Culture 6 Inclusive Lit. – reaching for sun

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Zimmer, Tracie Vaughn. 2007. reaching for sun. ill. Shadra Strickland. New York, NY: Bloomsbury U. S. A. Children's Books. ISBN-10: 159990378 ISBN-13: 9781599900377

PLOT SUMMARY
This is a story about a 13 year-old girl, just like any young girl you would know. She fights with her mother, likes the new boy, loves her grandmother, and deals with popular girls who are mean to her. Normal everyday life except Josie has cerebral palsy. reaching for sun is told by seasons – winter, spring, summer and fall through verse poetry. A wonderful story!

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
reaching for sun is divided into four sections based on the seasons of the year. Beginning with winter and ending with fall. School is a hard time especially if you have challenges that cause the other students to look at you differently. Josie is a normal girl who has cerebral palsy.

tomatoes

With my odd walk
and slow speech
everyone knows
I’ve got special ed,
but if I wait
until the hall clears,

taunts like tomatoes
don’t splatter
the back of my head.
(Zimmer pg. 4)

The author’s use of symbolism truly paints a picture of how Josie must feel. The description in the poem points out the cultural markers of having a disability. Other cultural markers include special education, OT (occupational therapy), physical therapy, speech therapy, deformity of her hand, slow walk and she has to wear a splint. Josie lives on the family farm that has been in her grandmother’s family for years but her mother wanted to go to college so her grandmother sold off the farm in pieces to pay for college. Her mother is never home, with school and working. She never knew her dad because he left very early in her life. Her grandmother is the principle adult in her life and she loves her very much. Her grandmother’s love of gardening and plants is also a love of Josie’s. She works with her grandmother in the gardens and is learning so much about the plants. Tracie Vaughn Zimmer uses the plants in describing how Josie feels. I was impressed with the comparison of the plants to Josie. Josie’s mother signs her up for therapy classes in the summer and she is truly upset about having to spend her summer with therapy classes. The book clearly portrays the feelings that Josie experiences. Here is a quote that uses the symbolism of the plants to describe how she feels.

wildflower mix

Summer’s not far away—
I dream of
sleeping in late
with no nagging from Mom
for ten whole weeks.

But without asking,
Mom registered me
for a summer clinic
so speech and occupational therapist
can test their latest methods
on me.

But I’m sick of spending
all my time working
on what’s wrong
with me.
I don’t want to be
pruned or pinched back like
a wilting petunia.
(Zimmer pg. 80)

These are all stresses that Josie deals with on top of her cerebral palsy. The bright spot of her life was when the new boy, Jordon, moved in close to her property. He didn’t care that she has cerebral palsy and is the best friend she has had, not to mention that she has a crush on him. He is a science geek and includes her in his experiments, which she loves. Summer arrives and Jordon is going to a science camp and Josie has her therapy camp. Angry that Jordon will be gone, not wanting to spend the summer in therapy; Josie lies to her grandmother and mother and doesn’t go. She does get caught up in lies and has to make amends with her mother. Her grandmother suffers a stroke and this tragedy brings Josie and her mother back together.

This is a wonderful book of free verse poems that are easy and quick to read. Girls and boys will enjoy this story and see into the life of someone their age who feels the same way they do, experiencing the same dreams, and emotions, while also dealing with a disability. Josie grows and thrives like the plants into a young woman, with more confidence and fortitude concerning her challenges in her life. A book to recommend to all junior high students and up.

The right hand corner of the first page has a small seedling drawn in the corner. As the book progresses and Josie begins to build her confidence the seedling changes into a flower that grows with Josie to the end of the book. I like the imagery of the flower compared to the young lady that Josie becomes.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
From School Library Journal
Grade 7 Up—Josie, a girl with cerebral palsy, lives on the shrinking farmland owned by her family for generations and now being sold to developers. Her mother works and attends college and her grandmother tends her diminished patch of land. The story is told in the seventh-grader's voice in a series of free-verse poems. She is a bright and wry narrator, acutely aware of her limitations and her strengths. When Jordan, wealthy but neglected by his widowed father, moves into a mansion behind her farmhouse, they discover a common love of nature and science, and Josie finally has a real friend. She and her grandmother are both passionate about plants and gardening, and Zimmer does a nice job integrating botanical images throughout the novel. Josie feels like a "dandelion in a purple petunia patch" and thinks, "I must be a real disappointment—/stunted foliage,/no yield." Through growing maturity and Granny's wisdom, she gains confidence in herself. Reaching for Sun will have wide appeal for readers of diverse ability. Reluctant readers will be attracted to the seeming simplicity of the text, with short chapters and lots of white space on the page. They may not even realize that they are reading poetry. More sophisticated readers will find added enjoyment as they begin to appreciate the poetic structure and imagery. Readers of all levels will enjoy spending time with Josie and may gain an increased awareness of what it's like to live with a disability.—Nancy Brown, Fox Lane High School, Bedford, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
As if seventh grade weren't enough of a challenge for anyone, Josie also struggles with cerebral palsy, social isolation, a mom she needs more time and support from, and monster bulldozers that are carving up the countryside to build huge homes around her family's old farmhouse. Enter new neighbor Jordan, a sensitive kid whose geeky, science-loving ways bring a fun spirit of discovery into Josie's days. He melds with her and her family, especially the warm and wise Gram, and the friends create a kind of magic as they conduct all kinds of plant and pond experiments. Further challenges face Josie when Gram becomes ill and Jordan goes off to camp. Then, risking her mom's wrath, Josie secretly ditches her hated therapy sessions; when mother and daughter eventually reconcile, Josie emerges from her rough patch in a believable and transforming way. Written in verse, this quick-reading, appealing story will capture readers' hearts with its winsome heroine and affecting situations. Anne O'Malley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

AWARDS/HONORS
Schneider Family Book Award Winner

CONNECTIONS
This book would be excellent to use to talk about disabilities with students in middle school or high school. Check out Tracie Vaughn Zimmer’s Website. She offers excellent lesson plans, discussion guides and book club guides for your classroom or library!
http://www.tracievaughnzimmer.com/

Other books by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer:
42 Miles ISBN 9780618618675
Sketches form a Spy Tree ISBN 9780618234790

Other books about children with disabilities:
Helfman, Elizabeth. Oh Being Sarah. ISBN 9780807560686
Myers, Anna. Hoggee. ISBN 9780802789266
Slepian, Jan. The Alfred Summer. ISBN 9780399237478

Culture 6 Inclusive Lit. – Ask Me No Questions

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Budhos, Marina. 2006. Ask Me No Questions. New York, NY: Simon Pulse.ISBN-10: 1416949208 ISBN-13: 978-1416949206

PLOT SUMMARY
Ask Me No Questions is about Nadira and her family, who immigrated from Bangladesh, India to New York City when she was very young. After the 911 terrorist bombing the Hossain family is going to Canada to seek asylum. Nadira’s father is detained at the border due to his expired visa. Her mother decides to stay close to her father. Nadira, 14 and her sister, Aisha, 17 go back to New York and are to continue with their lives as if everything is the same. Nadira’s older sister Aisha falls apart (always the responsible one) and the teachers at Flushing High don’t “ask any questions”, but nothing matters to Aisha anymore, including her goal to go to college. Nadira finds the courage to be the strong one of the family and works to bring her family back together.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
Ask Me No Questions is a fictional story, but deals with the harsh reality of being immigrants in America, especially if your visas are expired. If this isn’t bad enough, add being Muslim during the 911 terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in New York City. This is the story of a family from Bangladesh, India who has been living in America for several years. Nadira and her sister Aisha have a life here and Aisha is planning on applying to go to college when she graduates. The story beings with “WE DRIVE AS IF IN A DREAM.” pg. 1, because everything changes when the attack occurs and the family flees to the Canadian border hoping for asylum. Unfortunately, her father is arrested at the border, her mother decides to stay to be close to her husband, and the girls are sent back to New York City. Aisha who is the oldest and was very strong loses her confidence and can’t seem to cope with the stress. Nadira who is 14 and somewhat insecure finds the courage and strength to do what needs to be done in keeping the family together.

Marina Budhos provides many cultural markers of Middle Eastern heritage. The names really speak of India’s culture with Nadira, Aisha, Taslima (Nadira’s cousin), Naseem (Nadira’s uncle), Ali (family friend), their surname Hossain, Nadira calling her father Abba, Tareq, Mr. Rashid, Amed, Tagore and Allah. The physical characteristics include the brown skin, dark eyes and dark hair. Clothing is mentioned with descriptions of a kurta and shalwar kamees or saria,, bangle bracelets and their hair in long braids. There are also many Bengali word references such as doodh –cha (milky tea), shada-chele (white guy), Mukit Bahini (freedom fighters), mela (a fair) and Pohela Boishakh (Bengali New Year). Her Abba and Ma also told many stories from their home land which talked about their culture and heritage. Here is a saying, “THEY ALWAYS SAY THAT NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS to Bangladeshis – floods, storms, droughts, riots, strikes—we keep going.” Pg. 55.

That quote definitely applies to Nadira in her love for her family and how she will do whatever needs to be done to bring them together again. She changes from an insecure young girl into a courageous, strong and confident young woman as she holds the family together. This is proven when Nadira realized that her father’s last name was spelled incorrectly on his prison papers and the U.S. government was looking for another man with the same name, but spelled Hossein, with an “e” instead of an “a”. She also proved that her father was saving money for her sister’s college fund and not for terrorism.

This is a moving story that deals with an issue that is not as well known to Americans who have never dealt with immigration or being a foreigner in our country. It will appeal to young adults who will be able to relate to Nadira’s struggles as a teenager faced with an overwhelming challenge. The ending is a testament to the strength, courage, love and faith that young people are able to exhibit when faced with challenges.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
From School Library Journal
Grade 7-10-As part of a U.S. government crackdown on illegal immigration after 9/11, Muslim men were required to register with the government and many were arrested because their visas had long-since expired. Families who had lived and worked in this country were suddenly and forcibly reminded of their illegal status without any likelihood of changing it. For 18-year-old Aisha Hossain, this means the end of her dream of going to college to become a doctor. For 14-year-old Nadira, her younger sister and the story's narrator, it means coming out from behind the shadow of her perfect older sister to reveal her own strength and find a way to reunite her nearly shattered family. Immigrants from Bangladesh, the Hossains have lived illegally in New York for years, their visa requests handled by a series of dishonest or incompetent lawyers and mired in the tortuous process of bureaucratic red tape. Following their father's arrest and detention, the teens put together the documentation and make a case that requires the judges to see them as individuals rather than terror suspects. The author explains their situation well, but the effect is more informational than fiction. Nadira and Aisha are clearly drawn characters, but they don't quite come alive, and their Bangladeshi-American background is more a backdrop than a way of life. Still, this is an important facet of the American immigrant experience, worthy of wider attention.-Kathleen Isaacs, Towson University, MD
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist
*Starred Review* Gr. 7-10. What is it like to be an illegal alien in New York now? In a moving first-person, present-tense narrative, Nadira, 14, relates how her family left Bangladesh, came to the U. S. on a tourist visa, and stayed long after the visa expired ("Everyone does it. You buy a fake social security number for a few hundred dollars and then you can work."). Their illegal status is discovered, however, following 9/11, when immigration regulations are tightened. When the family hurriedly seeks asylum in Canada, they are turned back, and Nadira's father, Abba, is detained because his passport is no longer valid. The secrets are dramatic ("Go to school. Never let anyone know. Never."), and so are the family dynamics, especially Nadira's furious envy of her gifted older sister, Aisha. But Aisha breaks down, and Nadira must take over the struggle to get Abba out of detention and prevent the family's deportation. The teen voice is wonderfully immediate, revealing Nadira's mixed-up feelings as well as the diversity in her family and in the Muslim community. There's also a real drama that builds to a tense climax: Did Abba give funds to a political organization? Where has the money gone? Will Immigration hear his appeal? The answer is a surprise that grows organically from the family's story. Readers will feel the heartbreak, prejudice, kindness, and fear. Add this to the titles in "New Immigration Materials"^B in the August 2005 issue's Spotlight on Immigration. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

AWARDS/HONORS
Winner, Inaugural James Cook Teen Book Award
ALA Best Book for Young Adults & Notable Children’s Award
Kirkus Reviews Best Children’s Book
Booklist Editor’s Choice
New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age
Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best
Bank Street Best Books of the Year
CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book
Garden State Teen Book Award Nominee (NJ)
James Cook Teen Book Award Inaugural Winner
Kirkus Editor's Choice
Nutmeg Book Award Finalist (CT)
Nutmeg Children's Book Award Nominee (CT)
Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice

CONNECTIONS
This will be a great book for collaboration with the Language Arts and Social Studies teachers to introduce a study on the people and culture of Bangladesh and the backlash on Middle Easterners after the 9/11 attacks. Immigration, illegal aliens and the problems they face trying to enter our country and establish citizenship. Racial tensions, women’s rights, religion, terrorism and prejudice could also be incorporated in the discussions.

Author Website:
http://www.marinabudhos.com/

Other Books by Marina Budhos:
House of Waiting ISBN 9780964129221
The Professor of Light ISBN 9780399144738
Remix: Conversations with Immigrant Teenagers ISBN 9781556356100

Culture 6 Inclusive Lit. – In Our Mothers’ House

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Polacco, Patricia. 2009. In Our Mothers’ House. New York, NY: Philomel Books. ISBN-10: 039925076X ISBN-13: 978-0399250767

PLOT SUMMARY
In Our Mothers’ House is about Marmee, Meema and three adopted children. This is a family with two moms and no father. They live in a beautiful home, do lots of fun activities, and love each other very much in acceptance in who they are. Both of the moms work and are very active in the community neighborhood. This story is told by the oldest daughter and tells of their “big old brown shingle house on Woolsey Street in Berkeley, California”, appreciating how wonderful her life is, as well as that of her brother Will and her sister Millie. A feel good story!

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
“When my mothers told me about how they brought me home to live with them shortly after I was born, their eyes would shine and glisten and they’d grin from ear to ear.
They told me how they had walked across dry hot deserts, sailed through turbulent seas, flew over tall mountains and trekked through fierce storms just to bring me home.” Pg. 1

This story is told through the oldest daughter’s memories and never mentions her name. Every memory she talks about is how wonderful her moms are, the support they give all three of them, and the unconditional love that was given to them.

In Our Mothers’ House is full of cultural makers. The moms are both of Caucasian origin and lesbians. This is a cultural marker for the alternative lifestyle. The children were all of different ethnic backgrounds. The oldest daughter is African American with black skin, dark eyes and curly black hair. Will is of Asian American culture with straight black hair, slanted, dark eyes and yellowish-tan skin. Millie is Caucasian with red hair and white skin. The neighborhood in which they live is a multicultural, diverse group, including the mention of different ethnic foods. The moms organized a block party and here are the neighbors and the foods they brought:

“So the Mardicians brought stuffed grape leaves and ground lamb. The Polos brought spanakopita and Greek salads. The Abdullas brought hummus and tabouli. Nonno (their Italian grandfather) made a huge pot of spaghetti and fried schnitzel. The Yamagakis brought sushi, which I liked a lot. But Meema passed it up for fried clams and crawdads and corn on the cob, which the Barbers had made.” Pgs. 29-30

The cultural markers were apparent in the neighbors, by the color of their skin, hair styles and color, facial hair, and clothing. The only negative aspect was the neighbor, Mrs. Lockner, who did not agree with the moms’ lifestyle and was very vocal about her feelings. She wouldn’t let her children play with the children or participate in any of the neighborhood parties, because of her feelings about the moms’ alternative lifestyle. This presented the opportunity to talk about how it is okay to be different.

The narrator makes it very apparent how loving their moms were, even though they lived an alternative lifestyle. “From the day we entered our mothers’ house, they prepared us for the day that we would leave it.” Pg. 37 Leave they did, with the oldest going to medical school, Will becoming an engineer, and Millie a fashion designer. They all came home to be married in the garden under the tree house they built called Thistle House. She leaves us with a wonderful ending as her moms have grown old and passed away.

“We watched our mothers grow old together in that house. The passed away within a year of each other. Will, Millie, and I placed them together in a green hillside overlooking the bay very near the place where they pledged their love to each other so many years ago.” Pg. 41

A wonderful book for children who live in a gay/lesbian household. This is also a great story on multicultural families living together in harmony, as it should be.

Patricia Polacco is not only the author, but the illustrator as well. Her pictures capture the love that these moms feel for their children and the children’s faces are wonderful studies of true happiness. The colors and the diverse mix of families will delight anyone reading this book. The illustrations are rendered in pencils and markers. The text is set in 16-point Adobe Jenson.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
From School Library Journal
Grade 1–4—This gem of a book illustrates how love makes a family, even if it's not a traditional one. The narrator, a black girl, describes how her two Caucasian mothers, Marmee and Meema, adopted her, her Asian brother, and her red-headed sister. She tells about the wonderful times they have growing up in Berkeley, CA. With their large extended family and friends, they celebrate Halloween with homemade costumes, build a tree house, organize a neighborhood block party, and host a mother-daughter tea party. The narrator continually reinforces the affectionate feelings among her mothers and siblings, and the illustrations depict numerous scenes of smiling people having a grand time. Most of the neighbors are supportive, except for one woman who tells Marmee and Meema, "I don't appreciate what you two are." Eventually, the children grow up, marry heterosexual spouses, and return home to visit their aged parents with their own children. Is this an idealized vision of a how a gay couple can be accepted by their family and community? Absolutely. But the story serves as a model of inclusiveness for children who have same-sex parents, as well as for children who may have questions about a "different" family in their neighborhood. A lovely book that can help youngsters better understand their world.—Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
The oldest of three adopted children recalls her childhood with mothers Marmee and Meema, as they raised their African American daughter, Asian American son, and Caucasian daughter in a lively, supportive neighborhood. Filled with recollections of family holidays, rituals, and special moments, each memory reveals loving insight. At a school mother-daughter tea, for instance, the mothers make their first ever appearance in dresses. The narrator recalls, “My heart still skips a beat when I think of the two of them trying so hard to please us.” Only a crabby neighbor keeps her children away from their family. Meema explains, “She’s afraid of what she cannot understand: she doesn’t understand us.” The energetic illustrations in pencil and marker, though perhaps not as well-rendered as in some previous works, teem with family activities and neighborhood festivity. Quieter moments radiate the love the mothers feel for their children and for each other. Similar in spirit to the author’s Chicken Sunday, this portrait of a loving family celebrates differences, too. Pair this with Arnold Adoff’s Black Is Brown Is Tan (2002), Toyomi Igus’ Two Mrs. Gibsons (1996), or Natasha Wing’s Jalapeno Bagels (1996) for portraits of family diversity. Grades 1-4. --Linda Perkins

AWARDS/HONORS
No awards for this book.
Awards Page from her Website
1988 Sydney Taylor Book Award
The Keeping Quilt
1989 International Reading Association Award
Rechenka’s Eggs
March 10th 1990 Santa Clara Reading Council
Author’s Hall of Fame
Commonwealth Club of California
Recognition of Excellence
1990 Babushka’s Doll
1992 Chicken Sunday Nov. 14th 1992
1992 Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators
Golden Kite Award for Illustration
Chicken Sunday
1992 Boston Area Educators for Social Responsibility
Children’s Literature and Social Responsibility Award
Nov. 9th 1993 Jane Adams Peace Asoc. and Women’s Intl. League
for Peace and Freedom
Honor award to Mrs. Katz and Tush for its effective contribution to peace and social justice.
Parent’s Choice Honors
1991 Some Birthday
1997 Video/ Dream Keeper
1998 Thank You Mr. Falker
1996 North Dakota Library Association Children’s Book Award
My Rotten Red Headed Older Brother
1996 Jo Osborne Award
For Humor in Children’s Literature
1997 Missouri Association of School Librarians
Show Me Readers Award for My Rotten Red Headed Older Brother
1997 West Virginia Children’s Book Award
Pink and Say
1998 Mid -South Independent Booksellers for Children
Humpty Dumpty Award

CONNECTIONS
This book is great for discussions about adoption, multicultural families and alternative parenting lifestyles.

Patricia Polacco Website – visit her Website for activities, coloring pages, bookmarkers, etc. for her other books.
http://www.patriciapolacco.com/index.htm

Other Works by Patricia Polacco:
Chicken Sunday ISBN: 9780399221330
Emma Kate ISBN: 9780399244520
The Graves Family ISBN: 9780399240348
Pink and Say ISBN: 9780399226717
Thank You, Mr. Faulkner ISBN: 9780399231667

Other books about families with gay/lesbian parents:
Newman, Lesléa. Mommy, Mama, and Me. ISBN: 9781582462639
Newman, Lesléa. Heather Has Two Mommies. ISBN: 9781593501365
Newman, Lesléa. Daddy, Pappa, and Me. ISBN: 9781582462622
Simon, Norma. All Families are Special. ISBN: 9780807521755
Parr, Todd. It’s Okay to Be Different. ISBN: 9780316043472

Culture 5 Asian Pacific American Lit. – Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lin, Grace. 2009. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Co. ISBN: 978-0-316-11427-1

PLOT SUMMARY
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a story of a very poor family – Minli, her father (Ba) and her mother (Ma) - who work planting rice in the valley of Fruitless Mountain. This area is without color and everything is a drab brown. Minli loves hearing the stories her father tells her, but her mother says it is a waste of time. The stories help to relieve the boredom of the same day-to-day work. Ba tells her the story of the Old Man of the Moon, who can tell your future and might be able to change your fortune. Minli decides to go and ask the Old Man of the Moon to change her family’s fortune. The adventure begins with courage, faith and love of family. A must read. Enjoy!

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a wonderful story of family love and adventure that all readers will enjoy. The story has family, family problems, faith, talking goldfish, dragons, a king, a boy with a buffalo, crazy monkeys, talking rabbit, friendships made along the way, life lessons, courage, wishes granted and fortunes found – who could ask for any more in a story?

I originally listened to this book on audio CD’s read by Janet Song. She did an amazing job of making the story come alive and through the words of Grace Lin, the author, painting wonderful pictures in my mind. The cultural markers were evident in the descriptions of the clothing, food, names and homes. To be able to describe the cultural makers with clarity I also read the book. Grace Lin is a wonderful author and illustrator. The pictures of the characters definitely showed Chinese markers with black hair, round faces, almond eyes, clothing and work shoes. The clothing showed the loose pajama style working class with some of the women wearing kimonos. Hair styles showed the men with their long braid tied up in a knot on the back of their head and the mustache with the pointy, thin beard. The women’s hair also was in buns, covered under scarves while the children had the short pigtails or buns. The upper class was described with all the finery that goes with their stations, including the ornate homes and the exquisite meals truly fit for a king. Bright reds and blues were very prevalent with other colors mixed in. The folktales were interwoven with a plethora of cultural beliefs, fables, dragons, fruits (peaches especially), talking goldfishes, respect for the elders, love of family and more.


Each chapter begins with a small color illustration which gives you a clue as to what the chapter will be like. There are eighteen separate tales in this book, which are stories in themselves. One of my favorites is “The Story of The Dragon’s Pearl” pgs. 225-231. Here are some excerpts –

“Once, a dragon found a large white stone, round and softened by the ocean and wind. As he admired it, it began to shine in his hands. How pretty, he thought, I will make this into a pearl.” Pgs. 225-26 The story goes on with how the dragon worked for years to form this rock into a pearl. When it was finished it was stolen by the Queen Mother, who hid it away, but one evening at her birthday celebration she decided to be boastful and showed it off. It had a beautiful, bright shine to it and so the dragon saw the shine. He argued with the Queen Mother about ownership and she decided to run away with it and she threw it over into the Celestial River.

The dragon began to make movements to dive into the river when the Heavenly Grandfather stopped him. “Leave it there,” he said, “and shame on you both. The pearl should not belong to one being. Do you not see this is where the pearl belongs, where everyone on heaven and earth can see its beauty and enjoy it?”
Both the dragon and the Queen Mother, humbled, nodded and the guests praised the Heavenly Grandfather’s wisdom. And so did the people on earth, for now when they looked up into the sky the moon glowed down upon them. Pgs. 230-231 These extra stories are comprised of some legends and what Grace Lin, the author, wanted to add to her stories.


Grace Lin includes an author’s note at the end of the book explaining where she came up with the ideas for this book. She also discusses how being an Asian American left her unaware of some of her heritage background, even though her mother tried to incorporate it into her life. Later she went to Hong Kong, Taiwan and China to immerse herself into her family culture and heritage. Her beautiful illustrations truly add to the beauty and adventurous story of Minli and Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. This book should be introduced and encouraged by all students to read.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
From School Library Journal
Starred Review. Grade 3-6–Living in the shadow of the Fruitless Mountain, Minli and her parents spend their days working in the rice fields, barely growing enough to feed themselves. Every night, Minli's father tells her stories about the Jade Dragon that keeps the mountain bare, the greedy and mean Magistrate Tiger, and the Old Man of the Moon who holds everyone's destiny. Determined to change her family's fortune, Minli sets out to find the Old Man of the Moon, urged on by a talking goldfish who gives her clues to complete her journey. Along the way she makes new friends including a flightless dragon and an orphan and proves her resourcefulness when she tricks a group of greedy monkeys and gets help from a king. Interwoven with Minli's quest are tales told by her father and by those she meets on the way. While these tales are original to Lin, many characters, settings, and themes are taken from traditional Chinese folklore. The author's writing is elegant, and her full-color illustrations are stunning. Minli's determination to help her family, as well as the grief her parents feel at her absence, is compelling and thoroughly human.–Jennifer Rothschild, Prince George's County Memorial Library System, Oxon Hill, MD
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist
*Starred Review* In this enchanted and enchanting adventure, Minli, whose name means “quick thinking,” lives with her desperately poor parents at the confluence of Fruitless Mountain and the Jade River. While her mother worries and complains about their lot, her father brightens their evenings with storytelling. One day, after a goldfish salesman promises that his wares will bring good luck, Minli spends one of her only two coins in an effort to help her family. After her mother ridicules what she believes to be a foolish purchase, Minli sets out to find the Old Man of the Moon, who, it is told, may impart the true secret to good fortune. Along the way, she finds excitement, danger, humor, magic, and wisdom, and she befriends a flightless dragon, a talking fish, and other companions and helpmates in her quest. With beautiful language, Lin creates a strong, memorable heroine and a mystical land. Stories, drawn from a rich history of Chinese folktales, weave throughout her narrative, deepening the sense of both the characters and the setting and smoothly furthering the plot. Children will embrace this accessible, timeless story about the evil of greed and the joy of gratitude. Lin’s own full-color drawings open each chapter. Grades 3-6. --Andrew Medlar --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

AWARDS/HONORS
2010 Newbery Honor
NY Times Bestseller (Feb 4th, March 14th 2010)
IndieBound Bestseller
2010 Bank Street College of Education Josette Frank Award
2010 Indies Choice Book Awards Finalist For Middle Reader Book of the Year
Al Roker's TODAY Show Kid's Book Club Pick, December 2009
2010 Mythopeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature
Starred Kirkus Review
Starred School & Library Journal Review
Starred Booklist Review
Booklist Top 10 SF/Fantasy for Youth:2009
2009 Parents' Choice Gold Winner
2010 CCBC Choices List
2010 EB White Read-Aloud Honor Book
2010 Massachusetts Book Award for Children’s/Young Adult Literature

CONNECTIONS
Check out Grace Lin's Website:
http://www.gracelin.com/

Grace Lin’s Website has all the activities available for the teacher who uses this book in their classroom. Here are some of the activities available:
ACTIVITY BOOK:

With this ACTIVITY BOOK you can:

•Make a Compass (like Minli!)
•Draw a Dragon (that could come to life)
•Determine the Age of the Dragon (using peach math)
•Map Your Own Connections (with red threads)
•Think About Your Own Answers (with a reading guide)
•Find Symbols in the Story (learn about Chinese symbolism)
•Chinese Lesson (write the Chinese characters for mountain and moon)
•Have a Feast (recipes to enjoy with the book)

Download the ACTIVITY BOOK for all of them!
There are many more activities that are available for download and printing. Please visit her site for these great activities.

Other works by Grace Lin:
The Year of the Dog ISBN: 9780316060028
Dim Sum for Everyone ISBN: 9780440417705
The Red Thread ISBN: 9780807569221
The Year of the Rat ISBN: 9780316114264
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon – Audio book - Read by Janet Song ASIN: B003RBUI42

Culture 5 Asian Pacific American Lit. – Tap Dancing on the Roof Sijo (Poems)

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Park, Linda Sue. 2007. Tap Dancing on the Roof Sijo (Poems). Ill. by Istvan Banyi, New York, NY: Clarion Books. ISBN-10: 0-618-23483-7 ISBN-13: 978-0-618-23483-7

PLOT SUMMARY
Tap Dancing on the Roof Sijo (Poems) is Linda Sue Park first book of Korean poetry. Sijo poems are similar to Haiku but the ending always has humor, irony or a joke for the ending. It is a fun play with words. There are 27 poems with different themes - months, math, school, weather, birds, plants and more. Enjoy!

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
Sijo poems have been the most popular Korean poetry for over 500 years. Sijo (see-szo or she-szo with the J pronounced as the French pronounce Jacques) was originally sung by Confucian scholars, royal court and the common people. Its cousin, Haiku, has been around for over 1000 years and does not have the flexibility that Sijo offers. With Sijo poetry there isn’t the formality seen in Haiku, allowing the writer to include feelings, emotions, lyrical features (which makes it easy for them to be sung), and they end with a play of words or joking. Sijo has 3 short lines or 6 long lines. Unlike haiku which focuses on nature themes, sijo can be about any theme with the unforeseen twist of the last line.

Here are a couple of fun examples from Linda Sue Park’s book Tap Dancing on the Roof Sijo (Poems):

Tennis

When the professionals play,
it’s like watching a metronome:
Racquet to racquet and back again,
the ball keeps a perfect, steady beat.

When I’m on the court with my friends,
we improvise: jazz, hip-hop.

School Lunch

Each food plopped by tongs of spatula
into its own little space----
square pizza here, square brownie there;
milk carton cube, rectangle tray.

My snack at home after school?
Anything without corners.

I did not see many cultural markers of Korea in this book. Some of the children did have short legs and round heads. There were a couple of children with shaded skin but the eyes were not almond shaped and the pictures were more fun and whimsical. These poems will make you think, especially the mathematical ones. I feel this book is most appropriate for children of ages 8 and up.

Linda Sue Park has written a wonderful book of Sijo poetry for children and adults. Sijo is not usually introduced when teaching a poetry lesson and I feel it should be included, because they are interesting and funny to read. Linda Sue Park explains what Korean sijo poetry is and she gives advice on how to write them. Enjoy, laugh and have fun with these poems.

Istvan Banyai, who illustrated Tap Dancing on the Roof Sijo (Poems), must have had a lot of fun with these pictures. You can feel the laughter, wind blowing the girls hair in October, stretching of the pants in November, and the rest of the poems. Banyai used mostly shades of greys, blacks, whites with a splash of color like lime green or pink. He really captured the whimsical, silly, fun, mathematical, nature, etc. of these fun and witty poems. The illustrations were executed digitally. The text was set in 12.5-point ITC Century Schoolbook Condensed.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
"Fresh and collegial, this offering stands out." Kirkus Reviews, Starred

Banyai's illustrations enhance the collection with an extra element of wit and imaginative freedom.
Horn Book

Park wants readers to try sijo for themselves, and in an extensive author's note she offers history, advice and encouragement.
Publishers Weekly

A smart and appealing introduction to an overlooked poetic form.
School Library Journal, Starred

With this lighthearted collection of her own sijo, the form will take a flying leap into the consciousness of both children and teachers.
Booklist, ALA, Starred Review

AWARDS/HONORS
2008 The Lion and the Unicorn Prize for Excellence in North American Poetry
2008 ALA Notable Book for Children
2007 Book Sense Award Finalist
2007 Horn Book Fanfare Selection
2007 ABC Children's Booksellers Choice Award

CONNECTIONS
Sijo poetry would be a great extension after teaching Haiku poetry. It would be fun to introduce Sijo and then let the students have fun writing their own poems adding their play on words on the last line. Be sure and have the children also illustrate their poems. These would be fun to display around the school or in the library to show Sijo poetry which a lot of people have never heard of.

Linda Sue Park Website
http://www.lspark.com/index.html

Culture 5 Asian Pacific American Lit. – Tea with Milk

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Say, Allen. 1999. Tea with Milk. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN: 0-395-90495-1

PLOT SUMMARY
Tea with Milk is the story of how Allen Say’s mother meets his father. Masako grew up in San Francisco and has just graduated from high school. Her parents are lonely for their home country and decide to move back to Japan. Masako, or May, as she is called by friends in America, is saddened to leave her home and move so far away. Even though May is of Japanese heritage she is faced with obstacles. Her English language helps her get a job and then she meets Joseph, a Japanese man who was educated in an English school in Singapore. They become friends, fall in love, marry and make Japan their home.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
Tea with Milk is a wonderful, easy to read, story of a girl who is forced to make major changes in her life and lifestyle. After graduation, her Japanese parents decided to move to their homeland. Masako has only known San Francisco, California as her home. She has just graduated high school and wants to go to college. This move will not only be upsetting, but a cultural change for Masako. Since she doesn’t speak Japanese her parents enroll her in high school again.

Worst of all, Masako had to attend high school all over again. To learn her own language, her mother had said. She could not make friends with any of the other students; they called her gaijin and laughed at her. Gaijin means “foreigner.” (Say, pg.8)

Her parents enroll her in flower arranging, calligraphy, tea ceremony and high school again. She is being prepared to be a proper Japanese wife. She must wear a kimono and her parents have arranged a matchmaker for her. Masako doesn’t want to learn how to arrange flowers or have someone chose a husband for her. She leaves her parents’ home and makes a trip to Osaka, which is a large city. She applies for a job in a large department store and becomes an elevator girl. By chance she hears her supervisor trying to communicate with an English family. Masako is able to help the English family find what they need since she speaks English. Her supervisor changes her job to tour guide of the department store to help people who do not speak Japanese. Masako (May) meets Joseph who was also educated speaking English and they become friends, and fall in love. Joseph tells her that he has been transferred to Yokohama. He knows that May would like to return to San Francisco.

Joseph tells her,
“May, home isn’t a place or a building that’s ready-made and waiting for you, in America or anywhere else.”
“You are right”, she said. “I’ll have to make it for myself.”
“What about us?” Joseph said. “We can do it together.”
“Yes,” May said, nodding.
“We can start here. We can adopt this country,” he said.
“One country is as good as another?” May smiled.
“Yes, Joseph, let’s make a home.”
(Say, pg. 30)

This is a story about a young girl who is presented with many challenges. May shows how strong she is by getting a job, blending her Japanese American upbringing with her family’s traditional Japanese heritage and finding the happiness she thought she was losing by moving to Japan. May found Joseph, who also speaks English and drinks his tea with milk and sugar.

Allen Say has presented both cultural markers of American and Japanese by blending them together. The beginning of the book has May eating breakfast of rice, miso soup and plain green tea while her friends have pancakes, muffins, and tea with milk and sugar. May stood on her front porch with the traditional bob haircut and straight bangs of a young Japanese girl with the American flag posted by their front door. The next page shows May, who is now being called Masako, looking very sad in a traditional kimono in her new home in Japan, which is drafty, because of the paper windows. Allen Say now shows how a proper Japanese woman is treated. She must learn flower arranging, calligraphy and the tea ceremony. Her parents hire a matchmaker to find her the perfect husband. With her upbringing in America it is hard for May, Masako, to embrace her parents traditional homeland. Very unhappy, May, dresses in her brightest American dress and goes to the bus station. The Japanese call her a “gaijin” which means foreigner, which she does feel like. The clothing, hair styles and color, facial features, eye color and shapes, and skin color all define the culture of the people from Japan. May’s new home in Japan has paper windows, wooden benches, modest colors and uncluttered decorations. The business men wear suits which is the same for both American and Japanese cultures. When May is not at work she stills dresses in the American way.

Allen Say, the author is also the illustrator. His pictures of watercolor show the story of his mother and father through a loving son’s eyes. This is a wonderful story and an honoring of his parents story.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
From 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"Aflower arranging, calligraphy and the tea ceremonyAand 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. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 6-Continuing the story he started in Grandfather's Journey (Houghton, 1993), Say explores familiar themes of cultural connection and disconnection. He focuses on his mother Masako, or May, as she prefers to be called, who, after graduating from high school in California, unwillingly moves with her parents to their native Japan. She is homesick for her native country and misses American food. She rebels against her parents, who force her to repeat high school so that she can learn "her own language"; the other students tease her for being "gaijin" or a foreigner. Masako leaves home and obtains a job in a department store in Osaka, a city that reminds her of her beloved San Francisco. Her knowledge of English quickly makes her a valued employee and brings her into contact with her future husband, Joseph, a Japanese man who was educated at an English boarding school in Shanghai. They decide that together they can make a life anywhere, and choose to remain in Japan. Say's many fans will be thrilled to have another episode in his family saga, which he relates with customary grace and elegance. The pages are filled with detailed drawings featuring Japanese architecture and clothing, and because of the artist's mastery at drawing figures, the people come to life as authentic and sympathetic characters. This is a thoughtful and poignant book that will appeal to a wide range of readers, particularly our nation's many immigrants who grapple with some of the same challenges as May and Joseph, including feeling at home in a place that is not their own.
Ellen Fader, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 6-When her Japanese-born parents leave America for their homeland, an independent girl reluctantly follows and melds her experience and her heritage to find a new meaning for the word "home." This perfect marriage of artwork and text offers readers a window into a different place and time. (May)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From 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. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

AWARDS/HONORS
Riverbank Review Book of Distinction
Bulletin Blue Ribbon
SLJ Best Book
ALA Notable Book

Other Book Awards
Caldecott Medal, 1994, Grandfather's Journey
Caldecott Honor Book, 1989, The Boy of the Three Year Nap
ALA Notable Children's Book, 1988, The Boy of the Three Year Nap
Boston Globe/Horn Book Award, 1988, The Boy of the Three Year Nap
New York Times Ten Best Illustrated Children's Books, 1988, A River Dream
Christopher Award, 1985, How My Parents Learned to Eat
Horn Book honor list, 1984, How My Parents Learned to Eat
New York Times Best Illustrated award, 1980, The Lucky Yak
ALA Notable Book and Best Book for Young Adults, both 1979, The Inn-Keeper's Apprentice

CONNECTIONS
This a good book for discussing what it feels like to be homesick and a foreigner. The compare/contrasts could be applied not only to America and Japan but with any student who is new to America. This will also lead to discussions on cultural differences and how both cultures can be blended when living in another country.

Other books by Allen Say:
TREE OF CRANES. ISBN: 039552024
GRANDFATHER’S JOURNEY. ISBN: 0547076800

Culture 4 Native American Lit – Crossing Bok Chitto

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Tingle, Tim. 2006. Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship & Freedom. Ill. Jeanne Rorex Bridges. El Paso, TX: Cinco Puntos Press. ISBN 9780938317777

PLOT SUMMARY
Here is a story of a friendship between a young Choctaw girl and a black boy who is a slave. Martha Tom is sent out to gather blueberries by her mother. Not finding any, Marhta Tom, crosses the Bok Chitto river, which is forbidden, and stumbles upon a hidden slave church. This experience will change her life. She makes a new friend, Little Mo, which ultimately leads to the women in Martha Toms’ village helping slaves escape across the river. The law states that once a slave is across Bok Chitto river, he is free and the slave owner could not follow. This is a story of courage, hope and freedom.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDLING CULTURAL MARKERS)
Crossing Bok Chitto is set in Mississippi during the 1800’s before the War Between the States and the Trail of Tears. The Bok Chitto is a river that sets the boundary between the Choctaw land and the plantation owner’s property. The law states that if a slave crosses over the river into the Choctaw land then they are free. This story is about a friendship between two children, one Native American Indian and one African American slave. Crossing Bok Chitto began as a song retelling the story of the Choctaw women helping slaves cross the river to freedom. The Choctaws place rocks under the water forming a hidden walkway. The story goes on to tell how the white people witness seven black spirits, walking on the water – to their freedom.

This story is an excellent book for learning about the Choctaw Indians’ role in helping black slaves escape to freedom. The cultural markers cover both Choctaw Native Americans and African Americans. Martha Tom has the round face with defined cheek bones and almond shaped dark brown eyes. Her hair is black and very long and braided. She is dressed in a simple, long cotton dress with an apron, carrying a basket with Native American designs and traditional moccasins. The women in Martha Tom’s village were shown wearing the traditional wedding ceremony white cotton long dresses with their shiny black hair falling well below their waists. The men were attired in nondescript pants and long sleeved cotton shirts. Their faces were round with the high, defined check bones, some with long braided hair and others with shorter hair. Their moccasins were both the shorter ones and the high calf boots. Here are the elders chanting the Choctaw wedding song:

“Way, hey ya hey ya
You a hey you ay
A hey ya a hey ha!

Way, hey ya hey ya
You a hey you ay
A hey ya a hey ya!”

The African American women were dressed in long cotton dresses in varying colors and they all had scarves covering their hair. The men were in jackets, cotton shirts, pants, boots and had work hats on. The children were all dressed similar to the adults. The facial features were the most prominent cultural marker showing larger noses and heavy features. The hair was cut short for the men and showed the course, curly distinction for African Americans of this timeframe. Some of the African American children were barefoot. The plantation owners showed a little better quality of dresses and the men sported nicer hats. Martha Tom’s village was made up of small log cabins, the African American living quarters were not shown and the plantation home had the large white columns with the long porch including rocking chairs. I felt like the reference to the way to not being noticed - “It’s like you’re invisible. You move not too fast, not too slow, eyes to the ground, away you go” - indicated cultural markers that the African American slaves were looked upon as invisible, not important, so were not noticed.

Crossing Bok Chitto is a great story on how humans from all cultures help each other. This story should be used not only for Native American Indian awareness, but also for studies on African American history and for non-Indians. This is about courage, faith and freedom.

Choctaws Today: Two Prosperous Nations, One Strong People is a short informational page about the Choctaws today including a picture of Choctaws walking a memorial walk on the Trail of Tears at the end of the book.

The author has an extensive note at the end titled A Note on Choctaw Storytelling about his heritage and a wonderful poem. Here is a quote from his note. Tim Tingles says, “We Indians need to continue recounting our past and, from this book, non-Indians might realize the sweet and secret fire that drives the Indian heart. We are proud of who we are. We are determined that our way, shared by many of all races, a way of respect for others and the land we live on, will prevail.”

"As long as our stories are told, we can be Choctaw forever." Tim Tingle
Jeanne Rorex Bridges, a Cherokee, illustrated this book using acrylic pictures that truly capture the heart of the people depicted in this story. The reader is able to feel the emotions portrayed in the faces of the Native Americans and African Americans.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
Booklist starred (April 15, 2006 (Vol. 102, No. 16))
Gr. 2-4. In a picture book that highlights rarely discussed intersections between Native Americans in the South and African Americans in bondage, a noted Choctaw storyteller and Cherokee artist join forces with stirring results. Set "in the days before the War Between the States, in the days before the Trail of Tears," and told in the lulling rhythms of oral history, the tale opens with a Mississippi Choctaw girl who strays across the Bok Chitto River into the world of Southern plantations, where she befriends a slave boy and his family. When trouble comes, the desperate runaways flee to freedom, helped by their own fierce desire (which renders them invisible to their pursuers) and by the Choctaws' secret route across the river. In her first paintings for a picture book, Bridges conveys the humanity and resilience of both peoples in forceful acrylics, frequently centering on dignified figures standing erect before moody landscapes. Sophisticated endnotes about Choctaw history and storytelling traditions don't clarify whether Tingle's tale is original or retold, but this oversight won't affect the story's powerful impact on young readers, especially when presented alongside existing slave-escape fantasies such as Virginia Hamiltons's The People Could Fly0 (2004) and Julius Lester's The Old African 0 (2005).

Library Media Connection (November/December 2006)
Tingle, a superb storyteller, tells a tale of friendship and freedom about the great river, Bok Chitto, that divides two very different worlds prior to the American Civil War. One Sunday morning in preparation for a Choctaw tribal wedding Martha Tom searches for blackberries. Against her mother's instructions, she crosses the deep, brown water on stepping-stones and enters the woods where black slave families gather for worship and celebration. She becomes disoriented and Little Mo, a young slave, guides her through the woods to the banks of Bok Chitto. Together they cross the river to visit the Native American families. This friendship grows until Little Mo's mother is scheduled to be sold. Late that night Martha Tom's community of women lead Little Mo's family across the river's invisible path and down the road to freedom. Through the poetic cadence of oral storytelling and a quiet, yet penetrating voice, Tingle brings this early American tale to print as a strong read- aloud for young or middle level students or for a great quick read for older readers. The language is vividly brought to life through rich earthen-toned illustrations by Jeanne Rorex Bridges. Recommended. Donna Steffan, Director of Library Media, Beaver Dam (Wisconsin) Unified School District

Publishers Weekly (March 13, 2006)
Bridges, a Cherokee artist making her children's book debut, joins Tingle (Walking the Choctaw Road) in a moving and wholly original story about the intersection of cultures. The river Bok Chitto divides the Choctaw nation from the plantations of Mississippi. "If a slave escaped and made his way across Bok Chitto, the slave was free," writes Tingle, "The slave owner could not follow. That was the law." But Bok Chitto holds a secret: a rock pathway that lies just below the surface of the water. "Only the Choctaws knew it was there, for the Choctaws had built it," Tingle explains. When a slave boy and his family are befriended by a Choctaw girl, the pathway becomes part of an ingenious plan that enables the slaves to cross the river to freedom-in plain view of a band of slave hunters during a full moon. Bridges creates mural-like paintings with a rock-solid spirituality and stripped-down graphic sensibility, the ideal match for the down-to-earth cadences and poetic drama of the text. Many of the illustrations serve essentially as portraits, and they're utterly mesmerizing-strong, solid figures gaze squarely out of the frame, beseeching readers to listen, empathize and wonder. Ages 5-up. (Apr.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

AWARDS/HONORS
No awards for this book.

CONNECTIONS
Tim Tingle: www.choctawstoryteller.com/
Jeanne Rorex Bridges: http://www.rorex-art.com/
http://www.cincopuntos.com/pdf/crossing_bok_chitto_guide.pdf
http://suzyred.com/2008crossingbokchitto.html

Other Books by Tim Tingle:
When Turtle Grew Feathers: A Folktale From the Choctaw Nation. ISBN 9780874837773.
Walking the Choctaw Road. ISBN 9780938317746.

Culture 4 Native American Lit. - Code Talker: A Novel about the Navajo Marines of World War Two

BIBLIOGRAPHYBruchac, Joseph. 2005. Code talker: A novel about the Navajo Marines of World War Two. New York, NY: Dial Books. ISBN 0-8037-2921-9

PLOT SUMMARY
Code Talker is a fictional tale of Kii Yazhi, a Navajo Native American, whose name was changed to Ned Begay in Catholic school. He is a sixteen-year-old Navajo boy who joins the Marine Corps in an effort to use the Navajo language as a code during World War II. Ned joined a select group of Navajo code talkers to help create the one code that the Japanese would never be able to break.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDLING CULTURAL MARKERS)
Code Talker begins with Kii Yazhi being sent to a United States government school where he had to shave his hair and they only allowed him to speak in English. His native language was not allowed. All his native Navajo clothing was taken from him and he was given a military uniform. The school assigned him an Americanized name and he became Ned Begay. He and his fellow Navajo friends are treated cruelly with racism and demeaning attitudes because of his Native American heritage. They were considered unintelligent compared to white children. Ned excels in his classes and goes to a Native American high school. The country is involved in World War II at this time.

At this time in history Native Americans were not allowed to be American soldiers. Later the government changes their mind about Native Americans enlisting and Ned goes to his parents for permission to join. His parents deny him and say he may join if the war is still going on the next year. He enlists the next year even though he was not 18 years old. Ned Begay and other Navajo men become code talkers using their native Navajo language to send coded messages during the war.

These men were true heroes, sending coded messages back and forth across the Pacific. They were involved in some of the heaviest fighting and were instrumental in saving numerous American lives. Their story was classified and they were not to talk about their work. The story of these courageous men was not told for twenty years after the war.

Cultural markers were described with the Navajo people having brown skin and long black hair. The men don’t have a lot of facial hair, they have an Asian look, so were often taken for Japanese soldiers. This was somewhat problematic for the Navajo. The Navajo also value their long hair and having to cut it during school made them feel naked and ashamed. Some of their social customs are included. Navajo people are quiet and show respect by looking down at their feet when others are talking. They also will point with their chins and lips which is traditional, but considered unique. Navajos also are superstitious about water. Water means danger and should be avoided, even when eating. They also avoid corpses, because they are seen as bad spirits. Joseph Bruchac includes traditional stories of the Scared Twins and the Monster Slayer when describing the battle fatigue of the soldiers. The traditional Blessingway ceremony is also discussed as are ceremonial dances.

Bruchac really captures the voice of Ned Begay as a Navajo Marine telling his grandchildren about his adventures and receiving his medal. The Navajo cultural perspective is used by Bruchac when Ned Begay is telling his story of World War II.

This is a great book for learning about the role the Navajos played in World War II and how their language was an asset in helping to win this horrible war. Great book on showing how individuals can use their traditional cultural heritage as valid contributions to mankind.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
From School Library Journal
Grade 5 Up–In the measured tones of a Native American storyteller, Bruchac assumes the persona of a Navajo grandfather telling his grandchildren about his World War II experiences. Protagonist Ned Begay starts with his early schooling at an Anglo boarding school, where the Navajo language is forbidden, and continues through his Marine career as a "code talker," explaining his long silence until "de-classified" in 1969. Begay's lifelong journey honors the Navajos and other Native Americans in the military, and fosters respect for their culture. Bruchac's gentle prose presents a clear historical picture of young men in wartime, island hopping across the Pacific, waging war in the hells of Guadalcanal, Bougainville, and Iwo Jima. Nonsensational and accurate, Bruchac's tale is quietly inspiring, even for those who have seen Windtalkers, or who have read such nonfiction works as Nathan Aaseng's Navajo Code Talkers (Walker, 1992), Kenji Kawano's Warriors: Navajo Code Talkers (Northland, 1990), or Deanne Durrett's Unsung Heroes of World War II: The Story of the Navajo Code Talkers (Facts On File, 1998). For those who've read none of the above, this is an eye-opener.–Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Booklist
*Starred Review* Gr. 6-9. Six-year-old Ned Begay leaves his Navajo home for boarding school, where he learns the English language and American ways. At 16, he enlists in the U.S. Marines during World War II and is trained as a code talker, using his native language to radio battlefield information and commands in a code that was kept secret until 1969. Rooted in his Navajo consciousness and traditions even in dealing with fear, loneliness, and the horrors of the battlefield, Ned tells of his experiences in Hawaii, Guadalcanal, Bougainville, Guam, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. The book, addressed to Ned's grandchildren, ends with an author's note about the code talkers as well as lengthy acknowledgments and a bibliography. The narrative pulls no punches about war's brutality and never adopts an avuncular tone. Not every section of the book is riveting, but slowly the succession of scenes, impressions, and remarks build to create a solid, memorable portrayal of Ned Begay. Even when facing complex negative forces within his own country, he is able to reach into his traditional culture to find answers that work for him in a modern context. Readers who choose the book for the attraction of Navajo code talking and the heat of battle will come away with more than they ever expected to find. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

AWARDS/HONORS
No awards for this book

CONNECTIONS
Lesson Plans and Curriculum Resources
Ariaona Geographic Alliance The Unbreakable Code Curriculum:
http://alliance.la.asu.edu/azga/lp_view.php?lesson_id=408CNN
Code Talkers Lesson:
http://archives.cnn.com/2001/fyi/lesson.plans/07/26/code.talkers/
Joseph Bruchac @Web English Teacher:
http://www.webenglishteacher.com/bruchac/html
Montana Office of Public Instruction Code Talker Curriculum:
http://www.opi.me.gov/pdf/IndianEd/Search?language%20Arts/Middle_Code%20Talker%20A%20Novel%20About%20the%Navajo%20Marines%20of%20WWII.pdf
Scholastic Resources on Code Talker:
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/collateral.jsp?id=10825
The Spirit Survives: The Indian Boarding School Experience, Then and Now:
http://www.racebridgesforschools.com/wp/?p=208
University of Minnesota Code Talkers Curriculum:
http://intersectingart.umn.edu/?lesson/21
The Official Website of the Navajo Code Talkers
http://navajocodetalkers.org/
Library of Congress, Indian Boarding Schools: Civilizing the Native Spirit.
http://memory.loc.gov/learn///lessons/01/indian/teacher.html
National Archives. Teaching with Documents: Memorandum Regarding the Enlistment of Navajo Indians.
http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/code-talkers/.
Navajo code Talkers Foundation.
http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/code-talkers/.
Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, Native Words, Native Warriors.
Virtual exhibit available at http://www.nmai.si.edu/education/codetalkers/.

Culture 4 Native American Lit. – Jingle Dancer

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Smith, Cynthia Leitich. 2000. Jingle Dancer.Ill. by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu. New York, NY: Morrow Junior books. ISBN- 10: 068816241X ISBN-13: 978-0688162412

PLOT SUMMARY
Jenna, is a young modern day member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and of Ojibway (Chippewa/Anishinabe) descent. Jenna’s Grandma Wolfe performs the jingle dance at the powwows and Jenna’s dream is to perform the traditional jingle dance like her grandmother. However, she doesn’t have the jingles for her dress to make it sing. This story is about how her female relatives and community friends donate silver jingles from their dresses so Jenna will be able to dance the jingle dance at the next powwow. Jingle Dancer is a story of Native American tradition and family love.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
Tink, tink, tink, tink sang cone-shaped jingles sewn to Grandma Wolfe's dress. Every Grandma bounce-step brought clattering tinks as light blurred silver against jingles of tin.
Jenna daydreamed at the kitchen table, tasting honey on fry bread, her heart beating to the brum, brum, brum, brum of the powwow drum.
As Moon kissed Sun goodnight, Jenna shifted her head on Grandma Wolfe's shoulder. "I want to jingle dance, too." (Smith, pg. 2)

Jingle Dancer is a story of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Native American tradition, of the women and young girls performing the jingle dance during the powwow. A powwow is a social and spiritual event that usually takes place in the summer. It is a time for dancing, drumming, eating, storytelling and more.

Grandma Wolfe has performed the jingle dance since she was a girl, carrying on the tradition of her Muscogee (Creek) Nation heritage. Jenna watches her grandmother on video and copies the dance steps that her grandmother uses. When Grandma bounce-stepped on TV, Jenna bounce-stepped on family room carpet. (Smith, pg.5) Jenna’s dress does not have the jingles to make her dress sing and Grandma Wolfe says there is not enough time to order the silver tins for rolling jingles. This is where Jenna’s story takes off with her visiting first her Great-aunt Sis, who she finds out won’t be able to dance at the powwow. Her aunt says she could borrow a row of tins from her dress. Mrs. Scott, a neighbor, is visited next, will not be able to dance either and she loans Jenna a row from her dress. Last is Cousin Elizabeth who works for a law firm and due to work will not be able to dance either, so she loans Jenna a row of tins from her dress. Each of the women who loaned her the tins asked her to dance for them at the powwow. Truly a message here of how important the dance was to Jenna and the sharing of her family and friends to help make Jenna’s dream come true.

The story is full of cultural makers with the first page showing Grandma Wolfe in her traditional jingle dress with the silver tins all around the red skirt and on the front of the dress. Her grandmother has a feather in her hair and one in her hand. She is wearing a bolo to hold her scarf around her neck. Traditionally Native American Indians have silver and turquoise jewelry. The bola has a stone in the center and the belt around her waist also has stones. Her moccasins are white soft leather with intricate colored bead work in the tradition of her costume. The people’s hair color is dark, eye color brown and some facial features of Native American heritage. The homes are modern traditional with some cultural decorations like the dream catcher and a Native American women picture in Cousin Elizabeth’s home. The Native American basket and red blanket in Grandma Wolfe’s home also depicted cultural markers. The hair clips in Mrs. Scott’s hair were the colored beaded work similar to the moccasins of Grandma Wolfe and the ones that Grandma Wolfe wore as a girl that Jenna is wearing for her jingle dance. The powwow really showed the girls in their traditional jingle dresses with the silver tins, bright colors, and the different moccasins. The men were in the traditional dress with the feathered head pieces; braided hair tied with leather, and feathered shields. The men’s facial features were more pronounced in showing their Native American Indian heritage. There was also the mention of Indian Fry Bread, honey, and Indian tacos which are native foods in the American Indian tradition.

“Tink, tink, tink, tink” - the sound of the jingles, “ brum, brum, brum, brum” - the sound of the drum beating, four rows of jingles on the dress, and the four directions at four different residences shows the importance of the number four, which is a sacred number to many Native Americans. These are stressed throughout the book. The author also includes background information on the Native American tribes represented in the story as well as some history of the jingle dance, dress, and tradition. A glossary of terms is also included.

Husband and wife, Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu, illustrated this story using watercolors for the full –color illustrations. They did an excellent job in capturing the Native American Indian culture and traditions. I was truly impressed with the powwow and how the dancers were the center of attention and the rest of the people were visible, but almost faded. It was a wonderful way to show how important Jenna was in this story without leaving out the surrounding theme of the powwow. The text type is 18-point Cochin.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
From Publishers Weekly
Smith, a mixed-blood member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, convincingly juxtaposes cherished Native American tradition and contemporary lifestyle in this smooth debut. Watching a videotape of Grandma Wolfe performing a jingle dance, Jenna is determined to dance at an upcoming powwow. But she lacks the cone-shaped, tin jingles that are sewn on to dancers' dresses as part of the regalia. The girl walks down a suburban sidewalk lined with modern houses as she sets out to visit her great-aunt, a neighbor, a cousin and Grandma Wolfe, all of whom lend her jingles for her dress. Smith's language consciously evokes legend. For example, "As Sun caught a glimpse of the Moon" indicates the time of day; and Jenna is careful to borrow only a limited number of jingles, "not wanting to take so many that [another's] dress would lose its voice." Van Wright and Hu's (Jewels) lifelike renderings capture the genuine affection between Jenna and these caring older women. Their easy integration of Native and standard furnishings and clothing gracefully complement Smith's heartening portrait of a harmonious meshing of old and new. Ages 4-10. (Apr.) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 3-Without enough tin jingles to make her dress sing, how can Jenna be a jingle dancer just like Grandma Wolfe at the next powwow? She borrows one row from Great-aunt Sis, whose aching legs keep her from dancing; another from Mrs. Scott, who sells fry bread; one from Cousin Elizabeth, whose work keeps her away from the festivities; and a fourth row from Grandma, who helps Jenna sew the jingles to her dress, assemble her regalia, and practice her bounce-steps. When the big day arrives, the girl feels proud to represent these four women and carry on their tradition. Watercolor paintings in bright, warm tones fill each page. In scenes where she is dancing, backgrounds of blurred figures effectively represent both the large audience and the many generations whose tradition the gathering honors. Seeing Jenna as both a modern girl in the suburban homes of her intertribal community and as one of many traditionally costumed participants at the powwow will give some readers a new view of a contemporary Native American way of life. An author's note and glossary tell more about the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, the Ojibway origins of jingle dancing, and the significance of the number four in Native American tradition. This picture book will not only satisfy a need for materials on Native American customs, but will also be a welcome addition to stories about traditions passed down by the women of a culture.Ginny Gustin, Sonoma County Library System, Santa Rosa, CA Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
This contemporary Native American tale highlights the importance of family and community through a young girl's dream of joining the dancers at the next powwow. Jenna is a girl of Muscogee (Creek) and Ojibway (Chippewa/Anishinabe) descent. She has practiced the steps for the jingle dance by following her grandmother's moves on a video. Now she must get enough jingles (traditionally made of tin, aluminum, or gold canning lids rolled into cones) to sew on her dress to make a satisfying "tink, tink" as she dances. The way Jenna gathers her jingles (borrowing enough to make a row, but not so many that the lender's dress will "lose its voice"), and her promise to dance for the women who cannot dance for themselves illustrate the importance of family and community ties. The colorful, well-executed watercolor illustrations lend warmth to the story. A note explaining Jenna's heritage and a brief glossary are appended. Connie Fletcher Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

AWARDS/HONORS
Finalist for the Oklahoma Book Award
Runner-up for the Western Writers Association Storyteller Award
Notable Children’s Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies
Texas 2 x 2 List

CONNECTIONS
Before reading Jingle Dancer, explain to the students what family traditions are. After reading ask students to brainstorm about their own family traditions. Write answers on the board. Discuss the differences and likes in comparison to Jenna’s family traditions. Re-read the story to emphasis the family traditions of Jenna’s family. Have students write about a family tradition that they enjoy and then have them illustrate it. Students will then share their stories and pictures with the class.
This will then lead to the class researching other cultures and their traditions.

Visit Cynthia Leitich Smith Web Site for a curriculum guide of Jingle Dancer.
http://www.cynthialeitichsmith.com/

Other books by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Indian Shoes. ISBN: 9780060295318
Tantalize. ISBN: 9780763640590
Holler Loudly. ISBN: 9780525422563
Eternal. ISBN: 9780763635732

Module 3 Hispanic/Latino Lit. – Esparanza Rising

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ryan, Pam Munoz. 2000. Esperanza Rising. New York, NY: Scholastic Press. ISBN-10: 043912042X ISBN-13: 978-0439120425

PLOT SUMMARY
Esparanza, mi reina (my queen), is a privileged Mexican girl living on a grape vineyard ranch, El Rancho de las Rosas. When her father is killed, their home burns to the ground and her uncle tries to force her mother to marry him, so he can take over the ranch. This forces Esparanza, her mother and servants to leave their beloved home and flee to America to become migrant workers in California. A story of riches-to-rags that is about growing up during the depression, realizing what is truly important, learning to be courageous, and the love of family and friends. Esparanza Rising means hope rising.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
Esparanza Rising is a historical fiction story based on Pam Munoz Ryan’s grandmother. Ryan includes her family ancestral and historical information, which adds authenticity to the family’s story of struggles and survival. This allows the reader to learn about this time period in our history and that people really did experience the trials and tribulations of being a migrant worker.

The Mexicans left their home country to move North in the hopes of making a better life for themselves and their families. This theme is evident throughout the story on how people will do whatever it takes to provide for their families. Esparanza, who has always had servants, her loving parents, her Abuelita (grandmother) and the security of wealth, is thrust into a shocking reality of what it takes to survive. She is surprised at the strength of her mother. The willingness of her mother to work as hard as the servants with whom she grew up, allows her to see a side of her mother she never knew. Esparanza must also learn to help out with the family by watching the babies, cooking, doing laundry, sweeping and eventually working in the fields when her mother becomes ill and she needs money to pay for her hospital costs. She realizes that she also has strengths that she did not know she possessed. Her father told her that the land breathes and lives. “Did you know that when you lie down on the land, you can feel it breathe? That you can feel its heart beating?” (Ryan, pg. 1) Esparanza didn’t fully realize the lesson her father was talking about until the end of the story when she understood how important the land is in providing what you need for survival. In the end, she was able to hear the heart beat of the land and know that hope was alive, through hard work and the love of family and friends.

The Mexican culture was prevalent throughout the story. Each is in Spanish with the English subtitle. Chapter Two is Las Uvas – Grapes. This is a wonderful way of introducing Spanish words into this story. The story included many Spanish words and phrases that capture the Hispanic culture. Papi (father), Abuelita (grandmother), mi reina (my queen) as Miguel called Esparanza, mi nieta (my granddaughter), ribozo (a blanket shawl), Quinceañeras (presentation party when a girl turns 15), “¡La cosecha!” (harvest) and many more. Several references to foods that are common in the Hispanic culture for example un barrito de frijols, which is a bean burrito. Homemade tortillas, almond flan and Hibiscus Flower Punch are delights for which the author includes the recipe at the end of the book. Clothing, black hair and the way it was worn in braids for workers and buns for privilege women, big brown eyes, skin color and clothing portray the Hispanic culture. The names of the characters are also in keeping with Hispanic people - Esperanza, Isabel, Miguel, Josefina, Juan, and Marta to name a few.
The importance of family was very evident throughout the story and was stressed with how the people all come together to help each other. This is a great lesson for the reader to learn about how the Hispanic culture puts family and community survival first, by showing how families in the migrant camps depend on each family member to contribute to the family caring for siblings, helping with chores or working in the fields. Esparanza transforms from a privileged, pampered child into a courageous, responsible young adult.

Other important issues that were introduced were cultural differences - racism, exploitation of migrant workers and the angers that rise from these issues. The living conditions were meager and unfair when the Oklahomans (whites) came to work the fields. They were provided housing with running water, which the Mexicans didn’t have. Also, the Oklahomans were willing to work for much less than what the Mexican workers were being paid, which then caused concern on how to make ends meet and the possibility of losing their jobs to workers who were willing to work for less. The reference to the Mexicans that they were dirty, unskilled, only good for manual labor was made without regard for the fact that many of them were educated in Mexico as trained professionals.

This is a wonderful story, full of courage, hope and survival. Esparanza has grown into a confident young woman. Here is her birthday song that her father sang to her in the beginning and the men of the farm sang to her in the end. Hope rising is Esparanza’s story of her survival, growth and importance of family no matter where you find yourself.

Las Mañanitas, The Birthday Song
“Estas son las mañanitas que cantaba el Rey David
a las muchachas bonitas; se las cantamos aqui.
Despierta, mi bien, despierta. Mira que ya amaneció.
Ya los pajaritos cantan, la luna ya se metió.
These are the morning songs which King David used to sing
To all the pretty girls; we sing them here to you.
Awake, my beloved, awake. See, it is already dawn.
The birds are already singing, the moon has already gone.”

REVIEW EXCERPTS
From Publishers Weekly
"With a hint of magical realism, this robust novel set in 1930 captures a Mexican girl's fall from riches and her immigration to California," said PW in our Best Books citation. Ages 8-12. (June)
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 6-9-Ryan uses the experiences of her own Mexican grandmother as the basis for this compelling story of immigration and assimilation, not only to a new country but also into a different social class. Esperanza's expectation that her 13th birthday will be celebrated with all the material pleasures and folk elements of her previous years is shattered when her father is murdered by bandits. His powerful stepbrothers then hold her mother as a social and economic hostage, wanting to force her remarriage to one of them, and go so far as to burn down the family home. Esperanza's mother then decides to join the cook and gardener and their son as they move to the United States and work in California's agricultural industry. They embark on a new way of life, away from the uncles, and Esperanza unwillingly enters a world where she is no longer a princess but a worker. Set against the multiethnic, labor-organizing era of the Depression, the story of Esperanza remaking herself is satisfyingly complete, including dire illness and a difficult romance. Except for the evil uncles, all of the characters are rounded, their motives genuine, with class issues honestly portrayed. Easy to booktalk, useful in classroom discussions, and accessible as pleasure reading, this well-written novel belongs in all collections.
Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley Public Library, CA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist
Gr. 5-8. Moving from a Mexican ranch to the company labor camps of California, Ryan's lyrical novel manages the contradictory: a story of migration and movement deeply rooted in the earth. When 14-year-old Esperanza's father is killed, she and her mother must emigrate to the U.S., where a family of former ranch workers has helped them find jobs in the agricultural labor camps. Coming from such privilege, Esperanza is ill prepared for the hard work and difficult conditions she now faces. She quickly learns household chores, though, and when her mother falls ill, she works packing produce until she makes enough money to bring her beloved abuelita to the U.S.. Set during the Great Depression, the story weaves cultural, economic, and political unrest into Esperanza's poignant tale of growing up: she witnesses strikes, government sweeps, and deep injustice while finding strength and love in her family and romance with a childhood friend. The symbolism is heavy-handed, as when Esperanza ominously pricks her finger on a rose thorne just before her father is killed. But Ryan writes movingly in clear, poetic language that children will sink into, and the books offers excellent opportunities for discussion and curriculum support. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Awards/Honors
Pura Belpré Medal
Jane Addams Children’s Book Award
The Willa Cather Award
Americas Award Honor Book
ALA Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults
Publisher’s Weekly Best Book of the Year
NY Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
IRA Notable Book for a Global Society
NCSS Notable Book for Young People
Jefferson Cup Award Worthy of Note
Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist
Smithsonian Best Book of the Year
Southern California Judy Lopez Memorial Award
Arizona Young Adult Book Award
Nominee for 16 state young reader awards
Julia Lopez Memorial Award Winner
Jane Addams Children’s Book Award


CONNECTIONS
Check out Pam Munoz Ryan's Website:
http://www.pammunozryan.com/

There are some wonderful discussion questions at the end of the book.

It would also be fun to map Esparanzas journey from Mexico to California.

Esparanza also counts how much time passed in crops instead of months. Research what crops are grown in your area and the seasons they are harvested. Make a calendar for your area by seasons of the crops.

Have someone come and teach the class how to make homemade tortillas and then using beans have un barrito de frijols and Hibiscus Flower Punch. (Recipe for the punch at the end of the book)