Module 4 Newbery: Number the Stars and Sounder

Number the Stars 

Bibliographic Information

Lowry, L. (1989). Number the stars. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. 

Summary
Annemarie and her best friend, Ellen, are living in Nazi-occupied Denmark during WWII.  Even though they can feel the effects of the war through food shortages and German soldiers on every street corner, the girls' lives still have a sense of normalcy.  They go to school daily, play in each others' apartments, have footraces- everyday activities of young children. Everything changes for Annemarie and Ellen when their families learn that the soldiers are going to start arresting Jews.  Annemarie and her family bravely agree to help Ellen's family escape the Nazis.  First they hide Ellen in plain sight by having her pretend to be part of their family.  Then they come up with a plan to smuggle the Jewish family to Sweden.  During this dangerous journey to the coast, Annemarie learns the meaning of true courage and realizes just how far she will go to help people in need. 

Impressions
This book is a different take on the sad story of Jewish persecution during World War II.  I appreciate the fact that it was told through the eyes of someone who wasn't Jewish but could still feel the horrifying consequences of the Nazis' actions. Even though Annemarie was young and didn't truly understand what was happening, she knew that her friends had done nothing wrong and didn't deserve what was happening to them.  I think this innocence emphasizes to the reader just how wrong the situation was.  One day Ellen's family is living peacefully in the apartment next door, and the next they are being "relocated" for no reason at all.  Seeing these events as Annemarie, a 10-year-old girl, saw them and how they prompted her to act to save her friend impress upon the reader the gravity of the situation.  I loved the fact that the story included a description of the people of Denmark and how they bravely acted to save Jews by smuggling them to safety in Sweden.  This is a wonderful work of historical fiction that includes an inspiring history lesson as well. 

Review

A moving and satisfying story of heroism in war time which is totally accessible to young readers.  Annemarie's life in occupied Copenhagen in 1943 seemingly is not much changed by the war--until the Nazi persecution of Danish Jews begins.  Annemarie's family becomes involved in the Resistance effort, helping a Jewish friend by having her pose as Annemarie's dead sister Lise.  When an important packet must be taken to the captain of one of the ships smuggling Jews to neutral Sweden, Annemarie finds the courage needed to deliver it despite grave danger to herself.  Later her Uncle Henrik tells her that brave means "not thinking about the dangers.  Just thinking about what you must do."  Lowry's story is not just of Annemarie; it is also of Denmark and the Danish people, whose Resistance was so effective in saving their Jews.  Annemarie is not just a symbol, however.  She is a very real child who is equally involved in playing with a new kitten and running races at school as in the dangers of the occupation.  Number the Stars brings the war to a child's level of understanding, suggesting but not detailing its horrors.  It is well plotted, and period and place are convincingly recreated.  An afterward answers the questions that readers will have and reiterates the inspirational idealism of the young people whose courage helped win the war. 

Review Reference

Sherman. L. (1989, March). [Review of Number the Stars, by L. Lowry]. School
     Library Journal. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2071/ehost/
     pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=755e3cf8-a9a2-44ed-b8e6-ac06ecee572b%40
     sessionmgr112&vid=30&hid=122 

Library Use
~ This book could be used in a historical fiction display focused on books set during WWII and the Holocaust, along with titles such as Odette's Secrets, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, and Prisoner B-3087.  Many students are very interested in these events and like to compare works of fiction set during this time in history.

Book Trailer by Melissa Leonard

Sounder 

Bibliographic Information
Armstrong, W. H. (1969). Sounder. New York: Harper Collins Publishers. 

Summary
Sounder is a hunting dog owned by a poor family of sharecroppers.  He goes out with his master every night hunting for food for the family.  As food becomes more and more scarce, the master becomes desperate to feed his family.  One morning food miraculously shows up on the table, and even though the young boy telling the story is confused, he's also thrilled to have so much to eat.  Sadly, the food leads to several devastating events for the boy and his family.  The arrest of his father and wounding of Sounder make the boy determined to help his family through this difficult time. Set in the South in the early nineteenth century, Sounder is much more than a 'dog story.'  It is a story of racism and struggle, but it also illustrates how courage and hope can lead people through desperate situations.

Impressions
I think this book should be required reading for all humans upper-elementary grades and older.  Through the boy's thoughts, the reader gains an understanding of how racism affects people.  We see his fear of the world around him.  We feel his longing for the knowledge to read, something so many of us take for granted.  We also watch his emotions change as he begins to realize the injustice of his life and anger sprouts inside him.  This story can build empathy and understanding among people who have never experienced bias personally.  It isn't an easy topic, especially with younger students, but it is one that must be discussed because these problems are still very real today. 

Review
SOUNDER is a remarkable, moving story that captures the ugliness of racism and poverty as well as the desperation and necessary strength of downtrodden people, in this case an African-American sharecropping family in the rural South. By presenting the story from the emotional viewpoint of the boy, the author makes the reader feel his loneliness and fear, as well as his amazing determination and courage. Terrible things happen, as they often do in an unjust, prejudiced world, but a hopeful optimism presides. Not only is the story moving and tender, but the language that tells it is also realistically detailed, with multiple layers of symbolism that are uncomplicated but powerful. 

Review Reference
Tauzer, P. (2010). [Review of Sounder, by W. H. Armstrong]. Common Sense
     Media. Retrieved from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews
     /sounder 

Library Use
~Sounder could be used for older elementary or middle school students in lessons focused on civil rights, either in conjunction with Martin Luther King, Jr. Day or Black History Month.  The events in the book could be used in discussions as a bridge between events of the past and current events, leading students to talk about the actions they can take to make positive changes in our world.

Module 3 Caldecott: The Big Snow and A Sick Day for Amos McGee

The Big Snow 

Bibliographic Information
Hader, B. & E. (1948). The big snow. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. 


Summary 
This is the story of animals preparing for winter by storing food and finding warm places to rest and keep out of the weather.  They are also fortunate to have the people who live in the little stone house who will help them survive.  After the big snow, the animals are happy to find that food has been left out for them by the couple who live in the little house.

Impressions
The summary sounds simplistic, and in truth, it is a typical story of how animals survive in cold weather.  What makes this book extraordinary are the beautiful illustrations.  These paintings, in conjunction with the words, draw the reader in to this cold, winter world.  While reading the book I felt like I should start making my own preparations for winter.  It is easy to see why this book won the Caldecott Medal and why it has stood the test of time. 

Review
A beautiful picture book with so slight a text that it can be ignored with the very little children -- and used with the next step up who are themselves beginning to be interested in feeding the birds and animals in the winter. For that is what this book is about. The Haders are at their best in drawing animals and this, with forty full page pictures, half of them in color, has some of the best work they have done, with a fine decorative sense as well as recognizable pictures of the creatures of woods and fields preparing for winter, and watching the first signs.

Review Reference
(n.d.). [Review of The Big Snow, by B. & E. Hader]. Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved
     from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/berta-elmer-hader/
     the-big-snow/

Library Use
~The Big Snow could be used in a study of illustration techniques.  The beautiful, detailed paintings in the book could be compared with the photo illustrations in Stranger in the Woods, which tells a similar story of animals receiving treats of food to help them through the winter. Students could compare the two types of illustrations and discuss the pros and cons of using each type. 

Book Trailer by Melissa Leonard

A Sick Day for Amos McGee 

Bibliographic Information
Stead, P. C. (2010). A sick day for Amos McGee. New York: Roaring Book Press.

Summary
Amos McGee is a kind, older man who works at the zoo.  He spends his days taking particularly good care of the animals- reading bedtime stories, playing chess, having races, and simply hanging out with one animal who is shy.  One day when Amos becomes sick and can't go to work at the zoo, his animal friends become concerned and travel across the city to check on him.  In a funny role reversal, the animals take care of Amos as he recuperates in bed. 

Impressions 
I found this book to be refreshing and heartwarming.  The story itself is one of true friendship, showing how friends enjoy spending time together and take care of each other.  The soft illustrations add to the warm feeling of the story.  They are also exquisitely detailed.  Young children will connect with the theme and truly enjoy this story of mutual affection. 

Review
Zookeeper Amos McGee always makes time to visit his good friends at work: he plays chess with the elephant, runs races with the tortoise (who always wins), sits quietly with the penguin, lends a handkerchief to the rhinoceros (who has a runny nose), and reads stories to the owl (who is afraid of the dark). Then, after Amos gets a cold, his friends miss him, and they leave the zoo and ride the bus to his place to care for him and cheer him up. Like the story, the quiet pictures, rendered in pencil and woodblock color prints, are both tender and hilarious. Each scene captures the drama of Amos and the creatures caring for each other, whether the elephant is contemplating his chess moves, his huge behind perched on a stool; or the rhinoceros is lending Amos a handkerchief; or the owl is reading them all a bedtime story. The extension of the familiar pet-bonding theme will have great appeal, especially in the final images of the wild creatures snuggled up with Amos in his cozy home. 

Review Reference

Rochman, H. (2010, May). [Review of A Sick Day for Amos McGee, by P. C.
     Stead]. Booklist. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2143/
     ps/retrieve.do?sgHitCountType=None&sort=DA-SORT&inPS=true&
     prodId=LitRC&userGroupName=txshracd2679&tabID=T004&searchId=R1&
     resultListType=RESULT_LIST&contentSegment=searchType=
     AdvancedSearchForm&currentPosition=362&contentSet=GALE|
     A226161207&&docId=GALE|A226161207&docType=GALE&role=LitRC 

Library Use
~This book would be a wonderful read aloud for a story time for primary age students.  They would find humor in all the activities Amos does with the animals at the zoo.  Young students would also appreciate the kindness and show of friendship when the animals arrive to take care of Amos when he is sick.

Module 2 Classic Literature: The Snowman and Nana Upstairs & Nana Downstairs

The Snowman

Bibliographic Information
Briggs, R. (1978). The snowman. New York: Random House. 

Summary
The Snowman is a wonderful, wordless story of a boy and his snowman.  One morning the boy wakes to find snow falling and his yard covered in a blanket of white.  He spends the day building a snowman, and when the boy goes to sleep that night, the snowman comes to life in his dreams.  They go on a truly incredible adventure, rummaging around the house, riding on a motorcycle, and finally the pair flies through the air and joins other snowmen.  Sadly, the boy wakes in the morning only to find the sun shining brightly and the remains of his snowman lying in a melted heap outside. 

Impressions
This book seems magical to me.  The illustrations make me feel like I'm really in a winter wonderland, like I'm six-years-old and looking out the window at the wonder of everything covered in snow.  These images are almost dreamlike and convey the message of the story perfectly.  The absence of words invites readers to use their imagination to interpret the story, and I believe it also makes it easy for children to see themselves in the role of the boy, flying through the night in the snow. 

Review 
PreS-Gr 3–Language is unnecessary to understand the affection between a boy and his snowman—and the child’s sadness when the creature melts. In between, however, onlookers are swept up in the wonders of electricity, false teeth, skateboards, and the twosome’s marvelous nighttime flight. Small panels propel the motion; panoramas slow it down. 

Review Reference
Lukehart, W. (2011, April 1). [Review of The Snowman, by R. Briggs]. Wordless
     books: Picture perfect. School Library Journal. Retrieved from
     http://www.slj.com/2011/04/collection-development/wordless-books-
     picture-perfect/

Library Use
~This book could be used to introduce wordless books and to teach young students how to read and interpret pictures to understand a story.  It could be carried over to books with words to emphasize the importance of illustrations and show how pictures help tell the story, even in books with words.
~The Snowman could be part of a winter book display in the library.



Nana Upstairs & Nana Downstairs 

Bibliographic Information
dePaola, T. (1978). Nana upstairs & nana downstairs. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons.

Summary
Tommy is a small boy who loves spending time with his grandmother, Nana Downstairs, and his great grandmother, Nana Upstairs.  During his weekly visits, Tommy always runs up the stairs to see Nana Upstairs, where they eat candy and play games together.  One day his mother tells Tommy that Nana Upstairs has died.  He tries to understand what that really means and cope with the loss of his beloved great grandmother. 

Impressions
I think this book is a wonderful story and introduces children to loss in a way they can understand.  It is a very touching story, one that a variety of kids can relate to and connect with, a story that will spark meaningful conversations in the classroom. 

Review 
Ages 3-7. Originally published in 1973, this autobiographical picture book was one of the first to introduce very young children to the concept of death. Given its graceful treatment of a difficult subject, it has been a parental staple ever since, and a new generation of readers will be glad to discover this timeless tale in a lovely new edition. In an appended note, dePaola says he approached this project "as a completely new book." Thus, the format is larger than formerly, the pictures have been re-done in full color, and even the text has been slightly modified, though the story remains the same: every Sunday four-year-old Tommy's family goes to visit his grandparents. His grandmother is always busy downstairs, but his great-grandmother is always to be found in bed upstairs, because she is 94 years old. Tommy loves both of his Nanas and the time he spends with them. He is desolate when his upstairs Nana dies, but his mother comforts him by explaining that 'she will come back in your memory whenever you think about her." Although dePaola's book is a nostalgic tribute to his own family, its theme--that not only people but our love for them survives in our memories--is universally true and important. 

Review Reference

Cart, M.  (1998, Feb. 15). [Review of Nana Upstairs & Nana Downstairs, by T.

     DePaola]. Booklist. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/

     ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA20395203&v=2.1&u=txshracd2679&it=r&p=

     LitRC&sw=w&asid=b7da7cfe4f012b0aa2d19c13768f07d6

Library Use
~I would use this book to teach the Memoir genre, showcasing it as a model of stories that are real memories but are written like stories. 
~This title could also be used to compare several Tommy dePaola books during an author study. 

Module 1 Intro.: Little Red Writing

Bibliographic Information

Holub, J. (2013). Little red writing. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books. 

Summary

One day in pencil school, Little Red, is given the task of writing a story.  This funny tale follows Little Red as she travels around the school with her basket of nouns, writing a story of bravery and excitement.  Along the way she bumps into several other parts of speech, such as verbs, adjectives, and onomatopoeia.  She also hears growls and sees a long tail, which she follows to the principal's office.  Luckily Little Red and the janitor, Mr. Woodcutter, get there in time to save Principal Granny from the Wolf 3000, "the grindingest pencil sharpener ever made!"

Impressions

I loved this book!  It is a creative take on the traditional Little Red Riding Hood that uses the story as a venue to teach part of the writing process.  The illustrations are an integral part of the story that invoke the feeling of a comic with speech bubbles and large words throughout the pages.  I would recommend this book just as a fun read, and I believe it could be read multiple times to teach several standards in a library or classroom setting.

                                           

Review 
K-Gr 2–Written with wit, humor, and puns galore, this fractured fairy tale features Little Red, a pencil in search of a story. Given a writing assignment by her teacher Ms. 2, Little Red travels down the story path with a basket of red nouns looking for the kind of tale that will allow her to display bravery and fight evil, “because red is the color of courage. But what would a brave pencil do?” As she journeys around the school, she encounters action words at the gym, descriptive words at the library, etc., until she comes across a long tangly tail that is up to no good. Brave Little Red follows it into Principal Granny’s office where she comes upon the Wolf 3000, “the grumpiest, growliest, grindingest pencil sharpener ever made!” This is a book so rich in words and wry humor–written and visual–that one reading just isn’t enough. Imagine kids running to the dictionary to look up “bosky” and “tenebrous” after getting bogged down in the dark, descriptive forest (the school library) or poring over Sweet’s characteristically engaging watercolor, pencil, and collage illustrations for delicious details, such as the pencil school newspaper with the motto “We get to the point.” These pictures don’t merely enhance Holub’s clever text, they become a part of it through the use of layered papers upon which the dialogue is literally written in pencil. Little Red’s classmates run the gamut of childhood types, each distinguished by its individualized eraser. Creative and fun, this book works equally well for storytime or story writing. Pair it with Janet Stevens’s The Little Red Pen (Houghton, 2011) for the full gamut of school-supplies silliness.

Review Reference
Markson, T. (2013, September 2). [Review of Little Red Writing, by J. Holub].
     School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://www.slj.com/2013/09/
     reviews/fiction-reviews/preschool-to-grade-4-fiction-september-2013/ 

Library Use
~Librarians could use this text in a unit focusing on the folktale genre to model how authors take a traditional folktale and 'fracture' it, or make it into a new, original story.
~This book could also be used in a language lesson centered around parts of speech.