Monday, April 28, 2008

National Geographic Kids

Bellows, Melina Gerosa. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS. Washington D.C.: National Geographic Society.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS is a periodical geared in creating a sense of wonder in children ages 6 - 14. With sections titled “Weird but true” and “Astonishing Stories From the Files of Guinness World Records”, kids will be compelled to look further into the facts that are given to locate more information on the topics. Every article pulls the reader into the story and most contain real life photographs that will capture the reader’s attention. The issues also come with ideas for family projects, an “Art Zone” section where reader’s original drawings are showcased, various games and puzzles. The web site is advertised within the publication with ideas on things to do on the site, such as playing interactive games, fining more craft ideas, and watching videos pertaining to articles featured in the publication. Information can be easily located for subscribing to the magazine and with very minimal advertisements found within, this is truly geared to the child reader.

The Boy on Fairfield Street: How Ted Geisel Grew Up to Become Dr. Seuss

Krull, Kathleen. 2004. THE BOY ON FAIRFIELD STREET: HOW TED GEISEL GREW UP TO BECOME DR. SEUSS. Ill. by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher. New York: Random House.

Krull does an exceptional job of taking the reader from early childhood to adulthood with one of reader’s favorite author and illustrator’s, Dr. Seuss. The reader immediately feels connected with Ted as a young boy as he is portrayed as one that did not always “fit in” with everyone else. The soft, pastel colored paintings that accent the text give the reader a view into Ted’s world and they make a stunning contrast to the bright and comical illustrations from Dr. Seuss’ that are interjected through out the text. At the end of the story, Krull includes a section titled “On Beyond Fairfield Street” which gives a synopsis of Geisel’s life after he left home to become the writer that is so famous today. She also includes a list of all of the works written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss in the order of publication, with publication dates included. She includes a list of additional resources for further reading. Krull also includes a list that details Dr. Seuss’s illustrations that were taken from his various works to include in this book. Krull does a wonderful job of portraying Seuss in a way that not only brings him to life for the reader but keeps his works and determination alive to the reader.

Actual Size

Jenkins, Steve. 2004. ACTUAL SIZE. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Jenkins creates a compelling book that looks at the actual size of different animals or animal parts that will cause readers to not only anxiously turn pages to find out what size will appear next, but it will also cause them to look for further information on the animals found in the book. Not only is the actual size of items such as a giant squid eye or the saltwater crocodile’s mouth shown, but interesting factual tidbits are included with the illustrations. The illustrations created from torn paper add an fascinating depiction of each animal. The book lacks traditional non-fiction access features such as a table of contents or an index that assist the reader in locating information more easily. There are extensive notes included at the end of the book on each of the animals that is featured in the text, however there are no sources cited for the information given.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Rowling, J.K. 1997. HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE. New York: Scholastic.

Rowling creates a thrilling high fantasy adventure where one can hope to believe in the world of magic, where good triumphs evil. The famous Harry Potter, after dying death at the hands of “you know who”, arrives at Hogwarts to be trained in the art of being a wizard. With learning to fit in with the other students at the school and mastering the art of magic, Harry is also challenged to find and protect the secret that is being guarded by Fluffy, the three-headed dog. Readers will be engaged in the story from start to finish and be sad to see the year at Hogwarts come to a close, however there are many more years of adventure awaiting them in the sequels to this engaging tale. There is a character for everyone to identify with in this cast, from the brainy girl desperate for friends or the youngest brother trying to find his own place in the community to the hero that is transported from a life of misery to a chance for happiness in a magical land.

Bone: Out From Boneville

Smith, Jeff. 1992. BONE: OUT FORM BONEVILLE. Columbus, Ohio: Cartoon Books.

In the action-packed graphic novel BONE: OUT FROM BONEVILLE, Fone Bone and Smiley Bone help their “shady” cousin escape from Boneville, only to get lost and then separated in an unknown desert. The three cousins experience many mishaps and encounter various enchanting and strange creatures as they try to reunite and return to Boneville. The simple sketch illustrations are rich in details that capture the emotions of the characters and easily holding the reader’s attention as the story unfolds. Humor and suspense are created by both the illustrations and the dialog between the Bone cousins and the various forest creatures that they encounter, such as when Fone Bone is going to do the “manly job” and chop the firewood, only to do chin-ups on the large, heavy ax. With references to remembering to pack reading material such as Moby Dick and comic books before running out of town, Fone Bone exemplifies the idea that not only is reading important, but all forms of literature are acceptable reading materials. Many panels contain no text, however the reader can clearly tell the meaning of the illustrations and how the story advances from one panel to the next.

Artemis Fowl

Colfer, Eoin. 2001. ARTIMIS FOWL. New York: Talk Miramax Books.

In the captivating futuristic fantasy series, ARTEMIS FOWL, Artemis is a twelve year old criminal mastermind that captures an officer from the fairy LEPrecon division in an attempt to gain gold as a ransom. Having procured a fairy rule book, Artemis is ready to thwart all of the Recon team’s attempts to free Officer Short. Will the fairy team be able to right the wrong done by Artemis and will Artemis end up with the gold? Even though Artemis is the “bad” guy in the story, Colfer creates such a compelling character that the reader can not help to feel for him as he plots to save his mother and his servant friends from death. With rich details and dialog, the reader feels part of the storyline and setting from the beginning of the story until the end. Even as the story ends, the reader is anxiously waiting for the next story to be found and unfold.

Pendragon

MacHale, 2003. D.J. PENDRAGON: THE NEVER WAR. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks.

Bobby Pendragon and Vo Spader, two travelers, set out on a quest to First Earth, in the year 1937. Among the gangsters in New York, Pendragon and Spader will search to uncover Saint Dane’s plot to push First Earth’s turning point in the wrong direction and destroy life as it is known in the process of taking over their world. Appealing to the sense of adventure and the need to see good trump evil, readers will enjoy this futuristic high fantasy that subtly teaches historical information on New York Gangsters, the Hindenburg, and the beginning of World War II. MacHale creates believable dialog that allows readers to identify with fifteen year old Pendragon as he ventures out to save not only First Earth, but also the future of Second and Third Earth as well. With the book ending with “To Be Continued”, readers will be ready to set out and find the sequel to this exciting adventure.

Friday, April 4, 2008

Weedflower

Kadohata, Cynthia. 2006. WEEDFLOWER. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Kadohata takes the reader though an emotional journey as Sumiko, a young Japanese-
American girl living in California, is forced to go to an internment camp after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Sumiko, once thriving by producing beauty on her family’s flower farm, must face life in a dreary desert camp where there is little to brighten her world. After befriending an older gentleman next door, they set out to create a garden outside their barracks that might bring relief to the heat and dust storms that plague the area. After meeting a Frank, a Mohave Indian friend, Sumiko is faced with the knowledge that the Indians do not want the Japanese around either. Will she be able to leave the safety she finds in the internment camp and face the world of mistrust and anger that awaits her? Kadohata writes in a powerful way that brings the emotions of the times to light in a way that the reader can not help but to feel for the unjust treatment of the Japanese-Americans during this time. The reader is drawn into the setting and can almost feel the searing heat of the desert, along with Sumiko. End notes are included with information on the 442nd Regimental Comabat Team, composed mostly of Japanese American’s during World War II, and its accomplishments.

The Midwife's Apprentice

Cushman, Karen. 1995. THE MIDWIVE’S APPRENTICE. New York: Clarion Books.

In THE MIDWIVE’S APPRENTICE, Cushman tells of a time when a young girl sleeping in dung can be taken and shaped into a valued member of the society, a midwife. The Midwife is training the apprentice, whom she named Dung Beetle, yet she is very harsh in the way that she treats her during the process. Dung Beetle sees that she is worth a proper name and commences to rename herself Alyce. Lacking in confidence after two birthing mishaps, Alyce runs away. Will she have the courage to return to the training that will allow her to perform a service for her community that tugs at her heart? Cushman does not sugar-coat the realities of the time as she depicts the harsh conditions of the Middle Ages. The dialog is fresh and engaging, as readers are excited to find out what happens to the young apprentice through her many mishaps. Cushman includes historical notes on the times that give the reader insight into historical background of midwifery.

Island of the Blue Dolphins

O’Dell, Scott. 1960. ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHINS. New York: Yearling.

O’Dell creates a remarkably engaging story of doing what is necessary to survive on a deserted island. Refusing to leave her brother alone on the island, Karana jumps from the ship taking her people to a new land. After the death of her brother, Karana is left alone on the island to learn to find water, create a shelter, find food, and defend herself from wild dogs. Karana spends many years alone, with only a self-tamed dog for a friend, before being rescued by people of the “others.” O’Dell includes notes at the end of the story that give the historical background on the Island of the Blue Dolphins, the Indians from this island, and Robison Crusoe (The Lost Woman of San Nicolas), a girl who lived alone on the island from 1835 to 1853. With engaging text, the reader will be captivated with the story. O’Dell does a remarkable job of describing the setting while still entertaining the reader. This story would be easily paired with other survival stories.

Al Capone Does My Shirts

Choldenko, Gennifer. 2004. AL CAPONE DOES MY SHIRTS. New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons.

AL CAPONE DOES MY SHIRTS is a story of a twelve year old boy, Moose Flanagan, and his family as they move to Alcatraz Island in 1935 so Mr. Flanagan can work in the prison as an electrician and part-time guard. Facing the problems of living on the island prison grounds, going to school off-island, having a sister, Natalie, with “special” needs and problems, and desperately wanting to fit in and have friends, Moose tells the story of his first six months in the form of a diary. Moose will learn to face problems like a sneaky warden’s daughter and caring for an “unusual” sister instead of playing baseball with other kids, while learning about the prisoners housed on the island such as Al Capone. Will Moose’s friends see though Natalie’s problems to the caring person inside and will a convicted criminal be able to help her get into a school that could help her? At the beginning of the story is a photographic map of Alcatraz Island, with locations from the story labeled. Choldenko includes notes at the end of the story that give historical information on Alcatraz Island, the families that lived there, the inmates that were serving time in the facility (Al Capone) and children with autism. Students will be mesmerized as they read this story and be compelled to search for more information on the island and the inmates that inhabited it during this time to see if the information in the story is accurate.