Libr 261
Assignments
Book Evaluation Form:
Carol Wister Week #1
Author: Lois Lowry
Genre: Newbery Award Winner
Title: The Giver
Publisher: Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: 1993
Brief Plot Summary: (1 or 2 sentences)
Jonas lives in a community which can be characterized by its sameness—everything
and everyone is safe because there is no deviation from the norm and there is no
power of choice. Community members are safe from pain and unpleasantness
because they have no feelings and no memories. All memories for the community are
held by the Receiver. When he is designated as the Receiver in Training, Jonas is
confronted by a full spectrum of possibilities and choices.
Your Evaluation: (2 or 3 sentences)
II ttrriieedd ttoo rreeaadd tthhiiss bbooookk oonnccee bbeeffoorree,, m
maannyy yyeeaarrss aaggoo aanndd ddiiddnn’’tt lliikkee iitt aatt aallll.. N
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wever, I have completely revised my opinion. This book provokes thought and
ddiissccuussssiioonn ooff m
maajjoorr iissssuueess iinncclluuddiinngg cchhooiiccee aanndd ccoonnsseeqquueenncceess,, tthhee ppoow
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moorryy,, w
whhyy ttrraaddiittiioonn iiss iim
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mppoorrttaanntt ttoo ssttuuddyy hhiissttoorryy aanndd ttoo
pprreesseerrvvee m
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moorriieess ooff ““m
maann’’ss iinnhhuum
maanniittyy ttoo m
maann””.. IItt ccoouulldd aallssoo pprroovvookkee ddiissccuussssiioonn
aanndd ccoonnssiiddeerraattiioonn ooff aabboorrttiioonn ((rreelleeaassiinngg tthhee lloow
weesstt w
weeiigghhtt iiddeennttiiccaall ttw
wiinn)) aanndd
eeuutthhaannaassiiaa ((rreelleeaassiinngg T
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The Giver to “be” with his daughter, Rosemary)).. JJoonnaass w
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metimes “pushing” the rules as all 11 year olds who are in tthhee
““ccoonnccrreettee”” pphhaassee ooff ddeevveellooppm
meenntt,, ffooccuussiinngg oonnllyy oonn tthhee hheerree aanndd nnoow
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tthhoouugghhtt ooff tthhee ppaasstt oorr tthhee ffuuttuurree.. W
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With the “gift” of adulthood on his twellfftthh
cceerreem
moonnyy,, hhee aallssoo lloooosseess tthhee iinnnnoocceennccee ooff cchhiillddhhoooodd aanndd iiss ffaacceedd w
wiitthh ggrroow
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waarreenneessss ooff tthhee ppaasstt aanndd rreessppoonnssiibbiilliittyy ffoorr tthhee ffuuttuurree..
Possible Uses With Children: (1 or 2 sentences)
I would love to read this book as a “bridge” or precursor to the study of The Diary of
Anne Frank and the Holocaust. We could explore the question of what would
happen if we did not preserve memories and did not learn from our past? Are we
truly safe if we protect ourselves by isolating ourselves from the rest of the world and
from painful aspects of humanity.
_______________________________________________________________________
Your Name: Carol Wister
Author: Louis Sachar
Genre: Newbery Award Winner
Title: Holes
Publisher: Dell Yearling/Random House Children’s Books/ Random House, Inc.
Publication Date: 1998
Brief Plot Summary: (1 or 2 sentences)
The Yelnats family is under a curse that is manifested in Stanley’s being unjustly accused
and convicted of theft and sentenced to doing time at Camp Green Lake. There is no
longer a lake at the camp which is located in the parched, dry desert. The boys in the
camp dig holes all day, every day “to build character”; the truth is, though, they are
providing the labor for the warden as she conducts a search for a buried treasure.
Your Evaluation: (2 or 3 sentences)
The engrossing effect this book has on the reader is achieved by the manner in which the
author weaves family legends into the action involving Stanley, the main character of the
story. As the story unfolds, Stanley develops from an “unlucky”, cursed individual into a
boy who exercises compassion, shares a friendship, and teaches another inmate to read.
The author uses coincidence to solve the mystery of the buried treasure and to link
Stanley, his friend Zero, and the Warden with the legends passed down through their
families.
Possible Uses With Children: (1 or 2 sentences)
This book is a favorite of middle school students and can be used to engage reluctant
readers. The teacher could also promise to make time for reading Holes at the end of
class if other assignments are created. The development of Stanley’s character can also be
traced throughout the story, in an attempt to answer the questions about his character
such as, “How did Stanley change from the beginning to the end of the story and what do
you think caused that change? Did digging holes really build Stanley’s character?”
_______________________________________________________________________
Your Name: Carol Wister
Author: Eve Bunting
Illustrator: David Diaz
Genre: Caldecott Award Winner
Title: Smoky Night
Publisher: Harcourt Brace & Company
Publication Date: 1994
Brief Plot Summary: (1 or 2 sentences)
Daniel and his mother watch the LA riots and the looting from their apartment window.
Daniel and his mother do not like the Korean lady across the street who yells at their cat
when it fights with hers. When they are evacuated because their building is on fire,
Daniel is frantic because he cannot find his cat. The people from his neighborhood,
including Mrs. Kim, go to a shelter. Finally, a fireman comes in with Daniel’s and Mrs.
Kim’s cats, who were found “holding paws” in the chaos.
Your Evaluation: (2 or 3 sentences)
Evocative collages enrich the text and illustrations on each spread. For instance, on the
spread in which the text talks about the looters taking sacks of rice and boxes of cereal
from Mrs. Kim’s store, the background collage appears to have been created from fruitshaped and –colored cereal, and possibly from rice crackers. The acrylic paint colors and
bold lines of the illustrations bring the artwork out of the foreground and intensify the
reader’s experience of the riots and of the story.
Possible Uses With Children: (1 or 2 sentences)
Living in Watts, Los Angeles, not far from the center of the riots, the riots are part of our
local history. I would use this book and others in our collection about the Watts riots in
1965, about the Watts Towers and Simon Rhodia, and about the federal housing projects,
together with professionally- and student-produced films in our collection to create a
multi-media presentation. This book could also be the introduction to a unit on oral
history, during which the students would be assigned to interview family and/or
community members about their experiences and memories during the riots.
________________________________________________________________________
Your Name: Carol Wister
Author: Emily Arnold McCully
Genre: Caldecott Award Winner
Title: Mirette on the High Wire
Publisher: The Putnam & Grosset Group
Publication Date: 1997
Brief Plot Summary: (1 or 2 sentences)
Mirette helps her mother who runs a boarding house in Paris in the 1890s. A new
boarder arrives who is a high wire walker. Mirette is intrigued and learns to walk on the
high wire with Monsieur Bellini, world-renowned high wire walker who has lost his
nerve, as her coach. With Mirette’s help, Monsieur Bellini regains his confidence on the
wire.
Your Evaluation: (2 or 3 sentences)
This story begins with a rhythm to the text that mesmerizes the listener and pulls the
listener into the story as so often happens with fairy tales set in a time and place far
removed from our present and from our experience. The illustrations enhance the story;
careful examination of the illustrations would aid an independent reader in deciphering
unfamiliar vocabulary.
Possible Uses With Children: (1 or 2 sentences)
This would be an excellent book to read aloud to a group of students, just for their
pleasure. The text alone could also be used to teach vocabulary (for example,
“vagabond,” “linens,” “enchanted”) using context clues.
________________________________________________________________________
Your Name: Carol Wister
Author: Anton Quintana
Genre: Batchelder Award
Title: The Baboon King
Publisher: Walker and Company
Publication Date: 1996
Brief Plot Summary: (1 or 2 sentences)
A boy who is half Masai and half Kikuyu is not accepted by either his mother’s or his
father’s people. Always an outsider, he leaves his home after his tragic coming of age
hunt. Severely injured, and then partially crippled and deformed, he finds acceptance
among a troop of baboons
Your Evaluation: (2 or 3 sentences)
The conflicts of man versus society and man versus nature result in a gripping plot. The
exotic African setting which is vividly depicted and the theme of survival provide easy tie-in
to student interests generated by television’s recent glut of survival shows.
Possible Uses With Children: (1 or 2 sentences)
Formation and adaptation to society and societal norms can be used as a bridge to Lord of
the Flies. Can also be used to integrate literature into study of Africa.