Genre 4: Non-Fiction

#1. Bibliography:

Trombone, Cindy and Roth, Susan L. Parrots Over Puerto Rico. Illustrated by Susan L. Roth. New York: Lee & Low Books Inc., 2013.

ISBN 978-1-62014-8

Accuracy and Organization:

This informational book is a combination of a social history and an informational storybook for children of middle and high school.  I have had the great fortune to have traveled to Puerto Rico and have visited El Yunque (the tropical rain forest that is featured throughout the book).  During my 11 day stay on the island I learned much about its great history in various museums and I traveled all across the island. Though I spent the majority of my time in the capitol of San Juan, El Yunque was the highlight of the trip because it is a pristine example of what Puerto Rico looked like in the Pre-Columbian Era.  The story of the island is accurately portrayed by using language which is careful not to neglect negative aspects of its complex history. This U.S. state of the Commonwealth has had a tumultuous history but its inhabitants are a proud people with a rich island culture.  The focus of the book are the Iguaca Parrots and their story will encourage readers to want to visit El Yunque for the chance of seeing them in real living color. What adds to this read, in a very unique way, are the beautifully designed pages in collage style by Susan L Roth. The book concludes with an historical timeline of events, as well as citations from the authors research sources. It also includes a photograph Afterward of the the aviary (Rio Abajo Aviary) which works to preserve this species by utilizing close observation and inserting plans of action when necessary. 

Design:

Roth has designed collages of cut and torn paper for each page in the book, which includes the front and back covers. The layout of the book is also unique in that it does not read horizontally, as most other books do.  Traditionally books are read from left page to right, but PARROTS OVER PUERTO RICO is designed to be read vertically, holding the book upright with the text on the bottom half of the page sequence. Each page sequence places the focus on the collage first then the accompanying text that follows.  Each page is entirely illustrated from corner to corner and the pages are not numbered.  El Yunque is featured in collage, throughout most of the book, because it is the major source of plant and animal life for the entire island. The rain forest is well preserved and is the home to the parrots who are the subject of the book.  I did recognize, through collage illustrations, that Old San Juan and El Morro (the entrance to San Juan Bay) were also featured illustrations because they are major historical aspects of the island and the parrots who roam over Puerto Rico.  

Style:

The book beautifully marries the history of the island and the story of the Iguaca's near extinction. The situation was caused in part by human history and cultural diffusion. The strong connection that the Boricua (Puerto Rican natives) have with the Iguaca comes through in the reading. The struggle to keep the species from becoming an aspect of the islands history will take many turns. The timeline begins at about 5000 B.C.E. (before common era) then takes us through two foreign conquests from Spain and the United States.  One example of how the book introduces history is expressed in the following excerpt:

Now people from many other parts of the world came to live in Puerto Rico. In 1513, Africans were brought to the island to toil as slaves under the hot sun in fields of sugarcane and other crops.

The story ends in the 21st century, and answers the question about the state of the Iguaca species. Read this book to find out what has happened to the beloved species and the answer to the question, "Do Parrots still fly Over Puerto Rico?"

Lesson:

Teachers might use this book as a catalyst for a research project about endangered species that exist today. Students would next investigate what actions are in place, or should be in place, to help preserve such species.

Awards and Recognitions:

Robert F. Sibert Medal for Nonfiction-American Library Association (ALA)

Editor's Choice-Booklist

Lasting Connection Title-Book Links

Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Horn Book Magazine, starred review

School Library Journal, starred review

Goodreads review:

With striking collage illustrations, a unique format, and engaging storytelling, PARROTS OVER PUERTO RICO invites readers to witness the amazing recovery efforts that have enabled Puerto Rican parrots to fly over their island once again.

#2 . Bibliography:

Jenkins, Steve. Never Smile at a Monkey: And 17 Other Important Things to Remember. Illustrated by Steve Jenkins. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2009.

ISBN 978-0-618-96620-2

Accuracy and Organization:

This survey book is about some the most dangerous and deadly animals which do not necessarily appear to be. The book is intended to teach children respect for animals, and to not treat them all as those that we keep as pets. The book is best suited for elementary and middle school grade levels.  Each page contains one large illustration of a deadly animal and a description of human behaviors that might trigger an attack from the animal.  Most of the human behaviors are quite common, such as smiling at a Rhesus monkey, who might take the site of teeth as a threat and violently attack with its fangs. Other animals included in the book are bear cubs, puffer fish, kangaroos, and the colorful caterpillar. All of which can attack and cause the victim to suffer by death. At the end of the book a brief description of why these animals have developed these attacking skills is provided. The book does not provide a bibliography or source page for the information included throughout the book.  However, it does provide a much more detailed summary of each animal named and illustrated on the pages.  In this last section, the illustrations are much smaller and so are the text and font size.  

Design and Style:

Steve Jenkins has both authored and illustrated this informational resource and has intentionally made the animals look friendly and even docile in some examples. He uses collages to illustrate each animal on the page. His intention was  to show that even harmless looking animals can be very dangerous. The final descriptions give purpose to the reasons that the animals have had to develop these survival skills. Jenkins states:

To survive in the wild, animals must find or catch food. At the same time, they must avoid being killed by predators. To help them do this, the creatures in this book use weapons that have been developed over millions of years. 

He goes on to describe Darwinism, without naming it, as the need for species to survive generations:

The animals with the sharpest spines, fiercest bite, or most powerful venom are usually the ones most likely to survive and pass on these deadly qualities to their offspring.

 Finally, Jenkins answers the probable student question, "Why are these animals so dangerous?"when he states:

What makes these creatures so good at survival, however, can make them dangerous to an unwary human. 

Activity: 
This book is a great way to introduce a discussion on the respect that we as humans should have for animal species. We should always recognize that each animal has developed survival skills that could cause them to lash out at us without notice. It would ideally be used before a field trip to the zoo or other type of animal habitat.

Awards and Recognitions:

Other informational books, which are all published by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children,  by Steve Jenkins are:

How Many Ways Can You Catch a Fly?( with Robin Page)-

An enthralling read aloud, especially in small groups, where children can crowd up close to the images. - Booklist, starred review.

Sisters and Brothers (with Robin Page)-

[A] splendid contribution, another winner from an accomplished team.- Kirkus Reviews, starred review 

Dogs and Cats-

An inviting, multidimensional introduction to the pets we love.- Horn Book, starred review 

What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? (with Robin Page)-

A 2004 Caldecott Honor Award Winner

Booklist, starred review

#3 Bibliography:

Fleming, Candace. Our Eleanor: A Scrapbook Look at Eleanor Roosevelt's Life. New York: Antheneum Books for Young Reader's, 2005.

ISBN 978-0-689-86544-2

Accuracy and Organization:

This biography of the life of America's 32nd First Lady, who incidentally did not like being referred to as the First Lady (she preferred just lady) is an engaging read. Candace Fleming has written a very uniquely styled book for the amazing woman that is Eleanor Roosevelt.  Fleming identifies major contributors to the book in the Aknowledgements page, which include mostly university professors and librarians.  The book opens with both a timeline of Eleanor's life and accomplishments (1884-1962), as well an abridged family tree of the Roosevelt's (both her and Franklin's sides).  Throughout the book Fleming uses many primary source documents including photographs, handwritten letters, newspaper articles, family and friend interviews, and excerpts from Eleanor Roosevelt's three part autobiography.  Fleming's book is not entirely read in chronological order, nor does it have chapters. Instead, the book is divided by themes and quotes from Eleanor and those who were especially close to her.  Because Fleming uses so many personal sources, the book reads with a special level of intimacy. OUR ELEANOR concludes with a large bibliography devoted to other books about Eleanor Roosevelt, a Picture Credits section, a twelve page Source bibliography, and a complete Index.   

Design and Style:

Eleanor Roosevelt was a woman who came into her own at a time when women in the "western world" were first experiencing full citizenship.  The new sense of independence that many women were afforded was not lost on Eleanor and this books really speaks to that truth. Though Eleanor was born to a family of privilege she was not without much personal suffering.  Fleming shows Roosevelt to be a familiar personality that all people can relate to.  Her struggles are well documented in her personal journals and correspondence letters, which Fleming features throughout the book.  Different sized fonts are utilized from page to page, as well as font style.  Most of the pages contain photo images that align with the extremely well written biography.  The intrigue of a woman who broke glass ceilings in most every room in both the White House and on Capitol Hill comes through on the pages of Fleming's book. There are special segments that feature the many civil rights issues that Eleanor supported and spoke out for.  She believed in gender equality, as well as civil liberties for the homosexual community and all ethnic minorities. Many of her critics learned to love her over time, according to many sources throughout the biography.  On page 77 of the book, entitled Eleanor Takes a  Stand, seven direct quotes are listed along with a description of Franklin D. Roosevelt's very unpopular and very supportive position of his outspoken wife.  Two quotes that most stood out to me on this page were:

The function of democratic living is not to lower standards, but to raise those that have been too low. -ON DEMOCRACY

And,

How can a few dollars a month given to needy Americans for food, shelter, and clothing be the wrong choice for a moral nation? -ON WELFARE  

Fleming provides readers, young and not so young, with a perfectly balanced biography of the life of an outstanding American woman and hero.  Read to find out the tremendous hurdles Eleanor overcame in childhood, in marriage, and finally as a  widow.

Lesson:
A great lesson to follow with this reading would be to have students pair up for research and a presentation on how customs and liberties changed during the course of Eleanor Roosevelt's lifetime. Roles for women, men, and other minorities in the United States were redefined in her lifetime.  Social, political, and cultural norms could easily be found within the book.

Awards and Recognitions:
American Library Association (ALA) Notable Book
ALA Best Book for Young Adults
Jefferson Cup winner,Virginia Library Association
Junior Library Guild Selection
New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing 2005
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Medal Winner
Parent's Choice Gold Medal
Publishers Weekly Best Book 2005
School Library Journal Best Book 2005

Reviews:

Candace Fleming has chronicled the life of Eleanor Roosevelt as no other. With photographs on every page and with special attention having been given each important person, place, and project, this book provides an exciting glimpse into a remarkable life. It will appeal to young and old alike.

-Chandler Roosevelt Lindsley and Elliott Roosevelt Jr., Eleanor Roosevelt's grandsons

Had Eleanor Roosevelt kept a scrapbook—an incredibly well-organized and thorough scrapbook—this is how it might feel to look through it. ...

-Kirkus Review

Genre 3: Poetry Books

Book #1

Bibliography:
Hoberman, Mary Ann. The Llama Who Had No Pajama:100 Favorite Poems. Ill. by Betty Fraser. San Diego: Browndeer Press, 1998.
ISBN 0-15-200111-5

1. Rhythm and Rhyme:
This poetry book is an individual poet's compilation and includes many different children's topics. The topics range from birthday celebrations, to the significance of cockroaches and even what business a llama has wearing pajamas. Hoberman has written a large collection of tongue twisters that should be read aloud, multiple times, and many of them could be easily memorized. Because they are short and fun, teachers will be able to use these poems in many ways. The rhythm of each poem is  slightly different as is quickly revealed by title, subject, and the natural flow that evolves as the reader goes through each piece. One example, called Brother is meant to be read quickly and memorized, according to the author (and Children's Poet Laureate) in a YouTube video that she has made to go with the reading of this collection. Brother introduces family member words that rhyme and carry a natural rhythm. Here are the first two stanzas fom the poem:

I had a little brother

And I brought him to my mother

And I said I want another

Little brother for a change.  

But she said don't be a bother

So I took him to my father

And I said this little bother

Of a brother's very strange.

This poem is an excellent teacher tool for discussing relationships within the family and how love of family helps us to learn tolerance.  Teachers might use this poem to have a discussion about tolerance and acceptance of others.

3. Sounds and Language:
Since Hoberman combines words that pair so nicely with rhythm and rhyme, the read often naturally flows into song.  For me, this was especially true when reading the poem entitled Opposite. In this selection Hoberman uses examples of words that are opposites and also rhyme. Each stanza then concludes with a whimsical phrase that is funny, but almost seems out of place. The poem works so well,because of the whimsy, and I found myself singing it each time that I read it through. Here is the first stanza from the poem:

The opposite of dark is light

The opposite of black is white

The opposite of dull is bright

             And I eat chocolate cake at night.  

Each of the successive stanza's follow the same type of pattern of flow and song.  It is a great instructional tool for teaching opposite word meanings. The other similar poems on this page are Up and Down the Avenue, which identify movement words.  Neighbors, is one other poem on the page and is about a very neighborly connection.

5. Imagery:
Hoberman and her illustrator, Mary Fraser, have masterfully worked together to accompany each others work. They have produced work with great concentration on variance of scale and by considering topics for each selection. Hobeman has included a large selection of poems with a variety of bugs as the topic. The range of bugs is quite inclusive from fireflies to praying mantis, and even cockroaches! Fraser's illustrations have managed to capture the appeal of a firefly while making the roach and mosquito seem not so bad. By cleverly illustrating these bugs with attention to scale the cockroach, for example, does not come across as large or scary looking. Instead the Cockroach is illustrated in succession with a parade of roaches who have meaning and purpose. Hoberman in the poem tries to find the "good" that the cockroach provides by explaining, "And if you've got bedbugs, it  will add them to its diet." The imagery that naturally would accompany Hoberman's poetry (without illustrations) is made that much better by Fraser's illustrations.

6. Emotions:
Emotion is perhaps best exhibited in the poem that Hoberman decided to name the collection after, The Llama Who Had No Pajama. This selection is a longer and perhaps more interesting poem which the author describes as one which is best experienced if it is listened to for the first time. Hoberman gives this information in the YouTube video that I referenced earlier. Also in this video, Hoberman reads several of the selections in the book and adds much commentary. This one, about the silliness of a llama in search of pajamas, is her last read in the video.  In the poem, the llama and his mother decide that since they cannot find any solution to the pajama situation they must accept that young llama will have to go to bed without any. This excerpt shows their relief:

Why, I sleep so much better in nothing but fur!

It fits me so nicely; it's light as air;

It's the practical thing for a llama to wear.

7. Awards and Recognitions:
Mary Ann Hoberman is an honoree at the Children's Poet Laureate and is featured on their website along with several video's. The video selections include the poet reading her own work and discussions about her poetry.  The video that I have linked throughout this review is the featured video and was produced by the Children's Poet Laureate.  The honoree's page provides a detailed account of the author's other books and collections as well as links to other awarded Poet Laureate's and their work. 

This is the review that the Children's Poet Laureate gives to The Llama Who Had No Pajama:

From trickling trills to tongue twisters, Children's Poet Laureate Marry Ann Hoberman reads from The Llama Who Had No Pajama. Race through her quick thick rhymes about brothers and bothers, bits and beets. 

Book #2

Bibliography:
Lewis, J. Patrick. Freedom Like Sunlight: Praisesongs For Black Americans. Ill. By John Thompson. Mankato,MN: Creative Editions, 2000.
ISBN 978-1568461632

1. Rhythm: 
J. Patrick Lewis has written a collection that is a tribute to many of the key players in the African-American struggle for freedom and justice. The subjects of these poems are expressed with combined alliteration and phrases that the reader can tap their toes to.  This is especially true with those written for the great musicians such as, the wonderful Lady Day (Billie Holliday), Marian Anderson, and Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong.  
Lewis writes of Holliday:

Lady could sing it 

Like nobody ever has

At the Shim Sham Club, Hot Cha Cha,

Joints that swung on jazz.

2. Rhyme: 
The pattern of rhyme can be heard and is expressed on every other line. Once read through, for the first time, the reader will immediately want to go back and read it through without hiccuping. The poems written about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, through their rhyme, create a mental image of their work as well as their untimely death's. Lewis summarizes it very well in this stanza about Dr. King:

Though I am tired,

I've just begun.

But someone's fired

The fateful gun.

3. Sound:
The sound of each poem collaborates with the life accomplishments of each respective honoree. One of the best examples of this sound comes in Lewis' poem about Sojourner Truth "Ain't I a Woman?", which is meant to be sung. The poem has a repetitive chorus after each stanza and should be sung to the hymnal of "Go Down Moses."  The poem makes even more sense when the biography is read before reading or singing the poem.  The biography explains that Sojourner was born with the name Isabella Baumfree, but took on her slave name because she felt it had new meaning.  This is the opening stanza  and chorus:

I was Isabella born,

Children, hear my cry,

And I was a child to scalding scorn.

Children, hear my cry.

Chorus:

Hold on Jesus, ain't I a woman born?

Tell the Children, let them hear my cry.

4. Language:
The use of language that Lewis uses in the poem I Decided... To Stay Up in the Air Forever about Jesse Owens speaks to the feelings of the time period. This courageous American Olympian made it his quest to show German dictator Adolf Hitler at the Olympic games that his fictitious Aryan race was not a superior one. Owens won the gold, in four events, in Hitler's own capitol of Berlin and his intent was to show that all people have value. In this excerpt from the poem Hitler reacts:

The Fuhrer looked away without seeing 

the man jump over Germany,

jump beyond hope and gravity,

beyond the dreams of ordinary people,

farther than any other human would jump

for the next twenty-four years.

5. Imagery:
John Thompson's illustrations, which accompany each of Lewis' poem in great harmony, are detailed portraits and scenes from the lives of the collection's celebrated American heroes. The perfect images were chosen and illustrated next to each poem in a full page.Thompson's illustrations align splendidly with their respectively written poems. For example, the poem about the famous writer, Langston Hughes, is accompanied by a Harlem Renaissance typewriter (about 1950's) with a partially completed document in it. To either side of this focal point are a stack of completed pages, a partially consumed cup of coffee, and a partially smoked, lit cigarette in an ash tray.  There is some sunlight cast across one section of the illustration which gives rise to the notion that Hughes was probably writing all night long and into the morning.    


6. Emotions:
Together the collection of poems gives a sense of pride to the struggle that each of the subjects took in their quest for freedom and justice.  Add to that, the timeline of the people who are honored stretches nearly 200 years (from 1797 to 1994) with only minimal gains.  Each person has a different struggle because the era in which they survived meant different issues to battle. Though not written chronologically, the collection could be read in such a way.  The book is an outstanding tool for middle and high school history teachers of American history. The collection would enhance a lesson on civil rights and injustices experienced by the African American. The teacher could use each poem as a an end read or supplement to it's corresponding phase in American history.  As the course progresses students could use the poems to measure the rate at which change occurred. Students could work in groups to analyze the poems or could analyze it individually. With some minor alterations an ELA teacher could use this collection in the same way. 

7. Awards and Recognitions:
J. Patrick Lewis is an honored Children's Poet Laureate who has a very detailed website to navigate his many published works.  His website has embedded video and links to his works and awards. 

 The ALA has awarded Freedom Like Sunlight: Praisesongs for Black Americans the award of Notable Children's Books. 
The following is a review of Freedom Like Sunlight: Praisesongs for Black Americans:

Stunning illustrations by John Thompson take center stage in this attractively designed poetry collection that pays homage to the legendary...  -Booklist Reviews

Book #3

1. Bibliography:
McCall, Guadalupe García. Under the Mesquite. New York: Lee & Low Books Inc., 2011.
ISBN 978-1-60060-429-4

2. Plot:
This verse novel is the story of a very young Mexican-American teenage girl's struggle. In it she witnesses her mother live through a long fought battle with cancer. This collection of poems, grouped in six thematic parts, guides us through each level of struggle as well as some triumphs. Readers will quickly warm up to the young lady and her large Mexican-American family in this battle of wills. Garcia-McCall writes to bring herself closure as well as to introduce her two sons to their grandmother.    

3. Critical Analysis:
This type of poetry does not present rhythm or rhyme as do many other types of poetry. Instead, it is a collection of verses that is cataloged in a focused way and chronicles a heart warming story of the human experience.  Garcia-McCall has taken the issue of a mother struggling with cancer and combined it with how a family deals with the triumphs and tribulations of such an ordeal. The writer and main character of the collection frequently gives praise to the fact that through her writing she finds the strength to live through the horrible experience. In watching a parent struggle for life very little must provide such comfort. The book is also the author's attempt to describe to her children who their grandmother was. They will never meet her, but Garcia-McCall hopes to bring the memory of her mother alive to her children through this collection. The book also incorporates a significant amount of culture. The use of code switching of English and Spanish provides for a cultural understanding of the Mexican-American. Phrases are placed in syntax, though Garcia-McCall has provided a glossary of words and phrases for clarification.  

4. Review Excerpts:
Under the Mesquite is a winner of the Pura Belpre Award for Narrative (2012) as well as
The Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) Award. This book is also the recipient of The Best Teen Books by Kirkus Reviews.

"How lucky teens are today to read such a book and to meet Lupita, who finds solace in language, family, and the Mexican culture she cherishes." -Pat Mora

"Life on both sides of the United States-Mexican border is portrayed with  total authenticity..." -Alma Flor Ada

5. Connections:
This book would be wonderful to use in an ELA course for free discussion and/or verse poetry writing. Verse poetry novels are especially effective with reluctant readers. This novel would best serve in upper level elementary, middle, and high schools. Teachers might ask their students to discuss then write a verse poem on any conflict that they have experienced in their family or home life. One central question for the activity would be: How did they resolve it? Perhaps, the teacher might allow the students to write more than one verse poem or to work in groups of students to write a brief anthology of verse poems on the subject.  Students who are more private could be given the option of writing about another person's account of a family event.

Other books that are similar reads are:
Addie On the Inside:The Misfits #3 by James Howe
Camo Girl by Kekla Magoon
Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse