Fiction Evaluation Form

(Picture Books, Folklore, Modern Fantasy, Contemporary Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Multicultural Books)

Your Name Daphne Rodriguez Book Title: Shanghai Sukkah

Author: Heidi Smith Hyde Illustrator: Jing Jing Tsong

Genre: Multicultural Publisher/Year: Karben Publishing / 2015

EVALUATE THE BOOK USING THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS

STYLE and Language: Explain the language used – word choices, sentence length, dialogue, rhythm, rhyme.
Explain unexpected insights or interesting information the reader learns from the story. Give examples form
the book for each one:
Word choice: The word choice that was used was a little more difficult. There are some foreign words
Sentence length: The sentences are medium
Dialogue: There is dialogue between Marcus and his family; Although they couldn’t understand each other,
Liang and Marcus found a way to communicate.
Rhythm: N/A
Rhyme: N/A
Insights/interesting information:
CHARACTER – Who is the main character? Explain the character’s personality traits. How can the reader
relate to the character, become involved in the story?
Who are the supporting characters? Give examples of each from the book.
Main character: Marcus
Personality traits: Friendly, Curious, Creative, Homesick
How reader can relate to main character: The reader can relate because of how someone can miss home
Supporting characters: Marcus’ family, Liang, Marcus’ Rabbi
1. PLOT: (Explains the major events in the story.) Summarize the plot
Marcus slowly adjusts to his new home, meeting other immigrant boys, and a new Chinese friend,
Liang. Liang points out that the approaching Moon Festival celebrates the harvest like the Jewish
holiday of Sukkot. During the festival Liang tells Marcus about the riddles inside the lanterns and his
was “ what adds light and warmth even though you can’t see it”. Liang decorates the rooftop sukkah
with the lanterns that Marcus and his friends build from bamboo. Marcus then realizes the answer to
the riddle was friendship.
2. SETTING – Explain the place and time of the book.
THEME- What is the story’s theme or lesson?
Setting: Shanghai in the 1930s
Theme: Friendship; diversity
ILLUSTRATION –Analyze the illustrations in the book (see Chapter 4 for details on the categories below.)
Choose a 2-page spread in the book to answer the following:
What Style (realism, surrealism, expressionism, impressionism, naïve, cartoon art)?
Realism
Illustration and Text: explain how illustration and text combined to tell the story.
Then, explain what illustrations show that text does not explain?
The illustrations help the reader understand the story
Page design --Describe:
The Borders: The rights side of the books comes into the left page; There is a subtle outline around
the illustration
Use of white/dark space: There is a lot of white space on the left side
Text placement: Centered underneath the illustration
Font size: Medium
Placement of illustrations: The illustration is centered and close to the top of the page
3. CHILD DEVELOPMENT THEORIES – CHOOSE 2 of theories below and evaluate the book according to the
developmental theories. (How the book fits the developmental stage and age?)
PIAGET-COGNITIVE-INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT
Name the stage: Concrete Operational and the age: 7-11
Explain ONE cognitive development trait from the stage: They're increasingly aware of external
events
Give examples from the book show how the book fits that trait and cognitive stage: In the beginning
of the book, Marcus’ mom explains that their home is no longer safe
Name the stage: Industry v. inferiority and the age: 5-12
Explain ONE social development trait for this stage: Children develop initiative by planning and
achieving goals while interacting with others.
Give examples from the book that support that social development trait and of this stage: In the
story, Marcus asks his parents if he can use the roof so he and his friends can build a sukkah.
EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Identify the Age __________________________________
Explain ONE emotional development trait for this age:

Give examples from the book to illustrate that emotional development trait and this age: