Officer Buckle and Gloria/ Caldecott

Plot Summary:

            Officer Buckle is a very safety conscious police officer, even so, the staff and students that he serves at Napville School sleep during his lessons and end up having disastrous accidents anyway. That is, until he gets a new police dog, Gloria. While the officer isn’t looking, Gloria does tricks for the students, and this makes them pay attention. Officer Buckle is thrilled with his success, until he sees a video of him and Gloria on TV. Officer Buckle is embarrassed; he brings Gloria to the school the next day and leaves her alone, thinking she is the star of the show. Gloria is a flop by herself, and to make matters worse, there is a huge accident at the school. Everyone wants Officer Buckle back.

Personal Reaction:

            This book is very cute; it is funny and has a great message about teamwork. I also love the very light, positive way in which Officer Buckle, a police officer is depicted. The illustrations are bright, and very cheery despite the conflict of the story. In addition, they are a little rough, creating a more cartoonish feel to the story. Also, there are many curved lines which contribute to the lightheartedness of this tale.

Rathmann, P. (1995). Officer Buckle and Gloria. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons.

Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad/ Caldecott

Plot Summary:

            Henry is a slave who gets sold away from his family as a boy, so later when Henry’s own wife and children get sold; he knows he will never see them again. Incredibly said, Henry has an abolitionist friend put him into a box and mail him to freedom in Philadelphia. Drama ensues while Henry is in the box; he comes dangerously close to being caught by some deck hands as well as being hungry and extremely uncomfortable. Finally Henry makes it to Philadelphia and freedom.

Personal Reaction:

            I think that the fact that this story is true makes it more interesting. It is not the most interesting story of its type, but the illustrations are incredible. The artist uses warm and cool colors to coincide with the mood of the book, for example, the scene in front of the fireplace with his family is done with warm colors and the scene a few pages over, Henry is depicted with his back to the reader and in cool, dark colors representative of his dark mood. In addition cross hatching is used to make different textures for example, the freedom box itself. All of the characters of the book are realistic and their facial expressions give the book drama that it would otherwise lack.

Levine, E., & Nelson, K. (2007). Henry's freedom box. New York: Scholastic Press.

Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave/ Coretta Scott King

Plot Summary:

            Dave the Potter does not follow traditional plot lines. It is a poetic description of a master potter and slave, Dave and the way he goes about his work. We find out he inscribes his giant pots with words of humor and wisdom. We also learn that there are very few potters that could make jars the size of the ones that Dave made.

Personal Reaction:

            This is a book about a slave is interesting because it does not center around the subject of slavery itself, as if it is an afterthought. The fact that “slave” is the last term defining Dave in the title of the book also speaks to the sense that Dave is not defined by his servitude. The words and illustrations in the book are very calm and relaxing, the use of warm colors adding to the sense of tranquility of the book. The reader feels a sense of peacefulness that the character Dave feels while he is expressing himself through his art; the steady spin of the pot around the wheel and smell the earthy clay. This rhythm can also be felt in the lines of verse, and the texture can be “felt” through the illustrations, creating a sensory experience in which the words very much correspond with the pictures.

Hill, L. C., & Collier, B. (2010). Dave the potter: artist, poet, slave. New York: Little, Brown.

The Duchess of Whimsy: An Absolutely Delicious Fairy Tale/ Bluebonnet

Plot Summary:

            The Duchess of Whimsy is a little snobbish about her associations. She likes very interesting people. She does not enjoy the attention of one of her suitors, the Earl of Norm. He is definitely not one of the most interesting guests at her parties despite his misguided attempts to impress her. One night, the cook gets sick, and the guests have to pitch in to do the cooking. While most of the guests try complicated recipes that require massive amounts of time and expertise, the Earl of Norm makes a grilled cheese sandwich. The sandwich catches the eye of the Duchess of Whimsy and he offers her a bite. She loves it. She then discovers that he is more interesting than she thought and they fall in love and live happily ever after.

Personal Reaction:

            I love this book! I am very into fairy tales, and I also feel like the message (a spinoff of “don’t judge a book by its cover”) is a very important one for children. The illustrations are heavenly and really add to the story. A written description of The Duchess would never be as effective for character development as her picture. In addition, the artist’s depiction of The Duchess with her larger than life hair and gown are a great visual foil to The Earl’s tall and lanky physique. I also liked how he achieved the same height as she because he is depicted in the same wheeled shoes (the only thing that has changed about his appearance by the end of the book).

de Seve, R., & de Seve, P. (2009). The Duchess of Whimsy: an absolutely delicious fairy tale. New York: Philomel Books.