The Glorious Flight tells of Louis Bleriot who persevered through the invention of several different airplanes to find one that would fly well. After 8 years, he successfully flies over the English Channel from France to England. The book won a Caldecott Medal for the illustrations.
Honestly, I found the text of this book bothersome. Sentences were choppy, many sentences included paranthetical sidenotes that broke up the flow, and too many sentences were fragments. At times, I think the style would have been appropriate. During the dangerous parts, like when he is flying over the channel or getting ready to crash yet another plane, I think it would set the mood, like with Paulsen's choppy sentences in Woodsong. But, almost all of the text was written in that style. As a result, it just seemed too choppy and disjointed. I think children would have difficulty reading this book because the sentence structure is so strange, but I don't think it would be appropriate for a read aloud either, for the exact same reason.
I find it interesting that I could dislike the text of a picturebook so much when the illustrations have been celebrated.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
The Wreck of the Zephyr written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg
Chris Van Allsburg is one of those writer/illustrators that you could pick out from a line up. From the illustrations alone I feel confident that I could name his books. What I find so interesting about that though, is that the illustrations in his different books can be different in many ways. Color is used in The Wreck of the Zephyr but sepia rules the illustrations in The Witch's Broom. Other books are different as well. However, his stye is distinctive. Like his other books, Zephyr is formatted so that each illustration is framed and text is on the left page.
In Wreck of the Zephyr, a man encounters a wrecked sailboat far from land. Another man tells him the story of a boy who thought himself the best sailor. He learns to sail his boat through the sky. But, he is so intent on showing others his ability that he foolishly tries to sail over land. As a result, his sailboat crashes. I think the storyteller was the young boy. Never is it stated in the text, but I think he remained near the boat to remind himself of his foolishness. Van Allsburg effectively foreshadowed the boy's mistake when the sailor who taught the boy to sail through the air sang a folksong about the dangers of sailing over land. At that point, I realized how it was the boy would wreck his sailboat.
The illustrations of The Wreck of the Zephyr were beautiful and the text was well written allowing me to infer and draw conclusions along the way.
In Wreck of the Zephyr, a man encounters a wrecked sailboat far from land. Another man tells him the story of a boy who thought himself the best sailor. He learns to sail his boat through the sky. But, he is so intent on showing others his ability that he foolishly tries to sail over land. As a result, his sailboat crashes. I think the storyteller was the young boy. Never is it stated in the text, but I think he remained near the boat to remind himself of his foolishness. Van Allsburg effectively foreshadowed the boy's mistake when the sailor who taught the boy to sail through the air sang a folksong about the dangers of sailing over land. At that point, I realized how it was the boy would wreck his sailboat.
The illustrations of The Wreck of the Zephyr were beautiful and the text was well written allowing me to infer and draw conclusions along the way.
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
This Caldecott winning picturebook, The Snowy Day, chronicles the adventures of a young boy as he explores on a snowy day. I thought that the book really captured the curiousity and wonderment of a young child. How often I forget to look around and enjoy the things I see! Peter explores his footprints, discovers another track in the snow, notices how the snow is piled up by the buildings, and saves a snowball in his pocket-- for tomorrow.
The illustrations are simple but capture the "essence"of each object. Buildings are rectangular but lack detail, Peter's snow suit is simply red, the snowman is a lump of snow with a face on top. Peter's snowsuit is perfect for illustrating how young Peter really is. It has a pointy top and makes him look very round. He looks like the bundled up kid who can barely move for all the layers he has on.
I know there are other stories about Peter by Ezra Jack Keats. I'm curious to see if the illustrations are similar to The Snowy Day.
The illustrations are simple but capture the "essence"of each object. Buildings are rectangular but lack detail, Peter's snow suit is simply red, the snowman is a lump of snow with a face on top. Peter's snowsuit is perfect for illustrating how young Peter really is. It has a pointy top and makes him look very round. He looks like the bundled up kid who can barely move for all the layers he has on.
I know there are other stories about Peter by Ezra Jack Keats. I'm curious to see if the illustrations are similar to The Snowy Day.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Eye of the Storm: A Book About Hurricanes by Rick Thomas and illustrated by Denise Shea
Eye of the Storm is an engaging picturebook that provides some basic information about the formation of and devastation by hurricanes. The illustrations are colorful and bright. No photographs are included-- all illustrations are digital drawings. The text provided a good amount of detail but was written in kid-friendly language. Clarification of new terminology is provided such as "Once a hurricane makes landfall, or arrives on solid ground, it slows down." (p. 14)
The book also provided important non-fiction text elements that could be helpful in teaching research skills. A Table of Contents, headings, a short index, and additional web and print resources are included. One element I thought was missing were labels or keys for some of the illustrations. As the text described the formation and movement of hurricanes, weather symbols such as red and blue arrows were used as well as a psuedo-map of the areas near the Equator. As an adult somewhat familiar with weather symbols and knowledgeable about a world map, I was able to interpret what I saw in the illustration. However, I am none too convinced that a young reader would understand the illustration. A "Content Advisor" is listed on the title page, but otherwise no citations or references are included.
Eye of the Storm is an engaging and informative non-fiction book that I will recommend to second grade teachers at my school.
The book also provided important non-fiction text elements that could be helpful in teaching research skills. A Table of Contents, headings, a short index, and additional web and print resources are included. One element I thought was missing were labels or keys for some of the illustrations. As the text described the formation and movement of hurricanes, weather symbols such as red and blue arrows were used as well as a psuedo-map of the areas near the Equator. As an adult somewhat familiar with weather symbols and knowledgeable about a world map, I was able to interpret what I saw in the illustration. However, I am none too convinced that a young reader would understand the illustration. A "Content Advisor" is listed on the title page, but otherwise no citations or references are included.
Eye of the Storm is an engaging and informative non-fiction book that I will recommend to second grade teachers at my school.
Mistakes that Worked by Charlotte Foltz Jones
In the non-fiction book, Mistakes that Worked, Foltz explains how different inventions were created by accident. In short excerpts, the reader learns about lots of household items, foods, clothes, medicines, etc. Some of the stories seem based on documented fact and others on folklore or stories. I thought the author did a good job of letting the reader what was fact and what was conjecture.
Some of the interesting things I learned were that Coca-Cola is named because of some of the ingredients from the original formula, ice-cream cones became popular during the St Louis World's Fair, the chocolate chip cookie wasn't invented until the 1930s, and piggy banks in the shape of pigs were a result of the linguistically similar word "pygg" (a clay material) that was used during the middle ages. This book also states that Perrault, the writer of the Cinderella story most of us are familiar with, made a mistake when he gave her a glass slipper. The author writes that earlier versions the slippers were fur. However, the french word for fur and glass are similar. Perrault apparently confused the two and gave her a glass slipper.
I appreciated several aspects of the book. With each section, quotes by famous inventors were included to underscore the idea that mistakes can end up making for great discoveries. Mark Twain wrote, in his notebook, "Name the greatest of all the inventors. Accident." (introduction) I also appreciated that historical information was given where appropriate to set the invention into the timeperiod. For instance, Jones introduces Coca-Cola with: "The date was May 8, 1886. The Civil War had been over for twenty-one years. Grover Cleveland was the President of the United States. And, in Atlanta, Georgia, a pharmacist..." Information about world records, additional interesting facts, museums, and even some recipes are included to accompany different mistakes.
I'm not convinced that the author cited well enough for today's standards. In the front matter, acknowledgements are including listing many people and groups that, presumably, provided information and a "Selected Bibliography" is included as well. However, the author does not provide any citations within the text to indicate where specific information came from. So, I have to take all I read with a grain of salt.
Some of the interesting things I learned were that Coca-Cola is named because of some of the ingredients from the original formula, ice-cream cones became popular during the St Louis World's Fair, the chocolate chip cookie wasn't invented until the 1930s, and piggy banks in the shape of pigs were a result of the linguistically similar word "pygg" (a clay material) that was used during the middle ages. This book also states that Perrault, the writer of the Cinderella story most of us are familiar with, made a mistake when he gave her a glass slipper. The author writes that earlier versions the slippers were fur. However, the french word for fur and glass are similar. Perrault apparently confused the two and gave her a glass slipper.
I appreciated several aspects of the book. With each section, quotes by famous inventors were included to underscore the idea that mistakes can end up making for great discoveries. Mark Twain wrote, in his notebook, "Name the greatest of all the inventors. Accident." (introduction) I also appreciated that historical information was given where appropriate to set the invention into the timeperiod. For instance, Jones introduces Coca-Cola with: "The date was May 8, 1886. The Civil War had been over for twenty-one years. Grover Cleveland was the President of the United States. And, in Atlanta, Georgia, a pharmacist..." Information about world records, additional interesting facts, museums, and even some recipes are included to accompany different mistakes.
I'm not convinced that the author cited well enough for today's standards. In the front matter, acknowledgements are including listing many people and groups that, presumably, provided information and a "Selected Bibliography" is included as well. However, the author does not provide any citations within the text to indicate where specific information came from. So, I have to take all I read with a grain of salt.
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
Because of Winn-Dixie ... Opal makes friends in her new home of Naomi, Florida. Winn-Dixie is a special dog with an uncanny knack for making friends. The combination of his dog smile, wagging tail, and sneezing fits are lovable to almost everyone he meets.
When Opal and her father move to Naomi for ministry at her father's new church, Opal is lonely. It's summer so she doesn't have the opportunity to make friends at school. In addition, she becomes increasingly curious about her mother, who left when Opal was very young.
With Winn-Dixie's help, Opal befriends the lonely librarian, the local witch, a clerk at the pet store, some boys who tease her, a friendly younger girl, and a "pinch-faced" girl. In addition, Opal's relationship with her father improves because Winn-Dixie makes her brave enough to ask her father more and her father is brought out of his shell by lovable Winn-Dixie. Along the way, Opal learns to understand others more and is thus able to make what some might consider to be an unusual set of friends.
Each of her friends was able to help her grow in some small way. The witch helped her to understand personal demons (not in those words though) and mistakes, so that she could understand her mother a little more. Her father helped her to look beyond the front the "pinch-faced girl" put on and open herself up to boys who had a strange way of making friends.
By the end of summer, I'm sure Opal was not lonely anymore. I think children could relate to Opal's feelings of isolation and could also gain tolerance for others by seeing her befriend unlikely individuals.
When Opal and her father move to Naomi for ministry at her father's new church, Opal is lonely. It's summer so she doesn't have the opportunity to make friends at school. In addition, she becomes increasingly curious about her mother, who left when Opal was very young.
With Winn-Dixie's help, Opal befriends the lonely librarian, the local witch, a clerk at the pet store, some boys who tease her, a friendly younger girl, and a "pinch-faced" girl. In addition, Opal's relationship with her father improves because Winn-Dixie makes her brave enough to ask her father more and her father is brought out of his shell by lovable Winn-Dixie. Along the way, Opal learns to understand others more and is thus able to make what some might consider to be an unusual set of friends.
Each of her friends was able to help her grow in some small way. The witch helped her to understand personal demons (not in those words though) and mistakes, so that she could understand her mother a little more. Her father helped her to look beyond the front the "pinch-faced girl" put on and open herself up to boys who had a strange way of making friends.
By the end of summer, I'm sure Opal was not lonely anymore. I think children could relate to Opal's feelings of isolation and could also gain tolerance for others by seeing her befriend unlikely individuals.
The Land I Lost by Huynh Quang Nhuong
The Land I Lost is a biography about the hamlet where Huynh Quang Nhuong grew up before and during the Vietnam War. It seems strange to say it is a biography of a place, but in fact the "land" is the most important thing discussed in the book.
In each chapter, the reader discovers the dangers, joys, and stories of the jungle, river, and homes in and near the hamlet where Huynh grew up. I learned about the most dangerous animals in the areas and read stories of what happened to people who had run-ins with them. I got to know the water buffalo, Tank, that loyally served Huhnh's family. Tank not only helped in the field, but also helped catch fish, eels, otters and protect the people from wild hogs and tigers.
While not explicitely stated in the text, I inferred that the people learned to live with nature. They seemed to respect it as something to understand, use and protect themselves against as necessary, but not something to overtake or ruin.
At the beginning of the text, the author provides a note giving some background as to how secluded the hamlet was and the background of his family. At the end of the note, he writes: "I always planned to return to my hamlet to live the rest of my life there. But war disrupted my dreams. The land I love was lost to me forever." (p. xi) However, the war is not mentioned again until the last few chapters. He writes: "Once, during the endless years of fighting in Vietnam, a rocket blew up the bamboo bush." (p.124) and "One day when I was in the field with the herd, fierce fighting between the French forces and the Resistance led by Ho Chi Mihn erupted in our hamlet." (p.125)
I appreciated that the author chose to remind the reader of what the war cost him and what it ruined, but was mentioned briefly enough that I was able to enjoy the stories of his youth. I also appreciate that the author mentioned it at the beginning and ending only. It set the stage for my reading; I read knowing that things must not be the same anymore. And, it finished my reading; I read about how the war destroyed one of the most precious things in Huynh's childhood.
As a self-absorbed American (aren't we all?) I know little about Vietnam except how America was involved in the war. Now I understand a little more about the culture, people and land there--at least prior to the war.
In each chapter, the reader discovers the dangers, joys, and stories of the jungle, river, and homes in and near the hamlet where Huynh grew up. I learned about the most dangerous animals in the areas and read stories of what happened to people who had run-ins with them. I got to know the water buffalo, Tank, that loyally served Huhnh's family. Tank not only helped in the field, but also helped catch fish, eels, otters and protect the people from wild hogs and tigers.
While not explicitely stated in the text, I inferred that the people learned to live with nature. They seemed to respect it as something to understand, use and protect themselves against as necessary, but not something to overtake or ruin.
At the beginning of the text, the author provides a note giving some background as to how secluded the hamlet was and the background of his family. At the end of the note, he writes: "I always planned to return to my hamlet to live the rest of my life there. But war disrupted my dreams. The land I love was lost to me forever." (p. xi) However, the war is not mentioned again until the last few chapters. He writes: "Once, during the endless years of fighting in Vietnam, a rocket blew up the bamboo bush." (p.124) and "One day when I was in the field with the herd, fierce fighting between the French forces and the Resistance led by Ho Chi Mihn erupted in our hamlet." (p.125)
I appreciated that the author chose to remind the reader of what the war cost him and what it ruined, but was mentioned briefly enough that I was able to enjoy the stories of his youth. I also appreciate that the author mentioned it at the beginning and ending only. It set the stage for my reading; I read knowing that things must not be the same anymore. And, it finished my reading; I read about how the war destroyed one of the most precious things in Huynh's childhood.
As a self-absorbed American (aren't we all?) I know little about Vietnam except how America was involved in the war. Now I understand a little more about the culture, people and land there--at least prior to the war.
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