Shrek!

Shrek!
written and illustrated by William Steig, 1990, New York : Farrar, Straus, Giroux. (0374368791).

Author/Illustrator Website: http://us.macmillan.com/author/williamsteig

Media: ink and watercolor

Awards and Honors: Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books of the Year; School Library Journal Best Books of the Year

Recommendations: Booklist; Bulletin-Center Child Books; Children's Book Review Service; Elementary School Library Collection; Horn Book; Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review; New York Times; New York Times Book Review; Parents' Choice Awards; Publishers Weekly; School Library Journal, Starred Review; Washington Post Book World

Annotation:
William Steig's tale of a repulsive ogre who meets a stunningly ugly princess and falls in love.

Personal Reaction:

      I adore William Steig and this book is a real treat- bizarrely literate, offensively comic, and with a happy ending to boot. Shrek is a repulsive anti-hero; he can spit fire ninety-nine yards, snakes die if they bite him, and his terrible fumes make people faint. When his parents kick him out of the hole where he lives, he goes out into the world to seek his fortune. The first person he meets is a witch who gives him a prediction: "A donkey takes you to a knight-/ Him you conquer in a fight. Then you wed a princess who/ Is even uglier than you". (The characters in Shrek have a tendency to speak in rhyming, often hilarious, verse.) Shrek continues his travels, causing chaos and wreaking havoc wherever he goes until he meets the princess (who is absolutely foul). It's love at first sight, of course, and they end up living "horribly ever after".

     Hilarious and smartly written, Steig turns the traditional fairy tale on its ear with Shrek. It's a great accompaniment to books like Robert Munsch's Paper Bag Princess that get children to think critically about the values typically espoused in fairy tales.

Sophisticated Language:
"Soon he came to a peasant singing and scything. 'You there, varlet,' said Shrek. 'Why so blithe?'"
"Oh, ghastly you,/ With lips of blue,/ Your ruddy eyes/ With carmine sties/ Enchant me."
"Your horny warts, your rosy wens,/ Like slimy bogs and fusty fens,/ Thrill me."

Rhyme:
"Pheasant, peasant? What a pleasant present!"
"In here a fearless knight, in there a well-born fright."
"Not so brave, thou churlish knave!"
"Do me the honor to step aside, so Shrek can go to meet his bride."

The Revolutionary John Adams

The Revolutionary John Adams 

written and illustrated by Cheryl Harness, Washington, D.C: National Geographic, 2003. (0-7922-6970-5).

Awards: Beacon of Freedom Award, Nominee, 2006.

Author Website: None

Media: Rich watercolors on paper.

Annotation:  Harness traces the life of President John Adams from his humble beginnings on a farm to the White House. This biography offers details of Adams’ work as a revolutionary, politician, lawyer, statesman and leader.

Personal Reaction:  This biography is steeped in facts, but it is also a very personal story of a man’s life.  The author traces John Adams’ life from his birth on a farm in New England to his death on a farm not far away.  In between, the reader learns about the role of Adams in revolting against England, building the government of new nation, working side by side with Washington, Jefferson and Franklin, serving as Vice-President and President, as well as working as a statesman abroad.  The numerous quotes from Adams, familial details and excerpts from personal letters to his beloved wife Abigail allow for an insight into Adams life that makes this biography more memorable than others.   Harness uses sweeping watercolor paintings of people and maps to bring Adams’ time to life.  In just 40 pages, Harness not only tells Adams’ story, but the history of our emerging and young nation.  The personal perspective and illustrations provide an accessible history lesson for students in grades five to seven.

Use of  Simile: (p.31) “news that plunked like a round black stone into the world of John and Abigail Adams.”

Use of Metaphor: (p.5) “stomach full of butterflies.” (p.26) “dug deep into his bag of political skills.”  (p.29) “Two old lions, France and England.”

Use of Alliteration:  (p.16) “soldiers froze and failed.” (p.24) “diamond-decked Marie Antoinette.”  (p.32) “stump-stubbled Pennsylvania Avenue.”

Use of Onomatopoeia:  (p.6) “John Adams fizzed with total and complete happiness.” (p.8) “People began to grumble.”  (p.11) “plunk . . .plunk . . .plunked boxes of tea into Boston Harbor.”

Use of Sophisticated Language:  (p. 26) “coaxed out of Holland official recognition and loans, lifeblood for his nation.”

Curricular Connection: California History / Social Science, Grade 5, California Standards: 5.6:   Students understand the course and consequences of the American Revolution.  5.7: Students describe the people and events associated with the development of the U.S. Constitution and analyze the Constitution’s significance as the foundation of the American republic.

George vs. George: the American Revolution as Seen from Both Sides

George vs. George: the American Revolution as Seen from Both Sides

written and illustrated by Rosalyn Schanzer, 2004, Washington, DC: National Geographic. (0-7922-7349-4).

Author/ Illustrator Website:   http://www.rosalynschanzer.com/

Media:  Watercolor on paper

Awards and Honors: ALA Notable Book for Children, 2005. NCTE Orbis Pictus Award Recommended Book, 2005.

Annotation: George vs. George provides detailed coverage of the American Revolution from the perspectives of George Washington and George III, King of England.  Details about the underlying causes of the war and the lives of both Georges contribute to a fascinating book.

Personal Reaction:  Watercolor illustrations of George Washington and George III on the introductory page of this book set the tone for this rare, balanced presentation of the facts surrounding the American Revolution.  Author Schanzer presents each George in an oval portrait glaring at each other.  Washington is frowning and giving King George the evil eye and King George simply looks repulsed by Washington.  From page one, I knew this book was going to give me both George’s stories and the chance to decide for myself what I thought of this period of history.    Providing students with the opportunity to decide what they think about history is like giving the gift of higher order thinking.  Schanzer doesn’t just offer a simplified version of these two men’s perspectives, either.  George vs. George is packed with information about George Washington, his family, various other key figures of the time, details about King George, his family, England’s recent history and quotations from both men and their contemporaries that give readers a comprehensive sense of this period in history.  The book offers a wealth of background material on the circumstances and environment in both the colonies and England before, during and after the war.   Schanzer’s cheerful voice kept me interested as I read through this dense 60-page dual perspective story.  I truly gained a sense of both sides of this historic story and appreciated that this author did not favor the U.S. perspective by glossing over details such as the fact that most Native Americans fought on the British side in hopes of protecting their land from colonists. Also, this book is definitely a picture book for older readers as indicated by the complex information about the structure of government, battle logistics, political posturing and mature verbiage.  For example, on page 30, Schanzer writes, “Rebel newspapers reported that bloodthirsty redcoats burned houses, drove naked women into the streets and butchered old men and infants.  The King was told that rebel savages broke the rules of war by ambushing his army.  Then they scalped fallen British infantry and cut off their ears.”  

Use of Alliteration:  (p. 13) “gentlemen in fancy white wigs wearing all the latest fashions.”  (p. 13) “from Borneo to the Bay of Botega.” (p. 14) “wealthy widow.” (p. 18) “drowning in debt.”

Use of Sophisticated Language: (p. 34) “Washington despaired over the inexperience of his volunteers, the constant desertions, and a paralyzing lack of food and military supplies.”

Use of Metaphor: (p. 11) “fabric binding America to Great Britain was about to unravel”

Curricular Connection: California History / Social Science, Grade 5, California Standard: 5.6:   Students understand the course and consequences of the American Revolution.

For Liberty: The Story of the Boston Massacre

For Liberty: The Story of the Boston Massacre

written and illustrated by Timothy Decker, 2009, Asheville, North Carolina: Front Street Press. (9781590786086).

Media: pen and ink

Awards and Honors:

2009 Cybil Nominated title for Non Fiction (MG/YA)

Author/Illustrator Website: http://timothydecker.com/

Annotation: A stark, graphic novel style account of the Boston Massacre, one most significant events in the lead up to the Revolutionary War.

Personal Reaction: Author and illustrator Timothy Decker builds this story of the Boston Massacre slowly in deliberate, measured prose, while his austere pen and ink drawings capture the drama and tension of the storyline. There's much lying beneath the surface in this deceptively simple book. Decker is economical with his words and images, yet he still manages to pack a wealth of historical detail into the story. Background on the political situation in the colonies and Great Britain is given at the beginning of the story and Decker concludes with the subsquent trial of the soldiers. This book presents a balanced account of a very dramatic chapter in United States history. Black and white illustrations complement the gravity of the historical event. For Liberty is different than many historical picture books in that there is no back matter such as a timeline or bibliography, but this book would make an excellent addition to any lesson on the Boston Massacre.

Use of Onomatopoeia: 

"Bells pealed throughout the city."

"They could hear the growing din as the talked." 

"The throng of colonists grew as did the roar of their cries." 

"The bells continued to ring as if signaling the new tragedy."

Use of Sophisticated Language:

"Quarter no fiendish soldiers in your homes. Welcome no ill bred thieves to your hearth. Protect your liberties in this doleful and dark time."

"...soldiers quartered in a populous town, will always occasion two mobs where they prevent one. They are wretched conservators of the peace."

Use of Rhythm/Repetition:

"The mob swelled.

The reasonable men went home.

The bellicose remained."

"Surely the mob would not assault a trained soldier.

Surely his men would not fire for fear of shooting their officer.

Certainly a show of force would dissolve the anger."

Curricular Connection: 

5th Grade History/ Social Studies, California State Board of Education Standards

5.5     Students explain the causes of the American Revolution.
1. Understand how political, religious, and economic ideas and interests brought about the Revolution (e.g., resistance to imperial policy, the Stamp Act, the Townshend Acts, taxes on tea, Coercive Acts).