Wonderstruck

Bibliography:

Selznick, Brian. 2011. Wonderstruck. New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 9780545027892.

Summary:

Two different plots unfold throughout this book and weave together at the end. Ben's story is set in 1977 and is told almost entirely in words. Rose's story occurs in 1927 and is told in pictures. Rose is deaf, and her divorced parents don't understand her. She runs away across the harbor to New York City, where she finds her kind older brother in the American Museum of Natural History, and he takes care of her. Ben, who was born deaf in one ear, loses his hearing in the other ear because of lightning through a telephone wire. His mother had recently been killed in an accident, and Ben takes off alone from Minnesota to New York City, chasing a clue that he hopes will lead him to his long-lost father. He makes a friend and hides out in the American Museum of Natural History. He learns more about his father and the connection that brought his dad to Gun Lake, Minnesota years ago. The stories continue converging until the reader discovers, along with the characters, that Rose is Ben's grandmother.

Analysis:

Selznick is a master at telling stories and showing action through pictures, and the pencil illustrations are wonderfully-drawn and are crucial to the story. Rose's story isn't told at all in words until the end, but the reader understands everything from the pictures. The facial expressions and body language convey so much emotion. The quality of the text is also very good, and readers will sympathize with Ben as he loses his hearing, sets off on a potentially dangerous journey, and tries desperately to find his father. The author creates mini-cliffhangers throughout the book as he alternates between stories, and he matches similarities between Rose's and Ben's adventures (such as showing up at the museum). It’s not difficult to alternate between the stories, and the only danger is going through the pictures too fast and not noticing the marvelous and intricate details.

In an extensive note in the back of the book, Selznick describes the research he did (including interviews) in his attempt to accurately portray Deaf culture. He includes little details like Rose's horrified reaction to the end of silent movies in 1927. Before "talkies," deaf and hearing people could watch movies in much the same way. He also shows the tendency in the 1920s to teach deaf people to speak and lip-read while forbidding sign language. Rose does eventually learn sign language, though, and Ben’s friend Jamie teaches him to sign the alphabet. Although I personally can't know for sure, I think Deaf readers would be proud to find their culture portrayed in this book.

Through the text and illustrations, but especially the illustrations, the author also conveys the culture of New York City: the subway with its graffiti, apartment buildings, the rush of crowds, theaters, homeless people, Times Square, the Panorama, and of course, lots of details about the American Museum of Natural History.

Reviews/Awards:

“A thing of wonder to behold…an emotional experience that neither the words nor the illustrations could achieve on their own.” School Library Journal starred review

“Brian Selznick proves to be that rare creator capable of following one masterpiece — The Invention of Hugo Cabret, — with another even more brilliantly executed.” Washington Post

Connections:
*Scholastic has a great companion website for the book, filled with fun information for children. Explore it! http://www.wonderstruckthebook.com/

Does My Head Look Big In This?

Bibliography:

Abdel-Fattah, Randa. 2008. Does My Head Look Big In This? New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 978-0439922333.

Summary:

In many ways, Amal is a typical 16-year-old girl. She likes shopping and watching Friends. She fights with her parents sometimes. She has a crush on Adam, a popular boy at school. But Amal Mohamed Nasrullah Abdel-Hakin is also Muslim and believes strongly in her faith. Over winter break she decides to begin wearing the hijab (a head covering worn when in the presence of men outside one's family) full-time. She agonizes over this decision because she knows the other students at her elite private school in Australia will not understand. Her Muslim friends Leila and Yasmeen are both "full-timers" already, but they attend different schools.

Her first day back at school, the principal is upset that she violated the dress code and all her classmates stare and whisper. After her parents talk to the principal, Amal is allowed to wear the hijab. Her friends Simone and Eileen support her, and eventually most of her classmates accept it. As the book progresses, Adam tries to kiss Amal, but she tells him her religion prohibits it. Simone starts dating a boy and smokes to lose weight. Leila gets in trouble with her parents and runs away from home temporarily. Amal encounters many challenges in the several-month span of the story, and she realizes that "Putting on the hijab isn't the end of the journey. It's just the beginning of it."

Analysis:

This book takes a humorous and mostly light-hearted approach to the topic of religious discrimination against Muslim women. Amal doesn't face violent or overly-cruel discrimination, but she does have to deal with the stares and occasional taunts of her classmates. Amal makes it clear that it's not the questions she dreads, it's the silent stares. Once her classmates finally begin to ask her about her faith and motivations, she is relieved. This will hopefully encourage readers that it's okay (even good) to ask someone honest questions about what makes him or her different.

The author is an Australian Muslim, just like her main character/narrator, which gives the novel authenticity. Australian words and slang phrases appear throughout the book. The hijab is the primary Muslim cultural marker in the book, but the story also talks extensively about prayer practices and other religious observances. Amal mentions some of the things the Qur'an says to do or not do.

The author attempts to authentically create the voice of a teenage girl, but goes perhaps a little too far. In trying to convey the emotions and angst of a teenager facing a difficult situation, the writing becomes repetitive and even the smallest of details is drawn out for pages. While some might feel this is authentic for a drama-queen teen, others will be dissuaded by the book's length and by its focus on trivial plot details.

Amal's friends show the reader some other challenges that Muslim women face. Laila, for example, is intelligent and independent, but her parents see only marriage and not college in her future. The book deals with discrimination, body image, smoking, crushes, relationships, parental expectations, and much more.

Reviews/Awards:

Winner of the Australian Book Industry Awards 2006 - Australian Book of the Year for Older Children

"While the novel deals with a number of serious issues, it is extremely funny and entertaining, and never preachy or forced. The details of Amal's family and social life are spot-on, and the book is wonderful at showing the diversity within Muslim communities and in explaining why so many women choose to wear the hijab." School Library Journal

"Like the author of this breakthrough debut novel, Amal is an Australian-born, Muslim Palestinian "whacked with some seriously confusing identity hyphens." At 16, she loves shopping, watches Sex and the City, and IMs her friends about her crush on a classmate. She also wants to wear the hijab, to be strong enough to show a badge of her deeply held faith, even if she confronts insults from some at her snotty prep school, and she is refused a part-time job in the food court (she is "not hygienic"). Her open-minded observant physician parents support her and so do her friends, Muslim, Jewish, Christian, secular." Booklist, starred review

Connections:
*Read other books from the perspective of a Muslim girl, such as Habibi by Naomi Shihab Nye.

In Our Mothers' House

Bibliography:

Polacco, Patricia. 2009. In Our Mothers’ House. New York: Penguin Books. ISBN: 9780399250767.

Summary:

The story is narrated by an African-American girl as she looks back and describes the childhood she, her Asian brother, and her red-haired Caucasian sister had in their house in Berkeley. With two mothers, their family was different, but the kids didn’t mind and neither did anyone else except the mean neighbor down the street. The narrator describes laughing in the kitchen, dancing through the house, listening to stories by the fireplace, and building a treehouse in the backyard. Marmee and Meema organize a block party for the entire neighborhood and dress up for a mother-daughter tea. Holidays are spent cooking in the kitchen with extended family and having loud conversations around the table. The three kids grow up, get married in the backyard of their home, and return with grandkids throughout the rest of their mothers’ lives.

Analysis:

This book deals with a controversial subject: same-sex relationships and, specifically, adoption and parenting by two mothers. Most of the characters in this diverse book accept this family, but Mrs. Lockner says, “I don’t appreciate what you two are,” and she won’t let her children play with Marmee and Meema’s kids. Meema says, “She’s afraid of what she cannot understand.” The children grow up and marry heterosexual spouses, and they return often to the family home and remember the loving, happy childhood they spent there.

The book teems with multiculturalism. The three children are all of different races, and they have an Italian grandfather who teaches them to cook gnocchi. During the block party, everyone on the street makes a different type of food that celebrates their culture: the Mardicians bring lamb, the Polos bring spanakopita, the Abdullas bring hummus, the Yamagakis bring sushi, and the Barbers bring fried clams.

The rough pencil and marker illustrations exude warmth, love, and happiness. On nearly every page, the characters have joyful expressions on their faces (perhaps even a little over-the-top joy). The book makes sure to emphasize that Marmee and Meema are intelligent professionals, that they love one another, and that they will do anything for their children. They raise their kids to be kind and respectful. Though idealized, this book is a great picture of how being different is not wrong and how a family and community can love and support one another.

Reviews/Awards:

"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." Booklist

"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." School Library Journal

Connections:
*Consider the list of Stonewall award winners for other books about this subject.

The Year of the Dog

Bibliography:

Lin, Grace. 2006. The Year of the Dog. New York: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN: 0316060003.

Summary:

8-year old Pacy goes by Grace, her American name, at school. She is Taiwanese-American, but also feels Chinese-American because the cultures are similar. The book begins with the Chinese New Year; it’s the Year of the Dog, which means a year in which you find friends and find yourself. Pacy wants to find out who she is in this confusing mix of cultures, as well as what she wants to do when she grows up. She becomes best friends with Melody, a new Taiwanese-student in her grade, and they enter the science fair together, have a crush on the same boy, and try out for the school musical. At home, Pacy participates in family traditions with her parents and her two sisters – Lissy and Ki-Ki. They go to a Red Egg party for their new cousin Albert and go to Chinatown in New York City. Through school projects and encouragement from others, Pacy decides she wants to be an author and illustrator when she grows up. She finds both a friend and a career, so the Year of the Dog was a success!

Analysis:

Pacy’s American name (Grace) is the same as the author’s name, and the story and notes reveal that this is largely autobiographical. Grace Lin wrote the story she wished she had when growing up: a book about a Taiwanese-American girl. She succeeds admirably in writing a story that will appeal to all kids, but especially to those who may not see their culture as often in the pages of a book. Pacy/Grace is American: she and her sisters convince their parents to cook a turkey on Thanksgiving and get a Christmas tree. She only speaks English and feels out of place when her parents take her to a camp where other children speak Chinese.

But Pacy is also Taiwanese, and the book is full of references to the food they eat at home (dumplings, rice noodles, egg drop soup, etc) and the customs and traditions they celebrate, including the Chinese New Year. In addition to showing the differences between American and Taiwanese culture, the book also points out differences between the two Taiwanese families in the book.

The author draws black and white illustrations throughout the book, usually just small ones in the margins, and this accompaniment is a highlight of the book. The book is narrated by Pacy, and these drawings are supposed to be done by her as well. They illustrate various things talked about in the text, like a family dinner or a school event or meeting a new person. Throughout the book, Pacy’s mother tells stories about when she was a young girl in Taiwan, or about after she first immigrated to America. These stories share valuable cultural and historical details and usually have a lesson for the kids, such as being kind or not being greedy.

Reviews/Awards:

2006 ALA Children’s Notable
2006 Asian Pacific American Librarian Association Honor

“Readers follow Grace, an American girl of Taiwanese heritage, through the course of one year–The Year of the Dog–as she struggles to integrate her two cultures. Throughout the story, her parents share their own experiences that parallel events in her life. These stories serve a dual purpose; they draw attention to Grace’s cultural background and allow her to make informed decisions.” School Library Journal

“When Lin was a girl, she loved the Betsy books by Carolyn Hayward, a series about a quintessentially American girl whose days centered around friends and school. But Lin, a child of Taiwanese immigrants, didn't see herself in the pages. Now she has written the book she wished she had as a child. Told in a simple, direct voice, her story follows young Grace through the Year of the Dog, one that Grace hopes will prove lucky for her. And what a year it is!” Booklist, starred review

Connections:
*Read more in this series about Pacy Lin, continuing with The Year of the Rat and Dumpling Days.

A Single Shard

Bibliography:

Park, Linda Sue. 2001. A Single Shard. New York: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN: 0395978270.

Summary:

Tree-ear is a 13-year-old orphan in 12th-century Korea. He lives with father figure Crane-man under a bridge, and they forage for food around the small village of Ch’ulp’o. But when he gets a break from looking for food, what Tree-ear likes to do best is watch the potter Min work at his wheel. Ch’ulp’o is famous for a particular kind of beautiful pottery – Koryo celadon - and Min is a master. When Tree-ear accidentally breaks a piece, he starts working for Min to pay off his debt, and then he continues working for no pay because his deepest desire is to learn the trade himself. Min is short-tempered and is burdened by a tragic past, but his wife loves Tree-ear and sees that he and Crane-man have enough food. Tree-ear goes on a long journey to the capitol city to show Min’s work, and even though robbers break the precious vases, a single shard of the fine pottery is enough to gain Min a royal commission – the lifelong dream of all potters. When Tree-ear returns, he is heartbroken to find out that Crane-man has died, but Min and his wife take him in as their son.

Analysis:

The story is set in medieval Korea, and an author’s note discusses the cultural and historical details she wove into the story and shows that she did extensive research for the book in order to make it as accurate and authentic as possible.

This is a great coming-of-age story, as Tree-ear struggles with his past and future and questions of right and wrong. He is loyal to the potter, even when Min at first refuses to ever teach him to make pottery. He is respectful and kind, and he cares for Crane-man (who is disabled) as best he can. But Tree-ear can also be impetuous and resentful, and has to learn the right way (and often the slow way) to do things.

The book is well-written, with an engaging plot and easy-flowing dialogue. Park portrays cultural details in the food (rice, fish, eating with chopsticks), customs (bowing, apprenticeship, temples), landscape (small villages, Rock of the Falling Flowers), and more. Readers will learn a lot about making pottery from start to finish.

Reviews/Awards:

2002 Newbery Award Winner

“Park convincingly conveys how a community of artists works (chopping wood for a communal kiln, cutting clay to be thrown, etc.) and effectively builds the relationships between characters through their actions… She charts Tree Ear's transformation from apprentice to artist and portrays his selflessness during a pilgrimage to Songdo.” Publisher’s Weekly

“Many of the issues transcend centuries and cultures: What is home? Can one own a creative idea? How much of an art object must be seen in order to judge its quality? This book will engage both individual readers and discussion groups.” School Library Journal

Connections:
*Study celadon pottery and the way potters made their ware in medieval Korea.

Tea with Milk

Bibliography:

Say, Allen. 1999. Tea with Milk. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN: 0395904951.

Summary:

Allen Say both writes and illustrates this picture book about a young Japanese-American woman who grew up near San Francisco but moved back to Japan with her parents after finishing high school. In Japan, May/Masako (American/Japanese) feels like a foreigner. She doesn’t speak the language well or understand the customs. All she wants to do is go to college and live on her own, but her parents want her to marry a good Japanese man. In frustration, Masako goes to Osaka to be in a big city again. She gets a job at a department store and lives in a boarding house. Then she meets a Japanese man who went to an English school and had English foster parents. May and Joseph have a lot in common, including a love for tea with milk. They get married and stay in Japan.

Analysis:

The end of the story reveals that the author is writing about his mother and father, and he says they always spoke both English and Japanese and had elements of both cultures in their home. The book is a wonderful portrayal of cultures coming together, and of home being where you make it. It is also a poignant story of not feeling at home in a country, even if you look like everyone else on the outside. Throughout the book, May/Masako goes by different names in different situations, but she really feels that her name is May. The interchanging of names reveals the identity problems that she faces, and so does the word “gaijin” (foreigner) that people unkindly call her.

The watercolor illustrations are mostly in subdued colors, except for a few bright dresses. Say shows facial expressions well; for more than half the book, May looks sad and stoic, but then she smiles when she gets to speak English for the first time in Japan. The illustrations are beautiful, and portray cultural details that really add to the story.

As May experiences Japan for the first time, the reader is also able to learn about the culture. The story references things such as young children learning English in school, tea ceremonies, calligraphy, matchmakers, cultural expectations for women, kimonos, and more.

Reviews/Awards:

“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…. 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. ” School Library Journal

“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.” Publisher’s Weekly

Connections:
* Read another book about Allen Say’s family history: Grandfather’s Journey.

The Birchbark House

Bibliography:

Erdrich, Louise. 1999. The Birchbark House. New York: Hyperion. ISBN: 0786822414.

Summary:

Omakayas (Little Frog) is 7 years old in 1847, and she is a member of the Ojibwa tribe. Her family and community live on an island in Lake Superior. Omakayas fights with Pinch, her annoying little brother, but she enjoys taking care of Neewo, her adorable baby brother. She both admires and envies her older sister, Angeline, and she looks forward to seeing her cousins at large family gatherings. Omakayas listens to her grandmother Nokomis’s wisdom and treats animals with respect. She befriends two bear cubs and has a very intelligent crow for a pet. The rhythms of life in her community go on mostly as normal until a stranger brings the dreaded disease of smallpox into their midst. Omakayas’s family will never be the same, but the return of spring brings hope and renewal.

Analysis:

Erdrich is a member of an Ojibwa band, and was inspired to write the book as she researched her family history. The author does a great job of creating a story that is culturally rich and yet has universal themes. It also incorporates historical details, like the white men pushing the Indians farther west, and the horrors of smallpox. The cultural details are too numerous to discuss in detail, but include: story-telling, prayers and rituals, dreams, hunting, making clothes, preparing food, harvesting rice, and much more.

The book is divided into four sections for the four seasons of the year. It begins with the joys and chores of summer, from eating delicious berries to tanning a moose hide. In the fall, Omakayas’s father, Deydey, comes back from trading and the family prepares for winter. Winter brings story times around the fire, but it also brings sickness, death, and grief. The new buds of spring signal that the time of hunger is over, and the family can rediscover laughter and continue on. Erdrich uses many Ojibwa words in the text; some can be figured out from context, and there is a complete glossary in the back that includes pronunciation. These Native-language words lend to the feeling of authenticity in the text.

The author has black-and-white pencil illustrations throughout the book that give faces to the characters and contribute to the story.

Reviews/Awards:

National Book Award finalist
American Indian Youth Literature Award Winner 2006

“Against the backdrop of Ojibwa cultural traditions, Omakayas also conveys the universal experiences of childhood - a love of the outdoors, a reluctance to do chores, devotion to a pet - as well as her ability to cope with the seemingly unbearable losses of the winter. The author hints at Omakayas's unusual background and her calling as a healer, as well as the imminent dangers of the "chimookoman" or white people, setting the stage for future episodes.” Publisher’s Weekly

“While this title will not appeal to fans of fast-paced action, readers who enjoy a variety of deftly drawn characters, relationships that ring true, and fascinating details about the daily life of the Ojibwa will be attracted to this endearing and irrepressible girl.” School Library Journal

Connections:
*Continue reading The Birchbark House series (there are now four books)