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  • These recent books highlight how generations both conflict with and complement each other.

    • ~5 years old (Grade K)
    • ~4 years old (Grade Pre-K)
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    Celebrating Generational Diversity

    BY LESLEY COLABUCCI AND MARY NAPOLI
     | May 11, 2015

    Today’s diverse family structures and connections with friends, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and others remind us how intergenerational relationships can enrich our  perspectives about the world, often coming to understand ourselves better in the process. The members of the Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group present here selections that will promote conversations to celebrate the beauty and joy of multiage families.

    Ages 4–8

    Here She Is! Catherine Leblanc and Eve Tharlet. 2015. Minieditions.

    Little Bear cannot wait for the arrival of his new sister. However, once little Anna comes home, he is not impressed by all the fuss and attention. He cannot understand Mother and Father Bear’s excitement over her soft fur or gurgling. Little Bear’s initial jealousy subsides after he decides to spend some time with Little Anna. One beaming smile, meant just for him, changes his outlook, and he decides there is room in the family for both little bears.  Little Bear solves the problem, and the message of acceptance and love abounds in the text and illustrations.  The beautiful illustrations showcase the various emotions and expressions felt by members of a growing family.   

    —MN

    In a Village by the Sea. Muon Van. 2015. Ill. A. Chu. Creston. 

    In this beautifully illustrated story, the simple text allows the reader to focus truly on the powerful images and illustrative scenes.  The story begins with a wife and child anxiously awaiting the return of the fisherman/husband (father).  The looming storm and dark clouds cause concern. Will he get home safe?  There are many visual treasures in this book, including the repeated appearance of the family dog and the clever foreshadowing of the “artist in residence,” a brown cricket, living beneath the wooden floor.  This book promotes opportunities to foster language development and critical viewing.

    —MN

    The New Small Person. Lauren Child. 2015. Candlewick.

    A new sibling always requires some adjustment. In the case of Elmer Green, the “small person” welcomed into his family seems to have no regard for his property or ways of doing things. He licks his jelly beans, wears his costumes, and eventually moves into Elmer’s room. Throughout the conflicts in the story, the younger sibling remains a “small person.” The two siblings eventually connect, thanks to a bad dream, a long line of things, and silly TV. Finally, Albert and Elmer are able to share jelly beans, conditionally at least! The playful illustrations, clever text design and placement, and carefully paced plot all help to convey Albert’s experience of embracing the expansion of his family.

    —LC

    Ages 9–11

    Half a Man. Michael Morpurgo. 2015. Candlewick.

    In just 50 pages, the narrator of this book shares his relationship with his grandfather. The story is complemented by both small and full-page illustrations that powerfully set the tone of the story. The book starts with an explanation of how the young boy, Michael, reacts to his grandfather’s scarred face. His grandfather, a British WWII veteran, was on his third trip in a merchant navy convoy when the ship was torpedoed. Halfway through the book, when his grandfather describes the torpedo strike, the story is interspersed with three wordless spreads. One shows the convoy heading out fishing in a small boat, the white sky meeting pale blue water. Another is red, orange, and black as the two men struggle through the flames and water. The third captures the perspective as the men in the lifeboat look up to see a huge destroyer come to their rescue. Although this may be the climax of the story, it’s the connection between the boy and his grandfather that readers will remember. The matter-of-fact tone of the narration balances the intensity of the events in the story.

    —LC

    Nightbird. Alice Hoffman. 2015. Wendy Lamb.

    This fantastical story is driven by setting and layered with mystery. The endpapers introduce a blue-toned scene full of information and hints about the story. A pink moon is setting, the orchard is in bloom, and several characters are visible, if you look closely. The small town of Sidwell is home to Twig and her mother, the town baker. They live a quiet and isolated life on the orchard. There are lots of reasons for their isolation: an estranged father, a brother with wings, and a family curse. When new neighbors move in, Twig’s family is no longer able to keep their secrets under wraps. Twig’s voice and perspective resonate, and the portrayal of the nature of this community is beautifully embedded, but some aspects of how the plot is revealed feels uneven. Suspension of disbelief will be easy for readers who are drawn to the fantasy elements related to witches, curses, and wings.  

    —LC

    Ages 12–14

    Paper Things. Jennifer Richard Jacobson. 2014. Candlewick.

    When Arianna (“Ari”) Hazard’s parents died, her guardian Janna decided to look after her and her older brother Gage.  Janna was a very good friend of Ariana’s mother, who wanted to ensure that her hopes and dreams for her children would come to fruition.  Unfortunately, the relationship between Gage and Janna was tenuous, especially as he entered adulthood.  When Gage decides to move out with his 11-year-old sister Ari, he lies to Janna about having a place of his own. Ari struggles to maintain a sense of normalcy at school despite the constant transitions of moving into their car, homeless shelters, and friends’ homes. She brings with her few belongings, including her “paper things”—people and furniture cut from catalogs. The paper things reflect her sense of loss as well as her hope for a better tomorrow. Ari’s resilience and positive outlook, given her situation, led her to make new friends and “shine wherever she went.” Jacobson’s realistic fiction novel provides a rich context for dialogue about recognizing the signs of homelessness and providing resources to students and families.

    —MN

    Ages 15+

    The Tightrope Walkers. David Almond. 2015. Candlewick.  

    For Dominic (“Dom”) Hall, reality is the shipyards where his father works, but that’s also a reality he’d like to transcend. Set in Northern England in the 1960s, time and place are integral to the story.  Although Dom is the main character, Holly and Vincent are powerful players in his journey. The friendship he shares with Holly is the brightest element in the novel. She is artistic and eccentric in the best ways, enabling Dom to see opportunities he may never have noticed. One of these opportunities is tightrope walking. After seeing a tightrope act at the circus, Holly convinces him to try it, saying, “We’re light, we’re strong, and we’re young.” Vincent’s influence is not as positive or pleasant as that of Holly’s, and he takes Dom and readers into dark territory. Almond invites readers into the hearts and minds of these characters through authentic dialogue and rich description. This is a haunting tale of the kind of conflict and tension that is just right for young adults.

    —LC

    Written in the Stars. Aisha Saeed. 2015. Nancy Paulsen.

    In this compelling and poignant novel, 17-year-old Naila is caught between two cultures. Her Pakistani immigrant parents have very strict rules and expectations of girls. When Naila sneaks off to attend her school prom with her Pakistani American boyfriend Saif, her parents show up and take her home.  Soon after, her family brings her to Pakistan in an effort to reintroduce her culture and to reinforce customs, including a forced marriage. Naila attempts to escape and contact her true love, Saif, but is unable to do so. Eventually, a husband is chosen for her, and Naila struggles to navigate the realities of her circumstances. Naila admits to her husband that she is unhappy.  Naila wonders, “How can this be a marriage? I am here against my will. He is not my husband. He’s someone I must endure.” Eventually, Naila returns to the United States with Saif despite the shame and embarrassment that she brought to her family. This adolescent novel sheds light on the reality of forced marriages on young women. The back matter includes a glossary, an author’s note, and helpful resources.  

    —MN

    Lesley Colabucci is an associate professor at Millersville University in Pennsylvania where she teaches courses in children’s/adolescent literature. Mary Napoli is an associate professor of reading at Penn State Harrisburg where she teaches literacy courses.

    The review contributions are provided by members of the International Literacy Association’s Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group.

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  • We remember the Holocaust so we never forget it.

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    Remembering the Holocaust: Never Forget

    by karen hildebrand
     | May 04, 2015

    “Never to Forget” is the phrase often associated with Holocaust Remembrance. Books for the very young introduce this concept in broader terms whereas books for older readers offer more detailed accounts of people who witnessed, survived, or left a legacy of the experience behind. Teachers can find more information about resources, lesson plans, and ways of commemorating Holocaust Remembrance at the website for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

    Ages 4–8

    Kopelman, Judy Tal. (2014). Grandpa’s Third Drawer: Unlocking Holocaust Memories. New York, NY: The Jewish Publication Society.

    Young Uri enjoys visiting his grandparents because they allow him to eat as many chocolates as he likes or he can linger at the breakfast table. One day, whileplaying at his grandfather’s desk he discovers a key. Exploring the desk, he finds it unlocks the third drawer. When he opens the drawer he finds objects strange to him. When Grandfather walks into the room, upset at seeing what Uri is doing, he calms himself and then begins to tell Uri the story behind the objects, actually artifacts, from the years of his childhood known as the Holocaust. Through photo-collage illustrations, Kopelman brings the story of the Jewish persecutions, worded for young children in a way that will open discussion for this difficult-to-explain era. A discussion guide is available at the University of Nebraska website. The original Hebrew edition won the Israeli Ze'ev Prize for Children's Literature in 2003 and won the first prize in Mits'ad Hasfarim (a nationwide survey of all schoolchildren in Israel for first to third grades) in 2003 and 2012. Grandpa's Third Drawer is now included in Israel's "Paths of Memory" nationwide Holocaust learning program in all schools.

    Yolen, Jane. (2015). Stone Angel. Illus. by Katie May Green. New York, NY: Philomel/Imprint of Penguin Group.

    Set in Paris during World War II, an unnamed young girl narrates the story of her Jewish family’s escape when the Nazis arrive in France. First hiding in the woods and braving the cold and then dealing with the scarcity of food and the constant fear of being discovered by the Germans, the family flees over the mountains into Spain and then onto the seas in a boat setting sail for England to wait out the war. Green’s darkly colored mixed-media illustrations add to the imposing dangers at every turn. Perhaps a little too simplistically, the family finds happiness when they return to Paris to pick up the pieces of their lives and the young girl sees the angel statue outside their apartment and reflects on all the angels that guarded them during their war years away from home.

    Ages 9–11

    Hopkinson, Deborah. (2015). Courage & Defiance, Stories of Spies, Saboteurs, and Survivors in World War II Denmark. New York, NY: Scholastic . (Available August 2015)

    From Sibert Honor–winning author and noted writer of historical books for children, Deborah Hopkinson focuses her new book on the country of Denmark during World War II and their dramatically heroic efforts at saving the Jews in their country from the dictates of Hitler and his Nazi henchmen. The Danish resistance efforts rescued over 7,000 Jews during this period. Filled with archival photographs, the book is divided into five sections: Occupation and the Sparks of Defiance; Crackdown and Flight; Action and Arrest; Deported and Imprisoned; and Liberations. As the sections unfold in chronological order from the spies and saboteurs, the underground press, from individuals to organized resistance groups to collaborators and sympathizers, the stories of the Danish people and how they worked together as a community and as a nation to stand up for what was right at a time when this courage with little regard for their personal safety was not easy to accomplish.

    Lewis, J. Patrick. (2015). The Wren and the Sparrow. Illus. by Yevgenia Nayberg. New York, NY: Kar-Ben Publishing.

    Written in the style of a fable, the story is set in Poland during World War II. The location is actually the Łódź Ghetto where Polish Jews have been forced to live together. When the Tyrant (Hitler) calls for all musical instruments to be surrendered and turned over to the guards, the Wren, a local weaver and excellent musician, must bring his hurdy-gurdy into town to leave with the soldiers who are wearing swastika armbands on their sleeves. The Wren asks to play one more time and the townspeople band together and cry out and join the song as a last heroic act before the instruments and the Wren are dragged away, never to be seen again. However, Sparrow, a young girl who is a student of Wren’s, grabs the hurdy-gurdy that contains a secret message, and hides it away in a basement. Years later the hurdy-gurdy is discovered by a young boy and the message is revealed. Nayberg’s stylized and impressionistic illustrations add a somber beauty to the tale and colors brighten toward the end when the message of hope for the future is revealed.

    Ages 12–14

    Clark, Kathy. (2015). The Choice. New York, NY: Second Story.

    Based on the experiences of her father during the Holocaust of World War II and written in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, Kathy Clark continues her contributions in writing for the Holocaust Remembrance Books for Young Readers series. Set in Budapest, Hungary, young Jakob, newly renamed Hendrick, and his family have chosen to hide as Catholics rather than have their Jewish identity discovered. One day, Jakob has had enough witnessing the Jewish persecutions and defiantly announces his Jewish heritage and by doing this places his entire family in danger from the Nazis. When his best friend Ivan abandons Jakob and offers no help in allowing them to escape, Jakob is arrested and sent to Auschwitz. It is only his anger and drive for revenge against Ivan that keeps him alive within the concentration camp horrors. At the end of the war, Jakob returns to Budapest to seek out Ivan but learns that all kinds of difficult choices have to be made during wartime.

    Cohen-Janca, Irène. (2015). Mister Doctor: Janusz Korczak & the Orphans of the Warsaw Ghetto. Translated by Paula Ayer. Illus. by Maurizio A.C. Quarello. Toronto, ON, Canada: Annick.

    The remarkable true story of Dr. Janusz Korczak is told through text and stunningly somber illustrations. Mister Doctor, as he is known in 1940 by all the children in the orphanage at Krochmalna Street, Warsaw, Poland, has created revolutionary concepts in the care of orphan children. As the Nazis take over his city and force the children into the ghetto, Mister Doctor bravely leads the children to appease their fear. Two years later they are moved again, this time on their final journey as they are sent to Treblinka, a death camp. The Holocaust is difficult to explain to young children, and this book tells the story without graphic illustration and applauds a true hero of the period. It is the writing and actions of this brave man and his assistant Madam Stefa who were influential years later in the development of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Child.

    Gruenbaum, Michael with Todd Hasak-Lowy. (2015). Somewhere There Is Still a Sun: A Memoir of the Holocaust. New York, NY: Aladdin/Simon & Schuster.

    The author, a survivor of the Theresienstadt concentration camp located outside of Prague in then-Czechoslovakia, writes this memoir of his life in the camp. In 1942, Michael, along with his mother and sister, were sent to the camp and remained there until the end of the war. Narrated in the present tense by Misha, as Michael was called, he describes his very pleasant life with his family before the war in Prague. When the Nazis arrive and herd the Czech Jews into the ghetto, it is only a short time later they are deported to Theresienstadt, also known as Terezín. Misha was in a barracks with 40 boys. Some days were pleasant enough—filled with soccer and being with his new friends—but other times, they waited to hear the names on lists of people being sent to other camps, which often meant Auschwitz, a death camp. The story behind Michael’s family survival revolves around a secret and a teddy bear. Archival photos and primary documents add to the reality of this dark time.

    Peppas, Lynn Leslie. (2015). The Holocaust. New York, NY: Crabtree.

    From the series, Uncovering the Past: Analyzing Primary Sources, this volume begins to answer questions that students, as well as adults, often ask: How did the Holocaust happen? How did Hitler accomplish this genocide? Beginning with the early 1900s, this book chronologically presents primary documents as evidence of the racism, discrimination, and nationalism that Germany and eventually Adolf Hitler used to manipulate everything to take control of Germany and put the country onto the path of genocide. This book and the series of which it is a part is asking readers to be critical thinkers as they look at the primary sources and evidence of Nazi propaganda and how it led people to misinterpret or create perspectives not necessarily their own. Examples of modern day situations direct readers to consider how history repeats itself.

    Ten Boom, Corrie. (2015). The Hiding Place: Young Reader’s Edition. Ada, MI: Chosen Books/Baker Publishing Group.

    The original book written by Corrie Ten Boom called The Hiding Place was published in 1971. Though not necessarily written for children, this book became one of the early books available on the Holocaust and has been used in classrooms across the country as an entry point to learn about the Holocaust for middle grade and high school readers. This new edition is specifically rewritten with younger readers in mind. The story remains that of the Ten Booms, a family celebrating the 100th anniversary of their watch-making and repair business in the Netherlands. This devoutly Christian family could not stand by and witness when the Nazis invaded their country and the brutal discriminatory treatment of the Jews began. The Ten Booms became active in the Dutch underground and were successful for a time in hiding Jews in the secret room in their home. Upon their discovery and arrest, they are sent to a concentration camp as collaborators. The heroism of this family is beyond compare, and their story is one that needs to be read, shared, and discussed.

    Various authors. (2014). Remembering the Holocaust series. New York, NY: Enslow.

    Titles in this series include Anti-Semitism and the “Final Solution”; Auschwitz, Bergen-Belsen, Treblinka: The Holocaust Camps; Hitler, Goebbels, Himmler: The Nazi Holocaust Masterminds; Schindler, Wallenberg, Miep Gies: The Holocaust Heroes; Warsaw, Lodz, Vilna: The Holocaust Ghettos; Wiesel, Wiesenthal, Klarsfeld: The Holocaust Survivors. Each book in this series covers an aspect of the whole picture that led to the Jewish Holocaust of World War II. Use this as an introductory reference set for research projects on this topic. Archival photographs, a chronology, chapter notes, a glossary, further reading suggestions, and an index are helpful tools that will make this set a usable and student-friendly reference resource.

    Ages 15+

    Deem, James M. (2015). The Prisoners of Breendonk: Personal Histories From a World War II Concentration Camp. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers.

    Located outside Antwerp, Belgium, Breendonk was originally built as a fort in the early 1900s to prevent the Germans from entering Belgium. It was damaged during World War I and was not used much and so fell into disrepair. When the Nazis arrived during World War II, they brought the fort into the realm of a prison. Brutal beatings were common occurrences, and starvation was rampant. The inhuman treatment of these prisoners was horrifying. Though not really considered a concentration camp, called instead a “reception” camp, half of the numbered prisoners there survived only to be shipped on to Auschwitz for their final journey. The author has done in-depth research on this little-known camp and the photographs taken by Belgian photographer Leon Nolis bring a look at the camp today that recreates and haunts from the past in the old fortress. Visit the author’s website for more background information and photographs.

    Thor, Annika. (2015). Deep Sea. Translated from the Swedish by Linda Schenck. New York, NY: Delacorte/Random House.

    This story begins in the Mildred L. Batchelder Award–winning book, A Faraway Island (2009). It continues in the sequel, The Lily Pond (2011), a Mildred Batchelder Honor book. Deep Sea is the third book in a planned quartet of books about the Steiner sisters who have escaped to Sweden from Nazi-held Vienna, Austria. Their parents are still imprisoned there, but the girls soon learn they have been transported to Theresienstadt. The story opens four years after the last book when the sisters are separated. Older sister Stephie is living in Göteborg with friends and has hopes to continue her education to become a doctor, though funding is problematic. As Stephie meets other Jewish refugees, she rediscovers her own Jewish identity and learns to be proud of this, but not so much for younger sister Nellie. Religious issues, genocide, teen pregnancy and other issues all set with the overarching dark cloud of the Holocaust makes this a book for older readers.

    Various authors. (2015). A Documentary History of the Holocaust series. New York, NY: Rosen.

    A reference collection of books that can be used for research or for students interested in various aspects of the Holocaust, this student-friendly series features the historical, political, and social background to begin an in-depth look into this dark period of the 20th century. Documentary evidence and survivor testimonies are included, in addition to numerous features such as sidebars, timelines, glossary, further information, organizations, further reading, websites, bibliography, index, and author biography. The titles in this series include Elie Wiesel, Jewish Resistance Against the Holocaust, Kristallnacht and Living in Nazi Germany, Nazi Architects of the Holocaust, Nazi Concentration Camps, Righteous Gentiles, The Nuremberg Trials, The Warsaw Ghetto and Uprising.

    Karen Hildebrand is retired library media specialist and Library Director for Delaware City Schools in Delaware, OH. She is currently an adjunct professor at Ashland University in Ohio, a reading consultant, and a Holocaust Fellow at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC, and chairs the Education Curriculum Committee for the Delaware County Historical Society.

    The review contributions are provided by members of the International Literacy Association’s Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group.

     

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    Books That Bring History Into Context

    by Thomas Crisp and Mehmet Gultekin
     | Apr 27, 2015

    As Katherine Paterson writes in “Why Historical Fiction?” “History gives us a pair of powerful eyeglasses with which to examine our own times. It is hard to look directly at our present reality because we are both too myopic and too faint-hearted.” History is alive, and historical books provide opportunities for young readers to experience times and places that, although not their own, have the potential to influence their understandings about the events of the past, the ways in which history both shaped and was shaped by individuals and groups of people, and how those people and events affect present realities. Furthermore, literature can provide multiple perspectives on history and historical events, giving voice to those whose perspectives have been excluded from other accounts. The books featured in this post demonstrate the power of children’s literature—regardless of genre and text type—both to provide information for young readers and to tell the stories of history.

    Ages 4–8

    Alko, Selina. (2015). The Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage. Illus. Sean Qualls and Selina Alko. New York, NY: Arthur A. Levine.

    The Case for Loving conveys the story behind Loving v. Virginia, the 1967 Supreme Court case that invalidated laws prohibiting interracial marriage. After opening with (mixed-media) spreads depicting Mildred and Richard Loving and their three children at home, the narrative moves backward in time to contextualize why the couple was not allowed to marry each other in 1958 Virginia: Richard self-identified as white and Mildred self-identified as part African American and part Cherokee. Although laws in Virginia banned interracial marriages, couples like the Lovings could marry in nearby Washington, DC, which is where the couple decided to hold their marriage ceremony. Back home in Virginia, however, they were arrested and imprisoned for “unlawful cohabitation.” In order to be recognized as a married couple, the Lovings moved their family to Washington, DC. Because they wanted to live in Virginia, however, they hired attorneys who eventually argued the case before the U.S. Supreme Court, which decided unanimously in favor of the Lovings. Alko, a white Jewish woman from Canada, is married to illustrator Qualls, an African American man from New Jersey, and indicates in a note at the end of the text that her motivation to tell this story stems from her family’s own personal histories, her desire to help today’s children understand different times in U.S. history, and also from the couple’s hope “that there will soon come a time when all people who love each other have the same rights as Sean and I have.” The Loving v. Virginia case has been cited as precedence for arguments for same-sex marriage, further demonstrating how history shapes and informs what happens in the world today. Text features include notes from the author and notes about the art, a list of sources, and suggestions for further reading.

    —TC

    Ringgold, Faith. (2015). Harlem Renaissance Party. Illus. Faith Ringgold. New York, NY: Amistad.

    The latest from Faith Ringgold, Harlem Renaissance Party features the acclaimed artist’s signature naïve style of illustration, created in acrylics on canvas paper. It also features two characters from her previous book, Dinner at Aunt Connie’s House (Hyperion, 1993): Uncle Bates and his adopted son, Lonnie (Aunt Connie is also mentioned in passing). As the narrative opens, Lonnie and Uncle Bates view an invitation to celebrate the women and men of the Harlem Renaissance written across the sky. They catch a plane and travel back in time to “see musicians, poets, novelists, painters, activists, philosophers, and scholars: wise men and women, giants standing tall above the crowd, sharing dreams of a better life for all black people.” Upon arriving in Harlem, Lonnie and Uncle Bates visit several notable places associated with the Harlem Renaissance and African American history and culture more generally, including 7th Avenue (Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd.), Well’s Restaurant, the publishing headquarters for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s The Crisis magazine, one of Madam C.J. Walker’s beauty schools, the Harlem Opera House, the Schomburg Library, and the Savoy Ballroom. Along the way, the duo interacts with figures such as Jack Johnson, Marcus Garvey, W.E.B. Du Bois, Paul Robeson, Florence Mills, Zora Neale Hurston, and Langston Hughes, Lonnie’s favorite poet. On the plane home, Lonnie tells Uncle Bates that he now understands why the Harlem Renaissance is so important. “Black people didn’t come to America to be free. We fought for our freedom by creating art, music, literature, and dance.” Text features include a Harlem Renaissance Glossary and a list of books suggested for further reading.

    —TC

    Weatherford, Carole Boston. (2015). Gordon Parks: How the Photographer Captured Black and White America. Illus. Jamey Christoph. Chicago, IL: Albert Whitman.

    Stillborn, photographer Gordon Parks was named after the doctor who delivered him and brought him back to life by dipping him into ice water. At 14, his mother passed away and he moved to Minneapolis to live with his aunt, his mother’s sister. He held many jobs, including a porter and a waiter—positions one of his white teachers dictated to her all-black students were the only two jobs appropriate for African American people. At 25, Gordon was inspired to purchase a camera, and he began working as a photographer, moving to Chicago at the suggestion of one of the models he photographed and working as a government photographer. Noting the segregation between blacks and whites and the poverty of many African Americans, he “vows to lay bare racism with his lens.” His boss points him toward a subject for his photographs: Ella Watson, a cleaning person in the building in which Parks works. Gordon takes her picture in front of the American flag while she holds a broom, one of the tools of her trade. This fast-paced biography for young readers demonstrates the importance of photography and its significance as a form of art while bringing attention to the first African American person who wrote and directed a Hollywood film. Gordon also wrote novels and composed music and poetry, but he is famous mostly for his work as a photographer.

    —MG

    Ages 9–11

    Lại, Thanhhà. (2015). Listen, Slowly. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

    As the novel opens, 12-year-old Mai Le is in an airplane, frustrated and unhappy that her parents forced her to forego her plans for a relaxing summer with her friends in Laguna Beach, CA—the summer she has been waiting for her entire life. Despite having worked hard and excelling in school (she carries a 4.0 GPA, has an “SAT-ish” vocabulary, and is a team leader in track, science, and chess), she is told that instead of relaxing on the beach with friends, she will spend six weeks escorting her grandmother to Vietnam. Having received a letter that indicated her husband may or may not still be alive, Mai’s grandmother is determined to return to Vietnam and uncover whether her husband, a man who went missing in action during the Vietnam War and had since been presumed dead, is still living. As Mai acclimates to the small village in Vietnam in which she and her family stays (where even Internet access is limited), she begins to make friends, deepen her bond with her grandmother, and recognize how she is connected to the homeland of her parents and their family before them. The believable voice of Lại’s snarky but endearing narrator will draw readers into the novel from its opening page, and the story remains compelling throughout, underscoring the longstanding, often unanticipated effects that events can have across continents and generations.

    —TC

    Ages 12–14

    Almond, David, John Boyne, Tracy Chevalier, et al. (2015). The Great War: Stories Inspired by Items From the First World War. Illus. Jim Kay. New York, NY: Candlewick.

    This anthology focuses on 11 items chosen by various children’s authors as the lenses through which they write stories intended to illustrate for readers the importance and significance of the First World War. The writers of the short stories in this collection use different styles, forms, and genres, including poetry. The stories will prompt readers to question the impact and damage—not only physical—that can result from war, and encourage them to consider whether anyone benefits from it. One story mentions the role of women during the war, others seek to provide information from either the British and German sides, providing multiple perspectives for readers to consider. Ultimately, all of the stories included here share the perspective that whether one is deemed the victor is meaningless, as there are no real winners in war and violent conflicts.

    —TC

    Frydenborg, Kay. (2015). Chocolate: Sweet Science & Dark Secrets of the World’s Favorite Treat. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin.

    This text explores the role and importance of cacao seeds, cocoa beans, and chocolate across history and across the globe, beginning with speculations about the origin of the cacao tree between 8000 B.C. and 2000 B.C. and tracing its various ceremonial, medicinal, and culinary uses, as well as its socio-economic, political, and scientific impact, through the present day. Frydenborg weaves together an engaging narrative, investigating and analyzing the production of chocolate, its historical and contemporary ties to slave labor and human trafficking, its chemical structure and affect on humans, and its role in colonialism and industrialization. The content of the book ranges from light-hearted to horrifying and provides a complex introduction to understanding cacao and chocolate across time and cultures. Several chapters conclude with a chocolate-related recipe, including those for Aztec chocolate (1556), chocolate custards (1854), Ecuadorian hot chocolate, and Toll House chocolate crunch cookies (1936). In addition to black-and-white photographs and artwork, the book features a 16-page insert of color images. Other text features include a timeline, bibliography, list of websites, and index.

    —MG

    Ages 15+

    Rauch, Georg. (2015). Unlikely Warrior: A Jewish Soldier in Hitler’s Army. New York, NY: Farrar Straus Giroux.

    In 1984, artist Georg Rauch reread letters he had written to his mother while he was enlisted as a telegraph operator in Hitler’s army 40 years earlier. As his wife, Phyllis, in the foreword to the memoir, says that after reading those letters, Rauch “left his art studio (a rare event) and began to write. He wrote seven days a week.” Each evening, the couple would sit together and Georg would read what he wrote; the next day, Phyllis would translate that writing into English. In 2006, 22 years after writing the manuscript and only four months before Georg passed away, the couple self-published the book, which is now revised and published for a young adult audience as Unlikely Warrior. Divided into three parts, Part One describes the military training Rauch received after he was drafted, at 19, into the German army—despite declaring that his maternal grandmother was Jewish, making him Mischlinge (the derogatory word used to describe someone who was a quarter Jewish). During the war, he worked as a telegraph and radio operator before being captured and held as a Prisoner of War in Russia. Part Two focuses on Rauch’s harrowing experiences in Russian labor camps, and Part Three describes his journey home to Vienna, where he hoped to reunite with family members. The book alternates between Rauch’s recollections and excerpts from his letters (printed in a different font). Text features include illustrations (maps, photographs, and drawings), a timeline of events, author’s note, glossaries of German and Russian/Ukrainian words, and a note about the translator.

    —TC

    Wein, Elizabeth. (2015). Black Dove, White Raven. New York, NY: Hyperion.

    Set in the 1920s and 1930s, Elizabeth Wein’s latest novel centers on Em and Teo, two friends (more like siblings) whose mothers performed together as barnstormers, “Black Dove” and “White Raven.” When the plane the two aviators are flying strikes a bird and crashes, Teo’s mother, Delia, is killed. Em’s mother, Rhoda, decides to relocate the surviving trio to Ethiopia, where Delia had already planned to move with her son before her untimely death. Delia’s desire to move her family was grounded in the fact that Teo’s father was from Ethiopia, but also rooted in her hope that there, Teo would not be discriminated against because of the color of his skin. Rhoda’s decision to relocate the family is made, in part, to honor Delia’s wishes, but also results from her own hope that Ethiopia will be a place in which Em would not face discrimination as a result of her gender. The family’s new life on a coffee plantation is interrupted by geopolitical events, as Mussolini’s troops prepare for their invasion of Ethiopia. The richly written, descriptive narrative moves slowly for the first two-thirds of the novel, before building and springing into action in the final act. Told through alternating voices and formats (such as stories, letters, school essays, and flight log entries), the novel is as much about the power and strength of friendship and family as it is about the 1935 Italian invasion of Ethiopia. An author’s note at the end of the text provides contextual information about the novel and its characters and also describes and clarifies how Wein attempted to balance historical fact and storytelling.

    —TC

    Thomas Crisp is an assistant professor in the Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education, where he teaches courses in children’s and young adult literature and literacy. Mehmet Gultekin is currently a PhD student in the Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education, where he also works as a research assistant. They are both at Georgia State University.

    The review contributions are provided by members of the International Literacy Association’s Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group.

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  • These books showcase the importance of the arts in the lives of children.

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    Books to Spark Creativity

    By Lesley Colabucci, Kirsten Hoover, Selda Cavus, Valerie Sherts, Katie Gentile, Jessica Heindel, Marlene Weaver, Karen Oulahan, and Rebecca Kremer
     | Apr 22, 2015

    The best books invite and nurture creativity. In his 2011 Zena Sutherland Lecture, Mo Willems asks, “What if the thing that makes books great, that makes them essential, is that books need us? They’re simple. You invest in them and become part of them. You contribute. They can be read, but they can also be played. I’m not really interested in you guys reading my books a hundred times; read it twenty times and then make your own story. Go from consuming a story to creating your own. This is a magical thing to me.”

    The books featured in this column have the potential to work that kind of magic. On the pages of these books, readers will meet children who dwell in fantasy realms, a dog who is an amazing inventor, talented musicians, and even a few pranksters. The characters model creativity while the writing and art open spaces for imagination as readers make inferences, take leaps of faith, and bring their own personal twists to the stories.

    Ages 4–8

    Agee, Jon. (2015). It’s Only Stanley. New York, NY: Penguin.

    One dark night, Stanley (a beagle) hears a beautiful and haunting howl from far, far away. The Wimbledons are sleeping soundly when they are awakened by Stanley’s reply. The family believes Stanley is simply howling at the moon. They go back to sleep, only to be awakened again by another sound. And then another. Each time, Walter (the father), follows the sound to Stanley, who appears to be working feverishly to complete rather bizarre tasks: fixing the oil tank, making catfish stew, and clearing the bathroom drain. The family feels relieved each time and returns to bed. Yet, as the book concludes, the Wimbledons realize their very creative dog has actually invented a way to take them all to another place entirely. This is a fun and intriguing book to read. The detailed illustrations show the reader the depth of Stanley’s ingenious work as well as the growing exhaustion of the Wimbledons. The reader feels mystified by Stanley’s creative genius as he finds a solution to reach the far-off sound and arrive at happiness. The surprising finish delights!

    —KH

    Andrews, Troy. (2015). Trombone Shorty. New York, NY: Abrams Books for Young Readers.

    Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews, a little boy with a big dream, is from the Treme neighborhood in New Orleans where music can be heard at “any time of day or night.” He has an immense passion for music. Little Troy and the rest of Treme celebrate Mardi Gras each year by filling the streets and listening to the brass bands’ music fill the air. Inspired by the parades, Troy started off by creating his own instruments from random materials, but then found a broken trombone he could call his own. He took his trombone out to the parade and played for the crowds. The trombone was twice the size of Troy, and he became Trombone Shorty. This inspiring and uplifting autobiography of Trombone Shorty provides the reader with a taste of the culture of New Orleans and teaches young children that despite the odds, anything is possible if you have a dream.

    —SC

    Thong, Roseanne Greenfield. (2014). Noodle Magic. Illus. by Meilo So. New York, NY: Orchard.

    Every evening, Grandpa Tu slapped, kneaded, and stretched dough into coils. He magically created noodles, jump ropes, and strings for kits. His granddaughter, Mei, wished she could spin magic like Grandpa Tu. As the Emperor’s birthday approached, the village buzzed with excitement. Everyone was busy making something special for the Emperor. But where was Grandpa Tu? Who would make noodles? This year Mei was going to “make noodle magic.” Mei was terrified. Does she have the magic like Grandpa Tu? Will the Moon Goddess help her? There are more than words in this colorful book. Written in the style of Chinese folk stories, the colorful illustrations show the reader Grandpa Tu’s art and creativity. This picture book is filled with imagination and will spark yours as well.

    —VS

    Walker, Sally. (2015). Winnie: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh. New York, NY: Henry Holt.

    This book sheds light on a unique relationship between a soldier and a bear cub. As a veterinarian and soldier, Harry Colebourn came across a bear cub for sale at a train station and it soon becomes his. She was named Winnipeg and called her new home a training camp in England. Winnie and Harry developed a close bond as they shared many special moments. With a war overseas getting worse, Harry was soon shipped to France. A war zone is no place for a bear, so he made other arrangements for Winnie care in his absence. Winnie was taken to the London Zoo, where a young boy by the name of Christopher Robin came to see Winnie frequently. A new friendship emerged, as well as the inspiration for the well-known and much-loved character, Winnie-the-Pooh. This is a heartwarming account that illuminates the idea that a creative spark can come from just about anywhere.

    —KG

    Ward, Lindsay. (2015). Henry Finds His Word. New York, NY: Penguin.

    Author and illustrator Lindsay Ward demonstrates the path toward human speech in this creative story that tells how one child starts to talk. Henry is a young toddler looking for his first word. Though he originally thinks that his communication, saying bbbghsh for no, book, and ball is completely sufficient, he soon realizes there must be a better way of getting what he wants. He starts to look for his first word on his own. He looks in many places and asks his friends—the cat, bird, and bunny—for help. He is baffled and getting a bit frustrated until the day he desperately needs his mama. When that happens, he realizes he already had the word inside! This book gives children an opportunity to reflect on creative ways of communicating and shows the power of words and the importance of having the ability to use them.

    —KH

    Ages 9–11

    Harrold, A.F. (2015). The Imaginary. Illus. by E. Gravett. New York, NY: Bloomsbury.

    It takes a “really sparky” kid to bring imaginary friends to life. Only Amanda can see Rudger, but her mom generously humors the relationship. Amanda needs Rudger because none of her real friends want to go on the kind of creative adventures she wants to have. When Amanda is hit by a car because of an incident with the dreaded Mr. Bunting, Rudger discovers much more about what it means to be imaginary. Mr. Bunting poses a terrifying threat to all imaginaries, but Amanda and her mom’s devotion to their imaginaries help to save the day. The Imaginary features design elements throughout that add to the mystery and suspense of the story: red and white endpapers with skulls and sharp-toothed creatures, framed chapter headings, carefully placed illustrations, the cat’s shadow on the last page. The book ends with a spread showing Rudger and Amanda; one side of the spread is black and white, while the other side shows the children riding a bright pink dinosaur into yet another adventure.

    —LC

    Lean, Sarah. (2015). Hero. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

    In his imagination, Leo is a heroic gladiator. Fairly quiet and reserved, Leo has two main friends: Jack Pepper, his neighbor’s little white dog, and George, a friend from school. When an accident at school gains him the attention of the popular kids, Leo abandons George and attempts to gain their acceptance and approval. Leo is pressured by the group to misbehave, and he soon is caught in a lie. A story spread in the community that Leo rescued Jack Pepper from the pond, when in fact he trashed his neighbor’s scooter and did not save the dog. When a meteor strikes and forms a sinkhole, Jack Pepper gets trapped. The time comes for Leo to be a hero in real life, redeeming his errors and, this time, saving the dog. This story captures the journey of a boy creating in reality what he has created in his imagination: a personal identity, one of integrity.

    —JH

    Nolan, Nina. (2015). Mahalia Jackson: Walking With Kings and Queens. Illus. by J. Holyfield. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

    This sweet story follows the footsteps of little Mahalia Jackson from her childhood to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on the day Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous speech. Mahalia walked through life with music on her mind, even though she was living on the steps of poverty. She moved, worked, and occasionally went to school, but she sang with each new change in her life. During her grandfather’s sickness, Mahalia made a promise to God that she would never sing in a nightclub. Upon her grandfather’s recovery, Mahalia kept this promise as she joyfully sang gospel music at many churches throughout the south. Her faith kept her singing, and her singing lifted everyone’s spirits. The beautiful, rich colors that paint this story tell a tale of how one little girl sang her way from her stoop in New Orleans to the stage at Carnegie Hall.

    —MW

    Ages 12–14

    Barnett, Mac, and Jory John. (2015). The Terrible Two. Illus. by K. Cornell. New York, NY: Amulet.

    Miles’s family moves to Yawnee Valley, the town where a cow was once the mayor, and Miles is unhappy, to say the least. Yet there is one glimmer of hope for Miles: the possibility of becoming the best prankster in his new school. When Miles arrives at his new school, he realizes that Yawnee Valley Science and Letter Academy already has a prankster who somehow got Principal Barkin’s car up a flight of stairs and in front of the school’s entrance! Miles begins a pranking war with the school’s resident prankster, Niles; in order to obtain status as the school’s prankster, Miles has to be imaginative with his tomfooleries. Infused with comical illustrations and peculiar facts about cows, readers will be giggling from page 1 until the last sentence, and they may become a little more creative with their pranks, too!

    —KO

    Clements, Andrew. (2015). The Map Trap. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

    Alton Ziegler’s life is consumed with maps. He collects maps to learn about the world, follows maps to discover geocaching treasures, and even creates maps to put a creative spin on the world. Unfortunately, not all maps should get out! Some of Alton’s more creative maps include a map of his science teacher’s brain, a map of who has a crush on whom, even a map of which tests get the most kids cheating. When these maps go missing, Alton is forced into a mystery full of so many twists and turns, even reluctant readers will be hooked. Cartography is no longer a complicated study of coordinates and fractions for scaling, it is a creative way to show all of the world’s wonders...from Ancient Egypt to the sixth-grade cafeteria.

    —RK

    Ages 15+

    Hooper, Emma. (2015). Etta and Otto and Russell and James. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

    In this book, readers get to know Etta Vogel, an 83-year-old woman who intends to walk the 3,200 kilometers from her home to the ocean. Etta leaves her husband, Otto, behind, but Russell (his friend and Etta’s admirer) attempts to follow her. Etta dismisses Russell’s company, sustained by her coyote companion, James. Although the story centers on Etta, back stories from Otto and Russell overlap and help illuminate the history and tragedy revealed in this novel. As Etta walks, she finds herself supported by strangers, and her journey inspires those she is closest to. Otto writes her letters, and Russell begins his own quest. Although these three characters may not be typical in young adult novels, they offer adolescents a glimpse into the roles love, friendship, and memory play on our own personal journeys.

    —LC

    Sedgwick, Marcus. (2015). The Ghosts of Heaven. New York, NY: Roaring Brook.

    Originally published in the United Kingdom, this book opens with vocabulary, diagrams, and an author’s introduction. The book features four narratives, but the author states that “the four quarters are assembled here in just one of twenty-four possible combinations; this order makes one kind of sense, but the reader should feel free to choose a different order, a different sense, if desired.” This is a demanding piece of fantasy that invites readers to suspend disbelief as they travel alongside an array of diverse characters across a range of times and contexts. The first portion of the story is told in narrative verse from the perspective of a young girl during the Paleolithic era. The next three quartets blend historical fiction and time travel as we meet witches, priests, poets, and a sentinel on a spaceship destined for new earth. The stories intertwine, but there is no neat and tidy ending. As the spiral staircase on the cover indicates, readers may find themselves feeling challenged and even a bit dizzy.

    —LC

    Lesley Colabucci is an associate professor in the Department of Early, Middle, and Exceptional Education at Millersville University in Pennsylvania where she teaches courses in children’s and young adult literature. Teachers in her graduate-level children’s literature course selected books and reviewed for this column, including Kirsten Hoover, Millersville University of Pennsylvania; Selda Cavus, fourth-grade teacher, Conestoga Valley School District, PA; Valerie Sherts, School District of Lancaster, PA; Katie Gentile, third-grade teacher, Eastern Lancaster County School District, PA; Jessica Heindel, Millersville University of Pennsylvania; Marlene Weaver, sixth-grade teacher, Conestoga Valley School District, PA; Karen Oulahan, ELA Teacher, Elizabethtown Area School District, PA; Rebecca Kremer, English teacher, Wilson School District, PA.

    The review contributions are provided by members of the International Literacy Association’s Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group.

     

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  • These books showcase the importance of the arts in the lives of children.

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    Book Reviews: The Arts Matter

    BY THOMAS CRISP AND MEHMET GULTEKIN
     | Apr 13, 2015

    We believe the arts matter. We view literary, visual, and performing arts as essential to all realms of society, including both education and the workforce. Creative and imaginative thinking, then, are skills that can (and must) be taught. Across the curriculum, the arts can operate as subjects, tools, settings, lenses, and ways of knowing. A number of professional resources are available to teachers interested in learning more about integrating the arts into their teaching, including offerings through institutions such as the Lincoln Center Institute, the Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education Network, and ArtsNow. As illustrated by the books below, children’s and young adult texts this year further demonstrate for readers the power, potential, and significance of the arts in the contemporary world from poetry, painting, architecture, and photography to music, theatre, and dance.

    Ages 4-8

    Golio, Gary. (2015). Bird and Diz. Illus. by Ed Young. Somerville, MA: Candlewick.

    This nonfiction picture book is a playful and rhythmic celebration of jazz musicians Charlie “Bird” Parker and John “Dizzy” Gillespie, artists who, in the mid-1940s, helped develop bebop, a form of jazz that “relied on quick thinking and fast playing, complicated trails of notes, and rhythms that caught listeners by surprise and stuck in their heads.” Like saxophonist Parker and trumpeter Gillespie, author Golio and illustrator Young are each acclaimed artists in their own right. By bringing together their individual forms and styles of artistic expression, however, they contribute equally to the creation of a product with its unique meaning and synergy. Golio’s continuous narrative and Young’s pastel, gouache, and sumi ink illustrations interact similarly, mirroring the call and response, back-and-forth energy of bebop, and chasing each other across pages that invite readers to engage their senses even further by touching and feeling the heavy, matte cardstock paper. Even before readers open the book, they will find that the components of this book are held together by a clasp opposite the spine that joins the front cover to the back cover. Text features include an afterword that includes a brief biographical and contextual note, selected discography, and encouragement for readers to search online for videos of specific performances and to “pick up your crayons and draw!”

    —TC

    Myers, Christopher. (2015). My Pen. New York, NY: Disney-Hyperion.

    The power of a pen (and a little imagination and creativity) is the focus of the latest picture book by acclaimed author-illustrator Christopher Myers. The theme is made explicit to readers even before they open the book: The front dust jacket cover depicts a sea of black ink through which a young child sails in a newspaper boat. The child, who readers are led to conclude is Aurelio (a boy featured on a “1017-dollar bill” on the copyright page) gazes through a spyglass toward the hand of the illustrator, whose pen is poised above the page, mid-sketch. Text written in the upper left-hand side of the cover reads, “All you need is your imagination.” The sketchbook style is further illustrated on the end pages, filled with doodles and squiggles, and when one removes the dust jacket to find the front and back panels similarly covered in splotches of black ink. As the story opens, Aurelio remarks that when he when compares himself with rich and famous individuals, he sometimes feels small—until he remembers he has his pen. The book, illustrated with pen and ink and presented entirely in black and white, creates a sense of open-ended possibility. Throughout, both words and illustrations combine to demonstrate the many ways Aurelio’s pen has the power to create and change the world around him.

    TC

    Ages 9-11

    Holt, Kimberly Willis. (2015). Dear Hank Williams. New York, NY: Henry Holt. 

    Set in 1948, this epistolary novel by National Book Award–winning author Kimberly Willis Holt tells the story of 11-year-old Tate, who responds to her teacher’s assignment to find a pen pal in Japan by deciding instead to correspond with Hank Williams, an up-and-coming country music singer whose radio performances Tate listens to weekly with her great-aunt and great-uncle. In her letters to Williams, Tate describes her family, claiming initially that her mother is an actress and her father is a renowned photographer (later revealing that this is not true). Her letters often focus on her ability to sing, a talent she states she shares with her mother, and that she nurtures through daily practice in anticipation of entering a singing contest. As her letters progress, Tate reveals more of the reality and truth of her life experiences (her mother, for example, is in jail); although the stories are often tragic, the love of her family and her passion for music help Tate persevere. Although the only response Tate receives from Williams comes in the form of a few photographs, Tate continues to send him letters, as writing to the country music star—in addition to listening to his music—serves a therapeutic function for her. Through Tate’s letters, readers learn about historical events of the era (including anti-Japanese and anti-Communist sentiments following the end of World War II), as well as the power and value of music.

    —MG

    Altebrando, Tara. (2015). My Life in Dioramas. Illus. by T.L. Bonaddio. Philadelphia, PA: Running Press.

    Twelve-year-old Kate lives with her parents, both musicians, in a house known by those living in their town as “Big Red.” As a result of financial difficulties, her parents decide they have to sell the house and move the family into the home of Kate’s grandparents. Kate is resistant to this change, hoping instead to stay at her current school with her friends and where she will also have the opportunity to participate in a dance competition. When the house is put on the market, Kate does anything she can to keep the realtor from finding a buyer—making plans that include not only annoying noises but also “fecal matter.” Kate begins making shoebox dioramas of each room in her home, both as part of a school assignment and later as a way to express her feelings. From the dioramas to her interest in dance and her musician parents, Kate’s life is infused with the arts, which are a powerful outlet for the protagonist. Although some of the characters feel underdeveloped and the storyline is somewhat predictable, readers may identify with many of issues Kate must confront and appreciate the broad range of artistic forms described in this novel. Final artwork not seen/review based upon advance uncorrected proof.

    MG

    Keenan-Bolger, Andrew, and Kate Wetherhead. (2015). Jack & Louisa: Act 1. New York, NY: Grosset & Dunlap.

    Jack & Louisa: Act 1 is the debut novel of musical theater performers Andrew Keenan-Bolger and Kate Wetherhead. The first in a series of middle grades novels, the authors drew heavily upon their own childhoods and experiences in musical theater to write the story of 12-year-old Jack Goodrich, a boy with extensive Broadway experience who moves with his parents from New York City to Shaker Heights, Ohio. Jack, whose changing voice was the impetus for his family’s departure from New York, intends to leave his life as a performer behind him, a plan challenged by Louisa (Jack’s new neighbor and a self-proclaimed “Musical Theater Nerd”). Keenan-Bolger and Wetherhead took turns writing chapters, and the book alternates between Jack’s and Louisa’s perspectives. As one may infer from the title, Jack & Louisa: Act 1 reflects its creators’ inexperience as writers of children’s literature and, ultimately, the storyline is predictable, the dilemmas feel contrived, and the outcomes of the narrative are obvious. Although teachers, librarians, and children’s literature researchers may have a tepid response to the book, young readers looking for a book saturated with musical theater references (most prominently, Sondheim’s Into the Woods, but also shows ranging from Guys and Dolls and Anything Goes to The Book of Mormon) may find the book an entertaining read.

    —TC

    Ages 12-14

    Balliett, Blue. (2015). Pieces and Players. Illus. by Brett Helquist. New York, NY: Scholastic.

    When 13 pieces of art are stolen from a Chicago museum, five children bring their own special talents to the task of locating the missing artwork. With the aid of their former teacher, Ms. Hussey, the children piece together clues, make connections among their findings, follow hints for locating the missing works of art, and even talki with a ghost while they weave their way through the mysterious art caper. Despite questions the children have about the trustworthiness of some individuals with whom they interact (including Mrs. Sharpe, a suspicious-acting museum trustee) and obstacles they encounter (such as resistance from the police), the children persevere and ultimately recover the missing artwork. Fans of Balliett’s previous work are certain to be drawn in by this mystery, where seemingly random clues come together as readers continue toward the surprising conclusion.

    MG

    Ages 15+

    Wilke, Daria. (2015). Playing a Part. Trans. By Marian Schwartz. New York, NY: Arthur A. Levine.

    Translated from the original Russian by Marian Schwartz, this novel by Daria Wilke is notable, in part, because international translations are somewhat of an anomaly in young adult literature. Further, the novel emerged in the midst of the enactment of homophobic laws in Russia. This brief and contemplative Bildungsroman centers on Grisha, a teenage boy growing up in a puppet theater in Moscow. At the start of the novel, Grisha struggles with the impending departure of Sam, an actor he admires, who is leaving as a result of the homophobia he experiences in Russia. As the story progresses, Grisha faces further difficulties, such as the replacement of a bellowed puppet master and his best friend Sashok’s upcoming heart surgery. The novel reads like a slice-of-life story, with flashbacks interspersed throughout its primary narrative and will be primarily of interest for the reasons listed at the opening of this review. Removed from the social and political context in which Wilke wrote the novel, however, Playing a Part is similar in vein to the didactic, “affirmative” American young adult problem novels depicting gay males in the 1990s and early 2000s. 

    —TC

    Thomas Crisp is an assistant professor in the Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education, where he teaches courses in children’s and young adult literature and literacy. Mehmet Gultekin is currently a PhD student in the Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education, where he also works as a research assistant. They are both at Georgia State University.
    The review contributions are provided by members of the International Literacy Association’s Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group.

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