Jamie Harris

FREC 7232

A. Basic Information
1. Author: Denise Brennan-Nelson
Illustrator: Jane Monroe Donovan
2. Title: My Grandma Likes to Say
Date of Publication: 2007
3. Genre: Modern Fantasy
4. Format: Picture
5. Awards:
2007 Bank Street College of Education – Best Book of the Year List08
2009-2010 Kids’ Wings Award List – By Kids’ Wings Creative Educational Associates
(http://suzyred.com)
2008 National Parenting Publication Honor Award (NAPPA) 08
2009 Storytelling World Honor Award – Young Listeners category 08
2009 Mom’s Choice Award Children’s Picture Book – Inspirational/Motivational – Gold 08
2009 Mom’s Choice Award Distinctive Illustration – Gold 09
2009 Mom’s Choice Award Most Outstanding Children’s Book for 2009 09
2009 Kansas State Reading Circle selection for the 2009 Catalog in the intermediate school
division. 08
2009 Children’s Choice Book Award Finalist, Grades 3 – 4 (IRA/CBC – voting concludes at the
end of April 2009) 09
2009 IRA/CBC Children’s Choice Reading List 09
B. Book Critique Using Norton Evaluation Criteria:
How does the author’s characterization allow children to suspend disbelief?
I think the author’s characterization did allow children to suspend disbelief. In the textbook, it
states “A story may seem believable if it begins in a realistic context and then moves into the
realm of fantasy (Norton, p.263).” The little girl in the story stated that even though she doesn’t
understand her grandma all the time she knows, she means well and have her best interest at
heart. I felt this statement made the readers see that when people use a lot of idioms to express
themselves, it doesn’t mean that they don’t know what they are saying. They just have a different
way of expressing their thoughts. I felt that author did suspend children disbelief about
grandparents who use a lot of idioms in their conversation.
Does the author encourage readers to suspend disbelief by developing a point of view
that is consistent in every detail, including sights, feelings, and physical reactions? I think
the author encourages readers to suspend disbelief by developing a point of view that is
consistent in every detail. At the end of the story, the little girl talks about how much her
grandma loves her. Even though there is a communication barrier between them most of the
time, she knows her grandma mean well. I think the author encourages children to appreciate
their grandparents and enjoy the moment spend with them. Even though the grandma in this
story spoke another language that the girl was unfamiliar with they still was able to build a
relationship. The girl respected her grandma and the things that she said all the times. After a
while, the girl started using some of the idioms that her grandmother used. The girl stated “I
didn’t always understand what Grandma meant, but her strange expressions stirred my
imagination. What funny pictures I created in my head.” Also, the girl stated “Listen to your
grandma. She wasn’t born yesterday, and her words hold wisdom that comes from having been
around the block a few times. The bottom line is grandmas are in a league all their own. They
spoil us rotten, teach us to look for the silver lining in every cloud, and encourage us to follow
our hearts. And when the push comes to shove grandma would move heaven and earth for us.”
Is the theme worthwhile for children? I think the theme of this story was beneficial for the
children. Norton stated that “Memorable modern fantasies develop themes related to universal
struggles, values, and emotion. Children easily identify with such themes, especially when an
author develops them within the framework of consistently believable plots, characterization,
settings, and point of view (Norton, p. 265).” I think the theme of this story was to appreciate
grandparents even if you don’t understand what they are saying. The children can relate to the
little girl point of view because of the author choice of plot and setting. I believe the story had an
important theme for the children to learn.
The illustrator’s use of visual elements-line, color, shape, texture- and of particular
artistic media should complement or even extend the development of plot, characterization,
setting, and theme in the text. The illustrator uses a combination of visual elements, of line,
color, and shape, to help tell the story. For example, on one page the author wrote “You’re
bright-eyed and bushy tailed. My grandma likes to say.” The illustrator uses a combination of the
visual elements to draw a picture of a girl with a big sunk tail, and a boy is standing behind her
holding his nose. The illustrator gave readers an excellent visual of the setting which I think help
complement the environment.
The artistic style the illustrator chooses should enhance the author’s literary style.
I think the illustrator choices help enhance the author’s literary style. Every picture went with the
author words which help tell the story. In the story, the girl stated that her grandma likes to say
she is growing like a weed. The illustrator drew a picture of the little girl and her friends looking
like weeds. Also, how the illustrator position the text enhance the author’s literary style. For all
the saying of the grandma, the illustration emphasized the words. For instance, the illustrator
used a different font and style for “That’s a horse of a different color.” I feel these help readers
pay attention to grandma sayings (idioms) on each page.
The design of the illustrations – individually and throughout an entire book – should
reinforce the text and convey a sense of unity that stimulates aesthetic appreciation. The
design of the illustrations throughout the whole book did convey a sense of unity. All of the
grandma sayings was in different font size and style. All of the pictures were colorful and helped
support the characters in the story. The images gave the readers a visual of what the girl vision
when her grandma say different idioms. For example, when the grandma said when pigs fly the
illustrator drew a picture of the little girl flying in a plane with a pig.
A. Basic Information
1. Author: Jessica Gunderson
Illustrator: Denis Alonso
2. Title: Really, Rapunzel Needed A Haircut!
Date of Publication: 2014
3. Genre: Modern Fantasy
4. Format: Picture
5. Awards:
2008 Moonbeam Award
2017 Teachers' Choice Awards
Maryland Blue Crab Young Readers Award
2013 YA Top 40
2018 Teachers' Choice Award for Children's Books

B. Book Critique Using Norton Evaluation Criteria:

The illustrations should be accurate in historical, cultural, and geographical detail,
and they should be consistent with the text. I think the pictures in this book was correct in
cultural and geographical detail. The illustrator had an image of the castle, town, and a garden in
the story. I feel these elements help tell the story and let the readers have a visual about their
cultural and geographical. The readers are able to explain from the pictures of how characters
dress, shelter, and geographic features. Also, the illustrator had detail pictures of how the
characters in the story dress. I feel this also gave a visual of their cultural. I think the illustration
was accurate in cultural and geographical and was consistent with the text.
The illustrations should convincingly delineate and develop the characters. The
illustrator did an excellent job in developing the characters in the story. For example, the
illustrator drew pictures of Rapunzel from birth to an adult. The readers had a visual of how
Rapunzel grew up with the witch. It showed how her hair grew over time and how her view of
the witch started to change over time. The picture also explained how the witch develops
throughout the story. The witch started off as a nice person and as the story unfold the witch
became selfish.
The artistic style the illustrator chooses should enhance the author’s literary style. I
feel all the elements that the illustrator chose did improve the author’s literary style. The story
was a modern-day version of the Rapunzel, so the illustrator uses a different format for the
illustration. In my opinion, Denis Alfonso used contemporary style pictures in this book. The
photos were very detail and kind of look like a current day cartoon movie. The images reminded
me of representational art because the illustrator chose compositions that refer explicitly to
people and objects in a realistic way. I think the illustrator style enhance the author’s literary
style.
How does the author’s characterization allow children to suspend disbelief?
Yes, I think the author’s characterization allow children to suspend disbelief. In the textbook
“Through the Eyes of a Child” it states “For readers to suspend disbelief, the character from
whose point of view a story is told must be believable (P. 264).” The story is told from the witch
point of view, and the author made the witch story believable. The author made the witch seem
like a nice lonely lady. For example, the witch forgave Rapunzel father who stole radishes from
her garden. This made the readers believe that the witch was a kind lady. The author made the
readers suspend their belief about how they view witches.
 Does the author pay careful attention to the details in the setting? I think the author
paid careful attention to the details in the setting. The author created an unusual circumstance
and made it believable. First, the father gave Rapunzel to witch to keep from going to jail for
stealing radishes from her garden. Also, the Rapunzel had grown long hair which her lover was
able to use her hair to climb up the wall.
Does the author encourage readers to suspend disbelief by developing a point of
view that is consistent in every detail, including sights, feelings, and physical reactions? In
the textbook, “Through the Eyes of a Child,” it states “ Author of fantasy must decide which
point of view best facilitates a believable telling of a story and then sustain that point of view to
persuade readers to keep suspending disbelief in the fantastic elements of the story (P. 265).”
The author made the witch seem like she was innocent and she was only trying to help Rapunzel.
The author made the Rapunzel seem selfish and cruel. The author made the story seem
believable because it was told from the witch point of view.