Dogs and Cats

BIBLIOGRAPY
Jenkins, Steve.2007. DOGS AND CATS. Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0618507671

PLOT SUMMARY
In this fun and inventive book, Steve Jenkins appeals to both dog and cat lovers at the same time. Readers can view one side and read about dogs and then flip the book over and read about cats. Jenkins book features information about different breeds of cats and dogs, interesting facts and details about their behavior, and historical information as well.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
There are many books about dogs and cats, but Steve Jenkins work stands out in many ways. The reader can read about dogs and then flip the book over to read about cats. The cover of the book even changes for the preference of the reader by showing a cat on one side and a dog on the other. Another way this work stands out against others is the interactive nature of the book. Alongside the text, interesting facts and trivia jump out at the viewer enticing them on a journey to read the text in a non-linear way. Many non-readers, will be surprised, when finished with the book that they have indeed read a book!
Steve Jenkins, not only wrote this attention capturing book, but illustrated it as well. Jenkins illustration of puppies and kittens are adorable and so life-like that readers can't help but be drawn to their images. Also, the depictions of the different breeds serve as a helpful example of the different breeds of dogs and cats and give insight to the wonderful characteristics and intrinsic behaviors of dogs and cats.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL review: “This could have been just another book about pets, albeit with a clever gimmick (after reading about one of the species, youngsters can flip the volume over to learn about the other). However, Jenkins has created a book that reaches beyond the mundane and into the spectacular. The two halves of this whole are intertwined throughout. In the part about dogs, cat icons serve as teasers for the other section, and vice versa. The two halves meet in the center with a large illustration of a cat and dog lying together on a rug-a seamless transition from one subject to the other. The lively narrative provides a copious amount of information, examining each species in human history, describing evolution and domestication, highlighting physical characteristics and behaviors, and finishing up with amazing facts about each animal.”

CONNECTIONS
This book will certainly appeal to animal lover and especially to dog and cat lovers. Students can read the book and share interesting stories on their own animals as well as identify what breed of dog or cat they might have.
*Read other books about animals like,
Jenkins, Steve. LIVING COLOR. ISBN 0618708970 and other books by Steve Jenkins such as
LOOKING DOWN. ISBN 0618310983

Bodies from the Ice: Melting Glaciers and the Recovery of the Past

BIBLIOGRAPY
Deem, James M. BODIES FROM THE ICE: MELTING GLACIERS AND THE RECOVERY OF THE PAST. 2008. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 9780618800452

PLOT SUMMARY
BODIES FROM THE ICE begins its tale in 1991 when husband and wife hikers discover a body under melting ice on the Niederjoch glacier. The couple took a picture of the body and returned to town to inform the authorities. This sparked a full-fledged archeology dig for the body and attracted attention from the media everywhere. Many thought the body was a few hundred years old, but the world was stunned when radiocarbon testing revealed, the body, nicknamed “Otzi” by the media, was 5,300 years old. Information about other bodies found in ice such as the Incan children purposefully buried as sacrifices in the Andes, are presented as well as in depth information about glaciers.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The book is broken up into seven sections detailed in the table of contents. Each section features information on bodies found in ice around different parts of the world as well explaining glacier formations and highlighting famous glaciers around the world. Throughout Deem's book, text is paired with helpful maps, images of articles found at dig sites, as well as crisp clear full page pictures of the frozen bodies, epic glaciers, and soaring mountains. Also found in the book, in the back of the text, are suggested websites, a list of glaciers to visit, and a helpful index to help the active and adventurous reader navigate through the text.

REVIEW EXCERPT
2009 AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION NOTABLE BOOKS FOR CHILDREN
BOOKLIST review: “There are books about melting glaciers and books about frozen bodies, but this attractive offering combines the topics in a way that will intrigue readers. It begins with a chance discovery by walkers in northern Italy who find a thawing corpse originally thought to be from the 1800s. Scientists later realized the body was more than 5,000 years old. As glaciers melt throughout the world, more frozen bodies are appearing, adding greatly to the knowledge researchers have about history and culture. Individual chapters cover types of glaciers and why they are fertile territory for housing bodies; the Chamonix glacier, which saw women climbers in the early 1800s; the mystery of George Mallory, who died trying to climb Mt. Everest.”

CONNECTIONS
James Deem's book will appeal to female and male adventurers everywhere.
Read other similar non-fiction books by Deem such as:
BODIES FROM THE BOG. ISBN 0618354026 and
BODIES FROM THE ASH: LIFE AND DEATH IN ANCIENT POMPEII. ISBN 0618473084

What to do with Alice?

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Kerley, Barbara. 2008. WHAT TO DO WITH ALICE? Ill. By Edwin Fotheringham. New York, NY: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0439922313

PLOT SUMMARY
In this colorful biography, we are offered a brief glimpse into the life and character of Alice Roosevelt, President Theodore Roosevelt's daughter. As Theodore Roosevelt begins his journey to the White House, his daughter Alice is begins to make her own mark on the world by becoming one of the most talked about women of her time. Her wild behavior such as having a pet snake named Emily Spinach, joining an all-boys club, and “eating up the world” made her a “running riot”to her father but caused the American people to love her all the more. As Alice grew up she became more involved in politics and became a wife of a congressman and even an adviser to her father while still holding on to her “unruly” and adventurous nature.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This lively biography is perfectly written for children of any age. Written by Barbara Kerley the details of Alice Roosevelt's life are presented in chronological manner from the time she was born, details her young adult life, and ends as she gets married and begins her adult life. Kerley writes Alice's short biography in way to not only inform the reader but to entertain them as well. Some biographies may beat the reader over the head with details and facts but Kerley manages to magically slip famous excerpts, headlines, and quotes into the story to provide factual evidence of Alice's crazy antics and voracious appetite for life.
Fotheringham illustrations complement Kerley's text in every way. To match Alice's wild and “unruly” nature the most vibrant and vivid colors are used to illustrate this short biography. Alice is often depicted in a bright red dress and is active in every page whether it be when she is riding on the handle bars of a bike, dancing until the wee hours of the morning, or even waving to friends during her father's inauguration. Fotheringham also complements Kerley's work by drawing attention to famous quotes and headlines by placing them in all caps and by bolding them in dark black or stark white text.

REVIEW EXCERT
2009 AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION NOTABLE BOOKS FOR CHILDREN

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURAL review: “Kerley's text gallops along with a vitality to match her subject's antics, as the girl greets White House visitors accompanied by her pet snake, refuses to let leg braces cramp her style, dives fully clothed into a ship's swimming pool, and also earns her place in history as one of her father's trusted advisers. Fotheringham's digitally rendered, retro-style illustrations are a superb match for the text. The energy in his pictures is palpable as when Alice is turned loose in her father's library and five Alices dart about followed by lines that trace her frenetic path as she reads eclectically and voraciously.”

CONNECTIONS
*Invite students to read biographies that interest them and then share suprising details they've learned.
Read other biographies by Barbara Kerley such as:
THE EXTRAORDINARY MARK TWAIN (ACCORDING TO SUSY). ISBN 0545125081
WALT WHITMAN: WORDS FOR AMERICA. ISBN 0439357913

Diamond Willow

BIBLIOGRAPY
Frost, Helen. 2008. DIAMOND WILLOW. New York. Frances Foster Books. ISBN 0374317763

PLOT SUMMARY
This unique story features a 12 year old girl, Diamond Willow, who is part Athabascan, a native tribe from Alaska which is where the story is located takes place. Diamond is normal young girl who feels frustration toward her parents for not recognizing she is growing up and frustration toward her best friend for spending more time with her instead of with a boy she likes. In an attempt to prove to her family that she has abilities and that she is growing up she takes her Dad's mush team out on her own to her grandparents she runs into trouble and learns more about her herself and discovers something startling about her family.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Helen Frost created an instant classic with story and character of Diamond Willow. Diamond is vulnerable, strong, normal, and special at the same time. This verse novel, with some prose, is written is an incredibly creative way where easch poem is shaped like a diamond that occurs on a branch of a Willow tree, for which Diamond is named after. Even more interesting is the special hidden messages in each diamond. The hidden message is centered in the middle of the diamond, bolded in black, and features the inner thoughts and insecurities of Diamond. Amazing jewels like, “I'm skinny and ordinary like a stick” and “Sometimes I feel like two people” demonstrates Diamond vulnerable character while other treasure like, “so what if We get grounded for This” and “I know I'm a little amazing” show Diamond true confidence and strength in herself. Helen Frost's Diamond Willow mixes drama and mystery to create a story that heralds themes of truth, love, and the importance of family.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
VOICE FOR YOUTH ADVOCATES review: “Each page of her narration is a poem in the shape of a diamond, with a few bolded words in the middle conveying a second message. The ancestors who watch over her in the form of forest animals speak in interspersed pages of prose. An engaging survival tale, it is also the story of a girl who finds within herself the grace to grow up.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL review: “Frost casts a subtle spell through innovative storytelling. Her poems offer pensive imagery and glimpses of character, and strong emotion. This complex and elegant novel will resonate with readers who savor powerful drama and multifaceted characters.”

CONNECTIONS
This story will appeal to young female readers as well as readers that enjoy action and survivalist stories.
Other stories similar to DIAMOND WILLOW
Law, Ingrid. 2008. SAVVY. New York: Penguin Group. ISBN 0-8037-3306-2
Frost, Helen. 2003. KEESHA'S HOUSE. New York: Farrar, Straus,& Giroux. ISBN 0374340641

Monster Muesum

BIBLIOGRAPY
Singer, Marilyn. 2001. MONSTER MUSEUM. Ill. By Gris Grimly. New York: Hyperion Books For Children. ISBN 078680520-X

PLOT SUMMARY
In this collection of poems a group of students on a field trip visit the Monster Museum. Inside the museum the children are introduced to many different types of monster including some famous creatures from literature such as Count Dracula, Frankenstein, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
While featuring some of the creepiest monsters in literature, Singer's poems and illustrations by Gris Grimly transform these ghouls and goblins into quirky and playful creatures sure to capture the attention of young children. “My brother is a poltergeist,/My sister is a bogey./ My mother is a revenant,/My father's an old fogy.” In “Ghost” Singer's rhymes are not only informative but they just plain fun to say.

Grimly's illustrations of the monsters are much like the story itself, strange, bordering on crazed, and with just a hint of deviousness. In the depiction of the Poltergeist, Grimly has the ghost enclosed behind a display but his devilish and devious grin suggest he might just break through the barrier any second. Each page is full of characters, monsters, and objects flying around the room, the scene is so chaotic but will draw the attention of readers to notice every detail.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL review: “This fresh, witty book will be popular for not-so-scary storytimes, as well as independent reading. The humor and wordplay running rampant adds to the delight of the whole museum visit. Another howling success for this versatile author”

KIRKUS reviews: “The cleverly detailed watercolors by mysterious illustrator Gris Grimly (a pseudonym for Steven Soenksen) steal the show with hilarious humor and offer careful readers all sorts of visual jokes, with additional monsters peering out from unexpected locations. His monsters are charmingly spooky rather than grotesque, and the schoolchildren also have their own quirky personalities. Singer's poems are lively and humorous (if not great literature), and they impart quite a bit of information about various famous monsters.”

CONNECTIONS
These creepy yet friendly monster tale will make a great read for young children celebrating Halloween.
Other stories similar to MONSTER MUESUM
Singer, Marylin.2004 CREATURE CARNIVAL. Ill. by Gris Grimly. New York: Hyperion Books. ISBN 0786818778

Button Up!: Wrinkled Rhymes

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Schertle, Alice. 2009. BUTTON UP!:WRINKLED RHYMES. Ill. By Petra Mathers. New York: Harcourt Children's Books. ISBN 9780152050504

PLOT SUMMARY
In Button UP!: Wrinkled Rhymes, Alice Schertle brings to life various article of clothing. On each page the the reader is presented with a different types of garment such as “Violet's Hiking Hat” to “Emily's Undies” who have distinctive personalities just like the various animal characters that choose to wear them. Alice Schertle's poems not only describe the physical qualities of the garments, but allows the articles of clothing to narrate and detail their unique qualities, special history, and duties to the colorful characters to which they belong.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Alice Schertle's Button Up! are filled with humor and playfulness. For adults, each poem the reader delves into is a new experience full of meaning and nostalgia. In “Hand-me-down sweatshirt” lines such as, “I started out Wendell's,/was passed down to May,/she passed me to Karly,/I'm Andrew's Today. So zip up my zipper/and pull up my hood. I'm a friend of the family/ and still looking good.” Adult readers will remember their favorite old t-shirt handed down from an older brother or sister.In “Violet's Hiking Hat”, the hat says, “I'm taking a hike with Violet./Violet's showing me things./ “Hat,” says Violet, “there's a caboose./These are butterfly wings.” With these playful lines children will draw comparisons with Violet's hat and their own favorite tennis shoes, t-shirt, or that ratty old blanket they can't go anywhere without.
Petra Mathers' illustrations for Button Up! were done in bright and vivid watercolors. The main characters in the book are the articles of clothing, but Mathers brings special attention to the wearers of the clothing by choosing to make them not humans but beautiful and quirky animals. Mathers' illustrations complete Schertle's poems by evoking a sense of nostalgia. While Schertle's poems compel children and adults to remember their favorite toy or hand-me-down item, Mathers' illustrations evoke nostalgia by illustrating fantastical and beautiful animals similar to the classic child-hood favorite The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
CHILDREN'S LITERATURE review: “Rollicking poems told in the "voices" of articles of clothing make up this fun collection. Rhymes are in couplets or quatrains, with some internal rhyming, and there is a well-defined rhythm that will appeal to children. The silliness of talking clothes adds to the overall appeal.”
KIRKUS REVIEWS “Mathers's whimsy-filled watercolors place each article of clothing on an animal, and not just cats and dogs. There are otters and pigs, alligators and rabbits, emus and moles. And these creatures have personality, exuberance and high style that perfectly match the verses. Loads of fun.”

CONNECTIONS
This would be a great read for children and parents together. Also, this would make an excellent project for an elementary class. After reading the story children could share with the class what their favorite garment was. Students could also write their own poems and illustrate their own favorite article of clothing for the class to see.
*Other books of poetry like Alice Schertle's Button Up!:
Schertle, Alice. VERY HAIRY BEAR Ill. by Mat Phelan. ISBN 0152165681
Mathers, Petra. LOTTIE'S NEW BEACH TOWEL. ISBN 0689844417