Van Allsburg, Chris. Jumanji. New York, New York: Scholastic Inc., 1981. ISBN:0-590-42233-2

Jumanji a creative children’s book about siblings, Judy and Peter, who are alone in their upper class home bored leading them to the park where they find a board game, “Jumanji-A Jungle Adventure Game.” The children began playing the game and find themselves in an assortment of predicaments. These events develop as the children roll the dice trying to move their pieces across the board and out of the jungle. The climax is reached when jungle animals surround them and Judy has the pressure to roll a twelve in order for the game to be complete. She does just that and shouts, “Jumanji!” and the chaos of the house disappears. The theme was revealed when Judy realizes to stop the craziness they must continue the game until they are out of the jungle. Showing the theme of finishing what you start.

Using charcoal drawings and surrealistic art the audience is sucked into the story by both text and illustrations. The drawings are all very textured and detailed. Illustrations are placed on a full page on the right page with a white boarder. The main objects in the illustrations are the largest in the drawing with some 3.D characteristics. The tension of the text is felt as the illustrations grow darker or lighter with the lighter pages feeling the safest.

Jumanji a fantasy, Caldecott Medal book told in 3rd person has simple text and eye-catching illustrations appropriate for imaginative elementary readers and has a theme relative to all ages of life.

A Chair For My Mother

Williams, Vera B. A Chair for My Mother. New York: Greenwillow Books, 1982.

This is a story told by the young girl who selflessly devises a plan to donate her hard earned money to her single working mother and grandmother. She wants to help buy a piece of comfy furniture after a fire destroyed their home and belongings. The family fills a huge jar with spare coins they collect each day and optimistically count the money inside nightly until the day when the jar is full and their dream of a comfy armchair is obtained.

Vera B. Williams's (author and illustrator) use of the little girl as the narrator creates a selfless and optimistic theme of a child trying to give something of value to her mother. She plays on the child’s hopeful narration and invites readers of any age to relate to and enjoy the realistic story. The specific setting of the story is never mentioned, but obviously it is located in a city which allows for a large spectrum of readers to insert themselves into the story. Williams's Caldecott Honor illustrations enhance the story further by expressing the scenery and mood of the story through artistic color and borders. Williams's relationship between text and art helps a wide range of audiences understand visually her theme of selflessness; a solid lesson for kids and adults to learn and review which I believe is Williams’s hidden meaning behind her book.

Say, Allen. Grandfather's Journey.

Say, Allen. Grandfather’s Journey. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1993.

Grandfather’s Journey is about a young Japanese-American man who leaves his homeland of Japan to travel across sea to the beautiful sights of America. As you read this historical fiction, you learn the story of a grandfather who is struggling with the love of two countries throughout his life and his ongoing travels between the two places, told to you by his grandson. You will be finally introduced to his grandson at the end of the story when he decides to travel and stay in California after his grandfather passes away. The grandson says, “The moment I am in one country, I am homesick for the other,” (31) and that is exactly how his grandfather felt all his life.

Each page has an impressionistic watercolor still life illustration of landscape or people, and you feel like you’re looking at a family photo album as you turn each page. Say’s brush strokes and lines do a great job illustrating age in people and shows tremendous detail. The colors are neutral and complement the emotions of the characters, and the shapes direct the reader’s eye to the positive space of the picture.

Allen Say does a great job putting his own voice into a story while the purpose was to educate children about a different culture. This book is relevant in today’s society and is appropriate for middle to upper elementary depending on comprehensive ability.

Animalia By Graeme Base- Fiction/Poetry/Animal Fantasy

Base, Graeme. Animalia. New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers, 1993.

If you still tend to “judge a book by its cover” then I don’t think you’ll be able to pass up Animalia written and illustrated by Graeme Base. Animalia is an alphabet book but it offers much more than just teaching the letters in their appropriate order. Each page is dedicated to one of the 26 letters of the alphabet and it contains a phrase using only words that begin with the designated letter. One of the words on each page is the name of an animal that starts with the given letter, thus explaining the title: Animalia. Base has filled each letter’s page from top to bottom with objects that begin with the showcased letter. So although the phrase may consist of only a few words, nearly all illustrations complement the letter. Base’s artwork style is a mixture of representational and surrealistic art with a great use of vivid color and intense texture.

I think beyond the sheer enjoyment this book brings, is a great teaching and learning tool. Each phrase uses alliteration and encourages vocabulary exploration. Since alliteration is used, it can be difficult to find words that make sense but also start with the appropriate letter, so some of the words are not found in everyday language. The illustrations alone are a learning tool that make readers question the strategic placement of each object.

Overall , Animalia is a fun, informational book that will leave readers of all ages entertained for hours!

Zen Shorts by Jon Muth

Muth, Jon. Zen Shorts, New York: Published by Scholastic Press, 2005.

Zen Shorts is a fictional/folklore picture book that challenges the human mind and forces it to reexamine every aspect of our lives: The habits, desires, and uncertainties. The story involves three children (Michael, Addy, and Karl) who form an unlikely friendship with a panda bear named Stillwater who happens to be their new next door neighbor. The days that follow have each of the children visiting Stillwater, where he provides stories that challenge and encourage the children to think in ways that never occurred to them before.

Using water color and ink was a fitting approach in constructing the artwork of the picture book. The pale colors create an atmosphere that is calm and relaxing. Despite the use of water color the features are oddly complex and realistic, every detail penetrating the reader’s senses. The story is placed in the pictures, instead of a separate section of the page. If the text had been a separate section it would have shown incohesion, and moved away from the serenity of the book.

“When you look into a pool of water there is a clear reflection. If the water is agitated the reflection is unclear.”[1] Our minds are like that. When we are agitated, we cannot see the truth. Jon Muth effectively demonstrates his ability to challenge the human mind. The story reflects how we consistently examine our own personal behavior and learn from our experiences. The story is appropriate for ages 5-10.

[1] Quote found in back of Zen Shorts

Zen Shorts by Jon Muth

Muth, Jon. Zen Shorts, New York: Published by Scholastic Press, 2005.

Zen Shorts is a fictional/folklore picture book that challenges the human mind and forces it to reexamine every aspect of our lives: The habits, desires, and uncertainties. The story involves three children (Michael, Addy, and Karl) who form an unlikely friendship with a panda bear named Stillwater who happens to be their new next door neighbor. The days that follow have each of the children visiting Stillwater, where he provides stories that challenge and encourage the children to think in ways that never occurred to them before.

Using water color and ink was a fitting approach in constructing the artwork of the picture book. The pale colors create an atmosphere that is calm and relaxing. Despite the use of water color the features are oddly complex and realistic, every detail penetrating the reader’s senses. The story is placed in the pictures, instead of a separate section of the page. If the text had been a separate section it would have shown incohesion, and moved away from the serenity of the book.

“When you look into a pool of water there is a clear reflection. If the water is agitated the reflection is unclear.”[1] Our minds are like that. When we are agitated, we cannot see the truth. Jon Muth effectively demonstrates his ability to challenge the human mind. The story reflects how we consistently examine our own personal behavior and learn from our experiences. The story is appropriate for ages 5-10.

[1] Quote found in back of Zen Shorts

Fly Away Home by Eve Bunting and illustrated by Ronald Himler

Fly Away Home is a story of a homeless boy and his father who live in an airport, each day moving to a new terminal in an effort to go unnoticed. One day the boy sees a bird trapped in the airport and when the bird escapes through a door, he realizes that he also will find a way out someday. Some readers may not be able to relate to being homeless and having to live in an airport, but they can probably relate to the feeling of being trapped in a situation at some point in their lives. Since the story is told through the eyes of the boy, children can relate to his feelings and adults can relate because they were children at one time.
The idea of being trapped can be felt through both the pictures and the text. The pictures help to capture the boys’ sadness and the dull colors enhance the readers' feelings of pain and lifelessness. Both the boy and his father always wear blue, a color often associated with sadness and the pictures seem to close in around the words, drawing the eyes of the reader inward which may represent feeling trapped, as well.
According to The Horn Book, "the problem of homelessness, so distressing and so difficult to explain to children, has found moving expression in a simple, universal picture book…"[1] I agree, homelessness can be hard to explain and the feelings of those who are homeless can he hard to get across. This book helps children and adults experience the pain of the homeless through words and pictures.

[1] This quote can be found on the back of Fly Away Home.

Bunting, Eve. Fly Away Home. New York: Clarion, 1991.

On the Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson

Woodson, Jacqueline. On the Other Side. New York, New York: G.P. Putnam's Son, 2001.

Jacqueline Woodson lays this story out like a beautiful poem with her fence that is used as a metaphor for the racial divide. The book is set in the south during the time of racism and the divide between whites and blacks. The story is about a summer friendship that overcomes that racial divide. The narrator, a young African American girl named Clover, lives next to a fence that separates her town. Clover's mother tells her she is never to climb over the fence because it wasn't safe. One summer morning while playing outside, Clover notices a girl on the other side of the fence. Becoming curious of each other as the summer goes by. One day they both finally get up enough guts to meet one another and they decide not to listen to either of their mother's and sit upon the fence which once divided them as if it was meant just for that.
The illustrations in this book are absolutely breathtaking. E.B. Lewis uses watercolor to capture the summer time in the south. The use of blue and yellow in the pictures show happiness and unity. The part where he captures the sadness of Clover not being able to go outside with the rain outside. On one of the pages shows the social status by the separation of the two by a cement line. You can tell the curiosity of the two children yearning to meet one another. Lewis depicts the time with the dresses and the sneakers. The sun is shining but there are dark shadows.

Clever Beatrice by Margaret Willey

Clever Beatrice is an original folktale written by Margaret Willey and illustrated by Heather Solomon. Set in the late 19th century in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the author uses a third person account to cleanly direct the plot. The story begins with an establishment of characters; Beatrice and her mother have fallen on hard times, however, there is a rich giant over the hill. In the ending the problem is resolved without difficulty; Beatrice outsmarts the giant and wins his riches. Willey’s overall theme is that intelligence will triumph over physical strength.
Solomon uses collage technique with acrylic, oils, and watercolors throughout the illustrations to supply visual contrasts and patterns that convey movement and reality. She produces impressionistic art that effectively combines small morsels of color and texture to create a complete picture. The illustrations are three-dimensional with thin angular lines and geometric shapes. The earth tones used reflect the simplicity of woodland life.
Willey’s accomplishes her intent to entertain and educate. Her story reflects on an economy relying on the lumber industry, “One way [to make money] is to cut down trees with the lumberjacks,” states Beatrice’s mother (p. 3). This ever-present relationship between people and the environment is relatable for all generations. A hidden message Willey includes is that when times are rough one may need to call upon all of their personal strengths to overcome tribulations. This folktale is appropriate for ages 4-8.

Willey, Margaret. Clever Beatrice. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2001.

Click http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/authors/experts/willey.asp for an interview in which Willey comments on her inspiration and techniques used while writing this book.
If you are interested in Upper Peninsula folktales this book: http://www.amazon.com/Bloodstoppers-Bearwalkers-Traditions-Upper-Peninsula/dp/0674076656 offers a compilation of stories collected by a folklorist in the late 1940’s.

The Runaway Bunny - Margaret Wise Brown

The famous pair, Margaret Wise Brown and illustrator, Clement Hurd, have once again produced a heart warming bedtime story, The Runaway Bunny, sure to make any child’s dreams sweet. The story first introduces a little bunny informing his mother that he is going to run away, with the mother replying that if he does she will find him. Each page, the bunny fabricates a plan of action he will take to get away from his mother by adopting different professions that put him up on mountain tops and out in the ocean. No matter what he does his mother seems to finds him every time. Unconditional love is easily portrayed by the mother each page, which makes it a simple lesson for children to hold on to.

The illustrations in the book are setup differently than most, where with each page that includes text, the picture is a black and white sketch. Then, there is a spread following the black and white pages that has no border or words, bright colors, and is an example of impressionistic art as an oil painting. Since the whole book is based on a conversation between a mother and her little bunny boy, each black and white page explains what that character intends to do. Each color page, therefore, exhibits the result of their intentions. The book’s simple story line with repetitive phrases, cumulative pattern of events, and literal illustrations of the content makes it a perfect book for children that are learning to read.

Brown, Margaret Wise. The Runaway Bunny. New York City: Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc., 1972.

Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold

Ringgold, Faith. Tar Beach. New York: Crown Publishers, 1991. 

"Anyone can fly. All you need is somewhere to go that you can't get to any other way. The next thing you know, you're flying among the stars."

-Cassie Louise Lightfoot

Tar Beach is a fascinating and imaginative children's book in which Faith Ringgold ties her own childhood memories as well as African American history into her fictional story. 

It takes place in the late 1930's on the top of eight year old, African-American, Cassie Louise Lightfoot's city apartment, called Tar Beach. here, Cassie take her dreams to new heights- literally. Cassie explains that she can own anything that she flies over. She glides past Daddy's Union so she can give it to him. Ringgold touches on the fact that "colored or half breed Indian like they say" couldn't join the Union. Ringgold characterizes Cassie as a strong, heroic, black, female child who strive to give her family a better life. 

Interestingly, Tar Beach was actually a story quilt before it became a children's book. Incorporating Faith Ringgold's quilt into the story, she place the quilt as the border on each page with the beautifully painted illustrations as the center focus. Ringgold uses many vibrant and colorful hues that stay constant as you turn the page. Her are emphasizes the African culture by using many browns, oranges, and reds. The night sky, where Cassie flies, is a deep and peaceful blue, symbolizing freedom. She has no worried in the sky, and works to free her family of the hardships that they face. 

This book is suitable for third grade and above. It is important for the children to have a basic idea of the time period in order to understand this story. 

Goodnight Moon

Goodnight Moon

This warm and cuddly book is the perfect read for a child tucked in bed, ready to dream. In Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, a little bunny goes through his night time ritual and says goodnight to all of his surroundings. The simplicity of the calming rhyme scheme could put any energetic little one right to bed. The text itself is an effortless read, allowing the child to read it for him/herself or choose to be read to by an adult. I have a personal connection with this book, as my mother used to read it to me before I went to sleep, so I too could say goodnight to things in my room. I can safely recommend this picture book to any adult who wants to put their rambunctious child to bed, or simply wants to spend time with his/ her son or daughter. For a child who doesn’t want to go to sleep, this children’s book shows that all people, even mittens, kittens, bears and chairs must rest to start a new day.

The Pictures in this book are so beautifully detailed and colorful, everything strategically placed. The colors are bold; however, it’s more of a calming bold, easy on the eyes rather then the author filling the pages with lively energetic colors. In every colored picture, the room gets progressively darker to show that time is indeed passing and its time for little bunny to go to bed. Between every colored picture spread is a black and white spread, something that immediately drew in my interest. Perhaps the black and white pictures represent dreaming, and make believe; or perhaps they do not represent anything at all. Whatever the case may be, the black and white pictures serve as a great contrast to the colorful spreads, making each flip of the page more and more anticipated for a child reader.

Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola

Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola is a retelling of the Porridge Pot Story but in dePaola's own words. It is a folklore story about Strega Nona(Grandma Witch) who uses her magic to help people with their everyday problems. She hires a young man to help her with her housework, who ends up being overcome with curiosity about a magic pasta pot, and disregards his responsibilities and ends up having to face the consequences of his actions. The young man's curiosity almost destroys the village which enrages the townspeople. Strega Nona comes back to the town and with her wisdom she is able to save the town and the young man, by making him face the consequences, which are fair, but also very grueling.
dePaola is able to capture both the Italian feel of the town of Calabria, and the characters emotions by using watercolor. The use of red for the roof tiles and the beige for the buildings, lets the reader understand the importance of the Italian culture to the author. The white doves, which are near Straga Nona in many of the illustrations, represent how wise she is. The illustrations flow with the text making it very easy for the reader to follow the story. Trough the use of watercolor and well written text, dePaola is able to teach a lesson of responsibility that readers of all ages are able to enjoy.

dePaola, Tomie. Strega Nona. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1975.

Pink and Say

Polacco , Patricia. Pink and Say. New York City : Philomel Books, 1994.


Pink and Say is a book set during the civil war. The main characters are Pinkus Aylee (Pink) and Sheldon Curtis (Say). They are young soldiers fighting for the union forces and meet when Pink finds Say with a bullet in his leg. Pink carries Say all the way back to his house and Say is cared for by Moe Moe Bay. The boys were putting Moe Moe Bay in great danger by being in confederate territory. Marauders get to the house before they could leave and Moe Moe Bay gets shot while the boys hide in the cellar. They leave and are captured by confederate soldiers and are sent to a confederate camp. Pink never leaves, but Say lives on to tell Pink’s story.
Patricia Polacco uses color to portray the characters and settings in Pink and Say. The pictures are detailed with the colors she chooses stand out on each page. She uses mainly reds, oranges and browns. They depict the rustic feeling of the surroundings and people. The characters faces are drawn focusing on the color and certain aspects of the face such as the mouths or hands to emphasize the text.
This book has times of violence and realistic pictures showing blood and death. At the beginning and end, the author explains more in depth about the characters and the credibility of the story. It is a great story about overcoming obstacles and deep friendship. This book would be suitable for children 4th grade and above.

Stone Soup by Jon Muth

In Jon Muth’s third person retelling of Stone Soup three monks travel in hopes of finding the key to happiness and stumble upon a weathered village where each villager isolates themselves from another. In the making of stone soup, a little girl’s curiosity brings the community out to lend a helping hand in the process. Upon the monk’s departure the villagers are once again united and discover happiness comes from sharing. This trickery folklore blends Buddhism with an Eastern culture, illustrated by the choosing of three monks versus soldiers of previous retellings and each represent particular Chinese deities. Muth’s version stresses the importance of generosity whereas other tellings have travelers seeking personal gain.

Muth portrays the Chinese culture through the use of watercolor. Vibrant yellow dresses the little girl with importance and strategic placement on each page symbolizing the significance of her role in unification. The illustrations strongly follow the community’s development of unity; in the beginning each character is in individual pictures, the middle a few villagers are illustrated together and in closing artwork the entire village gathers to say farewell. The color of gray symbolizes a sense of balance and calamity. The monks dressed in all gray are seen as at peace along side the stacking of stones that are the basis for the village’s feast. Stone Soup blends design and passage to effectively communicate the value of community and kindness.

Muth, Jon. Stone Soup. New York: Scholastic Press, 2003.

When Sophie Gets Angry - Really Really Angry by Molly Bang

Bang, Molly. When Sophie Gets Angry - Really, Really Angry. New York: The Blue Sky Press, 1999.

When Sophie Gets Angry – Really, Really Angry begins as Sophie, the main character of this realistic fictional picture book, gets angry as her sister tries to grab the toy that she is playing with from Sophie’s grip. Sophie becomes enraged as she trips over a toy truck when knocked off balance by her sister’s snatch. Sophie “kicks. She screams. She wants to smash the world into smithereens.” This book follows Sophie’s journey as she battles with her emotions and deals with her anger.
Sophie is a young girl who is used to bring about this theme by using a familiar occurrence in children’s lives: the sharing of a favorite toy. Molly Bang, the author and illustrator, tells a realistic story through simple text and cartoon art. The simplistic text helps children understand the theme that anger is a natural occurrence and there are constructive ways to manage it.
Bang does an excellent job at connecting the illustrations in perfect harmony with the text. The full-color pages are alive with intense purples, oranges and reds at the height of Sophie’s rage, but are later replaced with soothing blues and greens after she is calmed. Bang uses the effect of line throughout the story to show the intensity of her emotions. In the beginning of the story Sophie is outlined in a yellow, but as her anger grows it moves to a flaming red, then back down.
This is a well-written story with attention catching illustrations, and teaches a great lesson to children of all ages.


Another Source:

Cullinan, Bernice, and Lee Galda. Literature and the Child. 5th ed. Wadsworth, 2002

Harvey Potter’s Balloon Farm

Nolen, Jerdine. Harvey Potter’s Balloon Farm. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1994

Harvey Potter’s Balloon Farm is a children’s picture book that takes place in the rolling countryside of a small town on a U.S. Government Inspected Balloon Farm. It is told/narrated from a young African American girl’s point of view. She becomes friends with balloon farmer, Harvey Potter and eventually uses her own methods to grow balloons when she gets older. All the characters are very well developed and include, Harvey Potter, Wheezle Mayfield and the young girl who narrates the book.

The style of the art in the book could be considered cartoon because of the simplicity of the objects, yet it is a touch impressionistic because the illustrator plays with the emphasis of light and shadows as well. Some areas of the pictures appear to be very smooth, however others are rough and broken up with many visible brush strokes.

The text and illustrations aren’t completely symmetric rather they enhance each other. Without the illustrations, we wouldn’t completely understand the text, and without the text we wouldn’t understand the illustrations. They are done with bright colors like “Pleasin’ Purple, Rip-TwoShot Red, and Grassy Green” that literally pop off the page!

Nolen’s book is definitely age appropriate, because I don’t know that there is one specific target age for it. I read it as a child and loved it, and I read it again today and my mind still swirls with what it would be like to see a real balloon farm. The perfect book for a creative, light-hearted individual!

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble By: William Steig

Steig, William. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. New York: The Trumpet Club, 1969.

This clever book is an animal fantasy story about a donkey named Sylvester who comes across a magic pebble that grants any wishes he desires. One day he comes across a lion so he wishes to be turned into a rock to protect himself. Unfortunately he does not think this through because he is no longer holding the pebble and he is unable to change himself back. Time passes; seasons are shown through illustrations. His parents almost give up hope until they come across the rock that is their son. Sylvester’s mom finds the pebble and holds it in her hand and wishes her son were here. Magically Sylvester turns back into himself and everyone is very grateful.

The text and illustrations have a enhanced relationship; the illustrations add some qualities to the book that are not displayed by the text. The pictures are very bright and colorful with a lot of texture and detail, which really helps move the story along.

Although the pictures take up most of the space on the pages the text of the story has the most impact on the reader. It brings a very good message to the reader’s attention: although there is a lot of things we might wish for, we should not take for granted what we have because in the end those things are most important. In the end Sylvester was happy to be with his family that he missed for so long. Sometimes materialistic things are not needed when you have the love of the people around you. This story line is definitely age appropriate for any and all readers. It is a great story that ends with a great message.

Grandfather Twilight

Berger, Barbara. Grandfather Twilight. New York City: PaperStar, 1984.

Grandfather twilight is a fantasy story about an old man who lives in the forest. Every night Grandfather Twilight took a pearl out of his chest and walks it through the forest. With every step the pearl would grow and twilight spreads across the sky. Grandfather Twilight returns home to go to bed.
The illustrations in the book were very important. In the surrealisic paintings she uses soft, smooth, and warm colors to provide vivid illustrations to the book. Most of the pictures take up most of the page. Pictures that are placed in the middle of the page are supposed to be the center of attention. The illustrations play an important part in the book. The pictures are so detailed you would know what was going on by just looking at the pictures.
The story moves well and the main character, Grandfather Twilight, is the grandpa type that you automatically fall in love with. Without the pictures I do not think that the book would have the impact that it does. The Horn Magazine states that, “the visual metaphors and pearl dust floating behind Grandfather Twilight as he walks as if this is really how twilight occurs.” The text fits perfectly with the pictures and still lets the imagination wander. This quiet bedtime story is enjoyable for all ages.

The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash by Trinka Hakes Noble, Illustrations: Steven Kellogg

Noble Hakes, Trinka. The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash. New York: Puffin Books, 1980.

In The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash, a little girl tells her mother about the adventures she experiences while visiting the local farm with her class. The story all begins with the mother asking her daughter how her field trip was only to get the response of “oh… boring…kind of dull…until the cow started crying.” Which then begins the story of all the debauchery, which occurs on the school field trip to the farm.

The artwork of this book is a cartoon. The colors used are vivid, and the pictures take up the entire page with little writing on each page. This is done so that the reader feels like they were on the farm, seeing this first hand The pictures really enhance the story because the words are so simple; the pictures really make the story of what occurred on the field trip come alive. The media used to create the artwork is a combination of water colors and pencils, pencil being used to show details like the beard on the farmer, while water colors are used in shadows and other large areas.

This book would be considered contemporary realistic fiction because it is often children in the modern time would go to a farm for a school field trip. This book is intended for younger children in elementary school, however adults will find the pictures and language of the book humorous and relatable to a conversation they may have with their own child about a school trip.