Three picture book examples of traditional literature are reviewed below:
- Folktale: Just in Case: A Trickster Tale and Spanish Alphabet Book by Yuyi Morales
- A version of a folktale: The Three Little Pigs by Steven Kellogg
- Caldecott Honor book: Swamp Angel by Anne Isaacs
Folktale: Just in Case: A Trickster Tale and Spanish Alphabet Book by Yuyi Morales
Plot Summary
Just in Case begins as Señor Calavera makes preparations to go to Grandma Beetle's birthday party. As he rides his bike through the neighborhood, hoping to get to the party on time, he is stopped by Zelmiro the Ghost. Zelmiro reminds Señor Calavera that he has forgotten to bring a present. Zelmiro urges Señor Calavera to give Grandma Beetle "the thing she would love the most," and so Señor Calavera begins the process of gathering a variety of gifts. He chooses presents alphabetically in sets of four, and is urged by Zelmiro to look a little more after each set, "Just in case."
Señor Calavera finishes his search having chosen a gift that begins with Y and races to get to the party. When Zelmiro puts his foot in the path, Señor Calavera's bike is upset, and he loses all of his presents. He finally makes it to the party and offers Grandma Beetle "the present she loved the most," Grandpa Zelmiro!
Señor Calavera finishes his search having chosen a gift that begins with Y and races to get to the party. When Zelmiro puts his foot in the path, Señor Calavera's bike is upset, and he loses all of his presents. He finally makes it to the party and offers Grandma Beetle "the present she loved the most," Grandpa Zelmiro!
Critical Analysis
Yuyi Morales crafts her story using patterns and repetition characteristic of traditional literature. As a trickster tale, the story is effective in depicting Zelmiro the Ghost as a trickster who knows the answer to the riddle of what will make Grandma Beetle happiest but wants Señor Calavera to discover the solution on his own.
Morales uses dialogue as one of the key elements in creating a tale that is a joy to read aloud. Additionally, the Spanish words included for each of the gifts Señor Calavera finds are clearly defined without taking away from the story.
Morales uses dialogue as one of the key elements in creating a tale that is a joy to read aloud. Additionally, the Spanish words included for each of the gifts Señor Calavera finds are clearly defined without taking away from the story.
Review Excerpts
- Pura Belpré Medal for illustration (2009)
- Pura Belpré Honor for narrative (2009)
- Kirkus best books of the year (2008)
- ALA Notable Book (2009)
- Horn Book Magazine review (2009)
- Review from Booklist (2008): "Drenched in rich hues, the light-filled illustrations add a whimsical dimension to this trickster tale and Spanish alphabet book.... This companion to Morales’ award-winning Just a Minute (2003) will be a hit for storytime."
- Review from School Library Journal (2008): "Luminous, jewel-tone spreads chronicle the collection of gifts and pay homage to a rich Mexican culture.... Part ghost story and part alphabet book, this trickster tale transcends both. Librarians will want to share it for the beautiful language, the spirited artwork, and the rightness of the ending."
Connections
- Students should be introduced to the Señor Calavera website found here. The website includes a video introduction to the character as well as information about Morales' two books in which this character appears. There are also some simple activities as well as instructions for children to make their own masks. Morales also maintains a website (found here), which contains some teaching resources as well as information about scheduling author's visits.
- This book is an engaging read aloud, allowing children to chime in on Zelmiro's repeated line, "Just in case..." Having students echo Spanish vocabulary is effective in introducing English speakers to Spanish sounds. With repeated readings, students might even add some of these words to their vocabulary!
- Second language learners will enjoy the celebration of another culture and the use of a second language throughout the story. The text is formulaic enough for students to follow along with a limited English vocabulary, and Spanish speakers will enjoy hearing familiar words as Señor Calavera collects each of his gifts for Grandma Beetle.
- Morales' companion book Just a Minute (ISBN: 0811837580), a Pura Belpré Award winner, can be added for additional Spanish vocabulary building and to hear another story of Señor Calavera and Grandma Beetle.
Bibliography
Morales, Yuyi. 2008. Just in Case: A Trickster Tale and Spanish Alphabet Book. Ill. by Yuyi Morales. New York, NY: Roaring Book Press. ISBN 1596433299.
A version of a folktale: The Three Little Pigs by Steven Kellogg
Serafina Sow is an entrepreneur searching for a way to support her three little piglets, Percy, Pete, and Prudence. She comes up with the idea of selling waffles, and she and her three little pigs create a waffle machine that they use to begin a successful, mobile waffle business. When Serafina heads to the Gulf of Pasta to retire, her three sons run the business and build themselves their three houses.
One day Tempesto the wolf arrives at the waffle cart demanding food--the pigs, not the waffles. The pigs run to their homes. The wolf begins loudly destroying the house of straw, but not before Percy, its inhabitant, can send a cry for help to his mother via paper airplane. Percy escapes to Pete's stick house, but it is soon destroyed by the wolf, also. With all three pigs now safely inside Prudence's brick house, the wolf spends a day and night attacking the house before finally deciding to float himself up to the chimney. Before he makes it, Serafina arrives and suggests that they use the waffle iron to catch the wolf on his way down the chimney. Once the wolf is flattened and covered in butter, syrup, and powdered sugar, the pigs send him off to the Gulf of Pasta. Serafina sticks around, spends time with her numerous grandchildren, and helps expand the business. The wolf is seen peacefully lounging on the beach, having given up his violent tendencies.
One day Tempesto the wolf arrives at the waffle cart demanding food--the pigs, not the waffles. The pigs run to their homes. The wolf begins loudly destroying the house of straw, but not before Percy, its inhabitant, can send a cry for help to his mother via paper airplane. Percy escapes to Pete's stick house, but it is soon destroyed by the wolf, also. With all three pigs now safely inside Prudence's brick house, the wolf spends a day and night attacking the house before finally deciding to float himself up to the chimney. Before he makes it, Serafina arrives and suggests that they use the waffle iron to catch the wolf on his way down the chimney. Once the wolf is flattened and covered in butter, syrup, and powdered sugar, the pigs send him off to the Gulf of Pasta. Serafina sticks around, spends time with her numerous grandchildren, and helps expand the business. The wolf is seen peacefully lounging on the beach, having given up his violent tendencies.
Critical Analysis
Steven Kellogg's version of "The Three Little Pigs" is clever and entertaining. Extensive use of word play and alliteration throughout the book provide humor and readability, making this a fun version to share. The sound effects greatly add to the impact of the story and beg to be read aloud. Kellogg adds background information about the pigs and additional events to the story without detracting from the story line that most children are familiar with and enjoy.
Kellogg's illustrations add an additional level of humor that will lead the reader to spend as much time analyzing the pictures as reading the text. Text in many of the illustrations offers additional information; for example, small signs around the pigs' classroom read "We are studying the PIGrims," and the menu offered at the waffle stand includes a clever array of choices. The illustrations sometimes appear two on a page broken up by text and sometimes cover an entire two-page spread, and the variety improves the readability of the story.
Kellogg's illustrations add an additional level of humor that will lead the reader to spend as much time analyzing the pictures as reading the text. Text in many of the illustrations offers additional information; for example, small signs around the pigs' classroom read "We are studying the PIGrims," and the menu offered at the waffle stand includes a clever array of choices. The illustrations sometimes appear two on a page broken up by text and sometimes cover an entire two-page spread, and the variety improves the readability of the story.
Review Excerpts
- Publisher's Weekly Children's Book, Fall 1997
- Starred review in Booklist (1997): "Just as the pig family in this story soups up their old waffle iron with four wheels and various tanks, pipes, and hoses, so Kellogg takes a favorite folk tale and adds his own inventive touches of character, plot twists, and humor... Much of the broad humor is carried in the lively, colorful illustrations, though there's wordplay aplenty inthe text and pictures too."
- Review from School Library Journal (1997): "Kellogg's usual busy, highly defined illustrations complement the humorous, clever text."
- Kirkus' Review (1997): "Kellogg puts a master's spin on another familiar tale... As usual, Kellogg's illustrations add to the story; intrepid readers will have fun finding art on the wall by Pablo Pigasso, perusing the long list of waffle flavors (among them, baloney and bubblegum), and giggling at the wolf's shirt, which sports slogans--at first, ""Say Yes to Thugs,"" and later, ""Thugs Need Hugs Too."" A talent-strewn retelling that only enhances the original."
Connections
- Like all good traditional tales, this story is an excellent choice for reading aloud. Because of the familiarity of the story line, a telling can easily be enhanced by allowing students to act out the story using characters and props on a felt board as the story is read.
- Being able to examine the illustrations is key to a full appreciation of the humor of this book. If multiple copies of the book can be obtained, small groups of students can follow along as the book is read aloud, with time given for students to read the information found in the pictures and to examine the detail of Kellogg's artwork.
- Kellogg's The Three Little Pigs provides excellent examples of word play, alliteration, and onomatopoeia. After being directed to examples in the text, students can write examples to be added to their own writing.
- Kellogg's story can be compared to other versions of "The Three Little Pigs," for example:
- The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by John Scieszka (ISBN: 0140544518)
- The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugene Trivizas (ISBN: 068981528X)
- The Three Pigs by David Wiesner (ISBN: 0618007016)
- After comparing the different versions of "The Three Little Pigs," students might enjoy writing their own version and can be encouraged to vary the setting, background information, and/or types of animals used in the story.
Bibliography
Kellogg, Steven. 1997. The Three Little Pigs. Ill. by Steven Kellogg. New York, NY: Morrow Junior Books. ISBN 0688087310.
Caldecott Honor book and tall tale: Swamp Angel by Anne Isaacs
Caldecott Honor book and tall tale: Swamp Angel by Anne Isaacs
Plot Summary
Swamp Angel begins in Tennessee with the birth of the enormous infant Angelica Longrider described as "scarcely taller than her mother." Almost immediately, Angelica begins performing heroic feats such as stopping floods and putting out fires. At twelve she rescues a wagon train from a swamp, earning herself the nickname Swamp Angel.
The rest of the book follows Swamp Angel's hunt of and confrontation with the huge black bear named Thundering Tarnation. Thundering Tarnation has been raiding all the cellars in the state, and so a long line of men (and Swamp Angel) line up to hunt him lured by the reward of his pelt. After all of the men are embarrassed and defeated by the bear, Swamp Angel remains to toss him into the sky, roll with him through the mountains, and wrestle with him in a lake. Finally, overcome by exhaustion, they snore down a forest of trees, one of which crushes Thundering Tarnation, ending their battle. Swamp Angel leaves for Montana with his pelt.
During the course of their battle, Swamp Angel is key to the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains, the Shortgrass Prairie in Montana, and the Great Bear Constellation (Ursa Major).
The rest of the book follows Swamp Angel's hunt of and confrontation with the huge black bear named Thundering Tarnation. Thundering Tarnation has been raiding all the cellars in the state, and so a long line of men (and Swamp Angel) line up to hunt him lured by the reward of his pelt. After all of the men are embarrassed and defeated by the bear, Swamp Angel remains to toss him into the sky, roll with him through the mountains, and wrestle with him in a lake. Finally, overcome by exhaustion, they snore down a forest of trees, one of which crushes Thundering Tarnation, ending their battle. Swamp Angel leaves for Montana with his pelt.
During the course of their battle, Swamp Angel is key to the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains, the Shortgrass Prairie in Montana, and the Great Bear Constellation (Ursa Major).
Critical Analysis
From the initial pages of this book, made to look like a variety of types of wood, Swamp Angel carries the reader toward a better understanding of the conventions, characters, and style of a tall tale. Each page is framed with wood, extending the timeworn feel of the initial pages and helping the reader understand the tall tale genre as a treasured traditional tale of a group of people. The narration of the story is engaging and employs dialect and vocabulary choices that reflect the setting. Although this story is a creation of Isaacs, not a true traditional tale, it is a wonderful addition to a study of tall tales.
One of the greatest strengths of this captivating tale is the authenticity of the illustrations in depicting Tennesse during the early nineteenth century. Natural features, clothing and housing of the settlers, and the variety of wildlife all draw the reader into a closer examination of the pictures. Zelinsky's extensive detail make studying the oil on veneer illustrations rewarding and informative. Natural landmarks like the Great Smoky Mountains add additional accuracy to the setting.
One of the greatest strengths of this captivating tale is the authenticity of the illustrations in depicting Tennesse during the early nineteenth century. Natural features, clothing and housing of the settlers, and the variety of wildlife all draw the reader into a closer examination of the pictures. Zelinsky's extensive detail make studying the oil on veneer illustrations rewarding and informative. Natural landmarks like the Great Smoky Mountains add additional accuracy to the setting.
Review Excerpts
- Caldecott Honor Book
- Bluebonnet Award Nominee (1996-1997)
- Horn Book Magazine starred review title
- Starred review in Publisher's Weekly
- Review from School Library Journal (1994): "The pictures and words cavort across the page in perfect synchronization, revealing the heroine's feisty solution. Buy for a great guffaw in small groups or one-on-one. It's an American classic in the making."
- Review from Booklist (1994): "Isaacs tells her original story with the glorious exaggeration and uproarious farce of the traditional tall tale and with its typical laconic idiom--you just can't help reading it aloud. Zelinsky's detailed oil paintings in folk-art style are exquisite, framed in cherry, maple, and birch wood grains. They are also hilarious, making brilliant use of perspective to extend the mischief and the droll understatement. "
- Kirkus' Review (1994): "It is impossible to convey the sheer pleasure, the exaggerated loopiness, of newcomer Isaacs's wonderful story. Matching the superb text stride for stride are Zelinsky's altered-state, American primitive paintings -- gems that provide new pleasures, reading after reading."
Connections
- This story is an excellent read aloud. Be aware that due to the word choice and word order, some parts can be a bit tricky on the first reading, so practice beforehand! Some vocabulary should be previewed depending on the audience, and might include bog, mired, varmint, tarnation, pelt, taunt, and mange.
- Swamp Angel is ideal for fourth to sixth graders as an introduction to this genre and to literary elements commonly used in tall tales. Students can find examples of understatement, exaggeration, and alliteration and can analyze how the use of each contributes to this story and to this genre. Understanding that Anne Isaacs created this tale herself can also provide encouragement to students when asked to write their own tall tales.
- For a cross-curricular connection, social studies classes might locate Tennessee on a map and discuss geographical features of this part of the U.S. They can also locate the Great Smoky Mountains as well as the Shortgrass Prairie in Montana where Swamp Angel relocates at the end of the story. Students interested in astronomy will also enjoy learning more about Ursa Major (some key facts can be found here).
- Children are likely to fall in love with Swamp Angel and will enjoy Isaacs' and Zelinsky's continuing story of the character found in Dust Devil (ISBN: 9780375867224).
- Other tall tales about larger-than-life characters can be used for comparison with Swamp Angel. Younger students might compare and contrast the characters themselves while older readers can examine plot components such as exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution, leading to a better understanding of the conventions of the tall tale. Some example titles that might be used are:
- John Henry by Julius Lester and Jerry Pinkney, a Caldecott Honor Book (ISBN: 0140566228)
- Paul Bunyan by Steven Kellogg (ISBN: 0688058000)
- Thunder Rose by Jerdine Nolen, a Coretta Scott King Award winner (ISBN: 0152060065)
- Pecos Bill by Steven Kellogg (ISBN: 0688099246)
Bibliography
Isaacs, Anne. 1994. Swamp Angel. Ill. by Paul O. Zelinsky. New York, NY: Dutton Children's Books. ISBN 0525452710.
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