Cicada by Shaun Tan. unpgd. Arthur A. Levine Books/ Scholastic Inc., January, 2019. 9781338298390. (Review of finished copy courtesy of publisher.)
I can always count on Shaun Tan to cut close to the bone. Cicada stuns. In this picture book for older readers, Cicada is the ultimate company man. In clipped, terse sentences he tells of his seventeen years of loyalty and hard work, of staying late, of meticulous work, and heartbreakingly, of mistreatment by co-workers and bosses. Cicada is an outsider. He doesn't fit it and he knows it. Still, he goes about his work with dignity. When he retires, he receives nothing. He is just told to clean his desk while the boss looks on, presumably to make sure he doesn't steal anything. He has no home to go to and in one devastating illustration, he is shown heading up the stairs as he says, "It's time to say goodbye."
The page turn reveals a wordless double-page spread of cicada standing on the roof ledge. See why this is a picture book for older readers? All is not lost though and the following wordless spreads allow the reader to let out the breath they were holding.
Now, I have no great love for cicadas. Right now, as I sit on my deck writing this, I am nearly deafened by their "song." There is a carapace stuck to the screen of my deck door. I do give the buggers props though. Seventeen years of what, gestating (?) underground before emerging for the sole pursuit of mating and living for a scant few weeks of summer. That's determination.
Grey is the predominant color in these textured oil paintings. Cicada is bright green and wears a rumpled grey suit complete with ID badge. His cubicle is one of many in a grey-scape. This book draws you in while simultaneously repelling. You just can't look away. You might, as I did, realize you might not have been kind to Cicada were he your co-worker. He's ugly. He's odd. He talks funny.
What a way into an introspective conversation with kids! There has been a clamor lately asking for lists of books to teach empathy. This one should be on it. Not to be missed.
Butterflies in Room 6: see how they grow by Caroline Arnold. Unpgd. Charlesbridge, March, 2019. 9781580898942. (Review of finished copy courtesy of publisher.)
I've worked with children between the ages of three to eighteen in the last thirty years. I am happy to have had such a wide range of experiences. I'm also lucky to love every age group. Really! I don't have a favorite age! There is something to love about each. Reading this delightful photo-essay made me nostalgic for elementary school though. The look of joy, of unbridled curiosity and unmasked enthusiasm on Mrs. Best's students was just happy-making. Yay! Hands on science!
Butterflies in Room 6 entices right from the cover. Full-color photos depict a variety of scenes from painted lady butterflies in the wild to the four stages of their life. The design is lovely as well from its heavy stock paper that will hold up to many readings to the leaf-shaped text "boxes" that contain extra information. The story of Mrs. Best's science activity is told clearly and accessibly with a large-ish, pleasing font. The candid shots of her students are precious and the more scientific shots and close-ups are helpfully labelled. Extra information is included in the back matter including, Butterfly Questions; a glossary; four websites and five books for further reading.
Butterflies in Room 6 is a great addition to any school library or elementary classroom!
Little Monsters of the Ocean: metamorphosis under the waves by Heather Montgomery. 56 p. Millbrook Press/ Lerner Publishing Group, January, 2019. 9781541528987. (Review of purchased finished copy.)
Fact Friday features Little Monsters of the Ocean: metamorphosis under the waves by Heather Montgomery. Most students learn about the metamorphosis of butterflies and frogs. Students at my school study monarchs in depth in seventh grade. They may be surprised to learn that many other animals undergo the process. The catch is that most are microscopic.
In a casual, conversational tone, the author introduces these fascinating creatures with complicated, multisyllabic names. The cover of this attractive, slightly oversized book will entice. The many full-color photos and illustrations help the careful reader make connections with the text. Backmatter consists of an author's note, a helpful chart of life stages that lists all the animals discussed in the text, a brief glossary, selected bibliography and suggestions of books, videos and websites where budding scientists can learn more.
If your students learn about metamorphosis in science, this book belongs in your collection. If you want to inspire awe, this book belongs in your collection. If you have fact hounds in your school, this book belongs in your collection. Give your science teachers a heads up. Mine can't wait to read Little Monsters of the Ocean!
The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: how Maria Merian's art changed science by Joyce Sidman. 240 p. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, February, 2018. 9780544717138. (Review from purchased copy.)
Scientists in the late 1600s had little to no formal training and were nearly exclusively male. Indeed, a woman who expressed an interest in science and the natural world could be persecuted as a witch. Maria Merian's father died when she was three. Her mother then married an still life artist and young Maria was his assistant. He would send her into the garden to collect insects and inquisitive Maria would wonder where they came from. She also needed to learn skills from her mother about running a household. Still, she managed her chores for both parents and still found time to meticulously observe and record her insect collections.
This informative biography is gorgeous in every way from its design through its illustration and writing. The book has heft. The cover and end-pages are lovely. Each page includes at least one illustration, whether Merian's art, engravings and other paintings from the time, maps or photographs. Each chapter is named for a phase in of insect development and there is a poem written by the author to introduce each chapter.
Back-matter is extensive and includes a timeline, author's note, quote sources, a bibliography, suggestions for further reading, image credits and an index.
Maria Merian's story is absolutely fascinating. This biography is a first-purchase for any library.
