Module 3 - Caldecott Medal 1987

Yorinks, A. (1986). Hey, Al.
New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Summary: Al and his dog live in a one room apartment and they aren’t happy with their life and wish it will change.  An exotic bird shows up one morning telling Al he needs a change.Through a course of events they go to “paradise”  with this exotic bird.  It isn’t all they thought it would be. Life isn't to great with all these exotic animals. Al and his dog decide they'd rather be back in their previous life.  They soon get to return to their old life which is better than they thought. My Impression: This story is a great story to talk to students about "the grass is greener on the other side."  I like the brightly colored pictures and the unexpected events that teach a great lesson. Review: Hey, Al School Library Journal K-Up - The theme here is, "be happy with who you are," or may be, "there's no free lunch."  Al, a janitor, lives a meager existence with his companion (dog) Eddie in New York City.  They complain to each other about their lot and are ready to take off to a better place with a huge bird who just pops in and invites them.  This "island in the sky" is perfect.  All its inhabitants are friendly birds, and there's nothing to do but enjoy the tropical paradise.  But when they both begin to sprout feathers and beaks, they realize that there is a price to pay, so they take off, Icarus-style--including a plunge into New York Harbor.  Safely home, they discover that "Pardise lost is sometimes Heaven found."  Egielski's solid naturalism provides just the visual foil needed to extablish the surreal character of this fantasy.  The muted earth tones of the one-room flat contrast symbolically with the bright hues of the birds' plumage and the foliage of the floating paradise.  The anatomical appropriateness of Al and Eddie plays neatly against the flamboyant depiction of the plants.  Text and pictures work together to chanllenge readers' concept of reality, with touches such as the stacks of delivered newpapers outside Al's door when he returns, from --his "dream"? Marantz, K., Jones, T. E., Gale, D., & Cherenfant, G. (1987). Hey, Al [Book Review]. School Library Journal, 33(7), 151. Suggested Library Uses: This book can be used to teach inferencing by reading a portion of the text and having the students infer what will happen next.  It could also be used to teach about being satisfied with what you have.

Summary:

Al and his dog live in a one room apartment and they aren’t happy with their life and wish it will change.  An exotic bird shows up one morning telling Al he needs a change.Through a course of events they go to “paradise”  with this exotic bird.  It isn’t all they thought it would be. Life isn't to great with all these exotic animals. Al and his dog decide they'd rather be back in their previous life.  They soon get to return to their old life which is better than they thought.

My Impression:

This story is a great story to talk to students about "the grass is greener on the other side."  I like the brightly colored pictures and the unexpected events that teach a great lesson.

Review:

Hey, Al
School Library Journal
K-Up - The theme here is, "be happy with who you are," or may be, "there's no free lunch."  Al, a janitor, lives a meager existence with his companion (dog) Eddie in New York City.  They complain to each other about their lot and are ready to take off to a better place with a huge bird who just pops in and invites them.  This "island in the sky" is perfect.  All its inhabitants are friendly birds, and there's nothing to do but enjoy the tropical paradise.  But when they both begin to sprout feathers and beaks, they realize that there is a price to pay, so they take off, Icarus-style--including a plunge into New York Harbor.  Safely home, they discover that "Pardise lost is sometimes Heaven found."  Egielski's solid naturalism provides just the visual foil needed to extablish the surreal character of this fantasy.  The muted earth tones of the one-room flat contrast symbolically with the bright hues of the birds' plumage and the foliage of the floating paradise.  The anatomical appropriateness of Al and Eddie plays neatly against the flamboyant depiction of the plants.  Text and pictures work together to chanllenge readers' concept of reality, with touches such as the stacks of delivered newpapers outside Al's door when he returns, from --his "dream"?

Marantz, K., Jones, T. E., Gale, D., & Cherenfant, G. (1987). Hey, Al [Book Review]. School Library Journal, 33(7), 151.

Suggested Library Uses:

This book can be used to teach inferencing by reading a portion of the text and having the students infer what will happen next.  It could also be used to teach about being satisfied with what you have.