Children’s Book Review Adaptation Project

By Morgan McMillian Behind Information Design

December 4, 2007

Table of Contents Introduction ………………………………………………..…………..………………..……………... 3 Hattie and the Fox …………………….…………….……………….………..…….….…………….. 4 The Puddle Pail .………………………..………………………………………………..…………….. 5 Hush! A Thai Lullaby ……………………...……………………..…….…..……………………….… 6 The Princess Knight ……………………………………………...………..…………………………… 8 What A Wonderful World …………………………………...…………………...……………….… 10 Silly Suzy Goose …………………………….…….……………..……………….…………………... 11 Little Red Hen ………………………….……………………………………………………………... 12 Here’s a Little Poem (Age 4) …………………………………………………...………………….. 13 Mr. Putter and Tabby Walk the Dog (Age 5) …………………………………………………... 14 The Five Lost Aunts of Harriet Bean (Age 6) ……………………………………….……………. 15 A Seed is Sleepy (Age 7) …………………………………………………...………………………. 16 To Dance: A Ballerina’s Graphic Novel (Age 8) ……………………………………………… 17 The Little House in the Big Woods (Age 9) …………………………….………………………... 18 The Birchbark House (Age 10) ………………………………………..…………………………… 19 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Age 11) ………………………………………..……... 20 The Higher Power of Lucky (Age 12) …………………………………………………………….. 21 Eleanor Roosevlt: A Life of Discovery (Age 13) ……………………………………………..… 22 Here in Harlem: poems in many voices (Age 14) ………………………………..….………... 23 A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life (Age 15) ……………………………………………...… 24 The Book Thief (Age 16) ……………………………………………….……………………………. 25 Bathtub Conclusion …………………………………………………...………………………….…. 26

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Introduction My adaptation project is to alter my children’s book reviews for Dr. Immroth’s Materials for Children class to be appropriate for my nieces Evan and Elliott Ecklund. The adapted reviews were mailed to my three and a half year old nieces in Houston. I sent seven book reviews to them this semester and have prepared thirteen book reviews as letters to give them every year through their sixteenth birthday.

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Hattie and the Fox, Mem Fox, illustrated by Patricia Mullins, Bradbury Press, 1987

Our heroine, Hattie the hen, becomes alarmed as she sees a nose, two eyes, and eventually a whole fox emerge from the bushes. She warns her farm friends, goose, pig, sheep, horse, and cow, but they are too content relaxing in the field to bother. Tension builds in the repetitive, simple, yet charming picture book Hattie and the Fox. Mem Fox’s text is simultaneously uncomplicated and exciting, providing a perfect read aloud for youngsters. Patricia Mullins’ tissue paper collages almost look like watercolors and provide great facial expressions on the animals. Ages 2 to 5.

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The Puddle Pail, Elisa Kleven, Dutton, 1997

Endpapers begin Elisa Kleven’s Puddle Pail with a creative flurry. Rain swarms into colorful rainbow swirls, leading you into a story about the importance of creativity and individuality. One morning two young crocodile brothers set off to visit the beach and Sol declares that he will start collecting shells. Big brother also loves to collect rocks, feathers, string, and even rubber bands. Sol encourages his younger brother to do the same. “Collect something you really like. Something that comes in all different sizes and colors and shapes. That way your collection will be interesting.” Ernst suggests clouds or stars, but Sol rejects those choices. A surprising, innovative solution to the story satisfies them both. Ernst decides to collect puddles because “it looks like a piece of sky on the ground.” Colorful, whimsical illustrations permeate this story of artful inspiration. Ages 3 to 6.

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Hush! A Thai Lullaby, Minfong Ho, illustrated by Holly Meade, Orchard Books, 1996

Minfong Ho’s rhythmic tale Hush! will lull readers to sleep with its repetition and gentle refrain. A mother urgently quiets animals such as the mosquito, the lizard, the monkey and the water buffalo because her baby is sleeping right nearby. This Caldecott Honor book concludes with everyone except the adorable, mischievous baby asleep. Holly Meade’s cut paper and ink collages depict comforting home settings in a unique environment of lush, bold earth tones. This simple bedtime story is a great introduction to Thailand and a reassuring, beautiful story. Ages 2 to 5.

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Evan and Elliott read Hush! A Thai Lullaby.

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The Princess Knight, Cornelia Funke, illustrated by Kerstin Meyer, Chicken House, 2004

King Wilfred has a plan for his daughter Violetta’s sixteenth birthday – hold a tournament to find a proper husband for the princess! Cornelia Funke’s Princess Knight contains sword fighting, horseback riding, jousting, and other unlikely adventures in your typical princess story. Funke’s pacing is pitch-perfect and the surprise ending will delight young readers. Kerstin Meyer’s attractive watercolors spread horizontally across the page in pleasing designs reminiscent of the Bayeux Tapestry. This charming feminist tale is for ages 3 to 6.

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Evan and Elliott Ecklund read The Princess Knight.

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What a Wonderful World, George David Weiss, illustrated by Ashley Bryan, Atheneum, 1995

Louis Armstrong’s famous song is adapted to a picture book format in Ashley Bryan’s colorful creation, What a Wonderful World. Multiracial children use puppets to bring the lyrics to life in an uplifting celebration. This book begs to be sung aloud. Ages 3 to 6.

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Silly Suzy Goose, Petr Horacek, Candlewick, 2006

Suzy Goose just wants to be different from all her look-alike geese friends. She tries hanging upside-down like a bat, squawking like a toucan, and even swimming like a seal, before getting the chance to show off her new skills to a lion. Petr Horacek’s Silly Suzy Goose is a rhythmic read-aloud gem. My nieces particularly love the vibrant pictures of the flamingo and the lion. Ages 2 to 5.

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The Little Red Hen, Jerry Pinkney, Dial Books, 2006

The familiar story The Little Red Hen is handled with classic grace by Jery Pinkney in this 2006 picture book. The hen makes bread and tries to get her farm friends to help, but dog, pig, goat, and rat predictably refuse. The joy in this book is found in Pinkney’s illustrations – detailed watercolors beautifully bring the traditional folktale to life. Ages 2 to 5.

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Here’s a Little Poem, Jane Yolen and Andrew Fusek Peters, illustrated by Polly Dunbar, Candlewick, 2007

“My daddy rides me piggy back. My mama rides me, too. But grandma says her poor old back Has had enough to do.”

Langston Hughes’s “Piggy Back” is just one of the outstanding poems in Jane Yolen and Andrew Peters' Here’s a Little Poem: A Very First Book of Poetry. Divided into thematic sections such as “Me, Myself, and I” and “Go Outside,” these carefully chosen poems are perfectly geared for babies and toddlers. Polly Dunbar’s engaging illustrations are cheerful, bright and buoyant. The collection is comprehensive and surprising, including poems from Jack Prelutsky to Gertrude Stein. This delightful volume would be the perfect choice for a new baby gift or toddler birthday present. Ages 2 to 6.

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Mr. Putter and Tabby Walk the Dog, Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Arthur Howard, Harcourt, 1994

Cynthia Rylant always manages to create just the right combination of sweet and comforting, never crossing over to saccharine or sappy. Mr. Putter and Tabby Walk the Dog is no exception. This beginning reader book is divided into three perfectly paced chapters – The Lollypup, The Nightmare, and the Dream Dog. When neighbor Mrs. Teaberry slips on a kiwi and hurts her foot, she is unable to walk her feisty bulldog Zeke for the next week. Gracious neighbors Mr. Putter and feline friend Tabby come to the rescue. Little do they know what they are in for! This hilarious romp packs in the laughter and the action, but is also simple enough and repetitive for early readers. Arthur Howard’s soft watercolors provide visual clues and colorful details to this delightful story. Ages 5 to 8.

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The Five Lost Aunts of Harriet Bean, Alexander McCall Smith, Bloomsbury, 2006

Did you know that prolific author Alexander McCall Smith (The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency) also pens books for young people? Meet nine-year-old Harriet and her absent-minded father who (oops!) neglected to tell his daughter that he has sisters. When our plucky heroine studies an old, unfinished painting of her family, she sets off on a hunt for each of The Five Lost Aunts of Harriet Bean. And what a bunch of characters they turn out to be! Ages 6 to 10.

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A Seed is Sleepy, Dianna Hutts Aston, illustrated by Sylvia Long, Chronicle, 2007

Welcome spring with Dianna Hutts Aston’s gorgeous nonfiction picture book A Seed is Sleepy. This companion to last year’s An Egg is Quiet again features Sylvia Long’s luscious watercolors showing seeds as varied as the 60-pound coco de mer and the dandelion seed, which can fly 100 miles. Lyrical, poetic phrases present facts about seeds as they lie beneath the soil and eventually push themselves up to seek sunlight. Some seeds are so sleepy that they sleep for more than a thousand years! This elegant introduction is perfect for the classroom or for enjoying at home in the garden. Ages 7 and up.

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To Dance: A Ballerina’s Graphic Novel, Siena Cherson Siegel, illustrated by Mark Siegel, Aladdin, 2006

To Dance: A Ballerina’s Graphic Novel received a Sibert Honor Award given for an informational book. Siena Cherson Siegel’s story of her childhood in Puerto Rico and her laborious rise to performing with the New York City Ballet is illustrated by Mark Siegel. Each page soars with life and emotion as you cheer for the young ballet dancer, portrayed in engaging watercolors. This award-winning graphic novel is a great introduction to the genre and is good for girls and boys ages eight and up.

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Little House in the Big Woods, Laura Ingalls Wilder, illustrated by Garth Williams, Harper Collins, 1932

Laura Ingalls Wilder is a five year old girl living with her Pa, Ma, sisters Mary and Carrie, dog Jack, and cat Black Susan in Little House in the Big Woods. While no major plotline guides the novel, children will be enthralled as they read or listen to descriptions of life in the mid-1800s. Pa chops down trees, fights bears, gets honey and maple sugar from the forest, and generally provides for his family as a brave, strong man. He also tells a good story and plays a mean tune on the fiddle. Ma stays busy caring for her three daughters, mending clothes, sewing, cooking, husking corn, and numerous other household duties. Laura spends her time playing with her doll Charlotte, running around barefoot outside, and trying to keep her spirited self out of trouble. Garth Williams gentle black and white illustrations add a touch of realism to this great family read aloud. Ages 6 to 12.

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The Birchbark House, Louise Erdrich, Hyperion, 1999

Omakayas lives with her mother, her father Deydey, her grandmother, her older sister Angeline, and her two younger brothers Pinch and Neewo in the Ojibwa tribe in 1847. The seven year old girl’s adventurous life involves playing with two friendly bear cubs, helping her mother with household chores such as making makazins, looking after her pet crow Andeg, visiting her intimidating aunt Old Tallow to fetch borrowed scissors, and caring for her baby brother Neewo. Family is central in Omakayas’ life, especially when Deydey tells stories or she plays with her baby brother Neewo. The book describes each season’s necessary chores in fascinating detail, such as harvesting wild rice in the fall and planting corn in the spring. All is well until the smallpox epidemic encroaches upon her village and Omakayas is forced to take on adult responsibilities. Louise Erdrich’s The Birchbark House provides an absorbing account of Native American life on an island in Lake Superior. Erdrich published the sequel, The Game of Silence, in 2005. Ages 9 to 12.

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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, J.K. Rowling, Scholastic, 1998

In one of the most popular and well-loved series of all time, J.K. Rowling creates the larger than life character Harry Potter and a complete, well-realized magical world. The first book in the seven book series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, introduces readers to the heroic protagonist as he suffers through existence living with his Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and miserable cousin Dudley Dursley. In a dramatic turn of events, Harry receives a letter right before his eleventh birthday inviting him to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The rapidly paced book follows Harry through his first year at the Hogwarts as he studies Potions, Herbology, and the Defense Against the Dark Arts, learns the exciting sport Quidditch, meets loyal friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, becomes acquainted with the enchanting world of magic, and ultimately battles his old enemy Voldemort. This mysterious, humorous, and gripping novel is accompanied by Mary GrandPre’s fantastical pencil drawings. Rowling’s first novel is fun for all ages.

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The Higher Power of Lucky, Susan Patron, illustrated by Matt Phelan, Atheneum, 2006

Ten year old Lucky Trimble’s life in Hard Pan, California is far from fortunate. With no parents and a homesick French guardian, Lucky worries that she will be sent to an orphanage in LA. Eavesdropping on twelve-step programs acquaints Lucky with the rock bottom stories of her neighbors and leads her to seek her own Higher Power of Lucky. This slender novel is part Kate DiCamillo and part Polly Horvath, as Susan Patron’s wise, spirited protagonist alternatively breaks your heart and gives you hope. Ages 10 to 12.

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Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery, Russell Freedman, Clarion Books, 1993

Award winning author Russell Freedman brings the inspirational and outspoken First Lady of the World to life in Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery. Freedman follows his successful biography pattern (Lincoln: A Photobiography, The Wright Brothers, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt) as he carefully selects black and white photographs to accompany well-written, compelling text about the former world leader. In this Newbery Honor Book, Eleanor’s painful childhood, her courtship with Franklin Delano Roosevelt, FDR’s political rise, Eleanor’s own political awakening, and her later years as a world leader supporting humanitarian issues are recounted. In addition to these accomplishments, Freedman also portrays Roosevelt as a kind, humble, and warm human being. He is forthcoming about her insecurities and personal challenges with her alcoholic father and brother and her philandering husband. Well selected quotations from letters and journals are scattered throughout the text. A small photo album and additional resources conclude this excellent biography. Freedman’s obvious admiration for his subject certainly translates to his readers. Ages 10 to 14.

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Here in Harlem: poems in many voices, Walter Dean Myers, Holiday House, 2004

It is hard to imagine a more powerful, soulful neighborhood portrait than Walter Dean Myers’ Here in Harlem. Fifty-four poems present autobiographical statements from various fictional people in spirited, distinctive voices in Myers’ childhood hometown of Harlem. Clara Brown, an 87 year old retired woman, Lawrence Hamm, a 19 year old student athlete, and William Riley Pitts, a 42 year old jazz artist, are just a few of the different personalities who tell their story. Deacon Macon R. Allen begins his piece: “I love a shouting church! / Praises bounding off the ceiling / The rhythm catching up the feet / Tambourines that send the spirits reeling.” The poems are filled with emotion and a musical quality that beg to be read aloud. Motorman Earl Prentiss, age 39, concludes his piece: “These are my people / My brown and holy earth / The same scorch of sun / That summers the Niger / Warms my Ashanti heart / Here in my village, / My Harlem.” The evocative poems are accompanied by moving black and white photographs from Myers’ own personal collection. Langston Hughes, street scenes, and individual portraits are just a few of the intimate period photos included. This book is highly recommended. Ages 11 and up.

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A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life, Dana Reinhardt, Wendy Lamb, 2006

Simone is a perfectly happy, well-adjusted sixteen year old girl. She loves her parents, loves her brother, and has a great group of eccentric friends. Then, out of the blue, her birth mother Rivka contacts her. How can Simone, an atheist, come to terms with Rivka’s Hasidic Judaism? Does Simone even want to get to know her birth mother? Dana Reinhardt’s A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life is a remarkable debut novel. The characters are richly developed, the story is compelling, and big issues about love and faith are handled with a delicate and insightful touch. Ages 13 and up.

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The Book Thief, Markus Zusak, Knopf, 2006

This book about the Holocaust is the most moving, complicated, powerful, hard to categorize book of the decade. First published as an adult novel in Australia, The Book Thief tells the story of an orphaned girl Liesel, her adopted parents, stolen books, the hidden Jew in the basement, and Liesel’s best friend Rudy who dresses up like Jesse Owens. Did I mention that Death narrates? This book brought me to tears and taught me more about life than any book in recent years. Markus Zusak is a force - this book deserves to be read by all. Ages 14 up.

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Elliott and Evan Ecklund play in the bathtub at age three and a half. I can’t wait to see who they will be at sixteen!

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