School Library Journal: “The loosely structured plot is a series of vignettes that touch upon the difficulties immigrants face: adjusting to strange customs, learning a new language, dealing with government bureaucracy, adults working two jobs each, and children embarrassed by their parents' behavior. Woven throughout is the underlying theme of dealing with an alcoholic and abusive father. Na has effectively evoked the horror and small joys of the girl's home life while creating sympathetic portraits of all of the members of the family. A beautifully written, affecting work.”
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
A Step From Heaven
By An Na
ISBN: 9781886910584
Bibliography:
Na, An. 2001. A Step from Heaven. Asheville, NC: Front Street.
Plot:
Young Ju and her Korean family immigrate to the United States with hopes and dreams of having better lives but experience many problems while adjusting to life in America.
Analysis:
This story is told from the perspective of Young Ju from the age of four until she prepares to leave for college. It begins in Korea where four-year old Young Ju learns that her family will soon be moving to the United States. Adjusting to life in the United States is a major theme in this story. Ironically, four-year old Young Ju confuses Mi Gook (the United States) with heaven and thinks she will find her late grandfather there. America ends up being anything but heaven as the family deals with surviving the harsh realities of trying to fit into a new world where the customs, traditions, and language are completely different from their homeland.Young Ju and her brother search for their own identities while dealing with an abusive, alcoholic father.
Cultural markers in this story include the language, struggles of assimilating into a new culture, names of the characters, and forms of address. Na gives us a glimpse of the difficulties of learning a new language in many situations throughout the text. Young Ju and her parents must depend on their children to help them interpret English, which is a common trend for immigrants. In the following quote Young Ju meets her aunt's American husband for the first time, and we observe Young Ju's first experience with making sense of English, "His hair is wavy brown seaweed. He says to call him Uhing Kel Thim (Uncle Tim). That is Mi Gook (American) talk for Sahmchun (uncle), but my mouth does not want to make those words. He says it is fine to call him Sahmchun until my mouth is ready to learn."
This novel speaks to the difficulties that many immigrants face when they come to America in search of a better way of life. Many sacrifices are made by parents so that their children will have better opportunities to experience success. This particular family was torn apart by the stresses associated with such sacrifice. In the following quote this sacrifice is described: "Uhmma said her hands were her life. But for us, she only wished to see our hands holding books. You must use this, she said and pointed to her mind. Uhmma's hands worked hard to make sure our hands would not resemble hers."
Review Excerpts:
Connections:
*An Na's Website:
*Other Works by An Na:
The Fold ISBN: 9780399242762
Wait for Me ISBN: 9780142409183
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
By Grace Lin
ISBN:
9780316114271
Bibliography:
Lin, Grace. 2009. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. New York: Little, Brown and Co.
Plot:
This magical story takes place in the poor village of Fruitless Mountain. Minli, a young girl inspired by her father's magical stories, embarks on a journey seeking to change her family's fortune in order to help them find happiness. While on this adventurous journey, Minli discovers that the key to true happiness is being content with what one already has.
Analysis:
Lin utilizes the story within a story format to weave many Chinese tales throughout the text, adding depth to the story and its characters. The theme of this story is contentment, which is repeatedly reflected throughout the text as in the following quote: "As Minli looked at the buffalo boy, aglow with happiness against his poor surroundings, she saw it was enough for him. More than enough, as the smile that kept curling up on his face told her."
Minli's journey teaches her to be content and thankful for what she has, and by being content, she gains more wealth. Minli's mother also grows and changes throughout the story. In the beginning she was very negative and never happy with anything. After she thought that she had lost Minli, she realized that she should have been thankful for all what she'd had all along. The following quote from the mother's story is especially touching: "How lucky she had been! She was at last able to see that her daughter's laughter and love could not be improved by having the finest clothing or jewels, that joy had been in her home like a gift waiting to be opened."
Cultural markers evident in this story include character names, the illustrations, and many Chinese symbols such as the dragon, the red thread, the rabbit, and the tiger. The gorgeous illustrations in this book are reflective of traditional Chinese culture. Images of flying dragons, clothing worn in ancient China, and other Chinese symbols beautifully adorn the pages of this book. Also, many of the short stories that are woven into Where the Mountain Meets the Moon were inspired by Chinese folk tales, which adds another layer of cultural authenticity to this work.
Review Excerpts:
Booklist: “With beautiful language, Lin creates a strong, memorable heroine and a mystical land. Stories, drawn from a rich history of Chinese folktales, weave throughout her narrative, deepening the sense of both the characters and the setting and smoothly furthering the plot. Children will embrace this accessible, timeless story about the evil of greed and the joy of gratitude. Lin’s own full-color drawings open each chapter.”
Connections:
*Other works by Grace Lin:
The Year of the Dog ISBN: 9780316060028
Dim Sum for Everyone ISBN: 9780440417705
The Red Thread ISBN: 9780807569221
The Year of the Rat ISBN: 9780316114264
*Check out Grace Lin's Website:
Tea with Milk
By Allen Say
ISBN: 9780395904954
Bibliography:
Say, Allen. 1999. Tea with Milk. New York: Houghton Mifflin Co.
Plot:
Tea with Milk describes the life of a young Japanese-American girl who was raised in the United States and upon her graduation from high school, the family decides to return to live in Japan.
Analysis:
The main theme of this story is the search for an identity and the struggle to find one's place in the world. Masako only spoke English and was raised as a Japanese-American, so when she relocated to Japan with her parents, she felt lost. The following quote depicts Masako's predicament: "I'm a foreigner in my parents' country, she thought. And they came back here because they didn't want to be foreigners. But I wasn't born here. I should leave home and live on my own, like an American daughter." Another theme found in this text is tradition versus modern ways of life. In this story Masako bravely rejects tradition in the way that she dresses, by refusing to marry the matchmaker's match for her, and by relocating to Osaka and getting a job.
The beautiful, watercolor illustrations accurately portray both Japanese and Japanese-American cultures in the skin tone and clothing of the characters, in the architecture of the buildings, and in the portrayal of the tea ceremony. Other cultural markers include the lessons in flower arranging, calligraphy, and the tea ceremony that Masako's mother encouraged her to take so that she could be a "proper Japanese lady".
Review Excerpts:
Booklist: "Watercolors and text tell an elemental story that will appeal to everyone who feels a stranger at home. Like many foreigners, Masako discovers her home in the city, where she finds work, opportunity, and a husband from an even more diverse background than her own. Both an 'ugly duckling' romance and a universal story of leaving home, this is a picture book that will have intense appeal for older readers."
School Library Journal: “This is a thoughtful and poignant book that will appeal to a wide range of readers, particularly our nation's many immigrants who grapple with some of the same challenges as May and Joseph, including feeling at home in a place that is not their own.”
Connections:
*Other works by Allen Say:
Allison ISBN: 9780618495375
Emma's Rug ISBN: 9780395742945
Erika-San ISBN: 9780618889334
Grandfather's Journey ISBN: 9780395570357
Home of the Brave ISBN: 9780618212231
Kamishibai Man ISBN: 9780618479542
Music for Alice ISBN: 9780618311187
A River Dream ISBN: 9780395482940
The Sign Painter ISBN: 9780395979747
Stranger in the Mirror ISBN: 9780395615904
*Check out this interview with Allen Say from papertigers.org:
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Navajo: Visions and Voices Across the Mesa
by: Shonto Begay
ISBN: 9780590461535
Bibliography:
Begay, Shonto. 1995. Navajo: Visions and Voices Across the Mesa. New York: Scholastic Inc.
Plot:
Navajo: Visions and Voices Across the Mesa is a collection of poems and artwork by Shonto Begay that describe the Navajo way of life.
Analysis:
Begay’s poetic verse and artwork creates a window, which allows the reader a glimpse of the Navajo culture. His paintings of the southwest depict the people, the land, the animals, and the symbols of the Navajo culture. In the author’s note Begay describes the purpose of this beautiful work: “Here, for me and for you, too, visions and voices from across the mesa - past and present - are recaptured for all time.”
Other cultural markers embedded within this work include examples of beliefs, traditions, rituals, and chants of the people. Respect for the elderly is an important theme in the Navajo culture and is exemplified in the following quote from the poem, Grandmother: “The lines in her face were marks of honor." Another theme that is important to the Navajo people is respect for the land, which is modeled by the following quote from the poem, Early Spring: “For this generation, and many more to come/This land is beautiful and filled with mysteries./They reveal themselves and their stories/If you look very carefully, and listen…./” He also mentions in the authors note that his elders always taught him that the land was sacred and that we belong to it.
Review Excerpts:
Horn Book: “Twenty of Begay's beautiful, evocative paintings accompany his original poetry describing some of the emotions, stories, and experiences shared in his Navajo community. Some of the poems are lengthy and are more suitable for an older audience. An index of paintings is appended.”
Publisher's Weekly: “With these heartfelt paintings, poems and memoirs, the noted Navajo artist fulfills his stated goal of taking the reader ``into the corners of my world, the Navajo world.'' Similar in conception to George Littlechild's This Land Is My Land, this book places more emphasis on the traditional and spiritual, its contemporary setting notwithstanding. The sacred intertwines with the everyday.”
Connections:
*Works Illustrated by Shonto Begay:
Alice Yazzie's Year ISBN: 9781582462929
The Mud Pony ISBN: 9780590415262
The Boy Who Dreamed of an Acorn ISBN: 9780399225475
The Magic of Spiderwoman ISBN: 9780590460958
*Written and Illustrated by Shonto Begay:
Ma'ii and Cousin Horned Toad: A Traditional Navajo Story ISBN: 9780590453912
*Check out Shonto Begay's Website:
Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War II
by: Joseph Bruchac
ISBN: 9780803729216
Bibliography:
Bruchac, Joseph. 2005. Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two. New York: Dial Books.
Plot:
This story follows the life of Ned Begay, a young Navajo boy who is sent to boarding school at the age of 6 in order to learn the ways of the white man in order to help his people. When Ned gets older, he decides to enlist in the Marines so that he can help his country fight Japan in World War II. He becomes a code talker, which is a top-secret mission in which one sends and receives messages in Navajo so that the enemy cannot intercept and interpret important military messages.
Analysis:
Code Talker, set during World War II, tells a story which accurately describes historical events that are little known to most. By telling this story, Bruchac provides a voice for the many Navajo code talkers, who were never honored for their role in helping the United States defeat Japan in World War II. This story touches on themes of honor, selflessness, and the importance of preserving one's culture.
Many cultural markers are evident throughout the story as Ned describes Navajo traditions, customs, language, and ways of life. Ned uses corn pollen throughout the story when he prays, which is a common tradition of the Navajo. Bruchac also intersperses Navajo language throughout the text to show examples of the code that the Navajo marines used when sending and receiving messages to convey vital military information.
The character, Ned, like many Navajos, was discriminated against during boarding school when his teachers forced him to give up his Navajo language and traditions. Another example of racism occurs when Ned returns home from war and enters a bar to get a coke, and the bartender refused to serve him because he was Navajo: “Although I had changed, the things that had made me feel sad and ashamed when I was in boarding school had stayed the same. It didn’t matter that I had fought for America. It didn’t matter that I had made white friends who would have sacrificed their lives to save me when we were at war. In the eyes of those prejudiced bilagaanaas (white men) in that bar, I was just another stupid Navajo.”
Review Excerpts:
Library Media Connection: "Bruchac's voice as a master storyteller weaves stories, characters, and research into a compelling story of war, sacrifice, and personal journey. Heavily researched, this is a novel of still little known part of history within a culture and the larger United States that will leave readers with a different perspective of World War II.”
School Library Journal: “Bruchac's gentle prose presents a clear historical picture of young men in wartime, island hopping across the Pacific, waging war in the hells of Guadalcanal, Bougainville, and Iwo Jima. Nonsensational and accurate, Bruchac's tale is quietly inspiring.”
Connections:
*Other works by Bruchac:
The Girl Who Helped the Thunder and Other Native American Folktales ISBN: 9781402732638
The Arrow Over the Door ISBN: 9780141305714
Bearwalker ISBN: 9780061123092
A Boy Called Slow: the True Story of Sitting Bull ISBN: 9780698116160
Buffalo Song ISBN: 9781584302803
The First Strawberries: A Cherokee Story ISBN: 9780140564099
*Check out Joseph Bruchac's Website:
Jingle Dancer
by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu
ISBN: 9780688162429
Bibliography:
Smith, Cynthia Leitich. 2000. Jingle Dancer. Ill by Cornerlius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu. New York: Morrow Junior Books.
Plot:
Jenna, a young, modern-day girl of Muscogee and Ojibway descent wants to dance like her grandmother in the upcoming powwow and needs four rows of jingles for her dress. She visits family and friends in her neighborhood to find enough jingles so that her dress will sing.
Analysis:
This story takes place in a modern-day, intertribal community in Oklahoma. The theme of this story is about sharing with others. Cultural markers are woven throughout this story in the beautiful illustrations and in many motifs of the culture, such as the dress of the characters, the custom of the powwow, the closeness of family, and the food that is eaten by the characters. The watercolor illustrations beautifully illustrate the modern-day images of these Native peoples as well as the traditional dress at the powwow. Bright, colorful dresses with jingles and beaded moccasins adorn the pages depicting the powwow scenes. Smith does an excellent job of depicting this modern-day intertribal neighborhood by describing the homes in which the characters live and by describing their modern-day lives.
The importance of the number four, which is a sacred number to many Native people, is evident throughout the text. Jenna needed four rows of jingles for her dress. She went in search of the jingles in the four directions at four different residences. The author also illustrates the sounds of the story in groups of four to describe the beat of the drum, “brum, brum, brum, brum” and the sounds of the jingles, “tink, tink, tink, tink”.
At the end of the story, Jenna, with her four rows of jingles, dances for all those that have kindly shared their jingles with her: “As the light blurred silver, Jenna danced for Great-aunt Sis, whose legs ached, for Mrs. Scott who sold fry bread, for Elizabeth who worked on her big case, and for Grandma Wolfe who warmed like the sun. Tink, tink tink tink.”
Review Excerpts:
Booklist: “This contemporary Native American tale highlights the importance of family and community through a young girl's dream of joining the dancers at the next powwow. The colorful, well-executed watercolor illustrations lend warmth to the story. A note explaining Jenna's heritage and a brief glossary are appended.”
Library Talk: “Jenna, a young Native American of Muscogee and Ojibway heritage, longs to dance the jingle dance at a powwow. This dance, in which females dance with jingling cones on their dresses, is authentically depicted by Smith, who is herself a member of the Muscogee Nation. Jenna repeatedly watches her Grandma Wolfe dancing on a VCR tape and wishes for a dress full of the jingling cones. Unfortunately, there is no time to order the tin to be rolled into jingles before the powwow. Jenna needs four rows of jingles for her dress, so she borrows jingles from other female family members and friends, taking only one row from each woman because she doesn't want their dresses to "lose their voices."
Connections:
*Check out Cynthia Leitich Smith's Website:
*Other works by Cynthia Leitich Smith:
Indian Shoes ISBN: 9780060295318
Tantalize ISBN: 9780763640590
Holler Loudly ISBN: 9780525422563 (This books comes out in November.)
Eternal ISBN: 9780763635732
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
The Afterlife
By Gary Soto
ISBN: 9780152047740
Soto, Gary. 2003. The Afterlife. Orlando: Harcourt.
Plot:
Seventeen-year old Chuy is murdered in the restroom of Club Estrella as he prepares to meet his friend, Rachel, at the dance. Chuy struggles to make sense of his new existence in the afterlife as he recounts events and people from his life that he will soon leave behind.
Analysis:
Soto bravely addresses the unknown as he describes what happens to seventeen-year old Chuy after his life is senselessly cut short by a thug in the restroom of a dance hall. This story is about the acceptance of one’s mortality. The images evoked in the murder scene are brutal and thought provoking. These senseless acts of violence occur every day to sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, and other loved ones. Such events evoke questions about why a life is cut short and what happens when one dies.
This story takes place in Latino neighborhoods in Fresno, as Chuy revisits people and places from his life such as friends and family and the local panaderia (bakery). Soto intersperses rich, Spanish words throughout the text to give the reader a true sense of Chuy’s culture. The use of Spanish words also conveys how the characters relate to one another like in the following quote: “I was thinking of Angel and me, and our past. This was all we had. The past. He was mi carnal (my blood brother), the guy I hung with. I was going to miss him and our crazy ways.” Culture is also represented by foods such as menudo and by mention of the magazine, People in Espanol.
Chuy is a kind soul in life and in death. He tries to save a homeless man who is dying from a fever. He helps Crystal, another teen whose life ended too soon, navigate this new “afterlife”. They each visit their families one last time before vanishing into the afterlife: “My dream had been to grow up, work a regular job, nothing special, hang out with friends, and be with someone special like Crystal. I received a portion of that dream and felt grateful for it. I loved her like no other. She flew at my side, southward toward what, I now knew, is called the afterlife.”
Review Excerpts:
Booklist: “Soto has remade Our Town into Fresno, California, and he not only paints the scenery brilliantly but also captures the pain that follows an early death. In many ways, this is as much a story about a hardscrabble place as it is about a boy who is murdered. Both pulse with life and will stay in memory.”
Publisher’s Weekly: "Soto pens a sort of Lovely Bones for the young adult set, filled with hope and elegance," said PW. "The author counterbalances difficult ideas with moments of genuine tenderness as well as a provocative lesson about the importance of savoring every moment."
Connections:
*Other Works by Gary Soto:
Accidental Love ISBN: 9780152061135
Chato's Kitchen ISBN: 9780698116009
Marisol ISBN: 9781584859727
Partly Cloudy: Poems of Love and Longing ISBN: 9780152063016
Too Many Tamales ISBN: 9780698114128
*Check out Gary Soto's Website:
Esperanza Rising
By Pam Munoz Ryan
ISBN: 9780439576178
Bibliography:
Ryan, Pam Muñoz. 2000. Esperanza Rising. New York: Scholastic Press.
Plot:
Twelve-year old Esperanza Ortega’s life changes dramatically when she goes from riches to rags after her father is murdered and her powerful and greedy uncles snatch up her father’s ranch. In order to escape from the oppressive uncle that wishes to marry her mother and send Esperanza away to boarding school, Esperanza and her mother, along with their servants, flee to America to become migrant workers in hopes of finding a better life.
Analysis:
This thought-provoking story takes place during the Great Depression and masterfully sheds light on issues that plagued Mexican-American migrant workers in the past and highlights issues that still affect immigrants today. Some of these issues include: racism, cultural differences, and the exploitation of Mexican migrant workers. Ryan thoughtfully conveys the importance of family in the Mexican culture by showing how families in the migrant camps depended on each member of the family to help contribute to the family unit in some way whether it was by helping to care for siblings, help with chores, or work in the fields. Ryan masterfully depicts the transformation of Esperanza from a spoiled rich kid into a hard-working responsible young woman who takes care of her mother when duty calls.
After the uncles had burned down the house, Abuelita says, “Do you remember the story of the phoenix, the lovely bird that is reborn from its own ashes? We are like the phoenix. Rising again with a new life ahead of us.” This quote is very meaningful because it is representative of all immigrants that come to the United States hoping for a new life.
In the author’s note Ryan mentions that this story is based on her grandmother, Esperanza. In the story, she describes characters faced with the difficult decision of striking to try to get higher wages, which could mean the loss of work or continuing to work under poor conditions and being shunned by striking members of the group. Her grandmother says, “We were all so poor. We all knew the feeling of wanting to work and feed our families. That was why it was so hard for so many of us to strike.” She also explains that they focused only on survival and put all of their hopes and dreams into their children’s and grandchildren’s futures.
Review Excerpts:
Booklist: “Set during the Great Depression, the story weaves cultural, economic, and political unrest into Esperanza's poignant tale of growing up: she witnesses strikes, government sweeps, and deep injustice while finding strength and love in her family and romance with a childhood friend. The symbolism is heavy-handed, as when Esperanza ominously pricks her finger on a rose thorn just before her father is killed. But Ryan writes movingly in clear, poetic language that children will sink into, and the book offers excellent opportunities for discussion and curriculum support.”
Horn Book: “In this poignant look at the realities of immigration, thirteen-year-old Esperanza, daughter of an affluent Mexican rancher, is forced to trade fancy dolls and dresses for hard work and ill-fitting hand-me-downs after her beloved father dies. Laboring in the United States, picking grapes on someone else's land for pennies an hour, Esperanza is transformed into someone who can take care of herself and others.”
Connections:
*Other books by Pam Munoz Ryan
Becoming Naomi Leon ISBN: 9780439269971
The Dreamer ISBN: 9780439269704
Paint the Wind ISBN: 9780545101769
Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride ISBN: 9780590960755
Riding Freedom ISBN: 9780439087964
*Check out Pam Munoz Ryan's Website:
Dona Flor
By Pat Mora
Illustrated by Raul Colon
ISBN: 9780375923371
Bibliography:
Illustrated by Raul Colon
ISBN: 9780375923371
Bibliography:
Mora, Pat. 2005. Doña Flor: A Tall Tale About a Giant Woman With a Great Big Heart. Ill. by Raúl Colón. New York: Knopf.
Plot:
This story is about Dona Flor, a beautiful and giving gentle giant who shares her loving nature with all people, animals, and plants. She lovingly takes care of and provides for the people in her village. One day when the people feel threatened by the sound of a giant, roaring puma, Dona Flor makes it her mission to find this dangerous puma. When she eventually finds it, she discovers that it is a harmless, little puma simply creating a loud echo through a hollow log. She befriends and tames the cat, and alerts the people that they are safe.
Analysis:
This tall tale takes place in a village of the American Southwest surrounded by beautiful swirling mountains and lush green trees. Mora describes how Dona Flor became a giant in the following quote: “When Flor was a baby, her mother sang to her in a voice sweet as river music. When Flor’s mother sang to her corn plants, they grew tall as trees, and when she sang to her baby, her sweet flower, Flor grew and grew, too. Dona Flor possesses the gift of being able to speak the languages of all of the animals. As the heroine of this story, she sets a beautiful example of kindness and helpfulness and loves even the smallest and most insignificant of creatures.
Review Excerpts:
School Library Journal: "There is great texture and movement on each page in the sun-baked tones of the landscape. With Spanish words peppered throughout, this is a welcome entry to the canon that includes other heroines like Sally Ann Thunder and Thunder Rose."
Booklist: "A winning read-aloud, particularly for children who can recognize the intermittent Spanish phrases."
Connections:
*Other works by Pat Mora:
Yum! Mmmm! Que Rico!: Ameria's Sproutings ISBN: 9781584302711
Abuelos ISBN: 9780888997166
Tomas and the Library Lady ISBN: 9780375803499
* Check out Pat Mora's Website
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