Review:RECYCLE! A HANDBOOK FOR KIDS, Genre 4, Nonfiction

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Gibbons, Gail. 1992. RECYCLE! A HANDBOOK FOR KIDS. Boston MA: Little, Brown, and company. ISBN 0316309710 2. PLOT SUMMARY RECYCLE! A HANDBOOK FOR KIDS is an informative book which explains the recycling process of five different types of materials. This book also includes incredible facts about trash and suggestions about what kids can do to recycle. 3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS Accuracy The information in the book tells why it is important to recycle, “Most people don’t want landfills near where they live. And besides, there is so much garbage now that, in many places, there isn’t enough room to bury all of it.” Each section discusses the process which needs to be followed to recycle, how the items are recycled and what natural resources are spared as a result of this recycling. The back of the book includes information about Gail Gibbons, the author. It states that she has written and illustrated more that fifty informational books for children. She is also endorsed by reliable sources as SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, HORN BOOK, and BOOKLIST. Organization The book begins by giving children a reason to recycle. It is then divided into sections of different materials which can be recycled. Paper, glass, cans, plastic, and polystyrene are the materials which are discussed. Each section tells how the material is originally made, why it is important to recycle, how to collect the items to recycle, and what natural resources are being conserved as a result of the recycling process. Near the end the book there is a section titled CAN YOU BELIEVE? In this section amazing facts are provided to inform children about the huge amount of garbage which is produced. Some examples include, “All the people in the United States make enough garbage each day to fill 100,000 garbage trucks,” and “Fourteen billion pounds of trash is dumped into the ocean every year”. The book ends with actual things which children can do to help to recycle and help to save our planet. Examples include, “When you go shopping, bring a cloth bag or recycle old brown paper bags by taking them with you”, and “Instead of using paper towels, use cloth towels, which can be washed and reused again and again”. These tips are all doable for young children and can give them a sense of responsibility and citizenship. Design The book is well organized, has easily readable text, and has large, colorful illustrations which compliment the text. The text is limited to two or three lines per page. The illustrations are labeled and help the reader to understand the vocabulary. For instance, on the page where the author talks about breaking down a box for recycling, the illustration shows a girl using her foot to unfold and bind boxes for easy transportation and storage. One unique and relevant thing about this book is that it is actually made of recycled paper. What a great way to show kids that the author believes in what she is talking about! Style The writing in this book is short, interesting, and to the point. New vocabulary is explained through the context and the illustrations. The illustrations show children involved in different aspects of the recycling process. The writing and illustrations show children the importance of recycling and the part which they can play in the process. When talking about plastic, the book informs children that plastic does not biodegrade and that it lasts forever. It fills landfills, litters roadsides, and harms wildlife. The book tells us that by recycling we can avoid these problems. It encourages children to help in the process. The ending of the book is especially encouraging. It includes a section which tells children exactly what they can do to help our world. What a great way to get them involved! 4. REVIEW EXCERPTS School Library Journal – “An eminently readable and well-organized offering that's filled with information.” Kirkus Reviews - “Attractive and timely, an excellent introduction.” Horn Book Guide - “Rating: Superior, well above average.” Booklist – “Here’s Gibbons, doing what she does best--taking a subject that's interesting to kids (and part of the curriculum), honing it down to the essential information, and presenting it in an appealing format.” 5. CONNECTIONS * Use in social studies as supplement for a unit on conservation * Use as an introduction to an activity to recycle paper * A source for Earth Day Activities * Used to encourage children to recycle and help the planet

Review: THROUGH MY EYES, Genre 4, Nonfiction

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bridges, Ruby. 1999. THROUGH MY EYES. New York, NY: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0590189239

2. PLOT SUMMARY
This book is the true story of Ruby Bridges, one of the first black children to be integrated into an all white school. The story takes place in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1960.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Accuracy
This story is told as the memoirs of Ruby Bridges, the actual child whom was integrated into an all white school in 1060. She describes what she remembers and how she felt. Each page includes information from Ruby Bridges herself as well as additional information from other reliable sources. These sources give further insight as to what is happening at the time. For instance, on the day which Ruby first travels to her new school she discusses traveling five blocks away under the protection of U.S. Federal Marshals whom she later learned were carrying guns. As she arrived at the school she remembers the barricades, policemen, and people shouting everywhere. There is additional information on these pages from THE NEW YORK TIMES and GOOD HOUSKEEPING. These sources include news articles of the times. These types of articles add to the reliability and validity of what is being remembered by Ruby Bridges.
Organization
The organization of this book is mainly the chronological story of a year in the life of Ruby Bridges. It begins with a preface to set the story, and then the first year in which she is integrated into the school as a first grader is told, the book ends with information which brings the reader up to the present with the life of Ruby Bridges. The book is organized in a very logical way. The beginning lets the reader know the history, the reasoning behind the story. The main part of the story is very interesting and moving. The year of integration is told by the remembrances of Ruby Bridges, a 6 year old girl. She not only tells what she remembers but how she felt at the time. "My teacher and I settled into a routine. It was odd to be the only child in class, but I finally decided thais was the way it was going to belhere at the Frantz school." Additional information, from sources such as U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT, JOHN STEINBECK, and THE NEW ORLEANS TIMES PICATYNE, is referenced on each page. Excerpts from Barbara Henry, Ruby Bridge’s first grade teacher, are also present.
These excerpts give additional information and incite to the story. Barbara Henry writes, “There was a certain shyness about Ruby. She would appear at the door of our room in the morning and walk in slowly, taking little steps. I would always greet her with a compliment about how nicely she was dressed to help make her feel special, as she was, and to make her feel more welcome and comfortable.” Text credits are present at the back. The illustrations go with the text and are captioned so that the reader knows exactly what they represent.
Design
The book is large and attractive. The illustrations are in black and white, which was the medium of the time, the early 1960’s. The black and white photographs also help to set the tone of the seriousness of the subject matter. The illustrations certainly add to the understanding of the story and what was the feeling of the time. They are not watered down; many portray the true ugliness of the protesters. Other pictures show young Ruby Bridges entering the school in her stark white dress with the U.S. Marshall Guards. These pictures show how young, vulnerable, and incredibly brave she was.
Style
The writing is clear and interesting. Ruby Bridges allows the reader to see what was happening and how she was feeling. Her experiences are truly brave and remarkable. On her first day of school she states: “As we walked through the crowd I didn’t see any faces. I guess that’s because I wasn’t very tall and I was surrounded by the marshals. People yelled and threw things. I could see the school building, and it looked bigger and nicer that my old school. When we climbed the high steps to the front door, there were policemen in uniforms at the top. The police men at the door and the crowd behind us made me think this was an important place.” She is writing as a naïve and trusting six year old girl. This will certainly appeal to children. They will be able to think of their own lives and be amazed at what this young girl went through at the same age. This book is sure to arouse interest into the history of the 1960’s and to push children to look for additional information of the times.

4. AWARDS AND REVIEW EXCERPTS
Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year ( WON AWARD ) 1999 School Library Journal Best Books of the Year ( WON AWARD ) 1999 American Library Association Notable Books for Children ( WON AWARD ) 2000 Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award ( NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD ) 2001 Emphasis on Reading Award ( NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD ) 2001 Maine Student Book Award ( NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD ) 2001 Jane Addams Children's Book Award ( WON AWARD ) 2000 Carter G. Woodson Book Awards ( WON AWARD ) 2000 NCTE Orbis Pictus Award ( WON AWARD ) 2000 Bluebonnet Award ( NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD ) 2002 Rhode Island Children's Book Award ( NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD ) 2002 Golden Sower Award ( NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD ) 2002 Mark Twain Award ( NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD ) 2002 William Allen White Children's Book Award ( NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD ) 2002 Young Hoosier Book Award ( NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD ) 2003 Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award ( NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD ) 2002 Great Lakes' Great Books Award ( NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD ) 2002 Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award ( NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD ) 2003 Sasquatch Reading Award ( NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD ) 2003 Black-Eyed Susan Book Award ( NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD ) 2003 Judy Lopez Memorial Award (Women's National Book Association, Los Angeles Chapter) ( NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD ) 2000 ABC Children's Booksellers Choices Awards ( WON AWARD ) 2000

Amazon.com - A personal, deeply moving historical documentary about a staggeringly courageous little girl at the center of events that already seem unbelievablePublishers Weekly – “ Bridges's words, recalling a child's innocence and trust, are more vivid than even the best of the photos. Like poetry or prayer, they melt the heart.” Library Journal - “A powerful personal narrative that every collection will want to own.” Parents Choice - “Powerful and powerfully moving. A 1999 Parents' Choice Gold Award Winner.”
Horn Book Guide – “Bridges relates her story far more powerfully than has anyone else to date.”
Booklist – “This is a great book for classroom discussion and has a good deal of interest to adults: the individual child's experience, the roles of Bridges' mother and teacher, the civil rights history. Bridges speaks without heroics about what happened to her then and what it means.”

5. CONNECTIONS
* This novel can be used in a history lesson in connection with school integration of the 1960’s.
* This novel can be used in a unit during January, black history month, to help portray a famous black American.
* This novel can be used in writer’s workshop to model personal narratives and memoirs.
*This novel can be used in a lesson on moral character. There are examples of both good and bad character.
* This novel can be used in a unit on stereotypes, tolerance, and multicultural awareness.
* This novel can illustrate character traits such as goodness, innocence, bravery, and courage.

Review: CATS, Genre 4, Nonfiction

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Simon, Seymour. 2004. CATS. Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN 0060289414. 2. PLOT SUMMARY This is non-fiction book about cats. It discusses many aspects about cats which include information on history, facts, behaviors, the young, care of, and types of cats. 3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS This is a very striking book which contains a lot of interesting information about cats. The facts in this book are very appealing. The book does not contain a table of contents or index. The book is organized by each double page spread discussing different information about cats. The author begins with some history about cats. He tells us that cats first became pets in ancient Egypt where they protected the Egyptian’s food supply from rodents. The book states that when these cats died their owners went through a period of mourning and then mummified their pet. This is certainly an attention grabbing fact! The book continues to provide accurate and significant facts. It discusses physical attributes which are unique to cats such as their amazing flexibility and ability to see in very dim light. Communication in the form of sound and body language is also discussed. The sounds and movements are interpreted, a screech is a warning to stay away. If the hair stands up along the spine and tail, and the tail is moving back and forth, then the cat is about to pounce. The section which tells about newborns is very specific and descriptive. The book describes exactly how the mother breaks the sac, cleans the kitten, and chews through the umbilicus. The book ends with questions to think about for prospective cat owners. The author, Seymour Simon, is a reliable, very well known author of non-fiction for children. He has written over 200 non-fiction books for children. The photos which accompany the text are outstanding and really help to visualize the information. One of the first pictures accompanies the information about the hunting habits of cats. The photo shows a cat pouncing and catching a rodent mid air with his claws. On the page which discusses the flexibility of cats, a picture shows, with multi shots, exactly how a cat falls and flips through the air. On the communication pages the photos show exactly how cats use their bodies to “talk”. On the page where the book tells about kittens the photo shows a newborn, bloody and umbilical cord still attached. Other pictures show the playful sides of kittens and the intense facial expressions of adults. The striking illustrations help to build interest and to support understanding. The writing in the book is written for younger children. Although the book is easily understood, interesting vocabulary, such as rodent, stalking, and umbilicus, is included. The vocabulary can be understood through the support of the context and the photos. The interesting information and brilliant photos will really encourage the reader to think about cats and their unique qualities. 4. REVIEW EXCERPTS Booklist – “Simon writes crisply for a young audience, who will eagerly turn the pages to see the next endearing color photograph. Simon’s always lucid prose is matched by sharp photos, most of which fill up the pages. An attractive way to introduce children to nonfiction.” Horn Book Guide – “Irresistible covers featuring color photos … will draw young readers in to learning some basic facts about two popular pets.” School Library Journal – “Intended primarily as introductions for prospective pet owners, these books will please even those who already own a cat or dog. The striking color photos, including many close-ups, create a feeling of intimacy.” 5. CONNECTIONS * Can be used as a guide to learn how to care for cats. * Can be used in a unit about pets. * Can be used in a unit about farm animals. * Can be used to supplement a science lesson on the characteristics of mammals. * Can be used as a model for writer’s workshop on informational writing.

Review: OUT OF THE DUST, Genre 3, Poetry

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hesse, Karen. 1997. OUT OF THE DUST. New York, NY: Scholastic. ISBN 0590360809

2. PLOT SUMMARY
This is a historical fiction novel which is written in verse form. The story line centers on Billy Jo who lives in the Oklahoma Dust Bowl during the depression. The book tells of her extreme struggle to survive as she grows up in this difficult time.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Organization
The reading of this novel is very fast paced. The verse form is rhythmic and very easy to read. The novel is written in first person in the format of a diary. Each entry is titled and dated. The content is very moving and makes the reader want to push on. This verse book is a fairly recent publication (1997) but the subject material is relevant to the 1920’s. This does not affect the feeling of the novel in that the topics are about the will to survive and flourish in ones life. Information about the author is included on the inside of the back book jacket.

Literary Merit
This is a very moving story which evokes strong feelings from the reader. The most extreme being when a bucket of kerosene is left by Billy Jo’s father by the inside stove. The kerosene ends up catching fire and burning Billy Jo and her mother. Mother’s injuries end up being fatal for her and her yet unborn child. The story is told in a very strong and visual way.

Daddy
has made a tent out of the sheet over Ma
so nothing will touch her skin,
what skin she has left.
I can’t look at her.
she smells like scorched meat.
Her body groaning there,
it looks nothing like my ma.
It doesn’t even have a face.

The remaining characters struggle to continue living with their grief and guilt for their parts in the accident. The story ends with the characters making peace with themselves and each and having some hope for the future. This story of perseverance and triumph will bring hope to anyone who reads it.
Poetic Elements
The novel is written in verse form. The lines on each page are short and flow nicely when read. The reading is easy and fast. The author commonly uses sensory words and the reader can really see, feel, and smell what life was like in the dust bowl during the great depression.

I was sulking in the truck beside my father
when
heaven’s shadow crept across the plains,
a black cloud,
big and silent as Montana,
boiling on the horizon and
barreling toward us.
More birds tumbled from the sky
frantically keeping ahead of the dust.

We watched as the storm swallowed the light.
The sky turned from blue
to black,
night descended in an instant
and the dust was on us.

The wind screamed.
The blowing dirt ran
so thick
I couldn’t see the brim of my hat
as we plunged from the truck,
fleeing.

The dust swarmed
like it had never swarmed before.

Sensory words and imagery are also frequently used. Some examples include “as foul as maggoty stew” and “the night sky kept flashing, lightning danced down on its spindly legs.” The text in this novel truly lets the reader use his senses to get into the Oklahoma dust bowl.

Appeal to Readers
This story is very appealing to young people. The reading is meaningful and dramatic. Children will enjoy learning about life in the past through this extremely moving, powerful, and interesting look into Billy Jo’s life. This story will make most students reflect upon their own lives and compare their situations to that of Billy Jo. Most will feel very fortunate.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
1998 Newbery Medal Winner
School Library Journal – “Powerful and Moving, this 1998 Newbery Medal winner is a recommended purchase for all school and public libraries.”
Publishers Weekly – “This intimate novel, written in stanza form, poetically conveys the heat, dust and wind of Oklahoma. With each meticulously arranged entry Hesse paints a vivid picture of her heroine’s emotions.”
Horn Book rating: Superior, well above average
School Library Journal – A triumphant story, eloquently told through prose-poetry.
Booklist – The story is bleak, but Hesse’s writing transcends the gloom and transforms it into a powerfully compelling tale of a girl with enormous strength, courage, and love.
Kirkus Reviews – In Billie Jo, the only character who comes to life, presents a hale and determined heroine who confronts unrelenting misery and begins to transcend it. The poem/novel ends with only a trace of hope; there are no pat endings, but a glimpse of beauty wrought from brutal reality.

5. CONNECTIONS
* This novel can be used to supplement history lessons.
* This novel can be used to model journal writing.
* This novel is an excellent model for language, sensory words, imagery, and voice.
* This novel is a powerful model for personal narratives which evoke feeling.

Review, A HIPPOPOTAMUSN'T AND OTHER ANIMAL POEMS, Genre 3 Poetry

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lewis, J. Patrick. 1990. A HIPPOPOTAMUSN’T AND OTHER ANIMAL POEMS. Ill. by Victoria Chess. New York, NY: Puffin Pied Piper Books.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
This book is a collection of poems By J. Patrick Lewis. All of the poems in this selection are about animals.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Organization - The poems in this anthology are all by J. Patrick Lewis and are all about animals. This book was written in 1990 but this date does not affect the animal characteristics which are written about. The last page in the book tells about the author and the artist. There is no table of contents for this book. The book begins right off with short poems which are about animals and their characteristics.
Literary Merit – The poem BRAGGING IN THE BARNYARD is about roosters. The poem states that it is ridiculous for a rooster with his red crown to think himself a king because in the end the only king he is likely to be is chicken a la king. The poems are very cleverly written. They frequently focus in on a physical or innate characteristic of the animal and focus on it, such as the “red crown” in this poem.
Poetic Element – The poems in this book are short and fun to read. The main idea of each poem is evident and they frequently remind the reader of a special attribute or characteristic of an animal such as the rhinoceros’ nose in HOW THE RHINOCEROS GOT HIS NOSE and the eyes of the owl in ALL EYES. The poems are all fun to read and include use of sound elements such as rhythm, rhyme, and alliteration, which are all evident in the first two lines of ALL EYES. “Silly bird is Mr. Owl / Hoots a single silly vowel.” Some of the poems even help you to visualize the animal with the text in the verse. This is apparent in the use of the B and the D when discussing the bactrian (two humps) and the dromedary (one hump) camels in the poem, HOW TO TELL A CAMEL, and the placing of the words in the shape of a flamingo in the concrete poem, A FLAMINGO.
Appeal to Readers – The poems in this book are very appealing to children. Children love animals and these short, humorous poems are very fun to read. The topics are mostly familiar but when studied more closely, children are very likely to learn new information about animals, such as the difference between one and two humped camels. The topic of animals will continue to appeal to children across time and ethnicity.
Illustrations – The illustrations in this book are very colorful and help the reader to visualize the poem. In the poem BRAGGING IN THE BARNYARD, the illustrations show the rooster strutting around like a prince while the people and the dog have a thinking bubble overhead which shows a plucked chicken ready for the pot. This illustration definitely adds to the humor and understanding of the poem.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
"A collection of marvelous light verse as fresh as spring".--The Horn Book, starred review.
School Library Journal’s Best Book of the Year
Booklist Editor's Choice
Ohio Reading Circle Award.

5. CONNECTIONS
* This book can be used to enhance science vocabulary and teach animal facts.
* This book can be used to teach poetic elements of sound such as rhythm, repetition,
alliteration, and consonance.
* These poems can be used to illustrate the use of puns, word play, and humor.
* This book can be used to teach vocabulary and figurative language.
* This book can be used to teach sound / symbol correspondence.
* This book can be used to promote oral language development.

Review: ROLLING HARVEY DOWN THE HILL, Genre 3, Poetry

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Prelutsky, Jack. 1980. ROLLING HARVEY DOWN THE HILL. Ill. By Victoria Chess. New York, NY: Mulberry Books. ISBN 0688122701

2. PLOT SUMMARY
This book is a collection of poems by Jack Prelutsky. This selection includes humorous poems which tell of the antics of five friends whom live in the same neighborhood.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The Poems in this anthology by Jack Prelutsky all center around the topic of friendship and what goes on in the mischievous day to day lives of 5 neighborhood boys. Some to the poem topics include smoking, eating bugs, cheating, bragging, breaking rules, fighting, bad habits, practical jokes, and bullies. The poems in this selection are very funny, and most young boys will relate to them.
Organization – This selection includes more than a dozen short poems by the famous author/poet Jack Prelutsky. There is a page at the end of the book which gives background information on Prelutsky and the illustrator, Victoria Chess. There is a contents page in the beginning. This page builds anticipation. The titles of the poems set the tone for the antics of the boys which are portrayed.
Literary Merit- One selection, SMOKING IN THE CELLAR, centers on breaking rules. It gives a detailed description of the boys’ first try of a cigarette. The reader can visual the secretiveness of the action by the description. The boys “slipped inside the storage room and bolted shut the lock”. The reader can also “smell and taste” the nastiness of the cigarette,
“We coughed and wheezed and sputtered
as we breathed in clouds of smoke,
Will turned white and Lumpy green,
And Tony and I just choked.”
This vivid description should help to deter readers who have mischievous ideas. The characters are bold with strong traits. In this poem the character is stealing cigarettes from his grandmother. This poem, and the others in the book, will pertain to boys across time and ethnicity. They will relate to the topics. The topics are mostly about boyish qualities which are not to be bragged about but are definitely things boys do.
Poetic Elements – The poems in this selection are easy to read. They consist of short, easy to read lines. Rhythm and repetition are frequently present, “ slurp, slupp he ate it up,…….slupp, slurp Willie burped. The poems are very real and funny and often there is a lesson which is learnt at the end, such as in THE RACE. In this poem the character, Harvey, brags that he is the best and he can win any race. He is fast but when he turns to look back-
"He tripped and lost his footing
and smacked right into a wall-
it’ll be a week till Harvey brags
or plays with us at all."
The poem, MR. MULLIGANS WINDOW, also has a very interesting ending. In this poem the boys are playing baseball where they were not suppose to play and a window is broken when a home run is hit.
"Though Anthony busted the window,
I had written MY name on the ball."
Illustrations – The illustrations definitely add to the text. They are simple and in black and white but they capture the main idea of the poems. In the poem SMOKING IN THE CELLAR the expressions on the faces of the boys show just how sick the cigarettes are making them. In the poem LUMPY IS MY FRIEND the expressions on the faces of the characters show just how mischievous Lumpy is and by the expression of his friend, how confusing it can be to have a friend who does things which you do not agree with. These expressions help the reader to know just how the characters are feeling.
Appeal to Readers – These poems are very appealing to young readers, especially boys. The topics are all things which they can relate to. They are things which have happened or will happen to most any boy. My boys, age 5 and 7, thought that this book was great!!

4. REVIEW EXCERPT
Starred review in BOOKLIST - "Fresh and funny."
Booklist –“ Illustrated with line drawings guaranteed to provide chuckles, this series of poems details the misadventures of five neighborhood kids, four of whom in the title poem gleefully give a bully his due at the end of the book.”

5. CONNECTIONS
*This book can be used to model poetry which portrays situations which are personal.
* Can be used in writer’s workshop to model personal narratives in a poetic form.
* This book can be used to teach poetic elements of sound such as rhythm, repetition,
alliteration, and consonance.
* These poems can be used to illustrate the use of puns, word play, and humor.
* To teach vocabulary and figurative language.
* To teach sound / symbol correspondence.
* Used to promote oral language development.