Historical Fiction Book Review: Elijah of Buxton

Bibliography

 Curtis, Christopher Paul. 2009. Elijah of Buxton. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN-13: 978-0439023450

Plot Summary

Elijah of Buxton was known for being born free in a settlement in Canada.  He is eleven-years old and wants to be a man but has a hard time convincing everyone including himself that he's ready to be one.  His parents constantly refer to Elijah as being "fragile" and weak because he cries a lot.  Elijah is confronted with life or death situations and learning about slaves on his journey.  

Critical Analysis

Elijah of Buxton is an interesting character that slowly evolves in each chapter until the end of the story.  From the introduction, Elijah was the average eleven-year old trouble maker that turned out to be a brave young boy who made man decisions.  The history of Buxton was really precise from the start of the story.  The subject matter was awesome-he had great settings and talked about a wide array of issues that would catch the reader off guard.  The book has heavy dialect of the way people probably talked back then.  The language seemed very authentic and it added interest to the reading.   Elijah of Buxton leaves readers with a universal truth understood by all groups who have been oppressed and enslaved; as long as hope survives, a brighter tomorrow exists for future generations.

Reviews Excerpts/Awards

Coretta Scott King Award Winner

Jane Addams Children’s Book Award Honor Book

John Newbery Medal Honor Book

Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction Winner

ALSC American Library Association- Notable Children’s Books

Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Books

Starred Review in BOOKLIST: “A fine original novel from a gifted storyteller.”

Starred Review in KIRKUS: “This is Curtis’s best novel yet…”

Connections   

-Read and research more books about slavery.

-Read more book from the author Christopher Paul Curtis such as, Bucking the Sarge, Mr. Chickee's Funny Money, and Mr. Chickee's Messy Mission.

-Write about being a slave versus born free.

Informational Text: Actual Size

Bibliography

Jenkins, Steve. 2011.  Actual Size.  Sandpiper.  ISBN 10: 9780547512914

Plot Summary

In this picture book, Steve Jenkins shows a variety of animals and animal parts at their actual size.  This book will allow children and adults to compare their body parts to the body parts of these abnormally small and abnormally large animals.  Also, this book will allow the viewer to learn about the actual animal facts.

Critical Analysis        

This book gives an authentic look of how actual animals can be related to human body parts according to their size.  Each page is devoted to a familiar animal and it gives specific details about the animals' size, characteristics, and habitat.  "In this book seeing is believing as Steve Jenkins illustrates animals both large and small at the ACTUAL SIZE."  The illustrations are very unique.  The pictures are composed of cut and torn pieces of paper put together to form the picture of the animal.  The first attraction to the book are the pictures and then the text.  The eyes are drawn to the picture first and then it makes you want to read more about that particular animal.

Reviews Excerpts/Awards/Honors         

School Library Journal, "A thoroughly engaging read-aloud and a must-have for any collection."

Starred The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Book's, "Jenkins' imaginative paper collages work their usual magic in transcending their medium to capture the spirit and detail of their subjects. The real triumph here, however, is the compositions...the book makes brilliantly creative use of its tight focus, resulting in startling close-ups."

Starred Booklist, ALA, "Jenkins' artwork is gorgeous (a gatefold of a frog in mid-leap is particularly memorable)... An unusual, unusually effective tool for connecting children to nature's astonishing variety."

Connections

*Students can measure the body parts in the book.

*Complete additional research on the animals pictured in the book.

*Try to duplicate an animal body part in this book by using clay or play-dough.

*Classify all the animals in this book (mammal, reptiles, and amphibians).

*Distinguish which animals are prey and which are predators.

*Read this book then take a field trip to the zoo and discuss any animals that they saw that were in the book.

Informational Text: Claudette Colvin Twice Toward Justice

Bibliography

Hoose, Phillip. 2009. Claudette Colvin Twice Toward Justice. Square Fish. ISBN 978-0-312-66105-2

Plot Summary

This bibliography tells about events of an ordinary teenager who did an extraordinary thing that kindled a movement led by Dr. Martin Luther King.  Before Rosa Parks refused her seat on the bus, Claudette Colvin was the first person to challenge the segregation laws in Montgomery, Alabama.  Colvin's daring stand added fuel to the already outraged African American feelings toward the oppression, ignorance and hatred by the segregation laws.

Critical Analysis

"To me God loved everyone.  Why did He curse just us?"  This kind of thinking from Claudette Colvin was a constant reminder that there was still injustice in Montgomery, Alabama.  It caused Colvin to take a courageous stand and speak out against the injustices of segregation.  This book is written in first-person accounts from Colvin taken from several interviews by the author.  Phil Hoose captures the essence of Colvin's words to tell her own story in which he frames the narrative, and includes a rich text that embodies passion within the content.  This book will hopefully inspire youth and adults to do something about the things they think are wrong in society to try to change or improve them.  The illustrations in the book are taken from actual pictures from Claudette Colvin, Rosa Parks, E.D. Nixon, Dr. Martin Luther King and many other influential African Americans.  

Reviews Excerpts/Awards        

Winner of the National Book Award

A Robert F. Siebert Honor Book

YALSA Finalist for Excellence in Nonfiction

Starred School Library Journal, "Well-written and engaging...Outstanding."

New York Post, "Hoose vividly recreates Colvin's bravery."

Starred Booklist, "This title shows the incredible difference that a single young person can make, even as  it demonstrates the multitude of interconnected lives that create and sustain a political movement."

Starred Publisher's Weekly, "Hoose reasserts [Claudette Colvin's] place in history with this vivid and dramatic account, complemented with photographs, sidebars, and liberal excerpts from interviews conducted with Colvin...Thoughtful."

Connections

* Think about something they are able to change at their school and how would they go about doing it?

*Since Claudette Colvin is still living, see if you could Skype her and have the children ask her questions about the book.

*Have students do research on the Jim Crow laws.

Informational Text: The Extraoridinary Mark Twain: According To Susy

 

Bibliography

Kerley, Barbara. 2010.  The Extraordinary Mark Twain (According to Susy).Ill by. Edwin Fotheringham. Scholastic Press.  ISBN 978-0-545-12508-6

Plot Summary

This bibliography is written about the famous Mark Twain.  Susy, Twain's daughter,  decided to write a bibliography about her father because she felt like everybody was "just plain wrong about him."  Susy  started writing secretly about her father until one day her mother found her journal and from then on it was an interesting project that her mother and father appreciated and complimented. 

Critical Analysis        

Susy was frustrated at the way people thought they knew her father.  Yes, he was a "world-famous author, quoted here, there, and everywhere," but no one knew Mark Twain like Susy did.  This is a charming, fresh way to look at Mark Twain, after you read this book you will have a "new" outlook on the real Mark Twain.  Susy shows the reality of her father- the good and not so good.  This book is very creative and well put together.  Inserted in this oversized volume are mini-journals, stapled to the book spine, which include excerpts from Susy's actual text in script, misspellings and all.  The misspellings in the journal allow for the reader to connect with the realness of Susy.  The illustrations are rich and detailed.  Every picture is connected to the text on the page.  This book puts a playful spin on bibliographies.

Reviews Excerpts/Awards/Honors

Starred Kirkus Reviews, "A gleeful celebration of a fully, unapologetically led life."

Starred Booklist Review, "The large format gives Fotheringham, in his debut, plenty of room for spectacular art."

The New York Times, "Kerley reveals the essence of Alice in an upbeat account of her life."

Connections       

* Have students create a diary.

*Read other books written by Barbara Kerley such as, What To Do About Alice?, Walt Whitman: Words For America, A Cool Drink of Water, A Little Peace.

*Let the children write about one parent.

*List character traits for Mark Twain.             

*Observe someone at school and write about them, just as Susy did.

POETRY GENRE REVIEW-"THE LLAMA WHO HAD NO PAJAMA"

Bibliography

Hoberman-Ann, Mary. 1998.  The Llama Who Had No Pajama. Ill by Betty Fraser.  Sandpiper.  ISBN 978-0152055714

Plot Summary

This book is a collection of a variety of poems from all topics that has a high level interest for younger children.  It's a great way to introduce poetry to any young child.  This book is very engaging and creative with the language.  Some of the poems in this book are meant for discussion with children, some are to evoke imagery, and some are just for plan fun.  A poem that I could relate to in this book is, "The Birthday Bus" (9).

Critical Analysis        

This poetry book could be used for both general anthology or a topical anthology, because it has 100 poems there are a lot to choose from.  The poems vary in complexity so it's easy to pick a poem that's a perfect read for a child-some poems are super easy while others are more challenging.  The poems vary in length from long to short and majority of the poems written rhyme which is key to early reading development.  There are simple pictures that add to the meaning of the poem.  The pictures are not too distracting from the poem-they are very light and very playful.

Reviews Excerpts/Awards/Honors         

School Library Journal-  "Hoberman's rhythm' are lively and agile...Good for beginning or experienced readers of poetry, this should indeed become a favorite."

Publisher's Weekly- "This inventively illustrated collection brims with enough wordplay and silliness to please a room full of young wordsmith's."

Winner of the National Council of Teachers of English Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children

A National Parenting Publications Gold Award Winner

A Book Sense Book of the Year Finalist

Connections

• Memorize a poem and recite it.
• Use it as a form of Reader's Theatre.
• Use some of the poems and turn them into songs and sing them.

POETRY GENRE REVIEW-"WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN'T KNOW"

Bibliography

Sones, Sonya. 2001. What My Mother Doesn't Know. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing. ISBN-13: 978-0689855535

Plot Summary

In this book of poetry, Sophie, a teenage girl, is very interested in boys.  The boy of her dreams Dylan, finally asks Sophie to go out with him and Sophie just knows that this is her true love.  Sophie later finds out that Dylan is her not so Mr. Right and she makes it her personal mission to find her soul mate.  Sophie develops a series of odd relationships with other young boys that she encounters.  Until she realizes the boy she would never be seen with is her true love.

Critical Analysis

This book is written in an unorthodox style, some pages consists of short poems summarizing one or more days of Sophie's day.  This exquisite book is a fast, detailed, and intense read.   The character Sophie is a confused teen who is dealing with all the normal things of a teenager.  She's fighting with her mother, a father whose barely there, whether to be popular by choosing a guy she really doesn't like or being with a geek who no one likes.  The theme of the book is transparent, 'don't judge a book by its cover'.  The boys she thinks she's in love with are the boys she's judging based on outer appearance and not by inner character.  There seems to be no topic off limits to discuss in this book.  The character Sophie talks about having intimate kisses, and pretty panties, to sitting on top of boys laps.  This is a good book to open up to young girls about having a relationship as a teenager.  When I was a child I was not allowed to discuss dating in my household so I felt a tremendous connection to this book because the only people she could tell where her close friends as I did.

Even though this was a collection of poems it fit together as one story.  The author did not use pictures to illustrate the story, her vivid words and her descriptions were suffice.  This book has no rhyming words and it is free verse.

Reviews Excerpts/Awards

Entertainment Weekly-"Winning."

Booklist, Starred Review- "Fast, Funny, touching."

Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review- "A verse experience that will leave readers sighing with recognition and satisfaction."

Publisher's Weekly- "Honest...destined to captivate."

KLIATT- "Brilliant." Loading...

An ALA 2002 Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers

An ALA 2002 Best Book for Young Adults

A Booklist Editors' Choice

Connections         

-Have students write down a time in their life when someone as judged them wrongfully based on appearance.

-Have students predict about what will happen between Murphy and Sophie. 

-Read the sequel, Why My Girlfriend Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones.

-Discuss the proper things to do in a relationship

POETRY GENRE REVIEW-"SOUP FOR BREAKFAST"

Bibliography

Brown, Calef. 2008. Soup For Breakfast. Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. ISBN 9780618916412

Plot Summary

Soup For Breakfast is a collection of creative short verse, fun poems that are thought provoking.  This book will engage children of all ages and  allow them to use their imagination and interest.  If you like Shel Silverstein, you'll love this author.  Calef Brown has humor, creativity and deep imaginative creation of words written in this book.  My favorite poems were, "Architots"(13) and "Painting on Toast" (22-23).

Critical Analysis

The illustrations starts at the beginning of the story.  The cover of the book has a soup can that has various images from the poems that gives insight as to what some of the poems might be about.  The pictures are so rich in color and texture-the illustrations are done in acrylic.  The illustrations add excitement to the pictures and they are so artistic.  Some of the poems follow rhyming patterns and some don't.  The language of these poems are to have fun and to hear what some words sound like and how it makes its own music-when you let the rhythm of words flow from your mouth.  Finally, I like that even though this is a book about poems he still has a purpose for this book.  At the end of the story author Calef Brown, states that he really does eat soup for breakfast and so does his wife.

Reviews Excerpts/Awards        

Winner of the Myra Cohn Livingston Award for Poetry

2007 CBCC Choice

Publisher's Weekly- "A hearty salute to eccentricity."

Booklist-"Words and pictures manage to be both clear and weird, an enjoyable mix."

Horn Book-"Silly it may be, but all the best kind, prompting the reader to see the world (slightly) askew and to delight in it."

Connections

-Read other books written by Calef Brown such as, Polkadots and Octopus Slacks, and Flamingos on the Roof: Poems and Paintings.

-Have students draw their own illustrations of what they saw when they read this poem.