Module 15- The Hunger Games

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Book Summary:

In Suzanne Collins Hunger Games, readers are introduced to Katniss Everdeen, a 16 year old girl who risks everything when she volunteers to replace her 12 year old sister in the annual Hunger Games.  These games pit 24 tributes, two from each district, against each other in a competition to the death as a reminder of the consequences for the uprising against the cruelty and tyranny of the Capitol.  Katniss is joined by Peeta Mellark, a baker’s son, as the other tribute from their district, District 12.  Katniss and Peeta journey to the Capitol to participate in the Hunger Games, meeting Haymitch Abernathy, their drunken coach and mentor who recognizes their spirit and fire and decides to sober up enough to help them survive the games.  As a lone survivor of a previous Hunger Games, Haymitch provides valuable information and advice during their grueling training and competition.  He also is instrumental in assisting them behind the scenes by lobbying patrons for various “gifts” such as medicine to be delivered during the games.  Katniss and Peeta also meet Cinna, their stylist, who not only dresses them in never before seen outfits that appear to “catch fire”, but he also presents them as a couple, united in their feelings for each other as opposed to independent competitors willing to kill each other in the games.  Finding a camouflaged and wounded Peeta, Katniss nurses him back to health while realizing that keeping the romance alive for the public may be the only way to save their lives since the Capitol has changed the rules declaring that two people from the same district may now win.  After eliminating all other competition, Katniss and Peeta are informed that the rules have changed once again and there can only be one winner.  Unable to try to kill one another, they decide to commit suicide and are spared at the last minute by another announcement that they have won the Hunger Games.  

APA Reference of Book:  
Collins , S. (2008). The hunger games. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.

Impressions:
This book is very intense and full of action from the first page.  Once I started reading this book I didn't set it down until I had finished it.  While there is a romance story intertwined with the adventure it is not the common, everyday boy meets girl and it is love at first sight.  This book will appeal to both genders due to the high amounts of action that will draw in the guys while the love story will appeal to and keep the girls interested.  While I understand some of the controversy around this book, it is a well written book with literary merit, that has teens willing and excited to read.

Professional Review:
Gr 7 Up-In a not-too-distant future, the United States of America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war, to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year, two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcasted throughout Panem as the 14 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch. When 16-year-old Katniss's young sister, Prim, is selected as the mining district's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart, Peeta, the son ofthe town baker who seems to have all the fighting skills of a lump of bread dough, will be pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives. Collins's characters are completely realistic and sympathetic as they form alliances and friendships in the face of overwhelming odds; the plot is tense, dramatic, and engrossing. This book will definitely resonate with the generation raised on reality shows like "Survivor" and "American Gladiator." Book one of a planned trilogy.

Baird, J. (2008, September). The hunger games. School Library Journal, 54(9), 176-177. Retrieved from http://www.slj.com/

Library Uses:
Since the public library in my community as well as the school district, serves three small towns the library could hold a contest where each of the different towns represents a district.  At a showing of the movie The Hunger Games, teens from each town would be asked to bring a can good that will be donated to the local food bank to help fight hunger in the community.  And the district, or town with the largest amount of canned goods would win the Hunger Games, and the teens from that district that had participated in the food drive would receive coupons for a free dessert from a local restaurant.

Module 14- Mirror, Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse

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Book Summary:
In Mirror, Mirror by Marilyn Singer readers are exposed to poems about many classic fairy tales, but what is different about these books is that the poems can be read either the way they were written or in reverse, changing the last line to the first line, then the next to last line as the second line and so on and so forth until the first line is the last line in the reverse poem.  Don't worry the author has written the both versions of the poems on the pages for you to view.  The classic fairy tales of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, The Ugly Duckling, Snow White, Jack and the Beanstalk, The Three Bears, Hansel and Gretel, Rumpelstiltskin, The Frog Prince, and Beauty and the Beast all have poems and reverse poems within this book.

APA Reference of Book:
Singer, M. (2010). Mirror, mirror: A book of reversible verse. New York, NY: Dutton Children's Books.

Impressions:
Mirror, Mirror is a fun book to read, especially out loud to hear how the poem changes between the original form and the reverse.  The illustrations are very bright and very detailed and will help younger readers to stay engaged if this book is being read to them.  This book shows how fun poetry can be and even though most people would say that they don't enjoy poetry this book will be entertaining and intriguing to most readers.  This book is a great way to expose younger readers to poetry and to give them a fun and positive first experience with this style.

Professional Review:
Gr 2-5--Marilyn Singer's innovative book (Dutton, 2012) presents poetry based on fairy tales that can be read in two ways--the lines can be read from top to bottom and from bottom to top. Crafted in a minimalistic free verse, each set of reversible poems presents the thoughts of characters from various fairy tales. Sometimes the two poems give two points of view of the same character, while other sets represent two different characters in the same fairy tale. For example, the Cinderella poems portray Cinderella's attitude before and during the ball, while the Red Riding Hood verses are written from the girl's and then the wolf's point of view. Each set of poems is illustrated with Josee Massee's stylized acrylic artwork in rich jewel tones. She skillfully incorporates the characters of the poems and the idea of mirror images into each of her illustrations. The female parts are read by the author, while the male characters are voiced by Joe Morton. Both readers skillfully use tempo, expression, and inflection to make the meaning and feeling of the poems clear. Appropriate instrumental background music has been added to each poem. A great choice for a reading/listening center at school, or just for fun.

Cardon, D. (2011, November). Mirror, mirror: A book of reversible verse. School Library Journal, 57(11), 69. Retrieved from http://www.slj.com/

Library Uses:
Mirror, Mirror would be a great book to use during a story time for younger elementary students since it is such a fun book to read out loud and to listen to someone read.  I would have a poetry book display set up at the library that would include other poetry books for this age group that would be available for check out immediately following the story time and that would remain set up for a couple of weeks, until the next story time.

Module 13- The Plain Janes

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Book Summary:
After some type of disaster hits Metrocity, Jane's parents move her out of the city and into a new school.  She meets and decides to befriend three girls who just so happened to be names Jane, Jayne, and Polly Jane.  The girls soon form P.L.A.I.N., which stands for People Loving Art in Neighborhoods, and begin setting up art work throughout the community, which causes a commotion in the neighborhood.  The police become involved and the Janes are soon faced with a decision as to whether they should stop the group in light of the disturbances that are happening, but they decide that they will continue with the club.

APA Reference of Book:
Castelluci, C., & Rugg, J. (2007). The plain janes. New York, NY: DC Comics.

Impressions:
The Plain Janes is a great example that graphic novels can have literary merit and can and do contain great story lines as well as great illustrations.  This book contains great characters who are not afraid to stand up for something that they believe in as well as trying to make the community a better place.  As many people who change the norm, the girls do face some opposition. This was the first graphic novel that I have read, and I truly enjoyed it, and could easily see the appeal that this genre has for teenagers.

Professional Review:
 In Castellucci's (Boy Proof, rev. 5/05) first graphic novel, Jane's life is turned upside-down when she's injured in an explosion outside a Metro City café--an implied terrorist attack. Her parents waste no time in moving to suburbia, where arty Jane finds her "tribe" in a quiet group of rejects: Jane (a theater nut), Jayne (a science nerd), and Polly Jane (a wannabe jock). Searching for a way to draw them out, Jane forms P.L.A.I.N. (People Loving Art In Neighborhoods) and engages their help in planning "art attacks." The group's whimsical efforts range from adding bubble solution to the town fountain to organizing the entire school to simultaneously break into song--and meet with proscription and persecution from the authorities. The core of this timely novel, though, is Jane's struggle to see the beauty of the world rather than its dangers. Pulling everything together is Jane's poignant correspondence with the comatose John Doe, a young man she rescued in the aftermath of the bomb and whose sketchbook (bearing the mantra "Art Saves") she borrowed for inspiration. The layered dialogue and emotion-laden visual dose-ups suggest character depth, and the clean-lined graphic format is uniquely suited to the art attacks, Rugg's warm gray-scale scenes conveying not just detail and scope but the drama, impact, and joy of unfettered expression.

Gross, C. (2007, July/August). The plain Janes. The Horn Book Magazine, 83(4), 390. Retrieved from http://archive.hbook.com/magazine/

Library Uses:
Have an "Introduction to Graphic Novels" book talk for parents and use this book as one of the books used to show that graphic novels can and do contain great stories and to help them understand the reasons that teens are interested in this genre.

Module 12- Odd Boy Out: Young Albert Einstein

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Book Summary:

In his book, Odd Boy Out, Don Brown gives us a view of Albert Einstein’s childhood.  Einstein proved an enigma to his cultured parents, his perplexed instructors, and his intolerant peers.  His loving parents were ill-equipped to handle his behavior and temper; his instructors confused by his brilliance in science, math and music, yet his apathy in other subjects; and finally, his peers ostracize him as much for his Jewishness as for his misunderstood brilliance.  While Albert Einstein may have been viewed as a misfit and an outsider, his brilliance paved the way in changing what we know and understand about our world.

APA Reference of Book:
Brown, D. (2004). Odd boy out: Young Albert Einstein. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Impressions:
This book gives readers a glance of what childhood was like for the genius Albert Einstein.  One of the things that struck me was that Albert seemed to stick out in a negative way no matter who he was with or where he was, and this is quite the opposite that I would have expected that the child genius would have experienced.  This book shows that though we are all different and may not all fit the same mold our differences are what make us special and can be the cornerstone of brilliance and the spark that ignites changes within our world.

Professional Review:
 Gr 2-5-This well-crafted picture-book biography focuses on Einstein's hard-to-classify brilliance, which led to awesome scientific discoveries, but all too often left him a misunderstood outsider. Brown describes his subject's loving, cultured parents who were frequently nonplussed by their son's behavior and temper. He found himself the "odd boy" at school, and as the only Jewish student, was sometimes taunted by other children. He puzzled his instructors as well; though clearly gifted in science, math, and music, he was an indifferent student in most subjects. Brown's pen-and-ink and water-color illustrations, rendered in a palette of dusky mauve and earthy brown, portray a doubtful, somewhat unhappy-looking child, except for a picture in which he gazes fondly at a compass, a gift that astonishes him as he ponders its mysteries. In many scenes lie is marginalized on the sidelines, set apart by color and shading. One dramatic spread features an adult Einstein pushing his child in a carriage, looking small against a backdrop that highlights some of the scientific puzzles that so engaged him. Through eloquent narrative and illustration, Brown offers a thoughtful introduction to an enigmatic man. This book will pique the interest of readers with little or: no knowledge of Ein-stein.

Taniguchi, M. (2004, October). Odd boy out. School Library Journal, 50(10), 138-139. Retrieved from http://www.slj.com/

Library Uses:
This book could be used as part of an anti-bullying campaign at the library, and could be used to show that even though some people may not fit into the norms of the society, they still have merit and deserve respect.

Module 11- Leonardo's Horse

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Book Summary:

Leonardo’s Horse, by Jean Fritz, is the story of how Leonardo’s da Vinci’s unrealized dream of creating a bronze horse became a reality over 500 years after the destruction of his unfinished horse.  Leonardo accomplished many great things, including such works of art as The Last Supper or Mona Lisa.  However, his greatest disappointment was his failure to complete his bronze horse and it is rumored that even on his deathbed on May 2, 1519, he wept for his horse.  The story of Leonardo’s horse was almost forgotten until Charles Dent read of it in 1977.  Charlie adopted Leonardo’s dream and began working on giving Leonardo his horse as a gift from America to Italy.  However, before Charlie could complete Leonardo’s horse, Charlie became ill and died.  At this point, Nina Akamu, a talented sculptor from New York, stepped in and agreed to continue Charlie’s work on Leonardo’s horse.  On September 10, 1999, a large crowd of Italians and Americans witnessed the unveiling of Leonard’s horse in Milan, Italy.  Written on one eye of the horse is Leonardo da Vinci; on the other eye is written Charles Dent and Nina’s name appears in the curly mane of the horse.    

APA Reference of Book:
Fritz, J., & Talbott, H. (2001). Leonardo's horse. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam's Sons.

Impressions:
While I have heard many times about Leonardo da Vinci and were familiar with many of his popular works of art, I had never heard anything about his horse or the its history.  This book does an excellent job of telling the entire story of Leonardo's horse throughout not only Leonardo's life, but also the efforts of Charles Dent and Nina Akamu to bring Leonardo's horse to completion.  The illustrations and informational text provide insight into the different techniques used in the creation of this sculpture.  The book would appeal to readers of any age especially those interested in the life or works of Leonardo da Vinci.

Professional Review:

Though this starts with a brisk and spirited overview of Leonardo's life, this isn't a biography (for that, see Diane Stanley's Leonardo da Vinci, BCCB 9/96); it's an examination of one of Leonardo's projects, which took five centuries for fulfillment. Leonardo studied and planned for the creation of a huge bronze horse "three times larger than life," analyzing the technical problems ("No one had tried a single pouring of anything this large") and completing the clay model--but never achieving the actual bronze casting. Come the twentieth century, an art lover named Charlie Dent decided thatLeonardo's horse deserved completion, planning a model and creating a dome that would house the finished object; when he died of ALS just before completion, the Dome supporters brought in a talented sculptor who realized that the horse needed redesign from scratch and who completed the task in time for Leonardo's horse finally to be delivered to the people of Milan 500 years to the day of the destruction of Leonardo's original clay model. This is an unusual and surprisingly touching story of a cumulative collaboration ("On the pupil of one eye of the horse, Nina had written in tiny letters Leonardo da Vinci. On the other eye she had written Charles Dent. She had put her own name in the curly mane of the horse"), and it also raises some interesting questions for discussion (how much, for instance, is it still Leonardo's horse?). Talbott's mixedmedia art takes advantage of the book's arched shape (echoing the horse's Dome home), and it adds information as well as beauty, with diagrams and maps inserted where appropriate and a plethora of equestrian studies and models trotting through the pages. He's fair about the drawbacks in Charlie Dent's rendition, but he's also effective at capturing the spirit throughout all the horse's incarnations. For art lovers or just fans of quixotic dreams, this will be an offbeat and intriguing read. An author's note and appended information gives more detail on benefactors, the process, and the website of the organization behind the sculpture.

Stevenson, D. (2001, October). Leonardo's horse (book review). Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, 55(2), 55-57. Retrieved from http://bccb.lis.illinois.edu/

Library Uses:
For older elementary students have a story time where they are read Leonardo's Horse, and then for a craft have them make their own horse using a cast and modeling clay.  Have the cast used in the craft be of a similar type as used in the book to describe how they went from clay to plaster to bronze.  They will put the clay inside of one side of the cast, place the other side on top of the bottom piece, press, and remove the top piece to reveal the horse made from clay.  They may need to trim the access clay from around the cast  of the horse if there was too much clay put into the cast.

Module 10- Tomas and the Library Lady

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Book Summary:
Tomas leaves his home in Texas with his family to travel to Iowa again where his parent work on a farm during the summer.  His grandfather and brother are also with them on this trip and during the hottest part of the day, Tomas would ask his grandfather to tell him stories.  He loved to hear his grandfather tell stories in Spanish and he believed he was the best storyteller.  One afternoon his grandfather tells Tomas that there are more stories like his in libraries and that he is old enough to go there by himself and find more stories to tell the family.  The next morning he heads to the library and he meets the librarian who helps him find books about dinosaurs and tigers.  The librarian allows Tomas to check out two of the books to bring home and share with his family.  His family listened to Tomas read them the stories from inside of his books.  Tomas loved books and looked for books anywhere that he could and would spend days in the library reading new books to himself or the librarian and teaching the librarian Spanish and his evenings reading to his family.  At the end of the summer, Tomas has to say goodbye to the library and the librarian, and thanks her for letting him read all of the books.

APA Reference of Book:
Mora, P. (1997). Tomas and the library lady. New York, Ny: Alfred K. Knopf, Inc.

Impressions:
This is a great story of how a librarian can influence the patrons that walk through the library doors on a daily basis.  What makes this story even better is that Tomas Rivera was a real person who was really influenced by a librarian in Iowa to read which greatly influenced his love of reading.  The illustrations of the book are very well done that support the text of the story without overpowering it.  It was very interesting to see the illustrations where Tomas is reading to his family and there is a dinosaur or a tiger from the book he is reading in the background of the illustration.

Professional Review:
Ages 4-8. From the immigrant slums of New York City to the fields of California, it's an elemental American experience: the uprooted child who finds a home in the library. Mora's story is based on a true incident in the life of the famous writer Tomas Rivera, the son of migrant workers who became an education leader and university president. Far from his home in Texas, the small boy is working with his family picking corn in Iowa. Inspired by the Spanish stories his grandfather (Papa Grande) tells, Tomas goes to the library to find more stories. The librarian welcomes him into the cool, quiet reading room and gives him books in English that he reads to himself and to his family. He teaches her some Spanish words. Then, as in so many migrant stories, the boy must leave the home he has found. He has a new, sad word for her, "adios. It means goodbye." Colon's beautiful scratchboard illustrations, in his textured, glowingly colored, rhythmic style, capture the warmth and the dreams that the boy finds in the world of books. The pictures are upbeat; little stress is shown; even in the fields, the kids could be playing kick ball or listening to stories. Perhaps the most moving picture is that of the child outside the library door, his face pressed against the pane. In contrast is the peaceful space he finds inside, where he is free to imagine dinosaurs and wild adventure.

Rochman, H. (1997, August). Tomas and the library lady.Booklist, 93(22), 1905. Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com/

Library Uses:
Have an event at the library for elemetary aged children where a member of the library staff reads them Tomas and the Library Lady, and afterward talks with them about sharing a book or story with their family.  Have a few members of the library staff available to help the children locate books that they would like to check out and share with their families at home.

Module 9- Chet Gecko

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Book Summary:
Chet Gecko is a detective in elementary school that solves any mystery that comes his way.  One day a mystery falls right into his lap when his doodling in class earns him a trip to Principal Zero's office, but it doesn't take long for Chet to realize that there is something different about Principal Zero, he is being way too nice.  Chet enlists the help of his friend Natalie, a mockingbird, to find out what is going on with Principal Zero, but what they do find out is that there are several new teachers and staff members in league with the "nice" Principal Zero.  After several attempts to get to the bottom of this mystery, Chet and Natalie finally determine that the principal and his friends are trying to turn Emerson Hicky elementary school into a school for crooks.  They then decide to visit Principal Zero's house only to discover the real Principal Zero tied up and being held hostage by the fake Principal Zero and his gang of fake teachers.  They were going to trick the PTA into approving their new plans for the school at a meeting and after Chet and Natalie are captured and tied up with the real Principal Zero only to be rescued shortly after by Poppers.  Principal Zero send Chet and Natalie to stall the PTA meeting to keep the vote from passing while he calls the cops.  Chet and Natalie arrive just in time to delay the voting and shortly after the cops along with the real Principal Zero show up and announce the real plans of the fake Principal Zero and his gang and to arrest them all.  Chet saves the day again, but for once he is glad that Principal Zero is not kind to him.

APA Reference of Book:
Hale, B. (2000). A Chet Gecko mystery: The mystery of Mr. Nice. San Diego, CA: Harcourt, Inc.

Impressions:
The Mystery of Mr. Nice was an interesting and funny story to read and would especially appeal to boys interested in mysteries of the same style as the classic Dick Tracy.  The language that was used as well as the illustrations were very reminiscent of the same styles used in the old black and white detective movies.  While Chet and the reader knew that Principal Zero was not the one being so nice to Chet and the other trouble makers, the mystery of exactly what was happening was not easily determined before Chet and Natalie made the discoveries themselves.  The illustration are done well and the use of only the black and white ink makes the book sync with the detective movies of the past.

Professional Review:
Gr. 4-6. Chet Gecko is one tough lizard, who says such things as "Surprise froze my tongue like a mayfly on a Popsicle" and "My stomach knotted and jerked, like a python swallowing a sofa." Gecko is the best lizard detective at Emerson Hicky Elementary School, a school presided over by fat cat Principal Zero, and attended by all manner of animals who act just like school kids. In this new adventure, Gecko has to determine why Principal Zero is suddenly acting strange--as in nice. Gecko feels Zero has either gone mad or been replaced by an imposter. With mockingbird sidekick Natalie Attired, Chet uses time-honored methods of detection--eavesdropping, sniffing out newcomers, and combing through garbage--to find out what's what. The swift plot, clever wisecracking, and hardboiled style make this chapter book a terrific read.

Fletcher, C. (2000, November 01). The mystery of mr. nice.Booklist, 97(5), 539. Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com/

Library Uses:
Invite students in the 4th through the 6th grade to come to the library for a mystery theater event where the librarian has gone missing, and the students must find and process the clues located within the library to determine where she is and what has happened to her.  One of the other library employees with be assisting them with the search and they will be dressed in a trench coat and fedora to match the clothing worn by Chet Gecko.