Bibliography
MY BROTHER, MATTHEW
Thompson, Mary. MY BROTHER, MATTHEW. 1992. USA: Woodbine House. ISBN 0933149476.
Plot Summary
David understood that his brother was different. “Besides speaking differently, my brother also moves and sometimes behaves differently than most kids do. That’s because he was born with disabilities.” At the beginning, it was hard for David to accept all the attention given to Matthew. He later got a better understanding of how much care Matthew needed. David learned to communicate with Matthew better than his parents.
One of Ms Thompson’s children was born with disabilities which inspired her to write a story about a child with disabilities. She has skillfully presented the care, patience, and love needed to help a child with special needs grow and enjoy life.
Critical Analysis
Ms Thompson’s firsthand experience of dealing with a child with disabilities has enabled her to present a wonderful story. She went into great detail about Matthew’s stay in the hospital and how it affected his family, especially David. She gave us a glimpse of what a child thinks and feels about a sibling that needs extra attention. “I was tired of waiting and I was worried. I didn’t know what would happen to my brother….I just wanted Mom and Matthew home.”
David is sharing the story and he tells about his normal feelings of jealousy and this makes the story real. Even David's birthday party was interrupted when his Dad had to rush off to the hospital because of Matthew. David was mad but he still just want his brother to get better.
Things only got worse. Matthew got a special person who brought toys just for him. “I wanted to play with the special toys, but they were just for Matthew.” Even when David wanted to be a little mean, it turned out to be a good thing for Matthew. “Don’t splash Matthew!” Mom shouted at me just before I hit the water. But when I came up, Matthew was smiling and splashing in all directions. He liked my dive.” Children can connect to these real feelings and it offers an understanding that they are okay.
David’s reaction to Matthew’s enjoyment of his space station supports the interaction of children with a child who is disabled. Dr. Vardell stated in our lecture notes, “Through reading about disabilities, young people can learn to understand their own feelings related to disabilities.”
The watercolor illustrations help create a story of love and warmth. Pictures of a loving grandmother, smiling joyful parents, David and Matthew playing together, and the cats all help to tie the story together. Ms Thompson does a good job of avoiding stereotypical information that would cause pity.
MY BROTHER, MATTHEW does not portray a child that is pitiful, the object of violence or someone evil. It encourages a positive attitude towards a child that needs additional care. It shows a brother that recognizes that his brother is different. One especially passage was when David was talking about Matthew and how he embarrassed he at school, the library and a restaurant and David’s best friend said that his brother does some of the same things and he doesn’t have disabilities. It was a wonderful way to make the reader sensitive to the fact that all of us have flaws.
Review
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL—This book can be used as bibliotherapy within a family or for more general audiences to create an understanding of the different challenges and achievements of a disabled child. (The text does not state what Matthew's problem is, but the back cover says he was born with a brain injury.
CONNECTIONS
Parents and teachers can use this book as an introduction to children with disabilities. It can show ways to interact with a child with special needs.
Middle school children can use this book to compare the needs for children with and without disabilities. They can do research papers to present ways to interact with classmates with special needs.
Similar Books
DON’T CALL ME SPECIAL: A FIRST LOOK AT DISABILITIES by Pat Thomas
ROLLING ALONG: THE STORY OF TAYLOR AND HIS WHEELS, by Jamee Riggio Heelan
FRIENDS AT SCHOOL, by Rochelle Bunnett
WE CAN DO IT! By Laura Dwight
SOMEONE SPECIAL, JUST LIKE YOU, by Tricia Brown
Bibliography
HABIBI
Rye, Naomi Shihab. HABIBI. 1999. New York: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. ISBN 089801491 (hc)
Plot Summary
Liyana Abboud’s life changed when she, her brother, and parents moved from the states to Jerusalem. Life in St. Louis was drastically different than her new home. It’s not just her surroundings but the hatred between the Jews and the Palestinians. Her secret friendship with Omer gives her hope. Liyana’s family accepts Omer and gives him advice about the struggles ahead of him. It was one step towards making a change in her new world.
Critical Analysis
Ms Nye was born to a Palestinian father and an American mother. She has the insight to establish an identity for Liyana. The story captures your interest in the first chapter with the question of “Who did Liyana kiss?” Ms Nye then takes you through the trials of moving to another country.
In the excitement before the Abboud’s leave for Jerusalem, Liyana has a discussion with her father about an Emily Dickinson poem. It starts, “I’m nobody, who are you?” Lyiana said that she felts more nobody than when she was in the second grade. Her father reassured her of his love for her, “Oh habibti, don’t say that! You’re everything you need to be!” Habibti is an Arabic word for “beloved.” Teenagers will connect with this act of reassurance of a parent’s love.
Ms Nye did a good job of instilling the fear of going through immigration in the chapter “Pals.” The Israeli agents singled out Liyana’s family as looking like troublemakers. Their bags were thoroughly searched for something to detain them but nothing was found. Some of the details were familiar to me because of my travels to Belize. You indeed get nervous when they search your things and are so rude.
Many cultural markers are given in one instance when Sitti and their other relatives first visited them in the hotel. Their clothing, names and description of their taxi ride. Poppy realized from the details of their check point that some things had not changed very much in how Palestinians were treated.
Adventurous things move the story along. The Abboud’s being forced to visit the village on their first night when Poppy said they wouldn’t. Liyana noticed that Poppy had returned to being Sitti’s son and he was following her instructions. Poppy was able to avoid some of their customs. He had his family eat out of separate plates rather than they eat communally. You get the privilege of seeing some of Poppy’s background of how he grew up in Jerusalem.
Liyana showed her quick wit at getting accepted to an Armenian school. She mentioned an author they had studied, Saroyan, and the Priest enrolled her. The Priest notices her ring and says she can’t wear it to school. She asks, “Why is that?” and the answer was “Distraction.” Walking away Liyana said, “Distraction? If I were wearing a giant cosmic cone on my head, would I have room to talk? What a teenage reaction. Nye’s use of humor kept the story for bogging under the many difficult topics she covered.
You learn a lot of history from the talks that Poppy has with his children, refugee camps, check points, village life, languages, and many foods. The children liked the roasted pumpkin seeds. Liyana wasn’t keen on roasted lamb. Liyana’s friendship with Omar is diversity within a diverse story. Although it started off as a secret friendship. It ended as a hope for the future. Sitti reads Omar’s tea leaves. “There are walls. You can’t break them. Just find doors in them. See? You already have. Here we are, together.”
HABIBI allows the reader to see parts of the history of the Middle East. It gives a view of the details of going through immigrations. It’s a good book to share with older children.
Reviews
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL— Nye introduces readers to unforgettable characters. The setting is both sensory and tangible: from the grandmother's village to a Bedouin camp. Above all, there is Jerusalem itself, where ancient tensions seep out of cracks and Liyana explores the streets practicing her Arabic vocabulary. Though the story begins at a leisurely pace, readers will be engaged by the characters, the romance, and the foreshadowed danger. Poetically imaged and leavened with humor, the story renders layered and complex history understandable through character and incident. Habibi succeeds in making the hope for peace compellingly personal and concrete...as long as individual citizens like Liyana's grandmother Sitti can say, "I never lost my peace inside."
Kirkus Reviews—In her first novel, Nye (with Paul Janeczko, I Feel a Little Jumpy Around You, 1996, etc.) shows all of the charms and flaws of the old city through unique, short-story-like chapters and poetic language. The sights, sounds, and smells of Jerusalem drift through the pages and readers glean a sense of current Palestinian-Israeli relations and the region's troubled history. In the process, some of the passages become quite ponderous while the human story- -Liyana's emotional adjustments in the later chapters and her American mother's reactions overall--fall away from the plot. However, Liyana's romance with an Israeli boy develops warmly, and readers are left with hope for change and peace as Liyana makes the city her very own.
CONNECTIONS
HABIBI can be used an introduction in World History to the changes in Jerusalem over a certain time period.
Children can discuss the reasons why families move internationally. Children can give their views on the subject of immigration. The similar book list provides other books dealing with immigration.
Similar Books
THE OTHER SIDE OF TRUTH by Beverly Naidoo
SITTI’S SECRETS by Naomi Shihab Nye
LETTERS FROM RIFKA by Karen Hesse
ESPERANZA RISING by Pam Nunoz Ryan
IMMIGRANT KIDS by Russell Freedman
Bibliography
AND TANGO MAKES THREE
Richardson, Justin and Parnell, Peter. ill. Cole, Henry. AND TANGO MAKES THREE. 2005. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0689878451.
Plot Summary
Each family has its own special circumstances. This story is about a set of special penguins that form a family. Roy and Silo are two male penguins who become a couple. They perform all the rituals just like the male and female penguin couples. The zoo keeper observes the special couple trying to hatch a rock that looks like an egg. He provides Roy and Silo with a real egg which they take turns warming until it hatches. Roy and Silo have a daughter to raise, Tango. They live happily as a family in the New York Central Park Zoo.
Critical Analysis
Mr. Richardson has taken a true story and provided an underlying story that can apply to children with special parents. He explains clearly the traditional characteristics of penguins and how Roy and Silo display the same characteristics. The reader can draw additional connections to their family or the listeners.
It’s a gentle approach to promote intercultural understanding of a nontraditional family. The story challenges us to look at something that has happen and the good that came from it. Children with two mothers or two fathers have a chance to see a family similar to theirs.
The name was such a good idea. “We’ll call her Tango,”….”because it takes two to make a tango.” Roy and Silo treated her with the same care as the other parents. Children can relate to being treated with care just like their friends.
The illustrations of the zoo families capture your attention and the double page spreads quickly move the story along. The detail of the chinstraps, rock nests, soft black and white penguin figures and all the Central Park surroundings provide a perfect setting.
Roy and Silo did everything like the other couples. “They bowed to each other and walked together. They sang to each other and swam together.” It’s a connection, a cultural marker to develop an insight that different families act the same as traditional families in a lot of the same ways. It was stated as the zoo keeper’s opinion, “They must be in love.” It was not a fact and I believe that there are those who can use it to open up a discussion with the subject of homosexuality.
Reviews
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL—The dedicated and enthusiastic fathers do a great job of hatching their funny and adorable daughter, and the three can still be seen at the zoo today. Done in soft watercolors, the illustrations set the tone for this uplifting story, and readers will find it hard to resist the penguins' comical expressions. The well-designed pages perfectly marry words and pictures, allowing readers to savor each illustration. An author's note provides more information about Roy, Silo, Tango, and other chinstrap penguins. This joyful story about the meaning of family is a must for any library.
Booklist—Emphasizing the penguins' naturally ridiculous physiques while gently acknowledging their situation, Cole's pictures complement the perfectly cadenced text--showing, for example, the bewildered pair craning their necks toward a nest that was "nice, but a little empty." Indeed, intrusions from the zookeeper, who remarks that the nuzzling males "must be in love," strike the narrative's only false note. Further facts about the episode conclude, but it's naive to expect this will be read only as a zoo anecdote. However, those who share this with children will find themselves returning to it again and again--not for the entree it might offer to matters of human sexuality, but for the two irresistible birds at its center and for the celebration of patient, loving fathers who "knew just what to do."
CONNECTIONS
A good use for AND TANGO MAKES THREE is to open discussions on family trees. Children have an opportunity to discuss their families and any similarities.
Older children can discuss how they feel about the subject of homosexuality and how classmates from families such as this should be treated.
Children can research to find other types of penguins.
Frees children to role play during center time and allows them to use their imagination.
Children can walk and sing like penguins.
Similar Books
THE DIFFERENT DRAGON by Jennifer Bryan
EMMA AND MEESHA MY BOY: A TWO MOM STORY by Kaitlyn Taylor Considine
HEATHER HAS TOW MOMMIES: 10th ANNIVERSARY EDITION by Leslea Newman
KING & KING by Linda de Haan
WHO’S IN A FAMILY? By Robert Skutch
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Culture 5 Asian Pacific American
Bibliography
The Star Fisher
Yep, Laurence, THE STAR FISHER, 1991, New York: Penguin Group, ISBN 0140360034.
Plot summary
Moving is difficult for most Americans but it proved to be even more challenging for Joan Lee and her family. Mr. Yep presents a warm chapter book about the struggles of an American Chinese family to adapt to a their new home. They were the only Chinese family in Clarksburg, West Virginia. It was a scary time but not everyone was afraid. Emily, the youngest, was not afraid of the new rude peopele. "As Emily had passed, she had stepped on Mister Snuff's foot, on purpose. "Unh?" Emily asked innocently." Joan prevented Mister Snuff from hitting Emily.
Later that evening when Emily refused to go to sleep, Joan told her a story. Joan told her a story of a magical kingfisher who was held captive in human form by a man who later became her husband. The couple had a daughter who helped her mother return to their magical family. Joan often related the story to her life story as she coped with her new home.
Mrs. Lee was stubborn and Mr. Lee was proud so it took time before they became friends with their neighbor and landlady, Miss Lucy. Mrs. Lee's stubborn will to present a pie at the Church pie supper was a turning point in the town accepting the Lee's into their community. With a little prodding from Miss Lucy, the town folks brought their laundry to Mr. Lee and his family's lives improved.
Critical Analysis
West Virginia in 1927 didn't have many Chinese families and the people in Clarksburg weren't welcoming the Lee's. The Lee family met with prejudice as they came off the train. Emily,the youngest child, wasn't afraid. The reader is connected right away with her courage. She stepped on Mr. Snuff's foot on purpose and later told him that he couldn't spell.
Mr. Yep opens his story with waves of emotions. You move from adventure, to prejudice, to humor and end up angry. I, the reader, and the characters are angry. You can feel the injustice. Mr. Yep writes from his personal experiences and conveys his emotional connection within his story. It fits the popular trend of the American Korean finding his/her identity. I liked the unusual twist to have the English in italics to denote when characters were speaking in English.
The small town setting helped to make the story real. You can be invisible in a large town but stand out in a small town. Mr. Yep presented his character of Mr. Lee as intelligent and a lover of poetry. Several cultural markers were presented: the tradition of her mother given in marriage at the age of 15 years, Mr. Lee's education as a scholar in poetry, and a slang phrase, "the land of the Golden Mountain, Mama used the fancy name for America."
Two of the best sentences in this story are, "It's funny how there are levels and levels of prejudice in the world. The red-faced man hated us for being Chinese, but he would hate someone like Bernice as well for being the child of theatrical folks--just as Mama would herself."
Joan's relationship with her mother combined parts of life in China with adapting to life in America. Children of immigrant parents often have to translate, do family business, more chores and they feel a loss of part of their youthful life.
The vivid descriptions of the kingfishers and their flight in the moonlight, the teaching of the pie baking, and the area around Bernice's house kept the reader interested. I would have liked to see some illustrations.
Mr. Yep won the Christopher Award for this book. It was interesting but I would have liked to see more involvement of the father and Emily. Emily started off funny and outspoken and just faded to the background. I would have liked to see more of Mr. Lee's poetry. It's a great book for building patience and parent-daughter relationships. I'd also change the title.
Reviews
Christopher Award
School Library Journal--The Star Fisher offers tantalizing glimpses of interesting characters, but abruptly shifts focus from a family story with the younger sister as a strong character to a relationship between mother and daughter. Basically, there is too much depth and complexity here to be confined to one book.
Horn Book--It is disturbing but never depressing, poignant but not melancholy, for the principal characters — particularly Mama, who almost steals the show — are individuals with a strong sense of their own worth, facing difficulties with humor, determination, and pride. As in his earlier Dragonwings (Harper), the author uses italics when recording conversations in English, a device that distinguishes the differences in narrative tone without becoming intrusive. Indeed, nothing seems intrusive in this finely crafted novel: the message is a strong one but it is integrated into the development of plot and personalities. Thus, the book is a pleasure to read, entertaining its audience even as it educates their hearts.
Connections
You could use this book for creative writing. Change the ending! Make a history lesson to see what immigrants settled in West Virginia during 1927 to 1930.
Similar Resources
I agree with these resources by Scholastic. They are good connections with teenage relations.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finnby Mark Twain Mark Twain's classic novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, tells the story of a teenage misfit who finds himself floating on a raft down the Mississippi River with an escaping slave, Jim. In the course of their perilous journey, Huck and Jim meet adventure, danger, and a cast of characters who are sometimes menacing and often hilarious.
Witches and Witch-Huntsby Milton Meltzer This high-interest book, designed to help young readers make important moral choices, presents a fascinating explanation of witch-hunts as a model for persecutory behavior, in which accusations of witchcraft indicate underlying social and economic tensions and conflicts.
Hidden Rootsby Joseph Bruchac Acclaimed author Joseph Bruchac makes his Scholastic Press debut with a powerful story of family and identity.
Music for Alice
Say, Allen. MUSIC FOR ALICE. 2004. New York: Houghton Mifflin Co. ISBN 0618311181.
Plot Summary
Based on the true life story of Alice Sumida, Mr. Say presents a beautiful picture book for older children and adults. The story is told in first person by Alice. She spoke of her love for dance, her marriage, war, living as prisoners and their flower farm. Alice and her husband, Mark, who were Japanese, didn't let their harsh treatment keep them from succeeding in life.
It's a remarkable story of the life of a couple who persevered through hardships to fulfill their dreams. Alice, though late in life, found time to finally enjoy her love of dancing.
Critical Analysis
The illustrations in MUSIC FOR ALICE have brilliant details. The first picture on page 5 of young Alice with her short hair blowing in the wind and the fields as the background capture an amazing glimpse back in time. Her facial features were real and special for her ethnic group. It was sad to see all the tags or war tags on the individuals on page 7. They had to wear them as they were shipped to the assembly center and on off to Oregon. This is a special reality that Japanese in America at that time had to experience.
The story moves along with the pictures. The characters' features mature and the settings change during the different stages of their lives.
Mark and Alice were dedicated to make their business successful. They made the sacrifice to stay in the desert. Mark's nephew did not want to live in the desert. So there is a comparison of old traditional values of hard work and sacrifice and the youthful idea of "I don't want to give that much." It's traditional roots in culture verses American mainstream culture.
The art served its purpose to depict how Japanese were treated during World War II and how Alice and Mark were able to live successful live in spite of their hardships. The characters are the connection with Japanese and the various backgrounds are of American landscapes. The reader is capable of the realization of desert land after hard work can be used for farm land. The removal of the stones and growing crops that they can't eat to refurbish the soil. It's all real which makes the story an organic whole.
Reviews
School Library Journal--The detailed portraits and soft colors of the farm give way to drab hues and figures with nondescript features and wide-brimmed hats that hide their eyes and their identities-symbolic of the plight of Japanese Americans during the war. The final pictures of a now elderly Alice depict the spirit and dignity that her life story suggests. 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
Book List--From the close-up jacket portrait of an elderly Japanese American woman to the final view of her ballroom dancing before a black-tie audience, this picture book, based on a true-life story, will appeal more to adults than kids, though some young readers will respond to the history and the understated, first-person account of trouble and courage.
Connections
You can use this book as a lead into a history lesson on World War II or our present day relationship with Japan. A science lesson on rotating crops to fertilizer the soil could follow the reading of this story. Older children could also be taught a lesson on perseverance through difficult situations.
Similar Books
UNDER THE CHERRY BLOSSOM THREE: AN OLD JAPANESE by Allen Say
HOME OF THE BRAVE by Allen Say
Bibliography
THE FIREKEEPER’S SON
Park, Linda Sue. THE FIREKEEPER’S SON. 2004. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0618133372.
Plot Summary
The setting is in Korea in the early 19th century. A brilliant book jacket with Sang-hee and the fire intrigue the reader to pick up this book. Sang-hee’s father is responsible for lighting the first fire on the mountaintop which triggers the lighting of numerous fires that signal the palace that all is well. No soldiers come from the palace when there’s peace.
All goes well until Sang-hee’s father hurts his leg and Sang-hee has to light the fire. Sang-hee wants to see the soldiers and thinks about not lighting the fire but fulfills the task. Ms Park includes historical notes and information on why she adapted certain parts of the traditional information.
Critical Analysis
Ms. Park explains in her author’s note that the Sang-hee family is fictional but the bonfires were real. This historical picture book provided an opportunity to learn of a tradition from Korea’s past. Ms Park lives in the New York, however, she has not written this book as a Korean American story.
The book jacket has an up close picture of a young boy staring at the fire. The features change and I found the picture of Sang-hee on page 8 lacking facial features of Koreans that I have seen in friends. He resembled a female in this illustration. His chin and eyes do not appear correct to my limited knowledge. The village and his father’s clothing resemble those I’v seen in history books, on TV and the Internet. The wide screen view of the village and mountains are beautiful.
The story was before World War II when there was only one Korea. Descriptions of the many mountains and how the palace valued Korea for being a peaceful country are cultural markers.
Sang-hee’s face looks more traditional on page 17 and 18. The traditional fire pot and firewood arrangement on page 24 are authentic markers.
Shang-hee’s father injures his ankle and Sang-lee has to take over the task of lighting the evening fire. He knew how to light the fire but he also wanted to see the soldiers from the palace. “San-he wished he could see soldiers. Just once! I could say I dropped the pot. And spilled all the coals. That it was an accident.” I like the the coal looked as if it were talking, “Light the fire, light the fire, and a time of peace a time of peace.” Sang-hee made the correct decision. He was then surprised to learn that his father also wanted to see the soldiers when he was young. “His father hobbled as they walked, and leaned on Sang-lee’s shoulder. “When I was a boy, I too wished the soldiers would come.”
The tradition had been passed down and Sang-hee was told that he was part of the king’s guard. “The village will be pleased to hear that another trustworthy firekeeper has been born to our family.” It’s a strong traditional cultural marker the history of passing along a family career or family tradition. I enjoyed this story and encourage its use in our libraries.
Reviews
School Library Journal--Park's command of place, characterization, and language is as capable and compelling in this picture book as it is in her novels. Children will be intrigued by this early form of wireless communication, caught up in the riveting dilemma, and satisfied by the resolution.
The Star Fisher
Yep, Laurence, THE STAR FISHER, 1991, New York: Penguin Group, ISBN 0140360034.
Plot summary
Moving is difficult for most Americans but it proved to be even more challenging for Joan Lee and her family. Mr. Yep presents a warm chapter book about the struggles of an American Chinese family to adapt to a their new home. They were the only Chinese family in Clarksburg, West Virginia. It was a scary time but not everyone was afraid. Emily, the youngest, was not afraid of the new rude peopele. "As Emily had passed, she had stepped on Mister Snuff's foot, on purpose. "Unh?" Emily asked innocently." Joan prevented Mister Snuff from hitting Emily.
Later that evening when Emily refused to go to sleep, Joan told her a story. Joan told her a story of a magical kingfisher who was held captive in human form by a man who later became her husband. The couple had a daughter who helped her mother return to their magical family. Joan often related the story to her life story as she coped with her new home.
Mrs. Lee was stubborn and Mr. Lee was proud so it took time before they became friends with their neighbor and landlady, Miss Lucy. Mrs. Lee's stubborn will to present a pie at the Church pie supper was a turning point in the town accepting the Lee's into their community. With a little prodding from Miss Lucy, the town folks brought their laundry to Mr. Lee and his family's lives improved.
Critical Analysis
West Virginia in 1927 didn't have many Chinese families and the people in Clarksburg weren't welcoming the Lee's. The Lee family met with prejudice as they came off the train. Emily,the youngest child, wasn't afraid. The reader is connected right away with her courage. She stepped on Mr. Snuff's foot on purpose and later told him that he couldn't spell.
Mr. Yep opens his story with waves of emotions. You move from adventure, to prejudice, to humor and end up angry. I, the reader, and the characters are angry. You can feel the injustice. Mr. Yep writes from his personal experiences and conveys his emotional connection within his story. It fits the popular trend of the American Korean finding his/her identity. I liked the unusual twist to have the English in italics to denote when characters were speaking in English.
The small town setting helped to make the story real. You can be invisible in a large town but stand out in a small town. Mr. Yep presented his character of Mr. Lee as intelligent and a lover of poetry. Several cultural markers were presented: the tradition of her mother given in marriage at the age of 15 years, Mr. Lee's education as a scholar in poetry, and a slang phrase, "the land of the Golden Mountain, Mama used the fancy name for America."
Two of the best sentences in this story are, "It's funny how there are levels and levels of prejudice in the world. The red-faced man hated us for being Chinese, but he would hate someone like Bernice as well for being the child of theatrical folks--just as Mama would herself."
Joan's relationship with her mother combined parts of life in China with adapting to life in America. Children of immigrant parents often have to translate, do family business, more chores and they feel a loss of part of their youthful life.
The vivid descriptions of the kingfishers and their flight in the moonlight, the teaching of the pie baking, and the area around Bernice's house kept the reader interested. I would have liked to see some illustrations.
Mr. Yep won the Christopher Award for this book. It was interesting but I would have liked to see more involvement of the father and Emily. Emily started off funny and outspoken and just faded to the background. I would have liked to see more of Mr. Lee's poetry. It's a great book for building patience and parent-daughter relationships. I'd also change the title.
Reviews
Christopher Award
School Library Journal--The Star Fisher offers tantalizing glimpses of interesting characters, but abruptly shifts focus from a family story with the younger sister as a strong character to a relationship between mother and daughter. Basically, there is too much depth and complexity here to be confined to one book.
Horn Book--It is disturbing but never depressing, poignant but not melancholy, for the principal characters — particularly Mama, who almost steals the show — are individuals with a strong sense of their own worth, facing difficulties with humor, determination, and pride. As in his earlier Dragonwings (Harper), the author uses italics when recording conversations in English, a device that distinguishes the differences in narrative tone without becoming intrusive. Indeed, nothing seems intrusive in this finely crafted novel: the message is a strong one but it is integrated into the development of plot and personalities. Thus, the book is a pleasure to read, entertaining its audience even as it educates their hearts.
Connections
You could use this book for creative writing. Change the ending! Make a history lesson to see what immigrants settled in West Virginia during 1927 to 1930.
Similar Resources
I agree with these resources by Scholastic. They are good connections with teenage relations.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finnby Mark Twain Mark Twain's classic novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, tells the story of a teenage misfit who finds himself floating on a raft down the Mississippi River with an escaping slave, Jim. In the course of their perilous journey, Huck and Jim meet adventure, danger, and a cast of characters who are sometimes menacing and often hilarious.
Witches and Witch-Huntsby Milton Meltzer This high-interest book, designed to help young readers make important moral choices, presents a fascinating explanation of witch-hunts as a model for persecutory behavior, in which accusations of witchcraft indicate underlying social and economic tensions and conflicts.
Hidden Rootsby Joseph Bruchac Acclaimed author Joseph Bruchac makes his Scholastic Press debut with a powerful story of family and identity.
Music for Alice
Say, Allen. MUSIC FOR ALICE. 2004. New York: Houghton Mifflin Co. ISBN 0618311181.
Plot Summary
Based on the true life story of Alice Sumida, Mr. Say presents a beautiful picture book for older children and adults. The story is told in first person by Alice. She spoke of her love for dance, her marriage, war, living as prisoners and their flower farm. Alice and her husband, Mark, who were Japanese, didn't let their harsh treatment keep them from succeeding in life.
It's a remarkable story of the life of a couple who persevered through hardships to fulfill their dreams. Alice, though late in life, found time to finally enjoy her love of dancing.
Critical Analysis
The illustrations in MUSIC FOR ALICE have brilliant details. The first picture on page 5 of young Alice with her short hair blowing in the wind and the fields as the background capture an amazing glimpse back in time. Her facial features were real and special for her ethnic group. It was sad to see all the tags or war tags on the individuals on page 7. They had to wear them as they were shipped to the assembly center and on off to Oregon. This is a special reality that Japanese in America at that time had to experience.
The story moves along with the pictures. The characters' features mature and the settings change during the different stages of their lives.
Mark and Alice were dedicated to make their business successful. They made the sacrifice to stay in the desert. Mark's nephew did not want to live in the desert. So there is a comparison of old traditional values of hard work and sacrifice and the youthful idea of "I don't want to give that much." It's traditional roots in culture verses American mainstream culture.
The art served its purpose to depict how Japanese were treated during World War II and how Alice and Mark were able to live successful live in spite of their hardships. The characters are the connection with Japanese and the various backgrounds are of American landscapes. The reader is capable of the realization of desert land after hard work can be used for farm land. The removal of the stones and growing crops that they can't eat to refurbish the soil. It's all real which makes the story an organic whole.
Reviews
School Library Journal--The detailed portraits and soft colors of the farm give way to drab hues and figures with nondescript features and wide-brimmed hats that hide their eyes and their identities-symbolic of the plight of Japanese Americans during the war. The final pictures of a now elderly Alice depict the spirit and dignity that her life story suggests. 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
Book List--From the close-up jacket portrait of an elderly Japanese American woman to the final view of her ballroom dancing before a black-tie audience, this picture book, based on a true-life story, will appeal more to adults than kids, though some young readers will respond to the history and the understated, first-person account of trouble and courage.
Connections
You can use this book as a lead into a history lesson on World War II or our present day relationship with Japan. A science lesson on rotating crops to fertilizer the soil could follow the reading of this story. Older children could also be taught a lesson on perseverance through difficult situations.
Similar Books
UNDER THE CHERRY BLOSSOM THREE: AN OLD JAPANESE by Allen Say
HOME OF THE BRAVE by Allen Say
Bibliography
THE FIREKEEPER’S SON
Park, Linda Sue. THE FIREKEEPER’S SON. 2004. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0618133372.
Plot Summary
The setting is in Korea in the early 19th century. A brilliant book jacket with Sang-hee and the fire intrigue the reader to pick up this book. Sang-hee’s father is responsible for lighting the first fire on the mountaintop which triggers the lighting of numerous fires that signal the palace that all is well. No soldiers come from the palace when there’s peace.
All goes well until Sang-hee’s father hurts his leg and Sang-hee has to light the fire. Sang-hee wants to see the soldiers and thinks about not lighting the fire but fulfills the task. Ms Park includes historical notes and information on why she adapted certain parts of the traditional information.
Critical Analysis
Ms. Park explains in her author’s note that the Sang-hee family is fictional but the bonfires were real. This historical picture book provided an opportunity to learn of a tradition from Korea’s past. Ms Park lives in the New York, however, she has not written this book as a Korean American story.
The book jacket has an up close picture of a young boy staring at the fire. The features change and I found the picture of Sang-hee on page 8 lacking facial features of Koreans that I have seen in friends. He resembled a female in this illustration. His chin and eyes do not appear correct to my limited knowledge. The village and his father’s clothing resemble those I’v seen in history books, on TV and the Internet. The wide screen view of the village and mountains are beautiful.
The story was before World War II when there was only one Korea. Descriptions of the many mountains and how the palace valued Korea for being a peaceful country are cultural markers.
Sang-hee’s face looks more traditional on page 17 and 18. The traditional fire pot and firewood arrangement on page 24 are authentic markers.
Shang-hee’s father injures his ankle and Sang-lee has to take over the task of lighting the evening fire. He knew how to light the fire but he also wanted to see the soldiers from the palace. “San-he wished he could see soldiers. Just once! I could say I dropped the pot. And spilled all the coals. That it was an accident.” I like the the coal looked as if it were talking, “Light the fire, light the fire, and a time of peace a time of peace.” Sang-hee made the correct decision. He was then surprised to learn that his father also wanted to see the soldiers when he was young. “His father hobbled as they walked, and leaned on Sang-lee’s shoulder. “When I was a boy, I too wished the soldiers would come.”
The tradition had been passed down and Sang-hee was told that he was part of the king’s guard. “The village will be pleased to hear that another trustworthy firekeeper has been born to our family.” It’s a strong traditional cultural marker the history of passing along a family career or family tradition. I enjoyed this story and encourage its use in our libraries.
Reviews
School Library Journal--Park's command of place, characterization, and language is as capable and compelling in this picture book as it is in her novels. Children will be intrigued by this early form of wireless communication, caught up in the riveting dilemma, and satisfied by the resolution.
Booklist--Park,who won a Newbery Medal for her novel A Single Shard (2001), tells a picture-book story set in Korea in the early 1800s about a young boy in a remote village who suddenly finds himself serving his country. Downing's handsome, watercolor-and-pastel double-page pictures personalize the history, showing realistic close-ups of the child, who plays soldiers and dreams of the excitement of battle. In contrast are the panoramic views far across the country as the boy tends the flame that preserves peace from mountain to mountain.
Connections
Parents and teachers can use this book to discuss ways of communication. You could discuss what jobs student's fathers, uncles, grandfathers, ect. had that were similar.
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MY NAME IS YOON by Helen Recorvits
THE GREEN FROGS: A KOREAN FOLKTALE by Yumi Heo
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