Children’s Literature Evaluation Form

Your Name: Daisy tobon

Book Title: The new kid on the block
Author: Jack Prelutsky
Genre: Poetry
Illustrator: James Stevenson
Publisher/Year: 1984 Greenwillow
Evaluate the Book for the following elements
Style and Language: Using examples for the book, explain the following: Word
choices, dialogue, rhythm, rhyme and sentence length. Share unexpected insights or
interesting information the reader learns from this story. (5 points)
It is noticeably clear that the author is very conscientious of his word choices. For
example, he uses many rhyming words such as " Tough/rough, everywhere/hair, ball
and all”. Uses alliteration for example "passing porpoises are puzzled".  The poems
are funny, and they have a rhythm to them. I found it interesting how he uses it
combination of rhythm rhyme and alliteration for his poems along with humor. Most
poems that I read are somber and dark.
Character: With examples from the book, provide the following- (5 points)
Who is the main character?
How can the reader relate to the character?
Who are the supporting characters?
 The main character changes with the poem for example the 1st Poem the main
character was a little boy and a supporting character was the bully who ended up
being a girl.  I suppose some boys can relate to the boy who is being bullied by the girl
and his dislike for her. The other poems state 10 to be really silly so not a lot of really
till relate ability. There was one about a father who is angry and I think a lot of
children can relate to that because sometimes they don't understand why we're
angry as adults.
Plot: Summarize the major events of the story (6 points)
This was a collection of poems so I do not feel like there were major events that could
constitute as a plot. Each individual poem has its own Mini plot I believe such as the
boy being bullied by the girl. Or the Granny who is too selfish to share.
Setting: Explain the place and time of this book. (2 points)
Theme: What is the main message of this book? (2 points)
I believe the setting changed with the poem from school to home.

I believe the theme was mainly humor it was caught I think this blocked is to make
you giggle.
Illustration: Analyze the book you selected with the following categories
Style (realism, surrealism, expressionism, impressionism, naïve, cartoon art)? (2
points)
I would say that the illustration style is cartoon art. The illustrations are fantastical
and are like a rough sketch or doodle.

Media Choice (paints, oils watercolors, pencils, pen, charcoal, crayons, acrylic, chalk):
(2 points)
I would say that the media choice is pencils and pen. They are simple by design.

Give examples of describe how the following visual elements are used in the
illustrations: (3)
Line: There were a lot of vertical lines giving the illustrations a very still look.
Shapes: Shapes I believe there was a combination of shapes I don't have 1 particular
1 that stood out to me there was both around curves for the people and angular
shapes depicting objects.
Color: For color it was black-and-white.
Texture: The texture was rough. 
Page design (placement of the illustrations, use of borders, white and dark space and
all pages the same or different). (3)

The page design used a used white space focusing on the text of the poem itself. Each
page was different from the last because each poem was different.  The illustrations
did coincide with the poem adding a little bit of a visual such as for the new kid on the
block it had a picture of the little boy hiding behind a tree.

Child Development Theory: Choose either Piaget, Erickson or Social Emotional to

describe the connection to the book Chose 1 only (5 points)
Piaget:
Name the stage_____________________ and the age_______________________
Explain the cognitive development from this stage and provide an example from the
book to support your choice:

Erickson:
Name the stage industry versus inferiority and the age__ Age school age 7 to 11
Explain the cognitive development from this stage and provide an example from the
book to support your choice:
Children at this age learn to master new skills. This could apply to the poems by being
able to point out alliterative phrases, rhyming words and meaning. Children are
influenced from teachers peers and school at the sage this age. The poem talks about
some feelings such as not liking the actions of a bully, or the dad that is angry.

Emotional Development:
Identify the age: _________________________
Explain the social development for this age and how the book relates
to the emotional level you chose:

1 would not recommend 2 average 3 highly recommended

Your rating of the book: _____3_________

Why?
It is my first time reading this book and I enjoyed it. The poems were funny. I enjoy
things with alliteration and rhyme!