adapted by Manitonquat & illustrated by Mary F. Arquette ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 1994
It was the Wampanoag (the ``People of the Dawn'') who shared their thanksgiving harvests with the Pilgrims in the 1620's. They remain a viable political, cultural, and spiritual community in southeastern Massachusetts; Manitonquat (``Medicine Story'') is an elder and storyteller of the Assonet Wampanoag. These 11 tales, each illustrated with a striking, beautifully composed full-page acrylic painting by a Mohawk painter and graphic artist, include creation myths, tribal legends, and pourquoi tales. Most feature the benevolent spirit helper Maushop, credited with creating all the races of man (from the multicolored clays of Gay Head on Martha's Vineyard) as well as the good and useful things of the earth. In relating how Maushop taught the Wampanoag to ``live in harmony always, in the natural joy and beauty of Creation,'' Manitonquat preserves both a storyteller's idiosyncratic voice and his instructional intent. An excellent resource (though a pronunciation guide would have helped), with a multitude of uses: to pair with a historical and cultural survey (e.g., Laurie Weinstein-Farson's The Wampanoag, 1989); for social studies and literature units, comparative mythology, and storytelling. (Folklore. 8+)
Pub Date: April 1, 1994
ISBN: 0-02-765905-4
Page Count: 72
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1994
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by Andrew Clements & illustrated by Brian Selznick ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 1996
With comically realistic black-and-white illustrations by Selznick (The Robot King, 1995, etc.), this is a captivating...
Nicholas is a bright boy who likes to make trouble at school, creatively.
When he decides to torment his fifth-grade English teacher, Mrs. Granger (who is just as smart as he is), by getting everyone in the class to replace the word "pen'' with "frindle,'' he unleashes a series of events that rapidly spins out of control. If there's any justice in the world, Clements (Temple Cat, 1995, etc.) may have something of a classic on his hands. By turns amusing and adroit, this first novel is also utterly satisfying. The chess-like sparring between the gifted Nicholas and his crafty teacher is enthralling, while Mrs. Granger is that rarest of the breed: a teacher the children fear and complain about for the school year, and love and respect forever after.
With comically realistic black-and-white illustrations by Selznick (The Robot King, 1995, etc.), this is a captivating tale—one to press upon children, and one they'll be passing among themselves. (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1996
ISBN: 0-689-80669-8
Page Count: 105
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1996
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by Andrew Clements & illustrated by Mark Elliott
by Craig Robinson & Adam Mansbach ; illustrated by Keith Knight ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 28, 2017
A fast and funny alternative to the Wimpy Kid.
Black sixth-grader Jake Liston can only play one song on the piano. He can’t read music very well, and he can’t improvise. So how did Jake get accepted to the Music and Art Academy? He faked it.
Alongside an eclectic group of academy classmates, and with advice from his best friend, Jake tries to fit in at a school where things like garbage sculpting and writing art reviews of bird poop splatter are the norm. All is well until Jake discovers that the end-of-the-semester talent show is only two weeks away, and Jake is short one very important thing…talent. Or is he? It’s up to Jake to either find the talent that lies within or embarrass himself in front of the entire school. Light and humorous, with Knight’s illustrations adding to the fun, Jake’s story will likely appeal to many middle-grade readers, especially those who might otherwise be reluctant to pick up a book. While the artsy antics may be over-the-top at times, this is a story about something that most preteens can relate to: the struggle to find your authentic self. And in a world filled with books about wanting to fit in with the athletically gifted supercliques, this novel unabashedly celebrates the artsy crowd in all of its quirky, creative glory.
A fast and funny alternative to the Wimpy Kid. (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: March 28, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-553-52351-5
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: Dec. 5, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2016
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