Snow White

 

Phelan, M. (2016). Snow white. MA: Candlewick Press.

This was my first graphic novel. I was a proponent of GN for what they could offer struggling readers. I was surprised by this one as it contains so few words. At first, I wondered if I had perhaps picked up the wrong book but as I continued, I realized how much I enjoyed that the graphics allowed me to visually process quickly what would have taken many more words to express. It was almost like watching a good movie adaptation of a book. In this version of the classic fairy-tale, Snow White lives in New York City in the 1920s and 1930s. The evil stepmother is labeled as “Queen of the Follies” and rather than a mirror, the ticker tape in her husband’s office tells her to do dark things to gain power. Of course, she sets out to get rid of Snow White who hides out, finding company with seven boys rather than sever dwarfs. Once her stepmother has given her the poisoned apple, Snow White is found in the Macy’s window. It is a Detective Prince who delivers the magical kiss to wake her. The book is done mostly in black and white with some color – red and green – added in at poignant moments. With the arrival of Detective Prince, the scenes become more blue tinted and then when she is reunited with the seven boys full color is used. I would love to see this story on screen.

More books written and illustrated by Matt Phelan: The Storm in the Barn, Around the World, and Bluffton

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Crossover

Image
  Alexander, K. (2014). The crossover. NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt . This novel-in-verse was a window read for me. The story of a middle school boy, his twin brother, and their mother and father during basketball season. I could imagine many of my students relating to and enjoying this book with its talk of basketball, and how to navigate the inevitable changes that occur as one grows older and those in the inner circle begin to branch out. Josh and his twin brother Jordan were close as most twins are until adolescence causes shifts in their relationship. Jordan gets a girlfriend and Josh feels jealousy that his brother is becoming distant. The boys’ father, a former Euro league basketball player, faces health difficulties and their mother, their school’s principle, tries to get him to take it easy and make healthier choices. After some unexpected events the boys find a way to repair their relationship. Also available in graphic novel format. More from Kwame Alexander: Preque...
Read more

Podcasts

 Whenever podcasts come up I think of the first time I ever heard of them. It was an episode of the teen drama One Tree Hill and one of the characters had a podcast on the show. I had to do a little research because it has been years since I have seen the show but I remember thinking something along the lines of "I will never be cool enough to have a podcast." This wasn't a wistful thought but simply an observation of the difference between my real life and a television drama.  I guess I have to eat those words that only ever existed in my thoughts. As you might imagine, I have never thought of myself as someone that had something new to offer through the world of podcasts, or blogs either for that matter! They say necessity is the mother of invention, well I haven't invented anything but I can say I doubt I would have ever had either a podcast or a blog if not for graduate school assignments requiring me to do so. When I am trying something I don't imagine using ...
Read more

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Image
  Alexie, S. (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian . NY: Little Brown The title is a bit confusing until you read the story of the boy who leaves the reservation to attend a white school where he struggles to fit in because he is a native but struggles to maintain relationships with his people on the reservation because he has left them to go to the white school. He is part-time Indian and part-time white but always the opposite of what he needs to be to fit in. Arnold is a freshman in high school when he gets suspended on the first day of class. He is not a bad kid, but it was a result of his reaction to seeing that the textbook he was given was the same one assigned to his mother 20 years before. In his frustration at the circumstances, he throws the book but hits the teacher in the face! Before his suspension is over the teacher pays him a visit and tells him to get off the reservation. This is how he comes to the decision to transfer the school 30 miles away...
Read more