Caleb’s Comments (group member since Aug 20, 2024)

Caleb’s comments from the 5183 Fall 2024 Information Resources and Services for Children group.

Singer, M. (2010). Mirror mirror: A book of reversible verse (J. Masse, Illus.). Dutton Children's Books.


Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reverso Poems

Singer, M. (2010). Cinderella's double life. In Mirror mirror: A book of reversible verse (pp. 3). Dutton Children's Books.

The first half of this reverso poem tells of Cinderella's disappointment when she's forced to stay home and not go to the ball. The second half describes how happy she is to be at the ball, dancing with the prince while her stepsisters are alone in the corner.

This poem would be interesting to children due of its format. Each half is comprised of the exact same words, but with each line being told in reversed order from the other half. It takes a story that most are familiar with and retells it in a very clever way. It could show kids that you could say very different things with the exact same words just arranged differently, painting a character's emotions in a very different light. It's like putting together a puzzle or a magic trick. I think children would be fascinated and might want to try making a reverso themselves.

Camp Prodigy

Caroline, P. (2024). Camp prodigy. Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Tate attends a summer camp for young musicians and meets Eli, the person who first inspired Tate to pick up the viola. Together they practice music, deal with feelings of anxiety and inadequacy, and bond over their nonbinary identities.

This book reflects feelings that many kids can relate to: feeling inadequate in comparison to their peers, wanting to improve at something they love to do, and coming to grips with their own identity both internally and externally. Gender nonconforming children can also feel more assured of their own feelings by seeing how Tate and Eli express themselves within the story. It is valuable for stories to be realistic so that readers can be exposed to perspectives of others and learn from them. This allows kids to gain understanding about other gender identities and potentially learn more about themselves as well as the people around them.

Frank Einstein and the Antimatter Motor

Scieszka, J. (2014) Frank Einstein and the antimatter motor. Amulet Books.

Frank Einstein is a young scientist who creates two self-learning robots, Klink and Klank. With them and his best friend Watson, Frank sets out to win a science award and save his grandpa's repair shop.

The book takes place in modern day in an American town called Midville, with most of the scenes taking place in the repair shop run by Frank Einstein's grandfather, Al. The shop plays an important part in the story as it is Frank's favorite place in the world and serves as his scientific workshop. It also serves as his primary motivator, as he wants to win the science award prize in order to keep the shop open. Outside of the shop, little else of the community is described, so it can't really be said that it does much to reflect our own society.

The Sea of Monsters

Riordan, R. (2006). The sea of monsters. Disney Hyperion.

In this sequel to The Lightning Thief, Percy Jackson, half-human son of the sea god Poseidon, must journey to the Bermuda Triangle to save his friends and their magical summer camp.

This story is true in that its themes are true to the human experience. Though the context is often fanciful, the underlying feelings can be found in people in our world. Percy has complicated feelings about whether his father really cares for him and how his life is dictated by forces outside of his control. He discovers he has a brother, Tyson, who he is often embarrassed and ashamed of before moving past his biases. Tyson himself is ridiculed for being a cyclops, much like how people in real life are persecuted for their race. These traits help make the story true and relatable to readers.

Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras

Tonatiuh, D. (2015). Funny bones: Posada and his Day of the Dead calaveras. Abrams Books for Young Readers.

This book tells the story José Guadalupe Posada, a Mexican artist best known for drawing pictures of calaveras, skeletons doing all sorts of amusing things like dancing or playing instruments. He used these drawings to make observations about the people around him and politicians.

Before reading, I had seen calaveras in various art pieces, though I never knew what they were called or who created them. I wanted to know more about their creator, such as where he grew up and what inspired him to draw these funny skeletons. Through reading this book, I learned that Posada lived from 1852 to 1913 and worked as an artist and printer. He drew cartoons of political figures before coming up with his calaveras, which poked fun at various kinds of people They eventually became very popular imagery associated with el Dia de Muertos, the Day of the Dead.

Beetle & the Hollowbones

Layne, A. (2020). Beetle & the Hollowbones. Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Beetle is a young goblin who spends her days learning magic from her grandmother and going to the mall to visit her best friend Blob Ghost. When Beetle's old friend Kat comes back to town, the three of them must work together to save Blob Ghost before the mall is demolished and they are lost forever.

Both Beetle and Kat are gay and end up in a relationship near the end of the book. There is nothing in the book that paints them in a negative light due to their orientation, nor do any other characters treat them badly for it. They are just like any average teenage girl, aside from being a magical goblin and an undead skeleton respectively. Both of them have their own strengths, weaknesses, fears, and personalities that make them unique. They are fully fleshed-out characters that paints people in the LGBTQIA+ community in a positive light.

Little Red

Woollvin, B. (2016). Little red. Peachtree Publishers.

On the way to visit her grandmother, a girl named Little Red meets a wolf who is up to no good. But Little Red isn't like most little girls and isn't going to let the wolf have his way.

This book has a nonexistent source note. The closest thing to acknowledging the original story, besides the title, is on the inside of the dust jacket, saying that it is an "updated fairy tale with a mischievous twist" and that it "turn[s] a familiar tale on its head". Nowhere else in the book does it mention or cite the story of Little Red Riding Hood, nor does it say where and from whom the story originated. Even when recounting a story as easily recognizable as this one, it is still vital to take the time to give credit where credit is due and educate readers on the tale's origins.

The Disappearing Act


1. Moore, K., & Si, Z. (2022). The disappearing act. Katherine Tegen Books.

2. Bessie Lee is a tiny girl who wants to make a big impression by performing an amazing magic trick at her school talent show.

3. This is a transitional book that I think would serve its purpose and demographic well. The sentences are simplified and easy to understand without losing personality. It avoids contractions to avoid confusing readers who have yet to learn about them. There are a few bigger, complex words that Bessie, the protagonist and narrator, takes the time to define and help the reader understand. At the same time, she gives us insight into how she understands and interprets those words which she often finds confusing. The illustrations found on most pages go a long way to help convey the setting and actions to help the reader get the idea.

The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend


1. Santat, D. (2014). The adventures of beekle: The unimaginary friend. Little, Brown and Company.

2. This Caldecott Medal-winning picture book follows an imaginary friend born on a magical island who ventures out into the real world to find the child he is destined to become best friends with.

3. The art in this book reflects a near-universal theme of feeling lost and out of place. Beekle travels to a real world city full of adults where the color palette is muted and full of grays, nothing like the colorful and zany magic island he was born on. It makes him feel out of place and uncomfortable. It isn't until he reaches a park full of kids, their imaginary friends, and his new best friend Alice that the pages become more colorful and hopeful, much like back home. He's found a place among the big, scary city where he feels like he belongs.

Stargazing
Wang, J. & Pien, L. (2019). Stargazing. First Second.

Asian Pacific American Award for Literature: Children's Literature
Sequoyah Book Awards: Children's Books
Sasquatch Book Award

Christine, a young Chinese-American girl, becomes fast friends with her new neighbor, Moon. As Moon becomes accustomed to her new community, Christine grapples with jealousy, cultural identity, and what it means to be a good friend.

I believe this graphic novel won awards because it deals with issues that most children can relate to, such as friendship, jealousy, and feeling out of place or inferior to others. In addition, it features several Chinese-American characters and represents their culture via aspects like their language and food. I think the book is well-deserving of its awards, as it is beautifully written and contains so much humor, along with portraying young friendship in a very beautiful and moving way. I would happily recommend this book to kids, as pretty much anyone can relate to at least some of the themes and issues that the characters are going through. It is also a great opportunity to expose kids to some aspects of Chinese culture.