Module 8

Ness, P. (2008). The knife of never letting go. NY: Candlewick.

Book Summary

Todd Hewitt lives in Prentisstown somewhere in the dystopian future. Everyone in this town can hear everyone else's thoughts including Todd's dog Manchee. It's all Noise, and there is not escaping it. Another weird thing about the town is there are no women. According to history, all the women, including Todd's mother, died from a virus brought by the town's enemies. A month before his birthday that will make him a man (twelve, thirteen,???), Todd comes across an area of quiet in the swamp. He realizes town has lied to him, and he is forced to run. His guardian gives him a map to the nearest friendly settlement and a knife. In the silent area, he finds a girl, a "pioneer" whose ship crashed and killed her parents. Of course the town is anxious to get her, too, so both of them run. They are chased by dangerously evil people. Todd learns to use his knife, accept the help of people along the way, and trust a girl, Viola he has never met before. Since the town lied to him about every place having "Noise", Todd is pretty sure they have lied to him about other things. Several times, the reader may think the two children are safe, but the evil Prentisstown posse never lets them rest very long. At the end, the two are captured, and the situation looks very dark---and the story continues in the next book.

My Impressions

Honestly, I didn't enjoy this book. It was too stressful to enjoy. The future that is described is so bleak as if all the light is vanquished. To me, Todd is not a very sympathetic character. He seems to always be mistrusting himself and others. For instance, he has a tendency to swear when he is upset and doesn't know what to do. To make matters worse, Viola can hear his thoughts, but he cannot hear hers. Despite his lack of faith in himself, he calls himself a "fool,...worthless effing fool," he finally gains some calm by the middle of the book. He and Viola stay constantly on the move, unable to rest or enjoy the  friends along the way. I suppose it frightens me that no matter how hard they try, they cannot escape the evil. I am interested in seeing the new movie based on the book. I am wondering how it will compare to The Hunger Games film.

Professional Review

Sisak, A. (2008). The knife of never letting go. Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, 62(2), 91.

Todd is the only boy left in a town full of men, and soon he'll undergo the highly secretive coming-of-age ceremony himself. An illness there has left men (women were immune) with constantly audible thoughts, so when Todd hears a curious silence in the woods, it leads him away from those he loves and into a completely different life. Todd, raised to believe that all women were killed by the germ, the native species on this planet are hostile and had to be eradicated, and that the town is filled with decent men struggling to survive, quickly learns that every single element of what he believes to be true is a horrible lie, shrouded in betrayal, murder, and obsessive revenge. The silence in the forest comes from a girl, and the two embark on a quest to find safety in a world that is life-threatening at every turn for a boy  whose town wants him dead so he cannot reveal their secrets. Todd and Viola, the girl he befriends, are realistically portrayed as kids frequently overwhelmed and terrified by their circumstances, even while their resilience (and a hearty doese of youthful assumptions about invincibility) keeps them going. The nicely balanced mix of coming-of-age novel, science-fiction novel, and dystopic thriller will make this an appealing choice for a range of genre readers. The is the first volume out of a promised three, and there are therefore far more questions than answers in the cliffhanger ending; the still unsolved mysteries, carefully developed by Ness and left at tantalizing moments of resolution, guarantee anticipation for the next two.

Library Uses

1. Use this in a book talk about other dystopian futures such as The Hunger Games trilogy.

2. Students can make a map that follows the same path Todd and Viola take to reach safety.

Module 7

Cabot, M. (2010). Allie Finkle's rules for girls-blast from the past. NY: Scholastic

Book Summary

Allie Finkle creates rules like, "Moms don't snap too often. But when they do, you had better stop whatever you were doing wrong, if you know what's good for you." In this particular Allie Finkle book, she is excited about going on a class field trip--until she learns it is the one-room schoolhouse at Honey Prairie, and they will be sharing the bus with a group of students from Allie's previous school. Even though she is not happy about seeing her previous best friend, Mary Kay, who has ruined every single one of her field trips, Allie is a good sport because she wants to set a good example and please her teacher. Needless to say, the field trip does not go well, but Allie maintains her composure and sets a good example. Since she is her former best friend's buddy, she does not desert her when she is stung by a bee.  When some students start making fun of another boy, Allie stands up for him. Even though others make fun of Allie because she makes rules, she is pleased to discover that George Washington made rules, too. Her favorite is the last rule in the book: "Undertake not what you cannot Perform, but be Careful to keep your Promise. (Don't start what you can't finish. Always keep your promises.)" 

My Impressions

This book is very true to life. Every preteen has drama in her life, either with friends, former friends, or snooty girls. Allie copes with them all. She realizes that the reason she keeps list is not crazy; it helps her realize when she has made a mistake so she can correct it. When she is forced to pair up with her former friend, Mary Kay, Allie remembered all the times her friend had let her down. She wants to trade groups, but she doesn't because one of the boys from her school with behavioral and attention problems is on her team. She shows her compassion by remaining on the team with him to protect him against the inevitable bullying. When Mary Kay is stung by a bee, Allie doesn't desert her although everyone else does. By the end of the story, Allie has come to terms with her "past" and has moved on. In short she has matured. I think this is an important lesson for girls to learn. I don't see boys reading this book, but girls will love it.

Professional Review

Phelan, C. (2010) Allie Finkle's rules for girls: blast from the past, Booklist.

Allie's first school field trip, a visit to a pioneer village, takes a surprising twist when her fourth-grade class shares a school bus with the fourth-grade class from her old school. the number of mean girls rises dramatically, and Allie becomes a target, but by sticking to her rules, she manages surprisingly we. Sometimes wryly amusing, this first-person chapter book from the Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls series captures the day-to-day thoughts of the well-intentioned narrator, from the low points of self-deluded reflection to the high points of selfless action. As always, Allie's most recent list of rules is appended. Grades 3-5.

Library Uses

1. Build a pioneer village in the library. Ask a willing parent to bake bread. Invite a docent from a nearby pioneer village to come and give talks about the era. If possible, ask another willing parent to bring a "gentle" horse for the students to pet.

2. Develop simple first aid "rules" for when people get stung by a bee, have a seizure, choke, etc...

Bauer, J. (1998). Rules of the Road. NY: Penguin Group.

Book Summary

Bauer tells the realistic story of Jenna Boller who works in a shoe store, has an alcoholic father, and an overworked mother. Jenna takes pride in her ability to sell shoes, but she can't seem to change her father's or her mother's situation. When the owner of the string of shoe stores, the every elegant Ms. Gladstone, asks Jenna to drive her from Chicago to Texas, the young girl is shocked. She is a relatively new driver, and she has never driven for hours at a time. No matter her misgivings, Jenna takes the job and learns a lot about the shoe business, about driving and about Ms. Gladstone's problem, a son that wants to sell the business to an inferior shoe manufacturer. Jenna, because of the death of dear friend, gathers the strength to tell her dad he needs help. 

My Impressions

It is hard to imagine a book more attractive to teenagers than this book. It is about driving, that wonderful freedom. Readers will find more than just rules of the road-they will learn rules for life. For instance, Jenna is loyal to Ms. Gladstone when her weaselly son insists on seeing her. When Ms. Gladstone asks Jenna to visit competitor shoe stores, she discovers that lower price shoes lack the quality of the Gladstone shoes. Also, because Ms. Gladstone has confidence in her, Jenna begins to have more confidence in herself.  Her brief friendship with Harry Bender, Jenna gains the tools for dealing with her alcoholic father. All of these "rules" will be helpful for any teenager who faces these kinds of problems. 

Professional Review 

Sutton, R. (1998). Rules of the road. Horn Book Magazine, 74(3), 339.

YA comedy? You might have thought it an endangered species, but here's Joan Bauer with a fast and funny tale of one big-boned (and big-hearted) gal's summer of discovery on the road. Jenna, newly armed with a driver's license, thought she had her summer all worked out--until the imperious Mrs. Gladstone, owner of the national shoestore chain where Jenna works in Chicago, shows up and asks Jenna to be her driver. To Texas. and on the way, there will be a little spying, both on the other Gladstone's outlets and on the competition, for Mrs. Gladstone (think of Lou Grant's boss Mrs. Pynchon) is battling a merger engineered by her slimy son Elden. Jenna is a great shoe-seller ("Told her nonjudgmentally to think about clipping her big toenail so it wouldn't push against the shoe and ruin the fit") and an ebullient raconteur ("I love traveling and meeting new people. I met a retired couple from Canada who said that talking to me made them feel good about American teenagers. I said talking to them made me feel good about Canada, although I'd never had a reason not to"). Her badinage with Mrs. Gladstone recalls some of Richard  Peck's spirited cross-generational dialogue, and the story runs as smoothly as Mrs. Gladstone's plush Cadillac. A subplot about Jenna's alcoholic father (and his counterpart, a bluff and hearty shoe salesman-cum-AA counselor) is a little heavy-handed but does not impede the pedal power; Jenna is a heroine who, along with providing a story with plenty of mileage, has some good shopping tips--don't buy another pair of shoes until you've heard her out.

Library Uses

1. Have readers design their own pair of shoes remembering Jenna's tips for shoe fit.

2. Students may try to sell the shoes using persuasive techniques as Jenna did.

Module 6

Addasi, M. (2010). Time to pray. PA: Boyd's Mill Press.

Book Summary

When Yasmin spends time with her grandmother whom she calls "Teta." Because she sees her grandmother praying, she wants to be able to pray in the same way. When she tells her grandmother there is no mosque where she lives, her grandmother replies, "We'll figure a way, Habibti." Her grandmother takes her to a fabric store and allows her to choose the fabric for her prayer clothes. Her Teta also buys Yasmin a prayer rug. She teaches Yasmin all the rituals for praying. When Yasmin returns home, she admits she doesn't always pray five times a day, but she is learning. 

My Impressions

When I was teaching I had a young Islamic girl in my class who desperately wanted to fit in. This kind of book would have meant so much to her. When I get to choose books for my own library, I will definitely include books for all ethnic groups. The art by Ned Gannon is beautiful with many vertical lines. I also appreciated the Arabic translation. I cannot read it, but I think it shows respect to a different culture. I can only imagine the joy a grandparent must feel when their beloved granddaughter asks how to pray. I think the relationships in today's world get lost. Grandparents fill a special place in a child's life. The author, Maha Addasi, is a young woman who writes these types of picture books for young children. She gives Muslims a face other than the one depicted in the news every night. After reading this one, I also want to read White Nights of Ramadan.

Professional Review

Cool, Kathleen. (2011). Time to pray. Library Media Connection, 29(5), 60.

While Yasmin is visiting her grandmother in the Middle East, she observes her taking part in the Muslim prayer rituals, Her grandmother teachers Yasmin the importance of prayer, the proper way to pray, and how to get ready. She sews her prayer clothes, buys her a prayer rug, and takes her to the mosque. They practice their prayers together so Yamin will be able to do them herself when she returns. Once home, as Yasmin puts her prayer clothes away, she discovers a present from her grandmother, a special prayer clock that will chime at the five prayer times. Yasmin's story is a wonderful introduction to the Islamic religion. Each page has the Arabic translation below the English Words. Through the story of Yasmin and her grandmother, Addasi explains the significance of prayer to Muslims. Gannon's detailed illustrations are vibrant. His portrayal of the Muslim culture shows readers the customs of a society they may know nothing about. There is a detailed description of Muslim prayer times. Purchase this title to fill a need for books on the Islamic religion.

Library Uses 

1. At some time in the year, have displays that recognize all religions, be they Christianity, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, etc... In a history class setting students could compare them and recognize we are more alike than we are different.

2. Share with students on Grandparent's Day. Ask them to share what their grandparents or someone special in their lives have taught them. It could lead to a collection of stories that can be locally "published" and kept in the library to share with future students.

Module 5

Curtis, C. P. (1999). Bud, Not Buddy. NY: Delacorte Press.

Book Summary

Life was difficult for everyone during the depression, but Bud Caldwell was not defeated by it. Motherless and having only one hint as to who his father is, Bud runs away from his foster home to find him using the only clue his mother left him--A flyer of Herman E. Calloway and his famous band, the Dusky Devastators of the Depression!!! (I think it is interesting that Curtis uses the names of two jazz greats from the era-Cab Calloway  and Woodie Herman to create Herman E. Calloway's name.) Bud just has to get from Flint to Grand Rapids. He tries to jump a train, but is unsuccessful, but he does spend the night in a Hooverville and kisses his first girl. Bud finally makes it to Grand Rapids and finds Herman E. Calloway. He discovers that Calloway is very old, but he still believes he is his father. Calloway allows Bud to stay until he figures out what to do with him. Bud becomes friends with the men in the band and even begins to play a recorder. Finally, Calloway discovers who Bud really is when he finds that Bud collects rocks just like he does. Calloway is not Bud's father; he is his grandfather. Bud's mother was his daughter. She always asked him to bring her a rock from wherever he was playing. 

My Impressions

Christopher Paul Curtis's voice is so strong that his work is identifiable even when you don't know the author. That is the mark of a good writer. In many ways, Bud Not Buddy is similar to The Watsons Go to Birmingham 1963. Both books deal with oppression because of race, but both also have a family that encircles and comforts. My favorite part of the book is when Bud and Herman find out both of them collect rocks. That little twist makes it all clear. Bud is a strong character who is not deterred by hardship or pain. He makes his own rules and follows them and creates new ones when he needs them. If I could meet him, I think I would like him because he is smart, he likes to read, and he is strong. 

Professional Review

Bud, not Buddy.(1999). Publisher's Weekly, 245(32).

As in his Newbery Honor-winning debut, The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963, curtis draws on a remarkable and disarming mix of comedy and pathos, this time to describe the travails and adventures of a 10-year-old African-American orphan in Depression-era Michigan. Bud is fed up with the cruel treatment he has received at various foster homes, and after being locked up for the night in a shed with a swarm of angry hornets, he decides to run away. His goal" to reach the man he-on the flimsiest of evidence-believes to be his father, jazz musician Herman E Calloway. Relying on his own ingenuity and good luck, Bud makes it to Grand Rapids, where his "father" owns a club. Calloway, who is much older and grouchier than Bud imagined, is none too thrilled to meet a boy claiming to be his long-lost son. It is the other members of his band-Steady Eddie, Mr. Jimmy, Dough the Thug, Doo-Doo Bug Cross, Dirty Deed Breed and motherly Miss Thomas-who makes Bud feel like he has finally arrived home. While the grim conditions of the times and the harshness of Bud's circumstances are authentically depicted, Curtis shines on them an aura of hope and optimism. And even when he sets up a daunting scenario, he makes readers laugh-for example, mopping floors for the rejecting Calloway, Bud pretends the mop is "that underwater boat in the book Momma read to me, Twenty Thousand Leaks Under the Sea." Bud's journey, punctuated by the Dickensian twists in plot and enlivened by a host of memorable personalities, will keep readers engrossed from first page to last.

Library Uses

1. Help students make blue "suitcases" and fill them with their favorite things (real items may not all fit-use pictures. They can present them during library time and explain why they are important.

2. Ask the gym teacher have them walk around the gym for ten minutes. Use that time to figure out how long it would take to walk from Flint to Grand Rapids (or even better local cities).

Yang, G. L. (2006). American Born Chinese. NY: First Second.

Book Summary

American Born Chinese made the Michael L. Printz Award in 2006. There are really three stories in one, but they all come together neatly. The first is the story of the Monkey King. At first the Monkey King is happy but discovers that humans look down on him. To deal with that he declares that all monkeys must wash, they must walk upright, they must wear shoes, etc...He no longer wants to be a monkey.  God finally comes to him and tells him he was not created to be human, he was made to be a monkey. Still the Monkey King refuses to accept this truth so God  buries him beneath stone for 500 years.  The next story is about a  young second generation Chinese from San Francisco, Jin Wang. When his family moves to a new area, everyone believes he should speak Chinese and act Chinese. He is not happy being identified as Chinese. He wants to be Anglo with blond hair. In the meantime, the Monkey King finally frees himself from the pile of stone, saves a monk and becomes his servant. The next story is about an Anglo boy, Danny,  who has a very strange Chinese cousin, Chin Kee, who lives with his family. His cousin behaves outrageously and Danny becomes embarrassed. He tries to beat up his Chin Kee, but the cousin has all sorts of fighting moves that Danny cannot overcome. Danny finally gets up off the ground and gives a mighty blow to Chin Kee's head--which comes off revealing-----The Monkey King. Since the Monkey King revealed his true form, he says it is time for Danny to reveal his---He is Jin Wang. The Monkey King explains he was not trying to torment Danny, he was trying to save him 500 years imprisoned in rock. So the moral of the story is--You are the best at being You. 

My Impressions

Many people overlook this book because it is a graphic novel, but I thought it was wonderful. I think students today, no matter whether they're black, brown, yellow, red, or purple, need to understand the importance of discovering who they are--accepting it and even rejoicing in it. It has taken me a long time to understand that truth, even though I am a Christian. It appears that Buddhism and Christianity both emphasize the significance of being who you were created to be. I love that.

Professional Review

Cornog, M.(2007) American born Chinese. Library Journal, 132(5), 54.

A National Book Award Finalist and ALA's Printz Award winner, this fable stars the mythological Monkey King, realistic youngster Jin Wang of Taiwanese parentage and TV sitcom teen Danny. All three are dogged by an unwanted identity and humiliated by others' prejudice. The Monkey King trains to be a god but is unceremoniously bounced out of heaven and urged by "he who is" (the great god) to be what he is: a monkey. Jin tries to be accepted and romance a fellow student but gets picked on by classmates. Danny does well with friends until Chinese cousin Chin-Kee, a bitingly funny bundle of racist stereotypes, makes his annual visit and behaves so offensively that Daddy must change schools. Finally the three stories suddenly merge, to center on Jin coming to terms with his minority experience and moving beyond his own fear and hostility. Coalescence comes almost too quickly, but the trivision approach and treatment are unique and moving. The art is simple, colorful, and both attractive and effective. Some potty humor; recommended for teen and adult collections.

Library Uses

1. Collaborate with the language arts or English teacher. Help students remember when they wanted to someone else--what was the result--create a graphic novel. Display either in the classroom or the library.

2. Study Chinese mythology to discover the full story of the Monkey King.

Module 4

Fleischman, S. (1986).  The Whipping Boy. NY: HarperTrophy.

Book Summary

Written by Sid Fleishman and illustrated by Peter Sis, The Whipping Boy is a great, fast-moving read. Jemmy was once a rat-catcher, until he was chosen to become Prince Brat's "whipping boy." The whipping boy received any physical punishment meant for the Prince. The Prince, of course, was too precious to damage. Prince Brat never listens to his tutor, but Jemmy does and learns to read and write. When the prince decides to runaway, Jeremy figures he better go with him because he will be beaten terribly if he stays. On their little adventure, there is a case of mistaken identify, kidnapping, a dancing bear, and a lot of quick thinking on Jeremy's part. Prince Brat learns his lesson and accepts Jemmy as his equal.

My Impressions

Like my students, I fell in love with this book. No one could believe there actually was a "whipping boy" and everyone wanted one. I admit it would be nice if there was someone behind me who could take the consequences of all my mistakes. I liked Jemmy's quick wit, proof that you don't have to be wealthy to be intelligent. The Prince really was a brat, but I appreciated his coming through in the end and helping defeat the kidnappers. Another reason I like it is that it is such a fast read. Every page moves so fast that you hardly have time to catch your breath. 

Professional Review

Liang, L. and Graves, B. (2006). The whipping boy. Book Links, 15(3), 51-52.

When  Prince Brat runs away, Jemmy, his whipping boy, uses his street  smarts to save the prince from would-be kidnappers and along the way teaches the royal heir about life and friendship. The language and vocabulary in this Newbery Medal-award winning novel transport the reader to another time and place and create in the mind's eye very believable and unforgettable characters involved in a fast-paced plot.

Library Uses

1. Create a play using a particular great scene from the book, i.e. in the kidnapper's hideout or the great chase scene in the sewers. Have students perform for a class.

2. After sharing the above, have students create banners for their castle.

MacLachlan, P. (1985). Sarah, Plain and Tall. NY: HarperCollins.

Book Summary

Sarah is a mail order bride who describes herself as "plain and tall."  She comes to be a mother to Caleb and Anna and a wife to Papa, maybe. Although she promises to stay a month, none of the family wants her to go. They know how much she loves her old home in Maine, and the prairie is very different. Sarah endears herself to the family by singing some old songs and teaching the children to swim. Papa is shy with her, but he is attracted to her, too. Fulfilling all their wishes, Sarah stays to marry Papa and be a Mama to Caleb and Anna. 

My Impressions

This was one of the first books my daughter and I read together when she could actually read. Sarah makes a perfect mother--she teaches the children and laughs with them. She takes care of their needs by baking, cutting, and braiding hair. I appreciated the image of an independent woman who could repair a roof and a tender-hearted woman who named her chickens (who were not about to be eaten). Of course, the Hallmark television shows made the book more popular. Glen Close, as tiny as she is, became tall for this film. Christopher Walken, who sometimes takes odd roles, was perfect as Papa. From living on the prairie in Kansas, I know it is not an easy life, even now. Sarah reminds me of  another woman, Abbie, who came to live on the prairie in the book A Lantern in Her Hand by Bess Streeter Aldrich. The book has a poem by Joyce Kilmer that applies to Sarah and Abbie:

                                                 Because the road was steep and long,

                                                 And through a dark and lonely land,

                                                 God set upon my lips a song,

                                                 And put a lantern in my hand.

Sarah becomes the song and the lantern for a family who have  lived in sadness and shadows for too long.

Professional Review

Jones, Trev. (1985) Sarah, plain and tall. School Library Journal, 31(9), 92-93.

A book that is filled with wisdom, gentle humor and the practical concerns necessary for a satisfying life. Terse writing and poetic rhythm flow to create a tender story about the fragile beginnings of a family relationship on its way to permanence. Mam died at Caleb's birth, and papa has not sung since. When a request for a mail-order bride brings a response from a woman from Maine, both Anna (who tells the story) and Caleb want to know if she sings. Sarah arrives for a trial period, and the children and their father wonder if Sarah will miss her family and the sea too much to stay with them. The characters emerge through dialogue, Sarah's letters and the family's responses to her. Through a simple sentence or phrase, aspects of each character's personality--strength, stubbornness, a sense of humor--are brought to light. Refreshingly, this novel portrays children as receptive the love, nurturing and attention that a step-parent can offer--and the willingness to return the affection. Throughout the story, MacLachlan weaves in the colors of the prairie as the seasons pass. Readers will hold their breaths with Anna and Caleb, wondering if indeed Sarah will stay, and breathe a sigh of relief when she does. A short but moving book that is anything but plain--for those who prefer quality to quantity.

Library Uses

1. Collaborating with the earth science teacher, you can help create a unit comparing the climate in Maine to the climate on the prairie (choose Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, or S. Dakota). Keep a log of temperatures in the library.

2. Celebrate a prairie day and have children come with overalls, aprons, bonnets, boots etc...Dress up yourself. You can pair this books with others like Prairie Songs by Pam Conrad and Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Module 3

Burton, V. L. (1942). The Little House. NY: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Book Summary

In the nineteenth century, a man builds the Little House in the country for his family and says, "This little house shall never be sold for gold or silver and she will live to see our great-great-grandchildren's great-great-grandchildren living in her." The Little House is happy in the country with lots of sunshine, grass, trees. When progress invades the area, Little House begins to wonder what life is like in the city. She wants to know what people see and do. When industrialization surrounds her, the Little House is dismayed and misses her days in the country. As she falls into disrepair, Little House becomes depressed. Until--one day a young woman finds the house and sees the possibilities in her. The woman was none other than the great-great granddaughter of the man who built the Little House. The woman has Little House moved into a country setting where once again she is surrounded by sunshine, grass and trees. 

My Impression

I love this book and loved it even more when I researched Virginia Lee Burton. She was a sculptor, an artist, a wife, and a mother. She seemed to be able to allow each attribute flow into another. According to my research, she wrote The Little House as a statement on industrialization and its invasion of rural. Before her time, Burton recognized that the environment was not compatible with "progress." The book depicts smokestacks and cars which belch pollution into the air. In the same way the Little House suffered in the city, so people suffer from the same environment. 

The art is beautiful, bright pencil colors. The strokes are round while Little House is in the country, but vertical when she is in the city. The rhyme is restful and sweet. Best of all, there is a happy ending.

Professional Review

The Little House review. (1942). Kirkus Review.

From what is available, this promises to be another beguiling book in the series which includes Choo Choo and Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel. Children have an instinctive personal feeling about houses, and the idea of the friendly little house that found itself forgotten when the city moved in on it will catch their imaginations. The pictures are in full color and on every page. Virginia Burton has a sense of pattern that makes her pictures almost like a tapestry.

1. Create a little house in the library for children to get cozy and read.

2. Use the book to celebrate Earth Day. Imagine the school as the Little House, and ask students what they can do to make it a happier atmosphere, ie. plant a tree, clean up trash, build a pond.

Selznick, B. (2007). The invention of Hugo Cabret. NY: Scholastic.

Book Summary

An orphan, Hugo Cabret, survives in a Paris railway station by winding the clocks and stealing food to eat. He invests time on an automaton on which his father worked before his death. With the help of a new friend, he manages to make the machine work. Through a series of events, Hugo meets the great filmmaker George Melies. Melies is no longer the happy man who created fantastical settings that took people away from reality into the imaginary world of film. Melies is finally remembered for  pioneer work in film and Hugo grows up to be magician.

My Impressions

While this book is easy to read, I took extra time because the drawings fascinated me. Selznick is a genius at pencil drawing and hiding pictures within the pictures. George Melies tells Hugo of his celluloid films being melted and turned into heels for shoes; with each click of a shoe there is a ghost. Selznick hides the ghosts in his pictures. I enjoyed the "orphan" aspect, too. Being fatherless is a tragedy, but Hugo, like many great characters before him, overcomes the tragedy and becomes a success. The automaton fascinated me because I have never seen one. I didn't realize that an automaton was more like a clock than a robot, running on springs and screws. Researching automatons yielded more information. There is an automaton at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. It is called the Draughtsman-Writer" and was built by Henri Maillardet around 1810. Selznick visited the institute when he began writing Hugo's story. I think children will be just as fascinated as I am with the pure joy that is The Invention of Hugo Cabret.

Professional Review

R. S. (2007). The invention of Hubo Cabret. Horn Book Magazine, 83(2), 173-175.

Here's a dilemma for the Newbery committee...and the Caldecott: what do you do with an illustrated novel in which neither text nor pictures can tell the story alone? Not to mention to the drama to be found in the page turns themselves. A brief introductions sets the time (1931) and the place (Paris) and invites readers to imagine they're at the movies. And with a turn of the page, they are, as, over a sequence of twenty-one double-page wordless spreads, a story begins. A picture of Paris; day breaks as the "camera" moves into a shot of a strain station, where a boy makes his way to a secret passage from which, through a peephole, he watches an old man sitting at a stall selling toys. Finally, the text begins: "From his perch behind the clock, Hugo could see everything." The story that follows in breathtaking counterpoint is a lively one, involving the dogged Hugo, his touch little ally Isabelle, an automaton that can draw pictures and a state magician turned filmmaker, the real-life Georges Melies, most famously the directer of A Trip to the Moon (1902). There is a bounty of mystery and incident here, along with several excellent chase scenes expertly rendered in the atmospheric, dramatically crosshatched black-and-white (naturally) pencil drawings that make up at least a third of the book. (According to the final chapter, and putting a metafictional spin on things there are 158 pictures and 26,159 words in the book.) The interplay between the illustrations (including several stills from Melies's frequently surreal films and others from the era) and text is complete genius, especially the way Selznick moves from one to the other, depending on whether words or images are the better choice for the moment. And as in silent films, it's always just one or the other, wordless double-spread pictures or unillustrated text, both framed in the enticing black of the silent screen. While the bookmaking is spectacular, and the binding secure but generous enough to allow the pictures to flow easily across the gutter, The Invention of Hugo Cabret is foremost good storytelling, with the sincerity and verbal ease reminiscent of Andrew Clements (a frequent Selznick collaborator) and themes of secrets, dreams, and invention that play lightly but resonantly throughout. At one point, Hugo watches in awe as Isabelle blithely picks the lock on a door. "How did you learn to do that?" he asks. "Books," she answers. Exactly so.

Library Uses

1. Invite a film professor from a nearby university to discuss George Melies's contribution to film. Students may write questions to ask the expert.

2. Do a book talk for students and then ask if they can create a book that is a mixture of pencil drawings and words. Collaborate with the language arts teacher and the art teacher to produce a final product. Display them and present them during Parent Teacher Night.

module 1

Finchler, J. (2006). Miss Malarkey leaves no reader behind. NY: Walker Publishing Company.

Book Summary

Finchler's book depicts every librarian's task: finding the right book, in the right hands, at the right time. A young boy and his friends prefer video games to reading. During a reading contest, Miss Malarkey works to find books her students will like. As his friends fall in love with books, the boy is still adamant that he does not enjoy reading. Miss Malarkey offers fantasy, biographies, jokes, etc...with no luck, until on the last day of school, she finds a book for the boy. He spends all night reading the book and claims it is the best book ever. 

My Impressions

The young boy in this story reminds me of my son and a thousand other boys I have taught. It is difficult to find a book for boys who hate reading. My son always said, "It takes too long." From my research, I know many boys feel the same way. Like Miss Malarkey, I know that a teacher/librarian cannot give up on students. There is a book for every reader. It is our task to find it and ignite the love of reading in our students. If a student reads it, or a librarian shares it with a class, I think the student may stop and think about the possibility that there really is a book she might like.

Professional Review

Sheridan, Rebecca. (2006). Miss Malarkey leaves no reader behind. School Library Journal, 52(8), p81.

K-Gr 2-During the first week of school, Principal Wiggins promises that if the students read 1000 books by June 12, he will dye his hair purple and sleep on the roof. Miss Malarkey tells her class that they will be doing the Everybody Reads in America program and promises that all of the students will find books they love before the end of the school year. She picks some for each of them, engaging even reluctant readers. One boy remains unable to find a book he likes until June 10, when Miss Malarkey chooses one that has aliens, race cars, funny jokes, chewing gum, hot sauce and cannonballs. I becomes number 1001 read by the students and the story ends with everyone wishing Principal Wiggins (whose hair is now purple) a good night on the roof. This title will resonate with those who choose math, video games, and sports over books. O'Malley's illustrations, done in markers and colored pencils, enhance the text with expressive pictures of the students and their teacher as they explore (or choose not to explore) the joys of reading. The illustrations lend humor and credibility to the reluctance of some of the students. A must-have for all libraries.

Library Uses

1. At the beginning of school, make a bulletin board with the covers of books appropriate for the age group. In the middle place the cover of Miss Malarkey Leaves No Reader Behind. Students will interested in the book and hopefully will want to find a book just for them.

2. With the principal, plan a reading competition for your school. Begin with a reading of Miss Malarkey Leaves No Reader Behind. Brainstorm with teachers on ways to attract readers. Introduce books from the library that will bring reluctant readers into the library.