LSSL 5361

Book Reviews

Culture # 4

Book #1

Alexie, S., & Forney, E. (2015). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian. London: Andersen Press. ISBN 9780329653165

a) The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian follows the story of 14 year old boy, Junior, who lives with his family on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Washington State.  Junior suffers from hydrocephalus, which is the reason for his short stature, seizures, poor eye-sight, stuttering, and lisping.  Because of this condition, Junior has been picked on for most of his life.  The story is written in a diary form which starts at the beginning of the school year and ends at the beginning of summer.  The main plot of the story is that Junior is frustrated with poor conditions his school is; which comes to light when Junior receives a geometry textbook which his mother had used when she was in school.  Angry and upset, Junior lashes out by throwing the book at his teacher, which breaks his nose.  When his teacher, Mr. P. visits Junior at his home; he convinces Junior to transfer to a high school that is 22 miles away, which is wealthier than his own school.  The majority of the story deals with how Junior interacts and deals with his new classmates where Junior; which have different rules and values compared to the those he had witnessed in the reservation.  The book also examines the family struggles that Junior faced during his year in school; which include the death of his grandmother by a drunk driver and a family friend being shot in the face after a fight over alcohol.  

b) The book is written in an episodic diary format.  It is told through Juniors written account of what occurred along with cartoon drawings that comically depict on his situations and other illustrations that are more serious in nature depicting important people in his life.  The story is a modern realistic novel that is contemporary and uses humor to convey its message.  This book is a great example for students to explore a different culture, other than one that they are familiar with.  They can also experience consequences vicariously through Juniors decisions.  This is a great book that helps transmit culture; and Sherman Alexie does an excellent job in portraying Native American life.  

c) The following review excerpt can be found at https://www.theguardian.com/books/2008/oct/04/teenage.sherman.alexie

Some books are like living organisms. They seem to breathe, laugh, weep, joke, confront, meet you eye to eye. Maybe it's the combination of drawings, pithy turns of phrase, candour, tragedy, despair and hope that makes this more than an entertaining read, more than an engaging story about a North American Indian kid who makes it out of a poor, dead-end background without losing his connection with who he is and where he's from. The writing occasionally relies too heavily on the cartoonesque quip, but mostly it is muscular and snappy with a knack for capturing the detail and overview with wrenching spareness. One chapter is a gem of love and heartbreak. "And a Partridge in a Pear Tree" covers barely two pages and yet it evokes so much as it describes Junior's dad's return from a drunken binge over the holiday period, then the offer to his son of a five-dollar bill scrunched in his boot: "Man that thing smelled like booze and fear and failure." Opening this book is like meeting a friend you'd never make in your actual life and being given a piece of his world, inner and outer. It's humane, authentic and, most of all, it speaks.

d) Readers also enjoyed If I Ever Get Out of Here by Eric Gansworth; After Tupac and D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson; A Step from Heaven by An Na; American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang; and Claudette Calvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillp M. Hoose

Book #2

Sneve, V. D., & Himler, R. (1993).The Navajos. New York: Holiday House. ISBN 09780823410392

a)      The book tells the story of how the Navajos came to be.  In the beginning there were four gods, the Water Bearer, the House God, the Fire God and the Talking God.  These four gods were the ones that together created the earth and the first man and woman.  Man and woman had a child who was responsible for creating four clans of people from which the Navajo descended.  The entire book tells different aspects of the history of the Navajo; from their meeting with the white man; to family life; to the battles they endured.  We are also able to see where the Navajos are today.

b)     The book tells stories that were passed down from generation to generation as well those that are written in history books.  The pictures are inviting and uses colors that are soothing and be found in the southwest.

c) The following review can be found at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10677670-the-navajos

The Navajos: A First Americans Book is a brief but broad overview of the history and culture of the Navajos. I found it informative and interesting, and all of the facts matched up with what I have learned about the Navajos from other sources. The illustrations, too, seemed well-researched. It takes twenty minutes tops to read, and would be very good for elementary kids learning about the Native Americans.

d) Readers will also enjoy Sioux by Kevin Cunningham; The Navajo by  Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve; and How the Stars Fell into the Sky: A Navajo Legend by Jerrie Oughton.

Book #3

Bruchac, J. (2006).Geronimo. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 9780439353601

a)     The book tells the story of famous Native American Geronimo.  In this book Geronimo is telling his life story to his grandson. He recounts stories from his entire life; that include his time fighting Mexican and American Soldiers; his time appearing in President Theodore Roosevelt’s inauguration parade; and his time in prison trains. He also recounts how he was betrayed by “White Eyes” as well as his forced removal from the southwest to Florida.

b)     The book tells the life of one of the most famous Native Americans.  We lay witness to the treatment of the Apache Indians by Americans.  Though not flattering, it is important that we see how the United States government at the time treated them. 

c) The following review can be found at https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/joseph-bruchac/geronimo/

“You will remember it all,” Geronimo says to his grandson at Fort Sill, Okla., in 1908. Imprisoned there, Geronimo is at the end of his long life, and Willie is to remember and tell Geronimo’s story: the prison trains and the forced moves, betrayals by the White Eyes, fighting against Mexican and American soldiers, removal of the Apaches from the Southwest to Florida and Geronimo’s ride in Theodore Roosevelt’s inaugural parade. But for Willie to narrate the tale is limiting, distancing the reader and sometimes making Geronimo himself seem peripheral to Willie’s own story; any potential drama is sapped from the narrative. It’s a story told rather than brought to the great, dramatic life it could have lived on the page. Also, since the heart of the narrative is the journey to Florida, maps would have helped readers follow the trek. Overall, though, this is an important, carefully researched work that will fill a gap in most collections

d) Readers also enjoyed Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis, The Extra by Kathryn Lasky; and No Easy Answers by Donald R Gallo.

Book #4

Dorris, M. (1997).Sees Behind Trees. Livonia, MI: Seedlings. ISBN 9780786802241

a)     The book tells the story of a young Native American by the name of Walnut.  Unfortunately Walnut has a sight problem; which is a problem with an upcoming test to see if he is ready to be an adult.  The test consists of shooting arrows to a specified target; and with his visual impairment; Walnut is worried that he will not succeed.  He is able to incorporate the use of his other senses and is able to pass the test to become and adult; and in doing so receives the name of “Sees Behind Trees”.  Though he passed the test, Sees Behind Trees has a hard time believing in himself.  The books takes in a journey where Sees Behind Trees faces a difficult task but we are witness to his triumph in this journey into manhood. 

b) The story is marvelously written that is a coming of age story.  Traditions, customs and folklore are abundant throughout this book that takes place in the 16^th century.  This is a great book for young girls and boys that are about to take their own journey of maturity. 

c) The following review can be found at  https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-7868-0224-1

Dorris's (Morning Girl) eloquent, beautifully crafted coming-of-age tale centers on Walnut, a near-sighted Native American boy whose uncanny ability to use his other senses earns him the adult name Sees Behind Trees. Set in the distant, pre-colonial past, the story finds the boy moving hesitantly into adulthood--gradually gaining confidence in himself and his perceptions; learning humility when he prizes his talents too highly; earning the respect of his tribe when he escorts an elderly wise man on a dangerous journey. Both sharply and lyrically observed, fraught with emotion, the first-person narrative should connect strongly with a young audience, who will quickly learn that, no matter the century or the culture, the fundamentals of growing up remain very much the same. The authenticity of the characterizations and setting will ease readers toward acceptance of the quasi-mystical adventure that crowns the story. It's a thrilling read, with the pleasures compounding at every turn of the page. 

d) Readers will also enjoy Enemy Pie by Derek Munson; Morning Girl by Michael Dorris; Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls and Children of the Longhouse by Joseph Bruchac

LSSL 5361

Book Review

Culture #2

Book #1

Yoon, N. (2016). The sun is also a star. New York: Delacorte Press. ISBN 9780385683685

a) The Sun is also a Star tells the story of 17-year-old Jamaican-American Natasha who leaves her family’s home to help her find a way to evade deportation.  The reason for the deportation because her father, after being stopped for a DUI, informed authorities that he and his family were in America illegally.  While speaking to a U.S. Customs and Immigration Service agent; she is directed to meet with an immigration attorney.   At the same time, this was happening; Korean-American Daniel is getting ready to go to an interview with a Yale University.  Daniel decides to take a subway to get ready; where the subway conductor urges his passengers to find GOD, like he just did.  Daniel decides that he will look for signs of God.  During his search for signs; he and Natasha meet for the first time at a record store where they instantly hit it off.  The two are total opposites on their beliefs; where Natasha is more focused on reason, science and logic; and Daniel is more passionate, creative and faithful.  The day goes by, the two spend every moment together.  The learn more about each other and at the same time they begin to positively change each other’s lives.  Daniel decides that it is O.K not to do what his parents want him to do; while Natasha want to find some passion in her life.  By the end of the day they realize that they have fallen in love.  At the end of the day; Natasha calls USCIS to leave thanks and Daniel ends up at his Yale University interview; coincidentally with the Immigration Attorney that Natasha was directed to meet.   Unfortunately, Natasha and her family end up being deported back to Jamaica.  Daniel and Natasha try to keep in touch in hopes of their romance blossoming; but distance hinders this and their love falls apart.  Years later; they accidentally meet and recognize each other.  

b) The Sun is also a Star is a Young Adult novel written by Nicola Yoon.  The book is a contemporary, romance-fiction novel that deals with various questions and issues.   The story looks closely at questions about love, fate, and God. It also tackles race relations and prejudices among ethnic groups that are non-white.  The book is written where the two main protagonists narrate each chapter; with a third person narrator scattered (believed to be God) in between.

c) The following review can be found at https://www.hbook.com/2016/11/choosing-books/review-of-the-week/review-of-the-sun-is-also-a-star/

New York City high school senior Natasha believes in science and rationality. An undocumented immigrant from Jamaica, she and her family are facing immediate deportation thanks to her father’s DUI arrest. Daniel believes in destiny and poetry. Burdened with his Korean-immigrant parents’ expectations, he is appeasing them by applying to Yale, where he will study to become a doctor. But when Natasha’s and Daniel’s paths cross unexpectedly, and repeatedly, over the course of a day, Daniel is convinced: he is experiencing “love at second sight…the feeling when you meet someone that you’re going to fall in love with them.” Soon, it’s a twelve-hour race against the clock: can Daniel get Natasha to fall in love with him before their time together ends? Can Natasha get the help of an immigration lawyer to stay her deportation? And what will happen if she really does have to leave the country that night? The teens’ alternating first-person narrations are fresh and compelling, and interspersed throughout are relevant third-person omniscient musings on various histories, from the past and future histories of some of the book’s secondary characters to the chemical history of love to a quantum theory of multiverses. Fans of Eleanor & Park (rev. 5/13) and The Fault in Our Stars (rev. 3/12) are destined to fall for Daniel and Natasha as quickly as they fall for each other.

From the November/December 2016 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.

d) Readers also enjoyed Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven; The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli; Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett; The Names They Gave Us by Emma Mills; and The Twelve Days of Dask and Lily by Rachel Cohn

Book #2

Tate, D., & Christie, R. G. (2012).It jes happened: When Bill Traylor started to draw. New York: Lee & Low Books. ISBN 9781600602603

a) The book tells the story of 85 year old man by the name of Bill Traylor. Bill’s life is examined through the book and the memories he kept deep inside.  The memories shared began when Bill was a slave before the civil war; working the land owned by the Traylor family; to when they were freed after the civil war and decided to stay on the land and share in the profits with their previous owners. We are witness to his life which at age 81 he decided to move to Montgomery where he was able to find a job; but due to his ailments was forced to quit.  His life took a turn for the worse in that he could not get a job to help pay the bills; which caused him to become homeless His life was full of memories; which he used to draw his pictures at 85.  Bill made friends with a young artist by the name of Charles Shannon who supported Bill’s painting by providing him with art supplies.  With the help of Mr. Shannon; Bill’s art work would end up being displayed in galleries. 

b) The picture book is full of pictures that evoke the times during Bill’s life in which he lived as a slave, a family man, and his time in the city.  The pictures help tell the story of the struggles African American men went through before and after the civil war.  The book is marvelously written and illustrated and is one that its readers will find enjoyment and learn a thing or two.  

c) The following review can be found at https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-60060-260-3

In 1939 Montgomery, Ala., 85-year-old former slave Bill Traylor began to draw. In understated prose, Tate imagines the wellspring of memories that might have contributed to Traylor’s outpouring of art so late in life: jumping in the Alabama River as a child, witnessing the Civil War and its aftermath, and caring for animals on the farm where he lived after emancipation: “Bill saved up these memories deep inside.” After the death of his wife, Traylor moved into Montgomery, where, homeless, he began drawing on sidewalks and assorted objects. Soon after, an artist named Charles Shannon took an interest in his work, arranging for an exhibit of Traylor’s work. Christie’s acrylic and gouache illustrations nod toward Traylor’s own style, with bold color blocks and naïf figures, in this thoughtful reflection on the nature of creative inspiration and a man who “has come to be regarded as one of the most important self-taught American folk artists.” 

d) Readers would also like A Splash of Red: The life and art of Horace Pippin by Jen Bryant; Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton by Don Tate; and Radiant Child: The Story of young artist Jean-Michael Basquiat by Javaka Steptoe

Book #3

Arkhurst, J. C. (1992).The adventures of spider / West African folktales. New York: Little, Brown Young Company. ISBN 9780673817631

a) If you are a fan of spiders; you will want to read this book.  This book tells the you why spiders are the way they are.  Through West African folktales we are able to learn why spiders live in ceilings, are found in dark corners, how they became bald and why they have thin waists.  The reason for thin waste was because Spider was being greedy and wanted to feast on food from two different villages.  But because he was greedy his plan to eat at both festivals back fired and end up becoming thin.  There is also a great story about spider helping the fisherman.  Spider was hoping to be able to eat the fish with little work; but the fisherman ended up out-smarting spider who did all the work and was rewarded very minimally. 

b) The story is an origin story about a spider.  The folktales are rooted in West African folktales.  The reader gets a sense of how these stories are past from generation to generation.  But one of the problems that I see is the reader might have trouble understanding the translations; because they do not seem to follow the rules of the English language. 

c) The following review can be found at: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/it-jes-happened-don-tate/1110792134?ean=9781600602603

The Adventures Of Spider: West African Folktales as retold by Joyce Cooper Arkhurst and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney is a wonderful book of folktales that bring the culture and values of Africa to the reader in a simple yet charming fashion. The collection includes 6 folktales that star Spider, a lazy, yet clever, spider that is always searching for the next easy meal. The stories are told in a simple language that is easy enough for young children to understand but contains powerful messages of community, integrity, and wit. I would recommend this book as a read aloud in 2nd grade through 4th grade classrooms. One lesson that could be derived from the collection is to focus on the culture, specifically the cultural values, of the West African people. These stories are an excellent example of the presence of the culture of the people. Each tale is rich with examples of how West Africans value hard work, community, and integrity. Another lesson could be used in the younger classrooms is to discuss the use of personification. Spider is an actual spider, yet displays many human characteristics and actions in each story. The students could point out examples of how the spider is acting like a person in each story. – Adam Jaison

d) Readers would also enjoy Anansi: The Trickster Spider by Lynne Garner; Firefly Mountain by Patricia Thomas and The Memory String by Eve Bunting

Book #4

Thomas, A. (2017).The Hate U Give. Balzer & Bray/Harperteen. ISBN 9780062498533

a) The book tells the story of 16 year old Starr Carter.  Starr lives in a poor African American neighborhood; but is able to attend a fancy prep school.  While attending a party,  Starr gets a ride home from a childhood friend; when they are stopped by the police.  The police officers force Starr’s friend, Khalil to get out of the car and end up shooting him dead.  The murder of a black male teenager makes national headlines; with the media painting Khalil as a thug, drug dealer, and gang banger.  Needless to say Starr’s neighborhood becomes a war zone with protests happening trying to get the police to investigate the crime.  Starr is thrust in to the national media’s attention when she tries to clear up her friends’ reputation and bring light as to what really happened that fateful night.

b) The story told is one that speaks volumes to the kids.  It is one that most will find relatable to what has been occurring the past couple of years; with police officers shooting and killing innocent young black men.  The story also is similar in that young teen agers must stand up for their rights and begin to create a movement; similar to the teenagers from Parkland High School in Parkland Florida.  Most readers will become emotional especially with end results of the book.

c) The following review can be found at https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2017/03/the-hate-u-give-angie-thomas-review/521079/

“They finally put a sheet over Khalil. He can’t breathe under it. I can’t breathe.”
The last words of Eric Garner, adopted and amplified by the Black Lives Matter movement, echo again in the early pages of Angie Thomas’s young-adult novel The Hate U Give. By the time she’s 16, Starr Carter, the protagonist of the book, has lost two of her childhood friends to gun violence: one by a gang drive-by, and one by a cop.
As the sole witness to her friend Khalil’s fatal shooting by a police officer, Starr is overwhelmed by the pressure of testifying before a grand jury and the responsibility of speaking out in Khalil’s memory. The incident also means that the carefully built-up boundary between Starr’s two worlds begins to crumble. For years, she has spent her weekdays at a private, majority-white school, where she explains, “I’m cool by default because I’m one of the only black kids there.” Back at home, she lives with her father “Big Mav,” a former gang-member who wants to make their crime-ridden neighborhood a better place, and her mother Lisa, who wants to move away in order to keep her family safe.  Now in its third consecutive week at number one on The New York Times bestseller list for young-adult novels, Thomas’s debut novel offers an incisive and engrossing perspective of the life of a black teenage girl as Starr’s two worlds converge over questions of police brutality, justice, and activism.

This question of appearance versus reality recurs throughout The Hate U Give. Starr, familiar with perceptions of her neighborhood, community, and herself, code-switches to adapt to her environment and others’ expectations. After the shooting, a new narrative—one that paints Khalil as a drug dealer threatening a cop—surfaces, but an emboldened Starr challenges this simplistic framing of her friend. The novel goes on to raise cogent and credible counter-arguments to the flattening narratives often presented by authorities and echoed by many media outlets in shooting cases involving young black males.  As a book written for teens, The Hate U Give reminds readers of just how often racialized violence is carried out against that age group (Michael Brown was 18 when he was killed; Trayvon Martin was 17; and not-yet teen Tamir Rice was 12). And it illustrates how young people of color who might speak out to defend their late friends are unfairly criticized, as happened to Rachel Jeantel when she testified against her friend Martin’s killer, George Zimmerman. Thomas’s novel keenly understands the dangers of defaulting to the cop/vigilante versus “thug” framing device: The deceased get put on trial, rather than their killers.

d) Readers will also enjoy One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus; Turtles All the Way Down by John Green; and This is Where it Ends by Marieke Nijkamp

LSSL 5361

Book Reviews

Culture #5

Book #1

Lin, G. (2016). Where the mountain meets the moon. New York: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 9780316038638

This books tells the story of a young girl who embarks on a journey to help her family.  Minli, a poor Chinese girl lives in valley in Fruitless Mountain; where everything is grey and dull.  Minli goes on an amazing journey to try to bring prosperity to her family and to her village.

This book is a great read in that every chapter deals with stories from Chinese folklore and fantasy.  We are able to learn different customs and stories that are part of Chinese legends and stories.  It reminds me of “dichos” that are common to most Hispanic Americans.  The book also creates a great role model for young girls and gives them a true heroine.

The review can be found at https://www.thebooksmugglers.com/2012/06/book-review-where-the-mountain-meets-the-moon-by-gracie-lin.html

Grace Lin, author of the beloved Year of the Dog and Year of the Rat, returns with a wondrous story of happiness, family, and friendship. A fantasy crossed with Chinese folklore, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a timeless adventure story in the classic tradition of The Wizard of Oz. In the Valley of Fruitless Mountain, a young girl named Minli spends her days working hard in the fields and her nights listening to her father spin fantastic tales about the Jade Dragon and the Old Man of the Moon. Minli’s mother, tired of their poor life, chides him for filling her head  with nonsense. But Minli believes these enchanting stories and embarks on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man of the Moon and ask him how her family can change their fortune. She encounters an assorted cast of characters and magical creatures along the way, including a dragon who accompanies her on her quest.

Readers will also enjoy Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin; A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle; and  Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell

Book #2

Kadohata, C., & Kuo, J. (2014). The thing about luck. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN 9781442474659

The book tells the story of Summer and her brother Jaz and their times living with their grandparents.  Their parents are end moving to Japan due to an emergency and they must know live with their grandparents right before harvest time.  Their grandparents are traditionalists which does not sit well with Summer.  We are able to see the life Summer and Jaz must endure with Obaachan and Jiichan, who are now out of retirement, to take care of their grandchildren

This book is one that will appeal to many people; especially those have been raised by the grandparents.  You are able to relate to Summer no matter what culture you are.  For those that are migrants; you will also be able to relate to what life is like moving from one farm to the other.   This books speaks well for many children and we are also able to understand some of the traditions that are instilled into this family.

Review can be found at https://www.thebooksmugglers.com/2013/11/book-review-the-thing-about-luck-by-cynthia-kadohata.html

There is bad luck, good luck, and making your own luck—which is exactly what Summer must do to save her family in this novel from Newbery Medalist Cynthia Kadohata.

Summer knows that kouun means “good luck” in Japanese, and this year her family has none of it. Just when she thinks nothing else can possibly go wrong, an emergency whisks her parents away to Japan—right before harvest season. Summer and her little brother, Jaz, are left in the care of their grandparents, who come out of retirement in order to harvest wheat and help pay the bills. The thing about Obaachan and Jiichan is that they are old-fashioned and demanding, and between helping Obaachan cook for the workers, covering for her when her back pain worsens, and worrying about her lonely little brother, Summer just barely has time to notice the attentions of their boss’s cute son. But notice she does, and what begins as a welcome distraction from the hard work soon turns into a mess of its own. Having thoroughly disappointed her grandmother, Summer figures the bad luck must be finished—but then it gets worse. And when that happens, Summer has to figure out how to change it herself, even if it means further displeasing Obaachan. Because it might be the only way to save her family

Readers will also enjoy Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo; When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead; and Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan.

Book #3

Say, A. (2013). Tea with milk. Columbus, O.H.: Zaner-Bloser. ISBN 9780547237473

This book tells the story of a young Japanese girl, May, who lived and was raised following American traditions and customs in San Francisco.  Her family decided one day to move back to their home country of Japan; where May would have to follow the traditions and customs that a young Japanese lady would have to follow; beginning with using her traditional Japanese name of Masako.  The book looks at how May/Masako deals with her new life and ultimately what she must do to be happy.

The books is illustrated with beautiful pictures that helps the author convey how life for May/Masako must have been in her new life in Japan.  We are able to learn of traditions that every young lady in Japan must learn; which includes the traditional tea ceremony and flower arranging.  We also are witness to see how May/Masako is made to feel by people that believe her to be a foreigner in her home country.

The following review can be found at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/437923.Tea_with_Milk

In Tea with milk, Allen Say speaks eloquently about the cross cultural conflict between traditional Japanese values and American values. Using his trademark beautiful watercolor images to support the text, Say tells the story of a young girl, May, who was raised in San Francisco but moves to Japan with her mother and father who are returning home. Young May struggles to find her place in her parents’ home and finally makes a friend who is enduring a similar struggle. Say surprises readers with a twist at the end of the plot line ensuring that the words remain with the reader long after.

Readers will also enjoy The Lotus Seed by Sherry Garland; My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother by Patricia Polacco; and Grandfather’s Journey by Allen Say. 

Book #4

Young, E., & Koponen, L. (2011). The house Baba built: An artists childhood in China. New York: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 9780316076289

This book tells the story of Ed Young and his family as to how they lived in Shanghai during the war.  They lived in a temporary home, in which his father built on land that belonged to someone else.  His father made a deal that he would build the house; where his family would live for 20 years; and then it would revert back to the land owner.  We are privileged to be witness to their lives during World War II.

This book is part picture book, part family album, and part historical reference.  The book lets the reader know the traditions, struggles and life of people living in Shanghai, during World War II.  We are privileged to see how Ed Young lived with his family in a temporary home while life around the world was in shambles.  Any reader will be able to find comfort in how the love of family is one that is universal and not that different from your own.

Review can be found at https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-316-07628-9  

 In this picture book memoir by the Caldecott Medalist, which opens in 1931 (the year he was born), the stock market has crashed, and China is in turmoil. Young’s father, Baba, persuades a landowner in Shanghai to let him construct a huge brick house on his land; Baba promises to return the house after 20 years, long enough to keep his family safe until WWII ends. Young’s creation, shaped with help from author Libby Koponen, is as complex and labyrinthine as Baba’s house, with foldout pages that open to reveal drawings, photos, maps, and memories. Tender portraits of his siblings, torn-paper collages showing tiny figures at play, and old photos of stylish adults intermingle, as if they’d been found forgotten in a drawer. Young’s fans will savor stories of his East-West childhood; he and his four siblings raise silkworms, watch Westerns, train fighting crickets, and dance the conga when the war finally ends 14 years later. “Life,” Baba writes to his children, “is not rich not real unless you partake life with your fellow man”; Young set the course of his life by his father’s words. It’s history at its most personal. 

Readers will also enjoy Drawing from Memory by Allen Say; Blackout by John Rocco; and The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain  by Peter Sis.

LSSL 5361

Book Reviews

Culture 1

Book #1

Fox, M., & Lofts, P. (2017). Koala Lou. Melbourne, Vic.: Penguin Random House. ISBN 978015200069

Koala Lou is the story of young Koala who grew up being loved by all; especially her mom who always tells her “Koala lou, I Do Love You.” As Koala Lou grows older; she hears these words less and less as her mom’s life is busier.  Koala Lou decides to compete and win the local Olympic Games so that she can hear those words again.  

The book is marvelously written and is one that is loved by it’s readers.  The illustrations fit perfectly to the story; showcasing different animals that are native to Australia.  The story of being accepted and wanting to be loved is one that is universal in all cultures.

Review excerpt found at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/153166.Koala_Lou

From the day she was born, all the bush animals loved soft and cuddly Koala Lou, but it was her mother who loved her the most. All day long her mother would praise her beloved baby saying, “Koala Lou, I DO love you!” But the years pass and Koala Lou’s mother has many other children that take up her time. Her mother is too busy to express her love as she used to and Koala Lou longs to hear those words again, so she decides to train to win the gum tree climbing event at the Bush Olympics. Even though she loses the event Koala Lou learns that her mother loves her, “Koala Lou, I DO love you! I always have, and I always will.” – Amy Forrester

Readers of Koala Lou would also love  Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts; The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant and Possum Magic by Mem Fox.

Book #2

Tak, B. D., Hopman, P., & Watkinson, L. (2013). Soldier bear. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Books For Young Readers. ISBN 9780802854362

This book tells the real life story of a bear that was adopted by Polish Soldiers during World War II while they were in Iran.  The bear was adopted as cub; having lost his mother.  The solider enlist the bear into the military to make sure that it stays with the company. 

Soldier Bear is a great historical fiction book that young readers will just eat up.  The book was written on historical facts that occurred during the war; but the author did take liberties by reimaging what had occurred.  Even though the bear was adopted by Polish soldiers; the story is universal that is loved by people around the globe.

Review excerpt; which can be found at https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/bibi-dumon-tak/soldier-bear/

Tak bases her novel on actual facts: Wojtek (spelled phonetically as Voytek in Watkinson's translation) was a real Syrian brown bear, really in the Polish Army and really the artillery-carrying subject of his company's emblem. But her humans are fictional characters, a group of five soldiers including Peter, the bear cub's new "mother," Stanislav, who purchases him and figures out how to feed him, and Lolek, who adopts the monkey who eventually becomes his friend. The narrative focuses on the bear's antics, which both enliven the soldiers’ lives and cause them difficulty. 

Originally published in Holland in 2009 as Soldaat Wojtek, this is smoothly translated and engagingly illustrated with sketches and helpful maps. Funny, fresh and heartwarming, it doesn't ignore the horrors of war but concentrates on the joy of having an animal friend, albeit a difficult one. – Kirkus Review

Readers of Soldier Bear would also enjoy Blackout by John Rocco; Tales of Very Picky Eaters by Josh Schneider; and Breaking Stalin’s Nose by Eugene Yelchin

Book #3

Tolstikova, D. (2015). A year without mom. Toronto: Groundwood Books. ISBN 9781554986927

This book chronicles a year in the life of a 12-year old Russian girl named Dasha.  During this year, Dasha lives with her grandparents in Moscow, Russia; while her mom is in the United States studying advertising at an American university.  We are witness how Dasha copes with this and we get to peak into her life as a typical pre-teen in Russia during the 1990s.

The book is a great graphic novel that lets the reader live the life of a pre-teen in 1990s Russia.  We are able to witness what life is like in this country where communism has recently fallen.  The reader can see how life in country so far away can at times mirror the life of an American pre-teen. 

Review excerpt can be found at https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-55498-692-7

Set amid the disintegration of the Soviet Union, this absorbing graphic memoir follows a year in the life of a 12-year-old Moscow schoolgirl left in the care of her grandparents while her mother studies in the U.S. “Grandpa wakes me up and has the tea brewed by the time I shuffle into the kitchen, but I am on my own for everything else,” Dasha explains. Working in black and white enlivened by occasional splashes of red and blue, Tolstikova (The Jacket) uses a distinctive, naïf pen-and-ink style to capture the bare streets of wintry Moscow and the lively expressions of Dasha and her friends. Readers will discover that beyond the bleak Soviet setting—before moving, her mother wrote “ads for places like Bread Factory #8”—much of the memoir is familiar pre-adolescent territory: difficulties with friends, important exams, and clothing woes. A final section reveals that Dasha will spend the next year in the States with her mother, and the story follows their first weeks there—then ends abruptly. Readers will wish the sequel were available instantly. Ages 10–14. Agent: Sean McCarthy, Sean McCarthy Literary Agency. (Oct.

Readers of A Year without Mom would also like The Wolf Wilder by Katherine Rundell; Dream On, Amber by Emma Shevah and Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead

Book #4

Kobald, I., & Blackwood, F. (2017). My two blankets. Richmond, Vic.: Little Hare Books. ISBN 9780544432284

The book tells the story of a young girl who moves from her home country to a new one to escape the war.  She moves into this new country with her Auntie; but still feels a lack of warmth from this new and strange country with new plants, animals and people.  While at home she hides under her trusted blanket to feel safe.  One day; while at the park, she meets a young girl who she develops a friendship with and begins to learn the language of her new country. 

The illustrations in the book are beautiful and vibrant with color.  Through the drawings we are able to deduce that the young girl moved from a country in Africa to that of an industrialized new country.  This book would be perfect for students that have moved from another country (ex. Mexico) to the United States.  It would also be one that students that just moved from a different town would be able to relate to.  This is a great picture book that will be enjoyed by many. 

Review excerpt can be found at http://www.kids-bookreview.com/2014/02/review-my-two-blankets.html

I love the symbolism in this book, so gently employed in both word and image, to give a lost immigrant child a soft, warm place to wrap herself in. The fear, the kindness, empathy and hope is palpable, and will give non-immigrant children insight into the life-changing processes if takes to leave behind a homeland and embrace one anew.

Freya Blackwood's iconic illustrations beautifully evoke the messaging in this book, with a tenderness that belies schmaltz and instead transports the heart to a place as warm as those precious blankets.

Readers of My Two Blankets would also enjoy The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi; The Name is Sangoel by Karen Lynn Williams; and The Journey by Francesca Sanna