A STEP FROM HEAVEN

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Na, An. 2001. A STEP FROM HEAVEN. Asheville, N. C.: Front Street. ISBN 978188690584

2. PLOT SUMMARY:
This is a story of survival. Young Ju is a Korean immigrant whose family left Han Gook to come to America (specifically California) for a better life. Young Ju is suspended between adopting American ways and keeping her Korean heritage alive. Young Ju adjusts to school and a little brother as well as the rules, the words and the accents of a new country. Her parents work multiple jobs in order to fulfill their dreams of owning their own home and living the American dream. The pressure on her father pushes him to drinking and physical abuse of Young Ju and her mother. Her father becomes abusive and an alcoholic. Her mother is obedient but strong. Young Ju is trying to cover up her reality and her brother is rebelling against everything. What becomes of this family makes a compelling story of how much a family can endure and overcome.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
An Na’s tale of poverty, acculturation and abuse is told in first-person present-tense narration. Na uses brief sections that are more like titled anecdotes than chapters. Her inclusion of Korean terms requires the reader to employ the use context clues and possibly some rereading at the beginning but they then become almost unnoticed as the story continues. She also allows the reader to experience what it is like to be in a new situation and not being able to understand what is being said, like when Young Ju first arrived at school (“Tees es Yung,” the witch teacher says. “Wah ko um, Yung,” they say.) Nu integrates each character’s development into the unfolding of the story. It is clear that Apa’s temper and expectations for his son affect the boy’s ability to show emotion, and his desire to escape and avoid anything he doesn’t like as he grows into a young adult. Young Ju is portrayed as an intelligent girl who continues to thrive despite her situation. She receives moral support to succeed from her mother (“I am proud of you, Young Ju, Uhmma says, looking down into my eyes. You are a smart girl and someday you will be a smart woman.”) As the story ends, the reader sees the connection between Young Ju and her mother and fully understand where they have come from. It taught us about Korea's culture and about the challenages of immigration. Over all it was a great book to learn both a little Korean and about how hard it is to immigrate or move to a different place.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S):
*Starred review in Booklist
"As in the best writing, the particulars make the story universal.”
*Starred review in Publishers Weekly
“Equally bright are the prospects of this author; readers will eagerly await her next step.”
*Starred review in School Library Journal
“A beautifully written, affecting work.”
*Review in Horn Book
“Each of these vignettes displays an astonishing and memorable force.”
*Review in VOYA
“This beautifully written book, a tale of both tragedy and eventual triumph, is likely to bring tears to the eyes of any reader.”

5. CONNECTIONS:
*Discuss questions raised by immigration with students and have them write a response to how they feel about immiration.
*Other Korean American fiction titles:
Lee, Marie G. Finding My Voice. ISBN 9780395621349
Recorvits, Helen. My Name is Yoon. ISBN 9780374351144
Shin, Sun Yung. Cooper’s Lesson. ISBN 9780892391936
Son, John. Finding My Hat. ISBN 9780439435383

THE HIGHER POWER OF LUCKY

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Patron, Susan. 2006. THE HIGHER POWER OF LUCKY. Ill. by Matt Phelan. New York: Antheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN 97814169091945

2. PLOT SUMMARY:
Lucky Trimble is a ten year old girl who has lost her mother and lives with her guardian. She holds several jobs in her small desert town and is searching for her Higher Power. Lucky frequently overhears the twelve-steppers in the town talking about how they found their Higher Power, and Lucky is certain that she will gain all the wisdom and courage in the world if she finds hers. Lucky is concerned that Brigitte wants to return to France and she will have to go to an orphanage and become a ward of the state. Lucky’s concern leads her to run away hoping to cause worry, sadness, and a change in Brigitte’s heart (“Lucky liked the idea that by running away she could make people do things they wouldn’t do otherwise.”). She runs away during a desert dust storm and when the air finally clears, so does the haze of Lucky’s uncertainty.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
Patron uses interesting language to describe Lucky’s feelings, such as the folds in her brain and the mean valve in her heart. These unique and somewhat profound ways of describing how one feels are relatable to the age group. The setting of the story in fictional Hard Pan, California tends to give the reader a confusing idea of the time period. One might think at the beginning that the story takes place in the mid-20th century, or even perhaps further back. However, Patron slowly mentions the most modern technology such as a Jeep and a laptop. This affirms to the reader that Lucky lives in contemporary rural America, which is much the same as our reality, just on a smaller scale and dustier. Many readers will identify with her feeling that some times she “wanted to change everything, all the bad things that had happened, and some times she wanted everything to stay the same forever.” The plot is revealed as Lucky goes through a typical day in her small town. Details of the past are provided in Lucky’s thoughts and memories. Patron’s style of revealing the story in parts maintains the interest of the reader. The small, subtle illustrations compliment the plot well. Students will enjoy reading this great book!

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S):
*From School Library Journal
Grade 4-6–When Lucky's mother is electrocuted and dies after a storm, Lucky's absentee father calls his ex-wife, Brigitte, to fly over from France to take care of the child. Two years later, the 10-year-old worries that Brigitte is tired of being her guardian and of their life in Hard Pan (pop. 42) in the middle of the California desert. While Lucky's best friend ties intricate knots and the little boy down the road cries for attention, she tries to get some control over her life by restocking her survival kit backpack and searching for her Higher Power. This character-driven novel has an unusually complicated backstory, and a fair amount of exposition. Yet, its quirky cast and local color help to balance this fact, and the desert setting is fascinating. Lucky's tendency to jump to conclusions is frustrating, but her struggle to come to terms with her mother's death and with her new life ring true. Phelan's cover and line drawings are simple and evocative, a perfect complement to the text. Fans of novels by Deborah Wiles and Katherine Hannigan will be happy to meet Lucky.–Adrienne Furness, Webster Public Library, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
*Starred review in Kirkus
“Readers will gladly give themselves over to Patron, a master of light but sure characterization and closely observed detail. A small gem.”
*Review in Booklist
“Lucky is a true heroine, especially because she’s not perfect: she does some cowardly things, but she takes pains to put them to rights.”
*Review in Horn Book
“Patron’s episodic tale of a grieving insecure little girl is never heavy-handed or maudlin, due in part to quiet bursts of humor.”

5. CONNECTIONS:
*Students to discuss what things would they include in their survival-kit backpacks and why.
*Students to write a response to the story.
*Other titles by Susan Patron:
Five Bad Boys, Billy Que, and the Dustdobbin. ISBN 9780531059890
Bobbin Dustbobbin. ISBN 9780531054680
Maybe Yes, Maybe No, Maybe Maybe. ISBN 9780531054826
Burgoo Stew. ISBN 9780531059166

THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES:THE FIELD GUIDE

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Black, Holly and Tony DiTerlizzi. 2003. THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES:THE FIELD GUIDE. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN 9780689859366

2. PLOT SUMMARY:
The Spiderwick Chronicles, The Field Guide is a story that begins with Mallory, Jared and Simon (the Grace Children) moving into a new home with their Mother. The house is old, creepy and the children soon find themselves immersed into a world of fairies and strange happenings. They express in different ways, such as Jared gets into fights at school, Simon shuts them all out by immersing himself in the animal world, and Mallory furiously practices her fencing. These problems create an interesting interplay with the fantasy elements, as they see aspects of themselves expressed in the faerie world. The house has a secret room where one of the fairies lives and the tale of finding out who that fairy is, keeps you on your toes till the end of the story.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
The Spiderwick Chronicles is a briskly paced story with just enough darkness to chill young readers without scaring them into nightmares. Spiderwick is a narrative compression of the beloved, best-selling series of books by author Holly Black and illustrator Tony Diterlizzi. It is an enjoyable adventure fantasy that is sure to cast a spell over its audiences. But just as importantly, it weaves a story that resonates with spiritual truth. The Spiderwick Chronicles is a thrilling adventure for children of all ages.

The book is papered in dark colors with titles in suitably spidery antique font, and Tony DiTerlizzi's artwork is splendid. The black-and-white in depth illustrations that appear on almost every two page spread compliment the text while bringing the strange world the Spiderwick Estate alive. A table of contents, a list of “full-page” illustrations, a map of the Spiderwick Estate, and an introductory letter from the authors as well as a copy of the original letter to Mrs. Black and Mr. DiTerlizzi from the Grace children can be found at the beginning of the text. It is a delightful story that captures the interest of children and those of us young at heart.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S):
*From School Library Journal
Grade 3-6 - In this the dramatic conclusion to The Spiderwick Chronicles (Random, 2004), Holly Black continues the breathtaking action of the previous volumes. This episode begins with the Grace siblings, 13-year-old Mallory and nine-year-old twins Jared and Simon, returning to their home from the underground kingdom of the dwarfs, only to find it ransacked and their mother missing. Concluding that the terrible ogre Mulgarath is behind the chaos, the children join forces with Thimbletack the house-brownie, Hogsqueal the hobgoblin, and Byron the griffin in order to find Mulgarath and save their mother. They bravely rush into the world of faeries, hobgoblins, dragons, and elves, and to the junkyard realm of the goblins and the castle of the terrible Mulgarath. They are armed only with a sword and bits of nearly-forgotten advice from Arthur Spiderwick, the long-lost author of The Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You, who makes an all-too-brief but magical appearance. Each fantastic and terrifying creature is brought to life by Mark Hamill's excellent vocal characterizations, clearly differentiating all the hobgoblins. Hamill also does a superb job of creating the innocent, eager voices of the young siblings on a quest. The series ends (is it really the end?) with a dramatic rescue and the demise of Mulgarath. - MaryAnn Karre, Horace Mann Elementary School, Binghamton, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
*Starred review in Kirkus
“Readers who are too young to read Harry Potter independently will find these have just the right amount of menace laced with appealing humor and are blessed with crisp pacing and, of course, DiTerlizzi’s enticingly Gothic illustrations.”
Starred review in Publishers Weekly: “Appealing characters, well-measured suspense and an inviting package will lure readers on to The Seeing Stone...Youngsters may well find themselves glancing over their shoulders as they eagerly follow the events.”
*Review in VOYA
“Nearly every second page is embellished with the ink drawings of DiTerlizzi, evoking a delicious classical sense in this modern fantasy. Black...keeps the dialogue snappy and the children’s personalities distinct.”
*Review in Horn Book
“The individual books do not stand alone and the first mostly sets the stage, but the writing is fast paced and action-packed. Retro black-and-white spot art adds atmosphere.”

5. CONNECTIONS:
*The students to writed a description and illustration of their personality including likes and dislikes.
*Watch The Spiderwick Chronicles Movie and have the students create a Venn Diagram to list the differences and similiarites between the movie and the books.
*Subsequent titles in this series:
The Seeing Stone. ISBN 9780689859373
The Ironwood Tree. ISBN 9780689859397
The Wrath of Mulgarath. ISBN 9780689859403

THE RIVER BETWEEN US

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Peck, Richard. 2003. The River Between Us. New York: Dial Books. ISBN 9780803727359

2. PLOT SUMMARY:
After a brief but delightful framing device involving a 100-mile car trip in 1916, the story jumps back even further, to the beginning of the Civil War and a little one-horse town on the banks of the Mississippi, Grand Tower. The first half of the story introduces the Pruitt family and their strange new boarders. Tilly Pruitt tells the story of her 16-year-old twin Noah, itching to join the war, her mother, who doesn't know how to prevent it, and her younger sister Cass, whose psychic visions have made her sickly. Also, into their parochial lives come two mysterious refugees from New Orleans, which are the glamorous and ethereal Delphine, and Calinda, who may or may not be her slave. As the war cranks up in the background, and the town is split by partisan feelings, the Pruitt's lives are turned upside down by their fascinating visitors. The tale takes a tragic turn and more secrets are revealed. Before Howard and his family return home, he learns from his father a surprise about his ancestry.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
Peck uses the style of a first person narrative, through the voice of Tilly Pruitt, to tell the story of the Pruitt family and the “invasion” of Southerners Delphine and Calinda. When reading the dialogue of Delphine and Calinda, the reader will hear the dialect of 19th century New Orleans. The characters grow and become lifelike through their experiences and the background events. He provides an emotional side to the characters that allows the readers to care about them. Peck describes the characters with style and flair; Cass was, “not much more than breath and britches,” and grandma Tilly had, “a tiny face wrinkled like a walnut.” Peck captures the speech patterns of the time and place, “if we got nekkid and washed ourselves in the wintertime, we’d catch a chill that would carry us off,” while carefully avoiding stereotyping. Peck’s inclusion of a strong female in Delphine causes controversy in Grand Tower but inspires growth in Tilly and her mother. Peck describes Grand Tower, Devil’s Backbone, and Tower Rock with vigilant precision without loosing literary strength, “they were caught in the grip of this place --- they felt the weight of its history, and mystery.” The themes of racism and war provide relevant topics that today’s children can relate too. The backdrop of the Civil War and Peck’s descriptions make the events of the story very believable. By focusing on the theme that, over time and familiarity, people change who you initially think they may be, provides the reader with the knowledge that people should not hate others, especially if they have not bothered to get to know those they dislike. The last few pages of the book denote the extensive research Richard Peck completed to add realistic historical facts to the story. This novel will appeal to older age students and up.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S):
* From School Library Journal
Grade 7 Up-This historical novel set at the beginning of the Civil War actually opens in 1916, as 15-year-old Howard Leland Hutchings recounts his trip in a Model T to visit his father's childhood home in Grand Tower, IL. When he and his younger brothers meet the four elderly people who raised their father, the novel shifts to 1861, and the narrator shifts to 15-year-old Tilly Pruitt, the boys' grandmother. When a steamboat from New Orleans brings two mysterious young ladies, Mama offers them room and board, and the Pruitts' lives are forever changed. Fair and beautiful Delphine Duval, with her fancy dresses and high-society ways, fascinates the family. And what of Calinda, the darker-skinned young woman? Could she be Delphine's slave? On the eve of his 16th birthday, Tilly's twin brother, Noah, leaves to join the Union troops at Camp Defiance and Mama, distraught, sends Tilly and Delphine to bring him home. It is here that Tilly learns of Delphine's heritage. She is a quadroon, part of the colored family of a rich white man. Her mother sent her daughters away from New Orleans, hoping Delphine can pass for white. The novel ends with a return to 1916 and Howard's finding out his father's true parentage. In this thoroughly researched novel, Peck masterfully describes the female Civil War experience, the subtle and not-too-subtle ways the country was changing, and the split in loyalty that separated towns and even families. Although the book deals with some weighty themes, it is not without humor. A scene involving strapping on a corset is worthy of Grandma Dowdel herself.
Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, ME
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
*Booklist
Gr. 7-12. At the start of the Civil War two mysterious young women get off a boat in a small town in southern Illinois, and 15-year-old Tilly Pruitt's mother takes them in. Who are they? Is the darker-complexioned woman the other woman's slave? Tilly's twin brother, Noah, falls in love with one of them--rich, stylish, worldly Delphine, who shows Tilly a world of possibilities beyond her home. When Noah runs away to war, Tilly and Delphine go after him, find him in the horror of an army tent hospital, and bring him back; but their world is changed forever. Peck's spare writing has never been more eloquent than in this powerful mystery in which personal secrets drive the plot and reveal the history. True to Tilly's first-person narrative, each sentence is a scrappy, melancholy, wry evocation of character, time, and place, and only the character of Delphine's companion, Calinda, comes close to stereotype. A final historical note and a framing device--a grandson writing 50 years after the story takes place--make the reading even better, the revelations more astonishing. It's a riveting story that shows racism everywhere and young people facing war, not sure what side to be on or why. For companion books, see "Civil War--An Update" in the September 2003 issue of Book Links . Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
*Publishers Weekly
Without compromising his superb comedic timing and vibrant portrayals of country folk, Peck (A Long Way from Chicago; A Year Down Yonder) reaches new depth with this Civil War-era novel. Structured as a framed story, the book begins in 1916, as 15-year-old Howard Leland Hutchings travels from St. Louis with his father and young twin brothers to visit their Grandma Tilly, a lifelong resident of Grand Tower, situated on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Illinois. The narrative then shifts to the dawning of the Civil War, as Howard's grandmother recounts to him the family's history. A then-15-year-old Tilly brings images of a divided state and country to life as she tells of the arrival of a Southern belle, Delphine, traveling by ship with the woman they presume to be her slave, Calinda, in April 1861. Delphine causes a stir in town with her fancy airs and extraordinary sense of fashion. Acting more charitably than most of her neighbors, Tilly's mother opens her home to the stranded New Orleans natives. Peck crafts his characters impeccably and threads together their fates in surprising ways that not only shed light on them but also on the complicated events and conflicts in America at that time. Tilly's younger sister, Cass, often has "visions" of the past but then begins to see images from the future as well ("Boys, blown apart, blue and gray"). Her ability draws her to Calinda, who shares a similar gift. Tilly is in awe of both guests ("I didn't know what to make of that great world she come from, but she made me want more in my small one"), and her twin brother, Noah, becomes smitten with Delphine. Although Delphine initially comes across as a Blanche Dubois type, her strength amazes and inspires everyone when the war begins to take its toll. Even the twins' mother blossoms from Delphine's proximity ("She put some starch in my spine," Tilly's mother says). These relationships cement and then reverberate throughout the novel. A showboat's arrival on the Mississippi, and Tilly and Delphine's trip to the battlefront in search of Noah, occasion further revelations about Delphine and Calinda's background as well as fascinating details of the complex New Orleans society. Through Tilly's conversational narrative, the author also introduces the significance of Bull Run and the Battle of Belmont. Without graphic description, Peck does not shy away from the horrors of war, nor how it divided the families and friends of Grand Tower.Peck's finely tuned writing makes plausible the ways in which these characters come together, putting their human concerns ahead of their political interest. Readers will find themselves turning back to the beginning of the novel to uncover how seamlessly he has laid the foundation for the connections between people and across generations. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
*Publishers Weekly
"The author crafts his characters impeccably and threads together their fates in surprising ways that shed light on the complicated events of the Civil War."
*Kirkus Reviews
“Peck writes beautifully, bringing history alive through Tilly's marvelous voice and deftly handling themes of family, race, war, and history. A rich tale full of magic, mystery, and surprise.”

5. CONNECTIONS:
* The students to write a response to the novel.
* Students create a timeline of historical dates from the novel, such as Lincoln’s Inauguration, the Battle of Bull Run, the Battle of Belmont and the attack on Fort Sumter.
*Other historical fiction novels about the Civil War:
Olmstead, Robert. Coal Black Horse. ISBN 9781565125216
Reeder, Carolyn. Shades of Gray. ISBN 9780689826962
Wells, Rosemary. Red Moon at Sharpsburg. ISBN 9780670036387

SARAH, PLAIN AND TALL

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY:
MacLachlan, Patricia. 1985. SARAH, PLAIN AND TALL. New York: Harper & Row. ISBN 9780066241025

2. PLOT SUMMARY:
SARAH, PLAIN AND TALL is a story about a family living on the vast prairie in the early years of the 20th century. The story begins when their mother died the day after Caleb was born. Their house on the prairie is quiet now, and their Papa doesn't sing anymore. Then Papa puts an ad in the paper, asking for a wife, and he receives a letter from one Sarah Elisabeth Wheaton, of Maine. And into their lives comes Sarah, with her own needful loneliness and searching, to help them create a whole family. The children fear she will not stay, and when she goes off to town alone, the family is concerned that she is gone for good. When she returns, she explains that, "I will always miss my old home, but the truth of it is I would miss you more."

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
MacLachlan tells a simple, but unusual, story of a midwestern farming family searching for a replacement mother. Anna, probably about ten or twelve years old, narrates the story. MacLachlan’s short tale of abandonment, loss and love is about a family’s hope for a new beginning. It has a compact efficiency that creates a deceptive simplicity. The characters openly discuss their desire to have Sarah stay on the prairie with them. Through MacLachlan's prose you get a sense of the emptiness left when Anna's mother died, and the sincere longing for someone to provide a mother's love. MacLachlan provides many details of farm life and of a time before electricity and motorized vehicles, such as “Papa taught Sarah how to plow the fields, guiding the plow behind Jack and Old Bess, the reins around her neck.” Through descriptions in the story the reader is able to determine the setting. Anna and Sarah’s descriptions allow the reader to picture the family’s home and farmland. MacLachlan carefully chooses her words so that the reader is not overwhelmed with descriptions and events. The rhythmic flow makes this tale easy to read. This is a great novel that students can easily follow, comprehend, and understand as my class did as we read it. Great novel for doing character traits!

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S):
*The New York Times
"An exquisite, sometimes painfully touching tale."
*School Library Jounal
"A book that is filled with wisdom, gentle humor, and the practical concerns necessary for a satisfying life. A tender story about the fragile beginnings of a family relationship on its way to permanence."
*Amazon.com Review
MacLachlan, author of Unclaimed Treasures, has written an affecting tale for children. In the late 19th century a widowed midwestern farmer with two children--Anna and Caleb--advertises for a wife. When Sarah arrives she is homesick for Maine, especially for the ocean which she misses greatly. The children fear that she will not stay, and when she goes off to town alone, young Caleb--whose mother died during childbirth--is stricken with the fear that she has gone for good. But she returns with colored pencils to illustrate for them the beauty of Maine, and to explain that, though she misses her home, "the truth of it is I would miss you more." The tale gently explores themes of abandonment, loss and love. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

5. CONNECTIONS:
**Create a character trait web reflecting on Sarah.
*Compare the coastal region to the plains region including geographical features, weather, and resources in Social Studies.
*Have the students draw Sarah’s home in Maine using Sarah’s descriptions and the Witting’s home on the prairie using Anna’s descriptions?
*Students create their own book by summarizing each chapter.
*Other books in this Patricia MacLachlan trilogy:
Skylark. ISBN 9780064406222
Caleb’s Story. ISBN 9780060236052

CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Cushman, Karen. 1994. CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 9780395681862

1. PLOT SUMMARY:
CATHERINE (BIRDY) is the 14-year-old daughter of an English country knight who is not content with her life. One of her brothers, a monk, has taught her to read and write and has given her a small journal for her to write in. He believes that keeping the journal will help her become more learned and less childish. She records aspects of her daily life and includes her hatred for her household duties. In the process, her writings also tell a lot of life in the 1200s from a teen’s point of view, from dealing with those suffering from “ale head” to attempts to learn refined and ladylike activities such as embroidery. Each different passage tells of the adventures of her days and how her parents are trying to make her act like a lady so her father can marry her off. Birdy hates to act like a lady and doesn't want to get married. This journal describes her adventures throughout a year of her daily life and her efforts to get rid of any male suitor that her father wants her to marry. She finally resigns herself to wed an older, unattractive man that she refers to as Shaggy Beard only to receive word that she will not have to marry him after all.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
"CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY" is a novel which is written in diary format that personifies the difficulties placed upon young women in a medieval court. It is a girl's diary in medieval times that is enjoyable and also an educational read. The first few pages of her diary are simple, one sentence entries, but she quickly moves onto long, paragraphed entries. It takes the reader through a year and a month of Birdy's intrigues and trickery to prevent being, as she puts it, "sold at auction like a pig" by her father whom she only refers to as "the beast." Her mother is trying to teach her to be a lady with "lady lessons," and even her old nurse is joined with her parents against her. As the journal progresses we follow Birdy through many events common to the life of the 13th century. It is an excellent book for preteen and teenage girls. It's a truly wonderful story. People who are intrested in Medieval stories should really read it, for it shows much of the lifestyle back then.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S):
*From Publishers Weekly
A Newbery Honor Book, this witty and wise fictive diary of a 13th-century English girl, according to PW, "introduces an admirable heroine and pungently evokes a largely unfamiliar setting." Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
*School Library Journal
Gr 6-9--The 14-year-old daughter of a rustic knight records the events of her days in the year 1290, writing perceptive, scathing, and often raucously funny observations about her family, friends, and would-be suitors. A delightful, rebellious heroine, determined not to marry the man of her father's choice.
Copyright 1997 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
*Booklist
From Booklist, Apr. 1994, Copyright © American Library Association.
Gr. 6-9. Like the recent The Ramsey Scallop , this is a story of life in the last decade of the twelfth century as seen through the eyes of a young teenage girl. Here the heroine is feisty Birdy, who's been instructed by her older brother to keep a diary so that she may grow less childish. Birdy, the daughter of a minor lord and lady in Lincolnshire, reluctantly agrees, but initially she has nothing more interesting to report than how many fleas she has picked off herself. As the months roll on, however, life becomes more stimulating as Birdy's father tries to marry her off to a variety of suitors. The diary format helps portray the tedium of life in the Middle Ages, the never-ending sewing, cooking, and other chores; the dirt and the illness; and, worse, the lowly role of women in medieval life. But this diary style also inhibits the ability of the characters to come alive. Birdy's is the only real voice. Fortunately, it's a sprightly voice, complete with its own brand of cursing ("God's thumbs!"), that moves the action. Kids can read this on their own or as a supplement to studies of the Middle Ages. (Reviewed Apr. 15, 1994)¾Ilene Cooper.
*School Library Journal
"Superb historical fiction."
*Kirkus Reviews
"The period has rarely been presented for young people with such authenticity; the exotic details will intrigue readers while they relate more closely to Birdy's yen for independence and her sensibilities toward the downtrodden."

5. CONNECTIONS:
*Make a list of words you would use to describe Birdy and then find evidence in her journal to support each choice of word.
*Students may write a response to the story and draw an illustration to complement their response.
*Related Titles:
Lewis, Naomi. Proud Knight, Fair Lady. Viking, 1989 ISBN 0 670 82656 1.
Temple, Frances. The Ramsay Scallop. Orchard, 1994 ISBN 0 531 06836 6.
*Collective biographies by Kathleen Krull:
Lives of Artists: Masterpieces, Messes (And What the Neighbors Thought). ISBN 9780152001032
Lives of Extraordinary Women: Rulers, Rebels (And What the Neighbors Thought). ISBN 9780152008079

THE BOY ON FAIRFIELD STREET: HOW ED GEISEL GREW UP TO BECOME DR. SEUSS

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Krull, Kathleen. 2004. THE BOY ON FAIRFIELD STREET: HOW TED GEISEL GREW UP TO BECOME DR. SEUSS. Ill. by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher. New York: Random House. ISBN 9780375922985

1. PLOT SUMMARY:
THE BOY ON FAIRFIELD STREET: HOW TED GEISEL GREW UP TO BECOME DR. SEUSS introduces the life of renowned children's author and illustrator Ted Geisel, popularly known as Dr. Seuss, focusing on his childhood and youth in Springfield, Massachusetts. It reveals how Ted Geisel enjoyed drawing and doodling as a child and how his passions was misunderstood by others. It goes on to detail what it was like for him growing up on Fairfield Street. He surprises many by attending Dartmouth College and writing for the college humor magazine and with Ted going to Oxford and meeting his future wife. Ted Geisel discovers that he can make a living writing and drawing. It ends when he is twenty-two and “his future looked bright.” Additional pages complete Ted’s life “On Beyond Fairfield Street” and provide a bibliography of works written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
THE BOY ON FAIRFIELD STREET is a great biography for students under-12 and is beautifully illustrated and tenderly written. The full page paintings by Johnson and Fancher further create the setting and a feeling of nostalgia begun by Krull’s well-written text. The soft, muted illustrations complement the visual created by Krull. The inclusion of Geisel’s own drawings adds a little Seuss-flavor to the tale of his life. It is written in smaller font to show it is an account of Dr. Seuss later years of life. This makes it easier for the reader to pick what he/she needs concerning the undertakings of Dr. Seuss. The front cover of the work of art looks like an attractive picture book because it is decorative and colorful. Children would find it enjoyable to read because how the text is written and the cartoon caricatures beneath the passages. The decorative paintings help to communicate his feelings, reactions, and what activity he was engaging in doing a moment in time. Krull presents the factual information in an entertaining and educational manner. This book is a tool that can be used to encourage children to read books written by Ted Geisel (Dr. Seuss), who help to revolutionize the children book industry. This is a great book to share read with your students in your classroom!

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S):
*Review in BookList: “A delightful picture-book biography about Geisel that chronicles how he became an innovative writer and illustrator beloved by readers young and old.”
*Starred review in School Library Journal: “This picture-book biography is a winner...Krull’s work is a terrific look at the boyhood of one of the most beloved author/illustrators of the 20th century.”
*Review in Library Media Connection: “Kathleen Krull presents a touching view of the life of Ted Geisel from early childhood visiting the zoo to his young adult years at Dartmouth College, as well as the poignant events that shaped his life.”
*Publishers Weekly
Krull's (V Is for Victory) fond tribute to Dr. Seuss focuses on the well-loved author/artist's youth. Growing up in Springfield, Mass., Ted Geisel "feasted on books and was wild about animals" and "excelled at fooling around." The informal, anecdotal narrative explains that Geisel early on demonstrated a passion for drawing (even on his bedroom walls) "whatever popped into his head." He took only one art class, in high school, and quit when the teacher scolded him for "breaking rules" and told him he would never be successful. While attending Dartmouth, Geisel was admired for his "talent for silliness" and, Krull notes with comic irony, "He was clearly gifted, though no one knew at exactly what. It wasn't as if men could doodle for a living." The tale ends rather abruptly as the 22-year-old Geisel arrives in New York City to embark on his artistic career. A four-page addendum, presented in a smaller font, chronicles the highlights of Dr. Seuss's publishing career and provides intriguing tidbits about the creation of some of his beloved books. Johnson and Fancher's (New York's Bravest) representational, nostalgic paintings effectively evoke both the period and Geisel's appealingly puckish personality. Featured in spot art, familiar Seuss characters frolic through these pages, thematically complementing the illustrations while reminding readers why Geisel's life is worth celebrating. Ages 6-12. (Jan.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
*Bluebonnet Award (NOMINATED) 2006North Carolina Children's Book Award
(NOMINATED) 2006New York State Charlotte Award

5. CONNECTIONS:
*Students may write a response to the story and draw caricatures, cartoons, or pictures to complement their response.
*Collective biographies by Kathleen Krull:
Lives of Writers: Comedies, Tragedies (And What the Neighbors Thought). ISBN 9780152480097
Lives of Artists: Masterpieces, Messes (And What the Neighbors Thought). ISBN 9780152001032
Lives of Extraordinary Women: Rulers, Rebels (And What the Neighbors Thought). ISBN 9780152008079
Lives of Presidents: Fame, Shame (And What the Neighbors Thought). ISBN 9780152008086