SLIS 5420 - Module 13 - Silver Diamond

Module 13 - Silver Diamond v.1 by Shiho Sugiura


Bibliography
Suguira, Shiho. Silver Diamond v.1. Tokyopop, 2003. ISBN: 978-1-4278-0965-0

Summary
Rakan is a handsome, orphaned boy who lives alone in his grandfather's house. He has a talent for growing flowers, is sweet and friendly, but mostly a loner. Chigusa is a "monster" from another world who is accidentally transported to our world. When they meet, there is a confrontation, confusion and ultimately, acceptance. This is because Rakan looks like the evil prince from Chigusa's world. Another man is transported to Rakan's world, Narushige, who owns a talking snake (who can also transform into a gun). These three make an unusual, but interesting group as they start to learn about each other and the world around them.


What I Thought
While there are many series out there that have people from other worlds come into contact with each other, there is something original about Sugiura's manga. The world that Chigusa and Narushige come from is bleak. Rakan's world is bursting with flowers. When he encounters Chigusa, he accidentally causes his "gun" to grow. Later, he grows an entire "gun" tree. This is because in the other world, there are plant analogues for most technologies. Rakan is considered a "sanome" which is someone who causes things to grown. This explains Rakan's green thumb!

The ways that Chigusa, Narushige and the talking snake, Koh, experience Rakan's world are funny. It's also very touching to see the two adult characters respond to Rakan's instinctive kindness. Both Chigusa and Narushige have been "discarded" and considered "trash" in their world. Rakan values them and treats them with respect and demands respect back. Chigusa's understanding (or rather, misunderstanding) of this respect is where much of the humor lies. Chigusa is always saying inappropriate things, hugging too much and otherwise being "pervy" by accident.

This is one of my favorite manga series. I love the quiet theme of respect that underlies the story. There is a great sense of human dignity that is lightened by the silly humor of Chigusa and the snake, Koh. So far there are seven volumes available and it's worth reading. The plot gets more involved, more characters are added and more is revealed as the manga continues.

Outside Reviews

"Koh can conveniently transform into a sword, so when Chigusa discovers him they begin to duel in an extremely artistic manner with their snake-sword and plant-guns. That sums up the loopy appeal of this series. The plot elements are a mishmash, but the characters all look impossibly pretty and they fight with insanely symbolic weapons. I think Silver Diamond would be a must buy for fantasy shounen ai fans. I’m curious to see if the second volume settles down a bit since first volume spent plenty of time setting up the characters and their relationships with each other. Is Rakan the true prince of Chigusa’s world? How will he manage to go to high school while taking care of two otherworldly warrior house guests?"

TangognaT. (2008, January 11). Silver diamond volume 1. Retrieved from http://www.tangognat.com/2008/12/11/silver-diamond-volume-1 

"All of the characters introduced so far are likeable and interesting. Rakan is practical and thoughtful, and though he realizes pretty quickly that his houseguests have something to do with his origins, he’s reluctant to ask questions about it, lest the normal life he wants for himself be threatened. Chigusa is enigmatic but smiles often and seems kind. Late arrival Shigeka functions somewhat as a go-between between the other two, answering questions as well as raising them, particularly where Chigusa’s true nature is concerned...On the whole, I come away with a very favorable impression of Silver Diamond and am genuinely interested to see where the story goes from here. If the purpose of review copies is to hook people on new series they might not ordinarily have investigated, then mission accomplished."

Smith, M. (2008, July 23). Manga review: silver diamond, volume 1. Retrieved from http://www.popcultureshock.com/manga-review-silver-diamond-vol-1/43863/ 

Using this book in the library
This manga series is a great addition for older teens. It's especially appealing to girls who love shonen-ai (boy love) mangas. This type of manga is written by women for women. It involves pretty boys hanging out with other pretty boys. All of the men (even the evil ones) in this manga are eye-candy, for sure.


For fun:
Take a sneak peek inside the mangas at the Tokyopop website. There is an interactive viewer for the story that you can also see below.

SLIS 5420 - Module 12 - A Hole in My Life

Module 12 A Hole in My Life - Jack Gantos

Bibliography
Gantos, Jack. A Hole in My Life. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2002. ISBN: 0-374-39988-3

Summary
Writer Jack Gantos tells the story about how he wound up in prison for smuggling drugs and how he learned to become a writer in the process.


What I Thought
This story of Gantos' life resonated with me. Gantos wanted to be a writer but felt he had nothing to say. As he takes a journey to smuggle drugs (his ticket off the racially divided island of St. Croix), he is really embarking on a journey where he confronts himself. One of my favorite parts of the story is where he is in his jail cell and finds the words "WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE" scratched above the mirror. Gantos comments on this saying, "Some wit had carved it into the cinder block so that each time he looked in the mirror he reminded himself that the biggest failure is self-communication," (p.158). Gantos felt that he hadn't been honest with himself and when he finally was, he was able to write.

As Gantos deals with himself honestly, he starts to find his voice as a writer. This self-examination is very important for everyone, especially young people. Finding yourself by exploring who you are is essential. Without good self-communication young people may find the wrong mates, wrong jobs and not find their perfect fit.

Outside Reviews

"In this dual-layered memoir for high schoolers, Newbery Honor-winner Gantos details his short-lived criminal career as well as his transition from wannabe writer to serious author. Twenty years old and desperately seeking money for college, he recklessly agreed to sail a boat full of hashish from St. Croix to New York City. He explains: "This was the jackpot. The answer I was looking for...I didn't think of the danger involved with breaking the law.: But he was caught and send to a federal prison. As a teen, Gantos always knew he'd be a writer, but he never knew what to write about or how to start. During his 18-month incarceration, however, he learned to look within himself for material. Gantos' hope is to inspire, not scare, teens, but he relies on blunt prose throughout, including grisly descriptions of jailhouse violence. The result: a humorous, frightening, heartbreaking, and above all, honest introduction to the world of nonfiction."

Rodman, B., & Pricola, J. (2002). HOLE IN MY LIFE (Book). Teacher Magazine, 13(7), 50. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier database.

"The autobiographical account of the author's search for his magical muse is thwarted by a get-rich-quick scheme of pirating a ship of pot up the coast. Gantos takes his consequence in the dregs of prison and reinvents a plan to spring free his intellectual aspirations. This candid, vivid, and illuminating page-turner emphasizes the salvation of journaling while showing how smart choices can right wrongs. Audio version available from Listening Library."

Follos, A. (2004). Hole in My Life (Book). School Library Journal, 50(11), 67. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.

Using this Book in the Library
This story is great to expose to young adults who are all in the process of finding themselves and learning about the consequences of their actions. This book would make an excellent book-club discussion pick.

For Fun
Visit Jack Gantos' website. The site is designed mostly for children, however, it's interesting to see Gantos today, knowing what he went through as a teen.

SLIS 5420 - Module 11 - The Day-Glo Brothers

Module 11 - The Day-Glo Brothers by Chris Barton

Bibliography
Barton, Chris. The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer's Bright Ideas and Brand New Colors. Charlesbridge, 2009. ISBN: 978-1-57091-673-1

Summary
Bob and Joe Switzer didn't set out to invent Day-Glo paint, but that's what they did and their invention changed the world in small but significant ways.

What I Thought
Since this book is cataloged in my library as Dewey Decimal number 535, I thought I would be learning only about science when I picked up the book. However, while I did learn a little about florescence and chemicals and how the scientific method worked, I also learned about a great life story of two inventors. While Bob and Joe had originally wanted to different things with their lives, fate steered them in a different direction. They weren't able to do the original jobs they wanted, but both were able to help people and create different and new things.

This book is great for exploring the Switzer's lives. The author, Chris Barton, is a historian and his telling their story helps uncover a small but important part of history. The Day-Glo paint and pigment was used to save lives and changed the way we looked at the world.

The illustrations by Tony Persiani are an excellent accompaniment to this story. As the book starts out, most of the illustrations are gray. But as the Switzers discover and invent Day-Glo paint, the pictures in the story become brighter and more colorful.


Outside Reviews

"In this debut for both collaborators, Barton takes on the dual persona of popular historian and cool science teacher as he chronicles the Switzer brothers' invention of the first fluorescent paint visible in daylight. The aptly named Day-Glo, he explains, started out as a technological novelty act (Joe, an amateur magician, was looking for ways to make his illusions more exciting), but soon became much more: during WWII, one of its many uses was guiding Allied planes to safe landings on aircraft carriers. The story is one of quintessentially American ingenuity, with its beguiling combination of imaginative heroes ("Bob focused on specific goals, while Joe let his freewheeling mind roam every which way when he tried to solve a problem"), formidable obstacles (including, in Bob's case, a traumatic accident), a dash of serendipity and entrepreneurial zeal. Persiani's exuberantly retro 1960s drawings--splashed with Day-Glo, of course--bring to mind the goofy enthusiasm of vintage educational animation and should have readers eagerly following along as the Switzers turn fluorescence into fame and fortune."

(2009). The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer's Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors. Publishers Weekly, 256(26), 127. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier database.

"First featured in the Fall Preview, Chris Barton breaks down the story behind the discovery of Day-Glo colors in this tale of two brothers--one practical, one creative--who worked together to develop the neon brights that forever changed the world. The book required extensive research, as Barton delved into one brother's notes and interviews with the family to re-create the story The effort was well worth it. "The final pages explode in Day-Glo radiance," said the Kirkus reviews: "Rendered in 1950s-cartoon style, with bold lines and stretched perspectives, these two putty-limbed brothers shine even more brightly than the paints and dyes they created."

(2009). The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer's Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors. Kirkus Reviews, 77(22), 10. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.

Using this book in the library
This book would be a good fit for a classroom environment when it's time to introduce both science concepts and history. This books is fun to read and look at and gently introduces both science and biography in a fun way.

Just for fun
Visit the DayGlo company website. This is the company founded by Bob and Joe Switzer. You can request color samples and find out more information about DayGlo today. Now DayGlo colors are in eye makeup, food coloring and other assorted things. The company is located in my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio.

Fotonovela Art

This is a little piece of art that I created from discarded fotonovelas. If you're not familiar with "fotos," they are small, Mexican comic books. Most of the themes are very dramatic (think soap operas). They're very popular and wear out quickly. This art comes mainly from the covers of the fotos.

Click to enlarge my collage!

SLIS 5420 - Module 10 - Pink and Say

Module 10 - Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco

Bibliography

Polacco, Patricia. Pink and Say. Philomel Books, 1994. ISBN: 0-399-22671-0

Summary
When young Sheldon (Say) is wounded in the Civil War, it is Pinkus Aylee who rescues him and carries him to his mother's house. While they are there, they become friends only to be torn away from one another by Confederate Soldiers who place them both in a prison camp. Say lives on to remember Pink who saved his life.

What I Thought
I was almost afraid to pick up this book. Everyone I know who has read it said it made them cry. Then I peeked at the ending and saw that Pink died and I didn't want to see a sad ending. But finally, I read it and I cried. But what made the difference was that I understood the story and felt it deep in my heart. This book really touched me. It's powerful.

There are 3 especially beautiful moments. One beautiful moment is when Moe Moe hold Say who can't sleep because he is afraid of death and afraid of his own perceived lack of courage. The other is when Pink wants to touch the hand of Say who once shook Abe Lincoln's hand. The last moment that is truly beautiful is when Patricia, the writer, points out that when her father told her the story of her ancestor, Say, he put out his hand and said, "This is the hand, that has touched the hand, that has touched the hand, that shook the hand of Abraham Lincoln," (p. 34). This creates a chain of human lives that can trace history back to a connection. Patricia becomes part of the story of history. Her family tells this story to remember Pink, who had no family.

Beautiful!


Outside Reviews

"This book, the story of Polacco's great-great-grandfather, has been passed down from generation to generation in the author-artist's family. Fifteen-year-old soldier Sheldon Russell Curtis - Say to his family - has been left for dead on a Civil War battlefield somewhere in Georgia. A fellow Union soldier, Pinkus Aylee, who is African American - "I had never seen a man like him so close before. His skin was the color of polished mahogany" - discovers him and, with much effort, drags the feverish Say home, where his mother, a slave named Moe Moe Bay, nurses Say back to health. As the boys regain their strength, they become as close as real family and discuss things close to their hearts. Pink shares his special talent: Master Aylee, his owner, had taught him how to read. "'To be born a slave is a heap o' trouble, Say. But after Aylee taught me to read, even though he owned my person, I knew that nobody, ever, could really own me.'" Say receives special comfort from Moe Moe when he admits that he deserted his troop and is afraid to return to the war. On the morning the two boys plan to leave and search for their respective troops, marauding Confederate soldiers arrive and kill Moe Moe. Pink and Say are later captured and become prisoners of the Confederate Army, in Andersonville. Although Say lived to tell this story of friendship and brotherhood, Pink was hanged within hours of arriving at the dreaded prison. Told in Say's colorful, country-fresh voice, the text incorporates authentic-sounding dialect and expressions - such as darky - that would have been used at the time. Polacco's characteristic acrylic, ink, and pencil illustrations are suitably dramatic and focus on the intense physical and emotional joy and pain of the story's three main characters. The remarkable story, made even more extraordinary in its basis in actual events, raises questions about courage, war, family, and slavery. A not-to-be-missed tour de force."

Fader, E., & Silvey, A. (1994). Pink and Say. Horn Book Magazine, 70(6), 724. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier database.

"Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco is a rarity -- a picture book that can invoke tears. The true story, passed on by Polacco's great-grandfather, tells of 15-year-old Civil War soldier Sheldon "Say" Curtis, who was shot and left to die. Pinkus Aylee, a young black soldier known as Pink, saves Say, who is white, but both are endangered by marauding Southerners. Pink and Say is strong stuff for 6-year-olds; two sympathetic characters die. For older kids, it is a powerful introduction to the horrors of war, without melodrama."

Silver, M. (1994). An off year for kid lit. U.S. News & World Report, 117(22), 95. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.


Using this book in the library
This book is a great addition to any unit or book group that is reading about war, history or Black History.


For more information
Visit Patricia Polacco's website about Pink and Say. There are printables and ecards available.

SLIS 5420 - Module 9 - Chasing Vermeer

Module 9 - Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliet

Bibliography
Balliet, Blue. Chasing Vermeer. Scholastic Paperbacks, 2005. ISBN: 978-043979927-0

Summary
When a Vermeer painting is stolen, Petra and Calder find themselves drawn to the mystery. They become friends and with the help of a Charles Fort book and various interesting characters, together track down the various clues leading to the painting's whereabouts.


What I Thought
This is a really fun book. There are a lot of clues and puzzles hidden and embedded within the story and illustrations. Synchronicity is very important in this book. Calder and Petra explore the world using clues that originally seemed unrelated and then turned out to have significant meaning. Calder's pentominoes are often part of this string of coincidences that help the two children solve the crime. When coincidence leads Petra to find a book about Charles Fort, they learn even more about the "connectedness" of events and objects. Fort believed and wrote about many strange, unexplained things. The spooky feel of the ideas of Charles Fort and all of the strange meanings Petra and Calder find in the world around them are a lot of fun. As humans, we all look for meaning and children reading this book will have a great time trying to decode what is a "real" clue and what is just "static."

Calder and his friend's cipher is also a neat puzzle. I am not good at codes, so it took me a while to decode their messages. Finding the clues in the pictures is also fun. This book has a lot of potential for children who enjoy puzzles, riddles and things of a spooky nature.

Another great thing about the book is the wonderful way it explores art and self-expression. Calder and Petra are free-spirits and people I would love to meet.


Outside Reviews

"Puzzles nest within puzzles in this ingeniously plotted and lightly delivered first novel that, revolving around the heist of a Vermeer painting, also touches on the nature of coincidence, truth, art and similarly meaty topics. Petra Andalee and Calder Pillay become friends in sixth grade at a school operated by the University of Chicago (Balliett taught at the University's Lab Schools), both of them independent thinkers excited by their maverick teacher, Ms. Hussey. For reasons unknown to her students, the teacher asks her class to ponder the importance of letters (the epistolary sort) and to mull over Picasso's ideas about art as "a lie that tells the truth." Readers have the edge on the characters, being privy to an enigmatic letter sent to three unidentified persons outlining a centuries-old "crime" against a painter's artistic legacy. These mysteries deepen exponentially when someone steals a Vermeer masterpiece and holds it hostage, demanding scholarly redress for misattributions within Vermeer's small oeuvre. The art mystery and the crisp intelligence of the prose immediately recall E.L. Konigsburg, but Balliett is an original: her protagonists also receive clues through dreams, pentominoes (math tools with alphabetic correspondences), secret codes (including some left to readers to decipher) and other deliberately non-rational devices. Helquist (the Lemony Snicket books) compounds the fun with drawings that incorporate the pentomino idea to supply visual clues as well. Thick with devilish red herrings, this smart, playful story never stops challenging (and exhilarating) the audience."

(2004). CHASING VERMEER (Book). Publishers Weekly, 251(24), 63. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier database.

"Art, intrigue, and plenty of twists and turns make this art mystery a great read. Petra Andalee and Calder Pillay set out to find the connection between their teacher (a freewheeling constructivist teacher), the eccentric woman in their neighborhood, the bookstore owner, and an international art thief. Balliett intersperses fascinating information about Johannes Vermeer and his paintings throughout the two friends' quest to solve the mystery--a mystery layered with pentominoes (a mathematical tool consisting of 12 pieces), puzzling clues, and suspicious strangers. Helquist's detailed black-and-white chapter illustrations hold hidden messages, clues related to the pentominoes, and more puzzles. Fans of E.L. Konigsburg's From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler or Ellen Raskin's The Westing Game will find equal pleasure in this debut by a talented writer."

(2004). CHASING VERMEER (Book). Kirkus Reviews, 72(10), 487. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier database.

Using this Book in the Library
Scavenger hunt! This book can be used as a jump-point for a scavenger hunt. Children can be encouraged to find clues hidden throughout the library relating to subjects from the book. Since there are more books about Petra and Calder, they can be part of the hunt, too.

For fun: 
Learn more about Charles Fort and visit the website of the Charles Fort Institute for the "study of strange experiences and anomalous phenomena."

SLIS 5420 - Module 8 - Beastly

Module 8 - Beastly by Alex Flinn

Bibliography
Flinn, Alex. Beastly. HarperCollins Children's Books, 2007. ISBN: 978-0-06-087416-2

Summary
In this fun retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story, the Beast is the narrator and we get to experience his inner transformation. This story follows the original legends fairly closely. There are some small twists and of course, the setting of modern day New York City changes things, too.

What I Thought
I enjoyed that the author chose to tell the story from the Beast's viewpoint. This gives the story a guy-friendly twist that a romantic fairy-tale wouldn't otherwise have. The author writes in a note at the end of the story that the fairy tale is very much a story "of two abandoned teens who find one another" (p. 303). This is a very satisfying way to understand the story: the Beauty of the story is abandoned by her father and the Beast is abandoned due to his appearance (which of course is the outside being made manifest to the world by the witch/fairy).

Reading this story, you definitely know what is going to happen. We know the fairy tale. We know how things turn out. However, you can't help rooting for the Beast in this story. Kyle (the Beast) is such a self-obsessed pretty-boy jerk at the beginning of the story. His inner transformation as he learns to love and care for others in this story is enjoyable to read. The author reveals his changes slowly, pulling away layers of his selfish protection bit by bit. His final triumph is just as satisfying in every other Beauty and the Beast story.

Outside Reviews

"Flinn is known for her gritty novels that openly address serious issues such as peer pressure and domestic abuse. This spin-off of "Beauty and the Beast" is no exception. Kyle Kingsbury is good looking, rich, a ladies man, and one of the most popular students at Tuttle High School. He's the type who everyone wants to be or be around. However, while he might be beautiful on the outside, he is selfish, arrogant, and cruel on the inside. Kendra, an unattractive and unpopular girl who Kyle never noticed before, refers to his behavior as "beastly." To get even with her for that remark, he publicly humiliates her at the school dance, sealing his fate. Later that night, Kendra reveals to Kyle that she is a witch, and that she is going to teach him the most important lesson of his life. The author explores important values through the depiction of Kyle and the people who are there for him (and those who are not) after his transformation. The story is well written and grips readers right from the beginning with an online chat session with Kyle/Beast and other fairy-tale characters. And, since it's told from the Beast's point of view, it will appeal to boys who otherwise might not pick it up. Beastly has romance, true love, tragic circumstances, magic, action adventure, and hope. It's a must-read for all fairy-tale fans, and has a knockout cover to boot."

Rosenblum, D. (2007). Beastly. School Library Journal, 53(11), 122. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier database.

"Flinn delivers a lighthearted and contemporary twist on Beauty and the Beast, and while there is nothing shocking nor any striking departure from the original, her retelling is eminently satisfying. Kyle Kingsbury is a gorgeous high school freshman, spoiled rotten by his famous anchorman father, a man who'd rather dole out cash than affection. Kyle attends the exclusive Tuttle School in New York City and torments those poor unfortunates who lack his looks and wealth. When he humiliates a girl at school, she transforms him into a horrific-looking creature. Kyle's only hope for breaking the spell lies in finding true love--as he reports online in meetings of the Unexpected Changes chat group (other members include Froggie and the mermaid Silent Maid). Flinn follows the fairy tale's original plot points closely, but falters in her depiction of the story's bad guys, over-the-top caricatures that simply ring false in her up-to-date setting. Kyle's father, for example, spends literally three minutes with him each day, the time it takes him to heat his dinner in the microwave. Even so, the happily-ever-after ending is rewarding, if not surprising."

(2007). Beastly. Publishers Weekly, 254(43), 58. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.

Using this Book in the Library
This book is makes a great addition to other fairy-tale inspired books. An excellent display of a mix of YA, juvie and adult books can be made with Beastly,  Jane Yolen's Briar Rose, the graphic novel series, Fables and Jack of Fables, Firebird by Mercedes Lackey, War for the Oaks by Emma Bull, Neil Gaiman's stories such as Anansi Boys, Stardust and the Sandman series, The Sisters Grimm books by Michael Buckley and Birdwing by Rafe Martin. There are even more wonderful myth and fairy-tale spin-offs out there, and of course there are many wonderful picture-book adaptations. Expanding the list to include classic Greek and Roman myths opens up even more books for this fun display. From my experiences recommending fairy-tale spin-offs, patrons who enjoy fairy tales will read any age-range book: they are looking for the fun of getting into the fairy-tale world.

For Fun:
A movie version of this book is coming out in March, 2011. Looks good! This is the official movie website and here's a trailer for the movie: