What To Do About Alice? How Alice Roosevelt Broke The Rules, Charmed The World And Drove Her Father Teddy Crazy! by Barbara Kerley (Genre: Biography)

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Kerley, Barbara.What To Do About Alice? How Alice Roosevelt Broke the Rules, Charmed the World, and Drove Her Father Teddy Crazy! . Ill. by Edwin Fotheringham. New York, Scholastic. ISBN 0545123259

PLOT SUMMARY
This book gives an interesting look into the life of Alice Roosevelt who was born in 1884 and was the eldest daughter of President Theodore Roosevelt. She was an independent and happy child who was hard to contain. For pets, she had a snake and a monkey that she showed to everyone visiting. She named her snake, Emily spinach because of its color and its resemblance to her thin aunt. She refused to go to boarding school and instead stayed at home and educated herself by reading at her father’s library. She was an adventurous little girl who roamed on the streets of Washington and taught her younger siblings to slide down the stairways on trays. President Roosevelt famously said about his daughter, "I can be president of the United States or I can control Alice. I cannot possibly do both." The author focuses on the childhood, youth, teenage and finally the marriage of Alice to a congressman. The large, colorful and hilarious illustrations by Edwin Fotheringham complement the biography of this fun loving little girl.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALICE ? is a good picture book biography to read aloud. Author Barbara Kerley brings to light the life of Alice Roosevelt and the troubles she created for her father. Young children will enjoy hearing about the early years of her life. The book describes the tough childhood and teenage years, but at the end the author also talks about her life as a mature individual who joined politics and proved to be an asset to her father.
The text used is simple and will keep young children engaged. Quotation marks have been used throughout the book.
The illustrations are colorful and vibrant. The large illustrations capture the facial expressions of the characters perfectly. Blue and red colors are used on every page to depict the full of life personality of Alice.
This is a light hearted and colorful biography of Alice Roosevelt that will be enjoyed by young children and will keep them engaged with her funny and hilarious life style.

AWARDS/ REVIEW EXCERPTS

Sibert Honor Book

Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book

Irma Black Award Honor Book

Parents Choice Award

Washington State Scandiuzzi Children's Book Award

California Collections

A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year

A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year

An ALA Notable Book

Capitol Choices

New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing

Nominated for Young Reader awards in Texas, Illinois, Utah and Tennessee

Booklist, starred review: "Irrepressible Alice Roosevelt gets a treatment every bit as attractive and exuberant as she was.... Kerley's text has the same rambunctious spirit as its subject, grabbing readers from the first line.... The large format gives Fotheringham, in his debut, plenty of room for spectacular art."

School Library Review, starred review: "Kerley's text gallops along with a vitality to match her subject's antics, as the girl greets White House visitors accompanied by her pet snake, refuses to let leg braces cramp her style, dives fully clothed into a ship's swimming pool, and also earns her place in history as one of her father's trusted advisers.... Fascinating."

Publishers Weekly, starred review: “It's hard to imagine a picture book biography that could better suit its subject than this high-energy volume serves young Alice Roosevelt."

CONNECTIONS
*There is lot of information about teacher’s guide on this book on the author’s own website http://www.barbarakerley.com/TRAlice.html
*For art, children could be asked to draw a picture of Alice with her pets.
*Related books:
-Kimmelman, Leslie.2009. MIND YOUR MANNERS, ALICE ROOSEVELT! Peachtree Publishers. ISBN 1561454923
-Felsenthal, Carol.2003. PRINCESS ALICE: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF ALICE ROOSEVELT LONGWORTH. St. Martin's Griffin.ISBN 0312302223

Almost Gone : The World's Rarest Animals by Steve Jenkins (Genre: Non Fiction)

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Jenkins, Steve. 2006. Almost Gone: The World's Rarest Animals. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 9780060535988.

PLOT SUMMARY
The book starts with the introduction of a simple example of chickadees and goes on to explain the ecological cycle and ecological balance to children with the use of very simple language. The author talks about Grand Cayman blue iguanas, hairy nosed wombat, California condor and other species that are on the verge of extinction. This non fiction picture book has 28 different species listed from around the world that are rare. These include mammals, insects, reptiles and birds that are grouped in categories. There is one page for each species with a picture, animal description, basic facts, human activities that have contributed to their low numbers, the number of remaining animals and what steps the conservationists are taking to protect them. There is a world map at the back of the book that gives the locations where each animal is found.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Almost Gone: The World's Rarest Animals belongs to the Lets –Read-and –Find –Out –Science series. The author has taken a simple example of a bird in the beginning of the book to explain the young readers about ecosystem and ecological balance. The author also talks about the effect of the loss of one species on the other and the entire ecosystem.
There is information about one animal on every page. There is a small paragraph about the facts, location, number of animals surviving and what has contributed to their low number. The illustrations are very colorful and eye catching. The cut paper artwork has been done in such a creative way that the animal pictures get a realistic look to them.
The book’s categories are very well organized. The “almost gone” category talks about the animals that are rare and could disappear from the face of the earth. The “gone forever” category describes those species that are extinct now and the “coming back” category gives readers the confidence that these animals could be protected from extinction.
Almost Gone is a book with colorful and artistic illustrations that will be enjoyed not only by young children but will also keep readers of any age engaged with the wonderful facts and information about different species.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
Booklist:“Caldecott Honor Book illustrator Jenkins applies his considerable talents to the cause of conservation in this book in the long-running Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series. Using his signature cut-and torn-paper collages, he shows 21 endangered species, accompanying each image with a few sentences about the animal's habitat, a particular characteristic, and, sometimes, the reason for its endangered status.”
School Library Journal:“This engaging title is informative as well as visually stunning. Jenkins captures the essence of his subjects with appropriately colored, cut-paper collage illustrations on stark white backgrounds.”
Horn Book:“Jenkins first discusses the interdependence of living things, then portrays twenty-eight endangered and extinct animals. Each profile includes a striking cut-paper rendering of an animal along with a paragraph about the animal's habits and habitat and why its population has dwindled.”

CONNECTIONS
*Open a discussion with children about the earth, effects of pollution and how they can help keep the earth clean and save the planet.
*The world map could be used to teach the children about the location of animals and their habitat.
* Children could be encouraged to paint a picture of one endangered animal.
*Children could paint animal face masks as an art project.
Related book:
Jenkins, Steve. 2003.WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A TAIL LIKE THIS? Houghton Mifflin Books for Children .ISBN 9780618256280.

Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Philip Hoose (Genre: Biography)

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hoose, Phillip. 2009. CLAUDETTE COLVIN: TWICE TOWARD JUSTICE. New York, N.Y.: Farrar Straus Giroux. ISBN 0374313227

SUMMARY
Rosa Parks is a familiar name in the Civil Rights Movement who took a stand against racial segregation and injustice. Author Philip Hoose brings to light a lesser known teenager, Claudette Colvin, who refused to give her seat to a white person and thereby played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement.
Back in 1955, Claudette Colvin lived in Montgomery, Alabama where people were divided on the basis of their color, white and black. White and black people had separate schools, bathrooms, restaurants, buses seats and movie theaters. This law of segregation or separation was also called Jim Crow law. On March 2nd 1955, Claudette Colvin was travelling in a segregated bus, where the front four rows were reserved for white passengers only. Black passengers had to give up their seats to white passengers if there were additional white passengers. She had occupied the seats behind the reserved seats but when additional white passengers boarded the bus, a white woman expected her to vacate her seat for her. Her friends gave up their seats but Claudette refused. She was arrested on the charges of violating segregation laws. After being released on bail she was treated more like an outcast and an unfit role model by her own classmates instead of being celebrated as a Civil Rights hero. Later she made a significant contribution towards the Civil Rights movement by becoming one of the four plaintiffs in the case Browder vs. Gayle.
This is an inspiring biography of a young girl with wonderful accounts of her courage that helped change the course of history and has been presented in a very interesting and a heart touching way by author Philip Hoose.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The book has been written by author Philip Hoose in simple words so that it is easy to understand by the younger audience. The book is divided into two parts. The first part has eight chapters that depict the condition of Montgomery in 1955, the segregation laws and the injustice that was done because of the Jim Crow law. The second part of the book has two chapters that describe the Browder vs. Gayle case and the rage and outcry in Montgomery.
There is an author’s note and an index at the end of the book.There are several photographs in the book that show segregation of whites and blacks in restaurants, waiting rooms and movie theaters. The photographs play an important role in keeping the readers connected to the book by giving them actual account of the events that happened along with the interesting text that complemented them. The note at the end of the book shows that the author had consulted a number of books, websites and articles to write about Claudette. He had also conducted 14 interviews with her between Jan –Sept 2007 before writing the book.
This book gives young readers the inspiration and the message to make a difference in society by standing against injustice. The author has brought an unsung Civil Right Movement hero in light through his hard work and extensive research in the form of this wonderful book.

AWARDS/ REVIEW EXCERPT (S)

2009 National Book Award Winner, Young People’s Literature

Jane Addams Honor Book Award

Booklist, Starred Review: “Hoose draws from numerous personal interviews with Colvin in this exceptional title that is part historical account, part memoir. Hoose’s lucid explanations of background figures and events alternate with lengthy passages in Colvin’s own words, and the mix of voices creates a comprehensive view of the Montgomery bus boycott and the landmark court case, Browder v. Gayle, that grew from it.”

School Library Journal: “The text is supplemented with black-and-white photos, reproductions of period newspapers and documents, and sidebars. While virtually all students know Rosa Parks's story, this well-written and engaging book will introduce them to a teen who also fought for racial justice and give them a new perspective on the era, making it an outstanding choice for most collections.”

CONNECTIONS
* Each student could do a research project on one Civil Rights Movement hero
and present it to the class.

*As a group, students could do a timeline on major events in Black History and describe them too.
* Discussion could be held on topics like segregation laws and discrimination and how they affected people and society.
*Related books:
-Morrison, Tony. 2004. REMEMBER: THE JOURNEY TO SCHOOL INTEGRATION. Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 9780618397402

-Bridges, Ruby. 1999. THROUGH MY EYES. Scholastic Press. ISBN 9780545108553

-Moore, Johnny Ray.2002. THE STORY OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. Ideals Publications. ISBN 0824941446

What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones (Genre: Poetry)

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Sones, Sonya. 2001. WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN'T KNOW. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0689841140

PLOT SUMMARY
This is a story of a 15 yr old girl named Sophie who is a typical teenager looking for true love. She does not get along with her family but loves her best friends, Grace and Rachel. First it was Lou. Then she falls in love with Dylan, who was Rachel's big sister’s best friend’s younger brother. After being together for some time, she meets Chaz online. This made her loose interest in Dyaln and she decides to break up with him. And after Chaz, she secretly harbors a crush for Murphy, the class Geek. For the Halloween dance, Sophie changes her ugly rose covered dress and wears a cool black dress. She finds herself longing for Dylan but when she danced with a mysterious masked man, she felt that she had found her soul mate and wanted to dance with him all night. During her winter break she spends some time with Murphy and finally finds out that the mystery masked man with whom she had danced on the Halloween party was none other than Murphy.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This book is a light hearted verse novel by Sonya Sones that expresses the feelings of a teenage girl. Each poem has a different title and describes one moment in Sophie’s life. The story keeps moving in sequence to keep the readers connected to the main character. The book is not set as a rhyming poetry but is more like reading a journal in which Sophie describes all her love for her friends, her relationship with her family and her search for love.
My favorite poem in the book was “The Mocking Bird”. Like the mocking bird, Sophie was also trying to use different voices to attract a boy bird so that he could come and dance with her.
This book will be enjoyed by teenagers and adults who could easily connect with the story and discover little pieces of themselves in Sophie. The shape of the poem and the use of fonts compliment the story perfectly.

AWARDS/ REVIEW EXCERPTS
ALA Top Ten Most Challenged Books (2004-2005)

ALA Best Book for Young Adults (2002)

International Reading Association Young Adults' Choice (2003)

VOYA Top Shelf for Middle School Readers (2003)

BOOKLIST Editor's Choice (2001)

Texas Lone Star State Reading List Choice (2003-2004)

Starred review in PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY: "...Sones poignantly captures the tingle and heartache of being young and boy-crazy..."

Starred review in KIRKUS REVIEWS: "Sones has crafted a verse experience that will leave teenage readers sighing with recognition and satisfaction.

Starred review in BOOKLIST: "The poetry is never pretentious or difficult; on the contrary, the very short, sometimes rhythmic lines make each page fly."

Starred review in VOYA: "The poems are snappy, and each one strikes a chord that fluidly moves the reader to the next episode."

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "Sones's poems are glimpses through a peephold many teens may be peering through for the first time..."

PAGES MAGAZINE: "...WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN'T KNOW captures the sweet confusion of being a teen girl in love for the first time."

CONNECTIONS
• Students could be asked to write a poem in verse form.
• Students could be encouraged to discuss about Sophie and her relationship with her friends.
• A discussion on the safety of internet chats/dating could be initiated.
• Related books
-Tan, Amy. 1989. THE JOY LUCK CLUB. ISBN 0143038095
-Sones, Sonya.2007.WHAT MY GIRLFRIEND DOESN'T KNOW. ISBN 0689876025
-Janeczko, Paul B. 1991. PREPOSTEROUS: POEMS OF YOUTH. ISBN 0531059014

Mirror Mirror by Marilyn Singer (Genre: Poetry)

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Singer, Marilyn. 2010. MIRROR MIRROR. Ill. by Josée Masse. New York, N.Y.: Dutton’s Children’s Books. ISBN 0525479017


PLOT SUMMARY
This is a book of verse or reversible poems which is written in such a way that it could be read from top to bottom as one poem and from bottom to top as another poem. The book is a collection of 14 reverso poems of popular fairy tales like Cinderella, The Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, Ugly Ducking, Rumplestiltskin, Snow White , Jack and the Beanstalk, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Hansel and Gretel, Princess and the Frog and Beauty and the Beast.
The two poems are written in such a way that the readers will get two completely different points of view from the same fairy tale. For example, in the poem about Cinderella, the first poem is about her situation where she is doing all the chores and is unable to go to the ball, but in the reverse poem, the view point of the step sisters is told.


CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Author Marilyn Singer has created a unique and creative way of retelling popular fairy tales through verse, reverso or reversible poems.
The poems can be read from top to bottom as well as from bottom to top using the same exact words. By using the same exact words and making some changes in the capitalization and punctuation, the author completely changed the perspective of the reverse poem. This gives the readers, two different view points of the same tale. I felt that the author has created an amazing outcome from this unique experiment.
The colorful and textured illustrations by Josée Masse compliment the poems. Each poem has its own set of illustrations. One half of the poem depicts one view point and the other half depicts another view point. The illustrator has done justice to the book by providing illustrations that reinforce the theme of reverse poems. The pictures play with the readers mind in the same way as the poems do.
It is a beautiful book of poems that will keep the readers engaged. Readers who enjoy reading fairy tales will find a new way to look at fairy tales through this innovative poem book. It will be appreciated by all readers but it will be hard by young readers to understand the two view points of the same poem.


AWARDS/ REVIEW EXCERPTS
Booklist: “Matching the cleverness of the text, Masse’s deep-hued paintings create split images that reflect the twisted meaning of the irreverently witty poems and brilliantly employ artistic elements of form and shape—Cinderella’s clock on one side morphs to the moon on the other.”

BookPage: “Clever and delightful—those are the best words to describe Mirror Mirror, a new collection by noted poet Marilyn Singer.”

Kirkus Reviews: “A collection of masterful fairy-tale–inspired reversos—a poetic form invented by the author, in which each poem is presented forward and backward.”

School Library Journal: “This is a remarkably clever and versatile book that would work in any poetry or fairy-tale unit. A must-have for any library.”


CONNECTIONS
• Children could be encouraged to write a short reverso poem using simple words.
• As an art project, children could be encouraged to draw a mirror image of any picture.
• Children could be asked to talk about their favorite fairy tale.
• Related Books:
-Maclachlan, Patricia.2010. WORD AFTER WORD AFTER WORD. New York.N.Y..:Katherine Tegen Books. ISBN 0060279710.

Button Up! Wrinkled Ryhmes by Alice Schertle (Genre: Poetry)

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Schertle, Alice. 2009. BUTTON UP! WRINKLED RHYMES. Ill. by Petra Mathers. New York, N.Y.: Harcourt Children’s Books. ISBN 0152050504

SUMMARY
This is a collection of 15 poems for children in which clothes of all kinds (shoes, shoelaces, hat, helmet, jammies and even undies) share their own personal story. Each item of clothing has its own point of view which is expressed in the form of a humorous poem. The children will enjoy seeing the mouse wearing an under wear, a dog wearing a jersey, an alligator wearing a pajama and a pig wearing galoshes. Each item of clothing has a special relationship with its owner which is described through the poem as well as the illustrations. The young readers will enjoy the simple and colorful illustrations by Petra Mathers.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Alice Schertle is an award winning poet who has given voice to clothing through this wonderful collection of poems. The poems are playful and rhyming with colorful illustrations of cute cartoon animals. The illustrations by Petra Mathers compliment the poems and bring the characters to life. Children will easily relate to the poems and the colorful and funny illustrations. Some illustrations show children how to dress up. For example in the poem “Bill’s Blue Jacket”, the illustration shows how to put a jacket on.
The poems have been written in simple language that the young children would easily relate too. The characters have simple names and are very expressive. Although the children would enjoy listening to each poem, I felt that some poems are more appealing than the others. The poems will be enjoyed by readers of all age gbut young children will easily connect with the poems and the funny colorful characters.

AWARDS/ REVIEW EXCERPTS
Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, 2010

Best Childrens Book of the Year, 2010

Booklist Starred Review: "With varied rhymes and rhythms occasionally disrupted for emphasis, Schertle's poetry is reminiscent of A. A. Milne and begs to be read aloud."

Kirkus Reviews: “There are otters and pigs, alligators and rabbits, emus and moles. And these creatures have personality, exuberance and high style that perfectly match the verses. Loads of fun.”

School Library Journal: “Playful spreads and spot art suit the small, snappy verses beautifully. This whimsical little volume will make a delightful addition to poetry collections.

CONNECTIONS
• Children could be asked to describe their favorite piece of clothing after reading this book to them.
• Children could be encouraged to write their own poem about their favorite piece of clothing.
• As an art project, children could draw a picture of their favorite clothes.
• Related books:
-Janeczko, Paul B. 2001.DIRTY LAUNDRY PILE: POEMS IN DIFFERENT VOICES. Harper Collins.ISBN 0688162517.

-Polisar,Barry L.1999. BUG SOUP: BUG POEMS. Rainbow Morning Music. ISBN 0938663224.

Rapunzel by Paul O. Zelinsky (Genre: Traditional Literature)

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Zelinsky, Paul O. 1997. RAPUNZEL. NewYork, N.Y.: Dutton Children’s Books. ISBN 0525456074

PLOT SUMMARY
After longing for a baby for a very long time, a couple comes to know that they are expecting a child. The wife craves for the rapunzel herb that grows in the garden of the sorceress next door. The husband goes to steal the herb but is caught by the sorceress who demands the newborn child in return. The sorceress takes the baby when she is born and names her Rapunzel. She raises her and when she turned twelve, the sorceress locks her up in a tall tower in the woods with no door and just one window.
Rapunzel’s long and beautiful hair was the only way to go into the tower. She lived in the tower all by herself and the sorceress was the only visitor. One day, a young prince happens to pass by the tower and is mesmerized by Rapunzel’s melodious voice. The prince sees the sorceress enter the tower so he mimics her and says "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!". Rapunzel lets her hair down and the prince climbs up the tower. They fall in love and get married secretly in the tower. When the sorceress discovers that she has been deceived, she cuts Rupunzel’s hair in anger and uses it to trap the prince. The prince is finally saved by Rapunzel’s voice and they are reunited. They go to their kingdom and lived happily ever after.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Paul O Zelinsky has won the Caldecott Medal for the book Rapunzel. He has retold the fairy tale of Rapunzel in a beautifully illustrated picture book. The detailed pictures that depict the characters and the background are beautifully painted in oil. The pictures complement the story giving it an impression of the Renaissance era. The architecture, the landscapes, the tower, the birds, the peacock and the background marble wall help readers connect to the Renaissance times.
The sorceress in this story has not been portrayed as an evil character. She had kept Rapunzel in the tower to protect her from the realities of the world. But, Rapunzel meets the prince in the tower and they get married. The convex mirror on the table reinforces the pregnancy of Rapunzel. There is some content in the story that may raise questions from young children. Though it will be enjoyed by all age groups of readers but this story may not be appropriate for very young children.
This is a well written retelling of the age old fairy tale of Rapunzel. Like all fairy tales, this story has a beautiful ending with Rapunzel going back to the kingdom with the prince and the twins and living happily ever after.

AWARDS/ REVIEW EXCERPTS
Caldecott Medal Book, 1998

Carl Sandburg Award

Publishers Weekly: "A breathtaking interpretation gives the fairy tale new art-historical roots, with illustrations that daringly-and effectively-mimic the masters of Italian Renaissance painting."

Kirkus Reviews: “grandly evocative, composed and executed with superb technical and emotional command.”

Horn Book: “Simply put, this is a gorgeous book; it demonstrates respect for the traditions of painting and the fairy tale while at the same time adhering to a singular, wholly original, artistic vision.”


CONNECTIONS
• A discussion on Renaissance period and the artwork could be held with children.
• Children could be encouraged to paint a picture in oil paints.
• Related books:
-Roberts, Lynn & Roberts, David. 2003. RAPUNZEL: A GROOVY FAIRY TALE. ISBN 0810942429
-Mccafferty, Catherine. 2002. RAPUNZEL. Brighter Child. ISBN 157768379X