Module 15: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

Module 15: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

Summary: A collection of wonderfully spooky stories. From ghostly elderly couples to a Viper, each story has a new and creepy factor.

Citation: Schwartz, A. (1981). Scary stories to tell in the dark. New York: Harper Collins Publishers.

Impression: My favorite is the Viper in which a woman gets a call from a mysterious, creepy voiced man calling himself the Viper. The man says he is coming to her, and as he calls he gets closer and closer to the woman’s dismay. I have always loved scary stories, and I think these stories are a nice combination of creepiness and quirkiness. They are not so scary as to be inappropriate for middle school students. The stories use grotesque illustrations to enhance the readers fear, and most stories play on fear of the supernatural. Ghosts and walking corpses give readers goosebumps without leaving weeks of nightmares or future phobias.

Review: The Scary Stories series is a collection of American folklore collected by Alvin Schwartz.  This series holds a special place in my heart; I remember reading this collection as a child when it was originally published in 1981.

The first story I recall reading was The Big Toe, a story about a little boy who was digging in a garden, desperate to find something to eat.  He finds a big toe and he rips it from the ground.  As he does so, he hears a groan, so he scampers away.  That night, his mother uses the toe in a soup and serves it for dinner.  The family eats dinner and goes to bed, but the little boy is awakened in the middle of the night to a voice groaning “Where is my to-o-o-o-o-e?”  He hears footsteps approaching as the voice continues to groan.  He hides under the covers, certain that this is a dream.  The footsteps get closer and closer…

Another favorite of mine is The Guests. A young couple is traveling to visit family. They got off to a late start and have to find a place to stay overnight.  They come upon a small cabin in the woods and inquire a to whether the owners rent rooms.  They do not, but the old couple residing there offter to let them stay overnight.

The next morning, the young couple awaken before the owners and decide to head out.  They leave an envelope with money in it on the kitchen table, a small payment for the kind treatment they were given.  They drive off  to the next town to have breakfast. When they tell the owner where they stayed the night before, he insists that can’t be.  That house burned to the gound and the couple that lived there died in the fire.

The young couple were certain there was a mistake.  They got back in their car and drove back to the cabin. In the spot where the cabin existed the night before was a burned-out shell.  They step inside and on the burned table they find the envelope they left that morning.

These are just two of the many excellent stories contained within this collection.  These stories would be great to tell over a camp fire or late at night during a sleepover.

J. (2010). Review: Scary stories to tell in the dark by Alvin Schwartz. Jenn’s Bookshelves.            Retrieved from http://www.jennsbookshelves.com/2010/09/29/review-scary-stories-to-tell-in-the-dark-by-alvin-schwartz/

Suggestion: This would be a fun book to show to 6^th to 8^th graders as either a short story collection or for Halloween book talks. 

Module 14: Yellowcake

Module 14: Yellowcake

Summary: The short stories are tales of magic, supernatural events, and fairy tales retold. Every story is different, and the extraordinary events just grow with each story.

Citation: Lanagan, Margo. (2011). Yellowcake. Australia: Allen & Unwin Publishers.

Impression: It was rather difficult to understand at first what was happening. I thought the stories were just fairy tales, but they took on such dramatic turns that I found myself rather mystified throughout the reading. I’ve not really read books of short stories for leisure before so perhaps it is my inexperience, but I was rather lost the entire time. However, I think that this generation of students would enjoy the novelty of such a book. Since children today are used to flipping between online articles and switching from television channel to channel, their brains may be more hardwired for this type of book. I would recommend this book for students that like magic and supernatural stories but do not like to read lengthy novels.

Review: Lanagan unravels familiar myths and fairy tales, weaving them into unique, sharply resonant forms in this characteristically stunning collection. Reading Lanagan, like learning a language by total immersion, involves a leap of faith. Each tale conjures a world with unique laws and lawbreakers. Rather than being coddled by comforting dollops of exposition, readers dive into the murky unknown. Spellbound, they reach the end, astonished at how far from shore they’ve traveled. The most powerful of these tales reworks Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Tinderbox,” drawing on its creepy, amoral ambiance to explore the spoils and costs of war. “Rapunzel” morphs into a sunnier tale but with an eldritch feel. Supported by his loving wife and apprentice-daughter, Charon ferries dead souls across the Styx. However strange the details (a sentient building lumbers into the sea; a fascinator plies his trade), the stories rest on bedrock human emotions. Characters act out of fear, anger, love—to stop the pain, to make sense of the senseless, to protect family. The shipbreaking underclass who take apart horrifying vessels are decent folk at heart. In a tale exploring the paradoxical complexities of loss, a mother floats away from the family desperate to keep her. Traveling such elusive terrain requires an oblique approach, and Lanagan, like Emily Dickinson, tells it “slant.”

Familiar roots and accessible themes make this strong collection a good introduction to Lanagan’s mind-bending work. (author’s note) (Fantasy/short stories. 14 & up)

(2013). Yellowcake [Review of the book Yellowcake]. Kirkus Review.  Retrieved from

            https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/margo-lanagan/yellowcake-lanagan/

Suggestion: This would be a good book to have for a presentation on supernatural/magical themes. Some students may enjoy the wandering and slightly perplexing stories that this book offers. 

Module 13: Who's Been Sleeping in my Grave?

Module 13: Fear Street: Who’s Been Sleeping in my Grave?

Summary: Zach is a jumpy, nerdy boy who lives in Shadyside, the creepiest town ever. His friends constantly prank him and scare him. Zach tries to overcome his fear, but when a new substitute teacher with a ghostly palor and skeletal hands arrives he’s in for a nightmare.

Citation: Stine, R.L. (1995). Who’s been sleeping in my grave? NY: Aladdin Publishers.

Impression: This is a fun story. Many students have fun at a substitute’s expense, so having a ghostly substitute is perfect for the audience’s age. R.L. Stine has become a part of growing up for many kids. This story keeps with his tradition of creepy, weird stories that are in the end rather harmless. It’s enough to make a little kid cringe but not enough to cause nightmares for weeks. I would recommend this book to any 10-13 year-olds wanting something spooky. Boys especially tend to enjoy this series with it’s sometimes gross details like the skeleton face that Ms. Gaunt reveals under her veil. Overall, a very enjoyable and creepy book that most kids will have fun reading.

Review: Zach goes to see Marcy who tells him that they got a call about her sick grandmother, but when they got there, the woman was fine. He tells her what happened and asks Chris for backup, but he has no idea what he’s talking about. He reveals that Gaunt used her magic to make Chris forget what he saw. Then, he takes out a rubber snake that Chris pranked him with, says a few lines, and the snake becomes real. He ends the book saying that he learned a lot from Gaunt.

*Some of the descriptions are actually cool in this one. Like, he rips off her veil and finds that she has a skeleton face.

*Um, why is some random substitute showing up wearing white gloves and a white veil, and no one finds that odd?

*Apparently that random shop shows up and no one notices it either. Then again, these books do take place in Shadyside!

Eblin, J. (2012). Ghosts of fear street #2: Who’s been sleeping in my grave? [Review of the book Who’s Been Sleeping in my Grave?].  Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Whos-Sleeping-Grave-Ghosts-Street/dp/0671529420/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1431025575&sr=1-2&keywords=who%27s+been+sleeping+in+my+grave

Suggestion: This would be a great book for a Halloween Family Night. The librarian could read a scary picture book and then do a book talk that includes this book. 

Module 12: Me...Jane

Module 12: Me…Jane

Summary: This is the story of Jane Goodall’s childhood. Jane Goodall spent her childhood with her beloved, stuffed chimpanzee, Jubilee, exploring the outdoors of her home. She read about animals, she watched animals, and she dreamt about helping animals. Most of all, Jane dreamt about living in Africa where she could help all of the animals there. When Jane grew up she did just that, and she is famous for her work with the animals.

Citation: McDonnell, P. (2011). Me…Jane. New York: Little, Brown and Company.

Impression: This a beautifully written and inspiring book. The simple words keep the reader hooked and the illustrations pastel colors are soothing and peaceful. Every child can relate to playing outside and loving the idea of working with animals. Nearly every child has a point when they love nature, the outdoors, and all the creatures out there, even the slimy ones. This childish innocence is perfectly captured by adorable Jane exploring her surroundings with Jubille by her side. The amazing part is that this child held onto her dreams and became one of the most inspirational humanitarians in the world.

Review: Little Jane Goodall and Jubilee (her toy chimpanzee) ramble outside their English country home observing everyday animal miracles and dreaming of a life in Africa, "living with, / and helping, / all animals." Readers familiar with the groundbreaking primatologist will love seeing her as a conventional, buttoned-up child, wearing a plaid skirt, classic bob and hair clip as she squats in a coop to watch a chicken drop an egg. McDonnell’s simple ink-and-watercolor illustrations appear as sunny, amorphous panels in ample white space. Purposeful black lines provide specificity with small suggestive strokes—a tiny apostrophic smile relays Jane’s complete contentment sprawled in grass. Opposite pages offer groupings of faint, intricate stamps that correspond with young Jane’s early outdoor experiences and engage readers with their fine details. The playful interplay among stamps, cartoonish drawings and real photographs of Jane reminds readers of a child’s hodgepodge journal—one like Jane’s, which appears as a double-page spread showing her animal studies, charts, games and doodles. Children will appreciate McDonnell’s original format and take heart that interests logged in their own diaries might turn into lifelong passions. Backmatter includes a pithy biography, additional photographs and a letter and drawing from Jane herself—children will thrill at the connection. (Picture book/biography. 2-10)

(2011). Me…Jane [Review of the Book Me…Jane]. Kirkus Review. Retrieved from             https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/patrick-mcdonnell/mejane/

Suggestion: This is a great book to use for a book talk on nonfiction or biographies. It’s simple yet educational and very inspiring. It could be used to introduce biographies for any age.

Module 11: The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia

Module 11: The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia

Summary: This is the story of the Romanovs, the royal family of Russia. The decadence of the high class society has left the majority of Russians in poverty and despair. The book chronicles the family’s history from before the royal couple was a couple to after their captivity and the discovery of their hidden bones.

Citation: Fleming, C. (2014). The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial   Russia. New York: Random House Children’s Books.

Impression: This book is a great combination of information and excitement. Court intrigue, tragic poverty, and thrilling mystery combine to make a great read. Also the author’s extensive research and use of private diaries to give voices to these historical deceased. The author uses enough quotes from the diaries to show the story is historical and true without turning the novel into a textbook. The setting is detailed enough that without being a historian the reader can tell the people of Russia are desperate for change and the monarchs, although not evil, are spoiled in their wealth. Fleming does a great job of making the royals into people with feelings and thoughts of their own despite their public appearance as cold monarchs. Furthermore, the whole story unfolds with such suspense and elegant interweaving of historical documents and plot that the reader is immersed in that time period and its events completely. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys history and drama.  

Review: Fleming examines the family at the center of two of the early 20th century’s defining events.

It’s an astounding and complex story, and Fleming lays it neatly out for readers unfamiliar with the context. Czar Nicholas II was ill-prepared in experience and temperament to step into his legendary father’s footsteps. Nicholas’ beloved wife (and granddaughter of Queen Victoria), Alexandra, was socially insecure, becoming increasingly so as she gave birth to four daughters in a country that required a male heir. When Alexei was born with hemophilia, the desperate monarchs hid his condition and turned to the disruptive, self-proclaimed holy man Rasputin. Excerpts from contemporary accounts make it clear how years of oppression and deprivation made the population ripe for revolutionary fervor, while a costly war took its toll on a poorly trained and ill-equipped military. The secretive deaths and burials of the Romanovs fed rumors and speculation for decades until modern technology and new information solved the mysteries. Award-winning author Fleming crafts an exciting narrative from this complicated history and its intriguing personalities. It is full of rich details about the Romanovs, insights into figures such as Vladimir Lenin and firsthand accounts from ordinary Russians affected by the tumultuous events. A variety of photographs adds a solid visual dimension, while the meticulous research supports but never upstages the tale.

A remarkable human story, told with clarity and confidence. (bibliography, Web resources, source notes, picture credits, index) (Nonfiction. 12 & up)

(2014). The Family Romanov [Review of the book The Family Romanove: Murder, Rebellion,       and the Fall of Imperial Russia]. Kirkus Review. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/candace-fleming/the-family-romanov/

Suggestion: This would be a great book to use for a display on intriguing informational books for teenagers. 

Module 10: Tomas and the Library Lady

Module 10: Tomas and the Library Lady

Summary: Tomas and his family are migrant workers. They work in Texas during the winter and in Iowa during the summer. When the family goes to Iowa for the summer, Tomas begins to visit the town library. The librarian is gentle and kind with the shy boy and encourages him to read. The librarian allows Tomas to check out books under her name, and Tomas shares his stories with his family the way his grandfather does. When it is time to return to Texas Tomas tells the librarian goodbye and thank you, and the librarian sends him with a book as a present.

Citation: Mora, P. (2000). Tomas and the library lady. New York: Dragonfly Books.

Impression: This book is an inspirational and heart-warming read. Tomas’ kind and inquisitive nature keeps the reader interested in his endeavors to read and share his stories. The whole family is loving. Although the details of their migrant life show they are impoverished, the love and respect the family shares is enough to make anyone smile. Mora does a great job of showing the hardships and struggles of migrant life without overwhelming or causing a young reader much alarm. This book is especially important because it shows an impoverished child of Hispanic heritage continuing with education despite obstacles in his path. This is an important lesson for many children that do not have strong academic role models in their families, and they need to see someone with their shared culture and experiences that succeeds in life through education, determination, and hard work. 

Review: Today Rivera's legacy lives on at the Tomàs Rivera Policy Institute in California, which "promotes the well-being of the Latino population of the United States," and the Tomàs Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award, established in 1995 at Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. This award is presented annually for children's and young adult literature that portrays Mexican American culture in a positive manner. Pat Mora's Tomàs and the Library Lady (1997) is based on the real-life experience of young migrant worker Rivera and the Iowa librarian who introduced him to the world of books. Beloved by librarians across the country, Mora's picture book is a tribute to her one-time co-worker Tomàs Rivera. Fittingly, it was awarded the Tomàs Rivera Award in 1997.

York, S. (2002). The migrant experience in the works of Mexican American writers [Review of the                book Tomas and the Library Lady]. Alan Review. Retrieved from                          

           http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/ALAN/v30n1/york.html

Suggestion: This book would be great to put on display during the National Hispanic Heritage Month. Students of all ages can learn about an important educational figure, and how his love of learning came at an early age with the help of a kind librarian. 

Module 9: The Trouble with Chickens

Module 9: The Trouble with Chickens

Summary: J.J. Tully used to be a search-and-rescue dog. Now he lives on a farm with his owner, but the farm life is a bit boring for him. Therefore, when a chicken asks him to find her lost chicks J.J. is ready for the challenge. Vindictive house dogs and ambitious chickens lead J.J through the hoops and put in a predicament that his years of search and rescue have not prepared him for. How can he get out of the bolted cage?

Citation: Cronin, D. (2011). The trouble with chickens.  New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.

Impression: J.J. Tully is a fun character for young readers to follow. The situations are silly and fun, and easy enough for beginning readers to follow. The jokes are cute, and most young readers would pick up on the jokes easily. The illustrations are well placed and give the reader just enough help with visualizing without taking away the imagination work. This is a great series to get children started with mysteries. 

Review: Popular farmyard chronicler Cronin (Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type, illustrated by Betsy Lewin, 2000, etc.) makes the jump to middle-grade fiction in this faux–hard-boiled mystery featuring talking animals. Her deadpan humor is much in evidence as she describes the circumstances under which retired search-and-rescue dog J.J. Tully undertakes the case of the missing chick. Puns abound, and J.J. is definitely not quite as clever as he believes himself to be, allowing readers to gently laugh at as well as with him. Sophisticated vocabulary and a complicated plot suggest the older range of readers as the most likely audience, but frequent illustrations and a relatively large font should make the story accessible to the younger end as well. Cornell’s black-and-white drawings extend both the humor and the action. In some pictures J.J. is slightly reminiscent of Scooby-Doo, another canine sleuth, while in others he is both distinctive and dogged in his determination to solve the puzzle. The chickens, mother and four chicks, are seriously silly looking and utterly adorable, which suits their surprisingly rounded characters just right.  Finding out how “Vince the Funnel” fits in, whether J.J. is being double-crossed by his client and how the climactic rescue will be resolved should keep readers engaged while Cronin’s constant word-play will keep them giggling. Fast and funny. (Comic mystery. 8-11)

(2011). The trouble with chickens [Book review of The Trouble with Chickens]. Kirkus Reviews.   Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/doreen-cronin/trouble- chickens/

Suggestions: This would be a great book for a book talk in an elementary school about mysteries. The book is simple enough for leisure with some dictionary worthy words to help young minds grow. 

Module 8: Insurgent

Module 8: Insurgent

Summary: In the second installment of the Divergent series, Insurgent shows Tris’ next move after the massacre and battle between the factions. Tris and Four find themselves with other factions hiding out in the Amity faction. Tris’ guilt for killing Will has left her stunned and unable to use a gun. She hides this from Four and their companions. Tensions rise between the factions as the remaining leaders struggle for control and the safety of their people. Tris and Four’s relationship becomes strained as they fight their way through the factions, traitors, and torturous experiments that Jeanine Matthews conducts on them while they are imprisoned in Erudite headquarters.

Citation: Roth, V. (2012). Insurgent. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.

Impression: Insurgent continues Tris’ story. However, Tris is no longer the same after killing her own friend and watching her parents die. This is understandable, but the frustrating aspect of Tris’ character is her lack of trust and knack for getting caught in every endeavor. The book is enjoyable, but some of Tris’ charm is lost when she loses confidence in herself and her friends. Although her self-sacrificing nature seems praise-worthy, even that is proven a lie when she realizes she doesn’t want to die and confesses she didn’t really think about death before. This book may be more suited for teenagers who will not be as frustrated with Tris’ teenage flaws, or I may just not have enough patience for this character to grow into a better protagonist.

Review: In this addictive sequel to the acclaimed Divergent (2011), a bleak post-apocalyptic Chicago ruled by "factions" exemplifying different personality traits collapses into all-out civil war.

With both the Dauntless and Abnegation factions shattered by the Erudite attack, Tris and her companions seek refuge with Amity and Candor, and even among the factionless. But the Erudite search for "Divergents" continues relentlessly. They have a secret to protect—one they fear could prove more catastrophic than open warfare; one they will slaughter to keep hidden... Rather than ease readers back into this convoluted narrative, the book plunges the characters into immediate danger without clues to their current relationships, let alone their elaborate back stories. The focus is firmly on the narrator Tris, who, devastated by guilt and grief, reveals new depth and vitality. While taking actions less Dauntless than recklessly suicidal, she retains her convenient knack for overhearing crucial conversations and infallibly sizing up others. Her romance with Tobias is achingly tender and passionate, and her friends and enemies alike display a realistic spectrum of mixed motivations and conflicted choices. The unrelenting suspense piles pursuit upon betrayal upon torture upon pitched battles; the violence is graphic, grisly and shockingly indiscriminate. The climactic reveal, hinting at the secret origins of their society, is neither surprising nor particularly plausible, but the frenzied response makes for another spectacular cliffhanger.

Anyone who read the first book was dying for this one months ago; they'll hardly be able to wait for the concluding volume. (Science fiction. 14 & up)

(2012). Insurgent [Review of the book Insurgent]. Kirkus Review. Retrieved from             https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/veronica-roth/insurgent/

Suggestion: This book would be good for a display on current book to movie releases. Although we always prefer to have the book read first, sometimes the movie inspires a reading which is still a win in my mind.

Module 7: My Name is Mina

Module 7: My Name is Mina

Summary: This book follows the life and learnings of a young girl named Mina. Mina does not fit in at school, so she gets home schooled by her mom. Along with dealing with her father’s death Mina must look inside herself to better understand the world and people around her.

Citation: Almond, D. (2010). My Name is Mina. New York: Random House Inc.

Impression: Mina’s thoughts are beautifully messy. When she thinks of a words she likes she endearingly repeats and bolds it. Every realization and wandering thought is a joy to read because her strong spirit and bright mind keep the reader guessing as to what will happen next. The book covers some deep thoughts like death and other less intense concepts such as animal watching. I enjoyed this book, but I think certain “type A” people would be frustrated by the piece by piece thought process that Mina has and the lack of a strong plot and traditional storytelling. 

Review: This is an incredible book. It isn't a story; it is a collection of thoughts and words. Most of the time I was reading it I forgot it was written by David Almond; I read it like it was Mina writing it as she was thinking it.

I would usually give an insight to the book at this point, but there is no story to this book. It is almost more like a set of thoughts and guides to get more out of life, and for that reason I love it. This is a book about Mina that what happens to her. Mina is a girl who most people think is a weirdo. But she looks at life in completely different way to everyone else – she loves words and thinks that every word has a life of its own.

(2014). My name is Mina [Review of the book My Name is Mina].The Guardian.

Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2014/feb/22/review-david-almond-my-name-is-mina

Suggestion: This book would be good for a book talk to teenage girls or students that exhibit interest in diaries or realistic fiction. Since the thoughts and feelings are all straight from Mina, I feel that girls would enjoy it more. However, I'm sure there are some boys that would enjoy reading Mina's sprawling thoughts. 

Module 6: No, David!

Module 6: No, David!

Summary: David is a mischievous young boy that gets into a lot of trouble because he plays too rough or breaks things. His mother constantly tells him no and to stop misbehaving, however she also shows her love for him.

Citation: Shannon, D. (1998). No, David! New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.

Impression: This is a fun book for young children because they can see how silly David is. The bright pictures and crazy antics demonstrated by David are sure to make readers laugh. The scene in which David goes running away naked is especially funny for children.The only thing that is concerning is that children may want to emulate his behavior, but that can be prevented by an early explanation that what he is doing is not correct behavior. Furthermore, it can lead to a discussion about why his behavior is not appropriate.

Review: This autobiographical (according to the author's note) story from Shannon (A Bad Case of Stripes, 1998, etc.) features a young hellion, also named David, who is forever at the receiving end of a sharp ""No!"" Among his prime escapades: over-reaching for the cookie jar, excavating his nose, tracking mud on the carpet, pounding pots, playing with food, making a naked escape from the house--classics all. ""That's enough,"" his mother shouts, and other familiar adult admonishments show up as well--be quiet, come back here, go to your room, settle down, stop that this instant, not in the house. This last comes as David prepares for a little indoor hardball. Does he listen? Does he break a vase? Does he get sent to the corner, nose to the wall? Readers or listeners will be gripped by this episode right out of their own lives, through to the stray tear, the look of contrition, and the moment of redemption: ""Davey, come here. Yes, David . . . I love you."" The illustrations are wonderful, full of good-time trouble-making tomfoolery, borrowing on the energy of children's drawings and the determined strokes of their early attempts at lettering. David is a small, snaggle-toothed piehead whose mischief--for those who don't have to clean up after him--is nothing short of exhilarating.

No, David! [Review of the book No, David!]. Kirkus Review. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/david-shannon-6/no-david-2/

Suggestion: This would be a great book for a story time for young children and to introduce to parents to add to their night time story collections. 

Module 5: Esperanza Rising

Module 5: Esperanza Rising

Summary: Esperanza lives a pampered life in Mexico where her father is a wealthy landowner. She is the only child and receives the love and attention of her family and their servants. Tragedy strikes when bandits capture and kill her father. Then her terrible uncle burns down the house because her mother refuses to surrender to him. Therefore, Esperanza, her mother, and some servants travel to America where they are migrant workers making close to no money and treated like nothing. When Esperanza’s mother gets sick, Esperanza takes charge and works to save money to bring her grandmother to America to help aid her mother’s failing spirits. Despite the hardships and heartbreaks Esperanza faces, she realizes that as long as she has family and friends that love her she can work to make her dreams come true.

Citation: Ryan, P.M. (2000). Esperanza rising. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.

Impression: This is a great coming-of-age story. Esperanza begins the story as a nice but spoiled girl. Her father’s tragic death is heart wrenching, but her uncle’s betrayal is even worse. This huge turn of events captivates the reader’s attention immediately, and the momentum of the book continues with Esperanza’s American obstacles. Against the backdrop of prejudice and racism, Esperanza’s story becomes that of many Mexican Americans in the 1930s. The deportation and poor treatment of the migrant workers is a part of history that not many of our Hispanic students are even aware of. Therefore, the book meets the need of historical education and entertainment simultaneously. The story is exciting and inspiring, but the added truth of injustice is invaluable to a generation of students that think they deserve everything for doing nothing. This story shows that people work hard for their happiness, and one should simply be happy to have found a happiness in a world that can be full of hate and despair.

Review: Esperanza Rising (2000), by Pam Muñoz Ryan, is one of the first Latina-authored children's books to use the migrant experience as an integral part of the story. Set in the same time period as Pocho, this award-winning novel is based on the life of the author's grandmother, Esperanza Ortega, who was forced by circumstances to leave her privileged life in Mexico and work in the fields of California. Readers experience with Esperanza the cruel realities of rough work in miserable conditions, and empathize with those seeking to improve conditions and also with those workers so desperate for work that they dared not support labor-organizing efforts for fear of losing the poor jobs they had. In the author's notes at the end of Esperanza Rising, Ryan discusses the Deportation Act of 1929, which resulted in at least 450,000 Mexicans and Mexican Americans being "repatriated" to Mexico.

York, S. (2002). The migrant experience in the works of Mexican American writers [Review of  the book Esperanza Rising]. Alan Review. Retrieved from             http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/ALAN/v30n1/york.html

Suggestion: Esperanza Rising would be a great book for young girls and Hispanic students to read. A book talk about historical fiction should definitely include this book especially if the library is in Texas. Hispanic students need this history and a character that they can relate to culturally. 

Module 4: The Witch of Blackbird Pond

Module 4: The Witch of Blackbird Pond

Summary: Kit Tyler grew up in Barbados with her grandfather. Free to do as she pleased and immersed in the island’s culture, Kit was shocked by her predicament when her grandfather passed away and she had to live with her Puritan uncle. Although Kit tries hard to fit in and makes friends with Nat and Prudence, she creates tension in the town when she befriends the town witch. The elderly woman is a Quaker who believes in peace and harmony, but the town’s Puritan believes has made her an outcast. Kit must find the courage to stand up for her friends and herself when the town claims she is also a witch. Proving her innocence could mean life or death, so Kit and her friends have to find a way to sway the hostile Puritan townspeople.

Citation: Speare, E.G. (1958). The witch of Blackbird Pond. New York, NY: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group Inc.

Impression: This book spreads the message of acceptance. Even with the progress society has made, many people still need books like this that show how having narrow ideas can not only hurt people but also keep society from growing. As a character, Kit is interesting to watch because she tries so hard to fit in to a place that she obviously does not like. Her good nature shines through in the worst times, and she is an example of persistence that many young readers can relate to.

Review: When young Kit Tyler comes from her Barbados home to colonial Connecticut, she is unprepared for the austerity of her uncle's home. Kit, a staunch royalist, accustomed to the easy life of a slave-manned plantation, and her fanatic Puritan uncle are instinctive antagonists. But despite her tastes for finery, Kit is possessed with courage and conviction. Her spontaneous friendship with Hannah, an old woman whose Quaker affiliations have branded her as a witch, and her secret teaching of a young child who suddenly is stricken with a strange malady, seriously threaten her safety. For the townspeople are mistrustful of this strange girl who already has startled them with her "magic" ability to stay afloat in water. Kit's vindication, her gradual integration into the community and the positive effect she has on those about her, combine here in a well documented novel to rival the author's first work, Calico Captive, which received wide acclaim as a work of "superior historical fiction".

(2012). The Witch of Blackbird Pond [Review of the book The Witch of Blackbird Pond].           Kirkus Review. Retrieved from: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/elizabeth-  george-speare/the-witch-of-blackbird-pond/

Suggestion: Librarians could use this book as a focus for anti-bullying week. She could summarize the book and put the question forth to students: is it right to force someone out of a community because of their beliefs? Then the librarian could offer other books about bullying or acceptance for children to read. 

Module 3: Owl Moon

Module 3: Owl Moon

Summary: A father and daughter go out in a snow covered forest in the middle of the night to go owling. The daughter narrates the story and exhibits great patience and self-discipline as she waits for an owl to appear.

Citation: Yolen, J. (1987). Owl Moon. New York: Philomel Books.

Impression: The book has a soothing quality with its dark illustrations of a moonlit forest. The illustrations are fantastically detailed, and the forest landscape on the page leaps from the page. Despite the darkness of the forest, there is no fear because of the soothing repetitive words and the father’s strong presence. The repetitive wording and the themes of patience add to the mood of tranquility that the illustrations and the plot creates. The little girl’s self-discipline is a great role model for children to realize that good things come to those who wait.

Review: A rare reappearance of a fine illustrator (Rascal, Julie of the Wolves), whose watercolors here follow a father and small child as they seek an owl beneath a winter moon. In Yolen's spare, graceful text, the child recounts their trudge through snow, long past bedtime, with Pa repeating an owl call until he is rewarded with a reply plus the sighting of the owl, for a minute or "maybe even a hundred minutes." Schoenherr catches the deep, misty blues and soft browns of night--contrasting them to the snow's stark white so sharply that the bite of the cold is palpable--and hides a wild creature in tree or wall in almost every vista of the farmland landscape. Yolen hints at a philosophical overtone ("When you go owling you don't need words or warm or anything but hope. . .the kind of hope that flies on silent wings. . ."), but the shared experience of the mysterious, natural night-world seems the more important message of this lovely, quiet book.

(2012). Owl Moon [Review of the book Owl Moon]. Retrieved       from: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jane-yolen/owl-moon/ 

Suggestion: Librarians could use this for a book talk about Caldecott winners and introduce other award winning books. 

Module 2: Shiloh

Module 2: Shiloh

Summary: Marty Preston loves to spend his time wandering the hills of his home in West Virginia. Although his family is far from rich, they make do with their little house in the hills. When Marty takes a walk he runs into a beagle. The beagle is friendly, but subdued and follows Marty home. Marty finds out that the beagle belongs to Judd Travers, a rough, hostile hunter that treats his dogs with no kindness. Marty knows that his family can hardly afford a dog, and Judd will not sell his dog for a price they can afford. Marty has to find a way to save the dog he has come to love; a dog he named Shiloh.

Citation: Naylor, P.R. (1991). Shiloh. New York, NY: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group Inc.

Impression: Shiloh is a well-loved classic for many reasons. Stories about animals touch many people’s hearts because most people have pets that they love or have loved. We can understand why Marty wants to save Shiloh, and we begin to love Shiloh as we read. Marty is a great character because he is true to his age yet he shows the maturity that comes with growing up in an impoverished home. He knows that his family can barely afford to care for a dog, so he works to save money. Marty’s mistakes are those of a boy desperately trying to hold on to someone he loves, and readers love him more for those mistakes. I think that this book will continue to be a classic because there is something about a boy and his dog that is universally understood and loved. When a child shows loyalty, courage, and love for an animal all readers can understand the emotions that Marty experiences.

Review: A gripping account of a mountain boy's love for a dog he's hiding from its owner. Marty, 11, tells how Shiloh, the runaway, first caught his heart; still, his bone-poor West Virginia family has a strong sense of honor, and the dog is returned to its owner. After it runs back to Marty, he hides it in the woods. As Marty's structure of lies to his parents compounds, the villainous owner circles closer. By the time Judd finds Shiloh, the whole family is compromised and the dog has been injured. Marty does get the dog, partly by another lie of omission: he blackmails Judd when he finds him poaching and makes a deal to work for Judd to pay for the dog, but tells his parents another version. Fine lines are explored here: How necessary is it to adhere to the strict truth? "What kind of law is it...that lets a man mistreat his dog?" Has the dog been "saved" if this leads to its injury? Marty concludes that "nothing is as simple as you guess--not right or wrong, not Judd Travers, not even me or this dog." Meanwhile, young readers will rejoice that Shiloh and Marty end up together. (Fiction. 8-12)

(2010). Shiloh [Review of the book Shiloh]. Kirkus Review. Retrieved from: https://www.            kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/shiloh-2/

Suggestion: Librarians can use this book for a book talk and interest animal lovers in reading. The librarian could pair this book with another animal book or nonfiction animal books to demonstrate the variety of engaging books there are that focus on animals.

Module 1: The Runaway Bunny

Module 1: The Runaway Bunny

Summary: Little bunny decides he will run away from his home. Every way that little bunny decides to leave his mother finds a way to stay with him. Whether he is a bird, a crocus or a trout, his mommy finds a way to stay with him such as being a tree, gardener or a fisherman. In his last attempt at running away the little bunny says he will become a boy and run into a house, and his mother says she will be his mommy and hug him.

Citation: Brown, M.W. (1942).The Runaway Bunny. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers. 

Impression: This book was soothing in its repetitive sentences and the images of cute bunnies. The black and white sketches depicted the little bunny running away while the colorful illustrations showed the mother bunny looking for her little bunny. The illustrations become a bit of a look and find when the little bunny is hidden very well in certain illustrations like in the garden. Children will love the cute pictures, the soothing rhythms of prose, and the search and find pictures. Adults will love the theme of motherly love and devotion. It’s a great book for any child to grow up with.

Review: This is one of the nicest things Margaret Wise Brown has done, and Clement Hurd has made enchanting pictures, with line drawings and eight double spreads in four colors, beautifully reproduced. The text pattern is a successful dialogue with almost nursery rhyme repetition and rhythm (those in prose).

(2011). The Runaway Bunny [Review of the book The Runaway Bunny]. Retrieved from:             https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/margaret-wise-brown/the-runaway-bunny/

Suggestion: This would be a great book for a Mother’s Day celebration in the library. Librarians can invite families for a read aloud of the book and refer mother’s to other children’s book classics that they can share with their children.