Pick of the Day: The Americans on D-Day (DVD)

SLJ — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 14:00:24 +0000

The Americans on D-Day. DVD. 56 min. with tchr’s. guide on CD. Prod. by Labyrinth Media & Pub. Dist. by Livingbattlefield.org. 2012. ISBN 978-0-615-67814-6. $25.
Gr 7 Up–The June 1944 assault on Hitler’s Fortress Europe by Allied military forces is remembered as a pivotal point in 20th-century history. This well-crafted documentary takes an unusual approach to explaining the planning and execution phases of the invasion. In addition to the usual assemblage of vintage still images and film footage, the producers attempt to bring viewers to the front lines as a contemporary battlefield guide leads us into the foray as he assumes the roles of various soldiers—American as well as German— taking part in combat. Supplemented by a well-formulated mix of credible re-creations, interviews with actual participants on both sides, and crisp graphics, the audience is on the Normandy battlefields as well as in airborne gliders and naval landing craft as were the combatants on this horrifying day. While the content focuses on American forces, the larger picture clearly emerges and concludes with a moving visit to the vast American cemetery in Normandy. In covering World War II, only select highlights of the offensive are presented so that the film can be used within classroom periods. This film is also available as part of a trilogy—The American Road to Victory—which includes coverage of the Battle of the Bulge as well as the Allied push into Germany. Options include chapter selection, closed-captioning, and descriptive video as well as two extra segments on weapons, training, and the uniforms of this campaign. The accompanying CD includes basic lesson/activity suggestions. Even though the tour guide can be a bit overly intense at times, this is a solid purchase for all media collections.–Dwain Thomas, formerly Lake Park High School, Roselle, IL

Pick of the Day: Monsieur Marceau: Actor Without Words

SLJ — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 13:30:33 +0000

SCHUBERT, Leda. Monsieur Marceau: Actor Without Words. illus. by Gérard DuBois. 40p. further reading. notes. photos. CIP. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter. Sept. 2012. RTE $17.99. ISBN 978-1-59643-529-2. LC 2011033798.
Gr 1-3–It is fitting that this superb picture-book biography is short on words and long on visuals. The spare text marvelously captures the essence of the artist, depicting a man whose choice to be silent was born of an awareness of the damages of war. Born in 1923 to a musical family who lived near the French/German border, Marceau idolized Charlie Chaplin and began emulating him at a young age. When World War II broke out, residents of Strasbourg were forced to leave their homes, and later Marceau joined the French Resistance. After the war, he changed his original surname, Mangel, to Marceau “so that people wouldn’t know he was Jewish.” Marceau studied mime and created the character Bip, whose smashed stovepipe hat, white makeup, red carnation, and sad eyes became known the world over. The stunning oil pastel paintings are as somber, joyful, and expressive as the man himself; they depict him fighting a bull, chasing butterflies, or crumbling in sadness. Covering much the same ground as Gloria Spielman’s Marcel Marceau (Lerner, 2011) but in a more compelling manner, this exquisite book has an informative afterword and a page on the art of miming. A noteworthy choice for all collections.–Teri Markson, Los Angeles Public Library

School Library Journal» WWII

Pick of the Day: The Americans on D-Day (DVD)

Pick of the Day: Monsieur Marceau: Actor Without Words