Monday, October 31, 2011

Sharing Is Caring--Someone Else's Review

I've never linked to another blogger's post before, but there's a first time for everything.  Abby, aka Abby (the) Librarian, just posted an excellent review of a new nonfiction picture book, Balloons Over Broadway: the True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade by Melissa Sweet.  The book and the review are too good to pass up.  Since it is the Season, enjoy.  I can't wait to get my hands on a copy.  And then I think I'll watch Miracle on 34th StreetLet the Holidays begin!


Book Info
Sweet, Melissa. (2011). Balloons Over Broadway: the True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade.  New York: Houghton Mifflin.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

THEY CALLED THEMSELVES THE KKK: THE BIRTH OF AN AMERICAN TERRORIST GROUP by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Teachers of history often go to great lengths to locate resources that are balanced and offer a well-documented historical account of race relations of any sort.   Imagine how much more difficult it would be for teachers to piece together a chronological account gleaned from primary documents from a past that is quickly slipping away.  Author Susan Campell Bartoletti proves she is up for the task.  Her book, They Called Themselves the KKK: the Birth of an American Terrorist Group is an unapologetic and enlightening read covering the formation of the Ku Klux Klan during Reconstruction-era America.


This book is more than just an account of the beginnings of the KKK, however. Bartoletti’s retelling sheds light onto the history of America after the Civil War and before Jim Crow. What is crucial to her retelling is the notion of balance. Using primary accounts from veteran Confederate soldiers as well as Freedmen, the name for emancipated slaves, Bartoletti highlights the concerns and fears on parties of both sides, never telling the reader where her sympathies should lie. Augmenting her text, images from pictorial newspapers such as Harper’s Weekly and Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper depict viewpoints from all walks of life of the time.


Of particular interest were the stories of northern teachers who travelled south to establish schools for the Freedmen, especially the story of Canadian William Luke, who was eventually hanged for his efforts in Patona, Alabama. Another chapter, “Forced by Force, to Use Force” shares the concerns of whites in York County, Virginia, at having armed Freedmen in their midst. Bartoletti’s first-hand account of her travels and her attendance at a KKK meeting prove the extent to which she is willing to go to understand her subject. She has a knack for letting history speak for itself, even down to the chapter titles which are not her words, but phrases excerpted from historical sources. She also shares quote attributions and her bibliography and source notes for those who would like to advance their studies.

Augmenting the balanced text, the book is graphically balanced, with no two pages going without an illustration or a text block to break up the monotony of the regular text. Slave narratives are shared using photographs and pullouts, which draw attention to their importance. The pictures of the early KKK costumes were fascinating, as well as her description of early rituals and the meanings of titles within the Klan.

The only element I found that wasn’t balanced throughout the entire history was the subtitle of the book itself, They Called Themselves the KKK: the Birth of an American Terrorist Group. There just wasn’t enough evidence or conversation in the book to merit the use of the extreme word, “terrorist.” It seems to me that this book is a history of a defined period in America rather than a discussion of the modern notion of terrorism. It would be better subtitled, “the Birth of an American Hate Group.” Perhaps editors didn’t feel that title would sell.

Truly complex issues worth consideration will never be resolved. Really good books do not answer all of our questions. They make us ask better, deeper questions, and help us examine ourselves in a new light. This is precisely what this book does. My final criticism is that I wish she had kept going up through the entire history of Civil Rights. I want to know more.

Awards and Reviews

YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Finalist
Junior Library Guild Selection
Publisher’s Weekly Best Children’s Book of the Year, 2010
School Library Journal Best Children’s Book of the Year, 2010
Kirkus Best Books for Teens, 2010
Horn Book Magazine Fanfare List, 2010
Booklist Top of the List Winner, 2010
Booklist Editor’s Choice, 2010
Washington Post Best Children’s Book of 2010
Chicago Public Library, Best of the Best
ALA Notable Title
CCBC Choices, 2011


“Bartoletti effectively targets teens with her engaging and informative account that presents a well-structured inside look at the KKK, societal forces that spawn hate/terrorist groups, and the research process.”—Gerry Larson, School Library Journal (August 1, 2010)


“Bartoletti…writes in admirably clear, accessible language about one of the most complex periods in U.S. history, and she deftly places the powerfully unsettling events into cultural and political context without oversimplifying.”—Gillian Engberg, Booklist Starred Review (August 1, 2010)


“Both libraries and classrooms should acquire this outstanding reference book that deals with such a difficult subject so well.”—Mary Ann Darby, Voice of Youth Advocates (October 1, 2010)

Extensions

Note: Having taught high school journalism for six years, I would highly caution teachers to be aware that there are some well-meaning but risk-taking students who might find it exciting to emulate Bartoletti’s visit to a KKK rally. Misunderstandings and mob mentality have killed and will never stop killing, and I would hate for students to get involved in serious adult matters which are out of their control. Legally protesting KKK rallies which are held in daylight when police protection is highly visible is one thing, but going to an undisclosed location at night in hilly territory when you are a stranger is entirely different. At the beginning of the book, Bartoletti has included a quote by WEB DuBois: “The method of force which hides itself in secrecy…dares things at which open method hesitates…. It shields itself in the mob mind and then throws over all a veil of darkness which becomes glamour.” This is still true.


The book includes a “Civil Rights Timeline.” Students could choose an event on the timeline to research in depth. Collaborative groups could present their findings in order of the timeline in order to piece together some Civil Rights history, creating a class timeline. PBS has a fabulous interactive timeline on the website “African American World” to use as a starting point for research. The part of the timeline directly related to Reconstruction years can be found here.


This book does an excellent job of highlighting the psychological reasons that someone might become a member of a hate group. Students could compare the social and historical settings surrounding the formation of the KKK to social and historical settings today to see if Americans are still susceptible to forming these groups and why. “Roots of Hate,” published by the Southern Poverty Law Center may help get the discussion started.

Mike Hollis has posted a simple, yet significant activity, entitled “The Resurgence of Hate” on Teaching Tolerance that examines why its members believe the way they do and learn what can be done to stop hate groups from returning to their historic levels of power and influence. The lesson includes links to a National Geographic video clip about the KKK as well as a magazine article.

Bartoletti describes the origins of the KKK’s infamous white hoods. Mother Jones Magazine has published a photo essay by Anthony Karen, a former Marine who has spent several years photographing members of the Ku Klux Klan. The essay includes audio of interviews with Karen and Ms. Ruth, a seamstress who makes KKK robes and hoods. Mature students can compare KKK regalia of past and present to see what, if anything has changed, and examine how the costumes, and the anonymity they provide, have shaped the identity of the Klan.

For more Klan pictures to use as an entry point for writing, see the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Online Catalog.

Vital Stats
Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. (2010). They Called Themselves the KKK: the Birth of an American Terrorist Group. New York: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 978-0618440337.







Monday, October 24, 2011

The Last American Dreamer (?)--a review of MR. SAM: HOW SAM WALTON BUILT WAL-MART AND BECAME AMERICA'S RICHEST MAN by Karen Blumenthal

One summer on a visit to my grandparents’ house, my sister needed a belt.  My grandpa took her to a recently opened store in rural Monticello, Kentucky, to buy one.  The store was Wal-Mart, and my sister met Sam Walton that day.  He signed her new belt.  This was back in the mid-80s, and, according to Blumenthal’s book, Walton was on the threshold of becoming America’s Richest Man.    And, yet, in typical Sam Walton fashion, he was personally visiting his store wearing jeans and a cowboy hat.

Mr. Sam: How Sam Walton Built Wal-Mart and Became America's Richest Man by Karen Blumenthal

One’s political views of Wal-Mart aside, this biography is fascinating for its insights into the changing retail landscape of Cold War America. The competitive nature of Walton is portrayed through his competition with other retailers to become number one, beginning with a five and dime in small-town Arkansas and continuing until his domination of retailers K-Mart, JC Penney (where he once worked), and Sears. Blumenthal does an excellent job of giving a straightforward account of Walton’s life—which was Wal-Mart—while guiding us through American history as Walton reinvents himself over and over again as a “big man on campus,” a Ben Franklin owner, and finally the richest CEO in America. She explains his successful and unsuccessful forays into other areas of retail sales—superstores, craft stores, and grocery stores—some which failed because they were ideas before their time. In true journalistic fashion, she gives a fairly balanced account, including criticisms of racism and sexism within the company, of his “buy American” campaign (did you know the Clintons were involved?), and of how company strategies caused the downfall of small-town America. Humanizing elements include Blumenthal’s accounts of his early business failures, details of his wife (who is portrayed as saint-like in her longsuffering), and the story of his favorite hunting dog and moniker for Wal-Mart store brand dog food, ‘Ole Roy.


The book is an attractive package, beginning with the jacket illustration by Paul Szep, a caricature of a kindly Walton pushing a cart of Wal-Mart products, wearing a company vest and nametag. (He looks like a Greeter). Although they don’t give a hint at what is contained within the chapters, the chapter titles are enthusiastic—“Win! Win! Win!,” “Sell! Sell! Sell!”—much like the man himself is portrayed. The black and white photos are well-chosen and have interesting details that demand a second look. Interesting side-bars explain concepts such as retail markup, fiscal years, and other pertinent information. Chapter Notes and a Bibliography reveal the extent of her research.

I don’t normally gravitate toward books about business figures or CEOs, but there is a bit of Everyman in Blumenthal’s Walton that appeals to the all-American in me. Without telling the reader what to think, she has delivered a story of the American dream, one that is still worth having in this cynical world of foreclosure and financial failure. Turning dreams into reality requires hard work, sacrifice, and dedication, something young people always need to learn. Warts and all, there is something about Walton to be admired in Blumenthal’s work. I wish my sister had kept that belt.

Reviews

“Businessmen don’t seem like natural biographical subjects for young readers, but Blumenthal has done a splendid job of not only introducing Sam Walton but making his story relevant and timely.”—Jonathan Hunt, The Horn Book Magazine (July/August 2011)

“Blumenthal is a deft hand at explaining stock market splits, markups, and the niceties of planning for profit in the world of discount marketing…. Plenty of black-and-white photos document the morphing retail landscape, and sidebars and insets offer fascinating asides on topics from shopping carts to charges of racism in the early days of the company.”—Elizabeth Bush, Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (July/August 2011)

“What is promoted as a biography offers much more in the form of a history of Wal-Mart and the evolution of sales and merchandising in American stores over the second half of the 20th century.”—Janet S. Thompson, School Library Journal (July 2011)

Connections
This book would be an awesome addition to any high school Business Department curriculum as a supplementary read, standing on its own, as it gives a fine account of retail and discount sales in America.

Students could learn to use databases such as Newsbank or EBSCOHost to locate primary sources, such as newspaper and magazine articles, about Walton. They could recreate the process of Blumenthal’s research by summarizing and comparing articles, working collaboratively to piece together a story of his life.

Macroeconomics classes could study globalization and the idea of “buy American” campaigns as they impact foreign and domestic economies, beginning with a study of Wal-Mart.

Introduction to Business students might benefit from Blumenthal’s excellent examples and explanations of basic economic principals such as stock splits, public ownership, and the theory of discount sales.

Vital Stats
Blumenthal, Karen (2011). Mr. Sam: How Sam Walton Built Wal-Mart and Became America’s Richest Man. New York: Viking. ISBN 978-06700011773


Nice Guys Get Biographies: a review of WALT WHITMAN, WORDS FOR AMERICA by Barbara Kerley


Walt Whitman was a nice guy. He liked things like words, democracy, nature, and friendship. It stands to reason, then, that any biography about his life should be nice, especially when the biography is a children’s picture book. And that’s just what Walt Whitman: Words for America, written by Barbara Kerley and illustrated by Brian Selznick, is—it’s nice in every way. Kerley does not set out to give young readers a watered down version of Whitman’s poetry. Rather, she focuses on the traditional defining events of Whitman’s life, his experience as a printer, his journey across America, his love of his brother and subsequent service to soldiers in Civil War hospitals, his sorrow over the assassination of Lincoln. While the delivery is choppy in the opening paragraphs, often lacking satisfying transitions, the story is still deftly told with great attention paid to the inclusion of well-documented primary sources such as Whitman’s poetry and letters. By the end of the book, the reader does gain a sense of the great humanity of Whitman and thus a sense of why Whitman deserves his title, “voice of the nation.”


Selznick’s illustrations are also nice. Set against a 12-point Scotch Roman type-face which an end note tells us was “Walt’s favorite,” they are a fine complement to the text. Readers may, at first, find the inclusion of several different illustrative styles and color palettes to be a bit discordant, until they realize that the illustrations are very much like Whitman’s life and poetry—vibrant, varied, enthusiastic, bold and soulful. Illustrator’s notes highlight Selznick’s careful study of Whitman’s life and attention to detail, down to the portrayal of African-American Civil War soldiers. A jaunty young Whitman greets you in an old-fashioned oval cutout in the front cover. Standout close-up portraiture of Lincoln and an aged Whitman have a remarkable, sculpted quality, and Selznick’s incorporation of Whitman’s poetry into three of the illustrations left me wanting to see much more of this treatment. Overall, the illustrations are stronger than the text, but are dependent on the text for their significance.

This book is a labor of love for Walt Whitman, a celebration of his life, offered by the author and illustrator. It would make a fine addition to any classroom or personal collection of biographies for children and adults.


Awards and Reviews
  • Robert F. Sibert Honor Book, 2004
  • New York Times Ten Best Illustrated Books, 2004
  • ALA Notable Children’s Book
  • Publisher’s Weekly Best Children’s Books
  
“Delightfully old-fashioned in design, its oversized pages are replete with graceful illustrations and snippets of poetry. The brilliantly inventive paintings add vibrant testimonial to the nuanced text.”—Marilyn Taniguchi, School Library Journal (November 15, 2004)

“Try this sophisticated offering on readers who won’t quail at the lengthy text and who will be less likely to skip the dense, illuminating end notes.”—Jennifer Mattson, Booklist (November 15, 2004)

Connections

According to the Teacher’s Guide on Barbara Kerley’s website, the Library of Congress has a collection of images of Walt Whitman’s original notebooks. Student’s could study the notebooks and make poetry notebooks of their own, as mentioned in the book.
Selznick mentions his inspiration for one of the most memorable inspirations in the book as being photographs of Civil War soldiers. Students could peruse the Library of Congress collection of Civil War Photographs as an entry point into the Civil War using visual, primary sources. The very extensive collection of Civil War Maps would also serve the same purpose as well as an opportunity to study selected Civil War battles in detail.
One final offering from the Library of Congress is a lesson plan on Whitman’s famous poem, “O, Captain! My Captain!” This plan comes complete with an image of Whitman’s handwritten corrections to the poem. This is a great cross-curricular connection between language arts and history.

Readwritethink has several lesson plans based on Walt Whitman, but one entitled “Varying Views of America” would be especially fitting for this book because Selznick’s illustrations enhance the idea of various points of view. In addition to Whitman’s “I Hear America Singing,” this lesson explores views of America from poets Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou as a multicultural connection. Selznick’s inclusion of African-American soldiers can be discussed as well.

Vital Stats

Kerley, Barbara (2004). Walt Whitman: Words for America. Illus. by Brian Selznick. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 978-0439357913




 

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

She Could Not Help Burning Herself from the Inside Out: a review of YOUR OWN, SYLVIA by Stephanie Hemphill

If poetry is born out of the depths of adversity in the human spirit, perhaps no other poet owes more to adversity than Sylvia Plath.  An outstanding beauty and incredibly talented writer, she was born during the Great Depression, lost her father when she was 8, hospitalized for depression at 19, and became a single mother of two by age 31.  Sylvia’s difficult life experiences, in particular, her struggle with depression, became the subject of her intensely personal and confessional poetry.  Now, Sylvia’s life itself has become the subject of Stephanie Hemphill’s verse portrait.

Your Own, Sylvia by Stephanie Hemphill

Critical Analysis
Hemphill has created a book of 152 separate poems that stand alone as solid, if not inspired, pieces.  This in itself is remarkable.  But what is incredible about this work is that she has managed to construct a straight-forward narrative by piecing together various points of view of major and minor characters in the actual life of Sylvia Plath--her mother, father, grandparents, childhood friends, lovers, therapists, nannies, editors, and benefactors.  Some of the pieces are written in the style of Plath's poetry while others allude to major motifs found in her work.  Hemphill has been masterful when constructing motifs for her book which resonate with motifs in Plath's own work.  One example is Plath's struggle to break free from the memory of her father,  symbolized by bees.  Early in the book, the poem "Beekeeper, Penny-Pincher, Professor, Master of the House," is written in the voice of Otto Plath, Sylvia's father.  In the poem, Otto refers to himself as the "long-reigning queen bee,/Aurelia,Sylvia, and Warren,/my workers buzz as I dictate,/...When I perish,/a new queen/will lead this little hive..."  Later in the book, this motif occurs again in a poem called "The Arrival of Poetry," written in Plath's voice in the style of her poem, "The Arrival of the Bee Box." This new poem establishes Plath as her own queen bee, in charge of her own life and her own writing: "she studies the page, astonished/At her maniac poems, buzzing real as an ear/...And she is their creator,/Standing alone in her laurel crown."  Careful attention to Hemphill's notes reveals that during one of Sylvia's most prolific periods, she wrote a series of "five poems she collectively called 'Bees.'  They deal--if not overtly, then inadvertently--with her father.  Otto had studied bees, was a beekeeper, and had authored Bumblebees and Their Ways."  This is only one example of Hemphill's careful weaving of her poetry with Plath's work and life.  

One of the most poignant nods to Plath's work comes in Hemphill's poem "Baby Girl," in which Hemphill recreates Plath's love for her daughter,  written in the style of Plath's "Morning Song."  Plath's poem begins, "Love set you going like a fat gold watch."  Hemphill picks up this theme in the first lines of her poem, "I have waited for you, your heartbeat/Inside me like the clock's ticking/Second hand.  I still feel your pulse when I sleep."  Hemphill's poetry is a fine tribute to Plath: "She could not know how long/Her luminary would map the sky,/Or where her dying would lead the lost./But for those who gaze heavenly/Or into the reflected pool of night,/She is fuel. She is dust. She is a guiding star."

This is a difficult book to read, due to the tragic nature of Plath's mental illness and death.  It is recommended for ages 15 and older, and I would suggest that guideline be followed.   In her letter to the Reader, Hemphill states that at age 15, she "had this dark, fierce place inside me that no one quite understood and I myself couldn't articulate."  As a teenager, she related to Sylvia in an "almost eerie way."  This book is important because it might speak to writers, especially young women caught somewhere in those angst-ridden years between girlhood and womanhood.  It might help them find a voice.  On the other hand, I worry about girls who may be depressed themselves and idolize Plath's tragic end.  The gravity of this book requires a reader who can handle its weightiness. 

Awards and Reviews
  • Michael L. Printz Honor Book, 2008
  • Myra Cohn Livingston Award, 2008
  • ALA Best Book for Young Adults, 2008
  • Kirkus Editor's Choice, 2008
  • Cybil's Finalist, 2008
  • Southern California Council on Literature for Children and Young People Award, 2008
  • New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age, 2007
"An intimate, comprehensive, imaginative view of a life that also probes the relationships between poetry and creativity, mental fragility, love, marriage, and betrayal. ...This accomplished, creative story may ignite new interest in Plath's original works."--Gillian Engberg, Booklist (February 15, 2007)

"Hemphill rises to the challenge of capturing the life of a poet through poetry itself; the end result is a collection of verse worthy of the artist whom it portrays."--Jill Heritage Maza, School Library Journal (March 1, 2007)

"Hemphill will immerse the mature student and many adults in Plath's life and work and motivate them to learn more about Plath and other poets."--Lucy Schall, Voice of Youth Advocates (April 1, 2007)


Lesson Extensions
This is a highly literary book, best suited for Junior or Senior English, as the recommended reading age is 15 or older, due to disturbing issues such as suicide.  However, it would have great value for students who are interested in poetry as a means of self-expression or for those who are interested in the literary canon, as Plath is a major 20th century poet.

Using the principal of poetry to describe events in an author's life, a literature teacher could use this book as a model for an alternative to a regular biography report.  Students could chose a poet, and then report on three major events in that poet's life in verse form.  An extension of that might be to have them replicate the poet's style, which could also be modeled from Hemphill's book.

Any of these poems would be well-suited as a springboard for crafting Sylvia's response to the people in her life.  For example, students could craft Sylvia's response to a poem her mother or to one by her male admirers or her husband Ted Hughes.  This would be a good exercise in understanding point of view.

Hemphill uses annotations within the text to tell the biographical story that sparked the occasion for the poem.  Students could study the circumstances surrounding the major poems of other famous writers and write annotations for those poems much as Hemphill has done, thus forming connections between the poem and the poet's life.

Vital Stats
Hemphill, Stephanie.  2007.  Your Own, Sylvia: a Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath.  New York: Knopf.  ISBN: 0-7686-3863-9

Note:  I downloaded and read this book via Kindle Cloud Reader.  Thus, no pages are given for specific quotations referred to in the above review.  I found out the hard way that it is nearly impossible to conduct literary analysis of a complex piece of literature using an e-reader.  



Monday, October 10, 2011

Let All Creation Sing (Part 2)--a review of AT BREAK OF DAY by Nikki Grimes

A father and son create the earth, animals, plants and human beings out of nothing.  The project originates in the mind of the father and takes shape at the word of the son.  Ex-nihilo, something from nothing, springs forth in this vivid re-telling of the Biblical creation story.

At Break of Day by Nikki Grimes

The story of creation was originally transcribed from the oral tradition, and Nikki Grimes' version remains true to that tradition.  Much like the Genesis account, hers is a prose-poem, a creation story best read aloud in a sonorous voice that captures the rich timbre and cadence of the language.  In parts, the language is luxurious, such as in the creation of plants, "Let there be velvety mosses and/rose-covered meadows, lilacs and long trailing vines, hyacinths and honeysuckle/birch and beech, and hearty trees/whose branches are heavy with fruit."  Just read that aloud.  Right now.  It's stunning.  Grimes knows how to play with the symmetry of sound, alliteration, consonance and assonance, and the weights of words.  For example, read this aloud: "Let there be bulls and boars, lions and llamas,/jackals and jaguars, goats and sheep, and creatures/that crawl, and all manner of wild animals roaring and screeching, loping and leaping,/crouching and creeping upon the earth."  And move while you read it.  Elsewhere, the connectedness between the Father and Son is captured in their dialogue and in the joy they share over their creation.  "'Go on,' said the father, standing in the background.  'You're doing fine.'"  The language between them is warm and familiar, giving a sense of unity and comfort.  At the end of the story, Grimes leaves the reader feeling rested and satisfied in the goodness of the earth and in the goodness of the story, which bears repeating.

Paul Morin illustrates the book in very wide-sweeping, bold paint and fabric collage.  I want to touch these pictures and look at them in detail up close.  His use of color and texture reminds me of Chagall, where the various layers of the painting actually contain subtexts.  His depiction of angels as little sparks of light in the early stages of creation are outstanding in this regard.  He is at his best in the pictures of creation, where he opens his color palette and plays with layers of lace and paper fibre.  My two-and-a-half year old daughter audibly gasped when I turned to the page depicting the creation of plants.  The fish and birds of other creation days are colorful and alive.  There is a slight discordance, from time to time, in the style of the art.  The spread that portrays the creation of humankind feels flatter than his other paintings, and not as sensuous.  There is too much black, Adam's torso is skewed, and Eve's hair is stringy in silhouette.  The textures of the layers of painting have not transferred well onto the glossy page, and there is an distracting binding seam running through the middle of the illustration.  Overall, the format of the book cannot do justice to the paintings, as they are probably much more impressive in actuality. 

Awards and Reviews
  • CCBC Choices, 2000, Cooperative Children's Book Center
  • Not Just for Children Anymore, 2001, Children's Book Council
  • Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children to Nikki Grimes, 2006, National Council of Teachers of English
"A vigorous addition to the Creation canon."--Ilene Cooper, Booklist (October 1, 1999)

"This is illustration that might inspire a child artist."--Patricia Lothrop-Green, School Library Journal (January 1, 2000)

"Grimes captures the essence of a father/son relationship, with its mutual love and admiration, while also conveying the unique status of this particular father/son dynamic.  Her lyrical gifts are everywhere in abundance, set out with a deceptive simplicity that evokes an oral tradition; fittingly, Morin's (The Orphan Boy) mixed-media illustrations also evoke the art of oral cultures. . . . the graceful delivery of sophistocated themes and imagery will entice readers to delve for such deeper meanings."--Publisher's Weekly (November 29, 1999)

"A lovely and poetic reading of the Biblical creation story in a modern spirit from the versatile Grimes."--Kirkus Reviews (N.d.)

Resources
Poet Nikki Grimes was born in Harlem and wonders herself at the influence of her close proximity to the birthplace of the Harlem Renaissance in her work.  Using her poetry, and the poetry of Walter Dean Myers and other modern New York poets could be an entry point for the study of the Harlem Renaissance and its influence on subsequent writers of color.  It is especially fitting to use At Break of Day, a creation story, as renaissance means, "re-birth."

At Break of Day has the same tone as The Creation, a creation peom by a different African-American writer, James Weldon Johnson.  Students could compare and contrast both poems in terms of rhetorical style and word choice.

Nikki Grimes own website contains Teacher's Guides for the book, created by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer.
Finally, a video interview with Nikki Grimes is available via Reading Rockets.

Vital Stats
Grimes, Nikki. 1999. At Break of Day. Illus. by Paul Morin.  Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdman's.  ISBN: 978-0-8028-5104-8.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Let All Creation Sing (Part 1)--a review of RED SINGS FROM TREETOPS: a year in colors by Joyce Sidman

If colors could speak about the seasons, what would they say?  Experience a year with Red, Blue, Purple, Green, Yellow, White, Blue, and other colors as they wake up to Spring and loll about in the lazy warmth of Summer.  Enjoy the change of seasons from Fall to Winter, when colors turn dark and settle down.  Poet Joyce Sidman and illustrator Pamela Zagarenski guide us merrily through a colorful world in

Red Sings from Treetops: a Year in Colors


In poetry about the seasons, it is usually the seasons who are personified, giving life to the rest of the poem.  In Sidman's free verse narrative, it is the Colors who bring the seasons to life.  Sidman personifies the colors, creating old, familiar friends, as we laugh with mischevious Yellow stealthily slipping "goldfinches/their spring jackets."  We enjoy a long, tall drink of lemonade with refreshing White, clinking in summer drinks.  In the fall, we sigh with Green as he waits for Brown to take over.  And in the winter, "Pink prickles:/warm fingers/against cold cheeks."  While this poem is one long narrative divided into four "stanzas," one for each season, the stanzas themselves each stand alone as a separate small unit of poetry, so adept is Sidman at chosing words which appeal to our senses.  Her treatment of White in spring brings the sights and sounds of a spring shower to life:  "snapped twigs and bouncing hail,/blink of lightening/and rattling BOOM!"  Overall, the reader matures with the colors over the course of a year, always looking forward to the next spring when Red once again sings from treetops, "and/each note drops/like a cherry/into/my/ear." 

Zagarenski chooses collages of mixed media paintings on wood and computer illustrations to portray this color-rich text.  She stays away from a primary color palette, which would have been garish and cartoon-like for this much color, opting for a rich but muted play of light.  For a child, she creates a clear and full image of a day in the life of a color.  Her use of pattern in the collages gives the illustrations a fullness without fuss, so that each illustration still focuses on its central story.  Against a background of a spring blue sky, the crowned man and a small white dog, run through a field, holding tight to their kites.  Gray is given nice treatment in summer, as the viewer looks through a screen porch window at moths darting toward a source of light or being snapped up by a small gray frog.  Her use of subtle layers gives depth and dimension which allows her to play lightly in the forefront of the work, especially evident in the movement of birds and other airy elements--insects, leaves, stars and snow--throughout the book.  Finally, the visual motif of Red is there for us, in nearly every panel expanding the theme, singing from treetops, "cheer-cheer-cheer."

Awards, Best Lists and Reviews
  • ALA, ALSG Caldecott Medal Honor Book, 2010
  • Claudia Lewis Poetry Award, 2010
  • Cybils Poetry Award, 2010
  • Bulletin Blue Ribbon, Center for Children's Books, 2009
  • Horn Book Fanfare, 2009
  • Booklist Editor's Choice, 2009
  • ALA Notable Children's Books, 2010

"The words and pictures depend upon one another and blend well to conjure up quirky, magical imagery.  Children will find many small stories waiting to be told within the detailed paintings and enjoy looking at them over and over.  This poetic tribute to the seasons will brighten dull days."--Julie Roach, School Library Journal

"As the title implies, the colors that surprise on every page do sing."--Ilene Cooper, Booklist

"A poet known for multilayered explorations of nature rejoices here in the way colors, and how we perceive them, change with the seasons. ... Zagarenski's richly patterned spreads capture the poet's delight in the natural world, extending the imagery with fantastical details."--J.R.L., Horn Book

Lesson Extensions
It is clear from Sidman's homepage that she is an educator at heart.  She offers a page for Teachers and Librarians full of lesson plans about how to teach poetry in general and teaching ideas which specifically relate to particular books.  In a Poetry Kit developed by Houghton Mifflin, there is a very clear graphic organizer which walks students through the steps of creating a "Synesthesia Poem," a poem that contains a mixing of the senses.  There is a Readers Guide for Red Sings from Treetops which contains suggestions for reading aloud and writing activities.  One idea that would work particularly well in a classroom is a collaborative "List Poem" about color:
1.  After reading the entire book to students, focus on one color--say, white.  Have students brainstorm things that are white, and write them on the board.
2.  As a class, write a list poem, beginning each sentence with "White is..."  Encourage them to be as specific and descriptive as possible--not just "White is a cloud," but "White is a cloud, high in the sky on a bright summer day."
3.  Have each student choose a color and write an individual list poem about his or her color.
These activities and lessons are ready to take into the classroom today!

Vital Stats
Sidman, Joyce. 2009.  Red Sings from Treetops: a Year in Colors.  Ill. by Pamela Zagarenski.  New York: Houghton. ISBN 978-0-547-01494-4

References
Cooper, Ilene.  Review of Red Sings from Treetops: a Year in Colors, by Joyce Sidman.  Booklist (May 1, 2009): 81

Review of Red Sings from Treetops, by Joyce Sidman.  Horn Book 85(2): 187-188.

Roach, Julie.  Review of Red Sings from Treetops, by Joyce Sidman. School Library Journal 55(4): 126-127.