Sneeze!

Siy, A.  (2007).  Sneeze!  Watertown:  Charlesbridge.

         Sneeze!, by Alexandra Siy, is a children’s informational book that informs readers about the different reasons that causes people to sneeze and how the body’s nervous system works to produce a sneeze.  The format of this informational book is a photo essay because the photos are equally balanced between the text and illustration.  Our textbook, Essentials of Children’s Literature by Brown, Tomlinson, and Short, describes qualities of a photo essay to have, “Excellent, information-bearing photographs and crisp, condensed writing style…” (pg. 199).  The crisp photos, by Dennis Kunkel, are electron micrographs that were taken with either a scanning electron microscope or a transmission electron microscope.  The magnified objects were colored to create beautiful images that highlight various features.  Next to each micrograph, there is the symbol x which indicates magnification and a number which tells how many times the actual size has been magnified.  The information included with the caption in each photograph helps to describe the multiple concepts that are presented. 

         Siy uses the cause and effect structure throughout the book.  Each child interacts with something (pollen, pepper, mites, mold, dust, down, disease, hair, sunshine) that causes him or her to sneeze (effect).  The author explains why the object caused them to sneeze through scientific explanations and micrographs.  The theme or main point of the book is to inform readers that there are numerous reasons that can cause a person to sneeze.  Siy’s style includes technical vocabulary words (i.e., bronchiole, alveolus), micrographs with labels and captions, conversational tone, and a variety of sentence length and complexity.

I used the checklist from our Week 8 notes to evaluate this informational book. 

1.  The writing is clear and easily understandable. 

Although there are many science words that children might not understand (i.e., axon, dendrite, synapse, myelin sheath), the author presents these unfamiliar words with familiar words and comparisons that helps children easily understand the concepts. 

2.  Make sure facts are accurate and current – is the author an expert in this area?

The facts in this book are accurate and current.  The author, Alexandra Siy, listed a resource page (pg. 43), which includes up-to-date information and facts about sneezing and the neuroscience behind it.  Siy teamed up with Dennis Kunkel, PhD whose micrographs have been named award winning.  Siy has also written several informational and non-fiction children’s books, one of which received the Orbis Pictus Honor Book Award and another that received the Parents’ Choice Nonfiction Silver Honor Award. 

3.  Be wary of books with old copyright dates.

The copyright date on this book is 2007, which was only five years ago.  I would not consider this an old copyright date.

4.  It must distinguish between fact, theory, and opinion.

         The book does distinguish between fact, theory, and opinion. There is more information about sneezing (pg. 40) that includes how the custom of saying “God bless you” after a person sneezes originated, the theory of sneezing associated with superstition, and the fact that during a sneeze, air travels at 100 miles per hour. 

5.  Personification should be avoided.

         I did not find any examples of personification in this book.

6.  The cover and book should be attractive to a child.

         The cover of the book has colorful, neon photographs of objects that have been magnified pop against the black background.  The use of capital letters for the title goes perfectly below the picture of a young girl on the verge of a sneeze.  The book not only appeals to children who enjoy science, but also for curious children who want to know why and how people sneeze.

7.  Presentation of information should be from known to unknown, general to specific, or simple to more complex.

         The book presents the information from known to unknown.  For example, the book shows a child with a pepper shaker (known) and explains the reason which pepper makes the child sneeze (unknown).  (pg. 10-11).

8.  Stereotyping must be avoided.

       I did not find any evidence of stereotyping in this book.

I would recommend this book for students in 4^th and 5^th grade.  The book included a page of resources that teachers and students can use to further examine the topic of sneezing (pg. 43).  I have listed some of the resources I found particularly interesting below:

American Treasures of the Library of Congress:  A Sneeze Caught on Film

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/trr018.html

Learn more about Thomas Edison’s historic motion picture of a sneeze.

Dennis Kunkel’s Educational Website

http://education.denniskunkel.com/

Browse the image library, use the interactive features, and find additional information about microscopy.

Neuroscience for Kids

http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html

This website by Dr. Eric H. Chudler, PhD explains more about the nervous system.

Some BIG questions you could ask your students are, “After reading this book, what are the reasons that cause you to sneeze?  What evidence can you give to support your answer?”

This book did not include any bolded words to use for the Mark the Bold bookmark strategy, but it did include a glossary with forty scientific words.  I would have students choose four words from the glossary to use for this strategy.  They would write the words on the front, then turn it over and write what the word means in their own words on the Talk the Bold side.  I would instruct students who have not written the same words to partner up and discuss the words they had written.  This way, the student may be able to help their peer better understand the word they recorded.

          Check out Sneeze!, by Alexandra Siy.  It is sure to BLOW you away!!!