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.