More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz

1. Bibliography
Schwartz, Alvin. 1984. MORE SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK. Ill. by Stephen Gammell. New York: Harper & Row. ISBN: 0064401774.

2. Plot Summary
MORE SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK is a collection of spooky American folktales that includes stories of ghosts, witches, vampires, bogeymen, and other undead things.

3. Critical Analysis
Stephen Gammell's chilling black and white illustrations alone send a shiver down the spine. They are a perfect complement to Alvin Schwarz's retelling of dark and creepy folk stories. Schwartz builds upon the normalcy of events, keeping readers/listeners holding their breath waiting for the eerie twist they know will come.

4. Review Excerpts
School Library Journal--"Guaranteed to make your teeth chatter and your spinetingle."

5. Connections

*Other books by Alvin Schwartz:
SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK. Harper Trophy. ISBN 0064401707.
SCARY STORIES 3: MORE TALES TO CHILL YOUR BONES. Harper Trophy. ISBN 0064404188.
IN A DARK DARK ROOM AND OTHER SCARY STORIES. Harper Trophy. ISBN 0064440907.

*Other folklore collections:
Yolen, Jane. FAVORITE FOLKTALES FROM AROUND THE WORLD. Pantheon. ISBN 0394751884.

Young, Richard. SCARY STORY READER. August House. ISBN 0874833825.

Lon Po Po by Ed Young

1990 Caldecott Award

1. Bibliography
Young, Ed. 1989. LON PO PO. New York: Philomel Books. ISBN 0399216197.

2. Plot Summary
In this Red-Riding Hood story from China, three sisters left home alone outsmart the hungry wolf pretending to be their grandmother and save themselves from being his next meal.

3. Critical Analysis
The magic of this book is its illustrations. In watercolor and pastels, Ed Young captures the deepest, innermost, elemental fear of humankind represented by the wolf. Much of the artwork is paneled in the fashion of ancient Chinese art. The panels create tension by juxtaposing wide angles with closeups. Side by side panels depict first the children, whose faces glow in the black shadows, and then a close-up shot of the wolf, whose glowing eye and teeth fill the entire frame. The play of light and shadow links the wolf's menacing eye to the bright faces of the children. Through the use of panels, Young is also able to increase detail and stretch out the action, delaying the climax and keeping us stomach-clenched and on edge.

4. Review Excerpts
School Library Journal--"...this is an outstanding achievement that will be pored over again and again."
Publisher's Weekly--"An extraordinary and powerful book. "

5. Connections

*Other books written and/or illustrated by Ed Young (also Chinese folklore):

Louie, Ai Ling. YEH SHEN: A CINDERELLA STORY FROM CHINA. Ill. by Ed Young. Putnam Juvenile. ISBN 0698113888.

BEYOND THE GREAT MOUNTAINS. Chronicle Books. ISBN 0811843432.
RED THREAD. Philomel Books. ISBN 0399219692.
THE LOST HORSE: A CHINESE FOLKTALE. Voyager Books. ISBN 015205023X.
THE SONS OF THE DRAGON KING: A CHINESE LEGEND. Athenaeum. ISBN 0689851847.

*Red-Riding Hood tales from other cultures:
Artell, Mike and Jim Harris. PETITE ROUGE: A CAJUN RED-RIDING HOOD. Dial. ISBN 0803725140.

Daly, Niki. PRETTY SALMA: A LITTLE RED-RIDING HOOD STORY FROM AFRICA. Clarion Books. ISBN 0618723455.

Bubba the Cowboy Prince by Helen Ketteman

1. Bibliography
Ketteman, Helen. 1997. BUBBA THE COWBOY PRINCE: A FRACTURED TEXAS TALE. Ill. by James Warhola. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0590255061.

2. Plot Summary
Set in Texas, BUBBA THE COWBOY PRINCE is a Western version of the Cinderella story, in which Bubba works tirelessly on the family ranch while his lazy stepbrothers taunt him and boss him around. When the wealthiest ranch owner around, Miz Lurleen, throws a ball to find herself a “feller,” Bubba finds himself left out until his fairy godcow comes to his rescue. In the end, the boot fits and Bubba and Miz Lurleen ride off into the sunset.

3. Critical Analysis
Ketteman’s use of the Western motif makes this book a fun read. From setting details (“…watch out fer them cowpatties…”) to the characters’ attire (“bolo ties” and “boots”) to the dialect (“I aim to find myself a feller…”), Ketteman weaves a tale worthy of a big Texas “Yeehaw!”

James Warhola’s illustrations, done in oil on canvas, enhance the fun. The caricature-ish features of Bubba’s stepdaddy and stepbrothers, the human-like expressions of the cows and other animals, and the depth of color create a rich visual experience. To top it all off, Warhola turns the illustrations into a hidden picture game. Readers will delight in trying to find the fairy godcow in the background of almost every picture.

4. Review Excerpts
School Library Journal— “This is a fun-filled story with more hyperbole than a Christmas turkey has stuffing.”
Publisher’s Weekly—"Just the ticket for buckaroos lookin' fer a good read."

5. Connections
*Other Cinderella variants (these are just a few of dozens):

Belpre, Pura. THE RAINBOW-COLORED HORSE. Viking Press. ISBN 0723261512.

Cole, Babette. PRINCE CINDERS. Putnam Juvenile. ISBN 0698115546.

Hooks, William. MOSS GOWN. Ill. by Donald Carrick. Clarion Books. ISBN 0395547938.

Huck, Charlotte. PRINCESS FURBALL. Harper Trophy. ISBN 0688131077.

Jaffe, Nina. THE WAY MEAT LOVES SALT: A CINDERELLA STORY FROM THE JEWISH TRADITION. Ill. by Louise August. Henry Holt & Company. ISBN 0805043845.

Karlin, Barbara. CINDERELLA. Ill. by James Marshall. Trumpet Club. ISBN 0440847052.

Louie, Ai Ling. YEH SHEN: A CINDERELLA STORY FROM CHINA. Ill. by Ed Young. Putnam Juvenile. ISBN 0698113888.

Martin, Rafe. THE ROUGH FACE GIRL. Putnam Juvenile. ISBN: 0698116267.

Minard, Rosemary. “Cap o’ Rushes. ” WOMENFOLK AND FAIRY TALES. Houghton Mifflin.
ISBN 0395202760.

Phumla. NOMI AND THE MAGIC FISH: A STORY FROM AFRICA. Doubleday. ASIN
B0006CCC58.

de Regniers, Beatrice. LITTLE SISTER AND THE MONTH BROTHERS. Ill. by Margot Tomes.
Mulberry Books. ISBN 0688136338.

Steel, Flora Annie. TATTERCOATS: AN OLD ENGLISH TALE. Bradbury Press. ISBN
0878881093.

Wilson, Barbara. WISHBONES: A FOLKTALE FROM CHINA. Frances Lincoln. ISBN
1845072545.

*Students can compare and contrast the various Cinderella stories to gain an awareness of the universality of humankind while at the same learning to accept cultures different from their own.

Picture This: How Pictures Work by Molly Bang

1. Bibliography
Bang, Molly. 1991. PICTURE THIS: HOW PICTURES WORK. New York: SeaStar Books. ISBN 1587170299.

2. Plot Summary
Illustrator Molly Bang examines how the structure of images affects viewers’ emotional responses.

3. Critical Analysis
Molly Bang takes the reader on a metacognitive journey through art and basic composition principles that influence the emotional reactions of viewers by “thinking aloud” her process in creating an illustration for the story of Little Red Riding Hood.

Using only basic geometric shapes and four basic colors, she builds the illustration for the reader, pausing at each step to explain why she chose particular shapes, colors, and positions for objects in the illustration. She shows alternate versions of the same image to effectively demonstrate how the viewer’s reaction, and therefore the meaning of the image, changes according to various composition differences. For example, diagonal lines are dynamic, implying action or motion; horizontal shapes make us feel stable and secure; and pointed shapes elicit more fear, while rounded shapes create a sense of comfort.

Between her articulate text and simple geometric illustrations, she makes the principles easy to understand, unlocking the code inherent in the art. The target audience of older children and adults is bound to be fascinated by how pictures work.

4. Review Excerpts
Horn Book— “Picture This extends the imagination, encourages creativity, and helps readers reexamine their world and themselves from different perspectives. One senses that it has the power to change anyone wiling to admit its magic.”

5. Connections
*Other books about picture book illustration and picture book illustrators:

For Children
Cummings, Pat. TALKING WITH ARTISTS VOLUME 1. ISBN 0027242455.
Marcus, Leonard. A CALDECOTT CELEBRATION: SIX ARTISTS SHARE THEIR PATHS TO THE CALDECOTT MEDAL. ISBN 0802786561.
Marcus, Leonard. SIDE BY SIDE: FIVE FAVORITE PICTURE BOOK TEAMS GO TO WORK. ISBN 0802787789.
Marcus, Leonard. WAYS OF TELLING: CONVERSATIONS ON THE ART OF THE PICTURE BOOK. ISBN 0525464905. (Young Adult)

For Adults
Nodelman, Perry. WORDS ABOUT PICTURES: THE NARRATIVE ART OF CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOKS. ISBN 0820312711.
Styles, Morag. CHILDREN READING PICTURES: INTERPRETING VISUAL TEXTS. ISBN 0415275776.

*Other books written and illustrated by Molly Bang:

GOOSE. ISBN 0590890050.
TEN, NINE, EIGHT. ISBN 0688149014. (Caldecott Honor book)
WHEN SOPHIE GETS ANGRY—REALLY, REALLY ANGRY. ISBN 0590189794. (Caldecott Honor book)

The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster

2006 Caldecott Award
1. Bibliography
Juster, Norton. 2005. THE HELLO, GOODBYE WINDOW. Ill. by Chris Raschka. New York: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 0786809140.

2. Plot Summary
A little girl goes to visit her grandparents, whose kitchen window symbolizes the fun to be had there. All the memorable events that take place at Nanna and Poppy’s house—the excitement of first arriving there to stargazing with Nanna to pretend-play with Poppy--are anchored, in her mind, to the window.

3. Critical Analysis
Norton Juster explores the bond between grandchild and grandparents. Nanna and Poppy are portrayed with warmth and comfortable charm as they spend time with the girl. They pretend-play and stargaze and sing and work in the garden together, all with smiles on their faces, creating an unwavering sense of security. On a deeper level, this book is about the duality of experience, the two sides of a coin. As the girl says near the end when her parents pick her up, “I’m glad because we’re going home, but it makes me sad too because I have to leave Nanna and Poppy. You can be happy and sad at the same time, you know. It just happens that way sometimes.”

Chris Raschka’s illustrations underscore the warmth with bright swaths of color. Oranges, reds, and browns that feel like a hug contrast with vivid shades of blue, yellow, and verdant green that smell like sunshine and freshly cut grass. That contrast provides yet another paradox: we are held close, yet feel free. Even the blurred boundaries and smudged look of the expressionist drawings reflect the dream-like “warm fuzzy” that is time spent with grandparents.

4. Review Excerpts
School Library Journal—“Perfect for lap-sharing, this book will find favor with children and adults alike.”
Horn Book— "A varied layout, balancing exterior and interior landscapes with smaller character vignettes, helps sustain the book's energy. Say hello to Raschka at the top of his form."

5. Connections
*Other books about family:
Ryan, Pam Munoz. BECOMING NAOMI LEON. ISBN 0439269970. A girl goes looking for her father and finds her self along the way.

Creech, Sharon. GRANNY TORRELLI MAKES SOUP. ISBN 0064409600. When Rosie and her best-friend-from-forever, Bailey, begin arguing, Granny Torrelli wisely suggests cooking lessons. Before long the threesome are immersed in cavatelli pasta, meatballs, and long-ago stories.

*Also illustrated by Chris Raschka:
Hooks, Bell. BE BOY BUZZ. ISBN 0786816430.

*Writing Connection:
THE HELLO, GOODBYE WINDOW makes a great book for reading/writing connection because it triggers text-to-self connections in children. My students have made connections to their own grandparents, childhood games, and special places. One student was even reminded of how she thought her dad was such a big, tall man when she was very young (just as the "tiger" looms large for the little girl in this book), only to grow up and discover that in actuality, he is not. Her child's perspective had skewed her image of him. Another topic ripe for exploration is the idea of being happy and sad at the same time. Students may remember a time when they experienced conflicting emotions.

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback

1. Bibliography
Taback, Simms. 1999. JOSEPH HAD A LITTLE OVERCOAT. Ill. by Simms Taback. New York: Viking Juvenile. ISBN 0670878553.

2. Plot Summary
In this adaptation of a Yiddish folk song, Joseph has a little overcoat, but when it becomes worn, he turns it into a vest. When the vest becomes worn, he turns it into a scarf. And so on, until there is nothing left. Or is there? In the end, the story comes full circle with Joseph making a book about his overcoat.

3. Critical Analysis
While Taback's Caldecott-Award-winning book may be a "predictable book" with with a repeating language pattern, readers will delight in discovering how Joseph will recycle his overcoat fragment next as it grows smaller and smaller. There is nothing predictable about his ingenuity. Taback skillfully manages the peek-through holes in the pages for even more fun, creating anticipation and prediction opportunities for young readers.

The illustrations are richly textured through Taback's use of mixed media: watercolor, gouache, pencil, ink, and collage. The ethnic clothing in the book reflects the theme of recycling and making something of nothing. Taback comments at www.cbcbooks.com, "I illustrated the ethnic clothing by using collage fragments from various catalogs. So even as I created the artwork for Joseph, I was making something new from something discarded." The floor rugs are collages, as well. Rich, bright colors and an abundance of different patterns are a smorgasbord for the eyes. Plaids, stripes, prints, and paisleys abound. Close examination of the illustrations reveals a whole other level of fun: newspaper clippings with headlines such as "Fiddler on Roof Falls off Roof," real photographic portraits in illustrated frames and peeking from windows, and bits of Yiddish wisdom on samplers on the walls. In another fun twist, Joseph is depicted writing and illustrating the very book he is in!

4. Review Excerpts
Horn Book--"...the art sings with color and movement and humor and personality..."
Publishers Weekly--"...unravels as swiftly as the threads of Joseph's well-loved, patch-covered plaid coat."
School Library Journal--"...bursting at the seams with ingenuity and creative spirit..."

5. Connections
*See also Taback's book THE OLD LADY WHO SWALLOWED A FLY (ISBN 0670869392), highly praised for both language and illustrations. (Caldecott Honor book)
*Other Caldecott Award books:
Henkes, Kevin. KITTENS FIRST FULL MOON. 0060588284
Rohmann, Eric. MY FRIEND RABBIT. ISBN 0761315357
Wiesner, David. THREE LITTLE PIGS. ISBN 0618007016

*Writing Connection- students can mimic the repeating language pattern (and cause and effect pattern) in their own writing.