Multicultural Lit for Children and YA

I Can't Stop! A Story about Tourette Syndrome

2007-07-29T23:40:00.000-04:00

I Can't Stop! A Story about Tourette Syndrome
Niner, Holly L. 2005. I Can't Stop! A Story about Tourette Syndrome. Ill. by Meryl Treatmer. Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman. ISBN: 0807536202.

PLOT SUMMARY
When Nathan's winking, sniffling, and compulsive movements cause problems for him at home and school, he and his family learn that he has Tourette syndrome. With the help of his parents and a good friend, Nathan learns how to cope with this neurological tic disorder.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Nathan’s tics are causing problems for him at home and school. After visiting an eye doctor, Nathan and his parents see a specialist who informs them that Nathan has TS. Nathan ultimately shares the information with his classmates. With the help of his family and best friend, Josh, he practices strategies to cope with his disability.

I Can’t Stop! A Story About Tourette Syndrome is useful as a primer on this fairly common, “as many as one in a hundred,” neurological disorder. Nathan, the protagonist with TS, appears to be about 11 or 12 years old, but the book’s simplistic style and limited vocabulary is targeted to a younger audience, ‘Josh said ...“I’m your best friend, aren’t I?” Nathan felt better. “The best,” he said.’ The story line is also simple, and there is little information offered about Nathan other than his disability.

The book is factually accurate and offers an insider’s look at life with TS, however, at times it reads like a non-fiction book, “When you want to move any part of your body, one area of your brain sends a message to another, said Dr. Phillips. “Chemicals carry these messages. People with tics have too much of a chemical that turns movements on.”

Other times, the dialogue stretches the limits of credibility, as when Nathan tells Josh that he is having difficulty learning to change his tics and Josh replies, “That’s OK ... I practice my spelling words every day, and I still get some wrong.”

Author Holly Niner, was definitely not trying to curry favor with librarians in the writing of I Can’t Stop! When Nathan’s tics cause him to bark twice in the library, Nathan and Josh are summarily ejected by the librarian. While sports and exercise are strongly encouraged for children with TS, non-athletic children may also take issue with this book. Nathan’s only successes come from his prowess on the soccer field and the swim team.

Meryl Treatner’s illustrations are, for the most part, lifelike and believable, particularly Nathan’s facial tics and the expressions of his family members, showing in turn annoyance, concern, and happiness. The depictions of Nathan watching TV with his dad, tapping his pencil at school, and attending swim practice, could be illustrations of any child. Only Treatner’s interpretations of the insensitive children at school are exaggerated. In two instances, they are drawn standing in a group, pointing, snickering, and guffawing in a larger-than-life manner, lacking the deceitfulness which usually accompanies this type of teasing.

Every page but one is illustrated. The colors are realistic, but bright, and the details are meticulous – one can even read the time on Nathan’s mom’s wristwatch. The cover art is an engaging illustration of a winking Nathan and his friend, Josh.

I Can’t Stop! A Story About Tourette Syndrome, will most likely have limited appeal outside the friends, family, and teachers of children with Tourette’s. It is not without merit, but Marcia Byalick’s Quit It, set a standard for books on TS that I Can’t Stop, cannot top.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
"Very few books are available for young audiences on this medical concern; what's out there tends to be nonfiction for older readers. Thus, this title does fill a void."

Vanca, Lynn K. 2005. "I Can't Stop!: A Story about Tourette Syndrome." School Library Journal 51, no. 11: 102-102. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed July 27, 2007).

"Realistic watercolor-and-pencil illustrations, reflect the straightforward intent of the book, which will be useful in libraries and schools serving children struggling with TS."

Mattson, Jennifer. 2005. "I Can't Stop!: A Story about Tourette Syndrome." Booklist 102, no. 6: 52. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed July 27, 2007).

CONNECTIONS
For slightly older readers (ages 9 and up), suggest Quit It by Marcia Byalick. Carrie, Quit It's protagonist, is a likeable and believable character with the same issues that many children face, in addition to TS.

For parents or teachers of children with TS, suggest Children with Tourette Syndrome: A Parents' Guide, edited by Tracy Lynne Marsh. This book is in its second printing and was favorably reviewed by Library Journal and Kirkus Reports.

Public librarians can suggest I have Tourette's but Tourette's doesn't have me, a DVD produced by the Tourette Syndrome Association and HBO.

And Tango Makes Three

2007-07-29T09:25:00.000-04:00

And Tango Makes Three
Richardson, Justin and Peter Parnell. 2005. And Tango Makes Three. Ill. by Henry Cole. New York: Simon & Shuster. ISBN: 0689878451.

PLOT SUMMARY
And Tango Makes Three is the true story of a pair of Central Park penguins, Roy and Silo. Despite being of the same sex, Roy and Silo hatch and raise a penguin chick, Tango, illustrating that a loving family may have more than one appearance.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Ostensibly, And Tango Makes Three is a penguin story that takes place at the Central Park Zoo. However, it doesn't take too much of a careful look to see that this story is much more than just a penguin story. The story begins at the entrance to the zoo, where the delightful cartoon illustrations (sometimes as many as twelve to a page!) make it clear that families come in all varieties. Entering the zoo are a single parent pushing a stroller, a gray-haired woman with two toddlers, two women of different races with two children, and a young couple with a young boy. Inside the zoo, there are depictions of animal, avian and amphibian families as well. Then, there are the penguins. Two penguins in particular, Roy and Silo, "were a little bit different." "They didn't spend much time with the girl penguins, and the girl penguins didn't spend much time with them." "So they built a nest of stones for themselves...., just like the other penguins." Roy and Silo attempt to hatch a rock. Their devotion to their duty, captured beautifully in pictures as well as text, is touching as well as humorous, as they sat, "and sat....And sat." When their rock fails to hatch, their expressions are puzzled, but not daunted.

When the zookeeper gives them a real egg to hatch, "Roy and Silo knew just what to do." When the egg begins to "peep," Roy and Silo appear not surprised, but knowing, expectant. Children will love the twelve illustrations that culminate in fuzzy Tango's emergence from her egg. Roy, Silo, and Tango wear joyful expressions as they greet "their very own baby!" When the story ends, Tango is older and the normally ice blue background has changed to the colors of sunset as Tango, Roy and Silo "snuggled together and, like all the other penguins in the penguin house, and all the other animals in the zoo, and all the families in the big city around them, they went to sleep."

The beauty of And Tango Makes Three is the understated manner in which Richardson and Parnell, as well as illustrator Henry Cole, introduce the subject of homosexuality. As in nature, the illustrations show that the male and female penguins do not have easily identifiable differences. Roy and Silo are differentiated only by their prominence in the story. Young readers may not find Roy and Silo to be a "different" couple because they look exactly as the rest of the penguin couples. Only once does the text blatantly point to the non-traditional nature of Roy and Silo's union, "Tango was the very first penguin in the zoo to have two daddies." Gay parents should welcome this book as an opportunity for children of gay couples to see a reflection and validation of their own lifestyle. "Straight" readers of Tango should be able to use this story as a very basic introduction to homosexuality, or ignore this aspect completely and simply enjoy a heartwarming penguin tale.

And Tango Makes Three is a well-written introduction into the habits of penguins, as well as the nature of homosexuality. Both topics are presented accurately and factually. The Authors' Note following the story explains that all of the events in the story are true, and that the penguins may still be found in the Central Park Zoo. (To avoid disappointment, before taking a trip to the zoo, ensure that the penguins from this 2005 book are still alive and well - and be prepared - Silo has left Roy since the publication of this book)

REVIEW EXCERPTS
"This tale based on a true story about a charming penguin family living in New York City's Central Park Zoo will capture the hearts of penguin lovers everywhere. ... This joyful story about the meaning of family is a must for any library."

Roach, Julie, Jones, Trevelyn E., Toth, Luann, Charnizon, Marlene, Grabarek, Daryl, and Dale Raben. 2005. "And Tango Makes Three." School Library Journal 51, no. 7: 81-81. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed July 27, 2007).

"This tender story can also serve as a gentle jumping-off point for discussions about same-sex partnerships in human society."

2005. "And Tango Makes Three." Publishers Weekly 252, no. 20: 61-62. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed July 27, 2007).

"...it's naive to expect that this will be read only as a zoo anecdote."

Mattson, Jennifer. 2005. "And Tango Makes Three (Book)." Booklist 101, no. 18: 1657-1657. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed July 27, 2007).

CONNECTIONS
Public librarians can suggest King and King by Linda de Haan and Stern Nijland for parents or customers seeking more pointed, but still age-appropriate, children's literature on gay couples.

Antarctic Antics: A Book of Penguin Poems, by Judy Sierra, is a fun read aloud companion to Tango.

Simon & Shuster offers a teaching guide for And Tango Makes Three. It can be accessed at http://www.simonsays.com/content/book.cfm?sid=183&pid=505791&agid=21

Samir and Yonatan

2007-07-23T23:21:00.000-04:00

Samir and Yonatan
Carmi, Daniella. 2000. Samir and Yonatan. New York: Arthur A. Levine. ISBN: 0439135044.

PLOT SUMMARY
When Samir rides his bike down a flight of marketplace steps in Palestine's Occupied Territories, his leg is shattered so badly that he must be taken to the Jewish hospital. As he waits there for the arrival of an American doctor, his family cut off by roadblocks and obstacles, he gradually learns the stories of the Jewish patients sharing his room, and even makes a friend in the peculiar Yonatan.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Samir and Yonatan is a surrealistic tale, translated from its original Hebrew, of one boy’s stay in the hospital for a shattered leg. The boy is Samir, a young Palestinian from the Occupied Territories and the hospital is the “Jews’ hospital,” outside Samir’s world of curfews, roadblocks, shortages, and grief.

The jacket art by Rafal Oblinski hints at both the theme and the dreamlike nature of the story. The jacket illustration is a stone wall with a hole cut in the shape of a dove. Through the hole, one can see a dark night, a winding path, stars, comets, and the floating figures of two boys, Samir and Yonatan – suggesting the story’s themes of peace and escapism.

Samir’s family is unable to visit him because of roadblocks. He slowly comes to know his fellow patients and roommates- Yonatan, a quiet and dreamy youth with an unspecified hand disability, Ludmilla, a quiet girl from Russia intent on starving herself, Tzahi, a hyperactive boy who cannot urinate, Razia, a young girl with an abusive father. Tzahi’s brother is an Israeli paratrooper, much the same as the soldier who killed Samir’s brother, Fadi. Yonatan is a space aficionado who speaks to Samir only in the dark of night. He plans a trip to Mars for Samir and himself.

Samir’s story is told in a stream of consciousness format. His first person account moves through time and place as his mind wanders during his lengthy hospital stay. “I’m lying in bed, eating the chocolate crispies… They crackle in my mouth, making a nice sound. I remember the packet of chocolate that Bassam bought to me and Fadi. We kept it for some time, till Fadi said we should bury it with the rabbit, so she wouldn’t be all alone in there.”
The reader gains a sense of Samir’s uneasiness in a place so alien to his life experiences. Although he has learned Hebrew from his work at the grocery store, he is uncomfortable speaking both Hebrew and Arabic while in the hospital. While being anesthetized he counts in Arabic. “The Arabic numbers sound peculiar in this room. In this place the numbers are mine only, nothing to do with anybody else in the room.”

Samir eventually becomes friends with the bookish Yonatan, and they take their trip to Mars – a midnight foray to an unoccupied hospital office where they play a Mars simulator game on the computer – an otherworldly experience for a boy from the Occupied Territories where even a steady source of electricity is a luxury. Through Yonatan, Samir learns that he can use his imagination to escape from painful realities. Samir also comes to terms with his brother’s death and bonds in an unusual way with Tzahi, the paratrooper’s brother.

The story of Samir and Yonatan was written by Daniella Carmi, an Israeli author, and she succeeds wholeheartedly in portraying the plight of the occupied Palestinians. Through Samir’s use of occasional Arabic words and experiences, “I sit there with a wonderful taste in my mouth, the taste of labanch balls in olive oil, like Mom makes when Dad gets paid for barbering some UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Work Agency) people,” and his descriptions of a life filled with soldiers, sirens, burning tires, and power outages, the reader truly can understand Samir’s lifestyle. The contrast with his life in the hospital could not be starker. In the hospital he is served three meals per day in a comfortable bed, he eats sweets, plays with clay, and is attended to solicitously.

What is missing from the story is the Israeli perspective. Several Hebrew words are scattered throughout, and Ludmilla is pining away for her native Russia, but the story cements the impression that the Palestinians are heavily oppressed by wealthy and indulgent Jews. A more balanced perspective would help students understand the conflict. One reviewer noted that a companion activity to this book would be to teach the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Carmi missed an opportunity to incorporate this into Samir and Yonatan. Another flaw in this story is the assumption that the reader will know which names are Arabic and which are Hebrew. Without knowledge of local names, it is difficult to discern early in the book that Samir is the only Arabic patient at the hospital.

Overall, the story is hopeful in that Samir is able to identify with, and even befriend one of his Jewish roommates, and he returns to the Territories with a sense of hopefulness and possibility, “Yes … every day I’ll have to search for some new sign that will remind me that it all really happened, and was not a dream.”

Although School Library Journal suggests this title for grades 4-8, only an extremely insightful 4th grader would truly be able to grasp this complicated story. Grades 6-9 would be a more appropriate recommendation. (A glossary of Hebrew, Arabic, and selected acronyms is included.)

REVIEW EXCERPTS
"Explain the conflict between Israel and Palestine."

2005. "Israel/Palestine." Library Media Connection 23, no. 6: 41-41. Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text, EBSCOhost (accessed July 27, 2007).

"The theme of tolerance and understanding is uplifting and hopeful."

Al-Hazzá, Tami C. 2006. "Samir and Yonatan." Book Links 15, no. 3: 12-12. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed July 27, 2007).

"This book was by far one of the... WEIRDEST books I have ever read!! My fellow youth and I (a bunch of 14 year olds) all agree that we would never under any circumstances find joy inAnd POKING someone else's pee bag! Nor would I find joy urinating with my enemy in a plant!"
2007. Schmitz, John J. Amazon.com "Dumber than my shoes." http://www.amazon.com/Samir-Yonatan-Daniella-Carmi/dp/0439135230/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-0651715-6160802?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1185559792&sr=8-1 (accessed July 27, 2007).

CONNECTIONS
A school reading of Samir and Yonatan should definitely be prefaced by a lesson on the Arab-Israeli conflict.

For readers interested in this topic, suggest One More River and Broken Bridge by Lynne Reid Banks.

Bee-Bim Bop!

2007-07-20T09:34:00.001-04:00

Bee-Bim Bop!
Park, Linda Sue. 2005. Bee-Bim Bop! Ill. by Ho Baek Lee. New York: Clarion. ISBN 13: 9780618265114.

PLOT SUMMARY
What does a hungry little girl want for dinner? Bee-bim bop! A little girl can hardly wait as she helps Mama purchase ingredients and prepare bee-bim bop, a traditional Korean dish, for her family. The process is as much fun as the result!

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Bee-Bim Bop! is a delightful story for young audiences. The text reflects the fast-paced urgency of a hungry child in an upbeat rhyming rhythm, "Hurry, Mama, hurry Gotta chop chop chop! Hungry - very hungry for some bee-bim bop!" The "Hurry, Mama, hurry" refrain is repeated often. In addition to pure fun, Bee-Bim Bop! will give children a sense of possibility and capability, "Spinach, sprouts, and carrots Each goes in a pan, Let me pour the water in Yes, I know I can!" and"Bowls go on the table Big ones striped in blue I help set the glasses out Spoons and chopsticks too." Adding interest and excitement is the concrete presentation of verbs pertaining to cooking. The "flip-flip flop" of the egg pancakes bounces in the midst of the text. "Chop chop chop" appears om a hard 45 degree slant, much as a chopping blade in motion.

The book is also an excellent example of a Korean American multicultural story with its roots set firmly within the United States. The child's family, illustrated by Ho Baek Lee, has the common characteristics of Asian Americans - tan skin tones, straight black hair and a characteristic eye shape, however, the features are never exaggerated and the family is portrayed as any other typical US family, complete with a frisky dog. The grocery store and kitchen setting, as well as the clothing are typically American. The focus is on the young girl, with Mama's head frequently missing from the double-page illustrations. The dog also is featured prominently, following the young girl throughout the kitchen. The colors are bright, but realistic. The overall impression of the cheerful watercolor and pencil illustrations is one of a happy and playful family.

The topic of the book, is of course, distinctively Korean American, as is the use of chopsticks. Grandma is the only family member that appears decidedly Korean, wearing a traditional garment, with her hair fixed neatly in a bun with a decorated ornament. The fact that the entire family wears slippers while indoors may also be indicative of Asian American culture. In a nod to biculturalism, the family (except the dog, who keeps one eye fixed upon the bee-bim bop!) closes their eyes and bows their heads to say grace before dinner.

The book concludes with a recipe for bee-bim bop, divided into tasks for "grownups" and "you." An Author's Note explains bee-bim bop and is accompanied by a photograph of the author and her young relatives preparing dinner. This book will surely ignite a desire to hurry hurry hurry to the kitchen to make some bee-bim bop!

REVIEW EXCERPTS
"Even so fine a writer as Park cannot resist the whole bouncy-rhyming thing. This one, however, does have vivacity and charm, as a small girl helps her mother purchase, prepare and serve her favorite meal."

2005. "BEE-BIM BOP!." Kirkus Reviews 73, no. 17: 980-980. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed July 21, 2007).

"In this appetizing introduction to Korean cuisine, a little girl and her mother make a traditional meal of meat, veggies, eggs, and rice all mixed together. Cheerful watercolor illustrations follow the process. The rhythmic text rolls through the pages and makes for a fantastic read-aloud."

Gallagher, Genevive. 2006. "Bee-bim Bop!." School Library Journal 52, no. 7: 45-45. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed July 21, 2007).

"The mood is so unabashedly happy and Park's text is so catchy that any grown-up reading this book aloud should anticipate a demand to make the detailed, kid-friendly recipe for Bee-Bim Bop on the final spread."

2005. "Bee-Bim Bop!." Publishers Weekly 252, no. 35: 60-60. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed July 21, 2007).

CONNECTIONS
Read Bee-Bim Bop! with The Trip Back Home by Janet S. Wong, and Ill. by Bo Jia. The Trip Back Home includes a trip to the market and the preparation of a meal in a modern, rural Korean household. Many of the ingredients mentioned are the same as those in the dish, bee bim bop. It offers an excellent example of how traditions are brought to the United States and adapted.

This is an excellent choice for a public library storytime. Preschoolers will love it!

Share this story with a globe. Let children find bee-bim bop's home, Korea, on the globe.

The Earth Dragon Awakes: The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906

2007-07-16T23:18:00.000-04:00

The Earth Dragon Awakes: The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906
Yep, Laurence. 2006. The Earth Dragon Awakes: The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN 13: 9780060275242.

PLOT SUMMARY
It is Tuesday, April 17, 1906, and two boys separate for the evening. Chin heads for home in his Chinatown tenement building, riding the cable car with his father, Chinese "houseboy", Ah Sing. Henry settles in the for the night at his Nob Hill home, now that his parents are home from the opera. Neither is aware of the earthquake that will strike within hours. The Earth Dragon Awakes chronicles the story of the great San Francisco earthquake and fire through the parallel stories of Henry and Chin.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The Earth Dragon Awakes: The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 is a historical fiction novel for young readers, by Newbery Honor winner, Laurence Yep. The short chapters are titled with a time, date, and location stamp, “5:12 A.M., Wednesday, April 18, 1906, Chin and Ah Sing’s tenement, Chinatown.” The story line is clear and linear, beginning on the eve of the great quake, and ending ten days later.

Yep’s genius is in telling parallel stories of the two friends, Henry Travis, son of a White banker, and Chin, the son of Henry’s houseboy, Ah Sing. When the story begins, Ah Sing and Chin are watching Henry while his parents attend the opera. As the Chinese pair leaves Nob Hill, their tale begins to diverge from the Travis’. Chin and his father travel by streetcar to Chinatown, where, although it is now midnight, the streets are still bustling as Chinese workers attend to their errands after a long day’s work. Chin and Ah Sing purchase Chinese newspapers and buy apples. Ah Quon, their neighbor, is leaving the temple. Authentic Chinese names are used throughout. Other cultural markers are less obvious, but no less authentic.

In the tenement, Chin can hear “the clacking of mahjong tiles,” and “twisted cable-car tracks look like the strokes of a mysterious, dreadful word.” (A footnote explains that a Chinese character is representative of a word)

The book’s title, The Earth Dragon Awakes, is suggestive of this culture’s historical usage of folkloric creatures. When Ah Quon warns that the Earth Dragon is upset, Ah Sing notes, “The Earth Dragon has shaken the city before,” “We’re still holding on to his back.” Chin silently asks the “Earth Dragon to keep his temper.” A dragon symbol denotes each new chapter. In another instance of personification, “fear twists inside Chin like a snake.”

A perfect example of the dichotomy of the American and Chinese American cultures lies within the story itself. Western literature is typically conflict and resolution. The Travis family’s story in the face of the disaster is one of resoluteness. At first they attempt to stay in their destroyed neighborhood, willing to suffer deprivation and hardship. Only when their situation becomes untenable, do they begin moving – vowing to rebuild and return. The focus of their resolution is to conquer their hardship. Ah Sing and Chin’s goal, however, is to adapt and to continue. As soon as the disaster befalls, they immediately decide to press on to safety, placing survival and continuance foremost. They are decidedly adaptable in their quest – even taking on a short job as wagon loaders to earn money for their ship passage to safety. Conquering the Earth Dragon would not be a culturally authentic outlook for Ah Sing and Chin.

A modernizing aside to the text is the addition of a small footnote in the last chapter. After reading that twenty thousand people have fled San Francisco by boat, and 225,000 more by train, the reader is directed to a footnote, “Never before have so many people left an American city in peacetime – until Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans.” The addition of this small footnote serves as a reminder of the huge proportions of both tragedies, but also of the possibility for recovery.

As one reviewer noted, the book’s theme of “ordinary heroes” is a bit didactic, “These are ordinary people Henry sees every day. “They’re acting just like heroes,’ he says to his mother.” This is a minor flaw, however, and children will likely ignore the heavy handedness. Scientific explanations of the earthquake and resulting firestorm may be very interesting to some readers, but are so neatly woven into the story, that they are not distracting to those less scientifically inclined.

Yep’s Afterword is especially interesting, placing the Great Earthquake and Fire in terms that modern youngsters can understand, explaining that in 1906, “fourteen dollars could comfortably feed for people for a week,” then outlining the cost of the disaster in 1906 and current year dollars. He also notes which of the story’s anecdotes are factual, including people stopping “a runaway horse by flapping umbrellas at it.” Yep personalizes the book by relating that his own grandfather was a Chinese houseboy who was returning to San Francisco from China on the day following the earthquake. His grandfather was detained at the immigration center for seven days. A suggested reading list and six photographs of the quake’s aftermath (sure to interest young readers) close out the book.

With its focus on the two boys, the earthquake and the fire, The Earth Dragon Awakes is an excellent choice for middle-school aged boys (or girls) who may otherwise be disinterested in multicultural literature. The vocabulary is simple; and the uncomplicated story of one of the nation’s most famous disasters will be sure to hold the interest of the less sophisticated reader.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
"It is notable especially for the attention paid to the experience of San Francisco's Chinese immigrants, and a good choice for reluctant readers."

2006. "THE EARTH DRAGON AWAKES: The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906." Kirkus Reviews 74, no. 5: 243-243. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed July 16, 2007).

"Yep uses the growing friendship between the two boys to underscore pointed discussion of race relations at the time, which works well for the most part."

Bush, Margaret A. 2006. "The Earth Dragon Awakes: The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906." Horn Book Magazine 82, no. 4: 454-455. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed July 16, 2007).

"the "ordinary heroes" theme is presented a bit heavy-handedly. Throughout the text, the boys compare their fathers to Wyatt Earp."

Threadgill, Catherine. 2006. "The Earth Dragon Awakes: The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906." School Library Journal 52, no. 5: 138-140. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed July 17, 2007).

CONNECTIONS
Bring in a mahjong set to show students. Use it as an opportunity to introduce this piece of Chinese culture and its motif of Chinese characters.

The Dragon Awakes is particularly well suited for cross-curricular use - in language arts as a reluctant reader novel, in Social Studies to complement immigration history, and in Science to aid in the study of plate tectonics.

Readers interested in Chinatown may enjoy Yep's series, Chinatown Mysteries.

Music for Alice

2007-07-15T21:39:00.000-04:00

Music for Alice
Say, Allen. 2004. Music for Alice. Ill. by Allen Say. New York: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN: 0618311181.

PLOT SUMMARY
Alice grew up on a farm in California. She loved to dance. When Japanese Americans were forced into internment camps, a much older, Alice and her new huband, Mark, were offered work as farm laborers as an alternative to living in the camps. They accepted, and thus began their life together - a life of farming, hardships, successes, and heartbreaks. Only Alice's passion for dance was left unchanged.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Allen Say’s reputation and his spectacular artwork in Music for Alice will attract teachers and librarians as soon as they view the portrait of Alice on the front cover. The illustrations, following Alice from her childhood on a California farm, to her years as an older widow, are beautiful and realistic. Each single page illustration appears as a photograph, framed in white, each one capturing a mood as well as a moment in time. The snapshot motif is evident, as even illustrations depicting motion (the wind blowing through young Alice’s hair, the plane flying over the farm), are captured as still frames. In the illustrations of hardship, such as assembling for transport to the internment camps or tilling the fields, the faces are obscured, as if to suggest that the depiction is one of adversity personified. By contrast, other pictures are peaceful landscapes - the gladiola fields, the farm, or realistic images of Alice – her mood drawn plainly upon her face, happy, pensive, content. The artwork in Music for Alice is masterful; however, it may be too sophisticated for the picture book audience for which the book is intended.

As an example of Japanese American literature, Music for Alice is multi-faceted. It can serve as a primer to the story of the Japanese internment camps of WWII, beginning with the FBI search of their apartment to their relocation from Seattle to a farm in Eastern Oregon. The book also speaks to the essential American-ness of Alice Sumida and her husband, despite their Japanese appearances. Both Alice and her husband, Mark, have traditional American names. Alice grows up on a farm. Mark lives in Seattle, selling seeds to farmers. Before the war and the relocation of Japanese Americans on the West Coast, Alice and Mark could have been any US citizens. The book succeeds in showing the unjust treatment of these American citizens.

Music for Alice also succeeds in showing something of the nature of Japanese culture, a culture that not only perseveres, but moves forward despite obstacles. When offered a choice between the internment camps and working as field laborers, they chose work. “‘We’ll be all right,’ I said, even though I was sorry that we had come.” Later, when federal agents advised them that they would be allowed to grow food in their desert exile, they leased acres of land. “The land was full of stones. We had to dig them out of the ground, put them in strong bags, and take them away before we could plant anything. Our first harvest was a harvest of stones.” Still, they persevered, eventually owning the largest gladiola or “sword lilies” farm in the United States. When the farm life took too much of a toll on their personal happiness, they again moved on, selling the farm and moving to California. Mark attempted to start a koi farm (an ornamental Japanese fish), but it did not turn out successfully. After Mark’s death, Alice again moved on, this time to Portland, near the assembly center where they had been gathered for relocation so many years ago, “but the terrible smells of the place are fading from my mind. Now what I often think of is the field of blooming sword lilies as far as the eye can see.” Finally, Alice’s life comes "full-circle," as in her final years, she returns finally to her childhood love of dance. Music for Alice is a quintessential Japanese American story of continuing, persevering, seizing opportunities, and moving forward.

This is a moving and beautiful book that will likely be appreciated by adults more than children. Youngsters may not appreciate Say’s artistic realism, and the ending may leave some children perplexed. The final line “And dance I do – all that I can,” is a fitting end to the story, however, the accompanying picture of an elderly Alice dancing with an unknown younger man will likely leave children confused and asking “Who is that man?” One final criticism is the book’s classification as fiction. Only a careful reading of the copyright page will yield the information that the book is “based on the true life story of Alice Sumida, who with her husband Mark established the largest gladiola bulb farm in the country during the last half of the twentieth century.” This information should be shared in a foreword to ensure that readers will see it.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
"Although the book has much to recommend it, it may have more limited appeal than some of Say's earlier works. It is not as personal as Grandfather's Journey (1993) or Tea with Milk (1999,both Houghton). Many young readers may lack the perspective to relate to a tale that spans decades and deals with such complex themes. Still, with proper introduction, this offering will be appreciated by sensitive and sophisticated youngsters."

Piehler, Heide. 2004. "Music for Alice (Book)." School Library Journal 50, no. 4: 123-123. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed July 16, 2007).

"The last image shows her dancing with a younger man, a scene that could profit from a bit more fleshing out ("And dance I do--all that I can"). Adults may respond best to this documentary-style life story."

2004. "MUSIC FOR ALICE (Book)." Publishers Weekly 251, no. 4: 252-252. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed July 22, 2007).

"This story beautifully describes their resilience, which becomes the foundation for a successful business and a fulfilling life."
Burke, Lynne T. 2005. "Books With Character." Instructor 114, no. 5: 73-74. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed July 16, 2007).

CONNECTIONS
Public librarians can suggest Say's Caldecott Medal winning book, Grandfather's Journey and Home of the Brave, another book relating to the Japanese internment camps.

Teachers can read this book to introduce a lesson on the World War II experience.

Use this book for language arts as an example of an illustrated life story. Ask students to write and illustrate their own life highlights. Have students pay particular attention to Say's unique artistic style.

Seasons of the Circle

2007-07-12T21:45:00.000-04:00

Seasons of the Circle: A Native American Year
Bruchac, Joseph. 2002. Seasons of the Circle: A Native American Year. Ill. by Robert F. Goetzl. Mahwah, NJ: Troll/Bridgewater. ISBN: 0816774676.

PLOT SUMMARY
This short picture book by award-winning Joseph Bruchac introduces a different Native American tribe and one of its practices for each month of the year. A one sentence verse accompanies each double page color painting by Robert F. Goetzl. Supplementary notes and information provide more detail.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Seasons of the Circle: A Native American Year serves as a very basic introduction to Native American tribes and their practices. The verse accompanying each of the twelve months and tribes consists of a single sentence, some rhyming and some not. Many of the rhymes sound forced, “March – As the snow starts to melt and the nights still freeze Lenape women gather sap, a sweet gift from the maple trees,” and the best lines are those which are merely rhythmical, such as September’s verse, “A Menominee wild rice harvester slowly poles his canoe through still green water.”

Seasons of the Circle’s premise of the never-ending circle of life may not be clear to a young reader. It is only in the extensive Author’s Note, and supplemental map, chart and notes that the concept of the book becomes understandable. These materials, however, are beyond the comprehension of the book’s target audience of children ages 4-8. Also problematic is the juxtaposition of both contemporary and age-old Native practices and depictions. This will be confusing to a young reader and may perpetuate common misconceptions - either that Native Americans are only a people of the past or that modern Native people typically wear feathers, beads, buckskin and other traditional clothing.

Seasons succeeds in portraying the Native American reverence for the earth and tradition. “Hvasupai men build a winter home, its door open to the blessing of the rising sun.” and December’s “In the Moon When Wolves Run Together, in a buffalo-skin tipi, a Lakota elder tells stores of when earth was young.” July’s verse tells of an Apache girl’s coming of age ceremony.

Goetzl’s illustrations are richly colored in warm tones and in harmony with the text. The features and skin tones are appropriate, and each tribe is clothed in its traditional dress, except in the few months that illustrate modern traditions. He accurately depicts many aspects and customs of Native culture - people working for a common purpose, eight women harvesting sap or six farmers performing various planting tasks. These indicate the communal nature of Native American life. Depictions of leisure are also include large groups – men playing “snow snake” on a frozen lake while the women look on, or children running together to greet the sun. A respect for elders and a feeling of community is also obvious; as young girls watch the older women weave baskets in the early evening or a clan gathers in a tipi to hear a Lakota elder tell “stories of when earth was young.” Sensitivity to sacred rites is also observed. July’s illustration of Apache Mountain Spirit Dancers obscures the dancer’s faces.

Overall, Seasons of the Circle is a feast for the eyes. The rich purples and reds of the desert Southwest in November’s painting of a rainbow over a Havasupai home is a beautiful example. Goetzl’s illustrations will engage any reader. Bruchac’s brief verse will hopefully open the door to further exploration of Native culture.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
"An unusual introduction to calendar and custom."

Hepler, Heather. 2002. "Seasons of the Circle: A Native American Year (Book)." Booklist 99, no. 3: 316. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed July 12, 2007).

"There are other, better books along this line, Bruchac's and Goetzl's award-winning Many Nations (1997) among them. The meat of this is in an author's note, an appendix of tribal names and information, a map, and a chart of moon names. All this material convinces the reader that other stories or nonfiction forms or even the Web site it shills might be more useful--but this outing leaves one considering the addenda, not the text."

2002. "SEASONS OF THE CIRCLE (Book)." Kirkus Reviews 70, no. 16: 1218. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed July 12, 2007).

CONNECTIONS
Read Bruchac's Many Nations (1997).

Use the included map of the eight "tribal regions" to determine your region. Research which tribes live in your region.

Joseph Bruchac's Author's Note includes two websites to access for further information - the National Museum of the American Indian www.nmai.si.edu and http://www.nativeculturelinks.com/nations.html

The Birchbark House

2007-07-08T15:54:00.001-04:00

The Birchbark House
Erdrich, Louise. 1999. The Birchbark House. Ill. by Louise Erdrich. New York: Hyperion. ISBN: 0786822414.

PLOT SUMMARY
Louise Erdrich’s The Birchbark House is a tale of love, loss, and growing up, for Omakayas, a 19th century Objibwa, or Anishinabe girl, living near Lake Superior. It is also a recounting of the ways of the Anishinabeg at the dawn of Western expansion. The adventures of Omakyas, her family and her people will delight middle school age readers who will identify with Omakayas and her family.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Erdrich’s The Birchbark House is a beautiful weaving of the literary and the historical, following the life of 7-year-old, Omakayas in the year 1847. The details of Omakayas’ Anishinabeg lifestyle never interfere with the story; instead, they provide a rich backdrop providing interest as well as information. Native American cultural markers are numerous, authentic, and integral to this affecting story.

Omakayas lives a life familiar to many children. She has an older sister whom she envies for her beauty and grace, a younger brother whom she despises for his selfishness and greed, and a baby brother whom she adores for his sweetness and innocence. Her mother is firm, yet loving. Her grandmother, or nokomis, is kind and wise. Her father is often away on business, trapping to provide skins for the White traders. She loathes certain of her chores, particularly the scraping of hides to make leather, she looks after her brothers. These connections render Omakayas accessible to 21st century children. It is through this connection that cultural details are channeled.

Respect for elders is shown throughout the book, from a simple line regarding Grandma, “the dappled light of tiny new leaves moved on Grandma’s beautiful, softly lined face,” to Omakayas' behavior around the strong-willed elder, Old Tallow, “She wished the old woman good health, and called her “Auntie” because it was a sign of affection, though Omakayas was not really sure exactly what she felt. After she’d spoken, she stood politely, waiting.” A reverence for one’s elders is consistently apparent.

The Ojibwa people are portrayed realistically in Birchbark House- not always serious, not always good (especially in the case of Omakayas’ brother known as Pinch!), and not always mystical and “all-seeing.” Omakayas’ father, Deydey has a wry sense of humor. Although dreams are taken seriously in the Anishinabe culture, he is not above poking fun at his friend’s sillier dreams. “’Last night I dreamed my head got stuck in a kettle,’ (LaPautre) revealed his voice low and troubled. ‘It must have been a very big kettle’ Deydey said, solemnly, for LaPautre had a big round head and a full moon face.” In another scene, Deydey again teases LaPautre for his dream about lice, while Omakayas and her sister, hiding in the brush “clapped hands over their mouths to stifle their glee.” Light hearted moments are interspersed throughout the book, as they are in life.

Another trait common to Native American people is a willingness to welcome strangers. This is exemplified, though disastrously so, when Omakayas’ people welcome a traveler with smallpox to their lodge.

Birchbark House also evokes the theme of the circle or cycle, common to many Native Americans. The chapters are grouped into books, each named for one of the Anishinabe seasons. The family travels from their winter quarters where they ice fish and survive the harsh winter, to the sap harvest when the maple trees thaw, to the rice harvesting grounds, and to the birchbark house where they hunt, gather berries, prepare hides, and prepare foods for winter storage. The story spans a year in Omakaya’s life, beginning and ending at the birchbark house that her family builds anew each spring; and though the clan has suffered loss, there is also joy, the return of one lost, and the renewal of the spring season.

Ojibwa, or Anishinabe words are placed throughout the story, both with English translations and with contextual clues. An author’s note explains the Ojibwa language, and a glossary and pronunciation guide follows the story. Some words, such as the greeting, ahneen, are used often enough to remember. Other words and phrases will have the reader flipping frequently to the glossary. Welcome additions to the text are three “stand-alone” stories told by Omakayas’ relatives. The stories illustrate the inventiveness and purposefulness of Native folktales. “Deydey’s Ghost Story” is especially enjoyable, featuring cleverness in the face of fear.

Small pencil drawings by the author dot the story, adding interest, illuminating Omakayas’ encounters with bears, her parents’ makazins, members of her family and more. The drawings are crisp and clean with just enough detail. The faces are varied but distinctly Native in shape and coloring. The depiction of clothing, tools, and living quarters is reflective of the narrative's description.

An interesting facet of The Birchbark House is its varied perspective on Western expansion. Though the story is told via the young Ojibwa girl, it is clear that her family is not completely opposed to the Whites, or chimookoman. Omakayas’ father is part White. He regularly trades with the Whites and takes pride in his prowess at chess, the White man's game. The clan’s Old Tallow has a disdain for the Whites, yet she too has adapted somewhat to the White ways, living as Omakayas’ family, in a cabin during the winter. Mother sews metal thimbles to her daughter’s dress; father buys calico, velvet and beads from the fur traders. They harbor no ill will against the missionaries, and note that they were helpful in caring for Ojibwa with smallpox. At the same time, they note the European Americans' insatiable hunger for land and the eventual conflict that will arise from the incessant push Westward. This multi-faceted view adds to the richness and realism of the book.

The Birchbark House is an exemplary example of a book depicting a Native American culture in a realistic and engaging manner. The historical and narrative qualities are equally first rate and the author’s own artwork adds to Birchbark’s authenticity. Highly recommended.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
Erdrich's "attention to historical detail perfectly balances the compelling story."

2004. "The Birchbark House (Book)." Book Links 13, no. 6: 24-24. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed July 8, 2007).

"Edrich's novel succeeds best in its efforts to present events with historical and cultural accuracy, while providing enough textual apparatus and insight into the inner life of her main character to draw young readers."

Rice, David. 2002. "Birchbark House/Muskrat Will Be Swimming/Rain is Not My Indian Name (Book)." MELUS 27, no. 2: 246. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed July 8, 2007).

CONNECTIONS
Suggest reading Louise Edrich's The Game of Silence (2005), which continues the story of Omakayas in the year 1850.

Share poems from Lee Francis' When the Rain Sings: Poems by Young Native Americans. (1999)

Suggest Four Seasons of Corn: A Winnebago Tradition by Sally M. Hunter. This book is recommended by Native American author Cynthia Leitich Smith and shows the cycle of the corn planting as practiced by a modern 12-year old, Winnebago or Hochunk boy.

Indian Shoes

2007-07-08T15:53:00.000-04:00

Indian Shoes
Smith, Cynthia Leitich. 2002. Indian Shoes. Ill. .Jim Madsen. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN: 0060295317.

PLOT SUMMARY
Indian Shoes, by Cynthia Leitich Smith is a collection of short, related stories about a young Cherokee-Seminole boy, Ray, and his Grampa Halfmoon. Ray schemes to buy Grampa an expensive pair of Seminole moccasins. A pet raccoon ruins his art contest entry. His ring-bearer pants are missing. Grampa botches his haircut. Ray navigates these setbacks and more with humor and Grampa Halfmoon's unwavering support. A chapter book for younger readers.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
These six short stories follow Ray and Grampa through a series of common events in a young boy's life. The pair live a modest life in Chicago, having moved there from Oklahoma when Ray's parents were killed in a tornado. Indian Shoes is noteworthy for its focus on the warm, intergenerational bond between Ray and his grandfather, as well as on their Native culture. In the title story, Ray trades his hightop sneakers for a pair of Seminole moccasins when he realizes that Grampa is homesick for Oklahoma. When Ray's pants are missing and he must be the ring bearer for a wedding, Grampa willingly gives up his own trousers and quietly saves the day, peeking out from behind a velvet curtain "a lace-trimmed tablecloth...tied around his waist." The stories will appeal to young chapter book readers and boys in particular, because they evoke affection and kindness through humor and understatement, rather than sentimentality.

Although the protagonists live in contemporary Chicago, they are never far from their Native Cherokee and Seminole roots. References to Ray's and Grampa's Cherokee-Seminole heritage is both obvious and understated. The Seminole moccasins feature prominently in two of the stories; evoking in Grampa Halfmoon a wistfulness and longing for earlier days in Oklahoma. They attend a wedding of a Polish-Menominee man and a Choctaw woman. Ray sleeps with a Cherokee Seven Clans blanket.

Less obvious are the hallmarks of many Native cultures, a respect for elders, a concern and respect for animals, and a manner of conveying information that is less direct in nature than many other cultures. Throughout the book, Ray listens quietly and with interest when Grampa Halfmoon shares stories about Oklahoma or Ray's parents. It is only through stories and observation that Ray realizes his grandfather's homesickness. Similarly, when Grampa wishes to share a memory of Ray's father with Ray, he does not speak it. Instead, he patiently invites Ray to fish with him every morning before sunrise, declaring that he going to the lake to seek "something bigger." Ray ignores the alarm clock each morning and Grampa only remarks that he's caught no fish, he's looking for "something bigger." When Ray's curiosity finally gets the best of him, he finds that "something bigger" is a shared experience - a quiet morning, a starlight sky, and a memory of times spent fishing with his father.

A reverence for animals is exhibited in two stories. When Ray and Grampa visit an antique store, Ray notices an elephant leg table and a mounted moose head. He wonders, "What happened to the rest of the elephant? Who took the body of the moose glaring down?" In "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?" Ray and Grampa spend Christmas with all of their vacationing neighbors' pets during a storm and power outage.

Leitich Smith seams contemporary Native life with a sense of tradition. "Ray followed Grampa to the porch where Uncle Leonard rocked on the creaky swing and read the Cherokee Advocate on his laptop computer." The illustrations by Jim Madsen also knit old and new together. Grampa Halfmoon wears his long, dark hair in a ponytail, while Ray's hair is a more modern style. Their features and skin tone look appropriately Native American. The illustrations are black and white sketches that accurately follow the storyline. The cover art is a tableau featuring a smiling Ray and a proud and watchful Grampa Halfmoon in the foreground accompanied by a scene of the two fishing, and a modern Chicago skyline.

Indian Shoes is a welcome addition to a sparse collection of contemporary Native American books for children. If children have any ideas that Native Americans are extinct, this book should dispel them!

REVIEW EXCERPTS
"With its unadorned portrayal of urban Indian life, Shoes is a good book for any elementary-aged reluctant reader, and a necessity for indigenous children everywhere."

Jones, Trevelyn E., Toth, Luann, Charnizon, Marlene, Grabarek, Daryl, Larkins, Jeanne, and Sean George. 2002. "Indian Shoes (Book)." School Library Journal 48, no. 5: 128. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed July 4, 2007).

"With a nod toward contemporary Native Americans, Grampa tells Cherokee and Seminole family stories, and when Ray gets to be in a wedding party, the groom is Polish-Menominee and his bride is Choctaw. An excellent choice for younger readers from the author of the bittersweet Rain Is Not My Indian Name (2001). "

2002. "INDIAN SHOES (Book)." Kirkus Reviews 70, no. 7: 499. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed July 4, 2007).

CONNECTIONS
Visit the official websites of the Cherokee and Seminole people to learn how they live today.
www.cherokee.org
www.seminoletribe.com

Cynthia Leitich Smith's website contains a Reader's Theater script based on this book. The script was written by TWU's own Sylvia Vardell.
http://www.cynthialeitichsmith.com/CLS/cyn_books/shoes/readerstheater_pants.html

Leitich Smith's website also contains an Indian Shoes Teachers' Guide including pre-reading, comprehension, multiple intelligence, and mathematical/logical activities.

Doña Flor

2007-06-29T17:53:00.000-04:00

Doña Flor

PLOT SUMMARY
Doña Flor is the epitome of the gentle-giant. With a house "as big as a mountain" and hands as "wide as plates," she has a heart to match, inspiring the love and respect of the people in her Southwest village. When a fearsome noise frightens the villagers, Doña Flor comes, as always, to the rescue. Raúl Colon won the 2006 Pura Belpré Illustrator Medal for his contribution to this fresh and inventive tall tale.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Pat Mora's, Doña Flor: A Tall Tale About a Giant Lady with a Big Heart, has the hallmarks of a classic tall tale, a multi-faceted heroine and rich details. Despite her overarching kindness, Dona Flor can be tired - as when the wind keeps her from sleep, angry - as she stomps off to find the puma that annoys the village, and indulgent - as she takes a "long, hot bubble bath," the smell of roses rising from the chimney. Her size and kindness are communicated expressively. "When she worked, Flor sang, and birds came and built nests in her hair."
"She gave the school band her hollyhocks to use as trumpets. The music smelled like spring."

Mora introduces multiple Spanish words in Doña Flor with varying techniques and effect. Literal translations are clear to the reader, but interrupt the story flow. "'¿Dónde estás? Where are you?' called her worried neighbors." Nonliteral translations include "Everyone called her Doña Flor because they respected her." and ""Mi casa es su casa," she said...so they knew they were always welcome." Most pleasing are the untranslated words, "Are you the chico who's causing all the trouble?" "Why, you're just a kitten to me, Pumito." These passages allow a smooth rhythm to the story with unfamiliar words fitting contextually into the sentence.

In addition to Spanish words, Doña Flor contains many textual references to the story's Southwest setting. Tortillas are prominently featured in the story; Flor makes tortillas with her huge "plate-sized" hands. The children use them as rafts and villagers use them as roofs for their homes. The village or pueblo is filled with adobe homes and is located near a tall mesa. Pumas, rattlers and coyotes inhabit the village.

Raúl Colon's award winning illustrations are a "combination of watercolor washes, etching, and colored and litho pencils." The muted, yet varied colors, evoke the Southwest atmosphere - dry and serene, yet not without life. Dona Flor herself has skin the color of the Southwestern soil, lips the color of adobe walls, and luxurious long dark hair - wrapped in a braided bun for the day's work and flying loose in the starlight sky at night. She appears to be a child of the Southwest earth itself. Her benevolent brown eye peers in the doorway of a village family. The home is adorned with a woven rug, a clay pot, and a sombrero; and although her eye fills much of the doorway, it does not inspire fear. Her giant tortillas provide rafts for the children, and in the evening, she envelops herself in a woven blanket, cradling the village creatures in her arms. Next to Doña Flor, the sky is the prominent feature in most of Doña Flor's illustrations portraying the vastness of the Southwest; dwarfing the whitewashed adobe homes and tiny villagers dressed in long skirts, serapes, and sombreros.

Doña Flor is an inventive tall tale, beautifully illustrated and told with rich details. When the sun shines upon the giant tortilla roofs of the villagers, the reader can almost smell the corn baking. "Mmmm, the houses smelled corn-good when the sun was hot." It also is a story with deep connections to the earth. Flor's mother sings to her in a voice as "sweet as river music," and in the evening, Flor makes her bed, filling her arms "with clouds smelling of flowery breezes." This is not a retelling or variation of a traditional tale. Readers will enjoy the fresh plot and it's surprising ending, as Flor finds the littlest mountain lion making the biggest of noises.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
Magical watercolor and etching make images whose colors swoop from sun swept to cool shadows.

DeCandido, Graceanne. 2006. "TALL-TALE HEROINES." Teacher Librarian 33, no. 5: 43-43. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed July 3, 2007).

"Set in the American Southwest, this lyrical story features lithesome artwork with swirling textures and serene colors."

2006. "Doña Flor: A Tall Tale about a Giant Lady with a Great Big Heart." School Library Journal 52: 42-42. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed July 3, 2007).

CONNECTIONS
Read the audience-participation poem for Doña Flor found on Pat Mora's website.
http://www.patmora.com/ideas_dona.htm This is suitable and fun for very young children.

Read this story with other "tall-tale heroine" books -
Thunder Rose, by Jerdine Nolan and Ill. by Kadidr Nelson and Sitka Rose by Shelley Gill and Ill. by Shannon Cartwright.

Compare this story to the classic tales of Paul Bunyan.

¡Marimba! Animales from A to Z

2007-06-29T17:48:00.000-04:00

¡Marimba! Animales from A to Z
Mora, Pat. 2006. Marimba! Animales from A to Z. Ill. by Doug Cushman. New York: Clarion. ISBN 13: 9780618194537.

PLOT SUMMARY
Once a year, the animals at the zoo awaken in the evening to dance and cavort to the music of the monkey's marimba. Well-known children's author, Pat Mora, works her way through the alphabet from animales to zebúes, regaling the reader with animal antics while simultaneously introducing recognizable Spanish words. Doug Cushman's bright and cheerful illustrations entertain in this rhyming alphabet story.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In the author's note, Pat Mora explains the premise of ¡Marimba! - to introduce "cognates - words similar in both languages." In this way, Spanish speakers and non-Spanish speakers alike, will realize that they know twenty-six words in another language. Some of the words, koala and llama, for example, are actually the same in both languages. A translation and pronunciation guide follows the story. The tale is told in rhyme, however, some of the rhymes sound forced. "Parrots cover xilófonos and the calliope. Yellowbirds and wacky yakes hide in the shrubbery." Library Media Connection wisely suggests a "practice run or two" before trying to share this story aloud. In spite of its shortcomings, Mora's idea is an excellent one. Readers will enjoy their new-found knowledge in another language.

Cushman's illustrations in pen, ink, watercolor, with gouache and pencil are the star of Marimba! His pictures are bright and crisp, radiating the gaiety of the evening's activities. In most illustrations (many double page spreads), the dark and starry sky serves heighten and illuminate the colorful festivites at the zoo. Cushman's artwork also serves the practical purpose of providing context clues to unfamiliar words. A quick look at the large pink birds prancing in the water will give the reader the assurance that "flamencos" and "flamingoes" are one and the same. A few of the animal choices may be puzzling to young children - peccaries, quetzales, and vicuñas. Bilingual signage is shown at the ticket booth and zoo exit.

As the title suggests, ¡Marimba! Animales from A to Z has a distinctly Hispanic flair, though it's bordering on "overloading" - the monkey's sombrero, the star piñata, enchiladas, mariachis and more. However, the book is designed for pre-schoolers and the few tired Hispanic icons serve the purpose of opening the door to other Hispanic cultural offerings in ¡Marimba!, namely, a wide variety of Latin-themed dances, music and foods. Music and dance of Latin American cultures from the conga to salsa, pervades the book . The marimba playing monkey makes an appearance in every scene. Flan, enchiladas and other common Latino foods are also mentioned and illustrated. The zoo workers are not identifiably Hispanic, but all have dark hair, if not dark skin. Finally, the zoo itself is adorned with what appears to be Mexican styled artwork on adobe walls.

¡Marimba! Animales from A to Z is a delight for the eyes and a fun introduction to another language. Library Media Connection suggests that "students will especially enjoy hearing this when the reader has fluent Spanish pronunciation." In this reviewer's opinion, it would be a disservice to students to hear it in any other way.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
"Students will especially enjoy hearing this when the reader has fluent Spanish pronunciation - expect to do a practice run or two before sharing this one."

2006. "Marimba! Animales from A to Z." Library Media Connection 25, no. 3: 65-65. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed June 29, 2007).

"Most of the animal names are close enough to their English counterparts to be guessed by young listeners: elefantes, gorilas, manaties, for example. In the back is a brief "translation and pronunciation guide." The verses are simple, and built around the activities the animals are undertaking in the pictures"

2006. "¡MARIMBA!: Animales from A to Z." Kirkus Reviews 74, no. 20: 1075-1075. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed June 29, 2007).

CONNECTIONS
Some of the animals in Marimba!'s zoo may be unfamiliar to young students - wapitis, zebus, quetzals, nutrias and others. Have handouts or books available to use this opportunity to introduce new animals.

Share this book with school-aged ESL students to add confidence and a bit of levity.

Use the pronunciation key to practice saying unfamiliar words aloud.

Allow children to listen to some cha-cha, samba, rumba, or other Latin American music to set the mood.

The Afterlife

2007-06-27T23:07:00.000-04:00

The Afterlife
Soto, Gary. 2003. The Afterlife. Orlando:Harcourt. ISBN 0152052208.

PLOT SUMMARY
Seventeen-year-old Jesús, known as Chuy, is brutally murdered in a nightclub restroom by a cholo, a gangster. But that is not the end of the story, it is the beginning, as Chuy's ghost rises from his body and begins a new life, an afterlife. Chuy negotiates his new world with a sense of purpose and wonderment. He seeks to find closure as he bids farewell to his old life, friends, and family; and his "afterlife" takes on new meaning as he meets the ghosts of a homeless man, and a beautiful girl. Can a not-so-handsome ghost find a girlfriend? Through it all, he retains his boyish sense of humor and wonderment.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The Afterlife, by prolific and acclaimed author, Gary Soto, is both a serious and a humorous look at the meaning of a life. Upon his demise, Chuy is able to view his world from a new perspective, both literally and figuratively, as he floats above his hometown of Fresno.

He sees the distress of his friends and family, but notes that he will soon be forgotten, “a photo in a yearbook, nada más”. He realizes the value of a single life, as he tries with mixed success to save the life of a homeless man. He learns the uselessness of revenge as he faces his murderer. He meets Crystal, a ghost who may be his true love.

Characteristic of his short life, Chuy is able to float through the afterlife with a sense of wonder, as well as a sense of humor. Watching the police break up a loud fighting couple, Chuy kicks back in the couple’s recliner, feet up. “This was better than a telenovela.” Unable to eat or drink, he spies a pot of coffee at his home, “I can’t believe it…I hadn’t even lived long enough to have coffee.”

In the end, the only answers to the mystery of the afterlife are the answers that Chuy finds for himself. He continues his journey through the unknown; not regretful, but grateful.

The Afterlife is an intralingual young adult novel, liberally peppered with Spanish words and phrases. The use of Spanish gives color and authenticity to the story, however those readers unfamiliar with any Spanish words may find themselves constantly flipping to the included glossary. Some Spanish words can only be determined through contextual translation.

Other cultural markers in the story include a strong connection to the Roman Catholic faith, the intimate relationships between family and close family friends, and frequent references to common Mexican foods. The Afterlife is not a stereotypical Mexican story featuring holidays, immigrants, migrants or food. Rather, The Afterlife is a fine example of Hispanic Literature that embraces the Mexican culture, yet appeals to any audience.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
"While the premise could sound dark and morose, the novel is instead filled with hope and elegance. The author counterbalances difficult ideas with moments of genuine tenderness as well as a provocative lesson about the importance of savoring every moment--a lesson that Chuy, once fretful and insecure, comes to understand."

Roback, Diane, Brown, Jennifer M., Bean, Joy, Chenowith, Emily, and Jeff Zaleski. 2003. "THE AFTERLIFE (Book)." Publishers Weekly 250, no. 34: 65-66. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed June 27, 2007).

Soto writes with a much as light as Chuy's ghost and with humor, wonderment, and a generosity toward life.

2003. "THE AFTERLIFE (Book)." Kirkus Reviews 71, no. 18: 1183. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed June 27, 2007).

CONNECTIONS
Make a class project of writing letters to author, Gary Soto. Soto's website indicates that he is willing to answer letters when submitted from a class in a single envelope. Encourage students to ask meaningful questions. http://www.garysoto.com/faq.html#

Read other Gary Soto books, including Taking Sides or the short stories in Baseball in April.

Ask the students if their town has a neighborhood similar to Chuy's. Estimate the number or percentage of Mexican Americans in your town or county. Has the number increased, decreased? Why? Research the facts online using the US Census Bureau's QuickFacts database. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/index.html

Bird

2007-06-14T11:43:00.000-04:00

Bird
Johnson, Angela. 2004. Bird. New York: Dial Books. ISBN 0803728476.

PLOT SUMMARY
Thirteen-year-old "Bird" is determined to find her stepfather and return him to the house she shares with her mother in Cleveland, Ohio. So much so, that she's willing to hop a bus and track him down in Alabama, where she hides out in a shed hoping to find him. She finds Cecil, but perhaps Cecil is not the key to her happiness. Perhaps she carries that key within herself.

Bird is told through the voices of three struggling young teens, Bird, Jay and Ethan, whose lives converge and become entwined in the small town of Acorn, Alabama. As their stories unfold, the mystery of their connection unravels and the light of possibility enters each of their lives.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Angela Johnson's Bird succeeds on many levels, outweighing its shortcomings. Bird, the 13-year-old runaway, is a warm and caring character that will have readers caring about her, however, the plot is contrived and as Hornbook noted, occasionally vague in details. Bird travels to Alabama to find Cecil, the stepfather who abandoned her and her mother in Cleveland. Her trip takes her to Alabama, where she hides out in the shed of Cecil's nephew, Ethan. Ethan is aware of her existence but not of her relation to him. The reader also is unaware of this connection for several chapters, making Bird's choice of this particular shed perplexing Ethan is a fragile boy with a recent heart transplant. Conveniently, the brother of the donor, Jay, is also a young teen in the same town. Again, the connection between the two is not fully disclosed. In another convenient connection, Bird also takes refuge in the home of an elderly widow with a connection to Jay, a troubled teen under house arrest.

Despite these contrivances, Bird, Jay, and Ethan are well-developed characters, each speaking in his own voice, each struggling with difficulties beyond those of the average teen. Bird's father is deceased and her stepfather has left her. Ethan struggles with his health and frequent disappearances of the wandering Cecil. Jay struggles with the loss of his brother and the knowledge that his brother's heart lives on in another boy. Angela Johnson is able to offer insight into the seemingly arbitrary and sometimes contradictory acts of young teens - Jay's frequent escapes from house arrest, Bird's intrusion into Ethan's home, Ethan's silence on Bird's existence. The greatest success of Bird is it's uplifting tone. Bird, Ethan, and Jay don't evoke the reader's pity, only empathy and understanding. While the mechanics of the plot may be manufactured, the protagonists are not. The three teens are believable and likable. The ending is not neat and orderly, but rather a gradual realization that some events in life must be accepted before one can move on.

Although Angela Johnson is a well-known African American author, Bird transcends race. The cover art depicts a young black girl's legs as she sits in a tree, and there are slight references to Bird's braids and subsequent Afro hairstyle, but there are very few other race-related references. Bird, Jay, and Ethan could be teens of any race or ethnicity. In Bird, it is the stories of the children that matter, not their race.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
All three introspective teens seem mature beyond their years, even when they do stupid things (such as riding along in a stolen car), and Johnson's lyric touch occasionally lapses into twee moments (as when Ethan spies Bird dancing in the moonlight on his family's property). But the overwhelming kindness of these characters (Ethan keeps Bird's secret, Ethan's parents plant flowers, without explanation, in Jay's yard) trumps the occasional lapses in verisimilitude.

2004. "BIRD (Book)." Publishers Weekly 251, no. 42: 65-65. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed June 19, 2007).

Some key conversations apparently happen offstage, and it can be frustrating to discover, for instance, that Bird knows about Ethan's medical history when we didn't see her receive the information. Nevertheless, these interwoven stories, strong and intriguing on their own, are all the more powerful for how they fit together.

Heppermann, Christine M. 2004. "Bird (Book)." Horn Book Magazine 80, no. 5: 587-588. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed June 19, 2007).

CONNECTIONS
A responsible connection to a reading of Bird would be a discussion on the real-life dangers that face runaways. Explain that "artistic license" allows Bird's experiences to be different than those faced by real teens.

Suggest other Angela Johnson titles, especially,
Heaven, the 1999 Coretta Scott King Award winner and The First Part Last.

Check the link to Angela Johnson from the African American Literature Book Club site, http://aalbc.com/authors/angela.htm

In My Daddy's Arms I Am Tall

2007-06-14T11:38:00.000-04:00

In My Daddy's Arms I Am Tall: African Americans Celebrating Fathers

1997. In Daddy's Arms I Am Tall: African Americans Celebrating Fathers. Ill. by Javaka Steptoe. New York: Lee and Low. ISBN 1880000318.

PLOT SUMMARY
In Daddy's Arms I Am Tall is a collection of poetry focused on delivering a positive look at African American fathers. Twelve authors are featured in the book, including Coretta Scott King Award winners Angela Johnson, Davida Adedjouma, and David A. Anderson. The varied artwork is created by the hand of Javaka Steptoe, son of the late artist, John Steptoe. Steptoe also contributes a poem.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In Daddy's Arms is a compilation of twelve poems by African American writers that celebrate African American fathers from various viewpoints. Davida Adedjouma's poem, "Artist to Artist" is one of thankfulness for her father's willingness to forgo his passion for art, working instead for the postal service to provide a good life for his family. He wore the blue uniform and black shoes of a postal worker and "rode the bus feeling black and blue." Davida's thankfulness is honest and simple, "I write, hew drew. Daddy, thank you!"

Several poems evoke the rural life of Southern Blacks, telling of "red Alabama roads" as in Angela Johnson's, "Her Daddy's Hands" and "red Georgia clay" in "The Farmer." The father in Dakari Hru's "Tickle Tickle" shows the African American father as a joyful, playful father. "me scream and run (but OH WHAT FUN!) when papa tickle me feet." The poem has a musical speech pattern, either Black dialect or possibly a Caribbean infused dialect. "Lightning Jumpshot" evokes an image of an urban father in a basketball related haiku. The title poem, "in daddy's arms," employs repetition for impact. "in daddy's arms i am tall & close to the sun & warm in daddy's arms."

A curious addition to the collection is Lenard D. Moore's "Black Father Man." While it is laudable in its evocation of a universal Black father figure, its concept and verbiage is too abstract and complicated for a picture book collection. "We all bleed his blood....Black Father Man, heal blustering blues, mend fragmented minds, teach the maleness, ... a branching grain, springing up to shudder the land." This poem would be better suited to an older audience.

Each poem is presented in small type, imposed over a double-spread image by Javaka Steptoe. Steptoe is a second generation African American book illustrator, son of the well-respected John Steptoe. Javaka Steptoe's artwork is an eclectic mix of collage, cut paper, pastels, "found objects" and painting. His work ranges from abstract to realistic. The artwork for "Lightning Jumpshot" contains actual floorboards. For this work, Steptoe won the 1998 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award.

The Ashanti proverb which precedes the book "When you follow in the path of your father, you learn to walk like him," is a central theme, the importance and permanence of the father's influence in the family. The art and the poems are so varied as to encompass many views of the African American father, showing diversity within the race and commonality within the individuals. Taken together, the verse and images in Daddy's Arms offers an uplifting and encompassing view of African American fathers. Children used to viewing themselves and others through racial stereotypes will find this book a breath of fresh air.

A short biography of each author and a note on the artwork appears on the last page. Many of the authors are winners of multiple prestigious awards including the Coretta Scott King and Ezra Jack Keats Awards.

REVIEW EXCERPT
Certain poems, particularly those by Angela Johnson, E. Ethelbert Miller, Davida Adedjouma, and Steptoe himself, elevate this collection above the mundane, but it is the illustrations that set this volume apart.

Taylor, Deborah. 1998. "In Daddy's Arms I Am Tall: African Americans Celebrating Fathers." Horn Book Magazine 74, no. 1: 87-87. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed June 19, 2007).

The artwork vibrates with emotion; even the simplest pieces, showing torn-paper figures on a solid background, capture the powerful bond between parent and child.

Amsberry, Dawn. 1998. "Grades 5 & up: Nonfiction." School Library Journal 44, no. 2: 118. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed June 19, 2007).

CONNECTIONS
Use this book as an example for a lesson in creating collage art.

Share this book for Father's Day programs at public libraries or schools.

Encourage children to celebrate their own fathers in verse.

Ain't Nobody a Stranger to Me

2007-06-14T09:36:00.000-04:00

Ain't Nobody a Stranger to Me
Grifalconi, Ann. 2007. Ain't Nobody a Stranger to Me. Ill. by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Hyperion. ISBN 13 9780786818570.

PLOT SUMMARY
In Ain’t Nobody a Stranger to Me, loosely based on historical persons, a Grandfather shares with his young granddaughter his tale of escape from Southern slavery with his wife and baby. He recalls the helpfulness of strangers on the Underground Railroad, including Quaker James Stanton. His sense of gratitude has shaped his belief that “ain’t nobody a stranger.” The story appears to be set in the 1930s.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Ain't Nobody a Stranger to Me is a story of fortitude, gratitude, forgiveness, and a spirit of optimism. As a slave, Gran'pa collected apple seeds in hope of a day that he might be free to plant them on his own land as a free man. He tells of his flight to freedom and the generosity of strangers. Grifalconi tells this story in a manner appropriate to introduce this heartbreaking topic to young children. The text expresses Gran'pa's belief in the goodness of mankind and his faith in God. "We had to put our trust in the Good Lord. We'd set our hearts right, and along the way help came when we needed it."

The darker aspects of slavery and the dangers of the Underground Railroad are expressed not in words, but in Jerry Pinkney's line and watercolor paintings. The harrowing escape of Gran'pa his wife and baby, and their subsequent struggle to survive as free people are depicted in shades of browns and greys, evoking dark moments. The expressive eyes of Grandfather and his wife in these scenes are alternately fearful, wary, and weary.

In contrast, the scenes of Gran'pa with his granddaughter are joyful colors and expressions of tenderness and love. In a colorful and heartwarming ending, Gran'pa and the young girl eat apples in the orchard he planted as a freed man. The apple blossoms are a riot of cheerful pink, and the young girl plants a new seed and promises to remember.

Grifalconi's story is a solid, age-appropriate (5-9) introduction to the Underground Railroad, however her choice of story delivery is awkward at times. Grandfather's story is told within the confines of the girl's first person account, and the girl often speaks in language styles that are conflicting or unusual for a young girl (Black or White) in the 1930s or any time period. In quoted passages, she speaks in a voice more typical of a Black child from the South in the 1930s. "They be from our stone cellar, Grandpa?" and "...could I one day plant me a seed of memory here, too?" In other passages, she speaks as an educated adult, "He grinned happily down at me" and "Soon, the spring air began to carry the fresh, sweet smell of apple blossoms to us." The frequent switching of dialect and narrator may be confusing to readers.

Jerry Pinkey's credentials as an African American illustrator are numerous and impressive. The jacket notes that he has "illustrated more than one hundred books for children" and is the recipient of Caldecott Honors, Coretta Scott King Awards, and more. His artwork for this story sets the period (a horse-drawn ice wagon, long-skirted women with hats and boots) and sets the tone (the darkness of hiding, the green grass of freedom).

Kirkus Reviews refers to an "author's note" explaining the attribution of the title phrase, "Ain't Nobody a Stranger to Me." The book, however, does not contain any author's notes. The dust jacket only explains that the phrase was inspired by former slave, Orleans Finger.

Overall, this book can be recommended on the basis of Pinkney's expressive artwork and Grifalconi's presentation of a difficult picture book topic.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

"The story of the man's determination is described as "loosely based on the story of a former slave." Pinkney, once again, provides affectionate illustrations to a moving story."

2007. "Truth Be Told." Black Issues Book Review 9, no. 2: 22-22. MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed June 12, 2007).

"The title is actually a quote, and though here it's taken out of context and, in the author's note, incorrectly attributed to a man, it makes a powerful statement across racial lines, nationalities and generations. "2007. "AIN'T NOBODY A STRANGER TO ME." Kirkus Reviews 75, no. 6: 277-277. MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed June 12, 2007).

CONNECTIONS
This is a picture book that can be used to introduce older students (3rd and 4th grades) to the Underground Railroad experience. A follow-up to the story can be an exploration of the excellent National Geographic site that allows for a guided, interactive journey from slavery to freedom on the Underground Railroad. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/99/railroad/

Pair this book with Caldecott Honor Book, Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom, by Carole Boston Weatherfield, Illustrated by Kadir Nelson.

An Innocent Soldier

2007-06-09T01:13:00.000-04:00

An Innocent Soldier
Holub, Josef. 2005. An Innocent Soldier. New York: Arthur A. Levine. ISBN 0439627729.

PLOT SUMMARY

The year is 1812, and Napoleon is gathering his Grande Armée for an assault on Russia. When a privileged farmer’s son is sought as a new recruit, the farmer sends his unwitting farmhand, Adam, to serve in his stead. The poor servant boy is exposed to grueling conditions –depravity, deprivation, and the horrors of war, as he struggles to survive the ordeal and make sense of it all.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

An Innocent Soldier is a historical fiction novel best suited for a YA audience due to its mature subject matter. The book is the 2006 winner of the Mildred Batchelder Award for an outstanding children's book first published in a foreign language. The story by Josef Holub and translated from German by Michael Hofmann, tells the story of Napoleon's grand march to Russia and subsequent retreat, through the eyes of an uneducated, though not unintelligent, teenaged farm boy, Adam. Betrayed by his master and forced to substitute for the master's son, Adam travels with the army through the Germanic Kingdoms, Prussia and Poland and finally to Moscow itself. French spellings (Armée and troupe) are scattered throughout the text to remind the reader that Adam has been thrust into a foreign army, while the names of the soldiers in his troop are indicative of Adam's home in Wurttemburg (Konrad Klara, Kleinknecht, Krauter). Adam tells the story in a kind of musing format, with sparse dialogue. "On the street lies an upset barrel. Thousands of kopek pieces have spilled onto the dirt. What riches! But no one is interested. If only it were bread. What would we do with metal coin?" This format suits his position and condition; an innocent farmhand assigned as a lieutenant's servant in a cold, miserable, and eventually pointless military campaign.

Although set amidst a tragic military campaign, the overriding theme of Soldier is one of friendship. Through shared hardships, Adam becomes the friend and confidant of the noble-born, Konrad Klara, and becomes respected in his own right. Ironically, Adam receives succor from an elderly Russian woman, and his greatest enemy is a sadistic member of his own regiment, underscoring the perplexities of war and the transforming power it has over human nature.

The story of An Innocent Soldier is timely despite its 1812 setting. The weapons, tactics, and adversaries may change, but the moral questions of war remain constant throughout the years. Young teens should relate to Adam as he grows in maturity and overcomes adversity. A period map and historical notes precede the book.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

"Arthur A, Levine Books has been awarded the 2006 Mildred L, Batchelder Award for its publication of An Innocent Soldier, The award is given for the most outstanding children's book originally published in a foreign language and subsequently translated into English for publication in the United States, The book was written by Josef Holub, translated from the German version by Michael Hofmann."

2006. "Mildred L. Batchelder Award." Teacher Librarian 33, no. 4: 12-12. MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed June 7, 2007).

"This is a well-wrought psychological tale that might have a difficult time finding an audience, but has a lot to offer to those seeking to build a deep historical fiction collection."

Stenson-Carey, Christina, Jones, Trevelyn E., Toth, Luann, Charnizon, Marlene, Grabarek, Daryl, and Dale Raben. 2005. "An Innocent Soldier." School Library Journal 51, no. 12: 148-148. MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed June 7, 2007).

CONNECTIONS

This book is an obvious choice for an integrated curriculum based on this period in history. The rich historical details of daily wartime struggles can add life to the study of this era.

Though it may be a difficult sell because of its unappealing cover art (Adam appears too feminine and childlike to be a battle-weary soldier, and Konrad Klara appears more as an "add-on" than an integral part of the cover), this book has great possibilities for a book discussion group. The themes of friendship, war, and morality are sure to engage older teens.

Read Thura's Diary: My Life in Wartime Iraq (2004) by Thura al-Windawi for a view of the current war through the eyes of a teen.

My Father's Shop

2007-06-05T16:40:00.000-04:00

My Father's Shop
Ichikawa, Satomi. 2006. My Father's Shop. La Jolla, CA: Kane/Miller. (originally published in Paris by l'ecole de loisirs) ISBN13 9781929132997.

PLOT SUMMARY

Young Mustafa's father owns a carpet shop in a busy Moroccan marketplace. When Mustafa requests a carpet with a hole in it to keep for himself, his father makes a deal. Mustafa must agree to learn the foreign languages necessary for working in the shop. When the foreign language lessons become boring, Mustafa dashes off into the bazaar wearing his brightly colored carpet, peering through its convenient hole. A similarly attired rooster follows him and Mustafa calls to the rooster in his native tongue, "Kho Kho Hou Houuu!!!" Tourists from France, England, Spain, and Japan offer their own rooster calls, "Co-co-ri-co!" "Qui-qui-ri-qi!" "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" and "Koke-ko-kooo!" Mustafa races back to the shop, carpet flying. Trailing behind him are his new-found feathered friend, and all of the foreign tourists. Not only has he brought many customers to his father's shop, he has learned to speak rooster in five languages as well!

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

My Father's Shop is a multicultural book in every sense of the word. Although its setting is Morocco, Mustafa interacts with tourists and shoppers from Spain, France, England, and Japan. The book simultaneously points out cultural differences and brings cultures together. Each group of tourists is dressed in the fashion of their country and calls the rooster in their own language; yet all of the rooster calls are similar, and all of the characters delight in Mustafa's garb - a brightly colored carpet over his head with a hole for his eyes.

Japanese born Satomi Ichikawa may seem an unlikely author and illustrator for a book about a Moroccan carpet shop; however, she has lived in Paris for over thirty years. Morocco has a strong French presence, being once a protectorate of France. I have been fortunate enough to have visited Morocco and shopped in the busy Casbah marketplace. Ichikawa's colorful double spread paintings evoke the essence of the bazaar in their bright colors and details. The abundant, richly colored and patterned carpets are warm, typical and inviting, as is the silver teapot for mint tea, a common offering in shops and restaurants. Only the teeming crowds are missing. The locals are depicted in the varying head coverings, robes, sandals and slippers typical for the hot desert climate.

My Father's Shop has an exotic setting, but it is a story of inclusion and humor. The antics of little boy and a rooster are enough to warm the hearts of people from any country. The liner notes on the artwork are sparse, noting only that Ichikawa never attended art school.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

"A joyous story that brings people from different cultures together."

2006. "MY FATHER'S SHOP." Kirkus Reviews 74, no. 6: 292-292. MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed June 7, 2007).

"Besides a gentle cultural lesson in how animals sound in different countries, Ichikawa's glowing pictures, with their radiant colors...., present an engaging image of a Moroccan marketplace and of a boy who can find a dozen ways of playing with a rug with a small hole."

DeCandido, GraceAnne. 2006. "My Father's Shop." Booklist 102, no. 12: 102. MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed June 7, 2007).

On the 2007 United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY) Outstanding International Booklist

CONNECTIONS

My Father's Shop makes an excellent introduction to a study of Morocco, and can also serve as a segue to a lesson on map reading or globes - finding the location of Morocco and the home countries of the tourists.

The colorful carpets can serve as an inspiration for an art class, examining the woven rugs of different cultures.

Public librarians might follow a reading of this story with multicultural or multilingual children's music.

A Particular Cow

2007-06-04T13:52:00.000-04:00

A Particular Cow
Fox, Mem. 2006. A Particular Cow. Ill. by Terry Denton. Orlando, FL: Harcourt. ISBN13 97800152002502.

PLOT SUMMARY

A Particular Cow begins as the particular cow sets out on her accustomed Saturday morning particular walk. She accidentally becomes entangled in a pair of bloomers hanging on a clothesline, setting in motion a chain of amusing and unexpected events. The cow, whose vision is often obscured by the flowered bloomers, is blissfully unperturbed by the entire sequence of misadventures. Terry Denton's black ink and bright watercolor illustrations accompany the sparse text.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The text of A Particular Cow may be sparse, but the fun is abundant. Children should relate to the accidental chaos let loose by the cow's innocent blunder; and they may secretly rejoice in its conclusion, as the particular cow goes merrily on her way without regard to the chaos in her wake. What child does not dream of such a scenario? The repeated use of the word 'particular' gives the text a particular predictability which makes it an excellent read-aloud. Additionally, the illustrations are bright and full of interest. All are double-spreads and contain humorous asides by the human characters and animals alike.

Cultural markers in this book are few, but distinct. Readers may note the mild swearword "bloomin'," and the use of the words "Blimey" and "bloomers." Visual clues to the book's location are more obscure - only the vast semi-arid plains and the presence of Dingoes are possible references to author Mem Fox's or illustrator, Terry Denton's Australian roots.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

"Denton captures the chaos in simple, bland cartoon illustrations, and Fox's repeated use of "particular" gives the text a playful beat--but it's all over almost before it begins. Similar excursions, such as John Burningham's Mr. Gumpy's Outing (1970) or Cynthia Rylant's Great Gracie Chase: Stop That Dog! (2001), illustrated by Mark Teague, will give readers and listeners more time to become engaged in the goings-on."

2006. "A Particular Cow." Kirkus Reviews 74, no. 15: 14-786. MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed June 5, 2007).

"The story is told with a dry wit and an economy of words, and the illustrations interpret the action with panache."

Loch-Wouters, Marge. 2006. "A Particular Cow." School Library Journal 52, no. 9: 171-171. MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed June 5, 2007).

CONNECTIONS

This book is an excellent example of cause and effect and sequencing. Use this text with an exercise in story order. Students can be given jumbled and wordless story frames to place in sequence, teaching cause and effect, sequencing, and the use of visual clues.

Pair this book with an author study and explorations of other Mem Fox titles, searching for cultural markers from her Australian home or her native Zimbabwe.

2007-06-04T12:39:00.000-04:00

Welcome to my blog dedicated to reviewing multicultural literature for children and young adults.