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gymnerdreader's reviews
84 reviews
I Walk with Vanessa: A Story about a Simple Act of Kindness by Kerascoët
5.0
Annotated Bibliography Entry: I Walk with Vanessa by Kerascoet
Text Set: Kindness
Genre: Wordless picture book
Summary:
I Walk with Vanessa is a wordless picture book about Vanessa who is the new girl in class. The story starts out with Vanessa being pretty isolated from other kids, which is normal for new students as they are not familiar with the school or the other students. However when Vanessa is going home that day another boy comes up to her and says something that hurts her feelings. Another student who is crowded by her friends witnesses the event and is deeply affected by it. She spends that night coming up with what to do. She knows she needs to do something so she goes to her house the next morning and offers to walk with her to school. This simple act of kindness lets Vanessa know that someone is there for her and is essentially her friend. It is a pretty powerful picture book.
Personal Response:
Since this is a wordless picture book, comprehending the story is based on the pictures and how one interprets them. I am sure different people will interpret the illustrations in different ways, which is what I like about this genre. It really opens itself up to discussion because there are multiple ways to interpret the events in the story. Overall, the book is a simple book. It is not too difficult to understand. It is rather straightforward, however it is powerful and it teaches kids an important lesson: when you see bullying you need to do something about it and it also teaches kids that being kind to someone can make a huge difference. This one of my favorite picture books because of the message it sends. Too often when we see bullying we do nothing, but I am glad this book does not perpetuate the bystander effect.
Descriptions of illustrations:
Since there are no words everything is based off of the illustrations. So the illustrations are essential to understanding the story. The interesting thing about the illustrations is color. There is not much color used in the pictures. It is actually pretty plain aside from the characters, however the coloration also depicts the emotions of the characters. For example the background behind the bully and Vanessa is red to depict anger so the reader knows that whatever the bully said to Vanessa was mean and unkind. Another example is the background is darker around the girl who witnesses the incident to illustrate indecisiveness and sadness. The reader can tell that the girl does not seem to know what to do, but knows she has to do something. While the illustrations are rather simple color wise there is a lot going on and I am sure readers could interpret them in different ways.
Classroom Connections:
I think it is essential that we are using wordless picture books because they are useful for comprehension. They are also useful for ELL students who benefit from examining the pictures to comprehend meaning, rather than having to rely on the words. With that being said, it is important we are using this genre in the classroom. There is a lot that can be done with this particular book. Students can look over and examine the illustrations in groups and then write their own dialogue for the story. This dialogue that the students write can then be performed and acted out in front of the class, much like a play. This could also be done without the students acting the story out. Students could just write a dialogue for the pictures, which is basically adding words to the story. Teachers could also use this book to discuss kindness and bullying and what students should do if they witness an act of bullying. Teachers and students could both brainstorm ways in which they can promote kindness in the classroom. Then as a journal activity to sum everything up teachers could have students write about what they would do if they saw another student (like Vanessa) getting bullied. What else could have been done that wasn't done in the story. There are a lot of things that can be done because there are many ways to interpret the events.
Text Set: Kindness
Genre: Wordless picture book
Summary:
I Walk with Vanessa is a wordless picture book about Vanessa who is the new girl in class. The story starts out with Vanessa being pretty isolated from other kids, which is normal for new students as they are not familiar with the school or the other students. However when Vanessa is going home that day another boy comes up to her and says something that hurts her feelings. Another student who is crowded by her friends witnesses the event and is deeply affected by it. She spends that night coming up with what to do. She knows she needs to do something so she goes to her house the next morning and offers to walk with her to school. This simple act of kindness lets Vanessa know that someone is there for her and is essentially her friend. It is a pretty powerful picture book.
Personal Response:
Since this is a wordless picture book, comprehending the story is based on the pictures and how one interprets them. I am sure different people will interpret the illustrations in different ways, which is what I like about this genre. It really opens itself up to discussion because there are multiple ways to interpret the events in the story. Overall, the book is a simple book. It is not too difficult to understand. It is rather straightforward, however it is powerful and it teaches kids an important lesson: when you see bullying you need to do something about it and it also teaches kids that being kind to someone can make a huge difference. This one of my favorite picture books because of the message it sends. Too often when we see bullying we do nothing, but I am glad this book does not perpetuate the bystander effect.
Descriptions of illustrations:
Since there are no words everything is based off of the illustrations. So the illustrations are essential to understanding the story. The interesting thing about the illustrations is color. There is not much color used in the pictures. It is actually pretty plain aside from the characters, however the coloration also depicts the emotions of the characters. For example the background behind the bully and Vanessa is red to depict anger so the reader knows that whatever the bully said to Vanessa was mean and unkind. Another example is the background is darker around the girl who witnesses the incident to illustrate indecisiveness and sadness. The reader can tell that the girl does not seem to know what to do, but knows she has to do something. While the illustrations are rather simple color wise there is a lot going on and I am sure readers could interpret them in different ways.
Classroom Connections:
I think it is essential that we are using wordless picture books because they are useful for comprehension. They are also useful for ELL students who benefit from examining the pictures to comprehend meaning, rather than having to rely on the words. With that being said, it is important we are using this genre in the classroom. There is a lot that can be done with this particular book. Students can look over and examine the illustrations in groups and then write their own dialogue for the story. This dialogue that the students write can then be performed and acted out in front of the class, much like a play. This could also be done without the students acting the story out. Students could just write a dialogue for the pictures, which is basically adding words to the story. Teachers could also use this book to discuss kindness and bullying and what students should do if they witness an act of bullying. Teachers and students could both brainstorm ways in which they can promote kindness in the classroom. Then as a journal activity to sum everything up teachers could have students write about what they would do if they saw another student (like Vanessa) getting bullied. What else could have been done that wasn't done in the story. There are a lot of things that can be done because there are many ways to interpret the events.
Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson
5.0
Annotated Bibliography Entry: Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson
Annotated text set: kindness
Genre: realistic fiction
Summary:
It was winter when Maya was introduced at her new school. She was seated beside Chloe, who was less than thrilled with sitting beside someone like Maya. Maya wore old and ragged clothes and the other kids, Chloe included picked on her from the very start. At recess, no one wanted to play with Maya even when Maya tried to approach them and offer to play with her. They intentionally isolated themselves from her because they did not want anyone to think they were friends with someone like her. When spring came, Maya tried again and again to make friends, but none of the others were interested. She eventually moved away unexpectedly and the other kids begin to become concerned by her empty desk. The teacher talks to the students about kindness and how doing something kind for people can change their whole day around. She gives the students a stone and they take turns dropping it into a bowl of water and telling their teacher something kind they did for someone else. That is when Chloe realizes how she and her friends treated Maya was wrong. At the end of the book, Maya wishes she would have been kinder to Maya when she was in the class and regrets everything she did not say to Maya.
Personal Response:
A very powerful book about the importance of kindness and being kind to other people. I think this is a book that everyone should read because it is just that important. I also think that oftentimes when children make fun of other people they do not always realize the gravity of what they have done and do not realize how those words could make someone else feel. That is why I liked that this book was realistic in how this situation was portrayed. It does not have a happy empty. The ending is not wrapped up with a nice little bow. Maya is gone and Chloe slowly comes to a realization that the chance to be her friend and showing her kindness has passed. That is usually the reality of such stories and I am glad it was portrayed like that in this book.
Descriptions of illustrations:
Descriptions are very realistic and I love the realistic shading in the book. You could really feel it was winter or it was spring. The shading is not over the top either, which makes the characters look very realistic. I think the pictures will appeal to other children because it will make things seem more real to them since it is so realistically illustrated.
Classroom Connections:
I do think there is a lot that a teacher could do with this book in the classroom. Teachers could use this book as a way to discuss kindness and the things the kids could do to be kind to others. We did a chart board in class where we drew our thoughts on the chart paper and that is something we could do in our classrooms as well. Children could draw what they think on their chart paper. Teachers could also do the same activity the teacher in this book did. Students could drop a marble or stone into a bowl of water and have each of the students say something kind that they did for someone else. As a journal activity, teachers could ask the students to write about how Chloe and her friends could have treated Maya differently. Teachers could also ask students to write about how they would show kindness to the other kids in their class.
Annotated text set: kindness
Genre: realistic fiction
Summary:
It was winter when Maya was introduced at her new school. She was seated beside Chloe, who was less than thrilled with sitting beside someone like Maya. Maya wore old and ragged clothes and the other kids, Chloe included picked on her from the very start. At recess, no one wanted to play with Maya even when Maya tried to approach them and offer to play with her. They intentionally isolated themselves from her because they did not want anyone to think they were friends with someone like her. When spring came, Maya tried again and again to make friends, but none of the others were interested. She eventually moved away unexpectedly and the other kids begin to become concerned by her empty desk. The teacher talks to the students about kindness and how doing something kind for people can change their whole day around. She gives the students a stone and they take turns dropping it into a bowl of water and telling their teacher something kind they did for someone else. That is when Chloe realizes how she and her friends treated Maya was wrong. At the end of the book, Maya wishes she would have been kinder to Maya when she was in the class and regrets everything she did not say to Maya.
Personal Response:
A very powerful book about the importance of kindness and being kind to other people. I think this is a book that everyone should read because it is just that important. I also think that oftentimes when children make fun of other people they do not always realize the gravity of what they have done and do not realize how those words could make someone else feel. That is why I liked that this book was realistic in how this situation was portrayed. It does not have a happy empty. The ending is not wrapped up with a nice little bow. Maya is gone and Chloe slowly comes to a realization that the chance to be her friend and showing her kindness has passed. That is usually the reality of such stories and I am glad it was portrayed like that in this book.
Descriptions of illustrations:
Descriptions are very realistic and I love the realistic shading in the book. You could really feel it was winter or it was spring. The shading is not over the top either, which makes the characters look very realistic. I think the pictures will appeal to other children because it will make things seem more real to them since it is so realistically illustrated.
Classroom Connections:
I do think there is a lot that a teacher could do with this book in the classroom. Teachers could use this book as a way to discuss kindness and the things the kids could do to be kind to others. We did a chart board in class where we drew our thoughts on the chart paper and that is something we could do in our classrooms as well. Children could draw what they think on their chart paper. Teachers could also do the same activity the teacher in this book did. Students could drop a marble or stone into a bowl of water and have each of the students say something kind that they did for someone else. As a journal activity, teachers could ask the students to write about how Chloe and her friends could have treated Maya differently. Teachers could also ask students to write about how they would show kindness to the other kids in their class.
Lend a Hand: Poems about Giving by John Frank
4.0
Annotated Bibliography Entry: Lend a Hand by John Frank
Text Set: Kindness
Genre: Poetry
Summary:
This book is made up of various poems about kindness and helping others out when they need help. It focuses on the little acts of kindness that can touch peoples' hearts and make a difference in the world. The collection features different poems about lending a hand, but it also includes various situations of people being kind. They have some poems about service dogs, teaching someone the correct stance in baseball, training a service dog, giving up your seat on a bus, donating your hair for wigs and even writing a letter to a solder (which was probably my favorite one). So variety of different situations are used and it teaches kids that being kind can come in all shapes and sizes so to speak.
Personal Response:
One of the things I liked the most about this book is the fact that it displays diverse situations of being being kind and I think that sends a really good message to kids. Not only does it teach children that kindness matters, it teaches children that they can choose kindness in any situation that they are in. Kindness is more than being nice to someone and you can be kind without really realizing it, which is something these poems touched on as well. It is about those little acts of kindness that makes the world go round. I think it is important we are teaching children to value those little acts of kindness and encourage them to try to do an act of kindness each day. This is definitely an important poetry book for kids.
Descriptions of Illustrations:
These illustrations feature a lot of shading and coloring using more natural colors. This is evident in the pictures that are more nature based. I also noticed that the illustrations seemed to change in style depending on the poem. Some were very clear and you could make out a lot of detail, such as the one about the bus and then there are some pictures that are more obscure and slightly abstract. I definitely like the illustrations and I liked how they fit each individual poem. They appear very realistic with the use of earthly tones.
Classroom Connections:
This a book that SHOULD be used in the classroom because of the important messages of these poems. Teachers can use this book to discuss kindness and ways students can perform little acts of kindness each day and how that can make a difference in the world. Students can make their own posters displaying all the nice things they do for people during the day. Students can then use those posters to create their own poems about a time when they helped some one out that needed their help. Since most of these poems are free verse, teachers can use these poems to teach older students about free verse poems and the characteristics of that type of poetry. Also, since these poems use multiple different subjects and situations these poems could be useful to incorporate into other subjects, such as science and math. For example, there is a poem about the environment and cleaning up trash in a stream. Teachers can use that poem during a science lesson for older kids (prob grades 3 or 4) about cleaning up the environment or about recycling (this would also work well). This would be a good idea since poetry should be incorporated into the classroom everyday.
Text Set: Kindness
Genre: Poetry
Summary:
This book is made up of various poems about kindness and helping others out when they need help. It focuses on the little acts of kindness that can touch peoples' hearts and make a difference in the world. The collection features different poems about lending a hand, but it also includes various situations of people being kind. They have some poems about service dogs, teaching someone the correct stance in baseball, training a service dog, giving up your seat on a bus, donating your hair for wigs and even writing a letter to a solder (which was probably my favorite one). So variety of different situations are used and it teaches kids that being kind can come in all shapes and sizes so to speak.
Personal Response:
One of the things I liked the most about this book is the fact that it displays diverse situations of being being kind and I think that sends a really good message to kids. Not only does it teach children that kindness matters, it teaches children that they can choose kindness in any situation that they are in. Kindness is more than being nice to someone and you can be kind without really realizing it, which is something these poems touched on as well. It is about those little acts of kindness that makes the world go round. I think it is important we are teaching children to value those little acts of kindness and encourage them to try to do an act of kindness each day. This is definitely an important poetry book for kids.
Descriptions of Illustrations:
These illustrations feature a lot of shading and coloring using more natural colors. This is evident in the pictures that are more nature based. I also noticed that the illustrations seemed to change in style depending on the poem. Some were very clear and you could make out a lot of detail, such as the one about the bus and then there are some pictures that are more obscure and slightly abstract. I definitely like the illustrations and I liked how they fit each individual poem. They appear very realistic with the use of earthly tones.
Classroom Connections:
This a book that SHOULD be used in the classroom because of the important messages of these poems. Teachers can use this book to discuss kindness and ways students can perform little acts of kindness each day and how that can make a difference in the world. Students can make their own posters displaying all the nice things they do for people during the day. Students can then use those posters to create their own poems about a time when they helped some one out that needed their help. Since most of these poems are free verse, teachers can use these poems to teach older students about free verse poems and the characteristics of that type of poetry. Also, since these poems use multiple different subjects and situations these poems could be useful to incorporate into other subjects, such as science and math. For example, there is a poem about the environment and cleaning up trash in a stream. Teachers can use that poem during a science lesson for older kids (prob grades 3 or 4) about cleaning up the environment or about recycling (this would also work well). This would be a good idea since poetry should be incorporated into the classroom everyday.
That Neighbor Kid by Daniel Miyares
4.0
Annotated Bibliography Entry: That Neighbor Kid by: Daniel Miyares
Summary:
A little girl is curious about the little boy who recently moved into her neighborhood. This boy seems to be fascinated with tress and tree houses and she notices that he begins to build what she recognizes as a tree house. The curious little girl decides she would like to help him build this tree house. The two meet and say hi to each other (which is the only word in the book) and establish a friendship. At the end of the book after getting messy with the paint from painting the tree house, the two sit and relax enjoying each other's company. Boy and girl are now friends!
Personal Response:
There is not much too this story. It is a very simplistic geared more towards younger readers, but I like the story as a whole. I think it would be easy for students' to relate to as I am sure most young kids have made friends by helping someone out, etc. It is a simplistic story that children can easily understand as well. Wordless picture books are one of my favorite types of children's books because of the simplistic structure. It gives children a chance to focus on the illustrations to make meaning, which is a good skill for children to develop that will help them as they learn to read.
Descriptions of Illustrations:
The illustrations in this book are interesting because they are mostly black and white. It has very limited color to it and only time it has color is when the children become friends and are painting the tree house. I think this in and of itself is pretty significant. I think the black and white nature represents the loneliness that not having a friend can cause and also the loneliness associated with being the new kid in town. It only starts to become colored when the two meet and start building a friendship and collaborating with each other. I think that represents that friendship can light the way through loneliness and kind of color your world. I know this sounds a little ridiculous, but there is so much to learn from these illustrations.
Classroom Connections:
I feel that teachers could use this book and share it with students during morning meeting, etc. It is a very simplistic story and I think it would be fun to have students sitting on the carpet, listening and making meaning with the teacher as the teacher shows them the illustrations. Since it is wordless, teachers can have guiding questions that will guide students' to make their own meaning of the illustrations they see. I also think it would be interesting for students to have the chance to come up with some dialogue for the story and hear what they think the characters would be saying to each other. Also, teachers could use this book to introduce the structure of books, such as teaching the students the beginning, middle and end. Since this book is wordless, it would allow students to figure out structure relying solely on the illustrations and their own interpretations. It would give them a chance to think critically about the structure of a story.
Summary:
A little girl is curious about the little boy who recently moved into her neighborhood. This boy seems to be fascinated with tress and tree houses and she notices that he begins to build what she recognizes as a tree house. The curious little girl decides she would like to help him build this tree house. The two meet and say hi to each other (which is the only word in the book) and establish a friendship. At the end of the book after getting messy with the paint from painting the tree house, the two sit and relax enjoying each other's company. Boy and girl are now friends!
Personal Response:
There is not much too this story. It is a very simplistic geared more towards younger readers, but I like the story as a whole. I think it would be easy for students' to relate to as I am sure most young kids have made friends by helping someone out, etc. It is a simplistic story that children can easily understand as well. Wordless picture books are one of my favorite types of children's books because of the simplistic structure. It gives children a chance to focus on the illustrations to make meaning, which is a good skill for children to develop that will help them as they learn to read.
Descriptions of Illustrations:
The illustrations in this book are interesting because they are mostly black and white. It has very limited color to it and only time it has color is when the children become friends and are painting the tree house. I think this in and of itself is pretty significant. I think the black and white nature represents the loneliness that not having a friend can cause and also the loneliness associated with being the new kid in town. It only starts to become colored when the two meet and start building a friendship and collaborating with each other. I think that represents that friendship can light the way through loneliness and kind of color your world. I know this sounds a little ridiculous, but there is so much to learn from these illustrations.
Classroom Connections:
I feel that teachers could use this book and share it with students during morning meeting, etc. It is a very simplistic story and I think it would be fun to have students sitting on the carpet, listening and making meaning with the teacher as the teacher shows them the illustrations. Since it is wordless, teachers can have guiding questions that will guide students' to make their own meaning of the illustrations they see. I also think it would be interesting for students to have the chance to come up with some dialogue for the story and hear what they think the characters would be saying to each other. Also, teachers could use this book to introduce the structure of books, such as teaching the students the beginning, middle and end. Since this book is wordless, it would allow students to figure out structure relying solely on the illustrations and their own interpretations. It would give them a chance to think critically about the structure of a story.
A Mother's Journey by Sandra Markle
5.0
Annotated Bibliography Entry: A Mother's Journey by: Sandra Markle
Summary:
This book is a non-fiction book about penguins from the time the chick's egg is laid to the mother's journey for food that follows. This book discusses how the male penguins are the ones responsible for keeping the egg incubated, while the female is responsible for hunting for food for the chick. The females journey is a pretty treacherous one and the females have to withstand trekking through mostly ice and avoiding predators, such as seals when they are hunting. After their journey is done they return home with food for their baby, while it is the male's turn to hunt for himself.
Personal Response:
Since this is narrative non-fiction, it has a storytelling aspect to it, rather than being purely factual. I like that aspect of it because it keeps your interest as knowing all the facts can sometimes be boring to read about. I loved the subject matter as well because I ABSOLUTELY ADORE penguins. They are definitely my favorite animals so getting a chance to read about them was definitely awesome for me. I was immediately interested based off the subject matter. As for kids who may or may not have an obsession with penguins (such as me haha), I still think it would be an appealing story merely from the narrative aspect of it. The narrative structure allows students to accurately follow the female's journey in a very straightforward way. I think having the book told in a narrative makes it easier to understand. Definitely a great non-fiction selection for kids!
Descriptions of Illustrations:
I found the illustrations to be very appealing probably in part because I love penguins. What I love most about the illustrations is how it represented the setting and the journey itself. Just by looking at the illustrations you can tell the journey is a difficult one. There are numerous snow storms illustrated with a lot of white dots so much that it takes up most of the page at one point. It really illustrates how bad the storm is. Predators are illustrated in the same way. Readers can get the sense by looking at the illustrations that the predators are threatening, etc. Overall, the pictures really enhance the dramatization of the narrative. I think that aspect would be appealing for kids.
Classroom Connections:
There are a lot of ways teachers could use this book in the classroom. Teachers can use this book to teach them about narrative non-fiction and they can discuss the story structure as a class as well as the non-fiction elements. Students could also use a graphic organizer to fill in the details about penguins, which may take a bit of digging to find due to the narrative structure. There is a lot students could learn about penguins by just finding the info embedded within the narrative. Students could also compare and contrast male penguins from the female penguins, what their jobs are, etc. There are quite a few differences regarding male and female penguins. I also think it would be cool for students to create their own penguin character (using a paper bag and some other materials and write their own brief narratives of the penguin's journey. They could talk about the mother's journey from multiple perspectives: the male, the female or the baby penguin. This would give students a chance to be creative as well as learn a bit more about penguins. This would also be an excellent book to use during an animal study as there are a lot of things students could learn about penguins from reading this book.
Summary:
This book is a non-fiction book about penguins from the time the chick's egg is laid to the mother's journey for food that follows. This book discusses how the male penguins are the ones responsible for keeping the egg incubated, while the female is responsible for hunting for food for the chick. The females journey is a pretty treacherous one and the females have to withstand trekking through mostly ice and avoiding predators, such as seals when they are hunting. After their journey is done they return home with food for their baby, while it is the male's turn to hunt for himself.
Personal Response:
Since this is narrative non-fiction, it has a storytelling aspect to it, rather than being purely factual. I like that aspect of it because it keeps your interest as knowing all the facts can sometimes be boring to read about. I loved the subject matter as well because I ABSOLUTELY ADORE penguins. They are definitely my favorite animals so getting a chance to read about them was definitely awesome for me. I was immediately interested based off the subject matter. As for kids who may or may not have an obsession with penguins (such as me haha), I still think it would be an appealing story merely from the narrative aspect of it. The narrative structure allows students to accurately follow the female's journey in a very straightforward way. I think having the book told in a narrative makes it easier to understand. Definitely a great non-fiction selection for kids!
Descriptions of Illustrations:
I found the illustrations to be very appealing probably in part because I love penguins. What I love most about the illustrations is how it represented the setting and the journey itself. Just by looking at the illustrations you can tell the journey is a difficult one. There are numerous snow storms illustrated with a lot of white dots so much that it takes up most of the page at one point. It really illustrates how bad the storm is. Predators are illustrated in the same way. Readers can get the sense by looking at the illustrations that the predators are threatening, etc. Overall, the pictures really enhance the dramatization of the narrative. I think that aspect would be appealing for kids.
Classroom Connections:
There are a lot of ways teachers could use this book in the classroom. Teachers can use this book to teach them about narrative non-fiction and they can discuss the story structure as a class as well as the non-fiction elements. Students could also use a graphic organizer to fill in the details about penguins, which may take a bit of digging to find due to the narrative structure. There is a lot students could learn about penguins by just finding the info embedded within the narrative. Students could also compare and contrast male penguins from the female penguins, what their jobs are, etc. There are quite a few differences regarding male and female penguins. I also think it would be cool for students to create their own penguin character (using a paper bag and some other materials and write their own brief narratives of the penguin's journey. They could talk about the mother's journey from multiple perspectives: the male, the female or the baby penguin. This would give students a chance to be creative as well as learn a bit more about penguins. This would also be an excellent book to use during an animal study as there are a lot of things students could learn about penguins from reading this book.
Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat by Javaka Steptoe
5.0
Annotated Bibliography Entry: Radiant Child by: Javaka Steptoe
Summary:
Jean-Michel Basquiat is a young boy living in Brooklyn NY. Born to a Puerto Rican mother, named Matilde and a Haitian father, named Gerard. Jean-Michel spends hours in his room drawing and his mother is the one who fuels his passion for art by taking him to art museums and drawing with him on the living room floor. Jean Michel dreams of becoming a famous artist, however that dream is threatened when he gets into a bad car accident. In his recovery, Jean-Michel is given an anatomy book where he draws all of the different body parts. Life continues for Jean-Michel, but soon drama follows when his mom suffers a mental breakdown and is removed from the home. This has a huge impact on Jean-Michel since he was very close with his mom. Eventually, Jean-Michel moves out of his house and settles in NYC and begins doing art full time, such as street art and graffiti. He becomes well known in the art world, but still maintains a close relationship with his mother whom he visits frequently.
Personal Response:
I like how this book featured an artist that is not very publicized. I am saying he is not talked about as much because I have never heard of him or his work. After reading this book I was so interested in his life that I actually googled him and found out that he friends with Andy Warhol and had similar artwork to Keith Haring. I also found out about his tragic death to a drug overdose. Needless to say, people know about Andy Warhol and Keith Haring, but they do not know about Basquiat. So I liked that this book profiled someone who is not as well known to the public. I also liked the overall message of the story: you can be anything as long as you dream and you can accomplish success despite your hardships or shortcomings. Jean Michel's art was not always neat and often went outside the lines, but it was greatly admired in the art world. I think that alone proves to kids that they can accomplish their dreams regardless of what others say or believe. Definitely an important message and I loved the way it was portrayed in this book.
Descriptions of Illustrations:
The illustrations of this book are quite striking and immediately caught my eye with its style and dramatic use of color. It is very abstract in style and there are subtle items illustrated throughout. I loved those little nuances that popped up throughout the story. For example, after the car accident Jean-Michel is gazing out the window as his mom leaves and you can see a picture of a heart on the sleeve of his shirt. Also, when he moves out of the house on the walls SAMO is printed, which was Jean-Michel's signature to his art and graffiti. It's these tiny little nuances that give the pictures so much meaning and character. The people are vibrant and almost pop off the page. This is also very illustrative of Basquiat's style, which is a nice touch (from what I can tell from google images).
Classroom Connections:
I think this would be a good book to use as an introduction for an art integration lesson or even an artist's spotlight. This book could be read at the beginning of the lesson as a way to introduce them to Basquiat and his career. Then teachers could further introduce them to him by displaying his work and they can talk about what they notice about his work, etc. Then teachers could have students create their own artworks about their own lives or even a current event in Basquiat's style. Students could then come up to the classroom and explain what their pictures represent and they could even talk about symbolism in their pictures, etc. I think this would be nice to do with older kids as they will be able to grasp more important concepts and be able to illustrate them. Teachers could also use this book as a means to motivate their students that they can accomplish anything if they put their mind to it and they can be successful regardless of what others may think. This book could easily inspire kids, especially minority students in the classroom because they may be able to relate to Basquiat's life. We need to include diverse books, such as these in our classroom.
Summary:
Jean-Michel Basquiat is a young boy living in Brooklyn NY. Born to a Puerto Rican mother, named Matilde and a Haitian father, named Gerard. Jean-Michel spends hours in his room drawing and his mother is the one who fuels his passion for art by taking him to art museums and drawing with him on the living room floor. Jean Michel dreams of becoming a famous artist, however that dream is threatened when he gets into a bad car accident. In his recovery, Jean-Michel is given an anatomy book where he draws all of the different body parts. Life continues for Jean-Michel, but soon drama follows when his mom suffers a mental breakdown and is removed from the home. This has a huge impact on Jean-Michel since he was very close with his mom. Eventually, Jean-Michel moves out of his house and settles in NYC and begins doing art full time, such as street art and graffiti. He becomes well known in the art world, but still maintains a close relationship with his mother whom he visits frequently.
Personal Response:
I like how this book featured an artist that is not very publicized. I am saying he is not talked about as much because I have never heard of him or his work. After reading this book I was so interested in his life that I actually googled him and found out that he friends with Andy Warhol and had similar artwork to Keith Haring. I also found out about his tragic death to a drug overdose. Needless to say, people know about Andy Warhol and Keith Haring, but they do not know about Basquiat. So I liked that this book profiled someone who is not as well known to the public. I also liked the overall message of the story: you can be anything as long as you dream and you can accomplish success despite your hardships or shortcomings. Jean Michel's art was not always neat and often went outside the lines, but it was greatly admired in the art world. I think that alone proves to kids that they can accomplish their dreams regardless of what others say or believe. Definitely an important message and I loved the way it was portrayed in this book.
Descriptions of Illustrations:
The illustrations of this book are quite striking and immediately caught my eye with its style and dramatic use of color. It is very abstract in style and there are subtle items illustrated throughout. I loved those little nuances that popped up throughout the story. For example, after the car accident Jean-Michel is gazing out the window as his mom leaves and you can see a picture of a heart on the sleeve of his shirt. Also, when he moves out of the house on the walls SAMO is printed, which was Jean-Michel's signature to his art and graffiti. It's these tiny little nuances that give the pictures so much meaning and character. The people are vibrant and almost pop off the page. This is also very illustrative of Basquiat's style, which is a nice touch (from what I can tell from google images).
Classroom Connections:
I think this would be a good book to use as an introduction for an art integration lesson or even an artist's spotlight. This book could be read at the beginning of the lesson as a way to introduce them to Basquiat and his career. Then teachers could further introduce them to him by displaying his work and they can talk about what they notice about his work, etc. Then teachers could have students create their own artworks about their own lives or even a current event in Basquiat's style. Students could then come up to the classroom and explain what their pictures represent and they could even talk about symbolism in their pictures, etc. I think this would be nice to do with older kids as they will be able to grasp more important concepts and be able to illustrate them. Teachers could also use this book as a means to motivate their students that they can accomplish anything if they put their mind to it and they can be successful regardless of what others may think. This book could easily inspire kids, especially minority students in the classroom because they may be able to relate to Basquiat's life. We need to include diverse books, such as these in our classroom.
The Princess and the Warrior: A Tale of Two Volcanoes by Duncan Tonatiuh
4.0
Annotated Bibliography Entry: The Princess and the Warrior by: Duncan Tonatiuh
Summary:
Once upon a time there is a princess who lives in an Aztec village. She spends most of her time hanging out with the guys in the corn field and singing songs with them. The corn field guys are enamored with her and each offer to marry her so she no longer has to stay in the fields singing all day. They offer her expensive gifts to sweeten the deal, but she rejects them. She then is approached by a warrior, named Popoca who offers to marry her, but this time promises to love her as she is and forever. Izta (the name of the princess) is delighted and accepts his proposal much to her father's dismay. Eventually her father gives him an ultimatum of sorts: he will only let them get married if Pepoca if he defeats Jaguar Claw. So Pepoca gathers his army and marches off to war. They are losing at first, but soon is able to overcome Jaguar Claw. Angered by this turn of events, Jaguar Claw tells one of his men to tell Izta that Pepoca died in battle and offer her some grief potion. After Jaguar Claw is defeated Pepoca returns to the the village to find Izta asleep. He cannot wake her and she sleeps for an eternity with Pepoca by her side just like he promised when he proposed to her. Eventually they turn into volcanoes, one that steams (as if it sleeping) and the other that spurts out lava (as if awake and trying to wake the sleeping volcano).
Personal Response:
This is actually a pretty complex story, a lot more complex than most of the children's books I have read. I like it though because it is different from the traditional mold of children's literature and also I feel that children can connect with this story. Personally, Izta falling asleep due to consuming a poison potion reminds me a lot of Sleeping Beauty and the prince that tried to awake her from her eternal slumber. While there are similarities with these two stories this one is obviously different as Pepoca is never able to awake Izta so the two of them don't really get a "happily ever after". It is still a great story nonetheless that I am sure kids will connect to. It is actually based on two volcanoes in Mexico and this story in actuality is a folk tale or legend (not sure of the correct terminology). I was completely unaware of this until I looked at the author's note at the end so I would recommend that you read that as well to better understand the book.
Descriptions of Illustrations:
The books illustrations definitely fit the theme of the book and I like the style that was used. It definitely has an aztec appeal to it and I feel that fits the theme of this book exceptionally well. I, especially like the colors that were used for the illustrations. They are very earthly colors, like brown, dark blue and green. Since they are more earthly they don't pop out as much. While they may not be particularly striking it does fit the theme of the story. The Aztecs were very in touch with nature and it meant a great deal to them and their civilization. I feel that the earthly colors used in the illustrations represents the Aztecs well, which is what I loved.
Classroom Connections:
As I was reading through this book it reminded me a lot of Sleeping Beauty so I feel that teachers could set up a venn diagram and have the students compare and contrast the two stories. They could talk about the similarities of both princesses being in deep sleep and compare the stark differences of the two. Teachers could also talk about other Aztec folk tales and the students could compare and contrast those as well and could perhaps find a common theme among those stories. Since the volcanoes that are formed in this book are based off of actual volcanoes in Mexico teachers could use this book as a way to grab students' attention on a lesson about the Aztecs and their civilization. During that lesson, teachers could also show the students pictures of the actual volcanoes and some stories about how they were formed, etc. I think this book could provide a good introduction to a lesson about the civilization of the Aztecs. This would be a really good lesson to do with older students and I think older students would be very interested in the history of the Aztecs and their civilization.
Summary:
Once upon a time there is a princess who lives in an Aztec village. She spends most of her time hanging out with the guys in the corn field and singing songs with them. The corn field guys are enamored with her and each offer to marry her so she no longer has to stay in the fields singing all day. They offer her expensive gifts to sweeten the deal, but she rejects them. She then is approached by a warrior, named Popoca who offers to marry her, but this time promises to love her as she is and forever. Izta (the name of the princess) is delighted and accepts his proposal much to her father's dismay. Eventually her father gives him an ultimatum of sorts: he will only let them get married if Pepoca if he defeats Jaguar Claw. So Pepoca gathers his army and marches off to war. They are losing at first, but soon is able to overcome Jaguar Claw. Angered by this turn of events, Jaguar Claw tells one of his men to tell Izta that Pepoca died in battle and offer her some grief potion. After Jaguar Claw is defeated Pepoca returns to the the village to find Izta asleep. He cannot wake her and she sleeps for an eternity with Pepoca by her side just like he promised when he proposed to her. Eventually they turn into volcanoes, one that steams (as if it sleeping) and the other that spurts out lava (as if awake and trying to wake the sleeping volcano).
Personal Response:
This is actually a pretty complex story, a lot more complex than most of the children's books I have read. I like it though because it is different from the traditional mold of children's literature and also I feel that children can connect with this story. Personally, Izta falling asleep due to consuming a poison potion reminds me a lot of Sleeping Beauty and the prince that tried to awake her from her eternal slumber. While there are similarities with these two stories this one is obviously different as Pepoca is never able to awake Izta so the two of them don't really get a "happily ever after". It is still a great story nonetheless that I am sure kids will connect to. It is actually based on two volcanoes in Mexico and this story in actuality is a folk tale or legend (not sure of the correct terminology). I was completely unaware of this until I looked at the author's note at the end so I would recommend that you read that as well to better understand the book.
Descriptions of Illustrations:
The books illustrations definitely fit the theme of the book and I like the style that was used. It definitely has an aztec appeal to it and I feel that fits the theme of this book exceptionally well. I, especially like the colors that were used for the illustrations. They are very earthly colors, like brown, dark blue and green. Since they are more earthly they don't pop out as much. While they may not be particularly striking it does fit the theme of the story. The Aztecs were very in touch with nature and it meant a great deal to them and their civilization. I feel that the earthly colors used in the illustrations represents the Aztecs well, which is what I loved.
Classroom Connections:
As I was reading through this book it reminded me a lot of Sleeping Beauty so I feel that teachers could set up a venn diagram and have the students compare and contrast the two stories. They could talk about the similarities of both princesses being in deep sleep and compare the stark differences of the two. Teachers could also talk about other Aztec folk tales and the students could compare and contrast those as well and could perhaps find a common theme among those stories. Since the volcanoes that are formed in this book are based off of actual volcanoes in Mexico teachers could use this book as a way to grab students' attention on a lesson about the Aztecs and their civilization. During that lesson, teachers could also show the students pictures of the actual volcanoes and some stories about how they were formed, etc. I think this book could provide a good introduction to a lesson about the civilization of the Aztecs. This would be a really good lesson to do with older students and I think older students would be very interested in the history of the Aztecs and their civilization.
Walking in the City with Jane: A Story of Jane Jacobs by Susan Hughes
3.0
Annotated Bibliography Entry: Walking in the City with Jane
Summary:
Jane Jacobs is a child that would rather read a book than do actual schoolwork (which reminds me much of myself because I did the same thing). After a conflict with her teacher over brushing her teeth she gets kicked out of class by the teacher. Jane did not mind because it gave her the opportunity to explore her own beautiful backyard. Jane is very observant and is able to notice things that most people neglect to notice so she is able to see a great deal of beauty in the city around her even if it is highly commercialized and industrialized. This is how she feels when she moves to NYC. She gets married and has a family of her own, but her beautiful city is turned upside down when city planners plan to build high rise buildings and bulldoze neighborhoods. Jane gets a whole group of people together and protest the plan and it works. However another plan to build 8 lanes of traffic going directly into NYC sends Jane on a quest to protest this plan. Once again, it is rejected, but eventually gets the go ahead and Jane is arrested for her protesting. After her release, she moves to Toronto, Canada where she continues her activism and is a huge part of her community.
Personal Response:
There were some parts of this book that I liked and disliked. I liked that it portrayed people we do not often learn about in schools, such as Jane Jacobs. Prior to reading this book I had no idea who she was, but apparently she is a big deal in both the U.S. and Canada where there are days named after and a medal in her name given to people who make a difference in their community. I also like the message of appreciating the beauty that is all around you and I feel that in a world where everyone wants more than what they have this message can often be lost. People are often so focused on the material goods that they neglect to admire the beauty in their own neighborhoods. I think that's an important message for kids. I disliked that the book kind of glossed over Jane Jacob's activism, which I guess is because this is geared towards children. I also was not big on the illustrations so there were certainly parts that I didn't enjoy.
Descriptions of Illustrations:
As I mentioned before, I was not a huge fan of the illustrations. It was way too simplistic for my liking and style seemed to focus mainly on drawing. The point of the illustrations should have been to portray NYC as beautiful and these neighborhoods as being beautiful and having charm. The illustrations were colorful, but it was not enough that made me think "oh that is beautiful". The illustrations were just too simplistic and there could have been more detail added so people could see some of NYC's charm. So I was personally not a fan, but maybe children would like the color of the cities.
Classroom Connections:
Teachers could use this book on Jane Jacob's Day to celebrate her legacy of activism. Teachers could talk with students about admiring the simple things and encourage students to help make their communities a better place, much like Jane Jacobs did throughout her life. Teachers could also use this as an introduction to a lesson about Jane Jacobs and so forth. Other than that, teachers could have students draw or paint a picture depicting the communities and neighborhoods they live in. Then as a write-up activity children can choose adjectives to describe their neighborhoods. As an extension, teachers could ask students if they can brainstorm some ideas that they could do to improve the neighborhoods they want.
Summary:
Jane Jacobs is a child that would rather read a book than do actual schoolwork (which reminds me much of myself because I did the same thing). After a conflict with her teacher over brushing her teeth she gets kicked out of class by the teacher. Jane did not mind because it gave her the opportunity to explore her own beautiful backyard. Jane is very observant and is able to notice things that most people neglect to notice so she is able to see a great deal of beauty in the city around her even if it is highly commercialized and industrialized. This is how she feels when she moves to NYC. She gets married and has a family of her own, but her beautiful city is turned upside down when city planners plan to build high rise buildings and bulldoze neighborhoods. Jane gets a whole group of people together and protest the plan and it works. However another plan to build 8 lanes of traffic going directly into NYC sends Jane on a quest to protest this plan. Once again, it is rejected, but eventually gets the go ahead and Jane is arrested for her protesting. After her release, she moves to Toronto, Canada where she continues her activism and is a huge part of her community.
Personal Response:
There were some parts of this book that I liked and disliked. I liked that it portrayed people we do not often learn about in schools, such as Jane Jacobs. Prior to reading this book I had no idea who she was, but apparently she is a big deal in both the U.S. and Canada where there are days named after and a medal in her name given to people who make a difference in their community. I also like the message of appreciating the beauty that is all around you and I feel that in a world where everyone wants more than what they have this message can often be lost. People are often so focused on the material goods that they neglect to admire the beauty in their own neighborhoods. I think that's an important message for kids. I disliked that the book kind of glossed over Jane Jacob's activism, which I guess is because this is geared towards children. I also was not big on the illustrations so there were certainly parts that I didn't enjoy.
Descriptions of Illustrations:
As I mentioned before, I was not a huge fan of the illustrations. It was way too simplistic for my liking and style seemed to focus mainly on drawing. The point of the illustrations should have been to portray NYC as beautiful and these neighborhoods as being beautiful and having charm. The illustrations were colorful, but it was not enough that made me think "oh that is beautiful". The illustrations were just too simplistic and there could have been more detail added so people could see some of NYC's charm. So I was personally not a fan, but maybe children would like the color of the cities.
Classroom Connections:
Teachers could use this book on Jane Jacob's Day to celebrate her legacy of activism. Teachers could talk with students about admiring the simple things and encourage students to help make their communities a better place, much like Jane Jacobs did throughout her life. Teachers could also use this as an introduction to a lesson about Jane Jacobs and so forth. Other than that, teachers could have students draw or paint a picture depicting the communities and neighborhoods they live in. Then as a write-up activity children can choose adjectives to describe their neighborhoods. As an extension, teachers could ask students if they can brainstorm some ideas that they could do to improve the neighborhoods they want.
Dona Flor: A Tall Tale about a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart by Pat Mora
4.0
Annotated Bibliography Entry: Dona Flor by Pat Mora
Summary:
Dona Flor is a giant who became a giant because her mom often sang to her as a child, which caused her to grow at an extraordinary rate. As a child, she was often made fun of for being a giant, but when she got older she realized that being a giant compared to everyone else has its benefits. For example, Dona Flor does a lot of kind things for the children living in her Pueblo. She sings to them, reads to them, brings them to school when they are late and even makes tortillas for everyone (including her neighbors), which are so big that they are often used as roofs or rafts. Needless to say, everyone relies on Dona Flor to keep them safe and out of harms way so when they start to hear a loud roar Dona Flor is the only one who can protect the people living in the Pueblo. However what appears to be a ferocious mountain lion is really just a tiny puma roaring into a log (which makes his roar louder as it echoes). Dona Flor thinks the little puma is the cutest thing ever and at the end of the book falls asleep on a cloud with a whole bunch animals sleeping on top of her, little puma included.
Personal Response:
This book did not have much of a plot, but I did enjoy it. I think it teaches children good messages about being compassionate and kind to others. For example, Dona Flor was picked on as a child, but as she grew older people began to realize how kind and caring Dona Flor was. They also discovered that being giant had a lot of benefits and the people began to overly rely on Dona Flora to keep everyone safe. While the people living in the Pueblo often used Dona Flor's kindness to their advantage, Dona herself represents what everyone should strive to be: kind and compassionate. Now, I would not want my students to take advantage of other's kindness (like the others often did), but there is some good things to learn about the humility of Dona Flor.
Descriptions of Illustrations:
Illustrations are very colorful and lively. I loved the contrast of the giant from the rest of the townspeople. It gives a readers a good sense of what it was like for Dona Flor to be a giant compared to everyone else, etc. It also allows students to kind of see things from Dona Flor's perspective. This is what really illustrates the contrast between giant and regular sized person.
Classroom Connections:
Since this is a tall tale, teachers could read this book to students to introduce them to the genre. After reading this book teachers could then read other tall tales to students. After doing that, teachers could create a venn diagram and have students compare and contrast aspects of tall tales. Other than the venn diagram, teachers could use this book to teach about aspects about kindness and compassion. This book as well as others that I have reviewed could easily be used to teach about kindness and do related activities.
Summary:
Dona Flor is a giant who became a giant because her mom often sang to her as a child, which caused her to grow at an extraordinary rate. As a child, she was often made fun of for being a giant, but when she got older she realized that being a giant compared to everyone else has its benefits. For example, Dona Flor does a lot of kind things for the children living in her Pueblo. She sings to them, reads to them, brings them to school when they are late and even makes tortillas for everyone (including her neighbors), which are so big that they are often used as roofs or rafts. Needless to say, everyone relies on Dona Flor to keep them safe and out of harms way so when they start to hear a loud roar Dona Flor is the only one who can protect the people living in the Pueblo. However what appears to be a ferocious mountain lion is really just a tiny puma roaring into a log (which makes his roar louder as it echoes). Dona Flor thinks the little puma is the cutest thing ever and at the end of the book falls asleep on a cloud with a whole bunch animals sleeping on top of her, little puma included.
Personal Response:
This book did not have much of a plot, but I did enjoy it. I think it teaches children good messages about being compassionate and kind to others. For example, Dona Flor was picked on as a child, but as she grew older people began to realize how kind and caring Dona Flor was. They also discovered that being giant had a lot of benefits and the people began to overly rely on Dona Flora to keep everyone safe. While the people living in the Pueblo often used Dona Flor's kindness to their advantage, Dona herself represents what everyone should strive to be: kind and compassionate. Now, I would not want my students to take advantage of other's kindness (like the others often did), but there is some good things to learn about the humility of Dona Flor.
Descriptions of Illustrations:
Illustrations are very colorful and lively. I loved the contrast of the giant from the rest of the townspeople. It gives a readers a good sense of what it was like for Dona Flor to be a giant compared to everyone else, etc. It also allows students to kind of see things from Dona Flor's perspective. This is what really illustrates the contrast between giant and regular sized person.
Classroom Connections:
Since this is a tall tale, teachers could read this book to students to introduce them to the genre. After reading this book teachers could then read other tall tales to students. After doing that, teachers could create a venn diagram and have students compare and contrast aspects of tall tales. Other than the venn diagram, teachers could use this book to teach about aspects about kindness and compassion. This book as well as others that I have reviewed could easily be used to teach about kindness and do related activities.
Be the Change: A Grandfather Gandhi Story by Bethany Hegedus, Arun Gandhi
5.0
Annotated Bibliography Entry: Be the Change by: Arun Gandhi
Summary:
Arun Gandhi spent 2 years living with his grandfather, Mohandas Gandhi in Sevagram Ashram, a village of sorts that abides by Gandhi's nonviolent philosophy. The pray together and work in the benefit for others and live by certain vows of nonviolence. Gandhi often invites his grandson, Arun with him when he speaks about his nonviolent philosophy. One of the things his grandfather preaches about is not being wasteful, which is something Arun has a hard time understanding. On his way home from school Arun throws his pencil into the grass and when he gets back to Ashram Gandhi tells him to go retrieve the pencil and not be wasteful because that is violence. Arun of course doesn't understand how being wasteful could be considered violent. Gandhi illustrates this by creating a tree consisting of physical and passive violence, he has Arun fill in examples of each and as the tree extends he begins to understand. Being wasteful is wasting resources not leaving enough for everyone else and that lack of resources could possibly create an uprising. The book closes with Arun realizing he must be the change, much like Gandhi was throughout his life.
Personal Response:
I know I say this about a lot of the books I have reviewed, but this is one that has to be read in schools because the message is so essential. A lot of people do not realize the impact a small decision could have on someone's life. Most do not think their actions and choices could possibly affect someone else. A lot of the lessons in this book remind me of a quote from 13 Reasons Why (the book) "Everything affects everything". This is one of my favorite quotes because of how true it is. Our decisions can have a big impact not just on ourselves, but on others as well. I do think this is a lesson that children should learn about. Children should also be encourage to "be the change they wish to see in the world" (Another favorite quote of mine!).
Descriptions of Illustrations:
It says on the back cover of the book that the illustrations incorporates multi media in it. I am not sure exactly what that means, but when you look at the illustrations there is quite a bit going on. Most would say it is busy, but I actually liked it. I liked the different uses of line and shape. I like how the illustrator used the various shapes whenever Gandhi was speaking. The illustrations illustrated how Gandhi's ideas were transmitted to Arun. I also liked the use of color because it really evoked a type of mood. For example, the colors were very drab to illustrate monsoon season. Overall, there is a lot to these illustrations and I think they were great to look at. I could see these being appealing to children.
Classrooms Connections:
Teachers could use this to talk about the nonviolence philosophy known as satyagraha. Teachers could have students brainstorm ways to practice nonviolence as well as the important implications this philosophy could have on the world. Teachers could also have students do what Gandhi had Arun do in the story. Teachers could have students add examples to a tree to illustrate different types of violence (although this could be done with other concepts as well). I thought this was an interesting way to illustrate this. Teachers could also use this book to teach more about Gandhi and students could do mini research on Gandhi and why he is important.
Summary:
Arun Gandhi spent 2 years living with his grandfather, Mohandas Gandhi in Sevagram Ashram, a village of sorts that abides by Gandhi's nonviolent philosophy. The pray together and work in the benefit for others and live by certain vows of nonviolence. Gandhi often invites his grandson, Arun with him when he speaks about his nonviolent philosophy. One of the things his grandfather preaches about is not being wasteful, which is something Arun has a hard time understanding. On his way home from school Arun throws his pencil into the grass and when he gets back to Ashram Gandhi tells him to go retrieve the pencil and not be wasteful because that is violence. Arun of course doesn't understand how being wasteful could be considered violent. Gandhi illustrates this by creating a tree consisting of physical and passive violence, he has Arun fill in examples of each and as the tree extends he begins to understand. Being wasteful is wasting resources not leaving enough for everyone else and that lack of resources could possibly create an uprising. The book closes with Arun realizing he must be the change, much like Gandhi was throughout his life.
Personal Response:
I know I say this about a lot of the books I have reviewed, but this is one that has to be read in schools because the message is so essential. A lot of people do not realize the impact a small decision could have on someone's life. Most do not think their actions and choices could possibly affect someone else. A lot of the lessons in this book remind me of a quote from 13 Reasons Why (the book) "Everything affects everything". This is one of my favorite quotes because of how true it is. Our decisions can have a big impact not just on ourselves, but on others as well. I do think this is a lesson that children should learn about. Children should also be encourage to "be the change they wish to see in the world" (Another favorite quote of mine!).
Descriptions of Illustrations:
It says on the back cover of the book that the illustrations incorporates multi media in it. I am not sure exactly what that means, but when you look at the illustrations there is quite a bit going on. Most would say it is busy, but I actually liked it. I liked the different uses of line and shape. I like how the illustrator used the various shapes whenever Gandhi was speaking. The illustrations illustrated how Gandhi's ideas were transmitted to Arun. I also liked the use of color because it really evoked a type of mood. For example, the colors were very drab to illustrate monsoon season. Overall, there is a lot to these illustrations and I think they were great to look at. I could see these being appealing to children.
Classrooms Connections:
Teachers could use this to talk about the nonviolence philosophy known as satyagraha. Teachers could have students brainstorm ways to practice nonviolence as well as the important implications this philosophy could have on the world. Teachers could also have students do what Gandhi had Arun do in the story. Teachers could have students add examples to a tree to illustrate different types of violence (although this could be done with other concepts as well). I thought this was an interesting way to illustrate this. Teachers could also use this book to teach more about Gandhi and students could do mini research on Gandhi and why he is important.