Tag Archives: Picture Book

Time To Go

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IMG_4269Author(s): Beverly and David Fiday

Illustrator/Photographer: Thomas B. Allen

Publisher and Year: Gulliver Books and Harcourt Brace Jovanovich in 1990

Number of Pages: 29

Genre: Realistic fiction

Analysis:

This is a story about the day a young boy is moving out of the farm house he has lived in his whole life, and he is going around the farm remembering what everything used to be like. He talks about how the henhouse use to have chicks and now it is empty, and he talks about how he used to ride on the tractor with his father but it now sits still. In the end, the young boy promises that he will one day move back to the farm, but for the time being he has to go.

This book can act as a window for students to learn about the harsh realities of poverty, who may have never lost something due to economic hardships. For some children, this book may give them hope for better days to come, if they too have lost something due to their family’s financial state. This story is also portraying the hardships that farm owners and families have recently been experiencing due to industrialization and the poor economy. The illustrations in this book are a little blurry and have a dark color scheme, which symbolizes the disappointed and gloomy mood of the story. On each page, the illustrator uses the left side of the page as a depiction of the current, bleak, and run-down conditions of the farm and the right side shows how lively and beautiful the farm once was. The main character is a white male, but is often drawn with his back to the reader and if facing front, he has little to no details on his face, which could be the illustrator’s way of trying to make the main character seem like a relatable character. However, if this is the case, then the illustrator is reiterating that the white male is the norm for society.

When first reading and looking through the book, it seems like a sad story about a child moving but there are deeper messages that the reader can take away from this such as accepting a large change or loss. Overall, this story does a great job of explaining loss and poverty to younger kids. I also believe the message of hope and optimism is also apparent, especially at the end of the book, which shows children that they should never give up hope.

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Papa’s Mark

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IMG_4265Author(s): Gwendolyn Battle-Lavert

Illustrator/Photographer: Colin Bootman

Publisher and Year: Holiday House in 2004

Number of Pages: 30

Genre: Historical Fiction

Analysis:

This book is the story of how an African American boy named Simms, helped his father in becoming one of the first African Americans to vote in an election. Simms’s father does not know how to sign his name other than by just making a mark, therefore, Simms helps him learn how to write his name and encourages him and other African American men to vote in the election. In the end, Simms’s father and many other African American men vote despite any prior fears or uncertainties.

This book could serve as a window into seeing the injustice that many African Americans have faced, and still do today. This book could also function as a mirror for African American children, in which they may recognize the value of their culture and the role they play, as children, in their culture. I also believe that this story is a door for all people to really begin to recognize the racism that is still present in our world today, and encourage children to become advocates for their culture and their rights as humans. The illustrations that accompany the story portray the characters in a very accurate way, from the way they are dressed, to the expressions on their faces. The colors used throughout the book are fairly dark with a yellow and brown color scheme, which can represent the confinement felt by the African Americans in this book.

I thought that the author accurately described the challenges that faced many African Americans during the Civil Rights movement, and even after they earned the right to vote. This book does not go into much detail of what had happened in order for the African Americans to have the right to vote, but it does explain how literacy was one challenge for many African Americans and also the fear of what might happen to them if they do vote. Also, all throughout the story, Simms is always around to help his father like picking up groceries, teaching his father how to spell his name, making posters, and encouraging both his father and other African American males to vote which shows children that they are capable of helping their elders and making a difference in social justice situations. Simms can also be considered a symbol of younger generations and the huge impact they have on continuing the fight for civil rights.

Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon

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IMG_6200Title: Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon

Author:  Patty Lovell

Illustrator: Da vid Catrow

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2001

Number of Pages: 32 pages

Tags: Emotion, Family, Fiction, Friendship, Picture Book, K-5, Stephanie Prentice

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Analysis: Molly Lou Melon starts in a new school where a bully picks on her for her physical characteristics. Molly Lou Melon has buck teeth, is short, clumsy, and has a squeaky voice. Despite all this, Molly’s grandmother teaches her to be proud of herself. Her grandmother’s lessons are put to the test when she moves to a new school.

Children who have been picked on can very easily relate to this book. Molly Lou Melon is bullied by a student at her new school many times. In addition, children are able to see the way in which Molly Lou Melon stands up to the bully, giving them confidence of their own. This book can also provide children an inspiration to stop the act of bullying in their schools.

In the images, Molly Lou Melon is shown to be much smaller than the furniture in her room. There is a ladder for her to climb into bed, which emphasizes how short Molly Lou Melon is. The exaggeration of her physical characteristics makes the point of which the author is trying to make. The bold text used in the parts when Ronald Durkin was making fun of her exaggerate the act of bullying taking place. The images are very colorful and detailed, drawing a reader in. The repetitive use of “so shIMG_6201e did” shows the reader that Molly Lou Melon took her grandmother’s advice to heart. The lack of frames in the illustrations allows the reader to connect to Molly Lou Melon on a personal level. Ideologically, this book has many layers. One layer shows that if people stand up to bullies, the bullying stops. Each time Ronald Durkin bullied Molly Lou Melon, she did something that all her other classmates loved. Eventually Ronald Durkin stopped bullying her. The second layer teaches children to love who they are and what they look like. Molly Lou Melon has a lot of self confidence when it comes to doing anything. Molly Lou Melon’s grandmother teaches her that she can accomplish anything if she carries herself with confidence, and that’s just what she does. This book teaches children to value self confidence and individuality.

Knock, Knock: My Dad’s Dream for Me

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Title: Knock, Knock: My Dad’s Dream for Me

IMG_6195Author: Daniel Beaty

Illustrator: Bryan Collier

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company, 2013

Number of Pages: 40 pages

Tags:

Genre: Fiction

Analysis: In this story, a boy talks about his morning routine that involves his father knocking on his door to wake him up. However, his father doesn’t come to his door one morning because he is incarcerated. He waits patiently, but his father never shows back up. The rest of the story is told through a letter that his father writes him from jail describing the dreams he holds for his son. This book is a Coretta Scott King Award Winner.

This book serves as a mirror to the children who have an absent parent in their life for any reason. The story talks about the process of growing into adulthood while missing a parent. It is told from the child’s point of view, displaying the wide range of emotions that took place during these times. The child in the story never finds out where his father is, which can be representative of some children’s reality. However, as the story goes on we see the child grow in age and see him accomplish many things. For this reason, the book also serves as a door to its readers. It gives them courage to keep going when they might be scared without parental guidance. In the author’s note, we learn that the author created this book in regards to his own personal life. His father was placed in jail when he was only three years old.

The illustrations in this book are put together with collage materials and water colors, giving a feel for the Harlem area in which the story is set.  There are other children’s faces used on the buildings. The images of the other children and sometimes clear and sometimes faded. Perhaps they are symbolic of memories fading away with time. The emotions on the narrator’s face are clear and add an element that is not described in the text. The father’s tie is present in the beginning of the book, but as the story goes on we see the main character put the tie on himself as he grows older. We also see the growth of the boy, symbolizing the time passing while his father is still gone. The structure of this book relies heavily on the letter the boy’s father sends him. The letter discusses many life lessons that a father can teach his son such as shaving for the first time. The father tells the boy to knock down doors that IMG_6196he couldn’t, as well as knock to open the doors to his dreams. This element ties into the game they used to play when he as a child. Ideologically, this book has many important lessons. While it speaks to the children who have lost a parent, it also aims to show hope, the importance of making good decisions, and to not let a past define a future. This book speaks to all children who may have the odds stacked against them. Some people may believe that this book is stereotypical because the father, an African American, is sent to jail. However, I believe that this book is great for all children, regardless of their situation.

Lon Po Po: A Red Riding Hood Story from China

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Title: Lon Po Po: A Red Riding Hood Story from China

Author: Ed YoungIMG_6193

Illustrator: Ed Young

Publisher: Philomel Books, 1989

Number of Pages: 30 pages

Tags: Award Book, Animals, Culture, Fiction, Picture Book, 2-3, 4-5, Stephanie Prentice

Genre: Myth

Analysis: This tale from Ancient China is very similar to the European version of The Little Red Riding Hood. After their mother leaves to see their grandmother, Shang, Tao, and Paotze are left home alone when they hear a knock on the door. The wolf claims to be the children’s grandmother, but they soon realize she is not. They plan on how to get rid of the wolf. This book is a Caldecott Gold Medal award winner.

Children who read this book can easily recognize the similarities and differences between this tale and the Westernized version. They can also see how the Chinese culture tells this well-known story. The authentic Chinese culture is reflected in this story, as it was translated from an ancient Chinese oral tradition that is nearly a thousand years old. Since the author of the text is part of the Chinese culture himself it is fair to say this story is an accurate representation.

The images are a combination of pastels and water color, which work very well together. The images are also framed, emphasizing the idea the story is an old tradition. In the beginning of the story, the colors are brighter but soon turn dark, signaling the danger that is soon to come. The pictures of the wolf are always created with dark colors creating a dark and dangerous feel. The emotions on the childrens’ faces are realistic and one can sense the fear they have. As the children defeat the wolf, the images become brighter once again. The main plot of the story is very similar to the western traditional story; however, it incorporates many things from the Chinese culture. For example, the children climb the gingko tree, which has gingko nuts that allow for people to live forever. The children are also seen wearing traditional Chinese clothing. The heroine in this story is a female, which is rare for fairy tales. From the beginning, the oldest daughter realizes that the wolf is playing a trick on them. This differs from the Western version where the main character falls for the wolf’s tricks. This story shows the dangers of children staying home alone. The wolf saw the mother leave and takes advantage of the situation. This story also teaches children they should obey their parents. Before the girls’ mom left, reminded them to shut and lock the door tight. When the wolf arrives at the house, the girls open the door for him. In addition, this story teaches children to keep calm while they are in danger. IMG_6194

Monday, Wednesday, and Every Other Weekend

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Title: Monday, Wednesday, and Every Other Weekend

IMG_6189Author: Karen Stanton

Illustrator: Karen Stanton

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends, 2014

Number of Pages: 40 pages

Tags: 

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Analysis: In this story, Henry’s parents are divorced and he lives in two different houses. On Monday, Wednesday, and every other weekend Henry and his dog, Pomegranate, live with their mom in her apartment. On Tuesday, Thursday, and every other weekend, they live with their dad in his new house.  Pomegranate gets confused with the new changes and wants to go back to his old home.

This story serves as a mirror, allowing children with divorced parents to see their own life reflected in the story. It deals with the many changes that take place during a divorce. The images also include children of different cultures which creates diversity. In addition, the images are created using different texts from French, Italian, and other languages. Children who have not experienced this significant change in their life can grasp an idea of how other children may feel in this situation.

The images are very colorful and lively, creating a positive mood. They are made with a mixture of acrylic paint and some collage materials.  In addition, it is obvious through the illustrations that Mama’s and Papa’s house are very different places. Mama lives in an apartment while Papa has his own house down the street. In the images, the reader can see the calendars shown on the wall. In each house, the calendar on the wall shows thIMG_6192e days that Henry will spend there. The author and illustrator uses Pomegranate to display most of the emotions felt by children during times of divorce within their family. For example, Pomegranate runs away and Henry knows just where to find him. Henry runs to his old house, “the house where we all used to live together,” and finds Pomegranate there. However, she portrays the main character Henry as happy and well adjusted to his new life, but does not underplay the emotions Henry experiences. The author also portrays each parent positively, listing the perks of living in each house.  While searching for the dog, the illustrator creates a map that allows the reader to see the town in which Henry lives. The dots on the map show where Henry goes to find his dog. This book handles the feelings surrounding divorce in a positive way. This book can be used by families who are struggling to establish a new way of living after divorce. This book is relatable to a lot of children who experience this shift in family dynamics.

A Day’s Work

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Title: A Day’s Work

Author: Even Bunting

Illustrator: Ronald Himler

Publisher and Year: Clarion Books, 1994

Number of Pages: 32

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Analysis: A Day’s Work is a story about a young boy, Francisco and his grandfather, who go to look for work in America after Francisco’s grandfather moves in with Francisco and his mother. Francisco goes with his grandfather since he does not understand English yet. The two work hard but realize that they have to come back the next day to redo their day’s work.

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This book can function as a mirror for those just moving to America from another country. Many experiences that Francisco’s grandfather goes through could also be significant for other people as well. Not knowing English and having to learn English as a second language can be challenging for anyone. This book could also function as a window, for people who speak English to learn about the challenges that others experience when moving to the United States.

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Perceptually, the colors from the front cover appear dull, which is not very interesting or engaging for young children. They also appear to be pencil drawings looking like rough sketches, but very detailed. Although the colors are dull and not intriguing, the mysteriousness behind the front cover, invites the reader inside the book to continue reading the story.

Structurally, the images are not framed, which allows the audience to feel invited in and included throughout the book. The text per page with the images is just the correct amount of text so that the reader can understand the text before turning to the next page. The images leave the audience with a mysterious feeling because there is not a clarity in the images, especially the faces, which leaves the reader with an idea about what occurred on that page because of the text but does not provide many details. Since the reader is not able to clearly see the faces of the characters, facial expressions and emotions are hard to see in the images. The illustrator may be trying to make a point about these workers and that workers may not want to specifically have an identity because of frequent job changes or moves.

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Ideologically, this book is an excellent example of honesty, loyalty, and that hard work pays off. The grandfather and Francisco are loyal and honest with their employer. Since they completed the wrong job, they were not going to accept payment until the next day when they had completed the job correctly. This example teaches children to always be honest and loyal because these characteristics are valued among adults, parents, and teachers. The easy way out would have been from the grandfather and Francisco to simply accept the money and come out the next day to partially complete the job, but they took the harder route by waiting. Another lesson that this book teaches children is that hard work pays off. Since Francisco and his grandfather took the harder route, they were more valued by their employer, and it could be likely for them to be asked again by this same employer to work for him another time. A Day’s Work is a great book to teach children about morals and values.

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Benito’s Sopaipillas

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Title: Benito’s Sopaipillas

Author: Ana Baca

Illustrator: Anthony Accardo

Publisher and Year: Piñata Books, 2006

Number of Pages: 26

Genre: Fiction

Analysis: Benito’s Sopaipillas is about a young girl,Cristina, learning about her family history. Her grandmother tells her a story about Cristina’s great grandfather Benito and his soup catchers also know as sopaipillas in Spanish that he made many years ago with his mother.

This book can function as a window for those who are not familiar with this culture and sopaipillas. Many people who read this book can learn a lot about the culture displayed throughout. Not only could the book function as a window, but it could also function as a mirror for those who are familiar with this culture. People of this culture can relate to this book and understand the story behind sopaipillas. Benito’s Sopaipillas can also function as a door for children who want to learn more about their family culture and history. Cristina learns a lot about her great grandfather Benito and his sopaipillas, so other children could want to learn about their family history.

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Perceptually, the front cover of the book had a mysterious feeling especially since they were cheering for rain, which was unclear the meaning behind the image on the front. From the front cover, there is both Spanish and English portrayed in the title, author and illustrator which showed that the book would both involve Spanish and English, without even opening to the first page.

Structurally, all the images are on the right side, with the entire left side full of text. The text is in two different languages, Spanish and English, which is why the text takes up an entire page. On each page, the image is framed, which only allows the audience to have a glimpse into the storyline, and not truly connect with the storyline and characters. Separating the English text and the Spanish text is a small image of a crop. This image changes throughout the book adapting to the storyline, three examples of this image can be seen below.

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Ideologically, the book expresses stories about Cristina’s family history, showing to the audience that family history is important for all to learn about. Cristina learned about her own family’s culture and history, which could encourage the audience to also learn about their own family culture and history. Since the book contains text in both Spanish and English, the two different languages are useful depending on the audience. For example, if one person wanted to learn Spanish and knew English, he or she could read the English text and the Spanish text to learn the meaning of different words. The same is true for the opposite, if one person were to know Spanish, but not English, he or she could use both texts to learn English.

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Ava and the Real Lucille

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Title: Ava and the Real Lucille

Author: Cari Best

Illustrator: Madeline Valentine

Publisher and Year: Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, 2012

Number of Pages: 30

Genre: Fiction

Analysis: Ava and the Real Lucille is about two sisters, Ava and Arlie who enter a contest to win a pet. The girls are hoping to win a dog when entering the poem contest. The end result is not what they thought, but the prize ended up being perfect.

This book can function as a mirror for young kids wanting a pet, which is common for most children. Not only will this book function as a mirror for children but can work as a mirror for parents as well. Children who want a pet are constantly talking about their pet and bugging their parents. Both children and parents can relate to this book because the real life experiences are understandable from the audiences perspective.

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Perceptually, the front cover of the book is colorful and appears to be about a little girl Ava and a pet dog named Lucille. The book looks to be a fun and entertaining book for children. The cover catches the reader’s attention, who is then interested in reading about Ava and her pet Lucille.

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Structurally, many pictures throughout the book have round frames, implying that the characters are content and secure. The illustrator could have created these round frames for the audience to think that the two little girls were content with the fact that they could win a poem contest and receive a pet dog. The round frames throw the reader off a bit, thinking that the girls will win a pet dog, when they actually win a pet bird. At the end of the book when Ava and Arlie love their pet bird, there are also round frames, showing the girls are content with having a pet bird named Lucille. The images both give more details as well as mirror the text throughout the book.

Ideologically, this book portrays a positive message but also conveys a negative message for children as well.   Positively, the book teaches children about the responsibility that is associated with having a pet. Children learn to love and care for the pet, regardless if it is a pet that they had wished for. The book teaches children that they must feed, love, help, and play with their pet. All of these actions are important lessons for children to read about prior to actually buying a pet. However, when first receiving the pet, Ava was ungrateful for the pet bird that they won, because she wanted a dog. She would yell and stomp so loud that her actions would upset Lucille the bird. Ungratefulness, disrespect and impatience are all lessons that teachers and adults do not want children reading about and learning to behave in such a way. After Ava’s poor actions, she came around and really cared for Lucille the bird, however, her prior actions were poor lessons for children to learn.

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Dancing in the Wings

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Dancing1 Title: Dancing in the Wings

Author: Debbie Allen

Illustrator: Kadir Nelson

Publisher and Year: The Penguin Group, 2000

Number of Pages: 29

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Analysis: Dancing in the Wings is about a young girl, Sassy, who loves ballet but is taller than all of her peers. Throughout the book, Sassy learns to embrace her difference leading to her success near the end of the book.

This book could function as a mirror for all young girls who love dancing but do not always feel that their appearance is the same as their classmates. Girls typically struggle more with self-image compared to boys, so this book helps young girls embrace their characteristics. I think that this book could also function as a mirror for African American girls. They could see themselves through Sassy and her family. Having a book that is applicable to African American girls can make these girls feel included and understood. A window is another function of this book because people can learn about some aspects of a different culture from this book.

Perceptually, this book portrays a musical, beautiful and elegant cover that makes one believe that the same types of images will continue throughout the book. However, that is not the case at all. Within the images, Sassy appears to have two different sides to her personality. One aspect of her personality portrays elegance through the dancing images. Another aspect of Sassy’s character that is portrayed in the images is her athletic and tomboy characteristics, as seen in the images below. However, all of the images are beautifully drawn throughout the entire book.

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Structurally, Sassy is taller and larger than her classmates, showing that she is stronger than her classmates as well. This is symbolic to the ending of the book, when Sassy outlasts all of her classmates in a tryout. The unframed images allow the audience to feel included in the story and allow the audience to connect with Sassy and her challenges that she faces throughout the book. Throughout most of the book, Sassy is facing left. This is a way for viewers to see that Sassy is less secure with herself. After Sassy wins the dance contest between other girls she still continues to face towards the left, which can be a sign of the lack of confidence that Sassy has with herself. For the longest time Sassy has been bullied about her height, so her struggle to believe in herself is something that she has learned over time from her peers and teachers.Dancing2

Ideologically, this book expresses the message that one should embrace his or her individuality because what makes him or her unique may be what leads to success. Sassy was successful and won the dance contest because of her height and long legs. What was once a deficit in her mind, became one of her biggest assets. Sassy always worked hard even when her peers would discourage or upset Sassy and in the end all of her hard work paid off. Throughout the book, there were a couple girls who were mean and would upset Sassy. This is a lesson that children should not be taught. Even though this lesson was an essential part of the story plot, children could learn this from the book.