Picture Books
Picture Books
The Undefeated
This powerful poem shares the story of Black figures throughout American history who made their mark on this country despite the oppressive forces working against them. Kwame Alexander uses repetition throughout his poem, primarily the line: “This is for the...” By repeating this line, Alexander is able to connect the subjects of his poem that are differentiated based on their successes, contributions, and places throughout history.
Kadir Nelson’s simple, yet powerful illustrations perfectly accompany the text by giving life to the poem’s subjects without overshadowing the words on the page. The illustrations also give an additional weight to Alexander’s words, especially as the line: “This is for the unspeakable.” is repeated across three pages towards the end of the poem. In this sense, the illustrations perfectly reflect the mood of the story, whether it be to show sobering examples of injustices committed against the African American community or celebrate the achievements of inspiring African Americans.
While I do not attempt to speak for the African American community, I do not believe Kwame Alexander’s poem or Kadir Nelson’s illustrations were created through a stereotypical lens of the Black/African American community. I think that Alexander’s decision to add both past and present notable Black/African American figures in his poem not only sheds light on figures that history and our country may have forgotten but gives young readers a plethora of figures to be inspired by.
I believe that this book would best find its audience with pre-k through 6th grade readers. Whether reading the book themselves, or having the book read to them, listeners or readers of this story would be exposed to the powerful messages of resilience, power, and hope. While these themes are primarily geared towards members of the Black/African American community, I think that readers of any race or culture can understand the importance of the story's messages.
Out of a Jar
Out of a Jar follows a young bunny named Llewellyn, as he comes up with a unique solution to handle the uncomfortable, undesirable, and unwanted emotions he feels throughout the day. Llewellyn decides that he will get rid of his overpowering emotions, such as anger, fear, excitement, joy, and sadness, by placing them in jars and locking them away in a closet. As older readers can predict, after bottling up and hiding away all of his emotions, Llewellyn starts to feel nothing at all. After all of his jars break and his emotions escape, Llewellyn learns that the solution to dealing with these powerful emotions is not to place them jars and hide them away, but to confront them, share them, and truly feel them. This powerful and important message is presented in a manner that is perfect for pre-k and elementary aged readers. Marcero's depiction of emotions and examples of when these emotions might arise is one that many children could easily understand and relate to.
Marcero's illustrations also go perfectly with her text. The emotions are depicted in a bright and colorful manner and are created using a combination of curved lines and an abundance of texture. Whether intentional or not, they also perfectly reflect the Zones of Regulation. The Zones of Regulation is a regulation tool that uses colors to help students identify their emotions when they are in a dysregulated state. As this self-regulation tool becomes more and more common in elementary school classrooms, this book would serve as a great resource in teaching students the effects of bottling up their emotions.
On a similar note, Marcero also uses color to show how Llewellyn's repeated bottling of his emotions is affecting him. While earlier in the story Llewellyn wore bright and expressive clothing, after he placed all his emotions in jars, he switched to dull and gray clothing. Additionally, looking closely at Llewellyn's facial expressions as he places his emotions in jars, the reader can see that this is not a task that he enjoys. In this sense, I would argue that Marcero's illustrations further her story, for they provide the readers with additional information and examples of the toll Llewellyn's choice is taking on him.
Dreamers
In her picture book Dreamers, Yuyi Morales tells the heartwarming tale of a mother and her son's journey to immigrate to the United States and make a new life in a strange and unfamiliar country. Before long, the mother and son find themselves in a public library, and this discovery changes their lives.
The vibrant and fantastical illustrations by Yuyi Morales perfectly match the mood on each page. This can first be seen with Morales's use of lighter or more pale shades of paint when illustrating the family's initial transition to America. These pages almost seem as if they are covered in a haze, which I interpret to represent the haze of confusion the young mother must have felt as she tried her best to raise her son in a country that speaks a different language, has different values, and follow different rules. The reader then sees the tone of the illustrations shift as the mother and son enter the library. When entering the library, it is as if they are entering another world. The colors become brighter, and the page is filled with drawings of objects and ideas that are jumping off the library books' pages. The most telling example of this is seen when the son is issued his first library card. As he reaches for the card, a card that holds so much power to him and his mother, the sun begins to shine, and its glowing rays fill the page.
While the illustrations do much to extend the story, I worry that a younger reader might find them distracting. I could see how primary grade aged students would lose track of the text when presented with an abundance of bright colors, images that fill every inch of the page, and illustrations that tell a story in themselves.
A Different Pond
A Different Pond by Bao Phi tells the story of a young boy who connects with his father and his family’s culture and history over their early morning fishing trips. While these fishing trips are tiring and consequential, whatever is caught becomes the much-needed food for the family, the young boy cherishes this time spent with his father.
Illustrator Thi Bui uses a unique illustration style for this picture book. Bui organizes the story similar to that of a graphic novel. Panels and side bars accompany Phi’s text, giving the reading additional information and insight into the settings and the young boy’s actions and perception of events.
Bui’s use of color and shading also contribute to the quiet and peaceful mood of the story. Bui uses a combination of cool colors during the early hours of the morning while the father and son are fishing at the pond. This then allows the reader to get a better sense of the characters’ thoughts and feelings as their facial expressions pop against the dim backdrop. A notable example of this can be seen on page 19 as the fire illuminates the father and son’s faces as the father talks about his past in Vietnam, and his brother that died during the war. In this sense, I believe that Thi Bui does an excellent job of extending the messages shared in the text through his illustrations.
Having read this book as a part of my district’s 6th grade reading curriculum, I believe that this book would be best appreciated by students in the intermediate elementary grades or middle school grades. While readers of all ages can appreciate the beautiful illustrations, I think that more advanced readers would better grasp Phi’s message of perseverance, sacrifice, and the challenges faced by immigrant families.
Comments
Post a Comment