Module 4
Nonfiction and Biography
Additional Book

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Greenberg, Jan and Jordan, Sandra. 2010. BALLET FOR MARTHA MAKING APPALACHIAN SPRING. Ill. By: Brian Floca. New York, NY: Roaring Brook Press. ISBN 9781596433380

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Some of us might wonder what takes place behind the scenes to create an unforgettable work or art.  In this American masterpiece, Appalachian Spring the authors bring to life the working collaboration of three people in detail with the story and pictures.  This is the story of Martha Graham who’s feel for movement and imagination as a dancer and choreographer, along with Aaron Copland the composer, and Isamu Noguchithe an artist worked as one to create a ballet unlike any other.  There were no toe shoes, tutus, or pirouettes.  Martha wanted a dance filled with truth and emotion.  The dance takes place in the springtime in the hills of Western Pennsylvania where a young farmer and his bride celebrated their wedding day.  In the beginning, the audience booed Martha’s performance, but that didn’t stop her.  Through trial and error the three collaborated and created a masterpiece through dance.  It showed a bride and groom marry as other dancers celebrated the union of the pioneer woman and her bridegroom.  The ballet continues to show their hope for the future as they enter their home wondering what tomorrow will bring.
     
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This book shows soft shades of watercolor pictures of the three collaborators as each strives to perfect their individual talents into one masterpiece.  There are a few double page spreads to complete some of the scenes, but most pages are top to bottom full pictures.  I also like how some of the pictures are so big, bold, and telling.  I also like the way they included handwriting in the book.  I haven’t seen that in books before and it does catch your eye and helps you focus on the picture a little while longer and really think about what is going on.  When reading the text is very simple and east to read, bust still so telling.  The actions are very loud in this book.  Some of the pages consist of two or three smaller pictures of dancers in motion.  There is also actual photographs and information about the three at the end of the story.  I think this is really good because students can make a connection to history and really see what it was like and how it was different.  I think this adds so much more to the story because they see that they were actual people with stories and dreams.      

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Booklist Review: “this inspirational survey, with lots of color photographs of children with books in their hands, adds a worldwide perspective”
Publishers Weekly Review: “Greenberg and Jordan (Action Jackson; Christo and Jeanne-Claude) continue to carve out their art-focused niche with this inspired book about collaboration.”

5. CONNECTIONS
* This would be a great book to share if you had students trying to work together for a play or something along those lines.
* If you needed to expose a student to nonfiction, but they didn’t really care for it this book or other historical fiction would be a good start.
*A great book to show that collaboration is key.