Scott O’Dell Award Winning Book

Gantos, Jack. 2011. Dead End In Norvelt. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux. ISBN 9780374379933

Plot Summary:

Grounded for an entire summer after blowing a hole through a drive-in movie screen and mowing down his mother’s corn, young Jack must keep busy helping Miss Volker write obituaries for the original town members in Norvelt. While helping Miss Volker, Jack must learn how to manage nosebleeds, melted-off hands, driving lessons, an old man on a tricycle, and even Hells Angels. As Jack works to help with the obituaries, he discovers a wealth of information on the history of his small town in Pennsylvania and its founder Eleanor Roosevelt.

Critical Analysis:

Dead End In Norvelt’s main character, Jack Gantos is a 12 year-old boy growing up in the 1960’s. The book has some auto-biographical qualities through the experiences of the main character.  Because of the connection between the author and the main character, young Jack, it’s an accurate portrayal of the interests and actions of a 12 year-old in the 1960’s. Gantos efficiently portrays the personalities of the key characters in the book. The character’s personalities are realistic to the time, such as Jack’s mother who stays at home and works to prepare meals for the family and elderly community members. You can almost picture her with her hair neatly pinned and wearing an apron every waking minute.

The plot is unique and humorous.  While the events throughout the story are surprising and entertaining the plot is centrally focused on the town of Norvelt, PA, originally established as a project by Eleanor Roosevelt, and how this small town is slowly wearing out. Some of the details, such as Miss Volker doing procedures on Jack’s nose capillaries may distract a bit from the historical details that follow, but overall those details  lighten the mood of the plot and bring in a lot of humor that are sure to draw the attention of young readers.  Besides the town itself being historical and the drive-in movie down the road, the setting feels more like an old town than a historical one. Overall the characters and the plot stay more true to the times.

Jack Gantos fills his writing with classic “one-liners.” Witty comments such as Jack stating “I love to sniff the insides of books” and “cheezus crust” will make you laugh out loud at times. Poetic statements, such as “When the sun goes down, each day turns its back on the present and step into the past” fill the pages as well. It is clear Gantos has an affinity for history because he easily works in historical information into young Jack’s day to day life. Young Jack encounters history not only through the obituaries, but also in the “This Day in History” section of the paper and in the history books he loves to read. The era is reflected through the types of discussion the characters have and the activities they partake in. Dad discussing atomic bomb shelters and what the children do for fun (no video games…imagine that!) are realistic to discussions and activities of the 1960’s.

Awards & Reviews:

John Newberry Medal

Scott O’Dell Award

“A bit of autobiography works its way into all of Gantos’s work, but he one-ups himself in this wildly entertaining meld of truth and fiction by naming the main character . . . Jackie Gantos.” — STARRED/ Publishers Weekly

“A fast-paced and witty read.” —School Library Journal

“An exhilarating summer marked by death, gore and fire sparks deep thoughts in a small-town lad not uncoincidentally named ‘Jack Gantos.’ The gore is all Jack’s, which to his continuing embarrassment ‘would spray out of my nose holes like dragon flames’ whenever anything exciting or upsetting happens. And that would be on every other page, seemingly … [A] characteristically provocative gothic comedy, with sublime undertones.” --STARRED/ Kirkus Reviews

Connections:

*Identify similes in the book and write original similes about your town or school.

*Research a historical figure mentioned in the obituaries such as King Richard II, Cortes, or Eleanor Roosevelt.

 

Biography- The Lincolns

Fleming, Candace. 2008. The Lincolons: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary. New York: Schwartz and Wade Books. ISBN 9780375836183

Overview:

The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary portrays the life of President Abraham Lincoln and First Lady Mary Lincoln from birth to death. A dual look at both of their lives is offered illustrating their very different childhoods, their new life together, the presidency, Civil War, loss of children, and finally the tragic end to both of their lives. Along with some historical information, many ordinary events are presented.  Willie and Tad’s circus in the attic, Mary’s search for a dress maker, and Lincoln’s time  with “the boys,” allow readers to know the “real” Lincolns.

Critical Analysis:

Fleming uses a variety of sources, including personal writings from the Lincolns and memoirs and excerpts from family friends and relatives, to reveal a portrayal of the Abraham and Mary’s life from birth to death. The stories range from family times to major historical events that took place under Lincoln’s presidency.

The book is composed like a scrapbook and the black and white images and headlines will remind readers of a newspaper. Images of family portraits, primary documents, and historical events enhance every page. The book is organized into eight chapters and is in logical order according to Lincoln’s lifetime events and life themes. Also included are an engaging introduction, source notes, and an extensive index. Although the large composition of the book does not allow for a read aloud, the scrapbook layout invites readers to browse headings quite easily.

Reviews and Awards:

“Once again, Fleming humanizes her subjects and offers a broader perspective on their times with cleverly juxtaposed facts, anecdotes, and images.” --Booklist

“Using her signature scrapbook approach, Fleming lays out the answer in a biography that gives equal emphasis to Abraham and Mary Lincoln for an insightful portrait of their lives.”--School Library Journal

ALA Notable Books 2009
Flora Stieglitz Straus Award for Nonfiction 2009, Bank Street School of Education
IRA Teachers' Choices
NCTE Orbis Pictus Honor Book

Connections:

*Read more about the Lincolns in books such as:

            Abe Lincoln’s Hat by Martha Brenner

            Young Abe Lincoln: The Frontier Days, 1809-1837 by Cheryl Harness

            Lincoln in His Own Words by Milton Meltzer

*Review quotes of the day and additional information at http://www.abrahamlincolnsclassroom.org/

*Create an Abraham Lincoln puppet and share an interesting aspect of Lincoln’s life through the puppet.

*Write your own newspaper article about Abraham Lincoln.

Nonfiction By Steve Jenkins

Jenkins, Steve. Just a Second: A Different Way to Look At Time. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2011.

Overview:

Do you really know what kinds of things can happen every second, every minute, or every hour of each day, week, month, or year? In Just a Second: A Different Way to Look at Time, you will discover interesting information regarding time such as that a rattlesnake shakes its tail 60 times and a commercial jet can cruise 800 feet in just one second. Other intervals of time are also discussed- the minute, hour, day, week, month, year, and not to mention what has happened over the last billion years. After reading In Just a Second: A Different Way to Look at Time, readers will know just how much goes on in the time it takes to read just this one sentence.

Critical Analysis:

On two-paged colorful spreads, Jenkins displays collage-style images all around and includes facts near or bordering each picture. The images stand out against the bold solid colors used on the pages. Although the images used are not real photographs, they are appealing and draw in the attention of a young audience of 6 to 10 year olds. The facts are to the point and mostly not well-known information, making this informational book easy to read aloud from beginning to end. The last page in the book notes that some facts used in the book are well established, such as the speed of light, and other facts come from a variety of sources or are estimates of those sources. The author also notes that some facts come from reasonable estimates because, for example, there is no way to know exactly how many babies are born in a year. The author’s style of writing offers readers just enough information to peak their interest, but still allows the main idea of the book, concepts of time, to be clearly understood.

Awards and Reviews:

Caldecott Award Winning Author

“Jenkins renders this package both eye-catching and mind boggling. Teachers will find good juming-off points here for math, science, and history discussions.”--School Library Journal

“This subtly philosophical examination of time, scale, and the mechanics of life is all but certain to leave readers reconsidering the world and their place in it.” --Publishers Weekly

Connections:

*Create a class book that follows the pattern of Steve Jenkins’ Just a Second that depicts how many second, minutes, etc. that it takes student to do various things.

*Do some research on the history of time.

*Read Telling Time: How to tell time on digital and analog clocks! by Jules Older

Sibert Honor Book

Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. 2005. Hitler Youth: Growing Up In Hitler’s Shadow. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 0439353793

Overview:

Hitler’s Youth: Growing Up in Hitler’s Shadow provides a fascinating look at the young people who dedicated themselves to the Hitler Youth organization and enabled the expansion of the Nazi Party in the 1930’s. Accounts from former Hitler Youth members and also from those who opposed the Nazi movement come together to reveal the choices, experiences, and outlook of the young people during Hitler’s rise to power.

Critical Analysis:

Through personal interviews and years of research Bartoletti is able to give readers an accurate understanding of the role of young people during Hitler’s rise to power.  The overall understanding that the reader achieves is well-rounded because of the perspective Bartoletti offers from both the youth that supported Hitler’s reign and the youth that suffered persecution for opposing it. Henry Metelmann stated, “We met together, marched, and played together.” From  direct quotes, such as this, and the medals and prestige the Hitler Youth were given, readers get a sense of where the choice of loyalty to Hitler had come from. On the other hand, Bartoletti writes about Alfons Heck’s teacher who bullied Jewish students and how the students were encouraged to despise them. The style Bartoletti uses in sharing so many voices among the youth of this time creates opportunities for reflection  and critical thinking for readers as they sort through the “whys” and “hows” of this time in history.

The black and white photographs and captions in the book could almost provide readers with an understanding of the Hitler Youth all on their own. The innocence and youth of the children in the photographs will astound readers. Bartoletti includes Hitler’s propaganda pictures, pictures of the everyday life of the Hitler Youth, and news photos that documented the events during Nazi regin. Several personal photographs are also included from several of the voices that are heard in the book. These photographs provide a powerful connection between the reader and the voices of the Hitler Youth.

The book is 176 pages and is 27 cm making one of the larger books on the shelves. It is organized into chapters and readers can easily select sections of the book that spark their interest. Prior to the introduction Bartoletti introduces the young people from the book with their picture and short description of their role during the Nazi rise to power, which quickly takes the large and somewhat intimidating read to a quaint personal account. Finally, Bartoletti dedicates several of her final pages to a timeline, notes about her experience in writing the book, information about the photographs, and cites a vast number of sources giving readers a sense of accuracy within the pages of the book and ultimately more information about growing up in Hitler’s shadow.

Awards and Reviews:

Newberry Honor Book

Robert F. Sibert Honor Book

2005 Parent’s Choice Gold Seal Award

“Bartoletti lets many of the subjects’ words, emotions, and deeds speak for themselves, bringing them together clearly to tell this story nlike anyone else has.” --School Library Journal

“This solid offering deserves wide readership by today’s young people, ans it is certainto promote extensive discussion.” --The Bullitenof the Center for Children’s Books

Connections:

-Visit a local museum such as the Holocaust Museum in Dallas.

-Compare and contrast a Hitler Youth member from the book and a member who opposed the Nazi Party.

-Put together a “Did you know?” display to share new information and id

Novel in Verse-- The Wild Book

The Wild Book

Engle, Margarita. The Wild Book. New York, NY: Harcourt Children’s Books. 2012

ISBN: 9780547581316

Plot Summary:

Many years ago in Cuba, a young farm girl, Fefa, struggles with dyslexia. After being diagnosed with “word-blindness”, she shares the feelings and obstacles she must overcome as she deals with her disability. The difficult Cuban times of kidnappers and bandits are evident in the events that take place, but her biggest worry is not being able to read the ransom notes. Her mother gives Fefa a book with blank pages in which she can begin to explore writing in her own way and at her own pace. Eventually her brother commits to helping her learn to read and write. Her journey from her feelings of inadequacy to feelings of courage is an adventure in itself.

Critical Analysis:

Free verse is the style of poetry presented in The Wild Book. The free verse works well for telling Fefa’s story because it makes it easy to understand. This style of poetry allows for emotion and history to run together seamlessly.

Margarita Engle works hard to convey emotions through the words in the book. Several times she breaks up words into syllables, allowing you to feel Fefa’s struggles to read and write. Multiple times she writes about reading “OUTLOUD” and readers quickly get a sense of the constant frustrations that were experienced within the struggle of dyslexia. Along with the emotions of fear and discouragement, readers will also feel positive emotions as Fefa begins to develop strategies for reading and writing. When Fefa states she is “hungry for words,” readers will feel a deep depth of joy from the emotion that the words bring about.

The story as a whole that is presented through the verses is indicative of early twentieth-century Cuba. The reader gets the sense of the country’s history and is given just enough insight to want to peak their interest into seeking further information. It is also interesting to see the powerful role that poetry played in the lives of the Cuban people. Almost any reader can relate to struggling with something at some point, and Fefa’s journey will give hope and courage to readers to hold on to through tough times.

Awards & Reviews:

Newberry Honor Awards winning author

Pura Belpre awards winning author

“Readers will hear the stories -- and never forget them.” --Booklist

“A beautiful tale of perseverance.” --Kirkus Review

“A lyrical glimpse of early twentieth-century Cuba.”--Booklist

Connections:

*Paint or draw a visual image created by a favorite poem in the book.

*Think about something you have struggled with. Use one of Engle’s poems as a model to write a free verse poem of your own experience.

*Seek out additional information on Cuban history.

*Decorate your own “Wild Book.”

Poetry by J. Patrick Lewis

A World of Wonders

Lewis, J. Patrick. A World of Wonders: Geographic Travels in Verse and Rhyme. Ill. by Alison Jay. New York, NY: Dial Books for Young Readers. 2002.

ISBN: 0803725795

About the Book:

Lewis will take you on a journey around the world to discover various geographic concepts. First take a look at the voyage of Christopher Columbus in an acrostic poem. Discover the answer to questions about the Red Sea and the Dead Sea. Readers will get to explore major geographic locations and also gain exposure to the people who first explored them.

Critical Analysis:

A World of Wonders targets elementary aged children. Some information will be new to readers, while some readers will enjoy more familiar content because of the unique presentation of information.

The words in the book are written in a clever way, and rather than evoke emotion, they enable readers to remember valuable content and vocabulary. For example, when Lewis writes “lines of latitude have a flatitude,” readers will hold onto the meaning of latitude because of the clever rhyme. Although some words seem a little forced because of the rhyme, it works out in helping children to remember particular concepts. It also adds a spice of humor at times, which seems to lighten the tone for a book about geographic concepts.

The illustrations will hold the attention of young readers, as there are a lot of details to look at on the pages. The tones of the images reflect a map and give the pictures an old-world feel.

Awards & Reviews:

Recently named U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate author

NCTE Award winning author

“[A] witty and fact-filled collection of poems”--Publishers Weekly

Connections:

*Read poems that pertain to concepts you are covering as the introduction to the lesson.

*Identify geographic vocabulary in the book and use the images written in the poems to define the terms with words or a picture.

*Choose an explorer named in the book and do some additional research.

Award Winning Poetry

This is Just to Say

Sidman, Joyce. This is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness. Ill. by Pamela Zagarenski. Boston, MA:  Houghton Mifflin Co. 2007.

ISBN 0618616802

About the Book:

After studying the poem “This is Just to Say” by William Carlos William, a sixth grade class begins a poetry project of writing their own poems of apology. The poems deal with humorous topics such as stealing jelly donuts and throwing to hard in a dodge ball game to serious topics such as losing a pet and dealing with family separation. Along with the poems of apology in part one comes part two: the responses of the apology recipients. Some of the responses offer forgiveness, while others do not.

Critical Analysis:

Sidman’s includes a range of poems including poems that rhyme, free verse poems, and haiku. The multiple rhythms of the poems are appealing and will hold the attention of adolescent readers.  The change in rhythm is appropriate not only for the intended audience, but also for the range of topics. For example, the voice and rhythm in the dodge ball apology poem is light-hearted and evokes an emotion of humor and fun. In Jewel’s Next Time poem the tone turns serious as she writes about her father leaving the family. The tone and voice is appropriate throughout the various poems. The inner thoughts of the people in the poems seem reveal typical feelings of the adolescent age. The anthology as a whole is unique because surrounding the poems of apology and forgiveness, is a story of a sixth grade class developing and growing from an opportunity to share their experiences. 

Pamela Zagarenski creates whimsical illustrations throughout the entire anthology of poems. The illustrations complement the tone of the poems. The illustrations are respectful when the poems are serious and only add to the humor when the poems intend to make readers smile. The illustrations capture the attention of readers with clever details such as using snippets of a dictionary entry as clothing for several of the characters.

Awards & Reviews:

Claudia Lewis Poetry Award

Texas Bluebonnet Award

Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award Honor Book

“Packed with the intensity of everyday pain and sorrow, kids and adults exchange words that convey grief, delight, love and acceptance of themselves and others.”--Kirkus Review

“Captivating.”--Booklist

“Sidman’s ear is keen, capturing many voices. Her skill as a poet accessible to young people is unmatched… This is an important book both for its creativity and for its wisdom.”--School Library Journal

Connections:

*After reading the poems in Sidman’s anthology, write your own poem of apology.

*Discuss voice in the poems and find evidence in the poems that support your understanding.

*Read Forgive Me, I Meant to Do it: False Apology Poems by Gail Carson