Assignment B: Option 3

Module 9: The Great Pig Search by Eileen Christelow

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BOOK SUMMARY: 

The Great Pig Search begins with Bert and Ethel perplexed over their runaway pigs.  While Ethel understands the pigs' desire to escape the possibility of becoming bacon, Bert is unable to accept their absence.  One day, Bert and Ethel receive a postcard from Florida that says, "OINK!" which sets them on their path to solve the mystery of their missing pigs.  Ethel is adamant that their trip is a vacation, however, Bert does not enjoy his time as much as Ethel does, spending every second convinced he sees pigs instead of Floridians.  One evening, while enjoying dinner and dancing, Bert makes the mistake of grabbing a woman, whom he mistook for a pig.  Bert is escorted to the police station, where he has a lot of explaining to do.  The next morning, Bert and Ethel go fishing, where Bert almost drowns, trying to capture a fish.  A brave individual saves Bert, and together they have their photo taken for the daily news.  Before heading home, Ethel reads the paper and discovers that the Bert's hero is a pig.  She waits to show the paper to Bert until they arrive back home.    

APA REFERENCE OF BOOK: 

Christelow, E. (2001).  The great pig search. New York: Clarion Books.

IMPRESSIONS: 

The illustrations by Cristelow contribute to the mystery of identifying disguised pigs from the humans in the story because the watercolored images blend certain features together, requiring the eye to closely examine the pages.  This is a great introduction to solving a puzzle and children will be delighted to distinguish the pigs from among the people.  The story provides a guideline for the process in which to solve a mystery such as Bert and Ethel's posing questions and and being constantly on the lookout for clues.  Overall, a great introduction to mystery's.             

PROFESSIONAL REVIEW: 

"PreS-Gr 3 --This story continues the adventures of Bert, Ethel, and their pigs, which began in The Great Pig Escape (Clarion, 1994), but it can be enjoyed independently. Ethel understands why the animals ran away--"Beats being bacon any day"--but Bert, a farmer, just can't let their disappearance go, especially after a postcard arrives with the message, "Oink!" He and Ethel take a trip to Florida, she to vacation, he to look for his missing animals. Readers see pigs everywhere, but he does not, no matter how hard he looks. Bert searching for and missing what is right under his nose will have readers rolling with laughter. Christelow's watercolor and pen-and-India-ink cartoonlike illustrations do a fabulous job of reinforcing the mood and action of the text. They begin "telling" the story on the cover, move to the front endpapers and title-page spread, then blend with and extend the text throughout the book. Some spreads are fully illustrated. In others, the text is on white with the illustrations above, below, or next to it. Some drawings are framed and placed over others or on the white background. Because the illustrations play such an integral role in this comical adventure, it is best suited to independent reading as well as small-group sharing. A sure hit." - Kathleen Simonetta
Reference:
Simonetta, K. (2001). The great pig search [Review of the book The great pig search]. School Library Journal, 47(9), 185.  

LIBRARY USES: 

The Great Pig Search can be used to create a mystery in the library or introduce a mystery to solve.  Photos of pigs can be placed around the library, mingled with pictures of people and students can be guided by foot prints to a location where the mystery will be revealed.               

Module 8: Earwig and the Witch by Diana Wynne Jones

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BOOK SUMMARY: 

This is a story about an orphan named Erica Wigg, whom everyone calls Eagwig.  She has just been adopted by a very unusual couple, but as Earwig said herself, the people who adopt her would have to be strange in some way.  As it turns out, Earwig has been adopted by Bella, a Witch and her husband, The Mandrake, who is never to be disturbed.  Earwig is somewhat excited by this new arrangement as it means she could learn magic.  However, she soon discovers that Bella only intends to use Earwig as her personal slave and to help the witch create potions and concoctions to be sold to paying customers.  Afraid of retaliation from Bella, Earwig complies with her orders even though the witch refuses to teach her magic.  One night, while drawing on her bed, Thomas the cat begins to speak and warns Earwig that she  needs to stop drawing ugly pictures of the Mandrake because it is upsetting him.  Earwig is surprised and delighted that Thomas can speak and she forms a new friend, albeit strange.  It is through Thomas that she learns how to make a special potion which will ward off any magic that Bella might pose on her or Thomas.  Thomas is especially tired of being given worms by Bella, so he is all to eager to help.  The spend an entire night creating a the special mixture and rub it all over their bodies as instructed by the recipe.  Unsure if it has worked, the two are still cautious around Bella.  However, Earwig becomes irritated due to lack of sleep and becomes disobedient.  Bella sends her and Thomas to the bedroom and "gives them worms," but to Earwig's delight, the worms are not in their bodies and they are certain the magic has worked.  In an attempt to hide the worms, Earwig fits them through a small hole in the bathroom but forgets that the hole leads to the Mandrake's den.  Soon, the Mandrake is running through but not towards Earwig; instead, he reprimands Bella and commands that she teach Earwig properly.  The Mandrake, it seems, is actually a very nice man and begins to treat Earwig like a real child.  Earwig's wish has come true and she begins to learn magic and begins to feel wanted.        

APA REFERENCE OF BOOK: 

Jones, D.W. (2012).  Earwig and the Witch. New York: Harper Collins.

IMPRESSIONS: 

This is a science-fiction story that has a deeper theme, involving orphans and adoptions and the issues involved when a family selects a child for the wrong reason.  However, the light-heartedness of Earwig and the witches involved make for a fun read.  Earwig is not a highly sensitive child and therefore, she is able to deal with witches for parents very easily, even accepting it the first time she learns of their peculiarities.  A pleasant surprise is that the Mandrake turns out to be a good parent to Earwig, understanding that she must be taught  things and even punishing Bella for not being more patient and sensitive to Earwig's needs.  It's nice to know that Earwig's adoption ends pleasantly and that she learns magic in the process.         

PROFESSIONAL REVIEW: 

"From the start, readers of this early chapter book fantasy will know that Earwig is not your average orphan in distress. With her “very strong personality,” she is perfectly happy at St. Morwald’s, mostly because “everyone, from Mrs. Briggs the Matron to the newest and smallest children, did exactly what Earwig wanted.” So when she is adopted by an unpleasant witch named Bella Yaga (whose only interest in Earwig, it turns out, is as slave labor) and her horned, nine-foot-tall, fire-demon companion, we’re not as worried as we might be. And indeed in very short order Earwig has made a friend in the witch’s familiar, a talking cat, and has teamed up with him to get her own back. This little fillip of a novel is over almost before it begins, but while it lasts readers are treated to a nonstop plot, memorable characters, and signature DWJ touches: a bungalow that is much bigger on the inside than it is on the outside; demons who enjoy prosaic pub food. An accessible page design incorporates Zelinsky’s plentiful line illustrations, the best of which (Bella Yaga pinching herself with the two extra hands Earwig has magicked her with, the fire-demon walking through a wall) are showstoppers. For younger readers, a worthy introduction to the delights of the late, lamented master fantasist - Martha V. Parravano 


Reference:

Parravano, M.V. (2012). Earwig and the witch [Review of the book Earwig and the Witch]. Horn Book Magazine, 88(2), 110-111.  

    

LIBRARY USES: 

This children's novel can be used in a book display on the topic of witches.  It is not as known as the Harry Potter series and could be a good book to recommend for children seeking additional books on the topic.             

Module 7: Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

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BOOK SUMMARY: 

India Opal Buloni is a 10 year old girl who has just moved to Naomi, Florida with her father, the preacher.  Opal has a difficult time making friends but all that changes when she meets and adopts Winn-Dixie, a stray dog she found inside the store of his namesake.  After she convinces her father to allow Winn-Dixie to stay, Opal begins her summer adventures, meeting new friends, forming a relationship with her father and most of all, learning about her absent mother.  The Preacher tells Opal 10 things about her mother, two of them revealing reasons she may have left: she drank a lot and hated being a preacher's wife.  Opal writes the 10 descriptors and reads them to Winn-Dixie in hopes of never forgetting and as a way of remembering her mother should she return.  Despite her sadness, Opal meets new friends such as Miss Franny Block, the librarian of the Herman W. Block Memorial Library and Gloria Dump, the "town witch" who turns out to be a wonderful old lady.  If Winn-Dixie hadn't run into Gloria's garden, then Opal would never have met the woman that listened to all that Opal had to say about their recent move and her mother's abandonment.  Even Otis who works at Gertrude's Pet store, shows Opal that people are not always what they seem.  All of her newly-found family makes Opal want to throw a party, just like in the book she is reading to Gloria Dump, Gone with the Wind.  The party, held in Gloria's backyard, gets rained out, which causes Winn-Dixie to go missing.  Opal and her father search everywhere and it is during this moment when emotions are high, that Opal accuses the preacher of quitting, just like when the mom left.  This is the first time Opal sees her father cry and they both realize that they have each other.  Opal learns that she is not alone and her pain is slowly healing through the many friendships she has made.       

APA REFERENCE OF BOOK: 

DiCamillo, K. (2000).  Because of Winn-Dixie. Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick      
     Press.

IMPRESSIONS: 

It is difficult to read this book and not cry; so much of what Opal experiences tugs at the heart.  The idea of a young child mourning the loss of her mother who is still very much alive, is a difficult concept to grasp, yet very much realistic.  Kate DiCamillo accomplishes the task of writing about abandonment and isolation, which is never easy to discuss and balances it well with friendship and hope.  Opal learns a valuable lesson about family coming all shapes and forms.  She realizes that she is not alone and begins to love her father again because she understands that he is still around, unlike her mother.  All that happens to Opal seems possible because of her new companion, Winn-Dixie.  Winn-Dixie forces conversations between Opal and the Preacher and he even causes Opal to venture into place she would never have before, such as Gloria Dump's back yard.  This is a wonderful story about loss and hope that every child should read.              

PROFESSIONAL REVIEW: 

"According to Miss Franny Block, the town librarian in Naomi, Florida, her great-grandfather made his fortune after the Civil War by manufacturing a candy "that tasted sweet and sad at the same time." Ten-year-old India Opal Buloni (called Opal) thinks this description of the candy sounds a lot like life, where "the sweet and the sad were all mixed up together," too. It's also a pretty apt description of this engaging Southern-style first-person novel, featuring a girl and dog with a lot to offer each other. Children's literature is full of animal-to-the-rescue stories, but rarely does salvation come in the form of a creature with as much personality as Winn-Dixie. When Opal, who has just moved to town with her preacher father, discovers him cheerfully knocking over produce in the Winn-Dixie supermarket one day, it's obvious he's a stray. "Mostly, he looked like a big piece of old brown carpet that had been left out in the rain." His friendly manner, which involves pulling back his lips into what appears to be a smile, wins her over and, luckily, wins her father over as well. As if in gratitude for giving him a good home, Winn-Dixie immediately begins easing Opal's troubles, helping her make friends, who in turn help her come to terms with the fact that her mother abandoned her and probably won't be back. The story teeters on the edge of sentimentality and sometimes topples right in, but the characters are so likable, so genuine, it's an easy flaw to forgive. All in all, this is a gentle book about good people coming together to combat loneliness and heartache--with a little canine assistance.'" - Christine M. Hepperman   


Reference:

Hepperman, C.M. (2000). Because of Winn-Dixie [Review of the book Because of Winn-Dixie]. Horn Book Magazine, 76(4), 455-456.  

    

LIBRARY USES: 

Since there is a movie version of this book, a great activity would be to compare/contrast some of the text with scenes from the film and have students discuss adaptation and whether directors are true to the text and whether or not that matters.             

Module 6: Time to Pray by Maha Addasi

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BOOK SUMMARY: 

Time to Pray follows Yasmin on a journey to visit her grandmother in the middle east.  Yasmin is curious about her grandma's prayer habits and is so intrigued that she attempts to mimic the same behavior but has difficulty adapting.  Grandma is patient with the child and helps her by making Yasmin special clothes needed for prayer, through the purchase of a mat for the kneeling and even setting a clock that reminds Yasmin when to pray.  Since the Muslim religion requires prayer 4 times throughout the day, Yasmin depends on this support as she adjusts to the regularity of prayer.  She is successful and as she returns to the Untied States, tries to hold in all the wonderful things she will miss such as the food, the smells, the call to prayer and most of all, her grandmother.          

APA REFERENCE OF BOOK: 

Addasi, M., (2010).  Time to pray. Honesdale, Pennsylvania: Boyds Mills Press.

IMPRESSIONS: 

This is a well-written book that presents the aspects of the Muslim community in a simple and delicate matter.  Looking at the Muslim faith through the young girl's perspective allows the reader to understand the same way a child would understand.  I think it is clever to have the Grandmother simply teaching her granddaughter about the ways of her faith by slowly introducing the clothing, the mat and the clock.  It is similar to the way a parent would prepare a child for learning a new custom, making the story all the more believable.  Written in both English and Arabic, let's readers truly delve into the entire culture.  Addasi even includes a glossary and additional information that answers questions a child or even adult may ask regarding the religion or culture, which is extremely helpful to the learner.  The images add to the atmosphere of the story with it's shades of pink and orange hues, mimicking the scenery of a dessert, which is the location of the Middle East.  A wonderful book all around.                        

PROFESSIONAL REVIEW: 

"Maha Addasi's Time to Pray is a beautifully illustrated, contemporary fiction picture book that tells the story of Yasmin, a young girl who is visiting her grandmother somehwere in the Middle East...Translated into arabic beneath and beside the English text, Time to Pray give children an insightful glimpse into an intergenerational relationship between a Muslim child and her grandmother.  Child will identify with Yasmin in many respects; many of the things Yasmin does with her grandmother are ordinary--making cinnamon rolls, shopping, eating rice for lunch, etc. Yasmin's introduction to the Muslim prayer traditions is gradual we learn about the custom with the character.  The book ends with more detailed explanation of the prayer times and rituals.  The specific content of the prayers is not addressed.  The more children know and understand cultures and faiths different from their own, the better they can understand and work well with people of all types of faiths and customs.  Recommended for children in grades 1-4.  Ages 7-10." - Kristine Wildner

Reference

Widner, K., (2011).  Time to Pray [Review of the 
       book Time to Pray, by Maha Addasi]. Catholic Library World, 82(1), 73-74.  

LIBRARY USES: 

This book can be used to demonstrate the differences among religions or cultures across the glove.  While it is probably better suited for older students such as middle school, it can definitely be used as lesson with elementary students as a way to highlight differences and similarities among groups of people.