Zeus: King of the Gods

O'Connor, George. Zeus: king of the gods. New York: First Second, 2010. ISBN: 1596434317.

Author / Illustrator Website: http://geooco.blogspot.com/

Olympians Series Website: http://olympiansrule.blogspot.com/

Awards: Nominated for Children’s and Young Adult Bloggers’ Literary Awards (CYBILS), 2010.

Media: Black Ink and Photoshop Color Tool after Scanning Ink Sketch

Use of Simile: (p. 4) “the three Cyclopes, enormous and powerful as storms,” (p. 15) “swift as the wind,” (p. 17) “as fluid as the sea,”

Use of Alliteration: (p. 31) “be beaten by brats,”

Use of Onomatopoeia: (p. 53) “Hiiiiiiissssss.” (p. 61) “BOOM!”

Special Notations: 2010 Copyright Date, Lesson Plan (available at http://picturebooksforbigkids.blogspot.com/2011/08/6th-grade-ancient-greece-lesson-plan.html), Graphic Novel (Non-Fiction), Personal Top Ten, Challenged Book Potential (see discussion after Personal Reaction)

Curricular Connection: History Social-Science Content Standards for California, Grade Six, Standard 6.4.4: Explain the significance of Greek mythology to the everyday life of people in the region and how Greek literature continues to permeate our literature and language today, drawing from Greek mythology and epics, such as Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, and from Aesop's Fables.

Annotation: Zeus, son of Kronos, takes on his powerful father to save his brothers and sisters. Zeus and his siblings battle the Titans and begin their rule of the Earth from the heights of Olympus in this comic style mythology lesson.

Personal Reaction: George O’Connor’s new series, the Olympians, debuts with volume 1, Zeus: King of the Gods. O’Connor brings classic comic book drawing style together with Greek mythology for a strong new entry in the graphic novel genre. I was surprised by the informed and powerful storytelling voice that accompanies O’Connor’s strong, fluid artwork. At times, the narration is almost poetic: “Wife and husband, Gaea and Ouranos, earth and sky, together, alone, in the nothing,” (p. 3). O’Connor offers a complete history of the Gods of Mount Olympians from the beginning with Gaea and Ouranos to Kronos and Rhea through the clash of the Titans which results in the dawn of a new age starring the Olympians Gods. While all of the facts about Zeus and his family’s history are included in this graphic novel, there is also humor. On pages 20-21, Zeus and Metis, the daughter of Oceanus, banter playfully as they plan Zeus’ overthrow of his father Kronos. “Because I’m so much smarter than you, of course,” (p. 21) says Metis as the two figure out how to save Zeus’ siblings. I enjoyed the contrast between O’Connor’s looming drawing of Kronos and on of the Gigantes with the light dialogue: “P-please don’t eat us. Thank you,” (p. 24). The artwork is big and does its share of storytelling; on page 24, O’Connor introduces Zeus’ brothers and sisters and uses color to highlight their areas of expertise. Poseidon is shown in a panel filled with blue and aqua, reelecting his water realm while “fair-haired Demeter,” is shown in a yellow field of corn. Mythology in a graphic novel format seems like a great match because the vivid illustrations work so well with the grand action of the Gods. Zeus slays Kampe the dragon to gain access to Tartoros to save the Cyclopes and enlist their help in fighting Kronos. Zeus also claims his birthright, the thunderbolt, from his grandmother, Gaea, and all of this activity is well-presented with bold lines and rich color, reminiscent of comics of years gone by. O’Connor wraps up this impressive first installment of the Olympians with a thorough appendix that includes discussion questions, biographies for the main characters, helpful notes on for Greek names and terms, as well as an author note about Greek mythology. Student readers will also appreciate the Olympian family tree at the beginning of the book and a strong list of additional reading material.

Challenged Book: While the United States has a long history of protecting personal freedom, Americans also have a long history of challenging and banning books at the cost of personal freedom. People challenge, ban and object to books everyday according to ALA statistics, typically with good intentions, too (ALA, 2008). In fact, these days it is mostly parents doing the challenging (ALA 2008). Reasons for challenging books often fall into three categories according to the American Library Association: a book contains sexually explicit material, the book contains offensive language or the book is unsuitable for a particular age group. One look at these three categories brings to mind one question for me: according to who? Who is to say what sexually explicit is? Who determines which words are offensive? Who says which books are suitable and how do we protect one age group without detriment to another age group? Book challenges and book banning are, by nature, biased. Reading is for everyone and in the words of librarian and philosopher, Ranganathan, “every book its reader.” Ranganathan’s third law of library science essentially says that every book out there is for someone (Cloonan & Dove, 2005). In other words, if one person or even a thousand people raise concerns about a book, so what . . . that book still has an audience and we need to make that book available to that audience. Every book can be deemed useful to someone, if that book isn’t pulled from the shelves. Every book has the potential to be offensive to someone and censorship is often personal and arbitrary. Personal and arbitrary feelings by an individual should not inform freedom and access to books.

When I read Zeus: King of the Gods, my first reaction was that this book would be fantastic for sixth graders studying mythology. My second reaction was concern that some parents might object to the book. I work as an elementary school librarian and I would never dream of censoring a library collection, but I do need to be prepared to address parental concerns and challenges to the collection. I’ve had parents object to Harry Potter books, Inkheart by Cornelia Funke, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Evil Genius by Catherine Jinks for reasons ranging from profanity to allegations of witchcraft. Zeus: King of the Gods includes the word “bastard,” and shows Zeus leaning over Metis, shirtless, asking for a kiss. There are also a number of visually intense illustrations featuring violence. O’Connor’s book has the potential to be challenged on the basis of being sexually explicit, containing offensive language and being unsuitable for certain age groups. Yet, Ranganathan and I both know that O’Connor’s book has its reader and needs to be on the shelf, available to that reader. If parents approach me with concerns about Zeus: King of the Gods, I can always rely on the ALA to support the inclusion of this book in the library’s collection. According to ALA and the “Free Access to Minors” document, “Librarians and governing bodies should maintain that parents—and only parents—have the right and the responsibility to restrict the access of their children—and only their children—to library resources. Censorship by librarians of constitutionally protected speech, whether for protection or for any other reason, violates the First Amendment,” (ALA, 2008).” As a librarian, I am bound to not practice censorship and it’s actually up to every parent to make decisions about which books are and aren’t appropriate for their children. I would share with concerned parents both the reasons why I believe that Zeus: King of the Gods is an excellent book for sixth graders and why it will remain on the library shelves, library shelves that are browsed by readers who might be too young for the book (as determined by a parent). This book has to be available for “its reader,” and censorship is not the answer when it comes to helping children of any age select books.

References

About Banned & Challenged Books," American Library Association, July 29, 2008.

http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/aboutbannedbooks/index.cfm

(Accessed July 31, 2011). Document ID: 501522

Cloonan, M., & Dove, J. (2005). Ranganathan online: Do digital libraries violate the third law?. Library Journal, 130(6), 58.

My Brother Martin: a Sister Remembers Growing Up with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Farris, Christine King. My brother Martin: a sister remembers growing up with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Illustrated by Chris K. Soentpiet. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2003. ISBN: 978-0689843884.

Author Website: None

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

Awards: NAACP Image Award: Outstanding Literary Work 2004. CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book.

Media: Watercolor Paint and Black and White Photographs

Use of Simile: (p. 30) “These stories were as nourishing as the food that was set before us.”

Annotation: Martin Luther King Jr.’s sister shares her childhood memories of her brother. The author recalls when her young brother first spoke about changing the world and offers a glimpse of daily life in the King household in Atlanta in the 1930’s.

Personal Reaction: Christine King Farris recalls hearing her younger brother, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., say, “Mother Dear, one day I’m going to turn this world upside down,” (p. 26) upon learning about the unequal rights of blacks and whites. King Farris, Martin (M.L.) and their younger brother Alfred Daniel (A.D.) spent their early childhood in Atlanta in the 1930’s playing with Tinker toys, trying to avoid piano lessons and playing baseball with the neighborhood kids. The baseball games included two white boys until one day those same two boys told M.L. and A.D. that they were no longer allowed to play with “negroes,” (p.23). According to King Farris, the words of these two boys were the beginning of her brother Martin’s desire to make a difference in the world. King Farris has two messages for readers. She wants readers to know that her famous late brother was a regular kid who pulled pranks and played games with his siblings when he was a kid. King Farris also wants readers to understand that one day her brother Martin did “turn the world upside down,” and that perhaps, someday, they will, too. King Farris includes a poem entitled You Can Be Like Martin by Mildred D. Johnson at the end of the book as further inspiration to readers to “realize the potential that lies within each of them,” (p. 39). Reading words about King written by a person who knew Martin Luther King Jr. so intimately made me think differently about King. I looked back at King before the marches and the “I have a dream,” speech and thought about the person who grew and developed to become that great man. This brief childhood biography of King would be a wonderful story to share with children of various ages and would be particularly useful for initiating a discussion about personal potential with older students. Martin Luther King Jr. did “turn the world upside down,” but he was also a kid just like today’s kids and someday, one or more of these kids is going to “turn the world upside down.” Soentpiet’s realistic watercolor paintings eloquently capture the moods of the Christine King Farris, Martin Luther King Jr. and Alfred Daniel King as children, along with their parents and grandparents. The illustration of Mother Dear and young Martin discussing why people treat blacks and whites differently is riveting (p. 26-27). Soentpiet focuses his painting on the expressions of Martin and his mother, showing the sadness of Mother Dear having to share ugly truths about the world with her son and the determination in Martin’s eyes to change the world. Interestingly, Soentpiet relies on live models to paint his illustrations. For this book, Christine King Farris enlisted the help of her relatives and friends to pose for Soentpiet.

The Stolen Smile

Lewis, J. Patrick. The stolen smile. Illustrated by Gary Kelley. Mankato, Minn: Creative Editions, 2004. ISBN: 978-1568461922.

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

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

Media: Pastel and Oil Paint

Use of Rhythm: (p. 3) “villain or victim? / Victor or vanquished?” / Savior or scoundrel?”

Use of Simile: (p. 20) “scratched their heads like monkeys.”

Use of Alliteration: (p. 3) “villain or victim? / Victor or vanquished?” / Savior or scoundrel?” (p. 5) “depths of delirium,”

Use of Metaphor: (p. 5) “I am drowning in gifts, flowers, tokens of love,”

Curricular Connection: Visual and Performing Arts Content Standards, Grades 9-12, 1.0 Artistic Perception: Processing, Analyzing, and Responding to Sensory Information Through the Language and Skills Unique to the Visual Arts Students perceive and respond to works of art, objects in nature, events, and the environment. They also use the vocabulary of the visual arts to express their observations.

Annotation: Author J. Patrick Lewis imagines the mindset of thief Vicenzo Peruggia, who stole the Mona Lisa in 1911. Peruggia walks readers through his daring theft and imagines the reactions of the world to the loss of da Vinci’s famous work.

Personal Reaction: 2011 Children’s Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis offers an interesting perspective on the real theft of Leonardo da Vinci’s painting, the Mona Lisa, from the Louvre Museum in 1911. Lewis offers the thief, Vicenzo Peruggia, as a narrator for this picture book for older readers. Reminiscing from his jail cell, Peruggia walks readers through the details of his bold undertaking, explaining that he actually used to work for the Louvre and had personally installed the protective glass over the Mona Lisa. Peruggia’s reason for the theft is to return Italian da Vinci’s masterpiece to Italy. When Peruggia attempts to sell the painting to an Italian collector, readers learn more about Peruggia’s unstable state of mind. Peruggia is surprised to learn that da Vinci personally sold the painting to the King of France and that Italy does share Peruggia’s sense of rightful ownership of the famous smiling lady. Gary Kelley’s illustrations are well-executed and worthy of a book about fine art. Kelley’s close up illustration of the Louvre director’s shocked face upon discovering the theft covers a full page and requires no text (p. 12). As museum employees search for the Mona Lisa, readers get a mini tour of the Louvre’s Oriental Art, Renaissance, sculpture and Egyptian galleries. My favorite illustration appears on pages 22 and 23 and shows a Parisian sidewalk café filled with café goers sipping coffee and reading newspapers which all show the theft as the front page story. Kelley’s paintings are fluid and full of color and shadows and the effect is lively and engaging. The end notes provide information about the Mona Lisa, the painting scene during the time of da Vinci, as well as an overview of the Louvre Museum and Uffizi Gallery.

Paul Revere's Ride

Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth. Paul Revere's Ride. Illustrated by Ted Rand. Perfection Learning Prebound, 2008. ISBN: 978-0140556124

Author Website: None

Illustrator Website: None

Media: Black Ink and Watercolor Paint

Use of Rhythm and Rhyme: (throughout book, example from p. 7) “Listen, my children, and you shall hear / Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere, / On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five; / Hardly a man is now alive / Who remembers that day and year.”

Use of Simile: (p. 11) “across the moon like a prison bar.”

Use of Alliteration: (p. 13) “wanders and watches.” (p. 17) “Masses and moving shapes of shade-“ “pigeons from their perch,” (p. 23) “spectral and somber and still.”

Use of Metaphor: (p. 23) “kindled the land into flame with its heat.”

Special Notations: Poem

Curricular Connection: History Social-Science Content Standards for California, Grade Five, Standard 5.6 Students understand the course and consequences of the American Revolution: 1. Identify and map the major military battles, campaigns, and turning points of the Revolutionary War, the roles of the American and British leaders, and the Indian leaders’ alliances on both sides.

Annotation: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s famous poem recounting the midnight ride of Paul Revere to warn the colonial rebels of British troop activity is paired with sweeping watercolor paintings to beautiful effect.

Personal Reaction: Like most American school children, I studied the American Revolution and one of my most vivid memories of this unit of study was learning about Paul Revere’s midnight ride. Paul Revere was one of many Americans who acted bravely in 1775, but he is more remembered than many, perhaps because of the drama of his ride to warn that the British were coming and perhaps, later, because of Longfellow’s memorable poem about the event. Ted Rand shares Longfellow’s famous poem and adds his own drama with watercolor illustrations that seem both poured across the pages and reminiscent of revolutionary times, thanks to color choices that project the look of young Boston. Rand also adds a history note at the end of book with details not found in Longfellow’s poem, introducing readers to some of the other players involved in Revere’s famous message. Revere’s friend Robert Newman waited in the Old North Church to give Revere the signal, “If the British march / By land or sea from the town tonight, / Hang a lantern aloft the belfry arch / Of the North Church tower as a signal light - / One, if by land, and two, if by sea;” (p. 9). When I visited the actual Old North Church in Boston a year ago, Longfellow’s words came into my head as I stood looking at the spot where Newman stood with his lantern flashing a signal to Revere. Longfellow’s memorable words are a wonderful introduction to not only Revere’s ride to Concord, but to the mood during that time period. Longfellow’s work, illustrated by Rand, would be well paired with Stephen Krensky’s Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride for a comparative literature lesson or as supplemental reading for students studying the American Revolution.

Calamity Jack

Hale, Shannon and Hale, Dean. Calamity Jack. Illustrated by Nathan Hale. New York: Bloomsbury, 2010. ISBN: 1599903733.

Authors Websites: http://www.squeetus.com/stage/main.html (Shannon Hale) http://www.dreadcrumbs.com/ (Dean Hale)

Illustrator Website: http://spacestationnathan.blogspot.com/

Media: Pen and ink, both color and sepia washes

Use of Alliteration: (p. 4) “Beanstalk Bonanza.” (p. 6) “Purloined Pig,” (p. 9) “Failed Flamingo Filching.”

Use of Onomatopoeia: (p. 87) “KRAK.” (p. 40) “WHAM.”

Use of Simile: (p. 85) “Jack, do you think I’m sweet like cake?”

Special Notations: 2010 Copyright Date, Graphic Novel (Fairy Tale retelling), Personal Top Ten

Annotation: Small time trickster and thief Jack of Jack and the Beanstalk fame plans a heist that is just too much for one fabulous graphic novel character. Jack calls in his friend Rapunzel and the two set out to save Jack’s hometown.

Personal Reaction: Jack became a favorite character for me when I read the opening line to this sequel to Rapunzel’s Revenge, “I think of myself as a criminal mastermind . . . with an unfortunate amount of bad luck,” (p. 4). Readers get plenty of insight into Jack’s accurate self-assessment. For example, later in the story, several comic panels showing Jack being hurled through the air are labeled, “Yep. My best plan ever. I’m a genius,” (p. 129). The At the beginning of Calamity Jack, readers learn about Jack’s early years which were filled with schemes, stunts and capers that didn’t always go as planned. Jack’s momma is not a fan of his schemes and so Jack commits to reforming himself . . . after one final scheme big enough to help his momma save her bakery business. Jack makes plans to rob a rich man named Blunderboar. Readers will recognize Jack from the well-known fairytale when he steals a bean from an unusually attired passerby to grow a “ladder,” to gain access to a rooftop. Fans of Rapunzel will be glad to see her step in to help Jack when he finds himself in over his head in this fantastic adventure. The Hales have created another wonderful graphic novel retelling of a familiar fairytale that stands on its own or as a sequel to Rapunzel’s Revenge. Fans of the Hales’ new series will enjoy becoming better acquainted with Jack. Jack is that smart aleck kid that other kids love to watch and Calamity Jack showcases Jack’s appeal and foibles in this comic style story about catching the bad guys. Nathan Hale’s illustrations manage to blend action, pixies, giant green beans and an urban set in a way that is visually entertaining, but not overly busy. I particularly enjoyed Hale’s renderings of maps, city plans, a maze (p. 95) and a warning note to “straw-brained IDIOTS” signed “Lovingly yours, Stig,” (p. 103).

Weslandia

Fleischman, Paul. Weslandia. Kevin Hawkes. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press, 1999. ISBN: 978-0756965662.

Author Website: http://www.paulfleischman.net/

Illustrator Website: http://www.kevinhawkes.com/home.htm

Awards: Arizona Young Readers’ Award Winner, Intermediate, 2001.

California Young Reader Medal, Picture Book for Older Readers, 2002.

Louisiana Young Readers’ Choice Award Winner, 2002. Rhode Island Children’s Book Award Winner, 2001.

Media: Acrylic Paint

Detailed Artwork Discussion: Hawkes’ rich acrylic paintings fill every borderless page of Weslandia and in some cases, tell all of the action, as some pages are text-free. At the beginning of the story, Wesley is excited about his plan to start a civilization and “his eyes blazed,” (p. 9). Hawkes covers the lenses of Wesley’s glasses with vibrant yellow, orange and red spirals to convey Wesley’s enthusiasm for his plan. As Wesley’s garden blooms, readers are treated to pages of lush grasses, flowers and vegetables. When Wesley fashions his own clothing, Hawkes’ paintings show the fibers of the cloth. Hawkes pays careful attention to the natural light in Wesley’s world, showing shadows cast through the windows of Wesley’s home. When Wesley invents a sundial, Hawkes opts for an aerial view that is captivating for readers and Wesley’s neighbor, who is shown peeking into Wesley’s yard over his fence. Hawkes has illustrated dozens of books and won many awards for his rich, colorful work.

Use of Simile: (p.4) “He sticks out. Like a nose.”

Use of Onomatopoeia: (p. 9) “his eyes blazed,” (p. 10) “set his curtains snapping.”

Curricular Connection: California Standards for Grade Six: World History and Geography: Ancient Civilizations: Students develop higher levels of critical thinking by considering why civilizations developed where and when they did, why they became dominant, and why they declined.

Special Notations: 2009 Students’ List, Detailed Artwork Discussion, Personal Top Ten

Annotation: Misfit Wesley hatches an ambitious plan to occupy himself during summer vacation: he grows his own crops and starts his own civilization. Wesley fits in somewhere for the first time and finds making friends in his new civilization a lot easier.

Personal Reaction: Wesley “was an outcast from the civilization around him,” and had “refused to shave half his head, the hairstyle worn by all of the other boys, despite his father’s bribe of five dollars,” (p. 5). I found Wesley, the main character in Weslandia, endearing from the beginning of this story by award winning author Paul Fleischman. Wesley is a little different than the other kids at school; even Wesley’s parents comment on the misfit tendencies of their son. After a lesson about seeds at the end of the school year, Wesley has a brilliant idea to grow his own crops and found his own civilization. Wesley’s crops are bountiful, and unique. When a curious neighbor asks if the plants are tomatoes, beans or Brussels sprouts, Wesley’s reply is humorously reminiscent of a multiple choice quiz, “None of the above,” (p. 15). Wesley invents his own alphabet, counting system and sports. The new civilization catches the attention of more than a few other kids and soon Wesley has made several friends. It turns out that Wesley isn’t a misfit in his new civilization or in his old one. Weslandia is a picture books that students of varied ages would enjoy. I would pair this book with a lesson for 6^th graders on the elements of civilization and read the story as an introduction to the lesson. This mini lesson would be a nice precursor to the sixth grade social studies unit on ancient civilizations.

Coraline

Russell, P. Craig and Gaiman, Neil. Coraline. Colored by Lovern Kindzierski, lettered by Todd KleinNew York: HarperCollins, 2008. ISBN: 978-0-06-082543-0.

Author / Illustrator Website: http://www.artofpcraigrussell.com/ (Russell)

Author Website: http://www.neilgaiman.com/ (Gaiman).

Awards: School Library Journal Best Book. ALA Booklist Editors’ Choice.

Media: Ink and watercolor.

Use of Onomatopoeia: (P. 12) “KREEE. . . . . . .EEAAAK.”

Use of Simile: (p. 23) “The mist hung like blindness around the house.” (p. 71) “a tiny doubt inside her, like a maggot in an apple core,”

Use of Repetition, Rhythm and Rhyme : (p. 14) “We are small, but we are many, we are many, we are small. We were here, before you rose, we will be here, when you fall.”

Special Notations: 2009 Students’ List, Graphic Novel (Fiction)

Annotation: Coraline is bored after moving to a new home and her parents never seem to have time for her. Everything changes when Coraline discovers a mysterious door and a creepy parallel world in the empty flat next door.

Personal Reaction: “Because when you’re scared but you still do it anyway, that’s brave,” (p.67) Coralline tells herself as she pushes herself to search for her missing parents. Coraline’s parents never seemed to have time to play and they were fond of rules and dinners made from recipes. Coraline longs for adventure and she certainly gets it when she discovers an empty flat (apartment) next to her own family’s flat. Coraline meets her “other mother and father,” creepy versions of her real parents who have black buttons for eyes. These other parents have all the time in the world for Coraline if only Coraline will let them sew black buttons on her eyes. Graphic novel adapter Craig uses one of these same buttons to “dot” the “i” in the title Coraline on the cover. The other parents also steal away Coraline’s real parents. Coraline meets a host of unusual characters in her new home and these same characters’ not quite right mirror images in the strange and frightening mirror world on the other side of the door. In the end, Coraline comes to realize that she is strong enough to overcome her fears and she learns to appreciate the boundaries set by her parents. This graphic novel adaptation stands on it own based on the strength of Craig’s drawings and character development. Craig judiciously uses bright colors to highlight toys, books, videos and a theater marquee in the book while the majority of the illustrations feature a gloomy, ominous color palette. On page 173, Coraline pulls out her old dolls and tells her mother that “they’re protective coloration,” as she plots to defeat her “other mother.” I am a Gaiman fan and missed some of the details in the original Coraline, but Craig succeeds in conveying the frightening mood of Gaiman’s original and maximizes certain aspects of the story, such as Coraline’s curiosity and penchant for following her dreams, which are often nightmarish.

The Composer is Dead

Snicket, Lemony and Stookey, Nathaniel. The composer is dead. Illustrated by Carson Ellis. New York: HarperCollins, 2009. ISBN: 978-0-06-123627-3.

Author Website: http://www.lemonysnicket.com/ (Snicket)

http://www.schirmer.com/default.aspx?TabId=2419&State_2872=2&composerId_2872=3094 (Stookey).

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

Media: Ink and watercolor.

Use of Simile: (p. 14) “making you act like birds.”

Use of Alliteration: (p. 22) “battered the band, agitated the audience, rattled the roof.”

Use of Repetition: (p. 6) “I will find them if they are lurking,” is repeated four times. (pages 11, 13, 16, 21) “AHA! The Inspector cried.” (p. 26) “Beethoven—dead! Bach—dead! Mozart—dead! Haydn—dead!”

Use of Personification: (p. 9) “second violins, who are more fun at parties.” (p. 11) “Don’t be ridiculous! The violins said.” (p. 12) “Everyone forgets about us,” said the violas bitterly.”

Special Notations: 2009 Students’ List, Personal Top Ten

Annotation: An amusing and theatrical police inspector attempts to solve the mystery of a deceased composer. Snicket introduces readers to instruments in an orchestra and includes a CD of an original composition by Snookey played by the San Francisco Orchestra.

Personal Reaction: The Composer is Dead is a special book from cover to cover; the front cover is illustrated as a theater marquee and the back cover is the stage door. Once I opened the book and stepped into the theater, I found a CD of music composed by Stookey and performed by the San Francisco symphony. Lemony Snicket added to the entertainment with a humorous mystery, reminiscent of the Pink Panther. Snicket’s trademark humor and writing style will be welcomed by The Series of Unfortunate Events fans; Snicket even offers a definition of the term, “composer.” The narrator is a police inspector with a murder to solve. Snicket injects plenty of humor into the inspector’s dialogue: “very handsome and intelligent, not unlike myself,” comments the inspector (p.8). Readers are treated to an introduction to the different parts of an orchestra as the inspector accuses each of killing the composer. The inspector repeatedly shouts, “AHA!” and whirls around in anticipation only to find that the violins, brass, violas, strings, and others have valid alibis. Ellis’ artwork plays well with Snicket’s text as she uses ink lines to convey swirling motion around her watercolor drawings of the inspector and his accusatory finger (p.13). This book would make a fantastic read aloud for a music teacher of first time orchestra members.