Module #7 Inclusive Literature: RULES

RULES

Lord, Cynthia. RULES. 2008. New York: Scholastic, Inc. ISBN 9780439443838

Plot Summary

Cynthia Lord takes the reader inside the life of a family with an autistic child autism. It is not easy raising an autistic child. Twelve year-old Catherine makes rules to curb some of David's embarrassing behaviors. A new girl is moving in next door and Catherine is hoping the girl will be the friend she has always wanted. Catherine discovers a friendship while waiting for her brother during his occupational therapy sessions. The summer is full of surprises as Catherine learns she is much like the people she tries to shield her brother from meeting. A very tender and touching story which will ring true with children who have disabled siblings. Yes there are others like me in this world and what is normal anyway?

Critical Analysis

Rules is a touching modern day story that takes place in a suburban area probably middle class close to what I call the country because a pond is nearby. The language is typical of young people in this time period with words like awesome, stinks a big one, gross, whatever. The theme of acceptance, love, and frustration is handled realistically as we see Catherine struggles with her feelings toward her little brother, her family, Jason, Kristi, Ryan and Melissa. The story starts slowly but carries the reader gently through a journey most have never taken. It value to those who have. Lord put her emphasis on the story and the characters and does not give much background or setting details.

This story touches home for me because "I have a niece who is mentally retarded and will live with her parents for her entire life. Life has not been easy, nor has it been normal. Lord does an excellent job of showing us the feelings of Catherine who is "normal" and Jason who cannot speak or walk as well as what life with an autistic brother is like. The constant repetition of statements, not understanding maybe or it depends or I don't know is exasperating for David. He never forgets nor will he let you forget. When his father told him he would pick him up at five 0'clock and then was late David broke down with sobs. "He might not understand some things, but David loves rules." Throughout the story we are privy to some of the rules Catherine has developed for David, but she has also developed rules for herself.

Feelings of frustration are evident in statements like, "Sometimes everyone gets invited except us, and it's because of David" or someone's facial expressions reads, "What's wrong with this kid?" "People stare, or they hurry away, and I know what they're thinking. Oh, isn't that too bad, or Whew, I'm glad that's not me." This is true. I have seen this happen in our family with our niece. She is a kind and loving person but she repeats everything she hears, takes everything as the truth, eats and talks with her mouth full of food, and has trouble getting the words out at times. Some people do not get to know the real person inside, the one who prays for you when you are sick, sends a hand scribbled note when you are down, or calls to check on somebody who has lost a loved one, nor do they know that she likes boys, would like to go on a date, and would like to go to college or have a real job. My niece is six months younger than my daughter. When they were in high school together some of the "cool kids" were making fun of her and my daughter stepped in to "set them straight" about kindness and treating everyone with respect. While reading this book this experience returned to my mind. Fortunately there was a happy ending for my niece in high school.

Lord paints a vivid picture of Catherine's struggles with her brother, Jason, and her family. A special needs child takes more time and attention and it is not always easy for the "normal" child to understand. Catherine goes with her mother to David's appointments just so she can have some alone time with her mother when David is busy with the therapist. Catherine longs for time with her father and states, "Maybe you and I could do something special, too? Just us.?" Then later thinks to herself, "But what about me." I find it interesting that as Catherine begins to grow as a person when she needs her father to come home from work (he never comes home on time) she says, "We matter too."

Lord also provides some depth to the character of Jason. It is not important to know how he "got that way" but to realize he has feeling, desires, hopes and dreams just like everyone else. He wants to run, he wants to dance, and he knows he is missing something when Catherine tells him about bringing up the mud from the bottom of the pond. Her new words with her colorful illustrations give him new ways to express his real feelings. Some people will never understand people with disabilities. Rules, we all have them, we all make them. Others will learn to break their rules and dance like Catherine.

Reviews

The appealing, credible narrator at the heart of Lord's debut novel will draw in readers, s she struggles to find order and balance in her life. As she creates new cards that expand Jason's ability to express his feelings, their growing friendship enables Catherine to do the same. A rewarding story that may well inspire readers to think about others' points of view. - Publishers Weekly

Catherine is an appealing character, acutely self-conscious and torn between her love for her brother and her resentment of his special needs. Middle-grade readers will recognize her longing for acceptance and be intrigued by the exploration of dealing with differences. - Kirkus Reviews

Awards/Connections

Newbery honor Medal

Schneider Family Book Award

Mitten Award (Michigan Library Association)

Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan)

Maine Student Book Award

Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award (Vermont)

Kentucky Bluegrass Award

Great Stone Face Award (New Hampshire)

Buckeye Children's Book Award (Ohio)

An ALA Notable Children's Book

A Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Book of the Year

An NCTE Notable Children's Book in the Language Arts

IAN'S WALK written by Laurie Lears

WAITING FOR BENJAMIN: A STORY ABOUT AUTISM written by Alexandra Altman

AUTISM AND ME: Sibling Stories written by Ouisie Shapiro

http://www.cynthialord.com/

Module #6 Inclusive Literature: Ask me No Questions

ASK ME NO QUESTIONS

Budhos, Marina. ASK ME NO QUESTIONS. 2007. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 9781416949206

Plot Summary

Living in New York is quite a daunting experience especially when you are trying to blend in after 9/11 and you are Muslim with expired visas. Nadira and Aisha are typical sisters who quarrel but love each other and their family. They are adjusting to the American way of life. Aisha's life seems to be one of organization with bright plans for a successful future. Nadira seems to drift through high school much to the dismay of her family. When Nadira's father is arrested the tables are turned. Nadira and Aisha try to live as if nothing is wrong. Both girls, especially Aisha begin to see their futures as cloudy and uncertain. Aisha begins to withdraw from everything she loves to become invisible while Nadira gathers the courage to fight her father's battle.

Critical Analysis

The setting is post 9/11 in New York City. Nadira and her family have immigrated from Bangladesh. Several times Nadira takes the reader back to what life was like for her family in her home country, the good and the bad. "Even though we left when I was seven, sometimes if I close my eyes, its as if I were right there. I remember the boroi tree outside our house, the stone wall where Ma slapped the wash dry, the metal cabinet where Abba kept his schoolbooks. Abba carries his stories carefully inside him, like precious glass he cradles next to his heart." This allows the reader to see that life is not the same for people in other countries yet people still have feelings of love for their families and parents want their children to grow up and be successful. Regarding her father's feelings about Aisha Nadira states, "he used to tape her reports to his windshield and boast about his daughter back home who could outdo all the boys. "Nadira describes her homeland as "a land where the earth melts into the sea and back again; where people sing the same songs and eat the same white fleshed hilsa fish, wherever they live."

The author gives us a glimpse of what the Bangladeshi people wore in their country: : "I notice the bottom of her shalwar kameez flutter up around her jacket." Ma's hair is described as "her long braid swinging at her back." When describing her homeland and the women she writes, "In one house lived the unmarried sisters who kept their heads covered and bathed in the river every morning and every evening, and sang as the sky turned violet and the land seemed to shift with the turning tide. In another house lived the brothers, and in the big one were the married couples and the elders. The women swept the mud ground with brooms made of twigs and fished in flat bottomed boats."

Budhos uses names that are customary for Bangladeshi people such as Nadira, Aisha, Abba for father, and Ali-Uncle. Refering to Ali -Uncle Nadira states, "he likes to wear a long kurta and he has a beard and he prays five times a day. Abba and Ma, they do some of the holidays, like they fast for Ramadan, but it's been a long time since I've seen Abba pull out the prayer rug from the closet."

Budhos exposes us to some of the Bangladeshi language by sprinkling the words throughout the text such as a names of foods like biryani, pooris tandoori, and alu gobi.

Budhos uses descriptive language to paint pictures for the reader. "Abba is squeezing the steering wheel, open-shut, open-shut, just like the massage exercises he did after he got hurt on his construction job. He's hunched over, still as a rock, as if he can't make himself move." The story unravels as Nadira begins to find a way to help her father. The slow-witted second born decided not to follow along. Asiha and her father loose their confidence and independence and Nadira and her mother seem to pull together and find the strength and determination to find a way to help when Nadira's father is arrested because his visa has expired and he is suspected of being involved in some type of terrorist activity. The plot moves at a pace to keep the reader engaged and then begins to pick up the pace as Nadira begins to piece together the information needed to secure her father's release. The ending is very powerful with Nadira supplying the information to free her father, Aisha giving her valedictorian speech and putting a face to the word illegal immigrant and the hearing where the judge insists the lawyer does his job. This story hit me like a ton of bricks. The writing is powerful and thought provoking. Even though this is a work of fiction it provides insight to a problem that needs to be discussed. This is a story of a hard working man trying to make life better for his family. As Aisha states, We were the people you did not always see, flashing our polite smiles, trimming hedges, parking your cars in lots, doing the night shift. You needed us and we needed you. Overnight, we, the invisible people, became visible. We became dangerous. We became terrorists, people with bombs in our luggage, poison in our homes. My father just wanted to do the right thing. For us." Now there is a statement that bears discussion.

Reviews

"A moving first-person, preset tense narrative ... Readers will feel the heartbreak, prejudice, kindness, and fear." - Booklist

"Budhos has composed a compelling and thought-provoking contemporary examination of the human side of the law ... she reminds people to think differently about the people around them.' - The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Awards/Connections

ALA Best Book for young Adults 2007

ALA Notable Children's Book 2007

Kirkus Review Best Children's Book of 2006

Booklist Editor's Choice 2006

New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age 2006

Module #6 Inclusive Literature: In my Mothers's House

         

IN OUR MOTHERS'S HOUSE

Polacco, Patricia. IN OUR MOTHERS'S HOUSE. 2009. New York: Philomel Books. ISBN  9780399250767

Plot Summary

The narrator, Marmee and Meema's first child, tells the story of her loving family. Two other children Will and Millie are later adopted into Marmee and Meema's non-traditional family. The family lives in a large house nestled in an active neighborhood of friends, except for Mrs. Lockner who disapproves of Marmee and Meema's sexual orientation. The story is not about the disapproval but mainly focuses on the love, laughter, and good times the family shares with each other and their friends.

Critical Analysis

Patricia Polacco portrays her characters Marmee and Meema as strong, independent, educated women who provide a loving home for their three adopted children. Marmee is a paramedic, organizer and a "fixer." Meema is a pediatrician who loves to cook and sew. The children themselves are each from a different background. The narrator has warm dark brown skin with bouncy, curly hair around her head. The narrator states, " They told me how they had walked across dry hot deserts, sailed through turbulent seas, flew over tall mountains and trekked through fierce storms just to bring me home." Illustrations portray Will to be of Asian descent with his black hair, almond shaped eyes and yellow tinted skin. Millie is Caucasian with bright red hair and pink, creamy colored skin. The neighborhood is composed of diversity as will with names like the Mardicians, the Polos, the Yamagakis, the Kiernans,the  Goldsteins, and the Abdullas. The issue of hate from one of the neighbors, Mrs. Lockner is dealt with in the statement, "She is full of fear, sweetie. She is afraid of what she does not understand: and she does not understand us." Marmee and Meema never express ill will toward their neighbor. They (Marmee and Meema) are portrayed as friendly and including when it comes to Mrs. Lockner. This is a modern day story set in a middle class neighborhood. Celebration of holidays means a lot of family and cooking. Their Italian grampa fixes gnocchi, a potato dumpling. Marmee and Meema are busy women raising their family. They make Halloween costumes for their children, sing and dance with the children and share cooking with them, always smiling and happy. No matter the make-up of a family each should strive for love, support and growing children up to be ready to take their place in society. As the narrator states, "From the day we entered our mothers's house, they prepared us for the day that we would leave it."

The illustrations are bright, cheerful and full of diverse colors which is also representative of the story. The busy neighborhood party illustrations support the theme of diversity allowing the reader to see a diversity of people enjoying the tastes of each others favorite foods. "The Mardicians brought stuffed grape leaves and ground lamb. The Polos brought spanakopita and Greek salads."

Reviews

"This gem of a book illustrates how love makes a family, even if it's not a traditional one. Is this an idealized vision of how a gay couple can be accepted by their family and community? Absolutely. But the story serves as a model of inclusiveness for children who" have same-sex parents as well as for children who may have questions about a "different" family in their neighborhood. A lovely book that can help youngsters better understand their world."  - School Library Journal

"Filled with recollections of family holidays, rituals, and special moments, each memory reveals loving insight. The energetic illustrations in pencil and marker, though perhaps not as well-rendered as in some previous works, teem with family activities and neighborhood festivity." -Booklist

Awards/Connections

ANTONIO'S CARD/LA TARJETA DE ANTONIO written by Rigoberto Gonzalez

http://www.childrensbookpress.org/resources/teachers-guides

CHICKEN SUNDAY written by Patricia Polacco

TWO MRS. GIBSONS written by Toyomi Igus

JALAPENO BAGELS written by Natasha Wings

THE SKULL OF TRUTH written by Bruce Coville

Author's web site: www.patriciapolacco.com

Module #4 Native American Literature: JINGLE DANCER

JINGLE DANCER

Smith, Cynthia Leitich. JINGLE DANCER. Ill. by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu. 2000. New York: Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN 9780688162429

Plot Summary

The main character in this story is a young girl named Jenna, a Muscogee (Creek) child growing up in Oklahoma. She watches a video of her grandmother performing the jingle dance at a powwow. Jenna's biggest desire is to perform the jingle dance at the next powwow but her dress does not have a voice; there are no jingles. She visits several family members who help her get enough jingles for her dress and she does get to perform the jingle dance at the powwow and her family.

Critical Analysis

Warm watercolor illustrations blend with the text to show a contemporary Native American girl and her loving family and friends give her the opportunity to perform the jingle dance at a Powwow. The characters are dressed in modern clothes and the furnishings of the house and the neighborhood scenes reflect an ordinary middle class neighborhood. The illustrators hint to a cultural diversity in the settings by providing items made of pottery, blankets, moccasins, a dream catcher, a beaded leather pouch, and a picture all representing the Muscogee culture. Indian jewelry is seen on several of the characters. Mrs. Scott has what appears to be a beaded or painted leather type of hair barrette, and earrings while Great-aunt Sis wears a bracelet that reflects their culture. The characters have dark hair and eyes and a broad face with what our family calls a "coffee pot" nose.

As we have read in our modules this semester, story telling or the passing down of stories is a special and important part of a culture and its traditions. Smith emphasizes this by having one of the characters, Great-aunt Sis tell Jenna the Bat story which is a Muscogee traditional story. Smith writes at the end of the book,"Ball games have been played by Native peoples for many, many generations and stories about such games between the animals and the birds have been told by peoples of various regions of the Americas." Native foods such as fry bread and Indian tacos are mentioned in this story. The number 4 is significant in this story. Smith uses this in describing the jingle dancer dress; Jenna needed 4 rows of jingles. Jenna also traveled in 4 different directions throughout the story, and 4 people helped her by giving a row of jingles for her dress. The women in this story seem to be strong women. They are active in their family, culture or jobs. Cousin Elizabeth, a lawyer is seen with her briefcase on a strap hanging from her shoulder and a copy of the Law Review tucked under her arm. "Objibway women and other Native women of Canada were the first jingle dancers while today girls and women of most Native Nations are jingle dancers. A number of traditional stories explain the origin and purpose of the dance but most touch on themes of healing and prayer," according to Smith. The dress of the jingle dancer is usually made of a solid color fabric with hundreds of jingles sewn onto the dress. However, Jenna's dress has two colors. The jingles are made from silver tin or aluminum lids of snuff cans which eventually look like cones and are then sewn onto the garment. Like many things in our world the jingle dancers' dress has changed as well, with more and more dresses incorporating fringe, ribbon, lacework, and sequins according to Smith. Smith also uses imagery to convey the time of day such as: As the moon kissed the sun goodnight, As sun fetched morning, as the sun arrived at mid circle, and as sun caught a glimpse of moon. All these phrases help allow the words to paint pictures in the reader's eyes. Actual directions are noticed as Jenna travels throughout the story; "south to Mrs. Scott's brand new duplex", "Jenna danced east to Great Aunt-Sis's porch," and "Jenna shuffled north to Grandma Wolfe's. I especially liked the image of the clouds, "High above, clouds wavered like worried ghosts." From what I have read this week Native Americans use a lot of imagery and nature in their stories and their descriptions. Each of the people who donate jingles to Jenna's dress have many more jingles to offer but Jenna decides to not take more because she didn't want the dress to "lose its voice." Great-aunt Sis gives her "Jingles on a dress too long quiet." Grandma Wolfe sews on the jingles as Jenna watches. This illustration is a powerful picture of one generation making it possible for another generation to take a part in a time honored tradition. At the back of the book Smith writes, "Regalia was sometimes handed down from one generation to the next. Years were often spent bringing together the various pieces, all of which are handmade. They carry spiritual significance." At the end of the story Jenna honors the women in her family by doing just what she promised, "Yes, I will dance for you."

As stated earlier at the end of the story Smith provides more information for a better understanding of the text. She explains that a ceremony called "giveaway" occurs for the new dancer. "In this ceremony the dancer's family receives fine gifts which show humility before the Creator, and generosity, and pride in the honoree."

Reviews

" Seeing Jenna as both a modern girl in the suburban homes of her intertribal community and as one of many traditionally costumed participants at the powwow will give some readers a new view of a contemporary Native American way of life. An author's note and glossary tell more about the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, the Ojibway origins of jingle dancing, and the significance of the number four in Native American tradition. This picture book will not only satisfy a need for materials on Native American customs, but will also be a welcome addition to stories about traditions passed down by the women of a culture." - School Library Journal

"The watercolor illustrations clearly and realistically depict what is happening in the story. The layout of the book is straightforward - mostly doublepage spreads that extend all the way to the edges of the paper. Jenna lives on what looks like a nice suburban house, the others seem solidly middleclass, and cousin Elizabeth is a lawyer. The author is deliberately showing us, it would seem, that all Native Americans are not poor or live on rundown reservations. A useful portrayal of an important cultural event in a Creek girl's year." - Kirkus Reviews

Awards/Connections

Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies and a Selectors

Choice for 2001

Named to the 2001 2x2 Reading List by the Texas Library Association

One of five finalists for the children's/YA division of the Oklahoma Book Award

Runner-up for the Storyteller Award from the Western Writers Association

A CCBC Choice for 2001

Featured in Great Books About Things Kids Love by Kathleen Odean

NEA Native American Book List

Editor's Choice, The Library Talk

Named among the "Best Multicultural Children's Books for Early Childhood Educators" (Montessori Life)

Suggested Title, Recommended Native Literature for Youth Reading Circles from American Experience: "We Shall Remain" (April 2009) fro, PBS

2002 Read Across Texas Bibliography

http://www.cynthialeitichsmith.com

Module #5 Asian American Literature: TEA WITH MILK

TEA WITH MILK

Say, Allen. TEA WITH MILK. 1999. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0395904951

Plot Summary

May was born and raised in San Francisco until one day her homesick parents decided to return to Japan. Her mother wanted May to find a "husband from a good family." May wanted to stay in San Francisco with her friends and the customs she had grown used to such as drinking her tea with milk. When the family arrived in Japan, May felt out of place. Now in Japan, May had to take on the customs of the Japanese by wearing a kimono, sitting for hours on the floor and meet a man who possibly might be her future husband. May decides to leave her family for the bustling city of Osaka. She loves the big city but is soon discouraged because women do not usually work and her jobs seem meaningless and unimportant. She gets a break when she uses her English to help an American couple in the store where she is employed. Her boss arranges another job for her and she meets and falls in love with a young man who just happens to like tea with milk.

Critical Analysis

The conflict in Tea with Milk begins when May's (Masako) parents decide to return to Japan. Her parents have lived in California all of May's life but they still hold to Japanese customs. Conflict builds as May returns to Japan with her family. Our lecture notes suggest recurring themes in Asian Pacific American literature. Say includes the theme if "Immigrant adjustment to life in the U.S." in describing May's parents. "Her parents were homesick and decided to return to Japan." The themes of "cross cultural conflict" and the search for and acceptance of an Asian Pacific American identity" reoccur throughout the story as May has learned English and now must learn Japanese with follows this week's lecture notes, " the issue of language is an important component of Asian American culture." She dresses in the Japanese custom of the kimono for the woman and sits "on floors until her legs went numb." Even her home was different. "Her new home was drafty, with windows made of paper." She had enjoyed American food but now "There were no more pancakes or omelets, fried chicken or spaghetti. I'll never get used to this place, she thought with a heavy heart." As a military child I remember getting use to customs of my new surroundings. I did not have to leave the United States but moving from a big city in North Carolina to a small town in Texas was a big culture shock for me in regards to clothing, food and dialect. I was considered "different" for a few months but luckily acclimated easily. The theme of adjustment will resonate with many children. May wants her own identity, an American daughter. She realizes her parents did not want to be foreigners but she is now feels like a foreigner in her parents home country. Leaving for the big city of Osaka, May seems hopeful to find her place. She tries to find work only to discover that Japanese women usually do not work. "Her parents were not happy, especially her mother. It was shameful for ladies to work." May represents a strong woman who knows what she wants and wants to walk her own paths. She does not want an arranged marriage to a banker which is ironic because she meets an young man who is a banker and later marries him. He also grew up in America and likes tea with milk and sugar. After they marry and have children the couple offers both cultures to their children. Allen Say is one of those children and he like his parents enjoys tea with milk and sugar.

Say's beautiful watercolor pictures are warm with crisp details. The facial expressions of the characters add to the text helping the reader to feel the struggle May is having as she must leave the land she knows to go back to a land her parents call home. The characters have dark straight, hair and their skin is varying shades of olive with almond shaped eyes. Say definitely portrays May as a gaijin (foreigner) when he uses earth tones for most of the illustration and gives us May in her bright red dress accented with a touch of purple in her purse which also illustrates her independence and confidence as a young woman. Say exposes the reader to a different type of clothing for women in the pictures of women in kimonos, homes, and the food. There are some pictures showing transportation, department stores, and some of the clothing to be the same as in the United States which lets the reader know we share similarities. Say introduces the reader to a small slice of Japan while letting us know we all have desires and struggles within us.

Reviews

"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." - Booklist

"Through choice words and scrupulously choreographed paintings, Say's story communicates both the heart's yearning for individuality and freedom and how love and friendship can bridge cultural chasms." - Publishers Weekly

Awards/Connections

THE LOTUS SEED written by Sherry Garland

FLY AWAY HOME written by Eve Bunting

THE NAME JAR written by Yangsook Choi

Riverbank Review Book of Distinction

Bulletin Blue Ribbon

SLJ Best Book

ALA Notable Book

http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/authors/allensay/

Module #5 Asian American Literature: BEHIND THE MASK

BEHIND THE MASK

Choi, Yangsook. BEHIND THE MASK. 2006. New York: Frances Foster Books. ISBN 0374305226

Plot Summary

It is almost Halloween and Kimin has not decided what he should wear as his costume. Kimin's mother tries

to help him decide by bringing up two boxes from the basement that belonged to his grandfather. Kimin is

afraid to look because his last memory of spending time alone with his grandfather frightened him.

Grandfather turned around to greet him but face was scary and not that of his grandfather. Little did Kimin

realize his grandfather was wearing a mask used in special Korean folk dances. Morning comes and Kimin

decides to look inside Grandfather's wooden boxes. He finds old photographs of his grandfather wearing

masks and dancing. The other box contains the many masks grandfather wore as a dancer. Kimin decides

to be his grandfather for Halloween. Kimin goes trick-or-treating with his friends but does not tell them who

he is until the end when he trips and falls and his mask comes off. Kimin later shares his pictures and masks

with his friends as they dance around the room, like grandfather. Last year our art teacher exposed the

students to the mack dance Talchum. After learning about this brief part of the Korean culture each student

created a mask. Each mask was incredible. Behind the Mask is not rich in cultural markers but the

book can be used to illustrate a minute part of Korean culture as well as remind us of special

people in our lives.

Critical Analysis

Simple, colorful watercolor illustrations provide interest and marry the text to create a sweet story of a young

boy who learns something new and interesting about his Korean grandfather. Endpapers have examples of

the the expressive masks worn by the dancers of the traditional Korean folk dance, Talcum.

This story provides an example of what our lecture notes state about Japanese stories, "Common, Japanese

structural forms have a narrative that merely places one event after another, a narrative that proceeds entirely

through parallels and continually stresses sameness rather than differences, or a narrative that turns conflict

into accord," according to Elaine Aoki. Choi allows the reader to feel the emotion of a young boy who

remembers his grandfather as a wonderful loving grandfather until his last visit to Korea where a late night

visit to grandfather's room unsettles him. Kimin's last memory of his grandfather was not a pleasant

memory. He spies his grandfather looking into a box late one night and when grandfather turns to speak he

has on a scary mask. I am taking l liberty to assume that some of the Korean beliefs such as "lighting the

way for the wandering spirits" and "Kimin knew that Halloween was also a time to honor the dead"

have something to do with Korean beliefs. She also provides information about the Tal, which means mask

in Korean, at the end of the story. Kimin decides to honor his grandfather by wearing grandfather's mask

and dance clothes for his trick-or-treat costume. A letter written in Korean is translated into English giving

significance to the Korean language and showing the love of a grandfather to his grandson. Mother

translates the letter for Kimin and his friends because Kimin only knows English. There are other examples

of the Korean symbols/words sprinkled throughout the story. Kimin was later able to share grandfather's

pictures, masks, and dances.

Reviews

"The illustrations in muted fall colors enhance the story beautifully, and include endpapers with the stylized

masks depicted. This is an evocative look at a Korean tradition and an interesting intergenerational and

multicultural story for Halloween." - School Library Journal

"A note about talchum, Korean mask dance, follows the story. A unique look at Halloween, this

is a comfortable story about death and some of the traditions of Korean culture." - Kirkus Review

Awards/Connections

MY O'L MAN- written by Patricia Polacco

THE KEEPING QUILT - written by Patricia Polacco

2007 The Best Children's Book of the Year by Bank Street CollegeBest Children's Book of the Year

2007 NCSS-CBC Notable Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies

Author's web site:

http://www.yangsookchoi.com/

For more information about the Korean masks check out:

http://asianhistory.about.com/od/arthistoryinasia/ss/KoreanMasks.htm

Module #5 Asian American Literature: COCKROACH COOTIES

COCKROACH COOTIES

Yep, Laurence. COCKROACH COOTIES. 2000. New York: Hyperion. ISBN0786813385

Plot Summary

Cockroach Cooties is a delightfully funny story of two typical brothers, Teddy and Bobby, who do not always get along. They are harassed at school by one of their peers, Arnie-zilla, until one day a secret weapon is discovered; a cockroach. The bully does not like cockroaches. The boys use the cockroach who they have named Hercules to their advantage and fortunately learn more than how to care for a cockroach.

Critical Analysis

Laurence Yep pulls from a familiar theme of sibling rivalry which is evident in any culture to create a story familiar to children about a bully, family life, and a pet. About being a big brother, Teddy states, "However, there was one part of brotherhood I took seriously. In fact, it was the privilege of all big brothers. Nobody could do serious damage to my little brother except me." This story is not unique to Asian American children except for the fact that Yep introduces a few cultural markers throughout the story which connects the reader to the fact that the boys are Asian American children. Most of the characters in the story have been assigned American sounding names: Teddy, Bobby, Arnie, Sister Marie, Roderick, Ollie to mention a few. The boys, Teddy and Bobby live in Chinatown in an apartment with their parents. They address their parents as Mother and Father. Mother is not having a birthday party instead the characters refer to the celebration as a birthday banquet which will be held at a favorite Chinese restaurant. This story goes from one event to the next with the boys learning a lesson that sometimes we behave a certain way because of our life circumstances. This is an example of what I read in the lecture notes that states,"Asian American literature is often non-linear and does not necessarily have a beginning, middle, and an end." This story is a brief glimpse into the lives of two young boys. Ethnic foods are mentioned in the story such as bright red strips of candied ginger, sweet preserved plums, Belfast sparkling cider, a kind of carbonated apple juice, paper-wrapped chicken, steamed fish in black bean sauce, with fish cheeks being the tastiest. The meals are eaten with chopsticks. When the boys go to the market to buy Mother a present the shop keeper always comments on their choice by saying ver-ree edu-ca-shun-al or ver-ree han-dee. Another glimpse into the Chinese culture is when Teddy describes one of his teachers, Miss Lee. He states, "She liked to wear Chinese-style dresses that had a slit up one leg. She liked the old-fashioned Chinese discipline, too." The theme of tolerance is loosely woven through this story. Teddy is disgusted by his brother's admiration of a newly acquired cockroach to which his brother replies, "Just because something's different doesn't make it a monster" and "He wouldn't seem so disgusting if you looked at things from his view." This statement is later revisited when the boys are talking about the bully Arnie-zilla. Arnie tells the boys his mother works two jobs and doesn't have much time in between for cleaning so the apartment is infested with bugs. Arnie hates bugs. Arnie promises to stop picking on the brothers and the brothers let Arnie save face by not telling their peers he is afraid of bugs. The children learn Chinese lessons and write their words/symbols with special ink. Bobby places the cockroach in his Chinese ink box. Yep tells the reader that a Chinese ink box is a "metal box about the size of a lady's compact and engraved on the lid was a picture of a carp becoming a dragon. In the box was a small ball of cotton soaked in Chinese ink which is thicker and blacker than American ink." The symbol of the dragon is often found in Asian Pacific American literature. According to our lecture notes, "Asian Pacific American children's literature is also grounded in symbols and creatures from folklore and myth, especially dragons and demons." Apparently Asian Americans shop daily for their meals as is the custom of other cultures. Yep describes the market in Chinatown as "the streets were filled with people shopping for their dinners. There were always plenty of fresh vegetables and meat and fish and fruit. Everyone had bulging plastic shopping bags." During the banquet expressions such as Chinese time are mentioned. "I've heard of American time and Chinese time but never bucket time." Mother's banquet was a fiasco from the beginning. There was a constant dripping from the ceiling and buckets began to overflow. Father was trying to get the buckets emptied and made the mistake of asking one of the waiters to take away some of the buckets. "Father should have known better. You just didn't say things like that to a Chinatown waiter. It was like ordering around the president." Mother and Father have a close knit relationship with each other and the family, relatives included. Many of the relatives are at the restaurant for the birthday banquet.

This book is a good example of how Laurence Yep "draws from his Chinese American background to speak to common feelings and experiences."

Reviews

"The translation reads dtiffly, but the characters are varied enough to create laughs and chemistry." - School Library Journal

"Full of the sights and sounds of San Francisco's Chinatown, the tale zips along at a brisk pace, percolating with snappy dialogue. A seasoned craftsman, Yep effortlessly shoehorns in fun facts about insects ("Did you know that cockroaches have two brains?" Bobby asks the hapless Arnie as he pursues him with Hercules). An altogether chipper outing." - Publishers Weekly

Awards/Connections

BROTHERS written by Yin, illustrator Chris Soentpiet

MY ROTTEN RED-HEADED OLDER BROTHER written by Patricia Polacco

BOTHERS AND SISTERS: FAMILY POEMS written by Eloise Greenfield

HUNGRY COCKROACHES written by Meish Goldish

http://www.readingrockets.org/books/interviews/yep

Module #4 Native American Literature: CODE TALKER

CODE TALKER: A NOVEL ABOUT THE NAVAJO MARINES OF WORLD WAR TWO

Bruchac, Joseph. CODE TALKER: A NOVEL ABOUT THE NAVAJO MARINES OF WORLD WAR TWO. 2005. New York: Dial Books. ISBN 0803729219

Plot Summary

The story is set during World War II and young Ned Begay is beginning his first year at boarding school. This is the catalyst that will forever change his life. Begay lies about his age (he is only sixteen) and joins the Marines where he becomes a Navajo code talker. Being a code talker is top secret even for as long as twenty years after the war. Ned experiences friendship and the cruelties of war while holding on to his Navaho culture and traditions.

Critical Analysis

From the opening of the story Bruchac immerses the reader into the Navajo culture by creating a picture of young Ned Begay and his feelings of leaving home. "I sat behind our hogan, leaning against its familiar walls and looking up toward the mesa. I hoped I would see an eagle, for that would be good sign." Showing respect; ..."for I had always obeyed my mother - whose love for me was as certain as the firmness of the sacred earth beneath my moccasins." Cultural markers are evident again as Begay describes his mother; "There stood my tall, beautiful mother. Her thick black hair was tied up into a bun. She was dressed in her finest clothing - a new, silky blue blouse and a blue pleated skirt decorated with bands of gold ribbons. On her feet were soft calf-high moccasins, and she wore all her silver and turquoise jewelry. Her squash-blossom necklace, her bracelets, her concha belt, her earrings - I knew she had adorned herself with all of these things for me." This was a tradition to be dressed in your finest to leave a beautiful picture in the person's mind. Also, later in the story Begay describes how all the other Navajo children at the boarding school are dressed in their finest clothes and ornamentation upon arrival. These items, a sign of how much their families loved them and how precious they were to their families, are later taken away and sold to the bilagáanaa (white people) in an effort to strip away their culture. Bruchac sprinkles Navajo words into the story while providing a translation which does not take away from the text. Terms of endearment for Begay were Kii Yázhí, (Little boy), Awee Yázhí, (Little Baby). Begay was small even as a baby and his father would tease him say ing his cradleboard was made out of the handle of a wooden spoon. Transportation to the boarding school was a wagon drawn by horses on a dirt road. When Begay's uncle was talking to him he addressed the young man as "Little Boy," he said, "Sister's first son, listen to me. Themes of pride, honor, and respect for one's family and culture are evident throughout the story. The uncle tells Begay that he is going to school for his family, not for himself. He is to learn the ways of the white people for the laws of the United States are in English. He also reminds him that the Navajo language is sacred and beautiful. This respect for the Navajo language is not present in the people at the boarding school who forbid and punish any student who speaks their mother tongue. Formal schooling was not the way of Begay's parents and relatives. They "learned all they knew from their own relatives and from wise elders who knew many things, people who lived with us. People just like us."

Traditions/customs are noticeable in the text. It was a sacred thing for men and women to wear their hair long. "Cutting your hair was believed to bring misfortune to you." This shearing of the children's hair was another attempt to strip away the Navajo identity. Names are special in the Navajo culture. "By knowing each other's clan - the clan of the mother that we were born to, the clan of the father that we were born for - we can recognize our relatives." The boarding school took the names from the Navajo children and assigned them English names in their place. Some were assigned the names of famous dead white men which was taboo to the Navajo children who knew a Navajo would "never deliberately give the name of someone who has died." It was also taboo to look upon a dead body. Unfortunately Begay was faced with this tragedy on more than one occasion as he was in some of the bloodiest conflicts during World War II. A protection ceremony was performed for Begay by a family friend Frank Mitchell, addressed as Hosteen( a Navajo word that is a term of respect) Mitchell. The ceremony was called Hózhǫǫjí, "the Blessingway". Hosteen Mitchell gives Begay a bag of corn pollen which is reminds him of the goodness of the Blessingway and to provide his life with calm, balance and safety. Johnny Manuelito a recruiting officer talked to the young men about what was expected during boot camp. To the Navajo young men it did not sound so taxing because they were used to carrying a gun and walking long distances to find food and protect their herds from predators. What was normal everyday living seemed to be a hardship for the "other" recruits and they "washed out." This illustration unsettles me. I have not been in military, but I am a military child, and know being tough is a requirement, but when Bruchac writes about average men, "They wash out. It's too hard for your average man to get used to marching long distances and carrying heavy packs, to running and climbing obstacles." I wonder, didn't a lot of "average" men make it through boot camp and later give their life defending our country?

Bruchac uses many examples of figurative language by describing things in terms of nature. One example is: "The hours and days, the weeks and months and even the years, grew legs and began to run like an antelope."

Code Taker is presented as a story told to grandchildren by the grandfather. In this case the grandfather is Ned Begay. He is finally able to tell the story of the Navajo Marine code talkers of which he was one. His feelings of pride and humility about his involvement during the war are woven throughout the story. "We did not go around thinking we were better than everyone else. We did not boast. Our pride was quiet and humble. We remembered that the language that now could be of such great use, our sacred language, had been passed down to us by our elders. We kept our elders ad our families in mind as we studied. We remembered our sacred land." Another example of honoring family, country, and one's elders. Also the value of life is perpetuated by the remarks regarding the Japanese: "What troubled me the most was the way they treated the native people of the islands they conquered. They believed only Japanese were real humans. Anyone else was treated like a dog. Never forget, grandchildren that we must always see all other people as human beings worthy of respect. We must never forget, as the Japanese forgot, that all life is holy." This is his perspective of the Japanese. I wonder if I will learn something different regarding life when we study literature from the Asian culture.

A riveting account of from a personal perspective of life during immense conflict. Ned Begay grows stronger from his experiences never forgetting his identity and reflecting on what is important to life.

Reviews

"With its multicultural themes and well-told WWI history, this will appeal to a wide audience." - Kirkus Review

"The narrative pulls no punches about war's brutality and never adopts an avuncular tone. Not every section of the book is riveting, but slowly the succession of scenes, impressions, and remarks build to create a solid, memorable portrayal of Ned Begay. Even when facing complex forces within his own country, he is able to reach into his traditional culture to find answers that work for him in a modern context. Readers who choose the book for the attraction of Navaho code talking and the heat of battle will come away with more than they ever expected to find." - Booklist

Awards/Connections

Iowa Teen Award Nominee 2007-2008

EYES OF THE EMPEROR witten by Graham Salisbury

CRACKER!: THE BEST DOG IN VIETNAM written by Cynthia Kadohata

JIM THORPE, ORIGINAL ALL AMERICAN written by Joseph Bruchac

NAVAJO CODE TALKERS written by Nathan Aaseng

WARRIORS: NAVAJO CODE TALKERS written by Kenji Kawano

To listen to poems read by Joseph Bruchac and find other interesting information check out the following website:

http://www.josephbruchac.com

Module #4 Native American Literature: THE GIRL WHO LOVED WILD HORSES

THE GIRL WHO LOVED

WILD HORSES

Goble, Paul. THE GIRL WHO LOVED WILD HORSES. 1993. New York: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing. ISBN 9780689716966

Plot Summary

A young girl loves horses so much she spends most her time with them, tending to them and their needs. One day the girl falls asleep as the horses graze nearby and a strong storms whips up. The girl jumps on the back of one of the horses and off they go trying to ride out the storm. The nest day the girl and the horses find themselves far from home. Her people eventually find her a return her to the village only to watch her become ill over the separation from the horses. Alas, her peoples see that she must return in order to get well. For a time the girl returns with a new colt for her parents until one day she does not return. The people believe she has turned into one of her beloved horses because they see a beautiful mare with a long flowing mane running beside the spotted stallion.

Critical Analysis

Goble's illustrations of the Native Americans are sparse when it comes to facial characteristics. Long dark hair worn loose or in braids is typical of the Native American culture. I learned in a previous book the hair was a sacred thing and not to be cut. The illustrations are vivid and add immensely to the text providing emotion and movement. Symbols from nature such as the eagle and other animals and the many colors represented in the flowers, the clothing and the tipis are other cultural markers. Transportation was horseback due to the fact these people were hunters and had to be able to move when the herds moved. When the hunters find the girl she throws her blanket into the air in their direction. To me this symbolizes she is separate from her people and now part of the Horse People.

The illustrations can tell the story without the text. Never-the-less, Goble tells that the people trained their fastest horses for hunting. They had to hunt their own food so they were skilled with the bow, arrow and spear as is evident from the illustrations. The girl helped her mother gather wood and carry water to the camp. Figurative language is shown when the speaking of the early morning; " She would often get up at daybreak when the birds were singing about the rising sun." When the hunters tried to lasso the stallion Goble describes the horse; "His eyes shone like cold stars...He snorted and his hooves struck as fast as lightning."The leader of the horses spoke to the girl and welcomed her to live with them keeping the balance and respect of nature and man. In keeping with custom the girl's family gave her a beautiful dress and the best horse in the village for her return to the horses. The people also provided gifts of feather and ribbons for the horses' manes and tails. Special symbols/designs were painted on their bodies.

Supporting the strong bond of respect and family each year the girl would return with a new colt for her family.

Reviews

"The story is good for telling aloud, but the real strength of the book lies in the highly detailed, full page lithographs finely printed in bright colors that correspond with the text. For example, a night scene in a dark canyon is enchanting, conveying well the mood of desolation. The illustrations alone make this worth owning." - School Library Journal

"In this Caldecott Medal book, Goble tells the story of how a girl so loved horses that, according to this Native American legend, she eventually became one. Beautiful, bright color illustrations on every spread expand upon the spare, but effective text. A true delight for those who love folklore and horses. The text closes with two Native American songs celebrating horses." - Children's Literature

Awards/Connections

The Caldecott Medal 1979

An ALA Notable Children's Book

A NCSS/CBC Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies

One of the Children's Books of the Year; chosen by the Library of Congress

THIRTEEN YEARS ON A TURTLE'S BACK written by Joseph Bruchac

THE LEGEND OF THE INDIAN PAINTBRUSH written by Tomie DePaola

KEEPER OF THE NIGHT: NATIVE AMERICAN STORIES AND NOCTURNAL ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN (KEEPER S OF THE EARTH) written by Michael Caduto

Module #3: Hispanic/Latino(a) Literature: Tomás and the Library Lady

Tomás and the Library Lady

Mora, Pat. TOMÁS AND THE LIBRARY LADY. 1997. Ill. by Raul Colón. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0679804013

Plot Summary

The time of the year is summer as the story opens with Tomás and his family driving late at night to reach Iowa where they will join other migrant Mexican farm workers to harvest the crops. While the adults are working Tomás and his brother Enrique listen to stories told to them by their grandfather, Papá Grande. Pretty soon Tomás knows all Papá Grande's stories and begins to ask for new stories. Papá Grande encourages him to visit the local library where he can learn new stories and share them with the family. Tomás gets the courage to go inside the formidable building and mets the librarian who introduces him to various books and multitudes of stories as well as gives him cool water to drink and offers him a comfortable place to read and ponder over his books. Since he cannot have a library card she checks books out to him under her name. When the afternoon is slow, he teaches Spanish words to the librarian. Soon the harvest season is over and Tomás must say, "adiós." When Tomás leaves he takes with him many new stories in his mind as well as a shiny new book from the librarian.

Critical Analysis

Raul Colón's illustrations match the tone of the text, warm, safe, and inviting. His scratch technique emphasizes this as the markings are fluid and smooth giving dimension as well. The characters are dark haired except for the graying Papá Grande and the librarian. Large brown eyes stare out from the page in wonderment as Tomás thinks about what he is reading and when he is teaching Spanish words to the librarian. The clothing is typical to the late 1940's when this story takes place; Papá Grande has his white shirt buttoned up to his neck and the librarian has on a dress with a Peter Pan collar. The setting takes place in a small farming community. Tomás travels on foot between the fields where his parents are working to the library in town.

Tomás and his family are migrant Mexican farm workers. Mora describes the sleeping conditions when they arrive on the Iowa farm: "He curled up on the cot in the small house that his family shared with the other workers." In addition to the text, the illustration shows Tomás sleeping, probably in his underwear because his bare arm and chest are showing, with a patched blanket, in a seemingly bare room. Their car is described as a "rusty old car" which further conveys a feeling of poverty. When the boys played catch it was with a ball their mother had made from an old teddy bear, not a real ball. They did not stop to stay in a motel. Instead the family is traveling late into the night. Some days the family went to the town dump to look for pieces of iron to sell. The boys each looked for items of interest to them; toys for Enrique and books for Tomas. Mora writes, "He would put the books in the sun to bake away the smell." What a picture those words paint.

The grandfather does not work in the fields. He keeps an eye on the brothers and tells them stories while the others are working. I have several Hispanic friends who have their grandparents living with them and it is viewed as a natural part of their family life. A sense of family is strong within the Hispanic culture. In our lecture notes Nieto writes, "Latino children's literature has revolved around folklore, legends, riddles, games, poetry, and stories in the oral tradition, rather than on the childhood or adolescent experience as interpreted in the U.S. context" (Nieto, 1997). Papá Grande does just that, he tells stories orally. "Tomás liked to listen to Papá Grande tell stories in Spanish. Papá Grande was the best storyteller in the family." In our lecture notes Mora writes, "What we have inside of our homes and our families is a treasure chest that we don't pay attention to." Vardell goes on to add " She urges young people to preserve their heritage by tape-recording their family's stories and finding out about the cultural treasures in their homes. Mora also draws from her culture by using names such as Enrique, Mamá, Papá, Papá Grande, and Tomás. She mingles Spanish words along with the English text such as buenas noches (good night), En un tiempo pasado (Once upon a time), counting in Spanish, and libro (book) to name a few. The Spanish words are in italics which helps to set them apart from the English text.

The relationship between Tomás and the library lady builds as the story closes with Tomás teaching her the Spanish word for goodbye, "adiós" and later he gives her a small package containing pan dulce, a type of sweet bread baked by his mother, "My mother makes the best pan dulce in Texas." She reciprocates by giving him a present, his very own book. This made a tremendous impact on Tomás. Even though this is fiction, it is based on the early years of Tomás Rivera whose family were migrant workers and he was encouraged to read by a librarian in Iowa. Further research on this book led me to discover the name of the Iowa librarian; Miss Bertha Gaulke. (Horning, 2006). Her kindness and introduction to the books in the library did have an impact on Tomás but I think the stories from his grandfather was the foundation for young Tomás's love for books.

Horning, Kathleen T. "Incoming ALSC President's Message." Children & Libraries: The Journal of the Association for the Library Service to Children 4, no. 2 (2006): 6-11. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2053/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=22251332&site=ehost-live.

Reviews

"Mora's slice-of-life account tells of the son of migrant workers(inspired by the boyhood of Hispanic author and educator Tomás Rivera) whose horizons and linguistic skills are thrown wide open by the guidance of a friendly librarian. The hardships of migrant life and the dreams that books and learning provide are carefully delineated in both text and muted illustrations." - School Library Journal

"Spanish words slip in naturally and unobtrusively throughout Mora's text as she focuses on the snug library and the books that fire Tomás's imagination, and on his friendship with the librarian." - Publishers Weekly

Awards/Connections

1997 Américas Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature Commended Title

1997 Notable Books for Children Smithsonian

1998 Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award'

1998 Teachers' Choices Award from the International Reading Association

1998 Skipping Stones Multicultural Book Award

1999-2000 Texas Bluebonnet Master List Title

1999-2000 Nebraska Golden Sower Nominee

THE LIBRARY DRAGON - written by Carmen Agra Deedy and illustrated by Michael P. White

THE LIBRARY - written by Sarah Stewart and illustrated by David Smalls

LIBRARY LIL - written by Suzanne Williams and illustrated by Steven Kellogg

ARMAND AND THE BLUE TARP SCHOOL - written by Edith Hope Fine

and Judith Pinkerton Josephson and illustrated by Hernan Sosa

The following poem is from Pat Mora's website

http://www.patmora.com/book_pages/tomas.htm

Library Magic

"¡Vamos! Let's go to the library!"

Tomas said to his family.

He showed them his favorite books

and his cozy reading nooks.

"¡Vamos! Let's go to the library!"

Tomás said to his friends. "Hurry!"

They saw libros in stacks and rows.

They laughed at funny puppet shows.

"¡Vamos! Let's all go to the library!"

Join the fun, a treasure house that's free.

Bring your friends and family.

Stories, computers, maps and more,

facts, fun. Enter the magic door.

Like Tomás, open books and soar.

Be a reader. Explore galore.

In memory of the leader, educator and author, Tomás Rivera

© Pat Mora, 2005

Reprinted by permission.

All rights reserved.