Cinderella Skeleton

Bibliography

San Souci, Robert. Illus. Catrow, David. 2000. Cinderella Skeleton. New York, NY: Harcourt, Inc. ISBN 0-15-202003-9

Plot Summary

Cinderella Skeleton lives with her stepmother and stepsisters in Boneyard Acres. Her mean stepsisters make her work from dawn to dusk and only give her their worn out hand-me-down clothes. When Cinderella happens upon the Prince’s invitation to the Halloween ball, she vows to go. Cinderella Skeleton marches to meet the Great Witch and asks her to cast a spell. After gathering bats, a cat, and a jack-o-lantern for the witch, she is transformed from rags to a beautiful ghoul wearing a gown of lace and satin slippers. The prince falls in love, but Cinderella Skeleton vanishes. Vowing to find his true love, he scours the graveyard with foot bone and slipper in hand until he finds his Cinderella Skeleton.

Critical Analysis

There are many, many versions of the classic Cinderella story available to children today, but San Souci’s spin is superb! Complete with cheeky rhyme and fantastically ghoulish pictures, this book will have the attention of any school kid.

The good and sweet Cinderella Skeleton is taken advantage of by her cruel stepsisters,

Cinderella Skeleton’s - Stepsisters treated her with scorn. - Gristlene was small and mean - And firmly packed with spite and spleen; - Tall Bony-Jane, a scatterbrain - Was just as vile and twice as vain - They worked Cinderella from dusk till morn.

However, when the Prince falls in love with Cinderella, we find the common theme of good overcoming evil.

The eye-catching illustrations do a nice job interpreting a ghoulish graveyard without being morbid. Cinderella Skeleton is obviously from the underworld but has a pleasant look about her skeletal face. On each page the setting is depicted as somewhat obscure and gloomy, but a brilliant pop of fuchsia or red parades across each page enlivens the story.

This book is certainly one that will not collect dust on library shelves. It is delightful and clever in all regards.

Review Excerpts

From School Library Journal
Grade 3-7-Not for the faint of heart, this retelling continues the author's fascination with "Cinderella" tales. In challenging vocabulary and a complex rhyme scheme, the clever narrative tells of Cinderella Skeleton, a wraith who lives in a mausoleum with her horrific stepmother, Skreech, and stepsisters Gristlene and Bony-Jane. She wiles away her days streaking the windows, hanging cobwebs, and feeding bats until the Halloween Ball invitation arrives. A good woodland witch conjures up the usual participants into a funeral wagon, dragon steeds, a gown, and slippers, but in fleeing from Prince Charnel at sunrise, Cinderella breaks off her slippered foot mid-calf. Gross, yes, though later other ghosts break off their shinbones with the hope of fitting the leg-and-slipper remains ("Wire or glue; you're good as new!" snaps the stepmother as she pulls off each girl's foot). Catrow's wonderfully weird pencil-and-watercolor illustrations feature wiggly lines, lurid pink and bilious green accents, large-eyed skeletons, and grotesque mutantlike creatures. The envious stepfamily conveniently shrivels to dust, which is certainly less horrible than other endings (though younger readers will still be disturbed about those broken legs). This darkly humorous and spooky variation will tickle the twisted tastes of upper-elementary and middle-school readers if it is displayed where they'll find it.
Susan Hepler, Burgundy Farm Country Day School, Alexandria, VA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc

From Booklist
Gr. 3-5, younger for reading aloud. San Souci puts a bizarre spin on the world's most familiar folktale. Cinderella Skeleton "lives" in Boneyard Acres, where she's forced to keep an entire mausoleum supplied with cobwebs and dead flowers while stepsisters Gristlene and Bony-Jane primp and pose before stepmother Skreech. Thanks to the offices of a good witch, Cinderella gets to Prince Charnel's ball and makes her escape just before dawn. As expected, she leaves behind a shoe--but this one has a foot inside. The text is cast in verse, with a complex rhyme scheme that takes getting used to but keeps the lines from sounding sing-songy. Catrow's artwork seems to have taken a tip from Tim Burton's film Nightmare before Christmas (1993). The backgrounds are eerie and elaborately detailed, and the figures are not really skeletons but rather elongated stick figures with mummified heads and moldering, garishly colored finery. In the end, Cinderella Skeleton hobbles out of hiding to be united with her Prince, and off they float, trailing clouds of--something. Share this macabre rib tickler with Stinky Cheese fans. John Peters
Copyright © American Library Association.

Review accessed at: http://www.amazon.com/Cinderella-Skeleton-Robert-San-Souci/dp/0152050698/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-5135857-3668922?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190772153&sr=8-1

Connections

San Souci, Robert. 2006. Sister Tricksters: Rollicking Tales of Clever Females. August House. ISBN 087483791X

San Souci, Robert. 1996. The Red Heels. Dial. ISBN 0803711336

San Souci, Robert. 1996. The Hobyahs. Yearling. ISBN 0440412129

Pio Peep!

Bibliography

Flor, Alma & Campoy, Isabel. Illus. Escriva, Vivi. Pio Peep! 2003. China. Harcourt, Inc. ISBN 0-688-16020-4

Plot Summary

This book celebrates generations of passed down nursery rhymes from Spanish and Latin American heritage. The rhymes in this book are written in both Spanish and English for a bilingual experience. From rice pudding to elephants, all children will be able to find something they can relate to. Colorful illustrations cover the pages from corner to corner, sure to delight young readers.

Critical Analysis

Nursery rhymes should be an important part of every child’s early reading experience. Language can sometimes be a barrier to parents who are new to America or speak English as a second language. Pio Peep! provides a much-needed, quality book of nursery rhymes written in both Spanish and English. This book can also be used to enrich the language experience of native English speakers. The 29 rhymes included are of high-interest subject matter from “Los Elefantes” (The Elephants) to “Arroz con Leche” (Rice Pudding), All children are sure to find a favorite nursery rhyme that they can relate to.

Review Excerpts

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2-Following in the tradition of Margot Griego's Tortillitas para Mama (Holt, 1995) and Jose-Luis Orozco's Diez deditos (Dutton, 1997) comes this stellar collection of nursery rhymes. Selected from the rich oral tradition of Latin America and the American Southwest, most of the verses are known throughout the Spanish-speaking world. The rhymes cover everything from early morning birds to elephants to angels, and the reason for their enduring popularity is clear. Deeply rhythmic verses, compelling rhyme schemes, and words that "play trippingly on the tongue" characterize every verse. Schertle's excellent English adaptations are not literal translations but poetic re-creations. They retain the rhythm, meter, and general meaning of the originals, making the rhymes as memorable and memorizable in English as they are in Spanish. Escriv 's watercolor and colored-pencil illustrations use brilliant hues and detail to reconstruct a young child's world. Certain to become a staple for preschool and early elementary programs, this offering is also a wonderful, reassuring lap book. A must-purchase for libraries.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
PreS. As the preface to this delightful book states, nursery rhymes and songs are an important part of Spanish oral folklore. The 29 rhymes here--some accompanied by finger plays or games, and some simply meant to be chanted on their own--in most cases came to the Americas from Spain. They are presented both in Spanish and in English, although "to preserve the charm of the original rhymes," the English versions are not translations but "poetic recreations." Even adult readers with a rudimentary knowledge of Spanish will see some of the differences, but both versions have a sweet, rhythmic simplicity that will get children singing, clapping, and perhaps making some forays into a new language. The watercolor illustrations, featured prominently on the page, are a mix of historical and contemporary, generic Latin American scenes, and pictures of animals (not Escriva's artistic strong suit). Parents, teachers, and librarians will find a multitude of uses. Ilene Cooper

Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review accessed at: http://www.amazon.com/Pio-Peep-rpkg-Traditional-Spanish/dp/0688160190/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/103-3148834-6054203?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190854253&sr=8-2

Connections

Ada, Alma Flor. 2006. Mama Goose. Hyperion. ISBN 0786852402

Griego, Margot. 1988. Tortillas para Mama and Other Nursery Rhymes. Henry Holt & Co. ISBN 0805003177

Jaramillo, Nelly Palacio. 1996. Las Nanas de Abuelita. Henry Holt & Co.. ISBN 0805046445

Star Boy

Bibliography

Goble, Paul. Star Boy. 1983. New York. Bradbury Press. ISBN 0-02-722660-3

Plot Summary

Star Boy, the child of an earthen woman and the Morning Star, was banished from the sky world and scarred by the Sun as punishment for his mother’s disobedience. When Star Boy grew older, he fell in love with the chief’s daughter who persuaded him to make a journey to Sky World to reconcile with the Sun. The Sun removed his scar and returned Star Boy to the earthly world with the knowledge of the sacred Sun Dance.

Critical Analysis

This book tells the story of how Star Boy came to share with his tribe the sacred Sun Dance. The purpose of this story is to explain. The story begins with two sisters sleeping outside. Their conversation is noticeably stilted with short, simple sentences, “I love Morning Star…He is so handsome. Morning Star is my husband.” However, the narration of the story uses more complex sentence structure, “The Sun was pleased and the Moon gave the girl a dress decorated with shells which glistened like stars.” The brevity of the language may be in part because of the nature of folktales, but the portrayal of Native Americans could have been done better, even though Paul Goble is well-known to be a trusted author of Native American literature. Overall, this book accomplishes what it sets out to do – retell a folktale.

Review Excerpts

From Publishers Weekly
PW said, "Illustrated by elegant, brilliantly colored pictures in the Caldecott Medalist's recognizable style, the pictures . . . recreate ancient days among the Blackfeet Indians." Ages 5-8.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review accessed at: http://www.amazon.com/Star-Boy-Paul-Goble/dp/0689714998/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-3148834-6054203?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190856305&sr=1-1

Connections

Goble, Paul. Dream Wolf. 1997. Aladdin. ISBN 0689815069

Goble, Paul. Buffalo Woman. 1987. Aladdin. ISBN 0689711093

Goble, Paul. The Legend of the White Buffalo Woman. National Geographic Children’s Books. ISBN 0792265521

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat

Bibliography

Taback, Simms. 1999. Joseph Had a Little Overcoat. New York, NY: Penguin Putnum Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0670878553

Plot Summary

When the resourceful Joseph’s overcoat becomes worn and tattered he makes a jacket out of it. The pattern of wear followed by reuse continues until Joseph turns his former overcoat into a button. When the button is lost Joseph concedes that you can’t make something out of nothing, so he decides to write a story about it!

Critical Analysis

Illustrated using watercolor, ink, gouache, pencil, collage, and clever cut-outs, this Caldecott Award-winning book is a feast for the eyes. The character Joseph is first presented wearing the overcoat, and the opposing page has a cut-out fashioned so that when the readers turns the page, the cut-out shape of a jacket reveals the same “material” from the previous overcoat. This continues with the vest, scarf, necktie, handkerchief, and finally the button.

The story is predictable with a very likable main character. The colors on the page are beautiful and bright. This is a very engaging story to read to children of all ages.

Review Excerpts

Amazon.com
When Joseph's favorite overcoat gets old and worn, he makes a jacket out of it. When the jacket is more patches than jacket, Joseph turns it into a vest. When the vest's number is up, Joseph makes a scarf. This thrifty industry continues until there's nothing left of the original garment. But clever Joseph manages to make something out of nothing! (And that's the foreshadowed moral of the story.)

In today's throwaway world, Joseph's old-fashioned frugality is a welcome change. Based on a Yiddish song from Simms Taback's youth (lyrics and music reproduced on the last page), the book is filled with rhythms and arresting colors that will delight every reader. As more and more holes appear in Joseph's coat, die-cut holes appear on the pages, hinting at each next manifestation. The illustrations are striking, created with gouache, watercolor, collage, pencil, and ink. Every inch of space is crammed with fanciful, funny details, such as the headline on a discarded newspaper: "Fiddler on Roof Falls off Roof." Taback, esteemed creator of the Caldecott Honor-winning There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly and the classic Too Much Noise, has produced a picture book that is as well turned out as its dapper hero.

From Publishers Weekly
As in his Caldecott Honor book, There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, Taback's inventive use of die-cut pages shows off his signature artwork, here newly created for his 1977 adaptation of a Yiddish folk song. This diverting, sequential story unravels as swiftly as the threads of Joseph's well-loved, patch-covered plaid coat. A flip of the page allows children to peek through to subsequent spreads as Joseph's tailoring produces items of decreasing size. The author puts a droll spin on his narrative when Joseph loses the last remnant of the coatAa buttonAand decides to make a book about it. "Which shows... you can always make something out of nothing," writes Taback, who wryly slips himself into his story by depicting Joseph creating a dummy for the book that readers are holding. Still, it's the bustling mixed-media artwork, highlighted by the strategically placed die-cuts, that steals the show. Taback works into his folk art a menagerie of wide-eyed animals witnessing the overcoat's transformation, miniature photographs superimposed on paintings and some clever asides reproduced in small print (a wall hanging declares, "Better to have an ugly patch than a beautiful hole"; a newspaper headline announces, "Fiddler on Roof Falls off Roof"). With its effective repetition and an abundance of visual humor, this is tailor-made for reading aloud. All ages. (Oct.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review accessed at: http://www.amazon.com/Joseph-Little-Overcoat-Caldecott-Medal/dp/0670878553/ref=pd_bbs_2/102-1577782-2764152?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189649961&sr=8-2

Connections

Taback, Sims. 1997. There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. Viking Juvenile. 0670869392

Taback, Sims. 2004. This is the House that Jack Built. Puffin Press. 0142402001

Taback, Sims. 2005. Kibitzers and Fools. Viking Juvenile. 0670059552

Knuffle Bunny

Bibliography

Willems, Mo. 2004. Knuffle Bunny. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 0786818700

Plot Summary

Trixie, Knuffle Bunny, and Dad wind through the streets of Brooklyn as they make their way to the Laundromat. All is well until it is time to leave, and Trixie discovers that her treasured Knuffle Bunny is missing. When she tries to communicate her woes, Trixie’s father mistakes her baby babbles for mindless chatter. When they arrive home, Trixie’s mother immediately knows what is wrong—Knuffle Bunny is missing! After a frantic search, Knuffle Bunny is recovered, and Trixie speaks her first words, “Knuffle Bunny.”

Critical Analysis

The most memorable feature of this book is the unusual illustrations; Mo Willems has used real black and white pictures of Brooklyn, his hometown, as the backdrop for the cartoon-illustrated characters. The juxtaposition between characters drawn in cartoon-style and real photos is an almost three-dimensional, eye-popping delight.

Children will be able to relate to Trixie as she loses her beloved Knuffle Bunny; stories of lost and found binkies and blankies will certainly follow a reading of this book! Mo Willems has made a delightfully illustrated book with a storyline that parents and children can all relate to!

Review Excerpts

From School Library Journal
Starred Review. PreSchool-Grade 1–Trixie steps lively as she goes on an errand with her daddy, down the block, through the park, past the school, to the Laundromat. For the toddler, loading and putting money into the machine invoke wide-eyed pleasure. But, on the return home, she realizes something. Readers will know immediately that her stuffed bunny has been left behind but try as she might, (in hilarious gibberish), she cannot get her father to understand her problem. Despite his plea of "please don't get fussy," she gives it her all, bawling and going "boneless." They both arrive home unhappy. Mom immediately sees that "Knuffle Bunny" is missing and so it's back to the Laundromat they go. After several tries, dad finds the toy among the wet laundry and reclaims hero status. Yet, this is not simply a lost-and-found tale. The toddler exuberantly exclaims, "Knuffle Bunny!!!" "And those were the first words Trixie ever said." The concise, deftly told narrative becomes the perfect springboard for the pictures. They, in turn, augment the story's emotional acuity. Printed on olive-green backdrops, the illustrations are a combination of muted, sepia-toned photographs upon which bright cartoon drawings of people have been superimposed. Personalities are artfully created so that both parents and children will recognize themselves within these pages. A seamless and supremely satisfying presentation of art and text.–Martha Topol, Traverse Area District Library, Traverse City, MI

From Booklist
*Starred Review* PreS-Gr. 1. This comic gem proves that Caldecott Medal-winner Willems, the Dr. Spock and Robin Williams of the lap-sit crowd, has just as clear a bead on pre-verbal children as on silver-tongued preschoolers. On a father-daughter trip to the Laundromat, before toddler Trixie "could even speak words," Daddy distractedly tosses her favorite stuffed bunny into the wash. Unfortunately, Trixie's desperate cries ("aggle flaggle klabble") come across as meaningless baby talk, so she pitches a fit until perceptive Mommy and abashed Daddy sprint back to retrieve the toy. Willems chronicles this domestic drama with pitch-perfect text and illustrations that boldly depart from the spare formula of his previous books. Sepia-tone photographs of a Brooklyn neighborhood provide the backdrops for his hand-drawn artwork, intensifying the humor of the gleefully stylized characters--especially Trixie herself, who effectively registers all the universal signs of toddler distress, from the first quavery grimace to the uncooperative, "boneless" stage to the googly-eyed, gape-mouthed crisis point. Even children who can already talk a blue streak will come away satisfied that their own strong emotions have been mirrored and legitimized, and readers of all ages will recognize the agonizing frustration of a little girl who knows far more than she can articulate. Jennifer Mattson

Review accessed at: http://www.amazon.com/Knuffle-Bunny-Cautionary-Mo-Willems/dp/1844280594/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-4742085-1377769?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189472995&sr=8-1

Connections

Willems, Mo. 2004. Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus. Walker Books Ltd. 1844280136

Willems, Mo. 2005. The Pigeon has Feelings, Too. New York, NY: Hyperion Books. 0786836504

Talking with Artists

Bibliography

Cummings, Pat. 1992. Talking With Artists. New York, NY: Macmillan Publishing Company. ISBN 027242455

Plot Summary

In this book Pat Cummings has asked 14 prolific children’s book artists the questions we are all dying to know. In Talking with Artists, Pat Cummings has conversations with these favorite children’s book illustrators and asks questions such as, “Do you have any pets? Who influenced you?” The result is a wonderful page-turning book filled with personal information, funny anecdotes, and lovely exemplar illustrations from the 14 artists.

Critical Analysis

Cummings does a nice job getting each artist to tell stories about his or her childhood. The reader will probably find they have a lot in common with several, if not most, of the illustrators. For example Jerry Pinkney says, “Probably part of the reason that I focused on my drawing so much was that I felt I wasn’t very strong in other areas. I was able to escape some projects by drawing the assignments.” (p. 61).

Each artist has included a piece of artwork from his or her childhood. The art ranges from simplistic such as Victoria Chess’ Butterfly, done at age six, to Steven Kellog’s impressive painting entitled The Tiger, done at age 12. Student readers will be able to see that the art published in picture books is not the starting place of the artist.

In this book Cummings asks each of the 14 artists the same eight questions which allows for comparison and contrast among the artists. We find out that Lane Smith’s normal day is much like our own, “A normal day is probably a lot like a day for you. I wake up and watch cartoons while eating my cereal. I walk downstairs to my work area and start to draw and paint…” (p. 75).

Other special features of this book include a glossary of art terms that may be unfamiliar such as cross-hatching, gouache, and tempera. Cummings has also included a list of books by the featured artists.

Review Excerpts

From Publishers Weekly
In this wide-ranging survey, 14 talented illustrators talk about their childhoods, their work and their daily routines. The broad cross-section includes Caldecott medalists (Chris Van Allsburg, David Wiesner), women (Amy Schwartz, Victoria Chess, Lois Ehlert) and African Americans (Leo Dillon, Jerry Pinkney). Brief autobiographical statements precede interviews that touch on both personal and professional concerns--working conditions, pets, business associates. Each subject is represented by one or two samples of his or her current work and one childhood piece, usually a real charmer. Unfortunately, the often poignant reminiscences and outstanding talent on display cannot overcome the book's unimaginative layout and distractingly pragmatic text. Some interview topics--how to get that first book contract, for example--seem less suited to children than to parents, who might be reassured to learn that making art can be financially as well as personally rewarding. Ages 9-up.

From School Library Journal
Grade 3-8-- Conversations with Victoria Chess, Leo and Diane Dillon, Richard Egielski, Lois Ehlert, Lisa Campbell Ernst, Tom Feelings, Steven Kellogg, Jerry Pinkney, Amy Schwartz, Lane Smith, Chris Van Allsburg, and David Wiesner form the content of this book. All say that ``practice, practice, practice'' is the key to success. The illustrators that Cummings interviewed and her own comments are primarily aimed at young people who love to draw. They tell about how they got started, and where they get their ideas and techniques. There are chatty bits of information about the artists themselves, examples of their childhood drawings, and beautifully reproduced samples of current work. The same questions are asked of each contributor, but the answers range from serious commentary to lighthearted humor. The cumulative result is a short course in how to succeed in the book business, and general agreement that illustration is a tremendously satisfying and enjoyable occupation. Young artists will learn a lot; teachers and other children will also love it. Well designed and well conceived, this book will be welcomed in all those classrooms in which children's literature has become central to the curriculum. --Shirley Wilton, Ocean County College, Toms River, NJ

Review accessed at: http://www.amazon.com/Talking-Artists-1/dp/0027242455/ref=pd_bbs_2/105-3360499-3115612?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189387503&sr=1-2

Connections

Christelow, Eileen. 1997. What Do Authors Do? Clarion Books. 0395866219

Cummings, Pat. 1999. Talking with Artists, Vol. 3. Clarion Books. 0395891329

Fox, Mem. 1992. Dear Mem Fox, I Have Read All Your Books Even the Pathetic Ones: And Other Incidents in the Life of a Children's Book Author. Harvest Books. 0156586762

Nodelman, Perry. 1990. Words About Pictures: The Narrative Art of Children's Picture Books. University of Georgia Press. 0820312711