Genre 3: The Great Frog Race

The Great Frog Race by Kristine O'Connell George, Illustrated by Kate Kiesler
Clarion Books, 1997
ISBN 978-0-395-77607-0

Summary:
The Great Frog Race is a collection of poems inspired by childhood in the country. The poems are told with a child's eye viewing everyday things: garden hoses, frogs, meadows, buckets, and dropped scoops of ice cream. Kate Kiesler illustrates each poem, and the overall effect is that of following a young girl's experiences growing up in the country.

Critical Analysis:
Sadly, young children may not find these poems interesting because while they are light, they are not silly, and the subject matter may not be familiar to suburban and urban kids. Grownups, however--especially ones who have spent time on a farm or in the country--will be thoroughly delighted with these poems.
George is a master of capturing poignant moments in her mostly free verse poetry. In "Evening Rain," she is able to capture the beauty of light sparkling off raindrops during an evening shower through use of creative personification:

"The porch light shines on rain
taking thin silken stitches
with strands of wet thread.
I run outside to the rain
to see what it is sewing."

Some of the poems such as "Ambush" and "The Great Frog Race" are short narratives, while many of the poems are simply impressions of a moment or a memory. In the haiku "Morning Grasses," George writes

"Thin frosted grasses
lying flat under footprints
slowly straighten up."

George also uses unexpected metaphor. She describes a spring wind blowing through a window as a lady who "looked inside," "whispered her thanks,/lifted her silk skirts,/and rustled away."
This entire series of poems is written with a child's ability to focus on the extraordinary in the everyday. The overall feeling, however, is not that the child is writing the poems, but rather that the moments and impressions are filtered through an adult's fond memory of childhood.


Review Excerpts:
"George's deft, short poems take many forms as they encapsulate appreciative glimpses of the natural world and small moments of childhood. Haiku, blank verse, bits of rhyme, and some lovely little bundles of words are sprinkled along in pieces that are descriptive and engaging. . . . Most readers will easily find favorites here. The soft, full- and double-page scenes are evocative and inviting, featuring a comfortably homely cast of boys and girls. For personal enjoyment, reading aloud, and encouraging children in the writing of poetry--this offering has lots of uses."

Margaret Bush, School Library Journal, April 1997, v. 43

"The poems are quiet and observant, tending towards free verse and sometimes reminiscent of William Carlos Williams ('A crow stole the cone/ and six tiny sparrows hopped/ vanilla footprints/ across the sidewalk'--'What Happened to the Ice Cream Cone Someone Dropped'). The phraseology is fresh and apt, employing tactile as well as visual conceits, and the subjects are kid-appealing ones indeed."

Deborah Stevenson, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, June 1997, v. 50

Connections:

• The Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award
• Have students find a poem they like in The Great Frog Race. Then have them write "copycat" poems about everyday objects in the classroom such as erasers, chalk dust, or artwork hanging on the bulletin board.
• Quick write: Who is the girl seen in many of the illustrations? Where does she live? What is her family like?
• Find examples of simile, metaphor, and personification. Why are these devices effective?

Genre 3: The Dragons Are Singing Tonight

The Dragons Are Singing Tonight by Jack Prelutsky, Illustrated by Peter Sis
Greenwillow Books, 1993
ISBN 0-688-09645-X

Summary:
Jack Prelutsky uses poetry to present a wide range of dragons and dragon lore. Imaginative poems include "I Made A Mechanical Dragon," "A Dragon Is in My Computer," and "My Dragon Wasn't Feeling Good." The collection even includes such disparate titles as "If You Don't Believe in Dragons" and "Once They All Believed in Dragons."

Critical Analysis:
This analysis may be somewhat biased because The Dragons Are Singing Tonight is a book near and dear to my heart. Why? It was a longtime favorite of my sons when they were young, and we spent many, many nights reading and rereading its poems. The title poem is still my favorite, partly due to the beautiful illustration of dozens of singing dragons and partly due to the idea of all the magical noise:

"Tonight is the night all the dragons
Awake in their lairs underground,
To sing in cacophonous chorus
And fill the whole world with their sound."

Lovers of traditional dragon tales will not be disappointed. Some of the poems give mention of knights, maidens, and dragon's treasure, although an element of surprise (such as a lazy dragon or a bored dragon) is usually included.
The bigger genius in this book is the imaginative way Prelutsky and Sis portray the dragons. One of the dragons is tiny with "a nasty, nasty temper," while another is cured of illness by ingesting "turpentine and phosphorous and gasoline." In "I Made a Mechanical Dragon," the narrator creates a junkyard dragon made from "thrown-away clocks and unmendable socks" and other castoff rubbish. In the accompanying illustration, children can find many of the listed building materials along with an unfortunate cat stranded in the washing machine Sis uses for the dragon's rump.
While the poems are a good read simply because they are written with fun rhythm, rhyme, and alliteration, they also introduce children to some advanced vocabulary. My children knew how to use the words "cacophonous" and "pillage" and "despicable" at a young age due to reading these poems repeatedly.
Perhaps the fact that my sons wanted to read this book so often is evidence enough that it contains great children's poetry.

Review Excerpts:

"It's tempting to quote nearly all the 17 poems in this excellent collection, but here's just a short one: 'If you don't believe in dragons, / it is curiously true / That the dragons you disparage / Choose to not believe in you.' . . . There's a 'just right' quality to the verse that makes it a pleasure to read the words aloud. Their sounds fit together with seamless craftsmanship, and their sense rewards listeners with humor, imagination, and occasional poignancy. More than a mirror for the verse, Sis' artwork extends the imagery with paintings of haunting beauty, subtlety, and strangeness. . . . Because it appeals on so many levels, this is one poetry book that won't sit on the shelf for long."

Carolyn Phelan
Booklist September 1 1993, v. 90

"These engaging, funny, and touching poems will delight readers with rhyme, rhythm, and wonderful words. Kudos for word choices such as 'malevolent,' 'disconsolate,' and 'obeisance,' which add texture and intelligence to fanciful vignettes of dragon life. In addition to poetic wizardry, much of this book's appeal must be credited to Peter Sis's inventive and evocative illustrations. Each covers a double page and will hold readers spellbound studying fine details."

Williams, Karen
The Christian Science Monitor (Eastern edition), October 7 1993

Connections:

Have a class create or collect poems about one certain type of animal. How many can you find? How much of a variety can you find? Which are your favorites?

Compare dragons in the poems to dragons in other stories. What do they compare and contrast?

Create a dragon kite based on "I Have a Dozen Dragons."

What would be some problems in keeping dragons as pets?

Compare dragon stories from different geographic areas such as Asia, South America, and Europe.

Genre 2: The Persian Cinderella

The Persian Cinderella by Shirley Climo, Illustrated by Robert Florczak
HarperCollins, 1999
ISBN 0-06-026763-1

Summary:
In ancient Persia, a girl is born with a star-shaped birthmark and is named Settareh, which means "star." Settareh, left motherless with a father "busy in the world of men," must fend for herself in the women's part of the house where she is often ignored except when being picked on by her stepsisters. In typical Cinderella fashion, Settareh has a generous spirit but few opportunities to move up in the world until she buys a broken pot that turns out to house a pari, a fairy that grants her wishes. Her mean sisters steal her pari, but Settareh is still able to meet her prince.

Critical Analysis:
This retelling of a traditional Persian fairytale is much more interesting than the Americanized Cinderella story. The gender-segregated household, bazaar, and magic hairpins are fascinating exotic details compared with the usual glass slippers and kingdom castle.
The illustrations in this book are amazing. Every page has fabulously detailed drawings, and every text block is surrounded by patterns resembling those found in Persian weaving.
The author notes at the end of the book that her story is a retelling based on earlier stories dating back to a ninth-century Persian book called A Thousand Tales. The illustrations are also well-researched. In fact, the illustrator used live models from the Persian community in Los Angeles when creating the drawings.
Overall, this book provides a much more substantial story than the usual Cinderella story.

Review Excerpts:

"The story, drawn from the Arabian nights, is nicely told. Embellishments new to Western readers include the transformation of Settareh, once united to her prince, into a dove through the treachery of her stepsisters. The magical means by which Settareh realizes her wishes is also an interesting variation. While the story has little in the way of emotional impact, beyond the theme of goodness and beauty ultimately rewarded, this beautifully produced book is bound to enchant young readers with a fondness for the exotic."

Elsa Marston

MultiCultural Review, December 1999, v. 8 no. 4

"Climo adds to her series of multicultural Cinderella books (The Korean Cinderella (1993)), once again choosing a version of the traditional story authentic to the culture. . . . Persian stories are not as plentiful as those from other cultures, and though the pacing isn't as successful as other versions, the memorable details (such as the thousand matched pearls that shower upon the new couple once the spell is broken) more than make up for it. Florczak's illustrations are stunningly exotic and beautiful. . . . A fine addition for any folktale collection."

Susan Dove Lempke

Booklist, July 1999, v. 95 no. 21

Connections:
Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee

Compare to other Cinderella books such as The Egyptian Cinderella, The Irish Cinderella, or The Korean Cinderella by the same author.

Inspect maps of Ancient Persia. On a modern map, locate the area that was once Persia. What countries are there now?

Why is the household segregated by gender? In what countries is this custom still common?

Genre 2: Stories to Tell a Cat

Stories to Tell a Cat by Alvin Schwartz
The Trumpet Club, 1992
ISBN 0-440-83296-9

Summary:
Alvin Schwartz retells fourteen short tales about cats in "Stories to Tell a Cat." All of the tales have roots in traditional tales from around the world, and Schwartz maps each tale's genealogy in a section at the end of the book.
An author's note at the beginning explains that Schwartz enjoys telling his own cat these tales as "a nice cozy way to spend an evening."

Critical Analysis:
A reader need not be a cat lover to enjoy this book, although cat owners would be especially enchanted. The book is a combination of various types of folktales centered around cats.
I was amazed by the breadth of the stories: poems, fables, and fairytales alongside downright spooky tales. "The Cat Came Back" even includes a sung chorus!
An adult reader looking for surprising, inspirational stories will be disappointed, but as long as the reader understands these traditional tales will sound familiar, the stories are entertaining.

Review Excerpts:

"Though you'd never know it by looking at the fetching dust jacket (a perky green parrot sits atop the head of a friendly looking marmalade cat), this collection of cat stuff isn't for children who want to read about cuddly critters. In fact, the late Schwartz's first story reads very much like a horror tale. . . . But even though Schwartz's cats rarely purr sweetly, they are certainly an intriguing lot. In 'Make-Believe Cats,' for example, cats sketched on a screen spring heroically to life to save a boy from rats; and in 'The Fastest Cat on Earth,' a funny takeoff on the familiar fable about the tortoise and the hare, a self-satisfied feline meets its match in a clever crab."

Stephanie Zvirin

Booklist, December 15 1992, v. 89

"Some of the selections are familiar; . . . 'The Make-Believe Cats,' about a boy whose drawings come alive, is an Americanized version of a well-known Japanese folktale with the same motif. 'The Ship's Cat' and others are more unusual, but overall, the retellings are uneven. While 'The Green Chicken' . . . is tightly written and funny, 'Rosie and Arthur' (about a bad dream) is anticlimactic, and 'The Nest' (a variant of 'Belling the Tiger') is meandering. Nevertheless, Schwartz has an easy-to-read style and the book's format will invite cat-lovers to browse through and pick out their favorites. The author's notes are, as always, informal and helpful; only the first title in the bibliography is annotated."

Betsy Hearne
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, February 1993, v. 46

Connections:
Compare and contrast cats from the various tales.

Write more verses to "The Cat Came Back."

Research the role of cats in ancient Egyptian culture.

Research the mythical origins of other animals after reading "A Tail of Grass."

Genre 2: Tomie dePaola's Favorite Nursery Tales

Tomie dePaola's Favorite Nursery Tales Told by Tomie dePaola
Putnam, 1986
ISBN 0-399-21319-8

Summary:
Tomie dePaola retells traditional tales collected by Jacobs, the Brothers Grimm, Asbjornsen, and Aesop. Along with these traditional fables and folktales, he also includes modern tales by writers such as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Hans Christian Anderson. The bulk of the stories, however, are traditional stories.
Some favorite stories included are "The Little Red Hen," "The Frog Prince," "The Three Little Pigs," "Rumpelstiltskin," "The Emperor's New Clothes," "The Elves and the Shoemaker," and "The Three Billy-Goats Gruff."

Critical Analysis:
All of the tales are retold in a manner faithful to tradition with characters, plots, and morals that are easy to understand. The language dePaola uses is interesting because while most words are easy for young readers to understand, he does use some more sophisticated words that would expand children's vocabularies: "waistcoats," "gratitude," "lofty," and "procession." These words do not interrupt the story but do expose children to new words.
While dePaola's charming folk-art illustrations are appropriate to the tales, I can't help but notice the humans are all rosy-cheeked Anglos (who look somewhat similar to dePaola himself) wearing traditional English clothing. The one nod to a different culture might be the head coverings worn in a Russian tale, "The Straw Ox."
I would still happily read the book to students or my own kids, but I would also provide some cultural variation with other stories.

The author's dedication caught my eye: "For my mother, Flossie Downey dePaola, whose lap I sat on a long time ago, and listened to her tell me many of these stories." I can't help but wonder how much these early memories of hearing traditional tales contributed to the Caldecott and Newberry winner's literary success.

Review Excerpts:
"The book design is handsome and spacious, the illustrations variously successful. DePaola is at his best in a light mode: the humor in the art for 'The Fox and the Grape' and 'The Emperor's New Clothes,' for instance, enhances elements of both tales, while some of the fairy tales suffer from a farcical graphic interpretation, as in the pictures for 'The Frog Prince,' or from stock images like those in 'Rapunzel.'"

Betsy Hearne
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, February 1987, v. 40

"Like a good winter coat in a large family, this anthology can be passed along to many children. . . . The only off note is Longfellow's 'The Children's Hour,' which is so much more sentimental than the other selections. . . . DePaola's droll, witty, and very funny illustrations capture the essence of each story from a child's point of view. . . . The beautiful layout of these pages, in which the print and pictures are perfectly at ease with one another, invites confident new readers as well as adults for reading aloud."

Anna Biagioni Hart
School Library Journal, January 1987, v. 33

Connections:
Have students turn tales into fractured tales or reader's theater scripts.

Have students use text details to draw scenes from stories.

Compare similar characters from different tales. For example, use the foxes found in "Johnny Cake," "Chicken Licken," and "The Fox and the Stork." What traits do the foxes have in common? How do they differ? What does this tell us about humans' views of foxes?

Use longer tales to practice finding plot elements: setting, conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Draw and illustrate a plot map.