Karate Hour (Booklist Editor's Choice. Books for Youth (Awards)) [School & Library Binding]

Carol Nevius (Author), Bill Thomson (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up | Series: Booklist Editor's Choice. Books for Youth (Awards)

KARATE CLASS SHOULD ALWAYS BE THIS EXCITING!

Karate class begins and students come together to practice their blocks and stances––from crescent kicks to front kicks to tuck roll stands. Dynamic black-and-white artwork of children bowing, kicking and sailing through the air contrasts with their brilliantly colored karate belts in this rhythmic read-aloud that explores the action and philosophy of karate.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Kindergarten-Grade 4–"Karate hour is starting now./Dressed and belted, we all bow." So begins a tribute to this ancient martial art. Using rhymed couplets that never strike a false note, Nevius carries readers through the mind and body exercises that make up a typical class. She deftly captures the excitement and energy of the experience as well as the discipline and commitment required to rise in rank. Thomson's realistic mixed-media artwork is a standout, using light, shadow, and perspective in a variety of interesting ways. The karate class itself is truly diverse, including boys and girls from a number of different ethnic backgrounds and the physically challenged. An informative, well-researched author's note on the history of karate is appended. An excellent addition on a popular subject.–Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Gr. 1-4. The world of the karate class comes into up-close focus in this startling, realistic picture book. Using rhymed couplets, Nevius explains what goes on in class: the children bow; the master enters, moving with strength and grace; the students do exercises, and then the energized stances and kicking begin. The text does a fine job of capturing both the precepts and the movements in relatively few words, but it's Thomson's amazing artwork that will make kids feel as though they are right with the students in the dojo. With the clarity of photographs and many in-your-face perspectives (a foot cracking through a wooden board), the pictures are reminiscent of some of Chris Van Allsburg's work. Thomson also knows how to manipulate light and dark, giving real heft to the art. Children can see the power in one boy's fist as he punches toward the page, and the multiethnic students' tumbling looks just as if the kids are really on a roll. An excellent afterword explains the history of karate and its philosophy as a defensive discipline. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• School & Library Binding: 32 pages
• Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Childrens Books; Library Binding edition (October 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761451692
• ISBN-13: 978-0761451693
• Product Dimensions: 12.4 x 9.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,109,527 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Verse and Illustrations, November 13, 2004

By 

J. Kraus "Teacher and Writer" (Tamarac, Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Karate Hour (Booklist Editor's Choice. Books for Youth (Awards)) (School & Library Binding)

Karate Hour is a beautifully done book. It is done in verse, very cleverly, as the book goes through the karate class. The illustrations are breathtaking and look like photographs.. Although Karate Hour is in many respects, non fiction, it is also a work of art, where poetry and visual arts combine. Very well done.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Illustrations, March 5, 2006

By 

Bada (San Clemente, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Karate Hour (Booklist Editor's Choice. Books for Youth (Awards)) (School & Library Binding)

The illustrations in this book are incredible. They come at you from unusual and creative angles. They are so detailed and realistic you would almost swear they were photographs. They are primarily black, brown and white, with the only splashes of color coming from the karate student's belts. It surprising the illustrator did not win the Caldecott Medal for this book. Hopefully he'll do another book soon and get the deserved recognition.
The author does a nice job introducing the reader to the basic history and beliefs of karate in the note at the end of the book but her poetry in the main section is content free and requires some rather strained routes to close out her rhymes.
This book would be a great gift for any child under 10 just getting introduced to karate.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Karate comes to life with lively text and stunning artwork, March 10, 2008

By 

Sherry North "Author, Because You Are My Baby" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Karate Hour (Booklist Editor's Choice. Books for Youth (Awards)) (School & Library Binding)

Karate Hour's powerful, rhythmic text captures the flow of karate, while the stunning illustrations make you feel like you're right there. My preschooler likes to follow along with the movements, even though he's not studying karate yet. This is one book you'll want to read again and again.

Review by Sherry North, Author, Because You Are My Baby