HATTIE BIG SKY by Kirby Larson

Bibliography
Larson, Kirby. 2006. Hattie Big Sky. New York: Delacorte Press. ISBN 0385903324

Plot Summary
Hattie Inez Brooks is an orphan by the age of five. After being jostled between distant relatives, she ends up with a cousin, Uncle Holt, in Arlington, Iowa. At the age of sixteen in 1917, Hattie receives a letter from her mother’s only brother, Chester Hubert Wright, leaving her 320 acres of land near Vida, Montana. Hattie, tired of being the charity case of others, travels to Montana to claim her land with the hope of finally having a place of her own to call home. There, she becomes a homesteader and learns about independence, family, hard work, and love.

Critical Analysis
The backdrop of this novel is the Montana prairie of 1917-1918. This time period is during World War I and the homestead movement, which Larson weaves together beautifully through Hattie’s first person narrative and letters that she sends to her friend Charlie and her Uncle Holt. This setting and the author’s writing style reveal the effects of World War I on America as well as the hard daily life of a homesteader. A universal and timeless theme of the need for love and a place to call home ties everything together.

Larson heavily researched her story and remains true to the life of a homesteader. In a note about the author, Larson is credited with spending three years conducting research and writing her novel. The Montana Memory Project (www.mtmemory.org/cdm) has many collections that attest to the truth that lies within the pages of this work of historical fiction. In fact, although Larson’s great-grandmother, who the story is based off of, was able to secure her claim on her land, Larson remains true to the times and causes her fictional Hattie to lose her claim. This was true for the majority of homesteaders.

Hattie is a character that is wise beyond her years and a much harder worker than anyone of today. I see her more of an inspiration and someone to aspire to being like instead of a real person. Although Hattie has few flaws in my opinion, her struggle is interesting, adventurous, and heroic.

Awards Won & Review Excerpts

• Cybil Award, 2006 - Finalist

• John Newbery Medal, 2007 - Honor Book

• Montana Book Award, 2006

• Booklist: "Writing in figurative language that draws on nature and domestic detail to infuse her story with the sounds, smells, and sights of the prairie, she creates a richly textured novel full of memorable characters."

• Kirkus Reviews: "This fine offering may well inspire readers to find out more about their own family histories."

• The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books: "With the literary Great Plains overpopulated by plucky 1800s girls on covered wagons, it’s refreshing to bring the homestead experience into the twentieth century and meet a strong-willed young woman who meets failure with dignity, shoulders her debts with good-natured resolve, and plans her future with cautious optimism."

Connections

• Explore more about Montana History through the Montana Memory Project:  www.mtmemory.org/cdm.

• Other books about frontier life:

          Conrad, Pam. Prairie Songs. ISBN 0060213361
          Conrad, Pam. Prairie Visions: The Life and Times of Solomon Butcher. ISBN                         0060213736
          MacLachlan, Patricia. Sarah, Plain and Tall. ISBN 0060241012
          Wadsworth, Ginger. Words West: Voices of Young Pioneers. ISBN 0618234756

• Books about World War I:

          Murphy, Jim. Truce: The Day the Soldiers Stopped Fighting. ISBN 9780545130493
          Morpurgo, Michael. Private Peaceful. ISBN 0007150067
          Skurzynski, Gloria. Goodbye, Billy Radish. ISBN 0027829219

CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY by Karen Cushman

Bibliography
Cushman, Karen. 1994. Catherine, Called Birdy. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0395681863

Plot Summary
Fourteen-year-old Birdy is subject to her parents’ plot of marrying her off to the highest bidder. Although she is a lady of a medieval English manor, her father is a poor knight with modest lands. Birdy is set against becoming the proper grown lady that her parents want her to be, and she scares away every suitor that comes her way. In an attempt to avoid marrying the worst suitor of them all, Birdy runs away from home. However, she discovers that she cannot keep avoiding the life in store for her and realizes that she can conform and yet still remain true to who she is.

Critical Analysis
The theme of this story is universal and timeless in that it deals with a rebellious teenager, Birdy, fighting against the normal way of life. In the midst of her rebellion, Birdy finds a place in the world and discovers hope in maintaining some way to remain true to who she is. This theme is set in a modest English manor house during the Middle Ages (1290-1291), a time where women are the property of their husbands and fathers. Cushman remains true to this period with everything but Birdy herself. During medieval times fire could destroy villages, fleas abound, religion is the center of everyday life, and time is marked by celebrations. All of this is captured in Cushman’s novel. Birdy, on the other hand, has thoughts and actions that modern day teenagers can identify with. She is rebellious and outspoken. In the author’s note, Cushman points out herself that most girls of that time would consent to marry anyone their parents told them to with no fuss. Therefore, although the plot of an arranged marriage is true to the time period, Birdy’s reactions and deeds are not.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it enthusiastically in a couple of hours. Cushman presents Birdy’s predicament with humor. Birdy’s portrayal of her suitor, Shaggy Beard, who has no manners or sense of personal hygiene, is hilarious. Birdy comes up with every way possible to get out of such a marriage. Cushman ends the book with an author’s note that explains the ways in which her portrayal of medieval England is authentic. I plan on reading the author’s book recommendations for more information on medieval England.

Awards Won & Review Excerpts

•  John Newbery Medal, 1995 - Honor Book

• ABC Children's Booksellers Choices Award, 1995

• Carl Sandburg Literary Arts Awards, 1994

• Golden Kite Award, 1995

• Booklist: "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."

• 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."

• The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books: "Cushman hedges her bet a little by making Catherine conveniently modern and rebellious in much of her outlook, but she writes with vigor and craft of a life most young people won't have contemplated but will find fascinating here."

Connections

• In the author's note, Cushman provides suggestions for further reading about the Middle Ages and medieval England. Try reading some of these suggestions.

• Other books by Karen Cushman:

          Matilda Bone. ISBN 0395881560
          The Midwife's Apprentice. ISBN 0395692296
          The Ballad of Lucy Whipple. ISBN 0395728061

• Try reading some poems with a medieval England theme:

          Lewis, J. Patrick, and Rebecca Kai Dotlich. Castles: Old Stone Poems. ISBN                           1590783808
          Tennyson, Alfred Lord. The Lady of Shalott. ISBN 1553378741 

ELIJAH OF BUXTON by Christopher Paul Curtis

Bibliography
Curtis, Christopher Paul. 2007. Elijah of Buxton. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0439023440

Plot Summary
Eleven-year-old Elijah has two claims to fame. First and foremost, he is the first child to be born free from slavery in the runaway slave settlement of Buxton, Canada. Secondly, as a baby, he threw up on Frederick Douglass “for a whole half a hour.” Elijah enjoys his life of freedom as he attends school, performs chores on the settlement, hangs out with his best friend Cooter, and welcomes escaped slaves to a new life of freedom. Elijah discovers the good and bad within everyone, the horrors of slavery, and the beginnings of adulthood when he steals away to America to help recover money stolen from a friend in need.

Critical Analysis
Christopher Paul Curtis takes a touchy and heart-wrenching subject and makes it easy for a younger mind to digest by telling it as a story through the eyes of eleven-year-old Elijah. Curtis uses humor that can only be brought to life through the eyes of a child in the midst of a hurtful time in U.S. history. For example, Elijah and his best friend Cooter misinterpret the lesson “familiarity breeds contempt” as something dealing with a “family breeding contest!” Elijah’s adventures and views on things make one laugh out loud while reading. Although Elijah is a black child of the mid 1800’s, he is just as naïve and curious as any eleven-year-old today.

Buxton is a haven of freedom in comparison to the glimpses of a life of slavery revealed throughout the story. The end of the story provides a disturbing and graphic depiction of the life the settlers of Buxton have left behind. This is definitely a subject in which adults should encourage discussion with young readers. The world has come a long way from Elijah’s time. However, universal themes such as respect for elders and the difficulties of learning how to be an adult are things that today’s children can identify with. An author’s note at the end explains the factual elements of the story, such as the Buxton settlement (it is still thriving today), the Liberty Bell, and the way the settlers lived their daily lives.

I love this book and plan on sharing it with my children when they are mature enough to understand the subject matter. My oldest is seven, and I feel that she is too young. Some details given about the treatment of slaves may be too violent in nature for her. Perhaps in another two to three years we can enjoy the story together and possibly make a trip to Buxton.

Awards Won & Review Excerpts

• John Newbery Medal, 2008 - Honor Book

• Coretta Scott King Book Award, 2008

• Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, 2008

• Booklist: "Many readers drawn to the book by humor will find themselves at times on the edges of their seats in suspense and, at other moments, moved to tears. A fine, original novel from a gifted storyteller."

• Kirkus Reviews: "This is Curtis's best novel yet, and no doubt many readers, young and old, will finish and say, 'This is one of the best books I have ever read.'"

• Library Media Connection: "Curtis deals with the difficult topic of slavery from a youthful perspective, allowing Elijah to learn of its sadness and pain first hand. This is done without overwhelming the reader, by infusing the novel with humor."

Connections

• Buxton is still in existence. It is a historical site and has a museum. Explore the museum web page at http://www.buxtonmuseum.com/.

• Learn more about Canada's black history by visiting the Canadian Black History Virtual Museum http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/games/museum/index.asp.

• Other books by Christopher Paul Curtis:

          The Watsons go to Birmingham--1963. ISBN 0786227419
          Bud, Not Buddy. ISBN 0385323069
          Bucking the Sarge. ISBN 0385323077
          The Mighty Miss Malone. ISBN 9780385734912

THE TARANTULA SCIENTIST by Sy Montgomery, Photos by Nic Bishop

Bibliography
Montgomery, Sy. 2004. The Tarantula Scientist. Photos by Nic Bishop. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0618147993

Plot Summary
The author, Sy Montgomery, and photographer, Nic Bishop, follow Sam Marshall, tarantula scientist, on one of his adventures to French Guiana to learn about tarantulas. In addition to focusing on tarantulas, the book also offers interesting information about French Guiana, how scientists conduct their work, and other animals that live in the same neighborhood as Sam’s beloved tarantulas. Beautiful photographs of tarantulas, frogs, other spiders, and much more show each detail that the text conveys.

Critical Analysis
Sy Montgomery and Nic Bishop document their journey with Sam Marshall to French Guiana and then to the Spider Lab at Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio. Sam is an assistant professor of biology at Hiram College who has devoted his life to studying tarantulas. This book is so interesting that it can be read from beginning to end. The last couple of pages are devoted to a dictionary of terms, a section on spider facts, and an index for those who may want to use this book to find specific information. The photographs are beautiful and convey the author’s message that spiders are interesting and beautiful creatures. Scientific vocabulary is used with just the right of amount of explanation so that any amateur to the field of science can learn the proper terminology of the field. I love how the book captures Sam’s love and excitement for tarantulas. The photographs help readers see the beauty that Sam sees.

Awards Won & Review Excerpts

•  Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal, 2005 - Honor

• Best Children's Books of the Year, 2004 - Bank Street College of Education

• Choices, 2005 - Cooperative Children’s Book Center

• Notable Children's Books, 2005 - American Library Association ALSC

• Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12, 2005 - National Science Teachers Association/CBC

• Booklist: "Readers will come away armed with facts about spiders in general and tarantulas in particular, but even more important, they'll have a clear understanding of how the answers derived from research become the roots of new, intriguing questions."

• Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choices: "The Tarantula Scientist continues to hold to a standard of excellence."

• National Science Teachers Association (NSTA): "I know it will grab their interest as it did mine, and it will, if nothing else, make children look with a keener eye at the organisms in the world around them."

Connections

• If you have a classroom pet or can acquire one, have children study the animal and write down their observations. Have students share questions that they have as a result of their observations. Discover ways to find answers to these questions.

• Other books about spiders:

          Bishop, Nic. Spiders. ISBN 9780439877565
          Sill, Cathryn P. About Arachnids: A Guide for Children. ISBN 1561450383
          Markle, Sandra. Sneaky, Spinning, Baby Spiders. ISBN 9780802796974

• Enjoy a poetry break by reading some poetry featuring spiders:

          Hovey, Kate. Arachne Speaks. ISBN 0689829019
          Florian, Douglas. Insectlopedia: Poems and Paintings. ISBN 0152013067
          Howitt, Mary. The Spider and the Fly. ISBN 0689852894   

WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALICE? by Barbara Kerley, Ill. by Edwin Fotheringham

Bibliography
Kerley, Barbara. 2008. What To Do About Alice? Ill. by Edwin Fotheringham. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0439922313

Plot Summary
What To Do About Alice? is a picture book biography of Alice Roosevelt, the daughter of Theodore Roosevelt by his first wife. The story tells of the carefree nature of Alice from childhood through adulthood. As a child, Alice was known for jumping on furniture, enjoying a good piggyback ride, reading adventurous tales, home schooling herself, and playing with the boys. As an adult, Alice becomes a goodwill ambassador and a trusted political advisor to her husband and father. She also loves to party!

Critical Analysis
Kids are attracted to Alice’s sense of adventure. Although she may get into trouble with her father, she is so well loved by him that he forgives her when she creates a scandal. My children caught on to this early on in the biography and were able to relate this to their own lives. Kerley tells Alice’s story by portraying both her strengths and weaknesses. Although it is obvious that Kerley loves Alice and is passionate about her subject, she avoids too much bias by revealing the good with the bad. There are also author’s notes, which include more facts and insights about Alice and her relationship with her father. The illustrations complement the text by showing an adventurous and energetic Alice loving life. She is always seen on the go and in action, just as the text portrays her.

This book makes me eager to learn more about Alice Roosevelt. There is documentable dialogue, with a list of sources for the quotes. Carol Felsenthal, an expert biographer, checked all facts presented in the text and illustrations.

Awards Won & Review Excerpts

•  Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal, 2009 - Honor Book

• Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Excellence in Children's Literature, 2008

• Cybil Award, 2008 - Finalist

• Booklist: "There are a few flaws. Kids, who have a shaky sense of history, would have benefited from a time line, and quotes are barely sourced. These are small points, though, in an otherwise invigorating look at larger-than-life Alice."

• Kirkus Reviews: "It's a gleeful celebration of a fully, unapologetically led life."

• Library Media Connection: "The book does an excellent job of conveying a lot of history in an entertaining way as it illuminates the life and personality of one of America's icons."

Connections

• Other books about the children of American presidents:

          Davis, Gibbs. First Kids. ISBN 0375822186
          Coulter, Laurie. When John & Caroline Lived in the White House. ISBN            0786806249

• Have children create a poster highlighting their favorite moments in the life of Alice Roosevelt.

• Allow children to find information about the most recent children who are living or who have lived in the White House. Have them compare the life of Alice with the lives of the more recent first children.

BIG & LITTLE by Steve Jenkins

Bibliography
Jenkins, Steve. 1996. Big & Little. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0395726646

Plot Summary
Big & Little is a concept picture book that teaches children about size. Jenkins takes a pair of animals that are within the same family, such as two birds or two rodents, and presents a small and big version.  For example, he shows an ostrich alongside a hummingbird. The drawings are all on the same scale so that readers get a realistic sense of the size difference between the animals. Interesting facts about each animal are also included.

Critical Analysis
Jenkins portrays the concept of size through lively illustrations drawn to scale. A big animal is drawn near a smaller animal within the same family so that younger children can learn what big and small means. For example, there is a great white shark that takes up about three pages (he actually wraps around to the next page that is turned) that appears to be chasing an extremely smaller cat shark that is about four inches on paper. The text provides interesting tidbits that tell how similar or different the animal pair is. The animal pairs are shown beginning with those that reside on land and ending with the sea dwellers. A bibliography of sources can be found at the end.

I love this book due to the illustrations and how Jenkins provides interesting information that compares the animal pairs. Although I do agree with the author’s foreword that some animals have evolved in size due to evolution, I think that kids may be mislead into thinking that this statement may be true of all the animal pairs presented in the book. My three-year-old loves how some of the animals wrap around to another page. He also likes the comparison of all the animals with an adult human silhouette; this two-page spread can be found at the end of the book. My daughter is seven and an aspiring veterinarian, which is why she enjoys the animal facts that are provided.

Awards Won & Review Excerpts

• Children's Literature Choice List, 1997

•  Lasting Connections, 1996 - American Library Association

•  School Library Journal Book Review Stars, October 1996

• Booklist: "With its visually striking images and easily digestible bits of information, this will please both young children and their parents." 

• Kirkus Reviews: "The main problem is that Jenkins is unclear about his audience: The opening paragraph on evolution is difficult for young readers; the rest of the book does not reinforce that paragraph for older readers and will put them off as little more than a naming or comparison game."

• Parent Council Volume 4: "Stunning cut-paper illustrations provide a textural feast for the eyes."

Connections

• Look through other nonfiction works about animals. Have children find other pairs within the same family that are on opposite sides of the size spectrum.

• Other nonfiction books about animals:

          Holub, Joan. Why Do Horses Neigh? ISBN 0803727704
          Jenkins, Steve, and Robin Page.What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? ISBN                     0618256288
          Jenkins, Steve, and Robin Page. How Many Ways Can You Catch a Fly? ISBN                       9780618966349

• Other nonfiction books about size:

          Jenkins, Steve. Actual Size. ISBN 0618375945
          Hillman, Ben. How Big Is It? A Big Book All About Bigness. ISBN 9780439918084
          Jenkins, Steve. Prehistoric Actual Size. ISBN 0618535780