Ritualo's Reviews

  Bibliography:  Young, E. (2011). The House Baba Built: An Artist's Childhood in China . Little, Brown and Co. ISBN  978-0-316 07628-9 Plot Summary: This is the author's memoir of life in China at the end of the Great Depression, as World War II is about to begin. China is invaded by Japan and is no longer safe. Young's father builds a house  for his family that becomes a safe haven for their community as well.  Critical Analysis: Ed Young's memoir, though written many years later, is told through the eyes of a child as it clearly depicts a child's vivid imagination. Fun childhood memories, such as chasing crickets, are integrated with the families struggles in the depression before World War II. The illustrations are unique and eye-catching as they are juxtaposed with actual photographs and rough sketches. The narrative concludes with a timeline and prologue of the family as well as the original floorplan of the house. The message is clear and demonstrated by ...

Bibliography:  Tonatiuh, D. (2015). Funny Bones: Posada and his day of the dead calaveras . Abrams Books for Young Readers. ISBN 978-1-419-71647-8 Plot Summary:   This is a biography of  Jose Guadalupe Posada, whose famous calaveras prints became the iconic skeleton depiction for the "Dia de Los Muertos" celebrations. It tells of his beginnings as a young cartoonist, to owning his own print shop, to finally how the  famous calaveras prints came to be.  Critical Analysis: Tonatiuh defines unfamiliar Spanish terms through illustration and example. He explains the process used by Posada, such as creating a lithograph or engraving, using step by step instructions that include illustrations. The language is simple and clearly demonstrated in the illustrations. The illustrations are the highlight of this picture book.  Tonatiuh pays homage to his Spanish heritage by creating pictures that pay homage to Posada's Hispanic heritage: "a modern take on pre-Columb...

Bibliography:  Greenberg, J., Jordan, S.(2007). Illus. by Robert A. Parker.  Action Jackson . Square Fish. ISBN 978-0-312-36751-0 Plot Summary: This nonfiction children's book goes through Jackson Pollack's process as he completes one of his paintings in his unique style. Critical Analysis: The authors use of vivid, descriptive language is almost an art form itself. Similes and metaphors abound and Pollack is compared to other artists in order to better demonstrate his unique technique (like "an athlete with a paintbrush"). Words flow almost musically, fluid like Pollack's paintings. Illustrations may at times seem rudimentary and chaotic, but this style is intentional and seems to mimic Pollack's style, which, though seemingly random and chaotic, shows a deep level of thoughtfulness and intent.  What I thought would be a boring biography was clearly thoroughly researched, well written and thoughtful. Quite enjoyable. Reviews: Goodreads.com: "... an autho...

  Bibliography:  Fleming, C. (2022). Murder Among Friends: How Leopold and Loeb Tried to Commit the Perfect Crime . Anne Schwartz Books. ISBN 978-0-593-17743-3 Plot Summary: The true crime story takes place in Chicago in the early 20th century. It follows the two teenage boys, Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb, both rich, and brilliant in their own ways, yet both deeply disturbed. It begins with conception and completion of the crime: kidnapping and murder of a 14-year-old boy.  It then goes into discovery of the crime, the boys arrest, and the trial. They are defended by Clarence Darrow, who hopes to save the two boys from the death penalty, hanging.  Critical Analysis: Fleming's telling of this historic case is told as a narrative, mixed with primary sources such as newspaper clippings, interviews, and photographs. The story reflects the depth of her research into not only the story behind the crime, but the personal stories of the two teenage boys in order to attemp...

Bibliography : Hoberman, M. A.(2006). Ill by Betty Fraser. The Llama Who Had No Pajama: 100 Favorite Poems. Harcourt Brace & Co. ISBN 9781451777345 Plot Summary : This book is an anthology of 100 poems written for children. The poems have many themes relatable to children, but most center around cute, silly animals.  Critical Analysis : The 100 poems in this collection are very cohesive. They center around topics relatable to children, such as eating your vegetables, growing up, even body positivity (such as in “The Whale”). Every poem has a sing-songy fun rhythm and rhymes either every line or every other line. Hoberman uses fun, descriptive language that is easily understandable when read aloud to young children, and creates clear imagery. The illustrations are lively and colorful and supplement the poems, though if this was intended for an older audience, they may not be as necessary.  A very cute book, fun to read!  Wish I’d found it when my daughter was younger, ...

Bibliography: Hood, S., & Dawson, G. (2022). Alias Anna: A True Story of Outwitting the Nazis . Harper. ISBN 9780063083899 Plot Summary:  This is the story of  Zhanna Arshanskaya, a young Jewish Ukranian, she and her family are forced by the Nazis to leave their home. Zhanna and her sister Frina (both talented pianists) are able to escape, and by changing their names, through several circumstances end up performing for the Nazis (who don't realize the girls are Jewish) to survive. They eventually make it to freedom in the U.S. Critical Analysis: This biographical novel is told in verse and is cowritten by Zhanna's (Anna's) son. The story follows the girls from when life was peaceful, through Nazi takeover, escaping, outwitting the Nazis, and finally to America where they begin a new life. The authors use various poetry styles, which as mentioned below, doesn't alway suit the horrors the sisters suffered. This does not detract, however, from the overall feel of the n...

  Bibliography: Grimes, N. (2002)  Bronx Masquerade. Dial Books. ISBN 9781432863982 Plot Summary: The novel in verse is told by 19 characters, all voiced by Grimes. They are all students in an English class, taught by Mr. Ward. Throughout the year, Mr. Ward turns their study of the Harlem Renaissance into a poetry lesson which turns into "Open Mike Fridays". Through their own stories and  poetry, we learn more about each character's personal struggles, and they learn more about each other through the process. Critical Analysis:  The story follows the characters of an inner city (New York) high school with a mostly minority student population. Each character is distinctive and unique.  Grimes does a fantastic job of giving each character his/her own voice in the novel. She connects the characters through his/her personal story before sharing his/her own poem. She further connects them through Tyrone, who shares his and the group's understanding of each other as t...

         Bibliograph y:  Lai, T. (2019). Inside Out and Back Again . Thorndike Press Large Print.                                       ISBN  9781432863982            Plot Summary: Ha, a ten-year old Vietnamese girl, is forced to flee from Saigon and leave                             behind everything she knows and loves in order to escape the Vietnam War. The poem follows her           story from Saigon through her year of travel and living in Alabama.               Critical Analysis:  The novel is an autobiography told in verse in the form of Ha's diary as she is forced to flee war torn Saigon and head to America.  It is ...

  Bibliography:  Engle, M. (2010). The Firefly Letters: A Suffragette's Journey to Cuba . Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 9780805090826 Plot Summary: Based on the diaries of Fredrika Bremer, the first Swedish female writer, this novel in verse tells of her visit to Cuba. She shares her journey with two young girls, one a slave, the other, a Cuban from a wealthy family, neither who enjoy the freedom of a woman from Europe. The story is told in first-person narrative that alternates between the three women. Critical Analysis: The story is told as a novel in verse from the perspective of three very different women. It is the author's interpretation of Fredrika Bremer's actual diaries, written during her visit to Cuba. Engle does an excellent job of contrasting  what she refers to as "Eden" with the sadness of slavery and the lack of women's freedom. Fireflies are used throughout as a symbol for the freedom Elena (the Cuban girl) and Cecilia (the slave girl) lack. Sh...