# 31- Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters (1994)

Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters (1994)

Authors: Patricia C. McKissack and Frederick L. McKissack

Illustrator: John Thompson

This picturebook, set in 1859, contrasts the lives of slaves and masters in this story rich with historical information. The McKissacks have included features that bring the story alive, such as the dialects, rhymes and song lyrics, recipes, and details about herbs, all of which are explained either in the text of the story or in the glossary of terms included at the end of the book.

The acrylic paintings in this richly historical book are complementary to the text, giving a realistic portrayal of events described in the story. In one image slaves are depicted scrubbing a floor from a bird’s eye perspective, a view that a master might have of them. The gravity of their chores and the depth of their troubles is also portrayed in this moving image.

The text is primarily presented in Times New Roman font, and the layout of the book is formal and mirrors the many formalities between slaves and their masters described in the book. The back cover of the jacket features the Big House with the white family in front of it with the slave quarters and the slave family pictured directly underneath. Elegant red chapter titles are Tuscan Italian, an ornamental typeface introduced in 1859.

Everything about this text is extensively researched and thus an excellent representation of two distinct perpectives. Dialogue and details in the book provide a plethora of discussion points in relation to the study of American history, providing a juxtaposition of two worlds in close proximity.

# 11- The Other Side (2005)

The Other Side (2005)

Istvan Banyai

In this graphic story, Banyai takes the reader through different perspectives, distinct spins on different stories. The jacket of the book , when turned inside out, is a reflection of the front view of the cover. The inside of the flap features an image of a boat falling off of a map is reversed, and the paragraph teases readers to discover the twists in perspective offered by the artist. Some examples of these shifts are a view of an audience member to a view from backstage, and the view from above a pool that switches to a surprising view up from beneath the water.

With a simple palette of black and white illustrations with accents of yellow and red hues, Banyai surprises with his imagery. In order to fully experience the journey, it’s important to spend time examining the precise details on each page and assimilate the images before moving on.

Words are used sparsely in this text, mainly to show the labels on signs and a few sound effects. Some have cautionary phrases, such as the billboard that reads “The grass is always greener on the other side.”

# 10- R.E.M. (1997)

R.E.M. (Rapid Eye Movement) (1997)

Istvan Banyai

The title and images on the cover of this book hint at Banyai’s dream-like story featuring literary characters we are all familiar with. The prince and princess, snowman, and image of Winnie the Pooh hint at the fairytale references in the story.

The gigantic feet alongside the figures and the eyes that pop out against the pitch black of the back cover and endpages suggest that there is a larger being manipulating these miniature icons, or simply dreaming up stories for them to act out.

In the opening, a drop of water morphs into a little blue boy reminiscent of Harold of “Harold and the Purple Crayon,” setting the stage for the imaginative stories that follow. Many readers are sure to find a connection to their childhood literary experiences, and it is important to give the eyes time to appreciate the subtle surprises in the lines of the artwork in this book.

Banyai’s bright palette pops against the pastel tones of the backgrounds in this playful book.

# 9- Re-Zoom (1995)

Re-Zoom (1995)

Istvan Banyai

This book shares the same format as “Zoom,” and again takes readers through a range of perspectives. Images like the subway and the view from an airplane repeat themselves in new ways in this sequel. The blonde boy at the end of the book made me wonder whether he was the same daydreaming boy from the pages of “Zoom.”

Banyai disperses iconic figures throughout his works. In “Re-Zoom,” characters from the Ramayana sit alongside a black-and-white image of Alfred Hitchcock riding an elephant in one scene.

# 8- Zoom (1995)

Zoom (1995)

Istvan Banyai

Banyai takes readers through a journey full of surprises in this wordless picturebook. Viewers will want to examine each page meticulously in order to understand the situation and make inferences about the characters and settings featured before moving on. When they do, the delightfully jarring shifts in perspective will cause further reflection of prior observations.

On each recto panel, Banyai transports the reader through different settings and social groups, each time defying the reader’s previous view of the world he has created. There are stories within stories here portrayed in the pictures that become part of grander illustrations with the turn of a page. Readers will have an inside view of the inside of a toy village, follow a letter addressed to an aboriginal tribal chief, watch a lonesome cowboy, and see the world from a pilot’s perspective. Ink and vibrant colors adeptly portray this shifting world.

Readers may enjoy using the changes in perspective as inspiration for writing, asking themselves what kind of story the various characters might relate.