Ella Fitzgerald: A Vocal Virtuosa (Module 2)

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Pinkney, Andrea Davis. 2002. Ella Fitzgerald: The Tale of a Vocal Virtuosa. Ill. by Brian Pinkney. New York: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN: 9780786805686.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Starting with her dancing on the streets of Harlem with dreams of fame and ending with her singing at Carnegie Hall, this colorful picture book follows Ella Fitzgerald's life and demonstrates the impact that she had on the music world. Author's note, illustrator's note, bibliography, videography, and selected discography included.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The illustrations by Brian Pinkney jump off the page in this book. Done in the style popular in the time of Ella Fitzgerald's life, they are created with scratchboard and then painted. The effect is striking and memorable. The subject of the art is also quite striking as Pinkney taps into the creativity of jazz and the imaginative artistry that African American art is known for to create pages full of whimsy and fun. There's Chick Webb's band “swinging” as they play as well as Ella and Dizzy Gillespie flying across the night on a trumpet. These illustrations are not easily forgotten and will give readers plenty to admire and interpret in them. One illustration that demonstrates many of the cultural markers found within the art is the page of young people dancing. It shows a variance of clothing, hair styles, facial features, and skin tones, is full of fun, and highlights some amazing dancing feats (such as a woman flying high into the air).

Andrea Davis Pinkney has done an excellent job of creating the text with the right amount of rhythm and cadence for the subject at hand. Following “Scat Cat” introducing us to our subject, she has titled each section of Ella Fitzgerald's life as a Track, as if we are listening to a record rather than reading a book. In sharing about Ella Fitzgerald's amazing talent, Pinkney also shares how she broke a lot of racial barriers: “Ella's popularity showed them that a true star has no color—it just shines.”

The Pinkney's have created a fantastic biographical picture book that features in a jazzy style one of the most talented American singers ever. The cover showing Ella Fitzgerald as bigger than life really encapsulates the message they have gotten across: she was a big talent that moved through the racially prejudiced walls and knocked a few down as well.


4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

• Publisher's Weekly Starred: “A "skippity-hop-doo-dee-bop" picture book.”
• School Library Journal: “Bright colors, jazzy words, and energetic artwork bring the music of scat and Fitzgerald to life ”
• Booklist Starred: “Cue up the music and read this one out LOUD.”

5. CONNECTIONS

• Help the book come alive by listening to jazz music or watching a jazz performance. When doing so, please make sure to follow all applicable copyright laws. You can take this opportunity to discuss copyright laws as well, as there are many ways to watch or listen to Ella Fitzgerald online that are not following these laws (just try a search on Youtube).
• Brian Pinkney shares that his inspiration for the art in this book came from Aaron Douglas and William H. Johnson who were both artists of the period. Have students look at the work of these artists and the Art Deco movement to see if they can find similarities and differences with the pages in this book.
• The art in this book was done using a scratchboard. Babble Dabble Do, an artist's website for family art projects, has easy to follow directions on making your own scracthboard art.
• Other biographical picture books by this husband and wife team, Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney:

Alvin Ailey. ISBN: 9780786810772.

Bill Pickett: Rodeo-Ridin' Cowboy. ISBN: 9780152021030.

Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra. ISBN: 9780786814206.

Sojourner Truth's Step-Stomp Stride. ISBN: 9780786807673.

One Crazy Summer (Module 2)

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Williams-Garcia, Rita. 2010. One Crazy Summer. New York: Amistad. ISBN: 9780060760885.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
During the summer of 1968, three sisters, Delpine, Vonetta, and Fern, travel from New York to Oakland, California to meet their estranged mother who left when Ferm was born. They arrive to find their mother an enigmatic and distant person who spends her time in the kitchen writing poetry and printing it out on a hand crank printing press. Instead of visiting Disney World or finding movie stars as they had imagined, the girls go to a day camp at the People’s Center run by the Black Panthers and get a radical new look at the world they live in.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Williams-Gracia does an excellent job of creating uneasiness in the reader as we witness these three girls walking into such a tumultuous place. There is a stark difference between their home in New York where their Big Ma is worried about them making a “grand Negro spectacle” of themselves to the People's Center of Oakland where they are being taught their rights and to have pride in being black. This difference demonstrates two radically different views of what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s. The uneasiness is also amplified to any reader who has background knowledge of the unrest of Oakland during this time and how “crazy” it was to have these previously somewhat sheltered children taking care of themselves through a good portion of their trip.

The characters are one of the most memorable parts of this novel as they seem to jump off the page. They are fully fleshed out and full of surprises. From what the mom's motivation is to how Delphine will handle her sisters, Williams-Garcia did an excellent job of creating a world that has depth and a plot that does not pander to its audience.

There are many cultural markers in this book that show a diversity of thoughts, vocabulary, and opinions during this time in America. The girls argue with one Panther that they are “colored” not “black.” The same Panther calls Fern a “white baby lover” for having her white baby doll with her at all times. As the girls' eyes are opened to the world around them, the reader also gains an education as well about 1968. There are three sisters who are dressed up like they are going to a go-go, a young boy who is mixed Japanese-Black with his Black Panther father in jail, Hippies singing songs of peace, a Black Panther who speaks fanatically about “offing the pigs,” references to freeing Huey and remembering Bobby, and white foreign tourists who try to take pictures of the young girls.

The only thing that seemed disconnected to me in the whole book was the cover on this particular version. There are other covers of this book, but the one I had was a young girl cupping her chin and looking up. She looks young and sweet. The colors are bright and fun. It looks like a book I could hand to a high reader in third grade. The topic however is something for more mature readers to handle (interest level is grades 5-8 according to Follett). I think this cover doesn't do justice to the topics inside nor prepare the reader for what s/he will encounter.

One Crazy Summer is a wonderful book full of depth. All three girls grow a great deal over the summer they spend with their mother and depart with a deeper understanding of who they are, even if they still have so many questions about who their mother is.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

• Coretta Scott King Award 2011
• Newbery Honor 2011
• Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction 2011
• Booklist Starred: “Set during a pivotal moment in African American history, this vibrant novel shows the subtle ways that political movements affect personal lives; but just as memorable is the finely drawn, universal story of children reclaiming a reluctant parent’s love.”
• Horn Book Starred: “Williams-Garcia writes vividly about that turbulent summer through the intelligent, funny, blunt voice of Delphine, who observes outsiders and her own family with shrewdness and a keen perception.”
• Kirkus Reviews Starred: “The depiction of the time is well done, and while the girls are caught up in the difficulties of adults, their resilience is celebrated and energetically told with writing that snaps off the page.”

5. CONNECTIONS

• The 1968 Exhibit is a traveling exhibit that has a strong website. Use the resources here to help students understand some of the events that are mentioned in the book and to get a better picture of the national climate. The desktop timeline is particularly interesting and holds a wealth of information.
• The Black Panthers are a main part of this novel. Although readers will get a basic understanding of them through this novel, readers would benefit from greater background knowledge before reading or an in-depth study after reading this novel. Students should look beyond what was publicized about them in popular media to the things they were lesser known for, like the free breakfast program that the characters go to in One Crazy Summer.
• Create a poetry reading event for students. Allow them to read other's poetry or their own. One possible theme for this poetry and event could be oppression and how to stop it.
• Other books that have received the Newbery and Coretta Scott King Award:

Curtis, Christoper Paul. Bud, Not Buddy. ISBN: 9780385323062. Coretta Scott King Award 2000 and Newbery Medal 2000.

Curtis, Christopher Paul. The Watson's Go to Birmingham—1963: a novel. ISBN: 9780385321754. Coretta Scott King Honor 1996 and Newbery Honor 1996.

McKissack, Pat. The Dark Thirty: Southern Tales of the Supernatural. ISBN: 97806798186632. Coretta Scott King Award 1993 and Newbery Honor 1993.

The First Part Last (Module 2)

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Johnson, Angela. 2003. The First Part Last. New York: Simon and Schuster Books for Young People. ISBN: 9780689849220.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Bobby is a 16-year-old father who is deeply in love with his newborn daughter, Feather. Through a series of chapters that go back and forth from “now” and “then,” his story of deciding to raise her primarily on his own and the hardships of doing so is told. Although Bobby's parents and friends are supportive, this story provides a frank look at what it takes for a teen to raise a kid, while trying to finish up school and maintain some friendships as well.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Angela Johnson uses time in her novel in a fascinating way by jumping back and forth between the past and present. This lends a bit of mystery to Bobby's tale and also adds depth to his decision to raise his child. As the story slowly becomes clear as to how he ended up in this place, we are drawn to his character and love for his friends, girlfriend, family, and child. The only time the point of view shifts is in the one chapter that is told by Bobby's girlfriend, Nia It seems a bit jarring to the flow of the novel to hear a different voice in the midst of Bobby's, but that was most likely the goal of Johnson as this comes at the turning point in the novel.

The characters in Johnson's book are well-fleshed out and wonderfully dynamic. The people of this short novel are one of its strengths. Readers will come to like these characters and want to spend more time with them. The characters bring out emotions in the reader, both positive and negative, which is good in such an emotionally charged subject as teenage pregnancy/parenthood.

Some cultural markers are present in this book, but the force of the novel is about telling the story of a teen father, rather than the culture he comes from. The varied descriptions of skin colors (e.g. “mahogany”) is one marker that is apparent. There is also the description of Bobby's apartment as being filled with Jacob Lawrence prints and the sounds of jazz, Motown, and reggae. However, Johnson, of course, doesn't hit a one note cultural marker but shows diversity in the culture through the other apartment described, Nia's, as stark white, post-modern, with Japanese features. Themes of strong families sticking together are another marker.

One of the most mesmerizing parts of this novel is Angela Johnson's incredibly poetic prose. The beauty of language has long been a part of African American literature, and this is no exception. The rhythm and cadence of the words, the metaphors and imagery, and the very fact that something so brief could bring out so much emotion shows Johnson's poetic side.

This novel has universal appeal because of it's themes of love and fidelity. The topic of teen pregnancy also hits a broad audience. Angela Johnson artfully draws the reader in and leaves us wanting to know more about what happened to Bobby and Feather.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

• Coretta Scott King Award 2004
• Michael L. Printz Award 2004
• Booklist Starred: “Johnson makes poetry with the simplest words in short, spare sentences that teens will read again and again.”
• Horn Book Starred: “What resonate in this prequel to the Coretta Scott King Award-winning Heaven are the sacrifices Bobby makes for Feather's sake.”
• Publisher's Weekly Starred: “The author skillfully relates the hope in the midst of pain.”
• School Library Journal: “Brief, poetic, and absolutely riveting, this gem of a novel tells the story of a young father struggling to raise an infant.”

5. CONNECTIONS

• This is the middle book in the Heaven trilogy. The first book is Heaven and the last book is Sweet, Hereafter. After reading all three, have students look at how they are all tied together, as it is not like the “series” books they have become accustomed to.
• Do an author study on Angela Johnson. Have students look at her picture books and poetry as well as her novels. An interview with Johnson can be found on the Ohio Channel.
• Other teen books that won Coretta Scott King and Michael L. Printz:

Myers, Walter Dean. Monster. ISBN: 9780060280772. Coretta Scott King Honor 2000 and Printz Award 2000.

Nelson, Marilyn. A Wreath for Emmett Till. ISBN: 0618397523. Coretta Scott King Honor 2006 and Printz Honor 2006.

The Pull of the Ocean (Module 1)

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Mourlevat, Jean-Claude. 2006. The Pull of the Ocean. Trans. by Y. Maudet. New York: Laurel-Leaf Books. ISBN: 9780385736664.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Based loosely on the story of Tom Thumb, seven brothers flee their abusive parents when the youngest brother, Yann (who is both mute and unusually small), lets them know of their father's plans to kill them all. The brothers follow Yann, who is also unusually wise for a child, on a journey to the ocean. Although they encounter many kindnesses and hardships, they do end up at the ocean only to get themselves locked into the house of a “monster,” leading to a near-death experience. Yann helps the brothers return safely to their seemingly more loving parents, yet disappears himself to adventures untold.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Mourlevat's retelling of Tom Thumb is mysterious, beautiful, and hauntingly dark. The parents are cruel and uncaring, the siblings are loving and loyal, strangers are both kind and brutal, and Yann is otherworldly in his stature, wisdom, and ability to seemingly communicate telepathically. Mourlevat has created a story that is a modern fairy tale in itself.

The use of different points of view is employed skillfully by Mourlevat to draw out the mystery by limiting the reader just to what each person saw or experienced. Each chapter comes from a different narrator allowing the story to unfold in such a way as to keep the reader guessing—and turning pages. It is not until the second to last chapter that Yann narrates any of the story which solves some (but not all) of the mysteries this book contains. By not allowing Yann's voice to come out until the end, Mourlevat also gives the reader a chance to experience what all the other characters have experienced in Yann's muteness.

The geography of France is highlighted in this book as the brothers travel from town to town on their way to the coast. Simple things like asking for bread at a local bakery, traveling by train, and hitching a ride with a grocer who delivers also bring out pieces of French culture, as these things are no longer a large part of the American experience. The musicality of the names of people and places in France along with the cadence of the well-translated book will draw readers into a country that they won't want to leave.

Tom Thumb's traditional themes that looks can be deceiving and quick wits can triumph are maintained in Mourlevat's version. There is also a strong theme of familial loyalty and love in the face of adversity that keeps the reader rooting for the brothers and wishing to be a part of these siblings as well.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

• Mildred L. Batchelder Award 2007
• School Library Journal: "A well-crafted mystery awaits anyone reading this fabled jigsaw puzzle."   
• Horn Book Starred:  "A powerful portrait of poverty and sibling solidarity."
• Publisher's Weekly: "Mourlevat enchantingly blends the harshly real and the make-believe, with the latter tipping the balance as this effectively haunting, fluidly translated tale comes to a close."

5. CONNECTIONS

• Read through the traditional tale of Tom Thumb. You can find an audio version of it on Storynory (note: there is an ad for Montosorri schools in the first few seconds). Compare and contrast the original tale with this modern retelling.
• Use a French map to pinpoint each city mentioned in the book and travel along with the brothers. This can be done on a paper map or also by dropping pins on a digital map, such as a Google map. WikiHow has a page leading you through how to do this.
• The use of a different person telling their part of the tale helps to move the story along in a unique fashion. Ask students to work on a rewriting the tale with Yann alone as the narrator. Discuss how this changes the mystery of the story.
• Other books that retell traditional tales in modern settings:

Flinn, Alex. Beastly. ISBN: 978-0-06-199866-9.

McGowan, Keith. The Witch's Guide to Cooking with Children. ISBN: 978-0-312-67486-1.

Pearce, Jackson. Sweetly. ISBN: 978-0-316-06865-9.

The Herd Boy (Module 1)

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Daly, Niki. 2012. The Herd Boy. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 978080285417.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Malusi is a young boy who lives in a village in South Africa and spends his days watching his grandfather's sheep and goats. His friend Lungisa and his friend's dog, Koko, join him for most of the day. As they are eating a lunch Malusi's sister brought to them, they discuss what they want to be when they grow up. Malusi dreams of being president, and although his friend laughs, his sister believes in him. Malusi's herd is threatened by baboons, and even though Koko comes to the rescue, one lamb is injured. As Malusi carries the injured one back home, a sleek, black car with a rich man inside stops to talk to the boys. When he asks them what they want to be, Lungisa answers for Malusi, and the man states that one who looks with such care after his herd would make a great leader. The story ends with Malusi falling asleep with dreams of becoming just that.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The story line in The Herd Boy is simple and yet fascinating as it shows the daily life of a child in rural modern South Africa. Children will relate to the idea of doing chores, playing with friends, and interacting with family. However, the details of how Malusi spends his day tending sheep under the harsh sun in a dusty, craggy area of South Africa will draw readers into a world that is most likely very different from their own.

Seamlessly interwoven into the text are non-English words, the meaning of which can be easily inferred from context clues and visuals. A glossary in the back of the book can help confirm meanings of words and also tells where these words originate from (e.g. Xhosa, Afrikaans, German, etc.). By putting these words into the text, readers get a feel for language in South Africa that draws them beyond the storyline.

The South African culture is beautifully depicted through Daly's illustrations. The art is done in mostly earth tones, so that the beauty of a few vibrant flowers, the red blanket Malusi wears, and the final page showing Malusi's dream stand out. With close inspection of each page, readers can find even more information about the South African culture from how they cook to how they pen up the animals. The final spread showing Malusi's dream of being president illustrates the diversity of the South African population as skin colors and shades vary greatly.

The underlying message of pursuing dreams no matter what your beginnings are like is emphasized by an author's note that mentions many leaders who started out as humble sheep herders, including Nelson Mandela (who is surely the rich man in the black car). An overarching theme of hope is embodied in this excellent picture book that shows that there is nothing wrong with dreaming far beyond where we are currently at.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

• USBBY's Outstanding International Book List 2013
• Horn Book Starred: "Throughout the story, Daly provides a palpable feel for daily life in modern rural South Africa, from tending livestock to collecting dung pebbles. . . . Thoughtful pacing allows for appreciation of both the tale's action and its quieter moments."
• Kirkus Reviews: "Affectionate and existential, Daly has well and fully caught Malusi's immediate circumstance and his horizons."
• School Library Journal:   "This is a touching, eloquent story about a young boy who could be any child. Filled with hope and promise, it will inspire children to embrace their place in life and dream big." 

5. CONNECTIONS

• Ask students to find similarities and differences between their lives and Malusi's. Before they do so, have them predict how many similarities versus how many differences they think they will find. Create a T-graph on which students put on one side what they have in common and on the other side what is different. Ask students to look back at their predictions on how many similarities and differences they would have. Discuss why they were wrong or wright with these predictions.
• This book would be an excellent follow-up for a study on Nelson Mandela as students could use their newly gained background knowledge on him to infer who the man in the black car is. A study on Mandela could include Mandela's autobiography, A Long Walk to Freedom, in its abridged picture book form (abridged by Chris Van Wyk and illustrated by Paddy Bouma). Kid World Citizen also gives extensive information on this book as well as guidance on teaching about Mandela.
• Look further at what it takes to raise sheep through Sheep101.info. This site will show students the basics of raising sheep in modern American today. After looking at sheepherding, ask students to answer Niki Daly's final question in the author's note: “What is there in the life of a herd boy that would help prepare him to become the shepherd of a nation?”.
• Other picture books about South Africa:

Javaherbin, Mina. Goal!. Ill. by A.G. Ford. ISBN: 9780763658229.

Mennen, Ingrid and Niki Daly. Somewhere in Africa. Ill. by Nicolaas Martiz. ISBN: 9780140562422.

Sisulu, Elinor Batezat. The Day Gogo Went to Vote. Ill. by Sharon Wilson.. ISBN: 9780316702713. 

Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes (Module 1)

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Fox, Mem. 2008. Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes. Ill. by Helen Oxenbury. Orlando, FL: Haracourt. ISBN 978015206057.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
As the book begins, we are introduced to two little babies born far apart from each other, but they have something in common: ten little fingers and ten little toes. As each set of babies we encounter contrast each other in how they were born, where they were born, and to whom they were born, we are always brought back to the thread of common features each baby has. The final baby born to the author has one unique quality that brings home the love that every parent has for his or her own child—three little kisses on his nose.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Mem Fox is a beloved Australian author who has many books celebrating her cultural roots, yet they hold a universal appeal. In this book, her message moves beyond one single culture to create a universal appeal and subtle message that we are all the same where ever we are from. The only moment she tips her hat that she is not from around here ("here" being Texas for me) is the moment she says a baby is wrapped in an “eiderdown.” There aren't many kids I would wager that know what an eiderdown is here in Texas, perhaps where things are bit chillier for a longer part of the year, but not here.

The cadence of the rhymes and the repetition of each phrase makes for an excellent read-aloud. Children will find themselves anticipating “ten little fingers and ten little toes” ending to each verse. This anticipation brings home even further the message that we are all more alike than we are different.

Oxenbury's illustrations are gentle and joyful. Full of soft watercolors on white backgrounds, each baby embodies an adorably unique personality and speaks to a different culture. The children's features, clothing, and homes are appropriate for that culture without being over-exaggerated or stereotyped. The child carrying the hot water bottle may also be a bit strange to American children as we don't seem to use those as much as electric ones, but it is easily explained.

The overall message is one of noting the similarities in each human while not missing out on the differences as well in cultures. Fox and Oxenbury have taken their own multicultural partnership (Australia and England) to create a picture book that celebrates cultures everywhere. If books can bring about world peace, this one is definitely taking a step in the right direction.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

• Booklist Starred: "A standout for its beautiful simplicity, this picture-book collaboration between Fox and Oxenbury aims a message of diversity and tolerance at very young children."
• Horn Book Starred: "Fox's lilting verse just has to be read aloud, and Oxenbury's spacious illustrations, featuring her irresistible round-headed tots, will engage even the youngest listeners."
• Publisher's Weekly: "Put two titans of kids' books together for the first time, and what do you get (besides the urge to shout, "What took you so long?")? The answer: an instant classic."

5. CONNECTIONS

• Mem Fox reads this and many of her other books on her website. She also sings this particular book to a tune she made up herself. Find other rhyming books that the students enjoy and encourage them to make up tunes to go along with them as well.
• Do studies on both the author and the illustrator. An interview with Mem Fox can be found at http://www.readingrockets.org/books/interviews/fox/. An interview with Helen Oxenbury can be found at http://www.readingrockets.org/books/interviews/oxenbury/.
• Picture books are not just for little kids. With older students, look at Mem Fox's webpage and what she has written about this book. She talks about how she called her agents and vowed to quit writing just the day before she wrote this book because she had been stuck on a different book for two years. By quitting that other book, she ended up with the freedom to return to writing other things instead. Discuss things they have quit, reasons they did so, and the idea of switching up what you are doing when you are stuck on something.
• Other books with adorable art featuring babies:

Meyers, Susan. Everywhere Babies. Ill. by Marla Frazee. ISBN: 9780152022266.

Rathmann, Peggy. The Day the Babies Crawled Away. ISBN: 9780399231964. 

Tarpley, Todd. Ten Tiny Toes. Ill. by Marc Brown. ISBN:  9780316129213.