The over-achieving parent: It could be you!

I had a scary experience recently at a park in the inner-west of Sydney while I was out with one of my daughters, her husband and two of their children. This was a time for all of us to play and have fun together. To climb on everything that could be climbed, dig sand with the mechanical shovel, pretend we were warriors defending our stone fort, trying desperately to keep the marauding hordes at bay (my grandson Sam and I were the warriors, and the hordes were, well... the local pigeons!). It was also a time to see how fast we could go down the slippery dip (that is, the kids plus my son-in-law), and for my grandson and me to ramble along the shore nearby to collect some sticks (vital to create arrows, never destined to be fired), look at emerging mangroves, discuss the wind turbine, talk about the difference between light rail and heavy rail trains, read a sign that spoke of re-vegetation near the water's edge and discuss how mangrove trees grow in water. We also discussed how people were being kept off the site, talked about the working harbour across the bay, peered at distant buildings and Sydney's great bridges and so on. There was even time for an ice cream. All the while we were there we were talking, telling each other stories, occasionally bursting into rhyme, song and laughter. It was a wonderfully enjoyable and rich time of learning.

And then something scary happened. My daughter and I noticed a woman talking VERY loudly on her mobile phone. She was there with her 7-8 year-old son who had just finished a game of Australian Rules football on an adjoining oval. It was one of those conversations that was difficult not to hear, or not to listen to, as painful as it was. I kept wondering (as did my daughter), is this lady serious? We eventually left the sandpit just near where she was sitting, led by the children to the next fun 'station'! But each time we came back near the sandpit, she seemed to be still talking loudly to the same person about the same content, and her son was still playing by himself. I'd estimate that her phone conversation lasted for over 30 minutes, most of the time they were at the park.  The following is the mum's side of the conversation. It reflects the rough record of the encounter hastily written down later on my iPhone. The conversation of course is not continuous, but it would seem that it was rather repetitive and cyclical, so it seems almost linear:

"I'm worried about his school work."
"He's under-performing, because he's deliberately not putting in the effort because he's scared he's going to lose."
"He got 73% in maths, but that was the bottom 20 in year so he got a pass..."
"It's hard for me because I'm not in classroom. I can't control what goes on there."
"He needs a goal..like, you know, what do you want to achieve with each task. So in spelling it would be every word correct, all sentence structure complete..."
"They need to tell him, now look at your portfolio and set a goal. Don't necessarily aim for 5 [i.e. I assume the reporting uses a 5 point assessment scale]. But 2x 4's and the rest 3's...."
"That will be enough to say he's succeeded this semester."
"Then we make them harder goals next semester."
"Just like in his AFL, we need to measure success. He may not win the game, but set goals, this game.. I may lose 8-20, next game 8-16."
"I'm not going to let you bench yourself because you can't 'win'."
"He needs mental toughness."

Now, I have to say that I wasn't using listening equipment, nor was my daughter. This was an animated conversation you could hear across the park. I need also to stress, that this mother no doubt loves her son and wants to do the best things she can for him. But I found this a scary conversation because I suspect that what she is doing is not in his best interests at all. Why? Let me give you just five reasons.

First, here is a parent for whom the judgement of the worth of her son's life seems to be shaped in a major way by the need for him to be successful as assessed on a limited range of academic attainment measures at school.

Second, here is parent who cannot accept that her son might not outperform the majority of his age cohort.

Third, here is a mother who wants to control her child's life so much that she almost cannot cope because she can't be in the classroom directing it.

Fourth, here is a mother who is failing to grasp that her son has worth that cannot be measured in the way she and the school is trying to do it.

Fifth, here is a mother that has missed the chance to have a variety of rich experiences with her son that she would struggle to have in many other ways.

What had both the boy and the mother missed out on? The boy missed an opportunity to learn in a manner that isn't common in most schools. The mum missed the chance to interact with her son informally at a much deeper level and to enrich his knowledge and learning at the same time. Both missed the opportunity to strengthen their relationship, listen to each other and grow in their understanding of one another. This was a significant missed opportunity.

My encouragement to readers of this blog is that if you find yourself drifting in the same direction as this mother, take a 'chill pill', to quote some of the residents of my college. Then reassess your own expectations and ask yourself, "what is driving my expectations, and what might be the consequences if left unchecked?"

'A Monster Calls' wins Carnegie & Kate Greenaway Medals - A Review

In Great Britain there are two major awards for children's books - the Carnegie Medal and the Kate Greenaway Medal (here). The Carnegie Medal is awarded to an outstanding book for children and young adult readers. The Kate Greenaway Medal is awarded for excellence in illustration. The Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) runs both awards. The winners of both 2012 medals have been announced.

In an historic announcement on June 14th both medals were awarded for one book, the first time in 75 years. Both medals have been awarded for a brilliant graphic novel 'A Monster Calls' (Walker Books) by Patrick Ness (illustrated by Jim Kay). Also worthy of note is that the young American born author also won the Carnegie medal last year for his novel 'Monsters of Men', the final book in his 'ChaosWalking' trilogy. This is only the second time this feat has been achieved.

The book, its story & my review

This is an extraordinary book, on multiple levels. The book had its genesis in the final story idea of Siobhan Dowd who died in 2007 from cancer before she could act on the idea herself. Dowd was also a Carnegie Medal winner in 2009 for 'Bog Child' (awarded posthumously). Patrick Ness was approached by Walker Books and asked to take Dowd's idea, develop and complete it. Dowd had the premise for the book, the characters and the beginning. Ness never got to meet her, but agreed with a great sense of responsibility to write the story. He set out, in his words, not 'mimicking her voice' but rather taking the 'baton' and running with it.  Jim Kay the illustrator was enthusiastic from the moment he read some of the manuscript and was asked to do some illustrations for one chapter. The author and illustrator didn't meet before the book was completed, but both seem to have approached the task as an unusual collaborative partnership, between three people, two living and one deceased. 

'A Monster Calls' is the story of 13 year-old Conor whose mother has cancer. His parents are divorced and his father is now in another country, with a new family. His mother is undergoing chemotherapy and while there seems little hope, Conor appears to be trying to escape the scary knowledge that his mother is dying. He has a recurring dream each night at 12.07pm in which someone is slipping out of his grasp into a deep chasm. And in the midst of this dreaming he is visited by a monster. The book opens with the line: 'The monster showed up just after midnight. As they do.'

Each night the monster emerges by the transformation of a Yew tree outside Conor's window; a tree that has had special significance for Conor and his mother. As large and hideous as the monster is, Conor doesn't seem to be afraid of this creature that is full of threats. The monster warns him, You really aren't afraid, are you? "No." Conor said. "Not of you, anyway." The monster narrowed its eyes. You will be, it said. Before the end.

Conor tries to deal with the reality of what is happening to his mother, his life at school is complicated by three bullies who torment him, and a girl named Lilly, who has been a lifelong friend. But Conor feels Lilly has 'betrayed' him by sharing with others that his mother is dying. His somewhat detached grandmother comes to care for him, grieving in her own way, while trying as best she can, to support Conor and his Mum. Into this already complex emotional cauldron, his father arrives from America. And Conor continues to avoid that which is unthinkable.

As Conor struggles each day in all areas of his life, there is one certainty, the monster will return. He calls again and taunts, I am this wild earth, come for you, Conor O'Malley. "You look like a tree," Conor said. The monster lifted him and squeezed him and as he released him he said, Here is what will happen, Conor O'Malley, the monster continued, I will come to you again on further nights...And I will tell you three stories. Three tales from when I walked before...And when I have finished my three stories...you will tell me a fourth...and it will be the truth. The monster taunts him to reveal the truth he hides, the thing he is most afraid of.

The book that has resulted is a triumph for Ness and Kay. Please don't underestimate just what Kay has contributed to this work. This is no mere illustrative adornment of fine words. No, this is a veritable symphony of image and word, rich in metaphor and poetic intent. The words and images dance around one another in unison, drawing the reader into this remarkable story. It is moving and memorable. I read the book at a single sitting (something that I'd recommend with this book), in tears at several points, with tension and varied emotions rising within me. And when the book was finished, I sat quietly, holding the book against my nose as I contemplated the journey that author and illustrator had just opened up to me. This story of grief, and a boy who faces his deepest fears, is told in a way that opens the pain of loss to you as the reader, touches your own aches and fears, before bringing you back to the hope that life and the future can always bring. Wonderful! A modern classic if ever there was one.

The award ceremony

In awarding the Carnegie Medal the judging panel commented:

'A Monster Calls" is an exquisite piece of writing. It is a beautifully economical, structurally brilliant and lyrically descriptive account of a challenging episode in one child's life. One of our judges - bereaved at a young age - said she wished that she'd had "A Monster Calls" to read then, because while it describes the nature of grief with an extraordinary clarity it also fills the reader with a spirit of hopefulness and a love for life that is profound and lasting. We'd go so far as to say that this is one of the defining books of its generation'.

In accepting the Carnegie, Patrick Ness commented:

'It's extremely humbling - and a little unnerving - to win the CILIP Carnegie Medal two years in a row. I also can't tell you how happy I am that not only has the extraordinary work of Jim Kay been recognised with the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal (truly couldn't happen to a nicer guy), but that this will all help keep people reading and talking about the wonderful, wonderful Siobhan Dowd, which was the best outcome I wanted when I set out to write the book'.

In awarding the Kate Greenaway medal to Jim Kay, the Kate Greenaway judging panel commented:

Jim Kay's illustrations for 'A Monster Calls' are absolutely stunning, and so much part of the experience of reading this extraordinary book. Using only shades of black, white, and grey, Kay conjures immense symbolism, atmosphere and emotion to beautifully complement Patrick Ness' haunting text; and the quality of the whole production makes this a very special book to hold and devour. Quite simply, one of the defining books of its generation.

Jim Kay responded:

I'm chuffed to bits! I've followed the Kate Greenaway for over 20 years, and so it felt a little unreal to be on the shortlist. I still can't quite get my head around winning, it's strange even seeing the book in shops and libraries. And to read the responses of the young shadowers has been amazing. I can't thank CILIP enough!

Age Range: Suitable for readers 12+

Price in Australia: $16.95 RRP

The Dragonkeeper Series - A Review

Carole Wilkinson is a fine Australian children's author who in her own words "...got a late start, but I’ve been trying to make up for lost time." She has now written 30 plus books, some short stories, a telemovie and some TV and planetarium scripts. Before she commenced writing at age 40 she had worked as a laboratory assistant and also a film and television writer and editor. Her books have been set in China, Egypt, and the Middle East. Her Dragonkeeper series of four books is set in ancient China and has been wonderfully received by children and critics alike. With the fourth book in the series - 'Blood Brothers' - just out, I thought it was time to review this widely acclaimed series. The series started out as a trilogy but has now had a fourth book added.  All four books are published by 'Black Dog Books' an imprint of Walker Books. The first three books are set in China in the 1st century BC, while the fourth is set in 325 AD. The books are recommended for readers aged 8+ but I would see them as ideal for children aged 9-14. If children 8-9 are less familiar with fantasy they might find some of the events depicted in the stories confronting. Mind you, 'Harry Potter' has pushed many young readers to new sensitivity 'levels' with fiction.

'Dragonkeeper' - Book 1 (2003)

The first book in the series introduces us to the main characters for the first three books. We meet a slave girl named Ping who has the job of tending to captive dragons, held secretly in a palace of the emperor in a remote region of China. We meet Long Danzi a dragon who has just become the sole survivor of what was once a collection of two dozen captives. And finally, we meet Ping's only 'friend' and companion, Hua, a pet rat who goes everywhere with her.

Ping's perception of dragon's changes with the discovery that the withdrawn and frightened dragon deep in a stone pit has a coloured 'stone' which it protects fiercely, and some strange behaviours. Through the circumstances of the death of the 2nd last dragon and the unexpected arrival of the emperor, Ping escapes with the dragon from her brutal master. A ruthless dragon hunter pursues them and the girl discovers many secrets about dragons and begins an epic journey across China. Ping carries with them a mysterious stone at the urging of Long Danzi. A stone that must be protected. This is the story of a young ten year-old girl who has been seen as worthless, unnamed and discarded, but who finds within her new strength, courage and abilities beyond her imagination. This is will be necessary to make the perilous journey and eventually, the responsibility of the 'stone' just as it breaks and Long Danzi and Hua leave her for the Isles of the Blessed.

This is a book that drags you along as a reader at a cracking pace. Within just a few pages you are hooked and reluctant to put the book down. It is a piece of wonderful historical fiction and fantasy that will appeal to children aged 9+. 

The book has won and been shortlisted for too many awards to mention in full, but these include:

Winner of the 2003 Aurelias Award
Winner of the 2004 Queensland Premier's Literary Awards
Winner of the 2006 KOALA awards

'Garden of the Purple Dragon' (2005)

In book two of the series we find Ping hiding in the shadow of the Tai Shan mountains with her precious responsibility, Kai the baby dragon. The young dragon tests her patience with its playful ways and attention seeking. How can she hope to care for a creature that will live many generations beyond her and whose wings may not fully even develop in her lifetime? She struggles to care for Kai, but gains skills quickly. Skills that are born of necessity. However, she knows that eventually she must find another keeper who will take over the task after she is too old. But eventually her old tormentor, now the Emperor's chief minister, finds her and must be confronted. However, Long Danzi has not forgotten her and sends back Hua to help her and the young Kai.

Once again Carole Wilkinson won a bucket full of awards and nominations for this book, including:

Winner of the 2006 WAYRBA Award
Winner of the 2009 KOALA Awards
Winner of the 2009 KROC Awards

'Dragon Moon' (2007)

In the third book in the series Ping and Kai continue to evade the enemies who search for the elusive dragon and its keeper. They have travelled far, but much more is to be done as Ping discovers that Long Danzi's intention all along has been to see Kai returned to live with free dragons. But danger is everywhere and deceptions of many kinds, as they set out to find the home of the remaining free dragons. Their guide is a set of complex instructions from Long Danzi that take the form of a riddle. This is the only hope that they have. But will they unravel the Chinese language puzzle? Ping knows that she must continue in her final great quest to find Kai a safe home. This is eventually accomplished and Kai is safely in the dragon haven hidden away from others and with a new responsibility. Ping makes a sad departure and begins a new life with a new companion, a boy named Jun, "the only friend who had ever come back to her".

The third book in the series has also received many awards. Principal amongst these was winning 
2008 Book of the Year in the Younger Readers Category from the Children’s Book Council of Australia. As well, the book was 2008 Winner, of the KROC (Kids Reading Oz Choice) Award (Fiction for Years 7-9).


'Blood Brothers' (2012)

The Author's Afterword in the fourth book of the Dragonkeeper series explains that there was never meant to be a fourth book; it truly was meant to be a trilogy! But Carole Wilkinson has revisited the dragon Kai, four centuries later. He is still young in dragon terms, for dragons can live for up to 3,000 years. This would place the story in the 4th century AD, a Chinese form of the Dark Ages, when there was no dynasty. It was the period of Chinese history known as the Sixteen Kingdoms, a time for which little is known allowing even more historical gaps to be filled by the author.  We enter the story in 325AD. The powerful Han Dynasty is a distant memory and tribes of barbarian soldiers fight over what was once the Empire. These are dangerous times, but Kai who is now 465 years old (a mere teenager in dragon years) is bored and leaves the safe dragon haven. He begins a search for the predestined person who is to be the next dragonkeeper. He finds his way to a Buddhist novice named Tao who is quite certain he is not the one; he has no interest in caring for a difficult dragon. But, Kai is drawn to Tao and the young man must learn to listen to the voice within him and journey with Kai. Their relationship is slow to begin but eventually they bond and a new phase in Kai's long life begins. You can download a sample chapter below.

Download a chapter sample from Blood Brothers

The Dragonkeeper series is brilliant. I'm sure that it will captivate many generations of young readers. The stories will appeal to boys and girls alike and will engage them from the start. One suspects that now Carole Wilkinson has made the decision to turn a trilogy into at least four books, that there might be more as the possible future storylines would seem almost endless.

Readers' Theatre: Ideas for Improving Comprehension, Fluency & Expression

What is Readers' Theatre?

Photo courtesy 'Ultimatetomball.com'

Readers' Theatre is a simple method that presents literature in a simple dramatic form.  Essentially, it involves oral dramatic reading in groups. You need nothing more than some scripts and a few basic hints about the implementation of the strategy. Teachers can adapt the scripts from published stories or can obtain many scripts in book form, as reusable masters or simply by downloading hundreds that are free online (more on this below). The strategy was first developed for older high school and college students, but is now used even with the youngest of readers. The strategy was big in the 1970s but then lost favour. I'm glad to say that many teachers have rediscovered just how effective and enjoyable it can be.

This simple strategy encourages repeated reading without the monotony and boredom. We have known for some time that repeated reading improves fluency and comprehension. The work of LaBerge & Samuels (1974) on automaticity in reading was one of the earliest studies to present evidence for its effectiveness, but in recent times Young & Rasinski, (2009) and Vasinda & McLeod (2011) have reminded us of the benefits in helpful papers. Many teachers have found that the research is backed up with results in their classrooms. As a strategy it can be used regularly on a weekly basis (e.g. one day per week) or it can be used intensively for a block of 8-10 weeks. Teachers' experiences reflect the research findings that suggest that just 10 weeks of Readers' Theatre can lead to significant gains in reading fluency and comprehension.

Key Elements of the Strategy
 

#1 - Readers' Theatre does not require and props or costumes, although sometimes children will enjoy having one item to identify their part, such as a hat or simple object or piece of clothing.

#2 - Children can sit in a circle facing one another, sit on stools facing an audience, or secure their script on a clipboard and hold it in one hand allowing them to move their body and make basic gestures as they read dramatically.

#3 - Make sure that all participants have their own script that clearly identifies their character. You might also allow them to underline, add phrase marks, or circle punctuation as appropriate. You can allow children to share a character or you can have multiple narrators to allow greater participation.

#4 - Try to have varied parts, some more demanding, and others less demanding. This allows children of varying abilities (and even ages) to participate together.

#5 - Encourage children to practice their parts before trying to perform as a group.

#6 - A good pattern to use in introducing Readers' Theatre is to spread it over a week. On day 1 hand out the scripts to all children and explain how it works. Some teachers have the whole class working on the same material, but my preference is to see 2-3 groups used, allowing children of varying abilities to be 'stretched'. On day 2 take the groups one at a time for turns reading the script. This is effectively just round robin reading to help familiarise them with the script and story line. On days 3 and 4 allocate characters and practice. Allow children to try different parts in lesson 3 before making final choices. On day 5 perform the plays by each group for the whole class.

#7 - If you need more guidance Laurie Henry has four excellent lesson plans that show how Readers' Theatre can be introduced for the first time (here).

#8 - Don't forget that while literature is most commonly used, poetry, history and biography also works well.

Readers' Theatre Scripts

As I said above, there are many resource books that contain scripts, but there are also hundreds of scripts available FREE and online. Here are some of the best resource sites:  

'Mr Young's Website' with almost 200 scripts (HERE)
'Teaching Heart' has a section on 'Reader's Theater Scripts and Plays' (HERE)
'Aaron Shepard's Free Scripts' (HERE)
'Timeless Teacher' site (HERE)
Some quirky science scripts on 'Adrian Bruce's Free Educational Resources' site (HERE)
'Stories to Grow By' Scripts (HERE)

One of the largest collections of Reader's Theatre scripts is at 'Mr Young's Website' where you'll find almost 200 scripts ready to use at school or at home. Some are simple like 'The Three Billy-Goats Gruff', while other are more complex like 'Sadako and the 1000 Paper Cranes'. There are some wonderful scripts here including 'Bad Case of Stripes', and classics like 'Chicken Little', 'Cinderella', 'Hansel and Gretel' and the 'Magic Porridge Pot'. Great scripts for children aged 6-10 years.

Aaron Shepard also has some good general tips on Readers' Theatre, including scripting, staging and reading (HERE).

Twelve great books for younger readers

'Ladder to the Moon' by Maya Soetoro-Ng, illustrated by Yuyi Morales
Walker Books, 2011

From the opening line you just know this is a book that has deep metaphysical themes:

One cool new evening
Suhaila asked her mama.
"What was Grandma Anne like?"
"She was like the moon." her mother replied.
"Full, soft and curious..." 

The book written by Barack Obama's sister was inspired by Georgia O'Keefe's painting 'Ladder to the Moon'. It was an image on a postcard that Maya Soetoro-Ng was given by her mother as a child. Her book, by the same name as the painting, was a response to her longing for her mother who had died 10 years after the author's daughter Suhaila had been born. She writes in her 'Author Note', "More that anything, I wished that my mother and my daughter could have known and loved each other." Her response was the beautiful and rich story of a little girl - 'Suhaila' - who asks her mother one day, "What was Grandma Annie like?" Somehow, through the songs and stories that Suhaila's grandmother had shared with her mother, stories that were now her stories as well, she had a chance to meet her grandmother via a ladder to the moon. The author writes, via the ladder to the moon “grandmother and grandchild (unite) through a story in which my mother could meet one of her granddaughters and share the moon with her."

The experience of meeting her mother is overlaid with a chance to see the power of prayer and the peoples of the world united in spite of difference. The illustrator Yuyi Morales adds her own interpretation to these themes as she grapples with how to represent this multi-layered story. While for me, the integration of some of the complex themes seemed a little contrived in places, this is a haunting and mysterious picture book that manages to unite author and illustrator in a special way.

'FArTHER' by Grahame Baker-Smith, Templar Publishing, 2010

Grahame Baker-Smith won the 2011 Kate Greenaway Medal for this intriguing book (longer review HERE). A father who had always dreamed of flying went off to war and didn't return. His son decides to make his father's dreams come true. The book tells the moving story of how the boy tries to fulfil his father's unfulfilled dream of flying. The story demonstrates the power of love and ambition when faced with seemingly impossible goals.

Baker-Smith uses traditional media like watercolour, acrylic, pastel and ink, but he also uses fimo and other materials to create images. He then uses photography and Photoshop to create the unique images that make up this book. His special style will excite young readers.

You can read additional background on Grahame Baker-Smith and the book HERE.

'The Gift' by Carol Ann Duffy and Rob Ryan, Barefoot Books, 2010

Rob Ryan is famous for his amazing papercut art. This book is another fine example of the quality of his work. It is the story of one girl's life and the hopes and desires that shape it. One summer day a beautiful young girl visits the woods for a picnic. A wish forms in her mind and to her surprise a silver-haired woman appears; ready to grant it. The author, Carol Ann Duffy is the Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, and is the first woman in the role in 300 years. The beautiful story touches on the wonder and mysteries of what it means to be human. In making the award, one of the judges commented:

The beautiful illustrations are not just decorative, they interpret the text for us and strengthen the story's impact. The frames and shadows perfectly reflect the fairy tale feel and the different emblems and details emphasise the message. A perfect depiction of the circle of life.

'There Was an Old Sailor' by Claire Saxby, illustrated by Cassandra Allen, Walker Books, 2010

This is a delightful new interpretation of the old story favourite 'There was an old who swallowed a fly'. This rather ravenous sailor 'swallowed a krill'. You guessed it, "It'll make him ill".

Then, he 'swallowed a jelly.
That wriggled and wriggled and jiggled his belly.
He swallowed the jelly to catch the krill.
I don't know why he swallowed the krill.
It'll make him ill.'

He then swallows a fish, squid, ray, seal, and shark, before finally,

'There was an old sailor
who swallowed a whale..
then with a burp..
set sail'

This is a delightful tale that is beautifully illustrated by Cassandra Allen. In its own way, as well as being a lot of fun, it offers young children a preliminary understanding of the food chain, complete with facts about each animal at the end. The book won the 2011 'Crystal Kite Award'.

'The Secret of the Swords' by Frances Watts, illustrated by Gregory Rogers, Allen & Unwin, 2012

The is the first book in an exciting series by award-winning author Frances Watt and Kate Greenaway Medal winner Gregory Rogers. This first story introduces us to Tommy (short for Thomasina), a kitchen hand who wants to be a knight. When Tommy is finally promoted to Keeper of the Blades, she feels that her life has taken an exciting new path. But will a missing sword ruin everything? The central character doesn't want to fit into the traditional mould for girls of the time.

The story introduces a feisty new character for girls (and their parents and teachers) who love adventure and want an alternative to traditionally gendered tales. Created by Frances Watts, a CBCA Award Winner and author of the huge bestseller 'Kisses for Daddy'.

'The Poison Plot' by Frances Watts, illustrated by Gregory Rogers, Allen & Unwin, 2012

This is the second adventure in the 'Sword Girl' series. Evil plans are stirring and it's up to Tommy to keep the peace at Flamant Castle! Tommy is on an errand to the smithy in the town, and overhears a plot to poison Sir Walter the Bald, the castle's bravest knight. It is to occur during a banquet and it is to look like the work of a neighbouring nobleman. Tommy must foil the plot or Flamant Castle will be at war. My 7 year old granddaughter loved these tow books. Ideal material for independent readers aged 7-9.

'Puffin Peter' by Petr Horáček, Walker Books, 2011

Peter and Paul are the best of friends, but Peter gets lost in a terrible storm. But with the help of a big blue whale, Puffin Peter sets off to find him. They find all kinds of birds that match Peter's description but none quite like Paul. Peter Horáček was born in Czechoslovakia but now lives in England (Worcestershire). He uses a variety of media in this book including collage. The judges describe this book as:

"A dramatically beautiful picture book full of movement. Layers of colour and texture capture the movement of water, and of light, and of Peter and Paul themselves. A thrilling visual adventure for children, with a tender message."

Shortlisted for the 2012 Kate Greenaway Medal

'There are no cats in this book' by Viviane Schwarz, Walker Books, 2011

This is a delightful picture book that has fantastic pop-up and photographic features, and a very quirky story. It features lovable cats, Tiny, Moonpie and Andr. They set off to see the world. They pack their suitcases and are ready to leave, but they can't get out of the book. First, they try pushing their way out, then jumping, but nothing works. Finally they decide to wish themselves out. But they need to engage the reader's help. This is a very unusual concept for a book which some children seem to love it, while others find it all a bit of a puzzle. It is delightfully simple in terms of its images, and with the added paper sculpture will interest many children from the moment they pick it up.

'There are cats in this book' by Viviane Schwarz, Walker Books

Cats Tiny, Moonpie and André are filled with the spirit of adventure – they want to see the world but they can't seem to get out of the book. They try pushing their way out, and jumping their way out but nothing works. Finally they decide to WISH themselves out with your help, the reader! This is a companion book to 'There are Cats in this Book'. It has been nominated for the 2012 Kate Greenaway Medal. The judges felt that this book:

"...perfectly expresses the power of the imagination! With an extraordinary sense of participation, this is book to play with as much as to read, and very much one to share. The illustrations are full of personality, the use of colour and blank space is brilliant. A book that works on lots of different levels."

'Diary of a Soccer Star' by Shamini Flint, illustrated by Sally Heinrich, Allen & Unwin, 2012

Marcus is a nine year-old Maths whiz, but he's not good at sport. His dad is a self-help author who thinks Marcus can achieve anything he sets his mind to. The outcome is very funny. It is presented with an illustrated diary format. Marcus manages to take a humorous look at his life. In spite of his Dad's efforts, he doesn't quite get the hang of soccer.

'I scored a goal today.
Unfortunately, it was an own goal.
It wasn't my fault.
Really, it wasn't!'

My granddaughter loved this book. She laughed along with the struggles of Marcus.

'Diary of a Cricket God' by Shamini Flint, illustrated by Sally Heinrich, Allen & Unwin, 2012

If you liked 'Diary of a Soccer Star' then you will like this, the second book in the series.  This time, Marcus Atkinson is pushed by his Dad to play cricket, and would you believe that he becomes a cricket god?

This Maths whiz is still not very good at sport, in spite of his Dad's wishful thinking and efforts. Children who struggle to be good at sport will be able to relate to this funny story

'A Bear and a Tree' by Stephen Michael King, Viking/Penguin, 2012

Ren knows that it's almost time for Bear's big sleep, but she needs just one more day with him. They have just one day to explore the winter together. This will be the last of the coloured leaves, which will give way soon to a blanket of snow and the final chance to catch the sun, the moon and the stars. Just one more day to play and dance and wonder. This is a story of friendship and the preciousness of time shared with friends.

Written and illustrated by the highly renowned Stephen Michael King,
who has previously illustrated The Magic Violin, Follow That Lion!, Duck Sounds and The Gorilla Suit. More recently he illustrated the Robin Klein classic story, The Princess Who Hated It. King has had several books shortlisted by the CBCA, and is frequently appear on children's book awards lists like YABBA.

Jeannie Baker Revisited

I wrote one of my author review posts on Aussie illustrator and author Jeannie Baker in 2010. This is an updated version. 

About Jeannie Baker

Jeannie Baker is an artist who began turning her hand to children's books many years ago. She was born in England but has lived in Sydney since the later 1970s. She has been making art from collage for at least 40 years. For the last 30 years many of these works have been created to use as illustrations for picture books. However, they can always stand separately as works of art. As a result Jeannie has exhibited her work regularly over the last 40 years, often in parallel to the release of her books. It is important for Jeannie that her art can stand alone, and it does, with distinction!

She is unique as a collage artist, illustrator and author. What puts Jeannie in a category of her own is the way she begins with an idea that always has a significance and a message that only a great collage artist could communicate in this medium. She creates her works with varied materials usually collected in the setting that then becomes the subject of her art.  I recall her saying many years ago that when she created 'Where the Forest Meets the Sea' she went off and not only explored the Daintree Forest alone, she slept in it overnight under a plastic sheet to keep herself dry. It can take Jeannie years to produce a book. Her most recent work 'Mirror' took her five years. I review this work in detail below.

Once she has finished the collages she photographs them to create the page plates for her books. This usually leads to an exhibition of her art as well as a picture book. To see her collages as works of art is a great treat. You can see examples of her work in a number of collections, but the Dromkeen Museum at Riddells Creek (30 minutes north of Melbourne airport) has some wonderful examples.

Jeannie Baker's technique yields works of art that are stunningly beautiful (and quite small) which when put together into a book offer a visual experience for the 'reader' that keeps them coming back to the book. I never tire of reading Jeannie's books, or of reading them to children.  When I read 'Mirror' recently to my grandchildren my eldest grandchild Jacob reacted with delight and excitement as he kept seeing new details in each image. The illustrations lead children to touch and stroke images because they look so real. This is partly achieved by Jeannie Baker's fastidious use of materials that are from the real object. For example, she used sand and authentic fabrics from Morocco in 'Mirror'. If she creates a bird it will often have real feathers.

Internationally her work has gained critical and public acclaim and a stack of awards, including Australian Picture Book of the Year Honour Book, 2005, for "Belonging", Australian Children’s Book Council Picture Book of the Year Award, 1992, for "Window", Notable Book by the American Library Association, 1984, and short listed for the Kate Greenaway Medal, 1985, for "Home in the Sky" and a Boston Globe Horn Book Magazine Honour Book award, 1988, and International Board of Young People Honour Book Award, 1990, for "Where the Forest Meets the Sea".

You can read a full biography here.

A review of some of her work

'Mirror' (2010) Walker Books

Her most recent work 'Mirror' is a wonderful place to start in considering Jeannie's work because I think it is her best work. The concept is brilliant, the quality of the images once again stunning, the book design groundbreaking and the wordless picture book created is, as usual, challenging at many levels. It is the concept and design that will first catch your attention. It is slightly more square in shape and it defies your efforts to open it in a conventional way. This picture book comprises two stories that are designed to be read simultaneously – one from the left, the other from the right (see below). As you pick up the book you try to open it from right to left only to have the book open at the middle to reveal two books, one that is read from left to right and begins in Arabic, and the other from right to left that begins with English. Page by page, we experience a day in the lives of two boys and their families - one from inner city Sydney, Australia and the other from a small, remote village in Morocco, North Africa.

Jeannie conceived the book while travelling alone in Morocco. It was while immersed in the warmth and generosity of the Moroccan people and while experiencing the sights, smells, sounds and textures of the place, that she conceived the idea and knew she had to produce it even without approval from a publisher. As usual, it is Jeannie's passion for the idea of her work, and her skill as an artist in holding a 'mirror' to the world (pun intended) that produces a stunning and memorable work. I love this book.

While the two worlds portrayed couldn’t be further apart, she shows through the parallel lives of the two families, a simple and profound truth. While people live in vastly different places, and have different lives, we share much. While the families have different food, clothing and family practices, there is much that is the same. Family members love one another and depend on each other. A mother, father and children do different things each day than in Sydney, but they are more like us than we might imagine. And there is an additional truth - we are connected to them. With subtle use of images Jeannie is able to show connection, and the delight of the reader is to discover them. My grandson excitedly shouted as we read the book "Look, look, it's the same carpet. The carpet they were making (in Morocco) is the same carpet they bought (the people in Sydney)". Jeannie's message is that in many ways we are mirrors of one another even though different. This is a stunning book that will win many awards.

Update: 'Mirror' was awarded the 2011 Children's Book Council of Australia award for best picture book (joint award).  It was also winner in the children’s category at the 2011 Indie Book Awards and also short-listed for NSW Premier's Literary Award.

'Millicent' (1980) Scholastic

One of the earliest of Jeannie's books to catch my attention was 'Millicent' a delightfully simple tale of an old lady who Jeannie observed day after day in Hyde Park (Sydney) feeding the pigeons and talking to them.  As she watched the old lady she often wondered what she was thinking. Through her simple collages and language she speculates about the lady's thoughts as she feeds them. She tells a gentle story of how she feels needed as she visits sees the pigeons each day.


One Hungry Spider (1982) Deutsch

This delightful about a spider (an Orbweb Eriophora) is another excellent example of Jeannie's work. This counting book while teaching the reader to count from 1 to 10 also tells the story of the spider, its catch day by day and the impact on its web. Like Millicent, the collage art is much more simple than Jeannie's later works that have greater complexity as works of art. But it contains many of the same wonderful qualities, simplicity, colour, varied textures and wonderful detail.

'Where the Forest Meets the Sea' (1987) Julia MacRae Books

This wonderful book marked a new stage in the development of Jeannie Baker's work. Not only is it a more complex narrative account that makes a powerful statement about humanity and the natural world, it demonstrates a new complexity in the collages and clever use of overlaid photographic images to add a new way to portray time. Once again the story is simple, but it has many layers. A boy and his father go out in their boat to fish along the coast of the Daintree Forest in far North Queensland, a place where the tropical rainforest meets the sea. As the story unfolds the boy is confronted by echoes ('ghosts') of what this place was once like - an age of dinosaurs, a time when Indigenous people lived here and so on. It ends with an eerie look at the future.

'Window' (1991) Greenwillow Books

This book saw Jeannie move from the natural world to the man-made world as she showed once again how development can change the natural world. A mother and her baby look through a window at wilderness. But with each turn of the page time marches on, and as we look from the same window, the world changes under the impact of people. As the child grows and ages, so too the view changes from a country scene to dense settlement.  This wordless book won the Children's Book Council (Australia) picture book of the year in 1992.

Jeannie Baker also wrote a wonderful short book 'Window: An Australian Outlook' (1991) published by the Royal Botanic Gardens to coincide with the release of the book and in association with the exhibition of the collages from which the book was made. 

'The Story of Rosy Dock' (1995) Greenwillow

In this wonderful book Baker continues her environmental themes making comment on the danger of introduced species of plants to the natural world. The story tells how one of the early settlers to a remote part of Australia builds a garden in the wilderness that is beautiful, but which ends up having an unexpected flowering. A single plant can change the landscape and push many plants and animals to extinction.

The book was produced as a 10-minute short animated film by Film Australia (here).

'Belonging' (2004) Walker Books

In 'Belonging' we see Baker returning to the theme of 'Window', man changes the world. Once again, the story unfolds through a single window of a house in a typical urban neighbourhood and it has the same central characters Sam and Tracy. Each picture shows another year and new developments. This is in a sense 'Window' in reverse, as we go back through time and see the urban landscape slowly disappear to reveal the natural landscape that was once there. But whereas 'Window' focused on our negative impact on the environment, 'Belonging' shows how a community can work to improve the urban landscape rather than just trying to escape from it. The images are stunning and once again, her point is well made.  This book is sold under the title of 'Home' in the USA.
  

Complete List of her Books

Polar, written by Elaine Moss, illustrated by Jeannie Baker, Scholastic (1975).

Grandfather, Dutton (1977), revised edition (1980).
Grandmother, Dutton (1978), revised edition (1980).
Millicent, Dutton (1980).
One Hungry Spider, Deutsch (1982).
Home in the Sky, (1985)
Where the Forest Meets the Sea, Greenwillow (1987).
Window, Greenwillow (1991).
The Story of Rosy Dock, Greenwillow (1995).
The Hidden Forest, Greenwillow (2000).
Home in the Sky, Greenwillow (2003).
Belonging, Walker Books (2004). Published in the USA as 'Home'.
Mirror, Walker Books (2010).

Other related posts

'Visual Literacy' (HERE)
'Key Themes in Children's Literature: Environmental Issues' (HERE) 

Literature as a means to understand people different from yourself

As I have argued in previous posts (here & here), we learn a great deal from literature. Literature brings great pleasure but it also teaches us and can impact on us emotionally. It passes on aspects of our cultural traditions, it introduces us to other cultures and it teaches us about our world, its history, its people and what it is to be human. A piece of literature is more than just a good story. I wrote in one of my books (Pathways to Literacy, Cairney 1995, p.77-78) that literature can act as:

• A mirror to enable readers to reflect on life problems and circumstances
• A source of knowledge
• A source of ideological challenge
• A means to peer into the past, and the future
• A vehicle to other places
• A means to reflect on inner struggles
• An introduction to the realities of life and death
• A vehicle for the raising and discussion of social issues

In this post I want to look at a group of books that I would loosely term books that help children to become aware of people who are different. Understanding the 'other'. The notion of the 'Other' is important in defining our sense of self.  The emergence of a sense of the ‘other’ is one of the ways that children first become aware of those who are different and to differentiate between that which can create fear, and that which is familiar and certain. The post is a revised version of one I did in 2010.

Hans Christian Andersen's classic fairy tale 'The Ugly Duckling' first published in 1843 is a fairytale that speaks directly to this theme.  As the young ducks grew older they could see that the last 'duck' was not like them: 'He's too big!" "You're appallingly ugly!" "I wish you were miles away". They struggle to work out how to deal with his difference, "But why should we care so long as you don't marry into our family?"  While the 'Ugly Duckling' and other stories often speak of many things, some have the wonderful quality of shifting children's focus beyond themselves, to become aware of the other, to understand their difference, and to re-shape their sense of self as they see themselves in relation to those who are 'other' than themselves.

The books that follow are just a 'light' sample of the many books available for young readers. I have mainly chosen picture books but there are many children's novels that include this theme. I have also used some sub-headings to offer a sense of just some of the senses of 'difference' that are brought into focus.

1. The Aged

'Remember Me' by Margaret Wild & Dee Huxley (illustrator)

Margaret Wild's delightful book centres on the first person narrative of a grandmother who talks about her life and how frustrating it is when she forgets things. Her granddaughter is her little helper, enabling her to survive the day. While Wild's intent is to look specifically at memory loss and how it impacts on the aged, it also offers an insight into how this is read and responded to by others. In time the woman even forgets her granddaughter; but by mentally reliving her experience of the little girl (from birth to the present) she remembers her and the little girl promises that she'll be around to help her remember.  The older person with failing memory is not a problem, but someone to be loved, supported and learned from. And of course, in the process, our lives are enriched.

Other examples in this category include 'Wilfrid, Gordon McDonald Partridge' by Mem Fox & Julie Vivas (illustrator). This is probably my favourite Mem Fox book.  Another example is 'Waiting for May' by Thyrza Davey. In this wonderful story a social worker wants an old man 'Old Alec' living on a houseboat in Queensland with his dog to move to a retirement home. He 'escapes' to avoid this fate but in escaping his fate, a fierce storm and a little young boy change everything.

2. The person of different race or ethnicity

'The Burnt Stick' (1995) by Anthony Hill & Mark Sofilas (illustrator)

This novel for younger readers (8-10 years) is set in Australia prior to the 1960s.  It is the story of a young Australian aboriginal boy named John Jagamarra, who had been taken (like thousands of other Indigenous children) from his family. John was taken from his mother by the Welfare Department of the day, and sent to live with his white Father at the Pearl Bay Mission for Aboriginal Children. He grew up in this beautiful place, but he knew it was not like being home with his mother and his people.  He remembers how the 'Big Man from Welfare' had come and taken him away. His story illustrates how well intentioned government policy at the time failed to deal with the problems of Indigenous communities and failed to understand the full needs of people 'other' than themselves. While the story positions us as reader to see the tragedy of the 'Stolen Generation' through John's eyes, at the same time it offers child and adult readers the chance to consider the issues of racial difference and how we understand, live with and when necessary, reach out to people other than ourselves.

Mark Sofilas' wonderful charcoal images add a haunting and powerful additional dimension to the story. The Children's Book Council of Australia named it Book of the Year for Younger Readers in 1995.

Another more recent exploration of this theme is Matt Ottley's epic picture book 'Requiem for a Beast' (which I have reviewed HERE), that uses story (in picture book form), image and music to explore the painful experiences of the 'Stolen Generation' and in the process helps us to learn much about ourselves and how the non-Indigenous are positioned relative to Indigenous Australians. This book is a picture book for secondary aged readers, not young children.

From the difficult, to the simpler rendering of this theme, Dr Seuss has also written a number of examples that touch on 'otherness'.  'The Sneetches' is an obvious one that tells of two types of creatures (Sneetches) one with a Star on their bellies and the other without. Needless to say one felt superior and the other inferior. One day a man arrives with the perfect solution, a machine that can add a star to the belly. But without the stars how could the 'superior' group differentiate itself? The man had the solution, his machine could take the stars off (!) the Sneetches who were the original 'Star Belly' kind.

But perhaps an example even closer to the theme is 'What was I scared of?' a funny story about a small creature who while walking at night is confronted by a pair of pale green pants that are out walking by themselves. He is terrified when on each walk he sees them. But of course it turns out that the pants were just as scared of him and finally all is resolved:

And, now we meet quite often,

Those empty pants and I,

And we never shake or tremble.

We both smile

And, we say

"Hi!"

3. The person in different social circumstances

'Way Home' by Libby Hathorn & Gregory Rogers(illustrator)

This is the story of Shane, a young street kid (which isn't revealed until the end of the story), who finds a lost kitten. The story takes us through the city streets to Shane’s ‘house’; which the kitten will share with him. The illustrations by Gregory Rogers portray Sydney at night. They show the constant shift (which is part of Shane's life) from busy streets ablaze with lights to dark and sometimes threatening back alleyways. There are hazards and dangers for Shane and the tiny kitten at every turn. The story offers an insight into the life of the homeless and is a poignant story of two survivors. Suitable for 7-10 years olds.


4. Understanding the 'other' gender 

There have been many books that look at differences of gender. A recent author who has focused on this theme is Aaron Blabey. His first book 'Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley' is about friendship and relationships. Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley are the best of friends, but they are different in almost every way. Pearl likes solving mysteries and moves rather fast in the world; Charlie likes taking baths and watching his garden grow. So how can Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley be such good friends? Because that which is in the 'other' can complement that which is in him or her.  The book won the Children's Book Council Award for Picture Book of the year in 2009.

Blabey continues tangentially with a variation on theme in his second and third books 'Sunday Chutney' and 'Stanley Paste'.  In these, his first person narratives are more focused on how the child copes with their difference rather than us coping with the other. The rather unusual girl Sunday Chutney is always moving from school to school due to her Dad's jobs, coping with difference and awkwardness all the time. 

In 'Stanley Paste' we learn of the very small boy (Stanley Paste), who hates his size, until one day a new girl arrives at school who is very tall. Like Stanley, she hates the way she is. They become good friends and see different things in each other than many of the other kids at school who have made their lives miserable.

Summing Up

Each of the books above does much more than just presenting the theme that I have pointed to. However, the concept of 'otherness' is an important one in life and each book offers children the opportunity to consider who they are and how do they situate themselves relative to the 'other'; This is just one example of how literature does more than simply present enjoyable narrative accounts.

Other posts

All previous 'Key Themes' posts HERE