The Keeping Quilt

Author/Illustrator: Patricia Polacco

Publisher: Aladdin

ISBN: 0689844476

I'm a little sad that this is my last blog for EDE 652. I made sure to choose a memoir that was perfectly, perfect.

The quilt is in this story is made by Polacco's great-grandmother Anna and her quilting friends who immigrated to the United States from Russia over a hundred years ago. The quilt is composed of scraps of fabric from outgrown dresses, the aprons of aunts, etc. The finished quilt features dancing items such as animals and swaying trees.

Polacco explains that the quilt tells the story of her family from generation to generation; the quilt as been present for births, deaths, weddings and all other kinds of family celebrations. The quilt serves as a quilt, a blanket to welcome newborns into the world (Polacco as well as her daughter), a tent, a chuppah (a Jewish wedding canopy), and a tablecloth. Symbolically, Polacco's family is tied together generation after generation.

The Keeping Quilt is like one of those stories your grandmother passes down to you. A one of a kind tale that is to be passed down to your granddaughter and her granddaughter, etc. (just like the quilt in the story.)

Polacco's illustrations are interesting in that the people in this story are colored by simple sepia tones, and the quilt, the main character of the story is beautifully colored with vibrant red, green and yellow tones. The quilt becomes a sort of living being, the main character and focus of the story.

This is another wonderful book that can be used for a plethora of lessons. I would probably use this book in a second or third grade classroom. As an art activity, students can create their own quilts using paper or felt, math lessons (students can measure each square of the quilt, learn about perimeter and area, etc.), ELA lessons (write a story about your family), and social studies lessons (getting to know you, family tree).

I would love to use this book in my classroom. It chronicles a very important story in the life of this prolific children's author in such a sweet, tender and loving way. I would love to encourage my students to keep their family's traditions alive so that one day they too will be able to pass their own family stories.

Harlem

Author: Walter Dean Myers

Illustrator: Christopher Myers

ISBN: 0590543407

When I first encountered this book, I sighed. A huge, contented sigh. And then I smiled. I was very happy. I am so smitten with the Myers family's work.

Place, sound,

Celebration,

Memories of feelings, of place

A journey on the A train

That started on the banks of the Niger

And has not ended

Harlem is another breathtakingly beautiful book of poetry from Walter Dean Myers and his son, Christopher Myers. This book celebrates Harlem and its landmarks such as the Apollo Theater and the Cotton Club as well as famous African Americans, like Langston Hughes and Joe Louis.

The text consists of one long poem about the African American journey to Harlem. Walter Dean Myers writes,

Harlem was a promise

Of a better life, of a place where a man didn't

Have to know his place

Simply because he was Black

Harlem takes the reader on a journey throughout the community. We visit a preacher in church, children cooling off in the water of a fire hydrant during the summer time, and a lady looking out her window, watching the neighborhood children play. We meet striking portraits of Langston Hughes and W.E.B. Du Bois. In the few minutes it takes to read this poem, we delve deep into the heart that is Harlem, its people.

There are countless lessons that can be created from this wonderful book. Poetry, African American history, art, New York City history, etc. I would probably use this book for students in the upper elementary grades (this title could most certainly be used on the college level - there is no reason why it could not work for adults as well!) because I feel older students would have a deeper appreciation of the content in this book much more than younger students can.

I especially love Christopher Myers illustrations. The first word I can think of to explain the art in this book is bold. The Pan African red, yellow and green can be found on every single page throughout the book. The rich, earthy tones of the pages combine with striking images of the people of Harlem. My favorite image is of a couple riding the iconic A train. At first glance, the couple is separated, one on the left page, the other on the right. If you look closely, they are connected by holding hands. I especially love the eyes in this book. My favorites are a little boy whose eyes are wide open, and an older women whose eyes seem tired and broken.

The text in this book conveys the message of Harlem's lasting cultural legacy and its diverse community. Those who have never visited Harlem perhaps even those who have never walked the streets of New York City are introduced to this beautiful world.

Lastly, I'd like to share one of my favorite parts of this book, Christopher Myers' dedication:

"To Mom and Dad because I like you people."

The Bremen Town Musicians

Author: Jacob and William Grimm

Illustrator: Hans Fischer

ISBN: 1558588930

I bet you're beginning to see a pattern in the books that I choose. You're either thinking, "Well, she loves animals," or you're thinking, "She must love music." You would be right about both!

The Bremen Town Musicians is a story about four miserable animals escaping their owners, who join together for the town of Bremen to become musicians. Along the way the animals encounter a band of robbers, outwit them, and discover a new home.

There are so many lessons that can be fashioned out of this wonderful book. The English translation of this tale makes for an excellent vocabulary lesson. The text in Bremen is short and descriptive, perfect for younger readers (K-2). It is quite dramatic, and I would definitely use many different types of voices to read this tale aloud. In fact, I would even have my students perform this tale as a play.

There are many different versions of the Bremen tale, this version (which, for years, was out of print) being my favorite. Fischer's book is unique in terms of illustration because the pages are mostly sparse. At first sight, I nearly put this book down because it was not as eye catching as the other tales on the shelf. As I turned the pages, I realized the few simple cartoon-like watercolors leave much more to the imagination than most other fairy tale illustrations tend to do. Each character in Bremen is introduced on a righthand page, meeting up with the group of animals on the following lefthand page. This simplicity is excellent for younger children and almost sets up a kind of anticipation to see what the following pages have to offer.

The Bremen Town Musicians is reminiscent of the tale of Don Quixote as the animals set out on a quest to become something; to find the contentment their own homes just couldn't offer. What seems to be such a sad tale of older, doomed animals turned into such a beautifully crafted, amusing tale. This is a tale of self discovery; an inspirational tale that allowing children to realize everyone has their faults. I love that this tale also teaches the reader that happiness is found in so many different kinds of places. You never know where you may find happiness!

Moonlight: The Halloween Cat

Author: Cynthia Rylant

Illustrator: Melissa Sweet

Publisher: Harper Collins

ISBN: 0060297123

As I was searching through the picture book shelves of the New Dorp NYPL branch, Moonlight: The Halloween Cat immediately caught my eye. If you know me well, you know that I'm absolutely in love with my adopted little black cat, and that Halloween is my absolute most favorite day out of the year.

I'm a big fan of Newberry Award winner Cynthia Rylant, so I was suprised that I had not come across this book before my trip to the library.

The target audience for Moonlight is pre-k to grade two (although in my opinion, I probably wouldn't assign this book to students past the first grade). Rylant writes, "Moonlight loves the night. It is her favorite time ..." Moonlight is the story of a little black cat's journey throughout her town on Halloween night. She enjoys Halloween night the most, because she likes the way the jack-o-lanterns smile at her and snuggling in the lap of a friendly scarecrow. Moonlight also loves following the neighborhood children who cannot see her because she is "black, like the night" (children can be introduced to simile here).

The text in this book consists of simple prose comprised of one and two syllable lyrical words that would be ideal for a beginner reader. There are also many different animals in this book, introducing children to images of owls, bunny rabbits, raccoons and dogs.

The illustration in Moonlight is incredibly vibrant. The paintings are warm with blue and green hues dominating each page. The pumpkins are luscious, lifelike shades of orange and yellow that create a warm glow on each page. My favorite illustration is a closeup of Moonlight's back as she sits on a tree branch staring at a huge, bright yellow moon. The town glows with stars shining up above.

Children love Halloween. Moonlight is a great Halloween picture book for children because it isn't filled with typical scary stuff (ghosts, goblins, monsters, etc.) Instead, it is a gentle story filled with wonderful prose and beautiful imagery.

Jazz

Author: Walter Dean Myers
Illustrator: Christopher Myers
Publisher: Holiday House
ISBN: 978-0823415458

As a musician, naturally, I am drawn to all things musical. It is no surprise that Jazz caught my eye back in 2006 when it was first published. In 2007, Jazz received a Coretta Scott King honor for illustration.

Jazz is a complicated creature. As Myers explains in the book's introduction, jazz is a fine mixture of "improvisation and spontaneity." I have been a singer of jazz (specifically bebop) for years now, but I did not take my first formal jazz course until my junior year of college. Jazz's introduction (which, because of the vocabulary, is much more suited for the adult reader than child), Myer's sums up my formal jazz education in a lengthy two page history of jazz.

Jazz consists of fifteen poems ranging from the African origins of jazz to bebop, swing and New Orleans Jazz. The poetry is catchy and rhythmic, and I can hear the music in my head as I am reading along. This is especially true with the bluesy poem "Oh, Miss Kitty" which beings with the lines. "Oh, Miss Kitty she's as round as she is tall, I said oh, Miss Kitty, she's as round as she is tall."

I'll be honest, I am much more captivated by Christopher's Myers' intense illustration than WDM's poetry. The pictures are alive with bright and intoxicating colors. My favorite, beside the poem "Twenty Finger Jack" is a striking painting of a man in with red pinstripes, playing stride piano, grazing a keyboard with his long fingers.

Jazz offers a glossary of jazz terms as well as a brief jazz timeline towards the end of the book. This poetry picture book is an excellent introduction to jazz for kids of any age!