...the book is better!

Because of Winn-Dixie

Every now and then in Hollywood, a book based on quality children's literature produces a quality movie. Because of Winn-Dixie touched my heart in a way few books have. Opal India Buloni is a kind-hearted young girl who is so very lonely. She is also quirky and quite intelligent. Her circumstances of being displaced from a home she knew, abandoned by her mother and ignored by a father, who hides behind his sermons rather than face his own pain, place Opal in the perfect situation to rescue a stray dog. Winn-Dixie could perhaps be a manifestation of the inner emotions of each of the characters. As a stray, Winn-Dixie has no roots, no stability, no purpose. So when he is first introduced, he is haphazardly running through the grocery store. He may be a bit frightened, undisciplined, aimless. Yet, when Opal claims him as hers, he quietly leaves with her, as if he really does belong to her. Opal knows the pain of being left behind. Her mother ran away and her father is emotionally distant, which kept the two from dealing with the absence of a mother and wife. Opal has no choice but to rescue this poor dog from his loneliness. Opal's act of saving Winn-Dixie from the lonliness is a catalyst for an unpredictable summer of events that will change the lives of an entire town. Thankfully, Walden Media never allowed this movie to stray too far from the path through which Kate DiCamillo led the readers. The characters created by DiCamillo were so well developed in her story that the cast seemed to simply step of the pages on to the screen. The setting presented in the movie adhered to the small town details found in the descriptions in the books, yet in both book and movie, it was simplistic enough to be Anytown, USA-identifiable to the average reader or movie-goer. Major plot points from the book were included in the movie. Because of Winn-Dixie, Opal met the same colorful characters in both the movie and the book. However, the movie added a bumbling police officer, who must have been added for some comic relief. Although I did not find this necessary, it did not take away from the theme of the story. One aspect of the movie that I thought was a wonderful addition was Opal's drawing of the town. In the beginning of the movie, when Opal is alone, she sits beneath a towering tree and sketches the town in black and white. As Opal and Winn-Dixie develop friendships with the people of Naomi, Florida, she adds color to the picture just has her new friendships add color to her once black-and-white life. Most of all, Opal's relationship with her father has been improving throughout the story. The events that lead up to the final scene between Opal and the preacher, in which they both finally face the pain and begin to heal the hurt and fill the empty space left by her mother's absence, are slightly different in the movie, but create the same emotional effect. Family is more than blood relatives; family consists of those you love and those that love you back, which could be your father-the preacher, the eccentric woman living alone, the guitar playing ex-con who runs the pet shop, and even a scraggly, stray dog with a smile that can change a town. Teacher's Resource Guide Additional Resources for Because of Winn-Dixie

Jerry Pinkney

McKissaack, P.C. (2001). Goin' someplace special. New York, NY: Scholastic.
(Picture from Amazon.com)

Tricia Ann is getting ready to go "someplace special" and convinces her grandmother, Mama Frances, to let her go, for the first time, alone to this place. The story is set during the time of the Jim Crow laws, which relegated the blacks to the back of the bus among other civil rights infringements. There are some parks, buildings and restaurants in which African-Americans were not even allowed. Tricia Ann offers her seat in the "colored section" of the bus to her grandmother's friend, Mrs. Grannell and notices that there are plenty of open seats in the "white" section, but Tricia Ann continues her ride standing. Once she arrives at her destination, she visits the Peace Fountain only to discover that she is not allowed to sit on the bench to enjoy looking at the fountain.

Later, Tricia Ann gets caught in a crowd of people in front of the Southland Hotel and accidentally gets swept into the lobby. The hotel manager pushes through the crowd toward her demanding to know why she thinks she can come in the hotel. She runs to the Mission Church ruins where her grandmother always stopped to rest. Tricia Ann has decided that getting to someplace special by herself is too hard and she wants to go home. While in the ruins, she meets Blooming Mary who cares for the flowers growing within the ruins. Blooming Mary tells her the same thing every one has been telling Tricia Ann through out the book: "You're somebody...no better, no worse then anybody else.... Gettin' someplace special is not an easy route. But don't study on quittin', just keep walking straight ahead...." Tricia Ann finds her determination and proceeds boldly to her special place. Mama Frances called it "a doorway to freedom" and Tricia Ann called it "someplace special," but we call it the public library. One of the few places that did not discriminate based on race.

The events of this story were taken from Patricia McKissack's own life in Nashville, Tennessee, where segregation created separate schools, separate water fountains, riding in the back of the bus or sitting in the last two rows of the balcony. Yet, "in the 1950's, Nashville's public library board of directors quietly voted to integrate all their facilities."

Jerry Pinkney's illustrations communicate the differences of the country and the city. Tricia Ann's house is reminiscent of the country house of this decade and the details in the kitchen show that Mama Frances is an excellent cook and there is most likely a garden in the yard during the summer. The house reminds me of my aunt's house that I spent a lot of time at as a child. The clothing is also an indication of the time and place of the story; the hats, dresses and accessories are representative of the decade. The facial expressions of the characters follow the plot as the story progresses. The final picture of Tricia Ann staring up at the public library captures the hope and promise she sees in her "special place," her "doorway to freedom."

This would be such a great story to share as a way to promote both the public and school libraries. Demonstrating that freedom is connected to knowledge, to literacy, to learning about the past, present and future through the exchange of ideas and beliefs.

Teacher Resources:

Goin' Someplace Special Unit Study
BYU Lesson Plan

And The Winner Is...

The Caldecott and Newbery Medals are awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, which is "dedicated to the support and enhancement of library service to children."

Randolph Caldecott was a 19th century English illustrator. The Caldecott Medal is awarded "to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children."

John Newbery was an eighteenth-century English bookseller. The Newbery Medal is awarded "to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children."

Although these two literary awards recognize very distinct achievements, each of these awards carry its own level of honor. I don't believe one is "better" then the other. Picture books rely on illustrations to convey literary elements in a visual way and books that contain few to no pictures must weave a story together with words that create a tapestry that can be seen by the reader. Both awards value the story being told, yet the presentation is what makes the difference in being a Caldecott or a Newbery winner.

Visit ALSC for more information about these and other literary awards.

Laurence Yep

Yep, L. (1995). Hiroshima. New York, NY: Schlastic. (Picture from Amazon.com)

Two fictional girls, Riko and Sachi, live in the historical time of World War II in Hiroshima, Japan. The two girls are not headed to a schoolhouse, instead Riko, 16, works at the army headquaters recording phone messages and Sachi, 12, works outside with her classmates helping to tear down houses to keep fires from spreading in case there is a bomb attack. Yep alternates between telling about the girls' lives and telling about the American planes that are headed for Hiroshima, the Straight Flush and the Enola Gay. The next few chapters describe the dropping of the atomic bomb and the chaos and horror that ensues on the ground. The author puts the reader inside the Enola Gay, hearing the conversations among the crew before and after the bombing occurs. The reader is also on the ground with the injured, frightened, and dead of Hiroshima. Only one of the sister emerges from the devastation of the bomb, but Sachi had terrible burns on her face, from which it will take years for her to recover. Laurence Yep includes statisical information about this infamous historical event with fictional character blended in, putting a face on the ugly side of war.

My father was drafted into World War II when he was twenty years old. He was always telling "army stories". The stories were about funny things that happened or about what military life was like, but he never told any stories about the bad side, the things that we don't want to think about as we go about our daily routines. This novella can be used to open up discussion about the ramifications of war and provide details about one of the dark times in American and Japanese history. I have many family members with a military background, some by choice and some by force, and I believe our nation should defend itself in the name of freedom; however, there are times in the midst of conflict that the reasons why get skewed and the battle, from Pearl Harbor to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, is more about being a bully than about being free.

Laurence Yep biography and bibliography.

Also, check out the Hiroshima Peace Site.

Coretta Scott King Award

Nelson, V.M. (2003). Almost to freedom. Minneapolis, MN: Lerner Publishing. (picture from Amazon.com)

"A doll is a witness who cannot die,
with a doll you are never alone." -Margaret Atwood

Told through the viewpoint of a slave girl's doll, Almost To Freedom gives the reader a peek into the cruel and frightening world of slavery and the Underground Railroad. Lindy and her mom, Miz Rachel, work on plantation in Virginia. Lindy's rag doll, Sally, begins her story by describing how she was made and how "bein' Lindy's doll baby is a right important job." Sally tells of the work Miz Rachel, Lindy and the others do on the plantation and tells about the "best times" when the folks are laughing and singing, but she notices that the talk of freedom is a serious subject. After Lindy's father is sold because he tried to run and Lindy is whipped for asking how to spell her name, Miz Rachel wakes Lindy in the middle of the night in order to use the Underground Railroad to run away and meet Lindy's father. When Sally and Lindy become separated, Sally discovers that no matter whose doll baby she is, she will always have a "right important job."

Slavery in the south and the desperation and trials the slaves endured are effectively communicated from the vantage point of the doll, endearing the reader to the family. This book would be a great book to use to prompt interest in the function of the Underground Railroad and promote research and discussion about the ways in which the Underground Railroad "workers" developed secret signs and strategies to aid the escape of thousands of slaves. Colin Bootman's paintings illustrate the story with much attention to detail, showing the emotional and physical stuggles of the story. The deep purples and rich browns recreate a world in which the reader can be an eyewitness to one of the darkest eras of American history.

This story nearly brought me to tears at the glimpse into the era of slavery. The illustrations complement the "diary-like" account of this family's escape to freedom through the underground railroad. I followed the reading of this story with the reading of Laurence Yep's novella, Hiroshima. These stories clarify the importance of knowing the history of the country. To know what has already come to pass in order to analyze and evaluate the positive and the negative historical events that have shaped the country is not just of educational significance, but should be viewed as a responsibility as an American citizen. There are so many questionable actions in American history that studying them and making sure they are not forgotten is part and parcel to developing tomorrow's leaders.

Learn more about the Coretta Scott King Award.

Newbery Nook

Newbery Award/Honor Book #1
Giff, P.R. (2002). Pictures of Hollis Woods. New York, NY: Scholastic.(Picture from Amazon.com)

Pictures of Hollis Woods, a Newbery Honor Book, tells the story of twelve-year-old Hollis Woods, who was named for the place where she was abandoned as an infant. Hollis is a tough, loner on the surface, but her greatest desire is to be part of a family. She has moved from foster home to foster home, often running away. The story alternates between the girl's currrent placement (an elderly artist named Josie) and the former placement (the Regans). Hollis is also an artist and she has documented her time with the Regans in detailed pictures of the events that were special to her. Flashbacks to life with the Regans are detailed in descriptions of the pictures, revealing the events that brought Hollis to living with Josie.

Josie is very loving toward Hollis and Hollis soon becomes comfortable in Josie's eccentric world. However, Hollis realizes that some of Josie's strange behavior is more than just being quirky; Josie is beginning to forget things. When the social worker informs Hollis that a family has been found that will take her in because she cannot continue to stay with Josie, whose memory is worsening each day, Hollis does what she has always done...she runs. This time, however, she brings Josie and Henry, Josie's cat, with her. As she struggles with the heartache she left behind at the Regans, Hollis runs with Josie and Henry to a familiar place, a place she wanted as a home. As Hollis and Josie hole up in the summer home of the Regans, Hollis begins to realize they are not alone and discovers the truth of why she will never have to run away again.

This is the second book I have read that was written by Paticia Reilly Giff. I have also read Eleven, which told the story of an orphaned boy being raised by his uncle. While searching for his eleventh birthday present in the attic, he finds an article that says he was kidnapped as a baby. He begins to doubt if his uncle is really who he says he is and wonders about the events in his past that he can't remember. It is a heart-warming, intruiging story of family, friendship and sacrifice. While I enjoyed both books, in comparison, I think Pictures of Hollis Woods is a more visually crafted book, with the detailed descriptions of Hollis's drawings. The characters in both stories are developed in layers, with just enough detail revealed in each chapter to encourage the reader to keep turning the pages. There is a hint of suspense in these books as the author keeps events or other details unknown until just the right moment.

This book would be wonderful used as a read-aloud, as literature circle book, or as part of an author study, in which Ms. Giff's other books could be read and compared. Other books written by Patricia Reilly Giff are Lily's Crossing, Maggie's Door, A House of Tailors, and All the Way Home.

For a complete list of books by Patricia Reilly Giff and other resources visit
Patricia Reilly Giff

Newbery Award/Honor Book #2
Patron, S. (2006). The higher power of lucky. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster. (Picture from Fantastic Fiction)

Ten year old Lucky is searching for her higher power. Two-years ago, Lucky's mother died by stepping on downed electircal wires after a thunder storm. Her father, who was not a part of life, called his ex-wife Brigitte-who was from France-to be Lucky's guardian. Brigitte moved to Hard Pan, California and lived, with Lucky, in a group of air stream trailers that had been welded together as one. Lucky worked at the Found Object Wind Chime Museum and Visitor Center and had two close friends: ten year old Lincoln, who was a whiz at knot-tying and 5 year old Miles, who loved cookies and the book, Are You My Mother. Lucky has always felt out place with Brigitte and she sees herself as plain because her hair, eyebrows and face all the same sandy color, blending in with the desert in which she lives. She has been searching for her "higher power" and spends time eavesdropping on the twelve-step meetings being held at the museum. As she takes in the details of the locals "rock-bottom" stories and how they pulled themselves up by finding their higher power, Lucky thinks that's the only way she can become whatever it is she is supposed to become-which is a scientist like Charles Darwin.

When Lucky discovers Brigitte's passport and that Brigitte is getting a degree in French cooking, Lucky is sure that Brigitte is planning to return to the France that she so desperately misses. So, Lucky devises a plan to run away in hopes that Brigitte will realize just how much she wants Lucky in her life and she will not return to France. The plan does not go the way she had intended and she finds herself rescueing her friend Miles during a dust storm. When the folks of Hard Pan go searching for Lucky and Miles, Lucky finds out the truth about Brigitte's intentions and finally discovers her "higher power".

I had not read any of the controversy surrounding this book until after I began reading it. I too was a bit surprised at the use of the word scrotum but I also found Short Sammy's "rock bottom" story quite hilarious. I believe that the author has crafted a story filled with realistic, wondefully flawed characters that have endured difficult events,learned who thay are and who they can be, thus becoming better people for having experienced the difficulties. The Higher Power of Lucky is about letting go and holding on.

A review of this book found at Common Sense Media

An interview with Susan Patron

Caldecott Corner

Cladecott Award/Honor Book #1

Weisner, D. (2006). Flotsam. New York, NY: Clarion Books. (Picture from Amazon.com)
A classic picture book in which the story is told entirely in illustrations. The book jacket describes "flotsam" as "something that floats" which "may wash up on the beach...." David Weisner's illustrations tell the story of a boy enjoying his time on the beach by examining the sea life and treasures he finds. Among the flotsam one day is an old underwater camera. He promptly has the film developed and discovers almost magical pictures of mechanical fish swimming among real fish, sea creatures sitting in a underwater living room listening to a story, and deep-sea space aliens surprising a group of seahorses. The most interesting discovery was the picture that the boy examined with his microscope to discover the various kids that had discovered the camera in much the same way as he had. So, he takes a picture of himself holding the picture and tosses the camera back into the ocean to continue the tradition.

Flotsam is an excellent picture book for children. While the detailed illustrations communicate the plot, setting, characters and theme, there is the opportunity for each child who "reads" this book to discover something different as each child makes connections to the story. Also, the conclusion provides an avenue for a mini-lesson on "prediction". Students could predict what the young girl discovers on the film and then draw or write to respond to the story. There are also opportunities to incorporate science concepts with this book.

Cladecott Award Book #2
Swanson, S. M. (2008). The house in the night. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin.(Picture from Amazon.com)
A simple poem describes a bedtime ritual by "naming the nighttime things" in the house and a little girl imagines the bird in her book flies her through the nighttime, over the houses and all the way to the moon. However, as I reread the story and focused more on the minute details of the black, white and gold illustrations, I discovered a much deeper story. This books is worthy of the Caldecott Award in the way that the pictures convey the personality of the main character through details that may go unnoticed upon the first reading. The illustrations show that the main character, the little girl, is helpful as she uses the key to open the door. She is perhaps learning to play the violin that is laying on her bed. Also, in her bedroom, the reader discovers that she loves animals because the cats and dog lay on her bed as she reads her book. The little girl has a vivid imagination. Soon everyone settles down to sleep as the mother comes in to turn off the light and put away the book.
The book has a memoir quality by communicating the event of coming home. Perhaps the girl's favorite place is her room; the place with all of her favorite things. The House in the Night demonstrates that quality literature does not need to be complicated or flashy to be interesting. A teacher of young children could use this book to prompt a discussion about each students bedtime routine. Also, the book would be excellent to use in early childhood story for "naming" objects for conceptualization and vocabulary development.

Cladecott Award/Honor Book #3
Rohmann, E. (2002). My friend rabbit. Brookfield, CT: Roaring Brook Press. (Picture from Amazon.com)
At first this book seemed like a cute personification of animals, but lurking beneath the humor is the deep meaning of tolerance, acceptance, and friendship. The reader must pay close attention to the opening page or part of the plot is missed. I typically skip quickly past this page when reading aloud to students, but upon re-reading the story I examine thefirst page that, in most books, just reprints the title. If I were to read this book to a group of students, I would call their attention to this page so that they could understand that Mouse has just gotten a brand new toy plane as a gift. However, as Mouse explains to the reader, trouble usually follows Rabbit despite his well-meaning intentions. The reader watches as Rabbit carts a menagerie of irritated or clueless creatures to the tree in which the plane is stuck. He begins stacking them toward the sky. Students will laugh out loud at the animals' expressions. I laughed at the configuration of the tower of animals as I noticed the goose, deer, and bear sandwiched unwisely between the hippo and rhino.
The pictures display the friendship between Mouse and Rabbit. Although Rabbit is bumbling and goofy, his friendship is true and Mouse seems to be smart enough to know that. Thus, the common trait I have discovered by reviewing these various Caldecott books is how a complex plot can be developed through the use of simple pictures. Young children will be drawn to the bright primary colors, which pop off the page because of the thick, black outlines.

Cladecott Award/Honor Book #4
Willems, M. (2003). Don't let the pigeon drive the bus. New York, NY: Scholastic.(Picture from Amazon.com)
Mo Willems' debut children's picture book is a hilariously accurate depiction of childhood excitement. The pigeon's biggest dream is to zoom around in that big bus and when the bus driver leaves the bus unattended for a moment, it's 'carpe diem' for the pigeon, but the driver enlists the reader(s) to "watch things" and above all "don't let the pigeon drive the bus!" The poor pigeon wants desperately to drive the bus. So, he begins his persuasive techniques by claiming that he'll be careful and uses the magic word "please". He then moves from pouting to being tricky, exerting peer pressure techniques to convince the reader to let him drive the bus. Finally, he has the big outburst, screaming his demand. Suddenly, the driver has returned and the pigeon quietly sneaks away, dejected. He hangs his head in defeat, but out of nowhere he spots a semi-truck and begins a new daydream.
Willem's one-dimensional sketches of the pigeon are wrought with expression. It's amazing how just a dot inside a circle can be manipulated to express typical human emotions. The reader cannot help but laugh out loud at the pigeon's antics which are communicated through body language. What parent or teacher hasn't experienced a similar scene of a child relentlessly begging to do something they're not allowed to do? Both adults and children will identify with the hysterical words and actions of the pigeon who isn't allowed to drive the bus.
Listen

Pigeon Presents
Pigeon Teacher's Guide
You Draw the Pigeon!

Caldecott Award/Honor Book #5
Simont, M. (2001). The stray dog. New York, NY: Scholastic. (Picture from Amazon.com)
This story is retold by Marc Simont and is based on a true story by Reiko Sassa. A family of four has traveled to the park to have a picnic. During the picnic, a stray dog comes up to the spot where they are grilling and settling in to eat. The two children, a brother and sister, feed the dog and then play with him, teach him tricks and even give him a name, Willy. The children want to take him home with them, but the mom and dad say they can't, thinking he may belong to someone.
During the next week each member of the family is distracted by thoughts of Willy. On Saturday, they go back to the same picnic area hoping to find Willy. A dish of food and water have been set out for him; the family waits. Out of nowhere, a dog shoots out from the shrubs and is being chased by the dog catcher. The children chase after them. The dog catcher gets Willy with his net, but the children explain that he belongs to them. The family takes him home, gives him a bath and introduces him to the rest of the neighborhood people and dogs. Willy curls up in his dog bed and is finally home.

As a "dog-person" I related to this book in a personal way. I adopted two abandoned puppies over 12 years ago. One was only with me for a week (died of Parvovirus) and the other was a part of my family for 11 years (had to be euthanized due to complications from insulinoma). There is a special place in my heart for dogs, but most especially stray dogs that don't know the comforts of a home and family.

Of course, as a Caldecott Honor book the illustrations are effective at conveying the text in visual format, displaying the connection the kids made with Willy the first time they met him and showing the worry and anticipation of the family as they thought of Willy and waited for him to return. The look on the dog's face as the kids give a bath is all too familiar. The final illustrations sum up the feeling Willy must have at finally having a place to call home.


Find out more about Kellan Lutz at peta2.com.

Welcome

This is my reading journal blog for LME 518. I am excited to have the opportunity to blog about the books I will read for this class and look forward to reading the blogs created by everyone else.