Tag Archives: Fiction

Monster Knows Please & Thank You

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Author: Connie Colwell Miller

Illustrator: Maira Chiodi

Publishing Information: Picture Window Books, 2014

Number of Pages: 20

Genre: Fable

Analysis:

This book gives the story of a group of monster friends who are invited to a party to participate in a variety of activities. While participating in different activities and socializing with the other partygoers, each monster is sure to remember to say “please” and “thank you” where it is warranted. As a result, all the monsters are able to get along nicely and are invited back in the end.

This book struck me as a cute and fun type of introductory to a lesson in manners for children. I thought having monsters as the main characters in the story was an interesting choice, but also tactful. Monsters are typically seen by children as mean and/or scary, so it was even more impactful that these monsters were very well-mannered; if even monsters can say “please” and “thank you,” so can the children reading the story. This provides children with a window to see how others behave in a social setting, a mirror so they may reflect on their own manners, and a door to continue to practice good manners in their everyday lives and social settings.

The illustrations in the book are quite interesting, as the text is integrated within the illustrations. The words “please” and “thank you” are in different colors than the rest of each of the words in the sentences they are included in, and are in large, capital letters. This puts extra emphasis on the importance of these words, and makes them stand out from the rest of the text so children pay more attention to them. Furthermore, the pictures are unframed, allowing children to really put themselves in the scene with the characters. As for the illustrations themselves, the colors remain bright throughout the story, giving a fun and lighthearted feel as the good manners the monsters demonstrate help them to avoid conflict.

I found that this book is certainly a fun and easy way for children to learn proper manners, and how having good manners can help them in social situations. It is easily accessible and quite applicable to the everyday lives of young readers.

 

Tweak Tweak

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Author: Eve Bunting

Illustrator: Sergio Ruzzier

Publishing Information: Clarion Books, 2011

Number of Pages: 40

Genre: Folktale

Analysis:

            Tweak Tweak tells the story of a baby elephant and her mother as they wander through the jungle and encounter a variety of different animals that live there as well. Tweak Tweak’s curiosity is piqued each time she sees an animal displaying a skill/behavior that she is unfamiliar with, and she asks her mother if she is capable of doing the same thing as each animal she sees. Although her mother explains that Tweak Tweak cannot do the same thing as the other animal, she enlightens her on the different skills/behaviors that Tweak Tweak is able to do that are just as unique.

The illustrations in the story are noteworthy, as I was able to see a variety of picture codes that could be applicable to different aspects of the illustrations. For example, each time Tweak Tweak asks her mother, “Can I do that?”, she is pictured on the right-hand side of the page, indicating a lack of security. Then, when her mother explains a skill that she is able to do instead of the one she has seen the other animal display, Tweak Tweak is pictured on the left-hand side of the page to demonstrate a greater sense of security now that she is reassured of her own talents. Additionally, there is always a round frame surrounding Tweak Tweak and her mother on the page that follows the mother’s explanation of Tweak Tweak’s unique skill, as they move on from their current location. This indicates a contentedness that is felt by Tweak Tweak and her mother after they are both aware of a skill that Tweak Tweak has that is unique to her, rather than focusing on the skill the other animal has. Furthermore, the illustrations are done in bright watercolors, and the facial expressions of the two elephants are always jovial.

The story teaches children that everyone has their own unique set of abilities, and provides them with a mirror to reflect on their own. The lack of a frame around the illustrations helps children to also put themselves into the scenario with Tweak Tweak, so they can reflect further on this lesson. Also, it teaches them that instead of focusing on what someone else can do that they cannot do, they should focus on those abilities that they do possess and make them unique.

The Broken Cat

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Author/Illustrator: Lynne Rae Perkins

Publisher and Year: Greenwillow Books, 2002

Number of Pages: 30

Genre: Realistic Fiction

A young girl breaks her arm and it isn’t until she sees that it gets better, that she starts to feel better. As time passes, the young girl gets older and has a son. When her son’s cat breaks his leg, she reassures them both that it’ll get better.

This text could work well as a mirror for children who can identify with Frank. At a young age, a child’s best friend is typically their pet. There may be children who feel for Frank and his cat because they love their pet in the same way. Some children also look to pets for direction as to how to react to a situation. For example, when Frank sees that his cat is depressed about breaking his leg, he also gets depressed. When the cat starts to feel better emotionally about the situation, Frank follows. The only characters who appear in the story are Frank’s family, who are White. However, when Frank’s mom breaks her arm and the town welcomes her home, there don’t appear to be any non-White neighbors. There could be more diversity in this book. Also, typical of gender roles, the woman is a nurse and the male is the doctor.

Perceptually, the text adds to the images. The images are dependent on the text, as the illustrations are very basic so a reader could not take much from them alone. Structurally, many of the images in the beginning are in, what appear to be, faded bubbles. The beginning of the story is filled with memories of when Frank’s mom was a child and broke her arm, so the faded pictures may just be her faded memories. When the story comes back into the present, the images are no longer in bubbles. One picture of the cat is a real picture, as parts of the story are based on true events. Ideologically, this story brings to life the true relationship of a child and their pet. The book never mentions that Frank’s mother felt bad for having the cast because she was made fun of, she just felt that it inconvenienced her. In a way, that sheds light on the situation.

The Little Cookie

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Author: Margaret Hillert

Illustrator: Donald Charles

Publishing Information: Modern Curriculum Press, 1981

Number of Pages: 32

Genre: Folktale

Analysis:

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The Little Cookie is a classic tale of an elderly woman who bakes a cookie that comes to life as she finishes making him. Once he realizes he is alive and active, he runs off across the land meeting a variety of new animals and taking in all the scenery he could not have otherwise seen if he was confined to the kitchen. His adventure comes to an end after he accepts a ride across the stream from a sneaky fox, leaving readers to conclude for themselves what happens next.

            The story only uses a total of forty eight basic words, which are counted and listed in a guide at the end of the book, which evidences that it is a story meant for beginning readers to enjoy. Furthermore, the text is rather repetitive as the cookie goes along his different adventures, making it an easy and fun read for younger children.

The illustrations are done in brighter colored paint, reflecting the lighthearted and fun tone of the story as the cookie goes about his adventure out of the kitchen. He is typically featured on the right-hand side of the page, which interested me because he had seemed so free and excited throughout the story. This leads me to believe that perhaps he is not as secure as one may believe him to be, since he is unfamiliar in the outside world. It is not until the very end (when the fox is giving him a ride across the stream) that the cookie is featured on the left-hand side of the page, although they are moving to the right. This could show that although the cookie thinks he is secure, he is headed toward danger as the fox has other plans for him. There are some instances in which the text does not even inform the reader of who is doing the speaking, which leads me to conclude that the story is mostly a picture book narrative where the pictures could tell the story with little to no help from the text.

Although there is certainly the ideology of the dangers of wandering away from one’s caretaker demonstrated in the story, I feel as though this is mostly a fun book to engage beginning readers.

Young Cam Jansen & the Dinosaur Game

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Author: David A. Adler

Illustrator: Susanna Natti

Publishing Information: Scholastic, 1996

Number of Pages: 32

Genre: Mystery

Analysis:

The story of Young Cam Jansen and the Dinosaur Game follows Cam and her friend David as they attend a birthday party that features a guessing game. When one of the partygoers guesses the exact number of little toy dinosaurs in the glass jar, Cam is suspicious that there was cheating involved and decides to use her detective skills to investigate. She comes to find that the boy who won the game placed a second bet after the number had already been revealed, and the mystery is solved.

The illustrations are done in fairly basic colors (blue, red, yellow, green) and are featured in rectangular frames. This gives readers a more limited glimpse at the scenarios unfolding, which is similar to that of the limited information Cam begins her investigation with. Furthermore, the rectangular frames indicated less security than that of round frames, which is fitting for the plot as there is a mystery that has presented itself and has not yet been solved. These illustrations are additive to the text, as some reveal more information and visuals that the text could not have provided alone. For example, one of the illustrations features the slip of paper that had the exact number of dinosaurs on it where one can see smudges of chocolate on the paper. This is important because the guessing game required the children at the party to place their guess before cake was served, and clearly this guess was made afterwards.

This story is broken down into five short chapters, which introduces younger readers to the breakdown of traditional chapter books. Furthermore, the story teaches children a way to engage in more critical thinking as they follow along with Cam’s thought processes as she is solving the mystery. At the end of the story, the person who had the next closest guess is awarded the jar of dinosaurs and opts to share them with everyone else at the party, including the boy who cheated to win the game. This teaches children the value of sharing, as well as not holding a grudge against someone who did not act fairly toward others.

Fancy Nancy: Spectacular Spectacles

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Author: Jane O’Connor

Illustrator: Robin Preiss Glasser and Ted Enik

Publishing Information: Harper Collins, 2010

Number of Pages: 32

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Analysis:

This book introduces readers to Fancy Nancy, and the changes that occur when Nancy’s friend is told that she must wear glasses from now on. At first her friend is less than thrilled, but comes to like her glasses when people react positively to seeing her wear them. The only trouble arises when Nancy becomes a bit jealous and wants a pair of glamorous glasses of her own as well.

The narrative includes a variety of adjectives, such as “spectacular,” “spectacles,” and “glamorous” that may be new for early readers who are more accustomed to general descriptions of things in a story. However, there is a guide in the back of the book that lists each new word, and a definition that can break it down in a way that is easier for children to understand. By doing this, the book teaches children new words in a fun and effective way to enhance their vocabulary.

The illustrations remain unframed throughout the story, and are typically painted in a bright and flamboyant way–I believe this reflects Nancy’s personality perfectly. The only page that was done a bit darker was the one in which the text is describing the jealousy that Nancy feels as she tells her mother that she also wants her won pair of glasses. The illustrations work with the text so that neither could necessarily exist alone in the book.

This book provides children with a mirror that can show them that if they have glasses, there is nothing to be ashamed of. Initially, the friend was worried that the other children would make fun of her, but instead she grows more comfortable with her glasses as people compliment her and she grows more accepting of them. This story also teaches children a bit more about the process of getting glasses, as Nancy’s mother explains that her friend needs them to see and the way it will improve her vision and make things easier for her. In the end, Nancy comes to accept that she should not be jealous that people are flattering her friend after she starts to wear glasses, as there were struggles that the friend had to face up until that point and she deserves to feel accepted and comfortable among her peers.

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The Only Child

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Author/Illustrator: Guojing

Publisher and Year: Schwartz & Wade Books, 2015

Number of Pages: 100

Genre: Fantasy/Fiction

A lonely, only child runs away from home and finds a mysterious stag that takes her to a magical world. In this world, she feels loved and eventually misses home. Guojing takes us through the young girl’s journey back home to her family.

This book could serve as a mirror for those who can identify with the young girl. Some children may feel lonely and are only children, or at least feel as such. Children often use their imagination to “run away” to a place where they feel wanted and empowered. This story could also work as a window into the Chinese culture. The author has stated that this book “…reflects very real feelings of isolation and loneliness I experienced growing up in the 1980’s under the one-child policy in China” (P. 1). The longing for attention and love that a child feels is something that a multitude of readers can relate to.

There are no words in this book, as it is a picture narrative. Structurally, the entire story is told with pictures. For majority of the pages, the images are framed. There is no apparent pattern to the unframed images, but the reader feels more connected to those pages. The images are dark, which emphasizes the sadness the girl feels. The background to the images is more of a sepia when she is home and unhappy, but it is white when she runs away. This change in background emphasizes which images are happier than others. However, this story could just be a huge fantasy. When the child goes to bed, we see that she is holding what appears to be the stag that she rode to this mysterious land. Ideologically, this story shows readers that although it is very easy to become lost, there is always a path guiding the way back home. This story also conveys the idea that running away is an acceptable solution to feeling alone or abandoned. The parents of the child search helplessly for their lost child, but the child moseys on home like nothing happened.

The Pigeon Needs a Bath!

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Author/Illustrator: Mo Willems

Publisher and Year: Hyperion Books for Children, 2014

Number of Pages: 32

Genre: Fiction

IMG_4397This dirty pigeon uses sarcasm and reverse psychology to get out of taking a bath. When his tactics don’t work and he is forced to take a bath, he realizes that baths aren’t so bad after all.

This book could work well as a way to get young, stubborn children to bathe. For some children, bathing isn’t the highlight of their day, so seeing the Pigeon do it could make them feel better about it.  Many parents could probably relate to the Pigeon’s parent who can’t seem to convince him to take a bath. The Pigeon Needs a Bath! Is a book that has some different humor, but is ultimately just a fun read. Like a typical parent-child relationship, the man (assuming he is the parent of the Pigeon) has the power to make the Pigeon take a bath. The Pigeon may feel that it is a choice, but in the end he will take a bath. Some parents could relate to this as well; they allow children to think that they have a choice if they do something, but in reality they don’t.

Perceptually, the entire book is just a conversation the Pigeon is having with himself. He invites the reader into the conversation a few times, but he is really just convincing himself that he shouldn’t take a bath. The text adds to the images, and the images are dependent on the text. Because the illustrations are so simple, it is not clear what exactly the scenes would mean without the text. Structurally, the pigeon is having conversations with the reader as if we someone is actually responding to him. This makes the reader feel more engaged with the book. Emphasized sounds help readers get acquainted with onomatopoeia.

Flashlight

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Author/Illustrator: Lizi Boyd

Publisher and Year: Chronicle Books, 2004

Number of Pages: 32

Genre: Fiction

IMG_2271Flashlight is about a young boy who explores the mysterious world outside of his tent. What other way to experience nature than with a flashlight? Like a flashlight, this book helps us experience the beauties of nighttime nature.

This story could work as a window into a world that a lot of children may be curious about—nature.  There are also many children who could identify with this small, curious boy. Children are known for their creativity and imagination, and this boy’s creativity is what creates this journey for him.

There are no words in this book, as it is a picture narrative. The pictures tell the story. Structurally, majority of the book in black and white to show how dark it is without the flashlight. The areas where the boy shines the flashlight are colorful and bright, but there are also two trees that always have color, even though the flashlight is not on them. This is a cut-out book, and every cut-out is a colorful spot on the next page. One of the things that the boy flashes his light on are “prayer flags”, which are common in the Tibetan culture. At one point, the small boy loses the flashlight and the animals seem to be just as curious about him as he is about them. Ideologically, this book promotes the inner creativity and curiosity in readers. Although the boy cannot see what is in the dark, as the reader, the reader can. However, the creative part comes in when the readers attempts to bring these black and white images to life, just like the young boy with the flashlight.

Leo: A Ghost Story

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Author: Marc Barnett

Illustrator: Christian Robinson

Publisher and Year: Chronical Books, 2015

Number of Pages: 42

Genre: Fiction/Fantasy

IMG_9671 [2578142]When an unwanted ghost boy, Leo, is “evicted” from his ghost home, he is forced to live on the streets. It isn’t until he meets a young, believing girl that he finally feels accepted and seen.

This book could work as a mirror for those who feel that they are “invisible.” Even though Leo is actually invisible because he is a ghost, some children may feel that they are just as invisible and unloved as Leo. It isn’t until Leo sees that he can use his ghostliness for good that he starts to gain power. When he realizes that he can scare the robber into captivity, Leo feels better about the way that he is.

Perceptually, the images depend on the text. Without the text, the images would not really make sense. The texts begins with letting the reader know that people cannot see Leo, but the reader can. This makes readers feel like they are in the story with Leo, or it at least builds a connection between the  reader and the text. Structurally, the images remain on the darker side because Leo is a ghost. Leo can also touch objects such as doorknobs and blankets, but people cannot touch feel his touch. The only person who can see and feel him is Jane, but just as people cannot see him, he cannot see the crown that Jane says she is wearing. This puts emphasis on the idea that the characters in this book can only see what they believe in. Ideologically, this book could teach readers that they should accept who they are, and if they can, find someone who accepts them for who they are as well.