Informational Books: The Extraordinary Mark Twain (According to Susy) by Barbara Kerley

Kerley, Barbara. 2010. The Extraordinary Life of Mark Twain According to Susy. Ill. by Edwin Fotheringham. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 9780545125086

Summary

The Extraordinary Life of Mark Twain (According to Susy) is an out-of-the-ordinary biography of Mark Twain written from the perspective of his thirteen year old daughter, Susy.  In a biography of her own, Susy notes her father’s quirks and habits. She records bits of his early years, including his childhood and days of courting her mother. She also reveals his work habits and his narcissistic ways. Susy lovingly writes of her father and explains that people were “just plain wrong about [him]”.

Analysis

The Extraordinary Mark Twain is written as an informational picture book biography. There is a clear sequence to the story as it takes the reader through various aspects of Twain’s life from his daughter’s perceptions. Although there are no typical features of nonfiction, readers are given many facts about the humorous writer.

 Illustrator Edwin Fotheringham arranged his work in digital media, highlighting various features of the text with his creative illustrations. Every few pages, there is a small insert titled “journal” on the outside, which opens to Susy’s biography. This insert is typed in a handwriting font and displays some peculiar misspellings, similar to those of an average thirteen year old.

With enticing writing and lively illustrations, the reader can become transfixed in the life of Mark Twain. Information is presented in a literary nonfiction format, making it more appealing to the reluctant nonfiction reader. Information presented is relevant to the storyline, keeping the reader from being totally engulfed in Twain trivia.

Following the story is an author’s note describing Kerley’s knowledge of and interest in writing about Twain and Susy. Kerley also includes a guide for writing a biography, a timeline of Twain’s life, and an extensive list of sources, proving the book’s credibility. The source list is conveniently organized by the book’s chronology.

Personal Response

At first read, I had a difficult time following, jumping back and forth between story and journal entry. After rereading the story alone, then the journal entries alone, I was able to enjoy the story much more. I think that after reading this piece, a student may become more interested in the life and literature of Mark Twain. An interesting take on a biography, The Extraordinary Mark Twain (According to Susy) would be a great resource for upper elementary students when learning about biographies.

Reviews and Awards

A 2011 Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children Recommended Book

A 2010 Cybil Award Winner

“A heartwarming tribute to both the writing life in general and the well-loved humorist--oops, sorry Susy... ‘Pholosopher!’" –Kikus Reviews

"Kerley and Fotheringham again craft a masterfully perceptive and largely visual biography, this time about the iconnic 19th-century American writer." -School Library Journal

Connections

Students can compare the work of Kerley and Fotheringham to their first piece, What to Do About Alice.

Upper elementary/middle school students can read the works of Mark Twain, including Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.  

Informational Books: Biggest, Strongest, Fastest by Steve Jenkins

Jenkins, Steve. 1995. Biggest, Strongest, Fastest. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. ISBN 9780547255576

Summary

Biggest, Strongest, Fastest is a nonfiction text that illustrates and explains superlatives in our world, the biggest, strongest, and fastest creatures. From blue whales to Etruscan shrews, cheetahs to land snails, this book give the curious mind some insight into fourteen creatures that can be found in our world.

Analysis

After visiting his website (www.stevejenkinsbooks.com), a reader can understand Steve Jenkins’ love for science. As kin of a physics professor and astronomer, Jenkins grew up loving science. While the book does not have bibliographic data, the reader can see that accuracy was key in creating this book. Jenkins displays his credibility through the straight forward text and the realistic illustrations.

Jenkins organizes his text based on the various records the animals hold. He devotes two pages to almost every creature included. The animals are not listed in any particular order. Each page begins with the name of the animal, followed by the record held.  A more specific fact associated with the record is included, as well as a small illustration that displays the animal’s size in relation to a human or a hand, making it easy for the reader to grasp the creature’s actual size. An appendix referencing each animal’s record, size, diet, and range is included in the back of the book.  

Jenkins’ illustrations are a cut-paper collage, created to be as realistic as possible.  These appealing images grasp the reader from the start and aid in understanding what each animal is like.  The illustration of the bird spider is so remarkable that the reader could almost feel the softness of the sinister legs.

According to his website, Jenkins’ inspiration for the book was his son’s inquisitiveness over which animals were the biggest, strongest, and fastest. The curiosity led to the development of this child-friendly, nonfiction concept book. The reader is given exactly what they need to understand the records held and is not overwhelmed with information about the animal. The book exquisitely conveys Jenkins’ passion for both art and science.  

Personal Response

Biggest, Strongest, Fastest is a great nonfiction piece. I found the facts and illustrations both fascinating and informative. Since it does not overwhelm the reader with facts upon facts, it would make a great piece for an introductory lesson on nonfiction text, enticing more informational book readers.

Reviews

“From the streaking cheetah on the cover to the tiny Etruscan shrew sitting on a teaspoon, readers see the animal and learn salient facts plus a few more delicious tidbits. Cleverly done and sure to appeal to both the littlest and biggest of readers.” –Marilyn Courtot, Children’s Literature

“Here's proof that power isn't just about size and that science can be a lot of fun.” -Booklist

Connection

After reading Biggest, Strongest, Fastest, students can research an animal of their choice and write and illustrate one interesting fact about the animal. Each student can contribute their animal and illustration into a class book.

Steve Jenkins' books would lend themselves well to an author study. With over 30 published books regarding science, students are able to learn many new interesting facts and see Jenkins’ noteworthy illustrations across many topics.  

Informational Books: Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet

Sweet, Melissa. 2011.  Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade. New York: Houghton Mifflin Book for Children. ISBN 9780329926298

Summary

Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade is an eye-catching, enjoyable story of the life of Tony Sarg. Author and Illustrator, Melissa Sweet, takes us on the journey of Sarg’s love of making things move, from pulleys in his bedroom for feeding the chickens, to whimsical marionettes, to the brilliant marionette-like balloons that are feature each year at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.  Sarg’s talent is brought to life through Sweet’s enchanting illustrations and storytelling.

Analysis

Balloons Over Broadway is an informational text written as a picture book biography. The sequence of events is logical, as Sweet shares Tony Sarg’s life as a puppeteer from childhood to adulthood.  The main focus of the story is his work with Macy’s Department Store. This includes his designs in their window displays, the first set of large balloons for the parade, and the improved marionette-like balloons that are still used today.

These events are spelled out in Sweet’s superb writing, which thoroughly explains Sarg’s ideas in a young reader-friendly format. Key vocabulary is defined in context. Typical features of nonfiction, such as subheadings and indexes, are not included due to the literary nonfiction format of the story. Important information about his life as a puppeteer is conveyed well and does not overwhelm the reader.

Balloons Over Broadway is eye-catching from the start. Sweet’s mixed media illustrations include watercolor pictures and collages made from papier-mâché, found objects, and fabrics. Some of Sarg’s illustrations from his work, The Tony Sarg Marionette Book, are included as primary sources, as well as advertisements and articles from the New York Times.  In an author’s note following the story, Sweet explains her illustrations were created to give the reader the feel of what life was like in Sarg’s world. Sweet hit the nail on the head with her attempt to illustrate his philosophy that “play [is] the most important element in making art” (Sweet 2011).

The combination of Sarg-inspired illustrations and bibliographic information shows Sweet’s passion for this particular topic. More information about Tony Sarg is included in her author’s note. A Thank You page credits those who helped in assembling the facts for the book. Eighteen sources are included in her bibliography, as well as four different quote sources. Photos hail from the Nantucket Historical Association, and original advertisements in the New York Times were provided by Macy’s Inc.

Personal Response

I found each page of this text fascinating. I learned much about Tony Sarg and how the Macy’s Parade originated. Having had the opportunity to participate in the parade, I found this text especially interesting. I would highly recommend this book for nonfiction lessons.

Awards and Reviews

A 2012 Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children Winner
A 2012 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal Winner

A 2012 Charlotte Zolotow Award Winner

“What [Sweet] has done is make a joyous piece of nonfiction that informs and delights in equal parts.” -Ilene Cooper, Booklist

“This clever marriage of information and illustration soars high.”- Kirkus Reviews

“The rush that comes from inspiration, the cliffhanger moments of creation, the sheer joy of building something and watching it delight the multitudes-Sweet captures it all in what is truly a story for all ages.” –Publisher’s Weekly

Connections

Further research and entertainment regarding the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade can be conducted using the following books:

Corey, Shana. 2002. Milly and the Macy’s Parade. Ill. by Brett Helquist. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 9780439297554

Grippo, Robert M. and Christopher Hoskins.  2004. Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 9780738535623

Pease, Pamela. 2002. Macy’s on Parade: A Pop-Up Celebration of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Chapel Hill, NC: Paintbox Press. ISBN 9780966943320