Moonbeams, Dumplings, and Dragon Boats Review

Virginia Caldwell
Book Review Module 2
TWU assignment
LS 5603 - 20

Moonbeams, Dumplings, and Dragon Boats


Bibliographic Data:
Simonds, Nina and Leslie Swartz. 2002. Moonbeams, Dumplings, and Dragon Boats. Ill. By Meilo So. New York: Gulliver Books. ISBN 0152019839


Plot Summary:

Moonbeams, Dumplings, and Dragon Boats is a collection of Chinese holiday stories, activities, recipes, and craft ideas. The book celebrates the traditions of Chinese holidays. It is divided by season into four parts: Chinese New Year and the Lantern Festival; Qing Ming and the Cold Foods Festival; The Dragon Boat Festival; and The Mid-Autumn Moon Festival.


Analysis:

Moonbeams, Dumplings, and Dragon Boats is a holiday masterpiece. This book has something wonderful to offer people of all ages. The authors did an excellent job of researching traditional Chinese holidays and choosing simple, yet fun and educational activities.

The traditions are explained in an interesting and understandable way. This is a very effective technique before a folktale is told; the explanation draws the reader a map to reference while reading.

In addition, the activities and recipes are positioned in the best possible order, along with the stories, which makes the book flow fantastically. For instance, the Lunar New Year is introduced before a story about the holiday, “The Story of the Kitchen God.” The story is followed by an activity to make New Year Prints, and then another to create Good Luck characters. Then, the tradition of feasting for this occasion is explained in a one-page narrative before a simple recipe is presented.

The activities and projects are clearly outlined, first with an introduction, then a material or ingredient list. Finally, the explanation of the activity or recipe steps are very detailed, yet simple to attempt.

In addition, the descriptions of each festival, and all of the special items involved are virtually poetic, and really make the reader envision exactly what they look, and sometimes even feel like. For example, the description of the Dragon from the Lion Dance Parade:

“The dragon also appears in some cities, in a parade almost most spectacular
than the lion’s. The dragon, whose body is most often made of brilliantly
colored satiny cloth, may be as long as forty feet.” (Simonds and Swartz, 2002)

The illustrations are invaluable to the book. They compliment each story, activity, or recipe with interesting, and when appropriate step-by-step illustrations to help the reader complete the actions.

A Chinese flavor is seen throughout the book’s illustration. These watercolor paintings really give the book an authentic Chinese feel, which adds magic to Moonbeams, Dumplings, and Dragon Boats. The art in “The Story of the Kitchen God” captures the personality of the God extremely well. On a recipe page, the illustrator had the awesome idea to place images of some Chinese vegetables, which westerners might not recognize on the page. This technique really helps the reader to get a good idea of what will go into the food. A very beautiful, and visually in motion illustration appears on the title page of The Dragon Boat Festival. The illustration is vividly colored and portrays a delightful sense of whimsy.


Review Excerpts:

Booklist 10/15/2002
“Each section explains the holiday, tells stories related to it, and offers at least one activity and one recipe. Attractively designed, the pages include plenty of white space, creating a fine background for So's brilliantly colored, stylized paintings.” -- Carolyn Phelan

Kirkus Reviews 09/15/2002
“No library should be without this well-designed, beautiful, and informative resource.”
Copyright 2003, VNU Business Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved

The above reviews are from Book Index with Reviews. 2007 EBSCO Publishing, Powered by The Title Source TM (Accessed through http://online.twu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_142_1 on September 22, 2007).


Connections:

Some books with similar themes:
The Essential Guide to Chinese American Celebrations and Culture: Good Luck Life by Rosemary Gong; Five-Fold Happiness: Chinese Concepts of Luck, Prosperity, Longevity, Happiness, and Wealth by Vivien Sung; Around the World Celebrate! The Best Feasts and Festivals from Many Lands (Kids Around the World) by Lydia Jones; The Family Treasury of Jewish Holidays by Malka Drucker; and Lights of Winter: Winter Celebrations Around the World by Heather Conrad.


Activities:
The book itself provides many activities, such as making kites, simple recipes, and puppets. Moonbeams, Dumplings, and Dragon Boats would be suitable to center a classroom unit around, along with supplementary materials. The book could also be used in a unit about many culture’s holiday traditions.

Cendrillon: A Caribbean Cinderella - Review

Virginia Caldwell
Book Review Module 2
TWU assignment
LS 5603 - 20

Cendrillon: A Caribbean Cinderella


Bibliographic Data:
San Souci, Robert D. 1998. Cendrillon: A Caribbean Cinderella. Ill. By Brian Pinkney. New York: Simon and Schuster. ISBN 068980668X


Plot Summary:

This Cinderella twist, set on a Caribbean Island, is about Cendrillon, a sweet girl who is abused by her stepmother and stepsister, but is loved by her monetarily poor godmother. With the help of a magic wand, the godmother prepares and sends Cendrillon to attend a ball and meet the young man she likes, Paul. At the ball Cendrillon and Paul fall in love, but Cendrillon disappears at midnight. Paul looks for her, finally finds her, and they get married.


Analysis:

Cendrillon begins with a statement that is almost a dare to the reader, and it effectively makes that reader want to find out what happens next. The story is told from the point of view of a servant, but not Cendrillon, a tactic that adds to the appeal of the book. She is a godmother, but a human godmother. The magic comes from a wooden wand that was the only item her own mother left her when she passed away. The catch is that the wand must be used to help a loved one. She uses it to send Cendrillon to the ball. This action sends the message that love is very powerful.

When Paul comes to search for Cendrillon, the godmother wants to redo the spell that allowed Cendrillon to attend the ball in a coach and fine clothes, but the wise Cendrillon refuses. She wants Paul to love the real Cendrillon. When he sees her, he still loves her. The message about love being powerful is repeated when Paul sees Cendrillon in rags, but still loves her same as when she was dressed in a gown.

The peppering with French-Caribbean words gives the story a healthy Caribbean flavor. The glossary of these words in the back is also a nice touch. For example:

“Her sweet “Bonjou” was music.” (San Souci, 1998)

“Oh yes Nannin’!” she cried. “It is a birthday fet for Paul.” (San Souci, 1998)


The illustration of Cendrillon is stunning. The wide brushstrokes and bright colors paint a vivid image of the Caribbean Island. The characters are drawn so that they show their character and feelings to the reader. The brushstrokes have many curves that contribute to the general feeling of movement in the story. The illustration really seems to put the reader right into the Caribbean, and the story itself.


Review Excerpts:

Publishers Weekly
"The lyrical cadences of the text spattered with French and Creole words combine with the sensuous paintings to bring the tropics to life." 12/17/ 2001 Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

The above review is from Book Index with Reviews. 2007 EBSCO Publishing, Powered by The Title Source TM (Accessed through http://online.twu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_142_1 on September 19, 2007).


Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
“San Souci's retelling has a zest that gives the old familiar tale new energy. . .” by Janice M. Del Negro, (January 1999)

The above review is from Book Review Digest Plus. 2007 Wilson Web. Accessed through http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2081/hww/shared/shared_main.jhtml?_requestid=49057 on September 20, 2007).


Connections:

Some books with similar themes: The Rough-Face Girl, by Rafe Martin; Chinye: a West African Folk Tale, by Obi Onyefulu; In the Land of Small Dragon: A Vietnamese Folktale, by Ann Nolan Clark; Little Firefly: an Algonquin Legend, by Terri Cohlene; and Yeh-Shen, a Cinderella Tale from China, by Ai-Ling Louie.


Activities: This book would work well as a part of a fairytale unit, or a Cinderella variation unit. If many variations were read, then a class discussion about the similarities and differences in the books would be great. This book could also be used in a unit about the Caribbean.

Anansi and the Talking Melon Review

Virginia Caldwell
Book Review Module 2
TWU assignment
LS 5603 - 20


Anansi and the Talking Melon



Bibliographic Data:

Kimmel, Eric A. 1994. Anansi and the Talking Melon. Ill. by Janet Stevens. New York: Holiday House. ISBN 0823411044



Plot Summary:

Anansi, the sly spider gets into a tight spot by eating his way into a melon. When he tries to exit the melon, he has gotten fat, and cannot get out. Always ready for a good joke, Anansi devises a plan that involves making the other animals think that a melon can talk.



Analysis:

Eric Kimmel records the Anansi stories, folktales told in West Africa. Anansi is a lazy, but crafty spider who uses his wits to make up for any shortcomings, like being much smaller than most of the other animals. This element is very appealing to young children, who know how the small spider feels. It demonstrates that you can be small, yet triumph over larger people. This is cleverly done by making Anasi and all of the animals have human qualities, except for their physical bodies.

The best lesson Anansi gives the reader is to use your brains. This is done in a very playful manner, with plenty of insults by the protagonist, which makes the reader want to quickly turn each page tot see what the spider will do next. The story concludes as Anansi, now inside a banana, starts the entire trick over,

“You melons got me in trouble with the king!” Elephant said. “From now on, you
can talk all you like. I’m not going to listen to a word you say!”
Good for
you, Elephant!” Anansi called from the bananas. “We bananas should
have warned you. Talking melons are nothing but trouble.” (Kimmel, 1994)

The illustrations are an integral part of the folktale. They are cartoon like, colorful, and have a fun quality. Characterization is a strong point in the Anansi illustrations, with little details like putting a hippo in a chair and having him read a book really adding to the story’s appeal. The King is also a very expressive, and is clearly drawn as being not so intelligent, which shows the creativity and talent of Stevens.

In addition, the illustrations show many close ups of Anansi and the melon. This detail reminds the reader that Anansi is not really small in all ways. It also has the effect of making the reader feel as if he/she were in the book, eating and becoming trapped in the melon.

Review Excerpts:

Booklist
“ With perfect pacing and repetition and with surprising reversals up to the very last page, this is a great choice for reading aloud and storytelling.” Hazel Rochman


School Library Journal
“The same elements that made Kimmel's earlier books popular are in evidence here,” and, “Stevens's anthropomorphic animals are both expressive and endearing. A surefire hit.”Heide Piehler


The review excerpts above are taken from Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/Anansi-Talking-Melon-Eric Kimmel/dp/0823411672/ref=sr_1_1/104 77039227921511?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190402236&sr=1-1. (Accessed on September 18, 2007)



Connections:

Some books with similar themes:
Ananse's Feast: An Ashanti Tale, by Eric Kimmel; Anansi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti, by Gerald Mc Dermott; Papagayo: The Mischief Maker, by Gerald McDermott; Zomo the Rabbit: A Trickster Tale from West Africa by Gerald McDermott; and Anansi Does The Impossible!: An Ashanti Tale by Verna Ardema.


Activities:
Anansi and the Talking Melon is a good book for using finger puppets and having the children take the charter’s roles to participate in the story.
The book also makes a good starting point to have the class listen to before writing their own stories about playing tricks.

Side by Side: Five Favorite Picture-Book teams Go to Work - review

Virginia Caldwell
Book Review Week 1
TWU assignment
LS 5603 - 20


Side by Side: Five Favorite Picture-Book teams Go to Work


Bibliographic Data:
Marcus, Leonard S. 2001. Side by Side: Five Favorite Picture-Book Teams Go to Work. Walker Publishing Company, Inc. ISBN 0395687039


Plot Summary:
The book looks at the different ways that authors and illustrators of picture-books work together. Five different teams are studied and interviewed about things like how the team first got together, how they work together, and in one case how the team’s collaboration ended.


Analysis:
Side by Side is recommended for readers age 8 and up. This book shows how picture books get made; it tells the story of each team, along with interesting facts about how one or both of them do things. There is a lot that goes into making a picture-book, and this book reveals the methods, work, failures, and successes in an interesting way. This is accomplished by using a combination of interviews, narratives, and illustrations.


Review Excerpts:
Publishers Weekly, 11/19/2001
Marcus (A Caldecott Celebration; Author Talk) describes the creative collaborations of five author-artist teams whose processes prove as varied as their books. Though, for most projects, author and illustrator never meet, Marcus focuses on collaborators who "prefer or need to be in the thick of a freewheeling give-and-take with their partners." For each collaboration, he zooms in on one book in particular, and the pairs range from Arthur Yorinks and Richard Egielski, who struggled early on to get the attention of a publisher and broke through with their second book, Louis the Fish, to the fluid work style of husband-and-wife team Alice and Martin Provensen (using the Caldecott Medal-winning The Glorious Flight as the central example) who for 40 years shared both the writing and illustrating; in Alice Provensen's words, "Martin and I really were one artist." Although Julius Lester and Jerry Pinkney had worked together for years, a more complicated, intensive discussion was required for Sam and the Tigers, a retelling of the racially stereotyped Little Black Sambo. Early thumbnail sketches, snapshots of dummies and finished artwork help capture the evolving process. Readers snared by their interest in the teams behind favorites such as the Magic School Bus series and The Stinky Cheese Man will appreciate the insights into the inner workings of bookmaking, and may well end up appreciating the books more for the energy and ingenuity it takes to create them. Ages 8-up. (Nov.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

BookList, 11/15/2001
Gr. 4-7. This inviting volume introduces five sets of collaborators in the field of picture books: Arthur Yorinks and Richard Egielski, Alice and Martin Provensen, Julius Lester and Jerry Pinkney, Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen, and Jon Scieszka, Lane Smith, and Molly Leach. Each chapter discusses how the writer and artist (and in Leach's case, designer) got together, and highlights their collaboration during various projects, as well as providing a wealth of interesting details about these creative individuals and their books. The clearly reproduced illustrations, many in color, include photographs, sketches for book illustrations, and finished art. Each chapter ends with a bibliography of books created by the team. A glossary includes entries such as "coming-of-age story," "Kafka, Franz," and "parody [also, spoof]." Clearly, Marcus isn't talking down to his audience. He's just telling interesting stories and making them accessible to young people. Teachers and librarians who want to promote collaboration in the classroom or just share their enthusiasm for the creative process and those who practice it will find plenty of good material in this well-written and beautifully designed book. -- Carolyn Phelan. Booklist, published by the American Library Association.


The above reviews are from Book Index with Reviews. 2007 EBSCO Publishing, Powered by The Title Source TM (Accessed through http://online.twu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_142_1 on August 8, 2007).


Connections:

Some books with similar themes:
Roberto Innocenti : the spirit of illustration by Steven L. Brezzo, with an essay by Leonard S. Marcus; 75 Years of Children’s Book Week Posters : Celebrating Great Illustrators of American Children’s Books by Leonard S. Marcus; Pass it Down : Five Picture Book Families Make their Mark, by Leonard S. Marcus.

Activities:
Students could read this book and then team up to make a children’s book of their own.

Booby Hatch - picture book review

Virginia Caldwell
Book Review Week 1
TWU assignment
LS 5603 - 20

Booby Hatch


Bibliographic Data:
Lewin, Betsy. 2003. Booby Hatch. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0395687039


Plot Summary:
This story is about Pepe, a blue-footed Booby bird. Set on a Galapagos island, the book follows Pepe from birth to becoming a parent. The main theme is growing up.


Analysis:
Written and illustrated by Betsy Lewin, the picture book weaves the tale of a young blue-footed booby. It has multiple sub plots weaved in to the main plot of Pepe growing up and his feet turning blue. For example, , in addition to watching Pepe grow up, the reader learns about some of the animals who live in the Galapagos Islands, and about the natural enemies who prey on the boobies. The story is written so that the reader remains interested and engaged until the end.

The illustrations are a major asset to the book. They are beautiful, and clearly show what is happening in each page. The drawing focus for the Boobies is on the blue feet, which is an excellent idea, since the reader is waiting for Pepe’s to turn blue. The other animals are also drawn clearly and very realistically.

Lewin combines the text and illustrations to create a feeling. For example, when Pepe and his new friend Tina meet, they dance. They words are carefully arranged on the page to emphasize and cooperate with teh dancing illustrations.


Review Excerpts:
(for prior printing of Booby Hatch)
School Library Journal, 05/01/1995
PreS-Gr 2-Lewin's story about Pepe, a blue-footed booby born on Hood Island, one of the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador, simplifies the species' life cycle so that young children can understand how the birds slowly grow and mature. Although the tone is more leisurely than dramatic, the narrative is totally satisfying as Pepe escapes predation by frigate birds, learns to fly, and joins a large flock to dive for a fish dinner. Eventually he has the urge to mate; he and a female exhibit courting behavior, a patterned dance where both display their large, blue feet. The actual mating is not pictured. The story ends as it began: ``And soon a little white egg will sit in a circle of stones, on a tiny island, in a vast blue sea.'' Lewin's watercolor landscapes are spare and evocative, encompassing plenty of sky, ocean, and bare rock, and offering glimpses of other Galapagos creatures, such as lava lizards, marine iguanas, sea lions, and the area's well-known Sally Lightfoot crabs and Darwin's finches. At times, the bird's crossed eyes give a humorous touch to the book, entirely in keeping with the intended audience's age; with an adult's help, children will also understand the title's pun. A lovely book that succeeds in every way.-Ellen Fader, Oregon State Library, Salem

BookList, 03/01/1995
Ages 4-7. "On a tiny island in a vast blue sea, in a circle of stones, sits a little white egg." Focusing on P‚epe, the blue-footed booby who hatches out of the egg, the book shows the ways of this bird species, native to the Gal apagos Islands. The bird's name is the book's only anthropomorphic touch. After the egg hatches, the little bird is fed and protected by his parents until he learns to fend for himself. As an adult, he joins a flock of boobies, meets a female, performs a mating dance, and "soon a little white egg will sit in a circle of stones," rounding out the life cycle and the story. Each pleasing, double-page spread features a well-composed sketch or a series of sketches, all beautifully tinted with watercolor washes. A simple, appealing nature study for young children. ((Reviewed Mar. 1, 1995)) -- Carolyn Phelan. Booklist, published by the American Library Association.



The above reviews are from Book Index with Reviews. 2007 EBSCO Publishing, Powered by The Title Source TM (Accessed through http://online.twu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_142_1 on August 7, 2007).



Connections:
Some books with similar themes:
The Turtle Lady, by Patsy McCleery; I Can! Can You?, by Carol Adorjan, Moonbear’s Pet, by Frank Asch; Home, by Jeannie Baker; Goose’s Story, by Cary Best.

Activities:
This book could easily be a part of many class activities. It would be great as a part of a unit about the Galapagos Islands, growing up, or birds. This is a great book with the potential to be a part of many class activities.

The Hello Goodbye Window - a picture book review

Virginia Caldwell
Book Review - Genre 1
TWU assignment
LS 5603 - 20

The Hello, Goodbye Window


Bibliographic Data:
Juster, Norton. 2005. The Hello, Goodbye Window. 1st ed. Hyperion Books for Children.

IBSN 978-0786809141

Raschka, Chris. The Hello, Goodbye Window, by Norton Juster. 1st ed. Hyperion Books for Children, 2005. IBSN 978-0786809141

Plot Summary:
The Hello Goodbye Window is a story written with protagonist child as the narrator, about visiting Grandparents, and the special thing about their house – an intriguing window. The story centers on the activities that the window provides for the child and Grandparents, who interact in many ways around it.

Analysis:
This book will appeal to many children because they can relate to the topic of Grandparents, and visiting them. It also shows an intergenerational family relationship within a family who are multiracial. It is written with a magical tone and a fast pace that keeps the reader wondering what will happen next with the window. The child’s voice is enthusiastic, and draws the reader in to the story, which cleverly reveals the good relationship she has with her Grandparents.

The illustration is bright, and somewhat abstract. The pictures are large enough for children to see during a group reading. There are many details in the pictures that encourage discussion. In addition, the illustrations reinforce the loving relationship within the family, by illustratiing instances of physical affection. The pictures also complement the magical tone of the story because they are bright, large, and dreamlike.


Review Excerpts:
BookList, 03/15/2005
PreS-Gr. 2. Two well-known names come together in a book that speaks to the real lives of children and their experiences. The young narrator visits her grandparents, Nanna and Poppy, in their big house. They explore Nanna's garden, and Poppy plays his harmonica. The narrator rides her bike and takes a nap, "and nothing happens till I get up." Looking out the picture window, the "hello, goodbye window," she sees the pizza guy, and, more fancifully, a dinosaur. She also spots her parents coming to pick her up. The curly-haired girl is happy to see them, but sad because it means the end of the visit. The window imagery is less important than the title would make it seem. More intrinsic is Juster's honest portrayal of a child's perceptions (a striped cat in the yard is a tiger) and emotions (being happy and sad at the same time "just happens that way sometimes"). Raschka's swirling lines, swaths, and dabs of fruity colors seem especially vibrant, particularly in the double-page spreads, which have ample room to capture both the tender moments between members of the interracial family and the exuberance of spending time in the pulsating outdoors, all flowers, grass, and sky. -- Ilene Cooper. Booklist, published by the American Library Association.

Kirkus Reviews, 03/01/2005
On the title page, a little girl springs away from her parents; turn the page, and the reader sees only her arms on the gate, the reader taking her perspective as she looks over to the white clapboard house where her Nanna and Poppy's faces stare equally eagerly out of the Hello, Goodbye Window. The exuberant tot proceeds to spend a thoroughly idyllic overnight with her loving grandparents, the stay punctuated by a harmonica serenade, a bike ride ("Not in the street, please") and a nap. Juster adopts the voice of the child, whose present-tense narration is just right, describing pleasures (saying good night to the stars) and perils (the tiger at the back of the garden) with a steady, sweet candor. Raschka's mixed-media illustrations are characteristically loose and energetic, depicting this happy, biracial family with jewel tones and extravagant swirls. As the little girl unwinds at the end of the stay, she imagines the many possible visitors who might come to the Hello, Goodbye Window—but no one is more happily welcomed than her parents, who pick her up after her picture-perfect day. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright 2005, VNU Business Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved

The above reviews are from Book Index with Reviews. 2007 EBSCO Publishing, Powered by The Title Source TM (Accessed through http://online.twu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_142_1. on 9/6/2007)



Connections:
This book shares a Grandparents theme with the books Grandparents, by by Roser Capdevila and Anne-Laure Fournier Le Ray; Spot Visits His Grandparents, by Eric Hill, The Wednesday Surprise, by Eve Bunting; Song and Dance Man, by Karen Ackerman; and The Grandpa Book, by Todd Parr.

A class activity idea to enhance the experience of this book is to make a Hello, Goodbye Window bulletin board. Every child could wirte something special about his or her grandparents, or wirtie something that he or she would like to do with the window, and then create a drawing to accompany wiritng. Children in the class could share their ideas during a discussion. To conclude, everyone’s papers would go up on the bulletin board display.