Go: Book review with curriculum resources

Book cover from Workman Publishing

Kidd, Chip. (2013). Go: A Kidd's guide to graphic design. New York, NY: Workman Publishing Company.

*Grades 6 and up

**2014 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction Finalist

Go is a fantastic, thought-provoking introduction to graphic design. It contains the most basic principles while making the reader think about how they are used throughout the book itself. Each point has examples to prove its validity and make it easy for beginners to understand. It is accessible to middle school students and also valuable for older students and adults. Anyone who has ever had to create something visual should read this book. 

Partner Titles:

Book cover from ALSC

Pelletier, D. (1996). The graphic alphabet. New York, NY: Orchard.

**1997 Caldecott Honor from ALSC

Even though it is intended for younger children, this picture book is great for discussing graphic design. It features letters of the alphabet with clever layouts that can be analyzed by those who are learning design skills. Students can explain the design choices and then try creating some of their own graphic letters.

Book cover from
Laurence King

Heller, S., & Vienne, V. (2012). 100 ideas that changed graphic design. London: Laurence King.

Co-written by two graphic design experts, this is a fantastic history with only the most influential ideas in the field. It contains illustrations and examples to show how all of these types of design work. Students can refer back to this book for ideas and practice using some of them in their own work. 

Book cover from
HOW Books

Sherwin, D. (2010). Creative workshop: 80 challenges to sharpen your design skills. Cincinnati, OH: HOW Books.

David Sherwin is a prestigious graphic designer. In this book, he has created 80 graphic design challenges. Each section begins easy and gets more difficult as it progresses. Teachers can lead students through the lessons or more advanced students can pace themselves through the sections. 

Keys, W. (Producer & Director). (2010). Milton Glaser: To inform and delight [Motion picture]. United States: Arthouse Films.

This documentary is about Milton Glaser, a graphic designer best known for designing the "I (heart) NY" logo. The film is all about his life and career, and can introduce students to the career of a graphic designer. The trailer below gives a short introduction.

Cinedigm. (2010, May 18). Milton Glaser: To inform and delight-Intro [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH-o1r7gYgc

Yang, Y. & Huang, M. (Producers), & Tsai, M. (Director). (2012). Design and thinking [Motion picture]. United States: Muris Media. Retrieved from http://designthinkingmovie.com/

This documentary outlines what graphic design is and how it is used in different businesses. It explains how creativity can influence people in many ways. Watching this film can help students question the place design has in their lives. The official trailer is below.

DesignThink Movie. (2012, April 26). Design & thinking official trailer [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uilcaXYnluU


 



Teaching Ideas:

Judge a Book by its Cover: Chip Kidd is a book designer, so he includes some book cover examples to explain design in his book. Students can explore more about book cover design and then choose a cover to analyze. Questions to consider: How does the designer tell something about the book through the cover? Do you find the book aesthetically pleasing? What kinds of emotions are evoked by the cover? Would you want to read it just based on the cover?

Art I: Art Foundations AI.21 The student will analyze the functions, purposes, and perceived meanings of works of design (VDOE, 2013b, p. 19).

Book Cover Re-design: Students can work to design their own book covers. They should consider the main idea and author's purpose, just as Chip Kidd does in his work. This is a great opportunity to use design software or apps, creating a digital image as many graphic designers do.

English 9.4 a) Identify author’s main idea and purpose (VDOE, 2010a, p. 2).

C/T 9-12.16 B. Add meaning to individual and group ideas and products through creative work (VDOE, 2013a, p. 7).

Pantone's Color of the Day: Using the color of the day from Pantone’s website, students can create a design to represent that color. Each day’s color gives adjectives that tell what that color symbolizes. They should think about what color relationships, balance, harmony, and other elements of art as they design.

Grade Eight Visual Arts 8.8 The student will select elements of art and principles of design...to express meaning in works of art (VDOE, 2013b, p. 16).

Art Careers: As students explore future career options, help them to find more information about graphic design as a potential art career. AIGA's Career and Education Guide is one fantastic resource that begins with "What is Graphic Design?" and then discusses what possible jobs and how one becomes a graphic designer.

Grade Seven Visual Arts 7.13 The student will compare and contrast various visual arts careers in relation to career preparation (VDOE, 2013b, p. 14).

Forms of Energy Infographic: Using Piktochart,students can create an infographic to illustrate their knowledge about energy. They should use the principles of design learned in Go.

PS.6 The student will investigate and understand forms of energy and how energy is transferred and transformed (VDOE, 2010b, p. 7).

References:

Cezzar, J. (2015). AIGA career and education guide. American Institute of Graphic Arts.  http://www.aiga.org/guide-careerguide/ 

Virginia Department of Education. (2010a). Grade nine. English standards of learning for Virginia public schools. Retrieved from http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/english/2010/stds_english9.pdf 

Virginia Department of Education. (2010b). Physical science. Science standards of learning for Virginia public schools. Retrieved from http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/science/2010/courses/stds_physical_science.pdf 

Virginia Department of Education. (2013a). Computer technology standards of learning for Virginia public schools grades 9-12. Retrieved from http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/computer_technology/2012/stds_comptech_9-12.pdf 

Virginia Department of Education. (2013b). Visual arts standards of learning for Virginia public schools. Retrieved from http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/fine_arts/2013/visual_arts/std_finearts_visualarts.pdf

Further Explorations:

Go the Book Tumblr: The publishers of Go created a Tumblr page for people to share their design accomplishments when they complete the challenges from the book. Anyone can send in their designs to be featured!

20 Graphic Designers You Should Know: This article lists 20 fabulous graphic designers with examples of their work and explanations of why they are noteworthy. It also includes links to more information about each one. Chip Kidd is included at number 18.

11 Free Web Apps for Designers and Creatives: This article shares some free software and apps that are easy to learn and use. They cover a variety of uses, and would be fun to explore.

Chip Kidd's TED Talks: The two talks featured here are "Designing books is no laughing matter. OK, it is." and "The art of first impressions--in design and life." Chip Kidd is an engaging and funny speaker in addition to his spectacular design skills. These books give background on his experience in graphic design and perspective on what draws us to good design.

Chip Kidd's Portfolio: The portfolio page of Chip Kidd's website has thumbnail pictures of the book covers he has designed. Click on them to see an enlarged size, and explore the rest of his website for more about him.

50 YA Covers for 2014: The Casual Optimist is a blog about "books, design, and culture." Each month, Dan Wagstaff posts a list of the best new release covers, in his opinion as a publisher. At the end of each year, he posts his 50 favorite YA covers from that year.

Booketing Tumblr: This Tumblr displays visually attractive book covers. No commentary or explanation, just pictures. It is run by the French graphic designer Clement Buee, who has a design blog by the same name. Anyone can suggest a book cover to be included on the page.

Books Covered YouTube Channel: British book graphic designer Stuart Bache just started this YouTube channel devoted to book covers. He chooses a book of the week and explains what drew him to that particular book. He provides links to the designers' work each week.

Recovering the Classics: This White House-led initiative is devoted to creating new book covers for classics in the public domain, thereby making them more attractive to new readers of the classics. Creative Action Network and the Digital Public Library of America have teamed up to make the project a reality. Anyone 13 and up can contribute a design to the site, and can receive payment (40% of the proceeds) when someone buys something with their design on it. This link goes to a page with current designs and products for sale. Click on "anyone can contribute" to read the specifications and the list of 100 classics being included in this project.

2015 American Package Design Awards: Each year, Graphic Design USA awards the best in package design. Browse this year's winners by category or company.

References:

2015 American package design awards. (2015, June 3). Graphic Design USA. http://gdusa.com/competitions/package-design/2015-american-package-design-winners

Bache, S. (2015). Books covered. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpbgBwR63XxOUQh8PRn1DAw/videos

Booketing [Tumblr]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://booketing.tumblr.com/

Faris, J. (2014, September 17). 11 free web apps for designers and creatives. How Design. Retrieved from http://www.howdesign.com/editors-picks/11-free-web-apps-designers-creatives/

Go the book [Tumblr]. (2015). Retrieved from http://gothebook.tumblr.com/

Henderson, K. (2012, March 12). 20 graphic designers you should know. Complex. Retrieved from

http://www.complex.com/style/2012/03/20-graphic-designers-you-should-know/ 

Kidd, C. (2015). Portfolio. Retrieved from http://chipkidd.com/home/portfolio-3/

Recovering the classics. (2015). Creative action network. Retrieved from http://shop.thecreativeactionnetwork.com/collections/recovering-the-classics

Ted conferences. (n.d.). Chip Kidd. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/speakers/chip_kidd

Wagstaff, D. (2014, December 11). 50 YA covers for 2014. The casual optimist [Tumblr post]. Retrieved from http://www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2014/12/11/50-ya-covers-for-2014/

Lies We Tell Ourselves: Book review with high school curriculum resources

Book cover from Harlequin

Talley, R. (2014). Lies we tell ourselves. Don Mills, Ontario: Harlequin Teen.

*Grades 9 and up

**2015 Lambda Literary Award Nominee

Sarah is entering her senior year of high school in 1959, which she'll be doing as one of only ten black students integrating into the formerly all-white Jefferson High School in Virginia. Linda is a white student at Jefferson, the daughter of the local newspaper editor, and she is extremely vocal about her anti-integration beliefs. When the two girls must work together on a school project, they realize that they work well together, as they also challenge the beliefs they have learned from their families.  Sarah has feelings for Linda that make her uneasy, and they become closer even as they hide their friendship from their classmates and Linda’s father. They don’t understand their growing feelings but they know that the world they live in is unfair. The book is told through the alternating first person points of view of the two girls, and each chapter is titled with a new lie; for example, “Lie #1” (the first chapter) is titled “There’s no need to be afraid.” Truth vs. lies, loneliness, love, identity, and sexuality are all themes to which teenagers can relate. The issues of integration and segregation make this a great book to get a perspective on this period of American history, and human rights as they relate to race and homosexuality.

Partner Titles:

Book cover from
Enslow Publishing

Mayer, R.H. (2008). When the children marched: The Birmingham civil rights movement. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow Publishing.

**2009 Carter G. Woodson Honor Book from the National Council for the Social Studies

This nonfiction book discusses children's role in the Civil Rights Movement. It makes a great partner title to study with Lies We Tell Ourselves because Sarah and her sister and friends are all high school students who are asked to be the first black students to integrate into their local white high school. Sarah sometimes feels like it isn't her cause, and that she doesn't want to be part of it. Her parents explain that someone must make sacrifices to change things and make life better for African Americans. When the Children Marched got an excellent review from Booklist: the review by Hazel Rochman says that the book has "many photos, news reports, and quotes from all sides" which "—will draw readers with their gripping drama" (2008). The book seems to be non-biased, and gives an often untold perspective of children in a troubling time in U.S. history. It is written to be accessible for students in grades 6-12, and can be used to build the historical framework for students.

Rochman, H. (2008, June 1). Review of the book When the children marched. Booklist, 104(19).

Book cover from
LB Teen

Alexie, S. (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company.

**2007 National Book Award for Young People's Literature

**2008 Boston Globe Horn Book Award for Excellence in Children's Literature

**2008 American Indian Youth Literature Award from the American Indian Library Association

**2009 Odyssey Award from the American Library Association (for producer of the best audiobook for children and/or young adults)

Junior is a Spokane Indian who feels that the prospects for his future are narrow, and he doesn't want to be stuck on the reservation forever. He decides to go to a nearby white high school to get a better education, and he is suddenly treated differently. The white students see him as different and his fellow Indians in his town act like he is a bit of a traitor for going to school off-reservation. This book would be great to compare with Lies We Tell Ourselves because both Junior and Sarah are attending new schools and dealing with racist attitudes. Both novels include themes of belonging as the main characters bravely try to make their own places in an antagonistic world.  This title would be great to listen to the audiobook, because it won the Odyssey Award, and this could be an excellent format to pair for high school students who read at a lower reading levels. It is definitely a story that will get teenagers' attention, because Junior has a strong and honest voice. The book does include cursing and discussions of sex, so it may not be appropriate for some younger teens. 

Book cover from
Simon & Schuster

Hughes, L. & Smith, Jr., C.R. (Ill.). (2009). My people. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young People. 

**2010 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award from the American Library Association

While it is intended for young children, anyone can appreciate the beautiful photography in this book. The photos of African American individuals and families accompany Langston Hughes' poem, "My People," about the importance of family and heritage. Pairing this book with Lies We Tell Ourselves will help students to think about the themes of family and belonging in the novel. 

Book cover from
Top Shelf Productions

Lewis, J., Aydin, A., & Powell, N. (Ill.) (2013). March: Book one. Marietta, GA: Top Shelf Productions.

**2014 Coretta Scott King Author Honor from the American Library Association

John Lewis wrote this account of his experiences as a civil rights leader. According to the starred Horn Book review, "There’s something extraordinary about reading a firsthand account of a seminal moment in history from one who not only lived through it but also led it, and this is what ultimately makes this book so essential" (Bloom, 2014, p. 115). What makes it even more interesting to read for teens is that the memoir is in the form of a graphic novel. It shows some intense events in the Civil Rights Movement through illustrations, and is appropriate for middle and high school. The graphic memoir makes a great pair to Lies We Tell Ourselves because it is a retelling of true accounts from the time period. Students can assume that the characters in the novel would know all about the early events from Lewis' story from the news. 

Bloom, S. (2014, Jan/Feb). Review of the book March: Book one. Horn Book Magazine, 90(1), 114-15. 

Book cover from
Penguin Random House

Levithan, D. (2012). Every day. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.

**2013 NAIBA Young Adult Book of the Year

**2013 Lambda Literary Finalist

The main character has no body, but lives every day in a different body, inhabiting the life that body regularly leads. The main character is really neither male nor female, but falls for a girl when inhabiting the body of her boyfriend. This is a love that seems impossible. No one would expect such a person to exist at all. Every day would make a good partner book with Lies We Tell Ourselves because of the idea of forbidden love. Students could compare and contrast the ways that the world is keeping the two pairs of characters apart. Themes of truth and identity are also shared between the two books. 

Teaching Ideas:

Point of View: The opposing points of view of Sarah and Linda are key to understanding the story. Ask students to find evidence to explain how Talley uses context and language to express both girls' perspectives. How does she make the reader sympathetic to both characters, but also make it clear which perspective she is more sympathetic to? Students can use their analysis to begin writing their own story with alternating, opposing, sympathetic points of view.

The English Standard of Learning 11.4 states that "The student will read, comprehend, and analyze relationships among American literature, history, and culture" and part e specifies for students to "Analyze how context and language structures convey an author's intent and viewpoint" (VDOE, 2010, p. 2). 

Virginia and Integration: The novel is set in Virginia, and gives one a fictional account of racial integration in the state. Ask students to find true examples of how Virginia and its residents responded to court-ordered school integration. Is the novel accurate in its portrayal? Students could also find information about desegregation in other states, such as those farther south, and compare them.

The U.S. History Standard of Learning VUS.14 states that "The student will demonstrate knowledge of the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s by a) identifying...how Virginia responded" (VDOE, 2008b, p. 14).

The Norfolk 17: Robin Talley's dedication of Lies We Tell Ourselves names the "Norfolk 17." Like Sarah and her friends, this was a group of students that integrated into a hostile environment. Students could compare the integration in the book with their research on this historical event. What was the role of the NAACP in the novel and with the Norfolk 17?

The U.S. History Standard of Learning VUS.14 states that "The student will demonstrate knowledge of the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s by b) describing the importance of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)" (VDOE, 2008b, p. 14).

Brown v. Board of Education: This landmark Supreme Court case was formed by combining cases from five different states. Students should familiarize themselves with the Brown v. Board cases, and reflect on how the ideas in these cases are portrayed in the novel. Sarah and Linda know all about this case and reference it in the book. How does it define part of who they are? After thinking about the importance of the case, students can write a personal reflection about how the decision made in 1954 has impacted our world today.

The U.S. History Standard of Learning VUS.14 states that "The student will demonstrate knowledge of the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s by a) identifying the importance of the Brown v. Board of Education decision" (VDOE, 2008b, p. 14).

Civil Rights: Analyze primary source documents from the Civil Rights Movement with students. Discuss reactions as a class and how the documents tell us about history and about what being a citizen should mean. Read articles from the time period from different perspectives. Then ask students to locate current articles about civil rights issues. How are the issues and attitudes different today than they were in the 1950s and 1960s? How are they the same?

The Virginia and United States Government Standard of Learning GOVT.1 states that "The student will demonstrate mastery of the social studies skills responsible citizenship requires, including the ability to a) analyze primary and secondary source documents" (VDOE, 2008a, p. 1). 

References:

Virginia Department of Education. (2010). Grade Eleven. English standards of learning for Virginia public schools. Retrieved from  http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/english/2010/stds_english11.pdf

Virginia Department of Education. (2008a). Virginia and United States government. History and Social Science Standards of Learning for Virginia Public Schools. Retrieved from http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/history_socialscience/next_version/stds_va_usgov.pdf

Virginia Department of Education. (2008b). Virginia and United States history. History and Social Science Standards of Learning for Virginia Public Schools. Retrieved from http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/history_socialscience/next_version/stds_va_ushistory.pdf

Further Exploration:

Robin Talley's Website, Twitter, and Facebook: Find out more about the author and follow her on social media. It is always interesting to find out more of an author's thoughts on her books, reading, and life in general. 

Robin Talley's Lies We Tell Ourselves Blog Tags: These are the author's compiled blog posts referring to her novel. She wrote several posts about historic events that inspired her, which gives them special context for her readers.

Library of Congress Civil Rights Primary Source Sets: This resource contains groups of primary sources about the Jim Crow era and about the work of the NAACP. These include photographs, letters, flyers, speeches, and more, making them accessible to different types of learners. 

Emmett Till: He is mentioned a couple of times throughout the novel, and this resource from History.com includes a short video and an overview of the tragedy of this young man's murder. It is a quick and easy to have the context to understand this historical reference in the book. 

Library of Congress Brown v. Board Online Exhibition: This set of digital resources includes photos and documents with brief explanations of the historical context. This link goes to the first section, "A Century of Racial Segregation," and there are also two other sections, titled "Brown v. Board of Education" and "The Aftermath." These resources cover a broad time period related to segregation and the Civil Rights Movement. 

Civil Rights Movement in Virginia: The Virginia Historical Society provides this excellent collection of photos with historical context explained simply. The link goes to the "Massive Resistance" section, discussing how Virginians reacted to desegregation, but all of the sections on the left navigation are worth exploring. 

Washington Post article: This article about present-day Latino students and segregated schools is a fantastic resource to get students thinking about current violations of Brown v. Board of Education and how civil rights are still important to us today. 

The White House Top Issues: Civil Rights: The U.S. government's White House website is all about the presidency. The Civil Rights page tells what the government is doing about present-day civil rights issues. Videos, articles, and timelines are included. Click the other tabs next to "Civil Rights Home" to see more related content. 

References:

A&E Television Networks. (n.d.). The death of Emmett Till (August 28). This day in history. Retrieved from http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-death-of-emmett-till

Brown v. Board at fifty: "With an even hand." (n.d.) Library of Congress. Retrieved from http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/brown/brown-segregation.html

Chandler, M.A. (2013, March 12). Latino students attending increasingly segregated schools in Virginia. The Washington Post. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/latino-students-attending-increasingly-segregated-schools-in-virginia/2013/03/12/b34adef2-8b25-11e2-b63f-f53fb9f2fcb4_story.html

Civil rights. (n.d.). The White House. Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/civil-rights

Civil rights: Primary source sets. (n.d.) Library of Congress. Retrieved from http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/themes/civil-rights/set.html

Civil rights movement in Virginia: Massive resistance. (n.d.) Virginia Historical Society. Retrieved from http://www.vahistorical.org/collections-and-resources/virginia-history-explorer/civil-rights-movement-virginia/massive

Robin_Talley. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://twitter.com/robin_talley

Robin Talley. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/robintalleywrites

Talley, Robin. (2014). Tag archives: Lies we tell ourselves. Retrieved from http://www.robintalley.com/tag/lies-we-tell-ourselves/

Talley, Robin. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.robintalley.com/

Book post: Chopsticks

Book cover from Penguin

Anthony, J. & Corral, R. (2012). Chopsticks. New York, NY: Razorbill.

Told through photographs, artifacts, text messages, and letters, this book is a beautiful and haunting story. A piano prodigy, Glory, loses her mother at a young age, and her father pressures her to become a star. When she falls in love with her next door neighbor, Frank, she becomes happier but also starts thinking about the past more than usual. Her stress and depression build, and flashbacks alter the timeline to the point where it is hard to tell what is real and what is imagined. 

Chopsticks also has an app with additional content. 

Book post: Timebound

Book cover from Amazon Publishing

Walker, R. (2014). Timebound. [Kindle Fire version]. Retrieved from Amazon.com

Kate discovers that her grandmother is a time traveler, and that Kate herself shares the gene that makes it possible. She gets a medallion to help her set her coordinates and must travel back in time to the 1893 Chicago World's Fair to help save her family from never existing. I'm a huge fan of time travel books, and this one was well written. I love the premise of historians as time travelers, and Kate is a dynamic character who becomes stronger and more dedicated to her new adventure as the story progresses. She is afraid of losing her family and her new boyfriend, so her determination keeps the story moving. She faces other time travelers, a serial killer, and alternate reality versions of her family as she works to save the world she knows. 

Getting back into the groove!

It's been much too long, but I'm going to start getting back into posting regularly. I've read so much over the past year, and need to share! I'll be adding some reviews and curriculum ideas as well...coming soon! I've missed this!

Book post: A Death on the Wolf

Book cover from G.M. Frazier

Frazier, G.M. (2011). A death on the wolf. [Kindle version]. Retrieved from Amazon.com

The book starts with this: "The summer I turned sixteen I shot a man. It was 1969. Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. Hurricane Camille destroyed our farm. And I shot a man."

What a way to set the scene! Nelson, the narrator, tells the story of how that one summer changes his life. He lives in a small town in Mississippi. He works at a gas stations, helps out on the family farm, and helps take care of his little sister. Nelson's relationship with his best friend Frankie has started to change, and Nelson doesn't know why. He meets Mary Alice, who moves in next door with his aunt Charity for the summer. He dreams of the car he is saving up to buy on his birthday. Things in his life and in town are changing all at once, and Nelson deals with all these changes as they come. He is a strong character who learns about life and about himself in how he deals with each situation. 

Book post: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

Book cover from Kate DiCamillo

DiCamillo, K. (2006). The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. New York, NY: Candlewick Press. 

Edward is a rabbit doll who thinks very highly of himself. His owner, a little girl named Abilene, treats him like a part of the family or a distinguished guest, and he becomes accustomed to being valued. Abilene's grandmother bought him for her, but she disapproves of Edward's attitude. When Edward is lost and must depend on the kindness of strangers, he starts to see life and relationships a bit differently. This is a heartwarming tale, great for any kids who have ever loved a toy or want to know what love is all about.

If you love this book, check out edwardtulane.com!