Genre 2: Traditional Literature

Horse Hooves and Chicken Feet: Mexican Folk Tales (Aesop Prize)

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Philip, Neil, 

Compiler. 2003. HORSE HOOVES AND 

CHICKEN FEET. Ill. by Jacqueline Mair. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0618194630

2.PLOT SUMMARY

Selected and retold by Neil Philip, this collection includes 14 stories from Mexico and the American Southwest. The stories involve magic, enchantment, superstition and religion. In some stories like Pedro the Trickster, magic and religion play a prominent, humo

rous role when the character, Pedro, a charming, compulsive gambler makes a deal with God, annoys

 the devil and gets kicked out of hell, outsmarts death and tricks Saint P

eter. In the title story, which is presented as true, a young man and his friends crash a dance party and discover to their 

horror that the dancers are really witches;-their chicken feet and horse hooves give them away! The young man and his friends make a narrow escape. In the introd

uction, Philip explains that religion and humor are prominent in Mexican folklore and at the end of the book, he explains

 the origin of many of the stories and gives acknowledgement to those who collected them. 

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The illustrations, which are based on Mexican folk art, add an amusing and lively tone to some of the darker tales. Almost every  story is accompanied by a full page of illustrations portraying various characters and pro

ps from the story. The paintings of the priest and the Virgin Mary, the illustrations of the food and pottery, all create a glimpse into the richness and complexity of the Mexican culture. Many of the stories are very short. They all would be appropriate to read aloud to children in the primary grades and older. 

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

BOOKLIST review: "The stories are simply yet effectively retold."

5. CONNECTIONS

Ask children to draw or paint a picture of one of the characters or  props in the story while they are listening to the book being read aloud. Compare the paintings of Frida Kahlo to those in the book.

Other collections of Mexican Folk Tales:

Brenner, Anita. THE  BOY WHO COULD DO ANYTHING AND OTHER MEXICAN FOLK TALES

 ISBN 0208023534

Sootface: An Ojibwa Cinderella Story

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

San Souci, Robert. SOOTFACE: AN OJIBWA CINDERELLA STORY. Ill. by Daniel San Souci.  New York: Delecorte Press. ISBN 0385312024

2. PLOT SUMMARY

In this retelling, Sootface, shares the fate of her European counterpart of living with her two mean older sisters who make her a slave to the fire, cooking and waiting on them hand and foot. But there is no fairy god mother or glass slipper in this tale. Sootface, always determined and hopeful, finds her own way to her warrior and future husband. 

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This is a beautifully told and illustrated story that flows nicely. The watercolor paintings by Daniel San Souci accurately portray the birch forests of the Great Lakes region where this story originated. The meanness of the sisters and the serenity of Sootface is aptly represented in the portraits. 

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

BOOKLIST review: "The tale has been told before, even in picture-book format, but the San Souci version reads aloud well, and the watercolor artwork illustrates the story with quiet grace."

5. CONNECTIONS

Read European versions and ask students to compare and contrast elements of the story.

Little Plum

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Young, Ed. 1994. LITTLE PLUM. New York: Philomel Books. ISBN 0399226834

2. PLOT SUMMARY

In this Chinese folktale, an old couple finally get their wish to have a son, fulfilled. The only problem is, he is the size of a plum seed. But what he lacks in stature, he makes up for in courage and determination when he sets out to save the villagers from thieves.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Although Ed Young's pastel pictures are lively, they do not contain any cultural clues except maybe that this story is set in the distant past and in a rural place. But the story is engaging with plenty of action and spirit. 

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL review, "Young's spare, action-filled text will hold listeners' attention, while his artwork adds emotional resonance, rhythm, and unity to the tale.

5. CONNECTIONS

Read a book with a similar motif from another country like PEACH BOY from Japan.

Genre 1: Picture Books

Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom (A Caldecott  Honor Book)

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Weatherford, Carole Boston. 2006. MOSES:WHEN HARRIET TUBMAN LED HER PEOPLE TO FREEDOM. Ill. by Kadir 

Nelson. New York, NY: Hyperion.

ISBN 078985175

2. PLOT SUMMARY

In this fictional account of Harriet Tubman's experience of first contemplating her escape from slavery and then acting on it, the reader experiences her very personal and poignant "conversation" with God as she is guided on a very perilous journey to freedom.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

In the story, God's "voice" is represented  in large, upper-case transparent text, Harriet's "voice" is in smaller text, and the third person narrator's "voice" is represented in yet a different font.  God's words on the page give the sense of a powerful and loving force encouraging her to keep on despite the many dangers.  The language is sensual;-on every page we hear the sound of a bird, or feel the breeze, or see the night sky. 

Kadir Nelson's stunning watercolor and oil paintings enhance the poignancy of the text.The dark blues used in the paintings depicting her escape set a somber tone and add to the suspense of the story. The paintings of Harriet after she successfully escapes are golden and light, as if she were cleansed of the terror and hardship. Harriet's expressions are complex; one can see doubt, conviction, despair, a deep spirituality, and love.

This book is accessible even to those who may not be religious.

4.REVIEW 

EXCERPTS

Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "The words and pictures create a potent sense of the harsh life of slavery, the fearsome escape, and one woman's unwavering belief in God."

A review from

 CHILDREN'S LITERATURE:"It is a stunning marriage of text and illustrations and a story that should inspire all.

5. CONNECTIONS

• Allow students to only look at the pictures and experience the story without the text to show how the relationship between words and pictures can create a powerful story.
• Ask students to "read" the expressions on Harriet's face to draw them deeper into the character's experience of this horrendous chapter in our history.
• Suggest other stories about an individual's personal account and experience of a historical event like:

   Levine, Ellen. HENRY'S FREEDOM BOX. ISBN 9780439777339
   Giovanni, Nikki. ROSA. ISBN 0805071067

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat (A Caldecott Medal Book)

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Taback, Simms. 1999. JOSEPH HAD A LITTLE OVERCOAT. New York, NY: Viking Press. ISBN 9780670878550

2.PLOT SUMMARY

Based on 

a yiddish folk song from the author's childhood, this book tells the story of how an old tattered coat was made into first a jacket, then a vest, a scarf, a tie, and finally a button that gets lost. A clever take on the adage, "you can always make something out of nothing."

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Taback uses bright primary colors, some collage, and die cut holes in this engineered book. His characters are whimsical and his humor is clever. For example, on one page there is a fiddler sitting on a roof, then a couple of pages later, there is a newspaper with the headline "Fiddler on Roof Falls off Roof"! The text is repetitive,-it is based on a children's song,  but his use of die cut holes keeps the reader guessing what item of clothing will be seen on the next page. This is a charming and funny book that encourages a dialogic reading experience.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL review: "A book bursting at the seams with ingenuity and creative spirit."

 From PUBLISHER WEEKLY: "With its effective repetition and an abundance of visual humor, this is tailmade for reading aloud."

5.CONNECTIONS

• In storytimes, children can be encouraged to guess what might be made next from the overcoat, drawing them into the story and pictures.
• A discussion of Jewish culture
•  Find other books that use this song and compare the illustrations and the text, for example: Gilman, Phoebe. SOMETHING FROM NOTHING. ISBN 0590472801

Artist to Artist: 23 major Illustrators talk to Children about Their Art

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Carle, Eric. 2007. ARTIST TO ARTIST:23 MAJOR ILLUSTRATORS TALK TO CHILDREN ABOUT THEIR ART. New York: Philomel Books. ISBN 97080399246005

2. PLOT SUMMARY

An anthology of twenty-three artists who talk about their work and how they came to be artists. 

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The artists speak to children about their work in a respectful, non-condescending way. Each artist is featured with a single page biography accompanied by a fold-out page with a self-portrait, photos of the author as a child and as an adult in his/her studio, and with samples of art from the authors' books. 

The book is entertaining as well as encouraging to a young artist, for example Alice Provensen writes, "Young children make marvelous pictures. There is nothing they can't draw. They paint and draw from their imaginations and the world around them. And they are not afraid to draw anything."

4. REVEIW EXCERPTS

KIRKUS starred review: "Fun to read and view, this anthology is a treasure trove of creative insight and inspiration."

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "...a gorgeous, browsable gallery of international treasure."

5. CONNECTIONS

• A great way to encourage kids to be creative.
• Ask students to create their own page and include a self-portrait, photos and original drawings.

LS 5603 21 Summer 2009

I am currently enrolled in the online MLS program at TWU.  I have created this blog as part of an assignment for the class, Literature for Children and Young Adults.