The Bibliography
Meyer, L.A. 2002. Bloody Jack: Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary "Jacky" Faber, Ship's Boy. San Diego: Harcourt. ISBN 0152167315
The Characters
The main character of Bloody Jack is Mary "Jacky" Faber, an orphan girl turned ship's boy in eighteenth-century London. Other characters include her ship's boy friends, Benjy, Davy, Tink, Willy and Jaimy. There are many more characters, other shipmates and officers of the Royal Navy, and Mary's orphan friends still in London.
The Plot
Mary Faber lived on the streets of London in 1797 after her family died of the plague. She disguises herself as a boy to join a pirate-hunting ship of the Royal Navy to escape the streets. Calling herself Jacky, she earns her way on the ship by being able to read. She and the other ship's boys grow up on the ship. There's where the problems begin for Jacky. The ruse of "The Deception" wears thin when her voice doesn't drop, she stops taking off her clothes to swim with the boys and, uh oh, she gets her period. Love starts to bloom on the ship, but it's awkward because Jaimy, another ship's boy, thinks he's in love with another boy! Luckily for Jaimy, Jacky reveals herself to him. They plan to leave the ship together and get married, but she's found out and gets dropped off at a boarding school in Boston.
The Setting
late eighteenth century London and across the seas to North America
The Theme
The theme of Bloody Jack is a coming of age theme and a story of love for a poor girl, dressed as a boy, trying to live an adventurous life.
The Style
Bloody Jack is written in the words of Mary "Jacky" Faber. She was taught to read and knows how to speak properly, but grew up on the streets and on a ship surrounded by sailors. She picks up a way of speaking that mimics her environment, and the time period.
The Analysis
I liked reading Bloody Jack and plan to read the sequels. It took me a while to get used to the way Jacky spoke and thought, but in order for it to be an accurate historical novel, it had to be done. I did think it was interesting the way her voice changed throughout the progression of the novel, she sounded like a scraggly orphan at the beginning, a sailor in the middle, but when she came out to Jaimy, she began to sound more like a proper lady. The changes were subtle, but they were there.
The Review
Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, August 1, 2002 (Vol. 70, No. 15))
Posing as a lad in the late 1790s, a spunky orphan girl secures a job as a ship's boy in the British Navy, a position that becomes compromised by her evolving maturity and love for a fellow crewmember. Meyer, a debut novelist, has penned a rousing old-time girl's adventure story, with an outsized heroine who is equal parts gutsy and vulnerable, then sets her loose on a pirate-hunting vessel in the high seas. The novel is full of action and derring-do, but the real suspense is generated by maintaining what the heroine calls "The Deception," her disguise as a boy. Initially, it's fairly easy because Jacky, as the heroine decides to call herself, is as flat-chested, hairless, and high-voiced as the rest of the boys. She simulates using the ship's head, imitating the boys' "shake-and-wiggle action" and even creates a faux penis out of cloth under her drawers, so that she's as "well rigged out" as the rest of the lads. Clever and courageous, Jacky deals with both the ship's bully and pedophile, fights pirates valiantly, and manages to save the day for her shipmates, enabling them to secure the buccaneers' booty. Jacky is such a marvelous creation that the other characters feel shadowy in comparison, and the least engaging parts of the novel involve her secret romance with a fellow ship's boy. Capped by a fitting but bittersweet ending, the first-person narrative shines, and a wealth of historical research is seamlessly knitted into the material. A first-rate read.
The Connection
This would be a fun book to read aloud during the book club I have with a local elementary school. They always like it when I do voices, and this one is full of them. It would be interesting to read this book, then read books about pirates, like the Library of Pirates books by Aileen Weintraub.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Catherine, Called Birdy
The Bibliography
Cushman, Karen. 1994. Catherine, Called Birdy. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0395681862
The Characters
The main character of Catherine, Called Birdy, is fourteen-year-old Catherine, daughter of Rollo the Knight and lady Aislinn. Other characters are Catherine's brothers, Thomas, Edward and Robert, her friend and local goatherd Perkin, her nursemaid Morwenna, various other friends and townsfolk, and many suitors that come trying to buy Catherine's hand in marriage.
The Plot
Catherine's brother Edward tells her to write a diary, recording the events that happen to her each day in hopes that she will grow less childish and more learned. Throughout the year of writing, starting in September 1290 and ending in September 1291, Catherine tells of her life, the several men that come seeking her hand in marriage, hiding from them and figuring out ways to live her own life.
The Setting
1290-1291, the village of Stonebridge in the shire of Lincoln in the country of England
The Theme
The theme of Catherine, Called Birdy, is a coming of age theme in medieval times. The time comes for Catherine to learn to be a woman, to do her sewing and spinning and embroidering, and to be married off to the highest bidder, whether she wants to or not.
The Style
Catherine, Called Birdy, is an epistolary novel, written as a diary in the words of Catherine, showing the way of speaking and mannerisms of the time. Mayhap I should begin to speak like Catherine. Corpus bones!
The Analysis
I enjoyed reading this book and thought Catherine was pretty funny. She went to such depths to avoid being sold off by her father to the wealthiest suitor, blackening her teeth and her hair and setting the privy on fire. She was a good friend to goatboy Perkin and had crushes on a boy who worked under her father and on her uncle... eesh. She didn't want to get married, but would rather have painted or been a Crusader. She loved her mother and her nursemaid and her birds. The only problem I really had with the book is that I wanted her to be able to choose her own husband, and I hoped it would have been Perkin! At least she didn't have to marry the big, gross Shaggy Beard, though, and became betrothed to his son, who seemed to care for her.
The Review
Charles R. Duke (The ALAN Review, Winter 1995 (Vol. 22, No. 2))
Catherine, known as Birdy because of her love for various kinds of birds, is a headstrong fourteen-year old living in medieval England. Her brother Edward suggests she keep a diary so she will become more learned and less childish. Catherine's year-long record of her daily activities gives readers a detailed account of life in the late 1200s. Catherine's father wants her to marry, but she fights all the way, setting fire to the privy while one of her suitors is inside, disguising herself as a very ugly serving girl, and finally running away. This is not a fast-moving or highly plotted story, but it is rich with details of life in a medieval home of limited means. For history buffs, the story should prove interesting. Girls will be far more attracted to it than boys and will undoubtedly identify with the struggle women had in defining their role in a world dominated by men.
The Connection
A fun activity for older elementary kids would be to share this story, then have them read other epistolary novels like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney or The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot, then have them chronicle a period of their own lives in a diary.
Cushman, Karen. 1994. Catherine, Called Birdy. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0395681862
The Characters
The main character of Catherine, Called Birdy, is fourteen-year-old Catherine, daughter of Rollo the Knight and lady Aislinn. Other characters are Catherine's brothers, Thomas, Edward and Robert, her friend and local goatherd Perkin, her nursemaid Morwenna, various other friends and townsfolk, and many suitors that come trying to buy Catherine's hand in marriage.
The Plot
Catherine's brother Edward tells her to write a diary, recording the events that happen to her each day in hopes that she will grow less childish and more learned. Throughout the year of writing, starting in September 1290 and ending in September 1291, Catherine tells of her life, the several men that come seeking her hand in marriage, hiding from them and figuring out ways to live her own life.
The Setting
1290-1291, the village of Stonebridge in the shire of Lincoln in the country of England
The Theme
The theme of Catherine, Called Birdy, is a coming of age theme in medieval times. The time comes for Catherine to learn to be a woman, to do her sewing and spinning and embroidering, and to be married off to the highest bidder, whether she wants to or not.
The Style
Catherine, Called Birdy, is an epistolary novel, written as a diary in the words of Catherine, showing the way of speaking and mannerisms of the time. Mayhap I should begin to speak like Catherine. Corpus bones!
The Analysis
I enjoyed reading this book and thought Catherine was pretty funny. She went to such depths to avoid being sold off by her father to the wealthiest suitor, blackening her teeth and her hair and setting the privy on fire. She was a good friend to goatboy Perkin and had crushes on a boy who worked under her father and on her uncle... eesh. She didn't want to get married, but would rather have painted or been a Crusader. She loved her mother and her nursemaid and her birds. The only problem I really had with the book is that I wanted her to be able to choose her own husband, and I hoped it would have been Perkin! At least she didn't have to marry the big, gross Shaggy Beard, though, and became betrothed to his son, who seemed to care for her.
The Review
Charles R. Duke (The ALAN Review, Winter 1995 (Vol. 22, No. 2))
Catherine, known as Birdy because of her love for various kinds of birds, is a headstrong fourteen-year old living in medieval England. Her brother Edward suggests she keep a diary so she will become more learned and less childish. Catherine's year-long record of her daily activities gives readers a detailed account of life in the late 1200s. Catherine's father wants her to marry, but she fights all the way, setting fire to the privy while one of her suitors is inside, disguising herself as a very ugly serving girl, and finally running away. This is not a fast-moving or highly plotted story, but it is rich with details of life in a medieval home of limited means. For history buffs, the story should prove interesting. Girls will be far more attracted to it than boys and will undoubtedly identify with the struggle women had in defining their role in a world dominated by men.
The Connection
A fun activity for older elementary kids would be to share this story, then have them read other epistolary novels like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney or The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot, then have them chronicle a period of their own lives in a diary.
The Green Glass Sea
The Bibliography
Klages, Ellen. 2006. The Green Glass Sea. New York: Viking. ISBN 067061341
The Characters
Eleven-year-old Dewey Kerrigan is the main character of The Green Glass Sea. Other characters include her father, a scientist, enemy-turned-friend Suze Gordon, and her parents, also scientists. There are many other minor characters, friends of Dewey, friends of Suze, and lots of scientists and members of the army. There are also minor characters who are not so minor, including Richard "Dick" Feynman, a Nobel-prize winning physicist and quantum mechanic, although in the book, he hadn't won the prize yet, and Robert Oppenheimer, "the father of the atomic bomb."
The Plot
Dewey Kerrigan is the daughter of a scientist who works on the top secret "gadget" in 1943 in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Although she doesn't know what he's working on, no one is allowed to know, she knows it is important. All the children growing up in the unknown Los Alamos know their parents are busy working on this "gadget," but don't find out what it is until after the book is over, on August 6th, 1945. The story is about Dewey growing up while the atomic bomb is being created.
The Setting
1943-1945 Los Alamos, New Mexico
The Theme
The theme of The Green Glass Sea is one of commitment to what one believes in, the love of a young girl for her father, and the need for a family.
The Style
The Green Glass Sea is written in a style appropriate for a military scientist's child in the 40s. Dewey is a smart girl, so she speaks intelligently. The author provides a list of sources in the Author's Note for references and in the Acknowledgments, lists many sources where she retrieved her information.
The Analysis
I enjoyed The Green Glass Sea. Dewey's a smart kid and it was interesting to see what could have been going on in Los Alamos when my granddad was fighting in World War II. I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to wars and what all went on behind the scenes, so I enjoyed reading about life during WWII.
The Review
Ann Cazin (Library Media Connection, April 2007)
Dewey loves to invent, do advanced math, and make discoveries. Her mother left her when she was young and her grandmother has had a stroke, so she must go to live with her father. Dewey ends up in the middle of the desert where everything is hush-hush, but she has found a piece of heaven, searching through the military junkyard and talking with adults that show interest in her inquisitiveness. This book is about the people who worked on the Manhattan Project and the early days of Los Alamos. While Dewey loses her father, she ends up finding a new family. At the end of this story, Dewey and her new family visit the site where the A-bomb was tested; it was so hot that it melted the sands into a sea of green glass. The description of this part of World War II is interesting and provocative. This well-paced story gives us an insight to a different part of the war and how it affected the people that were involved in the Manhattan Project. Recommended.
The Connection
If I were a history teacher, or more of a history buff, I'd share this story with kids learning about WWII, just so they could get the same taste I did when I read it. It could also be a good one to share with an elementary book club, then we could do the past/present question activity that was suggested in our text with Dewey, since she's the same age as the students in the club.
Klages, Ellen. 2006. The Green Glass Sea. New York: Viking. ISBN 067061341
The Characters
Eleven-year-old Dewey Kerrigan is the main character of The Green Glass Sea. Other characters include her father, a scientist, enemy-turned-friend Suze Gordon, and her parents, also scientists. There are many other minor characters, friends of Dewey, friends of Suze, and lots of scientists and members of the army. There are also minor characters who are not so minor, including Richard "Dick" Feynman, a Nobel-prize winning physicist and quantum mechanic, although in the book, he hadn't won the prize yet, and Robert Oppenheimer, "the father of the atomic bomb."
The Plot
Dewey Kerrigan is the daughter of a scientist who works on the top secret "gadget" in 1943 in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Although she doesn't know what he's working on, no one is allowed to know, she knows it is important. All the children growing up in the unknown Los Alamos know their parents are busy working on this "gadget," but don't find out what it is until after the book is over, on August 6th, 1945. The story is about Dewey growing up while the atomic bomb is being created.
The Setting
1943-1945 Los Alamos, New Mexico
The Theme
The theme of The Green Glass Sea is one of commitment to what one believes in, the love of a young girl for her father, and the need for a family.
The Style
The Green Glass Sea is written in a style appropriate for a military scientist's child in the 40s. Dewey is a smart girl, so she speaks intelligently. The author provides a list of sources in the Author's Note for references and in the Acknowledgments, lists many sources where she retrieved her information.
The Analysis
I enjoyed The Green Glass Sea. Dewey's a smart kid and it was interesting to see what could have been going on in Los Alamos when my granddad was fighting in World War II. I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to wars and what all went on behind the scenes, so I enjoyed reading about life during WWII.
The Review
Ann Cazin (Library Media Connection, April 2007)
Dewey loves to invent, do advanced math, and make discoveries. Her mother left her when she was young and her grandmother has had a stroke, so she must go to live with her father. Dewey ends up in the middle of the desert where everything is hush-hush, but she has found a piece of heaven, searching through the military junkyard and talking with adults that show interest in her inquisitiveness. This book is about the people who worked on the Manhattan Project and the early days of Los Alamos. While Dewey loses her father, she ends up finding a new family. At the end of this story, Dewey and her new family visit the site where the A-bomb was tested; it was so hot that it melted the sands into a sea of green glass. The description of this part of World War II is interesting and provocative. This well-paced story gives us an insight to a different part of the war and how it affected the people that were involved in the Manhattan Project. Recommended.
The Connection
If I were a history teacher, or more of a history buff, I'd share this story with kids learning about WWII, just so they could get the same taste I did when I read it. It could also be a good one to share with an elementary book club, then we could do the past/present question activity that was suggested in our text with Dewey, since she's the same age as the students in the club.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Prehistoric Actual Size
The Bibliography
Jenkins, Steve. 2005. Prehistoric Actual Size. Boston. Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0618535780
The Criteria
Accuracy The short bits of information about the prehistoric creatures in Prehistoric Actual Size are easy to read and to the point. Each creature listed shows a time period of when it lived and its size. Each creature also has a pronunciation guide if the name is difficult to say, which helps children with their accuracy. At the end of the book, there is a section of how they know what they know, which explains that the illustrations in the book are not exactly accurate, but they are as accurate as possible based on comparisons of fossils found to skeletons of animals that are alive today.
Organization Since the book is so short, it does not have page numbers, a table of contents, index, etc, but it's a quick, informational read for kids, so such things are not exactly necessary.
Design The illustrations are the selling point of this book. They are "actual size," so kids will find it very interesting to see how big a real life dinosaur was!
Style The style of Prehistoric Actual Size is perfect for anyone who wants a quick glimpse into the life size eyes of a protoceratops, or the life size teeth of a giganotosaurus. The information is easy to read, see and understand.
The Analysis
This book was a lot of fun to read and was especially enjoyable to look at. I love cut paper artwork, so seeing gigantic claws of prehistoric monsters made that way was exciting for me. The four page spread of the head of an enormous dsungaripterus, a flying reptile with a ten-foot wingspan was fantastic. I loved the quick facts, too, less than a paragraph for each creature means a fun and easy read for all ages. This book is all about the art and the art is great! So if a=b and b=c, then a=c, right? This book is great!
The Review
Susan Hepler, Ph.D. (Children's Literature)
Using many illustrations which feature the part for the whole, Jenkins involves dinosaur lovers in the next thinking level. In his signature collage illustration, Jenkins shows in actual sizes a small shark, a horned meat-eating amphibian, part of a dragonfly too big to fit on the page, and on into heads, a giant set of teeth, an astounding claw, and a baby protoceratops being looked upon by his mother’s gimlet eye. It invites readers to consider how big things are and, by inference, how we can tell the size from the fragment at hand. Each spread states how many millions of years ago the animal lived and what its actual size was. The payoff for older readers is the 4-page back matter in which each animal depicted gets a full picture--although not to scale--and a paragraph about it. While younger readers will surely love this book, it seems to belong in an slightly older age group.
The Connection
Since I love cut paper art so much, a fun project would be to share other books by Steve Jenkins, like Actual Size and Never Smile At a Monkey, then make cut paper artwork of our own, maybe even life size self-portraits, and bind them together in a book to put on display!
Jenkins, Steve. 2005. Prehistoric Actual Size. Boston. Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0618535780
The Criteria
Accuracy The short bits of information about the prehistoric creatures in Prehistoric Actual Size are easy to read and to the point. Each creature listed shows a time period of when it lived and its size. Each creature also has a pronunciation guide if the name is difficult to say, which helps children with their accuracy. At the end of the book, there is a section of how they know what they know, which explains that the illustrations in the book are not exactly accurate, but they are as accurate as possible based on comparisons of fossils found to skeletons of animals that are alive today.
Organization Since the book is so short, it does not have page numbers, a table of contents, index, etc, but it's a quick, informational read for kids, so such things are not exactly necessary.
Design The illustrations are the selling point of this book. They are "actual size," so kids will find it very interesting to see how big a real life dinosaur was!
Style The style of Prehistoric Actual Size is perfect for anyone who wants a quick glimpse into the life size eyes of a protoceratops, or the life size teeth of a giganotosaurus. The information is easy to read, see and understand.
The Analysis
This book was a lot of fun to read and was especially enjoyable to look at. I love cut paper artwork, so seeing gigantic claws of prehistoric monsters made that way was exciting for me. The four page spread of the head of an enormous dsungaripterus, a flying reptile with a ten-foot wingspan was fantastic. I loved the quick facts, too, less than a paragraph for each creature means a fun and easy read for all ages. This book is all about the art and the art is great! So if a=b and b=c, then a=c, right? This book is great!
The Review
Susan Hepler, Ph.D. (Children's Literature)
Using many illustrations which feature the part for the whole, Jenkins involves dinosaur lovers in the next thinking level. In his signature collage illustration, Jenkins shows in actual sizes a small shark, a horned meat-eating amphibian, part of a dragonfly too big to fit on the page, and on into heads, a giant set of teeth, an astounding claw, and a baby protoceratops being looked upon by his mother’s gimlet eye. It invites readers to consider how big things are and, by inference, how we can tell the size from the fragment at hand. Each spread states how many millions of years ago the animal lived and what its actual size was. The payoff for older readers is the 4-page back matter in which each animal depicted gets a full picture--although not to scale--and a paragraph about it. While younger readers will surely love this book, it seems to belong in an slightly older age group.
The Connection
Since I love cut paper art so much, a fun project would be to share other books by Steve Jenkins, like Actual Size and Never Smile At a Monkey, then make cut paper artwork of our own, maybe even life size self-portraits, and bind them together in a book to put on display!
Bodies from the Ice
The Bibliography
Deem, James M. 2008. Bodies from the Ice. New York. Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0618800452
The Criteria
Accuracy Sources and acknowledgments are cited in the back of the book, as well as suggested glaciers to visit and suggested websites to visit, and an index.
Organization The book is well-organized with page numbers, chapter breaks and an index. There are also several maps which are clearly labeled.
Design This photo essay book is full of photographs, artwork, maps, covers to journals, figures and lithographs. The layout is easy to read and understand.
Style It's clear from Bodies from the Ice and James M. Deem's other books (Bodies from the Ash, Bodies from the Bog) that he is very interested in mummies and archaeology. The depths to which he goes (into crevasses!) to research his books shows that he cares for the subject matter and is respectful of his audience. This can be seen in the careful arrangement of photographs, artwork and illustrations, in the amount of information provided in each chapter, and in the age-appropriate vocabulary throughout.
The Analysis
Bodies from the Ice was an interesting read, especially when most people think that mummies are only found in Egypt. I know that to be untrue, but imagine sharing this book with a child that just learned about the ancient pyramids and mummification of pharaohs. The book also has facts and suggestions to share while reading, including a list of personal ways to help the environment and tidbits of how to relate information found in the book to more recent history. While I'm not the hugest fan of nonfiction/informational books, this one was a good read.
The Review
CCBC (Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices 2009)
Melting glaciers is a frequent topic in today’s headlines, and one that is explored on anthropological and environmental levels in James M. Deem’s fascinating work. Explaining the scientific aspects of glacier formation as well as geographic conditions, Deem discusses how glaciers operate like “a giant conveyor belt—essentially a moving river of ice.” With force and power, glaciers churn up, and turn up, mountain debris. This debris sometimes includes human remains that offer amazing insights into the past. From discoveries of an iceman in the Alps to ancient children of the Andes and the remains of native North Americans, Deem reveals how mysteries of human history are decoded from glacial meltings worldwide. Fascinating photographs complement the captivating narrative.
The Connection
This book could be shared along with James M. Deem's other Bodies books, Bodies from the Ash and Bodies from the Bog. and then, following directions found on this website: www.mummytombs.com, a (non-Halloween) mummy could be made! It would be gross though, but gross is fun!
Deem, James M. 2008. Bodies from the Ice. New York. Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0618800452
The Criteria
Accuracy Sources and acknowledgments are cited in the back of the book, as well as suggested glaciers to visit and suggested websites to visit, and an index.
Organization The book is well-organized with page numbers, chapter breaks and an index. There are also several maps which are clearly labeled.
Design This photo essay book is full of photographs, artwork, maps, covers to journals, figures and lithographs. The layout is easy to read and understand.
Style It's clear from Bodies from the Ice and James M. Deem's other books (Bodies from the Ash, Bodies from the Bog) that he is very interested in mummies and archaeology. The depths to which he goes (into crevasses!) to research his books shows that he cares for the subject matter and is respectful of his audience. This can be seen in the careful arrangement of photographs, artwork and illustrations, in the amount of information provided in each chapter, and in the age-appropriate vocabulary throughout.
The Analysis
Bodies from the Ice was an interesting read, especially when most people think that mummies are only found in Egypt. I know that to be untrue, but imagine sharing this book with a child that just learned about the ancient pyramids and mummification of pharaohs. The book also has facts and suggestions to share while reading, including a list of personal ways to help the environment and tidbits of how to relate information found in the book to more recent history. While I'm not the hugest fan of nonfiction/informational books, this one was a good read.
The Review
CCBC (Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices 2009)
Melting glaciers is a frequent topic in today’s headlines, and one that is explored on anthropological and environmental levels in James M. Deem’s fascinating work. Explaining the scientific aspects of glacier formation as well as geographic conditions, Deem discusses how glaciers operate like “a giant conveyor belt—essentially a moving river of ice.” With force and power, glaciers churn up, and turn up, mountain debris. This debris sometimes includes human remains that offer amazing insights into the past. From discoveries of an iceman in the Alps to ancient children of the Andes and the remains of native North Americans, Deem reveals how mysteries of human history are decoded from glacial meltings worldwide. Fascinating photographs complement the captivating narrative.
The Connection
This book could be shared along with James M. Deem's other Bodies books, Bodies from the Ash and Bodies from the Bog. and then, following directions found on this website: www.mummytombs.com, a (non-Halloween) mummy could be made! It would be gross though, but gross is fun!
Sir Charlie
The Bibliography
Fleischman, Sid. 2010. Sir Charlie Chaplin, The Funniest Man in the World. New York. HarperCollins Children's books. ISBN 0061896408
The Criteria
Accuracy Author of other biographies of famous people such as Mark Twain and Harry Houdini, Sid Fleischman really knows his stuff. The biography of Charlie Chaplin is told in an almost storylike format with quotes and from Charlie and his family, friends and costars. A bibliography of more than 20 sources is listed in the back of the book, as well as a list of films, a references list, a timeline of Charlie's life.
Organization The book is organized into 38 chapters and contains a time line, references, photograph and illustration sources, a bibliography, a list of films and an index.
Design Sir Charlie is an attractive book with heavy, matte pages filled with the stories and photos of Charlie Chaplin's life. The image of purple swirls on the cover is repeated throughout, they are on the first page of each new chapter, and backgrounds of tiny top hats fill in the photo pages. Even though, in my opinion, Charlie Chaplin is a creepy looking man with his square little mustache and heavily lined eyes, the book is not so bad to look at.
Style As many other books by Sid Fleischman, Sir Charlie is a complete biography told in story format. One learns from reading this book that Charlie's mother went insane, he took baths in a horse trough, he suffered from deep depressions, and he could make snow out of flour and salt. This shows that Mr. Fleischman knows his material. Important, adult-themed events in Charlie's life are put in a way as to not go over children's heads and the story of his life is told in a humorous and also dry way. It is very well-written.
The Analysis
Charlie Chaplin (and silent films) makes me nervous. The book on the other hand, does not make me nervous. Most of the book is about Charlie's life on screen with his real life unfolding in the background. The chapters aren't too long, nor is the book difficult to read. It seems a bit long for younger kids, but older teens interested in the life of the slapstick tramp might find it an entertaining read.
The Review
Sandi Jordet (Library Media Connection, November/December 2010)
Known as The Little Tramp, Charlie Chaplin was one of the funniest men around; screenwriters still use many of his comedic routines in movies. Mr. Fleischman, who admired Charlie Chaplin deeply, wrote this look at the great actor. Told in story format, the reader gets a very clear picture of Chaplin. He rose above his childhood surroundings to become one of the most loved people of the film industry. Starting at the age of 15, his Vaudeville career got a real boost when he was hired as a slapstick comic. He became a producer, director, and film company owner. He left the United States in 1952 and moved to Switzerland, returning only once to accept a special Academy Award in 1972. His marriages and divorces are handled in a way younger students can understand. Mr. Fleischman did his homework well. The bulk of the book centers on Chaplin’s film life with incidental personal details. The book includes a timeline, references, bibliography, and a partial filmography.
The Connection
To share the life of Charlie Chaplin, this biography and several others, such as Remembering Charlie: a Pictorial Biography by Jerry Epstein, Chaplin: The Tramp's Odyssey by Simon Louvish, and My Life with Chaplin: an Intimate Memoir by Lita Grey Chaplin could be put on display for patrons to check out after watching Chaplin, the 1993 movie starring Robert Downey Jr. (if the library has the rights to show movies, of course).
Fleischman, Sid. 2010. Sir Charlie Chaplin, The Funniest Man in the World. New York. HarperCollins Children's books. ISBN 0061896408
The Criteria
Accuracy Author of other biographies of famous people such as Mark Twain and Harry Houdini, Sid Fleischman really knows his stuff. The biography of Charlie Chaplin is told in an almost storylike format with quotes and from Charlie and his family, friends and costars. A bibliography of more than 20 sources is listed in the back of the book, as well as a list of films, a references list, a timeline of Charlie's life.
Organization The book is organized into 38 chapters and contains a time line, references, photograph and illustration sources, a bibliography, a list of films and an index.
Design Sir Charlie is an attractive book with heavy, matte pages filled with the stories and photos of Charlie Chaplin's life. The image of purple swirls on the cover is repeated throughout, they are on the first page of each new chapter, and backgrounds of tiny top hats fill in the photo pages. Even though, in my opinion, Charlie Chaplin is a creepy looking man with his square little mustache and heavily lined eyes, the book is not so bad to look at.
Style As many other books by Sid Fleischman, Sir Charlie is a complete biography told in story format. One learns from reading this book that Charlie's mother went insane, he took baths in a horse trough, he suffered from deep depressions, and he could make snow out of flour and salt. This shows that Mr. Fleischman knows his material. Important, adult-themed events in Charlie's life are put in a way as to not go over children's heads and the story of his life is told in a humorous and also dry way. It is very well-written.
The Analysis
Charlie Chaplin (and silent films) makes me nervous. The book on the other hand, does not make me nervous. Most of the book is about Charlie's life on screen with his real life unfolding in the background. The chapters aren't too long, nor is the book difficult to read. It seems a bit long for younger kids, but older teens interested in the life of the slapstick tramp might find it an entertaining read.
The Review
Sandi Jordet (Library Media Connection, November/December 2010)
Known as The Little Tramp, Charlie Chaplin was one of the funniest men around; screenwriters still use many of his comedic routines in movies. Mr. Fleischman, who admired Charlie Chaplin deeply, wrote this look at the great actor. Told in story format, the reader gets a very clear picture of Chaplin. He rose above his childhood surroundings to become one of the most loved people of the film industry. Starting at the age of 15, his Vaudeville career got a real boost when he was hired as a slapstick comic. He became a producer, director, and film company owner. He left the United States in 1952 and moved to Switzerland, returning only once to accept a special Academy Award in 1972. His marriages and divorces are handled in a way younger students can understand. Mr. Fleischman did his homework well. The bulk of the book centers on Chaplin’s film life with incidental personal details. The book includes a timeline, references, bibliography, and a partial filmography.
The Connection
To share the life of Charlie Chaplin, this biography and several others, such as Remembering Charlie: a Pictorial Biography by Jerry Epstein, Chaplin: The Tramp's Odyssey by Simon Louvish, and My Life with Chaplin: an Intimate Memoir by Lita Grey Chaplin could be put on display for patrons to check out after watching Chaplin, the 1993 movie starring Robert Downey Jr. (if the library has the rights to show movies, of course).
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