Module 2:Book Reviews

Traditional Literature

Bibliography:

Kimmel, Eric. 1997. SIRKO AND THE WOLF. III. by Sauber, Robert. New York: Holiday House. ISBN 0823412571

Plot Summary:

SIRKO AND THE WOLF is a Ukrainian Folktale that bases the storyline on the relationship between dogs and wolves. The story starts off with an old loyal sheep dog named Sirko and his master tending to their sheep. In his master's eyes Sirko does not seem as useful to the family anymore due to his old age.  Sirko becomes banned from his human family and is left to fend for himself in the wilderness. One day he has an encounter with his cousin the Wolf. The wolf lends Sirko a hand by helping him become reunited with his family again, through the use of a devious plan. While the sheep farmer and his wife were tending to their fields, the Wolf surprises the family and takes their baby. To their surprise Sirko comes running to the rescue to save the day, in what looks to be a heroic attempt to save the baby and scare the Wolf. Sirko is then welcomed graciously into the family, but he has a feeling of guilt to repay the Wolf for his help. Sirko invites the Wolf to attend a feast inside the house so that the Wolf can enjoy scraps of food, however on one condition. The Wolf  must remain silent while he is hiding under the kitchen table so that he is out of sight. WIth all his excitement and full belly of scraps the Wolf can not hold back a loud bellowing howl. All the guests in the house grab their rifles and try to aim and shoot at the Wolf, but Sirko chooses to make it “look like” he is chasing and barking at the Wolf so that they won't shoot him. In conclusion, the story ends with Sirko and the Wolf discussing how dogs can remain in good company with humans, while Wolves are better suited to roam free in the wilderness.

Critical Analysis:

Eric Kimmel re-tells this folktale seamlessly, with aspects from the Ukranian culture such as the name “Sirko,” the livelihood of Sirko’s master being a sheep farmer, and the use of the “bandora” instrument. The storyline is easy to follow and can be a story book that is used for all ages. This folktale has many elements of a traditional folktale such as talking animals, pronounced morals, and a caring hero.

The main characters such as Sirko the sheep dog, and his cousin the Wolf, are easily noted as charismatic characters who can be portrayed as a metaphor to humans. For example, although the wolf and the sheep dog come from different backgrounds, they are able to coexist with each other and become good friends. The wolf in this storyline, is unlike any others in literature, because in this story the wolf is depicted as a friend, who lends a helping hand to his cousin the sheep dog. Whereas typically wolves are depicted as the evil characters or antagonists. There are also many morals to this story that are easily definable such as: bonds between friends and family, loyalty, and repaying debts to others.

The illustrations represent the Ukranian landscape and culture, with green luscious forests, roaming mountains, and warm cottages. Robert Sauber paints beautiful resemblances of the written content of the story with great details such as the expressions of the characters, and the background settings for the reader to embrace.

Review Excerpt(s):

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL REVIEW: “Kimmel successfully employs a storyteller's voice to beckon readers to sit and listen to this dramatic story. His yarn-spinning skill is evident throughout the satisfying tale that explains why dogs and wolves will be friends forever.”

BOOKLIST REVIEW: “Illustrated with impressionistic paintings that vividly dramatize each scene, this picture book tells a story that will please the many dog lovers in the world. Drawing the moral that those who are different can be friends, this well-told tale would be effective for reading aloud.”

Connections:

*Other book connections to the same Ukranian ties and cultures are:

• Brett, Jan. THE MITTEN. ISBN: 039921920
• Brett, Jan. THE FIRST DOG. ISBN: 9780152019679

*This story can be used for a jumpstart lesson on teaching younger students about identifying themes and underlying messages that are easily found in folktales. Students can read other folktale books written by Eric Kimmel such as:

• Kimmel, Eric. BABA YAGA: A RUSSIAN FOLKTALE. ISBN: 9780823408542
• Kimmel, Eric. THE GREATEST OF ALL: A JAPANESE FOLKTALE. ISBN:9780823412037
• Kimmel, Eric. BEARHEAD: A RUSSIAN FOLKTALE. ISBN: 9780823413027

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Bibliography:

Wiesner, David. 2001. THE THREE PIGS. III. by David Wiesner. New York,NY: Clarion Books.  ISBN: 0618007016

Plot Summary:

In this spin on the THE THREE PIGS, Wiesner writes the pigs right out of the story! Literally! The pigs “step out” of the story and venture into other stories and nursery rhymes. The book starts off in its traditional sense, with the pigs building their houses with hay and sticks, until the wolf blows the pigs out of the story. All three pigs venture into other stories and bring along a cat from HEY DIDDLE DIDDLE, as well as a dragon from another fairy tale. Altogether along with their new friends, the three pigs bounce back into their original story where the wolf is huffing and puffing at the brick house. To the wolfs surprise, a dragon peeks through the doorway and scares the wolf away. The three pigs, the cat, and the dragon eat a fresh pot of soup together and lived happily ever after.

Critical Analysis:

This version of the Three Little Pigs, includes traditional aspects of a fairy tale by including “Once upon a time,” but the reader quickly realizes that this book is in fact nontraditional. Wiesner incorporates new elements to engage his readers by including speech bubbles, 2D to 3D pictures, and other characters from various stories.

Overall the plot of the story is very simple. There is a definite beginning, middle and sudden conclusion. The climax of the story takes place when the first pig is blown off the page and the story take a drastic turn from the traditional version. A strong theme of “good triumphs over evil” is very much prevalent in this story and easy for students to recognize. However, the big bad wolf is not harmed in any way so it is left up to the reader's imagination to determine the outcome for the wolf. The ending is open ended, so readers can envision what they wish to happen to the three pigs and the other characters in the story.

According to the publication page, Wiesner uses watercolors, colored inks, and pencils to create these beautiful illustrations. The illustrations are at first drawn as cartoons, until the three pigs step out of the book do they become more three-dimensional and realistic. The illustrations are drawn in a frame-by-frame format so the reader can see the three pigs “step out” of the story. When the three pigs encounter other characters from other stories, the illustrations are visually different. Ranging from watercolor to black and white sketches.

Review Excerpt(s):

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL review: “Witty dialogue and physical comedy abound in this inspired retelling of a familiar favorite.”

KIRKUS REVIEWS, Starred review: “With this inventive retelling, Caldecott medalist Wiesner plays with literary conventions. . . . On the last few pages, the final words of the text break apart, sending letters drifting down into the illustrations to show us that once we have ventured out into the wider world, our stories never stay the same.”

BOOKLIST review:  “Wiesner’s latest is a post-modern fantasy for young readers that takes Scieszka’s fragmentation a step further: it not only breaks apart and deliciously reinvents the pigs’ tale, it invites readers to step beyond the boundaries of story and picture book altogether.”

Caldecott Award 2002

ALA Notable Children’s Book 2002

Connections:

*Expose students to other fractured fairy tales that include The Three Pigs in order to compare and contrast the similarities and differences that are present. The following books are various versions using the three pigs.

• Scieszka, Jon. THE TRUE STORY OF THE 3 LITTLE PIGS. ISBN:0140544518
• Teague, Mark. THE THREE LITTLE PIGS AND THE SOMEWHAT BAD WOLF. ISBN:0439915015
• Marshall, James. THE THREE LITTLE PIGS. ISBN:0803705913

*This story would be an excellent piece of literature used to incorporate writing assignments where students can write their own variation of the famous folktale, by creating their own twists and turns to spark their imaginations.

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Bibliography:

Pinkney, Jerry. 2009. THE LION AND THE MOUSE. III. By Jerry Pinkney. New York, NY: Little Brown Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 9780316013567

Plot Summary:

In this wordless picture book, adapted from one of Aesop’s fables, the illustrations allow the reader to create and imagine the story. It starts off with a little field mouse escaping the grasps of other predators such as an owl, when she quickly runs into a fierce wild lion. When the small mouse is captured by the paw of the fierce lion, she convinces the lion to pardon her life in exchange for a favor one day. When the lion becomes trapped in a poachers net, the little field  mouse comes to the lion’s rescue just as she had promised. The little mouse chews through the thick rope in order to release the lion free. The lion and the mouse create an unexpected bond and both return home safely to their families.

Critical Analysis:

This classic fable is a refreshing interpretation of THE LION AND THE MOUSE.The lack of text allows the reader to create their own storyline, but the illustrations help the reader understand the narrative. The titless cover, and the use of illustrations are able to depict the traditional story along with a few onomatopoeias such as, “Grrr,” “Squeak squeak squeak squeak,” “Putt-Putt-Putt.”  

The almost nearly wordless story takes place in what looks to be the African Plains. This fable has a definite beginning, middle and end, with a clear problem where the lion is entangled in the hunters net. The little mouse repays her debts to save the lion by nibbling the rope to free him and save the day. The author maintains the moral of the story to show that no act of kindness is too small, even for a small meer mouse.

According to the publication page Pinkney uses pencil, watercolor, and colored pencils to create these beautiful illustrations. The book starts off with a 2-page fold of the scenery of the African Plains and continues on with full page illustrations that eventually morph into picture panels that show the steps that the mouse takes to save the lion step by step. Bright yellows, browns, and oranges are used to give the reader a feel for the lions thick, lucios mane, and even the rolling plains in the African desert. There are close up illustrations of the large ferocious lion holding the small frightened mouse to portray the significance of the king lion and his power. Overall the illustrations play a crucial role in giving the reader a rich experience.

Review Excerpt(s):

2010 Caldecott Medal

KIRKUS review: “A nearly wordless exploration of Aesop’s fable of symbiotic mercy that is nothing short of masterful.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL review: "Pinkney's luminous art, rendered in watercolor and colored pencil, suggests a natural harmony... The ambiguity that results from the lack of words in this version allows for a slower, subtle, and ultimately more satisfying read. Moments of humor and affection complement the drama. A classic tale from a consummate artist."

THE HORN BOOK review: "By retelling Aesop's fable entirely in his signature pencil and watercolor art, Pinkney encourages closer exploration of the pleasing detail with which he amplifies it... It will be a challenge for libraries to make every gorgeous surface available, but it's a challenge worth taking on."

BOOKLIST: “A delightful, old-fashioned version of the tale. With lively detail...the pictures reflect the danger and coziness, and are just right for their preschool audience."

Connections:

*This story would be an excellent source for students to create their own words to the story with an emphasis on the moral and characterization.

*This picture book could be a great first read for a book study on Aesop’s fables. The following books below could be used to study the resemblances that the fables have:

• Emberly, Rebecca. THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER. ISBN:9781596434936
• Wildsmith, Brian. THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE. ISBN: 9780192727084
• Subramaniam, Manasi. THE FOX AND THE CROW. by Culpeo S. Fox ISBN: 9788181903037

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Bibliography:

Taback, Simms. 1999. JOSEPH HAD A LITTLE OVERCOAT. III. by Simms Taback. New York, NY: Vicking. ISBN: 0670878553

Plot Summary:

The main character Joseph, had a little overcoat that soon gets, “old and worn.” Joseph creatively turns one overcoat into many other garment pieces such as a jacket, vest, scarf, necktie, handkerchief, and eventually to a small button, that he loses in the end. Once Joseph has nothing left of his overcoat, he puts all of his creativity into creating a book about his adventures with his overcoat and its evolution.    

Critical Analysis:

In this delightful, lighthearted story, Taback creates a simple storyline with die cuts that create a fun and entertaining story. In the author notes, Taback explains that he adopted one of his favorite Yeddish Folk songs into a relatable story for children to enjoy.

With effective repetition, students can easily read along and enjoy the comedic illustrations that portray humor within Joseph’s actions and expressions as he creates many creative pieces of clothing. As Joseph altars each piece of clothing, the di-cut shape on each page is different so that the reader can predict what he will create next. In the fine details of the story are newspaper clippings, articles, and pages of books that lead the reader to believe that Joseph is in fact Jewish.

The storyline is easy to follow and has a very simple beginning, middle, and end. There is a very apparent moral to the story that teaches students that you are never satisfied with your work, but you can always create something out of nothing.

The illustrations include mixed media and collage pictures that capture the reader’s attention. There are an immense amount of detail in the artwork that can easily be missed if you don’t pay close attention. The fabric looking rugs, coats, and characters clothing look realistic, are contrasted against the cartoon-like expressions of Joseph and the people he encounters with.  

Review Excerpt(s):

BOOKLIST: “True example of accomplished bookmaking–from the typography and the endpapers to the bar code, set in what appears to be a patch of fabric. Taback’s mixed-media and collage illustrations are alive with warmth, humor, and humanity. Their colors are festive yet controlled, and they are filled with homey clutter, interesting characters, and a million details to bring children back again and again.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “A book bursting at the seams with ingenuity and creative spirit.”

2000 Caldecott Medal Award

Connections:

*This story would be great story book to use to practice retelling using a felt board, or allow students to act out the sequence of events that unfold in the story.

*Students can do research on the author, how he creates his illustrations and read other books that were created by Simms Taback.

• Taback, Simms. THERE WAS AN OLD LADY WHO SWALLOWED A FLY. ISBN: 0670869392
• Taback, Simms. THIS IS THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT. ISBN: 978043970159
• Taback, Simms. I MISS YOU EVERYDAY. ISBN: 9780670061921