Genre Two - Traditional Literature

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Goble, Paul. 1984. BUFFALO WOMAN. New Your: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0027377202

PLOT SUMMARY:
Buffalo Woman is a story (legend) from the Great Plains Indians. In this story a young hunter is grateful for his hunting skills and the plentiful buffalo. He would thank the buffalo for offering themselves. One day as the hunter is hunting; a buffalo turns into a beautiful woman. He fell in love with the woman who was not of his people but from the Buffalo Nation. She had been sent because they knew he was a good man and the woman and the hunter married. They had a son named Calf Boy. The hunter’s family told Buffalo Woman she is like an animal. She took her son and left. The hunter became angry at his people and followed his wife who was returning to her people. Buffalo Woman warned her husband not to follow her as it would be dangerous for him. He said he loved her and his son and he would follow even if it meant his death. Soon they reached the Buffalo Nation. In order to not be killed by the buffalo, the hunter must pick his wife and son out of the herds of calves and cows. His son has given him clues to which animals to choose and the hunter is able to identify his wife and son. The Buffalo Nation is so impressed that they turn the hunter into a buffalo. This is why “the Buffalo People have given their flesh so that little children, and babies still unborn, will always have meat to eat. It is the creator’s wish.”

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
Buffalo Woman is a folktale explaining how the Straight-up-People are dependent on the buffalo for all their needs. Many parallels can be made between this story and today’s world, for example, when the Straight-up-People ridiculed Buffalo Woman for being different. Often people or groups are criticized for being different just like Buffalo Woman. The story also illustrates how true love can triumph over diversity. The hunter is willing to become a buffalo in order to be with his wife and child even though it means giving up his own way of life and family.

REVIEW EXCERPTS:
ALA Booklist (starred review) - "A considered, reverent, and eye catching rendition of an important Native American legend."
School Library Journal (starred review) - "Moving and authentic."
The Horn Book - "The brilliantly colored, stylized art is at once transcendent and comprehensible."

CONNECTIONS:
Have students create a diorama of a scene from the story.
Discuss with older children differences between people and cultures. Have the students write other ways the Straight-up-People could have dealt with their feelings toward Buffalo Woman.

Genre Two - Traditional Literature

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Pollock, Penny. 1996. THE TURKEY GIRL A ZUNI CINDERELLA STORY. Ill. by Ed Young. Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 0316713171

PLOT SUMMARY:
The Turkey Girl is a folktale from the Zuni Indian tribe about a poor, young girl who lives in the pueblo village, Matsaki and herds turkeys for a living. One day the herald-priest announces the Dance of the Sacred Bird. The girl wanted to attend the dance but knew she could not because she was poor and had only rags to wear. While herding the turkeys the young girl began to cry because she was going to miss the dance. One of the turkeys spoke to the girl and assured her she could go to the dance. When she protested that she was too poor to attend the dance, the turkeys took her and tended to her clothes and accessories. After she was ready for the dance, the turkeys made her promise to be home before the sun went down or they would leave forever. The girl was having so much fun at the dance that she was late in returning. Because she had broken her promise to the turkeys, they left and she had no way to make her living. Her beautiful clothes turned back into rags and she had lost her turkey friends forever. The turkeys were to forever live apart from the tall people.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
Human nature and the earth are prevalent themes in the Turkey Girl. When the turkeys made the girl promise she would return before sundown, they were fairly certain that her human nature would prevent her from returning on time. They insisted that the gate be left unlocked because they knew she would not want to leave the party early. This book teaches a lesson about keeping promises and respecting those who help you. The illustrations are shadowy and do not give many details.

REVIEW EXCERPTS:
Publishers Weekly – “Like the music of story hour radio shows, these illustrations set a mood, forcing the reader to fill in the visual details.
Booklist – “Pollock’s retelling is steady and solid, and her source is clearly indicated in an author’s note that gives some background on the tale.”
Kirkus Reviews – “A graceful, dreamy episode.”

CONNECTIONS:
Compare and Contrast two versions of Cinderella stories.
Have students tell their own Cinderella Story from their culture.
Read other stories that are a version of Cinderella.

Genre Two - Traditional Literature

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Ada, Alma Flor, F. Isabel Campoy, and Alice Schertle. 2003. !PIO PEEP! TRADITIONAL SPANISH NURSERY RHYMES. China: Harper Collins Publisher. ISBN 0688160190

PLOT SUMMARY:
!Pio Peep! is a collection of Spanish Nursery Rhymes presented in both Spanish and English languages.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
Many of the nursery rhymes involve animals and nature. They are very short so children can repeat and memorize the easily. The illustrations that accompany the nursery rhymes are colorful and pleasing to the eye. This is a great book to be read to very young children.

REVIEW EXCERPTS:
School Library Journal (starred review) – “Stellar…The rhymes cover everything from early morning birds to elephants to angels.”
Booklist – “both versions have a sweet, rhythmic simplicity that will get children singing, clapping, and perhaps making some forays into a new language.”

CONNECTIONS:
This is a great book to use in bilingual or ESL classes. It would help native Spanish speakers see familiar words translated and would also help English speakers learn to read and speak Spanish.
Students could compare and contrast the Spanish nursery rhymes with traditional English nursery rhymes.
Young students could use puppets to retell the rhymes.
Students could make up their own short poems based on an animal or favorite toy.

Genre One - Picture Books

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Marcus, Leonard S. 2001. SIDE BY SIDE FIVE FAVORITE PICTURE-BOOK TEAMS GO TO WORK. New York; Walker & Company. ISBN 0802787797

PLOT SUMMARY
Mr. Marcus examines five picture book writing teams and looks at the process of wirting and illustrating children's books. He has chosen authors and illustrators of some of the most popular children's literature and explores their collaborative and creative process. The five teams include: Arthur Yorinks and Richard Egielski (LOUIS THE FISH), Alice Provensen and Martin Provensen (THE GLORIOUS FLIGHT: ACROSS THE CHANNEL WITH LOUIS BLERIOT), Jon Scieszka, Lane Smith, and Molly Leach (THE STINKY CHEESE MAN AND OTHER FAIRLY STUPID TALES), Julius Lester and Jerry Pinkney (SAM AND THE TIGERS: A NEW TELLING OF LITTLE BLACK SAMBO), and Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen (THE MAGIC SCHOOL BUS EXPLORES THE SENSES). Readers can read about the process of writing and illustrating picture books. Marcus includes examples of the writing. drawing, and editing process. There is even a glossary of terms for younger readers who may not be familiar with some of the technical terms. This is a great book for children who may be interested in writing, illustrating, or both.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This is a great behind the scenes book for anyone interested in writing or illustrating. Not only is there a story about what happens while collaborating on a picture book, there are examples of the creative process while in development. The pictures of illustrations in process is great for artists who may struggle or not always get it right the first time to see. Also included are copies of writing in process. It shows the editing process as words and phrases are marked out and changes are made. The jacket cover to the book shows each of the teams drawn into a scene of their own books. This is a wonderful for students and adults alike who are intersted in the steps necessary in producing a picture book.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
Booklist (starred review) - "Inviting...well-written and beautifully designed."
Publishers Weekly (starred review) - "Insights into the inner workings of bookmaking."
2001 Best Book, New York Public Library
2002 Best Book, CCBC Choices

CONNECTIONS
Great for use in art classes to show the progression of work from inception to finished product.
For use in Language Art classes to teach the editing process. A wonderful way to show that even experienced writers do not get it right the first time.

Genre One - Picture Books

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Prigger, Mary Skillings. 1999. AUNT MINNIE MCGRANAHAN. Ill. by Betsy Lewin. New York. Clarion Books. ISBN 039582270X

PLOT SUMMARY
Aunt Minnie McGranahan was a very tidy and organized lady. She had a system to run her house and garden and it worked very well. Then one day her nine orphaned nieces and nephews come to live in her carefully planned world. Despite her neighbors feelings of impending disaster, she succeeds in teaching all of the children her systems and life becomes even neater and tidier in the McGranahan household.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
A picture book for older children, Aunt Minnie McGranahan is as touching as it is humerous a story. Based on real life events this book is wonderful reading for any child who lives in a non traditional family situation. Even though the events are set in the 1920's, the book has a contemporay feel. The illustrations by Betsy Lewin add touches of humor by showing the children helping with chores and waiting in line for the "johnny house." These colorful pictures though simple add a rich detail that complements the sweet story of family.

This is definitly a book for children who are in Kindergarten and above. It is a great story about family and adapting to situations that are beyond our control.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
School Library Journal - "Design elements unite the text and pictures."
Parents' Choice Award
Booklist, ALA - "warm and funny."
Kirkus Reviews - "This story is a sweet and simple song of grace, love, and responsibilities met; it will leave children aglow and adults in tears,"

CONNECTIONS
There are other Aunt Minnie books and this can help interest children in "series" books.
This can be a great tool in helping children learn about extended family and other non traditional types of families.
This would also be a way to introduce other "eras" i.e. the 1920's, to young children.

Genre One - Picture Books

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Henkes, Kevin. 2004. KITTEN'S FIRST FULL MOON.Greenwillow Books. ISBN 0060588284

PLOT SUMMARY
In this black and white picture book, Kitten mistakes the full moon in the sky for a bowl of milk. Her quest to drink from the bowl of milk leads her on a sometimes frustrating journey. Kitten's adventures find her bumping, pinching, and banging herself but never reaching that bowl. In the end she abandons her search and finds a suprise at home.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Kevin Henekes' simple tale of a kitten searching for milk speaks to everyone who ever went in search of an unatainable goal. The black, white, and grey pictures give the book a feeling of darkness and nightime. This is a great book for children of all ages but is most suitable for the very young just beginning to discover reading.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
2005 Caldecott Medal Winner
Publishers Weekly Best Book
ALA Notable Children's Book
Charlotte Zolotow Award
Starred review in School Library Journal: "An irresistible offering from the multifaceted Henkes."

CONNECTIONS
Young children can make predictions of what will happen to Kitten.
This picture book can also be used for school aged children learning about animals and their behaviors.