Module 13: Tales from Outer Suburbia

Book summary: A collection of illustrated short stories that expand the imagination and stir deep emotions.

APA Reference of book: Tan, S. (2008). Tales from outer suburbia. New York, NY: Arthur A. Levine Books.

Impressions: This book was shelved under regular Teen Fiction, not graphic novels, in my library with a “Short Stories” label on the spine. I was surprised that the book was a collection of illustrated short stories, but I was very pleased with its contents. Each story had its own mood and tone, and the illustrations matched that (whether it was gritty, hopeless, heartwarming, or brilliant). Themes such as family, being kind-hearted, imagination, and adventure are present in all of these short stories. The illustrations accurately capture the overall tone of the stories and there were a few stories which, after reading, I had to set the book down and ponder further.

Professional Review: “Nameless, ageless, genderless first-person narrators bring readers into offbeat yet recognizable places in this sparkling, mind-bending collection from the creator of The Arrival (2007). In “Our Expedition,” siblings set out to see if anything exists beyond the end of their father’s road map. Dysfunctional parents and the child they ignore are brought together when a dugong appears in their front lawn in “Undertow.” With these and other short stories, Tan brings magic to places where magic rarely happens in books. These are fairy tales for modern times, in which there is valor, love and wisdom—without dragons and castles. The accompanying illustrations vary widely in style, medium and palette, reflecting both the events and the mood of each story, while hewing to a unifying sense of the surreal. In some stories, Tan has replaced the sparse, atmospheric text entirely with pictures, leaving the reader to absorb the stunning visual impact of his imagined universe. Several poems—and a short story—told via collage are included. Graphic-novel and text enthusiasts alike will be drawn to this breathtaking combination of words and images. (Graphic anthology. 12 & up).”

Reference

[Review of the book Tales from Outer Suburbia]. (2009 February 1). Kirkus. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/shaun-tan/tales-from-outer-suburbia/.

Library Uses: This would be a selection for a teen book club, showing that book clubs can read non-traditional titles and still produce an in-depth and lively discussion. This book is a great introduction into graphic novels, so I would promote similar titles to the book group so they can experience more books within the genre.

Module 12: Who Says Women Can't Be Doctors?

Book summary: Elizabeth Blackwell was not an ordinary girl. She ventured far and was eager to learn about everything. A dying friends wish influenced Elizabeth to push the boundaries society had built and fought to pursue a new profession for women: a doctor. This is the story of her journey, hardships, and perseverance towards becoming the first female doctor.

APA Reference of book: Stone, T.L. & Priceman, M. (2013). Who says women can’t be doctors? The story of Elizabeth Blackwell. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company, LLC.

Impressions: This book was an effective piece of storytelling. I felt like the text was written first then shared with the illustrator, who beautifully depicted significant events in the life of Elizabeth Blackwell. I enjoyed the different spreads of illustrations: some were small, unique snapshots of Blackwell’s life, while others were sweeping landscapes of her time traveling through town. The watercolor illustrations were vibrant, sharp, and exuded energy. I especially liked the rejection page spread (p.17-18) where Priceman included twenty-eight elegantly scripted “No” to truly encapsulate the overwhelming rejection felt by Blackwell.

Professional Review: “‘Women cannot be doctors. They should not be doctors.’ Elizabeth Blackwell received 28 rejections from medical schools before one accepted her.

Stone takes a lively and conversational approach to the life of the first female doctor in the United States. A tiny but adventurous girl, Elizabeth Blackwell once carried her brother over her head until he stopped fighting with her, and she got the idea to go to medical school from a sick friend who confided that she would much rather be examined by a woman. When Geneva Medical School in New York state accepted her, she didn’t know that the (male) student body had voted on her acceptance as a joke, but she graduated with the top grades in her class. Priceman’s swirly and vivid gouache-and–India ink artwork is an excellent foil for the text, which directly addresses young readers’ own experience while reminding them that in the 1840s, things were different, and that one very determined girl had changed that. The author’s note describes the difficulties Dr. Blackwell experienced setting up her practice and her career treating the poor women and children of New York City. It also notes that today, more than half of all students in U.S. medical schools are women.

A bracing, vivacious account of a pioneering woman. (Picture book/biography. 5-9).”

Reference

[Review of the book Who says women can’t be doctors? The story of Elizabeth Blackwell by T.L. Stone]. (2012 December 1). Kirkus. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/tanya-lee-stone/who-says-women-cant-be-doctors/.

Library Uses: I would organize a “Career Day for Kids” at the public library, where people from different professions would come in and speak to the audience about their job and answer questions. I would feature books from multiple professions so the audience can gain a greater understanding about what these professionals do on a regular basis.

Module 11: Things that Float and Things that Don't

Book summary: Two young kids (and their dog) learn about the properties of water and how things float. Things of various shapes, sizes, and weights are put to the test: Will they float?

APA Reference of book: Adler, D.A. & Raff, A. (2013). Things that float and things that don’t. New York, NY: Holiday House.

Impressions: What a fantastic book about science! I loved the expressive characters and simple illustrations. Adler was able to explain scientific terms (density, mass, etc.) in very accessible ways that even adults can benefit from. This is a great idea for a science fair project for children, as it teaches about making a hypothesis, experimenting, and analyzing the results. The book illustrated the multiple experiments performed by the characters while having supportive text that accurately narrated the pictures.

Professional Review: “A boy, a girl and a dog demonstrate that things float in water when they are less dense than the water around them. Adler, who has demystified math for young readers for years in titles ranging from Roman Numerals (1977) to Millions, Billions, and Trillions (2013) turns his attention to physics with this simple but effective explanation of principles of flotation and density. His clear, logical text invites readers to experiment with different objects, to shape boats, and to make both ice and salt water mixtures. Raff’s illustrations take this invitation further, showing a pair of children using toy boats, plastic bottles, pennies, aluminum foil, clay and ice to discover what things float and why. These digitally combined ink washes and drawings add interest and some humor, supporting and enriching the text, except on one page. There, a line showing the water level of a bottle to which salt has been added seems to show that the water level has risen though the author makes clear that the level should not change. Curiously, the series of experiments stops at that point rather than continuing with the denser salt water, as good teachers would encourage children to do. This appealing introduction can serve as a springboard for further investigations.”

[Review of the book Things that float and things that don’t by D.A. Adler & A. Raff]. (17 July 2013). Kirkus. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/david-a-adler/things-that-float-and-things-that-dont/.

Library Uses: This book would be the inspiration for a STEM/STEAM related program in the public library, especially with the 2017 Summer Reading theme of “Reading By Design.” It would provide for an interactive exercise for children to learn by doing.

Module 10: Goin' Someplace Special

Book summary: ‘Tricia Ann is excited with her new dress that she asks Mama Frances if she can visit her “Someplace Special” by herself today. This routine trip is haunted with the hardships of a southern town in the 1950s, but ‘Tricia Ann learns a valuable lesson from an acquaintance.  

APA Reference of book: McKissack, P.C. & Pinkney, J. (2001). Goin’ someplace special. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Impressions: This book is a beautiful and accurate illustration of the struggle of African-American life in the late 1950s. The illustrations were well-blended, with the background colors muted and secondary, allowing ‘Tricia Ann to be the focus of every set of pages. Her cheery disposition is captured by the yellow ribbon tied around her waist and the smile on her face for most of the book. The book illustrated the struggles experienced by African-Americans during segregation in the 1950s, with the separate sections on the bus and park benches. It was a wonderful surprise to learn what ‘Tricia Ann’s “someplace special” is, especially after reading the “Author’s Note” and understanding McKissack’s childhood experience.

Professional Review: “McKissack draws from her childhood in Nashville for this instructive picture book. "I don't know if I'm ready to turn you loose in the world," Mama Frances tells her granddaughter when she asks if she can go by herself to "Someplace Special" (the destination remains unidentified until the end of the story). 'Tricia Ann does obtain permission, and begins a bittersweet journey downtown, her pride battered by the indignities of Jim Crow laws. She's ejected from a hotel lobby and snubbed as she walks by a movie theater ("Colored people can't come in the front door," she hears a girl explaining to her brother. "They got to go 'round back and sit up in the Buzzard's Roost"). She almost gives up, but, buoyed by the encouragement of adult acquaintances ("Carry yo'self proud," one of her grandmother's friends tells her from the Colored section on the bus), she finally arrives at Someplace Special—a place Mama Frances calls "a doorway to freedom"—the public library. An afterword explains McKissack's connection to the tale, and by putting such a personal face on segregation she makes its injustices painfully real for her audience. Pinkney's (previously paired with McKissack for Mirandy and Brother Wind) luminescent watercolors evoke the '50s, from fashions to finned cars, and he captures every ounce of 'Tricia Ann's eagerness, humiliation and quiet triumph at the end. Ages 4-8.”

Reference

[Review of the book Goin’ someplace special, by P. McKissack & J. Pinkney]. (6 August 2001). Publisher’s Weekly. Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-689-81885-1.

Library Uses: This book would be used as part of a book display during National Library Month to show the values of libraries within their community. I would also provide coloring sheets that allow kids and teens to illustrate and color their favorite library. After completion, they will be displayed in a public mural inside the building.