Matilda Bone by Karen Cushman

BIBLIOGRAPHY :
Cushman, Karen. 2000. Matilda Bone. New York: Clarion. ISBN 0395881560

PLOT SUMMARY:
Fourteen year old orphan, Matilda sent to live as an apprentice to a bone setter in medieval England finds that her skills of reading, writing and factoring are not needed. Matilda struggles to learn and use the new manual labor skills necessary for her new occupation. Matilda struggles with the idea that her previous pampered life is over and a new life style is to take its place.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
This historical fiction account of medieval medicine is from a female protagonist’s point of view and includes other female characters. It includes an Author’s note and references of the book sources the author consulted for accuracy. The author explains the strangeness of women bonesetters and physicians with the comment from Matilda’s new guardian, Peg. “This,” said Peg to Matilda as she stirred, “is our physician, Margery Lewes – a woman, of course, for no true physician would work here on the alley with barbers and bonesetters.” Accuracy is also seen in the teenage thoughts included in italics made by Matilda. “Of course, Mistress Peg,” Matilda said. I sincerely doubt it, Mistress Peg, Matilda thought. Medieval medicinal practices of using astrology, observing a patient’s urine and using leeches to remove bad blood are included in the accounts of traditional medicinal practices of the day.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S):
Starred Review from SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “A fascinating glimpse into the colorful life and times of the 14th century. … Cushman's character descriptions are spare, with each word carefully chosen to paint wonderful pictures. This humorous, frank look at life in the medical quarters in medieval times shows readers that love and compassion, laughter and companionship, are indeed the best medicine.”

Review from HORNBOOK: “Before her arrival at the Bonesetter's abode where she is to take up residence and labor, Matilda's life with Father Leufredus was steeped in prayer, and her very seriousness accounts for much of the novel's humor. In an afterword Cushman reveals her concern that her research on the medicine of the day not overwhelm her story; the truth is, this information is just as interesting as Matilda's tale.”

Review from VOICE OF YOUTH ADVOCATES: “Students studying the Middle Ages will find this novel a delightful way to learn about fourteenth-century English town life, and those who enjoy historical fiction will treasure the independent spirit of young Matilda Bone.”

AWARDS
School Library Journal Best Books of the Year 2000

CONNECTIONS
Other books by Karen Cushman:
Cushman, Karen. 2002. Catherine called birdy. ISBN 0758702469
Cushman, Karen. 2002. The midwife’s apprentice. ISBN 0758702027

Activities
*Encourage students to re-enact Matilda Bone in Readers Theatre or a skit.
*Research Medieval clothing and have students create poster presentations.

*Discuss the history of medicine and the role of women in medicine. Research and create a timeline of women in medicine.

An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 - - by Jim Murphy

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Murphy, Jim. 2003. An American plague: The true and terrifying story of the yellow fever epidemic of 1793. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0395776082.

PLOT SUMMARY
An American plague and the public’s differing responses, in time of need and suffering, are recounted in this look into 18^th century American history. From 1793 to the present, the yellow fever epidemic has changed history, both scientifically and politically. First hand accounts written in journals, letters, and newspapers are pulled together in to detail occurrences in Philadelphia from the August 1793 to January 1794.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Quotes, letters, notes, advertisements, maps and other memorabilia from 1973 are imbedded in this informational text. Illustrations and text sources cited, acknowledged and credited relay accuracy. Black and white illustrations add to the sense of the dated time period. In chapter two, the death of “thirty-three-year-old Catherine LeMaigre” is accompanied by the Federal Gazette printing of her death notice on the facing page. Newspapers such as the Federal Gazette, Philadelphia Daily Advertiser and National Gazette documented the daily and weekly events occurring during the yellow fever epidemic. A headstone epitaph included reads, Stay passenger see where I lie / As you are now so once was I / As I am now so You shall be / Prepare for Death and follow me. Reference aids include a map of 1793 Philadelphia; table of contents, index, and sources listed with explanations, divided into useful subheadings. Other reference aids include an Acknowledgements section listing sources of researched information and a note about the illustrations.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Starred Review from SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “This book tells the story of the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia and its effect on the young nation. Students will become immersed in the dramatic narrative as they read how fear and panic spread throughout the country's capital.”

Review from VOICE OF YOUTH ADVOCATES: “Every aspect of the epidemic is brought to life, from the overall living conditions in Philadelphia just prior to the outbreak to the Constitutional crisis that seemed imminent because of President Washington's inability to convene Congress in a plague-ridden city. The disease itself is covered from symptoms to cause, as are the eighteenth-century treatments for yellow fever: bleeding and isolation. Murphy ends with bringing the reader up to date on the state of this terrible disease, including the chilling revelation that there is still no cure for yellow fever. This book represents nonfiction at its best.”

Review from HORNBOOK GUIDE: “Murphy culls from a number of historical records the story of the yellow fever epidemic that swept Philadelphia, skillfully drawing out the fear and drama of the time and making them immediate to modern readers. Attentive to telling detail, Murphy offers representative images, from black-and-white portraits to plague scenes. Thoroughly documented, with an annotated source list, the work is both rigorous and inviting.”

AWARDS

School Library Journal Best Books of the Year 2003
American Library Association Notable Books for Children 2004
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award 2004
NCTE Orbis Pictus Award 2004
James Madison Book Award 2004

CONNECTIONS

Activities
*Share title with teachers. Integrate into the curriculum/thematic unit on politics, history, or historical scientific discoveries.
*Introduce and examine the usefulness of reference aids.
*Conduct a Readers Theatre production complete with costumes of the time period.
*For older students, use as a non-fiction book club selection.

Other informational texts on historical epidemics:

Grady, Denise. 2006. Deadly invaders: Virus outbreaks around the world, from Marburg fever to avian flu. ISBN 0753459957
Sherrow, Victoria. 2001. Polio epidemic: Crippling virus outbreak. ISBN 076601556

Strange Mysteries from Around the World by Seymour Simon

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Simon, Seymour. 1997. Strange mysteries from around the world. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN 0688146368.

PLOT SUMMARY
Of all the unexplained phenomenon that occurs around the world, some seem too outrageous to be true. True and fantastic tales of animals falling with rain, unexplained flying objects, strange lights and mysterious sounds are retold with quotes and references to actual scientific reports. These strange but true mysteries pique the interest and imagination.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Documented facts, including detailed dates and quotes add a depth of accuracy in this nonfiction work. Science, Nature, Scientific American magazine and others are cited and provide scientific authority to the author’s tales. The author’s point of view is clear and free of bias. Scientific facts explaining some of the mysteries are shared along with theories on the unexplainable. The story of the Mysterious Treasure of Oak Island especially captivates the imagination. The exact treasure is not known, nor is the identity of those who originally dug the “money pit”, as it is called. This mystery has no explanation and has remained unsolved since its discovery in 1795. Black and white photographs add dimension to this mystery of the past. A table of contents is provided to guide the reader to a particularly enticing or intriguing story by its title.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Review from SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Simon's enticingly simple and clear descriptions make the subjects accessible with no unsubstantiated speculations. Worn-out copies of the 1980 edition can be safely replaced with this updated version. The mysteries it describes are as intriguing now as they were when they first became mysteries.”

Review from HORNBOOK GUIDE: “Some natural and historical events--raining animals, strange lights and sounds--cannot be definitively explained by science or rational thought. Simon tells the intriguing stories of nine such events, presenting scientists' and historians' best guesses for the causes of such phenomena and showing how some mysteries are closer to being solved than others.”

Review from BOOKLIST: “In smooth fashion, with plenty of anecdotes, Simon introduces nine scientific conundrums, among them, the periodic appearances of mysterious lights in the sky (he roundly debunks interplanetary visitations) and odd occurrences of animals and plants falling to earth like rain. The emphasis is on the event, but there's a touch of scientific theory as well.”

AWARDS
Emphasis on Reading Award 1997

CONNECTIONS

Activities

*Invite student to read for pleasure and share new found information.
*Discuss the difference between scientific explanations and theories.
*Practice note taking skills and research. Use the internet to uncover new discoveries on each mystery provided by Mr. Simon’s book.

Other books relating to the mysterious:

Allen, Judy. 2006. Unexplained: An encyclopedia of curious phenomena, strange superstitions, and ancient mysteries. ISBN 0753459507
Emert, Phyllis Raybin. 1995. Strange unsolved mysteries: Mysteries of the mind and the senses. ISBN 0613761847
Herbst, Judith. 2005. Lands of mystery. ISBN0822516306

Life on Earth: The Story of Evolution by Steve Jenkins

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Jenkins, Steve. 2002. Life on earth: The story of evolution. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0618164766.

PLOT SUMMARY
For those who have pondered, “How old is the Earth?”, “How did life begin?” and “Why do many different types of animals exist and go extinct?”. This informational book answers these questions along with many others. The story of the history of life on earth leads up to the evolutionary theory that explains how and why life on earth developed. Charles Darwin’s travels and theories are explained in detail using scientific terms. A helpful, easy to read, 24 hour time-line is used to relate the history of the Earth and its events to each other.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The picture book quality is inviting to both older and younger readers and the chronological layout invites browsing of material at the reader’s leisure. A bibliography list and key to the illustrated animals placed at the back of the book confirm accuracy. Natural selection and mutation are illustrated with pictures to bring these abstract concepts to life.

Chronological dates are used to sequence the history of Earth and its many extinct and current species. By using the 24 hour timeline to put the history of Earth in perspective, Jenkins is creating a real life application understood by most children. The use of font type and size, white space, double page spreads and captions add to the attractiveness of the colorful cut and torn paper illustrations.

Jenkins style is evident in his clear use of appropriate vocabulary and his inviting presentation of the topic. His use of comparisons to help define scientific terms, also encourage critical thinking. For defining mutations, Jenkins uses a picture of fish and their offspring. Captions under the offspring help to define the advantages and disadvantages of mutations. The albino fish has a harmful mutation and the spotted fish has an advantageous mutation that helps to conceal it from predators.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Starred Review from SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “The author has taken on the formidable task of investigating the scientific theories … . His lucid text presents a terse chronology of life from its earliest beginnings as one-celled bacteria in the primordial ocean to the appearance of modern man.”

Review from HORNBOOK: “Jenkins presents a superb introduction to evolution for younger readers, in which he marvels at the amazing diversity of life on this planet; explains in detail concepts such as natural selection, variation, and mutation; and covers some historical context for the development of the theory.”

Review from BOOKLIST: “… this oversize picture book for older readers makes the overwhelming concept easier to grasp.”

Review from KIRKUS: "Because evolution is sometimes not taught in all schools, few good texts exist on it for this age. Factual and fascinating, this one belongs in every library.”

AWARDS
School Library Journal Best Books of the Year 2002

CONNECTIONS

Other books on Evolution:
Munro, Margaret. 2000. The Story of Life on Earth. Ill. by Karen Reczuch. ISBN 088899401X
Peters, Lisa Westberg et al. 2003. Our Family Tree: An Evolution Story. ISBN 0152017720

Activities

*Encourage students to follow Charles Darwin’s lead and become backyard naturalists. Create fun nature books for journal keeping. Decorate using art supplies to create fossils and imprints of leaves, shells and other nature items.
*Have students construct timelines of their lives and include future goals.
*Incorporate math skills by utilizing Jenkins chronological sequences to create and solve math questions.
*Compare Jenkins book with other books on evolution and Earth history. Create a comparison chart of several found facts.

What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sones, Sonya. 2001. What my mother doesn’t know. New York: Simon and Schuster for Young Readers. ISBN 0689841140

ORGANIZATION OF COLLECTION

What my mother doesn’t know is a collection of poems written to tell a story. Sones has written a novel in free verse to tell the story of a young Sophie, a high school freshman, her home life, friends, her boyfriend issues and boy troubles. Sophie’s mother is disconnected from her life and has no knowledge of the trials in Sophie's personal life. There is no table of contents to interfere with the prose-like reading. Background information of the poet is provided on the last page of the book and on the inside back jacket. Each poem has its own title and poem length is from one to three pages.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Authenticity of voice, universality and timeliness are present as Sones poetry rings true for many adults past experiences as a young high school student and especially those of the online computer age. Evidence of a strong persona is evident in the main character who, struggles and overcomes hardships in her personal life to do what is right. Poem format relies on line breaks and spacing to indicate free verse and rhythm. A few E-mails received by the protagonist’s friends are kept in prose format. Emotion is evident in the sensory words used to provide imagery and voice. In the lines from the poem titled, “Between Classes with Dylan”, “We fall into step / in the crowded hall / without even glancing / at each other, / but his little finger / finds mine, / hooking us / together, / and all the clatter / of the corridor fades away / till the only sound I hear / is the whispering of our fingers.” Figurative language is also used by the poet to show emotion, as in the lines from the poem titled, ”Litterbox ICG”, If I could marry a font / I’d marry his.” And then after finding her new online friend to be a pervert, in the poem titled, “Deleted”. “I felt like I was / plummeting through cyberspace / out of control, / until I took some deep breaths, / pulled myself together / and wrote: / ‘Consider yourself permanently deleted.’ ”. The intended audience for this body of work is young adult readers due to the sexual references.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Review from SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “A story written in poetry form. ... In the satisfying ending, Sophie finds the perfect boyfriend-someone she's known all along. Sones is a bright, perceptive writer who digs deeply into her protagonist's soul.”

Review from PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “Drawing on the recognizable cadence of teenage speech, the author poignantly captures the tingle and heartache of being young and boy-crazy … ”.

Review from VOICE OF YOUTH ADVOCATES:

“This book was very well written. The topic was just right for Sones. Her writing style and the way she incorporates poetry into her stories is really wonderful. I think this is an incredibly good book and I would recommend it along with her other one.” Andrea A., Teen Reviewer.

CONNECTIONS

Related books

Other books by Sonya Sones:

Sones, Sonya. 2007. What my girlfriend doesn’t know. New York: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. ISBN 0689876025
-- 2001. Stop pretending: What happened when my big sister went crazy. HarperCollins. ISBN 0064462188
-- 2004. One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies. New York: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. ISBN 0689858205

Activities

* Challenge students to find and locate other novels in verse in the school library.
*Encourage students to create one book review on a 3x5 card for one novel in verse book they read. Place the book and review on display by the checkout counter.
*For those students interested in Sonya Sones as an author, invite them to review her webpage at http://www.sonyasones.com/index.html

Behind the Wheel: Poems About Driving by Janet Wong

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Wong, Janet. 1999. Behind the wheel: Poems about driving. New York: Margaret K. McElderry. ISBN 0689825315

ORGANIZATION OF COLLECTION

Wong uses free verse to share her comparison of learning to drive and life’s trials. Thirty-six poems are arranged in a thin volume about teens, their family and driving, including such issues, as teen angst, hitchhiking, teen drinking and death. A table of contents lists the poems in no particular order. Praise for Janet Wong’s previously published works, including mention of her Chinese and Korean heritage, appears on the inside back jacket.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Authenticity is apparent as Wong relates her life experiences in monologue fitting free verse. There is a universality and timeliness in poems related to teen driving, as all young adults cope with learning to drive under the microscope of their watchful family. Spacing and line breaks help to identify this collection as poetry that easily reads as prose. In the poem titled “Crash”, onomatopoeia is present as the “crackety-crack” of grandmothers knuckles right before a car wreck. In another poem titled , “Restraint”, personification and imagery are present in the lines, When the poet came / to visit our school / to make us write some poetry, / people from our families / turned into trees / and owls and slugs. / My sister was a hurricane. / … .

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Review from BOOKLIST: “Wong's brief, clear lines will be accessible even to the most reluctant poetry readers, and readers of all ages will be moved by the intersection of poignancy and humor as she describes the thrilling freedom of the car and an emerging adult's awareness that, although she's traveled, her road still leads to home.”

Starred Review from VOICE OF YOUTH ADVOCATES: “In her fourth book of poetry, Wong writes for soon-to-be driving teens in thirty-six free verse poems that describe this American rite of passage. Told through different voices, most have the sound perhaps of an older cousin or sibling-someone close but not so close that the trappings of rivalry or jealousy get in the way of hearing sound advice.”

CONNECTIONS

Other poetry books by Wong
Wong, Janet. 1999. The rainbow hand: Poems about mothers and children. 0689821484
Wong, Janet. 1996. A suitcase of seaweed and other poems. ISBN 0689807880
Wong, Janet. 1994. Good luck gold and other poems. 0689506171

Activities

*Share with high school students during a class poetry break.
*Encourage students to create a poem about their own related teen driving experience.
*Invite students to visit Janet Wong’s webpage to listen to audio clips of her poems online. http://www.janetwong.com/