Book Review on Diamond Willow by Helen Frost

Please note that this blog has been created as an assignment for a TWU course.

1.  BIBLIOGRAPHY

Frost, Helen. 2008. DIAMOND WILLOW. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. ISBN 0374317763

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

Diamond Willow, a twelve-year-old Native Alaskan girl who wants to be called Willow, goes through the sometimes lonely and awkward phases of growing up and becoming more mature.  Like many tweens and teens, Willow often feels ordinary: “If my parents had called me Diamond, would I have been one of those sparkly kinds of girls?”  She has one best friend that is beginning to want to spend more time with a certain boy.  Willow feels more comfortable with her favorite dog, Roxy, because animals cannot hurt feelings like humans can.  Willow desperately wants her parents to acknowledge that she is growing up.  Willow’s parents agree to allow her to mush out the dogs to her grandparents’ house all by herself.  While on the journey, an accident occurs and Roxy’s eyes are injured.  Willow manages to get the dogs and herself to her destination.  Willow blames herself for Roxy’s injury and feels as if her parents were right regarding her being too young for such a big responsibility.  Her parents understand that accidents happen.  When Willow finds out that the vet recommends that Roxy be put down, she makes the decision to take Roxy to her grandparent’s house because they would take good care of her.  While on the path, they get caught in a snow storm.  Willow has to think herself out of a hole and survive the weather.  Willow’s ancestors, in the form of animals, watch over her as she figures out what to do.  By the story’s end, Willow and Roxy survive and Roxy begins to get her sight back.  Willow’s parents feel that since she has displayed accountability and responsibility, she is ready to hear the story about her twin sister, Diamond.  Diamond past away four days after being born and was the spirit of the dog, Roxy.  After Diamond’s passing, her parents gave Diamond’s name to Willow.

3.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This is a moving story that most tweens and teens can relate to.  The feelings that many tweens and teens experience are communicated in a thoughtful manner: “I’m skinny and ordinary like a stick.”  Willow’s journey to achieving maturity is well explained.  Mature individuals must have accountability, responsibility, and the ability to think themselves out of a difficult situation. 

The story is written a series of poems that are in Willow’s point of view and shaped like a diamond.  There are bolded words within the poems that convey a hidden message: “I know I’m a little amazing.”  The ancestors’ points of view are written in standard form.  The diamond-shaped poems, Diamond Willow’s name, her past, and her journey are very symbolic.  At the beginning of the book, the author describes what diamond will is.  The diamonds form on several different kinds of shrub willows when a branch is injured and falls away.  The dark center of each diamond is the scar of the missing branch.

This will be an excellent book to share with tweens and teens because it helps readers understand that we are all on a journey to become who we are meant to be and that our character is defined by how we act in trying situations. 

4.  REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “[A] gem of a book…Accomplished and impressive.”

Starred review in PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “Frost’s ingeniously structured novel in verse…may be set in 1850, but its themes will resonate with today’s teens…Memorable.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL review: “Frost casts a subtle spell through innovative storytelling.  Her poems offer pensive imagery and glimpses of character, and strong emotion.  This complex and elegant novel will resonate with readers who savor powerful drama and multifaceted characters.”

5.  CONNECTIONS

*If you feel comfortable leading a discussion about feelings tweens and teens often have and the journey to achieving maturity, this is a book that enables students to vicariously experience trying situations.  You can ask open-ended questions during the discussion, give students ample time to talk about their experiences, etc.  Have you ever felt ordinary or insignificant?  How did that make you feel?  Do you feel as if adults do not recognize that you are growing up?  If so, please explain.  Do you feel that you are not given increased responsibility when you really deserve it?  If so, please explain.

*Gather other books written by Helen Frost:

Frost, Helen. 2008. MONARCH AND MILKWEED. ISBN 1416900853

Frost, Helen. 2005. KEESHA’S HOUSE. ISBN 0786276975

Frost, Helen. 2004. SPINNING THROUGH THE UNIVERSE. ISBN 0374371598

Book Review on Red Sings From Treetops: A Year in Colors

Please note that this blog has been created as an assignment for a TWU course. 

1.  BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sidman, Joyce. 2009. SINGS FROM TREETOPS: A YEAR IN COLORS. Ill. by Pamela Zagarenski. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 0547014945

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

This beautiful picture book consists of four different poems about spring, summer, fall, and winter.  The focus of each poem is on the colors you see during that specific time and how they change as the seasons change.  For instance, “In spring, yellow and purple hold hands.  They beam at each other with bright velvet faces.  First Flowers, first friends.  In fall, yellow grows wheels and lumbers down the block, blinking: Warning—classroom ahead.” 

3.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This is a clever and witty book that talks about colors one sees during specific seasons and how they change throughout the year.  Joyce Sidman uses colors, objects, and situations that children can relate to.  The senses are used to describe colors in specific seasons: “Fall smells purple: old leaves, crushed berries, squishy plums with worms in them.  Purple: the smell of all things mixed together.”

With the text, the color being discussed is highlighted, outlined by a rectangle, and written in the color it represents.  This will help young children differentiate between colors and the actual spelling of the color.  Pamela Zagarenski’s illustrations are absolutely breathtaking.  They are all so vibrant and full of detail.  The pictures are just as clever as the text.  As an oddly shaped and outfitted person with her/his dog walks through the changing seasons, they participate in many different sensory experiences as the seasons change.  Both the person and her/his dog wear a crown.  In almost every scene, there is a beautiful red bird at the top of the page.  One could sit and stare at the pictures for hours.

This will be an excellent book to share because basic colors are discussed in a sensory manner as the seasons change.  It is a great way for young children to make the connection between their senses, colors, and how to experience them in new ways.  As a teacher, I would break down my lessons into four specific portions, according to season,  in order to make the learning process more manageable.

4.  REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “This is an important book both for its creativity and for its wisdom.”

Starred review in KIRKUS: “A charming inspiration to notice colors and correlate emotions.”

Starred review in HORN BOOK: “Sustaining the playfulness of the text and its sense of awe, mystery, and beauty, the illustrations contribute gracefully to the celebration.”

Starred review in THE BULLETIN: “This book has a freshness and visual impact all its own, and it will inspire a rainbow of uses.”

Starred review in BOOKLIST: “As the title implies, the colors that surprise on every page, do sing.”

5.  CONNECTIONS

*Before I cover the fall season in my lesson plan, I would begin class by asking my students to think of an object that is mostly seen in fall, is orange with pulp and seed, flickers with candles, and has orange eyes, orange cheeks, and orange teeth.  My students would eventually guess a jack-o- lantern.  They would receive verbal praise.  My students would point to the jack-o-lantern when we get to the part of the poem that says: “Orange ripens in full, heavy moons, thick with pulp and seed.  Orange flickers, all smoke and candles.  Orange eyes.  Orange cheeks.  Orange teeth.”  During a class discussion, I would ask my students to think of other things that consist of a specific color that occurs in specific seasons.  As an extension, I would ask my students to pick three colors and list sensory descriptions of them and how they change during all four seasons.

*Gather other books written by Joyce Sidman:

Sidman, Joyce. 2010. DARK EMPEROR AND OTHER POEMS OF THE NIGHT. ISBN 0547152280

Sidman, Joyce. 2005. SONG OF THE WATER BOATMAN AND OTHER POND POEMS. ISBN 0618135472

Sidman, Joyce. 2007. THIS IS JUST TO SAY: POEMS OF APOLOGY AND FORGIVENESS. ISBN 0618616802

Book Review on Meet Danitra Brown by Nikki Grimes

Please note that this blog has been created as an assignment for a TWU course.

1.  BIBLIOGRAPHY

Grimes, Nikki. 1997. MEET DANITRA BROWN. Ill. by Floyd Cooper. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 0688154719

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

This book consists of a collection of poems by Nikki Grimes.  The poems revolve around the friendship of two African American girls.  The poems are conveyed in the point of view of Zuri, the best friend of Danitra.  The admiration Zuri feels for Danitra is expressed by the sentences: “She doesn’t mind what people say.  She always does things her own way.  Her spirit’s old, my mom once said.  I only know I like her best ‘cause she sticks out from all the rest.  She’s only she—Danitra Brown.”  Through the expressive style of poetry, Nikki Grimes realistically talks about the ups and downs of friendship and gently addresses the issues of harassment due to race, alternative ways to defuse situations, single-parent households, and much more!   

3.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The poems are concise, have a nice flow, and contain subject matter that children can relate to.  While each poem is unique, they come together to tell a comprehensive story.  Regardless of whether one poem is read at a time or the entire book is read in one sitting, children will be thoroughly engaged and there will be much to discuss.  Also, the language used is informal and similar to how some children speak such as “gotta take care of things while my mom is in bed.”  The concept of using alternative, more peaceful ways of defusing a hostile situation that involves the harassment due to race is presented in a thoughtful and witty manner: “Me, Danitra Brown, I’ve got no time for Freddy’s mess.  Let him call me silly names, ‘cause I could not care less.  Can’t waste time on some boy who thinks it’s funny bein’ mean.  Got books to read and hills to climb that Freddy’s never seen.”  This helps children understand that they do not have to stoop down to the bully’s level and that they can choose to rise above the harassment in a peaceful way.  The situation of a single-parent household is presented in a gentle manner: “Some kids at school have a mom and a dad.  I’ve got Mom and me only.  On Parents’ Night it makes me mad that it’s Mom and me only.  ‘You’ve got it good,’ Danitra says when I am sad.  ‘Your mama loves you twice as much.  Is that so bad?’  Danitra knows just what to say to make me glad.”  This helps children understand that single-parent households have just as much love as more traditional households.

Floyd Cooper’s illustrations are warm and beautiful.  While the pictures have a grainy look, the faces of the two little girls are very distinct.  Their varying emotions are well represented throughout the book. The little girls are the center of the pictures with everything else as a background. 

This will be an excellent book to share because so many important issues are gently discussed.  Children, teens, and adults would benefit from reading this book.  It would be a great idea for one to introduce a difficult lesson, like racism, by reading this book to the children.  Once the book has been read, the teacher could initiate a class discussion in order establish a basic foundation and build from there.

4.  REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

BOOKLIST review: “We feel the girls’ energy and their bond, in joyful games and in quiet times.” 

Starred review in PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “Anyone who has a best friend can relate to this realistic but bubbly volume.”

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE review: “This is a wonderful portrait of two little girls, Danitra and Zuri, and their friendship.  They enjoy the fun of bike riding, jumping rope and sharing their personal lives.  Danitra is bold and independent, but also caring and greatly admired by her best friend Zuri.  Warm, soft illustrations by Cooper capture all nuances of the poems.  An ALA Notable Book and Coretta Scott King Award Honor book.”

5.  CONNECTIONS

*If you feel comfortable leading a discussion on one of the topics discussed in this book such as harassment due to race, alternative ways to defuse a hostile situation, or single-parent households, this is a book that would be a great starting point to introduce the topic.  You could read a poem or the whole book to the children and ask them open-ended questions during the discussion.  How did this poem or book make you feel?  Has anyone ever made mean comments about the color of your skin?  How did you react?  Besides responding to the bully with violence, how could you handle the situation?  What is your family like?  Do you have one parent, two parents, stepparents, adoptive parents, etc.?  How does that make you feel?

*Gather other books written by Nikki Grimes:

Grimes, Nikki. 2003. BRONX MASQUERADE. ISBN 0142501891

Grimes, Nikki. 2008. ROAD TO PARIS. ISBN 0142410829

Grimes, Nikki. 2000. JAZMIN’S NOTEBOOK. ISBN 0141307021

Book Review on Let it Shine by Ashley Bryan

Please note that this blog has been created as an assignment for a TWU course.

1.  BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bryan, Ashley. 2007. LET IT SHINE. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. ISBN 0689847327

2. PLOT SUMMARY

In this picture book, Ashley Bryan celebrates three favorite spirituals: “This Little Light of Mine,” “Oh, When the Saints Go Marching In,” and “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.”  These songs have been cherished and passed down from generation to generation.  Although the songs seem lighthearted, their true meanings are profound.   

3.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Ashley Bryan’s illustrations fit very well with the songs.  The pictures reflect the true meanings of the songs.  Younger children can gather what is happening through looking at the pictures only and older children can both look at the pictures and sing along.  The drawings are absolutely beautiful and full of bright colors.  There are pictures within pictures.  When looking at a whole page, one sees the overall message of that particular part of the song.  However, when looking at the many different details on the page, one sees specific entities.  In “This Little Light of Mine,” there are many children dancing.  But, upon further exploration, one sees that each child is different and unique.  There are also many different kinds of lights such as a candle, string of lights, flash light, and a star.  There are also many different modes of transportation such as a boat, truck, bicycle, and an airplane.  In “Oh, When the Saints Go Marching In,” many different people join together, hold hands, and look up at the sky.  There are also different kinds of places to worship such as different churches, mosques, pyramids, igloos, teepees, homes, and a regular building.  In “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands,” there are many different people all held in someone’s hands.  The hands have many different colors flowing through them. 

All of these observations indicate that the theme of these songs and drawings is that we all share culture and are all connected to one another in some way.  We may not do things exactly like someone else, but the basic foundations in which we live, communicate, worship, and so forth are very similar.  We are more alike that different.  Therefore, we should embrace one another and appreciate the unique qualities we each bring to the table.

This will be an excellent book to share because it helps readers to understand the meanings of the songs they grew up listening to.  Although the songs are lighthearted and catchy, their meanings are deep and thoughtful.  The combination of a beautiful color scheme and pictures draw the reader in and keeps them engaged.

4.  REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY review: “   Bryan (Beautiful Blackbird) again proves himself a maestro with scissors (depicted on the endpages) in a series of arresting, kaleidoscopic cut-construction-paper collages that interprets three beloved spirituals: "This Little Light of Mine," "When the Saints Go Marching In" and "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands." Each page contains two lines of lyrics alongside images of nature or of children and adults with diverse skin tones frolicking harmoniously in settings both urban and pastoral. This wide spectrum of experiences suggests the songs' themes of utopian peace, tolerance and beauty. The hands appearing on the pages of "He's Got the Whole World..." convey a sense of power, reassurance and awe that evoke the wonders of God. An author's note describes a bit of the origin and history of Negro spirituals.”

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE review: “A beautiful book for all ages.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL review: “Energy and movement course through many of the full-bleed illustrations, as when children-depicted in rainbow-colored silhouettes-use a boat, an airplane, a bicycle, and other means to carry their lights "Ev'ry where I go." At other times, the images offer comfort and security, as large multicolored hands embrace the world's wonders and "the little bitty baby" is cradled in an adult's protective arms. Simple melody lines and an explanation of the origin and importance of spirituals are appended. Yet, Bryan's illustrations demonstrate more than words the dynamic inspiration that these songs still provide. Readers will find themselves humming as they turn the pages.”   

5.  CONNECTIONS

*If you feel comfortable leading a discussion about songs that have been passed down for generations and culture, this is a book that encourages unity and acceptance.

*Gather other books written and illustrated by Ashley Bryan:

Bryan, Ashley. BEAUTIFUL BLACKBIRD. ISBN 0689847319

Bryan, Ashley. SING TO THE SUN. ISBN 0064434370

Book Review on The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka

Please note that this blog has been created as an assignment for a TWU course.

1.  BIBLIOGRAPHY

Scieszka, Jon. 1996. THE TRUE STORY OF THE 3 LITTLE PIGS! Ill. by Lane Smith. New York, NY: Puffin Books. ISBN 0140544518

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

In this picture book, Joh Scieszka gives a version of the Three Little Pigs through the eyes of the wolf.  The wolf had a cold and needed to borrow a cup of sugar from a neighbor in order to make a cake for his granny.  According to his account, he accidentally blew the First Little Pig’s house down when he sneezed.  Of course, he could not just leave a perfectly good dinner lying there, so he ate it.  The same thing happened at the Second Little Pig’s house.  However, he tried to beat the door down at the Third Little Pig’s house because the pig made a mean comment about his granny.  That was when the cops showed up and arrested him.  The media found out about it and portrayed the wolf in a bad light, thus framing him.

3.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS

John Scieszka’s writing is frank, convincing, and comical.  “Everybody knows the story of the Three Little Pigs.  Or at least they think they do.  But I’ll let you in on a little secret.  Nobody knows the real story, because nobody has ever heard my side of the story.”  This story helps children understand the concept of differing points of view in a simple way because it contains characters and a plot that children can relate to.  The author also presents the issue of minimizing one’s actions with the statements, “The whole darn house fell down.  And right in the middle of the pile of straw was the First Little Pig—dead as a doornail.  It seemed like a shame to leave a perfectly good ham dinner lying there in the straw.  So I ate it up.”  The issue of blaming others for one’s actions is also presented with the statements, “the news reporters found out about the two pigs I had for dinner.  And they made me the Big Bad Wolf.”

Lane Smiths illustrations fit very well with the text.  The pictures are simplistic and completely convey the actions of the characters.  The drawings are neatly framed with a white background and fuzzy because it symbolizes a memory.  The colors scheme consists of earthy tones.  In the memory, the wolf presents himself in a good light as the innocent wolf walking along to borrow a cup of sugar from the neighbor.  The illustrations depict him as innocent and walking happily while whistling to the neighbor’s house.  Since this is the wolf’s point of view and he is the prisoner, the pig is the guard and has a mean scowl on his face.  The newspaper that covered this story is called The Daily Pig.  The fun, comical pictures draw the reader in and keep them engaged.

This will be an excellent book to share because it helps readers understand that everyone has their own point of view that may be different from yours.  Different newspapers might cover the same story differently depending on who their readers are and what those people believe. 

4.  REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY review:  “Smith’s highly imaginative watercolors eschew realism, further updating the tale, though some may find their urbane stylization and intentionally static quality mystifyingly adult.  Designed with uncommon flair, this alternative fable is both fetching and glib.”

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE review:  “In this humorous story, Alexander T. Wolf tells his own outlandish version of what really happens during his encounter with the three pigs.  Smith’s simplistic and wacky illustrations add to the effectiveness of this fractured fairy tale.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL review: “Smith’s dark tones and sometimes shadowy, indistinct shapes recall the distinctive illustrations he did for Merriam’s Halloween ABC (Macmillan, 1987); the bespectacled wolf moves with a rather sinister bonelessness, and his juicy sneezes tear like thunderbolts through a dim, grainy world.  It’s the type of book that older kids (and adults) will find very funny.”

5.  CONNECTIONS

*IF you feel comfortable leading a discussion on differing points of view, this is a book that enables students to vicariously experience a situation in which one views the same occurrence of events differently than someone else.

*Other books for children about differing points of view:

Scieszka, Jon. THE TRUE STORY OF THE 3 LITTLE PIGS!: 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL: A. WOLF UPDATE.  ISBN 0670888443

Trivizas, Eugene. THREE LITTLE WOLVES AND THE BIG BAD PIG. Ill. by Helen Oxenbury. ISBN 068981528X

Book Review on The Ugly Duckling--Adapted and Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

Please note that this blog has been created as an assignment for a TWU course.

1.  BIBLIOGRAPHY

Anderson, Hans Christian. 1999. THE UGLY DUCKLING. Ill. by Jerry Pinkney. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 068815932X

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

THE UGLY DUCKLING is an adaptation of the Hans Christian Anderson classic.  In this version, a mother duck notices that one of her eggs is different from the rest.  When the eggs hatch, the “different” one takes longer to crack open.  When it finally hatches, an ugly, gray duckling emerges.  Although this duckling is different from the other ducklings, the mother duck still loved him.  She tried to console and protect him.  “He may not be quite as handsome as the others,” she says, “but…I am sure he will make his way in the world as well as anybody.”  However, the duckling’s siblings and peers maliciously taunted him.  As matters grew worse, the duckling decided to leave the bad situation behind and begin a journey to find a peaceful existence.   This lonesome journey was not an easy one, as it was filled with scary situations such as a close encounter with a hunter, the hunter’s dog, hunger, and extreme weather conditions.  By the story’s end, the duckling evolves into what he is meant to be. 

3.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This is a very dramatic and emotional story.  The feelings of worthlessness and despair are communicated in a frank manner: “I am too ugly even for a dog to eat.”  This story helps children understand the complex elements of bullying and its effects on victims in a logical way because it contains characters and a plot that children can relate to.  The concept of perseverance is presented in a candid manner: “I will follow them (the swans), thought the duckling.  I would rather be killed by them than suffer any more cold and hunger and cruelty.”  This helps children understand that they must continue on and become who they are meant to be even when someone bullies them because they are different. This story provides a moral lesson to those who bully and those who are victims of bullying because of being different.

Jerry Pinkney’s illustrations are absolutely beautiful and fit very well with the text.  The illustrations are lushly detailed with watercolors.  The pictures span across the pages in a flowing way.  The visual representation of the story establishes the story line vividly.  However, the text is somewhat framed with a plain background in order to prevent distraction.   This is to accommodate the needs of all readers.  Younger children can gather what is happening through looking at the pictures only and older children can both look at the pictures and read the text.  This story honestly discusses violent and harsh events such as the duckling’s experience with the hunter and being frozen in the water.  The illustrations reflect the emotion of terror as the geese flee from the water when they are shot at and sadness when the duckling is frozen in the water.  In the scene where the duckling realizes that he has evolved into a swan, the sun gently beams down on him.  The warm glow around him reflects the triumph he is experiencing.

This will be an excellent book to share because it helps readers understand the concept of bullying and its effects on victims as well as perseverance.  The issues of violence and harsh conditions are presented in an age-appropriate way.  Also, the issue of being used is gently approached when the old woman said, “We will let it stay for a bit, for I am sure we will see some eggs from the creature soon enough.”  The obvious journey was the duckling’s transformation into a beautiful swan.  But, his physical appearance is not the only thing that underwent a transformation.  He as a whole, evolved into a stronger being and that made him very happy because he survived multiple horrible ordeals.   

4.  REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Starred review in BOOKLIST: “Dramatic in content, sensitive in line, and rich with color…Children who are not familiar with the story will be captivated; those who have had the story read to them before will find new things to shiver over.”                                                                                                        

Pointered review in KIRKUS: “Pinkney puts his heart into a story he loves, and makes it live again.”

PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY review: “Pinkney’s supple, exquisitely detailed watercolors provide a handsome foil to his graceful adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen classic.”

5.  CONNECTIONS

*If you feel comfortable leading a discussion on bullying, this is a book that enables students to vicariously experience bullying and its effects on victims.  You can ask open-ended questions during this discussion, talk about the difficulties of being different and the pain of being rejected by peers.  Have you ever been bullied by others for the way you look?  How did it make you feel?  Have you ever treated someone differently because they didn’t look and act like you?                                     

Gather other books illustrated by Jerry Pinkney:

Pinkney, Jerry. THE LION AND THE MOUSE. ISBN 0316013560

Kipling, Rudyard. RIKKI-TIKKI-TAVI. Ill. by Jerry Pinkney. ISBN 0060587857

Lester, Julius. JOHN HENRY. Ill. by Jerry Pinkney. ISBN 0140566228

Book Review on Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Please note that this blog has been created as an assignment for a TWU course.

1.      BIBLIOGRAPHY

Wise Brown, Margaret. 2005. GOODNIGHT MOON. Ill. by Clement Hurd. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN 100060775858

2.      PLOT SUMMARY

In this picture book, Margaret Wise Brown writes about winding down before bedtime with a familiar routine of saying “goodnight” to all of the objects in a particular room.  She describes how following a nightly routine can be a calm way to drift off to sleep.

3.      CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Margaret Wise Brown’s writes soft rhymes with a slow and calming rhythm.  “Goodnight bears.  Goodnight chairs.  Goodnight kittens.  And goodnight mittens.”  This story helps children understand the concept of a nightly routine and how it can calm them down for bedtime in a simple way because it contains characters and a plot that children can relate to.  Also, many children have similar objects in their rooms. 

Clement Hurd’s illustrations fit beautifully with the text.  The pictures are full of interesting details.  The colors are simple and vivid, gradually getting dimmer in the room as the night sky gets brighter outside the window.  The moon changes position in each scene, the mouse and cats move around in each scene, and the hands on the clock move to indicate time passing.  The colorful and detailed pages are alternated with simpler black and white illustrations that single out a detail of a room, like a picture or a mouse.

This will be an excellent book to share because it helps readers to understand nightly routines and how they can be calming.  Also, it is a great book for teaching children the names of specific objects that are in most bedrooms. 

4.      REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE: “After fifty years, this story is still going strong…”

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR: “A little rabbit bids goodnight to each familiar thing in his moonlit room. Rhythmic, gently lulling words combined with warm and equally lulling pictures make this beloved classic an ideal bedtime book.”

5.       CONNECTIONS

*For young children, this book would encourage establishing a nightly ritual.  Also, young children can learn the names of objects that are likely in their rooms.

*Gather other books written by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd:

Wise Brown, Margaret. MY WORLD. Ill. by Clement Hurd. ISBN 0694016608

Wise Brown, Margaret. THE RUNAWAY BUNNY. Ill. by Clement Hurd. ISBN 0061074292