The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman

Note from the editor: This week we have a special guest reviewer stepping in for Charlie Brown. I told him the book up for review is titled The Midwife's Apprentice, and he mumbled something about “I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' babies” and wandered out of the room. So here this week is his younger sister, Penny the Plott hound mix.

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Hello, everyone! I had a wonderful time immersing myself in the world of The Midwife's Apprentice, an historical fiction novel for middle grade readers, set in Medieval Europe. I never thought I would be able to relate to a character from so far in the past, but the young girl telling the story, who goes by Beetle (and later Alyce) is very relatable for me: we both started out as homeless, starving, nameless little things, until a kind woman took us in. For Alyce, it was the short-tempered midwife of the village who brought her into her home and took her under her wing. While under her tutelage, Alyce learns about perseverance, patience, and grace under pressure as she grows up and gains her own sense of identity.

Cushman does a magnificent job of making her story come alive on the page, breathing life into a village from long ago. Publisher's Weekly exclaims, “Cushman has an almost unrivaled ability to build atmosphere, and her evocation of a medieval village...is supremely colorful and pungent” (Publisher's Weekly 1995). While the story revolves around timeless themes – the trials and tribulations of learning independence, negotiating relationships, and making choices – the details of life in Medieval Europe shine through as integral aspects of the setting. Whether it's her semiannual bath in the pond or the various period-specific medicines and herbs she gathers for the midwife, Cushman cleverly weaves in a plethora of facts about life in the 1400s. The book also includes an author's note in the end pages providing background information, in which she mentions the herbs, superstitions, and general practices of a medieval midwife.

Cushman's writing style allows for easy reading while still giving the text a medieval flair, helping immerse you even further into the story. School Library Journal calls Cushman's style “compelling and witty” (Jones & Toth 1995). While the dialogue has been modernized to facilitate reading for a younger audience, the author still includes some language from that time period: “'The devil take you, cat,' she cried. 'I be sore afraid to open that sack, but I can't just let you be'” (Cushman 1995, 9). Her carefully crafted paragraphs reflect a care and respect for her audience, balancing authenticity with readability to ensure the text is accessible to the early teenage reader.

Here in the greater Houston area, The Midwife's Apprentice would pair perfectly with a field trip to the Renaissance Festival, less than an hour from the city and full of hands-on experiences from the medieval time period. For a less time-intensive activity, students could try their hands at some medieval activities within the library or classroom, such as making soap or baking bread. For more stories about life in medieval times, readers may also enjoy Cushman's other novel about a medieval young woman, Catherine, Called Birdy. This story tells of a wealthy lord's daughter and the problems she faces as a noblewoman, which provides a nice contrast to The Midwife's Apprentice. Another option is to compare medieval life in Europe (with The Midwife's Apprentice) to medieval life in Korea with A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park.

All in all, The Midwife's Apprentice was a tale full of excitement, humor, and grit. It was ajoy to watch Alyce grow up as the story progressed, and it's one I would wholeheartedly recommend. Two paws up!

Wags & Woofs,

Penny

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References

Cushman, Karen. 1995. The Midwife's Apprentice. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN: 978-0-547-72217-7

Jones, Trevelyn E. & Luann Toth. 1995. “SLJ's Best Books 1995: The Midwife's Apprentice.” School Library Journal 21, no. 12: 21.

Publisher's Weekly. “The Midwife's Apprentice.” Publisher's Weekly. Reviewed on March 27, 1995. https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-395-69229-5.

White Sands, Red Menace by Ellen Klages

I'll be honest, we basset hounds don't know a lot about history. I don't think about the past much farther back than breakfast. So to get me engaged in a story, it has to feel like a story about real people, not about dates or historical figures or any of those things you humans are so preoccupied with. However, I was intrigued by the title White Sands, Red Menace, so I decided to give it a try.

Following the death of her father, young Dewey is taken under the protective wing of her father's friend and colleague Dr. Gordon, and she moves in with the family, including a daughter named Suze, who is about Dewey's age, and her mother Terry. Much of the story focuses on Dewey's relationships as she finds her place, both in larger social circles and within the family. Things only get more complicated when a mysterious stranger from Dewey's childhood appears and threatens to shatter the family she has built. Though a little slow to start, the story starts to pick up steam about halfway through the novel, finishing with a resolution that is both satisfying and heartwarming.

Klages' writing style is precise and inventive, much like the scientists about whom she writes. Each chapter alternates perspectives, sharing insights from Dewey, then from Suze. This could be confusing for readers on its own, but then Klages also tells the tale from a third person point of view. This unconventional perspective works perfectly for the story, allowing readers to see both girls' perspectives without losing the continuity of the story. Furthermore, the story encapsulates life in post-World-War-II America without turning the time period into the central plot. Kirkus Review explains her style well: “Told in the third person, the point-of-view subtly switches by chapter between the two girls. Although alluding to issues of the atomic age, that is not a focus of this story, which sensitively portrays the early coming-of-age of two likable characters in a unique setting” (Kirkus Review 2010).

I particularly enjoyed the characters in this story. Klages took care to create two independent and intelligent young women, and through their encounters with the people of Alamogordo, New Mexico, she exposes the racial and gender inequalities of the times. However, the author approaches these subjects in a subtle and nuanced way, thus avoiding a feeling that Klages is trying to overemphasize the inequalities of the times. Instead, it's presented as simply a part of the setting, which lends authenticity to the story (though both heroines question the unfairness of these injustices, and Suze even confronts the topic through her artwork).

The spotlight remains squarely on the characters and their interactions, with the issues and complexities of the late 1940s serving to provide a rich backdrop for a story about Dewey and Suze's struggle with the insecurities and challenges of teenage life. Klages does an amazing job of focusing on the timeless themes of sisterhood, friendships, and families, which makes the story truly come alive. School Library Journal”s Elizabeth Bird notes that “[w]hen a historical novel feels contemporary because the emotions and characters feel like they exist in the here and now, that’s the mark of a great book, my friend. One of Klages’ real talents is the balance of the past and the present. She takes great pains to remain historically accurate” (Bird 2008). And historically accurate it is: no matter how much I tried to immerse myself in the historical context, I couldn't help but wince every time a pregnant Mrs. Gordon lit a cigarette.

Because this novel falls between two great eras in American history, there are a plethora of options for extension activities. Having students collect and compare ads from today's magazines with a book or digital resource of ads from the 1940's and 1950's would give students perspective into what has changed in American culture - and what hasn't. Seventeen magazine in particular would be an interesting comparative study, as it is still in publication and was mentioned several times throughout the book. White Sands, Red Menace is actually the sequel to its sister novel, The Green Glass Sea, which would be a great companion book for any student wanting more of the Dewey and Suze duo. 

If you are looking for an interesting read that touches on all the feelings of "teenagerhood" through relatable and intelligent characters, you'll definitely enjoy White Sands, Red Menace. This story does things a little differently, and it works beautifully.

Wags & Woofs,

Charlie Brown

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References

Bird, Elizabeth. 2008. “Review of the Day: White Sands, Red Menace by Ellen Klages.” A Fuse 8 Production. Posted September 6, 2008. http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2008/09/06/review-of-the-day-white-sands-red-menace-by-ellen-klages/.

Kirkus Review. “White Sands, Red Menace.” Kirkus Reviews. Posted May 20, 2010. https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/ellen-klages/white-sands-red-menace/.

Klages, Ellen. 2008. White Sands, Red Menace. New York: Viking. ISBN: 978-0-670-06235-5

Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer Holm

This week, I got to go on vacation to the Florida Keys! Well, only through my powers of imagination, but still, it was a great trip. I read Jennifer Holm's Turtle in Paradise, a heartwarming and insightful work of historical fiction about a young girl's escapades on the keys of southern Florida during the Great Depression.

Holm weaves in the details of living in the Great Depression seamlessly, keeping the emphasis on the storyline and the characters that populate Key West. This kept me enthralled in the story and allowed me to feel the sticky heat of a Floridian summer and taste the salt of the ocean. It's clear why Turtle in Paradise was a Newbery Honor Book: Holm creates an overarching feeling of community, as every character seems to know everyone else in town, demonstrating how families got through the overwhelming hardships of the Depression by holding tight to each other and helping others.

Told from the first-person point of view of the main character, the voice of an eleven-year-old shines through so clearly: Turtle never worries about adult concerns like where her next meal will come from or whether they will be able to pay rent. Rather, she worries about the things children are concerned with: ice cream money, her cat's welfare, and fitting in with her relatives in Key West. Kirkus Review concurs that “Holm’s voice for Turtle is winning and authentic—that of a practical, clear-eyed observer—and her nimble way with dialogue creates laugh-out-loud moments” and calls the story “[s]weet, funny and superb” (Kirkus Review 2010). However, the careful reader will notice that Turtle has also had to grow up quickly as she and her mother move often, trying to find work. Compounding matters is her mother Sadiebelle's tendency to flit from boyfriend to boyfriend, getting her heart broken time and time again, and leaving young Turtle to pick up the pieces. It's clear this has had an impact on Turtle, making her more guarded in her interactions and more sensible than the average eleven-year-old would otherwise be.

Holm clearly did a significant amount of research in order to ensure the book's authenticity, as is evidenced by the author's note in the backmatter. The author's note discusses both the real people and events depicted in the book and includes some historic photographs from 1930's Key West, Florida.

Horn Book Magazine also found that “...Turtle's narrative is peppered with references from the time, as she compares herself to Little Orphan Annie and gladly avoids going to a Shirley Temple movie. Modern-day readers will have no trouble relating to Turtle, though, and the fast-moving plot will keep them interested to the end” (Lempke 2010).

Turtle in Paradise offers plenty of opportunities to bring history to life. Teachingbooks.net offers video and audio clips of interviews with the author and snippets from the audiobook to share with children (https://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?a=1&tid=20495&s=n). To give students more context, teachers can play portions of the “Good Ship Lollipop” song mentioned throughout the book and the Little Orphan Annie radio show Turtle enjoys, both of which can easily be found online. Another useful tie-in would be to make “cut-up,” a Depression-era fruit concoction the children made a few times throughout the story, and discuss how the children would have scrounged up ingredients rather than making a trip to the grocery store.

I found Turtle in Paradise to be the perfect blend of sun and sand, lightness and poignancy, and joy and adversity. Holm spins a mighty fine tale for her readers, and I'd wholeheartedly give it two paws up!

Wags and Woofs,

Charlie Brown

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References

Holm, Jennifer. 2010. Turtle in Paradise. New York: Random House. ISBN: 978-0-375-83688-6

Kirkus Review. 2010. “Turtle in Paradise.” Kirkus Review, posted December 22, 2010. https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jennifer-l-holm/turtle-in-paradise/.

Lempke, Susan Dove. 2010. “Turtle in Paradise.” Horn Book Magazine 86, no. 3: 81-82.

Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War by Steve Sheinkin

I was a little hesitant when I found out we would be listening to an audio recording about some guy from the history books. I thought, “here we go again – another dry story listing facts from the life of some boring dead white guy.” I was partly right – the story is about a white guy – but on the other points I was very wrong. And boy, was I glad to be mistaken!

My owner checked out the mp3 recording of Steve Sheinkin's biography Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War in its full, unabridged format from our local library. As I listened and learned from the book, I realized it was filling a gap in my education: throughout my schooling, my history teachers all wrapped up the year with a fleeting mention of a war in Vietnam that was somehow controversial. Sheinkin managed to bridge that gap exquisitely with a carefully crafted history, told as a compelling story. School Library Journal praises Sheinkin for his storytelling as well as his accuracy: “In Sheinkin’s careful hands, Ellsberg and others, including Richard Nixon, Henry Kissinger, and Robert McNamara, are fully realized characters with strengths, flaws, and motivations that grow more clear as the story unfolds” (Kopple 2016). His writing is clear and easy to follow without being dry; he peppers the telling of the story of the Vietnam war with beautifully detailed anecdotes to develop a connection to the people in the story. I hesitate to call them “characters,” as the term implies that they are fictitious, although Sheinkin manages to paint them as vividly as any storybook character. Kirkus Reviews raves that “[a]s always, Sheinkin knows how to put the “story” in history with lively, detailed prose rooted in a tremendous amount of research, fully documented” (Kirkus Reviews 2015).

The recording for this book is done superbly, with just short of eight hours of crisp, clear narration by professional narrator Ray Porter. While only one narrator was used, Porter effectively created a unique voice for each person in the book by modifying his tone, accent, and pitch of speech. I was most impressed by his Lyndon Johnson impersonation – as a native Texan, I could tell he did his homework in replicating an accurate Texas accent. The narrator clearly delineated each section by reading the chapter titles with appropriate pauses. There was very little extra information at the beginning and end of the recording: the only data of note was bibliographic and recording information read aloud at the conclusion of the book. However, the physical book contains extensive documentation, including a bibliography, source notes, and an index (Kirkus Reviews 2015).

Sheinkin's writing style, coupled with Porter's knack for pacing and voices, kept me on the edge of my seat as a listener. The story begins with a cut to a scene of men of questionable motives breaking into a building in search of something. This setup is a clever way to hook the audience and provide a bit of foreshadowing about what might happen as the story unfolds. He then proceeds with the telling of how the Vietnam War came into existence, with Ellsberg's experiences interwoven. While there is some dialogue, it is factually accurate rather than something Sheinkin invented to further the story. Winner of the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults, Sheinkin has crafted a story that is both riveting and eye-opening.

One of the features I most appreciated about this book was the way Sheinkin weaves in open-ended questions. He asks questions of morality (should Ellsberg have taken the Pentagon Papers from the office?) and tactfully leaves the reader to draw his or her own conclusions. These questions serve as perfect conversation points for small group or class discussions. Furthermore, the book finishes with an epilogue about the more recent news of Edward Snowden and his leaks, including Ellsberg's take on these events. This too offers a perfect jumping-off point for discussions about ethics, morality, and the truth, and opens the door for research into other modern-day whistleblowers. In an era of alternative facts, Sheinkin cuts straight to the heart of truth. I give this book two paws up!

Wags & Woofs,

Charlie Brown

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References:

Kirkus Review. 2015. “Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War.” Kirkus Review, posted June 23, 2015. https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/steve-sheinkin/most-dangerous-sheinkin/.

Kopple, Jody. 2016. “Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War.” School Library Journal 62, no. 12: 75.

Sheinkin, Steve. 2015. Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War. New York: Roaring Brook Press. ISBN: 978-1-59643-952-8

The Beetle Book by Steve Jenkins

When Mom told me we were going to review a book called The Beetle Book, I was so excited! Beetles make wonderful snacks, and they're great fun to chase around the yard! However, this story goes way beyond snack foods – and it's a good thing, too. It would be an awfully short book otherwise. Steve Jenkins instead provides readers with beautiful illustrations, fascinating details, and an in-depth look at the critters underfoot.

I was immediately taken by the illustrations in this book. And I am in good company: School Library Journal also praises, “[a]s usual, Jenkins’s illustrations are as intriguing as his text” (Dawes 2012). Jenkins uses cut- and torn-paper collages to craft each beetle, giving special attention to colors and shapes and choosing beautiful and exotic beetles to feature. There is also ample negative space in each spread, as Jenkins chose to place the beetles on a white background. The effect really makes each one pop and keeps the focus on the beetles. When an illustration is not true to size, Jenkins provides a lineup of life-sized silhouettes of all the beetles on the page for comparison and perspective.

Jenkins took great care in organizing the information in a manner that's easy for kids to follow, with each two-page spread labeled with its subject in bold in the top left corner. With each turn of the page, Jenkins covers a new topic about being a beetle: anatomy, defenses, life cycle, and camouflage, to name just a few. A table of contents or index might have been a helpful feature for finding specific information, but Jenkins does include a listing of the common name, scientific name, and country/continent where each beetle is found in the endpapers, organized by the page on which each beetle is found. For a survey book, this is sufficient, as it whets the reader's appetite to learn more and then provides enough information to serve as a jumping-off point for researching any beetle in the book. Critics rave, “Jenkins’ splendid array of beetles will surely produce at least one budding coleopterist” (Kirkus Review 2012).

There are a plethora of activities that could pair The Beetle Book. One approach could be to study Jenkins's torn- and cut-paper art style, having children experiment with creating their own art using these methods. With so many different beetles of all sizes and shapes, this book naturally lends itself to helping curious minds choose a beetle to find out more about through other reference books, online resources, or even a trip to the insect exhibit at the local zoo or natural history museum. Another activity children may enjoy is comparing The Beetle Book to a handful of Jenkins's other survey books available, such as Egg: Nature's Perfect Package or Creature Features. Because Jenkins is a master at the informational survey book, these titles could serve as models for classes to create their own survey book on a class unit of study.

“A richly varied and visually riveting introduction to beetles, both familiar and strange,” The Beetle Book is sure to instill curiosity and wonder in its readers (Phelan 2012). Be sure to share this delightful book with all the pups in your life. I give it two paws up!

Wags & Woofs,

Charlie Brown

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References:

Dawes, Erika Thulin. 2012. “The Beetle Book.” The Classroom Bookshelf: An SLJ Blog. Posted on March 25, 2012. http://www.theclassroombookshelf.com/2012/03/the-beetle-book/.

Jenkins, Steve. 2012. The Beetle Book. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. ISBN:978-0-547-68084-2

Kirkus Review. 2012. “The Beetle Book.” Kirkus Review. Posted February 5, 2012. https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/steve-jenkins/beetle-book/.

Phelan, Carolyn. 2012. “The Beetle Book.” Booklist 108, no. 5: 44.

What To Do About Alice? By Barbara Kerley

The next book I have up for review can best be described as a lovely surprise. Barbara Kerley's biography What To Do About Alice? is a colorful peek into the life of Alice Roosevelt. Published in full, vibrant color and in a slightly-larger-than-usual size, this book lends itself naturally to be read aloud. I thought I was in store for a watered-down retelling of Alice Roosevelt's life aimed at younger children. Instead, I was surprised to find a smart, sophisticated book that is both lighthearted and informative - and appropriate for a variety of ages.

Like any good picture book, the illustrations say just as much as the text does. Each of Edwin Fotheringham's illustrations fills the page, with the text squeezed in wherever there is a patch of solid color to serve as background. Historically accurate and cartoon-like without becoming caricatures, “Fotheringham’s digital illustrations perfectly evoke the retro styles of an earlier age, depicting a confident Alice sailing through life and tackling every challenge with delight and aplomb” (Kirkus Review 2008). The bright colors and swirling lines give a feeling of movement to every page, further emphasizing the whirlwind of a woman that was Alice Roosevelt. There are several moments when the illustrations highlight a tongue-in-cheek phrase in the text, such as the illustration of Alice delightedly "sledding" down the White House stairs on trays with her siblings while the text remarks that Alice “watched her younger brothers and sister so her stepmother could get some rest.”

Kerley is careful to ensure that her work is historically accurate. At the end of the book she includes a thorough author's note as well as a list of works cited. While there are very few direct conversations, all dialogue is achieved through quotes from Alice and Teddy Roosevelt, and the sources for these quotes are cited at the end of the book. Kerley also includes a word of thanks to Carol Felsenthal for fact-checking the text and illustrations (Felsenthal is the author of the biography Princess Alice: The Life and Times of Alice Roosevelt Longworth, so she would be well-versed in the life and times of Alice Roosevelt).

As I began reading Kerley's biography, I was struck by her choices in style: she combines playful variations in text size and font to give emphasis when needed, sometimes letting the words cascade down the page in a stairstep shape, a convention one may expect in a whimsical children's book. However, she also uses a fairly advanced vocabulary, interjecting words such as “gamboled,” “voraciously,” and “gallivanting” that one may not expect in a whimsical children's book. Such word choices will challenge younger listeners during read aloud and at the same time make the story less “babyish” to older or less proficient readers who are hesitant to pick up a picture book. Kerley's judicious use of advanced vocabulary is doled out in careful proportions – there are just the right amount of “big words” thrown in to expand a student's vocabulary without running the risk of being too difficult to read or too pedantic.

Where Barbara Kerley's expertise really shines is in selecting which anecdotes about Alice to include in her biography. Kerley chooses lively, funny, and memorable antics from Alice Roosevelt's life to share with her audience, and these stories enchant the reader. School Library Monthly contributor Gary Zingher agrees that “[c]hildren will be tickled to meet such a buoyant personality as Alice and should respond to the book’s breezy, tongue-in-cheek style” (Zingher 2011). As a Sibert Honor Book, Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book, Irma Black Award Honor Book, ALA Notable Book, and recipient of the Parents Choice Award, What To Do About Alice? has proven time and time again to delight and entrance young readers.

These glimpses into Alice's fierce independence and free spirit provide wonderful opportunities to bring the book to life in the library or classroom. For example, students could sample the crusty French bread and hot tea that Alice enjoyed in the story, learn to dance the turkey trot, as Alice was wont to do, or design and build their own town cars like the one Alice zipped around Washington in (much to her father's chagrin). This biography would also be a great book to showcase along with biographies about other women who weren't afraid to be themselves and stand up for women's rights, such as Bonnie Christensen's The Daring Nellie Bly, Linda Arms White's I Could Do That! Esther Morris Gets Women the Vote, and Emily Arnold McCully's Marvelous Mattie: How Margaret E. Knight Became an Inventor (Cooper 2008). For even more ideas, the author includes her own curriculum connections on her website at http://www.barbarakerley.com/Site/For_Teachers.html.

If you are on the hunt for a fun, rollicking story that appeals to a wide range of ages, What to do About Alice might be the book for you. I give it two paws up!

Wags and Woofs,

Charlie Brown

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References:

Cooper, Ilene. 2008. “What to Do about Alice?” Book Links 17, no. 4: 7.

Kerley, Barbara. What To Do About Alice? How Alice Roosevelt Broke the Rules, Charmed the World, and Drove her Father Teddy Crazy! Ill. By Edwin Fotheringham. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN: 978-0-439-92231-9

Kirkus Review. 2008. “What To Do About Alice? How Alice Roosevelt Broke the Rules, Charmed the World, and Drove her Father Teddy Crazy!” Kirkus Review. Posted May 20, 2010. https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/barbara-kerley/what-to-do-about-alice/.

Zingher, Gary. 2011. “Bubbling with humor: A picture book biography about Alice Roosevelt.” School Library Monthly 28, no. 2: 44-45.

Handsprings by Douglas Florian

Handsprings, Douglas Florian's collection of springtime-themed poetry, was right up my alley. Spring is full of things we dogs love, like mud, sunshine, and children playing, and Florian's collection showcased all of these joys. Booklist raves, “this collection of 48 short, rhyming poems celebrates a child's experience of spring in a winning combination of exuberance, delicacy, and messy fun” (Rochman 2006, 48). A lighthearted theme coupled with simple, bright illustrations makes this 2007 Cybils Award finalist a perfect fit for reading on those days when the world is beginning to wake from winter.

The poetry itself is buoyant and bouncy, at times literally bouncing across the page as Florian manipulates the shape of the poem to enhance his poetry. For example, one poem entitled “Rain Reign” has each line cascading vertically down the page, like sheets of rain falling. However, only a handful of the poems use this poetic element; most of the poems are in more traditional stanzas. Florian is a master at writing very short lines – many of his poems consist of two or three-word lines, and his use of vivid verbs and regular rhyme schemes gives his poetry a strong rhythm that lends itself to reading out loud.

Handsprings is just as much about the poetry as it is about the illustrations. Plenty of white space keeps the illustrations from detracting from the text, and the muted earth-tones used in his art help evoke the greens and browns so prevalent in springtime. This choice of color palette was a surprise to me, as I anticipated lots of neon hues mimicking the flowers of spring, but the softness of this muted palette works very well. School Library Journal describes Florian's art as “plenty of white space framing muddy, childlike illustrations and simple, clear print. These sprightly odes shout out the poet's affection for the season” (Cutler 2006).

Handsprings is particularly well-suited for reading aloud and for introducing children to the joys of poetry. It is the last in a four-part series of poetry collections about the seasons, each written and illustrated by Florian. Considering the four titles together (Handsprings, Summersaults, Autumnblings, and Winter Eyes) lends itself to science lessons about the seasons and the changes in nature that accompany each season. The concrete imagery in this work also works well for having children create their own illustrations to accompany the poems in this collection. Other spring-themed poetry collections for young budding poets include Busy in the Garden by George Shannon, which is also a book of poetry about springtime, and I Heard it From Alice Zucchini: Poems From the Garden by Christine Davenier (School Librarian's Workshop, 2006).

This poetry collection was a warm reminder of how lovely springtime can be, and I know you'll enjoy sharing it with your pups as well. Two paws up!

Wags and Woofs,

Charlie Brown

 

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References

Cutler, Kirsten. 2006. “Handsprings.” School Library Journal 52, no. 4: 124.

Florian, Douglas. 2006. Handsprings. N.p.: Harper Collins. ISBN: 9780060092818

Rochman, Hazel. 2006. “Handsprings.” Booklist 102, no. 14: 48.

School Librarian's Workshop. 2007. “It's Spring!” School Librarian's Workshop 27, no. 5: 19-20.