How to Heal a Broken Wing: International Title #3

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Title: How to Heal a Broken Wing

Author: Bob Graham

Illustrator: Bob Graham

Year Published: 2008

Country of Publication: Australia

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Awards: N/A

What did you like/dislike about the book?

Bob Graham's book, How to Heal a Broken Wing, is an emotional tale of a boy, Will, who finds a bird with a broken wing.  As the world bustles around him, Will takes the bird into his home and nurses it back to health.  This book has minimal text, the majority of the story is told in pictures.

My favorite detail of the book is the storytelling ability of the pictures.  Due to minimal text, the reader is forced to use picture clues to piece together the story.  I also enjoyed the bright illustrations, especially the light bursts around Will.  It helped communicate the story's hero.  Graham has a gift for simplistic, but honest, storytelling.

I can imagine some readers being upset about the bird falling from the sky.  However, it would be a good teaching moment about empathy.

This book is appropriate for all ages of readers.  It can be used to teach about empathy, life cycles, and noticing details.

What in your life would have influenced this reaction/response?

Seeing an animal in distress is difficult for anyone.  I like teaching students to use all the clues at their disposal when reading a story.  This book would be a great way to reinforce that skill.

How does this book compare to similar books/author’s other books?

The author's other titles have similar themes surrounding young characters and animals.  Graham's work has been noted by several award-winning titles, including those for illustrating.  His simple illustrations do not crowd out the plot.

What did I learn about children’s literature from this book?

Pictures can convey more than words can.  It is important to pay attention to details, especially in children's literature.  There did not seem to be a difference in children's literature between Australia and America.

Other titles by this author include:

Benny: An Adventure Story

Greetings from Sandy Beach

"Let's Get a Pup!" Said Kate

The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon: International Title #2

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Title: The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon

Author: Mini Grey

Illustrator: Mini Grey

Year Published: 2006

Country of Publication: United Kingdom

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf

Awards: Kate Greenaway Medal, Nestle Children's Book Prize Bronze Award

What did you like/dislike about the book?

Mini Grey's book, The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon, is a fractured fairy tale, loosely based upon the children's verse "Hey Diddle Diddle."  It is told from the perspective of the Spoon.  After Dish and Spoon lose all their money, they are forced to rob a bank by mobsters.  After their release from prison, they find the world is a new place.

My favorite detail of the book is the charming plot.  Grey does an excellent job of taking familiar characters and creating a new world around them.  I also enjoy the scrapbook-style illustrations.  There are cheeky details in each picture that can definitely induce chuckles.

There was nothing about this book I did not like.

This book is appropriate for all ages of readers.  It can be used to discuss fractured fairy tales, personification, and character development.

What in your life would have influenced this reaction/response?

My students and I have always enjoyed fractured fairy tales because they put a fresh spin on familiar tales.  The characters of Dish and Spoon are well-developed enough that one feels sorry for them when they are imprisoned.  Strong characters are very important to me in a story.

How does this book compare to similar books/author’s other books?

Grey's other titles include additional fractured fairy tales.  Her books tend to personify inanimate objects and/or animals.  In each book, a similar bold illustration style is used.  Aside from a few different spellings, such as colour, there was no difference in this book and American-published books.

What did I learn about children’s literature from this book?

Fractured fairy tales can be just as enjoyable as the original version of the stories.  Students can learn the finer points of writing through children's books, especially those in which they are entertained.

Other titles by this author include:

Ginger Bear

The Pea and the Princess

Traction Man is Here

You, Me, and the Big Blue Sea: International Title #1

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Title: You, Me, and the Big Blue Sea

Author: Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick

Illustrator: Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick

Year Published: 2002

Country of Publication: Ireland

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Awards: Bisto Book of the Year [Ireland] (2003)

What did you like/dislike about the book?

Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick's book, You, Me, and the Big Blue Sea, is a mother's retelling of a sea voyage to her young son.  She recalls the events of their voyage, including the sea birds, eating with the captain, and debarkation.  Each page ends with the same line "But you were only a baby, you wouldn't remember."

My favorite detail of the book is the detailed illustrations.  Fitzpatrick does an immaculate job of presenting very intricate and bright drawings.  The scene in the dining room is especially interesting because there is so much going on at once.  I also enjoy smaller, themed pictures on each text page.

I did not like the dismissive way the mother talked about the memories to her son.  Although the child probably didn't remember much from that trip, she didn't have to keep reminding him of his lack of memory.  Perhaps Ireland has different parent-child relationships than in the United States.

This book is appropriate for elementary classrooms.  It can be used to discuss memoirs, parent-child relationships, and sea voyages.

What in your life would have influenced this reaction/response?

Throughout this blog, I am finding that illustrations are important to the way I enjoy a book.  As an early childhood educator, I realize the need for pictures to convey lots of meaning to emergent readers.  I prefer my characters to have a little more relationship than the mother and son in this story.

How does this book compare to similar books/author’s other books?

The author's other titles have similar illustrations.  Fitzpatrick seems to favor simple forms with detailed settings.  Each of her books have a young child as a central character, usually interacting with older humans or animals.

What did I learn about children’s literature from this book?

Aside from possible parental differences between Ireland and America, there seems to be no difference in children's literature between the two countries.  Vivid illustrations can add a lot of weight to an otherwise simple story.

Other titles by this author include:

I'm a Tiger, Too!

I am I

Lizzy and Skunk

International Literature Awards

As America's diverse racial profile continues to expand, children's literature reflects this new diversity.  An influx of multicultural, international titles can be seen in today's libraries.

The Carnegie Medal in Literature is an annual award given to authors from the United Kingdom.  A similar award, the Kate Greenaway Medal, is given to illustrators from the UK.  Its first award year was 1936.  Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish philanthropist who left most of his wealth to libraries, schools, and universities.  To be eligible for this award, the book must have been written in English and published in the UK.  Recent winning titles have been mainly Young Adult authors, including The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and Just in Case by Meg Rosoff.  

The Esther Glen Award is an annual award given to authors and illustrators from New Zealand.  Its first award year was 1945.  Esther Glen was a beloved children's author and illustrator from New Zealand.  To be eligible for this award, one must be from New Zealand and write children's or Young Adult books that contribute to New Zealand literary greatness.  Recent winning titles include Old Drumble by Jack Lasenby and Juno of Taris by Fleur Beale.

Other international children's literature awards include: the Pura Belpre Award (Latino authors/illustrators), CLA Book of the Year (Canada), and the Prix Sorcieres (France).  

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