Classics, Nonfiction, and Children's Literature
The graphic novel Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword by Barry Deutsch is subtitled “Yet Another Troll-Fighting 11-Year-Old Orthodox Jewish Girl,” and that just about describes its universality and its strangeness. Mirka lives in an Orthodox Jewish town, and she is struggling not only with being a preteen but also with her nemesis: learning to
Babymouse: Queen of the World by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm is another graphic novel about a preteen searching for her place in the world. Babymouse is an awkward mouse wanting to fit in with the popular (animal) crowd (particularly, the popular Felicia Furrypaws) of middle school. It takes place in a typical middle
Goldilocks and the Three Bears: A Tale Moderne by Steven Guarnaccia (Abrams, 2010). Although the story follows the traditional story for the most part, Mr Guarnaccia’s retelling relies on the illustrations, which feature modernist art and style, to give it a different feel. There are a few things in the story’s text itself that also make it
Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Dik Brown, William Walsh, graphic novel (Classics Illustrated Junior). A sparrow and a squirrel provide commentary on Goldilock’s adventure in the Classics Illustrated graphic novel version of the story. In the end, Goldilocks sends an apology note to the bears, and invites them for breakfast! I was not a fan
Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Lauren Child, photography by Polly Borland and models by Emily Jenkins (Disney Hyperion, 2008). Although the story follows the traditional story quite closely, Lauren Child’s story has a distinct voice: Goldilocks is given strict instructions, for example, to take care of her new red shoes. Beyond the distinct voice, though,
Sometimes it’s really nice to stray from the traditional just a little bit. These authors were impressive in how they added a little new life into a worn out story, through both illustration and story tweaks. Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Caralyn Buehner and Mark Buehner (Dial Books for Young Readers, 2007). The Buehner’s rendition of
Leola and the Honeybears by Melodye Benson Rosales (Cartwheel, 1999). Leola’s story was my favorite of all the Goldilocks retellings; I think it was one of my son’s too. Leola is about his age, and he says he liked her because “I just like her. Leola was cute.” He had a big smile when we finished this
Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl is not just for preteens; it’s a classic Roald Dahl novel, which means anyone will probably enjoy it. Three farmers determine to destroy the fox invading their storage sheds, and so they hunt after Mr. Fox. He is not to be deterred, though, when his family’s life is on
The story of Goldilocks and her visit to an unoccupied house of three bears has inspired a plethora of picture books, retellings, and rewritten accounts of the story. Robert Southey first recorded the folkloric story in an 1834 collection. (See Wikipedia for a rundown of the story’s history and reincarnations). My three-and-a-half-year-old son loves the
Jane Austen: A Life Revealed by Catherine Reef (to be published June 6, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcout) is a short biography of the authoress geared for young readers. It has a second dimension, though, and that is as a biography of the novels that Austen created. As an adult, I must admit that I
From the moment he awakens in the morning, my four-year-old son’s best friends are by his side. They live in Busytown, which is sometimes directly above our house and other times underground, where it snows in April. Goldbug is his best friend (sometimes he is my son’s brother), with Huckle, Sally, and Hilda Hippo frequently
I sometimes think poetry is at it’s best when it’s written and illustrated for children. Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors by Joyce Sidman and Pamela Zagarinski is one such example. The illustrations capture the metaphors of a world changing with the seasons, and the poem is simply beautiful. In the poem, Joyce
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