Anansi’s Party (trick!) Time

Anansi’s Party Time

Written By Eric Kimmel, Illustrated By Janet Stevens

http://www.amazon.com/Anansis-Party-Time-Eric-Kimmel/dp/0823422410/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380168535&sr=8-1&keywords=anansi%27s+party+time

Accessed September 25th, 2013

Summary

Anansi hasn’t forgiven Turtle for the trick Turtle played on Anansi months ago and Anansi has waited and waited for the perfect moment to get even! To get his revenge on Turtle, Anansi invites Turtle to a fake party, but every time Turtle slooooooowly arrives at the “party”, Anansi sends him right back home to complete a task for the “party”. When Turtle has finally brought; a dish, baked a desert (chocolate covered turtles), found a costume (a fluffy pink bunny suit) and made it back to Anansi’s house, the “party” is over! Turtle realizes that Anansi has played a trick on him, so Turtle devises his own “party” to trick Anansi. In the end Anansi gets a heaping helping of his own trickery as he gets stranded on the moon – but does Anansi learn his lesson? No! You can still look up at the moon to this day and see Anansi the spider plotting his revenge on Turtle.

Critical Analysis

Anansi, the trickster spider gets so wrapped up in his desire to trick Turtle that he fails to see that he cultivating the same feeling of revenge in Turtle that he has in himself. By propagating a cycle of vengeance, the tricks escalate until Anansi gets stuck on the moon! Anansi and the Party is crafted so cleverly that while kids are able to laugh over Anansi’s tricky antics, they are also able to see that all this effort he makes to get even, gets him in even more trouble that he was in when he started! Stevens charmingly illustrates the cycle of vengeance in a palatable silly way (Turtle wearing the pink bunny costume is hilarious!) that allows readers to learn from Anansi’s destructive behavior. The soft coloring and the cartoonish, animated faces of all the animal characters creates a light silly setting for allowing readers to explore the negative employment of the golden rule and how Anansi gets back exactly what he gives to Turtle – trouble!

Reviews

School Library Journal (09/01/2008):
K-Gr 2Children will delight in hearing this tale of the spider's comeuppance. After Anansi invites Turtle to a party just to play a trick on him, Turtle exacts his revenge. Almost every page, illustrated in acrylic ink and colored pencils, has some comical element. Laughs abound from the twisted path on the party map invitation that Anansi initially sends to Turtle and then later when Turtle sends a similar one back, to the hilarious costumes that Turtle tries on before he makes his choice of what to wear. Crocodile and Hippo loom large on the page underwater as they try to guess the mystery animal party game. Stevens has captured additional humor in the animals' droll facial features. Children will ask for repeated readings as they pause over the details in the artwork

Booklist (09/15/2008):
The latest in Kimmel-Stevens series about the spider that figures prominently in West African folklore shows how the trickster himself gets tricked, this time by a plodding turtle. Anansi invites Turtle to a party, but his directions are circuitous, Turtle takes forever arriving, and then Anansi sends him back for various items until Turtle has missed the party. Turtle retaliates with an invite of his own to his underwater home that necessitates Anansi holding on to a crab to keep from floating away, causing him to miss all the fun. Stevens mixed-media artwork adds to the story’s comic intensity.

Hornbook Guide to Children (01/01/2009):
Trickster Anansi invites Turtle to a party but neglects to provide him with crucial details; by the time slow Turtle makes his way home and back for each correction, the party's over. Tit-for-tat, Turtle invites Anansi to his house... In Kimmel's fifth Anansi entry, text and illustrations create an easy-to-follow narrative and lots of laughs (check out Turtle's pink bunny suit).

Connections

The Lion and the Mouse is another folk talk that shows readers the ideal employment of the golden rule and the cycle of compassion that it can instill. Unlike Anansi’s Party Time, in the tale of The Lion and the Mouse, readers see compassion put into action as two beasts rise above their nature and treat each other with empathy - and it is this kindness the Lion and the Mouse show each other that sets off a cycle of positive actions. By pairing Anansi’s Party Time and The Lion and the Mouse readers can see the direct results the actions of both these stories create and talk about which actions were right and which actions were wrong.

References

Booklist 09/15/2008 pg. 56 (EAN 9780823419227, Library Binding)

Hornbook Guide to Children 01/01/2009 pg. 29 (EAN 9780823419227, Library Binding)

Kimmel, Eric. (2009). Anansi’s Party Time. Ill by Janet Stevens. New York, NY: Holiday House. ISBN 9780823422418

Pinkney, Jerry. (2009). The Lion and the Mouse. New York, NY: Little Brown. ISBN 9780316013567

School Library Journal 09/01/2008 pg. 165 (EAN 9780823419227, Library Binding)

The Lion and the Mouse

Written and Illustrated By Jerry Pinkney

http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/jerry-pinkney/the-lion-the-mouse/9780316013567/ 

Accessed 9/24/2013

Summary

In this wordless adaptation of Aesop’s fable of compassion The Lion and the Mouse, the Lion rises above his beastly nature and allows a little mouse to leave freely after unintentionally stumbling into the Lion’s resting spot.  After being freed the Mouse returns the Lion’s act of compassion by coming to the Lion’s aid when the Lion inadvertently gets caught in a hunter’s trap.

Critical Analysis

Compassion is one of the defining traits that separates the humane from the inhumane - the ability to rise above our instinctual nature, empathize with another creature and be moved to action in order to alleviate suffering. Jerry Pinkney’s rendition of Aesop’s The Lion and the Mouse beautifully illustrates the compassion that the lion and the mouse discover for each other and how it elevates them above mere beasts. These two creatures reflect the true nature of the golden rule to every human who witnesses this story – that we should do onto others as we would have them do unto us.

With Pinkney’s organic illustrations, warmed with the sepia tones of the Serengeti, the reader is able to look beyond the limited perspective of the moment and see the panoramic lives of these two beasts – that the Mouse has babies to feed and that the Lion is the head of his pride. Pinkney creates the necessity of the reader truly “seeing” by removing all dialogue from this tale. Pinkney fills his tale with rich images and the sounds that rise up from this story, but the understanding of compassion comes simply from the connection of existing, not speaking.

Awards

The 2009 Caldecott Award

Reviews

Booklist (07/01/2009):
Preschool-G *Starred Review* The intricate lions face that crowds the cover of Pinkneys latest folktale adaptation is unaccompanied by any title or credits, and that is entirely appropriatethere are no words inside, either. Through illustration alone Pinkney relates the well-known Aesop fable of the mouse who is captured by a lion, only to be unexpectedly released. Then, when the lion finds himself trapped by hunters, it is the mouse who rescues him by gnawing through the twine. Pinkney bends his no-word rule a bit with a few noises that are worked into the art (Screeeech when an owl dives; Putt-Putt-Putt when the hunters jeep arrives), but these transgressions will only encourage young listeners to get involved with read-along sessions. And involved they will behow could they not get drawn into watercolors of such detail and splendor? Pinkneys soft, multihued strokes make everything in the jungle seem alive, right down to the rocks, as he bleeds color to indicate movement, for instance, when the lion falls free from the net. His luxuriant use of close-ups humanizes his animal characters without idealizing them, and thats no mean feat. In a closing artists note, Pinkney talks about his choice to forgo text

Publishers Weekly (07/27/2009):
Other than some squeaks, hoots and one enormous roar, Pinkney's ("Little Red Riding Hood") interpretation of Aesop's fable is wordlessas is its striking cover, which features only a head-on portrait of the lion's face. Mottled, tawny illustrations show a mouse unwittingly taking refuge on a lion's back as it scurries away from an owl. The large beast grabs and then releases the tiny creature, who later frees the lion who has become tangled in a hunter's snare. Pinkney enriches this classic tale of friendship with another universal themefamilyaffectingly illustrated in several scenes as well as in the back endpapers, which show the lion walking with his mate and cubs as the mouse and her brood ride on his back. Pinkney's artist's note explains that he set the book in Africa's Serengeti, with its wide horizon and abundant wildlife so awesome yet fragilenot unlike the two sides of each of the heroes. Additional African species grace splendid panoramas that balance the many finely detailed, closeup images of the protagonists. Pinkney has no need for words; his art speaks eloquently for itself.

Kirkus Review - Children (08/01/2009):
A nearly wordless exploration of Aesop's fable of symbiotic mercy that is nothing short of masterful. A mouse, narrowly escaping an owl at dawn, skitters up what prove to be a male lion's tail and back. Lion releases Mouse in a moment of bemused gentility and—when subsequently ensnared in a poacher's rope trap—reaps the benefit thereof. Pinkney successfully blends anthropomorphism and realism, depicting Lion's massive paws and Mouse's pink inner ears along with expressions encompassing the quizzical, hapless and nearly smiling. He plays, too, with perspective, alternating foreground views of Mouse amid tall grasses with layered panoramas of the Serengeti plain and its multitudinous wildlife. Mouse, befitting her courage, is often depicted heroically large relative to Lion. Spreads in watercolor and pencil employ a palette of glowing amber, mouse-brown and blue-green. Artist-rendered display type ranges from a protracted"RRROAARRRRRRRRR" to nine petite squeaks from as many mouselings. If the five cubs in the back endpapers are a surprise, the mouse family of ten, perched on the ridge of father lion's back, is sheer delight. Unimpeachable.

School Library Journal (09/01/2009):
PreS-Gr 3This story starts on the cover with the glorious, golden countenance of a lion. No text is necessary to communicate the title: the direction of the beast's gaze and the conflicted expression on his tightly cropped face compel readers to turn the book over, where a mouse, almost filling the vertical space, glances back. The endpapers and artist's note place these creatures among the animal families of the African Serengeti. Each spread contributes something new in this nearly wordless narrative, including the title opening, on which the watchful rodent pauses, resting in one of the large footprints that marches across the gutter. In some scenes, Pinkney's luminous art, rendered in watercolor and colored pencil, suggests a natural harmony, as when the cool blues of the sky are mirrored in the rocks and acacia tree. In other compositions, a cream-colored background focuses attention on the exquisitely detailed and nuanced forms of the two main characters. Varied perspectives and the judicious use of panels create interest and indicate time. Sounds are used sparingly and purposefullyan owl's hoot to hint at offstage danger or an anguished roar to alert the mouse of the lion's entrapment. Contrast this version with Pinkney's traditional treatment of the same story (complete with moral) in "Aesop's Fables" (North-South, 2000). The ambiguity that results from the lack of words in this version allows for a slower, subtle, and ultimately more satisfying read. Moments of humor and affection complement the drama. A classic tale from a consummate artist

Connections

The story Little Blue Truck takes the idea of compassion a step further by illustrating the importance of being compassionate to those individuals who may not deserve it. Alice Schertle lays out the story of a sweet little blue truck who beeps “hello” to all of the animals along his drive. Always friendly, always thoughtful, Blue endears himself to each creature he meets until one day a big, rude dump truck in a rush speeds by Blue splattering mud everywhere. In his haste the big dump truck runs into a big pile of mud and gets stuck – the dump truck cries for help, but none of the animals pay him any mind because he was so rude. Blue comes to the aid of the dump truck in spite of the dump’s rude behavior – Blue helps because he feels compassion for the dump’s predicament and his compassion spurs him to action in spite of the way the dump truck treated Blue. In the end the dump truck understands Blue’s kind and compassionate ways and rises above his rushed behavior and thanks everyone for helping him. By pairing The Lion and the Mouse and Little Blue Truck, kids can see two stories where compassion brought out the best in all of the characters involved.

References

Booklist 07/01/2009 pg. 63 (EAN 9780316013567, Hardcover) - *Starred Review

Kirkus Review - Children 08/01/2009 (EAN 9780316013567, Hardcover) - *Starred Review

Pinkney, Jerry. (2009). The Lion and the Mouse. New York, NY: Little Brown. ISBN 9780316013567

Publishers Weekly 07/27/2009 pg. 61 (EAN 9780316013567, Hardcover) - *Starred Review

Schertle, Alice. (2008). Little Blue Truck. Ill By Jill McElmurry. New York, NY: HMH Books for Young Readers. ISBN 9780152056612

School Library Journal 09/01/2009 pg. 146 (EAN 9780316013567, Hardcover) - *Starred Review

The Three Ninja Pigs Build Character, Not Houses

The Three Ninja Pigs

Written By Cory Rosen Schwartz

Illustrated By Dan Santat

http://www.us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780399255144,00.html?sym=REV# Accessed September 23rd, 2013

Summary

A wolf has come to a Japanese town and is bulling everyone but three pigs decide they have had enough! The first pig learns the basics of Aikido, the second pig becomes an intermediate level Jujitsu artist but the third pig becomes a master of Karate and earns her black belt. These pigs will learn to look inside themselves to build a stronger person to defeat the wolf bully without striking a blow!

Critical Analysis

In the traditional telling of The Three Little Pigs, each little pig builds their own house. The laziest pig builds his house out of straw which is easy to build and easily destroyed by the wolf. The second pig applies a bit more effort and builds his house out of sticks, and yet the wolf is able to destroy his house as well. The final pig takes the time and effort to build his house of stone, and in the third pig’s home, all of the three little pigs are able to keep safe from the big bad wolf. In this smart re-telling of this classic tale, Schwarz focuses on the time and dedication it takes to master a martial art and build one’s self. The first pig never goes past white belt before giving up, the second pig quits after earning his yellow belt, but the third pig works hard and masters Karate earning a black belt. The first little white belt pig is easily defeated by the big bad wolf -his punch missed! The second yellow belt pig attacked the wolf, but the wolf was able to dodge the yellow belt pig’s kick. The kicker (get it!) of this story is that the third black belt pig doesn’t even have to fight the wolf! When the black belt pig encounters the wolf, she bows “For Ninjas are very polite” and then demonstrates her Karate skill to the wolf. Upon seeing the black belt pig break a pile of bricks with her “pork chop!” the wolf knows that he cannot defeat this pig and the fight is over before it even began. After the wolf backs down, the pigs are ecstatic and the white belt pig and the yellow belt pig realize that they need to go back to their sensei and complete their training. After their training is complete, the three ninja pigs live happily ever after in their own dojo. Santat's Pixar like characters lend an animated flourish to this story while the lovely Japanese touches like the Sakura blossoms and Mt Fuji images show the Zen side of this snappy rendition of this classic tale. Schwartz masterfully weaves strength of character with the strength to stand up to bullies, and demonstrates that by mastering ourselves we can occasionally overcome conflict just by demonstrating (politely!) our strength of self.

Reviews

Kirkus Reviews (08/01/2012):
"Dedication and practice pay off," is the message these three pigs painlessly deliver. "Once upon a dangerous time," a wolf plagued a town with his huffing and puffing, so three pigs--two hogs and a sow--attend Ninja School to learn how to face him. Each studies a different martial art, but the two brothers quickly lose interest; the third pig alone earns all her belts. So when the wolf comes calling, it's no surprise when the brothers' skills are not equal to the task. "The chase carried on to their sister's. / Pig Three was outside in her gi. / 'I'm a certified weapon, / so watch where you're steppin'. / You don't want to start up with me!' " A demonstration of her prowess is enough to send the wolf packing and the brothers back to their training. Schwartz's sophomore outing is a standout among fractured fairy tales, masterfully combining rollicking limerick verse with a solid story, neither a slave to the other. The one quibble is the "Ninja" of the title--these pigs study the martial arts of aikido, jujitsu and karate. Santat's illustrations are done with Sumi brush on rice paper and finished in Photoshop. The colors, patterns and themes nicely incorporate those of Japanese art, and the setting, with its background mountains, cherry blossoms and traditional rooftops, is firmly Japanese. Have the contact info for the local dojo handy--readers will want to try out these martial-arts styles for themselves.

Booklist (12/01/2012):
Preschool-G This riotous rumble of a takeoff begins with three pigstwo brothers and a sistersaying enough to the huffy puffy wolf destroying houses in their town. So it's off to the ninja school, where the first brother takes up aikido, but he drops out in two weeks. The second brother takes jujitsu and makes good progress, but he is too impatient to keep up his lessons. Only sister pig, a karate student, becomes so skilled that she can break boards by performing a perfect pork chop! Anyone who knows the original story will be well aware of what comes next, but this standout version has so much motion, action, and laughs, kids will feel like they're hearing it for the first time. Schwartz's clever rhyming text flows nicely, and illustrator Santat (who holds a black belt in shotokan) really gets into things. Executed in Sumi brushwork on rice paper (and completed in Adobe Photoshop), the pictures have a three-dimensional feel that's great when kicks and chops are being executed. Sayonara, Mr. Wolf.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)

School Library Journal (09/01/2012):
K-Gr 2--In this fractured fairy tale, three little pigs are portrayed as frustrated siblings fed up with a wolf that loves to huff and puff and blow houses down. In an attempt to protect their homes in their Japanese village, they train at a Ninja school. As the first brother begins aikido lessons, he finds himself bored and drops out, which gives him little defense when the wolf comes to call. Pig Two attempts his skill at jujitsu but his confidence is larger than his capabilities, and he is no match for the villain. Their sister is the only one who studies well and practices until she masters karate. When the wolf arrives at her door, she settles the score and sends him running. Learning a lesson from their gutsy sister, the brothers return to their classes with more determination and success. Unlike the original tale, the pigs are given responsibility for their misfortune and a chance for improvement. The story has a clear message that success requires perseverance. The text and glossary include martial-arts terms. Santat's artwork is in manga style and has wonderful depictions of Japanese scenery and architecture. The pigs are full of motion and emotion as they train and battle with the wolf. Youngsters with an interest in martial arts and those seeking strong female characters will relish this picture book.--"Diane Antezzo, Ridgefield Library, CT" Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Connections

Randy Riley’s Really Big Hit by Chris Van Dusen is a rhyming story about perseverance and working hard when kids would rather play. Randy Riley is a space genius, who is not very talented at baseball but loves to play anyway. After coming home one night after striking out at bat, Riley looks through his telescope and sees a huge fiery asteroid headed straight for his home town! Randy tells his mom, he tells his dad but no one believes him – so for 18 days Randy works and builds in his backyard while everyone else plays. On the 19^th day the radio comes on and alerts everyone to the asteroid’s impending doom, but while everyone else flips out, Randy unveils his creation – a huge robot baseball player!  Randy marches his robot into town and “KAPOW” Randy’s robot knocks that asteroid back into outer space – Randy’s first home run! Randy Riley’s Really Big Hit pairs nicely with The Three Ninja Pigs by reinforcing the value of working hard and persevering with the added moral of doing what you love for the pleasure of doing it, whether you are good or not! In addition to the common theme, both the Three Ninja Pigs and Randy Riley’s Really Big Hit have delightful rhyming text and have similar illustration styles.

References

Booklist 12/01/2012 pg. 71 (EAN 9780399255144, Hardcover)

Kirkus Reviews 08/01/2012 (EAN 9780399255144, Hardcover)

School Library Journal 09/01/2012 pg. 124 (EAN 9780399255144, Hardcover)

Schwartz, Cory Rosen. 2012. The Three Ninja Pigs. Ill. by Dan Santat. New York, NY: Putnam    Books. ISBN 9780399255144

Van Dusen, Chris. 2012. Randy Riley’s Reallt Big Hit. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press. ISBN 9780763649463