The Hard-Times Jar

Smothers, Ethel Footman. 2003. THE HARD-TIMES JAR. Ill. By John Holyfield. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 0374328528 [Suggested Grade Levels 1-3]

SUMMARY and ANALYSIS
Being the daughter of migrant workers isn’t easy. Emma and her family moves around a lot. And when they aren’t moving around they are always working hard picking crops to make enough money to survive. Emma knows that there is barely enough money to cover the basic needs of her family of five, much less to buy a store-bought book. But Emma still dreams of owning her own store bought book, and in the mean time she decides to make her own books from scraps of paper. Emma devises a plan to be able to afford a book, but quickly realizes with sadness that her plan will not work. Emma then feels hopeless as she wonders if she will ever be able to own her own store-bought book.

Beautifully created pictures that have the appearance of canvas paintings, along with wonderfully stylistic wording will be quick to draw anyone in to this fictional tale of a migrant family. Illustrations created by John Holyfield will really make the story come alive to readers of all ages. Amazing analogies compare scarcity of money to "hen’s teeth" and describe “string beans that hung like long green fingers.” This is a fantastic book that reminds it’s readers to appreciate the blessing of the simple things. Smothers has produced an eye-opening book into a way of life with which many many readers may not be familiar.

CONNECTIONS
This book would be a great discussion starter about what people know about migrant workers as a tool in a in a social studies unit about migrant workers. This could also be an exercise in creative writing. After reading this book the children could create their own books using paper bags for paper and other remnants and write about what life would be like as migrant worker.

Use this in an English lesson and do an exercise with children picking out and discussing all the analogies they can find such as “Scarcer than hen’s teeth,” “Rusty red pennies. Thin dimes. And … a fat quarter.” And “String beans hung like long green fingers.”

RELATED BOOKS
Other stories about using the imagination to change the surroundings:
Gray, Libba Moore. MY MAMA HAD A DANCING HEART. ISBN 0531071421
Rylant, Cynthia. THE OLD WOMAN WHO NAMED THINGS. ISBN 0152021027

Other books by Smothers that could be compared to this one:
AUNTEE EDNA. ISBN 0802851541

By Kristi Mays

Clever Lollipop

Smith-King, Dick. 2003. CLEVER LOLLIPOP. Ill. By Jill Barton. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press. ISBN 0763621749 [Suggested Grade Levels 3-5]

SUMMARY and ANALYSIS
Princess Penelope enjoys a series of adventures with her friend Johnny, their pet pig Lady Lollipop, and their teacher Collie Cob, the Conjuror. Adventures include fertilizing the queen’s garden, restoring the king’s appetite, and Penelope getting a surprise present from her pet pig, Lady Lollipop.

Penelope also goes through a transformation. At the beginning of the book, she is rude, selfish, and stubborn. She becomes a nicer person thanks to Collie Cob and Johnny. Occasionally, she has a rude moment, but Collie Cob knows how to handle her. For example, Penelope wants to try a potion that Collie Cob made for her father. When he says no, she shouts at him. He quietly tells not to shout at him like that. When the king is feeling better, she apologizes for her behavior. The pictures are pencil drawings with some shading that enhance the text. She does a good job of capturing the characters’ emotions. This delightful book will make children laugh.

CONNECTIONS
Kids can write their own stories about a bratty person that makes a transformation. This is a good way for them to work their creative muscles. Illustrations can be included.

RELATED BOOKS
Other books about clever pigs:
Brooks, Walter R. FREDDY AND THE SPACESHIP. ISBN 0142300896
Moller, Linda. THE GREAT PIG ESCAPE. ISBN 0862786673

Other books by Smith-King that could be compared to this one:
BABE: THE GALLANT PIG. ISBN 0517555565
LADY LOLLIPOP. ISBN 0763621811
PIGS MIGHT FLY. ISBN 014034537X

By Christine Cortez

The Happy Hocky Family Moves to the Country

Smith, Lane. 2003. THE HAPPY HOCKY FAMILY MOVES TO THE COUNTRY. Ill. by Lane Smith. New York: Penguin. ISBN 0670035947 [Suggested Grade Levels 1-5]

SUMMARY and ANALYSIS
Lane Smith has created a funny easy reader with wit and humor. The Hocky Family has decided to move to the country where they find things are not always simple. Squirrels invade the bird a feeder, poison ivy attacks the children, Henry’s prize tomato looses at the fair, and the house leaks when it rains. But, despite the set backs, the Hocky’s decide life in the country will be okay! At the end of the story, the Hockys give tribute to the Waltons by wishing each family member good night.

Lane Smith has brought the Hocky Family back to life. The brown paper background laden with red plaid gives the book its country appeal. The visual elements and the Dick and Jane writing style gives the book its retro appeal to adult readers. The illustrations are filled with multiple simplistic geometric shapes. The book is divided into sections, each telling a brief story about the Hocky family. These pictures are page-turners. A succession of one-page illustrations shows Henry’s astonishment at the county fair, but turn the page and see his disappointment. The art is accessible and interesting to children and adults. The text and the pictures work brilliantly together to clarify, enhance, and extend the story. Children will enjoy the Hocky Family for years to come.

CONNECTIONS
The short chapters of understatement would be great for a pair or trio of children to read and act out as skits.

The multitude of geometric shapes can be identified in a math lesson. Students can design their own pictures using only geometric shapes. Students cut out geometric shapes from a sheet of construction paper. Students are to create another shape with their cutouts. Encourage them to tie their shape awareness with what they see in their environment; for example, a child might make a boat using a trapezoid and 3 triangles. After students have glued the shapes on the construction paper, they can create a background with markers or crayons.

RELATED BOOKS
Other stories about families:
Clement, Rod. JUST ANOTHER ORDINARY DAY. ASIN 0060276673
Denim, Sue. MAKE WAY FOR DUMB BUNNIES. ISBN 0590582887
Smith, Lane. THE HAPPY HOCKY FAMILY. ISBN 0670852066

By Jill Howell

The Way a Door Closes

Smith, H. 2003. THE WAY A DOOR CLOSES. Ill. by Shane Evans. New York: Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 080506477X [Suggested Grade Levels 5-8]

SUMMARY and ANALYSIS
Anita Smith wrote a beautifully poetic verse novel. Through a sequential series of poems, Smith weaves an engaging tale of a young African American boy. The first poem begins by describing the family as “golden.” As the string of poems continue, the boy’s father loses his job and serious troubles begin. The father becomes deeply discouraged, so he leaves home. The boy struggles to be the man of the house after his father abandons them. The poems are deep and tell a rich story about overcoming adversity. The tale ends with hope. The boy triumphs as a member of the family, and the proud, lost father ultimately returns home.

The story of a boy’s sorrow after losing his father is not a new one. Yet, Ms. Smith portrays the subject in a fresh, new light. Her words create sharp visions in the reader’s mind. For example, the hero of the poems reports that he knew his father was not coming back after he left one fateful evening. He says, “I can tell a lot by the way a door closes.” Simple words continue to create sharp images throughout the text. As the boy enjoys a joyous winter snow, he says that his father was wrong. “There are good white things.” Anita Smith has an uncanny ability to use a few words to evoke powerful thoughts and emotions. The text and illustrations work well to tell the difficult story. Mr. Evans’ rich, painted illustrations effectively show the pain the family feels after the true man of the house leaves. The poetic verse novel will leave readers contemplating its rich contents long after the book is put down.

CONNECTIONS
Children can come up with their own poems illustrating personal conflicts they have endured. The children may or may not choose to share the poems with the group.

Children can select a poem from THE WAY A DOOR CLOSES to read for the class. Props such as posters and clothing may be used. However, it is important to emphasize the fact that the actual reading of the poem is the most important part of the activity.

RELATED BOOKS
Other texts that deal with youth succeeding despite difficult personal hardships.
Wolff, Virginia. MAKE LEMONADE. ISBN 0805022287
Wolff, Virginia. TRUE BELIEVER. ISBN 0689828276
Myers, Walter. THE DREAM BEARER. ISBN 0060295228

By Laura K. Davis

Ninjas, Piranhas, and Galileo

Smith, Greg Leitich. 2003. NINJAS, PIRANHAS, AND GALILEO. New York: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 0316778540 [Suggested Grade Levels 5-8]

SUMMARY and ANALYSIS
Elias Brandenburg is the go-between, juggling his feelings in Honoria and Honoria’s romantic interest in Shohei. Shohei’s Irish American adoptive parents feel he should embrace his Asian heritage. Honoria is bombarded with anonymous romantic e-mails that she thinks are from either Shohei or class counsel rival Goliath Reed, never suspecting her true paramour is Elias. The trio is also saddled with the burden of creating memorable science fair projects. Such distractions are par for the course while attending “That Which Is The Peshtigo School.” Honoria takes the science fair seriously (will piranhas eat bananas?), but her compatriots are less enthusiastic. Elias rummages through the family files and finds an experiment conducted by his older brother years earlier. In a poorly veiled attempt to continue his brother’s work with the effects of classical music on the growth of plants, Elias recruits Shohei, himself looking for the easiest experiment possible. As his work progresses, Elias discovers music may not be the key to healthy plants. However, he has no evidence to back up this theory because Shohei’s younger brother Tim, (proclaiming himself an Irish ninja), killed the plants. Shohei faked his results by studying video of the plants. Facing Galileo’s dilemma of “recant and apologize,” Elias must declare that his own experiment is wrong or receive a two-week suspension for changing the music playing for the plants.

Peshtigo is peopled with students from privileged families who emphasize academics, so the threesome’s accomplishments and intellects are not unique. Steering clear of dramatic teen angst and dysfunction, the story does not mire the kids in stereotypical problems such as drugs or teen pregnancy. The story revolves around the friendship they have and how the trio connects with the others. They are humorous, intelligent, authentic, with convincing and genuine emotions. These three are not prep school snobs as their attendance at Peshtigo might imply, rather they are friends facing these challenges with wit, hilarity, and warmth.

CONNECTIONS
Encourage readers to listen to some of the classical compositions mentioned, as well as explore the lives of classical composers. Starting with the information in the Author’s note, encourage readers to learn more about Galileo’s contributions and the challenges he faced.

RELATED BOOKS
Other stories about friendships:
Brashears, Ann. SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS. ISBN 0385729332
Koningsburg, E.L. THE VIEW FROM SATURDAY. ISBN 068980993X
Tolan, Stephanie S. SURVIVING THE APPLEWHITES. ISBN 0066236029

By Lea Ann Gilbert

The Tree of Life: A Book Depicting the Life of Charles Darwin, Naturalist, Geologist, and Thinker

Sis, Peter. 2003. THE TREE OF LIFE: A BOOK DEPICTING THE LIFE OF CHARLES DARWIN, NATURALIST, GEOLOGIST& THINKER. New York: Farrar, Straus Giroux. ISBN 0374456283 [Suggested Grade Levels 4 and up]

SUMMARY and ANALYSIS
Sis presents the life of the famous nineteenth-century naturalist using information gathered to create illustrations to accompany Darwin's writings. The book begins with a focus on Darwin’s early work as a naturalist (with detailed pages capturing his five year expedition on the H.M.S. Beagle). Much attention is also given to his personal life including his strife with his father, the deaths of many of his children, and his struggle to gain support for his theories.

In this captivating picture book biography, Sis breathes life into Darwin’s work by offering an insightful perspective on his life and times. Using Darwin’s extensive body of notes, letters, journals, and diary entries, Sis masterfully narrates the scientist’s work through illustrations and text. Told chronologically, the main body of the text falls below the framed illustrations. Using this format, the account of Darwin’s life is divided into three parts: public life, private life, and secret life. Font size is manipulated so that his most private experiences appear somewhat faint on the page. This is achieved through the use of a small scaled text, which allows the reader to experience the sensation of sharing Darwin’s secrets. With no detail is overlooked, the true beauty of the book is Sis’s art—he gives great attention to every visual element. Stunning images fill every page which incorporates a palette of muted tones of blue, tan, and green. Portraits, maps, graphs, and vivid end sheets all work together with text to create a striking picture book biography that offers readers an opportunity to discover Darwin and his contributions to the natural sciences as well as an introduction to his theories.

CONNECTIONS
Readers beginning a study of the natural sciences could use Sis’s book as an introduction to Darwin and his theories. After reading, they could create their own timeline of the major events in Darwin’s life, ranking them by importance.

RELATED BOOKS
Other resources about the Charles Darwin:
Nardo, Don. CHARLES DARWIN. ISBN 0737700815
Sproule, Anna. CHARLES DARWIN: VISIONARY BEHIND THE THEORY OF EVOLUTION. ISBN 1567116558

Other works by Sis:
FOLLOW THE DREAM. ISBN 0679906282
STARRY MESSENGER: A BOOK DEPICTING THE LIFE OF A FAMOUS SCIENTIST, MATHEMATICIAN, ASTRONOMER, PHILOSPHER, PHYSICIST, GALILEO GALILEI. ISBN 0374371911
TIBET: THROUGH THE RED BOX. ISBN 0374375526

By Rose Brock