Fantasy: Serafina and the Black Cloak

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Evaluation of the book:
Robert Beatty, author of Serafina and the Black Cloak, experiments with different uses of language in this book. For example, Beatty attempts to use understatement to hint at Serafina’s cat-like tendencies. Words like “scurrying” (p.49) and “scampered” (p. 67) that Beatty uses to describe Serafina’s movements are not natural for humans; the reader picks up pretty quickly on the fact that Serafina isn’t a normal human. By the time the revelation of her catamount origins happens at the end of the book, the reader has (most likely) already guessed at the truth. The understatement and little hints throughout keep the reader engaged and guessing until the very end.

Unfortunately, Beatty’s forays into experimental language have a more generally awkward outcome. He tries to express the different personalities of his characters through their dialogue, but what results is his characters being so different that they don’t seem to belong in the same house. Serafina’s pa’s harsh brogue is hard to read and makes him difficult to relate to. Serafina’s dialogue changes depending on who she’s talking to; with her pa she’s rough and brogue-ish but with young master Braedan she talks perfectly normally. These inconsistencies and oversights in dialogue make the language of the novel a little discombobulating.

Finally, the vocabulary of the novel itself is inconsistent. Beatty uses words like “apocalyptic” (p. 139) when Serafina is describing a scene internally, but later in the novel Serafina doesn’t understand the word “asunder” (p. 273). The intended audience of this novel are children around the same age as Serafina. If she doesn’t understand the vocabulary used, how are they supposed to understand?

Response:
I personally was not a huge fan of this novel. I tried to imagine myself as a child reading it and, from that perspective, I can see how the thrill of the mystery of the black cloak would be enough to keep me reading. However, the inconsistencies in language, shallowness of characters, and somewhat random fantastic folklore would have frustrated me even as a young reader. A book should go beyond a thrill; there should be just a little more substance than in this one.

Conclusion:
While I don’t think Serafina and the Black Cloak is at a level of being potentially dangerous for early childhood literacy development, I also don’t see it as being a particularly useful novel when trying to help children on their reading journey. That being said, reading is important, no matter the source. If a child is attracted to the story of cat-like Serafina saving the day, by all means, let them read!

APA Style Reference:
Beatty, R. (2015). Serafina and the black cloak. New York, NY: Disney-Hyperion.

Fantasy: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

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Evaluation of the book:
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is the famous story of siblings Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy who discover the land of Narnia in the back of a wardrobe. The book is written in simple, clear prose that clearly points to children as its intended readers. The simplicity and elegance of the prose compliment the exciting and adventurous story, letting young readers enjoy the experience of reading this book without being bogged down by overly complicated writing.

In addition to the simple prose, the book is filled with little, simple illustrations. These small, black and white sketches of creatures in Narnia remind the reader that the beings described in the book are not human - they’re beavers, fauns, lions, etc. The book contains a lot of dialogue; it’s easy to forget who’s - or what’s - talking. The illustrations are a little reminder to the reader that they have entered a fantastical world, Narnia.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe contains many exemplary, virtuous characters (Mr. Tumnus, Aslan, the Beavers, Lucy, etc.) for young readers to imitate. The distinction between good and evil is clearly drawn; the witches, wolves, and ogres are the bad guys while the humans, lions, and beavers are the good guys. That being said, the book is not overly didactic in tone, it simply illustrates good vs. evil in a way that children can observe and learn from, if they choose.

Response:
As a Christian, I see (and agree with/believe in!) all the parallels C.S. Lewis draws to salvation history in this book. Aslan as a Christ figure coming to save the world from the White Witch (sin), Lucy and Susan (the women on the road to calvary) accompanying Aslan to his death, etc. The Christian overtones are hardly veiled (sacrificial death of the main character is a bit too dramatic to hide completely), but the book can also be enjoyed by non-Christians because of its engaging, fast-paced plot and its virtuous characters. Well-written and fun, even if simple, the Chronicles of Narnia is an excellent, wholesome series of books. I loved the stories as a kid; I enjoyed revisiting as an adult.

Conclusion:
Even though this book is written in simple prose and contains simple illustrations, its story is far from a simple one, nor does it attract a simple audience. Children are drawn to exciting stories like those of Narnia; C. S. Lewis does a good job hiding a few lessons in virtue in his pages so that the book might contain more than a simple story. I’d recommend this book to any child, but especially those who might be more hesitant readers. I bet a story with talking beavers, an evil witch, and heroic children could draw in even the most solid anti-reader - and the simplicity of the prose won’t scare anyone away!

APA Style Reference:

Lewis, C. S. (1994). The lion, the witch, and the wardrobe. New York, NY: HarperTrophy.

Romance: The Sun is Also a Star

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Evaluation of the book:

The pages of The Sun is Also a Star are filled with excellent prose that uses understatement and other literary devices to accurately express what each character experiences without bogging the reader down with unnecessary details. “I BLOW on my coffee, SIP it, STIR it, playing the part of an actual human teenage boy having an actual beverage called coffee” (p. 70). Simply by using capital letters, Yoon expresses the awkwardness that Daniel feels on his first date with Natasha.

In addition to the pristine prose, Yoon uses alternating first person points of view to help Daniel and Natasha’s personalities shine. For example, in Daniel’s chapters there is a lot of parenthetical asides. Daniel adds these asides to his normal thinking; this points to his creative and poetic nature, interpreting the world around him. In Natasha’s chapters, however, the reader finds a lot of “observable facts.” These asides show that Natasha is pragmatic and more scientific in her outlook on life.

In between chapters told from Daniel’s and Natasha’s points of view, Yoon adds short chapters describing peripheral characters and situations. These short additions add depth to the story and, in the end, come together to show that everyone is connected, no matter how obscure that connection.

Response:

I loved this book. It’s a well-written, fun, and poignant image of young love and immigration difficulties. Yoon has a strong sense of what being a teenager in love is like and that sense shines through her writing. Like Charlie from The Perks of Being a Wallflower, the characters in this book observe some pretty real stuff in a pretty real way: “Watching them makes me unreasonably happy. I guess the cliche is true. People in love want everyone else to be in love” (p. 250). This story touches on so many important issues - parent-child relationships, immigration, cultural distinctions, racism, depression and suicide, extra-marital affairs, family, etc. - and yet somehow manages to do it without being in-your-face. The Sun is Also a Star has left a lasting reaction in me; I find myself pondering its little details and extraneous asides even days after I’ve finished it. Yoon wove together a beautiful tapestry of people’s lives and managed to weave mine right into it!

Conclusion:

Not only is the writing impeccable in The Sun is Also a Star, but the story is fun, fast paced, and adorable. The messages and lessons contained in its pages are deep and complicated, but the story makes them easy to ponder. I’d recommend that any teenager read this book, whether they relate personally to the difficulties expressed on these pages or not.


APA Style Reference:

Yoon, N. (2016). The sun is also a star. New York, NY: Delacorte Press.

Romance: Little House on the Prairie

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Evaluation of the book:

The story of Little House on the Prairie is a familiar one to most adult readers. Little Laura travels with her family of Ma, Pa, Mary, and baby Carrie to the wild west where they settle on the prairie to begin a new life. The book shares the trials of this journey and new life from the point of view of young Laura in a simple and childlike way. The writing is simple; the book is clearly meant to be read by young children. To further encourage its younger readers, the book is illustrated every couple pages with simple, black and white sketches of Laura’s adventures. The book’s simple language and simple illustrations are an interesting way to express the more complicated story of life on the prairie, making the story approachable to a young audience.

Little House on the Prairie teaches many lessons about history to its reader. Specifically, it relates what daily life on the prairie was like from the perspective of a very young child. The child reader can learn a lot about history from little Laura. The childlike simplicity of the story makes the history approachable and helps the child reader imagine what it would have been like to live back then, on the prairie with the Ingalls.

In addition to its historical lessons, Little House on the Prairie’s pages are filled with didactic lessons on how little girls ought to behave. A couple examples: “ ‘Oh, sing it again, Pa! Sing it again!’ she cried, before she remembered that children must be seen and not heard. Then she was quiet” (p. 66); “Laura didn’t want to say anything. She wanted to keep those pretty beads. Her chest felt all hot inside, and she wished with all her might that Mary wouldn’t always be such a good girl” (p. 179); “In a minute they would have remembered, but before they did, Ma said, gently, ‘Aren’t you going to thank Mr. Edwards?’” (p. 250). For better or for worse, this didacticism makes up the heart and soul of the book.

Response:

Although Little House on the Prairie is an adorably beloved classic story, it is a bit too didactic in its tone. It is easy to tell, even for a very young reader, that the story is told by an adult who is trying to reach down to the child’s level, rather than an adult who actually understands children. That being said, the historical significance of this book is not to be overlooked. It teaches lessons of America’s history at a level that children can grasp and understand. I enjoyed this book, and the others in its series, immensely when I was growing up and I enjoyed reading it again now as an adult, despite noticing its overly didactic tone and simplistic writing.

Conclusion:

A simple telling of a complicated history is never to be overestimated. Little House on the Prairie brings life on the prairie down to a level that today’s children can imagine and learn from. Its overly didactic tone (not to mention politically incorrect descriptions of Native Americans) aside, this book is an innocent and adorable story of little Laura and her family on the prairie. Whether for school or for pleasure, young children should be encouraged to read this book to see what their ancestors had to live through in order to fulfill the American dream.

APA Style Reference: 

Wilder, L. I. (1971). Little house on the prairie. New York, NY: HarperTrophy.

Multicultural & International: Islandborn

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Evaluation of the book:

There is so much to be said when evaluating Islandborn by Junot Diaz and illustrated by Leo Espinosa. First and foremost, it is important to note the beautiful illustrations that go above and beyond the story-line. The story is simple enough: an immigrant girl named Lola needs to draw a picture of her country of origin for a school assignment but she can’t remember it, so she goes around asking other people from the same island to describe it. The illustrations show this story while also adding to it by illustrating Lola’s interpretations of the other people’s words. Her cousin describes bats as big as blankets; Lola interprets them - and the illustrations show them - as blankets-turned-bats. These gorgeous illustrations celebrate the beauty of a child’s imagination.

In addition, the illustrations show the layers of immigrant life in all its complexities. In the background of the illustrations is depicted a normal American life (buildings, houses, barber shops, schools, etc.) in normal colors. Layered on top of that life are the brightly colored images of Lola’s imaginations of the Island. The combination of the solid, steady background with the bright, exotic imaginings gives a beautiful illustration of the layers of an immigrant’s life. Both new home and old home should be celebrated together as one beautiful story-line, just as it is in this picture book.

Finally, although the illustrations are stunning and incredible, there is much to be said about the beautiful words of the story too. Most importantly, the words and descriptions are just vague and general enough that they could be applied to any child. Lola’s island is never named; it’s simply called the “Island.” Any child, whether immigrant or not, could put his own past life into that “Island” and thus relate to Lola’s story. Lola’s declaration, “The Island is me” is an important one for every child to understand. It’s a beautiful thing to embrace one’s culture, whether it’s learned through personal experience or learned through others’ experiences. We are all diverse; we come from somewhere. It’s important to celebrate that fact.

Response:

I personally don’t have any experience being an immigrant or not remembering where I come from, but living in Portland, ME and being surrounded by immigrants, this story helped me put myself in their shoes and see the beauty of the cultures I’m lucky enough to be surrounded by. I think it’s important for children to learn at a young age to celebrate diversity and to celebrate what makes them different. Islandborn is just that, a beautiful celebration of what it is to be unique and to come from somewhere special. I enjoyed every page of this book; the illustrations were stunning and the story was well written. I want to read it over and over, lingering on each page to soak it all in.

Conclusion:

Islandborn is filled with glorious illustrations of Lola’s imaginations that beautifully express cultural layers of immigrant life. The story is relevant to any child, immigrant or not, and is a celebration of diversity at its finest. All children should be introduced to this book in order to experience the beauty of diversity and the power of imagination.

APA Style Reference:

Diaz, J. & Espinosa, L. (2018). Islandborn. New York, NY: Dial Books for Young Readers.

Mystery/Suspense: Paper Towns

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Evaluation of the book:

Even though Paper Towns is classified as a mystery or suspense novel, it is, above all, a realistic story about characters who are very much just normal teenagers living (relatively) normal lives. The cast of characters from protagonist Quentin, to his quirky band member friends, to adventurous Margo, are all vividly depicted and very realistic. I could imagine flying down to Florida and meeting any one of them in the local Publix. Teenagers reading this novel will easily see themselves or their friends in these well-written characters.

The theme of the novel is just as relatable as the characters themselves. It is a story of teenagers figuring out how to live their lives in the moments between childhood and adulthood. Most importantly, these teenagers learn that every person is different and, even if high school or parents put certain labels on you, every person must live their own lives and allow those around them to do the same. We are constantly putting labels or defining those around us; John Green’s novel asks simply that we take a step back and let those around us be their own person.

The tone of the novel is overall lighthearted. Even though it carries an important message and touches on some darker themes, Paper Towns is very much just an enjoyable, lighthearted novel about a few teenagers living their lives, stumbling upon a mystery, and going on a great adventure of discovery - both of self and of others. Green’s lighthearted tone helps him avoid an overly didactic outcome to his novel.

Response:

I learned a lot from this novel about how often we fall into the trap of defining those around us. With Quentin, I learned “what a treacherous thing it is to believe that a person is more than a person” (p.282). Too often we idolize the people we love and, in doing so, we do not give them a chance to be themselves, simply a person. Although I’m not normally a John Green fan, I really enjoyed this novel. It taught important lessons while being extremely fun to read. I was honored to roadtrip alongside Quentin and his friends as they journeyed to find Margo. John Green writes well and his deep understanding of the teenage mind shines through his narrative.

Conclusion:

Its strong characters, important theme, and lighthearted tone make John Green’s Paper Towns an excellent YA novel. It neither hides nor lingers on the dirty side of growing up, but it lets the reader live a realistic, fun teenage life alongside the quirky, adolescent characters. I’d recommend this novel to any teenager in high school who might be struggling with self discovery and having difficulty relating to those around him/her. The message is clear: live and let live.

APA Style Reference:

Green, J. (2012). Paper towns. New York, NY: SPEAK.

Mystery/Suspense: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

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Evaluation of the book:

Layered with tension, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is an absolute page turner. Beginning with the mysterious death of protagonist Jake’s grandfather in the first few pages, the story takes the reader - and Jake - on an adventure to figure out who exactly Jake’s grandpa is. Jake doesn’t know who or what his grandfather is and, as it turns out, he doesn’t know who or what he himself is, either. The reader follows Jake into the unknown and the layers of tension keep building: we don’t know what we’ll discover on the mysterious island in Scotland; we don’t know when or if or how the hollows (the bad guys) will come; we don’t know whether Emma will fall for Jake even though she used to be in love with his grandfather. The reader keeps turning the pages, faster and faster, in an attempt to learn more and to appease the building tensions.

The buildup of tension is further helped along by the first person point of view of the story. Told from Jake’s point of view, the story has a necessary air of mystery and suspense because we the readers don’t know any more than Jake does about his situation and what is to come. We experience each of the tensions noted above in real time as Jake discovers and lives through them. Jake doesn’t know what’s to come; neither do we. But we sure want to find out!

Finally, the book is laced with spooky images that are like a cherry on top of the already suspenseful and spooky story and tone. Author Riggs will vividly describe peculiar people and setting and then, on the very next page, the reader discovers a black and white photograph of that exact setting or person. The photos are eery and creepy and help cement the spooky mood of the book.

Response:

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is the perfect Young Adult novel. It’s well-written, exciting, and perfectly paced. It’s characters are well-developed and realistic; it’s easy to relate to them, even if the story itself is fantastic. The photographs throughout give the perfect finishing touch of spookiness. I enjoyed this book immensely as an adult, but I can see anyone from age 12 and up enjoying it thoroughly. It truly spans the entire age range of what makes up a “Young Adult” reader. Mystery & suspense are not my go-to genres, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book.

Conclusion:

Suspenseful, well-written, and visually exciting, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is an excellent novel. I recommend that anyone, even those who normally steer clear of fantastical or suspenseful mystery novels, give this novel a chance because I believe that they, like me, will be pleasantly surprised. I’m eagerly waiting for the day when I’ll have time to read the second book in Riggs’ Peculiar Children series because I want to journey alongside Jake and his friends as they continue their adventures.

APA Style Reference:

Riggs, R. (2013). Miss Peregrine’s home for peculiar children. Philadelphia, PA: Quirk Books.

Inspirational: The Rainbow Fish

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Evaluation of the book:

The Rainbow Fish is the story of a beautiful, sparkly fish who learns the importance of sharing in order to make friends and be happy. The message is simple: sharing is caring. The message is so simple, in fact, that the story could be told purely by the illustrations. In the beginning, there’s a fish with many shiny scales. Then all the fish swim away from him. Then he talks to an octopus. Then he gives a shiny scale to a little fish. Finally, all the fish in the sea each have one shiny scale. The end. This book is purely didactic.

The Rainbow Fish has an instant appeal for children because of the sparkly fish scales present on each page. The reader’s eyes are drawn to the Rainbow Fish and his beautiful, sparkly scales. The illustrations themselves are beautiful watercolors (appropriate for the underwater story!), but the shimmery scales let the child reader understand how desirable the Rainbow Fish and his shiny scales really are. The reader understands well the other fishes’ jealousy.

In contrast to the illustrations, the text itself is rather ugly. The font is basic and the bold text blocks do not fit in with the softer illustrations. Unfortunately, the ugliness of the text makes the book as a whole feel less sophisticated. Not only is the visual appeal of the text unpleasant, the writing is awkward and doesn’t flow very well.

Response:

My response to this book is very mixed. On the one hand, the message of “sharing is caring” is a good one. The Rainbow Fish learns (and teaches) an important lesson when, “His most prized possessions had been given away, yet he was very happy.” The world is filled with entitled people, especially the younger generations. This book is important because it addresses this issue and teaches children the dangers of entitlement. On the other hand, however, there are potentially dangerous traces of socialism - give everything away; be exactly like everyone else; don’t be unique - that I do not in any way agree with. In addition, the story itself seems a bit of a stretch. The wise octopus seems out of place; the annoying little blue fish comes back right at the perfect time; the other fishes immediately like the Rainbow Fish because he gives them his scales, even after he was nasty to them. These all seem a little too out of sync with reality for my adult brain. The translated language of the text is also a bit awkward, it doesn’t flow naturally. For example, the text is mostly written in third person until after the octopus incident when it too-suddenly shifts to first person: “Give away my scales? My beautiful shining scales? Never.”

Conclusion:

I loved this book as a child and definitely only remember the “sharing is caring” message and the beautiful illustrations. This book is a good tool for teachers and librarians to teach the importance of sharing and being generous with others. Children might notice the awkwardness of the language, but, as is true with me, the message and illustrations will stick with them even when the words have been forgotten.

APA Style Reference:

Pfister, M. (1992). The rainbow fish (J. A. James, Trans.) New York, NY: North-South Books.

Realistic Fiction: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

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Evaluation of the book:

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is the first person account of young Charlie’s adventures as a freshman in high school. Written in the form of letters, Charlie’s weirdly simple language is at first hard to follow and seems unnatural. However, once you get used to it, it becomes a mesmerizing look into the head of Charlie, who turns out to be a fascinating observer of the world around him. In the beginning, Charlie seems dumb or mentally slow. However, Charlie’s intelligence becomes more and more evident as the pages go on. His intelligence is revealed both explicitly, as the reader reads his grades and his teacher’s compliments, and implicitly, as the reader begins to understand the depth and accuracy of his simple observations of day to day life.

Each page of The Perks of Being a Wallflower is filled with great one-liners (“I think it would be great if sledding were always enough, but it isn’t” p.74) and stunning observations of real life (“It’s like when you are excited about a girl and you see a couple holding hands, and you feel so happy for them… And all you want is to feel happy for them because you know that if you do, then it means that you’re happy, too” p.96). Although Charlie seems weird to the casual reader; he proves himself to be an incredibly smart young man. As the pages go on, the reader finds himself/herself agreeing more and more with Charlie’s observations and, as a result, thinking of Charlie not as weird, but as relatable.

The letter form of the novel cements the relationship between the reader and Charlie. The letters are addressed simply “Dear friend;” the recipient is anonymous. As the reader begins to relate to Charlie’s observations of the world, he/she also begins to put himself into the shoes of the recipient. Because of this, when, toward the end of the novel, it’s revealed that Charlie has been abused by his beloved aunt, the reader is in a position to feel pure empathy and sorrow for his/her friend, Charlie.

Response:

As described above, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is perfectly set up for the reader to develop a strong sense of empathy for Charlie. I personally was shocked and horrified to discover what Charlie had endured as a child at the hands of his aunt. I felt as though it was a dear friend of mine who revealed his horrible trauma. I think it’s important for today’s teens to read stories of this nature, about different and difficult situations, in order to learn how to empathize with people who are different. Chbosky does an excellent job of inviting his readers into this type of empathy and teaching them how to feel for these “different” types of people. Although I found the book tricky to read at first, due to Charlie’s strange voice, once I got into the rhythm of it, Charlie’s voice became mesmerizing and his observations beautiful. The whole book is a stunning piece of literature; personally relatable and incredibly important.

Conclusion:

Mesmerizing and relatable, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a must read for teenagers, young adults, and older adults as well. Anyone should read this book simply to have the privilege of witnessing Charlie’s observations of life. Chbosky makes an art out of real life, with all its harshness and pain, and invites the reader in to observe it firsthand.

“I just kept quiet and looked around. And I noticed things.” (p.99)

APA Style Reference:

Chbosky, S. (1999). The perks of being a wallflower. New York, NY: Gallery Books.

Picture Book: The Giving Tree

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Evaluation of the book:

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein is a beloved picture book classic. Its pages are beautifully illustrated with simple line drawings drawn by the author himself. The simplicity of the black and white sketches sets the tone for the simplicity of the story and the beauty of the lesson(s) it contains.

The progression of drawings on each page pulls at the reader’s heartstrings. In the beginning, the little boy’s joy at playing with the tree is contagious; towards the end, the reader feels the old man’s exhaustion. Although simple, each page’s drawings tell a complete scene of the story; even if there were no words, the story would be understood simply by looking at the illustrations.

There are words, however, and they reflect the tone of the story line. For the happy childhood days of the boy, there are just a few words per page. The boy does something; the tree is happy. That’s all; all is simple. Then, when the boy grows up and things get more complicated for him, the pages begin to be filled with longer, more complicated blocks of text. However, whenever the boy does something, the tree is happy. The tree’s life is simpler than that of the man’s; Shel Silverstein reflects this by his simplicity of language when he states, “And the tree was happy” several times throughout the book.

Response:

This story’s meaning could be interpreted in so many different ways. Most often and possibly most obvious, it is interpreted as a message about taking one’s loved ones for granted and/or as an illustration of nature’s constant giving and man’s constant taking. However, I personally think it is also about the pains of growing up and how the very act of growing up changes relationships. I’ve learned that things aren’t as simple when you’re older; it’s easy to lose sight of how it used to be. I see this message clearly in The Giving Tree. The beautiful thing about The Giving Tree is that, no matter who the reader is, he or she will always find an important lesson or moral within its pages that reflect his or her own life. This book is absolutely stunning, both in words and illustrations. Each illustration and word just makes you want linger on each page and reflect on the beauty found therein.

Conclusion:

Even though the images and words are simple in The Giving Tree, the lessons found in its pages are many and eternal. Don’t take loved ones for granted. Nature gives; humans take. It’s the simple and little things that make us happiest. Growing up is hard. No matter who reads this book - child or adult - there is a simple lesson to be learned.


APA Style Reference:

Silverstein, S. (1964). The giving tree. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

Easy Reader: Go, Dog. Go!

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Evaluation of the book:

The first page of Go, Dog. Go! might give the reader the impression that he or she is about to read a dull, instructional book that uses simple illustrations to teach simple words. In a sense, that’s exactly what this book is. However, Eastman goes about it in a way that is much more fun, poking fun at the typical instructional elements. This book has all the elements of more traditional instructional books, like simple words (colors, animals, sizes, directions) but the illustrations and words combined are not so traditional. Big dogs and little dogs don’t normally ride bicycles and push strollers; red dogs don’t normally sit on blue trees, nor do green dogs sit on yellow trees. Yet, simple words like “big,” “little,” “dog,” “red,” “blue,” “green,” and “yellow” are all usually found in instructional picture books.

The illustrations in Go, Dog. Go! are whimsical and delightful. The characters depicted- dogs of various sizes and colors - are animated and full of expression. The words taken by themselves would be senseless; the illustrations bring about meaning to words like “The green dog is up” by showing a green dog glaring at a yellow dog who has pulled him up using a pulley. These colorful, bright illustrations bring the otherwise nonsensical sentences to life… even if the resulting story is equally nonsensical!

The book seemingly contains no plot, nor even any guiding structure. The only consistency throughout the book is the four times a female dog asks a male dog, “Do you like my hat?” Each time, the female dog’s hat gets more elaborate, and each time (until the last time) the male dog says he does not like her hat. Just as the female dog’s hats get more elaborate as the book goes on, so too do the words in the book. Beginning with one or few simple words on each page, the book ends with longer exclamatory, interrogatory, and descriptive sentences. Finally, all the words learned throughout the book (think: colors, directions, and sizes) come together at a giant dog party on top of a tree. Its only at this party, when the female dog is wearing an elaborate hat made up of candy canes, fishing rods, cat toys, ribbons, a potted plant, a feather duster, and more that the male dog finally likes her hat. He likes her party hat just as the reader likes the dog party; an eccentric combination of random things makes for a thoroughly delightful hat or book!

Response:

Go, Dog. Go! is an excellent parody of more formal and traditional Dick and Jane books. By taking the traditional elements of the instructional books and mixing them together in goofy, nonsensical ways, this book ends up sticking with the reader much longer than the dull Dick and Jane stories. Developing readers want to see what happens on the next page; more challenging words are no problem when the story is so silly. The book’s language is rhythmic and the story a ton of fun; growing up, I didn’t realize how much actual information and instruction was hidden in those goofy pages!

Conclusion:

With its colorful illustrations, goofy sentences, rhythmic language, and instructional parody, Go, Dog. Go! is an important book for developing readers to feel confident in their reading abilities, and, most importantly, to have fun while doing it. Written close to 60 years ago, Go, Dog. Go! has an appeal to young readers (and a sense of nostalgia to older readers!) that has withstood - and will continue to withstand - the test of time.

APA Style Reference:

Eastman, P. D. (1961). Go, dog. Go! New York, NY: Random House.

Picture Book: The Book with No Pictures

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Evaluation of the book:

The Book with No Pictures is exactly what its name makes it out to be; a picture book with no pictures. Although words do usually play a prominent role in picture books, they usually have pictures to go with them to help tell the story. This book, however, uses only words to engage its readers. Specifically, it uses words to engage its listeners at the expense of its reader. Children normally have pictures to look at while being read to; this book flips things and engages the children in the words themselves because the words make the adult reader do and say funny things.

The bizarre words that the reader must read are distinguished from the normal narration by big, colorful fonts. This way, the children watching/listening can recognize the difference between the “normal” reading and the fun version going on in this book. The large, colorful, weird arrangements of words on a page let the observer know that something special is going on, that the words themselves are doing something different. Otherwise the listeners might think that words like “blork,” “bluurf,” and “BooBooButt” are real words.

From the perspective of the reader, the different colored and sized fonts help determine what voice/tone in which to read the words. Colorful words get special emphasis, and certain arrangements of words get special tones as is obvious by the page that announces that the listener is “THE BEST KID EVER.” The all-caps, double-paged, announcement-like arrangement guides the reader in shouting the words in an old-timey announcer’s voice.

Response:

The Book with No Pictures does a great job showing that words themselves, and the act of reading, can be more than just informational; it can be fun and entertaining. This is an incredibly important lesson for young readers to learn. However, this book’s one downside is that it has to be read out loud in order for it to have its full effect on the listener. A child looking at the book on his own won’t understand what’s going on. That being said, the book is very entertaining and I wish it had been around when I was little so I could have watched my parents read it to my siblings and me!

Conclusion:

An excellent way for children to learn the entertaining side of the written word, I heartily recommend The Book with No Pictures to anyone who reads aloud to children, whether their own or their students. By making adults “say silly things” and make “silly noises,” this book connects children to the written word in a very important way. And it’s vastly entertaining for both reader and listener alike!



APA Style Reference: 

Novak, B. J. (2014). The book with no pictures. New York, NY: Penguin Group.

Picture Book: Where the Wild Things Are

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Evaluation of the book:

Where the Wild Things Are, the story of a child named Max who is sent to his room with no supper and then goes on an imaginary journey to the land of the “Wild Things,” is a childhood classic. A whimsical story, Where the Wild Things Are contains simple written language; each page has only a few words to accompany the illustrations. However, the words that are used are melodic and help the illustrations truly sing the story. Several phrases throughout the book stick with the reader for a very long time. Specifically: “They roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth and rolled their terrible eyes and showed their terrible claws,” is repeated twice and has become the theme song of this beloved book because in its repetition of the word “terrible” it represents everything that the book depicts: a child’s anger can make anything seem terrible.

In addition to its melodic language, Where the Wild Things Are is filled with stunning illustrations depicting Max’s odyssey into his own anger and imagination. By partnering Max’s story with such visually appealing and imaginative illustrations, the author, Maurice Sendak, celebrates Max’s imagination and encourages the book’s young readers to explore their own. Most importantly, the story is told from the perspective of its illustrations, rather than its words. The words guide the reader through the illustrations, but the illustrations do the storytelling.

Building off of this, Maurice Sendak uses the size of his images to illustrate the size of Max’s anger. In the beginning, while Max is still at home, the images are small and do not take up a whole page. As he gets closer and closer to the land of the Wild Things, however, the images grow in size until, when he has arrived in the Wild Things’ domain, the images take up a full two-page spread. At the climax, when Max declares it is time for the “wild rumpus” to begin, the images take over completely and there is no more white page left for words (p.44). When Max smells his supper and begins his journey home, the images shrink in size again. The last page, when Max is calmly eating his still-hot supper, contains no illustrations at all.

Response:

Reading this book again, as an adult, gave me a severe flashback to my childhood sitting on the couch with my siblings listening to my mother read to us. Where the Wild Things Are was a childhood favorite, but now, reading it again as an adult, I can clearly see that I enjoyed it so much because in Max I saw a kindred spirit. Every child, myself included, goes through what Max went through - the cycle of anger. Not only is it personally relevant to its readers, but Where the Wild Things Are is also simply a very entertaining and beautiful book. The combination of the melodic language and gorgeous illustrations makes it very enjoyable to read. I love everything about this book and will definitely be reading it to my future children someday.

Conclusion:

Stunning illustrations, melodic language, relatable childhood experiences make Where the Wild Things Are an enduring childhood classic. Although children’s literature is filled with excellent books, I believe that this one is one of the genre’s greatest. I recommend that adults re-read this book for themselves, that parents make sure it’s on their shelves, and that children feel the connection to Max, his anger, and his Wild Things.

APA Style Reference:

Sendak, M. (1963). Where the wild things are. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.

Biography: Into the Wild

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Evaluation of the book:

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer is the true story of Chris McCandless’s adventures and eventual demise in the Alaskan wilderness. To tell Chris’s story, Krakauer uses a combination of Chris’s own diary entries, quotations from Chris’s favorite authors, personal accounts and stories of Chris’s family and friends, and stories of similar adventures by young people throughout American history. The combination of all these sources makes the book a complete, interesting, and unique biography. Krakauer paces out the different types of sources in such a way that keeps the reader in suspense and wanting more details.

For the majority of the book, Krakauer maintains a distant voice in the book. He shares his opinions passively a couple of times, but otherwise sticks to others’ accounts of Chris’s story. That is, however, until chapters 14 and 15 when Krakauer switches gears and describes his own experiences as a headstrong, adventurous youth. This escapade into the author’s own youth brings the story into a new light and explains the author’s interest in Chris McCandless’s story. By sharing his own point of view, Krakauer identifies himself as a reliable figure to interpret Chris’s own story and thus builds up the reader’s confidence in his storytelling.

In addition to being a reliable interpreter of Chris’s inner turmoil, Krakauer is also an excellent descriptor of the various landscapes in the story. With the pages filled with descriptions like “The country surrounding Davis Gulch is a dessicated expanse of bald rock and brick-red sand. Vegetation is lean” (Krakauer, 1996, p.88), Krakauer’s words clearly set the mood of the book by putting the reader directly “into the wild” with Chris and the other figures in the book.

Response:

I liked the fact that the story was about a young person, right around my age, who went off and lived his own adventures like I did when I decided to move to Rome and France after college. I felt akin to Chris in that way, desiring adventure as a young person. However, even though his sentiment was relatable and even beautiful at times, most of the time it was too extreme for me. As much as I am all for living your life’s adventure, I do not have any empathy for someone who cuts out every important person in his life without trying to mend any broken relationships first. Chris McCandless left his family heartbroken and searching for answers; Jon Krakauer did a good job presenting this search for answers and making it felt in his readers. By tying in diary entries, family accounts, and stories of related adventures, Jon Krakauer creates an aura of mystery and the reader cannot help but want to know what happens next.

Conclusion:

In Into the Wild, Krakauer’s powers of writing shine, creating a truly gripping read about a young man who left everything and vanished into the wild. By combining interesting primary sources and sharing his own personal story, Krakauer presents a unique biography that I highly recommend to anyone who is interested in nonfiction that reads like fiction. If for nothing else, everyone should read this book just to experience Krakauer’s incredible descriptions of the wilderness. If you want to feel like you’re standing in the middle of the desert entirely isolated, read this book. If you want to feel the thrill of reaching a never before reached mountain summit, read this book. If you want to experience adventure, read it.

APA Style Reference:

Krakauer, J. (1996). Into the Wild. New York, NY: Anchor Books.