Fiction Evaluation Form

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

Cindy Hernandez Book Title: Jubals Wish

Author: Audrey Wood Illustrator: Don Wood

Genre: Fantasy Publisher/Year: 2000

EVALUATE THE BOOK USING THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS RATE THE EFFECTIVE
USE OF EACH
ELEMENT
(3 highest- 1 lowest)
1. STYLE and Language: Explain the language used word choices, sentence length, 1 2 3
dialogue, rhythm, rhyme.
Explain unexpected insights or interesting information the reader learns from the
story. Give examples form the book
The story has rhyme and rhythm. Not every sentence rhymes but there is a few sentences that do. A
splendid feeling of wonder moved up from his toes to the tip of his nose. There are about 5
sentences in every page. The sentences are fairly short. The story is in narrative form but also has
dialogue between the characters. I know just what you need, Jubal said, holding up his basket. A
picnic always makes everything better. Sorry, Jubal, Captain Dalbert said as he slowly climbed to
his cabin. Im not in the mood.

2. CHARACTER Who is the main character? Explain the characters personality 1 2 3

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:
Jubal the Bullfrog. Jubal is a very happy frog. He sees the good in
everything. Hes optimistic and joyful. Once upon a bright and
sunny day Jubal Bullfrog skipped down the flower path. He was so
happy his feet barely touched the ground. Jubal wants to make his
friends as happy as he is. He doesnt like to see his friends being
upset. Throughout the story Jamal tries to lighten up his friends but
cant seem to do so. He comes to a moment of despair where he
almost gives up on trying to make his friends happy but becomes
joyful again when a difficult event makes everyone happy again.
Readers can relate to Jubal because sometimes we are the Jubals in
a room full of sad people. Sometimes it may seem that we are the
only ones who are happy but like Jubal we like to see our loved ones
happy as well.
Supporting Characters:
Gerdy Toad and her seven toadlets: Gerdy is a grump old toad that is
upset at her toadlets for making a mess. She doesnt have time to
have fun because all she does is work. Picnic! I dont have time for
that, Gerdy grumped. Work, work, work, thats all I ever do.
Readers can relate to Gerdy because it may seem that all we have
time for is work and no play. Sometimes children have a lot of
 homework and chores that they may feel like there is no time to
stop and enjoy the sunshine.
Captain Dalbert Lizard: Captain Dalbert is very nostalgic. He
reminisces about his glory days in the past making him sad that he
no longer is living in those days. My happy days are over, he said.
Once I was a great captain, bound for adventure with a fine crew.
But now no on wants to sail in an old boat with an old captain.
Readers can relate to Captain Dalbert because there might be a
period in time in which we would like to go back to. Sometimes it
may be a certain day or event that made us happy and it can be sad
to think that the moment has passed.
The wizard: The wizard is a flat character. He only appears once in
the story to grant Jubal the bullfrog a wish. Its a wish, he said,
and its yours if you want it. From the small appearance he makes
in the story, the wizard is a friendly wizard because he willingly gives
Jubal a wish without asking for anything in return. Readers can
relate to the wizard if they have ever given or helped someone out
without expecting anything in return.
3. PLOT: (Explains the major events in the story.) Summarize the plot 1 2 3

Jubal a happy frog is skipping through a flower path when he comes along the cottage
of Gerdy Toad. Jubal asks Gerdy to share a picnic with him but Gerdy is too busy
cleaning and working she snaps at Jubal telling him she doesnt have time.
Jubal skips on looking at the beauty of the sky, trees, and birds and stops down by the
river where he finds Captain Dalbert. Jubal asks Captain Dalbert to share a picnic with
him but Captain Dalbert is too sad about no longer living in his past days that he tells
Jubal he is not in the mood for a picnic.
Jubal has a moment of despair where he thinks that maybe he should be unhappy too
but then a wizard scoops up Jubal into the air with his great hand and asks Jubal if he
needs a wish.
Jubal wishes for Gerdy Toads housework to be done and her toadlets to be well
behaved and Captain Dalbert to have his adventures back. The wizard then gives Jubal
his wish.
Jubal goes back to Captain Dalbert to check if he is happy only to find that Captain
Dalbert is in his boat unhappier than ever. Then Jubal goes to the cottage of Gerdy
Toad only to find that she is still unhappy as well.
Jubal climbs up a large toadstool and starts to cry in the rain about how Captain
Dalbert and Gerdy are miserable and how his sunny day was gone.
It started to rain harder and soon Jubal was stuck in a flood. He shouts for help then a
sailboat comes to his rescue.
It was Captain Dalbert and Gerdy and her toadlets who rescued Jubal. They were so
happy to see Jubal safe on the boat they gave him a hug.
They were all stuck on the boat because the flood had floated the cottage away so
Captain Dalbert suggested they all go in adventure and Gerdy was happy her toadlets
were working on the boat and Jubal finally could share his picnic. Finally, they were all
happy.
 4. SETTING Explain the place and time of the book. 1 2 3
THEME- What is the storys theme or lesson?

Setting: In a flower path, Gerdy Toads cottage, down by the river, on Captain Dalberts boat, on a
large toadstool, and in a flood. The setting takes place during the daytime and nighttime.
Theme: The stories theme shows how its nice to do things for others and that good things can come
from negative moments. In the story Jubal was trying to have a picnic with his friends. He
wanted to share his happiness with his friends but was unable to do so until the flood (the
negative moment) brought them all together. The story also teaches that wishes come true at
their own timing even when you are in a low moment. When Jubal made the wish to the
wizard he was upset that the wish didnt come true right away but after the flood the wish
came true and it was all in the right timing.
5. ILLUSTRATION Analyze the illustrations in the book (see Chapter 4) with the 1 2 3
categories below:
What Style (realism, surrealism, expressionism, impressionism, nave, cartoon art)?
The illustrations are in cartoon form. The style is expressionism because the story has many bright
colors and there is great emphasis on the characters emotions.
Media (paints, oils watercolors, pencil, pen, charcoal, crayons, acrylic, chalk) :
The illustrations are graphical. The illustrator most likely used a computer for the illustrations.
Visual elements:
Line: There are all kinds of lines in the illustrations. Straight, vertical, diagonal, horizontal, swirly, thin and thick.
Shapes: The shapes are mostly round. There are ovals, circles, and abstract shapes. On the first page the whole page is filled
with round flowers big and small. The abstract shape would be Jubal who is shaped like a toad. The leaves on the flowers are
ovals.
Color: The colors are hue and saturated. The colors on the first page are yellow, violet, purple, blue, red, orange, green, and a
little bit of brown and white. The flowers on the page are what make the illustrations bright and colorful. The flowers have
all of the colors mentioned above.
Texture: The texture is smooth with the flowers, rough on the dirt, and look bumpy on the Jubal the toad and his basket. The
shadows and lines of the illustrations give them their texture appeal.

Explain how illustration and text are combined to tell the story:
The illustrations show a lot of emotions that helps the readers empathize with the characters. The
illustrations are bright and colorful which makes the book fun to read and gives indulgence to the
readers sensory.

Describe the Page layout (page design-borders, use of white/dark space, text placement & size, font, all pages the same or
differences):
There are no page borders on the pages. The page is filled with the illustration and there is no use of
white space. The illustrations are big and have a two dimensional feel. The text is placed on the right
side of the two-page spread. The first letter in the text is colored. The text is small in comparison to
the illustrations but still readable. The font is curvy.

6. 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 Give the age: 7-11

Explain the cognitive development from the stage:

Can think logically using concrete examples. Reasoning skills include two-way thinking. (more than
one point of view).
Give examples from the book show how the book fits the cognitive stage:
Jubal was concerned about his friends happiness and not just about himself. He was able to see what
was making his friends unhappy and wanted to change that. I wish there was something I could do to
make my friends as happy as I am on this glorious day.

EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Identify the Age: 7-11
Explain the emotional development at this age: Develops ability to consider many sources of
information to explain others emotions. As emotional understanding improves, responses of empathy
increase.

Give examples from the book to illustrate the emotional development of this age:
My wish didnt work. That wizard tricked me. Captain Dalbert and Gerdy are more miserable than
ever. And what happened to my happy sunny day?
I wish Gerdy Toads housework was done, and Captain Dalbert had his adventures back. Thats my
wish.

7. Overall Rating of the book (3 highest - 1 lowest) 1 2 3

Comments: (Support your overall rating)
I rate this book a big 3! I loved this book because it was fun to read and it had good lessons that
children will benefit from. The illustrations in the book are also very captivating. The colors are bright
and inviting it makes you more involved in the story. I love the character Jubal because he sees the
beauty of the world and doesnt let his trouble bring him down. He is also considerate of others and
their feelings.