BIBLIOGRAPHY
de Haan, Linda, and Nijland Stern. 2002. KING AND KING. Tricycle Press. ISBN-10: 1582460612 ISBN-13: 978-1582460611
SUMMARY
The Queen decides that it is time for Prince Bertie to marry. The Queen wants to pass the throne to her son but the stipulation is, that he must marry before the end of summer. The problem is, the Prince doesn't like any of the princesses that are coming to visit. They come to visit from far away. The princess from Texas does magic tricks but it just isn't what Prince Bertie is looking for. One princess has long arms that will be perfect for waving. He can't find anyone that interests him until Princess Madeleine arrives. When she enters the room to meet the prince with her brother Prince Lee at her side, they both remark, "Oh, what a wonderful prince." A wedding is planned for Prince Bertie and Prince Lee. After the joyful wedding and picnic, the Queen retires to a life of leisure with her newly married son as King. The two Kings go off on a trip in a sequel of King and King and family.
The royal kitty makes an appearance through out the story.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
KING AND KING is an entertaining story with diverse characters. The book was written and illustrated by two Dutch authors from the Netherlands. It is considered controversial by some readers in the United States with it's homosexual theme. It is applauded by many for sharing the subject of gay marriage. The book shares the idea that everyone is different. It is OK to fall in love with anyone and be happy in whatever situation you find yourself.
The illustrations are very bright and colorful. They are busy collages with cut paper and fabric. The illustrations have a folk art appearance that adds flavor to the story of two princes in love. The style of the illustrations are unusual but join in the idea that acceptance of things that are different makes the book complete. The Queen is considered to be unattractive in the illustrations. It has been suggested that she resembles Queen Victoria. The crown kitty adds an extra bit of frivolity and fun. It is recommended for ages six and up.
REVIEWS
Publishers Weekly
When a grouchy queen tells her layabout son that it's time for him to marry, he sighs, "Very well, Mother.... I must say, though, I've never cared much for princesses." His young page winks. Several unsatisfactory bachelorettes visit the castle before "Princess Madeleine and her brother, Prince Lee" appear in the doorway. The hero is smitten at once. "What a wonderful prince!" he and Prince Lee both exclaim, as a shower of tiny Valentine hearts flutters between them. First-time co-authors and artists de Hann and Nijland matter-of-factly conclude with the royal wedding of "King and King," the page boy's blushing romance with the leftover princess and the assurance that "everyone lives happily ever after." Unfortunately, the multimedia collages are cluttered with clashing colors, amorphous paper shapes, scribbles of ink and bleary brushstrokes; the characters' features are indistinct and sometimes ugly. Despite its gleeful disruption of the boy-meets-girl formula, this alterna-tale is not the fairest of them all. For a visually appealing and more nuanced treatment of diversity in general, Kitty Crowther's recent Jack and Jim is a better choice. Ages 6-up.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
School Library Journal
Grades 3-5--In this postmodern fractured fairy tale, a worn-out and badly beleaguered Queen is ready for retirement. After many hours of nagging, the crown prince, who "never cared much for princesses," finally caves in and agrees to wed in order to ascend the throne. Their search for a suitable bride extends far and wide, but none of the eligible princesses strikes the Prince's fancy, until Princess Madeleine shows up. The Prince is immediately smitten- with her brother, Prince Lee. The wedding is "very special," the Queen settles down on a chaise lounge in the sun, and everyone lives happily ever after. Originally published in the Netherlands, this is a commendable fledgling effort with good intentions toward its subject matter. Unfortunately, though, the book is hobbled by thin characterization and ugly artwork; the homosexual prince comes across as fragile and languid, while the dour, matronly queen is a dead ringer for England's Victoria at her aesthetic worst. Some of the details in the artwork are interesting, including the "crown kitty" performing antics in the periphery. However, that isn't enough to compensate for page after page of cluttered, disjointed, ill-conceived art. The book does present same-sex marriage as a viable, acceptable way of life within an immediately recognizable narrative form, the fairy tale. However, those looking for picture books about alternative lifestyles may want to keep looking for a barrier-breaking classic on the subject.Catherine Threadgill, Charleston County Public Library, SCCopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
CONNECTIONS
*Other books for children that share an alternative lifestyle
Newman,Leslea. 2000. Heather Has Two Mommies. Diana Souza Illustrator
Alyson Publications; 10 Anv edition ISBN-10: 1555835430 ISBN-13: 978-1555835439
Parr, Todd. 2003. The Family Book. Little, Brown Young Readers; 1st ed edition ISBN-10: 0316738964 ISBN-13: 978-0316738965
Skutch, Robert. 1997. Who's in a Family?. Laura Nienhaus, Illustrator. Tricycle Press. ISBN-10: 188367266X ISBN-13: 978-1883672669
And Tango Makes Three Peter Parnell. Justin Richardson. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (April 26, 2005) ISBN-10: 0689878451 ISBN-13: 978-0689878459
Saturday, August 4, 2007
SAMIR AND YONATAN by Daniella Carmi
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Carmi,Daniella. 2002. SAMIR AND YONATAN, Blue Sky Press. ISBN-10: 0439135230 ISBN-13: 978-0439135238
SUMMARY
Samir is a young Palestinian boy living in Israel. He fractured his knee when he crashed his bicycle on a steep hill. He must go to the Jewish hospital on the other side of town to have surgery. His father waits several days to receive permission to take Samir to the hospital. When he is admitted into the Jewish hospital he shares a room with four Israeli children. Samir's four new friends in the hospital are Jewish and would have been his enemies in another setting. The doctor from America comes but Samir is running a fever and must wait for surgery. As the days pass, the children become friends. Yonatan shares his stories of the stars that he has read and learned from his father.
After the surgery, Samir gets therapy for his leg. Felix, the male nurse has been good to Samir and helps him in the hospital. As time nears for Samir to leave the hospital his spirit appears to be awakened.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This is an interesting story about a young boy living in a dangerous environment. His life involves road blocks, curfews and soldiers. It is a look at what life is like for people living in an occupied territory. Samir's younger brother was shot in the back while playing in the street. Samir imagines that he takes his brother's place in death. He feels guilt that his young brother was killed. Rather than a bicycle wreck he thinks it would have been better to have been shot in the leg.
In the hospital, while waiting for surgery he is amazed at the food he is given. He is given three meals a day and the meat that his new friend Yonatan will not eat.
Samir has thoughts of his friend Adnan and his mischievous ways. His old friendship contrasts with his new friendship with Jonatan. The roles of friend and enemy are left open to discovery.
While in the hospital he does not have visitors. The road blocks prevent his parents from traveling. His mother works two jobs and his father runs a barbershop in a time when people cut their hair at home. The book by Carmi, tells of an unfamiliar way of life. It will be surprising for children in the United States to discover the lifestyle of a child living in fear in another country.
Unlike children in most areas of the the United States, Samir is unfamiliar with computer games. When Yonatan shows him how to escape from the here and now, and take an imaginary trip to Mars, Samir is exposed to a different future with possibilities. The story ends with several questions left unanswered.
First published in Hebrew in 1994. The glossary at the end of the book gives definitions of the Hebrew and Palestinian words and phrases. The cover art was created by Rafal Oblinski with acrylic paint. A dove shaped opening in a brick wall represents the opened barrier created by friendship.
REVIEWS
Publishers Weekly
SAMIR AND YONATAN Daniella Carmi. "A Palestinian boy comes to terms with his younger brother's death by an Israeli soldier in this slow-paced but affecting novel originally published in Hebrew in 1994," said PW. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
School Library Journal
Grade 4-8-Riding his bicycle down the market steps, a young Palestinian falls and smashes his knee so badly that he needs surgery. For the first time in his life, Samir leaves his home in the Occupied Territories to go to a Jewish hospital where an American doctor will operate on him. While waiting for the procedure, Samir gets to know the other children on his ward, all Jews. Beautiful Ludmilla is pining away for her home in Russia and refusing to eat. Razia hides under her bed in fear of her father. Hyperactive Tzahi can't urinate properly and, most importantly, Yonatan with the crippled arm introduces Samir to the stars, computer games, and the way imagination can take one away from a place of pain. As Samir thinks about the home he misses, details of his family life are revealed. Readers learn that his younger brother was killed, shot while playing in the street by a man wearing the same uniform that Tzahi's brother wears when he visits. His older brother has gone to Kuwait to earn money and his mother works two jobs. His father has stopped talking. As the hospitalized children spend time together, they come to support one another, forming a team that crosses cultural boundaries. Samir and Yonatan take an illegal night outing to commandeer an office computer to play a game. Life in the hospital is described as clearly as life in the Occupied Territories and readers will sympathize with Samir's fear and loneliness and welcome his new friendships. Written in Hebrew but published first in Germany, the book is smoothly translated and will have wide appeal.
Kathleen Isaacs, Edmund Burke School, Washington, DC
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
CONNECTIONS
*Other books about Palestinian and Israeli children.
Ellis, Deborah. 2006. Three Wishes: Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak. Groundwood Books. ISBN-10: 0888996454 ISBN-13: 978-0888996459
Rifa'i, Amal, Odelia Ainbinder and Sylke Tempel. 2003. We Just Want to Live Here: A Palestinian Teenager, an Israeli Teenager -- an Unlikely Friendship
St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN-10: 0312318944 ISBN-13: 978-0312318949
Nye, Naomi Shihab. 1999. Habibi. Simon Pulse. ISBN-10: 0689825234 ISBN-13: 978-0689825231
*Share a map or globe of Samir and Jonatan's home. Discuss the friendship of the two boys.
Carmi,Daniella. 2002. SAMIR AND YONATAN, Blue Sky Press. ISBN-10: 0439135230 ISBN-13: 978-0439135238
SUMMARY
Samir is a young Palestinian boy living in Israel. He fractured his knee when he crashed his bicycle on a steep hill. He must go to the Jewish hospital on the other side of town to have surgery. His father waits several days to receive permission to take Samir to the hospital. When he is admitted into the Jewish hospital he shares a room with four Israeli children. Samir's four new friends in the hospital are Jewish and would have been his enemies in another setting. The doctor from America comes but Samir is running a fever and must wait for surgery. As the days pass, the children become friends. Yonatan shares his stories of the stars that he has read and learned from his father.
After the surgery, Samir gets therapy for his leg. Felix, the male nurse has been good to Samir and helps him in the hospital. As time nears for Samir to leave the hospital his spirit appears to be awakened.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This is an interesting story about a young boy living in a dangerous environment. His life involves road blocks, curfews and soldiers. It is a look at what life is like for people living in an occupied territory. Samir's younger brother was shot in the back while playing in the street. Samir imagines that he takes his brother's place in death. He feels guilt that his young brother was killed. Rather than a bicycle wreck he thinks it would have been better to have been shot in the leg.
In the hospital, while waiting for surgery he is amazed at the food he is given. He is given three meals a day and the meat that his new friend Yonatan will not eat.
Samir has thoughts of his friend Adnan and his mischievous ways. His old friendship contrasts with his new friendship with Jonatan. The roles of friend and enemy are left open to discovery.
While in the hospital he does not have visitors. The road blocks prevent his parents from traveling. His mother works two jobs and his father runs a barbershop in a time when people cut their hair at home. The book by Carmi, tells of an unfamiliar way of life. It will be surprising for children in the United States to discover the lifestyle of a child living in fear in another country.
Unlike children in most areas of the the United States, Samir is unfamiliar with computer games. When Yonatan shows him how to escape from the here and now, and take an imaginary trip to Mars, Samir is exposed to a different future with possibilities. The story ends with several questions left unanswered.
First published in Hebrew in 1994. The glossary at the end of the book gives definitions of the Hebrew and Palestinian words and phrases. The cover art was created by Rafal Oblinski with acrylic paint. A dove shaped opening in a brick wall represents the opened barrier created by friendship.
REVIEWS
Publishers Weekly
SAMIR AND YONATAN Daniella Carmi. "A Palestinian boy comes to terms with his younger brother's death by an Israeli soldier in this slow-paced but affecting novel originally published in Hebrew in 1994," said PW. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
School Library Journal
Grade 4-8-Riding his bicycle down the market steps, a young Palestinian falls and smashes his knee so badly that he needs surgery. For the first time in his life, Samir leaves his home in the Occupied Territories to go to a Jewish hospital where an American doctor will operate on him. While waiting for the procedure, Samir gets to know the other children on his ward, all Jews. Beautiful Ludmilla is pining away for her home in Russia and refusing to eat. Razia hides under her bed in fear of her father. Hyperactive Tzahi can't urinate properly and, most importantly, Yonatan with the crippled arm introduces Samir to the stars, computer games, and the way imagination can take one away from a place of pain. As Samir thinks about the home he misses, details of his family life are revealed. Readers learn that his younger brother was killed, shot while playing in the street by a man wearing the same uniform that Tzahi's brother wears when he visits. His older brother has gone to Kuwait to earn money and his mother works two jobs. His father has stopped talking. As the hospitalized children spend time together, they come to support one another, forming a team that crosses cultural boundaries. Samir and Yonatan take an illegal night outing to commandeer an office computer to play a game. Life in the hospital is described as clearly as life in the Occupied Territories and readers will sympathize with Samir's fear and loneliness and welcome his new friendships. Written in Hebrew but published first in Germany, the book is smoothly translated and will have wide appeal.
Kathleen Isaacs, Edmund Burke School, Washington, DC
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
CONNECTIONS
*Other books about Palestinian and Israeli children.
Ellis, Deborah. 2006. Three Wishes: Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak. Groundwood Books. ISBN-10: 0888996454 ISBN-13: 978-0888996459
Rifa'i, Amal, Odelia Ainbinder and Sylke Tempel. 2003. We Just Want to Live Here: A Palestinian Teenager, an Israeli Teenager -- an Unlikely Friendship
St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN-10: 0312318944 ISBN-13: 978-0312318949
Nye, Naomi Shihab. 1999. Habibi. Simon Pulse. ISBN-10: 0689825234 ISBN-13: 978-0689825231
*Share a map or globe of Samir and Jonatan's home. Discuss the friendship of the two boys.
MOSES GOES TO A CONCERT by Isaac Millman
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Millman, Isaac. 2002. MOSES GOES TO A CONCERT. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN-10: 0374453667 ISBN-13: 978-0374453664
SUMMARY
Moses and his classmates are deaf. Their teacher, Mr. Samuels takes them on a field trip to a concert. He has a suitcase that holds a surprise for his students. At the concert they are given balloons from the suitcase to feel the vibrations of the music. After the concert they meet a percussionist that is deaf and plays music in her socks. She can feel the vibrations with her feet. The percussionist, Ms. Elwyn, lets the class try all her musical instruments. Ms. Elwyn is a friend of Mr. Samuels. Moses plans to work hard and become a percussionist too.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The book, MOSES GOES TO THE CONCERT, is the first in a series about Moses. The book includes an introduction to American Sign Language. The last page of the book includes the alphabet in sign language. The illustrations are lively and colorful watercolor paintings. The perspective and depth of the illustrations adds interest and gives a realistic impression of a concert experience. The book includes inserts of Moses signing words and sentences, "I feel vibrations," and "When you set your mind to it, you can become anything."
The story of Moses is helpful for children to understand the disability of being deaf. When the audience claps the deaf children wave their hands. The sign language included in the book is a good introduction for learning sign language. The book, MOSES GOES TO A CONCERT, inspires everyone to work hard to accomplish their goals. The story is relatable to children that are deaf. It helps readers to understand a little about deafness. It is appropriate for children age 4 – 10.
REVIEWS
From Publishers Weekly
The seemingly incongruous premise of this harmonious debut, a class of deaf children attends an orchestral concert, leads to a revelation for readers who may well have assumed that the ability to hear is a prerequisite for enjoying music. Holding balloons that their teacher passes out to help them "feel the music," Moses and his classmates are thrilled to pick up the vibrations. Afterward, they visit with the orchestra's deaf percussionist, who, intriguingly, performs in stocking feet so she, too, can feel the beat. She lets the students play her instruments and, using American Sign Language (precisely illustrated in easy-to-read diagrams), explains how she worked hard to achieve her career goal. Back home, Moses tells his parents about his day, signing a message of universal value: "When you set your mind to it, you can become anything you want." An introductory note explains how to interpret the sign-language diagrams, which are integrated throughout the clear and colorful illustrations. Fiction and instruction make beautiful music together on these cheerful pages. Ages 5-up.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2?A group of deaf children is taken to a concert where the youngsters meet the percussionist, a friend of their teacher, and learn to their surprise that she is also deaf. She explains to Moses and his class how she became a percussionist even though she had lost her hearing and helps them understand that anything is possible with hard work and determination. She lets the children play on her instruments and feel the vibrations on balloons that their teacher has given them. Cheerful watercolor illustrations show the multiethnic children enjoying themselves at the concert, while smaller cartoon strips feature Moses' additional comments in sign language. A page displaying the manual alphabet and a conversation in sign language in which Moses tells his parents about his day enhance the upbeat story. Sally R. Dow, Ossining Public Library, NY
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
CONNECTIONS
*Share books about deafness with the children. Teach the alphabet in sign language.
Millman, Isaac. 2003. Moses Goes to the Circus. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Language: English ISBN-10: 0374350647 ISBN-13: 978-0374350642
Millman, Isaac. 2004. Moses Sees a Play. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN-10: 0374350663 ISBN-13: 978-0374350666
Aseltine, Lorraine, Evelyn Mueller and Nancy Tait. 1986. I'm Deaf and It's Okay. Albert Whitman & Company ISBN-10: 0807534722 ISBN-13: 978-0807534724
Millman, Isaac. 2002. MOSES GOES TO A CONCERT. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN-10: 0374453667 ISBN-13: 978-0374453664
SUMMARY
Moses and his classmates are deaf. Their teacher, Mr. Samuels takes them on a field trip to a concert. He has a suitcase that holds a surprise for his students. At the concert they are given balloons from the suitcase to feel the vibrations of the music. After the concert they meet a percussionist that is deaf and plays music in her socks. She can feel the vibrations with her feet. The percussionist, Ms. Elwyn, lets the class try all her musical instruments. Ms. Elwyn is a friend of Mr. Samuels. Moses plans to work hard and become a percussionist too.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The book, MOSES GOES TO THE CONCERT, is the first in a series about Moses. The book includes an introduction to American Sign Language. The last page of the book includes the alphabet in sign language. The illustrations are lively and colorful watercolor paintings. The perspective and depth of the illustrations adds interest and gives a realistic impression of a concert experience. The book includes inserts of Moses signing words and sentences, "I feel vibrations," and "When you set your mind to it, you can become anything."
The story of Moses is helpful for children to understand the disability of being deaf. When the audience claps the deaf children wave their hands. The sign language included in the book is a good introduction for learning sign language. The book, MOSES GOES TO A CONCERT, inspires everyone to work hard to accomplish their goals. The story is relatable to children that are deaf. It helps readers to understand a little about deafness. It is appropriate for children age 4 – 10.
REVIEWS
From Publishers Weekly
The seemingly incongruous premise of this harmonious debut, a class of deaf children attends an orchestral concert, leads to a revelation for readers who may well have assumed that the ability to hear is a prerequisite for enjoying music. Holding balloons that their teacher passes out to help them "feel the music," Moses and his classmates are thrilled to pick up the vibrations. Afterward, they visit with the orchestra's deaf percussionist, who, intriguingly, performs in stocking feet so she, too, can feel the beat. She lets the students play her instruments and, using American Sign Language (precisely illustrated in easy-to-read diagrams), explains how she worked hard to achieve her career goal. Back home, Moses tells his parents about his day, signing a message of universal value: "When you set your mind to it, you can become anything you want." An introductory note explains how to interpret the sign-language diagrams, which are integrated throughout the clear and colorful illustrations. Fiction and instruction make beautiful music together on these cheerful pages. Ages 5-up.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2?A group of deaf children is taken to a concert where the youngsters meet the percussionist, a friend of their teacher, and learn to their surprise that she is also deaf. She explains to Moses and his class how she became a percussionist even though she had lost her hearing and helps them understand that anything is possible with hard work and determination. She lets the children play on her instruments and feel the vibrations on balloons that their teacher has given them. Cheerful watercolor illustrations show the multiethnic children enjoying themselves at the concert, while smaller cartoon strips feature Moses' additional comments in sign language. A page displaying the manual alphabet and a conversation in sign language in which Moses tells his parents about his day enhance the upbeat story. Sally R. Dow, Ossining Public Library, NY
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
CONNECTIONS
*Share books about deafness with the children. Teach the alphabet in sign language.
Millman, Isaac. 2003. Moses Goes to the Circus. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Language: English ISBN-10: 0374350647 ISBN-13: 978-0374350642
Millman, Isaac. 2004. Moses Sees a Play. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN-10: 0374350663 ISBN-13: 978-0374350666
Aseltine, Lorraine, Evelyn Mueller and Nancy Tait. 1986. I'm Deaf and It's Okay. Albert Whitman & Company ISBN-10: 0807534722 ISBN-13: 978-0807534724
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