boycott blues written by andrea davis pinkney and illustrated by brian pinkney

Pinkney, Andrea Davis. Boycott Blues, Illustrated by Brian Pinkney. New York: HarperCollins Children's Books, 2008. ISBN: 9780060821197

Plot Summary:
     Rosa Parks was an African-American woman who encountered racism as she rode the bus home from a long day of work. After one long day of work, Rosa boarded a bus that was fairly crowded; however, there was one seat available in the area where people with skin darker than a brown paper bag were not allowed to sit. What do you do when you've been working all day? You sit down to enjoy your ride home and that's exactly what Rosa did. Her very action of sitting where she was not allowed to sit was followed by a long and enduring battle for equality.

Critical Analysis:
     Boycott Blues is a picture book that vividly tells the journey that men and women endured during the Montgomery bus boycott. The author, Andrea Davis Pinkney, provides her audience with a beautiful story that is told through a blues like tribute that also incorporates a bit of poetry. Pinkney sets the tone of this story with a narrator who begins describing a story that they're going to tell that "walks. And walks. And walks. To the blues." This introduction utilizes the structure of a three stanza poem. As the story begins, the author states that on December 1, 1955 Jim Crow flew in who pecked at Rosa Parks. This date aligns with the accurate date that of which Rosa Parks was arrested for sitting in the whites-only section. Andrea Davis Pinkney proceeds to detail the events that Rosa Parks and "the black people in town" endured as this was the beginning of the Montgomery bus boycotts. She continues to detail the events of how "the black people in town" protested riding the buses and walked three hundred days until Jim Crow was abolished. As she details the events, she also utilizes personification as she mentions Jim Crow. She takes the literal form of the word 'crow' and gives it human-like characteristics that align with the misery, inequality, and injustice that the Jim Crow laws caused.
     Along with a thorough and culturally authentic storyline, Andrea Davis Pinkney collaborates with her brother, Brian Pinkney, to illustrate and bring her story to life. Brian utilizes colored inks on clay board to illustrate this story. Bold hues of black, blue, yellow, and brown are used as the basis of his color scheme. He accurately portrays the color of "the black people in town" with skin tones of brown and with kinky black hair, as well as the driver of the bus with white skin. These subtle inclusions visually appeal to their audience while depicting cultural accuracy. The collaboration between the brother and sister author and illustrator vividly detail a time of injustice.
     
Review Excerpts:

"When a guitar-playing, blues-singing hound dog named Dog Tired talks about the Montgomery, Alabama, bus boycott of 1955, he tells it in a steady rhythm of facts with a lot of soul. In this creative retelling of the events leading up to and following Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her bus seat to a white man, the Jim Crow laws separating people based on their skin color are personified as an aggressive, bony-winged black crow pecking and strutting. Dog Tired recounts Martin Luther King, Jr.'s speech and admonition to fight for justice in a nonviolent way, to refuse to ride the buses until they received fair treatment. For nearly a year, the African American community, as well as other supporters, walked, rode bikes, and carpooled to their destinations. Then, in November, 1956, the Supreme Court ruled against segregation and required equal treatment for all people, regardless of their ethnicity. Vivid, motion-filled illustrations convey the menace of Jim Crow, the passion of Dr. King, and the hope of those who marched. The Pinkneys' inspiring collaboration effectively brings a challenging topic to young audiences. An author's note at the end of the book offers additional information on the Montgomery bus boycott, as well as a short bibliography of books for further exploration." - Children's Literature

"Color and movement are vibrant components in this extraordinary book about Rosa Parks's efforts to take down Jim Crow. Text and illustration work in perfect sync. Andrea Pinkney chose the rhythm of the blues as cadence for the guitar-strumming hound-dog narrator: "This story begins with shoes./This story is all for true./This story walks. And walks. And walks./To the blues." In riveting poetic style, the author relates how Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus in Montgomery, AL, on December 1, 1955; her defiance brought about the boycott that changed this nation. The evocative text is bolstered by Brian Pinkney's perceptive vision: he portrays a swirling black mass, colored ink on clay board, to simulate a menacing bird-Jim Crow-that "pecks, pecks, pecks" its determination to undermine the movement. Jim Crow hovers menacingly over the bus and whirls above the beleaguered walkers, but the ever-present dog keeps belting out inspiring words, swinging his tune out over the people. Against electric blues and greens diffused with streaks of black line, Pinkney's artwork rivets the eye with the red of Parks's coat, the yellow of the city bus, and the sunrise red that signals the Supreme Court ruling to end segregation. Children unfamiliar with the historic events of the period will find the tale uplifting and memorable, and for librarians, teachers, and parents, this story will read aloud well, mesmerizing listeners." - School Library Journal 

Connections:
Customers who purchased this title also purchased the following titles: Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood up by Sitting Down, Sweet Smell of Roses, and January's Sparrow.

Interactivity:

• Ask children if they know about Jim Crow. If they are not familiar with these laws, ask them what they may think they were.
• After the reading of the story, re-seat children according to the color of their shirts and create a popular area where the children like to gather only for people with blue colored shirts. Afterwards, explain segregation and seek explanation on how the children who wore other colored shirts besides blue felt.
• Educate children on the importance of equality and standing up for what is right.

nzingha: warrior queen of matamba written by pat mckissack

McKissack, Patricia. Nzingha: Warrior Queen of Matamba. New York: Scholastic Inc., 2000. ISBN: 9780439112109

Plot Summary:
     Nzingha is the first daughter of the leader of the Mbundu people. During this particular period of time, the Portuguese slave traders would ship Mbundu captives to work in their plantations. Nzingha's father is one of those captives who was shipped off; however, after his return from the plantations Nzingha is at the age where she is preparing to marry. Despite her cultural obligations, Nzingha would rather spend time with her father hunting; however, the elders in her tribe would forbid it.

Critical Analysis:
     Nzingha: Warrior Queen of Matamba is a title of historical fiction detailing the story of Nzingha. The author, Pat McKissack, illustrates the life of Nzingha through cultural markers as told through Nzingha's diary. Some cultural markers mentioned within this work of fiction include the details and descriptions of Angola, Africa, language used by the Kiluanji tribe, and historical figures. Some descriptions and details of Africa that further strengthen cultural accuracy include the descriptions of the wildlife, such as leopards and wild pigs, as well as the Kwanza River which is geographically found near the capital of Mbundu. Along with these geographical depictions the author also incorporates Kimbundu words and names. Chokwe, the word for a group of people in eastern Angola, is just one of many words included in the context of this title which further strengthens the cultural accuracy of this work. McKissack also does a good job of including the accurate names of various leaders and Governors, such as Dom Joao Furtado de Mendonca and Kafushe Kambare. Through the inclusions of language, cultural descriptors, and figures Pat McKissack presents a culturally accurate work of historical fiction to her audience.

Review Excerpts:

"This entertaining piece of historical fiction recreates the year 1595 to 1596 in the life of a young African princess destined to become a queen in what is now Angola. Nzingha keeps a diary in Portuguese in order to become familiar with her enemy's ways. This journal traces the year before and including her coming of age at 13. Though she is the first child of the king of Ndongo, her mother was a slave and an outsider, which precludes Nzingha from becoming the heir to her father's kingdom. Her rivalry with her half brother, her budding natural leadership, and her cunning as an ambassador to the Portuguese spin out a fascinating story. A key moment is when she uses one of her guards as a bench so that she is on a level with the seated governor. An epilogue wraps up Nzingha's life of 82 years, whereby she becomes Ngola of Ndongo and later Queen of Matamba, ever defying the Portuguese petitions for slaves. A historical note of life in Africa in 1595, a section on the Ngola family tree, photos, maps, pronunciation guide, and glossary complete this educational book in "The Royal Diaries" series." - Children's Literature

"Nzingha, an Angolan princess in the 16th and 17th centuries, was born in a land in which women were predestined to be subservient to men's whims. Nzingha, however, broke that rule and, following her father's footsteps, became a leader after his death. Through fictionalized diary entries, readers learn that Queen Nzingha is knowledgeable, intelligent, and brave. She is opposed to Portuguese slavery and European ways of life, although she secretly learns the outsiders' language and uses it to her advantage. The diary format will appeal to readers and the author's use of time lines, seasons, and actual place names makes the story believable and interesting. While the ending is too abrupt, this is still a good addition to the series. The maps, photos, glossary, illustrations, and genealogical trees enhance the presentation." - School Library Journal

"This remarkable book tells the true story of a courageous young princess who grew to be a military leader and hero. Set in 16thcentury Congo and enriched with vivid descriptions of the jungle, the story unfolds through the journal writings of Nzingha, who is 13 and about to be chosen for marriage. Nzingha yearns for the attention of her father, the leader of the Mbundu people, and fervently wishes to join him on a hunt. Nzingha is chastised for her impetuous and spirited ways, but ultimately earns her father's praise. The defining factor of their lives, however, is the constant encroachment of their enemy, the Portuguese. As her father's faith in her grows, Nzingha is entrusted to negotiate with the Portuguese Governor, who offers peace if her people will supply slaves to the Portuguese. She discovers that these slaves are shipped to Brazil, where they are worked often to death. When Nzingha decides to advise her father against this bargain, she is kidnapped. Folks are not what they seem through the twists and exciting turns the story suddenly takes. The journal ends with Nzingha's safe return and marriage, but the epilogue goes on to give a synopsis of her lifelong fight to save her people from slavery and domination. With photos, woodcuts, and maps the reader is able to get a very accurate picture of this leader, who is still honored in present day Angola and Brazil. McKissack (Color Me Dark, p. 637, etc.) has written a stunning and thoroughly researched addition to the Royal Diaries series." - Kirkus Reviews 

Connections:
Customers who purchased this title also bought the following titles: Go and Come Back, Doomed Queen Anne, and Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons.

Interactivity:

• Explain that this title may be historical fiction, but it is based on the leader and general Nzingha. 
• Ask audience what is something that they are expected to do, but would rather do instead.
• Have the audience pick out various cultural markers included within the context that accurately depict Africa.

the house you pass on the way written by jacqueline woodson

Woodson, Jacqueline. The House You Pass on the Way. New York: Delacorte Press, 1997. ISBN: 9780142417065

Plot Summary:
     Staggerlee is a teen-aged girl struggling with the search of her own identity. At the age of nine, she changed her name from Evangeline to Staggerlee in hopes of alleviating this struggle; however, this name change was only the first step to her attempt to find herself. Staggerlee's mother is white and her father is black, so living among a black community Staggerlee struggles to fit in with everyone around her because she cannot identify the same as the other teenagers -- black. Along with struggling with racial identity, Staggerlee is also seeking acceptance of her own sexuality. It isn't until her cousin, Trout, comes to visit her for the family where she is able to find comfort in someone to share her secrets. However, when Summer is over, Staggerlee has to find acceptance of her racial and sexual identity on her own.

Critical Analysis:
     The House you Pass on the Way is a novel written by Jacqueline Woodson. This novel incorporates a variety of themes relating to racial and sexual identity. In the beginning of this title, the author gives her readers a background on the protagonist, Staggerlee. The author depicts Staggerlee as a teenager who is searching for her own identity, both, racially and sexually. Staggerlee is described as a light-skinned girl with red brown hair due to her mother being white and her father being a black man. She struggles with her racial identity as her peers continually ask her what's it like to be both, black and white. As the author continues to describe Staggerlee's family and how her family is observed as the only mixed race family within their own black community, the author has displayed cultural markers indicating the racial bias that those who are neither black or white may endure. Supporting these indicators are the descriptions of Staggerlee's family. Her grandparents were depicted as racial heroes who fought for equality and justice and were commerorated with a statue that was built in the heart of their town. Moreover, Woodson describes how Staggerlee's father's side of the family don't communicate with them due to him choosing to marry a white woman. These descriptions further suggest that this took place in the 1960's during a time of civil rights. Woodson does a great job of incorporating various cultural markers within this storyline as she also explores and depicts the struggles of racial and sexual identity.

Review Excerpts:

"Sitting big and silent with all her family's land spread out beyond it," Staggerlee Canan's house, once belonging to her famous grandparents, stands as a refuge from the townspeople's gossip about her parents' "mixed" marriage. Here the pensive 14-year-old can quietly contemplate all the ways she is different from her classmates and her older sister, "smart, popular" Dotti. Staggerlee has never had a close friend besides Hazel back in sixth grade, the first and only girl she ever kissed. But when her cousin Tyler (called "Trout") comes to spend the summer, the two girls are drawn together by their common heritage and longings. As soft-spoken and poetic as the heroine herself, Woodson's prose gracefully expresses Staggerlee's slow emergence from isolation as she and Trout grapple with their shared secret. Minor characters, Staggerlee's gregarious father, her independent, conspicuously white mother ("it's only three, four white women in all of Sweet Gum") and her four diverse siblings add depth and complexity to the heroine's small world. Using a nondidactic approach, the author gently probes questions regarding racism and homosexuality in this poignant tale about growing pains and the ongoing process of self-discovery." - Publishers Weekly

"In this understated story set in a small, mostly African-American community in the South, Staggerlee Canan is shunned by her peers because her mother is white. This is not the sole cause of her isolation, however. She has a secret. In sixth grade, she had kissed another girl. Rejected by that friend, Staggerlee has no one to talk to about her sexual feelings until her adopted cousin. Both wonder if they are gay, but sexual identity is really only one of the things that troubles them. Their platonic intimacy is the intense kind shared by friends who see themselves as different from the crowd. Asked by Trout to say whether she's black or white, Staggerlee replies, "I'm me. That's all." That they seem to be taking different paths in the end adds to the story's poignancy. This richly layered novel will be appreciated for its affecting look at the anxious wonderings of presexual teens, its portrait of a complex interracial family, and its snapshot of the emotionally wrenching but inarticulate adolescent search for self. It's notable both for its quality and for the out-of-the-way places it goes." - School Library Journal 

"A newfound confidante and a breath of common sense clears away a teenager's guilt and dismay over her dawning sexual preference in this thoughtful, deceptively low-key story from Woodson. The middle child in the county's only mixed-race family, Evangeline defiantly changed her name years ago to Staggerlee, after the anti-hero in a ballad, but the finger-pointing has driven her within herself, leaving her friendless and lonely—lonelier still for the memory of the pleasure she took in kissing a girl in grade school. Along comes Trout, another self-named teenager, from a branch of the family that had cut off her parents after their marriage. The attraction is quick, strong, and mutual; Trout's visit may be a short one, but it's long enough for each to open up, find the courage to say the word gay—and to remember that they're only 14, too young to close off options. Woodson takes readers another step down the road when Trout later writes to admit that she's gone head over heels for a guy, and Staggerlee, though feeling betrayed, realizes that she and Trout are both growing and going their own ways. A provocative topic, treated with wisdom and sensitivity, with a strong secondary thread exploring some of the inner and outer effects of biracialism." - Kirkus Reviews

Connections:
Other titles also written by Jacqueline Woodson include: The First Part Last, Miracle's Boys, and From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun.

Interactivity:

• Ask audience whether or not they've shared a secret with someone they could trust, and has it helped them in coping or dealing with it.
• Let readers know that it's perfectly okay to be themselves and if they don't want to constrict themselves into one particular category, they don't have to. 
• Facilitate a discussion around growing and continually maturing around one's own. Acknowledge that there is no age limit to maturity within yourself. 

sweetest kulu written by celina kalluk and illustrated by alexandria neonakis

Kalluk, Celina. Sweetest Kulu, Illustrated by Alexandria Neonakis. Toronto: Inhabit Media Inc., 2014. ISBN: 978127095775

Plot Summary:
    Kulu is a young infant whose introduction into life and nature is told by his mother. Throughout his introduction to life and nature, his mother details how nature's visitors gift him with thoughts, feelings, and qualities that he will use within his lifetime. Some of the gifts and qualities given to young Kulu include: patience, instinct, balance, and tenderness. His mother continues to advise Kulu of the importance of these gifts as he lives with nature to ensure his meaning and sustainability in life.
           

Critical Analysis:
     Sweetest Kulu is a picture book from the USBBY Outstanding International Books list. By being included on this list, this book is known and recognized as an international book. The author, Celina Kalluk was born and raised in Nunavut, and incorporates her personal culture, beliefs, and traditions within this title which further strengthens her insider approach.
     The protagonist of this story, Kulu, is depicted as a sweet young infant who is greeted into the world by spirit animals, animals, and the nature around him. The author, Kalluk, shares her Inuit culture by how she describes how each animal, spirit animal and nature greets baby Kulu. She describes each greeting with a great sense of imagery as she coincides each element with a particular gift and characteristic. For example, Kulu is visited by the Muskox which shared heritage and empowerment in order to display protection. The muskox is an Artic ox known for its strength and protection of its territory and herd. Not only does the author successfully correlate the characteristics of each animal, but she also utilizes a method in which she maintains cultural authenticity as she includes animals that are among this particular country.
     Not only does the author provide her readers with vivid imagery to convey her story, but she also collaborates with illustrator Alexandria Neonakis. Neonakis incorporates beautiful acrylic illustrations which bring to life the words of the story of Kulu. As the author describes "waters so sea green," her readers are met with illustrations that utilize sea green colors that depict the home of the Arctic Char that is being described. The collaboration between the two allow for the story of Kulu to be enjoyed in a literary manner, as well as visually. 

Review Excerpts:

"Debut author Kalluk presents a series of warm affirmations for a newborn (the name "Kulu" is an Inuktitut term of endearment). Neonakis's artwork, while indebted in some places to conventional animation (the baby's button nose and rosebud mouth have a distinctly Disney feel), offers a genuinely folklike sensibility and strong, dynamic compositions. "Sweetest Kulu," Kalluk begins, "on the day you were born, all of the Arctic Summer was there to greet you." Neonakis paints baby Kulu (whose gender is indeterminate) nestled against its mother, whose long brown hair swirls around the baby like waves in the ocean. One by one, several Arctic animals offer Kulu their virtues: "Arctic Hare, with rock willow and roots,/ came to show you love so easily./ You became a best friend, baby Kulu, loving to give." Set in the world of the first peoples of the Arctic, the book hints at the idea of treating the Earth, its plants, and animals as a single living entity and suggests that a family's wishes for its children gain power from being spoken out loud." - Publishers Weekly

"Just when you thought your library didn't need another picture book about parental love, Kalluk and Neonakis have created this far North fantasy that combines awe and coziness in equal measure. Nestled in a warm snowsuit, baby Kulu (an Inuktitut endearment) receives gifts from a parade of magnificent Arctic well-wishers, including Caribou, Snow Bunting, Narwhal, Land, Sun, and Wind. The poetic text reads like a blessing for a new child, pointing out the splendors of the natural world while also invoking character traits that parents wish to inculcate in their children, such as patience and generosity. The pictures mix the warmth and sweetness of mid-century illustrators such as Mary Blair with an animation-style eye for the dramatic: Neonakis zooms in close, as when Artic Hare's cuddly body fills a spread, and pans out wide to show rugged mountain peaks and tundra vegetation. The length and sophisticated vocabulary of the text may overwhelm the youngest listeners, but nonetheless the book's tender rhythms and endearing images immerse readers in an experience of beauty and connection among living things." - School Library Journal 

"A newborn child is welcomed by the sun, the wind, the Arctic land and all its animal inhabitants, who bring gifts of love and self-respect.This sweet bedtime poem, in the tradition of Debra Frasier's On the Day You Were Born (1991), is filled with the animals of the far north and the values of the author's Inuit culture. Believe in yourself. Be generous and helpful, modest and kind, creative and spontaneous, patient and never lazy. "[G]et out of bed as soon as you wake." Look to the stars. Lead gently. Neonakis' illustrations use the colors of that northern world splendidly, especially the blues and greens of the water echoed by the baby's green footie sleeper with its fur-trimmed hood. Her animals—from snow buntings and musk oxen to Arctic char and beluga whales—are stylized but recognizable, and the baby is charming. The text, a series of stanzas spoken or sung by a mother to her child, is written in sentences that are lengthy for a poem or song, but the sections are patterned in a way that is soothing and predictable, and each includes an affirmation: "happy Kulu," "magnificent Kulu," "cutest Kulu," "beloved Kulu."" - Kirkus Reviews 

Connections:
Customers who bought this book also purchased A Fine Dessert: Four Centuries, Four Families, One Delicious Treat, Viva Frida, and Amazing Grace.

Interactivity:

• Ask children to choose an animal in the wild and correlate a quality they share with that animal.
• Have children inquire and/or research the meaning of their names and ask if they feel as if they encompass those meanings.
• Teach children the importance of valuing and cherishing their land and environment.

a time of miracles written by anne-laure bondoux

 

Bondoux, Anne-Laure. A Time of Miracles. New York: Random House Children's Books, 2009. ISBN: 9780385739221

Plot Summary:
     Blaise Fortune is a twenty year old refugee who retells his story of how he was saved from the arms of his mother after surviving a trail derailing. However, Blaise was saved by Gloria in the Republic of Georgia. After being saved by Gloria, Blaise depicts his constant struggle as the Soviet Union collapses and he and Gloria flee heading toward France. Throughout this journey Blaise seeks a better life while embarking on a journey to understand his own identity.

Critical Analysis:
     A Time of Miracles is an international work of fiction that encompasses many elements of multiculturism such as: cultural markers, an insider perspective, and a consistent historical setting. The author, Anne-Laure Bondoux is a French native who provides readers with an insider approach as she is able to portray the French culture group from a personal perspective through the protagonist of her story, Blaise Fortune. Bondoux sets the story of Blaise during the middle of when the Republic of Georgia was fighting for their independence from the Soviet Union. Throughout this novel the author includes vivid imagery and history which allows her readers to understand the struggle and civil war that refugees and their country were fighting for. As Bondoux depicts the journey that Blaise Fortune embarks on she utilizes cultural markers such as the English Channel, Charles de Gaulee Airport, and prominent historical figures. Not only does she incorporate a plethora of cultural markers, but she also includes the French language within the story of Blaise. This inclusion builds awareness of not only a foreign language, but it also strengthens Bondoux's cultural authenticity as it relates to this time era. 

Review Excerpts:

"An exceptional story." - School Library Journal

"[A] beautifully nuanced novel." - Publishers Weekly

"A refugee boy and his mother flee Georgia in 1989 and travel alone through the Caucasus for eight years to reach France. Koumaïl has always lived with Gloria, who tells him stories of rescuing him from a bombed train and stealing passports from his dead French mother. As civil war engulfs the Caucasus, they escape, moving from one refugee camp to the next, suffering hunger and illness. Along the way, Koumaïl makes friends and finds first love, supported by Gloria, who calls him her "little miracle," promises "tomorrow life will be better" and reminds him to "be happy... at all times." When they arrive in France, Gloria vanishes, leaving Koumaïl to survive alone to become a real French citizen. Koumaïl tells his story "in the right order," from the perspective of a 20-year-old refugee who ultimately discovers his true identity and that of the optimistic, resourceful woman who made "up stories to make life more bearable." A beautifully cadenced tribute to maternal love and the power of stories amid contemporary political chaos." - Kirkus Reviews

"Blaise Fortune—citizen of France—is telling his story, now that he's grown up. It starts when he was seven, living in the Republic of Georgia with other refugees fleeing as the Soviet Union dissolves. Life is uncertain, but Blaise (or Koumail, his Georgian name) has Gloria to love him and keep him safe. Her story says that she rescued him as a baby when his French mother died in a train explosion near Gloria's farm. Now they are on their way to France to make a new life; after all, Blaise is French, isn't he? Their extraordinary journey takes years, as they move slowly westward, mostly on foot, encountering other refugees, overcoming heart-stopping obstacles, and receiving help from local residents, including a restaurant cook and a Chinese forger. Most of their experiences will be hard for American teens even to imagine; one of the worst is digging through a huge hill of toxic debris for nickel wires that can be salvaged. Bondoux is sparing with words and scenes, yet deftly reveals tantalizing bits of the past as the travelers trudge through Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Hungary, and Germany. In Romania, with Gloria desperately ill, they are taken in and cared for by a band of gypsies. Will they make it to France? This novel of love, determination, and the power of stories is almost heartbreakingly poignant, especially when Blaise, as a young adult, finds Gloria after years of separation and learns her true story. Readers may want to whisper with him, "Deep down, I think I always knew it." Bondoux, an award-winning author in her native France, is well served here by translator Maudet." - Children's Literature

Connections:

Customers who purchased this title also purchased the following titles: Once, Bog Child, Rose Under Fire, and Then.

Interactivity:

• Ask children if they have ever moved from one state to another. After their responses, ask them the differences they encountered from different states.
• Have children research the history of the Republic of Georgia as they fought for their independence from the Soviet Union; this will allow them to see that it was that long ago.
• Ask children what was the longest trip they've ever been on. Now ask them how they would feel if they had to embark on a trip that lasted five years.

a giraffe in the bath written by mem fox & olivia rawson and illustrated by kerry argent

Fox, Mem & Olivia Rawson. A Giraffe in the Bath, Illustrated by Kerry Argent. New York: Viking, 2010. ISBN: 9780670072132

Plot Summary:
     With the intent to make their audience laugh, this silly picture book is based around instances of various animals doing everyday tasks. From a giraffe in the bath to a roo on the loo, you are bound to see the funny things that animals can do...

Critical Analysis:
     A Giraffe in the Bath is a hilarious picture book written by authors Mem Fox and Olivia Rawson. These two authors incorporate cultural markers particular to their own culture, as well as the inclusion of rhyme and meter. Mem Fox was born in Australia and resided in Africa during some of her childhood. Fox incorporates various animals that are native to Australia such as the kangaroo and the koala, as well as the inclusion of African animals such as the crocodile and the giraffe. She also includes some Austrailian dialect such as the usage of the word 'loo.' In Austrailia, this word is associated with the bathroom; thus, adding to the cultural markers found throughout this title.
     While this title is characterized as a picture book, her audience may associate it with poetry through the usage of Fox's rhythms and rhymes. For example, "a giraffe in the bath...the roo in the loo," display a fun rhyming scheme that contribute to the appeal and tone of this picture book. Throughout her clever rhymes, she attributes human like characteristics and actions to the animals she incorporates. By utilizing personification within her story, she is able to provide humor and a sense of imagery.
     In association with her usage of imagery, Fox collaborates with illustrator Kerry Argent to visually bring to life her fun story. Argent brings Fox's words to life with her vibrant usage of oils and acrylic as she brings a literal illustration to each sentence of Fox's words. When Fox states "a giraffe in the bath," Kerry literally illustrates a giraffe sitting in a bubble bath. Children know that giraffes are tall animals with long limbs, so Argent depicts this animal hanging out of tub because everyone knows that a giraffe can't comfortably fit inside a bathtub. The authors and illustrator of this title collaborate in a manner that positively contributes to the humor that of which their audience will enjoy.

Review Excerpts:

"From the imprint page where we spy koala with his towel and numbat with his rubber duckie obviously heading for the bathtub it is obvious we are in for a frivolous romp of monumental proportions from this master storyteller. Take a minute to form you own image of a giraffe with all its legs, tail and long neck in the sudsy bathtub--I can feel you giggling already! A giraffe in the bath makes you laugh. Your listeners will hoot as you act out the walrus with a wiggle and the roo in the loo is just guaranteed to trigger uncontrollable sniggering. The wonderfully funny images will have everyone laughing out loud. This tale provides a marvelous model for young revelers in language to make up their own fanciful images of other animals in funny situations. " - Children's Review 

"A sheep in the shower?  A roo on the loo?  A giraffe in the bath?  The combined talents of Mem Fox, Olivia Rawson, and Kerry Argent create a wonderful, rollicking, rhythmic adventure with a hilarious cast of zany animal friends. A great story to read aloud with bright, colourful amusing full page illustrations." - Scholastic Australia

Connections:
Similar books that customers also purchased include Mem Fox's: Koala Lou, Where is the Green Sheep, Possum Magic, and the Magic Hat.

Interactivity:

• Ask children to choose an animal and come up with a word that rhymes with it, so they can attribute human like characteristics to it.
• Before showing the pictures to the students, read the book aloud and have them illustrate exactly what they hear.
• Choose a random animal and ask children if they can take a bath? If so, do they use bath tubs? For example, a cat. A cat takes baths, but how?