ONE CRAZY SUMMER by Rita Williams-Garcia

Bibliography
Williams-Garcia, Rita. 2010. ONE CRAZY SUMMER. New York: Amistad. ISBN: 9780060760885

Plot Summary
ONE CRAZY SUMMER is a historical fiction novel that takes place during the summer of 1968.  Three young sisters, Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern travel from Brooklyn, NY to Oakland, CA to visit a mother they hardly know, because she left them when they were babies.  This book tells the story of their experiences that summer in California where they expected to meet movie stars and go to fun places like Disneyland, but what they got is not what they expected.

Critical Analysis
Seven years has gone by and eleven-year-old Delphine, nine-year old Vonetta, and seven-year-old Fern have not seen their mother Cecile since she left them and moved to Oakland.  She left them in Brooklyn with their father, who the girls call Pa, and their grandmother Big Ma.  In the summer of 1968, Pa thinks it is a good time for the girls to visit Cecile and try and reconnect with her.  Big Ma does not believe it is a good idea as she has a very low opinion of Cecile, but the girls go anyway.  At the airport, Pa and Big Ma tell Delphine to take good care of her two younger sisters.  Delphine has always been quiet and responsible and agrees to do a good job.  When they arrive at the airport in Oakland, they see their mother dressed suspiciously and reluctant to claim them, but they point her out to the flight attendant, and so Cecile takes them to her house.  Cecile is not very nice and acts strange to the girls, so they see her as crazy.  As soon as they get to her house Cecile sends them out to go get fast food by themselves.  Again, the girls find this behavior crazy, but they go to Ming's for Chinese food as instructed by their mother.  The following morning, the girls are sent to get breakfast at the People's Center not knowing this is where they would spend the majority of their time that summer.  It turns out the People's Center is where the Black Panthers have meetings.  They have a program for kids and Dephine, Vonetta, and Fern spend a lot of time there and meet and see a lot of new interesting things.  Delphine had seen Black Panthers on TV, but they usually had guns.  These Black Panthers did not have any guns and are helping the community.  Delphine has a new perspective on the Black Panthers.  This book mentions Huey Newton and Bobby Seale who were the co-founders of the Black Panthers.  While at the People's Center, the girls help color a poster that says, "Free Huey."

As the book continues, the girls continue to struggle to get to know their mother since all she seems to care about is her poetry and her printing machine.  Delphine takes it upon herself to make sure they eat well and have at least one fun excursion which in their case is to San Francisco.  Delphine wants to protect her sisters and struggles with the idea of participating in the "Rally for Bobby" organized by the Black Panthers.  She feels it might be dangerous for her sisters, but they insist on participating.  They even tell their mother, so Delphine has no choice but to continue taking the girls to the People's Center.  Upon returning from their trip from San Francisco, the girls arrive to see the police arresting their mother.  Their mother pretends they are not her daughters, so the police do not take them away too.  Delphine does not call Pa since she believes Cecile will come home shortly.  During this time, the girls are alone in the house, clean up their mother's kitchen, and read her poetry.  They find a poem they feel would be appropriate for the rally.  Cecile sees them recite her slightly altered poem at the rally and gives them some recognition, but still no hugs.  The book concludes with Cecile taking them to the airport, so they can return to Brooklyn.  While in line to board the plane, the girls can't resist but to run to their mother and hug her.  Despite their differences, the girls and Cecile were able to bond with each other in their own special way.

The author, Rita Williams-Garcia, includes an "Acknowledgments" section at the end of the book listing the people who inspired her to write this book.  She describes how she couldn't have written this book "without having read books, articles, and interviews that cover this period."  She also says, "I specifically could not have felt the climate of the times from Black Panther accounts and perspectives without David Hilliard's THE BLACK PANTHER INTERCOMMUNAL NEWS SERVICE."  ONE CRAZY SUMMER gives readers a view of what it was like for "children who witnessed and were part of a necessary change."  It also shows the exceptional bond between three young sisters that many children may be able to relate to.

Review Excerpt(s)
2011 American Library Association Notable Books for Children Award Winner
2011 Coretta Scott King Award Winner
2011 Scott O'Dell Historical Fiction Award Winner
2011 Newbery Medal Nominee
2010 School Library Journal Best Books of the Year Award Winner
2010 National Book Award Nominee

Starred review in BOOKLIST: "Eleven-year-old Delphine has only a few fragmented memories of her mother, Cecile, a poet who wrote verses on walls and cereal boxes, played smoky jazz records, and abandoned the family in Brooklyn after giving birth to her third daughter. In the summer of 1968, Delphine’s father decides that seeing Cecile is “something whose time had come,” and Delphine boards a plane with her sisters to Cecile’s home in Oakland. What they find there is far from their California dreams of Disneyland and movie stars. “No one told y’all to come out here,” Cecile says. “No one wants you out here making a mess, stopping my work.” Like the rest of her life, Cecile’s work is a mystery conducted behind the doors of the kitchen that she forbids her daughters to enter. For meals, Cecile sends the girls to a Chinese restaurant or to the local, Black Panther–run community center, where Cecile is known as Sister Inzilla and where the girls begin to attend youth programs. Regimented, responsible, strong-willed Delphine narrates in an unforgettable voice, but each of the sisters emerges as a distinct, memorable character, whose hard-won, tenuous connections with their mother build to an aching, triumphant conclusion. Set during a pivotal moment in African American history, this vibrant novel shows the subtle ways that political movements affect personal lives; but just as memorable is the finely drawn, universal story of children reclaiming a reluctant parent’s love."

Starred review in HORN BOOK: "The setting and time period are as vividly realized as the characters, and readers will want to know more about Delphine and her sisters after they return to Brooklyn..."

Starred review in KIRKUS: "Delphine is the pitch-perfect older sister, wise beyond her years, an expert at handling her siblings...while the girls are caught up in the difficulties of adults, their resilience is celebrated and energetically told with writing that snaps off the page."

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY review: "Emotionally challenging and beautifully written, this book immerses readers in a time and place and raises difficult questions of cultural and ethnic identity and personal responsibility. With memorable characters (all three girls have engaging, strong voices) and a powerful story, this is a book well worth reading and rereading."

Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "Emotionally challenging and beautifully written, this book immerses readers in a time and place and raises difficult questions of cultural and ethnic identity and personal responsibility. With memorable characters (all three girls have engaging, strong voices) and a powerful story, this is a book well worth reading and rereading."

Connections

• This book could prompt students to want to learn more about the history of the Black Panthers.
• Students could research the City of San Francisco and all of the tourist attractions it has to offer.
• This book could inspire readers to write poetry.

Other books by Rita Williams-Garcia:

• Williams-Garcia, Rita. 1988. BLUE TIGHTS. New York: Lodestar Books. ISBN: 9780525672340
• Williams-Garcia, Rita. 1995. LAKE SISTERS ON THE HOMEFRONT. New York: Lodestar Books. ISBN: 9780525674658
• Williams-Garcia, Rita. 2013. P.S. BE ELEVEN. New York: Amistad/HarperCollins. ISBN: 9780061938627

HIROSHIMA: A NOVELLA by Laurence Yep

Bibliography
Yep, Laurence. 1995. HIROSHIMA: A NOVELLA. New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 0590208322

Plot Summary
HIROSHIMA: A NOVELLA takes place on August 6, 1945, the day the United States was forced to drop the atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima.  The book describes the experiences of the crew of the Enola Gay as well as the experience of 12-year-old Sachi who lives in Hiroshima with her sister Riko.  This book discusses the repercussions the atomic bomb had on the two sisters and the other people in Hiroshima, Japan.

Critical Analysis
This historical fiction novel is told in the third person by author Laurence Yep.  He narrates it in the present tense switching back and forth from the crew of the Enola Gay and 12-year-old Sachi who lives in Hiroshima.  The book begins during the morning of August 6, 1945 with the crew of the Enola Gay searching for the best place to drop the atom bomb.  People in Hiroshima see the U.S. plane named the Straight Flush fly over and then leave, so they resume their day thinking they are safe, but a little while later the Enola Gay flies over and drops the bomb.  A detailed description of how the bomb works and detonates is given.  Details of the destruction the bomb causes are also given.  For example, "Out of 76,327 buildings, over 50,000 are destroyed."  Minutes later, Sachi awakes to view the panic and destruction.  Sachi is badly burned on her face and arm, and her sister Riko is killed.  Throughout the year, Sachi sees many people die due to radiation exposure caused from the bomb, and she also learns of her father's death in combat on an island in the Pacific.  Sachi knows more people are going to continue to die from the radiation.  For three years, Sachi hides in her home to avoid teasing from the other children about her scars, but fortunately Sachi is chosen as one of "the Hiroshima Maidens."  In 1955, along with 24 other women, Sachi is flown to America to receive a series of surgeries to repair her face and arm.  While in America, Sachi has new experiences such as learning English and making new friends.  After 18 months, it is time for Sachi to return home to Japan, but she is going home with hope and a new found trust.  Her suffering has made her understand the suffering of others, and she wants to help the victims at home.

Yep goes on to describe the great fear the atom bomb has instilled in people all over the world, but despite this fear, several countries develop their own atomic bombs.  He discusses the cost of the atomic bombs and newer weapons being developed.  He mentions how in 1987 the United States and the Soviet Union come to an agreement to destroy all of their medium-range missiles.  He describes to readers in great detail the devastating toll all of this weaponry could possibly have on our planet.  In the afterword, Yep tells readers, "Sachi is a composite of several children who were in Hiroshima when the bomb dropped who later came to the United States."  He wants readers to draw lessons from their suffering and their courage.  Laurence Yep used 21 different sources and consulted with specialists at the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution and the National Atomic Museum to assist him with accuracy of the historical facts within his novel.  Readers will be moved by Sachi's story and will also learn many details concerning the atom bomb and the toll it took on the city of Hiroshima.

Review Excerpt(s)
BOOKLIST review: "In quiet, simple prose, Yep tells what happens when the atomic bomb is dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. He tells it in short chapters in the present tense, switching from crewmen on the Enola Gay to children in a Hiroshima classroom; then he describes the attack, the mushroom cloud, and the destruction of the city; finally, he talks about the aftermath, immediate and long term, including the arms race and the movement for peace. One chapter explains the physics of the explosion and of radiation. The facts are so dramatic and told with such controlled intensity that we barely need the spare fictionalization about a young Hiroshima child who is there when the bomb falls and who later comes to the U.S. for treatment (Yep says in an afterword that she's a composite of several children). The account is fair, nonhectoring, and totally devastating. Though accessible to middle-grade readers, this will also interest older readers, who will find nothing condescending in content or format. Fifty years later, the event is still the focus of furious controversy (even the numbers are in dispute), and this novella will start classroom discussion across the curriculum. There's a bibliography for further reading."

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL review: "Through a stacatto, present-tense narration that moves back and forth between the experiences of a 12-year-old girl and the men on the Enola Gay, Yep's novella tells the events of the day the first atomic bomb was dropped and its aftermath. Sachi survives but is badly burned; her sister dies and her soldier father is killed in action. For three years the girl spends most of her time indoors, as newcomers to the city fear the scarred survivors. Then she travels to America for plastic surgery, which enables her to take part in her society again. She returns to Japan, hoping to help other victims. Yep ends with two chapters on the destructive potential of nuclear warfare and on some of the efforts being made toward disarmament. His words are powerful and compelling, and the facts he presents make readers realize the horrors of that day and its impact beyond. As a fictional character, Sachi never becomes much more than a name, but even so, readers will be moved by her tale. Hiroshima has a more adult format than Junko Morimoto's more personal My Hiroshima (Viking, 1990) or Toshi Maruki's Hiroshima No Pika (Lothrop, 1982), both of which tell the story in pictures as well as in words."

Connections

• This book could prompt a discussion about World War II and the atom bomb.
• This book could prompt students to want to learn more about Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Pearl Harbor.
• Kids could learn how to fold paper cranes like the girls did in this bok. This would introduce them to origami.

Other books by Laurence Yep:

• Yep, Laurence. 2008. THE DRAGON'S CHILD: A STORY OF ANGEL ISLAND. New York: Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN: 9780060276928
• Yep, Laurence. 2006. THE EARTH DRAGON AWAKES: THE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE OF 1906. New York: Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN: 9780060275242
• Yep, Laurence. 2000. THE JOURNAL OF WONG MING-CHUNG: A CHINESE MINER. New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 9780590386074

BREAKING STALIN'S NOSE by Eugene Yelchin

Bibliography
Yelchin, Eugene. 2011. BREAKING STALIN'S NOSE. New York: Henry Holt. ISBN: 9780805092165

Plot Summary
This book is about a young boy named Sasha Zaichik who is growing up in the Soviet Union during the Stalin era.  He is a devoted Communist just like his father who is a member of the State Security (secret police).  One day when the police take his father away without explanation, Sasha realizes Communism is not as great as he once thought.

Critical Analysis
This historical fiction which is told in the first person takes place over the course of two days during the Stalin era in the Soviet Union.  The protagonist and narrator in this story is Sasha Zaichik, a 10-year old boy who wants to be a loyal Communist just like his father.  Throughout the story, Sasha talks about his way of life which is the Communist way of life.  He describes how he lives in a communal apartment or "komunalka" with 12 other families, but thinks it's great.  All he has ever been taught is how great Communism is and pities those who live in capitalist societies.

The book starts out with Sasha writing a letter to Stalin thanking him for being a great leader and letting him know his dream is to become a Young Soviet Pioneer. Sasha's dream is about to come true the following day, and his father who is a member of the State Security or secret police, is going to be the guest of honor at the school ceremony.

Unfortunately, later that evening, police take Sasha's father away without explanation leaving him confused and worried.  His father told him earlier that if anything were to happen to him to go to his aunt's apartment, so that is was Sasha does, but she turns him away in fear that she and her family will get in trouble.  Naive Sasha continues to believe what has happened to his father is a huge mistake and Comrade Stalin will fix it immediately and hopefully in time for the Young Pioneers ceremony.

Sasha manages to get to school the following morning and acts as if everything is fine.  The rest of the story takes place at school and describes how quickly his peers are to accuse people of treason.  His teacher, Nina Petrovna is only nice to Sasha and students who are sons or daughters of those believed to be good Communists.  The teacher along with Sasha's other classmates are mean to students such as Borka Finkelstein simply because he is Jewish.  Another student named Vovka Sobakin who was once thought of very highly by the teacher is now treated unfairly because his father had been accused of being an enemy of the people.

When Sasha is sent to retrieve the Young Pioneers banner, he accidentally hits a statue of Stalin and the nose breaks off.  This is a very serious offense, and Sasha is terrified he will be arrested and now knows his chances of becoming a Young Pioneer are over.  When the teacher finds out about the statue, she asks the class to write down who they believe broke the statue and advises them to choose the offender simply by their character and no other facts.  She also frightens the kids by letting them know if they are wrong then there could be consequences for them.  Ultimately Finkelstein lies and says he broke it, so he will be sent to the jail where he believes his mother and father are located.  Later Vovka is able to frame the teacher, and she is the one who gets in trouble for breaking Stalin's nose, but Sasha feels guilty and tries to confess to Principal Ivanych.  The principal knows that Sasha's father was arrested and locks Sasha in a storage room until it is time for him to be sent to an orphanage, but while in the storage room Sasha encounters the officer who arrested his father.  The officer had read Sasha's letter to Stalin and gives Sasha the chance to become a Young Pioneer if he agrees to report suspicious activity.  Frightened Sasha reluctantly agrees and is told to carry the banner at the rally, but as he is walking to the main hall he decides to leave the banner and the school.  He decides to go to Lubyanka prison to find his father.  He finds a line of thousands of people waiting to see loved ones who were unjustly arrested.  In the end, Sasha has a painful understanding of what it really means to be a Communist.  He realizes it is unfair and sees how people are living in constant fear of being arrested for no reason.

This book is sad, but it is written in a way children can understand.  The book contains black and white illustrations that help add to the story.  Most young readers will relate to the strong bond between Sasha and his father.  This book also does a great job of historically dictating the life of a child in the Soviet Union during the reign of Stalin.  BREAKING STALIN'S NOSE will help American children realize the amazing freedom we have in the United States.  Eugene Yelchin includes an author's note at the end of the book describing the similarities between his life and the book.  He was born and educated in Russia and lived a life very similar to Sasha's.

Review Excerpt(s)
2012 American Library Association Notable Books for Children Award Winner
2012 Newbery Medal Nominee
2012 Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People
2012 Judy Lopez Memorial Award Nominee
2011 California Books Award Nominee

Starred review in THE HORN BOOK MAGAZINE: "…this brief novel gets at the heart of a society that asks its citizens, even its children, to report on relatives and friends. Appropriately menacing illustrations by first-time novelist Yelchin add a sinister tone."

KIRKUS review: "Yelchin’s graphite illustrations are an effective complement to his prose, which unfurls in Sasha’s steady, first-person voice, and together they tell an important tale."

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY review: "Picture book author/illustrator Yelchin (Won Ton) makes an impressive middle-grade debut with this compact novel about a devoted young Communist in Stalin-era Russia, illustrated with dramatically lit spot art."

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE review: "A miracle of brevity, this affecting novel zeroes in on two days and one boy to personalize Stalin's killing machine of the '30s. …black-and-white drawings march across the pages to juxtapose hope and fear, truth and tyranny, small moments and historical forces, innocence and evil. This Newbery Honor book offers timeless lessons about dictatorship, disillusionment and personal choice."

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL review: "Yelchin skillfully combines narrative with dramatic black-and-white illustrations to tell the story of life in the Soviet Union under Stalin."

Connections

• This book introduces children to historical fiction.
• This book could encourage students to want to learn more about the history of the Soviet Union.
• It could prompt a discussion about the different types of economic systems such as capitalism, socialism, and communism.

Related books:

• Sepetys, Rudy. 2011. BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY. New York: Philomel Books. ISBN: 9780399254123
• Sis, Peter. 2007. THE WALL: GROWING UP BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN: 9780374347017

HITLER YOUTH: GROWING UP IN HITLER'S SHADOW by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Bibliography

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. 2005. HITLER YOUTH: GROWING UP IN HITLER'S SHADOW. New York: Scholastic Nonfiction. ISBN: 9780439353793

Plot Summary

HITLER YOUTH: GROWING UP IN HITLER'S SHADOW is an informational book about what it was like to be a teenager during the reign of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany.  Included are the accounts of those who were proud members of the Hitler Youth as well as those who opposed the Nazi Party.

Critical Analysis
Bartoletti uses multiple resources such as diaries and letters, as well as personal interviews with Holocaust survivors, Hitler Youth, resisters, and bystanders to write this social history from the viewpoints of young individuals who lived in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945.  The book begins with a two page spread about 12 young Germans that includes a brief bio and photo of each person.  The foreword on the next page lets the reader know the book is not about Adolf Hitler, but rather the "children and teenagers who followed Hitler and the Nazi Party."  The introduction precedes 10 chapters that are  followed by an epilogue, time line of the Hitler Youth, author's note, photograph information, quote sources, a bibliography, acknowledgments, and an index.  The page numbers for all of these sections are listed in the table of contents located in the front of the book.  This book was very well researched by Bartoletti, and it shows through all of the documentation listed in the back of the book.  Every quote used in the book is listed in the quote sources section along with the page number and corresponding bibliography entry listed in parenthesis.  In her note to the readers she describes what prompted her to want to write this book and gives details on how she obtained the information she needed to write it.  All of the photographs shown throughout the book have a description and a photo credit.  Bartoletti also gives further details about the photographs in a special section titled "About the Photographs."  Her bibliography includes over 100 sources that are grouped into different sections with subject headers.

The book itself is rather large similar to a coffee table book which makes you want to pick it up and flip through it.  The pages are creme colored with an easy to read black colored text.  I believe young adults will find the book inviting, because it has photographs on almost every page that complement the stories.  Since the photographs are so interesting, I believe they will make anyone who sees them want to read the text to find out more about them.  With her extensive research, Bartoletti managed to write a fascinating book about a sensitive subject from a perspective young adults can relate to. The different points of view in this book will make the reader experience a variety of emotions.

Review Excerpt(s)
2006 NCTE Orbis Pictus Award Nominee
2006 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award Nominee
2006 Newbery Medal Nominee
2006 American Library Association Notable Books for Children Award Winner
2005 School Library Journal Best Books of the Year Award Winner

Starred review in BOOKLIST: "What was it like to be a teenager in Germany under Hitler? Bartoletti draws on oral histories, diaries, letters, and her own extensive interviews with Holocaust survivors, Hitler Youth, resisters, and bystanders to tell the history from the viewpoints of people who were there. Most of the accounts and photos bring close the experiences of those who followed Hitler and fought for the Nazis, revealing why they joined, how Hitler used them, what it was like. Henry Mentelmann, for example, talks about Kristallnacht, when Hitler Youth and Storm Troopers wrecked Jewish homes and stores, and remembers thinking that the victims deserved what they got. The stirring photos tell more of the story. One particularly moving picture shows young Germans undergoing de-Nazification by watching images of people in the camps. The handsome book design, with black-and-white historical photos on every double-page spread, will draw in readers and help spark deep discussion, which will extend beyond the Holocaust curriculum. The extensive back matter is a part of the gripping narrative."

Starred review in KIRKUS: "Case studies of actual participants root the work in specifics, and clear prose, thorough documentation and an attractive format with well-chosen archival photographs make this nonfiction writing at its best….Superb."

Starred review in PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: "Bartoletti (Kids on Strike!) offers a unique and riveting perspective on WWII by focusing on the young people who followed Hitler from 1933-1945….Bartoletti's portrait of individuals within the Hitler Youth who failed to realize that they served “a mass murderer” is convincing, and while it does not excuse the atrocities, it certainly will allow readers to comprehend the circumstances that led to the formation of Hitler's youngest zealots."

Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "Hitler's plans for the future of Germany relied significantly on its young people, and this excellent history shows how he attempted to carry out his mission with the establishment of the Hitler Youth....Bartoletti lets many of the subjects' words, emotions, and deeds speak for themselves, bringing them together clearly to tell this story unlike anyone else has."

Connections

• This book could prompt students to want to learn more about World War II and the Holocaust.
• Students could use this book as a reference for assignments related to World War II and the Holocaust.
• This book could prompt a discussion about morality.

Other books by Susan Campbell Bartoletti:

• Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. 2001. BLACK POTATOES: THE STORY OF THE GREAT IRISH FAMINE, 1845-1850. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN: 9780618002719
• Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. 1999. KIDS ON STRIKE! Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN: 9780395888926
• Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. 2010. THEY CALLED THEMSELVES THE K.K.K.: THE BIRTH OF AN AMERICAN TERRORIST GROUP. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN: 9780618440337

DOWN, DOWN, DOWN: A JOURNEY TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA by Steve Jenkins

Bibliography

Jenkins, Steve. 2009. DOWN, DOWN DOWN: A JOURNEY TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN: 9780618966363

Plot Summary
This informational book about sea life begins at sea level and works its way down to the Marianas Trench.  It explores a wide variety of sea life from commonly known fish such as mackerel and tuna to unfamiliar sea creatures such as the loosejaw stoplight fish and the fangtooth.  The different environments of the sea are also described.

Critical Analysis
DOWN, DOWN, DOWN: A JOURNEY TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA is a photo essay book filled with beautiful lifelike illustrations of several different types of sea life.  Steve Jenkins begins the journey just above the surface of the Pacific Ocean and continues down little by little.  To help the reader have a sense of how deep things are, a bar graph to the right of every spread shows the depth and the temperature of each sea area below the surface.  For example, "the twilight zone begins about 660 feet below the surface" (Jenkins 2009).  Sunlight no longer reaches this zone.  Each level of the ocean in this book is featured over several pages and is accompanied with illustrations of the different sea life that live in those areas.  A brief summary describing each environment is also included in each spread.  This book does not include a table of contents, but it does have more information in the back of the book about each sea creature featured. Diagrams located in the back show the size of each of the creatures compared to an adult human's body or hand.  A bibliography is also included noting five different sources of information about the ocean leading me to believe the information provided by Jenkins is very accurate.

The organization of the information provided is superb as it is described at different levels below the sea with the help of the depth gauge provided.  Each different sea creature is described according to the depth level it is located in.  For example, most of the well known sea life such as the green sea turtle is described in the sunlit zone.  The illustrations portray all of the sea creatures accurately and lifelike.  The background color gets darker as the book describes the deeper parts of the sea which helps the reader envision what it would be like to explore the ocean.  Since the background is dark, the color of the text is in white, which at first I found a little hard to adjust to, but it became easier as the background color darkened.  Jenkins uses a style of writing in this book that makes the reader feel as though they are actually on a deep-sea voyage.  He addresses the readers directly with dialogue such as "All around us a delicate "marine snow" is falling."  He also prevents young readers from feeling overwhelmed by adding the pronunciation of certain words such as bioluminescent (by-oh-loo-muh-nes-uhnt) and abyssal (ah-bis-uhl).

My 9-year-old nephew must have been impressed by the book cover, because he picked up this book off of my desk and started reading it.  I later asked him what he thought of the book, and he said he especially liked the pictures of the sea creatures and showed me the one he found most interesting.  Our conversation intrigued his sisters enough to ask to read the book.  They also loved the illustrations.

Review Excerpt(s)
BOOKLIST review: "In this plunge into the deep, Jenkins displays his usual keen awareness of what is fascinating about biology and imparts it without sensationalism—the facts speak for themselves. Light becomes an impossibility only a tiny fraction of the way down into the ocean, and the deeper this book goes, the darker the palette and the scarier and stranger the beast encountered. Sophisticated cut- and torn-paper collage-work fit the alien qualities of the subjects well; it’s equally at home capturing the tiered needlepoints of lizardfish teeth as it is delivering an impressive and illuminating display of bioluminescence. The scale of just how staggeringly deep the ocean is, and how little we know of much beyond what happens at the surface, is conveyed by sidebars on each page that drop precipitously from sea level to the ocean floor many miles below. Thorough endnotes give greater detail on each of the featured creatures and help make this a most welcome introduction to the sometimes-surprising world of marine biology."

KIRKUS review: "From above the surface to the bottom of the deepest sea canyon, unusual creatures inhabit every level of our oceans, even those seemingly hostile to life. In this intriguing introduction, Jenkins explores the Pacific, gradually descending to its depths (shown by a scale along the right hand side of each double-page spread). His signature cut-paper illustrations show more than 50 creatures, from the albatross in the air to the flatfish living at the bottom of the Mariana Trench. Along the way he introduces such oddities as a three-foot comb jelly called a Venus's girdle, a glowing siphonophore colony and a hairy angler with her parasitic mate. Browsers will be delighted by the variety of species, shown in their appropriate colors although not to scale. Backmatter provides some information about the animals pictured, including sizes compared to a human body or hand, although the bibliography does not seem to include the sources used for those facts. Once again, Jenkins provides an almost irresistible entry into our natural world for the youngest readers."

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL review: "tarting at the surface of the Pacific Ocean, Jenkins introduces some of the animals that inhabit descending layers of water all the way down to the Marianas Trench. At nearly 36,000 feet, this zone has been visited only once, by human passengers of a research vessel. Depicted in Jenkins's signature handsome collages, the denizens of each level swim against ever-darkening backgrounds ranging from sunny blue to deepest black. Each double-page segment begins with a paragraph or two explaining the growing degree of darkness, cold, and pressure, and how all of these affect the lives of the resident creatures. A bar running down the far right of each scene indicates depth. Usually three or four animals—whales, fish, worms, and more—are featured. Sometimes colorful or luminescent and often toothy, they are both familiar and strange. In some views, the animals are relative in size, but in others, those that are actually quite different in scale appear to be similar. At the end of the book, an added paragraph about each scene takes up the matter of size. Here length is stated, and silhouettes compare each creature to either an adult human's hand or a full body. The bold views tend to emphasize the weirdness of these little-known species, but the repeated message that humans have much to explore and learn in the deeper ocean is intriguing and inviting. This is a good complement to Sneed B. Collard's The Deep-Sea Floor (Charlesbridge, 2003), which introduces some of the same animals and offers more information about recent exploration."

Connections

• Children can draw and color the different types of sea creatures found in this book.
• This book will prompt children to want to learn more about ocean life.
• This is an excellent book to read aloud to introduce sea life in a science class.

Other books by Steve Jenkins:

• Jenkins, Steve. 2004. ACTUAL SIZE. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN: 9780618375943
• Jenkins, Steve. 2010. BONES: SKELETONS AND HOW THEY WORK. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN: 9780545046510
• Jenkins, Steve. 2009. NEVER SMILE AT A MONKEY: AND 17 OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. ISBN: 9780618966202

WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALICE?: HOW ALICE ROOSEVELT BROKE THE RULES, CHARMED THE WORLD, AND DROVE HER FATHER TEDDY CRAZY! by Barbara Kerley

Bibliography

Kerley, Barbara. 2008. WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALICE? HOW ALICE ROOSEVELT BROKE THE RULES, CHARMED THE WORLD, AND DROVE HER FATHER TEDDY CRAZY! Ill. by Edwin Fotheringham. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN: 9780439922319

Plot Summary
WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALICE?: HOW ALICE ROOSEVELT BROKE THE RULES, CHARMED THE WORLD, AND DROVE HER FATHER TEDDY CRAZY! is a picture book biography about Theodore Roosevelt's lively daughter, Alice Roosevelt.  This book describes her childhood as well as young adulthood when her father was president.  Alice entertained important White House visitors, traveled the globe, had great adventures, and left a mark on the people she met and the places she visited.

Critical Analysis

Barbara Kerley does a great job of accurately describing the early part of Alice Roosevelt's life in this children's picture book biography.  It is noted in the back of this book that quotes were obtained from other biographies such as PRINCESS ALICE: A BIOGRAPHY OF ALICE ROOSEVELT LONGWORTH by Carol Felsenthal.  A special thanks from Barbara Kerley to Carol Felsenthal for fact checking the text and artwork is also noted in the back of this book.  Barbara Kerley also includes author's notes titled, "Sister," "Princess Alice," and "The Other Washington Monument." The note titled "The Other Washington Monument" gives a brief summary of Alice's life after she was married which is a nice addition for readers who would like to know more about Alice since the book only describes her earlier years.

Although there are no subheadings, there are dates throughout the text to let the reader know when certain events happened to Alice.  For example, the year of her birth is noted along with the year her father became president.  Words in bold print are used throughout this easy-to-read text for emphasis.  The illustrations by Edwin Fotheringham are very colorful and have a retro look to them which suits the time period for this biography.  The pictures complement the text and give the reader a glimpse of what Alice's life was like. Kerley does a great job of telling the story of Alice Roosevelt's life in a fun and kid friendly way.

Review Excerpt(s)
2009 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award Nominee
2009 American Library Association Notable Books for Children Award Winner
2008 School Library Journal Best Books of the Year Award Winner
2008 Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards Nominee

Starred review in BOOKLIST: "Irrepressible Alice Roosevelt gets a treatment every bit as attractive and exuberant as she was....The large format gives Fotheringham, in his debut, plenty of room for spectacular art."

Starred review in KIRKUS: "Theodore Roosevelt s irrepressible oldest child receives an appropriately vivacious appreciation in this superb picture book.... Kerley's precise text presents readers with a devilishly smart, strong-willed girl who was determined to live life on her own terms and largely succeeded."

Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "Kerley's text gallops along with a vitality to match her subject s antics, as the girl greets White House visitors accompanied by her pet snake, refuses to let leg braces cramp her style, dives fully clothed into a ship s swimming pool, and also earns her place in history as one of her father s trusted advisers. Fotheringham's digitally rendered, retro-style illustrations are a superb match for the text.

Connections

• This book introduces children to biographies.
• This book could prompt children to want to read and learn more about other U.S. presidents.
• Reading this book aloud to a history class would be a fun and great way to start the class when introducing U.S. presidents.

Other books by Barbara Kerley:

• Kerley, Barbara. 2010. THE EXTRAORDINARY MARK TWAIN (ACCORDING TO SUSY). Ill. by Ed Fotheringham. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN: 9780545125086
• Kerley, Barbara. 2012. THOSE REBELS, JOHN AND TOM. Ill. by Ed Fotheringham. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN: 9780545222686
• Kerley, Barbara. 2004. WALT WHITMAN: WORDS FOR AMERICA. Ill. by Brian Selznick. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN: 9780439357913

HIDDEN by Helen Frost

Bibliography

Frost, Helen. 2011. HIDDEN. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN: 9780374382216

Plot Summary
HIDDEN is about a girl named Wren who is accidentally kidnapped after a man steals her mother's minivan to use as a getaway car after a convenience store robbery.  The thief drives the van home, but doesn't know eight-year-old Wren is hiding under a blanket in the back.  He locks up the van in the garage, and Wren spends a few days trapped in the garage before escaping.  Darra, who is the thief's daughter,  figures out Wren might be in the garage after seeing news reports about the missing girl.  This prompts her to leave out a sandwich and a bottle of water for Wren who she knew was hiding in her dad's boat.  Six years later when Wren and Darra are both fourteen years old, they unexpectedly both end up at the same summer camp, and eventually realize they have to talk about what happened in order to find closure.

Critical Analysis
HIDDEN is a verse novel written for young adults.  Frost uses two alternating points of view, each told in the first person, to tell the story.  Frost also uses two different styles of poetry for each girl's voice.  This helps distinguish the differences between the two main characters, Wren Abbott and Darra Monson.  The alternating points of view also help provide imagery to the reader.  The story is very moving and is sure to appeal to teen readers who can identify with the emotions of the two main characters.  The development of the friendship between Wren and Darra is certain to connect with many teen readers as well.

HIDDEN is suspenseful and will definitely keep the reader's interest.  The author includes hidden messages throughout the text that one can go back and find at the end.  Helen Frost points out in the end section "Diving Deeper: Notes on Form" that "Darra's poems are written in a form invented for this book. The last words of the long lines, when read down the right side of the page, give further insight into her story."  Wren's poems, on the other hand, are written in free verse, which Frost describes as "the placement of words on the page is something like musical notation."

The book teaches the reader, that despite differences, oftentimes people can be friends if only they take the time to learn about each other.  It also conveys the message that it is not wise to make assumptions without hearing all of the facts of a another person's side of a story.  The ending of this book made me wishing there was more. Perhaps Helen Frost could write a follow up book.

Review Excerpt(s)
2012 American Library Association Notable Books for Children Award Winner
2012 Lee Bennett Hopkins Children's Poetry Award Honor Book
2012 Black-Eyed Susan Book Award Nominee
2013 Great Lakes' Great Books Award Nominee

BOOKLIST review: "Though Wren and Darra have never even made eye contact, they share a secret history that changed both of their lives. When they were eight, Wren hid in Darra’s family’s garage for several days after Darra’s father stole a van, unaware that Wren was in the backseat. Darra knew Wren was hiding and did her eight-year-old best to offer silent comfort, then felt betrayed when Wren’s escape drew the police, leading to her father’s arrest. Now the girls find themselves cabinmates at summer camp in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Seeing Darra brings long-submerged rage and fear back to the surface for Wren, while Darra remains angry at Wren for the havoc she caused, unhappy as Darra’s family may have been. Forced into close proximity, the girls gradually get to know one another again—and for the first time. Like Frost’s Printz Honor Book, Keesha’s House (2003), this novel in verse stands out through its deliberate use of form to illuminate emotions and cleverly hide secrets in the text." - Heather Booth. Booklist

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL review: "An eight-year-old waits in the family's minivan while her mother goes into a convenience store. When she hears a gunshot, she scrambles to hide under a blanket in the back, and then someone rushes into the van and drives away without knowing she's there. This novel in verse is told in two first-person voices. Wren is the girl in the van, and Darra (also age eight) is the daughter of the man who robs the store and inadvertently kidnaps Wren. He drives home, and she's trapped in their garage for several days before she escapes. Darra is aware of her presence and tries to come up with a plan that won't implicate her father, but Wren is already gone. The book then jumps ahead six years, to the summer camp in Michigan where the two girls meet. This original blend of crime tale, psychological study, and friendship story is a page-turner that kids will love. There are a few plausibility issues, but there are many more strengths. Wren's captivity in the garage is truly suspenseful, and the various interactions of the kids at the sleepover camp are a study in shifting alliances. The book also touches on some deeper issues, like how you can love a parent who is sometimes abusive, and how sensitive kids can blame themselves for things that aren't really their fault. Smoothly written, this novel carries a message of healing and hope." -Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL School Library Journal

Connections

• This book could prompt a discussion about what to do if kidnapped.
• It could also prompt discussion about bullying and friendship
• This book introduces readers to verse poetry. 

Other books by Helen Frost:

• Frost, Helen. 2006. THE BRAID. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN: 9780374309626
• Frost, Helen. 2009. CROSSING STONES. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN: 9780374316532
• Frost, Helen. 2008. DIAMOND WILLOW. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN: 9780374317768