Action Jackson

Greenberg, Jan and Jordan, Sandra. Action Jackson. Illustrated by Robert Andrew Parker. Brookfield, Conn: Roaring Brook Press, 2002. ISBN: 978-0312367510

Author Website: http://mowrites4kids.drury.edu/authors/greenberg/, http://www.jangreenbergsandrajordan.com/

Illustrator Website: None

Media: Watercolor

Awards: Robert F. Silbert Honor

Use of Alliteration: (p. 4) “scent of salt,” “blackberry bushes,”

Use of Onomatopoeia: (p. 7) “flies buzz,” “sliding doors rattle,” (p. 17) “Fireworks splatter of rosy pink.”

Use of Repetition: (p. 7-8) “Not Jackson.” (p. 23) “Some angry. Some confused. Some excited. Some filled,”

Use of Rhythm: (p. 20) “Paint, paint and more paint, dripping, pouring, flinging.”

Curricular Connection: California Standards for Visual Arts, Grade Five, Standard 1.0, Artistic Perception, 1.2: Identify and describe characteristics of representational, abstract, and nonrepresentational works of art.

Detailed Artwork Discussion: Robert Andrew Parker’s watercolor illustrations are simply beautiful and are the perfect means of communicating Jackson Pollack’s artistic genius. Parker imbues his art with the emotions of Jackson at every point in the story. We see Jackson’s messy collection of ordinary paint from the hardware story, drawn with messy dabs of watercolor (p. 9) and we feel the emotion of Pollack’s creative process in the black splatters of paint when he initiates “Lavender Mist,” (p. 11). On a day when Pollack doesn’t paint, but reflects on his work in progress, Parker uses light-filled colors of aqua and sandy beige to convey Pollack’s calm mood (p. 15). Telling Pollack’s story might be daunting for another artist, but Parker’s illustrations are superb and reinforce the power of Pollack’s art and art in general.

Annotation: Action Jackson is the story of how artist Jackson Pollack created his work entitled, “Lavender Mist.” The story offers insight into Pollack’s artistic inspiration and working style.

Personal Reaction: I’m a fan of Pollack’s work and I’ve seen a movie about him and viewed many of his works in museums, but this picture book gave me a unique sense of Pollack the artist at work. Greenberg and Jordan’s decision to show Pollack as he creates a single piece of work takes the reader into Pollack’s world. The reader understands the creative process, what it is about Pollack’s style that sets him apart and how he spends his time when he’s not painting. Details make this man’s life resonant: “If a penny fell out of his pocket, he would leave it. An insect lands in the wet paint, and there it stays,” (p. 19). The story ends with a photographic reproduction of Pollack’s actual finished piece, “Lavender Mist,” (p. 23) and a two-page biography of the artist (p. 28-29).

The Boy of the Three-Year Nap

Snyder, Dianne and Egolf, Robert L. The boy of the three-year nap. Illustrated by Allen Say. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1988. ISBN: 0-395-44090-4.

Author Website: None

Illustrator Website: http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/authors/allensay/

Media: Watercolor

Awards: Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, 1988. Caldecott Honor, 1989. A Horn Book Fanfare Best Book, 1989.

Use of Simile: (p. 6) “her head bobbed up and down, up and down, like the heads of the birds hunting for fish.” (p. 6) “and as healthy as a mother.” (p. 7) “He was a lazy as a rich man’s cat.” (p. 10) “roof leaks like a basket.” (p. 10) “hat like a priest wears.” (p. 20) “His face is as black as coal and as fierce as a warrior’s.” (p. 26) “Taro’s mother tossed her head like a cormorant that has caught a large fish.”

Use of Repetition: (p. 6) “her head bobbed up and down, up and down, like the heads of the birds hunting for fish.” (p. 7) “All he did was eat and sleep, sleep and eat.”

Annotation: A lazy boy who spends his days napping plots to marry the daughter of a wealthy neighbor. The boy’s mother simultaneously plots to get her son a job.

Personal Reaction: This retelling of a Japanese folktale is filled with humor and language that promotes easy visualization. I enjoyed the parallel scheming of Taro and his mother, accentuated by Say’s artwork. While Taro is plotting to marry a rich neighbor’s daughter, Taro’s mother is plotting to get her son a job and Say captures it all in the characters’ facial expressions and body language. Say was apprenticed to a famous cartoonist at the age of twelve and this experience clearly taught him how to tell a comical story through illustration. The watercolor illustrations on pages 11 and 13 show just how annoyed Taro’s mother is by her son’s laziness. On page 28, the story ends as Taro’s mother trumps her son with her cleverness, “Ha! Do you think you are the only one who makes plans?” Say illustrates the ending with a drawing of a smug-faced mother and Taro with a look of exasperation on his face.

Mirror

Baker, Jeannie. Mirror. Sommerville, Mass.: Candlewick Press, 2010. ISBN: 0763648485.

Author / Illustrator Website: http://www.jeanniebaker.com/

Media: Mixed, Paint and Paper Collage

Awards: Horn Book Fanfare Award, 2010

Special Notations: 2010 Copyright Date

Annotation: Mirror simultaneously tells the story of the daily life of two boys and their respective families. Baker shares the similarities and differences in the boys’ lives through vivid illustrations, nearly devoid of text.

Personal Reaction: Baker’s Mirror is an invitation into the lives of two boys, one living in Morocco, the other in Sydney. As much as Mirror is a picture book, it is an experience in observation. As I turned the pages of the Sydney boy’s life from right to left and the pages of the Moroccan boy’s life from left to right, I was able to compare and contrast the two lives. Nothing out of the ordinary happens on these pages; the reader is simply a witness to daily life. I was struck by the author’s ability to tell a story in nearly all pictures so profoundly. Mirror is about recognizing that we are all humans, all living somewhere on this Earth, going about our daily lives. This book would be enjoyable for ages 4 and up, but best appreciated by older readers. The boys’ stories are a wonderful starting point for discussions about different countries, cultures, lifestyles and languages. Older readers may notice that the parallel stories open outwardly, inviting a side by side comparison of landscapes, clothing, daily activities, families and material goods. Mirror is a captivating book that invites readers to experience and consider the lives around them.

Grandma's Gift

Velasquez, Eric. Grandma's gift. New York: Walker, 2010. ISBN: 978-0-8027-2082-5

Author Website: http://www.ericvelasquez.com/

Media: Oil Paint, Realistic in Style

Award: Pura Belpre Award for Illustrations, 2011

Use of Simile: (p. 8) “Christmastime in El Barrio was always like magic.”

Use of Onomatopoeia: (p. 8) “stalls rumbled and shook whenever a train passed overhead.”

Special Notations: 2010 Copyright Date

Curricular Connection: Visual and Performing Arts Content Standards for California, Grades 5 and 6, 1.0: Artistic Perception, 3.0: Historical and Cultural Context, 4.0: Aesthetic Valuing.

Annotation: Velasquez shares a childhood memory of spending his Christmas vacation with his grandmother in El Barrio. During the week together, young Velasquez and his grandmother visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art and make pasteles, a traditional Puerto Rican dish.

Personal Reaction: This story reminded me of the challenges of assimilating to a new country. For an immigrant, everyday life is more difficult than it is for the natives. Immigrants face language barriers, cultural differences and may be homesick for their native traditions and food. Velasquez introduced readers to his grandmother and her Puerto Rican heritage in Grandma’s Records; in Grandma’s Gift, Velasquez shares his grandmother’s Christmas tradition of making pasteles, a meat pastry wrapped in banana leaves. Velasquez writes a portion of the story’s dialogue in Spanish with English translations, giving readers a taste of life in El Barrio as Velasquez and his grandmother shop for the ingredients for pasteles: “Se ve bueno. Dame cuatro libras,” Grandma said (p. 14). Readers also get a taste of Puerto Rican culture on the pages where Velasquez writes step by step instructions for wrapping the pasteles. Velasquez’s illustrations for these pages are close up, tight shots showing only Grandma’s hands and the food. This part of the story truly provides readers with a glimpse into Puerto Rican cooking and holiday traditions. More Puerto Rican culture is shared during a visit to the Metropolitan Museum where Grandma recognizes fellow countryman Juan de Parega in a Diego Velazquez painting. A brief art history lesson and information about composer Rafael Hernandez at the back of the book further emphasize Puerto Rican contributions to the arts and we come to understand not only the author’s connection to his heritage, but to appreciate another culture. Grandma’s gift is a set of art supplies that turn out to be quite the perfect gift for the young future illustrator.

Grandfather's Journey

Say, Allen, and Egolf, Robert L. Grandfather's journey. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1993. ISBN: 0-395-57035-2

Author Website: http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/authors/allensay/

Media: Watercolor on paper

Award: Bulletin Blue Ribbon,
Caldecott Medal Book,
ALA Notable Book,
Booklist Editors' Choice,
Boston Globe/Horn Book Award, Horn Book Fanfare, Selection School Library Journal Best Books of the Year, New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books of the Year.

Use of Simile: (p. 8) “Deserts with rocks like enormous sculptures.” (p. 11) “towering mountain and rivers as clear as the sky.” (p. 26) “Bombs fell from the sky and scattered our lives like leaves in a storm.”

Use of Personification: (p. 14) “the lonely seacoast.”

Detailed Artwork Discussion: Say is a gifted artist who uses watercolor in a way that is often evocative of the richness of oils. The illustrations in Grandfather’s Journey have a depth that is particularly impactful in Say’s drawings of the landscapes of his native Japan and his travels in the United States. Say paints the California coastline where the Sierra Mountains meet the sea using a dark brown color for the foremost land and utilizing a faint, gray with purple undertones for the most distant mountains (p. 14). Details show the mountains varying from rocky soil to sheer facing (p. 14). When Say’s grandfather visits an industrial city, the artwork tells the story: this city is polluted and gray with smoke and dirt (p. 10). The following page’s illustrations are a stark contrast; the sky above a mountain range is a watery, clean blue (p. 11). Another illustration shows a group of children in the aftermath of a bombing. The expressions on the children’s faces convey devastation and grief in a way that precludes the need for text (p. 27). Say’s art tells much of the story in Grandfather’s Journey as Say uses color ranging from light sepia watercolors to rich, earthy colors and painterly qualities ranging from barely there to painstakingly detailed.

Special Notations: 2009 Students’ List, Detailed Artwork Discussion

Annotation: Author Illustrator Allen Say writes about his grandfather’s travels from Japan to the United States. Say’s grandfather eventually yearns for his homeland and returns, but then finds that he misses aspects of his life in California.

Personal Reaction: I was struck by the spare text in contrast to the depth of Say’s story. With very few words, Say shares a circular story of a fictional version of his grandfather and himself and their yearning for their homeland and adopted countries two generations apart. Say tackles the loneliness of immigration, the awe of travel and the strong pulls of family and culture, as well as the devastation of war in this short picture book. Say’s illustrations are vital to the storyline. Say draws himself as a young boy holding a rifle during the outbreak of war (p. 26) and that is all the reader needs to infer the events of this time period. At another point in the story, Say uses brief and accessible language to share life-changing events. “The he brought his bride to the new country,” (p. 15) lets the reader know that grandfather has married and made the decision to live in the United States. Grandfather’s Journey is a wonderful example of how a picture book with meaningful illustrations and carefully chosen text can tell a big story with a limited number of pages.

The Little Prince

Sfar, Joann. Adapted from the book by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry The little prince. Color by Brigitte Findakly. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010. ISBN: 978-0-547-33802-6

Author / Illustrator Website: http://www.joann-sfar.com/wpen/

Media: Watercolor

Award: Youth Essential Prize, Angoulême International Comics Festival, 2009.

Use of Onomatopoeia: (p. 9) “I wish that he’d stop bleating on,” (p. 23) “Craaaaack!”

Use of Simile: (p. 22) “They’re big as churches.”

Use of Personification: (p. 30) “Flowers are weak. They’re naïve. And they’re insecure. They think their thorns make them look terrifying.”

Use of Alliteration: (p. 9) “Scritch! Scratch! Scribble!”

Special Notations: Personal Top Ten, 2010 Copyright, Graphic Novel

Annotation: A solo pilot is stranded in the desert. He meets a wise and inquisitive little boy, supposedly from another planet, and the two have a conversation that ranges from amusing to profound while the pilot attempts to fix his plane.

Personal Reaction: The Little Prince, originally written by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry in 1943 has been translated and update before, but never Sfar’s treatment is something new altogether. This classic book, which most would be afraid to touch, is reinvented as a graphic novel by acclaimed comic artist Joann Sfar and I was delighted and impressed by the results. Somehow, the essence of the original work is not lost, but enhanced and instead of feeling like a new version, Sfar’s work feels like The Little Prince for this generation. The watercolor illustrations are vivid and lively in contrast to the original drawings published in 1943 and yet, these new graphic novel style illustrations suit the content perfectly in the 21^st century. I highly recommend this book and believe it is a wonderful example of how a classic can be given new life for a new generation.

Abe’s Honest Words

Rappaport, Doreen. Abe’s Honest Words. Illustrated by Kadir Nelson. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children, 2008. ISBN: 978-1-42310408-7

Author Website: http://www.doreenrappaport.com/

Illustrator Website: http://www.kadirnelson.com/

Media: Oil Paint

Use of Sophisticated Language:

"It is for us the living, rather

that we here highly resolve

that these dead

shall not have died in vain--

that this nation, under God,

shall have a new birth of freedom--

and that government of the people,

by the people,

for the people,

shall not perish from the earth."

Curricular Connection: California History / Social Science, Grade 8, California Standards: 8.9: Students analyze the early and steady attempts to abolish slavery and to realize the ideals of the Declaration of Independence, 8.10: Students analyze the multiple causes, key events, and complex consequences of the Civil War.

Annotation: Abe's Honest Words tells the story of Abraham Lincoln, from his childhood in Kentucky to his role as Commander in Chief of the United States, to his untimely death. Artwork and portions of Lincoln’s speeches accompany the narrative.

Personal Reaction: Rappaport's text is interspersed with historical facts that combine with Nelson's beautiful artwork and make Lincoln a more human character. We see Lincoln age; see him run for office and lose, try and fail. We see him persevere and make his toughest decision that changed the direction of the entire country forever: the freeing of slaves. Rapport opts to include Lincoln's original words on the pages, sharing that Lincoln was eloquent, as well as honest.

I enjoyed this book on Lincoln and think it would make a great introduction for students studying the Civil War. Rapport’s work would pair well with Mr. Lincoln's High Tech War, which discusses the technology approved for use by Lincoln; it's fascinating to read about how forward-thinking Lincoln was for his time.

Cinderella Skeleton

San Souci, Robert D. Cinderella Skeleton. Illustrated by David Catrow. New York: Silver Whistle, 2000. ISBN: 0-15-202003-9

Author Website: http://www.rsansouci.com/

Illustrator Website: http://www.catrow.com/

Video of Illustrator drawing Cinderella Skeleton: http://vimeo.com/6650302

Media: Pencil, Watercolor

Award: International Reading Association Children's Choices, 2001.

Use of Onomatopoeia: “Saw witch touch wand- Tip-tap!-to all.”

“Ignoring the thump of her footless stump.”

Use of Rhyme: The first line of each stanza always begins “Cinderella Skeleton,” and the rhyme scheme after is ABBCCA throughout.

Use of Repetition: : Throughout the story each stanza starts with Cinderella Skeleton.

Use of Alliteration: Throughout the poem repetition of the first letter of the word is used. Examples: “Decayed, decrepit-what a fright.”

“And firmly packed with spite and spleen.”

Annotation: This picture book is a dark and twisted retelling of the fairytale Cinderella. In San Souci’s version of this beloved tale, Cinderella is a decaying skeleton with a webbed gown designed by spiders.

Personal Reaction: Cinderella Skeleton exemplifies how some picture books are definitely only for older readers. The rhyming story identifies Cinderella as a corpse and this potentially horrifying character is brought to life by Catrow’s dark, but whimsical, illustrations. Cinderella Skeleton is indeed a version of the classic fairytale, but this version is rated PG. The retelling of the story is dark and frightening, while the illustrations are sprinkled with humorous touches that lighten the mood of the story. The balance between San Souci's dark text and Catrow's illustrations results in a wonderful symmetry. I would recommend this version of Cinderella to older elementary school students who have read and enjoyed Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard, as both books have a voice that is similarly comfortable with death. Matching picture books for older readers with print books works well for this age group, in my opinion.

Smile

Telgemeier. Raina. Smile. Art also by Raina Telgemeier. Color by Stephanie Yue. New York, NY: GRAPHIX, 2010. ISBN:

Author / Illustrator Websites: http://goraina.com/

Media: Pen, ink and colored ink

Use of Simile: (p. 29) “made me look like a six-year old.” “make you look like a baby.”

Use of Onomatopoeia: (p. 6) “Wham!” (p. 35) “Hisssss.”

Use of Alliteration: (p. 72) “cracked and crumbling.”

Use of Allusion: (p. 103) “All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth,” alludes to the Christmas song entitled, “My Two Front Teeth.”

Special Notations: Graphic Novel, 2010 Copyright, Personal Top Ten

Annotation: An eleven-year-old girl takes a bad fall and loses her two front teeth. Smile is the story of this girl has she undergoes multiple surgeries and therapies to regain her smile at the age of fourteen.

Personal Reaction: Graphic artist Raina Telgemeier has created a biographical comic novel about her tween years. Telgemeier’s graphic versions of the Ann M. Martin’s series, The Babysitters Club, have been popular and Smile is further proof of Telgemeier’s talent. Smile is a welcome entry in the graphic novel field because the plot isn’t action or joke centered. The plot focuses on Raina’s tween years and specifically shares the story of how a freakish fall led to multiple oral surgeries, braces (twice), retainers with fake teeth attached and a great deal of physical and emotional pain. Telgemeier’s colorful and energetic drawings tell her own coming of age story and her heightened awareness of how physical appearances are perceived by others. While a lot of the story focuses on Raina’s many trips to the dentist and her sometimes painful interactions with peers, there are also some memorable moments unrelated to teeth. Raina tells of the 1989 earthquake in San Francisco during which she shares an unprecedented and lengthy hug with her sister. Raina also recalls an involuntary trip to see the movie, A Little Mermaid, which spurs her interest in cartoons. Tweens ages 10 to 13 years old may relate to Raina’s very authentic feeling encounters with boys during her tween years. Not only does Raina have a crush on a boy at one point in the story, but also a younger boy develops a crush on Raina with some awkward consequences. Smile is a fun package for a genuinely good story about growing up.

Artemis Fowl: the Graphic Novel

Colfer, Eoin and Donkin, Andrew. Artemis Fowl: the graphic novel. Illustrated by Giovanni Rigano and Paolo Lamanna. New York: Hyperion Books for Children, 2007. ISBN: 978-078684882-9

Author Websites: http://www.eoincolfer.com/ (Eoin Colfer), http://www.andrewdonkin.com/ (Andrew Donkin)

Illustrator Websites: http://riganogiovanni.blogspot.com/2008/11/artemis-fowl-graphic-novel-cybils-q.html (art by Giovanni Rigano), http://paololamanna.blogspot.com/ (color by Paolo Lamanna)

Media: Pen, Indian Ink, Colored Ink

Use of Onomatopoeia: (p. 64) “Excuse me while I titter.” (p. 77) “bubbling cramps.” (p. 87) “Thwokk!” (p. 89) “Fboom!” (p. 94) “Bam Bam Bam!”

Use of Allusion: (p. 108) “fairies has cleaned their house or made them shoes.”

Use of Alliteration: (p. 69) “geck gack or ur grend gedds it!” (p. 80) “fairy flatulence”

Use of Sophisticated Language: (p. 80) “The same gaseous anomaly has also rendered Butler unconscious for a time.”

Special Notation: Graphic Novel

Annotation: Boy genius and criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl stars in a graphic novel retelling of the first book in the Artemis Fowl series. Artemis uses insider knowledge about fairies to help his ailing mother.

Personal Reaction: I held off on reading the graphic novel version of Artemis Fowl out of fear that it would spoil one of my favorite books and characters. No need to have worried . . . the graphic novel of Artemis Fowl is based on Colfer’s original storyline, but it is so succinct and dependent on the graphics that it feels like a new story. Although Artemis’ character is highly familiar in the graphic novel, other characters are less recognizable. It doesn’t matter, the graphic novel stands on its own as a fresh, funny, clever story with the same ever-appealing main character at the heart of it. There is plenty of humor: (p. 71) “Nice to see you Julius.” “That’s Commander Root to you.” “Commander now. I heard that. Clerical error was it?” Artemis is as smart as ever and still talks to himself, (p. 63), “Best sinister face. Evil, highly intelligent and determined. Don’t forget determined,” he mutters as he preps for a meeting. Artemis Fowl: the Graphic Novel is entertaining and clever and makes for a fun read after the original series or on its own.