrible deaths suffered by runaways set upon by dogs to make the point. Still, the anguish is all too real in this brief, unbearably vivid book.
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "Nightjohn should be required reading (and discussing) for all middle grade and high school students.”
5. CONNECTIONS (This book is definitely for older readers, grade 7 and up)
*Also share with students Marilyn Nelson’s book, FORTUNE'S BONES.
Nelson, Marilyn. FORTUNE’S BONES: THE MANUMISSION REQUIEM. ISBN 1932425128
Rinaldi, Ann. HANG A THOUSAND TREES WITH RIBBONS: THE STORY OF PHILLIS WHEATLEY. ISBN 0152008772
*John may have gone North via the Underground Railroad. Have students explore the escape routes that were used by slaves and plot them on a map. Students could label the free states, the slave states, and the locations of some of the stations. They might read stories about Harriet Tubman, another escaped slave who went North and returned to the South via the Underground Railroad.
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Paulsen, Gary. 1993. Night John. New York. Recorded Books, LLC. ISBN 0788795236
2. PLOT SUMMARY
This historical novel is set in the harsh mid nineteenth century on an American plantation. This is an intense and brutal story of the realities of the time not suitable for readers younger than seventh grade. It is however, a tale of hope; hope in the midst of utter helplessness. Sarny is just a young girl when her owner, Waller, brings John to the plantation. As if coming in “bad” isn’t terrible enough, John reveals to Sarny that he actually escaped and returned by his own choice. What man would do that? One who had hope and dared to hold onto it at all costs.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
I chose this novel in audio format. It is published by Recorded Books, LLC. It is a two disc, unabridged set packaged in a hard case with each disc in a protective slip. Performed by one reader, Michele-Denise Woods, the recording is 1.5 hours long and recommended for ages thirteen and older. The sound and performance quality is very high and engaging. This listening experience was one of the best available. A most revealing interview with Gary Paulsen is included at the end of the recording. Paulsen also addresses the reader at the beginning of the audio peaking the reader’s interest right away. Paulsen explains how he came to write this story and the research that he conducted that helped to reveal it. The author has done an incredible job of capturing the soul of a slave girl through regionally and historically accurate dialect, facts and behaviors. He allows readers a glimpse into the plight of this enslaved child with his remarkable writing talent. Although most readers will not be able to identify with the dire situation in which Sarny, Mammy and John are forced to live; many will understand their fear, curiosity and courage.
4. REVIEW(S)/AWARD(S)
ALA Best Book for Young Adults
KIRKUS: Paulsen begins by saying that, ``Except for variations in time and character identification and placement, [they] are true and actually happened.'' But like that last phrase, some of the violence here is redundant: it's not necessary to describe three different but equally terrible deaths suffered by runaways set upon by dogs to make the point. Still, the anguish is all too real in this brief, unbearably vivid book.
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "Nightjohn should be required reading (and discussing) for all middle grade and high school students.”
5. CONNECTIONS (This book is definitely for older readers, grade 7 and up)
*Also share with students Marilyn Nelson’s book, FORTUNE'S BONES.
Nelson, Marilyn. FORTUNE’S BONES: THE MANUMISSION REQUIEM. ISBN 1932425128
Rinaldi, Ann. HANG A THOUSAND TREES WITH RIBBONS: THE STORY OF PHILLIS WHEATLEY. ISBN 0152008772
*John may have gone North via the Underground Railroad. Have students explore the escape routes that were used by slaves and plot them on a map. Students could label the free states, the slave states, and the locations of some of the stations. They might read stories about Harriet Tubman, another escaped slave who went North and returned to the South via the Underground Railroad.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World by Jennifer Armstrong
Genre IV
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Armstrong, Jennifer. 1998. Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World. New York. Crown Publishing. ISBN 0517800136
2. PLOT SUMMARY
This is a story of bravery and ENDURANCE without comparison. Armstrong begins by introducing the captain, the crew members, the mission and the politics that all played vital roles in the formation and completion of this incredible journey. The author retells the facts surrounding the exploration, Ernest Shackleton and his 27 man crew with great storytelling ability. We learn that each crew member was truly a survivor in every way conceivable. Any one of the numerous devastating obstructions they faced would have been reason enough to abandon the quest. However, these men not only miraculously completed the monumental task of crossing Antarctica; they survived severe elements and sustained themselves through impossible circumstances. These courageous men, hauled wooden boats across frozen, jagged mountains of water, battled vicious leopard seals and sacrificed their dog teams all while suffering physical and mental breakdowns. Two years after the exploration began, the crew split up and Shackleton and two other men finally made it to small island port in the Atlantic Ocean. Four months later he led a rescue team back to the rest of his team and brought them all home alive.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Jennifer Armstrong narrates this story that took place between December 1914 and August 1916 via personalities and perspectives and shows how deeply connected these men were to the animals, landscape, equipment and other men on the team. She divides the information into twenty chapters which allows the reader to follow the intense action easily. The author includes forty four photographs, courtesy of Scott Polar Research Institute in her book. These photos were taken by Hurley, the exploration’s official photographer and add depth to the tale that words cannot. Three maps drawn by Kayley LeFairer, as well as plans of the ship, Endurance (courtesy of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich) are also included and aid the reader in visualizing the mission’s location and longevity. The author includes acknowledgements, a three part bibliography, an index and a table of contents to assist readers in pursuing any interests that will undoubtedly be sparked by her work. Armstrong researched Shackleton and the Antarctic separately when preparing to write this book. She was assisted in her research by the Scott Polar Institute in Cambridge, England and personally surveyed Worsley’s logbook, Hurley’s original photographs and Shackleton’s own writings. Armstrong has done an incredible job of capturing the intensity of this historical event while providing specific information pertinent to this part of the world.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
"A book that will capture the attention and imagination of any reader."
--School Library Journal, Starred
"This unbelievable story is enhanced by the vigorous prose; from the captivating introduction through the epilogue, it is the writing as much as the story that will rivet readers."
--Kirkus Reviews, Pointer
"Armstrong's absorbing storytelling, illustrated with dramatic black-and-white photographs, makes this an enthralling adventure."
--Publishers Weekly, Starred -- Review
5. CONNECTIONS
*Add this book to a realistic fiction unit on survival
*Other books about exploration of the Antarctic:
Steger, Will and Jon Bowermaster. 1992. CROSSING ANTARCTICA. New York. Alfred A. Knopf.
Fotherhill, Alastair. 1993. A NATURAL HISTORY OF THE ANTARCTIC: LIFE IN THE FREEZER. New York. Sterling Publishing Co.
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Armstrong, Jennifer. 1998. Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World. New York. Crown Publishing. ISBN 0517800136
2. PLOT SUMMARY
This is a story of bravery and ENDURANCE without comparison. Armstrong begins by introducing the captain, the crew members, the mission and the politics that all played vital roles in the formation and completion of this incredible journey. The author retells the facts surrounding the exploration, Ernest Shackleton and his 27 man crew with great storytelling ability. We learn that each crew member was truly a survivor in every way conceivable. Any one of the numerous devastating obstructions they faced would have been reason enough to abandon the quest. However, these men not only miraculously completed the monumental task of crossing Antarctica; they survived severe elements and sustained themselves through impossible circumstances. These courageous men, hauled wooden boats across frozen, jagged mountains of water, battled vicious leopard seals and sacrificed their dog teams all while suffering physical and mental breakdowns. Two years after the exploration began, the crew split up and Shackleton and two other men finally made it to small island port in the Atlantic Ocean. Four months later he led a rescue team back to the rest of his team and brought them all home alive.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Jennifer Armstrong narrates this story that took place between December 1914 and August 1916 via personalities and perspectives and shows how deeply connected these men were to the animals, landscape, equipment and other men on the team. She divides the information into twenty chapters which allows the reader to follow the intense action easily. The author includes forty four photographs, courtesy of Scott Polar Research Institute in her book. These photos were taken by Hurley, the exploration’s official photographer and add depth to the tale that words cannot. Three maps drawn by Kayley LeFairer, as well as plans of the ship, Endurance (courtesy of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich) are also included and aid the reader in visualizing the mission’s location and longevity. The author includes acknowledgements, a three part bibliography, an index and a table of contents to assist readers in pursuing any interests that will undoubtedly be sparked by her work. Armstrong researched Shackleton and the Antarctic separately when preparing to write this book. She was assisted in her research by the Scott Polar Institute in Cambridge, England and personally surveyed Worsley’s logbook, Hurley’s original photographs and Shackleton’s own writings. Armstrong has done an incredible job of capturing the intensity of this historical event while providing specific information pertinent to this part of the world.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
"A book that will capture the attention and imagination of any reader."
--School Library Journal, Starred
"This unbelievable story is enhanced by the vigorous prose; from the captivating introduction through the epilogue, it is the writing as much as the story that will rivet readers."
--Kirkus Reviews, Pointer
"Armstrong's absorbing storytelling, illustrated with dramatic black-and-white photographs, makes this an enthralling adventure."
--Publishers Weekly, Starred -- Review
5. CONNECTIONS
*Add this book to a realistic fiction unit on survival
*Other books about exploration of the Antarctic:
Steger, Will and Jon Bowermaster. 1992. CROSSING ANTARCTICA. New York. Alfred A. Knopf.
Fotherhill, Alastair. 1993. A NATURAL HISTORY OF THE ANTARCTIC: LIFE IN THE FREEZER. New York. Sterling Publishing Co.
Cleopatra by Diane Stanley and Peter Vennema
Genre IV
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Stanley, Diane and Peter Vennema. 1994. CLEOPATRA. New York. Morrow Junior Books. ISBN 0688154808
2. PLOT SUMMARY
The husband and wife author team of Stanley and Vennema follow a queen from age eighteen until her death at age thirty nine in their book, CLEOPATRA. Readers will learn the truth about her life and why she has been incorrectly portrayed over time. From ruling alongside her brothers to her true ancestry, myths are dispelled and facts are revealed concerning this woman most know by name and romantic connections alone.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Stanley and Vennema pull readers into this tale of a remarkable woman by explaining Cleopatra’s true heritage and her correct name and hold the reader’s attention throughout with their significant storytelling abilities. Their clarifying statement that Cleopatra VII, a descendant of Alexander the Great’s Greek general Ptolemyl was born in 69 B.C. and was not an Egyptian queen of the pyramid building era as others believe, starts the reader off on a path of exciting discovery. They go on to provide extensive information about her political, familiar and personal struggles. The authors include many valuable resources in their book. A preface devoted to her ancestry and the comparisons of Rome and Egypt, a note on how ancient sources have been used and a pronunciation guide are some of the most useful. Two maps of Egypt and Roman Provinces help readers to visualize empires that do not exist today. The epilogue and bibliography support readers who want to learn more about this amazing woman and period in world history. Stanley has chosen the artistic style of gouache to create her full color illustrations and compliments them with Alexandrian style mosaic pages, inserts and borders. She is able to accomplish a connection between a historical time and the present through the use of her art and text.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Book List: Gr. 3-6. Using their distinctive picture book biography format made popular in their volumes on Shaka, Shakespeare, and Dickens, Stanley and Vennema present the life of a legend, Cleopatra. The artwork includes full-page paintings of dramatic scenes as well as impressive painted mosaics that make up the jacket art, title page, and the background for the text. The story concerns Cleopatra's life from the age of 18, when she became the queen of Egypt (51 B.C.), through her liaisons with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, and her struggle to bring back Egypt's former glory, to her death at the age of 39. One of the most impressive qualities of this beautiful book is its recognition of the problems of researching and writing history. Not only does a note introduce Plutarch as the main source, but it also discusses why Plutarch's account may not be entirely reliable. Even in the text, the authors point out areas of doubt or inconsistency. Taken simply as a story, the book has a sumptuous setting, heroic characters, name recognition, high drama, and a tragic ending. An intriguing portrait.
School Library Journal: Grade 3-6-"It is traditionally believed that Cleopatra dazzled Caesar with her great beauty. Instead, it was the power of her intelligence and personality that drew him to her." In this lively, well-crafted biography, Stanley and Vennema brush the cobwebs from the popularly held portrait of Cleopatra to reveal a vital, warm, and politically adroit ruler. Lucid writing combines with carefully selected anecdotes, often attributed to the Greek historian Plutarch, to create an engaging narrative. The young queen's marriage to her brother Ptolemy XIII is placed in the context of practices of the rulers of the day. A "Note on Ancient Sources" and a map precede the text; an epilogue, pronunciation guide, and a brief bibliography are appended. Stanley's stunning, full-color gouache artwork is arresting in its large, well-composed images executed in flat Greek style. The palette is as rich and sumptuous as the court at Alexandria. Cover art and endpapers simulate period mosaics; the text is set against a faux-tile backdrop that reinforces the book's design and illustration. The figures of Cleopatra, Julius Caesar, and Mark Antony stride powerfully across scenes of Egypt and the Roman Empire. Finally, Cleopatra emerges as a savvy, astute, and complex leader who followed both her heart and mind.
5. CONNECTIONS
*Referring to Stanley and Vennema’s “Note on Ancient Sources”, have students discuss why the truth about Cleopatra is not more widely known.
*Other biographies of Cleopatra:
Grant, Michael. 1972. Cleopatra. New York. Simon and Schuster.
Hoobler, Dorothy and Thomas. 1986. Cleopatra. New York. Chelsea House Publishers.
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Stanley, Diane and Peter Vennema. 1994. CLEOPATRA. New York. Morrow Junior Books. ISBN 0688154808
2. PLOT SUMMARY
The husband and wife author team of Stanley and Vennema follow a queen from age eighteen until her death at age thirty nine in their book, CLEOPATRA. Readers will learn the truth about her life and why she has been incorrectly portrayed over time. From ruling alongside her brothers to her true ancestry, myths are dispelled and facts are revealed concerning this woman most know by name and romantic connections alone.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Stanley and Vennema pull readers into this tale of a remarkable woman by explaining Cleopatra’s true heritage and her correct name and hold the reader’s attention throughout with their significant storytelling abilities. Their clarifying statement that Cleopatra VII, a descendant of Alexander the Great’s Greek general Ptolemyl was born in 69 B.C. and was not an Egyptian queen of the pyramid building era as others believe, starts the reader off on a path of exciting discovery. They go on to provide extensive information about her political, familiar and personal struggles. The authors include many valuable resources in their book. A preface devoted to her ancestry and the comparisons of Rome and Egypt, a note on how ancient sources have been used and a pronunciation guide are some of the most useful. Two maps of Egypt and Roman Provinces help readers to visualize empires that do not exist today. The epilogue and bibliography support readers who want to learn more about this amazing woman and period in world history. Stanley has chosen the artistic style of gouache to create her full color illustrations and compliments them with Alexandrian style mosaic pages, inserts and borders. She is able to accomplish a connection between a historical time and the present through the use of her art and text.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Book List: Gr. 3-6. Using their distinctive picture book biography format made popular in their volumes on Shaka, Shakespeare, and Dickens, Stanley and Vennema present the life of a legend, Cleopatra. The artwork includes full-page paintings of dramatic scenes as well as impressive painted mosaics that make up the jacket art, title page, and the background for the text. The story concerns Cleopatra's life from the age of 18, when she became the queen of Egypt (51 B.C.), through her liaisons with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, and her struggle to bring back Egypt's former glory, to her death at the age of 39. One of the most impressive qualities of this beautiful book is its recognition of the problems of researching and writing history. Not only does a note introduce Plutarch as the main source, but it also discusses why Plutarch's account may not be entirely reliable. Even in the text, the authors point out areas of doubt or inconsistency. Taken simply as a story, the book has a sumptuous setting, heroic characters, name recognition, high drama, and a tragic ending. An intriguing portrait.
School Library Journal: Grade 3-6-"It is traditionally believed that Cleopatra dazzled Caesar with her great beauty. Instead, it was the power of her intelligence and personality that drew him to her." In this lively, well-crafted biography, Stanley and Vennema brush the cobwebs from the popularly held portrait of Cleopatra to reveal a vital, warm, and politically adroit ruler. Lucid writing combines with carefully selected anecdotes, often attributed to the Greek historian Plutarch, to create an engaging narrative. The young queen's marriage to her brother Ptolemy XIII is placed in the context of practices of the rulers of the day. A "Note on Ancient Sources" and a map precede the text; an epilogue, pronunciation guide, and a brief bibliography are appended. Stanley's stunning, full-color gouache artwork is arresting in its large, well-composed images executed in flat Greek style. The palette is as rich and sumptuous as the court at Alexandria. Cover art and endpapers simulate period mosaics; the text is set against a faux-tile backdrop that reinforces the book's design and illustration. The figures of Cleopatra, Julius Caesar, and Mark Antony stride powerfully across scenes of Egypt and the Roman Empire. Finally, Cleopatra emerges as a savvy, astute, and complex leader who followed both her heart and mind.
5. CONNECTIONS
*Referring to Stanley and Vennema’s “Note on Ancient Sources”, have students discuss why the truth about Cleopatra is not more widely known.
*Other biographies of Cleopatra:
Grant, Michael. 1972. Cleopatra. New York. Simon and Schuster.
Hoobler, Dorothy and Thomas. 1986. Cleopatra. New York. Chelsea House Publishers.
Sisters & Brothers: Sibling Relationships in the Animal World by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page
Genre IV
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Jenkins, Steve and Robin Page. 2008. Sisters and Brothers: Sibling Relationships in the Animal World. Boston. Houghton Mifflin Co.. ISBN 9780618375967
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Jenkins and Page reveal the interworkings of relationships among siblings in the wild animal world. They are careful to give children factual information in a narrative format that is interesting and engaging. Readers learn about large, small and unusual animal families and how the siblings’ interaction with each other ensures the survival of the creature. Birthing patterns and dominant genders are explained as well as the role of the animals’ parent.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In a straight forward style, the authors explain some of the most interesting behaviors of brothers and sisters in the wild. Highlighting each animal in alternating one and two page layouts, the authors use subheadings and eye catching exclamations, statements and alliteration to give the reader clues as to the characteristics of the animal’s family life. The name of each creature is written in bold print within the six to eleven sentences that make up a paragraph of specific facts pertaining to each animal. The language is probably easily understood by most readers in the second grade and above but is not simple. Steve Jenkins is also the illustrator of this book and uses torn paper collages to create the intricate art that accompanies the text so well. The authors have included a two page list of animal facts complete with illustrations that will answer questions readers may have about an animal’s habitat, appetite or size. Additional readings are also listed for readers who wish to find out more about wild animals and their habits but no bibliography is included. The authors attached pictures of themselves with their siblings on the back flap of the book’s jacket which adds a very personal touch readers will enjoy.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Horn Book: "... fascinating animal facts...the new focus allows deeper explorations of the growth and development stages."
Book Links: "Readers will love sharing this...The sibling focus is a way to include a wealth of fascinating science."
School Library Journal: “Realistic . . . collages form a visual lure . . . eye-catching, and with an interesting approach to the animal world.”
5. CONNECTIONS
*Have students create a torn paper collage of themselves and any siblings they may have. Only children can use cousins or friends in place of siblings.
*Allow students to discuss any birth patterns they may beware of within their family tree. Multiple births, rare births of females/males, high rates of births in certain months can all be considered and documented on a class graph created on the computer and displayed for observations.
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Jenkins, Steve and Robin Page. 2008. Sisters and Brothers: Sibling Relationships in the Animal World. Boston. Houghton Mifflin Co.. ISBN 9780618375967
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Jenkins and Page reveal the interworkings of relationships among siblings in the wild animal world. They are careful to give children factual information in a narrative format that is interesting and engaging. Readers learn about large, small and unusual animal families and how the siblings’ interaction with each other ensures the survival of the creature. Birthing patterns and dominant genders are explained as well as the role of the animals’ parent.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In a straight forward style, the authors explain some of the most interesting behaviors of brothers and sisters in the wild. Highlighting each animal in alternating one and two page layouts, the authors use subheadings and eye catching exclamations, statements and alliteration to give the reader clues as to the characteristics of the animal’s family life. The name of each creature is written in bold print within the six to eleven sentences that make up a paragraph of specific facts pertaining to each animal. The language is probably easily understood by most readers in the second grade and above but is not simple. Steve Jenkins is also the illustrator of this book and uses torn paper collages to create the intricate art that accompanies the text so well. The authors have included a two page list of animal facts complete with illustrations that will answer questions readers may have about an animal’s habitat, appetite or size. Additional readings are also listed for readers who wish to find out more about wild animals and their habits but no bibliography is included. The authors attached pictures of themselves with their siblings on the back flap of the book’s jacket which adds a very personal touch readers will enjoy.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Horn Book: "... fascinating animal facts...the new focus allows deeper explorations of the growth and development stages."
Book Links: "Readers will love sharing this...The sibling focus is a way to include a wealth of fascinating science."
School Library Journal: “Realistic . . . collages form a visual lure . . . eye-catching, and with an interesting approach to the animal world.”
5. CONNECTIONS
*Have students create a torn paper collage of themselves and any siblings they may have. Only children can use cousins or friends in place of siblings.
*Allow students to discuss any birth patterns they may beware of within their family tree. Multiple births, rare births of females/males, high rates of births in certain months can all be considered and documented on a class graph created on the computer and displayed for observations.
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