SLIS 5420 Module 15 Censorship Issues

Heather has Two Mommies

by Leslea Newman

 

 

 

Summary

Heather is a child about five years old whose parents are two women. Mama Kate is a doctor and Mama Jane is a carpenter. Her “mommies” take her to daycare where she discovers that not all kids have two mommies.  Some have two daddies, others have a mommy and a daddy, or just one mommy...  At first she is sad that she doesn’t have a dad, but her teacher points out how special each family is after they draw pictures of their families.

 

 

Review

 

Heather has two mommies. (2005, Jan). Booklinks, 14(3), 31.

 

Newman, Leslea A. Heather Has Two Mommies. Illus. by Diana Souza. 1989; reissued 2000. 48p.Alyson, paper, $10.95 (1-55583-543-0). K-Gr. 1. Heather feels left out because she doesn't have a daddy;instead, she has two mommies. Then Heather’s preschool teacher asks the children to draw pictures of the people in their families, and Heather realizes that families are defined by the common fact that family members love one another. Although the message is one of appreciation of diversity, the more distant third-person narration and black-and-white illustrations make this less engaging than other picture books listed here.

 

My thoughts

 

This is not a well-written book, which is a shame, because it could be a nice introduction to the real world for many children.  The subject matter of homosexuality is not “in your face” and seems really benign compared to what kids are exposed to now, especially on television.  I remember when it first came out thinking, “really?” but after actually reading it, nothing about it spurs any emotion.

 

How it could be used in the library

 

In a high school library, it could be included in a study of censorship. 

 

SLIS 5420 Module 14 Poetry and Series books

MIRROR MIRROR

By Marilyn Singer

 

 

Bibliography

 

Singer, M., & Masse, J. (2010). Mirror mirror: A book of reversible verse. New York: Dutton Children's Books.

 

Summary

 

A collection of poems based on fairy tales written side by side with the lines of one  poem written in reverse order giving each poem two different meanings.

 

Reviews

 

Booklist starred (January 1, 2010 (Vol. 106, No. 9))

Retrieved from http://www.titlewave.com/search?SID=77e047a67dd4c8898235aea4e6e5af84#anchor-review-award

Grades 2-5. This ingenious book of reversos, or poems which have one meaning when read down the page and perhaps an altogether different meaning when read up the page, toys with and reinvents oh-so-familiar stories and characters, from Cinderella to the Ugly Duckling. The five opening lines of the Goldilocks reverso read: “Asleep in cub’s bed / Blonde / startled by / Bears, / the headline read.” Running down the page side-by-side with this poem is a second, which ends with: “Next day / the headline read: / Bears startled / by blonde / asleep in cub’s bed.” The 14 pairs of poems—easily distinguished by different fonts and background colors—allow changes only in punctuation, capitalization, and line breaks, as Singer explains in an author’s note about her invented poetic form. “It is a form that is both challenging and fun—rather like creating and solving a puzzle.” Singer also issues an invitation for readers to try to write their own reversos on any topic. Matching the cleverness of the text, Masse’s deep-hued paintings create split images that reflect the twisted meaning of the irreverently witty poems and brilliantly employ artistic elements of form and shape—Cinderella’s clock on one side morphs to the moon on the other. A must-purchase that will have readers marveling over a visual and verbal feast.

 

Horn Book (March/April, 2010)

Retrieved from http://www.titlewave.com/search?SID=77e047a67dd4c8898235aea4e6e5af84#anchor-review-award

Through a poetic invention she dubs the reverso, Singer meditates on twelve familiar folktales, and, via the magic of shifting line breaks and punctuation, their shadows. Each free-verse poem has two stanzas, set on facing columns, where the second is the first reversed. Red Riding Hood, contemplating berries, thinks, "What a treat! But a girl / mustn't dawdle. / After all, Grandma's waiting" while across the page the wolf lurks: "After all, Grandma's waiting, / mustn't dawdle... / But a girl! / What a treat..." In the main, the poems are both cleverly constructed and insightful about their source stories, giving us the points of view of characters rarely considered. Similarly bifurcated illustrations, Shrek-bright, face the poems: Goldilocks ("ASLEEP IN CUB'S BED, / BLONDE / STARTLED BY / BEARS") awoken; the bears surprised ("BEARS STARTLED / BY BLONDE / ASLEEP IN CUB'S BED").

 

My thoughts

 

These poems are very clever with an interesting twist.  Using fairy tales as the basis for the poems make them even more interesting as the meanings reverse for each poem, showing how the order of the lines change the meaning.

 

How it could be used

 

Because the order of the lines makes all the difference in the outcome of each poem, a math lesson could be effective in demonstrating how the order of functions in an equation changes the solution.  The students could try their hand at writing a short poem in and then reversing the lines to see the effect. 

 

SLIS 5420 Module 13 - Graphic novels and series books

SLIS 5420 - Module 13 Graphic Novels and Series Books

Giants Beware!

by Rafael Rosado and Jorge Aguirre

 

Bibliography

Aguirre, J., & Rosado, R. (2012). Giants beware!. New York: First Second.

Summary

Years ago in Mont Petit Pierre, a giant supposedly raided the town looking for baby feet to eat.  As the story is told to its townspeople, the father of the current Marquis chased the giant back up the mountain.  Claudette, a strong-willed tomboy,is determined to slay the giant.  She solicits the help of her brother, Gaston, and her best friend, Marie, who aspires to be a princess.  She convinces them to go by telling Gaston that if they kill a giant, her father is going to teach him the art of sword-making and Marie that it is an automatic princess-ship.

They set out and along the way they encounter the ugly apple-hag where Gaston saves Claudette and Marie from being boiled and eaten.  Next they meet the Mad River King where Marie promises to marry his son, the prince, in order to save Claudette and Gaston.  Claudette and Gaston save her by creating a dam and cutting off the river’s water.  They restore it once the King returns Marie and promises to allow them to cross anytime. 

In the meantime, both fathers are racing to rescue the children from their pursuit of the giant.  The children met the giant and find he is a big baby who likes to tickle baby-feet, not eat them. When the dads catch up, the kids put on a show to convince them that they are indeed slaying the giant.  Claudette, Marie and Gaston are heroes when they return to Mont Petit Pierre.  They remain friends with the giant.

Reviews

Willey, P. (2012, May). Giants Beware!. School Library Journal, 58(5), 133

Gr 3-6--A blacksmith's daughter is unsatisfied with her peaceful life within the fortress of Mont Petit Pierre. Rambunctious and loudmouthed, Claudette yearns for action, like killing the giant that lives on the mountain outside of town. With her timid brother, Gaston, and her ladylike friend, Marie, she blusters her way through the fortress gate and into the Forest of Death, beyond which lies the Mad River, and then Giant's Peak. Can these three kids, armed with a wooden sword, Marie's intelligence, Gaston's fortitude, Claudette's stinky feet, and a pug named Valiant, survive in the wilderness and defeat the giant? Of course they can, but not in the ways they might have expected. The adults in the story are distinguished by exaggerated characteristics, but their actions are driven by realistic, largely generous motives. The story strikes a fine balance between being action-and friendship-driven. The art is similarly well-balanced: Rosado's ink drawings are strong and lively, with expressive characters and well-drawn landscapes. Digitally applied color is natural, bright, and nonintrusive. Fans of Jimmy Gownley's "Amelia Rules" (S&S) and Jeff Smith's "Bone" series (Scholastic) will snap this title up.

 

Giants Beware. (2012, March). Publishers Weekly, 259(11), 63.

Comedy and fairy tale sensibilities balance perfectly in this exciting debut by writer Aguirre and illustrator Rosado. Delightfully spunky Claudette is set on becoming a monster slayer like her father (who is missing limbs due to his earlier adventures). When she hears the story of a giant on the loose, she is determined to leave her home--accompanied by her cowardly brother, Gaston, and best friend Marie--in order to set things right. Driven by Claudette's courage, Marie, who wants nothing more than to become a princess, shows proper heroic wits, and Gaston reveals inner strength and determination. When Claudette discovers that not all stories are as they seem, she and her friends must fool the adults who have come to bring them home to protect an innocent monster. The rich world and engaging characters are a surefire hit--and the glorious full-color illustrations, which pack a novel's worth of expression onto cartoon faces, should bring readers back for multiple reads of this many-layered story. One can only hope that Aguirre and Rosado have more adventures planned. Ages 7-up. (Apr.)

My thoughts

The artwork was refreshing and fit the story very well.  The story was cute and entertaining.  It had a strong theme of friendship saving the day.  I liked the fact that it featured a female as the brave pursuer of the giant.

How this could be used in the library

Older elementary or middle school students could be asked to write and illustrate a story about friends going on an adventure together.  

SLIS 5420 Module 12 Biography and Autobiography

Fabulous!  A portrait of Andy Warhol

By Bonnie Christensen

 

Bibliography

Christensen, B. (2011).  Fabulous!  A portrait of Andy Warhol.  New York, NY:  Henry Holt and Company.

Summary

Andy Warhol grows up as a scrawny, blotchy-faced kid who constantly draws.  He is able to find work as an illustrator, but continues to draw and paint.  From the advice of a friend he starts to paint everyday things, such as Campbell Soup cans and becomes very famous for his style and subjects.

 

Reviews

FABULOUS! A Portrait of Andy Warhol. (2011, April 15). Kirkus Reviews, 79(8), 678-679.

The "fabulous" life of Andy Warhol is made accessible and understandable via this child-friendly look at the life and career of one of America's most recognizable painters.

Shy, sickly Andy spent many lonely hours resting in bed. Warhol's mother understood his uniqueness, and instead of forcing him to attend school, stand up to bullies or play sports, she unfailingly nurtured his talents and accepted and supported his interests. Andy attended art classes at the Carnegie Museum art school in Pittsburgh and was encouraged by teachers who also recognized his promise. Comics, movie magazines, glamorous superstars and luminous icons from his Eastern Orthodox parish church fueled his imagination. Christensen effectively re-imagines Warhol's unmistakable style for 21st-century kids while offering a developmentally appropriate take on Warhol's life. She focuses on his early graphic work and the exciting, transformative era of Pop Art. She conveys the explosive impact of his Campbell's soup cans and Marilyn as she discretely limns the early activities of "The Factory."

Though readers will need to consult the backmatter for the details of the more complex and tumultuous years from the mid-'60s to his death in 1987, they will find this a vital and exciting child-appropriate introduction to an American icon (Picture book/biography. 6-9)

 

Tran, A. (2011, May). Fabulous!: A Portrait of Andy Warhol. School Library Journal, 57(5), 95.

Gr 3–6--Spanning Warhol's rise to fame, this thoughtful account begins and ends with brief, fictionalized scenes that take place in 1966, illuminating the pop artist's popularity and success in contrast to the challenges he overcame to achieve recognition. The bulk of the narrative is fact-based, tracing major milestones in Warhol's personal and professional life through well-organized chronological flashbacks that start from his early childhood in the 1930s and continue through his days as an art student and his entry into the world of commercial art. Throughout, he is portrayed as a sensitive soul, often ridiculed by his peers. The differences between fine and commercial art, and Warhol's success in melding the two styles, are addressed in a way that is easy to understand even for someone with no background in art history. Christensen skillfully conveys emotion and mood through vivid, bold collage illustrations, particularly notable in an image of Warhol sitting forward in his train seat as New York City comes into view, anticipation made clear through his posture alone. According to the illustration note, "the paintings in this book are replicas of Andy's paintings, intended to give the reader a sense of his work and to inspire a museum visit to view the true originals." In addition to being a useful resource for biography reports, the story of Warhol's artistic triumphs despite his social difficulties will prove inspirational for young readers who feel as if they don't quite fit in.

What I thought about it

This book was not very interesting, which is a shame because Andy Warhol was very interesting.  It was bland to me, partly because the illustrations were chalky.  If they had been more in the style of Warhol, it would have been more intriguing.

How it can be used in a library

Collaborating with the art teacher during a unit on modern artists or pop culture would be one way to use this book.

SLIS 5420 Module 11 - Informational/Nonfiction books

Hitler Youth: Growing up in Hitler’s Shadow

By Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Bibliography

Bartoletti, S. C. (2005). Hitler Youth: Growing up in Hitler's shadow. New York, NY: Scholastic Nonfiction.

Summary

A history of the Hitler Youth and how involved and the impact they had on Hitler’s war machine is detailed. Many individual, personal stories are given.  A personal touch is added by including experiences by Sophie Scholl and her brother Hans.

Reviews

Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow. (2005, Oct). School Library Journal, 5147.

Gr 5-8-- The Nazis' disturbing indoctrination of children and young people is examined through the experiences of 12 young people who were members of the Hitler Youth group. This exceptionally well-documented account is illustrated with numerous black-and-white photos from several sources, ranging from Nazi propaganda to family albums.

Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow. (2005, May 23). Publishers Weekly, 252(21), 79-80.

Bartoletti (Kids on Strike!) offers a unique and riveting perspective on WWII by focusing on the young people who followed Hitler from 1933-1945. The narrative primarily focuses on members of the Hitler Youth, but also profiles some of the group's dissidents and its Jewish targets. Hitler began his quest for dominance with young people, recognizing them as "a powerful political force" and claiming, "With them I can make a new world." Bartoletti describes how the propaganda of the Hitler Youth attracted children: "The overnight camping trips, campfires, and parades sounded like a great deal of fun," said one 12-year-old. But the organization also emphasized loyalty to the Third Reich above all (including family--one eight-year-old, Elisabeth Vetter, turned in her parents to the Nazis). The author personalizes the war by placing identifiable individuals at the center of the events, such as Sophie Scholl, who moved away from Nazi ideas as a teen and in college joined the "White Rose" group that published pamphlets detailing Nazi evils and urging resistance--a crime for which she and others were executed. Powerful black-and-white photographs testify to the lure and also the cruelty of the Nazis. Bartoletti's portrait of individuals within the Hitler Youth who failed to realize that they served "a mass murderer" is convincing, and while it does not excuse the atrocities, it certainly will allow readers to comprehend the circumstances that led to the formation of Hitler's youngest zealots. Ages 7-10. (Apr.)

My thoughts

This was a fascinating book.  Learning the extent to which the Hitler Youth was utilized in all aspects of the German’s efforts in World War II was an eye-opener.  The inclusion of stories of individuals involved personalizes the experience.

How it can be used in the library

This could be paired with Anne Frank’s Diary to compare and contrast the experiences of children during World War II.

SLIS 5420 Book trailers

SLIS 5420 Module 10 - Historical Fiction

Glory Be

By Augusta Scattergood

Bibliography

Scattergood, A. (2012). Glory be. New York: Scholastic Press.

Summary

Gloriana is an 11 year-old young girl growing up in a small town in Mississippi during the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s.  The public pool in her town has closed due to “repairs” when, in reality, the town’s leaders have closed it so that Blacks won’t swim in it.  She befriends a Yankee girl, who has moved with her mother, a nurse, who has come to work in the Freedom Clinic for poor Black people. This causes problems between Glory and her best friend, Frankie, who idolizes his brother and does everything he says.  Glory begins to notice the injustices towards her long-time housekeeper, Emma, and decides to stand up for what she feels is wrong. 

Reviews

Glory Be. (2011). Publishers Weekly, 258(43), 53-54.

The hot summer of 1964 in Hanging Moss, Miss., is the setting for Scattergood's modest debut, featuring high-spirited Glory, who is looking forward to celebrating her 12th birthday on the Fourth of July with her traditional party at the town pool. But the civil rights movement is sprouting throughout the South, and a group of Freedom Workers has arrived in Hanging Moss, causing consternation among many townspeople and resulting in actions that dismay Glory--like the closing of the segregated pool. Scattergood divides the characters a little too neatly into the good guys (Glory's preacher father and her sister, Jesslyn; their loyal housekeeper, Emma; and the town librarian) and the bad guys (the high school football star; his town councilman father; and prejudiced busybody Mrs. Simpson), but she aptly portrays Glory's emotional confusion as she struggles to understand and cope with the turmoil. Also well done is the changing relationship between Glory and Jesslyn, as well as her roller-coaster friendship with her best buddy, Frankie. Scattergood's effective snapshot of the fight against segregation, one town at a time, makes personal the tumultuous atmosphere of the times. Ages 9-12. (Jan.)

Larson, G. (2012, Feb). Glory Be. School Library Journal, 58(2), 134. 

Gr 5–8--Spunky, engaging Gloriana Hemphill, 11, describes the "freedom summer" of 1964 in Hanging Moss, MS, where winds of social change are beginning to upset the status quo. In a series of eye-opening adventures, Glory learns that her sheltered life as a preacher's kid has overshadowed her awareness of injustice and intolerance in her town. When the segregated community pool is closed indefinitely, her predictable world is upended. A new girl arrives from Ohio with her mother, a nurse who will be running a Freedom Clinic for poor black people. Big sister Jesslyn's new boyfriend reveals that he was once jailed in North Carolina for sitting with a "colored friend" at a white lunch counter. Meanwhile, best friend Frankie spouts dislike of Yankees and Negroes but is clearly manipulated by a racist father and an abusive older brother. Although Glory's ingenuous, impulsive behavior often gets her in trouble at home and in the community, she learns the importance of compassion, discretion, and self-awareness. A cast of supportive adults helps her mature: her patient, widowed father; her beloved African American housekeeper; and the open-minded local librarian. This coming-of-age story offers a fresh, youthful perspective on a pivotal civil rights period. Historical references to Attorney General Robert Kennedy's visit, the influx of civil rights workers, and Elvis vs. The Beatles popularity are included. But the richness of this story lies in the Mississippi milieu, the feisty naïveté of the protagonist, and the unveiling of the complexities of human nature. Glory is an appealing, authentic character whose unflinching convictions, missteps, and reflections will captivate readers.

My thoughts

This read a lot like To Kill a Mockingbird.  An innocent strong-willed Southern young girl narrates life in a backward time and place during the 1950s in Mississippi.

How it could be used in the library

Glory Be could be paired with a non-fiction selection about Jim Crow laws and the Civil Rights movement.