THE BOY ON FAIRFIELD STREET: HOW TED GEISEL GREW UP TO BECOME DR. SEUSS

(Book Cover: Krull, Kathleen. 2004. New York: Random House. Photo Source: Barnes and Noble, http://books.barnesandnoble.com/search/results.aspx?WRD=boy+fairfield+street+ted, accessed October 27, 2008)


1. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Krull, Kathleen. The boy on Fairfield Street: how Ted Geisel grew up to become Dr. Seuss. Ills. Steve Johnson, Lou Fancher, Dr. Seuss. 2004. New York: Random House. ISBN: 0-375-82298-4 (trade); 0-375-92298-9 (lib. bdg.)

2. ABOUT THIS BOOK: This is a biography of the life of Ted Geisel, the man more commonly known as Dr. Seuss. The book begins with his early childhood while living at 74 Fairfield Street in Springfield, Massachusetts and ends with Mr. Geisel living in a tiny apartment in Greenwich Village at what was to be the beginning of his life as Dr. Seuss. At the back of the book, the biography continues in a different format, in a section titled “On Beyond Fairfield Street”. This portion of the book provides information about Ted Geisel from the age of twenty-two until his death in 1991 at the age of eighty-seven. An informative list of “Great Works Written and Illustrated by Dr. Seuss” is also included.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS: This author appears to be very knowledgeable about the life of Ted Geisel. She includes reference material for other readings on Dr. Seuss as well as website information to various items mentioned in the book. While it is difficult to determine the accuracy of information the author places in this biography, it is helpful to look at the reputation of the author. A quick Internet search of the author shows that she has written countless books over the years. An online biography of Kathleen Krull reports a Publisher’s Weekly critic as stating “With entertaining details about authors from Hans Christian Andersen to Jack London, ‘Krull knows exactly how to captivate her audience’ by combining historical particulars with ‘amusing anecdotes that put flesh and blood on dry literary bones’” (Source: Brief Biographies, http://biography.jrank.org/pages/284/Krull-Kathleen-1952.html , accessed October 25, 2008). Based on this review of Kathleen Krull’s credentials, it would seem safe to assume the information contained in this book is accurate.

This book is clearly organized from the early childhood to the young adulthood of Ted Geisel. The illustrations are also well organized. In addition to the inclusion of an illustration on every page that relates to the words on the page, there is also one of Dr. Seuss’ drawings included on each page. Often, the drawings from Dr. Seuss also relate to the words on the page. For example, on page 8, Ms. Krull writes about Mr. Geisel’s love of the zoo and includes an illustration from Dr. Seuss’ The Sneetches and other stories. The illustration is that of a zookeeper. The illustrators, Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher have included a picture of a young boy at the zoo on the corresponding page 9. This clever placement of illustrations continues throughout the book and is a detail not to be missed. In fact, it is the most interesting and unique part of this book.

The author’s style is very conversational. It seems almost as though she knew Ted Geisel personally and is telling his life story to young readers. This book lives up to its name in that it is solely about the boy that Ted Geisel was and doesn’t touch upon the man he became. This book is so well done; it is a shame that another book about the man that became Dr. Seuss was not written as a sequel. Instead, all information on Mr. Geisel’s life after the age of twenty-two is included in a four page author’s addendum. While it does include some of Dr. Seuss’ illustrations, and even an actual photograph of Ted Geisel as an older man, it is not as intriguing for the reader as the main part of the book.

While it is regrettable that this book could not go on to include more of the life of Dr. Seuss, it certainly creates interesting reading about his early life. With the inclusion of reference information, an addendum containing a long list of Dr. Seuss books and a reference to the Dr. Seuss illustrations included in the book, this book gives the reader a good start at learning much more about Dr. Seuss. Overall, it is a book that would be valuable in any elementary school library.

4. BOOK REVIEW EXCERPT(S): (Source: Book Index with Reviews EBSCO database, accessed via TWU Library Online)

KIRKUS REVIEW BOOK, December 15, 2003: “. . . the magic of [Dr. Seuss] will make this a huge hit, but it's the lively writing that puts the hat on the cat.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, January 1, 2004: “Johnson and Fancher's lovely, full-page illustrations are supplemented by samples of Dr. Seuss's artwork, including scenes from The Cat and the Hat and The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins.”

BOOKLIST, February 1, 2004: “Krull's pithy text is extended by full-page paintings that glow with the memory of yesteryear and capture the mix of humor and poignancy that comes with trying to fit in. Spot art from Geisel's own books enlivens the text pages.”

5. CONNECTIONS IN A SCHOOL LIBRARY SETTING:
• This book will be well loved by children and will be good to use for young elementary students to study biographies.
• This book will be something to use anytime a teacher or librarian is doing author studies. Ms. Krull is an interesting author in her own right so it might be fun to follow this book up with a look at Ms. Krull as an author. The students can discuss whether they can trust that the information contained in the book is correct, based upon what they know about the source of the book.
• You can use the illustrations in this book for a compare and contrast lesson. On each page, there is an illustration by Dr. Seuss and another by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher. You can use these photographs in a discussion with the students on why the photos were put together, how the photos are alike, and how they are different.


Other related items:

• Krull, Kathleen. Lives of the musicians: good times, bad times (and what the neighbors thought). 1993. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
• Krull, Kathleen. Lives of the writers: comedies, tragedies (and what the neighbors thought). 1994. San Diego: Harcourt Brace.
• Cohen, Charles D. The Seuss, the whole Seuss, and nothing but the Seuss: a visual biography of Theodore Seuss Geisel. 2004. New York: Random House.

THE SNAKE SCIENTIST by Sy Montgomery

(Source: Montgomery, Sy. 1999. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Photo Source: Barnes and Noble. http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Snake-Scientist/Sy-Montgomery/e/9780618111190/?itm=4, accessed October 16, 2008).


1. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Montgomery, Sy. The snake scientist. Ill. Nic Bishop. 1999. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN: 0395871697

2. ABOUT THIS BOOK: This book, as its name suggests, is about a snake scientist named Dr. Robert Mason. Dr. Mason’s research focuses on the red-sided garter snakes. Every year, Dr. Mason, his research team and snake loving volunteers travel to the Narcisse Wildlife Management Area in Manitoba, Canada because it is a place where, for three weeks of every year, shallow, limestone pits are filled with tens of thousands of these snakes at once. Because a large number of snakes can be captured and studied at one time, Dr. Mason is able to advance his research quickly. This book discusses the nature of these snakes as well as the research Dr. Mason has done and continues to do. The book describes his scientific experiments and the benefit of the experiments.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS: This book is a direct result of the author’s discussion with Dr. Mason. Dr. Mason’s voice is heard throughout the book. There could be no better and accurate source of information than the snake scientist himself! Facts about snakes are made clear and myths are dispelled in a unique writing style. Instead of just writing one fact after another, Mr. Montgomery weaves the facts into a narrative about a day in the life of a scientist at the snake dens. For example, he uses the words of a second grade student to inform the reader. He quotes her as saying “I used to hate snakes, but now I love them! . . . They’re soft and not slimy!” To further support these facts, Mr. Montgomery includes a photograph of the girl holding a snake. The entire book is written in this manner with photographs strategically placed to support the words written on the page.

Mr. Montgomery provides plenty of sources for his work and for future learning about the topic. At the back of the book, the reader will find information on locating the Narcisse Snake Dens as well as the best time of year to visit. There is also information about the non-profit organization, Earthwatch. Earthwatch is a group whose volunteers help Dr. Mason with his research. Mr. Montgomery provides bibliographic information for further readings about snakes. He also provides an “Acknowledgement” for all of the individuals who assisted him with the book.

The story of the snakes in the Narcisse dens and the research performed on them flows in a logical manner. The book is attractive and is interesting to young readers, especially boys who are usually fascinating by snakes. The disappointment in the book’s organization comes from the lack of a table of contents. The chapters include: “Thousands of Snakes”, “Reptile Superheroes”, “Discovering ‘Snake Juice’”, and “The Call of Chemistry”. Additional items at the end of the book include: “Unsolved Mysteries”, “To visit the Narcisse snake dens”, and “Further Reading”. All of these identifying titles are excellent but cannot be found without physically turning each page of the book. The lack of a table of contents makes browsing more difficult; therefore, it would be a major improvement to the book if a table of contents was included. The book includes an index which is helpful in locating specific information.

One rationale for the lack of a table of contents may have been the author’s belief that children will be more likely to browse the book for its pictures instead of its words. He may be correct. The pictures on every page are very fascinating. They begin on the title page and continue throughout the book. Each picture (and sometimes several) fit so well with every page that the reader can just look at the pictures and get an idea of the words on the page. Although the pictures have captions, some of the pictures don’t make sense on their own and cause the reader to be curious about what the picture actually represents. In that case, the reader is drawn to read the page to find out exactly what is being discussed in relation to a particular picture.

One can see that the author has taken care with even the smallest details of this book. The book, rectangular in shape but not too large, is reminiscent of a miniature coffee table book. Its pages are thick and glossy. They would be difficult for a child to tear. The type font is large and easy to read while the captions of the photographs are smaller and typeset in italics to set them apart from the rest of the text. The page numbers have a light green curlicue under them which draws the eyes’ attention to them. Bullet points are used in the test to set lists of items apart from other text. Overall, this is a very interesting, easy to read book.

4. BOOK REVIEW EXCERPT(S): (Source: Book Review Digest Plus, WilsonWeb database, accessed via TWU Library Online)

THE HORN BOOK, 75, no. 4, (July/Aug. 1999): 485-6: “. . . it is a solid introduction to the ethos of experimental science as seen by a genial scientist with a research topic whose kid appeal is hard to beat.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, 45, no. 5 (May 1999): “Large, full-color photos of the zoologist and young students at work, and lots of wriggly snakes, pull readers into the presentation."

BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN’S BOOKS, 52, no. 8 (Apr. 1999) 289: “Montgomery's zippy text gives an engaging portrait of the scientific work. . . . [the zoologist’s] general and unstudied enthusiasm for science in general will also galvanize many young readers.”

5. CONNECTIONS IN A SCHOOL LIBRARY SETTING:
• This book will be terrific to use in science when a teacher is teaching the scientific method. The chapters “Discovering ‘Snake Juice’” and “The Call of Chemistry” explain in detail they way in which Dr. Mason does his experiments. This is a concrete example of the scientific method at work.
• A science teacher can use this book in the study of reptiles and the way in which cold blooded animals survive cold weather.
• If students are doing research projects on animals, or specifically reptiles, this book can be pulled as a source.

Other related items:

• Montgomery, Sy. The tarantula scientist. 2004. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
• Lavies, Bianca. A gathering of garter snakes. 1993. New York: Dutton Children’s Books.
• Hazen, Robert M. 2001. Lecture 2: The scientific method. In The joy of science. DVD. Chantilly, VA: Teaching Company.

SHIPWRECK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD by Jennifer Armstrong

(Source: Armstrong, Jennifer. 1998. New York: Crown. Picture Source: Barnes and Noble. http://books.barnesandnoble.com/search/results.aspx?WRD=Shipwreck+at+the+bottom+of+the+world, accessed October 16, 2008)


1. Bibliography: Armstrong, Jennifer. 1998. Shipwreck at the bottom of the world: the extraordinary true story of Shackleton and the Endurance. New York: Crown. ISBN: 0517800136

2. PLOT SUMMARY: This is the tale of Ernest Shackleton, who, along with 27 men, set sail from England in 1914 on the ship Endurance in an attempt to be the first explorers to traverse the continent of Antarctic. The group never made it to the icy shores of the Antarctic. Endurance was trapped in the frozen waters of the South Seas prior to reaching the actual landmass of Antarctica. The book describes the amazing nineteen months the crew of Endurance fought for survival against the elements.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS: This book is filled with fascinating accounts of the individuals who were part of Endurance’ s expedition. Although not written in the first person, Ms. Armstrong’s writing style makes you feel as though one of the sailors is telling you the story. It can be assumed that Ms. Armstrong is not knowledgeable in the field of maritime exploration; however, it is clear that she has done her homework. The book includes a section of “Acknowledgements” wherein Ms. Armstrong tells the reader what books and sources she researched while writing the book. It also specifically mentions the source for the many original photographs that adorn the pages of the book as well as the diary from which she gathered many quotes. She continues to provide evidence of the accuracy of her writing by including two pages of bibliographic information about Antarctica, Navigation, Shackleton and more.

This book is a fascinating read, from cover-to-cover. It would be my suggestion to read the book in such a manner. Its organization allows a reader to pick and choose parts of the book to read; however, the process of choosing a section to read is made difficult by the author’s clever but cryptic naming of each section. For example, “The Growlers” provides information about the sixty-nine sled dogs on board; “Pressure” recalls the pressure applied to the ship as the ice pushed against it; and “Patience, Patience, Patience” refers to the time the explorers spent at a location on the frozen ocean that they designated as “Patience Camp”. While these section names are clever and seem quite logical in hindsight, I believe they would be difficult to interpret prior to reading the book.

The book is wonderfully designed. The front cover depicts a group of men tugging at a boat to pull it forward across a totally white landscape. The title of the book, underneath these men, represents the ground they walk on; the author’s name at the top of the book represents the sky above them. The inclusion of archival photos is sure to increase a reader’s interest in the book. These photos begin on the very first page with a picture of Endurance stuck among huge blocks of ice. Before starting the text, there is a picture of the crew of Endurance, together with names of its crew members. This allows the reader to see the human element of this book and to get a feel for what these men looked like. Later in the book, pictures are shown of the men as they looked throughout the ordeal and after being rescued. Readers can compare these before, during and after photographs to see the effect this journey had upon the men. A drawing of the ship, a map of Antarctica and its surrounding area, as well as a map of the route taken by Shackleton and his crew are also included before the text begins. Throughout the remainder of the book, archival photos are inserted among the text in appropriate places. The pictures add tremendous value to this book. Without the photos, the book would be interesting but would not have the “real life” quality that it has. These photos can easily remind a reader of their own family member.

Ms. Armstrong’s writes in a manner that can be easily understood by children. She avoids the use of complicated vocabulary. When possible, she uses the words of crew members to describe events. Many quotes, no doubt, were derived directly from sources reviewed by Ms. Armstrong; other quotes are sure to have come as a result of her collective research and cannot be counted on as being an exact quote. Nevertheless, the quotes make for interesting reading and convey the underlying story of what happened on this expedition. After reading this book, the reader is sure to be interested in reading other primary sources related to Shackleton’s experience.

4. BOOK REVIEW EXCERPT(S): (Source: Book Index with Reviews, EBSCO database, accessed via TWU Library Online).

BOOKLIST, (December 1, 1998): “Although Armstrong's presentation is less visceral than [Caroline] Alexander's [adult book The Endurance] and gives less sense of personalities involved, it provides a more compact, somewhat clearer understanding of the sequence of events.”

KIRKUS REVIEWS, (December 1, 1999): “This unbelievable story is enhanced by the vigorous prose; from the captivating introduction through the epilogue, it is the writing as much as the story that will rivet readers.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, (April 1, 1999): Excellent black-and-white photographs taken during the journey document the entire adventure story. . .”

5. CONNECTIONS IN A SCHOOL LIBRARY SETTING:
• Use this book with older students, probably 8th grade and up.
• Students can read this book in conjunction with a study of global warming and the ice pack in the seas around Antarctica. Would Endurance have been able to make the trip in 2008? Looking at recent climate data, is it likely a ship making this expedition in the 21st century would end up frozen in ice?
• This story can be used for teaching data collection and map reading skills. Students can be given the task of putting themselves in Shackleton’s place. Using maps and data related to weather, ocean currents, etc., what route would they take and on what date would they begin their journey?
• Students can research other explorers who have traveled to Antarctica. Students can compare and contrast the different expeditions to Antarctica. What did others do differently that made them successful?
• Students can assume the identity of one of the crew members and write journal entries as if they were that person. Students can include letters home and thoughts and feelings that might be experienced throughout the ordeal.

Other Related Items:
• Website on history of exploration of “The Poles”, including Antarctica. South-Pole.com, http://www.south-pole.com/homepage.html, accessed October 21, 2008.
• Antarctic Connection. A website containing a wealth of information, including geology, climate change, oceanography, weather and more science related to Antarctica. http://www.antarcticconnection.com/antarctic/science/morescience.shtml, accessed October 21, 2008.
• The audio version of this book is very clear and interesting. It would be an option for struggling readers.

TOASTING MARSHMALLOWS: CAMPING POEMS by Kristine O'Connell George

(Source: George, Krinstine O. George. New York:Houghton Mifflin Company. http://www.kristinegeorge.com/toasting_marshmallows.html)

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY: George, Kristine O’Connell. 2001. Toasting marshmallows: camping poems. Ill. Kate Kiesler. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN: 0-618-04597-X

2. PLOT SUMMARY: Toasting marshmallows takes the reader on a journey with a young girl on a camping trip with her family. The story begins, as any camping trip would, with the set up of the tent. Throughout the story, the young girl does many things with various family members including hiking, toasting marshmallows, fishing and rowing in a lake, and walking in the forest. Some problems must be faced during the weekend such as a storm, mosquitoes and other insects, and the uncertainty of noises and events of the night. In the end she must return home. She does so with the promise to return next year and with the smell of the woods on her clothes to remind her of the wonderful time she had.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS: Kristine O’Connell George tells a wonderful story through her free verse poetry. It is obvious that Ms. George was very careful with the arrangement of the lines and verses for each poem contained in this book. The words for the first poem, “Tent”, are cleverly arranged in the shape of a pyramid. The addition of the illustration of a bright orange tent on the adjacent page causes the reader to clearly understand that this pyramid of words is actually a tent, not a pyramid. This careful placement is evidenced in the reading of all of the poems. Such placement helps the reader to know when to speed up or to slow down the reading. It helps the reader to know other things also, such as when there are more than two person’s speaking, as in “Two Voices in a Tent at Night”.

This book is a marvelous blending of words and illustration. Kate Kiesler does a beautiful job of using acrylics to set the stage for each and every poem in this book. She makes Ms. George’s words come alive. For example, in “Campfire” Ms. George writes: “I lean against Mom,/ my head on her shoulder,/ Warm all over.” Ms. Kiesler provides the visuals of a young girl leaning on her mom’s shoulder and adds to the emotion of this poem by showing the girl’s little brother sitting in her dad’s lap, asleep in front of the campfire. Ms. Kiesler doesn’t miss any details. For example, in “Abandoned Cabin”, Ms. Kiesler is sure to include in her drawing the Queen Anne’s lace and the carpet of green moss referred to in the poem.

Ms. George’s word choices are appropriate for children and easily establish an image in one’s mind of the event she is describing. For example, in “Anchored” Ms. George writes: “Outside our tent I can see/ gray spiders spinning silver,/ looping silky lines/ through smoky wisps/ of campfire, . . ..” No child would need a picture to imagine such a thing. In another example, the first lines of “Two Voices in a Tent at Night” read: “Shhhhh . . ./ something is scratching/ on our tent.” These words will surely capture a child’s attention and immediately upon hearing these words will feel the nervousness of a child, in a tent at night, hearing an unknown noise. There are no rhymes in these poems, although every once in a while a rhyming verse will be found. Take for example the “Owl” wherein Ms. George writes: “I hear you, Owl./ Your one lone vowel/ . . ..” Obviously, Ms. George only rhymes in the natural course of her free verse format. It is never something that is forced into her writing.

Throughout her free verse poems, Ms. George uses alliteration and assonance, however it is all very subtle. One must look closely to find it as her words seem to be something that is unforced and without thought. For example, in “River Messages”, Ms. George is using alliteration when she uses the words scallops, scribbles, scrolls, and skips. An example of assonance is found in “Owl” with the use of the words owl, vowel, round and sound. The fact that these literary elements are so naturally woven into the poems is one of the things that make Ms. George an award winning poet.

4. BOOK REVIEW EXCERPT(S):

BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN’S BOOKS, 54, no. 9 (May 2001) 336-37: “Though more plainspoken than lyrical, this is nonetheless an effectively atmospheric series that could serve as both camping introduction and memento." (Source: Book Review Digest Plus, WilsonWeb database, accessed via TWU Library Online)

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, 248, no. 11 (03/12/2001) 90: “. . . George’s poems shine, the images clear and startling. . . .Readers will definitely want S-mores.” (Source: Academic Search Complete, EBSCO Host database, accessed via TWU Library Online)

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, 47, no. 47 (July 2001) 93-4: “Some of Kiesler's artwork sweeps across double pages to provide a dramatic vista-a meandering hiking trail, a field of wild mustard, a star-studded night sky-while other pictures reveal small, but equally telling details.” (Source: Book Review Digest Plus database, accessed via TWU Library Online)

5. CONNECTIONS IN A SCHOOL LIBRARY SETTING:
* This would be a good book to read to elementary students as they are returning from summer vacation. After reading the book, the teacher could move into a poetry lesson and have the children write poetry about their summer vacations.
* Students could do a social studies lesson about camping sites such as Yellowstone and Yosemite. They could locate the parks on maps, they could calculate the distance from their school to these places, and they could look up the weather at these parks.
* Students could problem solve about things that they might take on a camping trip.
* The teacher could set up a tent in the classroom and read other camping related books.

Other Related Items:

• Hafner, Marylin. 2000. Molly and Emmett's camping adventure. Ohio: Cricket/McGraw-Hill Books.
• McCully, Emily Arnold. 2000. Monk camps out. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books
• Warren, Cathy. 1983. The ten-alarm camp-out. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books
• Bauer, Marion Dane. 1993. Yellowstone. Ill. John Wallace. Minnesota: Voyager Press.

WHAT MY GIRLFRIEND DOESN'T KNOW by Sonya Sones

(Book Cover: Sones, Sonya. 2007. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. Photo Source: http://www.sonyasones.com, accessed October 6, 2008.)

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Sones, Sonya. 2007. What my girlfriend doesn’t know. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 978-0-689-87602-8

2. PLOT SUMMARY: This is the story of two teenagers, Sophie Stein, popular girl, and Robin Murphy, school outcast. These two began a relationship in Sones’ first verse novel, What my mother doesn’t know (Sones, 2001), which is told from Sophie’s point of view. This story is a continuation, told from Robin’s perspective. It chronicles the events that unfold as they publicly display their relationship at school. Sophie is shunned by her popular friends because she has the school outcast as a boyfriend. Sophie gets a taste of what it is like not to have friends; something that Robin has lived with all his life. In the meantime, Robin is auditing an art class at Harvard where he finds students who are willing to accept him as he is. One of the girls from Harvard is attracted to him and through a twist of fate, Sophie sees Robin kiss this girl. Robin, however, only has feelings for Sophie and through a lot of effort is able to win her back on Valentine’s Day. In the end, Sophie’s true friends come back to her, the couple reunites and Robin gets revenge on those who have tormented him.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS: This is the type of book that can help young adults discover the wonder and beauty of poetry. The book is filled with emotions that are well known and understood by teenagers. A boy reading these poems can feel the pain Robin feels from being teased; the excitement he feels at having a girlfriend who is one of the popular girls at school; the lust and confusion he feels over the models he sees naked in a college art class. Poetry like this, that discusses such issues from a teenage boy’s perspective and with such candor, is few and far between. It is regrettable that the jacket art is not different. The cover focuses on a picture of a girl kissing a boy; however, the boy’s face is almost cut off from the book. One could easily believe this is just another young romance story written from girls’ perspective. Most teenage boys are not going to want to be seen reading a book with such a cover.

The poetry making up this verse novel flows like a meandering stream, casually without urgent destination. Ms. Sones brilliantly intertwines the titles of each poem into the story. One can read this novel without ever realizing he or she is reading poetry. The flowing nature of the poetry directs the reader seamlessly through the book with what the reader perceives to be little effort. Ms. Sones’ careful use of the “s” sound throughout her poems helps develop this desired effect. This easy to read style may be of benefit for reluctant poetry readers or struggling readers who have trouble reading other types of novels.

Although it is true that a reader could get lost in this book and not realize it is poetry, the fact that it is poetry should not be overlooked. The poetry should be examined and appreciated. Each poem, standing alone, involves feelings and emotions that are universal. The imagery brought forth by these poems is vivid and can be related to our own personal experiences while growing up. Take for example the poem “Here’s what I’d like to know” where Ms. Sones writes the following: “How come whenever/ I’m watching TV with Sophie,/ and my parents/ happen to walk into the room,/ that’s always the exact moment/ when a commercial for Viagra comes on,/ and some real deep-voiced announcer/ says something like:/ ‘And remember/ contact your doctor/ if your erection lasts longer/ than four hours’?” (Sones 2007, 101). We have all been there in moments like this and the image is easily retrieved.

The language in this book is straightforward, everyday language, making this book attractive for older readers who may struggle with more complicated vocabulary. Readers with limited vocabulary may think they can never write poetry because they can’t come up with complex words or words that rhyme. This book is a good example of how poetry can be interesting and well written without always having to rhyme words. In fact, there is not much rhyming within the poems at all. The first rhyme appears well into the story, around page sixty. This uncomplicated vocabulary and lack of rhyming may be another factor in student’s surprise that they are actually reading and enjoying poetry.

This book captures the reader’s attention. It is a wonderful tool for teaching young adults an appreciation for poetry without it being boring or hard work. It most likely will cause the reader to be interested in poetry when, perhaps, they had never been interested in poetry before. The continuing saga of Robin and Sophie will likely entice readers to read more poetry by Ms. Sones.

4. BOOK REVIEW EXCERPT(S):

PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY, 254, no. 25, (June 18, 2007): 55-56: “Concrete poems and comics punctuate the text, adding interest to the form.” (Source: Academic Search Complete, EBSCO Host database, accessed via TWU Library Online)

KIRKUS REVIEWS, 75, no. 10 (May 15, 2007) 509: “Robin [a boy] emerges as an appealingly flawed character whose desires--for love, for acceptance, for sex--will be instantly recognized by readers.” (Source: Academic Search Complete, EBSCO Host database, accessed via TWU Library Online)

BOOKLIST, 103, no. 15 (04/01/2007) 49: “Many teens will see themselves, and they’ll cheer when Sophie and Robin thwart the bullies and reclaim their social standing. Like Sones’ other titles, this is a great choice for reluctant and avid readers alike.” (Source: Academic Search Complete, EBSCO Host database, accessed via TWU Library Online)

5. CONNECTIONS IN A SCHOOL LIBRARY SETTING:

• Have a verse novel book club that meets before school, during lunch or after school. To truly appreciate these poems, have students or teachers read them aloud. Some of them are somewhat sexually explicit and might be uncomfortable read aloud. Those poems should be read by an adult, not a student.
• Do a Sonya Sones display in the library and create a “girl section” and a “boy section” to somehow separate the book What my mother doesn’t know from What my girlfriend doesn’t know to entice boys to read What my girlfriend doesn’t know despite its cover art. Librarian could also provide some sort of book cover as well so that boys would be more willing to check out the book.
• Counselors could use this book in discussions with student groups about issues relating to bullying, popularity, friendship and feelings toward opposite sex.

Other Related Items:
• McCafferty, Megan, ed. 2004. Sixteen: stories about that sweet and bitter birthday. New York: Three Rivers Press. (Recommended by Sonya Sones for children at least 16 years of age. http://www.sonyasones.com/sixteen.htm, accessed October 13, 2008.)
• Sones, Sonya. 2001. What my mother doesn’t know. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Poems by Jack Prelutsky

(Book Cover: Prelutsky, Jack. 1994. New York: Greenwillow Books. Ill. James Stevenson. Photo Source: Barnes and Noble Online Catalog. http://books.barnesandnoble.com/search/results.aspx?WRD=pizza+size+sun, accessed October 6, 2008.)


1. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Prelutsky, Jack. 1996. A pizza the size of the sun. Ill. James Stevenson. New York: Greenwillow Books. ISBN: 0-688-13236-7.

2. ABOUT THIS BOOK: A pizza the size of the sun is a compilation of 105 poems by renowned poet, Jack Prelutsky.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS: This collection is simply set forth in a one hundred fifty-nine page book filled with silly, fun and sometimes unusually formatted poetry, well illustrated with line drawings. Poetry collections are often browsed and to support this browsing, an "Index to Titles" is found at the end of the book. An additional, and interesting, feature is an "Index to First Lines". These elements make this book very user friendly.

Mr. Prelutsky uses a variety of styles in this book of poems. Many of the poems use rhyming words. Sometimes these words are at the end of every line as is found in “The Manatee” and other times it is every other line that rhymes, as in “I Sailed on Half a Ship”. While some authors might find rhyming to be a challenge, Mr. Prelutsky seems to use it with ease. His rhyming never seems forced or contrived. The rhythm of the book is fairly steady throughout with the use of short lines that have a four-four time (to use a music term) about them. This rhythm is carried throughout the book and can be applied to practically every poem.

Mr. Prelutsky also makes great use of sound in this book. A wonderful example of assonance is found in “I Made Something Strange with My Chemistry Set” wherein Mr. Prelutsky uses the words gluey, blue, stew, move, oozed, room, soon, too, undo, and route to create a wonderful tale of what happens when things go wrong with a chemistry experiment. An example of consonance can be found in “The Improbable Emporium” in lines such as the following: “there’s a saddle for your sea horse/ in an aqueous display,/ sets of sandals styled to suit your centipede.” “The Improbable Emporium” is also a perfect example of the way in which Mr. Prelutsky pays close attention to the choice of words in his poems. His words are chosen for the images they bring to the reader. For example, in “The Improbable Emporium” it is written: “There are ottomans for otters/ special piccolos for pigs,/ tubes of oil to stop the loudest mouse’s squeak,/ . . .” These bring about vivid images to the reader. Mr. Prelutsky’s word choices could also help develop vocabulary in younger children.

The reader is assisted in developing the images from these poems by the simple line drawings of the illustrator, James Stevenson. Throughout the book and for each poem, Mr. Stevenson draws doodle-like drawings that are excellent interpretations of the words of Mr. Prelutsky.

Mr. Prelutsky writes simply so that his readers will find laughter and joy through his poems. Consider the laughter that would come from children listening to a teacher read “I Often Repeat Repeat Myself” wherein Mr. Prelutsky writes: “I often repeat repeat myself,/ I often repeat repeat./ It gets me in a jam a jam,/ but that’s the way I am I am,/ . . .. Other funny poems include those that are written backward, as if needing to hold the words up to a mirror to read, and one in which that the words meander all over the page.

Overall, this is a good book of poetry to be read a little at a time to elementary age children. It could be used in the course of transitions during the school day or as a starter to each day at the end of the morning announcements. As with most compilations of poetry, it is not a book to be read from cover to cover in one sitting; but instead, should be savored over a long period of time.

4. BOOK REVIEW EXCERPT(S):

THE HORN BOOK, 72 (Sept./Oct. 1996): 605: “Poems in varied typeface and placement in an open format combine with the economical line of well-placed sketches to create a fast-paced and accessible collection that's loads of fun." (Source: Book Review Digest Plus, WilsonWeb database, accessed via TWU Library Online)

BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN’S BOOKS, 50 (Sept. 1996) 25: "Stevenson's line-and-wash illustrations are breezily slapdash but expressive. . . . He's particularly inventive at illustrating creatures that never were." (Source: Book Review Digest Plus, WilsonWeb database, accessed via TWU Library Online)

BOOKLIST, 93, (Sept. 15, 1996) 241: Prelutsky is up to his old tricks, using verbal sleight of hand to create another magical {collection} of light verse. " (Source: Book Review Digest Plus database, accessed via TWU Library Online)

5. CONNECTIONS IN A SCHOOL LIBRARY SETTING:
• Write the first lines of the poems from this book (remember, “Index to first lines” is in back of book) on colored paper and hang them from ceiling or place them on a bulletin board in the library or classroom. Each day, a student can choose a first line from the ceiling or bulletin board and the librarian or teacher can read the corresponding poem. (Kristen George’ website, http://www.kirstinegeorge.com/celebrate_poetry.html, accessed October 13, 2008).
• Turn the poems into songs and have a class sing-a-long.
• The poem “A Dizzy Little Duzzle” is written in a curvy, meandering way on page 137 of this book. Type the poem, in normal format, on a separate sheet of paper for each student. Using any method available, place the words of the poem in its original curvy, meandering format on the floor of the library or classroom. Give each student a copy of the poem. Lead the students on a poem “walk” by having the students read the poem out loud as they walk along the words of the poem as they would walk a labyrinth.

Other Related Items:

• Jack Prelutsky’s website. A terrific source of fun for elementary age children. A terrific source of activities and information from teachers. http://www.jackprelutsky.com/, accessed October 13, 2008.
• Prelutsky, Jack. 1986. The new kid on the block. Performed by Jack Prelutsky (audiocassette). Connecticut: Listening Library.
• Prelutsky, Jack. 1984. The new kid on the block. Ill. James Stevenson. New York: Greenwillow Books.
• Prelutsky, Jack. 2008. My dog may be a genius. Ill. James Stevenson. New York: Greenwillow Books.