By: Natasha Anastasia Tarpley
I enjoyed reading this book. I loved the illustrations. This book is very contemporary and very realistic. This book makes a clear and deliberate effort to represent and speak to a cultural minority in the context of children’s literature It does so through the illustrations and through the nature of the story, yet the story itself is about everyday life. I think a main message is pride, but it is done in a very subtle and understated way.
By: Susan Campbell Bartoletti
I enjoyed this book. What is most striking about it is the way that the text is formatted and arranged, making it a part of the experience of the story itself. The formatting of the text actually creates images in the reader’s mind, and adds to the words themselves, making them more interactive. The illustrations also tell a story and are very vivid, memorable, and fun. This is a book that could apply to many different children audiences.
By: Jennifer Brutschy
I enjoyed this book, but do not have a whole lot to say about it. The plot was creative and engaging, and the illustrations added to the text as a whole. It was representative of alternative ways of life in a sensitive and subtle way: the main character and his family lived in a small trailer (but this was not the point of the story). It had a subtle humor about it as well, and I could see a child enjoying this book.
By: Louis Sachar
This was a great read! I loved that it was very much on the child’s level, and I can definitely see a child having fun and enjoying reading this book. It is very “silly” and a lot of things don’t make sense, however this is part of the humor. There were a few points where I had to stop and say: “what?” I like that aspect because children will do the same, and it allows them to interact with the text in a meaningful, engaging way. I chose this book because I used to read this series as a child, and I remember really enjoying it. Before reading it again, I couldn’t remember more than a few hazy details, however, when I began reading, things started to come back to me pretty clearly. I think that is the sign of a good book that it can stick with you for so long.
By: Jeff Brumbeau
I loved this book because of the rich illustrations. They are very detailed and add to the content of the story, but do not detract from the text itself. The language was also very expressive and rich. My impression is that this story would be a more difficult read because there is a significant amount of text on each page, and there is a lot going on within the story. However, I like how it follows a pattern of repetition, making it easy for the reader to predict and understand what is going on. Because this predictability was added to the story, I think that readers will find it challenging but not in an overwhelming way. For more novice readers, this would be a better book to read aloud to a group, however, it is a little bit long and I could see attention being an issue. For more experienced readers, I could see this being a meaningful challenge as an independent read, or in a reading group.
By: Caralyn Buehner
I think that the format of this book was very creative and innovative. The book has several different simple moral scenarios, and then gives you choices (A,B,C, or D) about what you can do. The letter of the correct statement is hidden in the adjacent picture, and that is how you check your answer to see if you are correct. I think this is a great way to get children to think about the text and engage with the text, and there is lots of room for discussion, and it is fun for them to try to spot the letters in the picture. I liked the overall message of the book, and the lessons that are taught are reviewed and restated on the last page in a creative way (ex: never lie for a pie, like Pester McFly). I think this is a good book to have that children will enjoy reading.
By Anne Broyles
This was a wonderfully written book about a little girl who grows up as a slave. I would definitely want this book in my classroom. It used a diverse dialect throughout the story (never: ne’er – I suspect: I ‘spect). It mirrors a different perspective on life, and is very empathetic, yet relatable. The illustrations were beautiful and helped paint the images of the story. The language was very interesting and expressive (Her hands were gnarled – I was silent as the walls, etc). It had a good selection of expressions that added to the tone of the story. Nothing about this book seemed generic, there was a clear point of view, and I could hear the narrator’s voice as I read it. I think it did a great job talking about the tough issue of slavery in a way that was not sugarcoated, but was not inappropriate either. All of the other children’s books that I have read on this topic have seemed to sort of gloss over it. Although this book did not go into all the details, it was bold, and really captured the essence of the time.
