Module 13: The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Picture taken from:

http://www.amazon.com/Boxcar-Children-No-Mysteries/dp/0807508527/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1321823057&sr=1-1

Summary:

Four siblings who have recently lost both of their parents are on the run from a seemingly frightening future. They are running from their grandfather: “He’s our father’s father, and he didn’t like our mother,” said Henry. “So we don’t think he would like us. We are afraid he would be mean to us.” The children find themselves fending for themselves in the woods living in an old boxcar. The oldest, Henry, gets work from a kindly doctor in a nearby town where he is able to support his three younger siblings. The kind doctor is curious about the boy and soon discovers that the boy and his younger siblings are the grandchildren of a famously wealthy man.  He is concerned about the well-being of the children, but is uncertain how to help them. When Violet, the middle sibling, becomes very ill the doctor takes the children into his home and asks the grandfather to visit and meet the children. The children learn to trust and love the kindly old man and soon learn he is their grandfather. The children no longer have to live in the old boxcar and move with their grandfather and live happily ever after. 

Citation:

Warner, G.C. (1977). The boxcar children. USA : Albert Whitman and Co.

Impression:

I found  the story to be lacking in depth and plot. This is a sweet story of family and friendship, but it plays out like a fairytale. I remember adoring this story as a small child; it provided a sense of independence, adventure and it sparked my imagination. I don’t believe it is meant to be read by adults as it did not hold up well when I read it again. I found myself more concerned about the children’s well being and appalled at the idea of four children living alone in the wilderness. I was concerned about the children’s future in the woods and felt the children were too unbelievable and adult-like.

Reviews:

Warner's Boxcar Children was published in 1942 to mixed reviews. Parents were alarmed that the novel's child heroes, the Alden siblings, got on so well without adult intervention. Children, however, felt empowered and enthusiastically applauded the young survivalists and their numerous further adventures. Denton, whose credits include work for the Cartoon Network, and Dubisch, best known for his fantasy comic artwork, have put together graphic-novel versions of some of the stories. In this first book, the orphaned Aldens set up housekeeping in an old boxcar, making the most of their particular strengths, until their grandfather takes them in. The story, though easy to read and follow, is presented in a surprisingly lackluster manner. The artwork, however, is more energetic, and the format works in the series' favor, lending a contemporary feel even though the cars and clothes are vintage. The question remains, though, whether these modest pluses are enough to entice readers to continue to read the whole series (or find the original books).--Zvirin, Stephanie Copyright 2009 Booklist

Citation:

Zvirin, S. (2009). The Boxcar Children. Booklist. 105(13), 61. Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com/

Uses:

• Have a Boxcar Children-related event in the library that teaches children about survival. Invite a boy scout troop leader to teach how to build a fire, locate eatable berries, etc.
• Invite a railroad engineer to discuss what it would be like to live in a boxcar and then have a tour of the inside of a boxcar.

Module 12: Odd Boy Out: Young Albert Einstein by Don Brown

Photo taken from:

http://www.amazon.com/Odd-Boy-Out-Albert-Einstein/dp/054701435X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1321125238&sr=1-1

Summary:

Albert Einstein did not have an easy childhood; he didn’t talk until he was almost three, he didn’t  enjoy socializing with his peers, had no interest in sports, and didn’t particularly like school. Albert Einstein really was the odd boy out. But Albert loved math and science and excelled at both subjects. This book tells of the struggles young Albert Einstein had to go through to become the great man of math and science he would someday be so famous for. 

Citation:

Brown, D. (2004) Odd boy out: young Albert Einstein. New York, New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Impression:

This book does a great job of giving a different view of Albert Einstein. The readers can see Einstein as an awkward and odd little boy trying to find his own way. This book is great for children who are also trying to find their own voices as it tells of a well-known and great man who struggled to find himself and succeed in a very unforgiving world. This book gives hope to those who dare to be different.

Reviews:

Brown maintains a delicate tension between his accessible presentation (a straightforward text and uncluttered illustrations) and his extraordinary subject (the legendary twentieth-century physicist). . . . Albert Einstein's early years were far from auspicious. Brown carefully and effectively summarizes events, choosing telling details to paint a portrait of an introspective child who struggles in school. . . . In the somber watercolor and ink illustrations, young Albert's physical separation from other figures emphasizes his psychological disconnection from the goings on around him (as do his almost-always-closed eyes). Brown introduces Einstein's famous theories with a light touch, keeping the focus on the boy/young man. The book's message about different ways of and approaches to learning is clear and will surely be appreciated by the intended audience. An author's note debunks a few myths surrounding the man and his work, and a short bibliography rounds out this inspired picture-book biography.

Citation:

[Odd boy out] [book review]. (2004). The Horn Book, 80(5), 604-605. Retrieved from http://www.hbook.com/

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Brown (Mack Made Movies) shapes an impressionistic portrait of Einstein in his early years, opening with comments of family members gazing upon the newborn (his grandmother says he is "much too fat" and "his mother fears his head is too big"). Writing in the present tense, the author shares anecdotes that reveal young Einstein's character: his temper tantrums scare away his tutor; he brings "a single-minded attention" to such pastimes as building elaborate houses of cards; his parents so encourage his independence that they allow him to wander the streets of Munich alone at the age of four; and the boy early on displays an extraordinary skill at and fascination with mathematics (though other schoolwork bores him). True to the book's title, Brown emphasizes ways in which Einstein fails to fit in with his peers. He dislikes sports, is disturbed rather than excited at the sight of soldiers parading in the street and, as the only Jewish student in school, is taunted by his classmates. The writing occasionally becomes muddy when discussing Einstein's scientific thinking and discoveries ("He says that everything is in motion and when something moves very fast, as fast as light, strange things happen, like clocks running slower and objects becoming shorter"), targeting the book more to kids who identify with the hero's personality traits than to those interested in the man's ideas. But Brown's narrative and appealingly quirky pen-and-ink and watercolor art effectively illuminate the eccentricities and intelligence of Einstein the boy and the man. Ages 4-8. (Sept.)

Citation:

[Odd boy out] [book review]. (2004). Publishers Weekly, 251(42), 63. Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com

Uses:

• Use Odd Boy Out as part of a display that highlights books about the childhoods of great people.
• Have an Einstein month at the library and watch documentaries about him and have a book club with both children’s books (Odd Boy Out) and adult books. 

Module 12: Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story about Brain Science by John Fleichman

Photo taken from:

http://www.amazon.com/Phineas-Gage-Gruesome-Story-Science/dp/0618494782/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321123379&sr=8-1

Summary:

John Fleischman tells the story of Phineas Gage, a survivor of a terrible accident. Phineas was a foreman for a railroad construction company in Vermont. He often used a specially made rod to pick holes and pack the dynamite to blow up rock. Phineas became distracted by his workers and an explosion caused the rod to propel into Phineas’ head. Phineas, though terribly injured, walked away from the accident. When Doctor Bigalow first saw him, he was more than surprised that Phineas was alive, let alone walking and talking. The doctor did his best to heal him and was greatly interested in Phineas’ condition.

As Phineas recovers Dr. Bigalow notices that while Phineas has recovered remarkably well, he’s personality is not the same. The once congenial man now has difficulty with interpersonal skills and is no longer able to hold down a job or maintain relationships. Dr. Bigalow writes about Phineas’ remarkable recovery and he and Phineas are invited to Boston to meet with more doctors. Once in Boston Phineas grows tired of the doctors and leaves.

Phineas lived ten years after his accident. He was never able to maintain a steady job or relationships. Eventually he died in California while living with his mother and sister.  Phineas is the first documented case that shows a clear correlation between the brain and emotion. Even after Phineas died, doctors studied his case to prove that the brain is central to human life and emotion. Phineas’ story questions whether surviving that terrible accident was a blessing or a curse. After the accident Phineas was never the same person, a crucial part of himself was destroyed in the accident. 

Citation:

Fleishchman, J. (2002) Phineas Gage a gruesome but true story about brain science. New York, New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Impression:

What a fascinating and interesting book; this is sure to be a kid pleaser. Fleischman is able to bring the complicated topic of  history, brain science, and psychology to the level of his intended readers. The story is a gruesome with the pictures of Phineas with a 13 lb. rod sticking out of his head and pictures of his skull, but to a student who has an innate interest in science and history, this is a great resource. 

To a reader looking to learn about Phineas Gage as a person, this is not the book. Fleishman gives insight on Phineas’ personal life, but this story is told more from the perspective of science and psychology. The author takes great pains to explain brain science and tends to leave the story of Phineas Gage as a side note. 

Reviews:

The name of Phineas Gage may ring a bell for those with a taste for historical footnotes: he's the man who, in 1848, had a three-and-a-half foot iron rod blasted through his head and lived to tell the tale, providing a spectacular subject for nineteenth-century neurologists. Fleischman starts right up with Gage's accident ("It will kill him, but it will take another eleven years, six months, and nineteen days to do so"), effectively setting the scene and explaining the situation (Gage was a blaster on the railroad, and the item of his doom was a tamping rod); he then describes Gage's recovery, his personality changes, his subsequent difficult life, and finally his death. Around and within this narrative is the larger story of science then and science now: the author deftly introduces readers to a diverse range of relevant scientific history as well as more specific beliefs that influenced the medical establishment's understanding of Gage, then goes on to examine subsequent neurological discoveries that have changed and enhanced our understanding of Gage's fate. The book's present-tense narrative is inviting and intimate, and the text is crisp and lucid, combining the personal and the theoretical to dramatic effect and avoiding condescension both to readers and to the unfortunate Gage (though it's odd that he's informally called by his first name throughout in contrast to theother adults). The accessible layout features some superbly effective illustrations, ranging from photographs of nineteenth-century medicine to diagrams, historical and contemporary, of the brain, to stunning images depicting the trajectory of the rod through Gage's head. The riveting topic (the grossout impalement diagrams are a booktalk in their own right) will draw all kinds of readers, and they'll be fascinated even as they're educated. There are no notes, but a glossary, a brief but detailed list of print and electronic resources, and an index are included. DS

Citation:

Stevenson, D.  (2002, May). [Phineas Gage: a gruesome but true story about brain science] [book review]. Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, 55(9), 321-322. Retrieved from http://bccb.lis.illinois.edu/

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In 1848, Phineas Gage, a twenty-six-year-old explosives expert, had an accident that should have killed him. His three-foot-long, spearlike tamping iron, accidentally igniting the blasting powder, shot thirty feet into the air after first passing through his head. Miraculously, Gage was able to walk around, talk lucidly about the accident, and even joke with his horrified doctor. Later, it became clear that his personality and ability to make sound judgments had been drastically changed. Gage became the central figure in a medical debate between two factions of scientists that lasted long after his death eleven years later. Both the phrenologists and the whole-brain theorists were convinced that Gage's survival and personality transformation proved their theories and negated those of the other party. In fact, both theories were mostly incorrect. John Fleischman's bold, present-tense writing draws the reader into the story from the first sentence: 'The most unlucky/lucky moment in the life of Phineas Gage is only a minute or two away… [Soon] Phineas will have a horrible accident" The grisly cover photo of Gage's skull, a classy design, and large illustrations aid in captivating a younger audience (nine and up seems about right) who will likely be hooked by the story before Fleischman begins delving into the specifics of brain anatomy. While the text frequently addresses the reader directly ("Imagine you are inside Phineas's head"), the serious subject and the author's skill keep the writing from becoming jejune. What truly elevates this book beyond a blow-by-blow description of a ghastly event and its aftermath is the introduction of the idea that some scientists are zealots who are compelled to support their own theories even if it means remaining blind to new evidence. At the heart of the book is the revelation that while science is a discipline based on facts, these "facts" change, forcing the field to evolve and reinvent itself.

Citation:

[Phineas Gage: a gruesome but true story about brain science] [book review]. (2002). The Horn Book, 78(3), 343-344.

Uses:

• Have “A Evening at the Museum” night where books about scientific breakthroughs are highlighted. Have the local Museum Curator come in and talk about some of the breakthroughs that South Dakota is famous for. Use the Phineas Gage book as part of a book display to go along with the evening’s events.
• Have an archeological display at the library that highlights the benefits of archeology and use the Phineas Gage book to as a discussion point. 

Module 11: The Day Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer's Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors by Chris Barton

Picture taken from:

http://www.amazon.com/DAY-GLO-BROTHERS-BARTON-AUTHOR-HARDCOVER/dp/B0041OAKFQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320639662&sr=1-2

Summary:

Bob and Joe Switzer are as different as night and day. Bob is a motivated man with his mind set on success and Joe tries to find the easy way out. Joe enjoyed magic tricks and creating illusions to entertain and Bob strived to be a doctor and make a comfortable living. When Bob is injured in an accident, his dreams of becoming a doctor die. Bob finds himself recuperating in a darkened basement (because of his injuries) and growing bored. His brother, Joe, was working on a project of his own in the basement he’s trying to come up with new illusions by using blacklights for his magic show.  Bob decides to assist his brother with making a blacklight lamp, and through experimenting with blacklight and fluorenscence, the men stumble on a new type of bright paint.  These paints are an instant hit with Joe’s magic show and become very profitable with sign painters, construction workers, and fabric printers. The Switzer brothers became famous and wealthy because of their great, bright invention. 

Citation:

Barton,C. (2009). The day-glo brothers.Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge.

Impression:

Chris Barton does a fantastic job of telling the story of the Switzer brothers that is interesting and informative. Barton is able to bring a complicated subject to the level of his reader without talking down to them or over their heads. The story is light-hearted and as creative as the Switzer brother’s bright invention. Persiani’s neon illustrations are a great companion to the story and evolve as the story progresses. 

Reviews:

Everyone knows the story of the invention of the airplane, the telephone and the light bulb.  But there are a million little things around us that we never even notice which didn’t exist until somebody thought them up. Take Day-Glo colors. We see them every day on Blaze Orange traffic cones and hunter’s caps, Signal Green sticky notes, and Saturn Yellow highlighter markers. But did you ever stop to think why some pinks look rosy while others are actually hot?

Like most people, author Chris Barton didn’t give Day-Glo colors a second glance until he happened to read an obituary of Robert Switzer, who with his brother Joe turned an interest in magical illusions into an industry — and along the way created hues Nature never dreamed of. The Day-Glo Brothers tells about Joe’s fascination with ultraviolet lamps, which he wanted to use to make objects in his magic shows glow in the dark. Poking around in their father’s drugstore, they found chemicals which they used to create the first fluorescent paint. Then Bob got the idea to make glow-in-the-dark ink for store signs and billboards. It was an accident that some of the paint they developed also glowed in the light. World War II made the brothers rich selling glowing paint for buoys, signal flags and safety jackets. Psychedelic posters and bright green tennis balls came later.

The Day-Glo Brothers is a picture book aimed that younger kids will easily follow. The illustrations by Tony Persiani naturally make generous use of the glowing colors. And publisher Charlesbridge has a web page with links to an animated explanation of how Day-Glo works, interviews with the author, and the original obituary that started Barton on the project. There’s also a teacher’s guide with activities — but the best activity is to give your kids a black light at your local hardware store and let them see what might glow.

The Day-Glo Brothers, by Chris Barton with illustrations by Tony Persiani, retails for $18.95 but can easily be found for less (or, like me, you can borrow it from the library).

Kathy Ceceri is a senior editor at GeekMom.com and the homeschooling mother of two, one of them in college studying interactive game design. She is also the author and illustrator of activity books for kids. She is currently at work on a book about robotics for Nomad Press. 

Citation:

Ceceri, K., (2009, Dec. 7). [The true story of Bob and Joe Switzer's bright ideas and brand-new colors] [book review]. Wired. Retrieved from http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2009/12/the-day-glo-brothers/

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In this debut for both collaborators, Barton takes on the dual persona of popular historian and cool science teacher as he chronicles the Switzer brothers' invention of the first fluorescent paint visible in daylight. The aptly named Day-Glo, he explains, started out as a technological novelty act (Joe, an amateur magician, was looking for ways to make his illusions more exciting), but soon became much more: during WWII, one of its many uses was guiding Allied planes to safe landings on aircraft carriers. The story is one of quintessentially American ingenuity, with its beguiling combination of imaginative heroes ("Bob focused on specific goals, while Joe let his freewheeling mind roam every which way when he tried to solve a problem"), formidable obstacles (including, in Bob's case, a traumatic accident), a dash of serendipity and entrepreneurial zeal. Persiani's exuberantly retro 1960s drawings--splashed with Day-Glo, of course--bring to mind the goofy enthusiasm of vintage educational animation and should have readers eagerly following along as the Switzers turn fluorescence into fame and fortune. Ages 7-10. (July)

Citation:

(2009). [The true story of Bob and Joe Switzer's bright ideas and brand-new colors] [book review].  Publisher's Weekly. Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/reviews/index.html

Uses:

• Host an art night where individuals paint with fluorescent paints. Read this book to let the artists know where fluorescent paints come from.
• Have an inventor’s book display and which highlights The Day-Glo Brothers.