Module 9: Cam Jansen and the Catnapping Mystery by David Adler

Module 9: Mystery

Cam Jansen: The Catnapping Mystery by David A. Adler

Adler, D.A. (2005). Cam Jansen: The Catnapping Mystery. New York, NY: Puffin Books.

Plot Summary:
Cam and her friend are meeting up with her Aunt Molly at a fancy hotel in the city. While they are debating between which activities to do for the day, Cam overhears a hotel guest exclaim that she is missing her cat, Little Tiger. The woman had given her luggage and cat to the bellhop to bring up to her hotel room, but they never arrived. While at the main desk, the lady receives a call from the bellhop, who is really a thief. He says that her clothes are old and her jewelry is fake, so he has no choice but to ransom her stuff back to her. He instructs her to wait in her hotel room for further instructions. The police are called and Cam decides to help out. At first the police do not listen to Cam, but when her photographic memory helps identify the thief's van. They start to take notice. Cam points out that the bellhop-thief was wearing a blue uniform and not a red one like the rest of the hotel staff and she remember his van from when she arrived at the hotel. Although she is unable to remember the plate number, she was able to identify the sticker on his window. It leads them to his apartment complex and they track the thief down. When they find him, they prove that the cat in his apartment is Little Tiger by calling his name. Cam then reunites the cat with his owner.

Impressions:
This is a very brief quick mystery that I am sure young readers will enjoy. Cam is easy to relate too, yet she still retains her uniqueness with her photographic memory.

Personally, I feel like it was a little heavy on the lead up to the mystery and did not take a lot of time with the mystery itself. The prep took up more time then solving the mystery which disappointed me. I understand that it is a very short book, but it could have been lengthened a bit to fill out the mystery.

Reviews:

Kit Vaughtan, J. (2010) The Catnapping Mystery [Book Review]. Retrieved fromhttp://www.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=0141308974/SLJREVIEW.html&client=anarp

"In this 18th adventure, Cam Jansen, her parents, and her friend Eric are on their way to meet her aunt at the Royal Hotel. There, Cam overhears a conversation between a distressed hotel guest and Michael, the bellhop. Esther Wright states that on her arrival, she gave her luggage and her traveling companion, "Little Tiger," to a bellhop outside the hotel to take to her room. The cat never made it there. A ransom-demanding phone call confirms Esther's worst fears-"Little Tiger" has been catnapped. Cam once again solves the mystery and helps catch the crook. With her photographic memory, she makes mental notes of events and details that the rest of her family and friends dismiss. Pen-and-ink drawings appear frequently throughout, and a visual puzzle to solve is included at the end. Another fine mystery for beginning chapter-book readers."

Peterson, L. (n.d.) The Catnapping Mytery [Book Review]. Retrieved from http://www.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=0141308974/BLREVIEW.html&client=anarp

"Cam Jansen, girl detective extraordinaire, happens upon another mystery while on an outing to the Royal Hotel. Posing as a bellhop, a thief steals the luggage and the pet cat belonging to an unsuspecting elderly woman, then holds them for ransom. Thanks to her photographic memory, Cam is able to give police a great description of both the thief and his getaway van, and together the officers and the youthful investigator get their man. Susanna Natti, who has illustrated all the books in this series, makes the pictures do double duty this time by providing not only pleasing drawings to complement the text but also visual clues to help readers solve the mystery right along with Cam. A good book to introduce young readers to chapter books: the level of mystery is just right for the audience. The book will also be a good choice to help build the confidence of older children with reading disabilities."

Library Use Suggestions:

Any book in the Cam Jansen series could easily be used in a suggested reading display for children's mystery novels. They are quick to read and can act as a way of getting children into mystery novels without overwhelming them.

Module 7: Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, Schools, and Other Scary Things

Module 7: Realistic Fiction

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things by Lenore Look

Look, L. (2008). Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things. New York, NY: Schwarts & Wade Books.

Plot Summary:
This books follows Alvin Ho's adventure through the beginning of his school year until around Halloween. Alvin Ho must cope with his fears as he strives to get through each day of school and attempt to make friends.

The story starts out with Alvin introducing himself and his fears. Then he goes on to explain how he is coping with his fears at school by putting together his own Personal Disaster Kit (PDK) which includes plans for any difficult situation, like How to Meet Your New Teacher. Alvin seeks advice from his older brother, Calvin, on how to make new friends. Although Alvin doesn't approve of Calvin's methods, he writes it down anyways. 

The school year begins and Alvin tries to get out of class by claiming to be "allergic" to school. His dad sees through it anyways and sends him to school. There he becomes desk mates with a girl named Flea who was one eye. Alvin is unhappy about this scenario, but he "loses his voice" at school and can't fight back. When Flea comes over after school and shows his mother The Book on Alvin, Alvin flips out and offends Flea. She remains upset with him over the whole ordeal. 

Still trying desperately to get out of class, Alvin attempts to get chicken pox from a girl, Jules. He trades a piece of gum to Pinky so he can go in her house. Although the children do not show symptoms immediately, they later all come down with the chicken pox and school is cancelled. During this time, Alvin's dad allows Alvin to play with his Johnny Astro toy and saying that one day it will be his. Once the children go back to school, Alvin decides that Johnny Astro will be a great "show and tell" item and he borrow it without permission. As fate would have it, Johnny Astro gets destroyed and Alvin's dad is very upset. After this, Alvin's dad decides that he needs to take piano lessons.

The piano lessons do not go well because Alvin is scared of the piano teacher. He had been told by Jules that she is a witch like in Hansel and Gretel. After his meltdown at the piano teacher's house, he is sent back to the psychotherapist. Alvin is scared of the therapist because he thinks she is a psycho. He refuses to speak to her and eventually they play cards. The therapist is doing poorly and Alvin ends up yelling Shakespearean insults at her. Alvin's dad takes him home, but first they go to the ice cream shop and have a heart to heart. Alvin's dad tells Alvin that he knows it is hard to deal with fear and get new friends, but he would not change anything about Alvin. He also tells Alvin about how he made friends by trading baseball cards. Alvin decides that that is the way that he will win over Pinky, the popular boy in his class. 

Alvin ends up attempting to befriend Pinky, but after several mishaps, including throwing a ball through his neighbor's window, he decides that he does not want to be friends with Pinky. In the end, Alvin ends up playing with Flea and they become friends. 

Impressions:
This is a brief read and fast paced. I easily knocked out the book in a hour. I think it is a good read for children who want a quick story with an intriguing protagonist. 

What I appreciate the most about the book is that it addresses anxiety and fear in a way that is easy to understand. Most of the book is written as internal thoughts instead of conversations between characters and it shows a young boy's vision of what is going on in the world around him and how his fears impact him. I don't think that there are enough books out there that address mental illness or going to a therapist and I appreciate that Look did just that. 

Look also takes the opportunity to introduce a main character with an Asian heritage. Although much of Alvin's life is pretty standard in American ways, Look brings in details of Alvin's Chinese heritage and history into the tale. For example, Alvin has a signed baseball by Daisuke Matsuzaka, which he keeps in a case and later uses as a play ball.

The cherry on top of this book is the inclusion of Alvin Ho's Woeful Glossary which describes what Alvin means when he says different things. These glossary entries are written in the same style of the book and can allow any reader who does not understand what some of the words mean. For example, Look uses this glossary to explain who Daisuke Matsuzaka is and his significance to baseball history. It is definitively a nice touch and explains things in kid friendly language. 

Reviews:

Bird, E. (2008). Review of the Day- Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, school, and Other Scary Things by Lenore Look. Retrieved from http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2008/07/28/review-of-the-day-alvin-ho-allergic-to-girls-school-and-other-scary-things-by-lenore-look/

"I can also see some people getting a little squirrely when it comes to Alvin’s dialogue, though. You could make the argument that no boy in the history of the world would say, 'My dad is not superhero material,' or 'The fourth thing you should know about me is that I love Plastic Man, Wonder Woman, the Green Lantern, Concrete Man, Aquaman, King Henry V and all the superheroes in the world.' You could SAY that but can I point out that Alvin never actually speaks these sentences? They’re just explaining his state of mind. And if a sentence says, 'The scary thing about girls is that they are not boys' then can’t you argue that the author is clarifying what Alvin is feeling even if he wouldn’t use those exact words at that exact time? In a sense, Look is translating Alvin’s thoughts and emotions into coherent, remarkable little sentences that every second grader feels but is incapable of putting into words. There’s the acknowledgment that 'crying is really great' alongside the almost poignant 'I am not good at anything ever since I started school.' Alvin isn’t precocious. He just happens to have an author capable of bringing him into crisp, clear relief."

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things [Review of Book] (2008) Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/lenore-look/alvin-ho/

"In the vignettes that make up this exuberantly funny slice of Alvin’s life, Look portrays the world as it would be viewed through the eyes of a wildly creative but undeniably neurotic kid. In his hometown of Concord, Mass., Alvin searches for friends, meets with a psychotherapist (who he supposes must be a 'very smart crazy person' based on her job title) and gets himself into a variety of jams. A witty glossary and Pham’s simple yet expressive line drawings perfectly complement this appealing story about the refreshingly original, endearing Alvin."

Library Use Suggestions: 

I think that this books would be a good way to introduce mental illness to a child who is struggling with anxiety. There are not many children's books that deal with debilitating fear and this is a lighter way of approaching it. A teacher or librarian could use this as a read aloud to introduce the idea of coping with extreme fear while Alvin goes through his adventures. Children who are suffer socially can take solace in the fact that Alvin eventually finds a friend in Flea at the end of the book. 

Module 6: The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog by Mo Willems

Module 6: Picture Books

The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog by Mo Willems

Willems, M. (2004). The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog!. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children.

Plot Summary:
The Pigeon finds a hot dog and is all set to eat it. Suddenly, the Ducking shows up and starts asking the Pigeon all these questions about hot dogs, mainly revolving around what it tastes like. The Pigeon sees what the Duckling is trying to do. He knows the Duckling is trying to get him to share his hot dog and the Pigeon refuses to give in. Yet, the Duckling continues to ask questions. Tired of the crazy questions being asked, the Pigeon finally splits the hot dog with the Duckling, who sly ends the books with the phrase "Hmmm...needs mustard."

Impressions:
I will admit up front that I have never read a Mo Willems' book before this one. I know that it seems like blasphemy because he is so popular with the kiddos and I work in the Children's department of my library. I suggest the books all day long, but have never picked one up myself, so when the picture book assignment rolled around I had no excuse for not cracking one open. 

Boy, was I short changing myself. I adore this books! It is so charming and expressive. It is definitely a very short read, but it has heart. It is both zany and cute. 

I love Pigeon's deadpan expression and you can just feel the "he can't really be serious" expression that Pigeon gives the audience. 

I also find it so amusing that Pigeon breaks the fourth wall by asking the audience, "Can you believe this guy!?!" There is so much to love about this book. I feel like I am going to have to go through and read them all now.

Reviews:

Review of Book: The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog! (n.d.) Retrieved from  http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/pigeon-finds-hot-dog#cart/cleanup

"In this hilarious follow=up to the acclaimed Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! Mo Willems has created another avian adventure that encourages children to share even their most prized processed foods. 

Review of Book: The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog! (2004). Retrieved from http://publishersweekly.com/978-0-7868-1869-3

Through voice bubbles, body language, and expressive sizes and shapes of type, Willems crafts a comical give-and-take between the characters. He sketches both iconic birds in decisive crayony lines and tints the pages with smooth pastel hues. Readers of all ages won't be able to resist miming the sly conversation in this satisfying sequel."

Library Use Suggestions: 

I think a great use for this book would be an introduction to graphic novels or comic book drawing. While his characters are simple and easy to mimic, Willems has a large range of expression in his pieces. The Pigeon goes through so many different emotions and it is so striking on the page. I think simpler book illustration, such as Willems' works, would allow children to fell comfortable with trying out their own version of illustrations. It would be a fun activity to make comic strips using Willems characters. That way the kids can figure out the story they want to tell and then express it through illustration. 

Module 5: When the Beat Was Born by Laban Carrick Hill

Module 5: Coretta Scott King Award Winner

When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop by Laban Carrick Hill
Illustrated by Theodore Taylor III

Hill, L. C. & Taylor, T. (2013). When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop. New York, NY: Roaring Brook Press.

Plot Summary:
Clive always loved music. "Whether it was a wah wah scat of a jiving trumpet, a sorrowful twang of sad voice, or the belting boom of a gospel singer, little Clive loved the way sound thumped and bumped all the way down in his stomach." 

Growing up in Jamaica, Clive had a passion for his favorite DJ, King George. Everyone wanted to go down to Somerset Lane for King George's parties. While Clive was too young to attend the parties himself, he went down to the house the day before to watch them set up. He loved to see the mountains of records. Clive dreamed of being a DJ himself.  

At age 13, Clive moved to New York City to live with his mother. While uncomfortable with living in the Bronx, Clive was able to find another passion: sports. He played basketball, ran track, and lifted weights.  Because of his height, the children on the basketball court would call him Hercules. Clive decided to cut it short to Herc and added "Kool" to it.  In addition to sports, he was now old enough to attend neighborhood house parties and listen to the new music. 

Once day, Kool Herc's dad bought a giant sound system. He hooked it up and enjoyed the BIG sound that it produced. Kool Herc and his little sister Cindy rented out the rec room in their housing project and set up a party with their father's sound system for the music. That's when Kool Herc became DJ Kool Herc.

Everyone loved his DJing and soon he was playing for parties all over the Bronx. The music made everyone happy and all the dancers would come out to the parties for a fun time. Herc brought in a group of his friends to rap behind his DJing, including Coke La Rock. His first group of MCs were called the Herculoids and DJ Kool Herc introduced them to rap. He went on to recruit more MCs and lead to the birth of Hip Hop.

Impressions:
I first saw this book when it was sitting on our 2015 Bluebonnet display. To me, When the Beat Was Born had the most intriguing cover. I was drawn in by the dynamic and artsy depiction of DJ Kool Herc. However, because I am not a giant fan of hip hop, I really didn't have a big need to read it. This week's module gave me an opportunity to stop delaying and jump into this colorful biography. 

It was an interesting jaunt through the birth of hip hop, but because I am not really intrigued by the subject matter I wasn't completely taken by the text. While the topic was not particularly my cup of tea, the illustrations are fabulous. The rich colors and thick lines were reminiscent of a graphic novel. There is a lot of movement and keeps the reader's attention. I loved the use of the blue/green color to accent the music. This book has great visual appeal. 

Reviews:

Demby. G. (2014, January 29) When the Beat Was Born: Hip-Hop's Big Bang Becomes a Kid's Book. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2014/01/28/267599216/when-the-beat-was-born-hip-hops-big-bang-becomes-a-kids-book

"The book is only 17 pages long, but it includes a bibliography of writing on hip-hop's beginnings. (Herc had no involvement in creating the book, Taylor said.)Before this project, Taylor hadn't done any illustrating for children's books. But now, he says, this is what he wants to focus on going forward. 'I was pretty honored to have a book about him be my first children's book project since hip-hop is a pretty big part of my life,; Taylor said.'I think it's pretty important that people understand the origins,' Taylor told me. 'It's hard to really understand the culture or the music without understanding where it came from.'"

When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop [Review](2013, May 20) Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-59643-540-7

"Hill walks the fine line between knowledgeable reporter and passionate fan (as is clear in his vivid author’s note), and Taylor does the same, using a meticulous inkline and washes of textured earth tones to convey both a sense of observational precision and a mural-like expressionism. Whether Taylor is zooming in on Herc’s dexterous hands manipulating the turntables or pulling back for a birds-eye view of the first break dance performances, he makes readers feel like they’re present at hip-hop’s inception."

Library Use Suggestions: 

This book is definitely a display item. As I mentioned earlier, the cover really caught my eye and it did the same with many of the young patrons at the library where I work. It flew off the shelves. I would definitely consider using this for a juvenile biography display or a display for Black History Month. It is eye catching and fun. Definitely a striking book.  

Module 5: Knock Knock: My Dad's Dream for Me by Daniel Beaty

Module 5: Coretta Scott King Award Winner

Knock Knock: My Dad's Dream for Me by Daniel Beaty
Illustrated by Bryan Collier

Beaty, D. & Collier, B. (2013). Knock Knock: My Dad's Dream for Me. New York, NY: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

Plot Summary:
Every morning, the boy and his father play the "Knock Knock" game. When his father knocks on his door, the boy pretends to be asleep. When the father comes into his room, the boy jumps into his arms and says, "Good morning, Papa!" The father replies, "I love you."

This game continues until one day, his father doesn't knock. His father is no longer there. He doesn't help the boy get ready for school. He isn't there to cook the boy scrambled eggs and he doesn't help the boy with homework after school. The boy misses his father, so he decides to write him a letter. "Papa, come home, 'cause I miss you, miss you waking me in the mornings and telling me you love me." The boy wants to be taught all the things that a father is supposed to teach their sons: how to dribble a ball, how to shave, how to drive, and how to fix the car. The letter sits on the boy's desk while he waits for the knocks.

Two months later, he receives a letter from his father. Inside are words of wisdom and love from a father who desperately wishes to be with his son. These words guide the boy as he grows up. He learns to be a man and knock down barriers of his own. The father wants his son to be the best that he can be and the boy does just that. While the father is absent from the boy's life, his love remains with his son throughout the years until they can be reunited again. 

Impressions:
I cannot and will not stop suggesting this book. The story is so beautiful and the images go along with the text brilliantly. Although this story is about a boy whose father is incarcerated, it is so relatable for any child who is missing a parent, for whatever reason. You can feel the hurt that the boy feels from his father's untimely departure and you know the father aches to be near his son. It exudes unconditional love that parents give to their children. 

Reviews:

Smith, R.(2013, November 13) Review of Knock Knock: My Dad's Dream for Me. Retreived from http://www.hbook.com/2013/11/choosing-books/review-of-the-week/review-knock-knock-dads-dream/

"The text, powerful and spare, is well supported by Collier's watercolor and collage art, which is filled with repeating motifs: elephants for memory, a paper airplane careening, the father's hat, rainbows and balloons, children's eager faces, even the Duke Ellington Memorial to signify the little boy's dream. Though the boy is bereft of a father, he is cared for and loved. His room is filled with toys and books. His mother and, later on, his wife are there to support him and help him move forward. There is a lot going on here. but there is a lot going on in the mind of any child who has been denied a parent, for whatever reason. In this book they will find comfort and inspiration."

Bird, E. (2013, October 9) Review of the Day: Knock Knock by Daniel Beaty. Retrieved from 
http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2013/10/09/review-of-the-day-knock-knock-by-daniel-beaty/

"Here’s what might be my favorite line in the book: “Papa, come home, ‘cause I want to be just like you, but I’m forgetting who you are.” Kids everywhere grow up without fathers and a single book isn’t going to necessarily change their lives. But maybe, just maybe, it really will touch somebody in the right way. When Bryan Collier writes in his Note that “This book is not just about loss, but about hope, making healthy choices, and not letting our past define our future,” he’s talking to kids everywhere that are dealing with a deck that’s stacked against them. They don’t get enough books, those kids, about lives like their own. Fortunately, once in a great while, a book comes along that fulfills that gaping need. This year, it’s this book. Next year? Who knows? But as long as there are children struggling along without their parents, Knock Knock is going to have a job to do."

Library Use Suggestions: 
My greatest suggestion is to keep this book in your back pocket for a suggestion. I remember coming across this book when a grandmother came into my library searching for it. She was wanting a way to explain to her granddaughter about her father going away to prison. This book works perfectly to explain to the child that despite the parent being absent from their lives that it doesn't mean that they are unloved. Take note of this book because I am sure you will be suggesting it to a patron in no time. 

Module 4: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Module 4: Newbery Winners

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Gaiman, N. (2008). The Graveyard Book. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.

Plot Summary:
The story begins with a family being murdered by the man Jack, all except for the youngest child. The toddler had climbed out of this crib and wanders out of the house, up the hill, and to the graveyard. The ghosts find him and the Owens, a ghost couple, decide to adopt him based on a desperate plea by the toddler's mother's spirit. After the other ghosts of the graveyard have consulted one another and the Lady on the Grey, they decide to grand him the Freedom of the Graveyard. The toddler is named Nobody Owens and Silias, the caretaker, accepts the responsibility of being Nobody's guardian.

Throughout the chapters, Nobody, or Bod for short, goes on several adventures over the years. First, he meets a girl named Scarlett and they become fast friends. After their first encounter, Scarlett's parents think that Bod is imaginary and convince Scarlett of that fact. Scarlett and Bod go investigate a grave of the oldest inhabitant of the graveyard and encounter the Sleer. When they return from their adventure, Scarlett's parents believe that she has gone missing and are very upset. Soon, they decide to move to Scotland for her father's job in particle physics and Scarlett says her goodbye to Bod. "You are the bravest person I know, and you are my friend. I don't care if you are imaginary." (pg. 60)

In his next adventure, Bod is captured by ghouls. At the time, Silas is away on business and he has placed Miss Lupescu as Bod's temporary guardian. Unhappy with Miss Lupescu's food and teaching methods, Bod wanders around the graveyard and is lured into danger by ghouls who promise him delicious food and happiness. After his is captured, Bod decides that he does not want to be a ghoul and cries for help. He is eventually rescued by Miss Lupescu, who turns out to be a Hound of God or werewolf. She returns Bod up from the land of ghouls and to Silas. Bod has formed a new friendship with Miss Lupescu and requests to have her return to look after him when Silas is away.

As Bod grows older, he becomes more curious about the graveyard and its inhabitants. It is known that a witch was buried outside the sacred ground of the graveyard and Bod investigates. While near the edge of Potter's Field, Bod is trying to reach an apple, falls, and injures himself. The ghost of Elizabeth Hempstock, the witch, helps him and tells him her story. She is very bitter about not having a gravestone of her own.  Bod, hoping to make Elizabeth (or Liza) smile, sets off to get her a headstone. He decides that the best course of action would be to sell the brooch from the Sleer and use the money from the sale to buy the headstone. He goes to a pawn shop owner, Abanazer Bolger, to make a deal. Abanazer is a greedy man and wants to keep the stone for himself as well as find the grave which Bod found the brooch in order to loot it for more treasure. He locks Bod in a back room and calls his associate, Tom, to help him get more information about the treasure. Liza has followed Bod and asks him what is going on. He explains himself and Liza agrees to help him. She goes out an observes Abanazer and Tom. Abanazer believes that Bod might be the boy who the man Jack is looking for. He pulls out a black rimmed card with instructions on how to summon the man Jack. Liza returns to Bod and helps him Fade so that he cannot be found by Abanazer and Tom. When they cannot find Bod, the two argue and fight. Bod and Liza escape and take the brooch and the card with them. Bod returns the brooch to the Sleer and gives the card to Silas, who takes an interest in it. Bod then makes Liza a headstone from a paperweight and paints that he nicked from Abanazer's shop. 

When Bod is about 10, he begins to learn about the Macabary, a dance for both the living and the dead. Bod goes though the Old Town and sees all of the townsfolk pinning white flowers to themselves. There is a large amount of music and soon everyone is dancing together, the dead and the living. For the final dance, Bod is joined by the Lady on the Grey. When the clock chimes twelves, the music stops and the living return to their normal lives. When he awakens from his nap, Bod merrily talks about the dancing, but no one seems to remember it.  Bod confronts Silas about it. While Silas confirms that something may have happened, he refuses to speak further on it because, "Because there are mysteries. Because there are things that people are forbidden to speak about. Because there are things they do not remember." (pg. 164)

After this final jaunt, the story refocuses on the man Jack. I don't want to spoil the ending; however, I will say that Bod joins Silas and Miss Lupescu in finding Jack as well as his "Jack of All Trades" society. Scarlett also joins in for the event and Bod must consider his life in the graveyard. Read it and you will love it.

Impressions:
The  Graveyard Book completely sucked me in. I completed it in a single sitting. I highly enjoyed that each chapter was pretty much a miniature story of a part of Bod's life. It would make for a great story time book for older children or a bedtime story book. The stories could be stand-alone tales, but they did all come back to the overall tale of Bod and the man Jack.  

Reviews:

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. (2010, May 20). Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/neil-gaiman/the-graveyard-book/

"Childhood fears take solid shape in the nursery-rhyme-inspired villains, while heroism is its own, often bitter, reward. Closer to tone to American Gods than Coraline, but permeated with Bod's innocence, this needs to be ready y anyone who is or has ever been a child."

Ness, P. (2008). Review: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/books/2008/oct/25/booksforchildrenandteenagers-neilgaiman

"Gaiman's narratives tend toward the episodic, and there are chapters of The Graveyard Book that could stand alone as discrete short stories. All the better for reading at bedtime, though, and what's lost in forward momentum is more than made up for by the outrageous riches of Gaiman's imagination. Every page is crowded with invention, both funny and scary, such as the dour Miss Lupescu, who comes to teach Bod unpleasant lessons, or the final mythology of why Bod is being hunted. Gaiman's villains are a creation so creepy I would happily read a whole other novel just about them. And yes, they are indeed a pack of terrifying murderers, but children's books have always been filled with death - you can't have an orphan without at least two dead people, after all - and Gaiman's ultimate lesson is exactly right: get to know it, make friends with it, then forget about it and live your life."

Edinger, M. (2009). Raised by Ghosts. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/books/review/Edinger-t.html?_r=0.

"While “The Graveyard Book” will entertain people of all ages, it’s especially a tale for children. Gaiman’s remarkable cemetery is a place that children more than anyone would want to visit. They would certainly want to look for Silas in his chapel, maybe climb down (if they were as brave as Bod) to the oldest burial chamber, or (if they were as reckless) search for the ghoul gate. Children will appreciate Bod’s occasional mistakes and bad manners, and relish his good acts and eventual great ones. The story’s language and humor are sophisticated, but Gaiman respects his readers and trusts them to understand.

I read the last of “The Graveyard Book” to my class on a gloomy day. For close to an hour there were the sounds of only rain and story. In this novel of wonder, Neil Gaiman follows in the footsteps of long-ago storytellers, weaving a tale of unforgettable ­enchantment."

Library Use Suggestions: 
In fifth grade, my English teacher would read us a chapter or two of various books before our creative writing time. It was meant to inspire or spur us on during our writing. It also illustrated how we could write to tell a story in a more creative way. This is an example of a book that would be awesome for this purpose. 

Module 4: Miss Hickory by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey

Module 4: Newbery Winners

Miss Hickory by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey
Illustrated with Lithographs by Ruth Gannett

Bailey, C. (1946). Miss Hickory. New York, NY: Viking Penguin.

Plot Summary:
The story follows an apple twig doll with a hickory nut head, Miss Hickory, though the trials of surviving a winter in the woods, when her human family leaves for Boston. Her corncob house cannot withstand the harsh winter that is to come, so she must move to a Robin's nest in an apple tree which Crow has helped her find.  During the winter, she meets new friends and engages in new adventures. She helps Hen-Pheasant form a Ladies' Aid society for the female pheasants who have been pushed away by their cocks and teaches her to quilt. Miss Hickory also meets Squirrel who she she has a series of uncomfortable situations with. She goes to the Christmas celebration at the Barn and sees a variety of animals, but misses the manager because she arrived late. 

When spring finally arrives, she encounters housing troubles again when birds have moved into her nest and laid eggs. After an aggressive encounter over the nest ownership, she walks alone in her ruined spring clothes and eventually finds herself in Squirrel's hole. An argument between Squirrel and Miss Hickory breaks out and he eats her head. A headless Miss Hickory flees and runs back to the apple tree. She climbs up the branches towards the sun. Suddenly she is overwhelmed with energy and life. She has become a scion, which reinvigorates the tree and it begins to bloom, and starts a new life as part of the apple tree. 

Impressions:

While this story is quaint and has an appealing country vibe, I found the story to be excessively long. The tales of the various animals preparing for and surviving winter are interesting, but drawn out. Miss Hickory is not a particularly friendly character, so I am not emotionally attached to her. I am just following her winter story. Finally, the ending is the most unsettling portion of the book. The Squirrel straight up eats her head. It is a shocking and off putting turn of event. But somehow it turns out okay because she becomes part of a tree? It doesn't really work in my opinion, but it turns a tragic end for Miss Hickory into a new beginning. 

Reviews:

Miss Hickory by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey | Kirkus Reviews. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/carolyn-sherwin-bailey-4/miss-hickory/

"Frankly, we found it long-winded and dull adventures with an air of preciousness throughout. The author is better at recreating old customs than in telling an original story.

Gillespie, J. T., & Naden, C. J. (2001). Newbery Winner 1947. The Newbery Companion: Booktalk and Related Materials for Newbery Medal and Honor Books (pg.143). Greenwood Village, Colorado: Libraries Unlimited.

"This is a delightful fantasy that enters the country of a child's imagination and preserves the rhapsodies of childhood. It depicts the charm of a New Hampshire winter from an angle that humans never know." 

Library Use Suggestions: 

Miss Hickory would make a good edition to a display on illustration. The lithograph illustrations by Ruth Gannett are a great example of a different style of artwork in books.

Additionally, Miss Hickory could be used as a way to demonstrate changes in seasons for older children. The stories of the different animals give the reader a view of how the different animals act during winter and how their prepare. I would suggest excerpts rather than the whole book. It is not a perfect representation of nature (it is fiction after all), but it could lead into further discussion.