Picture Books
Zen Ghosts
Author: Muth, Jon J. Illustrator: Muth, Jon J.
Publisher: Scholastic Press, 2010
Genre: Picture Book Age Level: Grades K-3
Publisher: Scholastic Press, 2010
Genre: Picture Book Age Level: Grades K-3
Plot summary:
This book is based on an ancient story, or koan, that Zen students contemplate for enlightenment. It is about the duality of a human. This koan has many different versions in different countries. Muth brings the koan to life for readers today. He takes characters from his previous books, Stillwater the panda and three children, Karl, Michael, and Addy, and weaves them into a story using the koan as its base. The book focuses on Halloween when Stillwater invites the children to meet him after Trick or Treating. He then tells them the story of the koan, where a woman falls in love with her childhood friend. Just at the time that the sweethearts decide to get married, her family pledges her to another man. She and her sweetheart run away together, and they get married and have children. When they decide to go back home to visit their families years later, the husband finds that his wife has been sick back in her home village the whole time. The question then arises, how could the woman be two people at the same time? It is meant as a ghost story for the children, as well as an opportunity to ponder duality.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I enjoyed this book. I did not like it as well as Muth's other books with the same characters, but his writing style and his illustrations are beautiful. The story appears simple, but the deeper meaning behind the tale is one that will have families talking and readers thinking more deeply. I love the introduction of the Zen concepts to young readers, while the book is equally accessible and important for adults. This is one of those books that a whole family can enjoy.
Memorable literary element:
In this book, the author uses a story within the story to teach the characters, as well as the readers, something important. Instead of just rewriting the original koan, he chose to give emphasis to the koan by using is as a story that Stillwater tells the children after their night of Trick or Treating. He means it to be a chilling ghost story, as well as a lesson for the children (and then, readers) to think about. The story is based on one version of the koan, Senjo and Her Soul Are Separated.
Illustrations:
The illustrations are watercolor and ink. They are absolutely beautiful. The illustrator uses vivid colors, but blends them well within the pages so that certain parts pop out. His pictures also have great depth, because he uses shadows and color to bring things to the forefront and push things back. His koan story is illustrated very differently from the other part of the book, which gives that story within a story a different mood and feel. He uses very little color for that section, creating line drawings of great depth with black. He then adds blue and purple butterflies to the woman in the story. The illustrations have a very Asian feel to them.
Review from a selection aid:
(School Library Journal) "It's Halloween, and the three siblings introduced in Muth's Zen Shorts (2005) and Zen Ties (2008, Scholastic) are working on their costumes when Stillwater appears at their door. The panda invites Addy, Michael, and Karl to meet him after trick-or-treating to hear a ghost story. The walk through the forest is filled with mystery. Stillwater himself-who said he would be a ghost this Halloween-is at times almost transparent, and his round, white bamboo lantern mimics the full moon. Inside his house is another panda who looks exactly like Stillwater. His story, which is told in words and brush-and-ink drawings, is based on an old Zen koan, or puzzle, about a young woman who is with her husband in a faraway land and yet very ill and at home with her parents. It invites listeners to consider duality, or perception vs. reality, and is at the same time a wonderfully haunting tale that's perfect for Halloween. When the story ends and the illustrations return to the earlier complex, evocative watercolors, it isn't clear whether Stillwater and the storyteller are two entities or one. The children and readers are left to consider this and other mysteries as both tales come to a close. Muth's artistic gifts are so breathtaking that they will draw in even those whose attention spans are not at first up to the demands of the text. The book functions on many levels, from seasonal Halloween story to ghost yarn to deep philosophy, and succeeds spectacularly on all of them."
Promotion idea:
This book is perfect for a good read near Halloween. It is a ghost story, and yet it isn't scary or disturbing for young children. This gives the classroom the opportunity to read a Halloween story, but then branch out and discuss the concepts in the story and to talk about how one story can sometimes be found in slightly different versions around the world. It could also tie in, then, to talking about fairy tales that have origins in different parts of the world. The many different versions of Cinderella might be the next step.
This book is based on an ancient story, or koan, that Zen students contemplate for enlightenment. It is about the duality of a human. This koan has many different versions in different countries. Muth brings the koan to life for readers today. He takes characters from his previous books, Stillwater the panda and three children, Karl, Michael, and Addy, and weaves them into a story using the koan as its base. The book focuses on Halloween when Stillwater invites the children to meet him after Trick or Treating. He then tells them the story of the koan, where a woman falls in love with her childhood friend. Just at the time that the sweethearts decide to get married, her family pledges her to another man. She and her sweetheart run away together, and they get married and have children. When they decide to go back home to visit their families years later, the husband finds that his wife has been sick back in her home village the whole time. The question then arises, how could the woman be two people at the same time? It is meant as a ghost story for the children, as well as an opportunity to ponder duality.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I enjoyed this book. I did not like it as well as Muth's other books with the same characters, but his writing style and his illustrations are beautiful. The story appears simple, but the deeper meaning behind the tale is one that will have families talking and readers thinking more deeply. I love the introduction of the Zen concepts to young readers, while the book is equally accessible and important for adults. This is one of those books that a whole family can enjoy.
Memorable literary element:
In this book, the author uses a story within the story to teach the characters, as well as the readers, something important. Instead of just rewriting the original koan, he chose to give emphasis to the koan by using is as a story that Stillwater tells the children after their night of Trick or Treating. He means it to be a chilling ghost story, as well as a lesson for the children (and then, readers) to think about. The story is based on one version of the koan, Senjo and Her Soul Are Separated.
Illustrations:
The illustrations are watercolor and ink. They are absolutely beautiful. The illustrator uses vivid colors, but blends them well within the pages so that certain parts pop out. His pictures also have great depth, because he uses shadows and color to bring things to the forefront and push things back. His koan story is illustrated very differently from the other part of the book, which gives that story within a story a different mood and feel. He uses very little color for that section, creating line drawings of great depth with black. He then adds blue and purple butterflies to the woman in the story. The illustrations have a very Asian feel to them.
Review from a selection aid:
(School Library Journal) "It's Halloween, and the three siblings introduced in Muth's Zen Shorts (2005) and Zen Ties (2008, Scholastic) are working on their costumes when Stillwater appears at their door. The panda invites Addy, Michael, and Karl to meet him after trick-or-treating to hear a ghost story. The walk through the forest is filled with mystery. Stillwater himself-who said he would be a ghost this Halloween-is at times almost transparent, and his round, white bamboo lantern mimics the full moon. Inside his house is another panda who looks exactly like Stillwater. His story, which is told in words and brush-and-ink drawings, is based on an old Zen koan, or puzzle, about a young woman who is with her husband in a faraway land and yet very ill and at home with her parents. It invites listeners to consider duality, or perception vs. reality, and is at the same time a wonderfully haunting tale that's perfect for Halloween. When the story ends and the illustrations return to the earlier complex, evocative watercolors, it isn't clear whether Stillwater and the storyteller are two entities or one. The children and readers are left to consider this and other mysteries as both tales come to a close. Muth's artistic gifts are so breathtaking that they will draw in even those whose attention spans are not at first up to the demands of the text. The book functions on many levels, from seasonal Halloween story to ghost yarn to deep philosophy, and succeeds spectacularly on all of them."
Promotion idea:
This book is perfect for a good read near Halloween. It is a ghost story, and yet it isn't scary or disturbing for young children. This gives the classroom the opportunity to read a Halloween story, but then branch out and discuss the concepts in the story and to talk about how one story can sometimes be found in slightly different versions around the world. It could also tie in, then, to talking about fairy tales that have origins in different parts of the world. The many different versions of Cinderella might be the next step.
Ruth and the Green Book
Author: Ramsey, Calvin Alexander Illustrator: Cooper, Floyd
Publisher: Scholastic Inc., 2010
Genre: Picture Book Age Level: Grades 3-6
Publisher: Scholastic Inc., 2010
Genre: Picture Book Age Level: Grades 3-6
Plot summary:
This book tells the story of a family who decided to travel from their home in Chicago to visit family in Alabama. The narrator of the story is the young girl of the family. Ruth is excited about her trip, at first, until she and her family begin to encounter racism along the way. They had trouble buying gas and food and finding places to sleep and go to the bathroom. After a night of sleeping in the car and a stop at a friend's house along the way, they learn about something called the Green Book. The Green Book gave black travelers information on safe places to stop at as they travel the United States. Ruth is in charge of watching out for Esso Stations and for keeping up with the Green Book, which she is very proud about. She even helps another young boy on their journey by giving him her stuffed bear to help him feel less scared.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
The story gives young readers of today an understanding of what black families faced before the Civil Rights Movement and the abolishment of the Jim Crow laws. The story hits the topics head on and doesn't shy away from saying what the family faced in clear, forthright language. The reader feels the excitement and then fear and then pride along with Ruth as her family makes its way across the country. I thought the book was really well done and enjoyed it very much.
Memorable literary element:
This book is a fictionalized account of one family's travels and how they are affected by Jim Crow laws. Although the story is fiction, it is based on a real book. At the end of the book there is a page dedicated to information about the real Green Book. The page tells facts about the book and shows a photograph of the cover and of one of the pages. It also directs readers to a website where they can learn more information. Readers learn, for example, about how one man, whose last name was Green, wrote the book during his travels, and how it quickly became a source for many black travelers during that time.
Illustrations:
The illustrations in this book are painted. They have an "old" feel to them and are painted with sepia-like colors to create the feel of looking at old photographs. They are very well done and the expressions of the characters are very vivid and detailed. The illustrations give the book a lush and rich feel.
Review from a selection aid:
(Kirkus) "In the early 1950s, newly built interstate highways invited Americans to travel by automobile, but the open road wasn't so open for African-Americans, especially in the South. Ramsey drives this truth home in this story of the journey of a family traveling from Chicago to Alabama by car. "It was a BIG day at our house when Daddy drove up in our very own automobile--a 1952 Buick!...I was so excited to travel across the country!" Ruth's family encounters many of the obstacles that existed, from whites-only restrooms in gas stations to whites-only hotels: "It seemed like there were 'White Only' signs everywhere outside of our Chicago neighborhood." The Negro Motorist Green Book comes to the rescue, listing resources for black motorists in every state, and Ruth and her family make their way from safe haven to safe haven until they reach Alabama. Cooper masterfully captures the emotions of the characters, filling his pages with three-dimensional individuals. This story touches on a little-known moment in American history with elegance, compassion and humanity."
Promotion idea:
This book is perfect for a unit on Civil Rights or on racism. Although it is a picture book, it would be perfect for students of all ages. It adds an element of reality to a time that students read about, but can often not imagine. The emotions Ruth feels are timeless and accessible for all readers.
This book tells the story of a family who decided to travel from their home in Chicago to visit family in Alabama. The narrator of the story is the young girl of the family. Ruth is excited about her trip, at first, until she and her family begin to encounter racism along the way. They had trouble buying gas and food and finding places to sleep and go to the bathroom. After a night of sleeping in the car and a stop at a friend's house along the way, they learn about something called the Green Book. The Green Book gave black travelers information on safe places to stop at as they travel the United States. Ruth is in charge of watching out for Esso Stations and for keeping up with the Green Book, which she is very proud about. She even helps another young boy on their journey by giving him her stuffed bear to help him feel less scared.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
The story gives young readers of today an understanding of what black families faced before the Civil Rights Movement and the abolishment of the Jim Crow laws. The story hits the topics head on and doesn't shy away from saying what the family faced in clear, forthright language. The reader feels the excitement and then fear and then pride along with Ruth as her family makes its way across the country. I thought the book was really well done and enjoyed it very much.
Memorable literary element:
This book is a fictionalized account of one family's travels and how they are affected by Jim Crow laws. Although the story is fiction, it is based on a real book. At the end of the book there is a page dedicated to information about the real Green Book. The page tells facts about the book and shows a photograph of the cover and of one of the pages. It also directs readers to a website where they can learn more information. Readers learn, for example, about how one man, whose last name was Green, wrote the book during his travels, and how it quickly became a source for many black travelers during that time.
Illustrations:
The illustrations in this book are painted. They have an "old" feel to them and are painted with sepia-like colors to create the feel of looking at old photographs. They are very well done and the expressions of the characters are very vivid and detailed. The illustrations give the book a lush and rich feel.
Review from a selection aid:
(Kirkus) "In the early 1950s, newly built interstate highways invited Americans to travel by automobile, but the open road wasn't so open for African-Americans, especially in the South. Ramsey drives this truth home in this story of the journey of a family traveling from Chicago to Alabama by car. "It was a BIG day at our house when Daddy drove up in our very own automobile--a 1952 Buick!...I was so excited to travel across the country!" Ruth's family encounters many of the obstacles that existed, from whites-only restrooms in gas stations to whites-only hotels: "It seemed like there were 'White Only' signs everywhere outside of our Chicago neighborhood." The Negro Motorist Green Book comes to the rescue, listing resources for black motorists in every state, and Ruth and her family make their way from safe haven to safe haven until they reach Alabama. Cooper masterfully captures the emotions of the characters, filling his pages with three-dimensional individuals. This story touches on a little-known moment in American history with elegance, compassion and humanity."
Promotion idea:
This book is perfect for a unit on Civil Rights or on racism. Although it is a picture book, it would be perfect for students of all ages. It adds an element of reality to a time that students read about, but can often not imagine. The emotions Ruth feels are timeless and accessible for all readers.
Creepy Carrots
Author: Reynolds, Aaron Illustrator: Brown, Peter
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2012
Genre: Picture Book Age Level: Grades K-3
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2012
Genre: Picture Book Age Level: Grades K-3
Plot summary:
Jasper Rabbit loves carrots. He eats them everyday. His favorite place to get his carrots is in Crackenhopper Field. One day, however, Jasper gets the strange feeling that the carrots from Crackenhopper Field are folllowing him. Suddenly he sees them everywhere. When he looks closely, though, they vanish. What is a rabbit to do?
Personal reaction/evaluation:
When I first looked at this book, I didn't like it very much. It seemed scary to me. After reading it several times, however, I began to really appreciate it. I love the expressions on Jasper Rabbit's face and how easily you can see his emotions when you read the book. I think that students would really be drawn to him and care what happens to him.
Memorable literary element:
The author used a lot of suspense in the plot of this book. As the readers goes through the story, they begin to become a little bit afraid for Jasper. When no one believes Jasper, but the pictures show the carrots following him, the reader gets drawn in to the suspense. When Jasper finally comes up with an idea to contain the carrots in a fence, the reader feels that same sense of relief that Jasper does, until the next page when all of the carrots eyes are peeking out from the fence and the suspense builds again.
Illustrations:
The illustrations in this book are drawn with pencil. The color scheme is all black/grey and white with only the carrots and the items they turn back into when Jasper Rabbit turns around to look at them in orange. This really lends to the eerie feel of the story. It has a dark feeling, though it includes enough white to make it less scary. The illustrations have so much life in them and they make the book very accessible.
Review from a selection aid:
(Booklist) " Preschool-Grade 1. Playing on the something-is-stalking-me-but-when-I-turn-around-nothing-is-there fears that have fueled countless scary movies, this goose-pimpler introduces a young bunny named Jasper who “couldn’t get enough carrots . . . until they started following him.” Tired of heart-racing, sleepless nights, Jasper concocts a master plan and builds an alligator-filled moat and sky-high fence around Crackenhopper Field to keep those nasty carrots at bay. Turns out, their plan to keep that nasty rabbit from eating their carrot buddies has a similarly happy ending. Brown’s charcoally black artwork is highlighted by deep oranges and delivers on the lighthearted thrills of Reynolds’ fright-night story"
Promotion idea:
This book would be good to pair with a unit on feelings. Fear is a very typical feeling that many small children face. Jasper's facial expressions are very clearly drawn so that it is easy for children to understand what he is feeling. The resolution of the book, where Jasper conquers his fear with a real-life solution, would be a great tie-in to helping children overcome their fears.
Jasper Rabbit loves carrots. He eats them everyday. His favorite place to get his carrots is in Crackenhopper Field. One day, however, Jasper gets the strange feeling that the carrots from Crackenhopper Field are folllowing him. Suddenly he sees them everywhere. When he looks closely, though, they vanish. What is a rabbit to do?
Personal reaction/evaluation:
When I first looked at this book, I didn't like it very much. It seemed scary to me. After reading it several times, however, I began to really appreciate it. I love the expressions on Jasper Rabbit's face and how easily you can see his emotions when you read the book. I think that students would really be drawn to him and care what happens to him.
Memorable literary element:
The author used a lot of suspense in the plot of this book. As the readers goes through the story, they begin to become a little bit afraid for Jasper. When no one believes Jasper, but the pictures show the carrots following him, the reader gets drawn in to the suspense. When Jasper finally comes up with an idea to contain the carrots in a fence, the reader feels that same sense of relief that Jasper does, until the next page when all of the carrots eyes are peeking out from the fence and the suspense builds again.
Illustrations:
The illustrations in this book are drawn with pencil. The color scheme is all black/grey and white with only the carrots and the items they turn back into when Jasper Rabbit turns around to look at them in orange. This really lends to the eerie feel of the story. It has a dark feeling, though it includes enough white to make it less scary. The illustrations have so much life in them and they make the book very accessible.
Review from a selection aid:
(Booklist) " Preschool-Grade 1. Playing on the something-is-stalking-me-but-when-I-turn-around-nothing-is-there fears that have fueled countless scary movies, this goose-pimpler introduces a young bunny named Jasper who “couldn’t get enough carrots . . . until they started following him.” Tired of heart-racing, sleepless nights, Jasper concocts a master plan and builds an alligator-filled moat and sky-high fence around Crackenhopper Field to keep those nasty carrots at bay. Turns out, their plan to keep that nasty rabbit from eating their carrot buddies has a similarly happy ending. Brown’s charcoally black artwork is highlighted by deep oranges and delivers on the lighthearted thrills of Reynolds’ fright-night story"
Promotion idea:
This book would be good to pair with a unit on feelings. Fear is a very typical feeling that many small children face. Jasper's facial expressions are very clearly drawn so that it is easy for children to understand what he is feeling. The resolution of the book, where Jasper conquers his fear with a real-life solution, would be a great tie-in to helping children overcome their fears.
Grandpa Green
Author: Smith, Lane Illustrator: Smith, Lane
Publisher: Roaring Book Press, 2011
Genre: Picture Book Age Level: Ages 5-9
Publisher: Roaring Book Press, 2011
Genre: Picture Book Age Level: Ages 5-9
Plot summary:
This book tells the story of a great grandfather's life. The story is told using topiaries cut into the shape of the events of his life. The great grandson tells the story as he walks through the garden looking at the topiaries. As the story comes to an end, the little boy explains that his great grandfather sometimes forgets things, but his garden is there to remember the important things for him.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
The story was a nice one, with calm, engaging pictures. It would be a good book for children with grandparents or older family friends. The story itself does not delve deep into any issues, it simply presents the information on a surface level.
Memorable literary element:
In this book, color is used to tell the story. Most of the story is in green. This tells the story through the garden of the grandfather. But the author adds a small splash of color into a page to highlight a very important event in the grandfather's life. As an example, when his grandfather gets married, there is a red heart on the page. This helps the reader understand significant parts of the story.
Illustrations:
The illustrations are pen and ink and watercolor. The majority of the book is in green hues, with color thrown in as accents. This gives the book an earthy feel. It is very soothing and calm. The illustrator throws in little surprises in the topiaries that add a fun element to the book and provide lots for readers to explore.
Review from a selection aid:
(Kirkus) " An adoring great-grandson and a topiary garden tell the stories of one man’s life. Watering a garden, pulling a wagon, collecting dropped gardening gloves and tools, a little fellow works in an amazing topiary world made of memories. The trees tell the story of his great-grandfather’s life—from birth to chicken pox to high school to military service and, later, marriage. Many of the illustrations morph with page turns: Tears from the baby become water from a hose; a mysterious conical shape becomes a cannon; a bunny near a tiny tree munches a carrot topiary. Splashes of red—berries, a hair bow, gunfire and a heart—make brief appearances in this green world, but green, like Grandpa’s name, is the star of this show. When the boy reunites Grandpa Green with his
missing things, readers discover that though Grandpa sometimes forgets, the garden remembers for him. The illustrations say what the text doesn't need
to—that the love between boy and elder is elemental and honest. One surprising and sparkling gatefold shows the whole garden, with Grandpa Green working on his newest creation: his grandson fighting a dragon. Readers who slow down will be rewarded by this visual feast that grows richer with each visit. Though this book has lots of adult appeal, it will also be a wonderful bridge to exploring family history with the very young."
Promotion idea:
This book could be tied in to a Grandparent's Day celebration or event. It would allow students to talk about some of the things that they know about their own grandparents or to write a story using information that they gained in talking to a grandparent.
This book tells the story of a great grandfather's life. The story is told using topiaries cut into the shape of the events of his life. The great grandson tells the story as he walks through the garden looking at the topiaries. As the story comes to an end, the little boy explains that his great grandfather sometimes forgets things, but his garden is there to remember the important things for him.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
The story was a nice one, with calm, engaging pictures. It would be a good book for children with grandparents or older family friends. The story itself does not delve deep into any issues, it simply presents the information on a surface level.
Memorable literary element:
In this book, color is used to tell the story. Most of the story is in green. This tells the story through the garden of the grandfather. But the author adds a small splash of color into a page to highlight a very important event in the grandfather's life. As an example, when his grandfather gets married, there is a red heart on the page. This helps the reader understand significant parts of the story.
Illustrations:
The illustrations are pen and ink and watercolor. The majority of the book is in green hues, with color thrown in as accents. This gives the book an earthy feel. It is very soothing and calm. The illustrator throws in little surprises in the topiaries that add a fun element to the book and provide lots for readers to explore.
Review from a selection aid:
(Kirkus) " An adoring great-grandson and a topiary garden tell the stories of one man’s life. Watering a garden, pulling a wagon, collecting dropped gardening gloves and tools, a little fellow works in an amazing topiary world made of memories. The trees tell the story of his great-grandfather’s life—from birth to chicken pox to high school to military service and, later, marriage. Many of the illustrations morph with page turns: Tears from the baby become water from a hose; a mysterious conical shape becomes a cannon; a bunny near a tiny tree munches a carrot topiary. Splashes of red—berries, a hair bow, gunfire and a heart—make brief appearances in this green world, but green, like Grandpa’s name, is the star of this show. When the boy reunites Grandpa Green with his
missing things, readers discover that though Grandpa sometimes forgets, the garden remembers for him. The illustrations say what the text doesn't need
to—that the love between boy and elder is elemental and honest. One surprising and sparkling gatefold shows the whole garden, with Grandpa Green working on his newest creation: his grandson fighting a dragon. Readers who slow down will be rewarded by this visual feast that grows richer with each visit. Though this book has lots of adult appeal, it will also be a wonderful bridge to exploring family history with the very young."
Promotion idea:
This book could be tied in to a Grandparent's Day celebration or event. It would allow students to talk about some of the things that they know about their own grandparents or to write a story using information that they gained in talking to a grandparent.
Me and Momma and Big John
Author: Rockliff, Mara Illustrator: Low, William
Publisher: Candlewick Press, 2012
Genre: Picture Book Age Level: Grades K-3
Publisher: Candlewick Press, 2012
Genre: Picture Book Age Level: Grades K-3
Plot summary:
This book tells the story of a mother who is a stone worker for The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, nicknamed "Big John." She works hard and takes her time carving one stone for the cathedral, coming home and telling her children about her work. When she finishes that stone, the family goes to the cathedral to see her work, and her son is surprised to see that her stone will go up at the top of the cathedral without any way for others to know that his momma carved it. The mother explains that her stone is just one stone in a history of the cathedral, but that each stone is important.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
The story is beautifully told and illustrated. I enjoyed it very much. I also liked how the characters in the story are black people who are just living their everyday lives. The story would be great to have in a library collection to show black characters in non-stereotypical roles. The mother in this story appears to be a single mother, and her job is a very important one. While the setting of the story is not clear, the illustrations lead the reader to feel that the story is present day and relevant.
Memorable literary element:
The theme of this story is people, working together, to create something bigger than themselves. This is shown in the son's wonder about how his mother can work on one stone for so long and then his imagining how his mother's stone will be displayed in a museum with her name on it. He is disappointed, at first, to realize that her stone will not have her name on it and that no one will know that she carved it. As he begins to see the stone workers working and the grandeur and beauty of the cathedral, he realizes that it has taken many people's help over the years to build this structure and that each piece is integral to the rest in making the building strong. He realizes at the end that, "...I think of all of the people who will come together in Big John. Not for an art to look at. For an art to be."
Illustrations:
The illustrations are beautiful, with light being used to show the importance and grandeur of the cathedral and of the relationship between the mother and her children. They appear to be watercolor. The street scene with the buses and the children playing feel very alive and full of movement. The illustrations are a great complement to the story.
Review from a selection aid:
(Kirkus) "A son tells of his mother's new job cutting stone for "Big John," New York City's yet-unfinished Cathedral of St. John the Divine. He focuses his mother's experiences at the cathedral through his own lens: She comes home covered in gray dust after daily labor on a single stone. Is his mother's work like an artist's, whose pictures hang in the museum? When the family visits Big John's stone yard and soaring interiors, he understands that her contribution--painstakingly crafted, yet so small--will take its place "high above the people, Momma's stone touching the sky." Drawing from historical details about a 25-year apprenticeship program begun in 1982, Rockliff's lyrical text celebrates collaboration and communion, whether as voices rising in a cathedral hymn or among the skilled workers who labored over more than a century. Low (Old Penn Station, 2007) renders many gorgeous digital spreads, articulating the extraordinary light and deep shadows within and outside the architecturally splendid cathedral. Combining the look of thick, fuzzy-edged pastel on paper with gouache on textured board, the illustrations are less successful in the figurative depictions. Awkwardly drawn shoes, feet and legs, along with some variation in the appearance of the daughter, are minor distractions from the overall strong visual appeal. An intriguing examination of the inside story of one of New York City's most important and beloved monuments."
Promotion idea:
This book would go well with a unit on the different forms of art. Most of us think of paintings when we think of art, but there are many different forms of art out there. Studying art forms and talking about how some art is created by one, single artist, while others are created by teams of anonymous artists would be a great lesson for an art class or an art history class. Viewing photographs of the actual cathedral or taking online virtual tours would add to the interest.
This book tells the story of a mother who is a stone worker for The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, nicknamed "Big John." She works hard and takes her time carving one stone for the cathedral, coming home and telling her children about her work. When she finishes that stone, the family goes to the cathedral to see her work, and her son is surprised to see that her stone will go up at the top of the cathedral without any way for others to know that his momma carved it. The mother explains that her stone is just one stone in a history of the cathedral, but that each stone is important.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
The story is beautifully told and illustrated. I enjoyed it very much. I also liked how the characters in the story are black people who are just living their everyday lives. The story would be great to have in a library collection to show black characters in non-stereotypical roles. The mother in this story appears to be a single mother, and her job is a very important one. While the setting of the story is not clear, the illustrations lead the reader to feel that the story is present day and relevant.
Memorable literary element:
The theme of this story is people, working together, to create something bigger than themselves. This is shown in the son's wonder about how his mother can work on one stone for so long and then his imagining how his mother's stone will be displayed in a museum with her name on it. He is disappointed, at first, to realize that her stone will not have her name on it and that no one will know that she carved it. As he begins to see the stone workers working and the grandeur and beauty of the cathedral, he realizes that it has taken many people's help over the years to build this structure and that each piece is integral to the rest in making the building strong. He realizes at the end that, "...I think of all of the people who will come together in Big John. Not for an art to look at. For an art to be."
Illustrations:
The illustrations are beautiful, with light being used to show the importance and grandeur of the cathedral and of the relationship between the mother and her children. They appear to be watercolor. The street scene with the buses and the children playing feel very alive and full of movement. The illustrations are a great complement to the story.
Review from a selection aid:
(Kirkus) "A son tells of his mother's new job cutting stone for "Big John," New York City's yet-unfinished Cathedral of St. John the Divine. He focuses his mother's experiences at the cathedral through his own lens: She comes home covered in gray dust after daily labor on a single stone. Is his mother's work like an artist's, whose pictures hang in the museum? When the family visits Big John's stone yard and soaring interiors, he understands that her contribution--painstakingly crafted, yet so small--will take its place "high above the people, Momma's stone touching the sky." Drawing from historical details about a 25-year apprenticeship program begun in 1982, Rockliff's lyrical text celebrates collaboration and communion, whether as voices rising in a cathedral hymn or among the skilled workers who labored over more than a century. Low (Old Penn Station, 2007) renders many gorgeous digital spreads, articulating the extraordinary light and deep shadows within and outside the architecturally splendid cathedral. Combining the look of thick, fuzzy-edged pastel on paper with gouache on textured board, the illustrations are less successful in the figurative depictions. Awkwardly drawn shoes, feet and legs, along with some variation in the appearance of the daughter, are minor distractions from the overall strong visual appeal. An intriguing examination of the inside story of one of New York City's most important and beloved monuments."
Promotion idea:
This book would go well with a unit on the different forms of art. Most of us think of paintings when we think of art, but there are many different forms of art out there. Studying art forms and talking about how some art is created by one, single artist, while others are created by teams of anonymous artists would be a great lesson for an art class or an art history class. Viewing photographs of the actual cathedral or taking online virtual tours would add to the interest.