The Sleeper and The Spindle by Neil Gaiman

Bibliographic Information

Title: The Sleeper and The Spindle

Author: Neil Gaiman

Illustrator: Chris Riddell

ISBN: 9781408859643

Published: October 23, 2014, by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Awards

Locus Award for Best Novelette (2014)

Plot Summary

Dwarves, on a quest to buy cloth for their queen, stop at an inn where they hear the tale of a beautiful princess who was cursed by a witch to prick her finger on a spindle putting her and her kingdom into a deep sleep. The curse would be broken when the princess is woken with a kiss. Decades have passed without the curse being broken and now it is spreading like a plague.

The queen of the other kingdom is to be married in a week’s time and sees her life as she knows it ending. The day before the wedding, the dwarves return to tell her about the sleeping plague. When faced with the looming wedding or the chance at adventure, the queen puts her affairs in order and sets out with the dwarves to stop the plague. Arriving in the sleeping kingdom, the queen finds the princess asleep and wakes her with her kiss. When the princess awakens, the queen is surprised to see what she discovers.

Critical Evaluation

Gaiman and Riddell deliver a richly illustrated tale inspired by Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. The Sleeper and the Spindle goes beyond fractured fairytales with it’s unsuspecting twists and plots. Instead of relying on the more familiar Disney version of the tales, Gaiman’s story centers on the Queen, who while never called Snow White, was described by her mother as “a crimson rose in fallen in snow”. It is set after the Queen has been awakened by her prince, assumed the throne, and is on the eve of marrying her prince. Quite the opposite of timid, sweet cherub Snow White is often portrayed as, this queen embodies her title. She is adventurous, brave, beautiful, and clearly needs no man to save her. She’s given the chance of adventure and heroism, and she takes it leaving her prince behind.

Sleeping Beauty’s story happened sixty years before the time The Sleeper and the Spindle takes place. This is a definite clue to the reader that things could possibly not turn out as expected with Sleeping Beauty’s story. The twist is revealed when Sleeping Beauty is revealed to actually be the witch. Having wanted to sleep herself so that she could steal the sleepers’ life and beauty, she cursed the real Sleeping Beauty (now an old woman) to always be awake and unable to kill the witch in her sleep.

The twists and character changes Gaiman added completely changed his story to one of female empowerment. Whereas Disney’s princesses need a man to save them, the Queen saves herself and becomes the hero by saving the sleeping kingdom. Sleeping Beauty being the witch in disguise is a symbol of beauty not always being good and virtuous. The old lady (the real Sleeping Beauty) became beautiful in her strength as she saved the dwarves’ life. Though dark, the Sleeper and the Spindle offers a beautiful look at the power of choice and goodness.

Readers’ Annotation

When a queen longing for adventure hears of a kingdom cursed with a deep sleep, she sets out with a group of dwarves to save the princess from the curse of the spindle. But not all is as it seems in this fairy tale turned dark.

Author Information

Neil Gaiman- “I make things up and write them down. Which takes us from comics (like SANDMAN) to novels (like ANANSI BOYS and AMERICAN GODS) to short stories (some are collected in SMOKE AND MIRRORS) and to occasionally movies (like Dave McKean’s MIRRORMASK or the NEVERWHERE TV series, or my own short film A SHORT FILM ABOUT JOHN BOLTON). In my spare time I read and sleep and eat and try to keep the blog at http://www.neilgaiman.com more or less up to date” (Amazon.com author’s page).

Chris Riddell: Chris Riddell was born in Cape Town, South Africa. He is an internationally acclaimed writer and illustrator whose many awards include the Nestlé Gold Award and two Kate Greenaway Medals—the most prestigious prize for illustration in the UK. He is the creator of more than one hundred books for all ages. Chris lives in Brighton, England, with his wife and three children (goodreads.com).

Genres

Fairy Tales, Illustrated

Curriculum Ties

Mythology/Fairy Tales/Folklore

Book Talking Ideas

1. Use when talking or promoting graphic novels. While not a graphic novel, it does introduce readers to the art and illustrations that tells the story.
2. Read the jacket blurb and pass the book around to let audience see the illustrations.

Age Level

13+

Reading Level

Grade 7+

Challenge Issues

Kiss between two women, magic

Defense File:

1. Active listening
2. Rationale for collection inclusion
3. Library Selection Policy
4. ALA Intellectual Freedom
5. Awards (ALA)
6. Reviews (YALSA, SLJ, Kirkus, etc)
7. Reconsideration Form

Why did you pick this for your collection?

A Neil Gaiman book needs to be in any YA collection, and this one is a beautiful example of his writing while also appealing to those who only read graphic novels or those who do not read graphic novels.

  

 

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

Bibliographic Information

Title: American Born Chinese

Author: Gene Luen Yang

ISBN: 9781596431522

Published:  September 5, 2006, by First Second

Awards

Michael L. Printz Award (2007), James Cook Book Award Nominee (2007), Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards for Best Graphic Album – New (2007), National Book Award Finalist for Young People’s Literature (2006), One Book One San Diego for Young Adult (2014)

Plot Summary

When Jin Wang’s family moves to a predominately white neighborhood, Jin discovers he is the only Asian-American in his school. He sticks out but wants to fit in, an issue that is made even worse when he falls for All-American girl Amelia Harris. Jin decides the best way to fit in is to become as white as he can. He models himself into Danny, the white, popular jock of the school. Danny is embarrassed of his Chinese cousin, Chin-Kee. Chin-Kee is the stereotypical Chinese man from the 1800-1900s. Driven crazy by Chin-Kee, Danny and his cousin come to blows revealing to each other that neither are who they seem.These three stories intertwine into a hilarious, but sobering look at racism, stereotypes, and what it means to be yourself.

Critical Evaluation

Gene Luen Yang uses symbolism and parody to show readers the stereotypes, prejudices, and misconceptions of identity in our society. By creating an over-the-top character in Chin-Kee, Yang is actually bringing all the stereotypes of Chinese into one character in a way that shows how horrifying prejudice can be. Chin-Kee’s clothes are symbolic of the ones wore by Chinese workers in the 1800s-1900s. Chin-Kee’s yellow skin, slanted eyes, mannerisms, voice are all Yang’s way to show that what seems like humor in this YA graphic novel is actually very saddening. Prejudice and culture stereotypes are not all Yang includes in his story. Self-identity is at the core of the three main character’s journey, and American Born Chinese is honesty in its portrayal of what teens daily struggle with just to be accepted.

Readers’ Annotation

All Jin wants to do is fit in except he is the only Asian American in his school, but Danny wishes he was anywhere but school when his cousin Chin-Kee comes to visit. A journey of self discovery with a Monkey King tagging along.

Author Information

“Gene Yang began drawing comic books in the fifth grade. In 1997, he received the Xeric Grant, a prestigious comics industry grant, for Gordon Yamamoto and the King of the Geeks, his first comics work as an adult. American Born Chinese received National Book Award.
He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife and children and teaches at a Roman Catholic high school” (goodreads.com).

Genres

Graphic Novel, Contemporary

Curriculum Ties

1. Diversity of Cultures
2. Social Studies

Book Talking Ideas

1. Read a Monkey King fable and tie it back to American Born Chinese
2. Talk about diversity in literature

Grade Level

7th-12th

Reading Level

530L

Challenge Issues

Racism, Stereotypes, Religion

Defense File:

1. Active listening
2. Describe how it’s pointing out harmful stereotypes, not encouraging
3. Rationale for collection inclusion
4. Library Selection Policy
5. ALA Intellectual Freedom
6. Awards (ALA)
7. Reviews (YALSA, SLJ, Kirkus, etc)
8. Reconsideration Form

Why did you pick this for your collection?

A great introduction to graphic novels as well as relevant for our time.