Fantasy Audiobook
1. Bibliography
Hale, Shannon. PRINCESS ACADEMY. New York: Full Cast Audio, 2007. ISBN 1933322772.
2. Plot Summary
Prejudice, empowerment through education, and finding one’s place in the world are some of the numerous themes in this fantasy story. Motherless Miri lives in a village known for mining and selling of linder rock. She dreams of working in the quarry with her father and sister, mainly because she needs to feel necessary and appreciated in the family unit. Miri, like most other girls in this story, feels the strong inward nudge to prove herself. One day it is announced that all village girls must go to the Princess Academy to be educated and trained in a manner that befits a princess; it has been ordained that the prince will choose one of them for a wife. The villagers have their qualms about this, but it is decided that they must comply with the wishes of those of greater power than themselves. The academy tests the girls’ very spirits, and they find their tutor, Olana, to be strict, even harsh, in her dealings with them. Olana often makes remarks expressing her prejudices toward their humble mountain origins and their probable lack of intellect. Miri regrets leaving behind her (male) childhood friend, Peder, and deals with her conflicting emotions about the possibility of marrying the Prince. The girls are met by tests and disasters and tough decisions, and in the end make important discoveries about themselves.
3. Critical Analysis
The descriptive language and the names of people in the story might make one think of the Alps or some such northern, cold and snowy place. The idea of linder rock, which is an integral part of the trade for Miri’s village on Mount Eskel, is also an integral part of the story. The girls in this story are trying to figure out who they are, and make choices about their lives, which is a universal occupation for most young people of either gender. The interactions of these girls with one another seems fairly typical of girls of that age, although the excessive use of similes and metaphors in their thoughts and speech is a bit distracting. Some characters are not terribly likable in the beginning but become likeable or at least more likeable as they learn and change. The characters have many adventures, and in the beginning this is engaging, but seems to run on somewhat longer than necessary. The intent of the book at many points seems to be to empower girls, but at the same time doling out the standard idea of a prince choosing one of them to be worthy of being his wife, and the competition among the girls to be the chosen one. That could be considered a bit contradictory to a nobler message, especially when considering that many of the girls see this possibility as the potential opportunity to make something of themselves. The audio book is well-done. It utilizes multiple voices for the characters rather than providing one person reading an entire story. In this case, the multiple voices make it seem much livelier, and make approximately eight hours on eight CDs go by without the monotone effect possible from a single voice.
4. Awards and Excerpt(s)
2006 Newbery Honor Book
Publisher’s Weekly review:
“…Princess training is not all it's cracked up to be for spunky Miri in the isolated school overseen by cruel Tutor Olana. But through education-and the realization that she has the common mountain power to communicate wordlessly via magical "quarry-speech"-Miri and the girls eventually gain confidence and knowledge that helps transform their village. Unfortunately, Hale's lighthearted premise and underlying romantic plot bog down in overlong passages about commerce and class, a surprise hostage situation and the specifics of "quarry-speech." The prince's final princess selection hastily and patly wraps things up.”
Hornbook Audio review:
“When Miri spends a year in princess training, she learns surprising things about herself, her family, and her quarry-working community. Miri not only wins the title of academy princess but also transforms her mountain village's entire economy, vanquishes a horde of murderous bandits, and wins the heart of the boy she loves. This full-cast recording of Hale's 2006 Newbery honor book reflects care, with an accomplished narrator and snatches of song that introduce each chapter...“
KLIATT (Audio) review:
“...Although 14-year-old Miri wants to be princess to help her family, she is torn by her growing love for her lifelong friend Peder. Tensions rise when the prince fails to make a selection after the ball, and the princess training extends into a second year. Laura Credidio and the Full Cast family present a successful blend of masculine and feminine voices, lending great variety to the characters. For fans of clever, feisty female heroines and those who relish a touch of fantasy and suspense suitable for family listening.“
5. Connections
This story could be used to discuss the fantasy genre.
This story could be used to discuss the idea of mixing genres such as “fairy tale meets fantasy.”
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Book Review -- Rapunzel's Revenge (Module 6)
Graphic Novel
1. Bibliography
Hale, Shannon and Dean Hale. RAPUNZEL’S REVENGE. New York: Bloomsbury, 2008. ISBN 159990070X.
2. Plot Summary
In Shannon and Dean Hale’s Old West meets Graphic Novel version of Rapunzel’s Revenge, Rapunzel realizes as a teen that the woman she has believed to be her mother is actually not her mother, and that this woman is capable of diabolical acts. Rapunzel discovers the identity of her true mother as well as the wickedness enacted upon her by her imposter mother, the politically powerful and money-grubbing “Mother Gothel.” Her reaction to this knowledge leads to her placement in a tower by the enraged Mother Gothel. Reuniting with her real mother and avenging Mother Gothel become her two missions in life. In order to fulfill these quests, Rapunzel must escape from a high tower with the use of her long, roped hair put to use as a ladder, which she continues to use as a tool to survive many of her adventures along the way, such as a rope or a whip. She soon allies herself with a fumbling sidekick, Jack, and together they face danger after danger on their way back to avenge Mother Gothel and set innocent people free from her power.
3. Critical Analysis
The medieval context of Rapunzel transported into the Old West is an adjustment readers must make to enjoy this novel. Those disparate settings do not easily merge. Readers expecting gentle, sophisticated language typical of fairy tales will find a Rapunzel who makes such observations as “It was half a day’s ride to the ranch house, and I was hungry enough to eat a horse…and chase the rider with a fork.” The characters are fun, but it is difficult to sustain belief in the characterizations and story line. The witch of traditional Rapunzel stories is replaced with a crazed, power-and-money-hungry middle-aged woman who happens to have a specific magical talent. Most people Rapunzel and Jack encounter are hostile and suspicious, and this can be a bit wearing and predictable. This story is told as one adventure after another, in which Rapunzel usually saves the day. It also employs a budding romance between Rapunzel and her sidekick, Jack, and is therefore possibly more likely to appeal to female readers. Although enacted in a fairly incredible and unlikely style, there are scenes, hints, and references to violent behavior.
4. Review Excerpt(s)
Booklist Review:
“This graphic novel retelling of the fairy-tale classic, set in a swashbuckling Wild West, puts action first and features some serious girl power in its spunky and strong heroine. Young Rapunzel lives a lonely life, never knowing what lies beyond the high garden walls of her mother’s royal villa until one day she climbs the wall to see what’s on the other side. When she finds that the world outside is a dark place oppressed by her mother’s greed for power and uncovers the real secret of her own birth, she is imprisoned in a magic tree tower…Rich with humor and excitement, this is an alternate version of a classic that will become a fast favorite of young readers.”
Publisher’s Weekly review:
“The popular author of Princess Academy teams with her husband and illustrator Hale (no relation) for a muscular retelling of the famously long-haired heroine's story, set in a fairy-tale version of the Wild West. The Hales' Rapunzel, the narrator, lives like royalty with witchy Mother Gothel, but defies orders, scaling villa walls to see what's outside—a shocking wasteland of earth-scarring mines and smoke-billowing towers. She recognizes a mine worker from a recurrent dream: it's her birth mother, from whom she was taken as punishment for her father's theft from Mother G.'s garden. Their brief reunion sets the plot in motion...With its can-do heroine, witty dialogue and romantic ending, this graphic novel has something for nearly everybody.”
5. Connections
This graphic novel could be used for a creative writing exercise, in which a classic character from another time has his or her story retold in the present day or another time. It could be used as a compare and contrast with the traditional Rapunzel.
1. Bibliography
Hale, Shannon and Dean Hale. RAPUNZEL’S REVENGE. New York: Bloomsbury, 2008. ISBN 159990070X.
2. Plot Summary
In Shannon and Dean Hale’s Old West meets Graphic Novel version of Rapunzel’s Revenge, Rapunzel realizes as a teen that the woman she has believed to be her mother is actually not her mother, and that this woman is capable of diabolical acts. Rapunzel discovers the identity of her true mother as well as the wickedness enacted upon her by her imposter mother, the politically powerful and money-grubbing “Mother Gothel.” Her reaction to this knowledge leads to her placement in a tower by the enraged Mother Gothel. Reuniting with her real mother and avenging Mother Gothel become her two missions in life. In order to fulfill these quests, Rapunzel must escape from a high tower with the use of her long, roped hair put to use as a ladder, which she continues to use as a tool to survive many of her adventures along the way, such as a rope or a whip. She soon allies herself with a fumbling sidekick, Jack, and together they face danger after danger on their way back to avenge Mother Gothel and set innocent people free from her power.
3. Critical Analysis
The medieval context of Rapunzel transported into the Old West is an adjustment readers must make to enjoy this novel. Those disparate settings do not easily merge. Readers expecting gentle, sophisticated language typical of fairy tales will find a Rapunzel who makes such observations as “It was half a day’s ride to the ranch house, and I was hungry enough to eat a horse…and chase the rider with a fork.” The characters are fun, but it is difficult to sustain belief in the characterizations and story line. The witch of traditional Rapunzel stories is replaced with a crazed, power-and-money-hungry middle-aged woman who happens to have a specific magical talent. Most people Rapunzel and Jack encounter are hostile and suspicious, and this can be a bit wearing and predictable. This story is told as one adventure after another, in which Rapunzel usually saves the day. It also employs a budding romance between Rapunzel and her sidekick, Jack, and is therefore possibly more likely to appeal to female readers. Although enacted in a fairly incredible and unlikely style, there are scenes, hints, and references to violent behavior.
4. Review Excerpt(s)
Booklist Review:
“This graphic novel retelling of the fairy-tale classic, set in a swashbuckling Wild West, puts action first and features some serious girl power in its spunky and strong heroine. Young Rapunzel lives a lonely life, never knowing what lies beyond the high garden walls of her mother’s royal villa until one day she climbs the wall to see what’s on the other side. When she finds that the world outside is a dark place oppressed by her mother’s greed for power and uncovers the real secret of her own birth, she is imprisoned in a magic tree tower…Rich with humor and excitement, this is an alternate version of a classic that will become a fast favorite of young readers.”
Publisher’s Weekly review:
“The popular author of Princess Academy teams with her husband and illustrator Hale (no relation) for a muscular retelling of the famously long-haired heroine's story, set in a fairy-tale version of the Wild West. The Hales' Rapunzel, the narrator, lives like royalty with witchy Mother Gothel, but defies orders, scaling villa walls to see what's outside—a shocking wasteland of earth-scarring mines and smoke-billowing towers. She recognizes a mine worker from a recurrent dream: it's her birth mother, from whom she was taken as punishment for her father's theft from Mother G.'s garden. Their brief reunion sets the plot in motion...With its can-do heroine, witty dialogue and romantic ending, this graphic novel has something for nearly everybody.”
5. Connections
This graphic novel could be used for a creative writing exercise, in which a classic character from another time has his or her story retold in the present day or another time. It could be used as a compare and contrast with the traditional Rapunzel.
Book Review -- The First Part Last (Module 6)
Contemporary Realistic Fiction
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Johnson, Angela. THE FIRST PART LAST. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2003. ISBN 0689849222.
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Angela Johnson’s book concerns unplanned teenage pregnancy and its effect on all involved. It is told in flashbacks of “then” and “now” through the experience of the main character, Bobby.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Johnson has been honored with one Coretta Scott King Honor Award and two Coretta Scott King Awards. In this story, Bobby, the protagonist, is dealing with a crisis in his sixteen-year-old life. He has fathered a child with his teenage girlfriend, and struggles with both the idea and the responsibility of fatherhood so young. In flashbacks and current slices of “then” and “now” Bobby candidly describes his feelings toward his girlfriend, Nia, his new role as a father, and his new baby. It is refreshing to read a novel of this subject matter told through a male voice. Details of his life in New York and time spent with his girlfriend before, during, and after the baby’s birth set up the poignancy throughout, and an unexpected twist tests Bobby’s maturity to its core.
4. Review Excerpt(s) and Awards
School Library Journal review:
“…[The twist in the story], which explains why Bobby is raising Feather on his own against the advice of both families, seems melodramatic. So does a chapter in which Bobby snaps from the pressure and spends an entire day spray painting a picture on a brick wall, only to be arrested for vandalism. However, any flaws in the plot are overshadowed by the beautiful writing. Scenes in which Bobby expresses his love for his daughter are breathtaking…”
Publisher’s Weekly review:
“A 16-year-old tells the story of how he became a single dad. In a starred review of this companion to Heaven, PW said, "The author skillfully relates the hope in the midst of pain."
5. CONNECTIONS
This book would be suitable for discussing the need for responsibility and doing what must be done regardless of age when the worst has already happened. It addresses making wise choices, and how some choices can have life-long, irreversible effects. The subject matter is a story of crisis met. It could be beneficial for showing that youth does not necessarily negate adult-level problems.
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Johnson, Angela. THE FIRST PART LAST. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2003. ISBN 0689849222.
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Angela Johnson’s book concerns unplanned teenage pregnancy and its effect on all involved. It is told in flashbacks of “then” and “now” through the experience of the main character, Bobby.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Johnson has been honored with one Coretta Scott King Honor Award and two Coretta Scott King Awards. In this story, Bobby, the protagonist, is dealing with a crisis in his sixteen-year-old life. He has fathered a child with his teenage girlfriend, and struggles with both the idea and the responsibility of fatherhood so young. In flashbacks and current slices of “then” and “now” Bobby candidly describes his feelings toward his girlfriend, Nia, his new role as a father, and his new baby. It is refreshing to read a novel of this subject matter told through a male voice. Details of his life in New York and time spent with his girlfriend before, during, and after the baby’s birth set up the poignancy throughout, and an unexpected twist tests Bobby’s maturity to its core.
4. Review Excerpt(s) and Awards
School Library Journal review:
“…[The twist in the story], which explains why Bobby is raising Feather on his own against the advice of both families, seems melodramatic. So does a chapter in which Bobby snaps from the pressure and spends an entire day spray painting a picture on a brick wall, only to be arrested for vandalism. However, any flaws in the plot are overshadowed by the beautiful writing. Scenes in which Bobby expresses his love for his daughter are breathtaking…”
Publisher’s Weekly review:
“A 16-year-old tells the story of how he became a single dad. In a starred review of this companion to Heaven, PW said, "The author skillfully relates the hope in the midst of pain."
5. CONNECTIONS
This book would be suitable for discussing the need for responsibility and doing what must be done regardless of age when the worst has already happened. It addresses making wise choices, and how some choices can have life-long, irreversible effects. The subject matter is a story of crisis met. It could be beneficial for showing that youth does not necessarily negate adult-level problems.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Book Review -- Weedflower (Module 5)
1. Bibliography
Kadohata, Cynthia. WEEDFLOWER. New York: Atheneum, 2006. ISBN 0689865740.
2. Plot Summary
Sumiko is a twelve-year-old Japanese-American girl, orphaned and living with extended family on a flower farm in California in 1941. Her life is fairly content, spending her days at school, taking care of her younger brother Takao “Tak-Tak”, and grading commercially-grown flowers the family cultivates and sells for their livelihood. The world outside is changing, and the friction amongst world powers is growing more intense. Although Sumiko’s family members try to keep her and Takao safely sheltered from the repercussions of that friction, especially between the United States and Japan, the realization of its effect upon their family and community is inevitable. Sumiko's rejection at the birthday party of a wealthy white classmate marks the beginning of her own experience in the “us against them” feeling permeating relations between the United States and Japan, and the anxiety growing with her Japanese-American community. Soon afterward, Pearl Harbor is bombed by the Japanese, and the resulting hatred as well as government policy turns the lives of the Japanese-American community upside down. The family meets hardship after hardship and many unanswered questions about the future. This book shows their resilience and difficult decisions made in surviving the war in body and spirit.
3. Critical Analysis
The personalities in this story are memorable and distinctive. Kadohata describes them and tells this story in third person, from Sumiko’s perspective. The style was thoroughly engaging. This novel evokes a full range of emotions, and was difficult to put down at times. Other times, putting it down and absorbing the weight of what occurred seemed necessary. Kadohata based this book on stories she heard from her father, who was held in an internment camp during World War II. In addition, more survivors of internment were interviewed for this book, as were experts on Indian Reservations of this point in time. The Acknowledgments page in the front of this novel recounts those consulted in the writing of this novel.
4. Reviews and Awards
Publisher’s Weekly review:
"Kadohata clearly and eloquently conveys her heroine's mixture of shame, anger and courage. Readers will be inspired...."
Kirkus review:
”Kadohata combines impressive research and a lucent touch, bringing to life the confusion of dislocation.... “
Awards:
Agatha Award Finalist
ALA Best Books for Young Adults Nominee
ALA Notable Children's Book Nominee
Booklist Editors' Choice
CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book
CCBC Choices (Cooperative Children's Book Council)
Charlie May Simon Book Award ML (AR)
Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best
Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award Master List (VT)
Indian Paintbrush Book Award Master List (WY)
IRA/CBC Children's Choices
Jane Addams Children's Book Award
Kentucky Bluegrass Award Master List
Keystone to Reading Book Award Master List (PA)
Massachusetts Children's Book Award Master List
Nene Award Master List (HI)
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award
Texas Bluebonnet Master List
Young Hoosier Book Award Master List (IN)
5. Connections
This book could be used as in a Social Studies unit about World War II, Indian Reservations, and Japanese Internment Camps. It could be used to discuss diversity.
Kadohata, Cynthia. WEEDFLOWER. New York: Atheneum, 2006. ISBN 0689865740.
2. Plot Summary
Sumiko is a twelve-year-old Japanese-American girl, orphaned and living with extended family on a flower farm in California in 1941. Her life is fairly content, spending her days at school, taking care of her younger brother Takao “Tak-Tak”, and grading commercially-grown flowers the family cultivates and sells for their livelihood. The world outside is changing, and the friction amongst world powers is growing more intense. Although Sumiko’s family members try to keep her and Takao safely sheltered from the repercussions of that friction, especially between the United States and Japan, the realization of its effect upon their family and community is inevitable. Sumiko's rejection at the birthday party of a wealthy white classmate marks the beginning of her own experience in the “us against them” feeling permeating relations between the United States and Japan, and the anxiety growing with her Japanese-American community. Soon afterward, Pearl Harbor is bombed by the Japanese, and the resulting hatred as well as government policy turns the lives of the Japanese-American community upside down. The family meets hardship after hardship and many unanswered questions about the future. This book shows their resilience and difficult decisions made in surviving the war in body and spirit.
3. Critical Analysis
The personalities in this story are memorable and distinctive. Kadohata describes them and tells this story in third person, from Sumiko’s perspective. The style was thoroughly engaging. This novel evokes a full range of emotions, and was difficult to put down at times. Other times, putting it down and absorbing the weight of what occurred seemed necessary. Kadohata based this book on stories she heard from her father, who was held in an internment camp during World War II. In addition, more survivors of internment were interviewed for this book, as were experts on Indian Reservations of this point in time. The Acknowledgments page in the front of this novel recounts those consulted in the writing of this novel.
4. Reviews and Awards
Publisher’s Weekly review:
"Kadohata clearly and eloquently conveys her heroine's mixture of shame, anger and courage. Readers will be inspired...."
Kirkus review:
”Kadohata combines impressive research and a lucent touch, bringing to life the confusion of dislocation.... “
Awards:
Agatha Award Finalist
ALA Best Books for Young Adults Nominee
ALA Notable Children's Book Nominee
Booklist Editors' Choice
CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book
CCBC Choices (Cooperative Children's Book Council)
Charlie May Simon Book Award ML (AR)
Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best
Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award Master List (VT)
Indian Paintbrush Book Award Master List (WY)
IRA/CBC Children's Choices
Jane Addams Children's Book Award
Kentucky Bluegrass Award Master List
Keystone to Reading Book Award Master List (PA)
Massachusetts Children's Book Award Master List
Nene Award Master List (HI)
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award
Texas Bluebonnet Master List
Young Hoosier Book Award Master List (IN)
5. Connections
This book could be used as in a Social Studies unit about World War II, Indian Reservations, and Japanese Internment Camps. It could be used to discuss diversity.
Book Review -- The Game of Silence (Module 5)
1. Bibliography
Erdrich, Louise. THE GAME OF SILENCE. New York: HarperCollins, 2005. ISBN 0060297905.
2. Plot Summary
The Ojibwe Indians of the Northwestern United States and Canada are the subjects of this story. The story commences on The Island of the Yellow-Breasted Woodpecker (“Moningwanaykanig” in Ojibwe) in the year 1849. Ojibwe coming from further east arrive on this island by canoe, clearly having suffered greatly and having weathered something horrible. They are “a bony, hungry anxious group” with tattered clothing, or as with the little children, no clothing at all. These people have been driven out of their land by the U.S. government in efforts to claim possession of it, and in the process they have been pushed into territory claimed by the neighboring tribe of Bwaanag Indians. At one time these tribes coexisted and traded with each other, but this was based on clearly defined territories. As the Ojibwe encroach upon the Bwaanag lands, the Bwaanags grow to resent their presence, and respond by warfare. Collectively the survivors and the tribe endure another harsh year, and each season’s challenges are described in the chapters that follow. Eventually, the inhabitants must decide whether to move on and find a way to live elsewhere, or stay and risk losing their land to the U.S. government by force.
3. Critical Analysis
The narrative style of this novel is very factual. It is told in third person, as if we are observing the happenings rather than being inside the head of the characters. The author, Erdrich, made the effort to include Ojibwe dialect(s) in the story, and includes a glossary of Ojibwe words in the back of the novel. In the author’s note in the back of the book in regard to this complicated language, Erdrich explains that this language developed as a spoken language, and describes her attempts to phonetically spell out the words for this book as “idiosyncratic”. She further explains that there are many dialects of this language. She gave her best efforts, based upon these complexities of language, to make the text authentic. Many processes of Ojibwe life were delved into, such as the process of harvesting rice, or killing a moose for use as food and for its hide, cleaning a fresh catch of fish, constructing a canoe, and the like, in great detail.
4. Review(s) and Awards
Booklist starred review:
“Like its predecessor The Birchbark House (1999), this long-awaited sequel is framed by catastrophe, but the core of the story, which is set in 1850, is white settlers' threats to the traditional Ojibwe way of life. Omakayas is now nine and living at her beautiful island home in Lake Superior. But whites want Ojibwe off the island: Where will they go? In addition to an abundance of details about life through the seasons, Erdrich deals with the wider meaning of family and Omakayas' coming-of-age on a vision quest…In this heartrending novel the sense of what was lost is overwhelming.”
School Library Journal review:
“…Although the story is set on an island in Lake Superior in 1850, readers will identify with the everyday activities of the Ojibwa, from snowball fights to fishing excursions, providing a parallel to their own lives while encouraging an appreciation for one that is very different. The action is somewhat slow, but Erdrich's captivating tale of four seasons portrays a deep appreciation of our environment, our history, and our Native American sisters and brothers.”
Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction
Horn Book Fanfare
ALA Booklist Editors’ Choice
ALA Notable Children’s Book
Kirkus Editor’s Choice
New York Times Notable
5. Connections
This book could be used in a Social Studies unit, particularly about Native Americans. It could be used in a study of Indian reservations. It could be used to discuss diversity, and adversity from a particular cultural perspective.
Erdrich, Louise. THE GAME OF SILENCE. New York: HarperCollins, 2005. ISBN 0060297905.
2. Plot Summary
The Ojibwe Indians of the Northwestern United States and Canada are the subjects of this story. The story commences on The Island of the Yellow-Breasted Woodpecker (“Moningwanaykanig” in Ojibwe) in the year 1849. Ojibwe coming from further east arrive on this island by canoe, clearly having suffered greatly and having weathered something horrible. They are “a bony, hungry anxious group” with tattered clothing, or as with the little children, no clothing at all. These people have been driven out of their land by the U.S. government in efforts to claim possession of it, and in the process they have been pushed into territory claimed by the neighboring tribe of Bwaanag Indians. At one time these tribes coexisted and traded with each other, but this was based on clearly defined territories. As the Ojibwe encroach upon the Bwaanag lands, the Bwaanags grow to resent their presence, and respond by warfare. Collectively the survivors and the tribe endure another harsh year, and each season’s challenges are described in the chapters that follow. Eventually, the inhabitants must decide whether to move on and find a way to live elsewhere, or stay and risk losing their land to the U.S. government by force.
3. Critical Analysis
The narrative style of this novel is very factual. It is told in third person, as if we are observing the happenings rather than being inside the head of the characters. The author, Erdrich, made the effort to include Ojibwe dialect(s) in the story, and includes a glossary of Ojibwe words in the back of the novel. In the author’s note in the back of the book in regard to this complicated language, Erdrich explains that this language developed as a spoken language, and describes her attempts to phonetically spell out the words for this book as “idiosyncratic”. She further explains that there are many dialects of this language. She gave her best efforts, based upon these complexities of language, to make the text authentic. Many processes of Ojibwe life were delved into, such as the process of harvesting rice, or killing a moose for use as food and for its hide, cleaning a fresh catch of fish, constructing a canoe, and the like, in great detail.
4. Review(s) and Awards
Booklist starred review:
“Like its predecessor The Birchbark House (1999), this long-awaited sequel is framed by catastrophe, but the core of the story, which is set in 1850, is white settlers' threats to the traditional Ojibwe way of life. Omakayas is now nine and living at her beautiful island home in Lake Superior. But whites want Ojibwe off the island: Where will they go? In addition to an abundance of details about life through the seasons, Erdrich deals with the wider meaning of family and Omakayas' coming-of-age on a vision quest…In this heartrending novel the sense of what was lost is overwhelming.”
School Library Journal review:
“…Although the story is set on an island in Lake Superior in 1850, readers will identify with the everyday activities of the Ojibwa, from snowball fights to fishing excursions, providing a parallel to their own lives while encouraging an appreciation for one that is very different. The action is somewhat slow, but Erdrich's captivating tale of four seasons portrays a deep appreciation of our environment, our history, and our Native American sisters and brothers.”
Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction
Horn Book Fanfare
ALA Booklist Editors’ Choice
ALA Notable Children’s Book
Kirkus Editor’s Choice
New York Times Notable
5. Connections
This book could be used in a Social Studies unit, particularly about Native Americans. It could be used in a study of Indian reservations. It could be used to discuss diversity, and adversity from a particular cultural perspective.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Book Review -- Number The Stars (Module 5)
Historical Fiction
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lowry, Lois. NUMBER THE STARS. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1989. ISBN 0440403278.
2. PLOT SUMMARY
What does it mean to be brave? This is a question Annemarie Johansen has to face at the tender age of ten years old in 1943 Denmark. Nazi soldiers occupy every street corner. The Danes are treated with cold suspicion. Annemarie’s best friend, Ellen Rosen, is Jewish. That fact becomes important to Annemarie as events unfold that show her the danger her friend and others like her face at the hands of the Nazi regime because they are Jews. At the same time, Annemarie sees the sacrifices her own family is willing to make and life-and-death risks that must be taken to keep their friends free. Early on in this story, when thinking about the danger that the Jews and those who were caught trying to hide them would face, the book tells us Annemarie’s thoughts: “Would she die to protect them? Truly? Annemarie was honest enough to admit, there in the darkness, to herself, that she wasn’t sure.” The time comes when circumstances require Annemarie to be brave and risk her life alongside her family. The reader learns of the historically heroic people of Denmark. In the Afterward of this book, it is explained that due to the efforts of such convicted, valiant people, “In the weeks following the Jewish New Year, almost the entire Jewish population of Denmark- nearly seven thousand people- was smuggled across the sea to Sweden.” This was not accomplished without bloodshed; very young men and women of the Resistance were executed when caught trying to aide the Jews in escape. This book reads as a testament to those brave souls.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The subject of the Holocaust brings to mind a very dark and depraved time in history. This book focuses on the bravery of Denmark, though captured by the Nazis. Through the eyes of the main character, Annemarie Johansen, the reader learns about what the world was like at that time and place. Annemarie tells us that people don’t laugh as they used to before the Germans came. Food is scarce and often confiscated by the Germans for their own use. A simple act of two young girls running and racing in the street is cause for suspicion from the two German guards who daily man that part of the street. Citizens of Denmark, whatever their faith, are easily made into targets for harassment or cruelty from the Nazi soldiers. Historic fact bears out in horrific detail the heinous acts of the Nazis against the Jews. To some degree the soldiers in this book seemed one-dimensional, as in a morality tale, without much individualization. Perhaps this was necessary to represent the entirety of the carnage left behind by that regime. So many ordinary people’s convictions compelled them to be nothing less than heroic. The poignancy of the risks taken and lives saved by so many people in a nation under German rule and guard is overwhelming.
4. Review Excerpts and Awards
Newbery Award Medal
Booklist review:
"Lowry tells her story well. . . . While the novel has an absorbing plot, its real strength lies in its evocation of deep friendship between two girls and of a caring family who make a profoundly moral choice to protect others during wartime. Permeated with clear elements of popular appeal as well as rich substance, this novel will also be an ideal support for classroom units on World War II."
Hornbook review:
“…The appended author's note details the historical incidents upon which Lowry bases her plot. By employing the limited omniscient third-person perspective, she draws the reader into the intensity of the situation as a child of Annemarie's age might perceive it. The message is so closely woven into the carefully honed narrative that the whole work is seamless, compelling, and memorable--impossible to put down; difficult to forget."
5. CONNECTIONS
This book underscores the points of bravery, risk, and sacrifice.
It could be used in a Social Studies unit.
It could be used to discuss diversity.
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lowry, Lois. NUMBER THE STARS. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1989. ISBN 0440403278.
2. PLOT SUMMARY
What does it mean to be brave? This is a question Annemarie Johansen has to face at the tender age of ten years old in 1943 Denmark. Nazi soldiers occupy every street corner. The Danes are treated with cold suspicion. Annemarie’s best friend, Ellen Rosen, is Jewish. That fact becomes important to Annemarie as events unfold that show her the danger her friend and others like her face at the hands of the Nazi regime because they are Jews. At the same time, Annemarie sees the sacrifices her own family is willing to make and life-and-death risks that must be taken to keep their friends free. Early on in this story, when thinking about the danger that the Jews and those who were caught trying to hide them would face, the book tells us Annemarie’s thoughts: “Would she die to protect them? Truly? Annemarie was honest enough to admit, there in the darkness, to herself, that she wasn’t sure.” The time comes when circumstances require Annemarie to be brave and risk her life alongside her family. The reader learns of the historically heroic people of Denmark. In the Afterward of this book, it is explained that due to the efforts of such convicted, valiant people, “In the weeks following the Jewish New Year, almost the entire Jewish population of Denmark- nearly seven thousand people- was smuggled across the sea to Sweden.” This was not accomplished without bloodshed; very young men and women of the Resistance were executed when caught trying to aide the Jews in escape. This book reads as a testament to those brave souls.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The subject of the Holocaust brings to mind a very dark and depraved time in history. This book focuses on the bravery of Denmark, though captured by the Nazis. Through the eyes of the main character, Annemarie Johansen, the reader learns about what the world was like at that time and place. Annemarie tells us that people don’t laugh as they used to before the Germans came. Food is scarce and often confiscated by the Germans for their own use. A simple act of two young girls running and racing in the street is cause for suspicion from the two German guards who daily man that part of the street. Citizens of Denmark, whatever their faith, are easily made into targets for harassment or cruelty from the Nazi soldiers. Historic fact bears out in horrific detail the heinous acts of the Nazis against the Jews. To some degree the soldiers in this book seemed one-dimensional, as in a morality tale, without much individualization. Perhaps this was necessary to represent the entirety of the carnage left behind by that regime. So many ordinary people’s convictions compelled them to be nothing less than heroic. The poignancy of the risks taken and lives saved by so many people in a nation under German rule and guard is overwhelming.
4. Review Excerpts and Awards
Newbery Award Medal
Booklist review:
"Lowry tells her story well. . . . While the novel has an absorbing plot, its real strength lies in its evocation of deep friendship between two girls and of a caring family who make a profoundly moral choice to protect others during wartime. Permeated with clear elements of popular appeal as well as rich substance, this novel will also be an ideal support for classroom units on World War II."
Hornbook review:
“…The appended author's note details the historical incidents upon which Lowry bases her plot. By employing the limited omniscient third-person perspective, she draws the reader into the intensity of the situation as a child of Annemarie's age might perceive it. The message is so closely woven into the carefully honed narrative that the whole work is seamless, compelling, and memorable--impossible to put down; difficult to forget."
5. CONNECTIONS
This book underscores the points of bravery, risk, and sacrifice.
It could be used in a Social Studies unit.
It could be used to discuss diversity.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Book Review: Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World (Module 4)
1. Bibliography
Armstrong, Jennifer. SHIPWRECK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD: THE EXTRAORDINARY TRUE STORY OF SHACKLETON AND THE ENDURANCE. New York: Crown Publishers, 1998. ISBN 0517800144.
2. Plot Summary
Antarctica was a mysterious frozen continent which had not been sighted prior to the 19th century. This is one of the facts we learn in Armstrong’s account of Shackleton’s expedition to Antarctica in 1915. At the turn of the 20th century, numerous attempts were made by various adventurers to reach it, explore it, and literally “put it on the map.” One such adventurer was Englishman Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton, who made several attempts in competition with others to walk on the ice of Antarctica’s interior and document what was found there. Shackleton took meticulous care in choosing his crew, filling his ship with necessary food and supplies, and relying upon the Norwegian craftsmanship and knowledge of icy water conditions that built his ship for the journey, The Endurance. Endurance in its psychological sense was certainly needed by the crew when the ship collapsed from the pressure exerted upon it by the frozen waters. Thereafter, the story shifts to the hardships suffered by the crew, and ultimately, the miracle that all crew members survived.
3. Critical Analysis
Captions under original photos, a wealth of information from the trivial to the essential within the text, and the bibliographical sources included in the back of the book give evidence of much research and discovery in the preparation for writing this account of Shackleton’s expedition to Antarctica on the Endurance. The subject matter was compelling. Stating facts without emotion as a continuous narrative style through a book of more than 128 pages can seem a little dry – unfortunately, that was true of this book. Still, there was much to learn about what happened, and much to absorb in reading this book, at any age.
Although this book is intended for young adults, as with the expedition it documents, it is not for the faint of heart. There are disturbing revelations, such as on page 27. The necessity of hunting seals and penguins for supplemental food is as described as follows: “It was pitifully easy to kill the seals: they had no fear of anything on land, and the men could ski or walk up to the trusting animals and club them to death.” This may be more graphic description than is required, especially for young adults. Page 11 shows a photo taken of a ship’s stowaway (who became the ship’s steward) with a cat named Mrs. Chippy perched upon his right shoulder. Later in the book, after the shipwreck, we learn, “In the meantime, there was much to get ready. Mrs. Chippy, the carpenter’s cat, had to be shot, because without the protection of the ship the dogs would have eaten him.” A mercy killing of sorts is described, and desperate times are said to call for desperate measures. Still, the unemotional statement of these and other facts have the potential to depress the reader with brutality as much as to inform.
This book shows that exploring and documenting our world, even to recent centuries, has not been an easy task. It shows how wild and unforgiving our world can be, and yet how resilient and persevering mankind can be in trying to make the unknown the known.
4. Review Excerpts
Booklist review:
"Using text filled with details about daily life, quotes (unfortunately not sourced), fascinating archival photos by one of the members of the expedition, and insight into elements of science with important bearing on the story (navigation techniques, different kinds of ice), Armstrong paints a vivid picture of the ordeal."
School Library Journal review:
"...Utilizing Shackleton's memoirs and original expedition photographs, Kimmel re-creates events in exciting detail. She puts the story in historical perspective by comparing the exploration of Antarctica to the exploration of space, which plays a part in making this an accessible but not oversimplified account."
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books review:
"...The author uses her sources well for provision of evocative details, such as the impact, a year after getting stuck in the ice and four months after abandoning the ship, of the discovery of a twig and the homesickness engendered by the smell of its burning. Nor does she shrink from harder truths about the fate of the ship's sled dogs and cat mascot, but the overwhelming impression is of the skill and luck that enabled Shackleton to bring all his men back alive."
Connections:
This book could be used in conjunction with a unit on exploration in history.
Armstrong, Jennifer. SHIPWRECK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD: THE EXTRAORDINARY TRUE STORY OF SHACKLETON AND THE ENDURANCE. New York: Crown Publishers, 1998. ISBN 0517800144.
2. Plot Summary
Antarctica was a mysterious frozen continent which had not been sighted prior to the 19th century. This is one of the facts we learn in Armstrong’s account of Shackleton’s expedition to Antarctica in 1915. At the turn of the 20th century, numerous attempts were made by various adventurers to reach it, explore it, and literally “put it on the map.” One such adventurer was Englishman Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton, who made several attempts in competition with others to walk on the ice of Antarctica’s interior and document what was found there. Shackleton took meticulous care in choosing his crew, filling his ship with necessary food and supplies, and relying upon the Norwegian craftsmanship and knowledge of icy water conditions that built his ship for the journey, The Endurance. Endurance in its psychological sense was certainly needed by the crew when the ship collapsed from the pressure exerted upon it by the frozen waters. Thereafter, the story shifts to the hardships suffered by the crew, and ultimately, the miracle that all crew members survived.
3. Critical Analysis
Captions under original photos, a wealth of information from the trivial to the essential within the text, and the bibliographical sources included in the back of the book give evidence of much research and discovery in the preparation for writing this account of Shackleton’s expedition to Antarctica on the Endurance. The subject matter was compelling. Stating facts without emotion as a continuous narrative style through a book of more than 128 pages can seem a little dry – unfortunately, that was true of this book. Still, there was much to learn about what happened, and much to absorb in reading this book, at any age.
Although this book is intended for young adults, as with the expedition it documents, it is not for the faint of heart. There are disturbing revelations, such as on page 27. The necessity of hunting seals and penguins for supplemental food is as described as follows: “It was pitifully easy to kill the seals: they had no fear of anything on land, and the men could ski or walk up to the trusting animals and club them to death.” This may be more graphic description than is required, especially for young adults. Page 11 shows a photo taken of a ship’s stowaway (who became the ship’s steward) with a cat named Mrs. Chippy perched upon his right shoulder. Later in the book, after the shipwreck, we learn, “In the meantime, there was much to get ready. Mrs. Chippy, the carpenter’s cat, had to be shot, because without the protection of the ship the dogs would have eaten him.” A mercy killing of sorts is described, and desperate times are said to call for desperate measures. Still, the unemotional statement of these and other facts have the potential to depress the reader with brutality as much as to inform.
This book shows that exploring and documenting our world, even to recent centuries, has not been an easy task. It shows how wild and unforgiving our world can be, and yet how resilient and persevering mankind can be in trying to make the unknown the known.
4. Review Excerpts
Booklist review:
"Using text filled with details about daily life, quotes (unfortunately not sourced), fascinating archival photos by one of the members of the expedition, and insight into elements of science with important bearing on the story (navigation techniques, different kinds of ice), Armstrong paints a vivid picture of the ordeal."
School Library Journal review:
"...Utilizing Shackleton's memoirs and original expedition photographs, Kimmel re-creates events in exciting detail. She puts the story in historical perspective by comparing the exploration of Antarctica to the exploration of space, which plays a part in making this an accessible but not oversimplified account."
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books review:
"...The author uses her sources well for provision of evocative details, such as the impact, a year after getting stuck in the ice and four months after abandoning the ship, of the discovery of a twig and the homesickness engendered by the smell of its burning. Nor does she shrink from harder truths about the fate of the ship's sled dogs and cat mascot, but the overwhelming impression is of the skill and luck that enabled Shackleton to bring all his men back alive."
Connections:
This book could be used in conjunction with a unit on exploration in history.
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