BIBLIOGRAPHY
de Haan, Linda, and Nijland Stern. 2002. KING AND KING. Tricycle Press. ISBN-10: 1582460612 ISBN-13: 978-1582460611
SUMMARY
The Queen decides that it is time for Prince Bertie to marry. The Queen wants to pass the throne to her son but the stipulation is, that he must marry before the end of summer. The problem is, the Prince doesn't like any of the princesses that are coming to visit. They come to visit from far away. The princess from Texas does magic tricks but it just isn't what Prince Bertie is looking for. One princess has long arms that will be perfect for waving. He can't find anyone that interests him until Princess Madeleine arrives. When she enters the room to meet the prince with her brother Prince Lee at her side, they both remark, "Oh, what a wonderful prince." A wedding is planned for Prince Bertie and Prince Lee. After the joyful wedding and picnic, the Queen retires to a life of leisure with her newly married son as King. The two Kings go off on a trip in a sequel of King and King and family.
The royal kitty makes an appearance through out the story.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
KING AND KING is an entertaining story with diverse characters. The book was written and illustrated by two Dutch authors from the Netherlands. It is considered controversial by some readers in the United States with it's homosexual theme. It is applauded by many for sharing the subject of gay marriage. The book shares the idea that everyone is different. It is OK to fall in love with anyone and be happy in whatever situation you find yourself.
The illustrations are very bright and colorful. They are busy collages with cut paper and fabric. The illustrations have a folk art appearance that adds flavor to the story of two princes in love. The style of the illustrations are unusual but join in the idea that acceptance of things that are different makes the book complete. The Queen is considered to be unattractive in the illustrations. It has been suggested that she resembles Queen Victoria. The crown kitty adds an extra bit of frivolity and fun. It is recommended for ages six and up.
REVIEWS
Publishers Weekly
When a grouchy queen tells her layabout son that it's time for him to marry, he sighs, "Very well, Mother.... I must say, though, I've never cared much for princesses." His young page winks. Several unsatisfactory bachelorettes visit the castle before "Princess Madeleine and her brother, Prince Lee" appear in the doorway. The hero is smitten at once. "What a wonderful prince!" he and Prince Lee both exclaim, as a shower of tiny Valentine hearts flutters between them. First-time co-authors and artists de Hann and Nijland matter-of-factly conclude with the royal wedding of "King and King," the page boy's blushing romance with the leftover princess and the assurance that "everyone lives happily ever after." Unfortunately, the multimedia collages are cluttered with clashing colors, amorphous paper shapes, scribbles of ink and bleary brushstrokes; the characters' features are indistinct and sometimes ugly. Despite its gleeful disruption of the boy-meets-girl formula, this alterna-tale is not the fairest of them all. For a visually appealing and more nuanced treatment of diversity in general, Kitty Crowther's recent Jack and Jim is a better choice. Ages 6-up.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
School Library Journal
Grades 3-5--In this postmodern fractured fairy tale, a worn-out and badly beleaguered Queen is ready for retirement. After many hours of nagging, the crown prince, who "never cared much for princesses," finally caves in and agrees to wed in order to ascend the throne. Their search for a suitable bride extends far and wide, but none of the eligible princesses strikes the Prince's fancy, until Princess Madeleine shows up. The Prince is immediately smitten- with her brother, Prince Lee. The wedding is "very special," the Queen settles down on a chaise lounge in the sun, and everyone lives happily ever after. Originally published in the Netherlands, this is a commendable fledgling effort with good intentions toward its subject matter. Unfortunately, though, the book is hobbled by thin characterization and ugly artwork; the homosexual prince comes across as fragile and languid, while the dour, matronly queen is a dead ringer for England's Victoria at her aesthetic worst. Some of the details in the artwork are interesting, including the "crown kitty" performing antics in the periphery. However, that isn't enough to compensate for page after page of cluttered, disjointed, ill-conceived art. The book does present same-sex marriage as a viable, acceptable way of life within an immediately recognizable narrative form, the fairy tale. However, those looking for picture books about alternative lifestyles may want to keep looking for a barrier-breaking classic on the subject.Catherine Threadgill, Charleston County Public Library, SCCopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
CONNECTIONS
*Other books for children that share an alternative lifestyle
Newman,Leslea. 2000. Heather Has Two Mommies. Diana Souza Illustrator
Alyson Publications; 10 Anv edition ISBN-10: 1555835430 ISBN-13: 978-1555835439
Parr, Todd. 2003. The Family Book. Little, Brown Young Readers; 1st ed edition ISBN-10: 0316738964 ISBN-13: 978-0316738965
Skutch, Robert. 1997. Who's in a Family?. Laura Nienhaus, Illustrator. Tricycle Press. ISBN-10: 188367266X ISBN-13: 978-1883672669
And Tango Makes Three Peter Parnell. Justin Richardson. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (April 26, 2005) ISBN-10: 0689878451 ISBN-13: 978-0689878459
Saturday, August 4, 2007
SAMIR AND YONATAN by Daniella Carmi
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Carmi,Daniella. 2002. SAMIR AND YONATAN, Blue Sky Press. ISBN-10: 0439135230 ISBN-13: 978-0439135238
SUMMARY
Samir is a young Palestinian boy living in Israel. He fractured his knee when he crashed his bicycle on a steep hill. He must go to the Jewish hospital on the other side of town to have surgery. His father waits several days to receive permission to take Samir to the hospital. When he is admitted into the Jewish hospital he shares a room with four Israeli children. Samir's four new friends in the hospital are Jewish and would have been his enemies in another setting. The doctor from America comes but Samir is running a fever and must wait for surgery. As the days pass, the children become friends. Yonatan shares his stories of the stars that he has read and learned from his father.
After the surgery, Samir gets therapy for his leg. Felix, the male nurse has been good to Samir and helps him in the hospital. As time nears for Samir to leave the hospital his spirit appears to be awakened.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This is an interesting story about a young boy living in a dangerous environment. His life involves road blocks, curfews and soldiers. It is a look at what life is like for people living in an occupied territory. Samir's younger brother was shot in the back while playing in the street. Samir imagines that he takes his brother's place in death. He feels guilt that his young brother was killed. Rather than a bicycle wreck he thinks it would have been better to have been shot in the leg.
In the hospital, while waiting for surgery he is amazed at the food he is given. He is given three meals a day and the meat that his new friend Yonatan will not eat.
Samir has thoughts of his friend Adnan and his mischievous ways. His old friendship contrasts with his new friendship with Jonatan. The roles of friend and enemy are left open to discovery.
While in the hospital he does not have visitors. The road blocks prevent his parents from traveling. His mother works two jobs and his father runs a barbershop in a time when people cut their hair at home. The book by Carmi, tells of an unfamiliar way of life. It will be surprising for children in the United States to discover the lifestyle of a child living in fear in another country.
Unlike children in most areas of the the United States, Samir is unfamiliar with computer games. When Yonatan shows him how to escape from the here and now, and take an imaginary trip to Mars, Samir is exposed to a different future with possibilities. The story ends with several questions left unanswered.
First published in Hebrew in 1994. The glossary at the end of the book gives definitions of the Hebrew and Palestinian words and phrases. The cover art was created by Rafal Oblinski with acrylic paint. A dove shaped opening in a brick wall represents the opened barrier created by friendship.
REVIEWS
Publishers Weekly
SAMIR AND YONATAN Daniella Carmi. "A Palestinian boy comes to terms with his younger brother's death by an Israeli soldier in this slow-paced but affecting novel originally published in Hebrew in 1994," said PW. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
School Library Journal
Grade 4-8-Riding his bicycle down the market steps, a young Palestinian falls and smashes his knee so badly that he needs surgery. For the first time in his life, Samir leaves his home in the Occupied Territories to go to a Jewish hospital where an American doctor will operate on him. While waiting for the procedure, Samir gets to know the other children on his ward, all Jews. Beautiful Ludmilla is pining away for her home in Russia and refusing to eat. Razia hides under her bed in fear of her father. Hyperactive Tzahi can't urinate properly and, most importantly, Yonatan with the crippled arm introduces Samir to the stars, computer games, and the way imagination can take one away from a place of pain. As Samir thinks about the home he misses, details of his family life are revealed. Readers learn that his younger brother was killed, shot while playing in the street by a man wearing the same uniform that Tzahi's brother wears when he visits. His older brother has gone to Kuwait to earn money and his mother works two jobs. His father has stopped talking. As the hospitalized children spend time together, they come to support one another, forming a team that crosses cultural boundaries. Samir and Yonatan take an illegal night outing to commandeer an office computer to play a game. Life in the hospital is described as clearly as life in the Occupied Territories and readers will sympathize with Samir's fear and loneliness and welcome his new friendships. Written in Hebrew but published first in Germany, the book is smoothly translated and will have wide appeal.
Kathleen Isaacs, Edmund Burke School, Washington, DC
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
CONNECTIONS
*Other books about Palestinian and Israeli children.
Ellis, Deborah. 2006. Three Wishes: Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak. Groundwood Books. ISBN-10: 0888996454 ISBN-13: 978-0888996459
Rifa'i, Amal, Odelia Ainbinder and Sylke Tempel. 2003. We Just Want to Live Here: A Palestinian Teenager, an Israeli Teenager -- an Unlikely Friendship
St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN-10: 0312318944 ISBN-13: 978-0312318949
Nye, Naomi Shihab. 1999. Habibi. Simon Pulse. ISBN-10: 0689825234 ISBN-13: 978-0689825231
*Share a map or globe of Samir and Jonatan's home. Discuss the friendship of the two boys.
Carmi,Daniella. 2002. SAMIR AND YONATAN, Blue Sky Press. ISBN-10: 0439135230 ISBN-13: 978-0439135238
SUMMARY
Samir is a young Palestinian boy living in Israel. He fractured his knee when he crashed his bicycle on a steep hill. He must go to the Jewish hospital on the other side of town to have surgery. His father waits several days to receive permission to take Samir to the hospital. When he is admitted into the Jewish hospital he shares a room with four Israeli children. Samir's four new friends in the hospital are Jewish and would have been his enemies in another setting. The doctor from America comes but Samir is running a fever and must wait for surgery. As the days pass, the children become friends. Yonatan shares his stories of the stars that he has read and learned from his father.
After the surgery, Samir gets therapy for his leg. Felix, the male nurse has been good to Samir and helps him in the hospital. As time nears for Samir to leave the hospital his spirit appears to be awakened.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This is an interesting story about a young boy living in a dangerous environment. His life involves road blocks, curfews and soldiers. It is a look at what life is like for people living in an occupied territory. Samir's younger brother was shot in the back while playing in the street. Samir imagines that he takes his brother's place in death. He feels guilt that his young brother was killed. Rather than a bicycle wreck he thinks it would have been better to have been shot in the leg.
In the hospital, while waiting for surgery he is amazed at the food he is given. He is given three meals a day and the meat that his new friend Yonatan will not eat.
Samir has thoughts of his friend Adnan and his mischievous ways. His old friendship contrasts with his new friendship with Jonatan. The roles of friend and enemy are left open to discovery.
While in the hospital he does not have visitors. The road blocks prevent his parents from traveling. His mother works two jobs and his father runs a barbershop in a time when people cut their hair at home. The book by Carmi, tells of an unfamiliar way of life. It will be surprising for children in the United States to discover the lifestyle of a child living in fear in another country.
Unlike children in most areas of the the United States, Samir is unfamiliar with computer games. When Yonatan shows him how to escape from the here and now, and take an imaginary trip to Mars, Samir is exposed to a different future with possibilities. The story ends with several questions left unanswered.
First published in Hebrew in 1994. The glossary at the end of the book gives definitions of the Hebrew and Palestinian words and phrases. The cover art was created by Rafal Oblinski with acrylic paint. A dove shaped opening in a brick wall represents the opened barrier created by friendship.
REVIEWS
Publishers Weekly
SAMIR AND YONATAN Daniella Carmi. "A Palestinian boy comes to terms with his younger brother's death by an Israeli soldier in this slow-paced but affecting novel originally published in Hebrew in 1994," said PW. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
School Library Journal
Grade 4-8-Riding his bicycle down the market steps, a young Palestinian falls and smashes his knee so badly that he needs surgery. For the first time in his life, Samir leaves his home in the Occupied Territories to go to a Jewish hospital where an American doctor will operate on him. While waiting for the procedure, Samir gets to know the other children on his ward, all Jews. Beautiful Ludmilla is pining away for her home in Russia and refusing to eat. Razia hides under her bed in fear of her father. Hyperactive Tzahi can't urinate properly and, most importantly, Yonatan with the crippled arm introduces Samir to the stars, computer games, and the way imagination can take one away from a place of pain. As Samir thinks about the home he misses, details of his family life are revealed. Readers learn that his younger brother was killed, shot while playing in the street by a man wearing the same uniform that Tzahi's brother wears when he visits. His older brother has gone to Kuwait to earn money and his mother works two jobs. His father has stopped talking. As the hospitalized children spend time together, they come to support one another, forming a team that crosses cultural boundaries. Samir and Yonatan take an illegal night outing to commandeer an office computer to play a game. Life in the hospital is described as clearly as life in the Occupied Territories and readers will sympathize with Samir's fear and loneliness and welcome his new friendships. Written in Hebrew but published first in Germany, the book is smoothly translated and will have wide appeal.
Kathleen Isaacs, Edmund Burke School, Washington, DC
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
CONNECTIONS
*Other books about Palestinian and Israeli children.
Ellis, Deborah. 2006. Three Wishes: Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak. Groundwood Books. ISBN-10: 0888996454 ISBN-13: 978-0888996459
Rifa'i, Amal, Odelia Ainbinder and Sylke Tempel. 2003. We Just Want to Live Here: A Palestinian Teenager, an Israeli Teenager -- an Unlikely Friendship
St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN-10: 0312318944 ISBN-13: 978-0312318949
Nye, Naomi Shihab. 1999. Habibi. Simon Pulse. ISBN-10: 0689825234 ISBN-13: 978-0689825231
*Share a map or globe of Samir and Jonatan's home. Discuss the friendship of the two boys.
MOSES GOES TO A CONCERT by Isaac Millman
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Millman, Isaac. 2002. MOSES GOES TO A CONCERT. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN-10: 0374453667 ISBN-13: 978-0374453664
SUMMARY
Moses and his classmates are deaf. Their teacher, Mr. Samuels takes them on a field trip to a concert. He has a suitcase that holds a surprise for his students. At the concert they are given balloons from the suitcase to feel the vibrations of the music. After the concert they meet a percussionist that is deaf and plays music in her socks. She can feel the vibrations with her feet. The percussionist, Ms. Elwyn, lets the class try all her musical instruments. Ms. Elwyn is a friend of Mr. Samuels. Moses plans to work hard and become a percussionist too.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The book, MOSES GOES TO THE CONCERT, is the first in a series about Moses. The book includes an introduction to American Sign Language. The last page of the book includes the alphabet in sign language. The illustrations are lively and colorful watercolor paintings. The perspective and depth of the illustrations adds interest and gives a realistic impression of a concert experience. The book includes inserts of Moses signing words and sentences, "I feel vibrations," and "When you set your mind to it, you can become anything."
The story of Moses is helpful for children to understand the disability of being deaf. When the audience claps the deaf children wave their hands. The sign language included in the book is a good introduction for learning sign language. The book, MOSES GOES TO A CONCERT, inspires everyone to work hard to accomplish their goals. The story is relatable to children that are deaf. It helps readers to understand a little about deafness. It is appropriate for children age 4 – 10.
REVIEWS
From Publishers Weekly
The seemingly incongruous premise of this harmonious debut, a class of deaf children attends an orchestral concert, leads to a revelation for readers who may well have assumed that the ability to hear is a prerequisite for enjoying music. Holding balloons that their teacher passes out to help them "feel the music," Moses and his classmates are thrilled to pick up the vibrations. Afterward, they visit with the orchestra's deaf percussionist, who, intriguingly, performs in stocking feet so she, too, can feel the beat. She lets the students play her instruments and, using American Sign Language (precisely illustrated in easy-to-read diagrams), explains how she worked hard to achieve her career goal. Back home, Moses tells his parents about his day, signing a message of universal value: "When you set your mind to it, you can become anything you want." An introductory note explains how to interpret the sign-language diagrams, which are integrated throughout the clear and colorful illustrations. Fiction and instruction make beautiful music together on these cheerful pages. Ages 5-up.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2?A group of deaf children is taken to a concert where the youngsters meet the percussionist, a friend of their teacher, and learn to their surprise that she is also deaf. She explains to Moses and his class how she became a percussionist even though she had lost her hearing and helps them understand that anything is possible with hard work and determination. She lets the children play on her instruments and feel the vibrations on balloons that their teacher has given them. Cheerful watercolor illustrations show the multiethnic children enjoying themselves at the concert, while smaller cartoon strips feature Moses' additional comments in sign language. A page displaying the manual alphabet and a conversation in sign language in which Moses tells his parents about his day enhance the upbeat story. Sally R. Dow, Ossining Public Library, NY
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
CONNECTIONS
*Share books about deafness with the children. Teach the alphabet in sign language.
Millman, Isaac. 2003. Moses Goes to the Circus. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Language: English ISBN-10: 0374350647 ISBN-13: 978-0374350642
Millman, Isaac. 2004. Moses Sees a Play. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN-10: 0374350663 ISBN-13: 978-0374350666
Aseltine, Lorraine, Evelyn Mueller and Nancy Tait. 1986. I'm Deaf and It's Okay. Albert Whitman & Company ISBN-10: 0807534722 ISBN-13: 978-0807534724
Millman, Isaac. 2002. MOSES GOES TO A CONCERT. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN-10: 0374453667 ISBN-13: 978-0374453664
SUMMARY
Moses and his classmates are deaf. Their teacher, Mr. Samuels takes them on a field trip to a concert. He has a suitcase that holds a surprise for his students. At the concert they are given balloons from the suitcase to feel the vibrations of the music. After the concert they meet a percussionist that is deaf and plays music in her socks. She can feel the vibrations with her feet. The percussionist, Ms. Elwyn, lets the class try all her musical instruments. Ms. Elwyn is a friend of Mr. Samuels. Moses plans to work hard and become a percussionist too.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The book, MOSES GOES TO THE CONCERT, is the first in a series about Moses. The book includes an introduction to American Sign Language. The last page of the book includes the alphabet in sign language. The illustrations are lively and colorful watercolor paintings. The perspective and depth of the illustrations adds interest and gives a realistic impression of a concert experience. The book includes inserts of Moses signing words and sentences, "I feel vibrations," and "When you set your mind to it, you can become anything."
The story of Moses is helpful for children to understand the disability of being deaf. When the audience claps the deaf children wave their hands. The sign language included in the book is a good introduction for learning sign language. The book, MOSES GOES TO A CONCERT, inspires everyone to work hard to accomplish their goals. The story is relatable to children that are deaf. It helps readers to understand a little about deafness. It is appropriate for children age 4 – 10.
REVIEWS
From Publishers Weekly
The seemingly incongruous premise of this harmonious debut, a class of deaf children attends an orchestral concert, leads to a revelation for readers who may well have assumed that the ability to hear is a prerequisite for enjoying music. Holding balloons that their teacher passes out to help them "feel the music," Moses and his classmates are thrilled to pick up the vibrations. Afterward, they visit with the orchestra's deaf percussionist, who, intriguingly, performs in stocking feet so she, too, can feel the beat. She lets the students play her instruments and, using American Sign Language (precisely illustrated in easy-to-read diagrams), explains how she worked hard to achieve her career goal. Back home, Moses tells his parents about his day, signing a message of universal value: "When you set your mind to it, you can become anything you want." An introductory note explains how to interpret the sign-language diagrams, which are integrated throughout the clear and colorful illustrations. Fiction and instruction make beautiful music together on these cheerful pages. Ages 5-up.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2?A group of deaf children is taken to a concert where the youngsters meet the percussionist, a friend of their teacher, and learn to their surprise that she is also deaf. She explains to Moses and his class how she became a percussionist even though she had lost her hearing and helps them understand that anything is possible with hard work and determination. She lets the children play on her instruments and feel the vibrations on balloons that their teacher has given them. Cheerful watercolor illustrations show the multiethnic children enjoying themselves at the concert, while smaller cartoon strips feature Moses' additional comments in sign language. A page displaying the manual alphabet and a conversation in sign language in which Moses tells his parents about his day enhance the upbeat story. Sally R. Dow, Ossining Public Library, NY
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
CONNECTIONS
*Share books about deafness with the children. Teach the alphabet in sign language.
Millman, Isaac. 2003. Moses Goes to the Circus. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Language: English ISBN-10: 0374350647 ISBN-13: 978-0374350642
Millman, Isaac. 2004. Moses Sees a Play. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN-10: 0374350663 ISBN-13: 978-0374350666
Aseltine, Lorraine, Evelyn Mueller and Nancy Tait. 1986. I'm Deaf and It's Okay. Albert Whitman & Company ISBN-10: 0807534722 ISBN-13: 978-0807534724
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
THE HUNGRIEST BOY IN THE WORLD by Lensey Namioka
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Namioka, Lensey. 2001. The Hungriest Boy in the World. Illustrator, Aki Sogabe. Holiday House; 1st ed edition ISBN-10: 0823415422 ISBN-13: 978-0823415427
SUMMARY
A young Japanese boy named Jiro has a habit of putting everything in his mouth. He picks up a purple slimy blob and pops it in his mouth. Jiro has a hunger monster slide down his throat and now he can't get enough to eat. His sister is very observant and notices the unusual occurrences. He eats a bucket of fish guts and part of a fishing net. He even eats his blanket in his sleep. His family calls in the doctor for help but Jiro ate all the doctors' medicine. Next his father took him to the priest but he ate the priest's string of beads. The medium is called in and tells the family about the Hunger Monster. A puppeteer is called to help with the problem. The family prepares a feast that they put out for the puppet. The Hunger Monster can't resist the food and jumps into the mouth of the puppet. It falls to the floor were it is swept out the door.
CRITICAL REVIEW
The Hungriest Boy in the World is a story published in 2001 that appears to be an old time folktale. It tells the story of excess and gluttony in a humorous tale. It is an entertaining story that will be enjoyed by children.
The characters in the story wear traditional clothing and eat Japanese foods of rice balls and fish. In the story the father and his sons eat first with mother and sister eating last. The family sits on cushions on the floor at a low table. The beds are pallets on the floor with head cushions. Silk screen walls are another item that represents the Japanese culture. Jiro's family are fisherman, an occupation that is stereotypical of a Japanese family. The author is Chinese but has been married to a Japanese man for many years. The doctor visits Jiro and uses the traditional Eastern medicine technique of diagnosing with the pulse. The book is timeless. It can't be determined if the customs and traditions in the book are current for today or a hundred years ago.
Sogabes' is a Japanese artist that has lived in Seattle Washington since 1978. The illustrations are in a traditional Japanese paper cut technique with watercolor and airbrush added for color. The heavy black line is the cut paper with rice paper as a background.
REVIEWS
From Publishers Weekly
Namioka (The Laziest Boy in the World) pens another amusing original tale, this one set in Japan. Jiro's bad habit of putting everything in his mouth causes him to swallow the Hunger Monster. Suddenly the boy is ravenous, indiscriminately wolfing down everything from sushi to fishing nets ("They looked like noodles, delicious noodles, seasoned with soy sauce"), his quilt, a floor cushion--whatever comes within his reach. When a doctor is called, Jiro gobbles down all his medicines. When a medium is consulted, Jiro tries to eat her hair--though not before she fingers the Hunger Monster as the culprit. Finally, Jiro's brother suggests they call in a puppet master, who tricks the creature into leaving Jiro's stomach. Namioka's light, comic touch extends to her jaunty pacing, setting a tone that Sogabe (The Loyal Cat) extends with her stylish cut-paper, watercolor and airbrush illustrations. Set in an old-world Japan complete with kimonos and forest temples, and peopled with chunky, heavily outlined figures, her airy compositions underscore the folktale aura, while the impossibly fat-cheeked Jiro steals every scene. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
K-Gr 3-Jiro, a Japanese boy, has a bad habit. He puts everything in his mouth, be it seashells, seaweed, or sushi. When the child accidentally swallows the Hunger Monster, his troubles and readers' fun begin. Jiro's appetite runs rampant, and he consumes everything from fish guts and netting to his own bed quilt. His parents frantically seek assistance from the doctor, the village priest, and a medium, as Jiro snacks on the doctor's medicines, the priest's prayer beads, and the medium's hair. The situation eventually reaches a clever and happy solution. The story is told economically but with wit and humor. Sogabe's illustrations, created using cut paper over rice paper that has been colored by airbrush or watercolor, complement the text with their elegant simplicity. Pair this tale with Jim Aylesworth's The Full Belly Bowl (Atheneum, 1999) for a discussion of the hazards of excess, incorporate it into multicultural units, or enjoy it for sheer fun.-Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
CONNECTIONS
Other books by Lensey Namioka
Ties That Bind, Ties That Break. 2003. Puffin Books; New Ed edition. ISBN-10: 0141317159 ISBN-13: 978-0141317151
Half and Half Yearling. 2004. ISBN-10: 0440418909 ISBN-13: 978-0440418900
An Ocean Apart, a World Away Laurel Leaf. 2003. ISBN-10: 0440229731 ISBN-13: 978-0440229735
Namioka, Lensey. 2001. The Hungriest Boy in the World. Illustrator, Aki Sogabe. Holiday House; 1st ed edition ISBN-10: 0823415422 ISBN-13: 978-0823415427
SUMMARY
A young Japanese boy named Jiro has a habit of putting everything in his mouth. He picks up a purple slimy blob and pops it in his mouth. Jiro has a hunger monster slide down his throat and now he can't get enough to eat. His sister is very observant and notices the unusual occurrences. He eats a bucket of fish guts and part of a fishing net. He even eats his blanket in his sleep. His family calls in the doctor for help but Jiro ate all the doctors' medicine. Next his father took him to the priest but he ate the priest's string of beads. The medium is called in and tells the family about the Hunger Monster. A puppeteer is called to help with the problem. The family prepares a feast that they put out for the puppet. The Hunger Monster can't resist the food and jumps into the mouth of the puppet. It falls to the floor were it is swept out the door.
CRITICAL REVIEW
The Hungriest Boy in the World is a story published in 2001 that appears to be an old time folktale. It tells the story of excess and gluttony in a humorous tale. It is an entertaining story that will be enjoyed by children.
The characters in the story wear traditional clothing and eat Japanese foods of rice balls and fish. In the story the father and his sons eat first with mother and sister eating last. The family sits on cushions on the floor at a low table. The beds are pallets on the floor with head cushions. Silk screen walls are another item that represents the Japanese culture. Jiro's family are fisherman, an occupation that is stereotypical of a Japanese family. The author is Chinese but has been married to a Japanese man for many years. The doctor visits Jiro and uses the traditional Eastern medicine technique of diagnosing with the pulse. The book is timeless. It can't be determined if the customs and traditions in the book are current for today or a hundred years ago.
Sogabes' is a Japanese artist that has lived in Seattle Washington since 1978. The illustrations are in a traditional Japanese paper cut technique with watercolor and airbrush added for color. The heavy black line is the cut paper with rice paper as a background.
REVIEWS
From Publishers Weekly
Namioka (The Laziest Boy in the World) pens another amusing original tale, this one set in Japan. Jiro's bad habit of putting everything in his mouth causes him to swallow the Hunger Monster. Suddenly the boy is ravenous, indiscriminately wolfing down everything from sushi to fishing nets ("They looked like noodles, delicious noodles, seasoned with soy sauce"), his quilt, a floor cushion--whatever comes within his reach. When a doctor is called, Jiro gobbles down all his medicines. When a medium is consulted, Jiro tries to eat her hair--though not before she fingers the Hunger Monster as the culprit. Finally, Jiro's brother suggests they call in a puppet master, who tricks the creature into leaving Jiro's stomach. Namioka's light, comic touch extends to her jaunty pacing, setting a tone that Sogabe (The Loyal Cat) extends with her stylish cut-paper, watercolor and airbrush illustrations. Set in an old-world Japan complete with kimonos and forest temples, and peopled with chunky, heavily outlined figures, her airy compositions underscore the folktale aura, while the impossibly fat-cheeked Jiro steals every scene. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
K-Gr 3-Jiro, a Japanese boy, has a bad habit. He puts everything in his mouth, be it seashells, seaweed, or sushi. When the child accidentally swallows the Hunger Monster, his troubles and readers' fun begin. Jiro's appetite runs rampant, and he consumes everything from fish guts and netting to his own bed quilt. His parents frantically seek assistance from the doctor, the village priest, and a medium, as Jiro snacks on the doctor's medicines, the priest's prayer beads, and the medium's hair. The situation eventually reaches a clever and happy solution. The story is told economically but with wit and humor. Sogabe's illustrations, created using cut paper over rice paper that has been colored by airbrush or watercolor, complement the text with their elegant simplicity. Pair this tale with Jim Aylesworth's The Full Belly Bowl (Atheneum, 1999) for a discussion of the hazards of excess, incorporate it into multicultural units, or enjoy it for sheer fun.-Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
CONNECTIONS
Other books by Lensey Namioka
Ties That Bind, Ties That Break. 2003. Puffin Books; New Ed edition. ISBN-10: 0141317159 ISBN-13: 978-0141317151
Half and Half Yearling. 2004. ISBN-10: 0440418909 ISBN-13: 978-0440418900
An Ocean Apart, a World Away Laurel Leaf. 2003. ISBN-10: 0440229731 ISBN-13: 978-0440229735
TEA WITH MILK by Allen Say
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Say, Allen. 1999. Tea with Milk Houghton Mifflin/Walter Lorraine Books; 1st Ed edition ISBN-10: 0395904951 ISBN-13: 978-0395904954
SUMMARY
Tea with Milk, is the story of Say's parents Masako and Joseph. Masako was born near San Francisco and lived there until she graduated from high school. After graduating her family moved to Japan. Masako, or May for short, was considered a foreigner and didn't fit in. She had hopes of going to college but returned to high school in Japan to learn traditional things that she didn't learn in California. After her mother meets with a matchmaker and plans an arranged marriage, May decides to take things in her own hand. She goes to the city and finds a job running an elevator in a department store. When an English speaking family needs help communicating and getting directions, May is able to guide them. May is promoted to working with the customers that speak English. In her new position she meets a young businessman that was Japanese but raised by English foster parents. They become friends and discovered that they both grew up drinking tea with milk and sugar. When Joseph is transferred to another city, they decide to marry and start a new home together
CRITICAL REVIEW
Tea with Milk is a family story of a past generation. Say shares the cultural differences in the life his mother lived in California as a child before moving to Japan. In Japan she was expected to learn flower arranging and calligraphy. She was expected to wear a kimono and sit for long periods on the floor. It is interesting and shares several Japanese customs. When May is told she needs a husband she replies, "A husband! I'd rather have a turtle than a husband!" When she meets Joseph she changes her mind.
The illustrations by Allen Say are beautifully done. They resemble photographs from a family photo album. Older children and adults rather than the four to eight-year-old would appreciate the illustrations and story. The styles in the illustration are reminiscent of a time before Say was born.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Kirkus Reviews
In describing how his parents met, Say continues to explore the ways that differing cultures can harmonize; raised near San Francisco and known as May everywhere except at home, where she is Masako, the child who will grow up to be Say's mother becomes a misfit when her family moves back to Japan. Rebelling against attempts to force her into the mold of a traditional Japanese woman, she leaves for Osaka, finds work as a department store translator, and meets Joseph, a Chinese businessman who not only speaks English, but prefers tea with milk and sugar, and persuades her that ``home isn't a place or a building that's ready-made or waiting for you, in America or anywhere else.'' Painted with characteristic control and restraint, Say's illustrations, largely portraits, begin with a sepia view of a sullen child in a kimono, gradually take on distinct, subdued color, and end with a formal shot of the smiling young couple in Western dress. A stately cousin to Ina R. Friedman's How My Parents Learned To Eat (1984), also illustrated by Say. (Picture book. 7-9) -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Publishers Weekly
Say's masterfully executed watercolors tell as much of this story about a young woman's challenging transition from America to Japan as his eloquent, economical prose. Raised near San Francisco, Masako (her American friends called her May) is uprooted after high school when her parents return to their Japanese homeland. In addition to repeating high school to learn Japanese, she must learn the arts of a "proper Japanese lady" flower arranging, calligraphy and the tea ceremony, and is expected to marry well. Declaring "I'd rather have a turtle than a husband," the independent-minded Masako heads for the city of Osaka and gets a job in a department store. With his characteristic subtlety, Say sets off his cultural metaphor from the very start, contrasting the green tea Masako has for breakfast in her home, with the "tea with milk and sugar" she drinks at her friends' houses in America. Later, when she meets a young Japanese businessman who also prefers tea with milk and sugar to green tea, readers will know that she's met her match. Say reveals on the final page that the couple are his parents. Whether the subject is food ("no more pancakes or omelets, fried chicken or spaghetti" in Japan) or the deeper issues of ostracism (her fellow students call Masako "gaijin"Aforeigner) and gender expectations, Say provides gentle insights into human nature as well as East-West cultural differences. His exquisite, spare portraits convey emotions that lie close to the surface and flow easily from page to reader: with views of Masako's slumping posture and mask-like face as she dons her first kimono, or alone in the schoolyard, it's easy to sense her dejection. 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. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
CONNECTIONS
Other books by Say
Say, Allen. 1993. GRANDFATHER'S JOURNEY. Houghton Mifflin/Walter Lorraine Books; ISBN-10: 0395570352 ISBN-13: 978-0395570357
Say, Allen. 1998. STRANGER IN THE MIRROR. Houghton Mifflin/Walter Lorraine Books; New Ed edition. ISBN-10: 039593883X ISBN-13: 978-0395938836
Say, Allen. 1989. THE BICYCLE MAN. Houghton Mifflin/Walter Lorraine Books; 1st Ed edition
ISBN-10: 0395506522 ISBN-13: 978-0395506523
Say, Allen. 2005. KAMISHIBAI MAN. Houghton Mifflin/Walter Lorraine Books.
ISBN-10: 0618479546 ISBN-13: 978-0618479542
*Work on a Genealogy project
Say, Allen. 1999. Tea with Milk Houghton Mifflin/Walter Lorraine Books; 1st Ed edition ISBN-10: 0395904951 ISBN-13: 978-0395904954
SUMMARY
Tea with Milk, is the story of Say's parents Masako and Joseph. Masako was born near San Francisco and lived there until she graduated from high school. After graduating her family moved to Japan. Masako, or May for short, was considered a foreigner and didn't fit in. She had hopes of going to college but returned to high school in Japan to learn traditional things that she didn't learn in California. After her mother meets with a matchmaker and plans an arranged marriage, May decides to take things in her own hand. She goes to the city and finds a job running an elevator in a department store. When an English speaking family needs help communicating and getting directions, May is able to guide them. May is promoted to working with the customers that speak English. In her new position she meets a young businessman that was Japanese but raised by English foster parents. They become friends and discovered that they both grew up drinking tea with milk and sugar. When Joseph is transferred to another city, they decide to marry and start a new home together
CRITICAL REVIEW
Tea with Milk is a family story of a past generation. Say shares the cultural differences in the life his mother lived in California as a child before moving to Japan. In Japan she was expected to learn flower arranging and calligraphy. She was expected to wear a kimono and sit for long periods on the floor. It is interesting and shares several Japanese customs. When May is told she needs a husband she replies, "A husband! I'd rather have a turtle than a husband!" When she meets Joseph she changes her mind.
The illustrations by Allen Say are beautifully done. They resemble photographs from a family photo album. Older children and adults rather than the four to eight-year-old would appreciate the illustrations and story. The styles in the illustration are reminiscent of a time before Say was born.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Kirkus Reviews
In describing how his parents met, Say continues to explore the ways that differing cultures can harmonize; raised near San Francisco and known as May everywhere except at home, where she is Masako, the child who will grow up to be Say's mother becomes a misfit when her family moves back to Japan. Rebelling against attempts to force her into the mold of a traditional Japanese woman, she leaves for Osaka, finds work as a department store translator, and meets Joseph, a Chinese businessman who not only speaks English, but prefers tea with milk and sugar, and persuades her that ``home isn't a place or a building that's ready-made or waiting for you, in America or anywhere else.'' Painted with characteristic control and restraint, Say's illustrations, largely portraits, begin with a sepia view of a sullen child in a kimono, gradually take on distinct, subdued color, and end with a formal shot of the smiling young couple in Western dress. A stately cousin to Ina R. Friedman's How My Parents Learned To Eat (1984), also illustrated by Say. (Picture book. 7-9) -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Publishers Weekly
Say's masterfully executed watercolors tell as much of this story about a young woman's challenging transition from America to Japan as his eloquent, economical prose. Raised near San Francisco, Masako (her American friends called her May) is uprooted after high school when her parents return to their Japanese homeland. In addition to repeating high school to learn Japanese, she must learn the arts of a "proper Japanese lady" flower arranging, calligraphy and the tea ceremony, and is expected to marry well. Declaring "I'd rather have a turtle than a husband," the independent-minded Masako heads for the city of Osaka and gets a job in a department store. With his characteristic subtlety, Say sets off his cultural metaphor from the very start, contrasting the green tea Masako has for breakfast in her home, with the "tea with milk and sugar" she drinks at her friends' houses in America. Later, when she meets a young Japanese businessman who also prefers tea with milk and sugar to green tea, readers will know that she's met her match. Say reveals on the final page that the couple are his parents. Whether the subject is food ("no more pancakes or omelets, fried chicken or spaghetti" in Japan) or the deeper issues of ostracism (her fellow students call Masako "gaijin"Aforeigner) and gender expectations, Say provides gentle insights into human nature as well as East-West cultural differences. His exquisite, spare portraits convey emotions that lie close to the surface and flow easily from page to reader: with views of Masako's slumping posture and mask-like face as she dons her first kimono, or alone in the schoolyard, it's easy to sense her dejection. 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. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
CONNECTIONS
Other books by Say
Say, Allen. 1993. GRANDFATHER'S JOURNEY. Houghton Mifflin/Walter Lorraine Books; ISBN-10: 0395570352 ISBN-13: 978-0395570357
Say, Allen. 1998. STRANGER IN THE MIRROR. Houghton Mifflin/Walter Lorraine Books; New Ed edition. ISBN-10: 039593883X ISBN-13: 978-0395938836
Say, Allen. 1989. THE BICYCLE MAN. Houghton Mifflin/Walter Lorraine Books; 1st Ed edition
ISBN-10: 0395506522 ISBN-13: 978-0395506523
Say, Allen. 2005. KAMISHIBAI MAN. Houghton Mifflin/Walter Lorraine Books.
ISBN-10: 0618479546 ISBN-13: 978-0618479542
*Work on a Genealogy project
THE STAR FISHER by Laurence Yep
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Yep, Laurence. 1992. THE STAR FISHER. Puffin: New York ISBN-10: 0140360034 ISBN-13: 978-0140360035
SUMMARY
In 1927, a Chinese American family moves to West Virginia from Ohio. The Lee family opens a new laundry in an old school house. Their landlord, Miss Lucy, is a kind and interesting woman that befriends Joan and her family. Mrs. Lee grew up as the youngest child in her family and never learned to cook. After several ruined dinners Miss Lucy offers to teach Joan's mother to cook. Mrs. Lee is asked to bake a pie for the church social. With the help of Miss Lucy, Mrs. Lee presents a pie that is enjoyed by several people at the social. The majority of the people in Clarksburg are slow to accept the Lee family. With the help of Miss Lucy and the Reverend, the town begins to accept the Lee family and bring business to the laundry.
CRITICAL REVIEW
The story is based on the memories of the authors' family. Joan Lee is fifteen and born in America. According to her mother, she is sixteen in the Chinese tradition of counting from conception. The title of the book comes from a folktale. In the story that is told by Joan to her little sister, a farmer falls in love with a woman with a beautiful voice. The woman is a magical kingfisher bird. The farmer takes the woman away from her sisters by taking her magical feathered cloak. He hides the magic cloak from his wife to keep her from leaving. They marry and have a child. The child feels different from the other children and doesn't feel as if she belongs. After several years the mother discovers her cloak and flies away telling the child she will return for her. The child has been marked by the golden kingfishers and will also be a star fisher that has the freedom to fly away.
The folktale plays an integral part in the Star Fisher. The book relates the ideas in the folktale to Joan's feelings of being different and not fitting in. As the woman in the tale is held captive, Joan also feels that she needs to become independent from her parents. The mother's in both situations are looking for a way to return to what they know.
The Star Fisher is written in English. The reader is meant to read the story as if it has been told in Joan's home language. The words spoken in English by the characters are printed in Italics to differentiate them from the rest of the text.
Language is a barrier for the mother that speaks very little English. The mother is a strong character that wants to control her family. The mother and daughter share in the universal theme of 'leaving the nest'. Joan is growing up and has a need for independence. In the story, Joan and her mother begin to understand the needs of each other.
The Lee's are confronted with prejudice in their new home. They must deal with derogatory remarks and words painted on their fence. The laundry, in this story is based on the author's history. The Chinese Laundry is a stereotype that has been used over the years. It plays an important part in the story but perpetuates the stereotype. In The Star Fisher, Mr. Lee is a scholar that writes poems. Political problems in his home country forced him to start new life in America. The Lee family wears clothing like other Americans but are kept at a distance by most of the town because they look different. They are treated as if they are "fresh off the boat" and don't understand English. They eat apple pie and sandwiches and are in many ways, acculturated into the American lifestyle.
The Star Fisher is a quality story for children and adults. It is interesting and has depth in it's characters. It was a winner of the Christopher Award.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Publishers Weekly
Based on the author's own experiences, this Christopher Award winner movingly describes a Chinese American family's adjustment to their new home in West Virginia in 1927 and the prejudice they encounter there. Ages 10-14.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
School Library Journal
Grade 6-8-- On the first night in their new home in a small West Virginia town, 15-year-old Joan Lee lulls her little sister to sleep with the story of a magical kingfisher who is held captive in human form by her mortal husband, but who is later helped by her daughter. She soon joins her mother in the stars, but is sometimes seen, comet like, attempting to bridge heaven and Earth. Joan, the oldest daughter of the only Chinese family in 1927 Clarksburg, at first sees only herself in the story's symbols: caught between two worlds. As she braves the curiosity and prejudice of the townspeople, helps bridge a friendship between her mother and an elderly neighbor, and gets acquainted with an enigmatic classmate, she realizes that she is not the only one struggling to find a niche. Joan's story will appeal to any reader who has ever felt excluded, but she and her family seem to hold many more stories begging to be shared. Based on tales Yep gleaned from his mother and her family, whose resilience and humor shine through, The Star Fisher offers tantalizing glimpses of interesting characters, but abruptly shifts focus from a family story with the younger sister as a strong character to a relationship between mother and daughter. Basically, there is too much depth and complexity here to be confined to one book. --Carla Kozak, San Francisco Public Library
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
CONNECTIONS
Other books by Yep
Yep, Laurence. 2001. COCKROACH COOTIES. Hyperion. ISBN-10: 0786813385 ISBN-13: 978-0786813384
Laurence Yep
2003. THE MAGIC PAINTBRUSH. HarperTrophy. ISBN-10: 0064408523 ISBN-13: 978-0064408523
Laurence Yep. DREAM SOUL.
*This books gives an opportunity for a discussion on predjudice.
Yep, Laurence. 1992. THE STAR FISHER. Puffin: New York ISBN-10: 0140360034 ISBN-13: 978-0140360035
SUMMARY
In 1927, a Chinese American family moves to West Virginia from Ohio. The Lee family opens a new laundry in an old school house. Their landlord, Miss Lucy, is a kind and interesting woman that befriends Joan and her family. Mrs. Lee grew up as the youngest child in her family and never learned to cook. After several ruined dinners Miss Lucy offers to teach Joan's mother to cook. Mrs. Lee is asked to bake a pie for the church social. With the help of Miss Lucy, Mrs. Lee presents a pie that is enjoyed by several people at the social. The majority of the people in Clarksburg are slow to accept the Lee family. With the help of Miss Lucy and the Reverend, the town begins to accept the Lee family and bring business to the laundry.
CRITICAL REVIEW
The story is based on the memories of the authors' family. Joan Lee is fifteen and born in America. According to her mother, she is sixteen in the Chinese tradition of counting from conception. The title of the book comes from a folktale. In the story that is told by Joan to her little sister, a farmer falls in love with a woman with a beautiful voice. The woman is a magical kingfisher bird. The farmer takes the woman away from her sisters by taking her magical feathered cloak. He hides the magic cloak from his wife to keep her from leaving. They marry and have a child. The child feels different from the other children and doesn't feel as if she belongs. After several years the mother discovers her cloak and flies away telling the child she will return for her. The child has been marked by the golden kingfishers and will also be a star fisher that has the freedom to fly away.
The folktale plays an integral part in the Star Fisher. The book relates the ideas in the folktale to Joan's feelings of being different and not fitting in. As the woman in the tale is held captive, Joan also feels that she needs to become independent from her parents. The mother's in both situations are looking for a way to return to what they know.
The Star Fisher is written in English. The reader is meant to read the story as if it has been told in Joan's home language. The words spoken in English by the characters are printed in Italics to differentiate them from the rest of the text.
Language is a barrier for the mother that speaks very little English. The mother is a strong character that wants to control her family. The mother and daughter share in the universal theme of 'leaving the nest'. Joan is growing up and has a need for independence. In the story, Joan and her mother begin to understand the needs of each other.
The Lee's are confronted with prejudice in their new home. They must deal with derogatory remarks and words painted on their fence. The laundry, in this story is based on the author's history. The Chinese Laundry is a stereotype that has been used over the years. It plays an important part in the story but perpetuates the stereotype. In The Star Fisher, Mr. Lee is a scholar that writes poems. Political problems in his home country forced him to start new life in America. The Lee family wears clothing like other Americans but are kept at a distance by most of the town because they look different. They are treated as if they are "fresh off the boat" and don't understand English. They eat apple pie and sandwiches and are in many ways, acculturated into the American lifestyle.
The Star Fisher is a quality story for children and adults. It is interesting and has depth in it's characters. It was a winner of the Christopher Award.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Publishers Weekly
Based on the author's own experiences, this Christopher Award winner movingly describes a Chinese American family's adjustment to their new home in West Virginia in 1927 and the prejudice they encounter there. Ages 10-14.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
School Library Journal
Grade 6-8-- On the first night in their new home in a small West Virginia town, 15-year-old Joan Lee lulls her little sister to sleep with the story of a magical kingfisher who is held captive in human form by her mortal husband, but who is later helped by her daughter. She soon joins her mother in the stars, but is sometimes seen, comet like, attempting to bridge heaven and Earth. Joan, the oldest daughter of the only Chinese family in 1927 Clarksburg, at first sees only herself in the story's symbols: caught between two worlds. As she braves the curiosity and prejudice of the townspeople, helps bridge a friendship between her mother and an elderly neighbor, and gets acquainted with an enigmatic classmate, she realizes that she is not the only one struggling to find a niche. Joan's story will appeal to any reader who has ever felt excluded, but she and her family seem to hold many more stories begging to be shared. Based on tales Yep gleaned from his mother and her family, whose resilience and humor shine through, The Star Fisher offers tantalizing glimpses of interesting characters, but abruptly shifts focus from a family story with the younger sister as a strong character to a relationship between mother and daughter. Basically, there is too much depth and complexity here to be confined to one book. --Carla Kozak, San Francisco Public Library
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
CONNECTIONS
Other books by Yep
Yep, Laurence. 2001. COCKROACH COOTIES. Hyperion. ISBN-10: 0786813385 ISBN-13: 978-0786813384
Laurence Yep
2003. THE MAGIC PAINTBRUSH. HarperTrophy. ISBN-10: 0064408523 ISBN-13: 978-0064408523
Laurence Yep. DREAM SOUL.
*This books gives an opportunity for a discussion on predjudice.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
FOX SONG by Joseph Bruchac
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bruchac, Joseph. 1993. FOX SONG. Putnam Juvenile. New York
ISBN-10: 0698115619 ISBN-13: 978-0698115613
SUMMARY
Grama Bowman was over ninety and Jamie's great grandma. They were very close and it has been hard for Jamie since Grama Bowman died. They had all lived together for the last six years by the Winooski River. It was the family way to take care of each other. Jamie and her Grama are Abenaki. Jamie's father was French but Grama had said they were good people and "quick to learn, and we were ready to teach them. I think that is why we kept on marrying them all these years." Grama had taught Jamie to pick wild berries and to make birch bark baskets. Grama Bowman had made Jamie laugh. They would walk into the woods and sip maple sap from the bucket. While in the woods, Grama tells Jamie, "when you are out here and I am not with you, you keep your eyes open. You might see her (the fox) and when you do, you will think of me." When Jamie walks in the woods now, she feels her Grama beside her. Grama had talked of the leaves and how they liked to dance. The leaves reminded Grama of her old people and made her remember that they are still with her. She taught Jamie a special song that would help Jamie if she was feeling alone. Grama had prepared Jamie, "when you are in the woods alone and you see the fox think of me." After Grama died, Jamie went to walk in the woods, she sang the special song that she had had been given by Grama Bowman. As Jamie sang she saw the fox, sitting and listening to her song. Jamie knew that she would never be alone.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Fox Song is based on a special relationship that Bruchac had with an old friend. The friend had given him a gift of a song. A song given as a gift by the Abenaki is kept close and personal. When Bruchac saw a fox in the woods he sang the song in memory of his friend. Bruchac uses Abenaki language in his story. Wokwes for the fox, Kokohas for the old owl, Madegwas for rabbit and alniminal for the wild berries. Ways of life significant to the Abenaki are shared in the story. Badogi is the mark of thunder. Grama gives a gift of tobacco to the Maskwa blanket tree. She shows Jamie how to strip the bark to the left, the way the sun moves around the tree. It is important to only take what they need so the tree won't die. The Abenaki believe that lightening doesn't strike a Birch tree and that it is a safe place in a storm.
The birch basket that is pictued in the illustrations is an accurate representation of an Abenaki birch basket. The illustrations are warm and show moments of happiness. The dark hair and golden skin reflect Jamie's native American heritage. The few items of Abenaki art are set in a modern day home. The clothing worn by Jamie and her Grama are typical of current styles worn by all people today. Nature is depicted in an inviting way with sunshine and color. The paintings by Paul Morin are attractive and full of life and soul. The book Fox Song expresses the author's empathy with the loss of a loved one.
Fox Song is recommended for ages 4-8 but an enjoyable story for all ages.
REVIEWS
Publishers Weekly In this tale of the sweet and vital bond between Native American great-grandparents and children, Bruchac, a well-known storyteller with Abenaki roots, offers a glimpse into traditional ways through the experience of Jamie, an Abenaki girl who lives near Vermont's Winooski river. One morning, Jamie resists waking and clings to fitful dreams in which she is reunited with her dead great-grandmother. Bruchac's clever device unifies various memories of Grama Bowman: she has taught Jamie to collect berries and to care for the patch ("burn off the dead bushes each year so that new ones will be green"), to peel bark from birch trees to fashion baskets, to follow wildlife signs in the winter woods, to sip maple sap. Primary to this story is the poignancy of lessons whose meanings ripen only with time. The aging woman lovingly and unobtrusively prepares her great-granddaughter for their inevitable separation, telling Jamie that when she sees the fox she will think of Grama Bowman. A delicate secondary theme is the unusual parental sympathy for Jamie's lazy morning--her mother and father understand the healing power of dreams. Through an appropriately autumnal palette, Morin's oil paintings on canvas echo the texture of Abenaki artifacts: birch bark and sticks, leather, carved bone, drying leaves. Ages 4-up. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
School Library Journal
Grade 2-4-Jamie, grieving over the death of her great-grandmother, remembers and describes some of the special times they shared. Grama Bowman, an Abenaki, told her stories and taught her about "'our old Indian way.'" Memories of gathering berries, birch bark for baskets, or sap for maple sugar, activities that brought them together and close to nature are related. She recalls seeing the tracks of a fox and her grama telling her, "'When you are out here and I am not with you, you keep your eyes open. You might see her and when you do, you will think of me.'" The elderly woman's wise words and an Abenaki song of greeting help the girl cope with her loss. When Jamie sings the song in the woods, she sees a fox and knows that she will "...never be alone." Morin's oil paintings are both realistic and textured. The characters' faces are depicted lovingly but without idealism. The palette is rich and warm, in mostly autumnal tones, but with spring and winter accents. Strong artwork and multiple themes compensate for the rather pat ending.Patricia Dooley, formerly at University of Washington, SeattleCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
CONNECTIONS
Crazy Horse's Vision (Paperback) by Joseph Bruchac (Narrator), S. D. Nelson (Illustrator), Curtis Zunigha. Live Oak Media; Pap/Cas edition (January 30, 2007) ISBN-10: 1591124514 ISBN-13: 978-1591124511
* Ask the children if they have ever seen a fox. Let them share stories of special times with their grandparents.
reviews accessed from http://www.amazon.com
Bruchac, Joseph. 1993. FOX SONG. Putnam Juvenile. New York
ISBN-10: 0698115619 ISBN-13: 978-0698115613
SUMMARY
Grama Bowman was over ninety and Jamie's great grandma. They were very close and it has been hard for Jamie since Grama Bowman died. They had all lived together for the last six years by the Winooski River. It was the family way to take care of each other. Jamie and her Grama are Abenaki. Jamie's father was French but Grama had said they were good people and "quick to learn, and we were ready to teach them. I think that is why we kept on marrying them all these years." Grama had taught Jamie to pick wild berries and to make birch bark baskets. Grama Bowman had made Jamie laugh. They would walk into the woods and sip maple sap from the bucket. While in the woods, Grama tells Jamie, "when you are out here and I am not with you, you keep your eyes open. You might see her (the fox) and when you do, you will think of me." When Jamie walks in the woods now, she feels her Grama beside her. Grama had talked of the leaves and how they liked to dance. The leaves reminded Grama of her old people and made her remember that they are still with her. She taught Jamie a special song that would help Jamie if she was feeling alone. Grama had prepared Jamie, "when you are in the woods alone and you see the fox think of me." After Grama died, Jamie went to walk in the woods, she sang the special song that she had had been given by Grama Bowman. As Jamie sang she saw the fox, sitting and listening to her song. Jamie knew that she would never be alone.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Fox Song is based on a special relationship that Bruchac had with an old friend. The friend had given him a gift of a song. A song given as a gift by the Abenaki is kept close and personal. When Bruchac saw a fox in the woods he sang the song in memory of his friend. Bruchac uses Abenaki language in his story. Wokwes for the fox, Kokohas for the old owl, Madegwas for rabbit and alniminal for the wild berries. Ways of life significant to the Abenaki are shared in the story. Badogi is the mark of thunder. Grama gives a gift of tobacco to the Maskwa blanket tree. She shows Jamie how to strip the bark to the left, the way the sun moves around the tree. It is important to only take what they need so the tree won't die. The Abenaki believe that lightening doesn't strike a Birch tree and that it is a safe place in a storm.
The birch basket that is pictued in the illustrations is an accurate representation of an Abenaki birch basket. The illustrations are warm and show moments of happiness. The dark hair and golden skin reflect Jamie's native American heritage. The few items of Abenaki art are set in a modern day home. The clothing worn by Jamie and her Grama are typical of current styles worn by all people today. Nature is depicted in an inviting way with sunshine and color. The paintings by Paul Morin are attractive and full of life and soul. The book Fox Song expresses the author's empathy with the loss of a loved one.
Fox Song is recommended for ages 4-8 but an enjoyable story for all ages.
REVIEWS
Publishers Weekly In this tale of the sweet and vital bond between Native American great-grandparents and children, Bruchac, a well-known storyteller with Abenaki roots, offers a glimpse into traditional ways through the experience of Jamie, an Abenaki girl who lives near Vermont's Winooski river. One morning, Jamie resists waking and clings to fitful dreams in which she is reunited with her dead great-grandmother. Bruchac's clever device unifies various memories of Grama Bowman: she has taught Jamie to collect berries and to care for the patch ("burn off the dead bushes each year so that new ones will be green"), to peel bark from birch trees to fashion baskets, to follow wildlife signs in the winter woods, to sip maple sap. Primary to this story is the poignancy of lessons whose meanings ripen only with time. The aging woman lovingly and unobtrusively prepares her great-granddaughter for their inevitable separation, telling Jamie that when she sees the fox she will think of Grama Bowman. A delicate secondary theme is the unusual parental sympathy for Jamie's lazy morning--her mother and father understand the healing power of dreams. Through an appropriately autumnal palette, Morin's oil paintings on canvas echo the texture of Abenaki artifacts: birch bark and sticks, leather, carved bone, drying leaves. Ages 4-up. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
School Library Journal
Grade 2-4-Jamie, grieving over the death of her great-grandmother, remembers and describes some of the special times they shared. Grama Bowman, an Abenaki, told her stories and taught her about "'our old Indian way.'" Memories of gathering berries, birch bark for baskets, or sap for maple sugar, activities that brought them together and close to nature are related. She recalls seeing the tracks of a fox and her grama telling her, "'When you are out here and I am not with you, you keep your eyes open. You might see her and when you do, you will think of me.'" The elderly woman's wise words and an Abenaki song of greeting help the girl cope with her loss. When Jamie sings the song in the woods, she sees a fox and knows that she will "...never be alone." Morin's oil paintings are both realistic and textured. The characters' faces are depicted lovingly but without idealism. The palette is rich and warm, in mostly autumnal tones, but with spring and winter accents. Strong artwork and multiple themes compensate for the rather pat ending.Patricia Dooley, formerly at University of Washington, SeattleCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
CONNECTIONS
Crazy Horse's Vision (Paperback) by Joseph Bruchac (Narrator), S. D. Nelson (Illustrator), Curtis Zunigha. Live Oak Media; Pap/Cas edition (January 30, 2007) ISBN-10: 1591124514 ISBN-13: 978-1591124511
* Ask the children if they have ever seen a fox. Let them share stories of special times with their grandparents.
reviews accessed from http://www.amazon.com
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