Mod 6: Cowpoke Clyde and Dirty Dawg Review

What's It All About?

Cowpoke Clyde has spent all day long making sure everything was completely clean. Just as he’s about to relax he realizes he’s forgotten one very important, very dirty thing – Dawg. When he tries to get man’s best friend all cleaned up hijinks ensue. 

What'd I Think?

It's not often that I come across a cowboy themed picture book that can hold my attention span but this one did just that! It had a great rhythm to the story and the illustrations were a perfect match. I could even share this with the preschool age kids at storytime without fear that they would be bored before I could finish a page.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars!

What'd They Think?

School Library Journal -

(April 01, 2013; 9780547239934)

K-Gr 1-At the end of a satisfying day, Cowpoke Clyde decides that the only thing he'd forgotten to clean was his "ol' Dawg, his faithful, snorin' friend, /all caked with mud from end to end." However, corralling Dawg is definitely not a snap, and Clyde's continued efforts result in a cumulative disaster of frantic chickens, flying feathers, spilled soup, biting fleas, a slippery hog, hissing cats, and a braying mule, all "gettin' soaked" instead of Dawg. Even the hog gets a wide-eyed close-up here. Finely crafted acrylic scenes contain a wide range of angled perspectives and shadows within Clyde's tiny shack and outside on the ranch. Cartoon figures cavort across the spreads and escape their frames. Rhyming couplets reveal a cowboy twang of missing final "g's." A first purchase for most libraries.-Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX (c) Copyright 2013.

Booklist -

(June 01, 2013; 9780547239934)

Neatnik Cowpoke Clyde savors his tidy house until he notices Dawg, caked with mud. Determined to rectify this oversight, he attempts to bathe his pooch but Dawg has other ideas. In the ensuing chase, feathers fly, fleas jump, hogs skitter, cats topple soapy pails, and mules kick, leaving poor Clyde no choice but to bathe by himself in the moonlight. The author of Cindy Moo (2012) offers here another humorous, rhyming picture book, this one filled with clever language and anticipatory page turns that will delight young listeners: But Dawg ignored his mighty pleas. / Instead Dawg left a trail of . . . / FLEAS. Austin's vibrant acrylic-and-pencil illustrations exaggerate the tall-tale humor. In one spread, both Clyde and Dawg appear to run across the hog's enormous back; in another, airborne Clyde tumbles helplessly after being kicked by the mule. This makes a good choice for story hours or one-on-one sharing. Pair with Jeanne Willis' I Want to Be a Cowgirl (2002) or Amy Timberlake's The Dirty Cowboy (2003).--Weisman, Kay Copyright 2010 Booklist.

What Do I Do With It?

Rodeo is a very popular theme in the Houston area in March as that's when the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo always gets underway. It is attended by people from all over the United States and is a source of great fun for schools when they choose it as a field trip destination. Pairing this book with other fun cowboy tales is a sure way to add to the hype. Songs sung could include "She'll Be Coming Around the Mountain" and "Giddy-Up" (the last being a favorite in our Lapsit and Toddler storytimes.) After the stories have been read and the songs sung, a cowboy themed craft such as a paper cowboy hat or horse made using a paper bag could be made.

Mod 5: Going Bovine Review

What's It All About?

In Going Bovine, we are introduced to Cameron who describes his best day ever as the day he was 5 and almost died at the It’s a Small World ride at Disney. He is just trying to make it through high school as the “lesser twin.” His sister is part of the cool kids and concerned with her grades while Cameron doesn't see the point in trying so hard. Then he receives a diagnosis of Mad Cow Disease. In order to find the cure, he sets off on an adventure with a host of wacky characters looking for random signs and a mysterious time traveling Doctor X.

What'd I Think?

Damn you, Libba Bray! You hit me right in the feels every time. This book is a twisting and turning quixote-like journey that kept me asking what was real and what was fake, and whether or not Cameron would make it through. With his sidekick, Gonzo, by his side surely, he can't fail! 

I give it 5 out of 5 stars!

What'd They Think?

Publishers Weekly -

(August 03, 2009; 9780385733977)

Cameron Smith, 16, is slumming through high school; overshadowed by a sister "pre-majoring in perfection," while working (ineptly) at the Buddha Burger. Then something happens to make him the focus of his family's attention: he contracts mad cow disease. What takes place after he is hospitalized is either that a gorgeous angel persuades him to search for a cure that will also save the world, or that he has a vivid hallucination brought on by the disease. Either way, what readers have is an absurdist comedy in which Cameron, Gonzo (a neurotic dwarf) and Balder (a Norse god cursed to appear as a yard gnome) go on a quixotic road trip during which they learn about string theory, wormholes and true love en route to Disney World. Bray's surreal humor may surprise fans of her historical fantasies about Gemma Doyle, as she trains her satirical eye on modern education, American materialism and religious cults (the smoothie-drinking members of the Church of Everlasting Satisfaction and Snack 'N' Bowl). Offer this to fans of Douglas Adams's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy seeking more inspired lunacy. Ages 14-up. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Booklist -

(August 01, 2009; 9780385904117)

*Starred Review* In a giant departure from her Gemma Doyle historical fiction trilogy, Bray's latest offering is an unforgettable, nearly indefinable fantasy adventure, as immense and sprawling as Cervantes' Don Quixote, on which it's based. Here the hero is Cameron, a 16-year-old C-plus-average slacker who likens himself to driftwood, but he suddenly becomes the center of attention after he is diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, the human variant of mad cow disease. In the hospital, he meets Dulcie, an alluring angel clad in fishnet stockings and combat boots, who presents him with a heroic quest to rescue the planet from an otherworldly, evil force. Guided by random signs and accompanied by a teen dwarf named Gonzo, Cameron sets off on a wild road trip across the U.S. to save the world, and perhaps his own life. Talking yard gnomes, quantum physics, cults of happiness, mythology, religion, time travel, the blues, Disney World, the vacuous machine behind reality TV shows, and spring break's beer-and-bikini culture all figure prominently in the plot, and readers may not feel equally engaged in each of the novel's lengthy episodes. But Bray's wildly imagined novel, narrated in Cameron's sardonic, believable voice, is wholly unique, ambitious, tender, thought-provoking, and often fall-off-the-chair funny, even as she writes with powerful lyricism about the nature of existence, love, and death. Familiarity with Don Quixote certainly isn't necessary, but those who know the basic plot will want to start over from the beginning and pick up on each sly allusion to the classic story.--Engberg, Gillian Copyright 2009 Booklist.

What Do I Do With It?

Students will take a poster-size map of the United States and chart Cameron's epic journey with clip art and photos from pivotal stops along the way. They can enhance the map in anyway they like as long as they make sure to stick to the path listed in the book.

Mod 5: Talkin' About Bessie Review

What's It All About?

Bessie's tale is a truly inspirational tale of a woman who wouldn't take no for an answer when it came to her dreams. Elizabeth "Bessie" Coleman vowed to become the first African-American female pilot after hearing about the Wright brothers taking flight. She was a mere 11 years old at the time. Through determination and will she proved that no matter obstacles stand in your way, you can overcome them.

What'd I Think?

This is a powerful tale about a very strong woman. I'd never heard of her through all my history classes and travels. Her story is one that I think could start a spark in any young girl's heart to believe in their selves. 

I give it 3 out of 5 stars!

What'd They Think?

Horn Book Guide - 
( April 01, 2003; 9780439352437 )

At Coleman's death, Grimes invites twenty individuals to a fictional wake and, in first-person testimonial verse, has each remember Bessie and the forces that shaped her life. Small sepia-toned portraits personalize the tributes. Watercolors on facing pages evoke each incident and often soften the harshness in Coleman's life. Grimes separates fact from fiction in an introduction and an endnote. Like Bessie, this tribute to her life soars. Bib. (c) Copyright 2010.

School Library Journal -
( October 01, 2002; 9780439352437 )

Gr 3-8-This fresh contribution to the spate of relatively recent titles about Coleman has a decidedly unique tone. Talkin' is a well-conceived, well-executed, handsomely illustrated, fictionalized account of the life of the first black female licensed pilot in the world (CIP places the book in the 600s). An introductory note puts the aviatrix in historical context, but neglects to explain some references (e.g., Jim Crow laws). The text consists of 21 poetic vignettes of Coleman delivered by "speakers" at a funeral parlor, all of whom have come to mourn the pilot who died at age 34 in a plane accident. Their reminiscences on stark white pages are illustrated with miniature portraits bordered in sepia, each one facing a full-page watercolor capturing a moment in the woman's life. Skillfully drawn and occasionally photographic in their realism, the pictures perfectly match each speaker's recollections. A concluding note states rather definitively in regard to her death: "The cause of the crash remains a mystery" despite some evidence to the contrary. No sources are listed. While fictional, this is a fine piece to use to set a tone or inspire more research into Coleman's life. It could also serve as an exceptional writing model for students. The concept, much like Marilyn Nelson's Carver: A Life in Poems (Front Street, 2001), is noteworthy.-Harriett Fargnoli, Great Neck Library, NY (c) Copyright 2010.

What Do I Do With It?

This story would be great either during Women's History month or Black History month as a means of introducing students to someone they may not have heard about. After doing so they could research another unsung hero in whichever category they choose. They would then share the story with the class in the form of a picture book of their own creation showing highlights in that person's life. 

Mod 4: The Higher Power of Lucky Review

What's It All About?

Ten-year-old Lucky lives with her French guardian, who happens to be her dad's ex-wife from before her mother. They live with her dog, HMS Beagle, in Hard Pan,  California where they just try to make do. She gets by with her friends Miles, and Lincoln and earns a little extra cleanign up after a myriad of twelve-step anonymous programs. When Lucky believes her guardian has plans to leave her behind and head back to France, she decides it's time to run away. 

What'd I Think?

The story was okay but only reading it as an adult. Reading it from a child's point of view, I think it misses the mark and I can understand why it doesn't get checked out regardless of the fact that it won the Newbery award. This is one of the many books that was listed in an article about award comittees choosing books that are more obscure or unique but that don't really have the factor that the kids crave. 

I give it 3 out of 5 stars!

What'd They Think?

School Library Journal -
(December 01, 2006; 9781416901945)

Gr 4-6-When Lucky's mother is electrocuted and dies after a storm, Lucky's absentee father calls his ex-wife, Brigitte, to fly over from France to take care of the child. Two years later, the 10-year-old worries that Brigitte is tired of being her guardian and of their life in Hard Pan (pop. 42) in the middle of the California desert. While Lucky's best friend ties intricate knots and the little boy down the road cries for attention, she tries to get some control over her life by restocking her survival kit backpack and searching for her "Higher Power." This character-driven novel has an unusually complicated backstory, and a fair amount of exposition. Yet, its quirky cast and local color help to balance this fact, and the desert setting is fascinating. Lucky's tendency to jump to conclusions is frustrating, but her struggle to come to terms with her mother's death and with her new life ring true. Phelan's cover and line drawings are simple and evocative, a perfect complement to the text. Fans of novels by Deborah Wiles and Katherine Hannigan will be happy to meet Lucky.-Adrienne Furness, Webster Public Library, NY (c) Copyright 2010.

Horn Book Guide -
(April 01, 2007; 9781416901945)

Ten-year-old Lucky lives in Hard Pan, California, a tiny enclave on the outskirts of the Mojave Desert. Her legal guardian is a beautiful, melancholy Frenchwoman, Brigitte. Patron's episodic tale of a grieving, insecure little girl is never heavy-handed or maudlin, due in part to quiet bursts of humor. Her sensory descriptions, supported by Phelan's gentle spot art, animate this unique community. (c) Copyright 2010.

Mod 4: The Witch of Blackbird Pond Review

What's It All About?

Kit Taylor is an orphan transplant in the Connecticut Colony far from her life on the Caribbean island where she grew up. She joins relatives she hasn't seen in years in their Puritan community where she is expected to follow the rules including attending multiple church services. Feeling out of place, she finds a friend in the old Quaker woman who lives in the meadows. The only problem is that the woman has been deemed a witch by the community and leads to troubles for herself she never saw coming.

What'd I Think?

I had heard of many people reading this novel in school either for pleasure or school assignments but its just one of those that never fell in sync with my younger self's reading schedule. I am sorry that I waited so long to pick it up! The friendship formed between Kit and Hannah as well as the help she gives to young Prudence warmed my heart and had me begging that everything would be okay for them in the end.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars!

What'd They Think?

Horn Book Guide - 
(October 01, 2001; 9780395913673)

This edition of the Newbery Award-winning novel is illustrated with twelve watercolor paintings. Moser's portraits do a fine job complementing the text, with one jarring exception: an oddly anachronistic portrait of young Kit and her grandfather on the island of Barbados shows a contemporary-looking child in a sundress and a flowered headband. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

School Library Journal -
(April 01, 2003; 9780807207499)

Gr 5-8-Mary Beth Hurt gives an excellent performance in this reading of the Newbery Award-winning novel by Elizabeth George Speare (HM, 1958). The setting is the Colony of Connecticut in 1687 amid the political and religious conflicts of that day. Sixteen-year-old Kit Tyler unexpectedly arrives at her aunt and uncle's doorstep and is unprepared for the new world which awaits her. Having been raised by her grandfather in Barbados, she doesn't understand the conflict between those loyal to the king and those who defend the Connecticut Charter. Unprepared for the religious intolerance and rigidity of the Puritan community, she is constantly astounding her aunt, uncle, and cousins with her dress, behavior, and ideas. She takes comfort in her secret friendship with the widow, Hannah Tupper, who has been expelled from Massachusetts because she is a Quaker and suspected of being a witch. When a deathly sickness strikes the village, first Hannah and then Kit are accused of being witches. Through these conflicts and experiences, Kit comes to know and accept herself. She learns not to make hasty judgments about people, and that there are always two sides to every conflict. There are several minor plots as well, including three romances, which help to bring this time and place to life. Hurt's use of vocal inflection and expression make this an excellent choice for listening whether as an enrichment to the social studies curriculum or purely for pleasure.-Maureen Cash Moffet, St. Anne's Catholic School, Bristol, VA (c) Copyright 2010.

What Do I Do With It?

This novel could be a tie-in during a unit on early settlers in America. Classes can discuss the different religions presented in the book and why they felt the way they did towards each other. Students can then look up information on other witch trials that actually happened and report what they discover. They could even perform a mock witch trial. 

Mod 3: Officer Buckle and Gloria Review

What's It All About?

Officer Buckle is VERY safety conscious. In fact, he knows more safety tips than anyone else in his town of Napville. He loves sharing them with the local schoolchildren. While normally the kids tend to fall asleep during his dull presentations until Gloria the police dog is thrown in the mix. They can’t help cheering and laughing at all of his presentations. Officer buckle is thrilled that they are finally beginning to appreciate safety until he learns that his dog Gloria has been up to some slapstick nonsense behind his back – literally!

What'd I Think?

I enjoyed finding all the funny extras going on in the illustrations such as the many rules Officer Buckle posted. The partnership between the dog and his handler is a warm one that I think will resonate well with children as well as show the power of teamwork. It can't be all work or all play, you need a good mix of both to provide the best experience.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars!

What'd They Think?

School Library Journal -

(September 01, 1995; 9780399226168)

K-Gr 3‘A fresh, funny story about the wonders of teamwork. Officer Buckle is a safety-conscious policeman who spends his time devising tips for avoiding accidents. Unfortunately, the children of Napville School are an ungrateful audience, snoring through his lectures and ignoring his advice. Enter Gloria, Napville's new police dog and Officer Buckle's new partner. She accompanies him when he gives his lecture and performs her duties with aplomb. Buckle is surprised to see the children so attentive, but each time he checks on Gloria, she is sitting at attention. Thanks to the humorous illustrations, readers know what Buckle does not Gloria is performing to beat the band, acting out the various accidents behind his back. Things are swell until a news team videotapes Buckle and his amazing sidekick and he learns that the reason for his newfound popularity is really Gloria's comedy routine. This sends the officer into quite a slump. Her act is a complete flop without him, however, and Napville School has its biggest accident ever after her solo performance. In the end, Buckle realizes that they're only successful as a team, and he is jolted out of his self-pitying funk. The vibrant palette of the cartoon art, as well as the amusing story, make this title an appealing read-aloud choice. Older children will enjoy poring over the many safety tips presented on the endpapers, all illustrated by Gloria's antics. A five-star performance. Lisa S. Murphy, formerly at Dauphin County Library System, Harrisburg, PA (c) Copyright 2010.

Booklist -

(November 01, 1995; 9780399226168)

Ages 4-7. When rotund, good-natured Officer Buckle visits school assemblies to read off his sensible safety tips, the children listen, bored and polite, dozing off one by one. But when the new police dog, Gloria, stands behind him, secretly miming the dire consequences of acting imprudently, the children suddenly become attentive, laughing uproariously and applauding loudly. The good policeman is first gratified with the response, then deflated to learn that Gloria was stealing the show. Finally, he realizes that he and Gloria make a great team, and they take their show on the road again, adding a new message, "ALWAYS STICK WITH YOUR BUDDY!" Like Officer Buckle and Gloria, the deadpan humor of the text and slapstick wit of the illustrations make a terrific combination. Large, expressive line drawings illustrate the characters with finesse, and the Kool-Aid-bright washes add energy and pizzazz. Children will enjoy the many safety-tip notes tacked up on the endpapers and around the borders of the jacket front. Somehow, the familiar advice (like "Never leave a bar of soap where someone might step on it" or "Never tilt your chair back on two legs”) is more entertaining accompanied by little drawings of Gloria hamming it up. --Carolyn Phelan

What Do I Do With It?

During a special safety week, students can come up with their own set of tips for safety in the classroom, at home, and in the community!

Mod 3: The Hello, Good-Bye Window Review

What's It All About?

A young girl visits her grandparents and talks about their magical window. They can see so many things outside the window (and IN!) She tells of all their adventures and encounters centered around the window.

What'd I Think?

While the story was okay, the drawings were just too abstract for my taste. The colors are bright which adds to the warmth of the story but some of the proportions lean towards the scary side.

I give it 2 out of 5 stars!

What'd They Think?

School Library Journal -

(March 01, 2005; 9780786809141)

PreS-Gr 1-The window in Nanna and Poppy's kitchen is no ordinary window-it is the place where love and magic happens. It's where the girl and her doting grandparents watch stars, play games, and, most importantly, say hello and goodbye. The first-person text is both simple and sophisticated, conjuring a perfectly child-centered world. Sentences such as "When I get tired I come in and take my nap and nothing happens until I get up" typify the girl's happy, imaginative world. While the language is bouncy and fun, it is the visual interpretation of this sweet story that sings. Using a bright rainbow palette of saturated color, Raschka's impressionistic, mixed-media illustrations portray a loving, mixed-race family. The artwork is at once lively and energetic, without crowding the story or the words on the page; the simple lines and squiggles of color suggest a child's own drawings, but this is the art of a masterful hand. Perfect for lap-sharing, this book will find favor with children and adults alike.-Angela J. Reynolds, Washington County Cooperative Library Services, Hillsboro, OR (c) Copyright 2010.

Publishers Weekly -
(February 21, 2005; 9780786809141)

Juster (The Phantom Tollbooth) crafts a cozy portrait of a grandchild and her grandparents in this endearing book, illustrated in paint box colors by Raschka (Be Boy Buzz). A curly haired girl-who dances with wiggly energy in Raschka's lush paintings-describes playful visits to her Nanna and Poppy, whose kitchen window provides the perfect venue to say hello and goodbye. "You can climb up on the flower barrel and tap," she says, "then duck down and they won't know who did it." Her grandparents welcome her into a sunlit, spacious kitchen filled with plants, where she doodles and listens to Poppy play "Oh, Susannah" on the harmonica. At night, the "Hello, Goodbye Window" functions as a mirror, and the girl jokes about being outside looking in: "Poppy says, `What are you doing out there? You come right in and have your dinner.' And I say, `But I'm here with you, Poppy,' and then he looks at me in his funny way." Juster departs from the over-the-top punning of his earlier works to create a gently humorous account of a family's conversations and games, all centered on the special window. Raschka warms the pages with glowing yellow, emerald, sapphire and golden brown, and he pictures the garden and trees in emphatic midsummer greens. The characters smile at one another with a doting twinkle in their eyes, and grandparents especially will be charmed by this relaxed account of how a child's visit occasions everyday magic. Ages 2-up. (Apr.) 

What Do I Do With It?

This book allows for the beginning of a great dialogue with younger children. Questions such as what traditions they have with their grandparents, what do they call their grandparents (Nana, Granny, Nanny, Meemaw, etc.), and what new traditions they'd like to start with their grandparents.