Module 8: Savvy by Ingrid Law

Summary: Mibs is in middle school about to be homeschooled when she turns 13. Her family isn’t exactly ordinary. They each have inherited what they call a “savvy.” Her brother fish can control the weather and Rocket can control electricity. One day, their poppa gets in a terrible accident on the highway. He has to be hospitalized because he falls into a deep coma. Mibs has decided that she needs to get to her father as soon as possible in order to save him. She is planning on using her power, mind reading, to help her father wake up. The 3 siblings and friends journey on a bus headed in the wrong direction. They encounter obstacles but eventually make it to the hospital. Mibs hears her fathers’ thoughts with help from Miss Mermaid, a tattoo, and he wakes up extraordinarily. He is a little confused on some days but on others he is the same poppa that they’ve always known. Her mother is even pregnant but Mibs decides to keep quiet about that. Some days she wonders if people could hear her thought and feel what she feels. The book leaves with Samson, her cousin, turning 13 and awaiting his savvy.    

Citation: Law, I. (2008). Savvy. New York, NY: Dial Books For Young Readers.

Impressions: This book wasn’t one of my favorites. I didn’t think that the stowed away bus trip with Lester was very exciting. Lester was whining about losing his job the entire way. I think that they could have just asked their grandfather to take them to see their dad. I didn’t think it was necessary for them to run away without telling anyone in order to get to their dad. Their missing report was all over the news as well. They had everyone worried about their whereabouts. Plus, I didn’t like that Mibs could read minds starting with the tattoo angel on Bobbi’s back. I think that that was really strange. I don’t think that the other siblings powers were very extraordinary either and really didn’t serve a purpose. I wanted their special powers to help people or have some relevancy. The powers just created havoc, all except Mibs.  

Reviews:

From Kirkus Reviews

Mibs can’t wait for her 13th birthday, when her special gift, or “savvy,” will awaken. Everyone in her family—except beloved Papa, who married in—has one, from Grandpa Bomba’s ability to move mountains (literally) to Great Aunt Jules’s time-traveling sneezes. What will hers be? Not what she wants, it turns out, but definitely what she needs when the news that a highway accident has sent her father to the ICU impels her to head for the hospital aboard a Bible salesman’s old bus. Sending her young cast on a zigzag odyssey through the “Kansaska-Nebransas” heartland, Law displays both a fertile imagination (Mibs’s savvy is telepathy, but it comes with a truly oddball caveat) and a dab hand for likable, colorful characters. There are no serious villains here, only challenges to be met, friendships to be made and some growing up to do on the road to a two-hanky climax. A film is already in development, and if it lives up to this marvel-laden debut, it’ll be well worth seeing. (Fantasy. 10-13)

Kirkus Reviews Associates. (May 1, 2008). Review. Kirkus Review. Retrieved fromhttp://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/ingrid-law-2/savvy/#review.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Upon turning 13, each member of the Beaumont family develops a supernatural ability, or “savvy, ” which must then be tamed. Well aware of the problems savvys can bring (the family had to relocate when one child had difficulty controlling his storm-producing savvy), 12-year-old Mississippi (Mibs) awaits her birthday eagerly but with a bit of trepidation. Then Poppa is seriously injured in an accident far away, and Momma goes to his side, leaving Mibs and the rest of the family to cope with Mibs’ 13th birthday on their own. Initially believing that her savvy is the ability to restore life, Mibs sets her course for Poppa. Joined by her brothers and the local preacher’s kids, she sweet talks her way onto a traveling Bible salesman’s bus. On the journey, however, Mibs realizes her savvy isn’t what she thought, which opens the way for a number of lively adventures both geographic and emotional. Law’s storytelling is rollicking, her language imaginative, and her entire cast of whacky, yet believable characters delightful. Readers will want more from Law; her first book is both wholly engaging and lots of fun. Grades 5-7. --

Goldsmith, F.  (May 15, 2008). Booklist review. Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com/Savvy-Ingrid-Law/pid=2605237.

Suggestions: Even though I did not enjoy this book, I think that it could be used in a fantasy themed project. Students could conduct their own character charts of themselves and what special powers or Savvy they would like to have.

Module 7: A Dog Called Kitty by Bill Wallace & Anything but Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin

 Summary: Ricky and his family have just moved to a farm in Oklahoma. They come to find that they have an array of stray cats and a small pup that come for scraps of food every day. Ricky must overcome his fear of dogs in order for the pup to live because the cats eat all of his food. One day he decides to let go of his fear and starts to take care of his new pup named Kitty. His family and he name the pup Kitty because the pup would always come when they called all the cats for feeding. One day Ricky and Kitty have to go searching for their missing cow that Kitty had scared off. Kitty confronts these 4 stray dogs in an attempt to save the young cow and gets beat up badly. Ricky is so worried that he kicks the stray dogs off of Kitty but it is too late. Kitty had not recovered and dies at the vet. Ricky is so upset that he vowed never to have another dog again. When he returns home, he finds another little pup that startles his mother. He quickly becomes joyful and remembers his little pup and what he used to tell him.     

Citation: Wallace, B. (1980). A dog called Kitty. New York, NY: Holiday House.  

Impressions: I enjoyed the country voice that they story was told in. When I was reading out loud I could really get into character with the book and appreciated the unique dialect. It is a brave story about a boy overcoming his fears. I think that students can relate to this book in many ways such as dealing with different fears they might have. There is some violence in the book such as all the fights between the boys but I think they are handled well enough for students who read it to make their own judgments about it.

Reviews:

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5. Bill Wallace's story (Holiday, 1980) of the bonding between a boy and a dog is not to be missed. This presentation, read by L.J. Ganser, is so softly dramatic that it not only captures the essence of gentle emotion but essentially transports readers to the Oklahoma farm where Ricky exhibits courage beyond belief. Ricky is terrified by dogs because as a toddler he was mercilessly mauled by a rabid dog and left to die. Sixty-three stitches later with no anesthesia, Ricky is scarred with the emotional and physical memories that constantly recall his tragedy. The softness of Ganser's voice reflects the softness of Ricky's heart when a puppy is left to starve because he responds with a littler of kittens for food but is rejected. Hence, the name Kitty. Ricky musters all his courage and feeds the puppy, building a closeness that only friends realize and conquering his all-consuming fear. With Ricky, readers suffer the loss and feel the anguish when Kitty is accidentally killed at an oil rig. Hope, however, still prevails and happiness does come through sorrow. Ganser brings life and emotion to a powerful story with his dramatic rendition. This touching and encouraging story add a further dimension to the significance of boy and dog relationships, and should be high on public and school library priority lists.

Brown, P.M.(1997). Review. School Library Journal. Retrieved from amazon.com

From the Publisher

The puppy was small and fuzzy, with a friendly, wagging tail -- and Ricky was afraid of him! No wonder, since he was attacked by a dog when he was just a baby. So when a stray puppy comes sniffling around the farm, Ricky tells it to get lost. But the puppy keeps trying to play with Ricky. And every time Ricky's Mom feeds the cats, the little dog comes running. The cats aren't sharing their food, however, and the poor pup is slowly starving. If Ricky doesn't overcome his fear, the little puppy may die -- butif he lets himself get close enough to feed it, he may find the best friend he's ever had! Winner of the Texas Bluebonnet, the Oklahoma Sequoyah and the Nebraska Golden Sower Awards.
Retrieved from amazon.com

Suggestions: I think that this book might be a hard one to sell. This could be one that definitely would benefit from a book talk or a book trailer to make it more enticing. It ends sadly and I think would help students who might be recovering from losing their pets. The theme could be about pets and students could share their stories about their pets that are living or have died.

Summary: Jason Blake is an extraordinary writer. He loves writing stories for his storyboard website and reading his comments. One comment in particular that he awaits every time is from Phoenixbird, a fellow storyboard writer. Soon he figures out that Phoenixbird is a girl named Rebecca. He starts to develop feelings for Rebecca and wants so desperately for her to be his girlfriend. He is afraid though that Rebecca won’t accept him. Jason is autistic. As a surprise, Jason’s parents have agreed to take him to the storyboard convention in Dallas. Jason is terrified of meeting Rebecca and tells her he is not going. Rebecca finds him since there aren’t many kids their age and is polite to Jason and his mom. Jason does not say a word and feels like he blew his chances. He is contemplates never writing another story again. The rest of a convention is a blur until the last day when Rebecca shows up to the convention party. She tells Jason that she would love to stay friends and continue to read each other’s stories. Jason is fulfilled by this requests and finishes his story on storyboard with a happy ending.   

Citation: Baskin, N.R. (2009). Anything but typical. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Impressions: The title of this book does not give it justice. I went into the book thinking that this was going to be a sad story about a boy who struggles with school and girls. I had the impression that it was a typical high school bad romance book. It was so much more than that. Jason’s character was beautifully written. He did make a reference to The Catcher in the Rye by Salinger and that was one of the first thoughts that came into my head when I started reading this book. This book is a true coming of age story with a sweet ending. I enjoyed all of the story elements that Jason explained and his complete outlines of emotions and thoughts.

Reviews:

From Kirkus Reviews

People say 12-year-old Jason Blake is weird. He blinks his eyes oddly and flaps his hands, his fingers jerking “like insects stuck on a string.” Jason is autistic. He hates art class and PE, where there’s too much space and unorganized time, but he feels at home on his computer, writing stories on the Storyboard website. When he meets a fellow writer named Rebecca online and has the chance to meet her in person at a Storyboard conference, he panics. What will happen to their comfortable online relationship when she meets him? Baskin’s delineation of an autistic boy’s world is brilliant, putting readers into Jason’s mind, showing how he sees the world, understands how his parents feel about him, frets about fitting in and yearns to find at least one friend in the world. Readers even get some tips about writing short stories as they observe Jason composing his way to self-acceptance. “This is who I am. This is me,” as one of his characters says. (Fiction. 10-14)

Associates of Kirkus Reviews. (March 24, 2009). Review. Kirkus Reviews Online. http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/nora-raleigh-baskin/anything-but-typical/

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Baskin tells this luminous story entirely from the point of view of Jason, an autistic boy who is a creative-writing whiz and deft explainer of literary devices, but markedly at a loss in social interactions with “neurotypicals” both at school and at home. He is most comfortable in an online writing forum called Storyboard, where his stories kindle an e-mail-based friendship with a girl. His excitement over having a real friend (and maybe even girlfriend) turns to terror when he learns that his parents want to take him on a trip to the Storyboard conference, where he’ll no doubt have to meet her in person. With stunning economy, Baskin describes Jason’s attempts to interpret body language and social expectations, revealing the extreme disconnect created by his internalization of the world around him. Despite his handicap, Jason moves through his failures and triumphs with the same depth of courage and confusion of any boy his age. His story, while neither particularly heartbreaking nor heartwarming, shows that the distinction between “normal” and “not normal” is whisper-thin but easily amplified to create the chasm between “different” and “defective.” This is an enormously difficult subject, but Baskin, without dramatics or sentimentality, makes it universal. As Jason explains, there’s really only one kind of plot: “Stuff happens. That’s it.” Grades 4-7. --

Ian Chipman,I. (February 1, 2009). Booklist review. Booklist. Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com/Anything-But-Typical-Nora-Raleigh-Baskin/pid=3172507

Suggestions: This book could coincide with developing a special school blog for students to write their stories on. They could share their thoughts and feelings on a forum to create a community of readers. They could even give tips to each other as well as praise and appreciation. 

Module 6: The Ghost-Eye Tree by Bill Martin, Jr and John Archambault Illustrated by Ted Rand

Summary: One cold autumn night, a mother asks her two children to run to the edge of town to retrieve a bucket of milk for her. The young boy and older sister set out on their journey. The older sister makes fun of her brother for wearing a silly hat. They pass the old ghost-eye tree without any hesitation. They retrieve the milk from Mr. Cowlander, the milkmen and make their way back to their home. As they are passing the ghost-eye tree they see a ghost and take off running. The older sister spills some milk and the younger brother loses his hat. His sister is brave enough to retrieve his hat for him telling him that his hat was beautiful. She tells her brother that they will have to keep it a secret from their mother and refill the milk with water. They make it home and from that day on the younger brother hides when his mother needs milk late at night.

Citation: Martin, B.J. & Archambault, J. (1985). The Ghost-eye tree. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company.   

Impressions: I like this this book was written in poetry form. The words rhymed even when the brother and sister were talking. The illustrations were dark and detailed. I thought that maybe the characters should be given a name but other than that it was a great story about an older sister taking care of her brother. I liked how she told him his hat was stupid in the beginning but then felt bad when he lost it. She told him it was beautiful and was brave enough to get it for him even if she was just as scared of the tree. I was just wondering though, why would a mother send her kids in the dead of night across town on foot to get milk? How about waiting till the morning? Just a thought.

Reviews:

"A top-notch hair-raiser that will do for any old night of the year, but will really spike a Halloween story hour." --Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Deep, dark pictures of a windy, cloudy, spooky night provide the appropriate atmosphere for this tantalizingly told story-poem about a brother and sister who are sent out at night to fetch a pail of milk." --Booklist

"A delightfully alarming story poem about a dark and windy night when a boy and his sister are sent on an errand and must pass a certain tree that moans and reaches out its arms, freezing their hearts with fear. Strong, exciting illustrations make it all real. The poem would be especially good read aloud." --The New Yorker

Retrieved from Amazon.com

Suggestions: This would fit in a Halloween or scary story theme. The library could hold readings of scary stories, such as ghost stories, personal or from a book. The event could feature students sharing their stories with one another or the librarian reading different ghost story books.

Module 5: Goin Someplace Special by Patricia C. McKissack Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney & Los Gatos Black on Halloween by Marisa Montes & illustrated by Yuyi Morales

Summary: ‘Tricia Ann wants to venture off to her special place alone. Her grandmother, Mama Frances, lets her journey to her special place hoping that ‘Tricia keeps her promise to stay confident. ‘Tricia takes the bus and heads to the back where the colored people are supposed to sit according to the Jim Crow law. She has lived with those laws all of her life. She reaches downtown and a fellow friend of her grandmother tells her before she gets off to stay confident. ’Tricia walks through the park to the fountain and sees a bench that only white people can sit on. She carries on and gets a free pretzel from a vendor friend. He starts complaining about the restaurant being for whites only. She continues on her journey passing by the Southland Hotel. She gets caught in a mob and is swept inside. Someone sees her in the lobby and protests her presence in the hotel. ‘Tricia almost starts to cry while apologizing and runs off to the church. She almost decides to go home after the incident but continues on after she hears kind words from a woman at the church. She regains confidence and finally reaches her special place. It is the public library where all people of color are welcome.   

Citation: Mckissack, P.C & Pinkney, J. (2001). Goin’ someplace special. New York, NY: An Anne Schwartz Book

Impressions: I think that the Coretta Scott King books are beautiful. The book displayed a vivid depiction of what it was like in the 1950s. What was interesting was that it was from a little girls’ perspective. Even though she had grown up with the laws, she still got hurt by them. I don’t think that people realize what a dark time that was and it’s not until a book like Goin’ Someplace Special is written to really get a small insight into what life must have been like. I became very emotional with this books and other Coretta Scott King books. The story was very touching to find out that the young girls special place was the public library. The illustrations were amazing and very detailed. I enjoyed it very much.  

Reviews:

From Publishers Weekly

McKissack draws from her childhood in Nashville for this instructive picture book. "I don't know if I'm ready to turn you loose in the world," Mama Frances tells her granddaughter when she asks if she can go by herself to "Someplace Special" (the destination remains unidentified until the end of the story). 'Tricia Ann does obtain permission, and begins a bittersweet journey downtown, her pride battered by the indignities of Jim Crow laws. She's ejected from a hotel lobby and snubbed as she walks by a movie theater ("Colored people can't come in the front door," she hears a girl explaining to her brother. "They got to go 'round back and sit up in the Buzzard's Roost"). She almost gives up, but, buoyed by the encouragement of adult acquaintances ("Carry yo'self proud," one of her grandmother's friends tells her from the Colored section on the bus), she finally arrives at Someplace Special a place Mama Frances calls "a doorway to freedom" the public library. An afterword explains McKissack's connection to the tale, and by putting such a personal face on segregation she makes its injustices painfully real for her audience. Pinkney's (previously paired with McKissack for Mirandy and Brother Wind) luminescent watercolors evoke the '50s, from fashions to finned cars, and he captures every ounce of 'Tricia Ann's eagerness, humiliation and quiet triumph at the end. Ages 4-8.

Associates of Publishers Weekly. (August 6, 2001). Children's Review. Publishers Weekly Online. retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-689-81885-1

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Ages 5-8. Tricia Ann excitedly gets her grandmother's permission to go out by herself to "Someplace Special" --a place far enough away to take the bus and to have to walk a bit. But this isn't just any trip. Tricia's trip takes place in the segregated South of the 1950s. That means Tricia faces sitting at the back of the bus, not being allowed to sit on a whites-only park bench, and being escorted out of a hotel lobby. She almost gives up, but a local woman who some say is "addled," but whom Tricia Ann knows to be gentle and wise, shows her how to listen to the voice inside herself that allows her to go on. She arrives at her special destination--the public library, whose sign reads "All Are Welcome." Pinkney's watercolor paintings are lush and sprawling as they evoke southern city streets and sidewalks as well as Tricia Ann's inner glow. In an author's note, McKissack lays out the autobiographical roots of the story and what she faced as a child growing up in Nashville. This book carries a strong message of pride and self-confidence as well as a pointed history lesson. It is also a beautiful tribute to the libraries that were ahead of their time.

Wilms, D. (August, 2001). Booklist review. Booklist Online. Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com/Goin-Someplace-Special-Patricia-C-McKissack/pid=561355

Suggestions: This book could be used among many other for black history month. I think it is a perfect example of bravery and independence. Each time ‘Tricia felt a little discouragement she quickly regained confidence in herself after a little reassurance from fellow friends and neighbors. This story could teach students how important it is to stand up for oneself and even give them some insight to history.

Summary: The story is about a monsters ball being held on Halloween. From all over creepy crawly creatures made their way to the haunted house to celebrate. There are cats, pumpkins, witches, skeletons, and ghosts. The full moon attracts mummies, wolves, and zombies. They party all night long dancing and singing when they suddenly hear a knock on the door. Everyone grows quiet as they await the door opening. Its trick or treaters at the door! All of the monsters are frightened and run and hide.     

Citation: Montes, M. (2006). Los gatos black on Halloween. New York, NY: Henry Hold and Company

Impressions: The story is actually a poem and some of the words are expressed in Spanish and translated. I think that the story was surprising since I didn’t expect for scary monsters to be scared of humans. The illustrations are drawn different from any of the books that I’ve blogged about. The colors are dark giving it an eerie sensation. I enjoyed the story and I think that students will benefit from it educationally because of the Spanish words and translations.

Reviews:

From Booklist

K-Gr. 2. A cat's green eyes stare out from the book's cover. Inside, there are more of los gatos--as well as las brujas (witches), los fantasmas (ghosts), and los esqueletos (skeletons looking like they have come from a Dia de los Muertos celebration. The pithy, rhyming text tells a frightening, if familiar, story. The ghosts and ghoulies are off to a Monsters' Ball at Haunted Hall, and though there's plenty of scary stuff around, the guests are most frightened by the children who come knocking at the door for trick-or-treat. Montes' evocative poem deserves exceptional artwork, and Morales obliges. Her soft-edged paintings glow with the luminosity of jewels, and her witches, werewolves, and corpses are frighteningly executed. Therein lies what may be a problem for preschoolers. These fiends aren't particularly kid-friendly; they are dead-eyed, Day of the Dead folk who scare. For slightly older children, however, this spookiness is what Halloween is all about. The Spanish is neatly integrated into the text, but for those who need clarification, a glossary is appended.

Cooper, I. (August 2006).  Booklist Review. Bookline Online. Retrieved from  http://www.booklistonline.com/Los-Gatos-Black-on-Halloween-Marisa-Montes/pid=1710332.

  

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-4–Montes smoothly incorporates Spanish terms into a rhythmic poem describing a moonlit Halloween night. Los esqueletos rattle bones and clatter in a dance, los fantasmas drag their chains and shriek their pains, and los muertos emerge from their graves to join other creatures at a haunted casa for music and dancing. However, the party stops dead with the arrival of trick-or-treaters, which causes the frightened spooks to hide, for The thing that monsters most abhor/Are human niños at the door! The full-bleed paintings create a creepy mood with curving lines, fluid textures, and dusky hues. Rounded figures dance across the atmospheric spreads, which depict blank-faced skeletons, a toothy werewolf, and a child zombie with glowing eyes. The pictures are eerie enough to tingle spines, but the effect is leavened with bits of humor (witches perform skateboard tricks on their brooms, a vampire admires himself in a mirror that reflects only his clothing). The poems cadenced rhymes and descriptive language build suspense until the satisfying ending. Spanish words are easy to understand in context, but are also defined in a glossary with pronunciation guides. This book is just right for children who are beginning to find typical Halloween fare a bit too tame.

Fleishhacker, J. School Library Journal. Retrieved from amazon.com

Suggestions: This could be used in many Halloween and Spanish projects. It could even be fun to read for students who don’t speak English well and or those who don’t speak Spanish. I think that the story is interesting and easy to understand and is appropriate for the holidays. I would love to see a theme where books are displayed for each holiday and then students can do holiday activities together.  

Module 4: The Cat who went to Heaven by Elizabeth Coatsworth & The Dark Frigate by Charles Boardman Hawes

Summary: One day, in Japan, an artist felt very hungry awaiting his housekeeper to return home from the market. When she does not bring food, but a cat, he is furious. The housekeeper explains that she is kept awake by rats and has brought the cat to fix the problem. The artist is upset but thinks that the cat will bring good luck since the cat is 3 colored and decides to keep him. One morning, a Priest requests a painting of their Lord Buddha to be put in the temple for all to see. The artist was so excited to finally gain some recognition and good fortune. The artist wanted to include animals and so he considered an elephant, horse, buffalo, dog, Banyan deer, monkey, and tiger all which exhibited the spirit of Buddha. There were many animals in the painting except the cat, good fortune, who longed to be included in the picture. The artist refused to draw good fortune in the picture in fear that the Priest would not accept it. Good fortune was not an animal that was blessed by the Buddha. After careful consideration, the artist decides to draw a cat in the portrait regardless of what people thought. He risked his entire salary and fame for a cat he had come to love. Just as the Priest had told the artist that the painting would be destroyed on the account of the cat, a miracle had happened. The painting had changed. Instead of the Buddha reclining with his arms folded, he was not reaching for the cat gesturing his blessing.     

Citation: Coatsworth, E. (1958). The cat who went to heaven. New York, NY: Macmillan Publishing Company.

Impressions: The one thing that I enjoyed about this book was the small songs that were featured after each chapter. The songs of the housekeeper were very wise and added some insight into the situations. I enjoyed the moral of the story as well. Even though the artist was poor, he risked everything for his cat that he came to love. The cat really did end up giving him good fortune and the name was rightfully appropriate. I liked that the drawings looked like old prints. They resembled stamps and were very detailed. I see a lot of cat symbols in Buddha art so this was a fun story as to how those images and the relation came to be.    

Reviews:

A charming legend of a Japanese artist, his cat, and a Buddhist miracle. Newbery Medal winner, 1931.
Published: April 1999 Updated:

A charming legend of a Japanese artist, his cat, and a Buddhist miracle. Newbery Award, 1930.
Published: July 1998 Updated:

When a poor Japanese artist paints his little white cat into a picture of the dying Buddha, he lets his pet into heaven. John Newbery Medal, 1931. Recommended.
Published: July 1998 Updated:

A little cat comes to the home of a poor Japanese artist and, by humility and devotion, brings him good fortune.
Published: January 2011 Updated: January 2011

A cat looks on as her master, a poor Japanese artist, works on a painting commissioned by a high priest. The artist must paint all the animals blessed by Buddha except cats, which have been excluded from paradise. Despite the risk, the compassionate artist decides to include a cat in his painting and is rewarded. Text copyright 2004 Lectorum Publications, Inc.
Published: July 2008 Updated: July 2008

All reviews retrieved from Bowker Book in Print.

Suggestions: This story takes place in Japan so I was thinking that it could go with an around the world theme. It could be used in ancient stories or legends and grouped with others of that same theme.

Summary: Philip Marsham has set foot on his journey to leave England. Along the way he picks up fellow companion Martin and meets a man called the Old One. They are informed that the Old One has requested their skills on a ship called the Rose of Devon. The Rose of Devon gets seized by pirates who are surprisingly led by the Old One. The two boys are trapped on the Rose of Devon with pirates. The pirates are not your everyday pirates. They are filled with evil and murderous intentions. The captain, Old One, promises Philip wealth and riches if he stays with the crew, Philip accepts only reluctantly. The pirate crew invades many ships but don’t retrieve much from their conquests. After the death of his friend Will, Philip escapes the pirate ship and finds himself seeking help from a nearby British warship. The warship seizes the pirate ship and all are sent to trial, including Philip. Even though Philip pleads that he was against being on the pirate ship he doesn’t testify against them. The Old One sees this as a sign of courage and honor and tells the jury that Philip was held against his will. Philip is the only way let go. Philip continues his life and after years of battle with Sir John Bristol decides to return to Bideford after his death. It is there that he sees The Rose of Devon on the harbor. Philip asks Captain Hosmer if he can accompany him when it sets sail to the colonies. Suspicious of his motives, Captian Hosmer agrees to take him except they were headed to Barbados. Philip provides him with gold and takes his second journey on the Rose of Devon in a time when he needed it the most.   

Citation: Hawes, C.B. (1971). The dark Frigate. Boston: An Atlantic Monthly Press Book.

Impressions: I think that this story was extraordinary. I did a little research and found out that this was the second book by Hawes and it would be his last. I felt like Philip has experienced so much in his young life that there was still another chapter. It ended with me feeling like I needed more. I wanted to find out how his second voyage turned out and where he would go the rest of his life. Sailing was all he knew. It was very emotional for me also when the Old One, Tom Jordan, confirmed that Philip was merely a prisoner and not a part of their pirate crew. He even sold out Joe Kirk to the jury which added a little comedic relief when Joe denied it. I also enjoyed the small drawings at the beginning of each chapter. They were simple and in black and white but it helped when imagining scenes and characters.  

Reviews:

From School Library Journal

Gr 7 Up-In 17th century England, an accident forces orphaned Philip Marsham to flee London in fear for his life. He signs on with the Rose of Devon, a dark frigate. When the ship is seized in by a devious group of men, Philip is forced to accompany these "gentleman of fortune" on their murderous expeditions.  Haives, C.B. (2010). Review. School Library Journal. Library Journals LLC. Retrieved from Bowker Books in Print.

Suggestions: This book could be worked into a pirate lesson plan. I don’t think that this book is a part of any curriculum but it could be a part of the library’s lesson plan. Lists of books could be sent out in fun print out each week with a theme. Students could find these fun reads and refer to others that revolve around this same theme.

Module 3: Many Moons by James Thurber & Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig

Summary: Many Moons by James Thurber is about a princess named Lenore who is sick. She asks her dad, the king, to being her to moon so that she could get better. The king calls upon all of his subjects such as the Lord High Chamberlain, the royal wizard, and the royal mathematician but they all claim different reason as to why they cannot bring the moon to him. He calls for the Court Jester to explain his problem and the Court Jester figures out a solution. The Court Jester races to Lenore’s room to ask her how big and what she thinks the moon is made of. She tells him it is no bigger than her thumb nail and is made of gold. The Court Jester goes to the Royal Goldsmith to make a thumb nail made of gold to be put on a necklace for Lenore. He gives it to her and she feels so much better. The king is satisfied but only for a short while because soon Lenore will see that they moon is shining outside and it’s not actually on her necklace. He calls his royal subjects once again to help him think of how to hide the moon from Lenore. He sends them all away because none of them have acceptable answers. The Court Jester is summoned once again to figure out a solution. He runs up to Lenore’s room, who is staring at the moon outside, and asks her why the moon is shining when it’s around her neck. She tells the Jester that the moon has grown back like flowers do when they are cut. The Court Jester hadn’t thought of that and soon after Lenore falls asleep.   

Citation: Thurber, J. (1943) Many moons. New York, NY: Harcourt Brace & Company

Impressions: This story deserved to be a Caldecott winner. I have come to enjoy the simplicity of all of these stories. It has the same repetition scheme that I’ve noticed in most of the books. I think that these books are truly extraordinary for their cleverness. I hadn’t thought about the many ways the moon was portrayed. It listed many that were familiar to me as a child. The characters were light hearted and comical. I thought that the lists of things that the royal subjects has said were very detailed and funny. The drawings seemed minimal and there wasn’t much color either. Again, this is another trend for these books that I’ve noticed.

Reviews:

From School Library Journal                                       PreS-Gr 3-- Although the Caldecott-winning edition illustrated by Louis Slobodkin (HBJ, 1943) is the one that many parents and librarians grew up with, this new full-color version by Simont has a charm of its own. His illustrations are more modern in appearance, although the essentially periodless style of dress on the characters has the timeless look that this literary fairy tale demands. Backgrounds are generally sketchy, giving the characters center stage. The clever Jester, dressed in fool's motley, is still the only one of the King's advisors who has the sense to ask Princess Lenore just what she expects when she asks for the moon. The pompous Lord High Chamberlain, the skatty Wizard, and the absent-minded Mathematician are as helpless as ever, and the little princess with her common sense and gap-toothed smile is charming. This will delight a whole new generation of children. -- Cerny, R.  (2010). School Library Journal. Retrieved from Bowker Books in Print From Kirkus Reviews

The 1944 Caldecott winner is delightfully reillustrated by another Caldecott medalist. Slobodkin's facile impressionistic line is replaced by Simont's gentle caricatures--less elegant, perhaps, but a fine way to introduce this splendid, rather long story to new readers. Libraries will want to have both editions. Associates of Kirkus Reviews. Kirkus Review Online. Retrieved from Bowker Books in Print.

Suggestions: This book would be great to use during lessons about the moon. Children could dream up what they thought the moon was made out of and turn it into an activity to share among others. All of the Caldecott winners could be placed in a special area for a few weeks for students to become familiar and enjoy.

Summary: Sylvester Duncan enjoys collection pebbles. One gloomy day he finds a unique pebble. As he examines it he wishes for the rain to stop. The rain suddenly stops and Sylvester can’t believe his eyes. He gets so excited that he starts wishing for different things. He could not wait to get back home to show his parents the magic pebble. Upon returning home he spot a lion. Out of the many things to wish for he wishes to become a rock. The lion examines the rock claiming to have seen a donkey, Sylvester. Sylvester was stuck as a rock since he could not pick up the magic pebble. His parents questions the neighbors, go tot the police, ask all of the children, but no one has seen Sylvester. They send out a search party in hopes to find him but no luck. A month goes by and they start to lose hope in finding Sylvester. They tried to think about happy memories and move on with their lives. One day, they go on a picnic and decide to place their food on a rock. Sylvester’s dad finds a unique rock and places it on the rock. The Duncan’s start to eat and Sylvester suddenly appears after noticing the pebble on his back. The family is overjoyed and places the rock in a safe. They had gotten everything they ever wished for.    

Citation: Steig, W. (1969). Sylvester and the magic pebble. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers.   

Impressions: I know that it is early in the modules but this has become one of my favorite stories. It is a true tale of be careful what you wish for. I like that the characters were drawn as animals instead of humans. It reminded me of Napoleon from animal farm when I saw that the pigs were the police. The search dogs were very fitting as well. The drawings were much more detailed and there was a lot more use of color. I noticed that as each module passes the books become more and more detailed story wise and illustration wise.   

Reviews:

From Publishers Weekly

Thanks to the rediscovery of the original watercolor artwork, in preparation for an exhibit of William Steig's work (see Children's Bookshelf, Oct. 27), newly restored edition of Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, complete with Steig's acceptance speech for the Caldecott Medal, makes the book look better than ever. This tale of a donkey who wishes on a magic pebble has charmed a generation of readers and will no doubt go on to attract a new one. Associates of Publishers Weekly. (November 21, 2005). Reviews. Publishers Weekly. Retrieved from Bowker Books in Print From the Publisher On a rainy day, Sylvester finds a magic pebble that can make wishes come true. But when a lion frightens him on his way home, Sylvester makes a wish that brings unexpected results. How Sylvester is eventually reunited with his loving family and restored to his true self makes a story that is beautifully tender and filled with true magic. Illustrated with William Steig's glowing pictures, this is a modern classic beloved by children everywhere. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble is a winner of the Caldecott Medal. Retrieved from Amazon.com

Suggestions: This book could be used in a wish lesson. Sylvester did not intentionally wish to be a rock but it was the first thing that came to his head. I want to know what students wish for. There could be a wishing rock or tree set up in the library so that all students can participate and read their peers wish.

Module 2: Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett & Millions Of Cats by Wanda Gag

Summary: Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett is about a grandfather telling his grandchildren about a town Chewandswallow. The town existed some place far far away and what was unusual about the town was the weather. Each day the weather changed and instead of rain, snow, and fog, the sky gave the town their favorite foods! Each day would bring different entrees for breakfast and dinner. People would even save they food for a snack later. Each day the Sanitation Department would feed all of the cats and dogs before throwing the left over food into the ocean. One day, the weather took a turn for the worst. The townspeople could not live on the odd combinations of food falling from the sky. The last straw was the tornado of tomato and giant meatballs that destroyed the homes and schools. The townspeople decided to leave Chewandswallow and journey some place safe. That is when they found a new land without food weather and actual supermarkets. Grandpa’s story ended there and the kids went to bed. When they awoke in the morning, it had snowed. As they got dressed to go outside they noticed that the snow looked like of like mashed potatoes.  

Citation: Barrett, J. (1978). Cloudy with a chance of meatballs. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Impression: I had never read this book as a child. I did see parts of the movie and enjoyed it so I thought that I should read it for this module. I didn’t like that some of the pictures did not have any color. The lines were drawn very close together which created some great shading but I expected an array of colors. It kind of reminded me of Dr. Seuss and his artwork. Overall I thought that this book was entertaining and it should be a book that deserves great attention.  

Reviews:

From Kirkus Reviews

A flying pancake at breakfast triggers Grandpa's bedtime story set in the far-off land of Chewanswallow, where the food comes out of the sky and ""whatever the weather served, that was what they ate."" Most of the book consists of nothing more than elaborations on this conceit, with running menu information decked out in weather report terminology, but Judi Barrett's examples are nutty enough so that kids won't tire of the gag--even though Ron Barrett's flippy pop cartoons are too literal to enlarge it. The plot thickens with the maple syrup, and at last the portions grow so large that the people are being bombarded and buried by food--and so they all sail off on peanut-butter sandwiches to a land where food is purchased at the supermarket. A dubious improvement perhaps, but Grandpa's imaginings are very close to a little kid's funny bone--which everyone knows is located somewhere along the intestinal tract. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

From the Publisher

The tiny town of Chewandswallow was very much like any other tiny town except for its weather which came three times a day, at breakfast, lunch and dinner. But it never rained rain and it never snowed snow and it never blew just wind. It rained things like soup and juice. It snowed things like mashed potatoes. And sometimes the wind blew in storms of hamburgers. Life for the townspeople was delicious until the weather took a turn for the worse. The food got larger and larger and so did the portions. Chewandswallow was plagues by damaging floods and storms of huge food. The town was a mess and the pople feared for their lives. Something had to be done, and in a hurry.

 

Retrieved from Amazon.com

 

Suggestions: I like this book and how fun and entertaining the story was. I think that it would do well in a library by being displayed among an unusual weather theme. The theme in the library could change from week to week so that each subject gets recognition. There could be activities for students to part take in such as fun discussions on their favorite foods and what would their town’s weather be like.

Summary: Millions Of Cats by Wanda Gag is about an old woman who wants a cat. The old man, her husband, sets out on a journey to retrieve a special cat for his wife. When he come to a valley of cats he can’t decide which one to choose so he take all of them home. When he arrives home his wife tells him that they cannot take care of all of the cats. The old man says okay and decides to ask the cats “who is the prettiest cat?” in hopes that one cat would want to stay with the couple. All of the cats think they are the prettiest and end up eating each other up. One straggler stays alive because he does not think he is pretty. The couple takes him in and feeds him till he grows strong and pretty.  

Citation: Gag, W. (1928). New York, NY: G.P Putnam’s Sons.

Impressions: I thought that this book was very enjoyable. I am used to seeing more color in books these days so it strikes me as odd to see these books without color. I believe that these books are true classics for that reason because of their simplicity. The text often times rhymes or repeats which is great for younger readers.

Reviews: 

Amazon.com Review

Millions of Cats is a wonderful tale of vanity versus humility, written and illustrated by the singular Wanda Gag. An old man and his wife decide to get a cat, so the old man goes out in search of the prettiest cat of all. When he is forced to choose from "hundreds, thousands, millions and billions and trillions" of cats, he (naturally) brings them all home. When the wife points out their inability to support the legion of felines, it is left to the cats to decide who among them is the prettiest. Anyone who has ever owned more than a single cat can tell you what happens next. Gag's simple, appealing black ink drawings are perfect for the story, somehow capturing at least the idea of millions of cats in a single page. Repeated lines and the sing-song title refrain make this a read-aloud natural.(Ages 4 to 8) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

 

"This Newbery Honor winner is distinguished by innovative design and a strong storyteller's cadence." (School Library Journal's "One Hundred Books that Shaped the Century")
"A perennial favorite." (The New York Times)

Retrieved from Amazon.com

Suggestions: I think that this book could be promoted among books about cats. The display or theme could be showcased for animal projects or even pets. There could be various books about cats, dogs, turtles, hamsters, etc. It could even be placed on a display for classic books or classic black and white books.