Fiction Evaluation Form

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

Your Name AASHENE ADAMS Book Title: Dont

Forget
Author: Patricia Lakin Illustrator: Ted
Rand

Genre: Historical Publisher/Year: 2002

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
The language of the book is from the 1960s. Word choices are those
common among Russian using words like greengrocer and names like
Lazar and Koretsky. Oy so big, he sighed. Too big for a nice half
sour? The sentences are 5 to 6 lines on a page in length. The dialogue
is of those of Russian-American decent or Jewish decent. The sentences
do not rhyme. There is no particular rhythm to a sentence.
Interesting insights that are shared from the story are how one should
feel about something bad that has happened historically in the past.
The numbers should never be a secret, my little Sarahla. If no one
knows about bad things, they can happen all over again. Dont forget.
Interesting information the reader learns is about the mistreatment of
Jewish people and tattooed numbers they were given by Nazis in 1945.
Sarah didnt think the Singers talked about long ago. That was when
the Nazis gave them the blue numbers and put them in the
concentration camp-just because they were Jews. His numbers were
like magnets and drew her eyes right to that spot. 8 0 4 6 3.
There is a recipe for little Sarahs Orange Sponge cake on the last page.

CHARACTER Who is the main character? Explain the characters personality

traits. How can the reader relate to the character, become involved in the
story?
Who are the supporting characters? Give examples of both.
Main character: Sarah. Friendly, sweet, smart, apprehensive,
nervous. The reader can relate to Sarah because they may recall a
time they wanted to do something for the first time on their own.
The reader can relate to Sarah because they may see someone in
the neighborhood they are curious about but avoid because they
 do not want to offend them. The reader can become involved in
the story by keeping a mental note of the 3 secrets Sarah
discovers from her friends in the neighborhood to help make her
Orange Sponge Cake extra special for her mothers birthday.
Supporting characters: Mr. and Mrs. Singer, Lazar, Mrs. Koretsky.
The supporting characters help Sarah along her way with tips for
a recipe she is going to make for the first time. Mr. and Mrs. Singer
share information about Nazis and Jewish people.
1. PLOT: (Explains the major events in the story.) Summarize the plot

Sarah goes into town for groceries to make a cake. She meets 2 shop
keepers who give her the items on the list but she needs to stop at a
Jewish owned grocer for the last few items. She goes to the store and
gets caught looking at numbers that have been tattooed on the shop
keepers arm. Sarah feels bad for staring. The store owner sits her down
and explains to her what the numbers on their arms mean. The store
owner explains to Sarah not ignore what has happened in the past.
Sarah bakes first cake.
2. SETTING Explain the place and time of the book.
THEME- What is the storys theme or lesson?

Setting: The setting takes place in Germany around 1950 or 60.

Theme: No matter how difficult, the past should never be forgotten.

ILLUSTRATION Analyze the illustrations in the book (see Chapter 4) with the
categories below: Choose a 2-page spread in the book to answer the following:
(Page 5 & 6)
What Style (realism, surrealism, expressionism, impressionism, nave, cartoon art)?
Realism
Media (paints, oils watercolors, pencil, pen, charcoal, crayons, acrylic, chalk) :
The illustrations are done in water colors. Light pencil
Visual elements:
Line: Lines are used at the top of the page to shape brick walls that are housing units to
people in the town. Lines are used on the front of fruit bins to look like crates.
Shapes: Small circles are used for tomatoes, oranges and lemons, cantaloupe and
lettuce. Rectangles are used for fruit crates and glass windows. Rectangles can be seen
as window fixtures with flowers in them up top.
Squares are used for fruit crates and pricing signs.
Color Red, yellow, orange, pink, purple, green, brown, grey, tan, fuchsia, maroon, white,
taupe.
Texture The texture of the fruit is smooth. The texture of the page is smooth.
Explain how illustration and text are combined to tell the story. What do
illustrations show that text does not explain?
The illustration and text are combined to tell the story because it shows Sarah is
concerned about finding the right items for her recipe. The text narrates Sarah through
her town on her way to the grocery for items on her list. The illustrations show that
Sarah is friendly and open to speaking with shop keepers at the beginning of the story.
When Sarah is instructed to go to the Singers shop for the rest of the items she needs
the expressions on her face become worrisome and apprehensive.
Describe the Page design: the borders, use of white/dark space, text placement & size, font,
placement of illustrations
There is a border on page 6 but not on page 5. The border is drawn with a colored pencil leaving
white space about a half inch. Dark space is used for the insides to peoples housing units. Dark
space is also used for shadows of light fixtures hanging over fruit displays. Text is placed on page 5
at the start 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
Concrete Operational
age 7 to 11
Explain the cognitive development from the stage:
May have difficulties making predictions in stories or seeing the
importance of historical events to the present time.
Give examples from the book show how the book fits the cognitive
stage:
The Singers were nice but their secret was not. Sarah knew not to stare
at the blue numbers tattooed on the Singers left arms.
Readers may not be familiar with what the blue numbers are in
reference to in the story. They may not be able to predict that the
numbers on the Singers arms are connected to a bad secret.

ERIKSON PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Industry VS. Inferiority
School-age

Explain the social development for this stage:

Learns to master new skills- reading, school subjects, physical skills and
sports.
Give examples from the book that support the social development of this
stage:
Whats your Mama baking today?
Not Mama. Me, said Sarah. I have a secret. Im making my first cake-
orange sponge.
Sarah is going to bake her first cake by herself. Readers may want to
take home the Orange Sponge Cake recipe in the back the book and
make it themselves for a special family member just like Sarah.
4. Overall Rating of the book (3 highest - 1 lowest) 1 2 3
Comments: (Support your overall rating)
I enjoyed the story. This was a good way to introduce readers to the
Holocaust.