Photographs hold a great deal of power and I have really enjoyed seeing the photographs of Charles Dodgson (also known as Lewis Caroll). It was neat to see a true image of Alice and to see a little of her personality in the picture. The same goes for seeing photographs of the famous author George McDonald and his family. It makes me think about how as much as I love artwork in children’s books, there seems to be a lack of photography as a form of art in picture books. I can think of nonfiction picture book I had as a child that was illustrated through photography. Maybe one reason for this lack of photographs in books has to do with the specificity that a photograph holds. Maybe, in a pen and ink drawing there’s room for more imagination on the child’s part. Maybe photographs don’t sell as well in books and aren’t as appealing to children. Either way I think if photographs were the artwork used to illustrate children’s books an even broader amount of art could be used for children’s books.

Book 4: Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans

Madeline is as captivating today as it was to me at the age of eight. One can’t help but be mesmerized by the little red haired girl who is so unique from the identical two rows of girls she accompanies. The order and neatness of every page, with the sometimes dissimilar action of Madeline is pleasing to look at. The rhyming and rhythm of the lines are fun to read. The way they rhyme and still hold so much meaning and clarity is truly artistic and professionally done. The text is so enjoyable, but the book truly wouldn’t be what it is without the amazing illustrations. One of my favorite aspect of the illustrations is the famous Parisian landmarks Bemelmans sets as the background of some scenes. They add depth to the artwork and make the reader want to come back to them and find out what and where they are. Thankfully the final page lists the monuments and buildings of each page for the reader to be aware of.

Identity

In class we’ve been discussing how Identity is a major theme in Children’s Literature. In following this idea I wanted to make an incomplete list of Children’s books, classics and newer that focus on the theme of identity. This list offers a wide array of books appropriate for different ages, and some, such as Harry Potter, may not be appropriate to read to the class as a whole. Books that can’t be read in class may be recommended to students as outside reading.

Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
Holes by Louis Sachar

These are only a few of the books for children which focus on identity. I thought of them because they were some of my favorites growing up, or, I discovered them recently and fell I love. Dear Reader, can you think of a book from your childhood or recent past that focuses on the theme of identity?

Alice's Adventures

Little Alice fell down a hole
And took such a time to reach the floor.

She finally landed in a room with many doors from which to choose
Alice drank from a bottle and shrank then ate cake and up she grows and grows.

Eventually our heroine makes it out and further in, to wonderland
She meets a mouse, offends the birds and is left all alone to stand.

The Duchess is her next acquaintance and my how she sneezes
Her baby grunts and it’s suddenly a pig which pleases.

Since Alice no longer has to hold and coddle it
She chats with the grinning feline for a bit.

“We’re all mad here” says the Cheshire cat
So Alice goes to tea with the mad man that dons a hat.

Once she escapes from that insane tea time
She finds the garden which appeared so sublime.

Upon arriving, she finds the madness remains
She learns from the past and her mind strains

To recall all the wonder is a dream
And the characters the pack of cards they seem.

Book 3: The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

Despereaux is different. The mice all over the castle whisper about how he was born with his eyes open, “he’s just not right!” they say. He isn’t like the other mice. Instead of constantly sniffing for crumbs, Despereaux reads books about a knight that rescues a princess and listens to the King play his guitar to Despereaux’s beloved, the Princes Pea.
The book’s central themes are love, forgiveness, and dark versus light. Throughout the book, DiCamill0 emphasizes the concept of love and its power. Love spurns our tiny hero to go into the darkness that is the dungeon and face death (in the form of rats) for the one he loves. While much of the book is dark and frightening, DiCamill0 makes it bearable by speaking directly to the reader about what may happen next. Her style makes to book even more enjoyable and unique.

Thoughts on Fantasy

I love the fantasy genre (most of the time at least). In Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” Trilogy as the reader, I escaped into Middle Earth to fight orcs and live among the elves. There’s something beautiful about escaping into an impossible world that is nothing other than the result of someone’s imagination. It’s amazing how by bringing the reader into their world, the author can show the reader the ideas or concepts he’s trying to convey. In the well known series, “The Chronicles of Narnia”, C.S. Lewis uses a different world in a different universe to create a story parallel to that of the biblical story of the salvation of man through Christ. Instead of Jesus, the Christ figure is the Great Lion, Aslan. Lewis offers a new perspective and new way to understand the Message of the Church. There are a lot of reasons to love fantasy. It’s enjoyable because it is an escape but still has familiar themes and values we can relate to.

Ed Emberly is a well known author and illustrator of children’s books. His drawing books are famous for his one of a kind technique and creativity involved in every lesson. Emberly has illustrated and written several children’s books, but his drawing books remain the most popular and beloved. There is a unique way he makes the creation of any artwork simple for a child. He breaks down the creation by starting with a square, or a few lines, and slowly adding triangles and dots and half circles…before you know it you’ve drawn a train, or a giraffe, or Frankenstein. Emberly’s books vary in the topic of artwork. Some of his book titles include: “The Drawing Book of Weirdo’s”, “The Drawing Book of Faces”, “The Drawing Book of Animals”, and many others. As a child my favorite Ed Emberly book was the “Great Thumbprint Drawing Book”. It was so inspiring to see all the amazing creations that could be made with a thumbprint and pen, and it was a blast to recreate those in the book and attempt my own. Emberly contributed a great deal to the children’s book industry and his drawing books will continue to be loved and used by generations of fans.

I've read a whole lot of classic children's books over the years, but I've never thought to pick up "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland". The main reason for this is probably because the cartoon movie scared me silly as a child and continues to creep me out today. The crazy rabbit who won't stop going on about being late and the scary queen of hearts who is trying to chop off heads was enough to give me plenty of nightmares as a kid. Reading the famous and influential book should be interesting. I'm looking forward to the examples of realism and imagination. It should be interesting to see how similar the book is to the movie too.

Great book for Adults and Kids alike!

In my reading and writing class the other week, my teacher read us “Scaredy Squirrel makes a Friend” by author and illustrator Melanie Watt. This book was one of the funniest books I had ever heard/read! If you haven’t read it, go do so! The writing is already so funny, and the illustrations make the story even more enjoyable! It is adorable! Scaredy Squirrel’s biggest characteristic is, of course, that he’s scared. It’s so hilarious because his fears are all highly absurd and irrelevant. For example Scaredy Squirrel’s biggest fears (which are listed on the website) include green Martians, killer bees, tarantulas, poison ivy, germs and sharks. On the website, the about the author page let’s us know that Melanie Watt shares Scaredy Squirrel’s fear of sharks. The theme of this book was a very important one too. Scaredy Squirrel learns not to judge someone’s capability as a friend, and to step out of his comfort zone. In doing so he makes an unlikely friend with a dog, even though he isn’t 99% free like the goldfish he planned on making friends with. This theme is so important for kids to learn and practice. So often in and outside the classroom, kids exclude other kids. It seems to be something that just comes naturally and is easy to do without thinking about it. This would be a great book to read to a class if they were having trouble excluding a classmate. Adults also could use the reminder as well!

I would definitely encourage you to check out the website! http://www.scaredysquirrel.com/
The best part is how at the bottom of every page there’s a reader warning that states, “This material is not suitable for green Martians.”

Ode to Harry Potter.

This past summer was filled with Harry Potter’s story
Subsequently the final book came with much glory.

While its nice to know our champions end,
I can’t help but feel I’ve lost a friend.

Dear Harry, Hermione, and Ron
Dumbledore and Snape’s hook nose, so long!

I sure will miss the train ride there,
And the awful robes Ron had to wear.

Our hero certainly broke a rule or two.
He often had good reason for his heart was true.

While I would be glad if the series was extended,
it’s a good thing the trio never got suspended.

Henry vs. Char- the answer is clear.

I last saw Ever After once several years ago, so I got excited when I discovered we’d be watching it in class! The movie has been nice; though full of sickeningly sappy moments at times. While watching this movie, especially after reading Ella Enchanted, I can’t help but compare Prince Henry and Char. Let me just say, there is no comparing the two. Our first introduction to Henry is that he wants to marry for love, which makes him likeable enough. However, throughout the film his key traits reveal that he is thoughtless, a bad listener, selfish, in love with himself and just plain cocky. I’m being cruel. He has nice moments: he’s helpful in saving DaVinci’s painting and he takes Danielle to the library. I have trouble seeing why Danielle falls for him when he is so clueless. I suppose he just doesn’t compare with Char and I can’t help but compare other prince’s from the story with him. I also find Char’s faults more forgivable. Ever After is an enjoyable take on the Cinderella Story, but not my favorite. The irony is fun in how the personalities of the Prince and Cinderella are switched. She is smart and even saves him, and herself, while he is oblivious and often just allows things to happen. So this idea is a fun take on the story, but not satisfying. At least the Prince’s character develops over the course of the story. I still think I’ll stick with Char.

Book 2: The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick is an exceptional book. Set in Paris in 1931 and starring an orphaned boy who is full of mysterious secrets. The book begins with a short, one-page introduction and black and white sketches lead the reader into a train station to a boy named Hugo Cabret. We follow him through the train station page by page, and eventually reach a paragraph describing his thoughts. The rest of the book follows the premise set at the beginning. It is unlike any book I have read, the pictures are throughout the story, and describe the story better than if it had been only words. The mystery behind the story is amplified by the wordless yet beautiful drawings. I suggest this book to anyone who likes a good adventure!

Eric Carle has illustrated over 40 books, and written many of those. He has received awards from all over the world for his artwork and amazing stories. His technique of combining colorfully painted tissue paper is highly recognizable and unique. His website http://www.eric-carle.com/ provides a list of some of his awards, along with a list of the books he has written and an autobiography. Before becoming a famous children’s illustrator Carle spent years as graphics designer for the New York Times and then as an art director for an advertising agency. One day a respected author who had seen Carle’s work in an advertisement, requested he illustrate his children’s book. The collaborated together for the book Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? The rest, as they say, is history! My favorite part of his website is his videos showing how he creates a few art pieces! It’s a lot fun to see how he paints tissue paper and then creates his caterpillar! After watching him, I really want to try and mimic his technique!

Since the story of Ella Enchanted is told in first-person, the use of the fairy book and letters gives the reader a chance to witness more than we could without these tools. Levine could have created a story that used third-person, and let us know information through that; however it is hard to picture connecting to Ella’s character in the same way if we couldn’t experience her telling of the story. When reading the book and catching glimpses into other character’s lives through the book one can’t help but feel as if they’re spying, and its a lot of fun! As readers we feel we’re seeing the characters as they are. Reading the letters between Mum Olga and her daughters verified our belief of their superficial characters. When we are fortunate to glimpse the letters between Char and Ella, we see the foundations of their relationship and see their love for one another grow. I absolutely adore how Levine constructed this book and enjoy breaking it down to discover why I love this story so much.

Repetition, Repetition, Repeptition.

Repetition is a huge part of children’s book. Adults often find repetition in books tiresome and irritating. Somehow children have an appreciation in hearing words or phrases over and over again. They can also participate in the story when they know the repetitive phrase that is approaching. In many of the fairy tales we have read, phrases are repeated and I found them slightly annoying and usually skipped them as I read them to myself. Kids however, adore repetition in storybooks and love to be involved in repeating the phrase out loud together. Repetition stories also teach meanings to new words. For example in “Alexander and the Terrible, Rotten, No Good, Very Bad Day” kids learn other words/phrases for bad. While the meaning behind repetition is unclear for adults, children find value in repetition.

Let's find the Wardrobe that Leads to Kyrria

Several different and unique adaptations of Cinderella came out during my childhood. I loved the movie Ever After and the Disney Cinderella; but none can compare to Ella. I admire her bravery and love for Char. Her stubbornness and love of languages along with other qualities make her relatable and personal. I first read Ella Enchanted in fifth or sixth grade, and I was hooked! I have gone back and read this book countless times since then. It’s actually one of my comfort books. Sometimes when I’m feeling low, or just feel like it, I’ll read one of my comfort books. These include but are not limited to The Chronicles of Narnia, The Little Prince, Where the Sidewalk Ends, and of course Ella Enchanted. She is such a loveable character because she’s uniquely different from the original Grimm’s Cinderella or the Disney one. Ella doesn’t let life just happen to her. She may be cursed, but she won’t take anything sitting down! (That is, unless of course she’s ordered to...)
I also love the imagination that went into this book. The elves are one of my favorite parts, and remind me of Tolkien’s elves in Lord of the Rings series. Levine’s descriptions make the reader feel safe and protected in the elf country. When we learn that an elf meal consists of different types of soup, I can’t help but wonder and wish to be part of their feast.

Well, I’m going to go curl up and read one of my favorite books now!

A scrumdiddlyumptious author!

The matter with human beans is that they is absolutely refusing to believe in anything unless they is actually seeing it right in front of their own schnozzles.
~ The BFG
Roald Dahl’s books have the amazing ability to bring us into a new world. It’s a world in which the impossible is possible and likely to occur. In his world a child can become friends with talking insects, your family can be rescued by a candy-making genius, and the underdog defies the odds and succeeds. In elementary school I fell in love with Dahl’s writing and read every book I could find by him. He is without a doubt my favorite children’s author. At times adults have declared his books inappropriate for violence. In truth, however, his violent descriptions of the Trunchbull from Matilda, the Twits, or the giants from the BFG are so completely ridiculous that children find it absurdly hilarious. Dahl loved to play with imagination, and mix the possible with the impossible, which causes us to open our imaginations. In the BFG, he describes how dreams are mixed in jars to make more complex dreams, almost like cooking! Roald Dahl’s writing influenced my love for reading and I plan to share his unique stories with my students!

His website is a lot of fun too. Check it out! www.roalddahl.com