Genre Two

1.
Bibliography:
San Souci, Robert D. 1989. THE TALKING EGGS. New York, New York.Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 0803706197.

Plot Summary:
A Southern folktale in which a mother favors her older, mean daughter, Rose; over her kinder younger daughter Blanche. Blanche runs away from home because of the cruelness of her mother and sister. She runs into the woods and runs into the old witch that she had helped earlier, and the woman returns the favor. Blanche follows the instructions of the woman and does not laugh at all the odd things she witnesses at the woman's home. In listening to what the witch told her she is rewarded with riches. Upon returning home, her greedy mother and sister come up with a plan for Rose to go to the old woman's home. Rose does make it to the woman's home but she does not listen to the woman and makes fun of the odd sights, therefor she is not rewarded by riches but chased by fierce animals instead. Blanche lives out her mother's and sister's dream by moving to the city living like a grand-lady.

Critical Analysis:
Souci retales this unforgettable American south folktale. He captivated the audience through the use of suspense. The reader wants to know what the old witch doesn't want the girl to laugh at. The talking eggs, you want to know why the jeweled ones are not ready to take, even though you know it will have a bad consequence you still want to know. Leave it to Rose, she will let us know what will happen.

Pinkney uses richly expressive illustrations to bring the characters alive. His imaginative pictures captures the reader right away.

Review Excerpts
"Young readers will be spellbound by this colorful folktale retold by master storyteller Robert D. San Souci and illustrated by the distinguished, award-winning artist Jerry Pinkney." -Parents' Choice
Award

" Pinkney's exquisitely wrought illustrations are close cousins to those in his Caldecott Honor Book Mirandy and Brother Wind , with similar woodlands and soft farmyard settings of the rural South." -Publishers Weekly

Connections:

Teachers can use the lesson to show how following rules can be beneficial in the end.

Have students find a similar story just told from a different region.

2.
Bibliography:
Lowell, Susan. 2000. CINDY ELLEN: A WILD WESTERN CINDERELLA. Joanna Cotler Books. Illustrator: Jane Manning. ISBN: 0060274468

Plot Summary:
Cindy Ellen has the same basic story line of Cinderella. Her father a rancher marries a woman who was "meaner than a rattlesnake and has two daughters who were the spitting image of her." They are mean to Cindy and call her names such as "Cinderbottom" and "Sanderella". Cindy is forced to do all the chores. The biggest cattle rancher for miles sends out an invitation to all of his neighbors to come and celebrate at the "woolly rodeo and the next night a square dance" Cindy is not allowed to go because she has to complete all of the chores. Yet once everyone leaves for the rodeo her fairy godmother appears, and with a "bing" and a "bang" she changes Cindy's rags into a sparkling outfit with Stetson hat, chaps and sparkling spurs. It is the second night that Cindy Ellen loses one of her diamond spurs. The rancher's son vows to marry the girl that has boots the spur fits. He tries it on many of the cowgirls but it doesn't fit not even Cindy's step sisters can force the spur to fit. Just as he is about to leave Cindy Ellen voices that she would like to try it on, upon the fitting of the spur she pulls out the matching spur. The two are hitched and live happily ever after.

Critical Analysis:
CINDY ELLEN is a western version of the classic Cinderella. The story take place on a ranch, and instead of cleaning the house Cindy is mending fences, tending to the cows and shoveling out the corral. "Sanderella" is a well trained cowgirl who can rope, gallop and wrangle with the best of them. The ball is replaced with a two day shindig, the first day a wild rodeo, and the second a lively square dance. Cindy's fairy godmother carries a golden pistol instead of a magic wand. Cindy wants to impress the big cattle rancher's son. Last of all instead of losing her glass slipper she loses one of her little diamond spurs. The diction used allows the reader to infer that the story does take place in the west.

The illustrations are colorful and detailed to clearly reveal the setting. The characters dress reveal that it is a western. The reader can feel as if they are actually involved in the story.

Review Excerpts:
"Bright stylish...Manning trick out her characters in dazzling modern cowboy dress." -Kirkus Reviews

"Expressive regional turns of phrase and exuberant full-color comic illustrations in skewed perspectives place the action squarely in the dry desert of the West." -The Horn Book

Connections:
Have students write their own version of Cinderella.

This allows for students to see not tale has to be about queens,kings princes and princesses, but even somewhat ordinary people. Discuss how the changes affect this version of the story.

3.
Bibliography:
Schwartz, Alvin.1992. USA. AND THE GREEN GRASS GREW ALL AROUND. Harper Trophy. Illustrator: Sue Truesdell. ISBN: 0060227575

Plot Summary:
Divided into 15 sections including people, school, riddles and many others. The book itself contains some childhood chants, songs, and riddles along with some new ones (or ones not as popular as others) .

Critical Analysis:
The book was divided into 15 sections, each section devoted to rhymes, chants and etc... about that topic. Under the work section there was only one poem in that chapter; it told the story of a man struggling to build a life through hard work.

The illustrations were placed throughout the book. There was not a picture for each poem. Yet the illustrations were simple and entertaining.

Review Excerpts:
" A marvelous book that is sure to become a classic" - School Library Journal

"Move over your copies of Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky and make room for Schwartz's collection...Strongly recommended." - The Horn Book

Connections:
Teachers can use the book to familiarize students with some of the classic rhymes like "on top of spaghetti". Then have students create a different verse for the song or even their own using the same tune.