Module Three: When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Summary: Miranda is a young girl growing in New York City. Her best fiend Sal is no longer talking to her and she has no idea why. One day, she begins to find notes throughout her belongings that make no sense. She has made friends with a bully, Marcus, who has a deep interest in time travel. Miranda is going through trial and tribulations with her friends and family all while she is trying to discover author of the mysterious notes. In the end, all the events of Miranda's school year began to come together to make perfect sense.

Citation: Stead, R. (2009). When you reach me. New York, NY: Wendy Lamb Books.

Impressions: This was a very interesting book. Stead has done a fine job of creating a novel concerning time travel that is easy to understand. It is not very clear in the beginning that time travel will play a large role in the literature. Stead's children characters a very well developed. The only thing I felt lacking was the development of the adult characters. Most of the adult characters play a large role but, Stead has not given much information about them.

Reviews:

“If this book makes your head hurt, you’re not alone. Sixth-grader Miranda admits that the events she relates make her head hurt, too. Time travel will do that to you. The story takes place in 1979, though time frames, as readers learn, are relative. Miranda and Sal have been best friends since way before that. They both live in a tired Manhattan apartment building and walk home together from school. One day everything changes. Sal is kicked and punched by a schoolmate and afterward barely acknowledges Miranda. Which leaves her to make new friends, even as she continues to reread her ratty copy of A Wrinkle in Time and tutor her mother for a chance to compete on The $20,000 Pyramid. She also ponders a puzzling, even alarming series of events that begins with a note: “I am coming to save your friend’s life, and my own . . . you must write me a letter.” Miranda’s first-person narrative is the letter she is sending to the future. Or is it the past? It’s hard to know if the key events ultimately make sense (head hurting!), and it seems the whys, if not the hows, of a pivotal character’s actions are not truly explained. Yet everything else is quite wonderful. The ’70s New York setting is an honest reverberation of the era; the mental gymnastics required of readers are invigorating; and the characters, children and adults, are honest bits of humanity no matter in what place or time their souls rest. Just as Miranda rereads L’Engle, children will return to this." — Ilene Cooper

Cooper, I. (2009).When You Reach Me. Booklist Online, 17(4). Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com/When-You-Reach-Me-Rebecca-Stead/pid=3389749

"The prose is streamlined and easygoing, while Miranda’s New York life is richly peopled and authentically urban; touches of quirky humor add energy to a subtly constructed story of individual growth. Offer this to kids who appreciate daily-life stories that reveal the unexpected."-Deborah Stevenson

Stevenson, D. (2009). Book review: when you reach me. The Bulletin of the Center for Children, 63(1). Retrieved from Children's Comprehensive Literature Database.

Library Setting: In the library, a programmer could create a trivia game, much like the $20,000 dollar Pyramid from the book.  This trivia game could be made of different questions pertaining the book. In addition, the programmer could ask children to create their own time travel machine. What would it look like? What materials would be needed? Where would you travel? These are just a few examples of questions. They could create time machines out of craft materials and write a small prompt about the machine. After they have done the project, display the time machines and writing prompts so that other patrons may observe.

Module Three: Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse

Summary: This book is the story of a young girl, Billie Jo.  She is growing up in the panhandle of Oklahoma during the dust bowl of the Great depression.  Her and her father are tying to make a life for themselves after the death of her Ma and baby brother.  She must learn to forgive herself, how to grow, and how to overcome the many trials she faces.

Citation: Hesse, K. (1997). Out of the dust. New York: Scholastic Press.

Impressions: I love the way Hesse has used poetry and prose to write the story of Billie Jo during the Great Depression.  It is written as if Billie Jo is speaking directly to the reader.  It is a wonderful book discussing some of the issues concerning the dust bowl.  I almost felt like I was choking on dust by the descriptions on the prairies in this book.  This is one of the best books I have read. I would recommend it to anyone.

Reviews:

"The story is bleak, but Hesse’s writing transcends the gloom and transforms it into a powerfully compelling tale of a girl with enormous strength, courage, and love. The entire novel is written in very readable blank verse, a superb choice for bringing out the exquisite agony and delight to be found in such a difficult period lived by such a vibrant character. It also spares the reader the trouble of wading through pages of distressing text, distilling all the experiences into brief, acutely observed phrases. This is an excellent book for discussion, and many of the poems stand alone sufficiently to be used as powerful supplements to a history lesson.”- Susan Dove Lempke

Dove Lempke, S. (1997) Out of the dust. Booklist Online, 4(3). Retrieved from             http://www.booklistonline.com/Out-of-the-Dust-Karen-Hesse/pid=1022730

“Set in the drought-stricken dust bowl of Oklahoma of the 30s, written in free verse, told by as memorable a heroine as you will meet in YA literature, Out of the Dust will wrench your gut. You will meet fifteen-year-old Billie Jo, not yet defeated by the Grapes of Wrath kind of poverty that grinds families to the very dust that ruins them; she is helped in her resolve by her mother. But then in a bizarre accident, one Billie Jo played an innocent but deadly part in, her mother is killed. Her father cannot cope, and Billie Jo is left with just her own personal resources. These, however, are considerable. Please read this book. You will agree with me (and with the committee which selected it for the 1997 Newbery Medal) that it is a distinguished novel, richly meriting as wide a readership as possible among teens, among adults. It is very good.”

Hipple, T. (1998). Out of the Dust. The ALAN Review, 25(3). Retrieved from Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database.

Library Setting: A good way this book could be used in the library setting would be when discussing history.  The images in this book are amazing for readers who may not fully understand the severity of the Great Depression and dust bowl. A programmer could have students read books from concerning United States history.  This would help students become more interested in historical fiction. 

Module Two: The Three Pigs written and illustrated by David Wiesner

Summary: The three pigs find themselves in different stories as they out smart the big bad wolf. They finally find comfort with a twist to the ending of the original fairy tail the Three Little Pigs. 

Citation: Wiesner, D. (2001). The three pigs. New York, NY: Clarion Books.

Impressions: This is a clever book that people of all ages will enjoy. I like how the author pulls in different aspects of other fairy tale stories. They pictures are beautiful and it would keep any audience on their toes. This is perfect for a young audience. They would roll with laughter.

Reviews:

“This is a unique retelling of the classic pig and wolf fairy tale. In this telling, there is not a happily-ever-after ending. Therefore, some younger readers might be disturbed. For some children, it would not be suitable because it might be too mature. Anyone who has a particular affection for pigs would probably not like this retelling either. However, this book would definitely prove popular among those persons who like irony and uniqueness in their reading material. Each page is filled with colorful illustrations. But what makes this book so unique is that there are some "off subject" pages--almost totally white, a dragon, a children's rhyme, and a comic-book look. One particularly humorous section is when the pigs just "kick out of the book" so they can escape from the wolf.”- Monica Irwin

Irwin, M. (2006). The three pigs (book review). The Lorgnette-Heart of Texas Reviews, 14(1). Retrieved from Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database.

“You know it’s not going to be just building materials and wolf exhalations when David Wiesner does the famous pig trio, and indeed it’s not. Things seem to go according to plan until the wolf huffs at the first little pig and blows him right out of the story; the oblivious text drones on, but the disappointed wolf looks in puzzlement at the pig-free ruins. The second pig flees the story prior to consumption too, and the first two pigs meet up with the third pig and go on a bookish adventure. First they turn a page into a paper airplane and fly through white space, and then they gambol through a library of picture books, finally fetching a dragon from a knightly coloring-book tale and bringing him back to give the poor wolf the surprise of his life. This isn’t the most innovative or tightly conceived metatextual folktale (Scieszka and Smith’s The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by A. Wolf, BCCB 9/89, still tops the porcine list), but it’s an amusing one nonetheless. The text is pretty much the poker-faced straight man here, with the art pulling the weight of the jokes. Wiesner uses style to great effect: initially, the wolf-and-pig drama unfolds in subdued, translucent watercolor with solid, simplified, literal lines; the pigs become fuzzy and beady-eyed mischief-makers when they exit their story, and they change character as they wander the books, most notably turning candy-sweet in the bland adorableness of the nursery-rhyme scene. Imaginative compositions include not only the airborne pigs in white space but one oinker hogging the page and sticking his nose out at the reader, saying, “I think someone’s out there.” This has the advantage over many postmodern reworkings of making a very light reading demand, so kids whose artistic sense is more sophisticated than their verbal perception will appreciate their chance to be in on the joke.”- Deborah Stevenson

Stevenson, D. (2001). The three pigs (book review). The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, 54(9). Retrieved from Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database.

Library Setting: Since this book is for younger audiences, the programmer could read the original Three Little Pigs. The programmer could then ask the patrons how the stories are different and alike. Next, the programmer could use patrons from the audience to play the pigs and the big bad wolf. Using props that have been made, reenact the story. The young patrons will enjoy participating.



Module Two: Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback

Summary: Joseph has a favorite overcoat that he likes to wear.  He wears the overcoat out until he must make it into a jacket.  After he has worn the jacket out he must make it into vest.  This book tell the life of a Jewish man and how he is always finding new ways to use he is raggedy old overcoat.

Citation: Simms, T. (1999). Joseph had a little overcoat. New York: Viking.

Impressions: This is a very colorful book that is young and playful.  It is perfect for young readers.  I love how the book tells the story of the coat and every way Joseph could think of to use it.  It is upbeat and light-hearted and an easy read for any child.

Reviews:

"Taback has clothed this well-known tale with comic characters, bold colors and a die-cut on each page to highlight the journey from coat to button to memory. The only thing left is to tell the story. Each page is enriched with details appreciated more by adults than children--for example, a newspaper headline reads "Fiddler On Roof Falls Off Roof" or "Chelm Rabbi Knows Why the Ocean is Salty" (It's due to the herring)!-Jan Lieberman

Lieberman, J.(1999). Joseph had a little overcoat (book review). Children’s Literature. Retrieved from Children’s Comprehensive Database.

"Their colors are festive yet controlled, and they are filled with homey clutter, interesting characters, and a million details to bring children back again and again. The simple text, which was adapted from the Yiddish song “I Had a Little Overcoat,” begins as Joseph makes a jacket from his old, worn coat. When the jacket wears out, Joseph makes a vest, and so on, until he has only enough to cover a button. Cut outs emphasize the use and reuse of the material and add to the general sense of fun. When Joseph loses, he writes a story about it all, bringing children to the moral “You can always make something out of nothing.” –Tim Arnold

Arnold, T.(2000). Joseph had a little overcoat (book review). Booklist Online, 6(9).Retrieved from Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database.

Library Setting:  At the end of this book there is an old Yiddish song that the author derived the concept of the book.  The Programmer could teach more traditional Yiddish songs to the participants.  The programmer could even bring in special instruments for the children use during the singing.

Module One: Miss Rumphius Story and Pictures by Barbara Cooney

Summary: Alice Rumphius has lived a wonderful life.  Her niece decides to ask her about how she lived her life and everything she has done.  Miss Rumphius, who is now very old, tells her niece about the flowers she plants to leave something beautiful for the world.  She leaves with her niece the true meaning of life.

Citation: Cooney, B. (1982). Miss Rumphius. New York, NY: Penguin Books.

This is a wonderful book that teaches children about living a full and meaningful life.  Giving back to the community or the world is an important theme in this book.  This concept is very important so that our youth will live lives of service to those around them.  The illustrations in this book are remarkable.  Any child would be drawn to this book for the artwork alone. 

Reviews:

“This low-key tale of aspiration and idealism, of obligations to oneself and to the world at large, is perfectly accompanied by paintings that sound either a quaint-but-real old fashioned, or a calm, unchanging pastoral, note.”

Dooley, P. (1982). Miss Rumphius (Book Review). School Library Journal, 29(1), 106. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

"Miss Rumphius has to be one of the most perfect picture books ever."

Kindig, J.(?). Miss Rumphius (Book Review). Children's Literature. Retrieved from Children's Literature Comprehansive Database.

Library Suggestions:  This book would be great for children's programming.  The programmer could read this book to the children.  After the book has been read, the group could have a discussion about things they would like to do to leave the world a better place.  After the discussion, the the group could plant flowers into small pots or even milk cartons.  The children would be free to give this plant/flower to someone or to plant it where they so please.

   

Module One: The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander

Summary: Taran, the assistant pig keeper, is swept into a magical adventure after the pig he is to be watching over escapes.  He dreams of running of into battle with his hero, Prince Gwydion.  They along with a unique group of other characters, including a young girl Eilonwy, make their way through a mystical land, Prydain.  They face they evil king and queen who threaten the free life they love in Prydain.

Citation: Alexander, L. (1964). The book of three. New York: Random House.

Impressions: I really enjoyed reading this book.  It reminded me of all the children's novels that have recently been so popular.  I enjoyed the magic and enchantment that came with the novel.  I also enjoyed that it was designated for a young reader but, a novel that an adult can enjoy.  The only negative of the book is in the beginning chapters.  Loyd is introducing the characters through a conversation and it is a bit difficult to keep them all straight.  After about the 4th chapter, the characters seem to display characteristics that make it much easier for the reader to distinguish them.  This is a fun and adventurous book for any young reader.

Reviews:

"The Book of Three is both a fantasy and a coming-of-age tale. Taran, the reluctant hero, learns much about the nature of courage and of friendship before the story closes. Author Alexander says in his preface, “Most of us are called on to perform tasks far beyond what we believe we can do. Our capabilities seldom match our aspirations, and we are often woefully unprepared. To this extent, we are all Assistant Pig-Keepers at heart."- Laura Baker

Baker, Laura. (2004). Book review: prydain chronicles. The Lorgnette-Heart of Texas Reviews, 17(4),

      Retrieved from Children's Comprehensive Literature Database.

Library Setting: This book would be great as a display book. I would place this book with other popular adventure novels. I think this book is a would loved by today's children but, they need to be introduced to it! I also think that this book could be used in a book talk. This book could be added in with some other popular adventure novels (Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, etc.). The programmer could compare and contrast the differences in the elements of magic used in the novels.