Genre 3 - Poetry - Once Upon a Tomb: Gravely Humerous Verses

1. Bibliography
Lewis, J. Patrick. 2006. Once upon a tomb: gravely humorous verses. Ill. by Simon Bartram. Cambridge: Candlewick Press. ISBN 9780763618377

2. Plot Summary
This collection of twenty-two poems is written with one objective in mind: comedy. Silly from beginning to end, some of Lewis's short verses tell how people from all walks of life died an untimely death while others resemble tombstone epitaphs. Others still just have two or three deliberately chosen words.

3. Analysis
The pairing of Lewis's poems with Bartram's surrealistic acrylic illustrations delivers a one-two punch to the reader. Bartram's paintings make the poems come to life (pun intended) and add another layer of humor to Lewis's words. Most of the illustrations also include death icons such as the grim reaper, skeletons, caskets, or angels looming over the unlucky characters. While the theme of death may seem a bit macabre, Lewis presents it in a way that isn't scary or sad for children. He seems to be playing off the fact that such morbid subject matter can be entertaining. This whimsical approach carries throughout the book with silly word play that may be too sophisticated for young readers to understand.

The variety of lengths of poems creates a balanced composition. My personal favorite, one of the shortest in the collection, the Underwear Salesman's "Our grief/Was brief" is brilliantly paired with the scene of grieving family members in their undergarments wearing ties and dress shoes. The more in-depth Dairy Farmer tells the tale of "Little Larry LeGow" who should "Never sit under/ A Hereford cow." A stand out for children may be the Bully who meets his demise and "Now he comes to terms/With worms." While some of these verses resonate more that others, overall this book is a comical collection of poems to be enjoyed by older elementary children and adults alike.

4. Review Excerpts
Publishers Weekly - "22 morbidly funny elegies pair perfectly with Bartram's hilarious acrylics."
School Library Journal - "A great selection for a Halloween read-aloud or reluctant poetry readers."
Kirkus Reviews - "Lewis is 'dead-on' with this collection of 'gravely humorous verses.'"

5. Connections
*J. Patrick Lewis does author visits and Skype visits on a regular basis. It would be very inspiring for children to be able to hear from the author himself. See information about visits here.
*Visit the J. Patrick Lewis website for photos, frequently asked questions, full bibliography, poems and riddles, and more! http://www.jpatricklewis.com/

Genre 2 Traditional Tales: Porch Lies: Tales of Slicksters, Tricksters, and Other Wily Characters

1. Bibliography
McKissack, Patricia. 2006. Porch lies: tales of slicksters, tricksters, and other wily characters. Ill. by Andre Carrilho. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books. ISBN 9780375836190

2. Plot Summary
In this compilation of literary tales, McKissack takes the reader back in time to her grandparents' porch in Nashville, Tennessee. Inspired by the "porch lies" she heard as a child, McKissack crafts her original tales in the same style. Each short story has a "slickster" or "trickster" who could charm his or her way through any situation and who, in the end, usually teaches the reader a lesson. One tale seems to out-do another with one sly character seeming more outrageous than the next. Each story is set in the Depression era in the south, and all involve African-American characters.


3. Analysis
Each of McKissack's ten original stories seems to have an authentic tone. While the narration is not written in dialect, bits and pieces of Southern African-American vernacular are sprinkled in to the character's dialogue to give the stories some sense of legitimacy. As her stories were inspired by the "porch lies" she heard throughout her childhood, these tales would best be conveyed read aloud, as they lend themselves to great oral storytelling. The stories are filled with humor, wit, and of course many different sly characters. In Aunt Gran and the Outlaws, an old southern grandma outwits Jesse James and his brother, Frank. In The Devil's Guitar, the familiar theme of selling one's soul to the devil is explored. McKissack's stories are rooted in history with mentions of KKK-like groups, the outlaw Jesse James, and segregation and prejudice in the South. Her "slickters, tricksters, and other wily characters" are sure to please a wide audience.
Carrilho's imaginative and unique illustrations add another layer of enjoyment to McKissack's yarns. His caricature, cartoon style black and white illustrations superbly capture the essence of each "slickster."

4. Review Excerpts
Booklist - "Great for sharing, on the porch and in the classroom."
School Library Journal - "These 10 literate stories make for great leisure listening and knowing chuckles."
Horn Book - "Grandly melodramatic black-and-white illustrations capture the mood of the stories and the flavor of the period."

5. Connections
*Students can be encouraged to share family stories passed down to them.
*Allow students to perfect their oral reading skills by choosing and practicing an excerpt from their favorite story to read aloud to the class.
*Compare and contrast the different sly characters in each of McKissack's tales. What qualities do they all possess and what makes each of them unique?

Genre 2 Traditional Tales: The Two Mountains

1. Bibliography
Kimmel, Eric A. 2000. The two mountains: an Aztec legend. Ill. by Leonard Everett Fisher. New York: Holiday House. ISBN 9780823415045

2. Plot Summary
In this pourquoi tale, Kimmel retells an Aztec legend that explains the formation of the two mountains, Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl, located in the Valley of Mexico. The sun god, Tonatiuh, has forbidden his son, Ixcocauqui, from leaving their jade palace in the heavens. Ixococauqui defies his father one day and comes upon Coyolxauhqui, the daughter of the moon god. They fall in love and marry, but are forbidden to ever to leave the heavens and walk upon the earth by Tonatiuh, since he is still furious Ixococauqui had broken his first rule. If they break the second rule, they will not be gods anymore. The temptation is too great, and one day they descend to the earth. As warned, they are both turned into humans and are no longer immortal gods. Coyolxauhqui becomes very ill and dies, so the gods transform the two lovers into the two mountains so that they will always be together.
A pronunciation guide of the Nahuatl names is included at the end of the book.

3. Analysis
The bold, vibrant colors in Fisher's acrylic two page illustrations of Aztec people, gods, and lush scenery create an ideal backdrop for Kimmel's simple text. The vivid greens, blues, reds, and yellows enhance the retelling of this traditional tale. Readers will enjoy the "forbidden fruit" theme as, predictably, the characters break the rules and are punished; a familiar theme to children. Although the passing of Coyolxauhqui may seem a bit sad, the reader is reassured that the two protagonists found immortality again in becoming the two mountains. I was actually surprised when reading this story because I had read an alternate pourquoi tale about the two mountains that mirrors Snow White. Although I was taken aback at first that the story was different than the one I was familiar with, this tale was satisfying nonetheless.

4. Review Excerpts
Publishers Weekly - "The team...offers a competent reworking of this tale explaining the formation of two mountains overlooking the Valley of Mexico."
School Library Journal - "This beautifully illustrated story will be enjoyed by folklore readers and enhance studies of Aztec culture."

5. Connections
* Compare and contrast this tale of the two mountains with the Aztec Snow White tale at this link http://home.freeuk.com/elloughton13/snow1.htm
* Include this book along with other Aztec legends during a study of the Aztec culture and its demise.
*Children can write their own pourquoi tale of the Franklin Mountains or of Mount Cristo Rey in El Paso.

Genre 2 Cinderella Variant: Yeh-Shen

1. Bibliography
Louie, Ai-Ling. 1982. Yeh-Shen: a cinderella story from china. Ill. by Ed Young. New York: Philomel Books. ISBN 0399612033

2. Plot Summary
The Chinese variant of Cinderella appears to have been the original Cinderella according to an author's note in the beginning of the book. The story appears in a book dated from the T'ang dynasty in the years 618-907 A.D., far predating the European retellings of the story which appear in the 1600s.

Louie retells the story of the beautiful Yeh-Shen, an orphan living in Southern China in "the dim past, even before the Ch'in and Han dynasties." As the story goes, she is mistreated and abused by her stepmother and ugly stepsister. Her stepmother even kills her pet fish and cooks it for dinner. However, Yeh-Shen is told by a weary old man that the bones of her fish hold magical powers, and that she should pray to them in time of need. Yeh-Shen does just that and is awarded with golden-soled slippers and a beautiful cloak of feathers to wear to the spring festival to meet a husband.

As anticipated, she runs away from the festival for fear of being recognized and loses a golden slipper. The slipper is recovered and sold to a merchant who shows it to the king. He leaves the slipper outside to see whose tiny foot will fit into it. Yeh-Shen sneaks outside to recover her slipper, and king is able to see her in her beautiful feathered cloak. Yeh-Shen is married to the king and her stepmother and stepsister remain in their cave where they are killed by a cave-in.

3. Analysis
Knowing that the Chinese variant of the traditional Cinderella story could be the original one makes this retelling seem somewhat more authentic than other variants. Louie's retelling is simply written in traditional Chinese block style and beautifully illustrated by Young with pastels and watercolor. The graceful drawings illuminate the story in shades of green, blue, yellow, and red and show a deep admiration for Chinese heritage. The fish being the magical element in the story further embraces the Chinese culture in that fish represent prosperity. The conclusion of the stepsister and stepmother being killed is not written in a violent or threatening manner and should not frighten children away. In fact, it gives the story a closed ending that leaves no stone unturned and supports the theme of good triumphing over evil. This story is a delightful and essential addition to the Cinderella tradition.

4. Review Excerpts
Publisher's Weekly - "Misty, jewel-like illustrations evoke the mythic past in this Chinese Cinderella story."
Booklist - "A misty dreamlike air. A worthwhile addition to picture-book collections."
ALA Notable Children's Book
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

5. Connections
*Compare and contrast Yeh-Shen to other Cinderella variants such as:
Cinderella, or The Little Glass Slipper by Marcia Brown ISBN 9780689814747
The Egyptian Cinderella by Shirley Climo ISBN 9780064432795
The Persian Cinderella by Shirley Climo ISBN 9780064438537
Cendrillon by Robert D. San Souci ISBN 9782914692281

*Research Chinese culture and heritage and relate the findings to the story of Yeh-Shen

Picture Book Review Genre 1 - A Caldecott Celebration

1. Bibliography
Marcus, Leonard S. 1998/2008. A caldecott celebration: seven artists and their paths to the caldecott medal. New York: Walker Publishing Company, Inc. ISBN 9780802797032

2. Plot Summary
This book paints a picture of seven Caldecott Medal winning artists including a brief biography of each, how their winning books came to be, and what the prize meant to them. There is one winning artist profiled from each decade that the prize has been awarded. The book includes Robert McClosky, Marcia Brown, Maurice Sendak, William Steig, Chris Van Allsburg, David Weisner, and Mordicai Gerstein. In this updated reprint that was published in 2008, Mordicai Gerstein is added to include a winner from the aughts. There is also a nice preface in the 2008 expanded edition that points out the fact that David Weisner has won two additional Caldecott Medals since the first printing. In addition to the artists' profiles, Marcus includes information about who Randolph Caldecott was, how the prize is awarded, and a complete list of Caldecott Medal winners through 2007.

3. Analysis
This book really gives the reader an inside perspective on just exactly how much hard work really goes into creating an award winning book. Since the Caldecott Medal is awarded to the artist, the pictures of the works in progress in this book are especially intriguing. To see the little "dummies" with rough sketches and how they are transformed into works of art is amazing and inspirational to any budding artist. Take, for example, Maurice Sendak who took over seven years to write Where the Wild Things Are and even wrote "ABANDON!" at the end of the dummy before finally deciding to make a finished product.

The true magic of this book is conveyed through the rough sketches, hand written notes, and personal anecdotes from each of the artists. One thing I found interesting was that Marcus chose to focus on author/illustrators, meaning that each artist profiled also wrote the book. One can learn from this book that the illustrating process is intertwined with the writing process, in that they both take several steps, including numerous revisions, before the final product can be published.

4. Review Excerpts
School Library Journal Starred Review - "Teachers, librarians, and parents will find a source of inspiration here."
Booklist Starred Review - "A beautifully made book."
Publishers Weekly Starred Review - "With Marcus's sure hand guiding the tour, readers will find cause for celebration."

5. Connections
*Of course, readers of this book should read each of the profiled Caldecott winning books.
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey ISBN 9780670451494
Cinderella, or The Little Glass Slipper by Marcia Brown ISBN 9780689814747
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak ISBN 9780060254926
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig ISBN 9781416902065
Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg ISBN 9780395304488
Tuesday by David Wiesner ISBN 9780395870822
The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein ISBN 9780312368784

*Children can write and illustrate their own story following the process of drafts and revisions before making a final product.

*Art teachers could use this book to inspire children to use different media to produce illustrations for a story.

Picture Book Review Genre 1 - Knuffle Bunny

1. Bibliography
Willems, Mo. 2004. Knuffle bunny: a cautionary tale. New York: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 9780786818709

2. Plot Summary
In this "cautionary tale," a toddler named Trixie goes on a trip to the laundromat with her father and her favorite stuffed animal, Knuffle Bunny. Everything goes smoothly, and Trixie is pleased to help her father until...Trixie's beloved stuffed animal goes missing. She tries desperately to tell her father what has happened, but she can't get the message across. Not until they get back home does Trixie's mother realize that Trixie has returned without Knuffle Bunny. A frantic search of the laundromat ensues, and Knuffle Bunny is recovered to Trixie's delight. She even speaks her first words: Knuffle Bunny!

3. Analysis
In this very easy to read book, Willems does not waste time on mundane details. It is straight to the point, and the story is laid out with a few words on each page. Not to say it isn't well written; it is. The choice of words is deliberate and comical, from the name Knuffle Bunny to Trixie's baby talk (aggle flaggle klabble!) to the description of Trixie going "boneless." The illustrations are a perfect match for the story. Willems's colorful cartoon drawings imposed on top of sepia tone photos of Brooklyn create a work of art for parents and children alike to enjoy. I especially loved the faces of the people on the street on the trip back home when Trixie is making such a scene. Most parents have seen those looks before when their children have thrown tantrums in public. The relatable story of having a favorite item misplaced will resonate especially with young children, as will the difficulty Trixie has communicating her problem to her father.

4. Review Excerpts
Caldecott Honor Book
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Blue Ribbon Award Winner
School Library Journal Starred Review - "A seamless and supremely satisfying presentation of art and text."
Booklist Starred Review - "Even children who can already talk a blue streak will come away satisfied that their own strong emotions have been mirrored and legitimized, and readers of all ages will recognize the agonizing frustration of a little girl who knows far more than she can articulate."

5. Connections
*Author study on Mo Willems - Compare and contrast Willems's books and illustrations, especially Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity and the soon to be published Knuffle Bunny Free: an Unexpected Diversion.
*Springboard for writing - Older children can write their own "cautionary tale" about a favorite item of theirs or their little brother or sister.
*Art - Imitate Willems's style of putting cartoon drawings atop black and white or sepia toned photos - camera and computer required.

Picture Book Review Genre 1 - Joseph Had a Little Overcoat

1. Bibliography
Taback, Simms. 1977/1999. Joseph had a little overcoat. New York: Viking. ISBN 9780670878550

2. Plot Summary
In this adaptation of an old Yiddish song, Taback tells the story of Joseph and his ever-changing article of clothing. Joseph begins with a coat that gets "old and worn," so he decides to cut it into a vest. The vest gets cut down and transformed, and so on and so on until he is left with nothing. Never to fret, though, Joseph is happy to make a book about his little coat and shares that "you can always make something out of nothing."

3. Analysis
Taback's artwork beautifully illustrates Joseph's story (in his likeness) with whimsical images of traditional Jewish culture. Each time Joseph cuts down his clothing, there are cleverly placed die cuts in the shape of the next piece of clothing. They excite the reader to guess what the article of clothing will become next. With a mixture of watercolor, gouache (a type of water based paint), pencil, ink, and collage, Taback's comical and vibrant illustrations seem to jump off the page. I especially liked the photographs of faces peeking out of the windows of the buildings in the city. There are also little tidbits hidden in each page such as newspapers, letters, wall-hangings, etc. that can transform the story into another whole reading experience when closely examined.

The repetition used in this story engages the reader to see what Joseph will make next and what he will be doing after he makes it. Young children can recite the words along with the reader to feel included in the reading experience. Older readers can enjoy a sort of "scavenger hunt" in finding and reading all the little "extras" on the pages. The explicit theme of making "something out of nothing" is cleverly carried throughout the book from page to page as Joseph's ingenious ideas and Taback's clever die cuts continue to stimulate the reader's own imagination. This book can be enjoyed over and over again by readers of all ages.

4. Review Excerpts
Caldecott Medal Winner
School Library Journal - "The rhythm and repetition make it a perfect storytime read-aloud." and "bursting at the seams with ingenuity and creative spirit."
Booklist - "a true example of accomplished bookmaking."

5. Connections
*Music! Readers young and old can learn the folk song so nicely included at the end of the book. Learn it on the piano, violin, recorder, or just sing it acapella.
*Children can write about a time when they reused something or turned trash into treasure. No ideas? How about hand-me-downs, art projects with used paper towel rolls, etc.
*In El Paso, Texas - View the recycled fashion "Trashion" exhibit at the downtown library where trash is transformed into fashion by El Paso Community College students.