Traditional Literature: Rumpelstiltskin

Rumpelstilskin
By Paul O. Zelinsky

Zelinsky, Paul O. Rumpelstiltskin. New York, NY: Puffin Books, 1997. 9780613005036

Plot Summary

One day, the poor miller tells the king of his beautiful daughter who can spin straw into gold. The king, who loved gold, calls for her immediately and tells her that if she cannot spin the straw into gold, she will be put to death. The miller's daughter begins to cry, but suddenly a little man appears before her and says "What will you give me if I spin it for you?" The miller's daughter gives the strange man her necklace. The king, impressed with the miller's daughter, takes her to a bigger room that is filled with more straw and demands that she spin all of the new straw into more gold. Again the strange little man appears and asks "What will you give me if I spin this straw into gold for you?". This time the miller's daughter gives him her ring. The king, satisfied once more with her talent, takes her into an even larger room filled with straw and demands that she spin the straw into gold. If she succeeds, she will become his wife. Once more the little man appears and asks "What will you give me if I spin for you yet once more?" but this time the miller's daughter has nothing left to give. The strange little man tells her that he will spin the straw into gold if she promises to gift him her firstborn child once she is the queen. The miller's daughter accepts, the straw is spun, and she becomes the queen. After a year, she gives birth to a baby boy and the strange man appears, demanding her son. She pleads with him to spare her, so he makes a deal. If she can guess his name in three days, she will keep her child. For two nights, the queen guesses every name that she can think of, but none of the names are correct. On the third day, the queen's maid goes out to search for the strange man and finds him in the woods singing "O lucky me! For no one knows that Rumpelstiltskin is my name!" She rans back to the queen, and when the strange little man arrives that night, the queen guesses his name and gets to keep her child.

Analysis

Paul O. Zelinsky has brought the story of Rumpelstiltskin to live in a beautifully rendered way. His illustrations, which resemble a Renaissance style, are full of detail and expressive. He has taken the time to illustrate the landscapes such as the sea, the mountains, and the houses behind the castle, as well as smaller details such as Rumpelstiltskin's door to his house in the tree, a pitcher beside the fire that he dances around, and the individual spools of gold thread.

He includes a note on the text briefly explaining the history behind the story of Rumpelstiltskin as well as some minor tweaks and changes that he made. This story contains more words, some of which might be challenging for young readers, but his illustrations help bring the story to life in their own way, like in the face of the miller's daughter as she interacts with Rumpelstiltskin. The story follows a pattern, where the king demands more gold, Rumpelstiltskin offers more help, and then demands higher valued gifts in return.

A reviewer from Publisher's Weekly claims that "One of the most exquisite picture books of the season, Zelinsky's Rumplestiltskin will have strong appeal for children and for adult picture-book collectors alike ... Zelinsky has retold the narrative himself; he has captured the magic and frightening wonder of the tale while incorporating elements from a number of 19th century Grimm versions. The spare story flows beautifully, and the illustrations are extraordinary."

“Children's Book Review: Rumpelstiltskin: From the German of the Brothers Grimm by Paul Zelinsky, 1987. https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780525442653. 

Awards

Caldecott Honor - 1987

Redbook Award, Society of Illustrators and AIGA Certificates of Merit, Bratislava Biennale Selection, ALA Notable Book, SLJ Best Book, Parents' Choice Award, Book-of-the-Month Club selection, and White Raven Book selection of the International Youth Library.

Connections

On Paul O. Zelinsky's website, there is a link that includes some teacher's guides for this book, which would be helpful in planning a story time that involves reading this story aloud. It would also be fun to include props such as golden thread that can be passed around for children to examine.

Other books written or illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky that would interest readers:

Isaacs, Anne: Swamp Angel. 9780140559088

Zelinsky, Paul O.: Rapunzel. 9780525456070

Lesser, Rika: Hansel and Gretel. 9780525461524

Traditional Literature: Three Little Cajun Pigs

Three Little Cajun Pigs
By Mike Artell and Illustrated by Jim Harris

Artell, Mike, and Jim Harris. Three Little Cajun Pigs. New York City, NY: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2006. 9780803728158
 
Plot Summary

Three little Cajun pigs, named Trosclair, Thibodeaux, and Ulysse left their Mama's house to find their own places to stay. Trosclair built his house out of straw. Thibodeaux built his house out of sticks. Ulysse knew better than that, so he built his house out of bricks. While the pigs built their houses, Ol' Claude the gator watched from the bayou. He jumped out to chase the pigs and catch them for his couchon de lait. The pigs ran to their houses as one by one Ol' Claude hissed and puffed and made his face frown as he turned himself around and WHACK! sent them flying. Ol' Claude could not knock down Ulysse's house though, because it was made from bricks. He thought of a plan to slide down the chimney, but soon he realized his behind was hot! The pigs had cooked up a roux in their pot and Ol' Claude ran back home to sit on an ice pack. Trosclair and Thibodeaux rebuilt their houses with bricks in case O'l Claude decided to come back.

Analysis

Mike Artell and Jim Harris bring the story of the Three Little Pigs to life in a brand new and fun way. Artell has rewritten the story with a delightful Cajun twist that takes some getting used to when trying to read the story aloud, but has also included a glossary to with pronunciation. This retelling does a great job of providing an introduction to the Cajun culture in a way that will be easier for children to understand, because they are familiar with the story already. The words of the story are so distinctly Cajun and possibly foreign to young readers who are not familiarly with this, so it is helpful that Artell follows the same formula from the original tale of the Three Little Pigs; even with words such as couchon de lait, derriere, and roux, they can still understand what is happening to the pigs and Ol' Claude as he chases them from house to house. 

Jim Harris' illustrations are created with watercolor and pencil on a Strathmore rag bristol, which creates detailed, but still soft images. The illustrations aid in the storytelling by helping readers to follow along when they might struggle with the words. Harris includes a great amount of detail in the decorations of the pigs' houses and even includes a small mouse on every page that readers can hunt for as the story progresses. The faces of the pigs and Ol' Claude are expressive and convey the emotions of each character.

One reviewer from Kirkus Reviews said "This retelling of the traditional story is Cajun both in language and lesson. Emphasizing devotion to family and extending others the benefit of the doubt, it also conveys the very Cajun notion that there are few situations that cannot be improved with a big pot of gumbo among friends."

“Three Little Cajun Pigs.” 2006. Kirkus Reviews 74 (17): 899. https://search-ebscohost-com.ezp.twu.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=brd&AN=22267503&site=ehost-live.

Awards

Mike Artell's book "Petite Rouge - A Cajun Red Riding Hood" was named the 2009 Read Aloud Book of the Year by the National Association of Elementary School Principals.

Connections

This book would be great for learning about the Cajun culture and language, and reading it aloud with children would encourage them to try pronouncing the words as well. For story time, props could be included like pig and gator plush toys or plastic models of the pigs houses. This story would also be fun in a theatrical story time setting where children could act out the story while the reader read the words.

For other stories that are about Cajun culture:

Fleming, Candace: Gator Gumbo: a spicy-hot tale. 9780374380502

Carville, James: Lu and the Swamp Ghost. 9780689865602

Dunham, Terri: The Legend of Papa Noel: A Cajun Christmas Story. 9781585362561

Traditional Literature: Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock

 

Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock
Retold by Eric Kimmel and Illustrated by Janet Stevens

Kimmel, Eric A., and Janet Stevens. Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock. New York City, NY: Holiday House, 1988. 9780823406890

Plot Summary

Anansi the Spider was walking, walking, walking through the forest one day when he noticed a strange moss-covered rock. Each time that he says "Isn't this a strange moss-covered rock." he falls down senseless and wakes an hour later with his head spinning. When he realizes what is happening, he decides to play a trick on the other animals in the forest. He tricks Lion, Elephant, Rhinoceros, Hippopotamus, Giraffe, and Zebra, stealing all of their food. Little Bush Deer watches Anansi trick all of the animals in the forest, and so he hatches a plan to trick Anansi and steal back all of the animals' food. His plan works, but Anansi never learns his lesson, and continues to play tricks.

Analysis

Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock is a trickster folktale of West African origin. Eric Kimmel retells the story in a way that allows readers to take a guess at predicting how the story will go next. He repeats certain lines such as "KPOW! Down fell __" and follows a pattern when detailing how Anansi asks each animal if they would like to go for a walk. When he does this, it allows him to skip ahead to the section of the story when Little Bush Deer tricks Anansi. He avoids having to repeat himself with Rhinoceros, Hippopotamus, Giraffe, and Zebra, because readers can fill in those gaps for themselves, based on the context clues of how Anansi tricked Lion and Elephant.

Janet Stevens provides very colorful and detailed illustrations that highlight each of the animals expressions whether happy, sad, or mischievous. When Anansi is visiting each of the animals, Little Bush Deer can be seen in the background, hiding among the bushes and watching Anansi perform his tricks. When performing this story during a story time, it might be a fun activity to see if the children can spot Little Bush Deer as the story goes on.

Betsy Hearne, writing for the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books in 1988, wrote "[This book] combines Stevens' knack for drawing funny animals with Kimmel's sense of rhythmic storytelling. . . . Stevens has cleverly avoided cartooning the spider's face and opted instead for emphasizing his very expressive set of eight black legs. The stylized exaggeration of words and pictures is just wry enough to avoid cuteness and maintain the mischief of a true trickster tale."

Hearne, Betsy. 1988. “Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock (Book Review) (Undetermined).” Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books 42 (October): 42. https://search-ebscohost-com.ezp.twu.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=brd&AN=511824303&site=ehost-live.

Awards

While this book has not received any awards, Eric Kimmel and Janet Stevens are both a decorated author and illustrator who have won awards such as the National Jewish Book Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature, the National Jewish Book Award for Best Illustrated Children's Books, the Caldecott Medal, Time Magazine's Ten Best Children's Books, many state book awards, and the Texas Bluebonnet Award respectively.

Connections

This story would be excellent for a reader's theater event where readers would be encouraged to act out the story as it progressed. Children could KPOW, lie down on the ground with each animal or walk, walk, walk around the reading area with Anansi and the animal sin the forest. Props like plastic fruit would also be a fun addition. 

Other books that involve a silly trickster:

McDermott, Gerald: Jabutí the Tortoise: A Trickster Tale from the Amazon. 9780152053741

Shepard, Aaron: The Adventures of Mouse Deer: Favorite Tales of Southeast Asia. 9781620355251

Galdone, Paul: The Monkey and the Crocodile: A Jataka Tale from India. 9780899195247

Picture Books: The Snowy Day

The Snowy Day

By Ezra Jack Keats

Keats, Ezra Jack. The Snowy Day. New York, NY: Puffin Books, 1976. ISBN 9780613925013

Plot Summary

One winter morning, Peter wakes up to find that snow has covered the city as far as he can see. He dons his snowsuit and rushes outside to explore. His feet make a crunching sound as he walks, dragging a stick through the snow. He watches the older boys have a snowball fight, builds a snowman and snow angels, and climbs a huge mountain of snow before sliding down again. As he walks home, he grabs a handful of snow to put in his pocket so that he can play with it tomorrow. At home, he tells his mother about all of his adventures as he gets ready for bed. Before he goes to sleep, he checks his pocket to find his snowball is missing! He dreams that the sun melts all of the snow away, but when he wakes he finds that the snow is still there and continues to fall. He goes across the hall to get his friend and they go out exploring together.

Analysis

Ezra Jack Keats, who wrote and illustrated this book, blends the story with the illustrations by formatting the text to match what is happening in the story. For example, when Peter drags his feet slowly through the snow, Keats draws out the word "slowly". When Peter is seen dragging something else through the snow, readers do not find out what this is until they turn the page and see that it is a stick that he found. Keats uses a stark contrast between the colors of the city and the snow that Peter sees. Peter's snowsuit is a bright red, making it easy for readers to follow his adventures. Peter and the city are drawn using sharp lines while the snow is full of curves and dips. With a book about snow, readers might expect to feel cold when reading, but that is not the case with this story. Keats has created a story that is warm and comforting, and reminds older readers of when they were children playing in the snow. Younger readers who may not have had the opportunity to do so are presented with illustrations that demonstrate the experience. This book was the first children's picture book with an African American protagonist to win a major book award, and it continues to be a timeless classic full of nostalgic wonder.

Awards

Caldecott Medal - 1963

New York Public Library - Books of the Century

Connections

There are seven total books that follow Peter as he grows older. These books show how Peter deals with having pets, a new baby sister, inviting a girl named Amy to his birthday party, and adventures with his friends.

 

Picture Books: Hello Lighthouse

 

Hello Lighthouse

By Sophie blackall

Blackall, Sophie. Hello Lighthouse. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company, 2018. 9780316362382

Plot Summary

The last light keeper has arrived at the lighthouse and begins his duties as a light keeper. He knows that his job is very important so he diligently polishes the lens, refills the oil, trims the wick, and writes in his logbook. Soon after, his wife arrives at the lighthouse and they settle into their news lives. The sea changes with each passing day and with these changes come changes to the their lives as well. They rescue shipwrecked sailors, endure a sickness, deliver their child, and await news of the mainland. After many years, the keeper and his family receive a letter that says it is time to go leave the lighthouse and so they say goodbye.

Analysis

Sophie Blackall is the author and illustrator, and weaves a tale around her drawings in a way that draws readers in, encouraging them to catch every little detail that they can find. Blackall has illustrated this book to make readers feel as if they are inside the lighthouse with the keeper and his family. The words float around the page and reflect the environment of the story, ebbing and flowing with the changes in the sea. 

The illustrations were created using Chinese ink and watercolors. This technique makes the book feel warm and inviting, with its soft and muted, but still distinct colors. The lighthouse never changes, though the environment around it does, which alludes to the fact that the lighthouse will last forever even if the family must leave in the end. Occasionally, Blackall adds portraits of the characters in a situation that overlap the main illustration on the page. This emphasizes these parts of the story without taking away any impact from the illustrations.

Awards

Starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal

Publishers Weekly - a best book of 2018

Caldecott Medal 2019

Connections

Sophie Blackall is also known for her book Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear, which was also a Caldecott Medal winner in 2016.

Picture Books: The Duckling Gets a Cookie!?

 

The Duckling Gets a Cookie!?
By Mo Willems

Willems, Mo. The Duckling Gets a Cookie!? New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children, 2014. 9781423151289

Plot Summary
The Duckling asks for a cookie and gets one, with NUTS! The Pigeon is NOT happy about that. The Pigeon throw a fit and wonders why it never got any of the things it asked for. While the Pigeon is busy listing all of the things it has asked for and never gotten, the Duckling waits patiently to tell the Pigeon that they asked for the cookie so that they could give it to the Pigeon! The Pigeon is very grateful and the Duckling quietly asks for another cookie for itself, this time without nuts. 

Analysis
This delightful book was written and illustrated by Mo Willems and is great for reading aloud with children of all ages, from 0 to 99. The Pigeon's expressions show the range of emotions that it is feeling as it describes the things that it has asked for but never received. The expressions are helpful for adults who are reading aloud to children because they show the tone that the adults should personify.
With thick black lines and simple shapes, Mo Willems has created characters that are easy for all children to try drawing for themselves. By drawing the characters for themselves, children can imagine them in their own situations.

Awards
2013 CCBC Choice (Cooperative Children's Book Center)
2014 Irma Black Award - honor

Connections
Mo Willems is a well accredited author and has many books including his highly rated Elephant and Piggy series. There are currently ten total books in the Pigeon series, twenty-five books in the Elephant and Piggy series, and many other individual titles.