How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff

Bibliography
Rosoff, Meg. 2004. How I Live Now. NY: Wendy Lamb Books. ISBN 0385746776.

Plot Summary
Rejection, anorexia and a possible war are just a few things that Daisy is currently dealing with when she is sent to London to live with her cousins (Obert, Edmond, Isaac, and Piper)that she has never met. Since Aunt Pen is busy with work Edmond meets her at the airport and drives her to the family farm. Work keeps her aunt away most days until the war breaks out and Daisy and her four cousins soon realize that Pen is not able to make it home at all. At first, this new freedom is everything the children hoped for but that soon changes when soldiers separate the boys from the girls and sends the girls to live with a different family in a neighboring town. Determined to be reunited, Daisy and Piper try everything to find their way back home.

Critical Analysis
How I Live Now is set in modern day London and is about 15 year old Daisy who is dealing with alot...rejected by her father and step-mother, her own anorexia, a possible war, and being sent with cousins she has never met. Once in London, Daisy is instantly drawn to Edmond, one of her cousins, and falls in love with him.

War quickly breaks out and the children are first separated from their aunt and then from each other. Determined to get back to Edmond, Daisy and Piper, try everything to find their way back home. During their journey, they encounter very rough circumstances including no food, water, shelter, or a change of clothes.

Rosoff's writing is simple and direct. Readers will find courage in the strength that Daisy displays on their journey to be reunited with Edmond and her determination to keep Piper alive along the way. Teens will easily identify with Daisy's inner struggles.

Reviews
Booklist: "More central to the potency of Rosoff's debut, though, is the ominous prognostication of what a third world war might look like, and the opportunity it provides for teens to imagine themselves, like Daisy, exhibiting courage and resilience in roles traditionally occupied by earlier generations."

School Library Journal: "Though the novel has disturbing elements, Rosoff handles the harshness of war and the taboo of incest with honest introspection. This Printz award winner is a good choice for book discussions as it considers the disruption of war both physically and emotionally and should be on every high school and public library shelf."

Connections
*Have teens compare this novel to other Michael Printz Award Winners in an effort to find common themes that may be discovered in the novels.
*Have teens create a disaster kit that may come in handy if they were forced to survive during a war.

Hoot by Carl Hiaasen

Bibliography
Hiaasen, Carl. 2002. Hoot. NY: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0375921818.

Plot Summary
Hoot is the story of how one person can truly make a difference. Roy Eberhardt is the new kid in town; Dana Matherson is the school bully. On Roy's first day of school, he gets into a fight with Dana on the school bus. During the fight, Roy notices a shoeless boy running down the street. To curb his curiosity, Roy decides to look for the shoeless boy. What he discovers is a new friend and a cause to fight for.

Critical Analysis
Hoot is a great story that offers a little bit of everything: the awkwardness of moving and starting a new school, making new friends, defeating the school bully, and discovering how one person can truly make a difference. After Roy Eberhardt's family moved to Florida from Montana, he meets a shoeless boy nicknamed Mullet Fingers and they become friends.

At the same time, Hiaasen includes the on-going vandalism on a local construction site in the storyline. Someone is trying to delay or stop the building of Mother Paula's All-American Pancake House by uprooting the survey stakes, spray painting the windows of the police car while the officer slept, and putting alligators in the porta potties. These pranks are all in an effort to save the burrowing owls who make the construction site their home.

These two story lines eventually cross when the underdog, Roy Eberhardt, saves the day (the owls) and exposes the companies' efforts to hide their knowledge of the owls' home. Hiaasen does a great job creating a story with believable characters (who hasn't either moved or been picked on) fighting a realistic environmental cause. An excellent read for both older children and adults.

Reviews
Booklist: "The story is full of offbeat humor, buffoonish yet charming supporting characters, and genuinely touching scenes of children enjoying the wildness of nature. He deserves a warm welcome into children's publishing."

Publishers Weekly: "Though readers will have few doubts about the success of the kids' campaign, several suspenseful scenes build to the denouement involving the sitcom-like unraveling of a muckity-muck at the pancake house. These, along with dollops of humor, help make the novel quite a hoot indeed."

Connections
*Have children choose an animal listed as endangered and research ways that they could help protect them.
*Plan a field trip to a local zoo to learn more about animals and their habitats.

Worth by A. LaFaye

Bibliography
LaFaye, A. 2004. Worth. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, Inc. ISBN 0689857306.

Plot Summary
When Nathaniel Peale's leg is crushed in an accident, his father decides to bring John Worth, who recently lost his family to a fire, home from the orphan train to help him on the farm. Since Nathaniel is no longer able to help his father on the farm, he is sent to school to learn. Nathaniel dislikes John and resents the time that John gets to spend with his father while he is at school. John once had a dream of getting a diploma and working for a bank dislikes Nathaniel for having what he wants...a family and a chance at an education. However, they are able to come together when a conflict between the ranchers and farmers threatens the family's farm and financial stability.

Critical Analysis
LaFaye writes a powerful story of family, friendship, and character in Worth. During a farming accident, Nathaniel Peale is injured and no longer able to help his father on the farm. Unable to pay for hired help, Nathaniel's father brings home John Worth from the orphan train to help on the farm. Both boys immediately dislike and distrust the other one. Nathaniel is jealous of the time John is spending with his father and John is jealous of Nathaniel because he has his family and the opportunity to get an education. As Nate points out, "each of us hates the other for being what we couldn't be (pg 96)."

A love for mythology and a local conflict between the ranchers and farmers bring the boys together. They soon realize that they could "make do with what they had and what they had was pretty darn good (pg 144)."

Worth has something for everyone. It is a story of family, community, and healing. LaFaye does a wonderful job bringing this often forgotten about time in our history to life. Both children and adults will fall in love with it.

Reviews
Booklist: Starred Review "The short, spare novel doesn't need the heavy heroic parallels; it tells its own story of darkness and courage. A great choice for American history class."

Kirkus: "It's a lively story of two boys set against a backdrop of the Orphan Trains, range wars, lynchings, drownings, and sheep killings. Something for everyone."

Connections
*Have students research the orphan train along with other major events during this time period and create a timeline mapping out the events.
*Create a map of the possible routes the orphan trains took from the larger cities to the Midwest.

A Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman

Bibliography
Cushman, Karen. 1995. A Midwife's Apprentice. New York, NY: Houghton Mufflin Company. ISBN 0395692296.

Plot Summary
Set in 14th century England, A Midwife's Apprentice, is a powerful story of how Beetle (aka Alyce) overcomes life's circumstances to become a person with a name and a place in the world. The story opens with Beetle using the dung heap for warmth and a place to sleep and is awakened by the local midwife who assumed she was a dead beggar. Beetle talked Jane, the midwife, into a job in exchange for food. Thus began Beetle's journey and how she became the midwife's apprentice.

Critical Analysis
A Midwife's Apprentice is a set in the 14th century England and looks at the forgotten profession of midwives. Beetle is homeless and hungry when she is discovered by Jane, the midwife. Jane sees a perfect opportunity to receive cheap labor and offers Beetle work as her apprentice in exchange for food.

Lacking self confidence, Beetle does whatever Jane asks of her in exchange for two meals a day of onions, turnips, dried apples, cheese, bread, and bacon. However, as time passes Beetle slowly learns the way of the midwife and also develops a friendship with Will Russet. After a failed attempt to deliver a baby on her own, Beetle runs away but returns after learning the importance of "how to try and risk and fail and try again and not give up."

Cushman's simple writing adds authenticity to the story. Beetle and Jane are simple people, living in simple times and Cushman does an excellent job portraying them in the story. She is also honest about the times and living conditions of the poor during 14th century England. The author's research of the profession is evident in how she describes the different techniques Jane uses with different women. She adds an author note at the end of the story explaining the profession of midwives and how it has changed throughout the years.

Reviews
Publishers Weekly: "Earthy humor, the foibles of humans both high and low, and a fascinating mix of superstition and genuinely helpful herbal remedies
attached to childbirth make this a truly delightful introduction to a
world seldom seen in children’s literature."

School Library Journal: "Characters are sketched briefly but with telling, witty detail, and the very scents and sounds of the land and people's occupations fill each page as Alyce comes of age and heart."

Connections
*Read other Newbery award winning novels that are historical fiction and compare plots, characters, and settings.
*After reading A Midwife's Apprentice, have the students research 14th century England and find an occupation that they may be interested in.

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Bibliography
Lowry, Lois. 1989. Number the Stars. New York, NY: Houghton Mufflin Company. ISBN 0395510605.

Plot Summary
In Number the Stars, Lowry brings to life the terrible truth of the holocaust and how if affected everyone. Set in Denmark, it is a story of Annemarie Johansen and her family's attempts to help Annemarie's Jewish best friend, Ellen Rosen, and family to escape the Nazi relocation. During their escape, Annemarie is put to the test when she is asked to deliver her uncle's lunch to his fishing boat and discovers it is better to not know the whole truth at times.

Critical Summary
Lois Lowry describes the holocaust through the eyes of 10 year old Annemarie Johansen in Number the Stars. Set in 1943 Denmark during the Nazi relocation of the Jewish people, Lowry uses the real events and creates an unforgettable story of courage and friendship. Because the main character, Annemarie Johansen, is 10 years old at the beginning of the story, young readers will be able to immediately identify and relate to the story.

Johansen and Ellen Rosen are neighbors and best friends when the Nazis take control of their country. After learning about the Nazis' plans to relocate the Jews, the two families work together to plan the Rosen's escape to safety. During their escape, Annemarie is asked to go on a dangerous mission and discovers the strength within her. Young readers will love the fact that a 10 year old saves the day and will long to learn more about this time in history.

It is evident by the details included in the story that Lowry spent many hours researching 1943 Denmark. She describes this research along with what part of the story is fact and what part is fiction in her author's note at the end of the book. A must read!

Reviews
Publishers Weekly: "The whole work is seamless, compelling, and memorable -- impossible to put down; difficult to forget."

School Library Journal: "Readers are taken to the very heart of Annemarie's experience, and, through her eyes, come to understand the true meaning of bravery."

Connections
*A great introduction to a WWII and holocaust unit in Social Studies.
*Interview a holocaust survivor after reading Number the Stars. This will help the children to understand the Johansen's and Rosen's bravery.

A Woman for President by Kathleen Krull

Bibliography
Krull, Kathleen. 2004. A Woman for President. Ill. by Jane Dyer. New York, NY: Walker Publishing Company, Inc. ISBN 0802789099.

Plot Summary
In A Woman for President Kathleen Krull tells the unknown story of Victoria Woodhull, the first woman to run for President of the United States in 1872. Born into poverty, she was the 7th child out of the ten born to her parents. To help support her family, she began preaching at the age of eight. Along with running for president, Woodhull was also the first woman to own a newspaper, speak before Congress, and hold a seat on the stock exchange. Krull presents a chronological look at Woodhull's life that is both fascinating and inspiring.

Critical Analysis
A Woman for President is the amazing and inspiring story of Victoria Woodhull, the first woman to run for President of the United States. This chronological look takes the reader to Woodhull's early childhood days of spending time with her neighbor, Rachel. Through this relationship, Victoria was taught to read. By the age of 8 she and her sister, Tennessee, was supporting her family by preaching and communicating with the dead. Krull takes the reader through Woodhull's first marriage, her relationship with Cornelius Vanderbilt which resulted in financial success, and the creation of Woodhull, Chaflin & Co., the first female-owned American company in the business of buying and selling stocks.

Even though Woodhull was able to gain much success, she was very concerned with the treatment of women that she witnessed. As a result, she declared that she would run for president during the 1872 campaign. She was not allowed to vote for herself during the election as women were not allowed that right and of course did not win the election. However, she did spend the rest of her life fighting for women's right.

Krull did an excellent job in presenting this often forgotten story. The book is well organized and researched. A bibliography of resources are included in the back of the book. Jane Dyer's illustrations add to the story by further defining the time period with pictures of the clothes, homes, and the newspaper press. This is a great biography that both children and adults will enjoy.

Reviews
Children's Literature: "The book has a perfect blend of the personal and the political which give an in-depth sense of the woman, her times, and her contributions."

School Library Journal: "Krull's writing style is lively and engaging and Dyer's large, photo-realist watercolors capture the sense of the age and involve both eye and imagination."

Connections
*Use this biography as an introduction to a woman's right movement lesson.
*Have students create their own newspaper and cover the 1872 election.

Wild Babies by Seymour Simon

Bibliography
Simon, Seymour. 1997. Wild Babies. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN 0060230339.

Plot Summary
Since many children have opportunities to see kittens and puppies in action, Seymour Simon decides he would explore the animals that children are not as familiar with. In Wild Babies, Simon gathers pictures and information on 13 different animal babies found in the wild. Each entry provides a picture of the animal along with basic information like location, size, diet, and parenting techniques. Simon's writing and presentation is very simple and understandable for young readers. Children will love it.

Critical Analysis
Wild Babies is an adorable look at 13 different animal babies and how their parents relate to them after birth. The book is very well organized. The author opens the book with a small introduction describing some of the information found in it and then takes us through each one. Each entry has a picture of the animal and a description of their home, size at birth and adult, diet, and how long they live with their mother or if they do. For example, Simon explains how the after the female frog lays her eggs that she has very little to do with them.

The author also grouped the wild babies together by like qualities making it very easy to follow and understand. For example koalas, kangaroos, and opossums are grouped together because how their babies live in the mother's pouches after birth. Children will fall in love with the pictures and devour the interesting tidbits included in Wild Babies.

Reviews
School Library Journal: "The full-color photographs are striking and generous, and most often portray the youngster with its mother. The accompanying page of information is written in a simple but lively manner to pique the interest of young readers. The book has a logical flow as animals from similar environments follow one another, and both the text and the photographs provide some glimpses of the diverse habitats in which these creatures live."

Children's Literature: "Young children always enjoy looking at pictures of baby animals so these photographs by Seymour Simon are sure to fascinate them."

Connections
*Have children pick one of the animals listed in the book and create a reproduction of its habitat.
*Create a bulletin board display the animal facts listed in the book. Also have the children do additional research to be included on the bulletin board.

Team Moon by Catherine Thimmesh

Bibliography
Thimmesh, Catherine. 2006. Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0618507574.

Plot Summary
Team Moon is the story of how Apollo 11 landed on the moon and returned safely home. In order for this great event to take place, thousands of people had to work together to achieve this and make history. Catherine Thimmesh writes about this very long and ultimately successful process in Team Moon. She includes everyone from the flight directors and technicians to the seamstresses who designed the space suit. Thimmesh provides us with a close up and detailed look at America's achievement of putting a man on the moon.

Critical Analysis
Catherine Thimmesh opens up Team Moon by providing a picture of the flight path of Apollo 11 to the moon and reminding us of the dream and the challenge of this great event in our history. Throughout the book, she details the journey by providing pictures, quotes, and facts. The time period is reflected in the black and white pictures and pages. The book is very well organized starting with the anticipation that was felt throughout America while they waited for the news. Thimmesh then starts at the beginning of the quest and takes the reader through each challenge and ending with the astronaut's return home.

Thimmesh's extensive research is evident. To assist readers with further research and to guide them through her own research, she provides the sources, chapter notes, acknowledgements, and photo credits at the end of the book. Both children and adult will be thrilled with the results. To quote Walter Cronkite, "Isn't this something" (pg 45).

Reviews
Children's Literature: "All in all, Thimmesh's book is an excellent choice for anyone interested in the story of America's effort to put a man on the moon."

VOYA: "This book will be a useful and interesting overview of the Apollo 11 mission for reluctant readers. Public and school libraries will find it a helpful addition to their nonfiction collection. The photographs and easy to read format make it suitable for browsing. Teens interested in space exploration will love this overview and want to read more."

Connections
*Use this book as additional material when presenting the subject to students. The pictures will bring the journey to life.
*Have children draw their own space shuttle for the trip to the moon.

Toasting Marshmallows by Kristine O'Connell George

Bibliography
George, Kristine O'Connell. 2001. Toasting Marshmallows. Ill. by Kate Kiesler. New York, NY: Clarion Books. ISBN 061804597X.

Plot Summary
In Toasting Marshmallows, Kristine O'Connell George created 30 different poems connected by the theme of camping. She opens the collection with a short poem about putting up a tent with the word arranged as a tent. The collection continues just like a weekend of camping would by describing creatures in the woods, adventures taken, sleeping outside, and the return trip home. Kids will feel like they are sitting by a campfire after listening to a couple of these poems.

Critical Analysis
George does a wonderful job describing a typical camping trip in her collection of poems, Toasting Marshmallows. Readers will discover an abandoned cabin in the woods, how to dress in a sleeping bag, what a moose eats for lunch, and that the best path is sometimes not known. George's writing is simple but enthusiastic. She will have everyone wanting to take a family camping trip.

Kate Kiesler's illustrations create the perfect camping atmosphere. The colors are bright and vivid and the pictures are realistic. She does a great job adding details to each illustration. For example the picture of the lake for the poem, Storm, versus the picture of the lake for Gone Fishing, reveal a lake during a storm and a calm lake. Her double page spreads add even greater depth to the poems. George's writing and Kiesler's illustrations are a perfect combination.

Reviews
Publishers Weekly: "Like their previous collaborations, The Great Frog Race and Old Elm Speaks, this volume by George and Kiesler is as delicious as a toasted marshmallow treat. Readers will definitely want S-mores."

School Library Journal: "A terrific idyll for summertime sharing, even for confirmed couch potatoes."

Connections
*Create a camping atmosphere and have the children sit around the "campfire" while you read the poems.
*Ask children to write their own poems based on their family trips.

Witness by Karen Hesse

Bibliography
Hesse, Karen. 2001. Witness. New York, NY: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0439271991.

Plot Summary
Witness by Karen Hesse is an unforgettable story set in a small Vermont town during the 1920's. Eleven different characters describe how their town is changed when the Ku Klux Klan moves in. The entire town is affected; from the local preacher to local businesses. Witnesses include Leanora, a 12 year old African American girl, and Esther, a 6 year old Jewish girl.

Critical Analysis
Newbery Award winning author, Karen Hesse, uses her familiar free verse style in Witness. Taken right out of history, Witness is a story of how the Ku Klux Klan changed a community and the families living there. Hesse creates 11 characters to share their side of the story. The addition of their pictures and ages adds to the realism of the book. Everything is included; friendship, betrayal, and the social injustice apparent during the 1920's. This historically accurate novel is a must read.

Reviews
Children's Literature: " The book is a fast read, but is one that will not release the reader's mind and heart."

VOYA: "Using poetic form with no capitalization allows Hesse to crystallize the voices of her eleven characters. Each speaks from his or her personal experiences of fears and prejudices. This lyric work is another fine achievement from one of young adult literature's best authors."

Connections
*Assign the different characters to students and read the novel aloud as an introduction to a Civil Rights lesson.
*Select other titles written in free verse poems and have students compare the writings.

Please Bury Me in the Library by J. Patrick Lewis

Bibliography
Lewis, J. Patrick. 2005. Please Bury Me in the Library. Ill. by Kyle Stone. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Books. ISBN 0152163875.

Plot Summary
In Please Bury Me in the Library, J. Patrick Lewis created 15 fun and catchy poems that are all connected by the themes of books and reading. He brings humor into his poetry by asking the question, What If Books Had Different Names? and also explains that a book person "has a spine, a heart, a soul, and a goal" in Are You a Book Person?. Children will love to read these poems over and over again.

Critical Analysis
J. Patrick Lewis shows us how much fun reading poetry can be in Please Bury Me in the Library. In this collection of 15 poems, he reminds readers of the power of reading and how words can carry us to a new and Ab-so-lu-tas-ti-cal place.

Kyle Stone does a wonderful job with the illustrations. Bright colors and childhood images are carried throughout. He created a garden from books and flies a girl to the sky in a paper airplane. From the content page to the acknowledgments page, each illustration adds to the excitement of the book.

Reviews
Kirkus Reviews: "Finishing with "Acknowledgements" to "Shel and Jack and Myra Cohn," plus other "word wizards," this offering from the prolific Lewis won't stay buried long, no matter where it's planted."

Children's Literature: "For a wild and whimsical time, let acclaimed poet J. Patrick Lewis accompany your kids on their next book-borrowing trip."

Connections
*Have children create their own poem using the letters of their first and/or last name like Lewis did in Necessary Gardens and the word language.
*Have children pick out their favorite poem from the collection and create the illustrations for it.

Schoolyard Rhymes selected by Judy Sierra

Bibliography
Sierra, Judy. 2005. Schoolyard Rhymes. ill. Melissa Sweet. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0375825169.

Plot Summary
Judy Sierra compiled 50 of the best loved schoolyard rhymes for this collection. Everything from Miss Mary Mack, Mack, Mack to Cinderella dressed in Yella is included in Schoolyard Rhymes. These rope skipping, hand clapping, and ball bouncing rhymes are a perfect addition to recess.

Critical Analysis
Sierra did an excellent job selecting the rhymes to be included in this collection. She included a variety of silly subjects like losing your pants in The King of France and to relationships in I am a Pretty Little Dutch Girl.

Melissa Sweet added her own touch with bright, colorful illustrations. Every color you can imagine is included: yellow bananas, grey elephants, green alligators, red wagons, and blud birds just to name a few. The words are incorporated into the illustrations as clothlines, jump ropes, and flower stems. Kids will fall in love with these cheerful illustrations.

To complete this collection, an index of first lines are arranged alphabetically in the back of the book with the page numbers included.

Reviews
School Library Journal: "Sierra has selected some of the funniest and most memorable schoolyard rhymes available in this appealing collection. Sweet's animated watercolor-and-collage illustrations fill the pages with expressive faces, thin lines of verse shaped into jump ropes and borders, and hilarious interpretive scenes from the rhymes. This is a definite winner."

Kirkus: "There are many available collections of children's traditional rhymes, but this one uses bright colors, great illustrations and pleasing design elements to reach out to contemporary children."

Connections
*Have the children pick out their favorite rhyme and create their own illustrations for it.
*Write the rhymes down in parts on index cards, mix them up and see if the children can arrange it in the proper order.

The Clown of God by Tomie dePaola

Bibliography
DePaola, Tomie. 1978. The Clown of God. Ill. by Tomie dePaola. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace & Co. ISBN 0152191755.

Plot Summary
The Clown of God is about Giovanni and his gift of juggling. The story opens when he was a young boy with no mother and father and how he used juggling as a means to eat. Every day Giovanni would juggle fruit and vegetables at Signor Baptista's stand and every day crowds would gather to watch and then purchase items from the stand. As he grew, Giovanni took his show on the road. First with a troupe of traveling players and then on his own. The story comes full circle when Giovanni, old and broke, returns to his hometown of Sorrento and offers his gift one last time.

Critical Analysis
Tomie dePaola is both the storyteller and illustrator of The Clown of God. He took great care in writing this legend by researching the customs of the Renaissance period in which he chose to set it in. The illustrations are a work of art. DePaola again uses great care is reproducing the scenery and clothing of the period.

Wonderful, bright colors are used during Giovanni's youth but changes to more subdued tones during his journey home. Children and adults alike will enjoy this authentic French legend of the little juggler and his miracle.

Reviews
Kirkus: "It's easy to be enticed by de Paola's early, pastel street scenes, and when the miracles comes along his unprepossessing figures and warm familiarity help cut the piety."

Connections
*Use this as an introduction to an art lesson about the Renaissance period.
*Gather other material illustrated by Tomie dePaola and compare the illustrations of them. Discuss dePaola's artistic style.

Cinder-Elly by Frances Minters

Bibliography
Minters, Frances. 1994. Cinder-Elly. Ill. by G. Brian Karas. New York, NY: Penguin Group. ISBN 0670844179

Plot Summary
In this updated version of Cinderella, Minters takes us to New York City. Cinder-Elly is an urban fairy tale told in rhymes. Along with bringing the story to present day, the author changed details like Sue and Nelly are Cinder-Elly's sisters not step-sisters. She also has the girls attending a basketball game instead of an elegant ball. However, she did not change the outcome..."everyone lived forever happy."

Critical Analysis
Rhyming is the style that Minters uses to write this updated version of Cinderella. Cinder-Elly, written simple and fun, will capture the attention of children, young and old. The author updates this fairy tale favorite by locating the story in New York City and includes things children will relate to like tv, video games, and basketball games.

Just as Minters' writing will capture the children's attention, Karas' illustrations will hold their attention. Bright colors and "funky" illustrations serve this urban fairy tale well. To bring the story to New York City, Karas includes the traditional front stoop seen in many tv shows set there. To add to the story, he includes small touches like pictures of the Statue of Liberty, the game clock, telephone key pad, and road signs.

Because of Minters' writing and Karas' illustrations, Cinder-Elly is sure to become a fast favorite.

Reviews
Booklist: "The story's told in fast-paced rhyme, fun for reading aloud, and the bright illustrations are like street murals, bold and rhythmic."

Publishers Weekly: "Collages, wild patterns and funky fashions mimic music videos and build up the snazzy urban setting. An ideal match of artist and author."

Connections
*Read other versions of Cinderella and compare it with the original version. What are the differences?

A Caldecott Celebration by Leonard Marcus

Bibliography
Marcus, Leonard. 1998. A Caldecott Celebration: Six Artists and Their Paths to the Caldecott Medal. New York: Walker and Company. ISBN 0802786588.

Plot Summary
In A Caldecott Celebration, Leonard Marcus showcases six different Caldecott winners dating back to the 1942 winner, Robert McCloskey. Marcus selected a Caldecott Medal Book from each decade in an effort to show the rich history of picture books. Each chapter provides a glimpse into the artist's life and their process for creating a winner.

Critical Analysis
A Caldecott Celebration is an excellent representation of the distinguished Caldecott Award for picture books. Leonard Marcus selected some of the finest authors and their work for this book. Each chapter contains biographical information about his or her life, inspiration for the book, and incomplete sketches to the finished art work. The book closes by providing a list of Caldecott Medal Winners (1938-1998) and a glossary of terms. This is a great resource for every librarian, teacher, parent, and lover of picture books.

Reviews
Horn Book Magazine: "The text is remarkable...A fresh, inviting examination of an established process and ritual."

Publishers Weekly: "Filled with witty anecdotes and pithy observations, Marcus's approach to examining the works of six Caldecott Medalists will be of as much interest to adults as to picture book readers."

Connections
*Study a decade of winners and discuss what each book has that made it a winner. Great for older children.
*Have children illustrate their own book.

Moses by Carole Boston Weatherford

Bibliography
Weatherford, Carole Boston. 2006. Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom. Ill. by Kadir Nelson. New York, NY: Hypersion Books for Children. ISBN 0786851759.

Plot Summary
Moses by Carole Boston Weatherford is the story of Harriet Tubman and her jouney to freedom. Born into slavery, Tubman was a very spiritual woman who depended upon her relationship with God to lead her and many others to the North and freedom. This book recounts her first trip she made alone trusting God to keep her safe from harm. The author does a wonderful job presenting this dark time in our country's history to children.

Critical Analysis
Weatherford presents the very inspiring story of Harriet Tubman's fight for freedom in Moses. Her writing is very straight forward which makes it easy for children to understand Tubmann's difficult journey. Weatherford is also very honest in her writing and provides children, young and old, a glimpse into the subject of slavery.

The illustrations by Kadir Nelson sets the tone of the story. Dark colors are used on many of the double page layouts during Tubmann's journey to the North, representing the night by which she traveled and is also representative of this dark time in America's history. Once Tubman reaches the north, Nelson uses lighter colors to represent the hope she found.

The beautifully written and illustrated book serves as a reminder of how one person can truly make a difference.

Book Reviews
School Library Journal: Starred Review. "The words and pictures create a potent sense of the harsh life of slavery, the fearsome escape, and one woman's unwavering belief in God."

Booklist: "The full-page portrait of a comtemplative Tubman turning to God to help her guide her people is especially striking."

Connections
*Perfect story to share with older children in history class during a Civil War and/or Slavery unit.
*Gather other titles illustrated by Nelson and compare the illustrations.

My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann

Bibliography
Rohmann, Eric. 2002. My Friend Rabbit. Ill by Eric Rohmann. Brookfield, CT: Roaring Book Press. ISBN 0761324208

Plot Summary
In My Friend Rabbit, Rohmann, writes about the unlikely friendship between Mouse and Rabbit. Mouse describes Rabbit as his friend and continues to play with him even though "trouble follows" Rabbit "whatever he does and wherever her goes." The author uses two adventurous, likable, and different characters to teach us a lesson on the depths of friendship.

Critical Analysis
Only 90 words are used to fill this 30 page picture book. The author's, Eric Rohmann, writing is simple but speaks volumes. The story is told from the mouse's perspective as he describes one of their many adventures. Repeated words like "whatever he does, wherever her goes" and "Not to worry Mouse, I've got an idea" allows children to participate in the storytelling experience by reading along with you or echoing the words after you.

Rohmann's illustrations are bright and cheerful which serves the story well. He creates a beautiful blue sky which appears on most of the pages. Each animal is distinct and seems to have their own personality.

The story is presented in double page spreads throughout the book. My personal favorite is the vertical double page spread where the animals are stacked on top of each other in an effort to retrieve the airplane. Children will have tons of fun reading this book and learning about the friendship of Mouse and Rabbit.

Review Excerpts
Publishers Weekly: "This gentle lesson in patience and loyalty, balanced on the back of a hilarious set of illustrations, will leave young readers clamoring for repeat readings."

School Library Journal: "The double-page, hand-colored relief prints with heavy black outlines are magnificent, and children will enjoy the comically expressive pictures of the animals before and after their attempt to extract the plane."

Connections
*This is a great book if you are leading a discussion about friendship.
*If presented in story time, have the children participate by echoing the repeated text.

Introduction

I am currently enrolled at Texas Woman's University where I am working on my master's degree in Library Science. This blog will be used to post reviews of children's books for my Literature for Children and Young Adult Class.