May, 2004
Issue # 30
The word “lagniappe” (pronounced ‘lan
yap’) is a common term used in
Louisiana. It means “a little something
extra.” The literary community of the
University of New Orleans offers our
readers a literary lagniappe–reviews of
recently published children’s books.
Within categories, books are arranged
alphabetically by the author's last name
FICTION
Prep by Jake Coburn. Dutton. $15.99
Ages 14 up.
Prep is the story of Nick, who has all
the advantages of money, a great living
environment, and a great educational
opportunity. Instead of being caught up
in taking advantage of all the
opportunities he has, Nick gets caught
up in gang violence, drinking, smoking,
having sex, and drawing graffiti.
Through all of this, Nick turns his
attention to his best friend's little brother.
Kris's little brother becomes a gang
target after he fooled around with the
leader's girlfriend. Nick puts his life on
the line to save the little boy's life.
Through this all, a romance blooms. I
would recommend this book for a
mature audience. –Jessica M. Wallace.
Granny Torrelli Makes Soup by
Sharon Creech. Illustrated by Chris
Raschka. Harper Collins. $16.89. Ages
7-12.
A twelve-year-old girl named
Rosie learns some valuable lessons from
her Granny Torrelli in Sharon Creech’s
Granny Torrelli Makes Soup. Rosie
becomes jealous when her best friend
Bailey, the boy next door, starts to hang
out with the new girl in the
neighborhood. Granny Torrelli subtly
gives advice by telling Rosie and Bailey
a story of her younger days which
coincides with the events currently
taking place. Granny Torrelli offers her
help while making soup and pasta in the
kitchen with Rosie and Bailey.
Granny Torrelli Makes Soup
teaches about the values of family and
friendship. Creech tells the basic story
of friends that are starting to become
more than just friends and offers sincere
advice that everything will work out for
the best. This book portrays a strong
bond of family and the coming together
of generations. It shows that we all go
through the same thing despite our ages,
and that we can all relate in some way
and may have more in common than we
might expect. Granny Torrelli Makes
Soup teaches that like soup, friendship
takes plenty of hard work, time, and
energy, and that some friendships, just as
some foods, are worth it all. – Angelle
Fourcade
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Amber Brown Is Green With Envy by
Paula Danziger. G.P. Putnam’s Sons.
$14.99. Ages 7-10.
Amber Brown is a fourth grader
whose parents have just been divorced.
In addition to dealing with the divorce,
Amber has to cope with her mother’s
getting remarried, her father's neglecting
his time with her to go on dates, the
possibility of having to move to a new
town, and the tension that still exists
between her parents. Amber thinks that
everyone else’s life is normal and that
makes her green with envy. As Amber
lives through each life change, she
comes to realize that change is not
always a bad thing.
Paula Danziger does a
phenomenal job of dealing with the
delicate subjects presented in this novel.
Amber Brown is a realistic character,
which enables the reader to identify with
her and the struggles she faces. The
author’s humorous tone helps the reader
to enjoy the novel despite the difficult
subject matter presented. Tony Ross’s
black and white sketches effectively
capture the mood of Amber which adds
to the humor of the novel. This is an
excellent book for any child or parent
who is dealing with divorce. It is also a
great way for anyone who has never
dealt with divorce to understand how
hard it can be for everyone involved. Ashley Allemand
Every Day and All the Time
by Sis Deans. Henry Holt & Company.
$16.95. Ages 10-14.
It is a six months after the car
accident and Emily Racine's world is
still torn apart. While her injury keeps
her from dancing, her mother submerges
herself in work, her father continues to
drink heavily, and her brother, Jon,
remains dead. The only comfort in
Emily's life is the cellar where she and
her brother spent so many days before
the accident. In the cellar, Emily escapes
the lonely reality of her life by
connecting with her brother's spirit.
When her parents decide to sell the
house, Emily is threatened with the
possibility of losing her one and only
comfort. To her, losing the house means
losing Jon a second time and this is
something that she cannot bear.
Sis Deans' writing successfully
conveys Emily's complicated emotions
in a touching and earnest way. She does
not cheapen the characters or the story
by inserting moments of trite melodrama
like so many other tales of loss and
acceptance. This poignant read is sure to
be a favorite of many young adults.–
Maggie Scarbrock
What Would Joey Do? By Jack
Gantos. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
$16.00. Ages 9 - up.
Joey returns in the final book of
the Joey Pigza trilogy that began with
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Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key, and the
Newbery Honor Book Joey Pigza Loses
Control. Like the preceding books,
Joey’s struggle continues as he navigates
through his family circle. His family
circle, however, closely resembles a
three-ring circus that includes his
divorced parents in one ring, a spiteful
blind girl and her pious mother in
another ring, and Joey’s brutally honest
grandmother in the last ring. Calling
himself “Mr. Helpful,” Joey becomes the
ringmaster, and in desperation he utters,
“I want to help everyone be nice. That’s
all I want to do.” For Joey this is no
easy task. Between the crazy antics of
his parents and the relentless abuse of
Olivia (the blind girl), Joey’s
grandmother encourages him to do
what’s best for him; her dying wish is
that Joey find a friend.
Told in first-person, this
triumphant narrative has all the elements
of a captivating story. Although this
book is intended for adolescents, adults
will also relish this eye-opening account
of Gantos’s hyperactive hero, “Mr.
Helpful.” Joey’s grandmother captured
the essence of Joey’s struggle when she
said, “You know, Joey, if you didn’t
wear those med patches, you’d just be
thinking about yourself, and you
wouldn’t care about making everyone
happy. Your problem is that you got
better, and the rest of the world didn’t.
–Tracey Sam.
Molly's Family by Nancy Garden.
Illustrated by Sharon Wooding. Farrar,
Straus, Giroux. $16. Ages 5-9
Molly's Family is an innocent picture
book about a little girl who has a
different type of family. Molly was told
by a classmate that she could not
possibly have a mommy and a mama
because he has a mommy and a daddy.
Although the book may spark
controversy with some parents, it's a
great book to teach children about
different types of families, because there
are many different types.–Jessica M.
Wallace
A Shelter in Our Car by Monica
Gunning. Illustrated by Elaine Pedlar.
Children's Book Press. Ages 5-9.
With well-developed, likable
characters, this wonderful picture book
explores homelessness in America,
conveying that it can happen to anyone.
Zettie and her mother live, for
the time being, in their junky looking
car, which means Zettie has to put up
with lots of teasing at school. Mama has
temporary jobs, and with dreams for a
better future, is taking classes at the
community college. Despite the
hardships, this spunky duo recognizes
the power of love. They know they will
be okay as long as they have one
another.
The expressionistic style of art,
with overly colorful, distorted faces,
may not appeal to young children, but
the book's upbeat take on the plight of
the homeless make this a worthwhile
book for sharing and discussion.–Malika
Johnson
Olive’s Ocean by Kevin Henkes. Harper
Collins Publishers. $16.89. Ages 9-13.
Olive’s Ocean brings readers into
twelve year old Martha Boyle’s world as
she shares her concerns and thoughts
about life, often using writing to
discover them herself. Olive, a classmate
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of Martha’s, has recently died. Martha
must try to make sense of this while
visiting her beloved grandmother
Godbee who lives by the ocean. Godbee
is an excellent confidant. She shares
many of her own stories to help Martha
feel comfortable telling her own, even
about boys. Martha has made the
decision to be a writer and must find the
perfect time to share this with her
family. This is not so easy because most
of Martha’s thoughts stay in her head or
on paper.
Kevin Henkes’ writing is clean
and sincere. Henkes blew me away with
his ability to capture the thoughts and
feelings of a young girl, a rarity for male
authors. The flow of this book presents
an eloquence that captured me within the
first few pages resulting in a fast and
fulfilling read. - Kerrie L. Partridge
The Journal of Rufus Rowe: A
Witness to the Battle of
Fredericksburg (My Name Is America
Series) by Sid Hite. Scholastic. $10.95.
Ages 12 and up.
Rufus Rowe is a sixteen-year-old
southerner who lives in Bowling Green,
Virginia with his mother and stepfather.
Rufus leaves his home to escape his
harsh stepfather and heads to
Fredericksburg just in time to witness
the battle that took place there in 1862.
With the journal his teacher gave him,
Rufus records his daily adventures. And
what an adventure he has. After arriving
in town and finding no work he meets a
girl by the name of Peg who helps him
find shelter in the barn of the mansion
where she works. While there, Rufus
befriends some of the rebel army and
starts a small business by running
errands for the soldiers. Days later the
Union army begins arriving and the
Confederate army takes over the
mansion for use as their headquarters.
Rufus does not mind this because he gets
to see the battle first hand. After days of
waiting, the battle finally starts. It ends
up being one of the bloodiest battles in
the war, and Rufus is there to see it all.
This book is an enlightening way of
learning about the Civil War. It gives
facts about the war while putting the
character Rufus, right there in the middle
of it all. The historical note and pictures
at the end of the book only add to the
book’s already entertaining and
instructive qualities. –Angela Perez
A Killing in Plymouth Colony
By: Carol Otis Hurst and Rebecca Otis.
Walter Lorraine. $ 15.00. Ages 10 and
up.
In A Killing in Plymouth Colony,
John Bradford discovers the harsh reality
of a father who he believes does not love
him and the mysterious murder that
takes place within the colony. John
Bradford, an 11-yr. old who has been in
the colony for two years, realizes that
life is not always what you want it to be.
Governor William Bradford, his father,
is harsh and demands only the best from
his son. No matter what John says or
does, it is wrong in his father’s eyes.
John’s only solace is his stepmother and
his best friend, Sam. The two Bradfords
are continuously at odds and when a
newcomer is murdered, John finds
himself even more at odds with his
father. In young Bradford’s eyes, John
Billington is an easy target for suspicion.
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The title of the story leads the
reader to believe that this is a murder
mystery, but the murder is actually the
second part of this story. The main
conflict in the story is the relationship
between father and son. Although I'd
recommend this novel, I caution readers
not to expect a murder mystery. -Amy
Ivy
as well as see Bobby mature as a result
of parenthood.
The image on the cover of the
book is Bobby holding his daughter.
However, where is Nia? Why is she not
with her newborn baby? The reader must
wait until the last few pages in order to
discover where Nia is and why Bobby
always tells his baby girl stories about
her mother. Johnson’s emotional and
surprising conclusion is exquisitely well
written and it will shock and sadden any
reader. Michelle Chauvin
The First Part Last by Angela Johnson.
Simon and Schuster Books For Young
Readers. $15.95. Ages 12 and up.
Bobby’s sixteenth birthday was
like any other birthday. His dad cooked
his favorite meal (cheese fries and ribs),
and he just knew his mom would have a
huge cake waiting for him at home.
However, this year for Bobby’s birthday,
he would receive a gift that would
change his life forever: the gift of
fatherhood.
The First Part Last is told from
Bobby’s point of view. Some pages are
written similar to entries into his
personal journal, filled with fear and
memories from the past. Others describe
Bobby’s life after he learned he would
become a daddy (including thoughts
about his girlfriend Nia’s pregnancy and
the responsibilities that fatherhood
entails.) Johnson manipulates time
constantly from past (Nia’s pregnancy)
to present (after the child’s birth). This
allows the reader to truly connect and
understand what Bobby is going through
Silk Umbrellas by Carolyn Marsden.
Candlewick Press. $15.99. Ages 8-12.
Set in Thailand, this is a story
about a young girl named Noi who sees
her bleak future being played out
through the changing life of her sister,
Ting. As the family undergoes the stress
of the unstable Thai economy, Ting must
begin working at a local radio factory to
help ease her family’s strife.
Noi has a talent—she’s an artist.
But, as her family puts more pressure on
Ting, Noi realizes that Ting’s life may
soon become her own—unless she
proves herself and her talent. Noi has
spent many days at home painting silk
umbrellas with her grandmother Kun Ya,
to sell in the market. There is a direct
conflict within Noi as she realizes that
she must choose whether to be happy in
life doing what she loves, or conform to
her family’s and culture’s values by
doing something more “constructive.”
This is more than an artist’s
coming-of-age story—this piece
illustrates the delicate balance between
being who you are and becoming what
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you want to be. The diversity between
American culture and South Asian
culture make this story one that I found
hard to put down. The language is
romantic, warm, and entrancing and the
descriptions of the land and the customs
are brilliantly detailed. As an added
bonus there is a small glossary at the end
of the novel that clarifies and explains
many of the Thai words that have been
entwined into the work. An American,
Carolyn Marsden captures the spirit of
Asia—acute subtlety, elegance, and
poise. Silk Umbrellas is a cultural
masterpiece.—Nicholas Young
A Corner of the Universe by
Ann M. Martin. Scholastic.
$15.95. Ages 9 to 12.
What separates one man from
another is the relationships he has. Our
relationships, whether they are the ones
we make by choice or the ones we are
born into, can alter our view of the world
if we allow them. This is the message
Ann M. Martin portrays in her novel, A
Corner of the Universe, and this is the
lesson Hattie Owens learns the summer
she turns twelve. Hattie had been
looking forward to a predictable but
comfortable summer. She planned on
taking leisurely walks into town, visiting
with the tenants living in her and her
parent’s boarding house, and painting
with her father. Hattie was just
beginning to understand how to juggle
between her wealthy, socialite
grandparents and her own parents who
had rebelled against an aristocratic
lifestyle. She thought that she knew
everything that there was, but that all
changed with the arrival of Adam.
Hattie learns that Adam is her
mother’s younger brother who has been
living in a mental hospital. Her
grandparents and parents have kept his
existence a secret until now. Upon his
arrival, the pristine image her wealthy
grandparents have worked so hard to
establish is immediately shattered.
Adam is unadulterated and uninhibited.
He is not restrained by the confines of
societal etiquette like everyone else. It is
in becoming friends with him that Hattie
learns the importance of relationships. It
is through him that Ann M. Martin
teaches all of us that relationships can
change our view of our own little
“corner of the universe“ if only we let
them.–Élan Armitage
The Best Cat in the World by Leslea
Newman. Illustrated by Ronald Himler.
Eerdmans. Ages 5-9.
There are many books about
losing a pet and learning to love again,
but this one is a special one and deserves
a place in every library. On the very first
page, Newman makes you fall in love
with the now-aging Charlie whose "big
green eyes that looked like two lucky
marbles" now have grey clouds floating
across them. And that makes it all the
more heart wrenching, even though you
know what's coming, when Charlie, the
best cat in the world, dies. Young Victor
is devastated, and Himler's expressive
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watercolor paintings echo Newman's
poignant prose.
After a few weeks, the vet calls
and asks Victor if he knows anyone who
loves cats; she has a kitten that needs a
home. Victor agrees to give the cat a
chance, but that's easier said than done.
The calico kitten is nothing like Charlie.
The first days are filled with the refrain
of what Charlie used to do. Gradually,
though, Victor comes to appreciate the
new kitten for what she is. Soon
charmed by the kitten's antics, Victor
finds himself thinking; "I wonder why
Charlie never thought of that."
Rarely in a picture book are
characters so fully developed or
emotions so deeply conveyed. If you
have ever loved and lost a cat, you will
cry, not just the first time you read this
book, but every time. But you will smile
too. Newman truly captures the
human/feline bond. This one is a
winner.–Patricia Austin
The Glass Cafe by Gary Paulsen.
Random House. $12.95. Ages 10 and
up.
Tony, a young artist whose
mother is an exotic dancer, draws
sketches of his mother’s co-workers. He
enters his drawings into an art show
where social services happen to notice
them. Al, who is a single parent, has to
fight social services in order to keep her
son, while Tony’s art is questioned
whether his work is actually art.
The Glass Cafe shows how hard
it can be for a single mother who is
struggling to make ends meet and raise
her son. It teaches that you should not
make assumptions of people based on
their job when you do not know the real
reason why they are in the profession
that they are in. Paulsen also raises the
issue of what should and should not be
considered art.– Angelle Fourcade
Cooper's Lesson by Sun Young Shin.
Illustrated by Kim Cogan. Children's
Book Press. $16.95. Ages 5-9.
Cooper doesn't feel Korean; he
doesn't even speak the language. He
hates going to Mr. Lee's store because
everyone but him seems to belong there.
But Cooper is half Korean and an
experience with Mr. Lee helps him to
confront–and to be proud of–his
heritage.
Despite a plot twist that seems to
come from nowhere and never does get
explained, this picture book sends
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powerful messages about acculturation,
identity, and how language truly is tied
up with one's self image. An author's
note explaining the genesis of this lovely
picture book assures readers of the
authenticity of this story. The colorful
paintings, often depicting unusual angles
give breadth to the story, which, at its
heart is about understanding varying
perspectives.
The best feature of the book is
that it is bilingual. While of obvious
value for Korean children, the Korean
text also opens a world to American
children who have never seen writing in
another language. –Kaitlyn Simmons
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Something to Tell the Grandcows by
Eileen Spinelli. Illustrated by Bill
Slavin. Eerdmans. Ages 5-9.
Emmadine the cow thinks everyone
else on the farm has great stories to tell
the grandchildren. But what about her?
When she sees a notice that Admiral
Byrd is looking for cows to go to the
South Pole, she volunteers. This will be
an experience to tell the grandcows.
Loosely basing her story on a real
historical event, Spinelli gives children a
taste of history and provides a humorous
story as well–especially for any child
who has listened to grandparents tell
stories of the past. Rhythmic text and
charming illustrations will engage young
readers. –Janice Simmons
The Afterlife by Gary Soto. Harcourt.
$16.00. Ages 12+
Chuy was just an average high
school senior at East Fresno High
School. He had no girlfriend and not
much else going on in his life. One
night, in a single instant, this all
changed. He had gone to Club Estrella to
dance, and after paying a guy a
compliment on his shoes, Chuy’s life
came to a brutal end. Chuy is left for
dead on the restroom floor of Club
Estrella. Most people would have
assumed this was the end for him, but
for Chuy, this is when his life, or lack
there of, finally became interesting. He
finally realized how people truly felt
about him. He got to do things he was
unable to do while he was alive. No one
can see him or hear him, but he is able to
let them know he is there. Somewhere
along the way he meets Crystal, a girl he
falls hopelessly in love with. She, too, is
a ghost, and together, they travel, handin-hand, through what they call, the
afterlife.
Gary Soto has come up with a
story that gives readers a glimpse of life
from a different point of view, through
the eyes of someone who isn’t even
living at all. The Afterlife is set in
Fresno, CA, and is centered around the
character of Chuy, a Mexican boy.
Because of the setting and the ethnic
background of the characters, Soto
includes Spanish words and phrases
throughout the text of the book. This
allows for a more realistic portrayal of
the characters and their culture. The
Afterlife discusses death in a somewhat
lighter sense, discussing the possibility
of life thereafter. This book may not be
suitable for grades 7th or under, as it
references bastards, whores, gangsters,
and drugs. Also, the murder scene may
be too intense for some readers. Overall,
this is intriguing story. Chuy, the main
character, is in conflict with himself and
others after his death. No one knows
what happens after death, but through
his imagination, Gary Soto shares with
his readers the afterlife of a high school
boy and forces his audience to look at
their own lives and the lives of others in
a new way. – Ashley Laughlin
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The Bee-Man of Orn by Frank R.
Stockton. Illustrated by P. J. Lynch.
Candlewick Press. $17.99 Ages 7 +.
You are what you are. This is
the essence of this story published first
in 1887 and brought back to life by the
intricately detailed illustrations by P.J.
Lynch. The Bee-man lives happily and
contented amongst his bees and hives
until a Junior Sorcerer convinces him
that he may have been transformed from
something else. The Bee-man goes on a
quest to seek his true nature and
ultimately ends up in the same place
where he began: happy and contented
amongst his bees. You are what you are
no matter when someone else questions
you. Destiny holds the key to a person's
destiny and sometimes that should be
enough instead of questioning one's
purpose in life.
As an added bonus, included is a
fascinating short film on DVD of how
Lynch created the artwork for this book.
The film takes readers on a journey of
what an illustrator does when creating
art for a book. From the initial
thumbnail sketches for the manuscript to
the final watercolor painting that can
take up to a month long each to complete
allows readers to appreciate the artist's
complex task of bringing life to an
author’s stories.
The rich, detailed artwork
combined with the enriching vocabulary
and theme makes this picture book one
that can be appreciated by children as
well as adults. - Diane Gioia
A Song for Ba by Paul Yee. Illustrated
by Jan Peng Wang. Groundwood. Ages
6-10.
Set in the 1940s on the west coast in
Chinatown, this story sheds light on a
little-known cultural art –Chinese opera.
Wei Lim's father and grandfather both
sing in the opera, and Wei hopes to do
the same one day. Because the audiences
are dwindling, his father discourages
him, however; he sees no future for his
son as a singer. Before he returns to
China, his grandfather secretly teaches
Wei, and Wei in turn teaches his father
when he must take on a new role.
Accompanied by magnificent paintings,
this moving book explores interesting
dynamics of intergenerational
relationships. –Scott Richey
Holding at Third by Linda Zinnen.
Dutton. $15.99 Grades 6-8.
Holding at Third is a truly
inspirational book. The main
character Matt Bainter has the
athletic ability that most kids dream
of having. Matt is the stud outfielder
on his middle school’s baseball team
and the league’s best hitter. All is
well until he has to move schools
due to his brother’s illness. Matt’s
older brother Tom has bone cancer
and has to move to Upper West for
his treatments. Matt and his mother
move with Tom to be there for him.
At Upper West, Matt is faced with
many problems like a new school,
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new friends and baseball team, and
Tom’s illness.
What Matt goes through is a
story that I will never forget. Matt’s
strength throughout this book is truly
remarkable as he leaves his dad and
two sisters and younger brother to
stick by his older brother side. Matt
has to overcome hitting poorly, not
having any friends and trying to fit in
at a new school.
Zinnen does a great job on
this book. Through her plot she uses
the baseball aspect as a way to show
the struggles in Matt’s life. This novel
would be perfect for a child facing a
trying situation. It gives great insight
and shows a way to cope with
hardship through family strength. -
surprised to read that their Russian
counterparts hear the same messages of
the value of cleverness that they do.
Furthermore, the unusual manners in
which the stories' characters reach their
conclusions may help American children
gain sophistication in their own ethical
determinations. Hall's playful
illustrations entertain the eye, and their
layout on the pages fuse pictures and
text in a complimentary, though not
extraordinary, way. Use All My Shining
Silver as a simple storybook or a catalyst
for moral discussion. Either way, you
can't go wrong. –Glen Bryant
Nate Feder
NONFICTION
All My Shining Silver: Stories of
Values from Around the World by
Barbara Baumgartner. Illustrated by
Amanda Hall. Dorling Kindersley. Ages
9-12.
All My Shining Silver is a collection
of fables from around the world that
involve choices and consequences. The
stories come from Ireland, Mozambique,
Indonesia, and elsewhere and are
entertaining in their own right. However,
the skillful teacher or storyteller will use
these stories as a jumping-off point for
discussions about ethics, cultural
commonalities, and differences. For,
despite their far-flung countries of
origin, American children will find
familiar morals in each tale. These days,
as the rest of the world may seem a bit
more alien than it has in recent memory,
such stories could help reinforce global
village concepts without the usual
pitfalls of homogeneity. Children may be
Sea Clocks: The Story of Longitude.
By Louise Borden. Illustrated by Erik
Blegvad. Margaret K. McElderry
Books. 2004. $18.95. Ages 7-10.
Sea Clocks: The Story of
Longitude is an historic narrative
describing the remarkable search to help
sailors find their longitude while sailing
on the open waters. Finding latitude was
as simple as observing the location of
the moon and the sun in the sky. But
finding longitude was much more
problematic and took many years to
solve. In the mean time, hunger,
sickness, and death plagued sailors as
they traveled the seas not knowing their
east/west positions. The problem was of
such importance that the English
Parliament offered a substantial reward
to the person who found a workable
solution. John Harrison was a fine
carpenter and an extraordinary
clockmaker. Harrison knew that he
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could solve the problem and his work
became an obsession. Forty years and
five prototypes later, Harrison did find
the perfect solution and after
overcoming several obstacles to the
reward did win the illustrious prize. Sea
Clocks: The Story of Longitude is well
researched and offers lovely watercolor
drawings and black and white sketches
that beautifully enhance the narration.
The story will delight children as well as
inform them of a wonderful achievement
in history.—Julie Pertuit
Mosque by David Macaulay. Houghton
Mifflin. Ages 12 and up.
In fine Macaulay fashion, Mosque
chronicles the design and construction of
a fictional–but typical– mosque of the
late sixteenth-century Ottoman Empire.
It tells the story of Admiral Suha
Mehmet Pasa who, confronted with his
own mortality, decides to build a
structure that would be all at once a
tribute to God, a gift to the community,
and a final resting place for himself.
Over the next 87 pages, Macaulay's
detailed but easy to read text details
every aspect of the mosque's birth and
early life from the laying of its
foundations to the placement of its solid
lead roofs to the good Admiral's final
interment within its walls. The reader
will find no shortage of information
about Muslim architectural and religious
tradition in the text, but it is on
illustration that Macaulay hangs his hat–
and it is Mosque's illustrations that may
ultimately disappoint longtime fans. In a
departure, Macaulay chooses to color his
illustrations and, in so doing, loses some
of the meticulous detail for which he is
renowned. Gone is much of his delicate
crosshatching and shading, now replaced
with swaths of color. Furthermore, every
bit of the light-hearted humor that helped
make Castle and The Way Things Work
such pleasures to read are conspicuously
missing. Mosque is a fantastic resource
for those interested in the architecture
and culture of the mighty Ottoman
Empire and its descendents; and those
new to Macaulay are sure to enjoy this
book without reservation. However, for
those that have been with David
Macaulay since Cathedral, Mosque may
be a bit of a disappointment. –Glen
Bryant
Remember: The Journey to School
Integration by Toni Morrison.
Houghton Mifflin. $18. Ages 8-14.
Toni Morrison begins her book with a
narrative that provides a brief
description of the lives of African
Americans in our country before 1954.
The Supreme Court decision in the case
of Brown v. Board of Education
declared that separate schools were not
equal. This decision gave rise to the
nation-wide civil rights movement.
Morrison has gathered a collection of
black and white photographs that tell the
story of school integration in a powerful
way. Even the names of the chapters
evoke emotional responses: "The
Narrow Path," "The Open Gate," and
"The Wide Road." Each chapter begins
with a paragraph written in stark black
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and white text. The photographs
provided Morrison with the inspiration
for the fictional dialogue, which
expresses the vulnerability, fear, and
courage of the children as they moved
into the spaces of white America. The
faces of those who resisted change are
an undeniable testimony to the violence
and hatred, which often accompanied the
integration of our schools. This is a
tender yet compelling account of our
history, which should be shared with our
young people. It draws the reader into
the setting and expresses the feelings of
the children in a way no other book I
have read has been able to do.
–Ginger Henry
I’ve Been Working on the Railroad
edited by Ann Owens. Picture Window
Books. $15.95. Ages 4-8.
She’ll Be Coming around the
Mountain edited by Ann Owens.
Picture Window Books. $15.95. Ages
4-8.
When Johnny Comes Marching Home
words by Patrick S. Gilmore. Picture
Window Books. $15.95. Ages 4-10.
America: My Country ‘Tis of Thee
words by Samuel Francis Smith. Picture
Window Books. $15.95. Ages 4-10.
Picture Window Books offer
wonderful opportunities to link music
and literature. They come in two
different series: traditional songs and
patriotic songs. The books from both
series are formatted similarly. They
begin with some prompting questions
and information about music and how it
can tell a story. Then each page
thereafter vividly illustrates a few words
of the featured song with full-color
illustrations. The end of each book
features the entire song written in score,
information and facts about the song and
its origin, and a step-by-step
project/activity related to the song. In
addition, there is a resource section that
lists other books and web sites related to
the topic.
Classic and patriotic songs go
hand in hand with childhood and
learning. This series of books helps
teach children about the history of the
United States through folklore with the
traditional songs and through historical
facts with the patriotic songs. Each page
of the books brings the words of the
songs alive through the use of vivid,
detailed, child-friendly illustrations.
Students can personally connect with the
books through the use of up to date
illustrations that bring the events of these
songs to a perspective easily
generalizable to all children. However,
despite the fact that the events are
generalizable, the illustrations focus
heavily on the Caucasians. This fact
may cause students of other races not to
connect to these song books. As far a
teaching is concerned, there is great
merit with these books. The
informational page at the end of each
book has vital and brilliant components
to help the students further internalize
the origin and purpose of the events
related to these songs. In addition, the
section that includes a project/activity to
go with each song is a very insightful
way to help the children further connect
and learn from the song book
experience. –Summer Anderson
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Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet by
Michael Rosen. Illustrated by Jane Ray.
Candlewick Press. $17.99. Ages 9 +.
This new rendition of one of the
most famous love stories ever written
deserves to have a home in every library.
Rosen retells the story for younger
readers in an easy to read format that is
largely narrative in style. A brief history
of life in England during the 1590s when
this play was first introduced preludes
the actual story. One of the appealing
aspects of this retelling is the border
which highlights and explains the more
difficult words and references. Another
appealing aspect is that Rosen has
selected just enough of the original play
to make it readable for younger children.
He includes narrative text that helps
move the story along. Inexperienced
readers of Shakespeare get a taste of the
language without missing out on the key
elements of the story line yet aren't
bogged down by archaic language.
The illustrations by Jane Ray
give this version of Romeo and Juliet a
dream-like quality. Her ornate designs
depict the major scenes in exquisite
detail that add to the value of this tragic
tale.
Overall, this version of The Most
Excellent and Lamentable Tragedy of
Romeo and Juliet is valuable for younger
readers as an introduction to the works
of William Shakespeare. –Diane Gioia
Goldman Rubin. Crown. $19.95. Ages
10 and up.
This book tells the story of
children and adults who create art in
spite of the most terrible circumstances.
Rubin devotes a chapter to the art of
each of the environments in which the
artists existed: mental illness,
imprisonment, war, poverty, and racism.
"Outsider Art" describes the lives and art
of two schizophrenics. "Captured"
presents text and reproductions of prison
art. The most poignant narratives in this
chapter tell the stories of a girl and a
young woman. Mine Okubo, a young
Japanese woman, recorded her
experiences in an internment camp near
San Francisco during World War II.
Twelve-year old Helga Weissova, who
was deported by the Nazis to the Terezin
Concentration Camp, packed "a pad, a
box of watercolours, crayons, and
pencils" and used them secretly to depict
daily life in the camp. Rubin also
devotes a chapter in the book to the art
of quilting, which was integral to the
lives of slaves in America. Finally, the
book includes the work of children in
various settings, from the South Bronx
to Kenya. The story of each artist is told
with captivating detail and the
reproductions touch the heart. Both give
the reader a real sense of the courage of
the human spirit and the ingenuity of the
artist. –Ginger Henry
Editor: Patricia Austin
Reviews by graduate students and
undergraduate students.
Art Against the Odds: From Slave
Quilts to Prison Paintings by Susan
A thousand thanks to the publishers who
support the UNO Children’s Literature
Examination Center.
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