Children's Literature Definition

Part one:

Children's Literature Defined

                Children’s Literature can simply be defined as written works intended for children. However, from what I learned in this class, children’s literature goes far beyond this very simple definition. It encompasses a variety of literary works, from novels to short stories to poetry, and can be virtually any genre, such as fantasy, non-fiction, or fairy tales. Children’s literature has one quality that defines it from adult literature – the content, including themes, conflicts, characters, plots, settings, and point of view, must be relatable to a child.

            In our early notes, we learned children’s literature has a child protagonist who is faced with issues that concern children. Again, the story must relate to children. The storyline and timeline is usually straightforward, and many times illustrations are used to enhance the reading. Most children’s authors use concrete and vivid language, and the stories typically expand a child’s awareness. Also according to our notes, a “good” children’s book contains the following elements: enjoyable reading without too much teaching or moralizing, truth, quality, integrity, and originality.

            All of the books we read had varying themes. Bud, Not Buddy and Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry dealt with racism. Kira-Kira and Ramona and Her Father taught family values. We also covered topics like bravery (Despereaux), morality (Little Red Riding Hood), and cultural differences (Dragonwings). Throughout the semester, I found two themes to be recurrent in every story we read. The first is the theme of growing up. In every story, we followed a character through a turning point in their life. They were faced with a conflict that leads them to learn, grow, and change. The second common theme was forcing us to see things from a different perspective. In Walk Two Moons, Sal is given “the chance to walk in [her] mother’s moccasins – to see what she had seen and feel what she might have felt” (276). These two themes are constant in children’s literature because it helps children learn, and prepares them to face the world.

            I realized through my experiences in this course that children’s literature is a far greater literary genre than I previously thought. I always thought of it as its own genre, but now I can see how many sub-genres are included in Children’s Literature. The themes are of course relatable to children, but many of the stories we read were very personal for me as well. They are timeless, and each of the stories affected me in different ways. Some of them brought about strong emotions, just as the adult novels I read do. I felt angry when T.J. was nearly lynched on his front lawn. There was a sense of fear when I read about the cold-blooded Jack of all trades who was determined to murder an innocent boy.  I felt sadness when Lynn died, and I felt joyful when Despereaux found his place in the world.

            I think Children’s Literature, as a whole, is in fact literary works intended for children, but the complexities covered during this class shows me that there is much, much more to the definition of children’s literature.

Part two:

 Walk Two Moons

            Walk Two Moons is a Newberry Medal winner, and is regarded in Children’s Literature as a certifiable “classic.” It’s the story of a young girl who is on a journey to come to accept her mother’s death and move on with her life.

            To exclude this novel from a school’s curriculum would be absurd. Just because the book is intended for children does not make it “demeaning” to teach adults. The greatest literature should not be defined by the genre, or age group of its intended audience, but the content and themes within the story. This particular novel taught me about acceptance, and that is a lesson one is never too old to learn. Salamanca is not only relatable to children, but to anyone who is on a journey to find themselves. I would argue that this search is never fully complete, therefor everyone can learn something from her journey.

            Secondly, it is often stated that children’s literature has no permanence, that the themes are only concerning what may be popular right now, not in the future. Walk Two Moons encompasses a variety of themes that are withstanding throughout any point in history. Family bonds, dealing with loss, and growing up – when have these issues not been important? The subjects in this book also cover timeless life lessons, like friendship and prejudice. Also, to view things from Sal’s perspective gives readers a unique glimpse into what life must be like for her.

            Finally, many people may believe children’s literature covers trivial topics, things that aren’t important to adults. In this particular novel, in addition to all the things I have previously mentioned, there are many other underlying issues that are very real, and sometimes difficult to hear about. This book is about a child losing a parent – is that trivial? There’s also mentioning of a mother losing a child, a very vivid and haunting description of a still-birth. The issues in this book are far from trivial; in fact, they are deep enough to provoke very strong emotions in its readers, which is not always an easily attainable element in literature.

            Walk Two Moons is a “classic” for a reason. It encompasses so many themes and issues that are relatable to both children and adults. It presents us with a simple, yet poetic story that takes us on a journey with a young girl who has lost her mother. We are faced with the character’s emotions, and we end up feeling her emotions for ourselves, learning her lessons with her, and challenges us to view things in a new way.

           

               

A Letter To My Mother

Hello Mom,

It's me, Salamanca, your daughter. Do you still remember me? That has to be the dumbest question anyone has ever asked. How could you not remember me? I know you do because I surely remember you. I remember you every second of every day. Every single thing I look at, smell, touch, taste, or feel reminds me of you. I miss you, Mom. I know you are searching for something. Yourself, I think. You said that you wanted to find out what you were "really like....before [you were] a wife and a mother..." You want to find out what you are "underneath, where [you are] Chanhassen" (143). I know you probably want everyone to call you that now - Chanhassen, but to me, you're mom, and you always will be.

When are you coming home, Mom? I really feel lost without you. Dad misses you too, I know he does. I see him looking at old albums with your pictures in them. He took me away from home though, so if you do come back to our real home, we won't be there. I think it made him too sad to be in Bybanks, because he thought about you too much. I did too. I want you to come back to us so we move back home and things can be as they were before.

I'm sorry for anything that I did, and I know Dad is sorry too. I don't really believe we could have done anything to make you stay, but if there was anything, I would have done it. Anything. I miss you so much. I miss seeing your pretty smile, and I miss seeing you and Dad hugging and kissing each other. I is picking blackberries with you, and listening to your songs. I don't even know if this will matter to you anymore, but I have to tell you these things.

Mom, have you ever heard the story of Pandora and her box? Did you know that when she opened that box, all of the terrible things in the world were set free. But, do you know what stayed in the box? Hope, Mom. Hope stayed in the box. I have hope, do you? I have faith that you'll come back to me one day, and we will live just as we did before. I can't go on without holding onto my hope. I can't bear the reality that you'll never come back.

Since I started writing this letter, we have returned home, so I feel better now. I feel better because now that I have accepted the truth of the situation, as horrible as it is, I know that you are here. Although, I believe in my heart that no matter where I go, you'll be there. And when I thought I couldn't go on without you, I think I was right. But since now I believe you're always with me, it's okay to feel that way. I know you will not leave again, Mom.

Seeing your grave was proof to me that you will not return to me the way that I had always hoped for. I don't blame you, and I'm not angry with you, Mom. I love you so much and of course, I still miss you. But now I realize that you did come back. When the trees sway n the wind, and I hear a birdsong, I know that's you, Mom. The faith and hope inside me tells me that it's you, and with those little signs, you came back to me. Maybe I can't see you, but I can feel you. I can feel you all around me, Mom. Everyday.

Love,
Your Salamanca Tree

Monster Trivia

Q: What type of being is associated with grave robbing and eating corpses?

A: Ghoul.



A Ghoul is thought to be a despicable creature who robs graves and feeds off the corpses. Ghouls are a part of ancient Arabic folklore, and it's thought that this is where they were first mentioned. Ghouls are the lowest of the low when referring to the spiritual world. In The Graveyard Book, ghouls are described as "...parasites and scavengers, eaters of carrion" (82). It is also thought that ancient ghouls are the inspiration to today's zombies - both have to eat other beings to survive.

Q: According to The Graveyard Book, what creatures "have hairless wings, and they fly low and fast. They do not visit this world, but they fly the red skies above the road to Ghulheim" (72)?

A: Night-Gaunts



Nightgaunts seem to be good creatures in The Graveyard Book; they help to rescue Bod from the evil ghouls (93). Doing some research on Nightgaunts, I found that they are not always portrayed this way. When they appear in H.P. Lovecraft's Dreamcycle, they are quite terrifying. Lovecraft has said that the nighgaunt was inspired by his childhood nightmares.

Q: Which monster got it's characteristic traits from a famous book written in 1897?

A: The vampire.



Dracula was written by Bram Stroker in 1897. While there were previous myths about creatures that could have been considered vampires, Stroker brought all of the characteristics we now associate with vampires together and created an image of the classic vampire. He is seduces his victims before drinking their blood; he is immortal, but has weaknesses like garlic and crucifixes; he can transform into a bat or sometimes a wolf; and of course, they have fangs that they use to feed on the blood of the living.

Q: What is the general term for a supernatural entity that supposedly possesses energy, yet don't have any material substance?

A: Ghost.



The existence of ghosts has not been proven by science, yet many people still believe in them. Some people think ghosts can be harmful, while others believe they are simply trying to communicate with the living world. They are believed to posses energy, yet they have no physical body. Ghosts are thought to be able to possess humans, and use their bodies as sort of vehicles to communicate. Ghosts are also thought to be responsible for haunting. In The Graveyard Book, we can observe lots of classic traits of ghosts, but the most obvious is that they cannot be seen by most humans.

Q: What is the term for a specific type of spirit that interferes with the human world in malicious and haunting ways?

A: Poltergeist.



A poltergeist is a spirit thought to interact with the human world with the intention of scaring and haunting people. They typically can move objects, make noises, and sometimes even hurt people. Poltergeists are also very ancient creatures, most likely appearing in early myths and legends about demons. There is a a case that supposedly proves poltergeists exist that occurred in England in the 1970s. (I think that is what the movie is based on). A scientist named Vladistav Bukreev claimed to have documented severe poltergeist activity in the home of an English family. He reports broken windows, flying bricks, injuries to the children, and floating objects. The film Poltergeist (1982) is a good example of what is believed about poltergeists.

Q: How was Liza Hempstock (and many other "witches") killed?

A: Drowning.



Liza Hempstock was executed in a way that countless other people accused of witchcraft were during the witch hunts at different points in history. She was dragged from her home because someone accused her of witchcraft, and then put on trial. She was strapped to a stool and forced beneath the water where she eventually "got a lung full of water" and died (110). This was a classic way for the accusers to see if the accused were guilty or not. If the "witch" did not drown, he/she was confirmed as a witch. This is because of their magic and their immunity too baptism (and water, apparently). However, an innocent person would simply drown - thus proving their innocence. Of course, by that time it would be too late to do anything to save them.

Q: What monster is known in The Graveyard Book as the "Hounds of God" and who is a Hound of God in the novel?

A: Werewolves & Miss Lupescu



"Those that men call Werewolves or Lycanthropes call themselves The Hounds of God, as they claim their transformation is a gift from their creator, and they repay the gift with their tenacity, for they will pursue an evildoer to the very gates of Hell" (97). In this book, werewolves are good creatures who protect others and take revenge on evil spirits or people. However, in popular culture, werewolves are evil creatures who will surely eat you if you ever encounter one. They transform from human to werewolf because of a full moon, and they roam the night ravaging people, and sometimes even graves. In Gaiman's story, however, the Hounds of God seem to be the most noble and protective creatures in the supernatural world.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ghoul
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightgaunt
http://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/strange-creatures/vampire.htm
http://www.scientificpsychic.com/esp/ghosts-spirits.html
http://www.trueghosttales.com/poltergeist.php
http://www.yourdiscovery.com/best_of/true_horror/witches/index.shtml
http://alam25.tripod.com/index.htm

A Child's Crusade

This is a war that must be fought.

Although I may die,

Or worse – get caught,

I must continue to fight.

Our adventure will be trying,

But we shall be brave.

For even through dying,

Our souls will be saved.

Our courage never wanes,

Even though, we are small.

We’ll fight through our pain,

And conquer them all!

In the face of death,

We will cry not.

We will strive ‘til our last breath.

This is a war that must be fought.

Brenda Swamp

Brenda

Brenda was a happy little girl. She loved to play around the swamp, even though sometimes it was scary. Her parents always told her not to go there because an alligator could swallow her up. Since she had never seen an alligator, she thought that was ridiculous. It smelled funny in the swamp, but she kind of liked it. She sometimes pretended she was a pirate or a swamp creature. She'd make silly growling noises and raise her arms above her head and curl her fingers. She thought she must be the scariest swamp creature that ever lived.

Brenda turned 10 in the summer, and she thought now that her age was in double digits, she was big enough to go to the swamp at night. She still knew that her parents would not be happy about this, so she lied and said she was going to the big hill to look at the stars. She started growling and lurching along, as she usually did. Then, she heard something growl back. First, she was terrified, but then she convinced herself she was just hearing things. But, the convincing wasn't going so well, so she decided it was time to go home.

She began to gather her things, and started to climb out of the smelly swamp. Just as she was reaching up to grab hold of a tree branch for some leverage, she felt something grab her ankle. It was the swamp creature! She didn't have time to even look at what it was, and she let out a single scream before she was pulled down into the swampy waters. Her last memory was of her mom and dad. She should have listened to them.

The swamp was named for her, "Brenda Swamp," and if you ever pass by it at night you might see Brenda. "Her ghost lived in the swamp. It was looking for her parents" (87). Her mom and dad figured out where she died, but they never found her body. So Brenda's spirit will spend eternity searching for them.

This is why you must always listen to your parents and older sister, because we know where the dangers are. And anytime you think you know better, and that you don't have to listen, just remember that poor girl, Brenda. Can you imagine what it must feel like to be stuck in a swamp forever, searching, but never finding your mom and dad?



Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

If I were to produce a musical based on this book, these would be some of my choices for...

Songs:
"Strange Fruit" by Billie Holiday http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4ZyuULy9zs
 I'd choose this song because it talks about the lynching in the racist south. I could imagine this song being played when they talk about the night men.
 "A Change is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbO2_077ixs
I chose this song because it highlights the struggles of the black race during the first half of the 1900s. I would use this song because the characters in this story are on this journey that Cooke is talking about in his song. I'd probably close out my show with this song, because it is so powerful and leaves a feeling of triumph.
"Imagine" by John Lennon http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLgYAHHkPFs&feature=related
This is one of my favorite songs of all time. This song is more about war than being about outright racsim as the other two are, but I think the war against racism can definitely relate to this song. I would use this song as the opening song - to get people's attention and bring their emotions out.

Actors/Actresses:
Cassie - Willow Smith
 Stacey - Leon Thomas III
Little Man - Jaden Smith
T.J. - Carlos Knight
Mama - Angela Basset
Papa - Denzel Washington
Big Ma - Eartha Kitt (read her bio, that's why I chose her)
Mr. Morrison - Michael Clarke Duncan
Granger - Dan Aykroyd
Hammer - Morgan Freeman (why not, right?)

Stage Design:
I would want my stage to look like a plantation from the old south, with desolate roads and lots of cotton fields in the background.

Bud, Not Buddy

Bud, Not Buddy

How to Move Past  “I liked it vs I Didn’t Like It” Reactions by Richard Peck

1.       What would the story be like if the main character were of the opposite sex?

I think it’s very important to the story that Bud is a young boy, especially considering the time period of the story. He is growing up and becoming a man, which is a lot different and perhaps more complicated than becoming a woman. Because Bud is a male character certain personality traits become more important than they would be if it was a girl. For example, Bud has to be brave and knowledgeable about the world. Even though he’s obviously still a child, as evident by him believing in vampires and other things, he overcomes his fears when tries to kill what he thinks is a vampire bat in his foster family’s shed (27). He also shows some protective characteristics early on when he comforts the other, younger boy at the orphanage. I think the journey Bud goes on is symbolic of his journey into manhood. Even when he ends up crying finally, and thinking he must look like a baby, he is really growing up and becoming a stronger, well-rounded individual.

2.       Why is the story set where it is? (Not what is the setting.)

The story is set in Michigan during the Great Depression.  We learn early on in the story about the setting. On page 2, the social worker says to Bud and his housemate, “I know you don’t understand what it means, but there’s a depression going on all over this country.” (I happen to think Bud understood a lot more than he was given credit for). To go along with my first answer, I think the setting is extremely important to the development and theme of the story. Bud would probably not be in the situation he was in if it weren’t during the Depression, so this is an essential piece of the story. Becoming a man is hard enough, but to complicate that journey with the hard times people faced during the 1930s, and you’ve got a story that is very hard to put down

I also think the place is equally as important as the time the story takes place in. Flint, Michigan was an industrial city around this time, and a lot of people lost their jobs. These people had nothing after the Depression hit them; they were without a means to provide any type of support for their families. I thought this was important because in places like Minnesota for example, a lot of people had their own farms so they could, at the very least, grow their own food. In industrialized cities, such as Flint, times were even harder during the 1930s because most of the people there were, simply put, SOL.

A Happy Family

“I’ll bet that boy’s father wishes he had a little girl who finger-painted and wiped her hands on the cat when she was little and who once cut her own hair so she would be bald like her uncle and who then grew up to be seven years old and crowned herself with burs. Not every father is lucky enough to have a daughter like that” (2222).

“I have news for you, Ramona,” he said. “We are a happy family.”

            “We are?” Ramona was skeptical.

            “Yes, we are.” Mr. Quimby was positive. “No family is perfect” (2242).

“Her parents loved her, and she loved them, and Beezus, too. At home there was a Christmas tree and under it, presents fewer than past Christmases, but presents all the same” (2247).

I found these three passages from Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary, and I think they sum up the most important theme in the story. The dynamics of a family are never the same from family to family, but one thing usually always is present: love. Like Ramona’s family, none are perfect, every single family and every individual within the family has problems. A perfect or “normal” family, in my opinion, is impossible.

This story does an impeccable job of explaining the family unit through a child’s point of view. I think Ramona’s age is very important to the story as well. I would bet that this family had experienced hard times before, but they go unnoticed by younger children, Ramona, at age seven, is just at the right age to realize when something is wrong. She’s also old enough to want to help in any way she can because she is so concerned about her family. This is why she attempts to become a child actor to earn her family a million dollars. She thinks the large sum of money will solve all their problems. However, there are other problems this family is experiencing that money won’t fix.

Ramona’s sister makes a comment about their father’s smoking, thus inspiring Ramona to try to fix that problem as well. She makes all sorts of signs urging her father to quit smoking because she fears for his life. Eventually, he agrees to “try” to quit. This is another example of the imperfections in every family. Ramona seems to want her family to be perfect, not realizing that a perfect family does not exist in real life.

I think this story explains a child’s concerns about their family very well. Ramona wants a “happy family” and when her father explains that they are, in fact, a happy family, she finds it hard to believe. I think she feels this way because she has grown to an age when she can understand hardships, yet she doesn’t fully understand that they can be overcome and make people stronger. When her father explains that all families have imperfections, I think Ramona begins to grasp the concept a little better. I think Ramona grew from this experience, and by the end of the story she has a lot more knowledge than she began with. At first, she is only thinking of her Christmas presents, and by the end, she is thinking about how her family will have a happy Christmas even with less presents.

The family is a complicated unit, and this book shows that when they all pull together through the hard times, they can survive a lot better than one might on their own.

Dear Diary.... (from the journals of Eilonwy)

I have had many adventures in my life, and have been through a great deal of turmoil, but one adventure stands out in my mind as the greatest.

It started when I was little, I guess. The way things work in life is this: everything happens for a reason. I was sent to live with an evil queen, named Achren, who was supposedly my aunt but I don’t believe it. She was too terrible to be a relative of mine. Anyway, “my parents died and my kinsmen sent me [to her] so [she] could teach me to be an enchantress” (819). Only, as fate would have it, I did not become one. I sort of ended up becoming a hero, or at least an assistant to a hero.

One day, I was outside playing with my bauble, when I saw a boy locked in the dungeons. I went over to talk with him, and though it would be really funny to play a trick on Achren by letting him free! I though he was slow, a little dumb at first. Only later did I realize he was very far from being stupid. I let him loose, and led him through the twisting tunnels under The Spiral Castle where we both almost died. We found our way by helping each other, and in those tunnels I first realized that this boy was special. He said to me, “There was no reason for you to put yourself in danger” (823). He cared about me, and I was pretty happy about that. We found our way out of the tunnels, and when I saw that horrid castle burning to the ground, I decided to join him on his mysterious journey.

I found a very intriguing thing on our small journey. It was sword, and it was named Dyrnwyn. I had an inclination that this weapon was extremely important, so I guarded it with my life. Taran kept trying to unsheathe it, but I would always catch him. I never thought the sword would end up being quite as important as it was, but I knew there was a reason I found it. I still remember its inscriptions: “Draw Dyrnwyn, only though of royal blood, to rule, to strike the…” The rest had been long ago worn away. But we found out exactly who was to be stricken by this mighty sword.

Who would have ever imagined the adventures a girl like me would go on with an assistant pig keeper such as Taran? We met some great friends along the way, like Gurgi, Ffleweddur Fflam, and Medwyn, and we met some really scary enemies too. Those black cauldron warriors almost had our necks! I imagine I always seemed so confident to everyone else, but really, I was worried and there were times I thought we wouldn’t make it.

We did. We did exactly what was meant for us to do. We made it to Caer Dallben with Hen-Wen, the pig, and we saved her, just like we were probably always destined to do. I stayed with Taran at Caer Dallben, and we had many more years of great times together. The day I met that stupid pig-keeper in the dungeon, I never imagined it would have turned out like this. I thought I rescued him that day, but it turns out, he actually rescued me!

The Tale of Despereaux

“’We are not here to talk about love. This trial is not about love. This trial is about you being a mouse,” shouted the Most Very Honored Mouse from high atop the bricks, “and not acting like one!!!’” (54).

“A curse, and insult, a word totally without light. And not until he heard it from the mouth of the princess did Roscuro realize that he did not like being a rat, that he did not want to be a rat” (109).

“She was twelve years old. Her mother was dead. Her father had sold her. Her uncle, who wasn’t her uncle at all, had clouted her until she was lamost deaf. And she wanted, more than anything in the world, to be a little princess wearing a golden crown and riding a high-stepping white horse” (143).

            These three quotes from The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo encompass the story’s most important theme. Most, if not all of the characters in this story were in some way unsatisfied with their existence. They longed for something more, something that was sometimes unattainable. Despereaux was not an ordinary mouse. From the time he was born, he was different. He was meant to be different. “…He showed no interest in the things a mouse should show interest in” (17). Despereaux was persecuted for his uniqueness, yet he carried on. Heroically, he kept being different, no matter how terrifying it might have been.

            Roscuro, the rat, shared this trait with Despereaux. He was not like the other rats. He did not wish to bring suffering to others; he only wanted the light. Roscuro, I thought, was a very dynamic character. Being a villain, the reader is supposed to dislike him. However, I found myself feeling sorry for him. Roscuro could have had a much different fate – one similar to Despereaux’s had that terrible accident not occurred in the dining hall. The tragedy with this character is that he was not inheritably evil. In fact, he was good. The circumstances of his life caused him to be the way he turned out. I think what made Despereaux a hero and what made Roscuro a villain is the way they handled the hardships in their lives.

            The last character I found this theme applied to, in the saddest way, was Miggery Sow. Poor Mig, all she ever wanted was for someone to care what she wanted. She dreamt of a better life, one where she wasn’t abused and she never really got it. She thought she wanted to be a princess, but in the end, all she really wanted was her mother – or a different life. I think Mig didn’t really want to be a princess; she wanted to be what she thought a princess represents – happiness. Of all the characters in this story, I thought Miggery’s was the most heartbreaking. This little girl never had a chance in life, she was destined for a life of misery the day her mother died (and who knows what it had been like before).

            The constant theme in this story is the aspiration to be someone you are content with, without worrying about what other people may think about it. Despereaux succeeded in this mission, but sadly, the other two characters did not. It’s very easy to conform to what others expect of you. The difficult, yet most satisfying thing the world is to be yourself!

A Letter to Hugo

Dear Hugo,

Your adventurous story has been an inspiration to me. I was captivated by your story right away. I wanted to know what was in that notebook! I read your words with a sense of excitement and anticipation, and every page I turned left me wanting to know more.

I felt the sadness you experienced when your father passed away. When you “wanted to fall over, to just lie down on the sidewalk and disappear” (124), I felt your pain. I wanted to join you on that sidewalk. I have also experienced death in my family, and the way you handled it, especially at your age, was amazing. I wish I had the courage you have, Hugo.

When the train almost took your life, I was terrified! I can’t even imagine your paralyzing fear as “the black engine was zooming right toward [you]” (459). I thought to myself, “No! He can’t die! There are too many things he has yet to do in his life, and too many contributions he must make to the world.” I thanked the Heavens when you were rescued!

The line in the story, “Hugo’s future seemed to fall perfectly into place” (507) literally brought tears to my eyes, and sent shivers down my spine. After all of the hardships you endured, and all of the obstacles you had to overcome, you finally got everything you deserved! This is why I found your story so inspiring, Hugo. Even though it was a difficult journey, and you could have given up so many times, you didn’t. You got to where you wanted to be!

You are an amazing character, and your story will live on as a reminder to everyone that the “impossible” can be achieved! You are truly a hero, Hugo Cabret! Thank you for sharing your tale; or, shall I thank your automaton?

Sincerely,

Allie Capobianco, a dedicated reader

Horn Books

Horn Books

A horn book is a very early printed book. The horn book was not generally used for entertainment, but for educational instruction, usually consisting of an alphabet, vowels, the trinity invocation and the Lord's Prayer.These books were common around shakespearean times, and were among the first books to be available to be handled by children. Most of them were heavily influenced by religion, as can be seen by the inclusion of the Lord's Prayer.

The general construction of a horn book was a sheet of parchment or paper that was adhered to a piece of wood and then laminated with a leaf of horn. While the front of the book (the actual paper) did not leave much room for illustration, the back of the wood piece would sometimes be engraved with beautiful images.

The structure of the book made it easy for children to hold and carry. It had a handle at the end, usually with a hole in it. The hole was used to tie a string through and carry the book on the child's belt or around their neck. Later, horn books were made of different materials like leather, ivory, silver, or cardboard.

The horn used to protect the paper on the book was actually made of horns from oxen or sheep. It needed to be protected so the child did not get it dirty. The horn would be soaked in cold water for several weeks, which would separate the part needed for the laminating. They would heat the usable part of the horn over boiling water and fire and use pressing plate machines to adhere it to the front of the book, smoothing t out to make it transparent.

I find it interesting that these books were used as we would commonly use textbooks today. They were virtually indestructible, so many kids would use them as bats to play baseball with! Another interesting fact, is that some of the horn books were made of gingerbread, and when a child learned a letter, he or she would be allowed to eat it! The horn book is an interesting piece of history, because it shows the evolution of printed books. 

http://www.bookmakingwithkids.com/?p=716

http://www.iupui.edu/~engwft/hornbook.html

http://www.nd.edu/~rbarger/www7/hornbook.html

The Blue Bird’s Song

The Blue Bird’s Song

Once upon a time, there lived a little blue bird named Sunny, with a special gift. This little bird could sing more beautiful than any other bird in the world. The problem with this little bird was that his feathers. They were blue. In his little bird village, he was the only blue bird; every other bird was yellow. The only birds who did not care about his blueness were his mama and papa and his best friend, Gloria. The rest of the village always seemed to pick on Sunny, for deep down they were jealous of his unique and vibrant color.

When Sunny was just an egg, he dropped from his nest. Thankfully, he landed in a pile of leaves so his shell did not crack. His mother looked, and could not find him anywhere. When the weather began to change, she had no choice but to fly away. The winds were picking up and getting colder, and the little bird inside that shell was so close to taking his last little birdie breath. One day, the winds carried away all the leaves, leaving Sunny’s little egg out in the open. Mama and Papa bird were flying above, when they looked down and saw this little egg. Of course, they couldn’t just leave him, so they picked Sunny up and Mama flew with him in her wing until they got home safely.

A few days later, a little blue bird emerged from the egg, and Mama and Papa decided, although they were yellow, they would raise the blue bird, and they named him Sunny. Sunny grew up around all yellow birds, and he always wondered why he was different. He didn’t like to be different; sometimes he wished he was yellow like everyone else. When he met his best friend, Gloria, he felt a little better about being blue. Gloria always admired his beautiful color, and said to him, “Oh Sunny, I wish I was as blue as the sky, as blue as the cool water, and as blue as the hyacinths in the field – just like you are!” Under his blue feathers, Sunny would blush at this.

One thing Sunny loved to do was sing – and he sang better than any of the birds he knew. Although, he never let anyone except Gloria hear him sing, for he knew the other birds would be jealous and would pick on him more if they knew. On a warm summer day, Sunny was gathering food for his family when he heard something that made his little feathers stand up on edge – he knew right away, it was a cat! And this cat was hungry! He turned slowly around, and said to the cat, “Kitty, Kitty, don’t eat me – I’m no good to eat!” Then, without a word, the cat pounced at him, coming just a few hairs from his tiny bird body.

Sunny flew as fast he could, trying so hard to get away from this evil cat. He flew in the direction of his birdie neighborhood, hoping the little birds could band together and help him. When he got to where all the other birds were, he quickly told everyone what was happening before the cat appeared behind him. All the birds were in a panic, except Gloria. Gloria said one word to Sunny. She said, “Sing!” So, not knowing what else to do, Sunny sang. He sang as beautifully as he ever had before. The other birds stopped their panic and were stunned and amazed with what was happening. The cat stopped in his tracks, listening intently to the little bird’s song. He no longer felt hungry, because he was entranced by the beautiful singing. After listening to Sunny’s song, the cat just moseyed away, and whenever he came back – he came to listen to Sunny sing, not to eat any birds.

Ever since that day, every other bird in the birdie town did not even think about Sunny being blue, they thought of him as the most wonderful singer in the world! And anytime an evil critter would try to bother them, they would call on Sunny, and he would sing to them, making them realize the beauty in the birds and inspiring them to preserve that beauty instead of destroying it. The most important change happened in Sunny himself – he no longer cared that he wasn’t yellow, and he felt just right in his blue feathers.

The End

Reader's Sketch Rough Draft

Allie Capobianco

Children’s Literature, Spring 2012

Reader’s Sketch

01/15/2012

A Life of Reading

            A young reader isn’t really a reader at all, she is a listener. She listens with excitement as her mother reads from her favorite story book. I vividly remember curling up under my warm fuzzy blanket, watching my mother’s mouth form the words from one of my favorite story books. The bright, flowing colors came to life before my eyes as I gazed at the pages. The first few times I listened to this story, I was entranced by the excitement and anticipation – would all the letters make it into the tree? By the third time, I chimed in with my mom repeating what would define my young life as a listener: “Chicka chicka boom boom, will there be enough room up in the coconut tree?”  Repetition and rhythm defined my early days of reading. Any book with a little song or with rhyming instantly became a favorite. On Christmas Eve, I would lay my head in my mother’s lap; she would gently stroke my hair as she read “Twas the Night Before Christmas” to me, changing her voice to reflect the altering voices of the characters and tones of the story. I can still clearly hear Santa’s voice, as portrayed by my mother, calling on his Reindeer to take to the sky! At this point, I was perfectly happy listening to stories and letting my mind make sense of the words spoken to me, creating images and connections to my life.

            After listening for many years, I began to find myself yearning to imitate the character’s voices for myself. I wanted to see what it felt like to become the story teller instead of the listener. Being interested in Princesses and fairytales, I began to read stories like Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. Reclining in a chair outside on the deck, I would quietly read to myself. Our deck looked out onto the woods, so I would imagine all the enchanted creatures that must lurk out there. Looking across the woods through the tangled and twisted branches, I could see a single house, painted black. I just knew this house was inhabited by an evil witch that would surely do something horrific to me if she got the chance. When the smoke from her chimney began to rise in the chilly autumn air, I closed my book and went back inside.

These adventurous stories inspired me to explore my own story telling abilities. I went from being the listener to the teller. Now, at bedtime, I would sit up in bed while my mom sat at the opposite end. I could tell me mother loved listening to my stories about enchanted castles and evil step mothers because she always listened intently and reacted to different parts of the story as I knew she would. When Princess Alexis finally came face to face with the despicable frog that was trying to capture her, my arms became cartoonish and huge, my fingers curled and twisted, and my voice became deep and scratchy as the frog spoke his evil words. After countless nights of different (but very similar) stories, the ideas flowed less and less until I just sort of lost interest in these fantastic stories. My reading career then turned in a different direction – one that has endured to this day.

            In elementary school, we had something called DEAR – Drop Everything And Read. For 20 minutes once a week, the whole class would be silent as the students sat with their book of choice and read. The first few times, I would usually forget to bring a book and just read one the teacher had available. I leafed through a few boring books, barely reading them, just counting down the minutes. One day, I found a book on the teacher’s shelf that had green gooey looking letters spelling out “Goosebumps.” Underneath this, I found the title of the book, The Haunted Mask. What really intrigued me was the picture on the cover – a kid in overalls with a horrifying mask. I felt a tinge of fear mixed with excitement, this was a feeling I liked. I found a spot to sit under an art table in the corner where it was still light enough to read, but dark enough to provide the perfect ambiance for this type of story. Those twenty minutes flew by! From the first few paragraphs I was hooked. After DEAR time was over, I asked my teacher if I could borrow the book to continue at home. I opened to my Daisy printed bookmark right away on the bus, and continued my reading throughout the night. I was entranced by the plot. I was terrified, yet extremely excited and I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. When the little girl in the story couldn’t get the mask off her face, I felt a dreadful horror well up inside me. I knew this was the feeling I would search for in a story. I read many more books from the “Goosebumps” series, and the thrill was always pleasurable for me. I had found my reading niche.

            A few years passed, and I was beginning to find the creepiness in the “Goosebumps” books to be less and less terrifying, until they really weren’t giving me the same feelings as they had before. I was desensitized. I think I was in fifth grade when I decided to read my first Stephen King novel. It was by chance that I chose this author, as I didn’t know the book was by him until after I read it. I was browsing my mother’s bookshelves, sliding my fingers over the book jackets, picking out the ones that looked interesting. I came across a hard cover novel with a colorful cover. It had a picture on it that instantly caught my attention. A little suburban neighborhood with quaint little houses, except while one of the houses had children playing outside of it, another one was on fire. In front of the houses, there was a terrifying wolf, and peeking out from behind one of them was a ghostly man with a gun. The title was also intriguing: The Regulators, by Richard Bachman. I had never heard of Richard Bachman or the regulators, so I decided to read a few pages to see if this was something I might like.

Just as The Haunted Mask had done years ago, this book instantly fascinated me. The plot was anything but simple. A quiet suburban town begins to slip away into an unknown and terrifying place, a place where children are being shot in cold blood on the street by a group of common television characters. They are all from different shows, yet in this story, they’ve come together to terrorize this small town. A young autistic boy seems to know the motivation behind this senseless murderous rage – and it’s called Tak. Tak is never fully explained, but it seems to be some sort of evil sprit that, when let loose, causes the worst destruction one could imagine. This dark and twisted plot was what I had been seeking. It provided me the excitement, terror, and adrenaline I wanted. Only later did I find out that “Richard Bachman” was actually Stephen King. I credit my love for reading to The Regulators and to Stephen King.

            In every forward passage written by Mr. King, he thanks his “constant reader,” and I can be fully classified as just that. Since reading my first King novel, I have read every book and short story he has ever written. It would be impossible to pick a favorite! I remember watching the movie “It” when I was young, and I was so scared of the clown and have had a lifelong fear of sewers ever since. So, in my late teens I decided to read the book. I read it in the summer, and the first few chapters were read under the hot sun in my front yard. I laid on my stomach on the freshly mowed grass and began to read a horrific, yet inspiring tale. This book was another milestone in my reading history because it showed me a new aspect of reading. The connection I had with the characters was real; I knew these people, and they were like my friends. “The Loser’s Club” became a part of my life. I would think about these characters even while I wasn’t reading, and long after the book had been finished.

Continuing with this theme, I should mention my favorite story of all time. I decided, after much deliberation if I was ready for the journey, to open the cover of The Gunslinger, the first of “The Dark Tower Series” books by Stephen King. Less scary than some other books by King, this story was adventurous, emotional, sometimes dark, and yet always twisted and surprising. For about four months (the time it took me to read all the books), my life was overtaken by the Dark Tower. I Followed Roland Deschain and his ka-tet (group of three) as they embark on a mission to, simply put, save the world, thus fulfilling their ka (destiny). Every word in the entire seven book series touched me on an emotional level that has yet to be matched by any reading experience. These characters were closer to me than most of the real people in my life, and I still miss them, to this day.

            I am lucky. From an early age, I discovered something that could take me away from the world and make me forget about any problems I was having. I found my love for reading, and specifically, found an appreciation for all literature, even if my favorites happen to be very dark and sometimes outright sadistic. From the early days of listening to rhyming patterns of my favorite childhood stories, to the adult years spent with my eyes burning after a night of reading “just one more chapter” in a new Stephen King novel, my life has been filled with amazing stories. I find that a story itself is not what keeps me reading, it is the emotions and feelings these stories provoke. 

             

"Why The Best Children's Books are written in Blood"

This article, written by Sherman Alexie, is closely related to my viewpoint of Children's literature. Violence or other controversial topics may not only be intriguing enough to motivate an otherwise uninterested young person to read, these subjects can surprisingly enrich the learning experience. Whether a reader has had tumultuous experiences (as the readers described in the article have had) or are just simply curious about depravity, it is important to provide some sort of outlet. The ideal choice, in my opinion, is literature. A curious child would be better off learning about drug use, for example, by reading a story rather than attempting to experiment with them.

At the parent's discretion, children should be afforded similar rights as adults - to read whatever interests them and not have to worry about the material being either unavailable or considered "bad" thus causing shame in their curiosity. Alexie makes an outstanding argument regarding his reasons for writing this type of literature. In his article, he writes, "...I write books for teenagers because I vividly remember what it felt like to be a teen facing everyday and epic dangers." His reason correlates with the motivations of his readers. They are searching for an outlet for the unavoidable stresses of adolescence. With all the despicable things a teen must endure in today's society and the limited resources available to them, why would anyone want to take away what could serve as an effective coping tool? Is this material any worse than what's on the five o'clock news or on a crime drama that airs prime time on a national network?

By, Allie Capobianco