TWU course
Book Review: UNDER THE BLOOD-RED SUN, by Graham Salisbury
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Salisbury, Graham. 1994. UNDER THE BLOOD-RED SUN: Delacorte:New York.
ISBN 0-385-32099-X
2. PLOT SUMMARY
"UNDER THE BLOOD-RED SUN," is an action packed novel that focuses on the Japanese American perspective during World War II.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This historical fiction novel "Under The Blood-Red Sun," is a story about the attack on Pearl Harbor. The story is told from Tomi during a game of baseball. Tomi tells the story of what he witnesses as the Japanese military destroys all of Pearl Harbor and its destroyers. Starting on an early Sunday morning, the Rats (Tomi's baseball team) watch from the baseball field as they play a game of baseball. The Japanese bombers fly into Pearl Harbor and began destroying Pearl Harbor.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: Torn between his love of all things American and the traditional ways of his parents and grandparents, a young Japanese American comes of age during the political upheavel of WWII. Ages 10-up.
BOOKLIST: Salisbury captures the dilemma of the Japanese who lived in Hawaii during World War II through the narrator, Tomi, born in Hawaii, and his Japanese parents, who had escaped the poverty of Japan, only to find themselves enmeshed in a war they are unprepared to fight.
5. CONNECTIONS
*Activities*
Research Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941 try to locate as many pictures as possible of battleship row.
Explain why the Japanese caught America off guard and why the attack on Pearl Harbor was successful.
*Other engaging books*
Napoli Jo Donna. THREE DAYS. ISBN-10: 0142500259
Gidwitz, Adam. A TALE DARK AND GRIMM. ISBN-10: 0142419672
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm
TWU course
Book Review: Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Holm L. Jennifer. 2010. TURTLE IN PARADISE. Random House: New York.
ISBN 978-0-375-83688-6
2. PLOT SUMMARY
The story takes place in Key West, Florida during the Great Depression. "Turtle," the eleven-year old moves in with family because her mother takes a job as a housekeeper. Turtle finds out later the woman her mother works for doesn't like kids. Turtle moves to Key West where she will live with relatives until her mother sends for her.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
"Turtle in Paradise," is a story about an eleven year old girl who lives life from place to place. She is already use to a life of ups and downs but continues to move on. The front cover of "Turtle in Paradise," shows a picture of a girl standing in front of an ocean. She is holding a shell that is shaped like a turtle. The ocean is light blue and green with a white sand beach. This is what "Turtle," sees as she thinks about her past life. Turtle is free and looking at paradise.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
KIRKUS REVIEW: "Sweet, funny and superb."
BOOKLIST: "Turtle is just the right mixture of knowingness and hope; the plot is a hilarious blend of family dramas seasoned with a dollop of adventure."
AWARDS
2011 Newbery Honor Book
A Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Book of 2010
An ALA Notable Book
The Golden Kite Award
5. CONNECTIONS
*Activities
Have children research Key West, Florida in 1935. What types of jobs were available during the Great Depression.
*Books
Garcia-Williams Rita. ONE CRAZY SUMMER. ISBN 978-0-06-076088-5
Draper M. Sharon. OUT OF MY MIND. ISBN-10: 1416971718
Ibbotson, Eva. JOURNEY TO THE RIVER SEA. ISBN-10: 0142501840
Book Review: Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Holm L. Jennifer. 2010. TURTLE IN PARADISE. Random House: New York.
ISBN 978-0-375-83688-6
2. PLOT SUMMARY
The story takes place in Key West, Florida during the Great Depression. "Turtle," the eleven-year old moves in with family because her mother takes a job as a housekeeper. Turtle finds out later the woman her mother works for doesn't like kids. Turtle moves to Key West where she will live with relatives until her mother sends for her.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
"Turtle in Paradise," is a story about an eleven year old girl who lives life from place to place. She is already use to a life of ups and downs but continues to move on. The front cover of "Turtle in Paradise," shows a picture of a girl standing in front of an ocean. She is holding a shell that is shaped like a turtle. The ocean is light blue and green with a white sand beach. This is what "Turtle," sees as she thinks about her past life. Turtle is free and looking at paradise.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
KIRKUS REVIEW: "Sweet, funny and superb."
BOOKLIST: "Turtle is just the right mixture of knowingness and hope; the plot is a hilarious blend of family dramas seasoned with a dollop of adventure."
AWARDS
2011 Newbery Honor Book
A Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Book of 2010
An ALA Notable Book
The Golden Kite Award
5. CONNECTIONS
*Activities
Have children research Key West, Florida in 1935. What types of jobs were available during the Great Depression.
*Books
Garcia-Williams Rita. ONE CRAZY SUMMER. ISBN 978-0-06-076088-5
Draper M. Sharon. OUT OF MY MIND. ISBN-10: 1416971718
Ibbotson, Eva. JOURNEY TO THE RIVER SEA. ISBN-10: 0142501840
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Book Review: HEART AND SOUL; The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson
TWU course
Book Review: HEART AND SOUL; The Story of America and African Americans
by Kadir Nelson
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Nelson, Kadir. 2011. HEART AND SOUL; The Story of America and African Americans. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 978-0-06-173074-0
2. PLOT SUMMARY
HEART AND SOUL, is a story about the struggles of America and African Americans. Readers will enjoy twelve stories of beautifully illustrated pictures of America and African Americans torn apart by education, law, and wealth.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The book reveals Kadir Nelson's passion for African Americans who struggled for equal rights. Nelson illustrations are attractive and complement the story line. The illustrations look like they were painted with oils with a small text of information at the bottom. The illustrations are the perfect touch to make this book a good read. There are 108 pages to view.
There is a timeline and bibliography along with dates and descriptions from 1565 to January 2009.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "Provocative and powerful, this book offers a much-needed perspective for individuals of all ages seeking to understand America's past and present"
HORN REVIEW: "Nelson effectively creates a voice that is at once singular and representative. A tour de force in the career of an author/artist who continues to outdo himself.
5. CONNECTIONS
Invite children to make a chart of the inventions and discoveries made by African-Americans. Many of them are listed on pages 79-80, but you can find others by researching. Choose one of these inventions or discoveries and learn more about the inventor and the process he or she followed. What was the impact of this invention on other people? Why is it important to know about these inventors?
Other books
Evans, Shane W. UNDERGROUND: FINDING THE LIGHT TO FREEDOM.
ISBN-10: 1596435380
Gantos, Jack. DEAD END IN NORVELT. ISBN-10: 0374379939
Greenfield, Eloise. THE GREAT MIGRATION: JOURNEY TO THE NORTH.
ISBN-10 0061259217
Book Review: HEART AND SOUL; The Story of America and African Americans
by Kadir Nelson
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Nelson, Kadir. 2011. HEART AND SOUL; The Story of America and African Americans. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 978-0-06-173074-0
2. PLOT SUMMARY
HEART AND SOUL, is a story about the struggles of America and African Americans. Readers will enjoy twelve stories of beautifully illustrated pictures of America and African Americans torn apart by education, law, and wealth.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The book reveals Kadir Nelson's passion for African Americans who struggled for equal rights. Nelson illustrations are attractive and complement the story line. The illustrations look like they were painted with oils with a small text of information at the bottom. The illustrations are the perfect touch to make this book a good read. There are 108 pages to view.
There is a timeline and bibliography along with dates and descriptions from 1565 to January 2009.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "Provocative and powerful, this book offers a much-needed perspective for individuals of all ages seeking to understand America's past and present"
HORN REVIEW: "Nelson effectively creates a voice that is at once singular and representative. A tour de force in the career of an author/artist who continues to outdo himself.
5. CONNECTIONS
Invite children to make a chart of the inventions and discoveries made by African-Americans. Many of them are listed on pages 79-80, but you can find others by researching. Choose one of these inventions or discoveries and learn more about the inventor and the process he or she followed. What was the impact of this invention on other people? Why is it important to know about these inventors?
Other books
Evans, Shane W. UNDERGROUND: FINDING THE LIGHT TO FREEDOM.
ISBN-10: 1596435380
Gantos, Jack. DEAD END IN NORVELT. ISBN-10: 0374379939
Greenfield, Eloise. THE GREAT MIGRATION: JOURNEY TO THE NORTH.
ISBN-10 0061259217
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Book Review: THE LINCOLNS: A SCRAPBOOK LOOK AT ABRAHAM AND MARY by Candace Fleming
TWU course
Book review: THE LINCOLNS: A SCRAPBOOK LOOK AT ABRAHAM AND MARY
by Candace Fleming
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Fleming, Candace. 2008. THE LINCOLNS: A SCRAPBOOK LOOK AT ABRAHAM AND MARY.
New York, NY: Random House. ISBN 978-0-375-93618-0
2. PLOT SUMMARY
"THE LINCOLNS," is a scrapbook of Abraham and Mary Lincoln. This scrapbook is filled with black and white photographs and important information along with dates.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Fleming illustrates Abraham and Mary Lincoln's life by putting together a scrapbook of information, notes, photographs, pictures, and web sites. There is a table of contents listing eight chapters and an introduction. This scrapbook has a section, "THE LINCOLN YEARS," in bold italicized text with dates starting from 1809 to 1882. This scrapbook is not easy on the mind, but it is full of a lot of information.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "Using her scrapbook approach, Fleming lays out the answer in a biography that gives equal emphasis to Abraham and Mary Lincoln for an insightful portrait of their lives. Her scholarship over five years pays off with a rich account that is personal and concrete. She recounts Mary's early life as a privileged-but motherless-child, her ambitions for her husband, and her role as "first lady" (a term originally coined for her). Large and small details are juxtaposed with specifics about Lincoln and broadened by Mary's significance.
5. CONNECTIONS
*Other informational books
Fleming, Candace. BEN FRANKLIN'S ALMANAC: BEING A TRUE ACCOUNT OF THE GOOD GENTLEMAN'S LIFE. ISBN-10 0689835493
Fleming, Candace. OUR ELEANOR: A SCRAPBOOK LOOK AT ELEANOR ROOSEVELT'S REMARKABLE LIFE. ISBN-10 0689865449
Book review: THE LINCOLNS: A SCRAPBOOK LOOK AT ABRAHAM AND MARY
by Candace Fleming
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Fleming, Candace. 2008. THE LINCOLNS: A SCRAPBOOK LOOK AT ABRAHAM AND MARY.
New York, NY: Random House. ISBN 978-0-375-93618-0
2. PLOT SUMMARY
"THE LINCOLNS," is a scrapbook of Abraham and Mary Lincoln. This scrapbook is filled with black and white photographs and important information along with dates.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Fleming illustrates Abraham and Mary Lincoln's life by putting together a scrapbook of information, notes, photographs, pictures, and web sites. There is a table of contents listing eight chapters and an introduction. This scrapbook has a section, "THE LINCOLN YEARS," in bold italicized text with dates starting from 1809 to 1882. This scrapbook is not easy on the mind, but it is full of a lot of information.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "Using her scrapbook approach, Fleming lays out the answer in a biography that gives equal emphasis to Abraham and Mary Lincoln for an insightful portrait of their lives. Her scholarship over five years pays off with a rich account that is personal and concrete. She recounts Mary's early life as a privileged-but motherless-child, her ambitions for her husband, and her role as "first lady" (a term originally coined for her). Large and small details are juxtaposed with specifics about Lincoln and broadened by Mary's significance.
5. CONNECTIONS
*Other informational books
Fleming, Candace. BEN FRANKLIN'S ALMANAC: BEING A TRUE ACCOUNT OF THE GOOD GENTLEMAN'S LIFE. ISBN-10 0689835493
Fleming, Candace. OUR ELEANOR: A SCRAPBOOK LOOK AT ELEANOR ROOSEVELT'S REMARKABLE LIFE. ISBN-10 0689865449
Book Review: BESSIE COLEMAN; DARING TO FLY by Sally M. Walker illustrations by Janice Lee Porter
TWU course
Book review: Bessie Coleman; Daring to Fly
by Sally M. Walker
illustrations by Janice Lee Porter
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Walker, Sally M. 2003. BESSIE COLEMAN; DARING TO FLY. Illus. by Janice Lee Porter. Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books Inc. ISBN 0-87614-103-3.
2. PLOT SUMMARY
"Daring to Fly," describes the life and accomplishments of Bessie Coleman, who stopped at nothing to accomplish her dream of earning her pilot's license.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Sally M. Walker, tells the story of Bessie Coleman and her desire to study and become the first African American woman to earn a pilot's license. Walker starts out by giving background information about Bessie Coleman and her family. She illustrates how hard her family worked because they were poor. Bessie Coleman is described as a young lady who studied and dreamed of doing something important with her life. She fulfilled some of her goals by earning her pilot's license and putting on airshows. The book uses soft illustrations of Bessie Coleman's life and it is appealing for children to read. I know readers will enjoy this informational picture book of Bessie Coleman.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
THE HORN BOOK GUIDE: "Newly independent readers will be inspired by Bessie Coleman's determination to learn to fly at a time when neither women nor people of color were allowed to do so in the United States"
5. CONNECTIONS
*Invite children to research how many airshows Bessie Coleman performed and the names of the co-pilot.
*Other books about Bessie Coleman:
Lindbergh, Reeve. NOBODY OWNS THE SKY: THE STORY OF "BRAVE BESSIE" COLEMAN.
ISBN-10: 0763603619
Book review: Bessie Coleman; Daring to Fly
by Sally M. Walker
illustrations by Janice Lee Porter
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Walker, Sally M. 2003. BESSIE COLEMAN; DARING TO FLY. Illus. by Janice Lee Porter. Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books Inc. ISBN 0-87614-103-3.
2. PLOT SUMMARY
"Daring to Fly," describes the life and accomplishments of Bessie Coleman, who stopped at nothing to accomplish her dream of earning her pilot's license.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Sally M. Walker, tells the story of Bessie Coleman and her desire to study and become the first African American woman to earn a pilot's license. Walker starts out by giving background information about Bessie Coleman and her family. She illustrates how hard her family worked because they were poor. Bessie Coleman is described as a young lady who studied and dreamed of doing something important with her life. She fulfilled some of her goals by earning her pilot's license and putting on airshows. The book uses soft illustrations of Bessie Coleman's life and it is appealing for children to read. I know readers will enjoy this informational picture book of Bessie Coleman.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
THE HORN BOOK GUIDE: "Newly independent readers will be inspired by Bessie Coleman's determination to learn to fly at a time when neither women nor people of color were allowed to do so in the United States"
5. CONNECTIONS
*Invite children to research how many airshows Bessie Coleman performed and the names of the co-pilot.
*Other books about Bessie Coleman:
Lindbergh, Reeve. NOBODY OWNS THE SKY: THE STORY OF "BRAVE BESSIE" COLEMAN.
ISBN-10: 0763603619
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