Rapunzel By Paul O. Zelinsky

1.  Bibliography
Zelinsky, Paul O.  1997.  RAPUNZEL.  New York:  Dutton. ISBN 0525456074

2.  Plot Summary
A couple has to give there baby to a sorceress for stealing Rapunzel out of her garden.  The sorceress raises the child has her own, but when she turns twelve the child that is very beautiful is locked in a high tower,  Has time passes the child becomes a woman who is only visited by the sorceress.  Until one day a prince sees the sorceress climb Rapunzel's hair to gain entrance to the tower.   The prince calls to Rapunzel to let down her hair and climbs into the tower.  Has time passer they fall in love and Rapunzel becomes pregnant.  When the sorceress finds out she cuts off Rapunzel's hair and the prince falls from the tower.  Becoming blind from the fall and wandering the forest.  He finds Rapunzel in the forest with their children and the tears of love restore his sight.  They travel together to his castle to live happily ever after.

3.  Critical Analysis
This story is a classic retelling of the fairy tale Rapunzel the author has researched the story back to its roots from the original telling by the Brothers Grimm.  The characters of the story are normal people that want love and happiness.  The sorceress is not a crazy witch, but a mother who does not want her child to grow up and leave her.  Rapunzel is torn between her own happiness and disappointing the only person who has ever loved her.  The story shares with the reader the hardships of growing up and finding your own way in life to be happy. 
The quality of this book that separates it from other stories of Rapunzel is the illustrations.  Zelinsky portrays the story in a new light by adding elements of the Italian Renaissance to his drawings.  The backgrounds of the story take place in Italy to fit the theme of the drawings. The illustrations are created with oil paintings.  The illustrations of the story add a new beauty to the story that reflects the beauty of growing up and change.  Giving this classic tale a unique new retelling!  The author portrays this story in a new light to apply to human nature.

4.  Review Excerpts
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY:  "A breathtaking interpretation gives the fairy tale new art-historical roots, with illustrations that daringly-and effectively-mimic the masters of Italian Renaissance painting."
CHILDREN'S LITERATURE:  " His Renaissance portrayal of the story glows with a richness of detailing and lighting that show a close study of the old masters."
Winner of the Caldecott Medal.

5.  Connections
Compare and contrast different stories of Rapunzel during story time.
Do a story time with fairy tales from the Brothers Grimm.
Other stories of Rapunzel:
Cech, John.  RAPUNZEL.  ISBN 1402769113
Isadora, Rachel.  RAPUNZEL.  ISBN 0399247726
Roberts, Lynn.  RAPUNZEL:  A GROOVY FAIRY TALE.  ISBN 0810942429
Storace, Patricia.  SUGAR CANE:  A CARRIBEAN RAPUNZEL.  ISBN 0786807911

The Three Horrid Little Pigs By Liz Pichon

1.  Bibliography
Pichon, Liz.  2008.  THE THREE HORRID LITTLE PIGS.  CT:  Tiger Tales.  ISBN 139781589250772

2.  Plot Summary
The three little pigs will not behave, so there mother tells them they need to move out.  Each little pig steals materials from different types of animals to build their homes.  The pigs do not know how to build their homes and each time the wolf who is a carpenter shows up to help.  The pig refuses the help and eventually the animals come to take back the materials stolen from them.  The three pigs are again left without a home, but the wolf has a nice big brick house.  The pigs decide that they want his house.  The nice wolf lets the pigs move in and teachers them how to build a house big enough for everyone.

3.  Critical Analysis
The author reverses the personality of the pigs and the wolf for a new version of this much loved classic.  The conversation between the characters bring life to the story.  The words are fun to the children and allow the children to interact with the story.  The words twist and turn on the page and change size to work with the action of the story or the tone of the character.  The reader is able to change their voice with the characters to add more life and excitement to the story.
The illustrations of the story are bright and fun.  The bold colors of the images on the pages bring to life the personalities of the three horrid pigs.  The characters become round characters due to the illustrations.  The expressions of the pigs are easy to read and see how bad they actually are.  The distress of the wolf and the animals is also very apparent.  These expressions bring more life and laughter to this classic tale with a twist. 

4.  Review Excerpts
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL review:  "If you think you can't jam another twist on a classic tale into your collection, think again."
CHILDREN'S LITERATURE:  "The parody is fun all the way through to the back end pages, which show the reformed, cleaned-up trio."

5.  Connections
This story would be fun to read with other versions of the three little pigs to let the children see the difference versions that are available.
A craft to use with a three little pig story time would be to have a cut out of a house and let the children glue different materials on it to make their own home.  For example yellow yarn to symbolize straw, red square stickers for bricks, and wood chips for wood. 
Other books with a change of characters from the original story:
Grace, Will.  THREE LITTLE FISH AND THE BIG BAD SHARK.  ISBN 0439719623
Laverde, Arlene.  ALASKA'S THREE PIGS.  ISBN 1570612293
Rubin, Vicky.  THE THREE SWINGING PIGS.  ISBN 0805073353
Trivizas, Eugene.  THE THREE LITTLE WOLVES AND THE BIG BAD PIG.  ISBN 068981528

Beautiful Blackbird By Ashley Bryan

1.  Bibliography
Bryan, Ashley.  2003.  BEAUTIFUL BLACKBIRD.  New York:  Atheneum Books For Young Readers.  ISBN 9780689847318

2.  Plot Summary
This is a retelling of a Zambia, Africa folktale.  There are many birds of all different colors living  in Africa.  The birds do not have any black on their feathers.  The only bird that was black is the blackbird.  The blackbird is voted the most beautiful bird by the other birds.  The Ringdove tells Blackbird that he should have a black ring around his neck to match his name.  The Blackbird replies that the beauty that is on the inside is what is important not outside beauty.  But he decides to help the bird by giving him black rings around his neck.  The rest of the other birds decide that they want black marks too.  Blackbird decides to mark the rest of the birds with black, but lets them know that even with markings they will still be themselves.  All of birds receive black markings on their feathers from Blackbird and everyone feels beautiful.

3.  Critical Analysis
The story starts has a normal tale being told by a narrator.  But once the characters of the book start to be introduced the words rhyme and in parts of the story are a song.  The author adds a rhythm to the words to make the birds speak with an accent since they live in Africa to collaborate with the setting of the story.  The singing and the rhythm of the text brings out the roots of where the folktale is from.  It makes the reader picture the African safari has they read the story.
The illustrations in the book are very bright and colorful.  The author uses cut-paper artwork to form the images on the pages in the book.  The birds and the background are the many colors of the rainbow.  The colors used in the story let the reader see how the birds are only filled with rainbow colors and the only color black in the story is the blackbird.
The many colors of the birds displays the uniqueness and individuality of each one adds in conveying the importance is on the inside.  Each one of us is unique and what we are on the inside is what is beautiful.  It does not matter what color we are.  This story has a great moral to share with children.

4.  Review Excerpts
Winner of the Corerra Scott King Award.
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL review:  "Mr. Bryan is a master of material that even the youngest child will instantly recognize:  construction paper."
HORN BOOK:  "A life enhancing folktale from Zambia."

5.  Connections
The librarian could read the book aloud and have the children repeat certain phrases in the book. 
The children could decorate their own birds of many colors for the craft during a story time.
Other African folktales:
Guthrie, Donna and Robert Roth.  NOBIAHS WELL:  A MODERN AFRICAN FOLKTALE.  ISBN 0824986229
Krensky, Stephen.  THE LION AND THE HARE:  AN EAST AFRICAN FOLKTALE (ON MY OWN FOLKLORE).  ISBN 1580138497
Smalls, Irene.  JENNY REEN, AND THE JACK MUH LANTERN.  ISBN 0689318758.