A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ryan, Pam Munoz. 2001. MICE AND BEANS. Ill. by Joe Cepada. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 439183030
B. PLOT SUMMARY
Rosa Maria is preparing for the birthday of her granddaughter, Catalina. Sunday through Saturday Rosa Maria works on the party. She plans the menu, orders a gift, cleans her house, and prepares for the party. Throughout all the preparations she sets mouse traps to keep the mice away only to realize on Saturday that mice might be helpful.
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Ryan uses a common theme, birthday, to create a story that illustrates the love a grandparent has for grandchildren as well as how circumstances change ones feelings. Using the days of the week to provide order, Ryan builds the story to the culmination, the birthday celebration. . At the beginning of the book Ryan has Rosa Maria quoting her mother, “When there’s room in the heart, there’s room in the house, except for a mouse.”
Ryan uses this to build both the story line and Rosa Maria’s character. Each day as Rosa Maria prepares for the party she worries about mice, setting traps that are mysteriously disappearing. Ryan builds a caring elderly character by showing Rosa Marie’s love of cooking for her family, “squeezing” them into her casita, the menu (no dinner was complete without rice and beans!), the birthday present for Catalina, the attention to the mouse traps, and her forgetfulness. Differing fonts and font size add interest and draw attention to detail throughout the book.
Joe Cepada’s illustrations enhance the story. The vivid pictures use different perspectives, high and low, to show the story from both the mice and Rosa Maria’s view points. Both illustration and text come together at the end to show Rosa Maria’s changed attitude toward mice.
Many cultural markers are used throughout this book to show a rich Hispanic culture. Language is used with the inclusion of Spanish words and phrases, such as bolsa, frijoles, fíjate, pastelería, and qué boba soy, throughout the book. The food, enchiladas, rice, beans reflects the culture also. The extended family that was going to “squeeze” into the house, Rosa Maria’s respect for her mother’s saying, and the piñata also refer to the Hispanic culture. The illustrations provide another cultural marker by using bright colorful scenes exaggerating the text. Rosa Maria wears heels, colorful clothing and earrings, and has her hair fixed. In the illustration of the birthday party everyone is crowded together and smiling further reinforcing the closeness of family.
Readers of Rice and Beans will be entertained by a colorful and humorous story that shares Hispanic culture through a universal celebration.
D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Booklist (September 15, 2001 (Vol. 98, No. 2))
Ages 4-7. It's time for Little Catalina's seventh birthday, and Grandmother Rosa Maria is ready to celebrate. She has room in her heart and her casita for nearly everyone on this happy occasion--everyone except mice. Grandmother sees to the details, from food to fun. But she forgets to fill the empty piñata, and when she discovers that mice have filled it for her, she opens a place in her joyful heart just for them. The story is charming, but what makes it special is the quiet authenticity of the Hispanic characterizations. Cepeda's pictures are as good as the story, with bright, funny scenes depicted from human (looking down) and mouse (looking up) points of view. A delightful birthday or anytime book.
Horn Book (Spring, 2002)
Rosa María takes pains to keep mice out of her house as she prepares for her granddaughter's birthday party. Nevertheless, the vibrant illustrations show a band of mice pilfering her birthday supplies and, in the end, secretly helping with the celebration. Readers of this clever story will chuckle at the skillful collaboration between author and artist. A pronunciation guide is included for the sprinkling of Spanish words in the text. Glos.
E. CONNECTIONS
Students can draw or write a story about a birthday celebration that is special to them. Another activity would be for students to tell what their grandparents do special for them.
Other book about birthday celebrations:
Brown, Marc Tolon. ARTHUR’S BIRTHDAY. ISBN 0316110736.
Haugen, Brenda. BIRTHDAYS. ISBN. 1404801987.
Mora, Pat. A BIRTHDAY BASKET FOR TIA. ISBN 0689813283Rustad, Martha Elizabeth Hillman. BIRTHDAYS IN MANY CULTURES. ISBN 1429617411.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
THE FIRST PART LAST by Angela Johnson
A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Johnson, Angela. 2005. THE FIRST PART LAST. New York: Simon Pulse. ISBN 0689849222
B. PLOT SUMMARY
Bobby’s girlfriend Nia is pregnant. She tells him on his sixteenth birthday. This book tells mostly Bobby’s story; his journey to fatherhood as only a sixteen year old boy can travel, from finding out Nia is pregnant to the reality of a baby. The story includes telling both sets of parents, difficult decisions, birth, and the acceptance of a new way of life.
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Using an urban setting Johnson weaves a teen pregnancy story with hard facts and harder feelings. Johnson uses short “then and now” chapters in telling Bobby’s story. Although Bobby and Nia have made a mistake they take responsible steps to deal with it. Following the telling of both sets of parents, there is prenatal care and discussions about their options. Alternating the story between caring for his daughter, Feather, and life before her birth keeps the reader anticipating the next page. The constant care an infant requires keeps those chapters filled with a level of anxiety that is relieved by the “then” chapters where the reality is only knocking on the door. Bobby’s decision to keep Feather is a mature and demanding one, however this does not prevent him from making other bad choices such as skipping school (not intentionally) and getting arrested for spray painting a wall. Typical teen behavior is apparent throughout the book; hanging out with his friends K-Boy and J.L., listening to music, and eating junk food. Johnson creates a strong character in Bobby with his continuous effort to do what is right. Johnson does a good job at showing perfection is not necessary, but persistence is.
Cultural markers show up throughout the book. Johnson describes the skin color of K-Boy as mahogany and Feather’s skin is caramel colored. Music is another marker seen in the book. Reference is made to the jazz, Motown, and reggae that play constantly in Bobby’s home. Although Bobby’s divorced parents react and act differently to the pregnancy both show strong support of him as do his older brothers.
Johnson has taken a common problem among teens and written a book that deals with the resulting reality while managing to wrap it all up in hope. The ending of this book deals Bobby yet another hurdle to cross, which he manages to do with grace and some amount of optimism.
D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Booklist starred (September 1, 2003 (Vol. 100, No. 1))
Gr. 6-12. Bobby, the teenage artist and single-parent dad in Johnson's Coretta Scott King Award winner, Heaven (1998), tells his story here. At 16, he's scared to be raising his baby, Feather, but he's totally devoted to caring for her, even as she keeps him up all night, and he knows that his college plans are on hold. In short chapters alternating between "now"and "then,"he talks about the baby that now fills his life, and he remembers the pregnancy of his beloved girlfriend, Nia. Yes, the teens'parents were right. The couple should have used birth control; adoption could have meant freedom. But when Nia suffers irreversible postpartum brain damage, Bobby takes their newborn baby home. There's no romanticizing. The exhaustion is real, and Bobby gets in trouble with the police and nearly messes up everything. But from the first page, readers feel the physical reality of Bobby's new world: what it's like to hold Feather on his stomach, smell her skin, touch her clenched fists, feel her shiver, and kiss the top of her curly head. Johnson makes poetry with the simplest words in short, spare sentences that teens will read again and again. The great cover photo shows the strong African American teen holding his tiny baby in his arms.
Horn Book starred (Fall 2003)
Sixteen-year-old Bobby and his girlfriend, Nia, had planned to put their baby, Feather, up for adoption, but Feather becomes impossible to relinquish after, as the reader learns at book's end, pregnancy-related eclampsia leaves Nia in an irreversible coma. What resonate in this prequel to the Coretta Scott King Award-winning Heaven are the sacrifices Bobby makes for Feather's sake.
Kirkus Review (June 1, 2003)
"The rules: If she hollers, she is mine. If she needs to be changed, she is always mine. In the dictionary next to 'sitter,' there is not a picture of Grandma. It's time to grow up. Too late, you're out of time. Be a grown-up." Sixteen-year-old Bobby has met the love of his life: his daughter. Told in alternating chapters that take place "then" and "now," Bobby relates the hour-by-hour tribulations and joys of caring for a newborn, and the circumstances that got him there. Managing to cope with support, but little help, from his single mother (who wants to make sure he does this on his own), Bobby struggles to maintain friendships and a school career while giving his daughter the love and care she craves from him at every moment. By narrating from a realistic first-person voice, Johnson manages to convey a story that is always complex, never preachy. The somewhat pat ending doesn't diminish the impact of this short, involving story. It's the tale of one young man and his choices, which many young readers will appreciate and enjoy. (Fiction. YA)
E. CONNECTIONS
Students could choose different parts of the story, discovering pregnancy, telling family, decision to give the baby up for adoption, Bobby’s arrest, or the ending and rewrite it from a personal point of view. What decisions would they make or how would their family react?
Other books on teen pregnancy:
Evans, Mari. “I’M LATE’: THE STORY OF LANEESE & MOONLIGHT AND ALISHA WHO DIDN’T HAVE ANYONE OF HER OWN. ISBN 1933491000
Reynolds, Marilyn. DETOUR FOR EMMY. ISBN 0930934768
Velasquez, Gloria. TEEN ANGEL. ISBN 155885391X
Johnson, Angela. 2005. THE FIRST PART LAST. New York: Simon Pulse. ISBN 0689849222
B. PLOT SUMMARY
Bobby’s girlfriend Nia is pregnant. She tells him on his sixteenth birthday. This book tells mostly Bobby’s story; his journey to fatherhood as only a sixteen year old boy can travel, from finding out Nia is pregnant to the reality of a baby. The story includes telling both sets of parents, difficult decisions, birth, and the acceptance of a new way of life.
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Using an urban setting Johnson weaves a teen pregnancy story with hard facts and harder feelings. Johnson uses short “then and now” chapters in telling Bobby’s story. Although Bobby and Nia have made a mistake they take responsible steps to deal with it. Following the telling of both sets of parents, there is prenatal care and discussions about their options. Alternating the story between caring for his daughter, Feather, and life before her birth keeps the reader anticipating the next page. The constant care an infant requires keeps those chapters filled with a level of anxiety that is relieved by the “then” chapters where the reality is only knocking on the door. Bobby’s decision to keep Feather is a mature and demanding one, however this does not prevent him from making other bad choices such as skipping school (not intentionally) and getting arrested for spray painting a wall. Typical teen behavior is apparent throughout the book; hanging out with his friends K-Boy and J.L., listening to music, and eating junk food. Johnson creates a strong character in Bobby with his continuous effort to do what is right. Johnson does a good job at showing perfection is not necessary, but persistence is.
Cultural markers show up throughout the book. Johnson describes the skin color of K-Boy as mahogany and Feather’s skin is caramel colored. Music is another marker seen in the book. Reference is made to the jazz, Motown, and reggae that play constantly in Bobby’s home. Although Bobby’s divorced parents react and act differently to the pregnancy both show strong support of him as do his older brothers.
Johnson has taken a common problem among teens and written a book that deals with the resulting reality while managing to wrap it all up in hope. The ending of this book deals Bobby yet another hurdle to cross, which he manages to do with grace and some amount of optimism.
D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Booklist starred (September 1, 2003 (Vol. 100, No. 1))
Gr. 6-12. Bobby, the teenage artist and single-parent dad in Johnson's Coretta Scott King Award winner, Heaven (1998), tells his story here. At 16, he's scared to be raising his baby, Feather, but he's totally devoted to caring for her, even as she keeps him up all night, and he knows that his college plans are on hold. In short chapters alternating between "now"and "then,"he talks about the baby that now fills his life, and he remembers the pregnancy of his beloved girlfriend, Nia. Yes, the teens'parents were right. The couple should have used birth control; adoption could have meant freedom. But when Nia suffers irreversible postpartum brain damage, Bobby takes their newborn baby home. There's no romanticizing. The exhaustion is real, and Bobby gets in trouble with the police and nearly messes up everything. But from the first page, readers feel the physical reality of Bobby's new world: what it's like to hold Feather on his stomach, smell her skin, touch her clenched fists, feel her shiver, and kiss the top of her curly head. Johnson makes poetry with the simplest words in short, spare sentences that teens will read again and again. The great cover photo shows the strong African American teen holding his tiny baby in his arms.
Horn Book starred (Fall 2003)
Sixteen-year-old Bobby and his girlfriend, Nia, had planned to put their baby, Feather, up for adoption, but Feather becomes impossible to relinquish after, as the reader learns at book's end, pregnancy-related eclampsia leaves Nia in an irreversible coma. What resonate in this prequel to the Coretta Scott King Award-winning Heaven are the sacrifices Bobby makes for Feather's sake.
Kirkus Review (June 1, 2003)
"The rules: If she hollers, she is mine. If she needs to be changed, she is always mine. In the dictionary next to 'sitter,' there is not a picture of Grandma. It's time to grow up. Too late, you're out of time. Be a grown-up." Sixteen-year-old Bobby has met the love of his life: his daughter. Told in alternating chapters that take place "then" and "now," Bobby relates the hour-by-hour tribulations and joys of caring for a newborn, and the circumstances that got him there. Managing to cope with support, but little help, from his single mother (who wants to make sure he does this on his own), Bobby struggles to maintain friendships and a school career while giving his daughter the love and care she craves from him at every moment. By narrating from a realistic first-person voice, Johnson manages to convey a story that is always complex, never preachy. The somewhat pat ending doesn't diminish the impact of this short, involving story. It's the tale of one young man and his choices, which many young readers will appreciate and enjoy. (Fiction. YA)
E. CONNECTIONS
Students could choose different parts of the story, discovering pregnancy, telling family, decision to give the baby up for adoption, Bobby’s arrest, or the ending and rewrite it from a personal point of view. What decisions would they make or how would their family react?
Other books on teen pregnancy:
Evans, Mari. “I’M LATE’: THE STORY OF LANEESE & MOONLIGHT AND ALISHA WHO DIDN’T HAVE ANYONE OF HER OWN. ISBN 1933491000
Reynolds, Marilyn. DETOUR FOR EMMY. ISBN 0930934768
Velasquez, Gloria. TEEN ANGEL. ISBN 155885391X
JOHN HENRY by Julius Lester
A. BIBLIOGRAPY
Lester, John. 1994. JOHN HENRY. Ill. by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Dial Books. ISBN 0803716079
B. PLOT SUMMARY
John Henry is the story of man bigger than life. This book tells the story of instant growth in a child and the extraordinary achievements of the grown man. His ability to swing a hammer allowed him to challenge a “modern” machine and win. This story shows the appreciation that even nature had for John Henry and his huge will to “be all he could be.”
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Lester immediately throws the reader into the story by telling how the birds, animals, sun, and moon came to his birth. Within a few paragraphs John Henry is born and grown so tall his head and shoulders busted through the porch roof. Lester moves John Henry from one event to another without losing pace, keeping the reader enthralled with his ability and achievements using humor and interjecting modern luxuries (indoor swimming pool and jucutzis). Throughout the book Henry is characterized as hard working, tireless, optimistic, and happy. These characteristics are apparent when he first repairs the porch roof for his family, chopped trees and made firewood, when he maneuvered Ferret-Faced Freddy into changing his behavior, when he moved the boulder, and finally when he dug the tunnel for the train.
The illustrator, Jerry Pinkney, uses pencil, colored pencils, and watercolor to produce illustrations that enliven and intensify the story. The pictures offer a multitude of visual feasting. The soft, yet vivid pictures tell the story visually along with the text. Creating a rainbow around John Henry as he demolished the boulder to create a road, establishes a visual representation of the hope and positive force of John Henry.
Cultural markers were used in the writing and illustrations of this book. Skin tone, facial features, body type, clothing, hairstyles and textures all represent African American culture in this book. African Americans were shown in a variety of settings. The text, through John Henry’s actions, repairing the porch roof, telling his parents he was leaving show his respect and love for his family.
The story and illustrations are both strengths of this book; both bring an emotional response from readers. The illustrations are a favorite of the book as well as John Henry for his positive can do attitude.
D. REVIEW EXCERPT
Horn Book starred (March, 1995)
The original legend of John Henry and how he beat the steam drill with his sledgehammer has been enhanced and enriched, in Lester's retelling, with wonderful contemporary details and poetic similes that add humor, beauty, and strength. Pinkney's evocative illustrations -- especially the landscapes, splotchy and impressionistic, yet very solid and vigorous -- are little short of magnificent. With source notes.
Kirkus Review (1994)
Onto the page bounds the colossus John Henry, man of legend, man of myth (though the preface keeps things off balance on that point). John was the archetype for the "Just Do It" generation; he was all bustle and business, surrounded by an aura of triumph. Lester hits upon all of John's special moments: his stupendous growth spurt; his humbling of Ferret-Faced Freddy; his smashing the great stone so fast that he creates a natty rainbow around his shoulders; and, of course, the climactic duel with the steam drill deep in the hills of West Virginia. John smoked the drill, but his big heart burst in the process. Lester (The Last Tales of Uncle Remus, p. 70, etc.; The Man Who Knew Too Much, see below) wisely makes it clear that you don't have to be John Henry to get things done: You just need the will; there's a bit of John to be tapped in us all. Pinkney's watercolors walk a smart and lovely line between ephemerality and sheer natural energy. The rainbow whispers the lesson here: "Dying ain't important. Everybody does that. What matters is how well you do your living." Amen.
School Library Journal (November 1994)
K-Gr 5-Another winning collaboration from the master storyteller and gifted artist of Tales of Uncle Remus (Dial, 1987) fame. Based on several well-known versions of an African American folk ballad, Lester's tale is true to the essence of the steel-driving man; yet, it allows room for touches of whimsy and even includes some contemporary references that tie the hero to our own times. Told with just a trace of dialect, the story moves along briskly toward the climax. Its moral message of the importance of a well-lived life is clearly stated, and the ending is uplifting. Pinkney's marvelous watercolors, abundantly rich in detail, convey both the superior strength and the warm sense of humanity that make John Henry perhaps a more down-to-earth character than some other tall-tale figures. The paintings' muted earth tones add a realistic touch to the text, bringing this John Henry alive. When viewed from a distance, however, figures and details sometimes blend together, making the book better suited to independent reading that group sharing. It will appeal to an older audience than Ezra Jack Keats's John Henry (Knopf, 1987) and is a fine addition to any folklore collection.-Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, Wheeler School, Providence, RI
E. CONNECTIONS
Students can add an event and/or rewrite the ending. What else might John Henry have accomplished or what might he accomplish next?
Another book about John Henry:
Krensky, Stephen. JOHN HENRY. ISBN 1575058871
Lester, John. 1994. JOHN HENRY. Ill. by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Dial Books. ISBN 0803716079
B. PLOT SUMMARY
John Henry is the story of man bigger than life. This book tells the story of instant growth in a child and the extraordinary achievements of the grown man. His ability to swing a hammer allowed him to challenge a “modern” machine and win. This story shows the appreciation that even nature had for John Henry and his huge will to “be all he could be.”
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Lester immediately throws the reader into the story by telling how the birds, animals, sun, and moon came to his birth. Within a few paragraphs John Henry is born and grown so tall his head and shoulders busted through the porch roof. Lester moves John Henry from one event to another without losing pace, keeping the reader enthralled with his ability and achievements using humor and interjecting modern luxuries (indoor swimming pool and jucutzis). Throughout the book Henry is characterized as hard working, tireless, optimistic, and happy. These characteristics are apparent when he first repairs the porch roof for his family, chopped trees and made firewood, when he maneuvered Ferret-Faced Freddy into changing his behavior, when he moved the boulder, and finally when he dug the tunnel for the train.
The illustrator, Jerry Pinkney, uses pencil, colored pencils, and watercolor to produce illustrations that enliven and intensify the story. The pictures offer a multitude of visual feasting. The soft, yet vivid pictures tell the story visually along with the text. Creating a rainbow around John Henry as he demolished the boulder to create a road, establishes a visual representation of the hope and positive force of John Henry.
Cultural markers were used in the writing and illustrations of this book. Skin tone, facial features, body type, clothing, hairstyles and textures all represent African American culture in this book. African Americans were shown in a variety of settings. The text, through John Henry’s actions, repairing the porch roof, telling his parents he was leaving show his respect and love for his family.
The story and illustrations are both strengths of this book; both bring an emotional response from readers. The illustrations are a favorite of the book as well as John Henry for his positive can do attitude.
D. REVIEW EXCERPT
Horn Book starred (March, 1995)
The original legend of John Henry and how he beat the steam drill with his sledgehammer has been enhanced and enriched, in Lester's retelling, with wonderful contemporary details and poetic similes that add humor, beauty, and strength. Pinkney's evocative illustrations -- especially the landscapes, splotchy and impressionistic, yet very solid and vigorous -- are little short of magnificent. With source notes.
Kirkus Review (1994)
Onto the page bounds the colossus John Henry, man of legend, man of myth (though the preface keeps things off balance on that point). John was the archetype for the "Just Do It" generation; he was all bustle and business, surrounded by an aura of triumph. Lester hits upon all of John's special moments: his stupendous growth spurt; his humbling of Ferret-Faced Freddy; his smashing the great stone so fast that he creates a natty rainbow around his shoulders; and, of course, the climactic duel with the steam drill deep in the hills of West Virginia. John smoked the drill, but his big heart burst in the process. Lester (The Last Tales of Uncle Remus, p. 70, etc.; The Man Who Knew Too Much, see below) wisely makes it clear that you don't have to be John Henry to get things done: You just need the will; there's a bit of John to be tapped in us all. Pinkney's watercolors walk a smart and lovely line between ephemerality and sheer natural energy. The rainbow whispers the lesson here: "Dying ain't important. Everybody does that. What matters is how well you do your living." Amen.
School Library Journal (November 1994)
K-Gr 5-Another winning collaboration from the master storyteller and gifted artist of Tales of Uncle Remus (Dial, 1987) fame. Based on several well-known versions of an African American folk ballad, Lester's tale is true to the essence of the steel-driving man; yet, it allows room for touches of whimsy and even includes some contemporary references that tie the hero to our own times. Told with just a trace of dialect, the story moves along briskly toward the climax. Its moral message of the importance of a well-lived life is clearly stated, and the ending is uplifting. Pinkney's marvelous watercolors, abundantly rich in detail, convey both the superior strength and the warm sense of humanity that make John Henry perhaps a more down-to-earth character than some other tall-tale figures. The paintings' muted earth tones add a realistic touch to the text, bringing this John Henry alive. When viewed from a distance, however, figures and details sometimes blend together, making the book better suited to independent reading that group sharing. It will appeal to an older audience than Ezra Jack Keats's John Henry (Knopf, 1987) and is a fine addition to any folklore collection.-Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, Wheeler School, Providence, RI
E. CONNECTIONS
Students can add an event and/or rewrite the ending. What else might John Henry have accomplished or what might he accomplish next?
Another book about John Henry:
Krensky, Stephen. JOHN HENRY. ISBN 1575058871
ROSA by Nikki Giovanni
A. BIBLIOGRAPY
Giovanni, Nikki. 2005. ROSA. Ill. by Bryan Collier. New York: Scholastic Inc. ISBN 0439898838
B. PLOT SUMMARY
This book tells the story of how one lady, Rosa Parks, took a stand against unfair and unequal laws in the fifties by refusing to give up her seat on the bus. The story takes Rosa through the preceding days up to her refusal to leave her seat and the repercussions of that decision.
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The author immediately begins building a strong standard of excelling for the Parks family. Mr. Parks is one of the best barbers in the county and Rosa is the best seamstress in the county. Mr. Parks takes on extra work and Rosa works through lunch; implying a strong work ethic. The author creates a story line of regular hard working people, striving to their best and then very calmly presents a live changing event, to which the main character responds to with serenity and purpose. Rosa had not wanted this situation, but she would respond to it with dignity and grace learned from her mother and grandmother.
Reference to the inequality to African Americans is provided throughout the book. These cultural markers include Rosa paying to ride the bus in the front but must exit and enter through the rear door, then sit in the back. The author includes the 1954 Brown versus Board of Education decision, the colored signs, the furtive way the women met at the college, Emmett Till, and Martin Luther King, Jr. to share what was happening during this time in history.
The illustrations done in watercolor and collage enhance and embellish this story, providing a visual image of the text. The art is simple, straightforward, and honest depicting a serene Rosa and family. The artist shows a multitude of skin color and facial features throughout the book. Visual representation of the unequal treatment includes a picture with a “white entrance” sign. The picture of the bus driver leaning over Rosa expresses the stereotypical view of white dominance.
The strength of this book lies in the emotional impact on readers to the injustice African Americans endured during this time period. The illustrator claims to have used yellow and dark hues to enhance the illusion of heat that precedes a disturbance.
D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Booklist starred (June 1, 2005 (Vol. 101, No. 19))
Gr. 3-5. Far from the cliche of Rosa Parks as the tired little seamstress, this beautiful picture-book biography shows her as a strong woman, happy at home and at work, and politically aware ("not tired from work, but tired of . . . eating at separate lunch counters and learning at separate schools"). Her refusal to give up her seat on a bus inspires her friend Jo Ann Robinson, president of the Women's Political Council, and the 25 council members to make posters calling for the bus boycott, and they organize a mass meeting where the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. speaks for them. Paired very effectively with Giovanni's passionate, direct words, Collier's large watercolor-and-collage illustrations depict Parks as an inspiring force that radiates golden light, and also as part of a dynamic activist community. In the unforgettable close-up that was used for the cover, Parks sits quietly waiting for the police as a white bus driver demands that she give up her seat. In contrast, the final picture opens out to four pages showing women, men, and children marching for equal rights at the bus boycott and in the years of struggle yet to come. The history comes clear in the astonishing combination of the personal and the political.
Kirkus Review starred (July 15, 2005)
Rosa Parks sat. "She had not sought this moment, but she was ready for it." When she refused to move out of the neutral section of her bus to make way for white passengers, she sparked the Montgomery bus boycott. She was tired of putting white people first. Giovanni's lyrical text and Collier's watercolor-and-collage illustrations combine for a powerful portrayal of a pivotal moment in the civil-rights movement. The art complements and extends the text, with visual references to Emmett Till, the Edmund Pettus Bridge and Martin Luther King, Jr. The yellowish hue of the illustrations represents the Alabama heat, the light emanating from Rosa Parks's face a shining beacon to all who would stand up for what's right. A dramatic foldout mural will make this important work even more memorable. An essential volume for classrooms and libraries. (Picture book. 5+)
Library Media Connection (March 2006)
This is the story of Rosa Parks and how by saying "no" on a Montgomery bus she changed the history of our nation. On this particular day Rosa left work early. As usual she paid her bus fare, got off the bus, and re- entered from the rear. The section reserved for blacks was full, but the section for both whites and blacks had some empty seats. When the driver demanded her seat, Rosa did not move. She had decided not to give in to what she knew was wrong. She was tired of the segregation and she remembered the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education decision. After Rosa's arrest members of the Women's Political Council met. First they prayed and then they created fliers that encouraged blacks to walk in support of Rosa. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke in favor of blacks walking. So began the bus boycott. Almost a year after Rosa Parks had been arrested on that bus in Montgomery, the Supreme Court ruled segregation on the buses was illegal. The wonderful color illustrations bring life to this book. They are painted in a manner that allows the reader to see both the darkness and the light of this situation. The detail brings to life a very familiar page of our history. Highly Recommended. Karen Scott, Media Specialist, Thompson Middle School, Alabaster, Alabama
E. CONNECTIONS
Discussion topics could include: would it have been as powerful a statement if a man had refused to give up his seat, could they support a boycott if it created personal hardship, and do they think their mothers have the strength to do what Rosa did? Older students could research other women that played an important part in American history.
Other books about Rosa Parks:
Edwards, Pamela Duncan. THE BUS RIDE THAT CHANGED HISTORY: THE STORY OF ROSA PARKS. ISBN 0618449116
Pinkney, Andrea Davis. BOYCOTT BLUES: HOW ROSA PARKS INSPIRED A NATION. ISBN 0060821191
Giovanni, Nikki. 2005. ROSA. Ill. by Bryan Collier. New York: Scholastic Inc. ISBN 0439898838
B. PLOT SUMMARY
This book tells the story of how one lady, Rosa Parks, took a stand against unfair and unequal laws in the fifties by refusing to give up her seat on the bus. The story takes Rosa through the preceding days up to her refusal to leave her seat and the repercussions of that decision.
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The author immediately begins building a strong standard of excelling for the Parks family. Mr. Parks is one of the best barbers in the county and Rosa is the best seamstress in the county. Mr. Parks takes on extra work and Rosa works through lunch; implying a strong work ethic. The author creates a story line of regular hard working people, striving to their best and then very calmly presents a live changing event, to which the main character responds to with serenity and purpose. Rosa had not wanted this situation, but she would respond to it with dignity and grace learned from her mother and grandmother.
Reference to the inequality to African Americans is provided throughout the book. These cultural markers include Rosa paying to ride the bus in the front but must exit and enter through the rear door, then sit in the back. The author includes the 1954 Brown versus Board of Education decision, the colored signs, the furtive way the women met at the college, Emmett Till, and Martin Luther King, Jr. to share what was happening during this time in history.
The illustrations done in watercolor and collage enhance and embellish this story, providing a visual image of the text. The art is simple, straightforward, and honest depicting a serene Rosa and family. The artist shows a multitude of skin color and facial features throughout the book. Visual representation of the unequal treatment includes a picture with a “white entrance” sign. The picture of the bus driver leaning over Rosa expresses the stereotypical view of white dominance.
The strength of this book lies in the emotional impact on readers to the injustice African Americans endured during this time period. The illustrator claims to have used yellow and dark hues to enhance the illusion of heat that precedes a disturbance.
D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Booklist starred (June 1, 2005 (Vol. 101, No. 19))
Gr. 3-5. Far from the cliche of Rosa Parks as the tired little seamstress, this beautiful picture-book biography shows her as a strong woman, happy at home and at work, and politically aware ("not tired from work, but tired of . . . eating at separate lunch counters and learning at separate schools"). Her refusal to give up her seat on a bus inspires her friend Jo Ann Robinson, president of the Women's Political Council, and the 25 council members to make posters calling for the bus boycott, and they organize a mass meeting where the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. speaks for them. Paired very effectively with Giovanni's passionate, direct words, Collier's large watercolor-and-collage illustrations depict Parks as an inspiring force that radiates golden light, and also as part of a dynamic activist community. In the unforgettable close-up that was used for the cover, Parks sits quietly waiting for the police as a white bus driver demands that she give up her seat. In contrast, the final picture opens out to four pages showing women, men, and children marching for equal rights at the bus boycott and in the years of struggle yet to come. The history comes clear in the astonishing combination of the personal and the political.
Kirkus Review starred (July 15, 2005)
Rosa Parks sat. "She had not sought this moment, but she was ready for it." When she refused to move out of the neutral section of her bus to make way for white passengers, she sparked the Montgomery bus boycott. She was tired of putting white people first. Giovanni's lyrical text and Collier's watercolor-and-collage illustrations combine for a powerful portrayal of a pivotal moment in the civil-rights movement. The art complements and extends the text, with visual references to Emmett Till, the Edmund Pettus Bridge and Martin Luther King, Jr. The yellowish hue of the illustrations represents the Alabama heat, the light emanating from Rosa Parks's face a shining beacon to all who would stand up for what's right. A dramatic foldout mural will make this important work even more memorable. An essential volume for classrooms and libraries. (Picture book. 5+)
Library Media Connection (March 2006)
This is the story of Rosa Parks and how by saying "no" on a Montgomery bus she changed the history of our nation. On this particular day Rosa left work early. As usual she paid her bus fare, got off the bus, and re- entered from the rear. The section reserved for blacks was full, but the section for both whites and blacks had some empty seats. When the driver demanded her seat, Rosa did not move. She had decided not to give in to what she knew was wrong. She was tired of the segregation and she remembered the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education decision. After Rosa's arrest members of the Women's Political Council met. First they prayed and then they created fliers that encouraged blacks to walk in support of Rosa. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke in favor of blacks walking. So began the bus boycott. Almost a year after Rosa Parks had been arrested on that bus in Montgomery, the Supreme Court ruled segregation on the buses was illegal. The wonderful color illustrations bring life to this book. They are painted in a manner that allows the reader to see both the darkness and the light of this situation. The detail brings to life a very familiar page of our history. Highly Recommended. Karen Scott, Media Specialist, Thompson Middle School, Alabaster, Alabama
E. CONNECTIONS
Discussion topics could include: would it have been as powerful a statement if a man had refused to give up his seat, could they support a boycott if it created personal hardship, and do they think their mothers have the strength to do what Rosa did? Older students could research other women that played an important part in American history.
Other books about Rosa Parks:
Edwards, Pamela Duncan. THE BUS RIDE THAT CHANGED HISTORY: THE STORY OF ROSA PARKS. ISBN 0618449116
Pinkney, Andrea Davis. BOYCOTT BLUES: HOW ROSA PARKS INSPIRED A NATION. ISBN 0060821191
Thursday, September 18, 2008
KOALA LOU
KOALA LOU
A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Fox, Mem. 1989. KOALA LOU. Ill. by Pamela Lofts.San Diego: Voyager Books. ISBN 0152005021.
B. PLOT SUMMARY
Koala Lou was loved by everyone, especially her mother, who verbally expressed that love often. As time passed and the family grew the mother was busy and didn’t tell Koala Lou as often as before that she was loved. Koalu Lou missed hearing she was loved. Koala Lou enters the Bush Olympics hoping to win and hear her mother tell her she loves her. Although she trains very hard she does not win; dejected she goes off alone and cries. Upon returning home her mother hugs her and tells her she loves her and always will.
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Koala Lou’s story is an expression of mother’s love and childhood insecurity. This story depicts a universal story of a busy mother and the insecurity of growing up while using animals, plants, language, and artwork to establish an Australian setting. Animals mentioned in the story, such as koalas, emus, platypus, and kookabubrra support the Australian setting. Reference to the Bush Olympics further supports the setting. Pamela Lofts’colorful illustrations enhance and support the story and setting of this book. Vivid, expressive pictures of all the characters bolster the words of this story. At the beginning, the illustrations show a confident Koala Lou, then a busy, distracted mom, a lonesome, confused Koala Lou and finally the secure child Koala Lou was at the beginning of the story.
D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Kirkus Review (1989)
As a baby, cuddly Koala Lou is everyone's favorite, especially her mother's; but as more little koalas join the family, her mother forgets to say, "Koala Lou, I DO love you!" So--hoping for attention--Koala Lou trains mightily for the Bush Olympics, only to come in second. Surprisingly, this disappointment makes her wish come true; her mother is there to comfort her with the treasured words and a big hug. This satisfying reworking of a familiar and ever-important theme is appealingly illustrated--bright colors, soft-edged sculptural forms, precise detail, dozens of expressive animals. Another winning import from one of Australia's favorite authors.
Publishers Weekly (August 11, 1989)
Fox's two new books join Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge as perfect examples of why the Australian writer has become one of today's top authors of children's books. Koala Lou is loved by everyone, but it is her mother who loves her most of all. She often tells her daughter, ``Koala Lou, I DO love you.'' As the family grows and her mother gets busier, Koala Lou yearns to hear those words again. She sets out to win the Bush Olympics as a way to gain her mother's attention. Lofts's colored-pencil drawings portray the Australian flora and fauna beautifully, including a few of the more exotic species. In Night Noises , elderly Lilly Laceby lives with her fat old dog Butch Aggie. While Lily dozes in front of the fire, Butch Aggie becomes increasingly concerned by the sounds of cars, voices, knocking and shouts. At last, Lily finally wakes up to answer the door, where a veritable mob waits to wish her a happy 90th birthday. Denton uses cartoon balloons and large letters to show the simultaneous action. Both of Fox's books send out positive messages to children about the wonders of being human: Koala Lou celebrates the eternal love of a mother for her child without the sentimentality of Robert Munsch's Love You Forever , and Night Noises lovingly bridges the generation gap. Ages 3-6. (Sept.)
E. CONNECTIONS
Students can draw pictures of themselves with their mothers, write about how their mother loves them, and list people who love them.
Other books about mothers and children:
Braun, Sebastien. I LOVE MY MOMMY. ISBN 0060543108
Harper, Jo. I COULD EAT YOU UP!. ISBN 0823417336
Tedesco, Donna. DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU? ISBN 0027891208
A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Fox, Mem. 1989. KOALA LOU. Ill. by Pamela Lofts.San Diego: Voyager Books. ISBN 0152005021.
B. PLOT SUMMARY
Koala Lou was loved by everyone, especially her mother, who verbally expressed that love often. As time passed and the family grew the mother was busy and didn’t tell Koala Lou as often as before that she was loved. Koalu Lou missed hearing she was loved. Koala Lou enters the Bush Olympics hoping to win and hear her mother tell her she loves her. Although she trains very hard she does not win; dejected she goes off alone and cries. Upon returning home her mother hugs her and tells her she loves her and always will.
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Koala Lou’s story is an expression of mother’s love and childhood insecurity. This story depicts a universal story of a busy mother and the insecurity of growing up while using animals, plants, language, and artwork to establish an Australian setting. Animals mentioned in the story, such as koalas, emus, platypus, and kookabubrra support the Australian setting. Reference to the Bush Olympics further supports the setting. Pamela Lofts’colorful illustrations enhance and support the story and setting of this book. Vivid, expressive pictures of all the characters bolster the words of this story. At the beginning, the illustrations show a confident Koala Lou, then a busy, distracted mom, a lonesome, confused Koala Lou and finally the secure child Koala Lou was at the beginning of the story.
D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Kirkus Review (1989)
As a baby, cuddly Koala Lou is everyone's favorite, especially her mother's; but as more little koalas join the family, her mother forgets to say, "Koala Lou, I DO love you!" So--hoping for attention--Koala Lou trains mightily for the Bush Olympics, only to come in second. Surprisingly, this disappointment makes her wish come true; her mother is there to comfort her with the treasured words and a big hug. This satisfying reworking of a familiar and ever-important theme is appealingly illustrated--bright colors, soft-edged sculptural forms, precise detail, dozens of expressive animals. Another winning import from one of Australia's favorite authors.
Publishers Weekly (August 11, 1989)
Fox's two new books join Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge as perfect examples of why the Australian writer has become one of today's top authors of children's books. Koala Lou is loved by everyone, but it is her mother who loves her most of all. She often tells her daughter, ``Koala Lou, I DO love you.'' As the family grows and her mother gets busier, Koala Lou yearns to hear those words again. She sets out to win the Bush Olympics as a way to gain her mother's attention. Lofts's colored-pencil drawings portray the Australian flora and fauna beautifully, including a few of the more exotic species. In Night Noises , elderly Lilly Laceby lives with her fat old dog Butch Aggie. While Lily dozes in front of the fire, Butch Aggie becomes increasingly concerned by the sounds of cars, voices, knocking and shouts. At last, Lily finally wakes up to answer the door, where a veritable mob waits to wish her a happy 90th birthday. Denton uses cartoon balloons and large letters to show the simultaneous action. Both of Fox's books send out positive messages to children about the wonders of being human: Koala Lou celebrates the eternal love of a mother for her child without the sentimentality of Robert Munsch's Love You Forever , and Night Noises lovingly bridges the generation gap. Ages 3-6. (Sept.)
E. CONNECTIONS
Students can draw pictures of themselves with their mothers, write about how their mother loves them, and list people who love them.
Other books about mothers and children:
Braun, Sebastien. I LOVE MY MOMMY. ISBN 0060543108
Harper, Jo. I COULD EAT YOU UP!. ISBN 0823417336
Tedesco, Donna. DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU? ISBN 0027891208
THE BREADWINNER
THE BREADWINNER
A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ellis, Deborah. 2001. THE BREADWINNER. Toronto, Ontario: Groundwood Books/Douglas & McIntyre. ISBN 0888994192
B. PLOT SUMMARY
After Parvana’s father is imprisoned she is forced to masquerade as a boy to earn money to provide food and necessities for herself, her mother, older sister, and younger sister and younger brother in the Taliban ruled city of Kabul, Afghanistan. She earns money by reading and writing for men in the square as her father did. She thinks she is the only girl dressing as a boy until one day she sees an old classmate doing the same. She struggles to survive as a boy to support the family until her father is released from prison.
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The reality of life in Kabul, Afghanistan sets the stage for Parvana’s story of survival and triumph. Ellis constructs a fast paced story of a daily struggle to survive under a cruel regime. The Taliban control is evidenced in this story by the suppression of women. Women are not allowed to be outside unless covered in a burka or accompanied by a male. The girls are not allowed to go to school nor the mother to work. Ellis uses the cruelty of Taliban to create tension throughout the story.
Parvana, the main character is like any eleven year old in some ways. She fusses with her sister, doesn’t like housework, and loves her family. Her culture is evidenced in her obedience to her family, acceptance of the hardships of daily life, although she wants to change them, and refusal to abandon her family. Parvana begins the story as an eleven year old helping her father and grows to become the sole supporter of the family, accepting (not without argument) the responsibility of feeding her family.
Referral to specific clothing worn is a cultural marker throughout this book. Women must wear burkas to be in public, girls wear a chador outside while boys and men wear a pakul. Shalwar kameez are a loose shirt and pants worn by both men and women with color and adornment designating male and female outfits.
Other cultural markers used in this book are used include food such as nan and kebabs. The family rests on a toshak. Knowledge of the two main languages, Pashtu and Dari, are how both, Parvana and her father support the family.
Random imprisonment, land mines, lack of running water, beatings, brutality, and constant fear are used to illustrate the reality of life in Afghanistan and show the courageous determination to survive by Parvana.
D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Book Report (November/December 2001)
Parvana, an 11-year-old Afghan girl, accompanies her father to the marketplace, where he sells items and reads and writes letters for those who can't. As a girl, Parvana can no longer attend school, because Afghanistan has been taken over by the Taliban militia and women are forbidden to travel unless accompanied by a male. They must also wear a burqa, a tent-like garment, and a chader, a head cover. Afghanistan has been at war for almost 20 years, first with the Russians and now in a civil war with the Taliban. Parvana's city of Kabul lies in ruins, and her father barely ekes out a living for her, her mother, her two sisters, and her brother. Before the civil war, Parvana's educated parents had held high-paying jobs. When Parvana's father is arrested and taken to prison, her mother falls into a deep depression, and the children are left to fend for themselves. Parvana's hair is cut and she is dressed as a boy so she can move freely through Kabul. This story is great for history students, helping them better understand Afghanistan's turbulent history and the current plight of Afghan women. Although simply written, this tale contains some graphic scenes for mature readers. It also presents a lesson in philanthropy, because all of the book's royalties go to support the education of Afghan girls who remain in Pakistani refugee camps. Recommended. Sandra B. Connell, Librarian, Valwood Private School, Valdosta, Georgia
BookList, 03/01/2001
Gr. 5-7. Ever since the fundamentalist group Taliban secured power in the Afghan capital of Kabul, Parvana and her family have suffered. The group's relentless oppression makes it impossible for the women of the family to leave the house without their father. When Parvana's elderly father is arrested on the grounds that he is a scholar, the women are trapped in their cramped apartment. Eventually, running out of food and hope, Parvana dresses as a boy and becomes the family's breadwinner, doing whatever is necessary to keep the family alive--from reading letters for the illiterate to digging up and selling the bones of her ancestors. Unfortunately, the novel never deals with the religious facets of Afghan life, failing to explain that the Taliban sees itself, essentially, as a religious group. Nonetheless, The Breadwinner is a potent portrait of life in contemporary Afghanistan, showing that powerful heroines can survive even in the most oppressive and sexist social conditions. -- John Green. Booklist, published by the American Library Association.
E. CONNECTIONS
Students can compare the ways Parvana’s life is the same/different from theirs, research children of war, and discuss/generate ideas on ways to end female suppression.
The sequel to this book is: Ellis, Deborah. PARVANA’S JOURNEY. ISBN 0888995199
A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ellis, Deborah. 2001. THE BREADWINNER. Toronto, Ontario: Groundwood Books/Douglas & McIntyre. ISBN 0888994192
B. PLOT SUMMARY
After Parvana’s father is imprisoned she is forced to masquerade as a boy to earn money to provide food and necessities for herself, her mother, older sister, and younger sister and younger brother in the Taliban ruled city of Kabul, Afghanistan. She earns money by reading and writing for men in the square as her father did. She thinks she is the only girl dressing as a boy until one day she sees an old classmate doing the same. She struggles to survive as a boy to support the family until her father is released from prison.
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The reality of life in Kabul, Afghanistan sets the stage for Parvana’s story of survival and triumph. Ellis constructs a fast paced story of a daily struggle to survive under a cruel regime. The Taliban control is evidenced in this story by the suppression of women. Women are not allowed to be outside unless covered in a burka or accompanied by a male. The girls are not allowed to go to school nor the mother to work. Ellis uses the cruelty of Taliban to create tension throughout the story.
Parvana, the main character is like any eleven year old in some ways. She fusses with her sister, doesn’t like housework, and loves her family. Her culture is evidenced in her obedience to her family, acceptance of the hardships of daily life, although she wants to change them, and refusal to abandon her family. Parvana begins the story as an eleven year old helping her father and grows to become the sole supporter of the family, accepting (not without argument) the responsibility of feeding her family.
Referral to specific clothing worn is a cultural marker throughout this book. Women must wear burkas to be in public, girls wear a chador outside while boys and men wear a pakul. Shalwar kameez are a loose shirt and pants worn by both men and women with color and adornment designating male and female outfits.
Other cultural markers used in this book are used include food such as nan and kebabs. The family rests on a toshak. Knowledge of the two main languages, Pashtu and Dari, are how both, Parvana and her father support the family.
Random imprisonment, land mines, lack of running water, beatings, brutality, and constant fear are used to illustrate the reality of life in Afghanistan and show the courageous determination to survive by Parvana.
D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Book Report (November/December 2001)
Parvana, an 11-year-old Afghan girl, accompanies her father to the marketplace, where he sells items and reads and writes letters for those who can't. As a girl, Parvana can no longer attend school, because Afghanistan has been taken over by the Taliban militia and women are forbidden to travel unless accompanied by a male. They must also wear a burqa, a tent-like garment, and a chader, a head cover. Afghanistan has been at war for almost 20 years, first with the Russians and now in a civil war with the Taliban. Parvana's city of Kabul lies in ruins, and her father barely ekes out a living for her, her mother, her two sisters, and her brother. Before the civil war, Parvana's educated parents had held high-paying jobs. When Parvana's father is arrested and taken to prison, her mother falls into a deep depression, and the children are left to fend for themselves. Parvana's hair is cut and she is dressed as a boy so she can move freely through Kabul. This story is great for history students, helping them better understand Afghanistan's turbulent history and the current plight of Afghan women. Although simply written, this tale contains some graphic scenes for mature readers. It also presents a lesson in philanthropy, because all of the book's royalties go to support the education of Afghan girls who remain in Pakistani refugee camps. Recommended. Sandra B. Connell, Librarian, Valwood Private School, Valdosta, Georgia
BookList, 03/01/2001
Gr. 5-7. Ever since the fundamentalist group Taliban secured power in the Afghan capital of Kabul, Parvana and her family have suffered. The group's relentless oppression makes it impossible for the women of the family to leave the house without their father. When Parvana's elderly father is arrested on the grounds that he is a scholar, the women are trapped in their cramped apartment. Eventually, running out of food and hope, Parvana dresses as a boy and becomes the family's breadwinner, doing whatever is necessary to keep the family alive--from reading letters for the illiterate to digging up and selling the bones of her ancestors. Unfortunately, the novel never deals with the religious facets of Afghan life, failing to explain that the Taliban sees itself, essentially, as a religious group. Nonetheless, The Breadwinner is a potent portrait of life in contemporary Afghanistan, showing that powerful heroines can survive even in the most oppressive and sexist social conditions. -- John Green. Booklist, published by the American Library Association.
E. CONNECTIONS
Students can compare the ways Parvana’s life is the same/different from theirs, research children of war, and discuss/generate ideas on ways to end female suppression.
The sequel to this book is: Ellis, Deborah. PARVANA’S JOURNEY. ISBN 0888995199
THE PULL OF THE OCEAN
THE PULL OF THE OCEAN
A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Mourlevat, Jean-Claude. 2006. New York: Delacorte Press. ISBN 0385733488
B. PLOT SUMMARY
Seven brothers flee their parent’s home in France led by the youngest. Yann, small and mute leads his six older brothers, all twins, away from their home on the belief that the parents are planning to kill them. The story chronicles their journey to the sea and their reunion with their parents.
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This story is told by multiple narrators, each with a different yet similar perspective, except the cruel businessman that imprisons them in his home. Short chapters separate the narrators, which include the boys, their parents, and the people that encounter them on their journey. The author sets the emotional stage for this story with the mother’s lack of caring as evidenced by her willingness to hit Yann, the youngest boy. To the backdrop of rain and thunder Yann convinces his older brothers they must leave immediately without giving them a reason. Their journey is told by people they encountered that helped them or simply by people that observed them. Most people took a compassionate approach dealing with the boys.
Cultural markers include the French name the family has, Doutreleau, as well as the names of other characters such as Etcheverry, Viard, and Faure in the book, and the French towns the boys traveled through.
Chronicling the journey the boys travel shows the closeness of brothers as well as the daily irritations. This is exhibited through the boys’ acceptance of Yann’s leadership without question and the way they help one another.
Although the book deals with the harshness of life, poverty, parental neglect and abuse, the end offers hope with the apparent concern of the mother and father upon hearing from the boys.
D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Booklist (December 1, 2006 (Vol. 103, No. 7))
Unlike his six older brothers--three sets of twins--who are all tall for their age, 10-year-old Yann is a miniature, no more than two feet tall. However, despite his diminutive stature, his youth, and the fact that he is mute, he is the cleverest of the lot and their unquestioned leader. When he wakes his brothers one dark and stormy night and convinces them that they must leave their parents’ farm, they follow him unquestioningly. Sound familiar? It should; it's a retelling of "Tom Thumb."In addition to giving his version a contemporary setting, French author Mourlevat tells the story from multiple points of view. He also invests it with some symbolic weight--Yann can be viewed as a Christ figure. The ending leaves readers a bit at sea, but the story is intriguing, and the relationship among the brothers is heartwarming.
Publishers Weekly (January 1, 2007)
A mute 10-year-old boy stars in this inventive modern-day play on Charles Perrault's Tom Thumb. Yann, the size of a toddler, is the youngest of seven sons of poor, sour parents and the only one who is not a twin ("Yann came last and alone. Like the period at the end of a sentence"). The lad silently communicates with his brothers, but never with his parents. One night, he overhears his parents bickering and awakens his siblings; letting them know that their father plans to harm them (the author reveals the actual content of the couple's conversation later). Yann then leads the three sets of twins out into the rainy darkness. The peripatetic story weaves together first-person accounts by each twin as well as individuals who have spotted or interacted with the children. Under Yann's direction (he navigates by turning his head in all directions and then pointing the way), the brothers traverse the French countryside, heading west toward the ocean. The story takes a dark turn before they are reunited with their seemingly softened parents. Yet Yann slips away once more, stowing away on a merchant marine ship to continue his journey west. The captain observes, "I had the sudden impression that this child wasn't real, that he had stepped right out of a fairy tale." Indeed, Mourlevat enchantingly blends the harshly real and the make-believe, with the latter tipping the balance as this effectively haunting, fluidly translated tale comes to a close. Ages 12-up. (Dec.) Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.
E. CONNECTIONS
Students can write how they would feel if they thought a parent wanted to kill them, list and discuss reasons to run away from home, or extend the book by adding another chapter.
Look for TOM THUMB in the following book:
Gustafson, Scott. CLASSIC FAIRY TALES. ISBN 086713089X
A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Mourlevat, Jean-Claude. 2006. New York: Delacorte Press. ISBN 0385733488
B. PLOT SUMMARY
Seven brothers flee their parent’s home in France led by the youngest. Yann, small and mute leads his six older brothers, all twins, away from their home on the belief that the parents are planning to kill them. The story chronicles their journey to the sea and their reunion with their parents.
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This story is told by multiple narrators, each with a different yet similar perspective, except the cruel businessman that imprisons them in his home. Short chapters separate the narrators, which include the boys, their parents, and the people that encounter them on their journey. The author sets the emotional stage for this story with the mother’s lack of caring as evidenced by her willingness to hit Yann, the youngest boy. To the backdrop of rain and thunder Yann convinces his older brothers they must leave immediately without giving them a reason. Their journey is told by people they encountered that helped them or simply by people that observed them. Most people took a compassionate approach dealing with the boys.
Cultural markers include the French name the family has, Doutreleau, as well as the names of other characters such as Etcheverry, Viard, and Faure in the book, and the French towns the boys traveled through.
Chronicling the journey the boys travel shows the closeness of brothers as well as the daily irritations. This is exhibited through the boys’ acceptance of Yann’s leadership without question and the way they help one another.
Although the book deals with the harshness of life, poverty, parental neglect and abuse, the end offers hope with the apparent concern of the mother and father upon hearing from the boys.
D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Booklist (December 1, 2006 (Vol. 103, No. 7))
Unlike his six older brothers--three sets of twins--who are all tall for their age, 10-year-old Yann is a miniature, no more than two feet tall. However, despite his diminutive stature, his youth, and the fact that he is mute, he is the cleverest of the lot and their unquestioned leader. When he wakes his brothers one dark and stormy night and convinces them that they must leave their parents’ farm, they follow him unquestioningly. Sound familiar? It should; it's a retelling of "Tom Thumb."In addition to giving his version a contemporary setting, French author Mourlevat tells the story from multiple points of view. He also invests it with some symbolic weight--Yann can be viewed as a Christ figure. The ending leaves readers a bit at sea, but the story is intriguing, and the relationship among the brothers is heartwarming.
Publishers Weekly (January 1, 2007)
A mute 10-year-old boy stars in this inventive modern-day play on Charles Perrault's Tom Thumb. Yann, the size of a toddler, is the youngest of seven sons of poor, sour parents and the only one who is not a twin ("Yann came last and alone. Like the period at the end of a sentence"). The lad silently communicates with his brothers, but never with his parents. One night, he overhears his parents bickering and awakens his siblings; letting them know that their father plans to harm them (the author reveals the actual content of the couple's conversation later). Yann then leads the three sets of twins out into the rainy darkness. The peripatetic story weaves together first-person accounts by each twin as well as individuals who have spotted or interacted with the children. Under Yann's direction (he navigates by turning his head in all directions and then pointing the way), the brothers traverse the French countryside, heading west toward the ocean. The story takes a dark turn before they are reunited with their seemingly softened parents. Yet Yann slips away once more, stowing away on a merchant marine ship to continue his journey west. The captain observes, "I had the sudden impression that this child wasn't real, that he had stepped right out of a fairy tale." Indeed, Mourlevat enchantingly blends the harshly real and the make-believe, with the latter tipping the balance as this effectively haunting, fluidly translated tale comes to a close. Ages 12-up. (Dec.) Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.
E. CONNECTIONS
Students can write how they would feel if they thought a parent wanted to kill them, list and discuss reasons to run away from home, or extend the book by adding another chapter.
Look for TOM THUMB in the following book:
Gustafson, Scott. CLASSIC FAIRY TALES. ISBN 086713089X
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