By Laura Cecil
Illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark
Published Greenwillow Book New York, 1994
ISBN 0-688-13506-4
Annotation
Three sons must find wives that will pass their mothers tests. The third son finds a frog that outdoes them all.
Personal Reaction
Maybe its because I just read the love affair between two dads book, but this is a missed opportunity book for the celebration of difference and marriage of a different kind, or no marriage at all. The over bearing Queen mother insists that her eccentric sons marry, but only women that pass her tests. Ridiculous and endearing at the same time, of course. I tend to fall into these prince princess stories too easily. I think this story would be a great theatrical production, possibly tweaking it for the LGBTQ club. You see, the quirky third son falls for a frog, who passes all the test, how lovely. Then the frog turns into a perfect princess, blah. But what if you opened the discussion up to the students, what would be a realistic thing for the frog to turn into, another man? And what if the prince brought a man to marry, a perfect test passing man, or maybe a frog? The creative and political ideas for a dramatic retelling could be really fun in a high school or middle school setting.
watercolor
Curricular connections
Fairytale
Fitting in
Friday, July 29, 2011
McFig & McFly
By Henrik Drescher
http://www.hdrescher.com/
Published Candlewick Press Massachusetts, 2008
ISBN 978-0-7636-3386-8
Annotation
This book shows the ultimate keeping up with the Joneses. Mcfig and Mcfly have a love affair which they act out through competition, trying to make their homes bigger and better than the other, no matter what.
Personal Reaction
The two men's passion for one another out ways their children or money, it's all they focus on their entire life! That is the story! When one of them dies, the other follows soon after. What a weird book, but I really liked it. The illustrations are ugly and crazy, reminding me of bad cartoon network animation or maybe Ren and Stimpy. It's a scatter pen drawing muckyness that seems like it should move quickly.The story is sweet, although kind of twisted, possibly pointless, but I read into. Like I said above, I think it is a love affair acted out in competition, however it never directly states this. The best part, also the gross part, is when the book folds open in the middle...a double page origami fold showing the enormity of the two junk houses the men built while competing to be bigger and better. On this page tragedy strikes with a splat, is that appropriate? I like weird and think this goes in the not for everyone weird pile, specific taste is necessary to be able to admire its possible hidden message.
Pen and ink, water color
Curricular connections
Same sex love
http://www.hdrescher.com/
Published Candlewick Press Massachusetts, 2008
ISBN 978-0-7636-3386-8
Annotation
This book shows the ultimate keeping up with the Joneses. Mcfig and Mcfly have a love affair which they act out through competition, trying to make their homes bigger and better than the other, no matter what.
Personal Reaction
The two men's passion for one another out ways their children or money, it's all they focus on their entire life! That is the story! When one of them dies, the other follows soon after. What a weird book, but I really liked it. The illustrations are ugly and crazy, reminding me of bad cartoon network animation or maybe Ren and Stimpy. It's a scatter pen drawing muckyness that seems like it should move quickly.The story is sweet, although kind of twisted, possibly pointless, but I read into. Like I said above, I think it is a love affair acted out in competition, however it never directly states this. The best part, also the gross part, is when the book folds open in the middle...a double page origami fold showing the enormity of the two junk houses the men built while competing to be bigger and better. On this page tragedy strikes with a splat, is that appropriate? I like weird and think this goes in the not for everyone weird pile, specific taste is necessary to be able to admire its possible hidden message.
Pen and ink, water color
Curricular connections
Same sex love
Yeh-Shen A Cinderella Story
Retold by Ai-Ling Louie
Illustrated Ed Young http://edyoungart.com/books.html
Publisher Philomel Books New York, 1982
ISBN 0-399-20900-X
Annotation
The Chinese version of Cinderella retold from a ancient manuscript from China written 1000 years before the European version.
Personal reaction
I have always been a huge Cinderella fan, but was only exposed to the Disney version as a youngster. There is something attractive about youth wanting more than what they have, not feeling appreciated, and then of course, the out of reach love interest. The Cinderella story is the angst of a teens life, dreaming of magic and movement, wanting change, being stuck but with a happy ever after at the end that is dreamy. I was never exposed to the history behind this famous folktale, or the origin and travel it did. The multicultural Cinderella is a wonderful theme for older students to learn about geographic exploration, stories of travel and culture intertwining through trade.
Pencil and watercolor
Curricular connections
Folktale/China
Illustrated Ed Young http://edyoungart.com/books.html
Publisher Philomel Books New York, 1982
ISBN 0-399-20900-X
Annotation
The Chinese version of Cinderella retold from a ancient manuscript from China written 1000 years before the European version.
Personal reaction
I have always been a huge Cinderella fan, but was only exposed to the Disney version as a youngster. There is something attractive about youth wanting more than what they have, not feeling appreciated, and then of course, the out of reach love interest. The Cinderella story is the angst of a teens life, dreaming of magic and movement, wanting change, being stuck but with a happy ever after at the end that is dreamy. I was never exposed to the history behind this famous folktale, or the origin and travel it did. The multicultural Cinderella is a wonderful theme for older students to learn about geographic exploration, stories of travel and culture intertwining through trade.
Pencil and watercolor
Curricular connections
Folktale/China
Redwood
By Jason Chin
http://jasonchin.net/
Published Roaring Book Press, 2009
Annotation
A young boy finds this Redwood book on a bench and begins traveling through a wonderment of time. A celebration of the oldest trees on the planet through the eyes of a young boy.
Personal Reaction
This book illustrates the perspective of time while making historical and scientific connection, I feel, our California history books fail to do. Let me digress, I am so tired of subjects taught in school be secular and disconnected! Here is a perfectly simple book making it happen. A great book, it might need some selling in a library, because somehow trees have gotten a boring rep.
Interestingly, I have had families of autistic children come in and borrow this book because they felt it would speak to their children. The illustrations bring in a multilayer dreamy perspective. The boy finds the book we are reading, and begins to read it, while we are reading it...trippie. Then he leaves the book on a park bench, and the cycle repeats, just like the cycle we learn about in the forest.
Watercolor
Lesson Plan: Redwood Lesson Plan
Booklist Top 10 Sci-Tech Books for Youth (2009)
Horn Book Fanfare (2009)
Booklist Editors' Choice (2009)
Booklist Top 10 Books on the Environment for Youth (2009)
ALA Notable Children's Books (2010)
http://jasonchin.net/
Published Roaring Book Press, 2009
Annotation
A young boy finds this Redwood book on a bench and begins traveling through a wonderment of time. A celebration of the oldest trees on the planet through the eyes of a young boy.
Personal Reaction
This book illustrates the perspective of time while making historical and scientific connection, I feel, our California history books fail to do. Let me digress, I am so tired of subjects taught in school be secular and disconnected! Here is a perfectly simple book making it happen. A great book, it might need some selling in a library, because somehow trees have gotten a boring rep.
Interestingly, I have had families of autistic children come in and borrow this book because they felt it would speak to their children. The illustrations bring in a multilayer dreamy perspective. The boy finds the book we are reading, and begins to read it, while we are reading it...trippie. Then he leaves the book on a park bench, and the cycle repeats, just like the cycle we learn about in the forest.
Watercolor
Lesson Plan: Redwood Lesson Plan
Booklist Top 10 Sci-Tech Books for Youth (2009)
Horn Book Fanfare (2009)
Booklist Editors' Choice (2009)
Booklist Top 10 Books on the Environment for Youth (2009)
ALA Notable Children's Books (2010)
Poetry for Young People
By Langston Hughes
http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/83 Illustrated by Benny Andrews
http://bennyandrews.com/
Published Sterling Publishing co., Inc New York, 2006
There are words like freedom
Sweet and wonderful to say.
On my heartstrings freedom sings
All day everyday
Annotation
Langston Hughes writes African American centric poetry. A selection of celebratory poetry for young people to experience full of rhythmic steam.
Personal reaction
A happier thing would be hard to find after seeing a group of Kindergartners recite Langston Hughes strong fresh prose. I work at a school where Langston is taught from K to 5th. I am ashamed to say before I worked here I new nothing of his work. I also had never marched and sang black freedom gospal before this school. My life will never change as much as those songs promised and I will never truly know the battle Hughes illustrates through his optimistic African American perspective. But I can try through the eyes of young African Americans learning about their struggle and celebration through his poetry. I can march and hold hands with a bright eyed Kindergartner and feel deep in myself what Langston's words mean, it is a big feeling, a water in my eyes feeling.
**Poetry
Starred review
Children's Core Collection
African American Poetry
Civil rights
Optimism
http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/83 Illustrated by Benny Andrews
http://bennyandrews.com/
Published Sterling Publishing co., Inc New York, 2006
There are words like freedom
Sweet and wonderful to say.
On my heartstrings freedom sings
All day everyday
Annotation
Langston Hughes writes African American centric poetry. A selection of celebratory poetry for young people to experience full of rhythmic steam.
Personal reaction
A happier thing would be hard to find after seeing a group of Kindergartners recite Langston Hughes strong fresh prose. I work at a school where Langston is taught from K to 5th. I am ashamed to say before I worked here I new nothing of his work. I also had never marched and sang black freedom gospal before this school. My life will never change as much as those songs promised and I will never truly know the battle Hughes illustrates through his optimistic African American perspective. But I can try through the eyes of young African Americans learning about their struggle and celebration through his poetry. I can march and hold hands with a bright eyed Kindergartner and feel deep in myself what Langston's words mean, it is a big feeling, a water in my eyes feeling.
**Poetry
Starred review
Children's Core Collection
African American Poetry
Civil rights
Optimism
The Place I Know
Poems selected by George Heard
Illustrated by Eighteen renown Picture Book Artists
Published Candlewick Press Cambridge Massachusetts, 2002
ISBN 0-7636-1924-8
Annotation
A compilation of poems by well known poets focusing on sadness, anger or fear with a theme of comfort seeking.
Personal Reaction
This is a sweet poetry book done in the memory of the New York September 11 tragedies. However, the comfort in the poems shows no actual connection to the 9/11 events, they just generally celebrate being sad, angry and dealing with that through basic comforts such as an embrace, or acceptance and love. The illustrations are a mixed back of artists giving a dramatically different feel on each page but still connecting with each poem.
Mixed art media
Poetry
September 11
Grief, sadness, anger, comfort
Socio-emotional
Illustrated by Eighteen renown Picture Book Artists
Published Candlewick Press Cambridge Massachusetts, 2002
ISBN 0-7636-1924-8
Annotation
A compilation of poems by well known poets focusing on sadness, anger or fear with a theme of comfort seeking.
Personal Reaction
This is a sweet poetry book done in the memory of the New York September 11 tragedies. However, the comfort in the poems shows no actual connection to the 9/11 events, they just generally celebrate being sad, angry and dealing with that through basic comforts such as an embrace, or acceptance and love. The illustrations are a mixed back of artists giving a dramatically different feel on each page but still connecting with each poem.
Mixed art media
Poetry
September 11
Grief, sadness, anger, comfort
Socio-emotional
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Behold...The Dragons
Author Gail Gibbons http://www.gailgibbons.com/
Publisher Morrow Junior Books, New York 1999
Annotation:
The history of dragon lore through the exploration of regions and type of dragons.
Personal Reaction:
It is hard to find a good dragon book that is both easy to read and interesting without either not enough information or too much. Dragons have the same kind of draw for youth as super heroes and dinosaurs. This nonfiction book explores, through an honest lens, the historical beginnings of Dragon lore. Deep dramatic illustrations draw the reader in while small boxes of facts accompany the full color pages. I found the explanation of scientists researching dragon lore, called Draconologists, very interesting. This is a must for any library collection.
Folk Lore
Nonfiction
Dragons
Publisher Morrow Junior Books, New York 1999
Annotation:
The history of dragon lore through the exploration of regions and type of dragons.
Personal Reaction:
It is hard to find a good dragon book that is both easy to read and interesting without either not enough information or too much. Dragons have the same kind of draw for youth as super heroes and dinosaurs. This nonfiction book explores, through an honest lens, the historical beginnings of Dragon lore. Deep dramatic illustrations draw the reader in while small boxes of facts accompany the full color pages. I found the explanation of scientists researching dragon lore, called Draconologists, very interesting. This is a must for any library collection.
Folk Lore
Nonfiction
Dragons
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Me and My Cat
By Satoshi Kitamura http://www.satoshiland.com/
Published Farrar Straus Giroux Ney York, 1999
ISBN 0-374-34906-1
Annotation:
A young boy tells the story of switching bodies with his cat for a day and the adventures that proceed.
Personal Reaction:
I first heard this book read by the Actor Elijah Wood on the Screen Actors Guild Storyline Online site. After that I have made it a staple in my read aloud program for both the older grades and the younger ones. Who doesn't love a good body switch story! Funny entertaining, whimsical. In my youth it was Tom Hanks in Big, now we have new versions of Freaky Friday and 17 again. Its classic and fun. I like how in this picture book the words refer to the pictures to add humor. For example, when the boy says mom stopped him from eating his breakfast, the illustration shows the boy eating from the cat bowl and the cat, who is the boy watching, sitting there in bewilderment. I also find the boys reflection and calm acceptance of his situation refreshingly intelligent, he reflects a cats life is as complicated as a humans.
Black ink and watercolor
SAG Reading by Elijah Wood http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4xpp7j0_Yg
Oakland Public Library, Main Branch
Published Farrar Straus Giroux Ney York, 1999
ISBN 0-374-34906-1
Annotation:
A young boy tells the story of switching bodies with his cat for a day and the adventures that proceed.
Personal Reaction:
I first heard this book read by the Actor Elijah Wood on the Screen Actors Guild Storyline Online site. After that I have made it a staple in my read aloud program for both the older grades and the younger ones. Who doesn't love a good body switch story! Funny entertaining, whimsical. In my youth it was Tom Hanks in Big, now we have new versions of Freaky Friday and 17 again. Its classic and fun. I like how in this picture book the words refer to the pictures to add humor. For example, when the boy says mom stopped him from eating his breakfast, the illustration shows the boy eating from the cat bowl and the cat, who is the boy watching, sitting there in bewilderment. I also find the boys reflection and calm acceptance of his situation refreshingly intelligent, he reflects a cats life is as complicated as a humans.
Black ink and watercolor
SAG Reading by Elijah Wood http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4xpp7j0_Yg
Oakland Public Library, Main Branch
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
The Clay Boy
By Mirra Ginsburg http://www.eduplace.com/kids/tnc/mtai/ginsburg.html
Illustrated by Joseph A Smithhttp://josasmith.com/Artist.asp?ArtistID=5617&Akey=QSH5QVDH
2007, Greenwillow Books, New York
Adapted from a from a Russian folktale.
Annotation
A lonely elderly couple create a little clay boy to care for. When the Clay Boy becomes a hungry moving creature it eats them out of house and home and soon eats them and everything in his sight while growing bigger and hungrier.
Personal Reation
I love it when a horror movie is hidden within a childrens picture book, don't you? How terrible, a clay boy growing bigger and bigger the more people and animals he eats; an unsatisfied growing clay monster! The illustrations in this are really sweet, all except the monstrous Clay Boy with its open wide swallowing monster mouth. I can't tell if the author is just playing a trick on us, trying to make us think this is a sweet story, and all along knowing the Clay illustration and the shear theme of the story is wonderfully disgusting. I hope this book haunts the youngest and thrills the oldest youth. Older youth could create an entire monster movie or play around it by acting it out and possibly filming it. I know when I read this aloud, there is not a peep out of even my loudest most obnoxious class.
Russian Folklore
Children's Core Collection
Illustrated by Joseph A Smithhttp://josasmith.com/Artist.asp?ArtistID=5617&Akey=QSH5QVDH
2007, Greenwillow Books, New York
Adapted from a from a Russian folktale.
Annotation
A lonely elderly couple create a little clay boy to care for. When the Clay Boy becomes a hungry moving creature it eats them out of house and home and soon eats them and everything in his sight while growing bigger and hungrier.
Personal Reation
I love it when a horror movie is hidden within a childrens picture book, don't you? How terrible, a clay boy growing bigger and bigger the more people and animals he eats; an unsatisfied growing clay monster! The illustrations in this are really sweet, all except the monstrous Clay Boy with its open wide swallowing monster mouth. I can't tell if the author is just playing a trick on us, trying to make us think this is a sweet story, and all along knowing the Clay illustration and the shear theme of the story is wonderfully disgusting. I hope this book haunts the youngest and thrills the oldest youth. Older youth could create an entire monster movie or play around it by acting it out and possibly filming it. I know when I read this aloud, there is not a peep out of even my loudest most obnoxious class.
Russian Folklore
Children's Core Collection
A Gift
By Yong Chen http://www.yongchen.com/
2009 Boyds Mills Press, Pennsylvania
ISBN 10987654321
Annotation
It is Chinese New Year and Amy and her mother are far from family in China. This is the time Amy's mother becomes sad about being far away, but a story and a gift sent from home bring China to them during the New Year.
Personal Reaction
This is a short and simple book but it has a load of wonderful imagery of Chinese family life in both America and China. The way it talks about immigration, and missing family that children might never know is touching. The gift of a carved dragon from a stone found by Amy's uncle and sent to young Amy feels like a token of both the Chinese culture, and embodying sentiment felt by her mother and homage to her childhood. The illustrations take up two pages and are the element that make this story rich enough for older youth.
Water Color
Children's Core Collection
Chinese New Year
China/Chinese Americans
Immigration
2009 Boyds Mills Press, Pennsylvania
ISBN 10987654321
Annotation
It is Chinese New Year and Amy and her mother are far from family in China. This is the time Amy's mother becomes sad about being far away, but a story and a gift sent from home bring China to them during the New Year.
Personal Reaction
This is a short and simple book but it has a load of wonderful imagery of Chinese family life in both America and China. The way it talks about immigration, and missing family that children might never know is touching. The gift of a carved dragon from a stone found by Amy's uncle and sent to young Amy feels like a token of both the Chinese culture, and embodying sentiment felt by her mother and homage to her childhood. The illustrations take up two pages and are the element that make this story rich enough for older youth.
Water Color
Children's Core Collection
Chinese New Year
China/Chinese Americans
Immigration
Stranger in the Mirror
By Allen Say http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/authors/allensay/
1995 Houghton Mifflin Company, New York
ISBN 0395615909
Annotation
An adolescent Asian American boy, Sam, wakes up after his elderly grandfather has been taken away to find he looks like a little gray haired old man. Through his day people in his life treat him differently, although he feels the same as he always did.
Personal Reaction
What a lovely book. The oil paintings take the entire opposite page up from corner to corner with Sam's experience. There are so many elements to quantify in this story. This transformation from young boy to old man, specifically after his grandfather is taken away. The way he feels inside verses the way Sam is perceived and looks. On my first read through it was hard for me to determine whether the books message was about ageism, racism, or to physical judgements and how people perceive the way others look. On the dustcover it states clearly that it is about societies ideas of how to treat people because of the way they look. I guess that really sums it up. For older readers this could be a branching out point for this topic, which is sure to head straight for a more detailed analysis.
Oil Paint
Old Age
Fitting in
Bullying
Confidence
Asian American
1995 Houghton Mifflin Company, New York
ISBN 0395615909
Annotation
An adolescent Asian American boy, Sam, wakes up after his elderly grandfather has been taken away to find he looks like a little gray haired old man. Through his day people in his life treat him differently, although he feels the same as he always did.
Personal Reaction
What a lovely book. The oil paintings take the entire opposite page up from corner to corner with Sam's experience. There are so many elements to quantify in this story. This transformation from young boy to old man, specifically after his grandfather is taken away. The way he feels inside verses the way Sam is perceived and looks. On my first read through it was hard for me to determine whether the books message was about ageism, racism, or to physical judgements and how people perceive the way others look. On the dustcover it states clearly that it is about societies ideas of how to treat people because of the way they look. I guess that really sums it up. For older readers this could be a branching out point for this topic, which is sure to head straight for a more detailed analysis.
Oil Paint
Old Age
Fitting in
Bullying
Confidence
Asian American
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Blankets
2009 Best List
by Craig Thompson. http://www.dootdootgarden.com/
Marietta: Top Shelf Productions, 2003. (graphic novel)Annotation:
Craig Thompson's intimately reflective and tormented autobiography in graphic novel format walks the reader through his life as a teen while remembering his childhood sexual abuse, family relationships and struggles with sex and religion.
Personal Reaction.
I own this beautiful book. It was given to me by a friend to put in one of the elementary libraries, I think by mistake, since the content is very mature, and possibly almost adult in content. Before I read it, I noticed the 12 year old girls in my house extremely interested in it and decided I better look closer. Thompson's personal reflection while telling his life story comes through in the details of his illustrations just as much as in his written words. The book transitions Thompson from young boy to adult. We see him struggle through memories of the sexual abuse his brother and him suffer at the hands of a frightening babysitter. We experience the intensity of his evangelical home life. We see his first love and feel the strangeness of her family and the intensity of first sexuality and attraction. We see the unhappiness of adults through his adolescent eyes. However, I wonder how all this mature reflection portrayed as adolescent observation is soaked in by the older youth reader. This is a stomach hurting book at times, and, because it is a graphic novel, you can see and feel the story, not just read it, which was hard for me.
Black and White pen and ink
2009 top ten class list LIBR 271
2004 Harvey Awards: Best Artist, Best Graphic Album of Original Work and Best Cartoonist
2004 Eisner Awards: Best Graphic Album and Best Writer/Artist
2004 Ignatz Awards: Outstanding Artist and Outstanding Graphic Novel or Collection
2005 Prix de la critique
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
A Kick in the Head An Everyday guide to Poetic Forms
By Paul B. Janeczko http://www.paulbjaneczko.com/index.htm
Illustrated by Chris Raschka http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/contributor.jsp?id=2847
ISBN 978-0763606626
Published by Candlewick 2005, Massachusetts
Annotation
A Book of short poems giving examples of different poetic forms from Haiku to Epitaph. Each poem is followed by a simple explanation of the poetic rule it follows.
Personal reaction
This book is not just informative, it is fun to read. Each poem is enjoyable and friendly, while educational. The top left corner of each poem gives the poetic form, and a brief explanation of the form structure is found at the bottom.The illustrations are bright watercolor and mixed media whimsey creating a delightful reading experience. At the end of the book all the forms are explained in easy to read language, but more detail, explaining the origin and history of the form. I loved this book because it simplifies a large amount of poetic information. Poetry is often over looked in schools, or covered briefly through textbook lessons, so this book would be an excellent piece to work out of for educators. Now that I have found it, I might incorporate it into "Poem in you Pocket Day", or my poetry club.
Watercolor; Ink drawing; Collage
**Poetry
Children’s core collection
Illustrated by Chris Raschka http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/contributor.jsp?id=2847
ISBN 978-0763606626
Published by Candlewick 2005, Massachusetts
Annotation
A Book of short poems giving examples of different poetic forms from Haiku to Epitaph. Each poem is followed by a simple explanation of the poetic rule it follows.
Personal reaction
This book is not just informative, it is fun to read. Each poem is enjoyable and friendly, while educational. The top left corner of each poem gives the poetic form, and a brief explanation of the form structure is found at the bottom.The illustrations are bright watercolor and mixed media whimsey creating a delightful reading experience. At the end of the book all the forms are explained in easy to read language, but more detail, explaining the origin and history of the form. I loved this book because it simplifies a large amount of poetic information. Poetry is often over looked in schools, or covered briefly through textbook lessons, so this book would be an excellent piece to work out of for educators. Now that I have found it, I might incorporate it into "Poem in you Pocket Day", or my poetry club.
Watercolor; Ink drawing; Collage
**Poetry
Children’s core collection
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Henry’s Freedom Box
Henry’s Freedom Box
by Levine, Ellen Illustrated by Nelson, Kadir Scholastic Press New York 2007 ISBN 0-439-77733-X
Ellen Levine http://www.ellenlevineauthor.com/
Kadir Nelson http://www.kadirnelson.com/
Lesson Plan https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0BzBMSRW54LduNWMwOTE1YTEtNzA2ZC00ZDc4LTk2ZTYtNzE5ZGU4YWI2MTBk&hl=en_US
Annotation:
Henry was ripped from his family, first his brothers and sister, then his wife and children. He resiliently worked hard, and with help from a few friends, eventually mailed himself to freedom in a box.
Quote:
“Do you see those leaves blowing in the wind, they are torn from the trees like slave children torn from their families” Henry’s mother to her young content son.
Personal Reaction:
This is a heart wrenching book, recreating the life of Henry “Box” Brown, who escaped slavery by mailing himself in a box to Philadelphia. I don’t need to tell you how horrible slavery is; you will feel it deep in your throat when reading Henry’s story. Levine writes with such a softness, that the sadness seeps in while keeping you on the edge of your seat. The illustrations are dramatically intertwined with the text, and must be drunk in slowly. Henry is sold from his family, his wife and children are sold from him in a tear jerking scene. He resiliently works on, befriending an abolitionist doctor who helps him escape from the South. I read this book to older students aloud in the library, although the content is hard. Reading a sad book especially one about slavery to a diverse population is a sensitive matter. Care must be taken to have conversations through the story, and to be sure to talk about the feelings the students are having. This book stirs emotions, and must be read with care. Henry emerges from his box a free man, and the reader feels everything that moment worked up to, it is very powerful. The author’s note at the end is an important piece to add to this read aloud. It gives historical details and accuracy to this amazing story, students are blown away that it is true.
Illustrations: watercolor, pencil, oil
The above lesson uses Weston Wood Book Guide and Lesson Plan questions:Book Guide, Lesson Plan
Slavery
African American
Underground Railroad
Henry “Box” Brown
Abolitionists
Awards: A Caldecott Medal honor book, 2008
by Levine, Ellen Illustrated by Nelson, Kadir Scholastic Press New York 2007 ISBN 0-439-77733-X
Ellen Levine http://www.ellenlevineauthor.com/
Kadir Nelson http://www.kadirnelson.com/
Lesson Plan https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0BzBMSRW54LduNWMwOTE1YTEtNzA2ZC00ZDc4LTk2ZTYtNzE5ZGU4YWI2MTBk&hl=en_US
Annotation:
Henry was ripped from his family, first his brothers and sister, then his wife and children. He resiliently worked hard, and with help from a few friends, eventually mailed himself to freedom in a box.
Quote:
“Do you see those leaves blowing in the wind, they are torn from the trees like slave children torn from their families” Henry’s mother to her young content son.
Personal Reaction:
This is a heart wrenching book, recreating the life of Henry “Box” Brown, who escaped slavery by mailing himself in a box to Philadelphia. I don’t need to tell you how horrible slavery is; you will feel it deep in your throat when reading Henry’s story. Levine writes with such a softness, that the sadness seeps in while keeping you on the edge of your seat. The illustrations are dramatically intertwined with the text, and must be drunk in slowly. Henry is sold from his family, his wife and children are sold from him in a tear jerking scene. He resiliently works on, befriending an abolitionist doctor who helps him escape from the South. I read this book to older students aloud in the library, although the content is hard. Reading a sad book especially one about slavery to a diverse population is a sensitive matter. Care must be taken to have conversations through the story, and to be sure to talk about the feelings the students are having. This book stirs emotions, and must be read with care. Henry emerges from his box a free man, and the reader feels everything that moment worked up to, it is very powerful. The author’s note at the end is an important piece to add to this read aloud. It gives historical details and accuracy to this amazing story, students are blown away that it is true.
Illustrations: watercolor, pencil, oil
The above lesson uses Weston Wood Book Guide and Lesson Plan questions:Book Guide, Lesson Plan
Slavery
African American
Underground Railroad
Henry “Box” Brown
Abolitionists
Awards: A Caldecott Medal honor book, 2008
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