MLIS 5603 Literature for Children and Young Adults
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Holm, Jennifer and Matthew Holm. 2006. BabyMouse Heartbreak. New York: Random House Children's Books, 2006. ISBN 0375837981
Holm, Jennifer and Matthew Holm. 2006. BabyMouse Heartbreak. New York: Random House Children's Books, 2006. ISBN 0375837981
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Babymouse has a problem. It's time for the school's annual Valentine's Dance, and she has no date. Babymouse is facing all the typical problems adolescent girls face-she's a tiny, quiet, out-of-place girl who has to watch as, one-by-one, all her friends get dates. She waits. She buys and reads magazines and then follows the beauty advice in them. She even asks some of her friends and other boys to go with her to the dance. Alas, everyone is already taken. Any girl who has even been in Babymouse's situation will sympathize with her predicament. Our hearts hurt for her when she goes to the dance alone. We cry for her when no one dances with her, and we feel immediate relief when an unexpected plot twist changes her fate. Her quest to find a perfect date for the Valentine's Dance culminates when she realizes that, sometimes, perfect is right in front of you.
Vivid pictures in this cute, easy-to-read graphic novel provide great visuals for the main settings of Heartbreaker. The plot of Babymouse's story takes place in scenes, at both home and school, helping the reader to remember exactly what it is like to be back at school which also provides the backdrop for a universal truth: school is not always easy, and sometimes the ones who help us get through it are the ones we least expect. With minor allusions to Gone With the Wind and Cinderella, Babymouse learns that sometimes, things just work themselves out.
Because Heartbreaker is a graphic novel, told and illustrated in graphic book picture frames, each character tells the story from their own point-of-view. Babymouse tells her story, as do the mean girls, her friends, and all the people she asks to the dance. The resolution brings sweet satisfaction when Babymouse's dreams really do come true.
AWARDS: This book has no well-known specific awards. However, it is written by Jennifer Holm, a New York Times bestselling and Newbery Honor winning author. She teams up with Matthew Holm to write the acclaimed Babymouse Series. "With multiple Children's Choice awards and over 1.7 million books in print, kids, parents, and teachers agree that Babymouse is perfect..." --Amazon Reviews
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
- Horn Book Magazine, "...Romantic Babymouse, in her fifth graphic novel for younger readers, here finds her confidence shaken by the impending Valentine's Day dance at school. Our imaginative heroine still indulges in plenty of her trademark pink-hued fantasies (including a continuation of ""Babymouserella"" from the first book--'"I never...made it to the dance last time!'") but finding a date proves less than fairy tale-like. Waiting around to be asked doesn't work, and neither do pathetic attempts to ingratiate herself with various boys, so Babymouse turns to beauty magazines for advice. '"This article guarantees I'll be 'unforgettable' to boys. I'll get asked to the dance in no time!'" Babymouse's desperation comes through loud and clear, as do the Holms' valuable and never-too-early messages of self-respect and self-worth,,." © January 1, 2007
- Horn Book Guide, "The text and illustrations successfully differentiate between reality and daydreams, and there's a good amount of humor injected into both. Babymouse's decision to go stag leads to a real-life fairy-tale ending." © April 1, 2007
- The Chicago Sun Times, "Move over, Superman, here comes Babymouse!" ©
- The Horn Book, "Nobody puts Babymouse in the corner!" ©
- Booklist, "Cute, smart, sassy Babymouse is fun and funny, and this book, like its predecessors, will draw reluctant readers as well as Babymouse fans." ©
- The Bulletin, "An almost absurdly likeable heroine." ©
CONNECTIONS
Use as an introduction to graphic novels, comics, mice, Valentine's Day, and friendship.
- Create and plan a grade -level dance.
- Research Valentine's Day.
- Make your own Valentine's Day cards.
- Research the folk story, Cinderella.
- Teach allusions.
Gather more Babymouse Series titles to read such as:
· Babymouse: Queen of the World (#1). ISBN 0375832297
· Babymouse: Beach Babe (#3). ISBN 0375832319
· Babymouse: Rock Star (#4). ISBN 037582327
Gather other Graphic Novels to read such as:
· Regis, Faller. The Adventures of Polo. ISBN 1596431601
· Spires, Ashley. Blinky to the Rescue. ISBN 1554535972
· Smith, Jeff. Little Mouse Gets Ready. ISBN 1935179241
No comments:
Post a Comment