14:14 ROSA ~ Black History Month

14:14 Picture Book Challenge Day 11 Christie Wright Wild

TITLE: ROSA
Author: Nikki Giovanni
Illustrator: Bryan Collier
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc
Year:2007 (First edition 2005)
Word Count: 1599-words
Type: Non-Fiction

Summary: This picture book is an account of Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955, and the subsequent bus boycott by the black community. This book could touch on many elements. But for me, it encompasses the element of plot and dialogue. I choose to focus on the latter.

I did not want to read this book. Not because I didn’t think it was great; but I am writing a picture book (WILLO WALKED THE WALK) about a little girl who walked during the Montgomery Bus Boycott. The story is told from the perspective of a six-year old girl named Willo. When I am writing about a certain subject, I research for months (newspaper, nonfiction books, internet, people, etc.) and take notes. Then I stay away from anything relating to my subject for three months before sitting down to write. This is to make sure none of the writers’ “styles” are stored in my brain. This will allow me to write my “voice” and no one else’s.

But when Kathy Halsey, a Grogger and FB friend, asked me if I have read this book (after reading my manuscript) I immediately ordered the book. My book is not about Rosa Parks. It is about the Montgomery Bus Boycott. But again, we cannot talk about the Boycott and not talk about Rosa; so I get it.

I read this book twice. Once, just to analyze the structure. And another to find the conflict of the text. (I know you are all thinking, “I know what the conflict was back then.”) But I am talking about the conflict in the book.

Literary Conflict is broken down in four categories.
1. Man-versus-man (Character versus another character)
2. Man-versus-society (Character versus people, standards, law, the “masses”)
3. Man-versus-nature (Character versus natural elements – blizzards, tornado, rain, earthquake, etc.)
4. Man-versus-self (Charater versus their own thoughts and dilemma. What should the character do?)

This book touched on all four categories.
1. Man-versus-man
The first conflict was Rosa-versus-bus driver.
While Rosa was daydreaming, the bus driver instructed the “colored” folks to give up their seats.
“I said give me those seats!” the bus driver (James Blake) bellowed. “You better make it wasy on yourself. I’m going to call the police.”
“Do what you must,” Mrs. Parks quietly replied.

This conflict is classic. It is Mrs. Park and the bus driver in a boxing match. Their gloves were words. Round for round. Punch for punch. Jab for jab.

2. Man-versus-society
The societal conflict encompasses many – Jim Crow, Segregation, Treatments of blacks.
But I want to share the conflict on the bus.
When Rosa wouldn’t budge, some of the white people were saying aloud, “She ought to be arrested. Take her off this bus.”

This showed the sign of the times. Words are indeed more powerful than a gun or sword in hand. It showed how people were comfortable voicing their opinions out loud without fear of consequences.

3. Man-versus-nature
Mother nature did not want to miss the historical event that was going on in Montgomery, Alabama from 1955-1956. So she packed her bags, rolled into the city, and wore all her favorite dresses – rain, heat, cold, and occasional sunshine for the springtime.

My favorite paragraph exhibiting this is written as:

“And the people walked.
They walked in the rain.
They walked in the hot sun.
They walked early in the morning.
They walked late at night.
They walked at Christmas, and they walked at Easter.
They walked on the fourth of July; they walked on Labor Day.
They walked on Thanksgiving, and then it was almost Christmas again.
They still walked.”

This was written as a paragraph in the book. But when I read it, it read as poetry to me. So I broke it down in poetic form. But this is still the author’s words.

4. Man-versus-self
There are instances in the book where Rosa battled with her inner self. Especially, what it was doing to her husband,Mr. Parks who was a barber at the Air force base. But it was obvious why Rosa stood up on Thursday December 1, 1955. It was because she was tired. Not just tired from working all day. But tired of injustices against those who are not long-haired and blue-eyed. Those whose skin are brown like the soil that buries the seeds planted by hands. She was tired of being looked down upon, talked down to, and treated like second-class citizen.

And I will close this post with the words of the Honorable Dr. Martin Luther King, “We will walk until justice runs down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

14:14 GOOD LUCK, BEAR

14:14 Picture Book Challenge Christie Wright Wild

TITLE: GOOD LUCK, BEAR
Author/Illustrator: GREG FOLEY
Publisher: VIKING
Year:2009
Word Count: 170-words
Type: Fiction

Summary: When Bear’s friend Mouse tells him that finding a four-leaf clover means one is lucky, the little bear searches for one, despite the discouraging words of other animals.

This is a follow-up to THANK YOU, BEAR which I analyzed yesterday. I will analyze Element #10 ~ Beginning and Endings, Element #4 ~ Dialogue.

It started:
“One day while lying in the grass,
a little bear found a clover with three tiny leaves.”

After bear showed it to mouse, Mouse said, “If you find one with four leaves, it means you are lucky.”

As bear continued his search, he met the other characters along the way, and they all had something to say.
Monkey said, “There’s no such thing.”
Turtle said, “That’s going to take forever.”
Elephant said, “I remember seeing one, but I forgot where.”

He met more and more animals along the way. Some asked questions. Some made statements. And some grabbed the three-leaf clover and scurried away.

Bear did not find the four leaf clover and felt unlucky, until Mouse found a five-leaf clover and gave it to him.

That led to the ending of the book. Mouse went over to look for the four-leaf clover. “Does it have four leaves?” asked Bear.
“No,” said Mouse. “It has five.”

I like this book. It is very short, but the conflict and plot is evident. Great for read aloud. 😀

14:14 ABE LINCOLN

TITLE: ABE LINCOLN: The boy who loved books
AUTHOR: Kay Winters
ILLUSTRATOR: Nancy Carpenter
Publisher: Aladdin
Year: 2006 (First edition 2003)
Word Count: 1049
Category: Nonfiction

Summary: This book highlights the life of Abe Lincoln.

This challenge is 14:14 PB Challenge by Christie Wild.

ABE LINCOLN: The boy who loved books is a 1049-words book with presidential hook. In honor of President’s Day, I chose to analyze this book. I will focus on ELEMENT #10 ~ BEGINNING AND ENDING.

The book began:
In the wilds of Kentucky, 1809
a boy was born.
His mother called him Abraham,
his last name Lincoln.
His bed was made from corn husks,
his covers, skins from bears.
His cabin built with logs
from towering trees.

This is the first page. I typed it as written. I like the introduction. The birth to show us that this book covers a span of years.

The rest of the books delves into his parents, his schooling, and his determination to learn how to read. It tapped into his emotional side – the book he borrowed from a neighbor and how upset he was when the rain destroyed it, his studying to be a lawyer and helping a friend, and his motivation for president.

The book ends with these words on the last page:

Abraham Lincoln –
born in a log cabin,
child of the frontier,
head in a book –
elected our sixteenth president!
From the wilderness
to the White House.
He learned the power of words
and used them well.

I loved this book. As you all know by know, I am branching out into writing nonfiction picture books. So analyzing these books give me insight into pulling these books together.

The simplicity of the sentences spark any reluctant reader to pick up a book.

My favorite part of the book, is the attack of the forest animals. The descriptive prose reminded me of a poetic feel.

“Bears growled,
Wolves howled,
panthers screamed.
Abe shivered.
Dark was a fearsome time.”

I loved this book. I recommend it to everyone. And it is in perfect time for President’s Day!

14:14 MRS. KATZ AND TUSH (Part 2)

TITLE: MRS KATZ AND TUSH
AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Patricia Polacco
Publisher: Doubleday
Year: 2009 (First edition 1993)
Word Count: 1395
Summary: A long-lasting friendship develops between Larnel, a young African-American, and Mrs. Katz, a lonely Jewish widow, when Larnel presents Mrs. Katz with a scrawny kitten without a tail.

This challenge is 14:14 PB Challenge by Christie Wild.

I am a voracious reader. I am greedy and I am always craving a good book to relieve me of my hunger. This book is decadent, delightful, delectable, and delicious. It is just plain divine.

The element that I will analyze is #4 DIALOGUE.

This book is written mostly in the dialogue format. It is engaging. Mrs. Katz, a Jewish widow lives in a building with an African-American family. Larnel, the African-American child, visits Mrs. Katz with his mother. When a cat had a litter of kitten, and all of them are placed except for one with no tail, he decided to give the cat to Mrs. Katz, who in turn made him promise to help her care for it. She names the cat TUSH because he has no tail and all she sees is its behind or “tush”.

Each time he visits, Mrs. Katz shares stories about her Jewish heritage, her deceased husband, and her story of immigration. She cooks for Larnel, teaches him to dance, and teaches him that his African-American history and Jewish history shares similarities.

What makes this unique is Larnel asked questions throughout the book. She answers all his questions making a lively conversation written in the form of dialogues.

I would not be able to share the conversation as I would not know where to begin. But let me say, this book is amazing. Patricia Polacco’s illustrations are captivating, real, and natural. The story has a flow that at times, it reads like a poem written in free verse.

I could have picked any of the ten elements and this book would have been appropriate. And I know you are looking at the word count. But you should know how I feel about word count from my previous post, “Stories can be told in 500-600 words. But great stories should be told in as many words needed to get the message across, and 1395-words did justice.”

I recommend this book for all grades. It is delightful as fresh baked bread from the oven dripping with honey butter. This is the kind of book, you should sprinkle honey on and eat it. Trust me, it will be worth it.

Christie Wild 14:14 Picture Book Challenge

So you know I consider myself the “Challenge Queen”. This means I will jump on a challenge that involves picture books, reading, writing, sharing information, and analyzing. Since I do not have anyone to listen to me, these challenges allow me to write my thoughts and share them with others.

Christie Wild’s 14:14 Picture Book Challenge is reading 14 picture books in 14 days (14:14). Then analyze them using one of these:

Top 10 Story Elements for Picture Books
#1: CHARACTER
#2: CONFLICT
#3: PLOT
#4: DIALOGUE
#5: THEME
#6: PACING
#7: WORD PLAY
#8: PATTERNS
#9: RHYME
#10: BEGINNINGS AND ENDINGS

Each day, I will read a book and post the analysis here. I will link it back to her site. And check out the other sites of other writers who are participating in the challenge.

I should have posted this post before I began the challenge, but I didn’t. I actually started the challenge yesterday. I read and analyze MOSES: WHEN HARRIET TUBMAN LED HER PEOPLE TO FREEDOM, by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Kadir Nelson. Phenomenal book!

In Moses, I analyzed ELEMENT#7 ~ WORDPLAY (Alliteration, Simile, and Onomatopoeia). Check it out by clicking the link above. So now I have nine more elements to explore 😀 I am so excited.