1. How to Write a Critical Annotation

2. Print out and read carefully
ENG 360, Children’s Literature
Required Reading List 4 pages
Annotations Format
Sample Annotations
This is found in the folder at the beginning of the class entitled: Required Reading List/Reading Responses

3. Heading On the first line:
Author’s last name, first name; (illustrator); Title; Publisher; Date of Publication; Number of pages
On the second line:
Interest level: Grade (gr) or Age (yrs) for which book is most appropriate (Use your best judgment) Genre or Category and picture (P) or chapter (CH) or longer (L)

4. Example of Heading
First line: Say, Allen; El Chino; Houghton Mifflin Company; 1990; 29 pages Second line: Interest level: Gr. 1-3 Bio/Autobio, (P)

5. Descriptive Review
For stories, write a paragraph summarizing the story. This should be 5 -7 sentences long and should discuss the key events in the story.
The entire critical annotation should be spelled correctly and in complete sentences.

6. Example: Descriptive Review
Bill Wong was the first Chinese matador. Though his parents were originally from China, they immigrated to the US, where Bill grew up. Bill’s father told him he could be whatever he wanted, and Bill’s desire was to be an athlete. His dream did not seem possible until he visited Spain and watched a bullfight. He practiced and became a great bullfighter and the first Chinese matador. There is no use of primary sources within the book. The illustrations are beautifully done in watercolors.

7. Analysis Write another paragraph that evaluates:
2 literary elements in the story: plot, setting, characters, theme, style, point of view
Next class we will be discussing these elements OR
For picture books you may evaluate 1 literary element plus illustrations

8. Example: Analysis
This book conveys a worthy topic and theme. The author/illustrator is originally from Japan yet came over to the US when he was sixteen. Thus, he knows the dreams that Americans can have and could most likely relate to Bill’s desire to do something great. The author, now in the US, knows what it is like to be in a country surrounded by people of another ethnicity. Thus, he relates very well to Bill and thus contributes to the authenticity of the book. When Bill was in Spain and told that he could not be a matador because he was not Spanish, he remembered that he was no longer in America where anything is possible. Also, the author wrote the story in such a direct way that it appeared to be all facts. The author also dedicated the book to Bill’s brothers and sisters, thus making the book even more authentic. The style of writing is appealing; it is simple yet interesting. Biographies can be boring at times, but Say wrote the story in a way in which readers could relate. He appealed to the readers’ emotions. Furthermore, he did not go on and on about small details. The author simple gave the facts and told the story of Bill Wong, otherwise known as El Chino. That is exactly what the story is – a story. It is as if

9. Example: Analysis continued
the author is sitting down with his child or grandchild and telling him/her about the first Chinese matador. The story is very interesting. The illustrations are beautiful and enhance the work. The colors are in gray, white, and black until Bill sees a bullfight for the first time. From then on , the colors are vibrant and lively. It is as if Bill finally found his dream and his place in life; thus, the author noted the change through the use of colors. When Bill was just doing what everyone thought he should do (be an engineer), the illustrations lacked color. Yet when Bill followed his heart and dream, the illustrations contained color. The illustrations contribute to the excitement of the story. The illustrations give the text added meaning.

10. Curriculum Connections: Necessary only for: Historical fiction, Biographies and other Informational books
Curriculum connections show how you would use this book as part of a unit in the curriculum.
Example: a biography of Harriet Tubman – the curriculum connection: Underground Railroad

11. Curriculum Connections example (for the book we have been discussing in the previous examples)
Curriculum Connections: Social Studies: China, Spain, US, Matadors, Bull fighting, Immigration, Culture Science: Bulls