BUBBA THE COWBOY PRINCE

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Helen Ketteman. 1997. BUBBA THE COWBOY PRINCE. Ill. By James Warhola. NewYork: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0590255061 Reading level: 5 – 8

PLOT SUMMARY

In this Texas version of Cinderella, Bubba is the hero. The background is set in a ranch in Texas. Bubba is living with his wicked stepfather and stepbrothers, Dwayne and Milton. They boss Bubba around who is a weak and naïve character and therefore downtrodden by his stepfather and stepbrothers. Miz Lurleen who lives in the neighboring rancher is looking for a husband for herself “as cute as a cow’s ear”. One day, she invites all of the ranchers in Texas to her ranch, in order to find her companionship. Bubba’s stepfather won’t let him go to the ball. When frustrated bubba arrives at the cow pasture, Miz Godcow shows up. She swishes her tail and magically helps Bubba go to the ball wearing shiny boots, a dazzling shirt and white as salt Stetson. When the fairy godcow swishes her tail again, and steer magically turns into a beautiful white stallion. When Bubba arrives at the ball, he draws attentions from all of the people attending the ball, especially, from Miz Lurllen. When the clock strikes midnight, Bubba turns into a dirty and smelly cowboy again. In his rush to get out, bubba leaves one of his boots behind. Miz Lurleen’s finds the boot, and tries to find its real owner several times, finally, she finds bubba and proposes to him. As in any happy ending story, they live ‘happily ever after, roping, and cowpoking, and gitting them doggies along.’

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This Texan version of the story has the same motif as the other Cinderella style of stories which is that “good triumphs over evil.” But, the gender of the hero is male and the cow plays the role of the fairy godmother in this story. The most attractive scene is when bubba ran away from Miz Lurleen when he turned back in to his usual appearance. The full moon seems to know the entire situation wearing deep embarrassment on its face and the fairy Godcow is watching it pathetically in a distance. The cow lumber off on the ground. Its face looks real, adding to the suspense. Its illustration is naturally tailored with the text. The cruel touch of oil painting enhances the character and backdrop adding the liveliness; Cactus, the ranch, the cowboy hat and boots, etc, all characters and stuffs are realistic. And the Texas dialect spread in the pages emphasizes the Texan style.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

BookList, 12/01/1997
“Ketteman wisely leaves the plot unchanged, but the story has a distinct western flair and a humorous tall-tale feel that is greatly enhanced by the exaggerated actions and facial expressions of the characters in Warhola's double-page-spread oil paintings.”

Publishers Weekly, 11/17/1997
“While spoofing Cinderella is not a new idea, Ketteman and Warhola's (Aunt Hilarity's Bustle) well-matched flair for hyperbole gives both the narrative and illustrations a one-two punch. Just the ticket for buckaroos lookin' fer a good read.”

CONNECTIONS

*Activity
This book may be used for the practice to fracture a story. Let children make another story based on this book and make their own book.

*Other twist version of books of Cinderella story.
Ellen Jackson Cinder Edna 0688162959
Shirley Hughes. Ella's Big Chance ISBN: 0689873999
Robert D. San Souci. Sootface ISBN: 044041363X
Alan Schroeder Smoky Mountain Rose ISBN: 0803717334

PINOCCHIO

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Carlo Collodi, 1995. Pinocchio. Ill. By Ed.Young. New York: Philomel Books. ISBN: 0399229418 Reading level:4-8

PLOT SUMMARY

Once upon a time, Geppetto, a puppet maker in a town in Italy, made a doll and named it Pinocchio. Pinocchio could speak, think, and walk without wires, even though he was made of wood. But, Pinocchio was a mischievous and naughty puppet. One day, Pinocchio went to the puppet theater and was almost killed by a fire-eater. After many twists and turns, Pinocchio survived and earned five gold pieces from the fire-eater. But, on the way home, a fox and a cat wiled Pinocchio into burying his money in the filed for a miracle- a gold coin tree, and the two assassins tried to rob him. But, the fairy saved him from those assassins. For the fairy’s questions “where is the money?” Pinocchio answered with a lie saying that he lost his money, but the money was in his pocket. As he lied his nose grew longer. The fairy stopped his nose from growing and said, “If you will remain with me, you shall be my little brother and I will be your good little sister.”
Finally, Pinocchio buried his money in the filed of miracle, but he found there is no gold-coin tree and his money was no longer there. Then a large pigeon came and brought him to a beach which had roaring waves. And there, the terrible Dogfish swallowed his father, and Pinocchio returned without knowing his father was gone. At this time, Pinocchio went to the land of toys lured by Candlewick and was turned into the donkey.
Pinocchio jumped into the sea and turned back to a normal puppet, but was swallowed by the Dogfish. And in the belly of the dogfish, he finally met his father. While the dogfish was sleeping at night, Pinocchio and Geppetto came out of the fish, and went back to home. The next day, Pinocchio’s long time wish finally becomes true and he turns into a real boy.


CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This adaptation version, ‘The adventures of Pinocchio’ is shorter than the original. It consists of thirteen scenes and the author used the stock-in-trade of the Italian theater, commedia dell' arte, especially, Harlequin in the Fire-eater scene. A Chinese-American illustrator, Ed Young used a collage which makes this book unique and dynamic, and gives a three-dimensional effect. Sometimes, it is difficult to read the story because of the dark colors and texture of background, but it is also interesting to look the detail of the picture, some are double–page spread.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

Booklist v. 93 (November 15 1996) p. 586
"Ed Young presents an illustrated edition of this famous Italian fantasy. Although his version of the story is considerably shorter than Collodi's text, it retains a sense of the adventure, humor, and pathos that made the original Pinocchio a classic. . . . The exaggeration of the characters' shadows in several scenes makes good use of the collage medium and significantly heightens the dramatic effects of the artwork. A handsome, large-format volume, this edition will attract readers looking for an abridged and well-illustrated version."

The Horn Book v. 72 (November/December 1996) p. 720
Title: Pinocchio"This version is an artistic achievement in its own right rather than a diluted production for the mass market. By dividing the book into 'scenes' and conveying most of the action through dialogue, Ed Young adds a new, appropriately theatrical, dimension to Collodi's classic study. An elegantly phrased author's note precedes the story, placing it in the tradition of the commedia dell'arte, isolating the elements that endow it with universal appeal, and giving a sound rationale for transforming it into a play. And transformed it is through an absorbing series of cut-paper collages that not only interpret the text but virtually embrace it through thoughtful page design. The illusion of an improvisational production is enhanced by the grouping of the original chapters into scenes that emphasize the badinage and wit of the original."

CONNECTIONS

*Discussion Subject
What kinds of lessons you can get from this book?
What happened when Pinocchio told a lie? What happen to you if you lie?
Compare role of the fairy in this book and ones in other books.

*Other version of Pinocchio
Collodi, C., et. al. The adventures of Pinocchio. ISBN: 1-586-42052-6
Collodi, Carlo; Grimly, Gris, ed. Pinocchio. Illustrations by Gris Grimly ISBN: 0-7653-0591-7

MORE SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Alvin Schwartz, 1984. More scary stories to tell in the dark. Ill By Stephen Gammell. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN: 0-397-32082-5 Reading Level: 9-12

PLOT SUMMARY

‘More scary stories to tell in the dark’ collected from Folklore is composed of four categories and each has four to eight numbers of stories. Stories are about ghost, bogeymen, monsters, demons, and evil sprits, etc. Some of the most scariest stories to me were a story about a man who doesn’t know he was killed and became a ghost; a story about a crew’s ghost, which the pirate ship was sank off long times ago; and a story about a bride who tried to hide and locked in her grandfather’s trunk in the attic on her wedding day and her body was found a few years later by a maid. The subjects can be anything and the places where the episodes happened could be anywhere, but the common thing is they are supernatural and scary. The last part, The Last Laugh, is mild or middle level of scary stories. It seems like fearful in the beginning, but people can laugh when they read the last part.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Each story has from two to four pages, and sentences are short and easy to understand. Although his scary series are selected for America's most frequently challenged book in the year of 1990 and 2000 (http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/100mostfrequently.htm), it is one of children’s favorite books. It offers detail sources from which each story is adapted and bibliographies which explain abbreviations from the book. Stephen Gammell’s spooky and creepy illustrations increase the intensity of the mood, and sometimes, it is even scarier than stories.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

The Horn Book
"Brief, bloodcurdling tales of ghosts, murders, graveyards, and other horrors, greatly enhanced by the ghoulish illustrations."

School Library Journal
"Guaranteed to make your teeth chatter and your spine-tingle."

CONNECTIONS
*Activities
Let children have a group three to four students and give them a short scary story to begin with. And then let them make their own and compile them into a class book.

*Other scary stories from Alvin Schwartz
Alvin Schwartz. Scary stories to tell in the dark ISBN: 0397319266
Alvin Schwartz. In a dark, dark room, and other scary stories ISBN: 0060252715
Alvin Schwartz. Ghosts!: ghostly tales from folklore ISBN: 0060217960
Alvin Schwartz. Scary stories 3: more tales to chill your bones ISBN: 0060217944

Like Likes Like

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Raschka, Chris. 2001. Like Likes Like. Ill. by Chris Raschka. DK Publishing. ISBN 0789425645. Reading level: Baby-Preschool

PLOT SUMMARY

The author, Raschka, weaves a story through a pity feline’s loneliness and yearning for friendship.
“Two by two, he and she, curly and straight, fancy and plain, different and same”. In this world of pairs, the cat feels alone when all the other animals have their pairs. With a wish to have its own friend, the cat goes to journey that is full of nature such as roses, seas, flowers and fliers, trees and skies, grass and mounds, and stones. In this world, the cat still looks like lonely and yearning for a friend. When the cat finally meets its own mate, with dark brown furs and green eyes, it really looks happy.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Words pairs such as ‘rows and rose’, ‘sees and seas’ and ‘flowers and fliers’ make the reading rhythmical and playful. Raschka’s simple prose mixes up well with the illustrations. Oil pastels and watercolor are used to enrich the white kitten’s story. The cat’s face is full of expression, and it reflects loneliness and sadness. The background colors also tell a story. Yellow, blue, green colors are more intensive and dark when the cat is alone. And the pink convey the delight when the cat found its ‘like.’

REVIEW EXCERPTS

From Publishers Weekly
"This pert and pithy picture book has strong visual echoes of Raschka's Yo! Yes? down to the bright yellow dust jacket. But if the thematic territory of loneliness and friendship is familiar, the development and spirit here are fresh."

From School Library Journal
"Raschka told a hip story of blossoming friendship in spare and sweet prose."

CONNECTIONS

*Another book from Chris Raschka
Raschka, Chris. Yo! Yes? ISBN: 0531071081
*Books about friendship
Carle Eric. Do You Want to Be My Friend? ISBN: 0399215980
Bonsall, Crosby. Mine's the Best ISBN: 0064442136

Talking with Artists

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Cummings, Pat. 1992. Talking with artists. New York: Bradbury Press. ISBN 0027242455. Reading level: Ages 9-12

PLOT SUMMARY
If your child wants to be an illustrator, or wonders what illustrators do, this book is a good guide for you to use. It can also be a comprehensive source of illustration jobs. This book is compiled and edited by Pat Cummings who is an illustrator and author of some popular picture books such as ‘My Mama Needs Me by Mildred Pitts Walter.’ The story includes fourteen well known illustrators such as Lois Ehlert, Steven Kellog, and Chris Van Allsburg.
It starts with their personal background in a piece titled ‘My stories’. Here we become familiar with the illustrator’s childhood and how they got into art, their family story, what was their motivation to become an illustrator, and with someone who influenced their life, etc. Eight questions are asked of each illustrator and include ‘Where do you get your ideas from?’
‘What is a normal day like for you?’ ‘Where do you work?’ ‘Do you have any children? Any pets?’ ‘What do you enjoy drawing the most?’ ‘Do you ever put people you know in your pictures?’ ‘What do you use to make your picture?’ And ‘How did you get to do your first book?’ Cummings points out that these questions are frequently asked by young students.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The sentences are so simple and clear that they make the book easy to read, and so detailed that reading the book feels like a ‘real conversation’ with the illustrators. Reading the personal stories of each illustrator is interesting, and the photos and artworks from their childhood and adulthood make this book inspiring and engaging for young readers. Most of the questions are related to their art, but some questions such as ‘What is a normal day like for you?’ and ‘Do you have any children? Any pets?’ are very personal and make readers feel closer to the illustrators. The book has a glossary for art medium and terms, and more detailed information about artwork included in this book is provided in the ‘acknowledgments’ section.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
Booklist
"Beautifully designed to draw readers, this book will inspire many children to make art and possibly even to choose it as a career some day. A fine addition to a beautiful and absorbing series."

The Horn Book
"Although similar in format and organization, the books in this remarkable series are not simply carbon copies of one another. The introductions alone, succinct and provocative, demonstrate the ways in which the compiler gives added dimension to her project: Volume One presented the idea of illustration as a profession; Volume Two touted the value both of practicing old techniques and trying new ones; Volume Three introduces the concept of illustration as a means of communication. . . . Informative, enjoyable, and inspirational."

CONNECTIONS
*Activity
Let the children select their favorite artist and gather some artwork or information about this artist in the library or on the internet.
*Other related books for illustrator job.
Preller, James. The Big Book of Picture-Book Authors & Illustrators. ISBN 0439201543
Christelow, Eileen. What Do Illustrators Do? ISBN 0395902304

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Taback, Simms. 1999. Joseph had a little overcoat. Ill. by Simms Taback. New York: Viking Juvenile. ISBN 0670878553. Reading level: Baby-Preschool

PLOT SUMMARY

The main character, Joseph, looks much like Simms Taback (Author) himself. Actually, the author’s photo provided on the back cover looks just like Joseph. The story comes from the author’s favorite Yiddish song, ‘I had a little overcoat.’ In this book, Joseph has an overcoat. He recycles his worn cloth into a jacket, vest, necktie, etc. When he loses his last piece of the cloth, he creates a book telling his overcoat story.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

As one of predictable and engineered books, 'Joseph had a little overcoat’ has simple and repeated sentences which give children good examples in learning language patterns. And the die-cut holes function to make children guess what the cloth would be turned into the next time it gets recycled. The character, Joseph is very creative and positive. Even when he lost his button, he was not frustrated. Instead, he wrote a book about his overcoat story. The theme of the overcoat becomes so familiar that children can easily stay focused on reading. This story includes a moral, which is that “You can always make something out of nothing.”

For its illustrations, the book received a Caldecott Honor Medal in 2000.
If illustrations are an important element in reinforcing the text and help children concentrate on reading, then illustrations of this book do a good job. The various illustration styles used in this book are watercolor, Gouache, pencil and collage. Especially, the perfect match of the gouache and the collage makes this book inviting, attractive and unique. The colors of the gouache and collage harmonize with each other and also with the text, especially the fun shapes of the holes easily get young readers involved.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

Booklist v. 96 no. 9-10 (January 1-15 2000) p. 936
"{This} is a true example of accomplished bookmaking--from the typography and the endpapers to the bar code, set in what appears to be a patch of fabric. Taback's mixed-media and collage illustrations are alive with warmth, humor, and humanity. Their colors are festive yet controlled, and they are filled with homey clutter, interesting characters, and a million details to bring children back again and again."

The Horn Book v. 76 no. 1 (January/February 2000) p. 68
"The text is simple to the point of prosaicness--nowhere near as inventive and jazzy as the illustrator's riff on There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly--but the art sings with color and movement and humor and personality. . . . Taback incorporates detail after detail of Jewish life--the Yiddish newspaper the Morning Freiheit; references to Sholom Aleichem and other writers and philosophers; Yiddish proverbs and Chelm stories--to create a veritable pageant of pre-WW II Jewish-Polish life. . . . Broad comedy plays an important part of the pageant. . . . In the end, Joseph loses his button, his last bit of overcoat; left with nothing, he makes one more item--this book. Don't you lose it: clever, visually engrossing, poignant, it's worth holding on to."

CONNECTIONS

*Activity
Cut and paste children’s favorite faces in the magazine to make their own collage art book. (I got this idea from the page when Joseph went to visit his sister living in the city. This page has buildings background with a funny faces in a window.)
*Other die-cut books with Caldecott honor
Taback, Simms.There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly ISBN: 0670869392
Ehlert, Lois. Color Zoo ISBN: 0397322593