The Wolf Who Cried Boy

Book: The Wolf Who Cried Boy
Author: Bob Hartman
Illustrator: Tim Raglin

Brief Introduction:

       There had a family of wolves in cave, the small wolf was tired of food his mother cook like lamburger, Sloopy Dose, Chocolate Moose, etc. He wants to eat a "boy." Therefore, he thought about an  idea. On day, he cried out "BOY!" Then his parents were happy and rushed out, tried to caught the "boy," however, they could not found any, the food mother cooked was ruined, so they ate snack that night. The next day, the same situation, also snack for dinner. One day, his parents heard about his telephone conversation, he was show off his trick and going to keep playing this trick. His parents were angry, and decided to ignore him. However, the real "boy" appeared, even sitting in their living room, but this time, father and mother wolf would not trust him anymore. 

Setting:
- Narrative Point of View: Omniscient Narrator
- Plot: Dramatic Plot
(Setting: There was a wolves family, and the boy was really tired of his mother's cook.The wolf boy thought about a idea.
Conflict: The wolf boy cried out "boy!" Then parents wolves was so happy and rushed out for found "the boy," but could not found him, and ruined the food mother cooked.
Rising Action: Day after day, the same situation keep happened. One day, the father heard about the wolf boy's telephone conversation, find that all of "boy!" are a trick, they decided ignore him.
Climax: The "real boy" came, but parents ignored him.
Denouement: The wold boy became clever, and did not object his mother's cook.)
- Conflict: Protagonist against Self (The wold boy becoming clever, because he found that how sad his parents ignored him.)
- Style: Exposition and Dialogue
- Tone: Didacticism

Reflection:
       The cover picture use a lot of square, and use those square to make words, which looks like video game. It is the first point attract me. Second point is the typesetting, it is really cute to use picture in sentences.

       In fact, I don't believe kid will be so clever after the ignore form their parents. But it is a good story to teach children not to lie.  

Strega Nona

Book: Strega Nona
Retold: Tomie de Paola
Illustrator: Tomie de Paola


Brief Introduction:

       Strega Nona means "Grandma Witch." She lives in a town in Calabria. She can cured many illness like headache, and she can help girl who want a husband, etc. She is old, so she hired a boy, named Big Anthony, to helps her to wash floor, dishes, clean the house, etc. One day, Strega Nona sang to a pasta pot, and the pot appeared lots of pasta, until she thought it is enough, she kissed the pot and the pot stop producing. The process was saw by Big Anthony, except the kiss part. Another day, Nona was going out for a few days, Big Anthony looked after the house, and she told Anthony do not touch the pot, then went away. Anthony did not listened to Nona, he told everyone that he can  make pasta by singing, so he did it. However, he did not know that he must to kiss the pot, or the pot will not stop producing pasta. Therefore, the pasta went all over the town, until Nona came back, she kissed the pot, and told Anthony to ate all of the pasta. Anthony would not make the mistake again. 

Setting:

- Narrative Point of View: Omniscient Narrator

- Plot: Dramatic Plot

(Setting: In a town in Calabria, there had old witch called Strega Nona, she can cured any kind of illness, even can helped people get what they want.

Conflict: She hired a boy called Big Anthony to helped her with house work.

Rising Action: One day she used a pasta pot to producing pasta by singing, and kissing. The process was watched by Big Anthony, except kissing to stop part.

Climax: Another day, Strega Nona went out for a few days, and told Anthony do not touch the pot. However, Anthony did not heard Nona's reminder, he told everyone to came and saw how he producing pasta by singing. He did not know how to stop, so the pasta went all over the town.

Denouement: Nona came back, and kissed the pot to stop producing, then called Anthony to ate up all of the pasta in town.

- Conflict: Protagonist against Another (Anthony did not know the whole process, and touching the pot without caring about Nona's notice, so get into trouble. )

- Theme: "Do not do something that do not understand  rashly, or it will make someone get into trouble."

- Style: Exposition and Dialogue

- Tone: Humor and Didacticism 

Reflection:

       This story is an old story, and I never heard of this story. I like the ending part, Nona told Anthony to eat all pasta up, however, the pasta is all over the town. The exaggeration make me smile. Anthony ate all pasta up finally, the Nona slept well in house, the contraction is funny.

The way Nona taught Anthony a lesson is great, it taught him the responsibility. Nowadays, there are many kids make troubles, and their parents came out to apologize, it is not a good way to treat children, it is a kind of spoil, when the day the kid grow up, they will becoming irresponsible.  I believe that Nona already knew Anthony will not heard her notice, but she still trust him to looked after house, it is an opportunity to teach a kid. I can see how wise Nona is from here. 

Snow White In New York

Book: Snow White In New York
Author: Fiona French

Brief Introduction:

       There was a poor little girl called Snow White, she lived in New York, her mother was dead, and her father got merry again. Her stepmother was a classiest dame in New York, she also had a secret status that she was a Queen of Underworld. 

       One day, the stepmother heard somebody said, "Snow White the Belle of New York City." She was jealous about it, and called her guard to kill Snow White. However, the guard is soft-hearted, he only left Snow White on the street but not killed her. Snow White met seven jazz-men, and became a singer, everyone said that she can be a star. The stepmother jealous again, and tried to kill her in a party by a poison cherry which put in the wine. Then, Snow White passed away, everyone were sad.  Miraculously, she revived when a reporter came, and they lived happy ever after. 

Setting:

- Narrative of View: Omniscient Narrator 

- Plot: Dramatic Plot 

(Setting: Snow White's father got marry again.

Conflict: The stepmother was jealous about Snow White's reputation, and send her guard to kill her.

Rising Action: The guard released her, and she met seven jazz-men, then became a singer, lots of people said she might be a star.

Climax: The stepmother tried to kill her in a party by a cherry which put in wine, and everyone thought Snow White was dead. 

Denouement: Snow White revived after a reporter came, and the poison cherry which in her throat was gone. She lived happy ever after with the reporter. )

- Conflict: Protagonist against Another (A jealous person like the stepmother will never be successful and own happiness.)

- Theme: "Don't tried to hurt somebody only because of personal feeling, it will never  satisfied a person."

- Style: Exposition and Dialoge (see the picture below)

- Tone: Irony (The original Snow White story, Snow White only waited for somebody to save her, and the prince fell in love with Snow White because of her appearance (they never met.). However, in this book, it is different. Snow White in NY had a job, she was a singer, and the reporter, her prince, was attracted by not only her appearance, but also her sweet voice.)

Reflection:

       The first thing of this book which caught my eye is the name of this book. The story is a little same as original one, like stepmother, her dead, and a man came to make her alive. However, the scene, the personality and methods are somehow different. I like this story. Snow White in NY was not a weak person, she used her ability to made her live, she sang, and attract people's attention, including her future happiness. So we can do it too! No matter how hard we born, we can still use our ability to win our own life. 

       The second thing attract me is the drawing. We can see that the pictures has contraction. The stepmother is darker, and Snow White is lighter like an angel. The people around them also have different face, the left part, all of the them are smiling; however, the right side, they look angry.

Then, the illustrator use a lot of lines to show the busy city.

Next, the light shows holy and the love form others of Snow White, even she is died, she is still like an angel.

I really like this skill of illustration.

We're Going on a Bear Hunt

Book: 
We're Going on a Bear Hunt
Author: Michael Rosen
Illustrator: Helen Oxenbury

Brief Introduction:

       A family was going on a bear hunt, and they did not afraid any challenge. On the way to bear hunting, they faced a lot of situations like long grass, a river, mud, a forest, a snowstorm and a cave. After they went through all of worse experience, they finally found a bear, but the bear was so horrible that they rushed back to home immediately, however, the bear followed them on the way. They went back to home, and shut the door, hid in bed fearfully. The bear cannot got in, and went back sadly.

Setting:

- Narrative Point of View: First-Person Narrator 

- Plot: Dramatic Plot 

(Setting: They were going to bear hunting, and without afraid.

Conflict: They faced some challenges, like long grass, a river, mud, a forest and a snowstorm.

Rising action: They found a cave, and got into it slowly.

Climax: They found a bear standing in front of them. 

Denouement: They felt afraid and went through those challenges again, rushed back to home, and hid in the bed. The bear felt upset and went away.)
- Conflict: The Protagonist against Self and Nature (1. Even they need to went through so many challenges, they still not gave up. 2. There are many situations in the wild, like grass, river, mud, etc. )
- Theme: "Human being should not look down on the Nature, we have to respect it."
- Tone: Humorous (The onomatopoeia in this book will make readers smile. For example, Swishy Swashy! Splash Splosh!, etc.)

Reflection:

       I like this book's illustration, especially on human and animal's face, Helen Oxenbury use simple line to draw out the emotion of them. For example, the picture upon the reflection part, it is the part which they found a cave, and got into it slowly. Their face are full of uncertain, maybe there will appear something without expectation. And another picture below,

it shows that they are really afraid of bear, however, look the baby daughter, she looks not afraid but enjoy, even played with a Teddy bear, the reflection between adult/ bigger children and baby is totally different, it is cute. The most classic is next picture. 

The bear only showed its back, but we can see how upset it was. The illustrator use dim color and dejected bear to show its emotion, I like this illustration most.

       Second, the story teller use a lot of  onomatopoeia to describe the sound of nature, readers can experience both story and sound at one time when reading it, increasing the emotion when reading.