Bibliography
Young, Ed. 1992. Seven Blind Mice. New York: Philomel Books.
ISBN: 0-399-22261-8
Summary
Seven blind make guesses about what they are feeling. All guesses are wrong until the last mouse feels the elephant in its entirety, making the moral obvious.
Critical Analysis
Ed Young writes an adaptation of the Indian folktale, The Blind Men and the Elephant, in his colorful Caldecott Honor book, Seven Blind Mice.
Young establishes the setting of the story quickly, as most folktales do. The story takes in place in the duration of one week. One day a week, one mouse ventures from home, to discover what the strange something is.
Another indicator of a folktale is seen in the plot. The plot is a logical sequence of events where each mouse explores different parts of the elephant, returning home with an explanation. Each mouse has a different explanation until the last one tries. The last mouse puts all the parts together to discover the strange something is an elephant.
The style of the story also represents a folktale. The repeated attempts by each mouse is a repeating pattern in the story. Additionally, the story reads like it is being told orally.
The story's theme is also a good illustration of a folktale. The theme is universal, and a moral lesson can be learned. The mice learn "wisdom comes from seeing the whole."
Young's illustrations are an interesting complement to the simple, direct text of the folktale. The colorful mice and the brown, collaged elephant seem to jump off the black pages. In this story, Young's artistic talents are fascinating.
A folktale many children can understand, this is a great story to share with children of all ages.
Review Excerpts
Kirkus Review reports, "Exquisitely crafted: a simple, gracefully honed text, an appealing story, real but unobtrusive values and levels of meaning, and outstanding illustrations and design--all add up to a perfect book (1992).
Shirley Wilton from School Library Journal, states, "A real winner, on many levels. The first impression is visual delight. Brilliant colors and varied textures of paper collage are placed in striking contrast against velvety black pages. Bold white lettering imposed on the dark background tells of seven blind mice, seen in seven bright colors . . . .The tale ends with the moral that wisdom comes from seeing "the whole.'' Adapting the old fable of the blind men and the elephant by weaving in the days of the week, the mice, and the beautiful shapes of the things they see, Young gives children a clever story, wise words, and a truly exciting visual experience" (1992).
Review excerpts accessed from http://www.titlewave.com/
Connections
Students could compare/contrast Blind Men and the Elephant to Seven Blind Mice
Students could compare/contrast other folktales to Seven Blind Mice
Students could compare/contrast other stories written by Ed Young:
Cat and Rat: The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac
I, Doko: A Tale of a Basket
The Lost Horse: A Chinese Folktale
Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story from China
Showing posts with label Traditional Literature. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Traditional Literature. Show all posts
Sunday, September 23, 2007
The Rough-Face Girl by Rafe Martin
Bibliography
Martin, Rafe. 1992. The Rough-Face Girl. Ill. David Shannon. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons.
ISBN: 0-399-21859-9
Summary
The Rough-Face Girl is an Algonquin version of Cinderella. Two mean sisters and one sister, scarred from tending the fire, desire to become the wife of the Invisible Being.
Critical Analysis
The traditional Cinderella folktale is seen in a new light in the Alonquin version, The Rough-Face Girl by Rafe Martin. The likeness of the Alonquin tale to the traditional Cinderella tale is remarkable, however, it is refreshing to have this tale presented from the eyes of a different culture.
Indicative of traditional folktales, the characters are the epitome of good and evil. The youngest sister is the portrayal of the good character. She is forced to tend to the fire, where the popping of the burning branches scars her face, hands, and arms. Her two, older sisters are the evil ones. All three characters are representative of basic human traits, such as beauty, greed, and kindness. For example, the two sisters say to father, "Give us some necklaces. Give us some new buckskin dresses. Give us some pretty beaded moccasins." These two sisters are so greedy they do not share these things with their younger sister. The younger sister is representative of other human qualities. She is full of kindness and beauty.
In traditional folktales, settings are established quickly. In this folktale, the location is established very early in the story. On the second page, a reader understands the story takes place in a village of wigwams. Another common trait of a folktale is the story takes place quickly. In The Rough-Face Girl the story is resolved in a matter of days.
The plot, theme, and style are also indicative of a traditional folktale. For example, the resolution of the story, where the sisters get what they deserve, comes quickly. Additionally, this story has a universal, obvious theme: goodness is rewarded and evil is punished. Of course, the story ends happily, with the scarred girl receiving the love of the Invisible Being and being released of her disfigurements. Certain motifs of traditional folktales is also apparent in this story. The transformation of the scarred sister into a beautiful being is one example. Also, this Native American tale incorporates nature (rainbow and Milky Way) into its story. Nature is a very prominent attribute in the Native American culture.
Illustrator, David Shannon, supports the text through his fascinating paintings. In his pictures, he draws the sisters wearing their buckskin and beads, as referred to in the writing. Shannon also portrays the hurt and despair of the youngest sister through the darkness of the color choices. He draws the Invisible Being through examples of nature. A bird in the sky, leaves on a tree, and distant mountains make up the Invisible Beings face.
The Rough-Face Girl is a superb folktale, eloquently written. Martin does a fine job of expressing the Cinderella tale from the Alonquin perspective, while Shannon incorporates accurate details through his illustrations. The folktale, The Rough-Face Girl, is worth the story.
Review Excerpts
Susan Scheps with School Library Journal states, "Simply, in the words of an oral storyteller, Martin retells an Algonquin folktale. . . [and] is a splendid read-aloud. It is the only single illustrated version available. Shannon's finely crafted full- and double-page acrylic paintings in the rich hues of the earth embody the full flavor of the story. His stunning cover portrait shows at one glance both the girl's beauty and her frightful scars" (1992).
Booklist reports, "Given the beauty of the story, the strength of many of the illustrations, and the current interest in comparing variants of folktales from different cultures, libraries will find this a well-used picture book" (1992).
Connections
Students could compare/contrast other Cinderella versions, such as:
Adelita by Tomie dePaola
The Egyptian Cinderella by Shirley Climo
The Persian Cinderella by Shirley Climo
Yeh-Shen retold by Ai-Ling Louie
Bubba the Cowboy Prince by Helen Ketteman
Other stories written by Rafe Martin:
Birdwing
The Brave Little Parrot
The Language of Birds
The Shark God
The Storytelling Princess
Martin, Rafe. 1992. The Rough-Face Girl. Ill. David Shannon. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons.
ISBN: 0-399-21859-9
Summary
The Rough-Face Girl is an Algonquin version of Cinderella. Two mean sisters and one sister, scarred from tending the fire, desire to become the wife of the Invisible Being.
Critical Analysis
The traditional Cinderella folktale is seen in a new light in the Alonquin version, The Rough-Face Girl by Rafe Martin. The likeness of the Alonquin tale to the traditional Cinderella tale is remarkable, however, it is refreshing to have this tale presented from the eyes of a different culture.
Indicative of traditional folktales, the characters are the epitome of good and evil. The youngest sister is the portrayal of the good character. She is forced to tend to the fire, where the popping of the burning branches scars her face, hands, and arms. Her two, older sisters are the evil ones. All three characters are representative of basic human traits, such as beauty, greed, and kindness. For example, the two sisters say to father, "Give us some necklaces. Give us some new buckskin dresses. Give us some pretty beaded moccasins." These two sisters are so greedy they do not share these things with their younger sister. The younger sister is representative of other human qualities. She is full of kindness and beauty.
In traditional folktales, settings are established quickly. In this folktale, the location is established very early in the story. On the second page, a reader understands the story takes place in a village of wigwams. Another common trait of a folktale is the story takes place quickly. In The Rough-Face Girl the story is resolved in a matter of days.
The plot, theme, and style are also indicative of a traditional folktale. For example, the resolution of the story, where the sisters get what they deserve, comes quickly. Additionally, this story has a universal, obvious theme: goodness is rewarded and evil is punished. Of course, the story ends happily, with the scarred girl receiving the love of the Invisible Being and being released of her disfigurements. Certain motifs of traditional folktales is also apparent in this story. The transformation of the scarred sister into a beautiful being is one example. Also, this Native American tale incorporates nature (rainbow and Milky Way) into its story. Nature is a very prominent attribute in the Native American culture.
Illustrator, David Shannon, supports the text through his fascinating paintings. In his pictures, he draws the sisters wearing their buckskin and beads, as referred to in the writing. Shannon also portrays the hurt and despair of the youngest sister through the darkness of the color choices. He draws the Invisible Being through examples of nature. A bird in the sky, leaves on a tree, and distant mountains make up the Invisible Beings face.
The Rough-Face Girl is a superb folktale, eloquently written. Martin does a fine job of expressing the Cinderella tale from the Alonquin perspective, while Shannon incorporates accurate details through his illustrations. The folktale, The Rough-Face Girl, is worth the story.
Review Excerpts
Susan Scheps with School Library Journal states, "Simply, in the words of an oral storyteller, Martin retells an Algonquin folktale. . . [and] is a splendid read-aloud. It is the only single illustrated version available. Shannon's finely crafted full- and double-page acrylic paintings in the rich hues of the earth embody the full flavor of the story. His stunning cover portrait shows at one glance both the girl's beauty and her frightful scars" (1992).
Booklist reports, "Given the beauty of the story, the strength of many of the illustrations, and the current interest in comparing variants of folktales from different cultures, libraries will find this a well-used picture book" (1992).
Connections
Students could compare/contrast other Cinderella versions, such as:
Adelita by Tomie dePaola
The Egyptian Cinderella by Shirley Climo
The Persian Cinderella by Shirley Climo
Yeh-Shen retold by Ai-Ling Louie
Bubba the Cowboy Prince by Helen Ketteman
Other stories written by Rafe Martin:
Birdwing
The Brave Little Parrot
The Language of Birds
The Shark God
The Storytelling Princess
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
And the Green Grass Grew All Around by Alvin Schwartz
Bibliography
Schwartz, Alvin. 1992. And the Green Grass Grew All Around: Folk Poetry from Everyone. Ill. Sue G. Truesdell. Harper Collins.
ISBN: 0-06-022757-5
Summary
This book is a compilation of American folk poetry.
Critical Analysis
Alvin Schwartz does a fantastic job of compiling a complete collection of all sorts of American folk poetry. Schwartz's selections are perfect examples of strong repetition and rhythm that are characteristic of traditional literature. Additionally, his selections are chants, jump rope rhymes, songs, puns, jokes, riddles, and more examples of traditional literature. Schwartz's collection is reminiscent of the oral-telling these samplings originated from. The rhyming and rhythm throughout the book make this en enjoyable, easy-to-read book.
Schwartz's selections are organized into categories, such as people, food, teases and taunts, riddles, and more. A table of contents and first line index are also included. A bonus to the book is the historical information provided at the end. This information provides intriguing facts about out American folk poetry past.
Sue Truesdell provides simple, black and white illustrations to accompany the text. The illustrations are done in caricature/cartoon fashion and provide interest without overpowering all the fun.
Children will enjoy the nonsense and adults will enjoy the memories this book will bring. A fun collection for all, And the Green Grass Grew All Around is sure to bring a smile to many faces and a laugh to many souls. . . and that's a fact because, "I"m the boss, applesauce" (37).
Review Excerpts
From School Library Journal, "A marvelous book that is sure to become a classic if children have any say in the matter. Schwartz has gathered sassy, funny, scary, and slightly naughty children's folk poetry heard on school grounds and wherever else kids are having fun. Adults who stew over the appropriateness of Roald Dahl's books or Shel Silverstein's poetry may have concerns here, but kids will love having all their underground playground rhymes in one volume."
From Kirkus Review, "In b&w pen and watercolor, Truesdell's marvelous characters dance across the generously broad pages, peering inquisitively at the hilarious goings-on or gleefully joining in the shenanigans. It's hard to imagine a child who wouldn't greet this treasure trove with enthusiasm."
Reviews accessed from http://www.amazon.com/
Connections
Other stories by Alvin Schwartz:
The Cat's Elbow: and Other Secret Languages
All of Our Noses are Here and Other Noodle Tales
Whoppers: Tall Tales and Other Lies
Tomfoolery: Trickery and Foolery With Words
Witcracks: Jokes and Jests from American Folklore
This book would be useful in a study of American poetry. After reading poems from this collection, students could write their own American folk poetry.
Schwartz, Alvin. 1992. And the Green Grass Grew All Around: Folk Poetry from Everyone. Ill. Sue G. Truesdell. Harper Collins.
ISBN: 0-06-022757-5
Summary
This book is a compilation of American folk poetry.
Critical Analysis
Alvin Schwartz does a fantastic job of compiling a complete collection of all sorts of American folk poetry. Schwartz's selections are perfect examples of strong repetition and rhythm that are characteristic of traditional literature. Additionally, his selections are chants, jump rope rhymes, songs, puns, jokes, riddles, and more examples of traditional literature. Schwartz's collection is reminiscent of the oral-telling these samplings originated from. The rhyming and rhythm throughout the book make this en enjoyable, easy-to-read book.
Schwartz's selections are organized into categories, such as people, food, teases and taunts, riddles, and more. A table of contents and first line index are also included. A bonus to the book is the historical information provided at the end. This information provides intriguing facts about out American folk poetry past.
Sue Truesdell provides simple, black and white illustrations to accompany the text. The illustrations are done in caricature/cartoon fashion and provide interest without overpowering all the fun.
Children will enjoy the nonsense and adults will enjoy the memories this book will bring. A fun collection for all, And the Green Grass Grew All Around is sure to bring a smile to many faces and a laugh to many souls. . . and that's a fact because, "I"m the boss, applesauce" (37).
Review Excerpts
From School Library Journal, "A marvelous book that is sure to become a classic if children have any say in the matter. Schwartz has gathered sassy, funny, scary, and slightly naughty children's folk poetry heard on school grounds and wherever else kids are having fun. Adults who stew over the appropriateness of Roald Dahl's books or Shel Silverstein's poetry may have concerns here, but kids will love having all their underground playground rhymes in one volume."
From Kirkus Review, "In b&w pen and watercolor, Truesdell's marvelous characters dance across the generously broad pages, peering inquisitively at the hilarious goings-on or gleefully joining in the shenanigans. It's hard to imagine a child who wouldn't greet this treasure trove with enthusiasm."
Reviews accessed from http://www.amazon.com/
Connections
Other stories by Alvin Schwartz:
The Cat's Elbow: and Other Secret Languages
All of Our Noses are Here and Other Noodle Tales
Whoppers: Tall Tales and Other Lies
Tomfoolery: Trickery and Foolery With Words
Witcracks: Jokes and Jests from American Folklore
This book would be useful in a study of American poetry. After reading poems from this collection, students could write their own American folk poetry.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)