Hell and High Water - a review

Hell and High Water
by Tanya Landman
Candlewick Press, 2017

Many, many years ago, I was a waitress working the graveyard shift at a diner.  When the annual change to Standard Time came rolling around, I thought nothing of it–until I went to work that night.  Standard Time means an extra hour of sleep for most people.  For a waitress working the graveyard shift, the switch to Standard Time means a 9-hour shift with no overtime pay. Why do I mention this? Because this experience helped me to see with great clarity the relevance in a story that takes place more than 250 years ago.

Tanya Landman's publisher notes that author  "explores the lives of history’s dispossessed and disenfranchised."  Not only is this true, but her depiction of 1750s England also has a message and a relevancy to our own era.  When we read of something momentous in a history book, it does not have the same urgency or immediacy that it can have in the a work of historical fiction. If you read in a history book of the change from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar, it would have little meaning to you if you had not had a similar experience. However, consider this scenario from Hell and High Water,

The village went to sleep on the evening of Wednesday, September 2nd, and woke on the morning of Thursday the 14th, yet this was no enchanted sleep or supernatural occurrence.  A year earlier an Act of Parliament had decreed that England's calendar must be synchronized with those of other nations.  In order to do so, eleven full days must be struck from the year.  Drinking coffee in Porlock's, Pa had explained the matter of the Gregorian and Julian calendars in great detail, but Caleb had paid little attention.  It involved politicians. Foreign nations.  Who cared about numbering the days?  It could make no difference to him and Pa.

He had given it no further thought at all until Letty returned from Tawpuddle with a rumor that William Benson would be collecting rent for the whole month of September as usual.  No concession was to made for the changing calendar.  Every tenant had lost eleven days of work and consequently eleven days of pay, but Sir Robert would not lose eleven days of rent.
The news made Anne dizzy with panic. "How can we manage? We will be turned out!"
"It can't be true!" Caleb scoffed.  "No man could be so unfair."

...

"Word of advice, boy . . ." The steward leaned toward him until his face was an inch from Caleb's.  Raising his voice so that the men who were unloading the boat could hear, Benson said, "If you want to keep a roof over that miserable hide of yours, you keep your head down and your mouth shut.  And you pay your rent when it's due, the same as everyone else."

The fact that Caleb is a person of color in 1750s England only makes his situation more difficult. His father is accused and convicted of a crime he did not commit, and Caleb is left to fend for himself in a world where birthright equals power and power equals money. Hell and High Water is a work of historical fiction, but it is also a murder mystery, and a story of race, class and privilege.  Sadly,  it has great relevance in our modern age.



Hell and High Water will be on a shelf near you in June, 2017.



My copy of Hell and High Water was provided by LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

Storytime picks for Hispanic Heritage Month

Each year, I try to do something new for Hispanic Heritage Month at the library.

This year, I fell in love with Susan Middleton Elya's, Little Roja Riding Hood (Putnam, 2014), so I based a program around that title.  We had a fun time retelling the classic story as we knew it, recreating it with felt board pieces,  reading Susan Middleton Elya's version, using the globe to find Spanish-speaking countries, playing a game of Color, Colorcito, and finally some free play with the felt board pieces and a rojo coloring page.

Below is a slide show with reviews of other bilingual favorites that I've used for storytime.  I also have a list of fun preschool songs, music, and activities for Hispanic Heritage Month.  Feel free to ask me about them.  If you have trouble seeing the slideshow, you can access it on Riffle. [https://read.rifflebooks.com/list/181065]
 

The Lightning Queen - a review

When I was a small child, I read and sang folksongs like other children read books. One of my favorite songs to sing was "The Wraggle-Taggle Gypsies, O."  I was enthralled with my idea of gypsy culture. The images in my family's book of folksongs were of music and dancing and cards and horses.  It all looked so wonderful. And so it was that I was thrilled to receive the story of The Lightning Queen from Scholastic.  It was as enchanting as I'd hoped it might be.  Middle grade readers will enjoy this finely crafted story of two outsider cultures - Mexico's indigenous people and the Roma, or gypsies.  Look for it on shelves in October.

The Lightning Queen  by Laura Resau. (2015, Scholastic)

Advance Reader Copy supplied by the publisher.  Final version subject to changes.


Mateo travels with his mother every summer to visit his relatives on the Hill of Dust in Oaxaca, Mexico.  This year, his grandfather Teo says that he needs young Mateo's help;  he begins to tell Mateo a fascinating story of his youth,

     As he speaks, his words somehow beam light onto an imagined screen, flooding the room with people and places from long, long ago.  "Mijo, you are about to embark on a journey of marvels.  Of impossible fortunes.  Of a lost duck, three-legged skunk, and a blind goa - all bravely loyal.  Of a girl who gathered power from storms and sang back the dead.  Of an enchanted friendship that lifted souls above brutality.
     He pauses, tilts his head, "Perhaps there will even be an itermission or two.  But as of yet, there is no end.  That, mijo, will be up to you."  He winks, clears his throat, and begins.
     "There once was a girl called the Queen of Lightning ..."

The story then retreats to the Oaxaca of the mid-1900s, a time when Mexico's indigenous Mixteco people crossed paths with the mysterious Roma in the hills outside Oaxaca.

Grandfather put his hand on my shoulder and said, "They are like us, outsiders in Mexico.  Both our people have little voice in the government.  City folk consider us backward.  We live on the fringes, the wilds of our country.  So it is with the Rom." 

...

I looked at Esma and her grandparents, who were admiring the sawdust mosaic of the flowered caravan.  And I wondered if the key to her people surviving had been separating themselves from outsiders -  gadjés. Maybe that's what bonded them together as they danced around their bonfires, night after night for hundreds of years.

     As was foretold by the fortune teller and against impossible odds, young Teo becomes "friends for life" with Esma, the young Romani singer.  It is as if they are bound to each other by magic and music and the power of lightning - their destinies tied inexplicably to one another.

Teo reminisces to his grandson Mateo,

She could work magic.  One moment, I'd felt hurt and angry.  The next honored that she'd confided in me.  And now, inspired, as though anything were possible, if I believed it enough.
     She climbed onto the rock, raised her arms. "If you believe you're weak, you'll be weak.  You're cursing yourself.  Yet if you believe you're strong, you'll be strong.  Give yourself a fortune and make it come true."

   
There is definitely magic between Teo and Esma, the indio boy and the Roma girl, and there is magic in the pages of The Lightning Queen.

Dumpling Days

Lin, Grace. 2011. Dumpling Days. New York: Little Brown.

(Advance Reader Copy supplied by publisher - artwork not final)

(a booktalk)
In Dumpling Days, Pacy Lin, her parents and two sisters (one older, one younger) are going to Taiwan for Pacy's grandmother's 60th birthday - for 28 days! Twenty-eight days?!  What is Pacy supposed to do for 28 days without her friends in a country where she may look like everyone else, but inside, she's definitely not. At least there will be dumplings!

Pacy Lin is Grace Lin's semi-autobiographical character from her previous books, The Year of the Dog and the Year of the Rat.  In Dumpling Days, Grace Lin has made a departure from her earlier books.  Breaking out of "The Year of the" formula, with its limited page numbers, Dumpling Days is a longer book (approximately 265 pages), that offers Lin a chance to explore many facets of Chinese art, food, and culture,  as well as offer deeper glimpses into the lives of Pacy's sisters, Lissy and Ki-Ki, and even their parents,

Mom and Dad had told us about how they had moved to the United States, but I hadn't thought about their not understanding TV commercials, not being able to order food, being ignored because you didn't speak the language - all the things I found hard here in Taiwan.  Maybe when Mom ad Dad were first in America, everything was just as strange and confusing to them as Taiwan was to me now. It was surprising to think about.

A beautifully concise thought channeled through the voice of a young girl, easily undertood and profoundly important. In addition to offering cultural perspective, through the family's travels and activities, the reader learns much about the Chinese/Taiwanese culture.

White Crane

Fussell, Sandy. 2010. White Crane. Ill. by Rhian Nest James. Somerville, MA: Candlewick.
(Advance Reader Copy)

Set in an undetermined year, after the heyday of the samurai warrior class and prior to its demise in the 19th century, White Crane is an improbable story of a ryu, or Japanese school of martial arts, inhabited by a  revered warrior teacher and his hand-picked students, each disabled in some way.  Niya Moto is White Crane, the story's one-legged narrator, so named for his spirit totem. The white crane is a kindred creature, as comfortable as Niya in standing upon only one leg. Kyoko, the White Monkey is an albino with extra fingers and toes. One-armed Mikko is the Striped Gecko, Taji is blind and guided by the Golden Bat.  Yoshi, pacifist, yet strong and sturdy, still searches for his spirit.  All are under the guidance of the wily Sensei, who is so old that the mere mention of his name usually elicits the response, "I thought he was dead." All are preparing for the yearly ceremonial competition between the Boar, Dragon, Eagle, Rabbit, Snake, Wolf and Cockroach ryus.  Niya's ryu is, of course, The Cockroach; but as Sensei reminds his pupils,

Cockroaches are small, but they are very hard to kill.

Though the characters may be improbable, White Crane is believable.  With writing reflective of the Japanese philosophical code known as Bushido, the reader is drawn into a world in which the most important concerns are Chi! Jin! Yu!, wisdom, benevolence, courage.  White Crane is not without humor, however.  When the boys travel to the village to see the master swordsmith, they bow low to honor his age, reputation and craftsmanship,

He chants as he works, I want to listen, but Onaku's singing is even worse than mine.  Covering my ears would be impolite, so I grit my teeth and hum inside my head. Om. Om. Om. "An honorable sword sings loudly with truth and purity, " Sensei teaches.  No wonder Master Onaku's swords are so prized.  They are born singing at the top of their lungs to drown out their maker's awful voice.

The chapters move swiftly, each containing an illustrated title page and a additional full page, action-packed sketch by Rhian Nest James. With five students, many competing schools, and a fascinating period in history, debut author Sandy Fussell has all the ingredients for a great new series.  Recommended for 4th grade and up.

Read a sample chapter here.
Due on shelves August 2010

Samurai warriors, circa 1880.
(Photograph from Wikimedia Commons)

One Too Many: A Seek and Find Counting Book and Indestructibles!

One book to count and two books to chew!  Good news for tiny tots...

Marino, Gianna. 2010. One Too Many: A Seek and Find Counting Book. San Francisco: Chronicle Books.

Love it! 1 flea, 2 cows, 3 horses ... each group arriving in turn at the barnyard water trough. Wordless, but not simple, there is much to see and do in One Too Many. All of the animals are realistically illustrated, primarily in shades of black and white. It becomes increasingly difficult to spot the newcomers in the chaos of black and white creatures crowding the trough, as chickens, geese,mice, rabbits, ducks, fireflies and bats join the throng.

Spotting and counting each species will keep little eyes busy, while the keenest eyes will also note the action of the flea, adding one hop on each double-spread page, keeping count from 1-12.

When the final black and white creature arrives (accompanied by greenish fumes emanating from its tail),you can imagine that the trough won't be crowded for long! Count on One Too Many for preschool counting fun!

Check out the author's website for a look inside One Too Many. How many rabbits can you find?

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They're beautiful, they're multicultural, they're chewable, they're "Indestructibles!"

While I was at BookExpo, I picked up a few of these wordless picture books.  Small (only 7"), and square, they're also remarkably thin - the perfect size for little hands. And don't call these "board books," they're only about 1/16" thick! The pages are sewn together tightly, and according to Workman Publishing, they are chew proof, rip proof, noxtoxic, and 100% washable.  Heck - you can even throw them in the dishwasher! As if that weren't enough (I'm beginning to sound like an infomercial here), they're beautiful.

Pixton, Kaaren. 2010. Plip-Plop Pond! New York: Workman.

Plip-Plop Pond! is the first in the series. The artist, Kaaren Pixton is also the mastermind behind the Indestructible concept.  Plip-Plop Pond! follows a friendly frog as he meets the other inhabitants of the pond -  a swan, a heron, salamanders and more.  Each page show the happy frog greeting a new friend.  Full of vibrant, earthy colors, there is no white space in these inviting pages.  No more than three creatures appear on each page, enabling little eyes to easily pick out the characters. 

Also in the series, I picked up Humpty Dumpty by Jonas Sickler.

Check out this cover! This  richly illustrated multicultural nursery rhyme has Humpty falling from the Great Wall of China.  But don't worry, when he falls, he hatches! Royal purples, floral cloth, and rosy skies create a rich palette evoking the exotic world of China.

Little children will eat these books up (or at least try to!)

There are 8 books in the collection.  These books are Advance Reader Copies that I received from the publisher.
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My Abuelita

Johnston, Tony. 2009. My Abuelita. Illustrated by Yuyi Morales. Boston: Harcourt.
(winner of a 2010 Pura Belpre Illustrator Honor)

A riot of brightly colored collage and puppet art infused with a Latino flair, accompanies this delightful story of a young child watching his Abuelita prepare for work.

While she cooks, she yodels about bedroom slippers. "Pantuflas - pantuflas - pantuflas!" "Yodeling loosens my voice," she explains, "for work." I know that already. My abuelita says it every day. But I like to hear it anyway.

So, what does Abuelita do for work that requires yodeling, a feathered crown, a plumed snake, a cloud-scarf? You'll have to read this enchanting story to find out!

Check out the cat!  Her name is Frida Kahlo!

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Gracias Thanks

Mora, Pat. 2009. Gracias / Thanks (English and Spanish Edition). New York: Lee & Low.


A small boy is thankful for the many small things that we often take for granted,

For the ladybug that landed on my finger, a little red flying surprise, thanks. ... For my little brother, who threw mashed peas at my sister and made me laugh so hard I fell off my chair, thanks.

Each sentence is presented on a double-spread page, with Spanish appearing on one page and English on the next. The illustrations are done in a warm and weathered style, reminiscent of a well-worn, favorite desk or chair. The narrator is of Hispanic descent, his mother appears to be white, friends and schoolchildren are of varying races. All are portrayed with slightly oversized heads, highlighting soft and friendly features. Hispanic influence is prominent throughout the book - Spanish language books on the shelves, a brightly colored tile floor, palm trees, a red-tiled roof. His American side is apparent in the US dollar received from Abuelita, his baseball gear and posters, his English language homework, and sadly (humorously?) the garden gnome in the yard.

A cheery and light-hearted book of gratitude. Perfect for storytime and as a gentle reminder that we all have much to be thankful for; sometimes the little things are the most precious.

My Sister, Alicia May

Tupper Ling, Nancy. 2009. My sister, Alicia May. Ill. by Shennen Bersani. Raynham Center, MA: Pleasant St. Press.

My Sister, Alicia May is a beautifully realistic story of a young girl whose sister has Down Syndrome. Sharing both the good,

"She watches ladybugs warm themselves on our red door. Then she counts their dots: 'One lady dot, two lady dot, three lady dot,...' I think God is glad someone notices these things,"

and the bad,

"I slouched down in my seat... 'Katie,' I whispered, 'pretend we don't know her.' So we did,"

Alicia May's sister recounts life with her sister with touching honesty.
The illustrations by Shennen Bersani have an almost photographic quality, realistically portraying the familiar features of a Down Syndrome child, as well as the typical gap-toothed smile of a young schoolgirl, still waiting for all of her permanent teeth. The touching illustrations are a perfect match for the text. Bersani dedicates the book to her own sister, who has Down Syndrome.

In the end, Alicia May's sister, Rae-Rae, is just as special as Alicia May. A simply beautiful book that will do more to instill a compassion for those with disabilities than any lesson ever will.

Ziggy and the Black Dinosaurs

Draper, Sharon. 2006. Ziggy and the Black Dinosaurs: The Buried Bones Mystery. New York: Aladdin.

Similar to the A-Z Mystery series, but featuring a diverse group of young African American boys, Ziggy and the Black Dinosaurs is a chapter book, mystery series. The boys are representative of many types of families. Ziggy's large, extended family is from Jamaica. Rico lives with his overprotective mother and police officer dad. Jerome lives with his grandmother and often watches his younger sisters. Rashawan's family is Muslim and helps to raise awareness of black culture and worthy causes.

Written by Sharon Draper, this series is a welcome addition to a genre in which people of color are often missing, or serving as token characters. Check the author’s website for activities and study guides.

(This is not a new series, but it's new to my branch. There are six titles in the Ziggy and the Black Dinosaurs series.)

All of Me! A book of thanks.

Bang, Molly. 2009. All of me! A book of thanks. New York: Blue Sky Press.


All of Me! A book of thanks, is a joyful book that fits many needs. It is foremost, a child's book of thankfulness for his body,

"What grand hands! Thank you, hands, for gripping and throwing and patting and holding. And for hugging,"

his world,

"I listen with my ... ears. Outside I hear cars rumbling. I hear music playing. I hear honking, singing, barking, and laughing,"

and his place in the world,

"All this is my home. I am ALIVE."

The illustrations are a large and colorful mix of collage art, paint and crayons. The endpapers include directions for children to create their own books. In "Books are Fun to Make," author-illustrator Molly Bang, tells children how she made the book using paper bags, cloth and paper, crayons (!!), paints, paintbrushes and water. She includes simple directions and illustrations. Perfect for a budding artist!

Finally, All of Me! A Book of Thanks is perfect choice for Thanksgiving storytime (reminding us that we have more to be thankful for than a full plate) and for showcasing multiculturalism. The child is has biracial parents and lives in a vibrant and diverse neighborhood.

A simple book with a positive message.

Easy Readers for people of color?

During the summer when the branch was full of young children and parents looking for summer reading titles, I noticed something. There were very few "easy-reader" type books on my shelves that featured children of color. Late in August, when I took a course in Reading Instruction and Children's Books, I discovered from that my colleagues from around the country had noticed the same thing; while there are great children's authors in every culture, many cultures and ethnicities are underrepresented in the "easy reader" market.

I mentioned this to our collections department. Our children's selector got on the job immediately - and found that the choices are not great; however, she was able to quickly provide me with several titles from Picture Window Books, a division of Capstone Press. The books are part of a Read-It! Readers series, The Life of Max, beginning readers featuring a young African American boy, Max. The books don't have the stellar story lines of other series, like Cork and Fuzz or Elephant and Piggie, but they're an alternative. I particularly liked Max Goes to the Library because it also busts a gender myth - the librarian is a man. :)

I'm going to check out the offerings of Lee and Low's, Bebop Books. They might be just what I'm looking for. In the meantime, children in my diverse community can now find Max on my easy reader shelves.

Of course, any book can be enjoyed by any person of any race or ethnicity, but I believe that it's probably nice to see a familiar face on the shelves of your local library.

14 Cows for America

Deedy, Carmen Agra. 2009. 14 Cows for America. Illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez. Atlanta: Peachtree. (In collaboration with Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah)

On September 11, 2001, Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah, a college student from the Massai tribe in Kenya, was in New York City, studying to become a doctor. The following spring, he returned to his small village,

“He has brought with him one story. It has burned a hole in his heart,”

This is his story. It is not a story of the terroristic attacks upon the United States, but rather, a story of the compassion of the Massai people for the victims. The Massai, former warriors, now proud and peaceful cattle herders, believe that “the cow is life.” “Without the herd, the tribe might starve.”

After the tribal members and elders contemplate fires that can melt iron, buildings that can touch the sky, and three thousand lost souls, they respond with a gift for the U.S. Ambassador - the gift of life, fourteen cows for America.

The endpapers list Thomas Gonzalez’s medium as “pastel, colored pencil, and airbrush on 100% rag archival paper.” Its effect is stunning. The majesty of Kenya and the pride of the Massai people are evident in the rich, colorful illustrations.

A “Note from Kimeli Nayiyomah” follows, offering the story in greater detail for older readers. He notes that, in the gift of the Massai to America, “a connection between the two cultures had been made. We felt we had taken some of America’s pain into our Massai hearts.”

14 Cows for America is a touching story of compassion. The combination of Carmen Agra Deedy’s simple yet powerful words, the vibrant illustrations of Thomas Gonzalez, and the moving story of Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah, is a book that defies superlatives.

The Porcupine Year

Erdrich, Louise. 2008. The Porcupine Year. New York: Harper Collins.
ISBN: 978 0 06 0297879

The Porcupine Year, sequel to The Birchbark House and The Game of Silence, continues the adventures of an Anishinabe, or Ojibwe girl, Omakayas (Little Frog). In The Porcupine Year, so named for the porcupine “medicine animal” that befriends Omakayas’ brother, Omakayas is now twelve years old and is traveling with her family in 1852. The U.S. government is moving the native people ever westward, and Omakayas’ family hopes to join their relatives somewhere northwest of their homeland in current-day Minnesota.

In third person narration, The Porcupine Year recounts a year in the lives of the Anishinabe family. True to the Native American view of life as a circle, the book begins in spring and ends full-circle in the following spring. During that time, Omakaya’s annoying younger brother, Pinch, matures into a resourceful boy named Quill, Omakayas herself, earns a new name, Leading Thunderbird Woman, and the family endures hardship and adventure on the trail west. Native American culture is woven seamlessly into the story, and is experienced through context, rather than explanation. When Omakayas and Pinch narrowly survive a trip through dangerous rapids, the reader completely understands the symbolism behind Omakayas’ decision to leave her precious red beads on a rock by the river as a gesture of thankfulness. Native words are sprinkled liberally throughout the story, but few will send readers to the included glossary,

“’We should continue north, giiwedin,’ said Old Tallow. ‘Few chimookomanag have made their homes in the great woods and lakes. We don’t want them to kick us out again!’

‘I still think that my brother might come through this way,’ said Deydey. ‘This is our old stomping ground. We hunted here long ago, But now…’

‘Game is getting scarce.’

‘There is always good fishing on this lake. But I think we are camped close to the big path of our enemies, the Bwaanag. If their warriors come across us on their way back to their homes, after a raid – mad that they got nothing, howah! – we’d be in big trouble.’”

Native culture is also evident in the respect that Omakayas and the other children have for their elders. The Porcupine Year, is not, however, a novel that merely glorifies the Indian way of life and excoriates the Whites. Rather, Porcupine Year is an honest novel that treats each person individually. Although the whites are understandably blamed for the Anishinabe’s forced migration, the family readily takes in two white children that have been left homeless orphans after a fire. Omakayas’ father is half-white himself. Later, it is a relative from their own tribe that steals from Little Frog’s family, and members of the fierce Bwaanag tribe that kidnap members of the family. As in all cultures, there are good and evil people, and Erdrich does not shy from presenting both types.

Overall, however, The Porcupine Year is not a Native American story, it is the story of a girl…

a girl with a darling baby brother, a girl in a budding romance with a local boy, a girl seeking the approval of her father, a girl with a stern but loving mother, a pesky younger brother, a doting grandmother and a mean-spirited cousin. In short, a girl like any other girl - a girl that readers will understand.

The Porcupine Year is not as deep and soul-searching as the multiple award-winning, Birchbark House, but its faster pace and shorter length (193 pages) makes it more accessible to younger or less-avid readers. The Porcupine Year can easily be read on its own, without its prequels. Some Native American legends are included as stories within the story; a glossary of Ojibwe words and author’s notes conclude the book. Pencil illustrations are by the author. Highly recommended for fans of adventure, historical fiction, coming-of-age, and Native American books. Grades 5 and up.

On reading, spelling and life

I recently attended my 4th regional spelling bee – the one in which the winner travels to Washington, DC to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Some thoughts on reading came to me this year as I watched the students compete, spelling everything from raj to Baedeker. It occurred to me how much reading and cultural factors affect a student’s chances to succeed. Of course, each student receives a study guide, but few have a chance to remember the many thousands of unusual words on the list. The official list, contains words of Latin, Arabic, Asian, French, Slavic, Japanese, Greek, Old English, New World, Italian, Spanish, and Dutch origin, as well as eponyms (words named after individuals).

I watched as an Asian speller rushed through tatami without the slightest hesitation, while a young Caucasian girl struggled with the word sombrero. An urban boy was stumped by forsythia, while another Asian speller easily spelled raj. My own daughter had no need to study bezoar (she knew it from the Harry Potter books) and ersatz (thanks, Lemony Snicket), but was stumped by sorghum, a grain originally from Africa. While we may be good cooks and often use molasses, our molasses is known only by its brand name rather than its source. If only she were a fan of historical fiction! ;-)

My point is, in spelling and reading, as in life, we are all limited by our cultural context; the more we can do to expand it, the wiser we will be.

Diamond Willow

Frost, Helen. 2008. Diamond Willow. New York: Frances Foster. ISBN: 978-0-374-317768

Like a diamond, the concept for Diamond Willow is brilliant. Twelve-year-old Willow is named after a stick, a diamond willow stick, to be precise. When branches are cut from the willow, a diamond shaped scar is left on the branch. Written mostly in first person verse, each page of Willow's thoughts is a diamond-shaped poem; but the brilliance is not in the shape of the poem, it lies in the gem within. Nestled within each poem is a small truth - a truth that resides within Willow but cannot be seen from without,

"What

I love

about dogs;

They don't talk

behind your back.

If they're mad at you,

they bark a couple times

and get it over with. It's true

they slobber on you sometimes.

(I'm glad people don't do that.) They

jump out and scare you in the dark. (I know,

I should say me, not "you" - some people aren't'

afraid of anything.) But dogs don't make fun

of you. They don't hit you in the back

of your neck with an ice-covered

snowball, and if they did, and

it made you cry, all their

friends wouldn't stand

there laughing

at you.

(Me.)"

Diamond Willow takes place in a remote Alaskan town where dogs and snowmobiles are the most common form of transportation. Willow is most comfortable with her family and her dogs, especially now, since her closest friend has a boyfriend. When an accident occurs while Willow is mushing the dogs, Willow uncovers the truth within, as well as a closely-held family secret.

More than just a coming-of-age story, Diamond Willow is a mystical tale of Native American spirits that reside within the creatures of the Alaskan wild.

I was unable to find reviews of this book on sites dedicated to Native American literature (Oyate, American Indian Library Association, American Indians in Children's Literature), and am curious if those within the Athabascan community find Diamond Willow to be in keeping with native philosophy. I was pleased to see that the author, Helen Frost, spent much time in Alaska and consulted with an Athabascan elder while writing Diamond Willow.

A thoughtful look at the meaning of family, loss, friendship and love.

Alvin Ho Booktalk

Second grader, Alvin Ho doesn’t speak at school. Not one word. Of course, that’s not to say that he can’t speak at all. He can! In fact, thanks to his Dad, he can even swear like Shakespeare, “Get thee gone, thou beshibbering onion-eyed flap-dragon! THY MOTHER WEARS ARMOR!” Of course, swearing can get a person into trouble. And Alvin’s got enough trouble already. He’s having trouble learning to be a gentleman, he’s afraid of just about everything, and now, a bully wants to be his friend! Find out how Alvin Ho makes it through second grade with the help of his trusty Personal Disaster Kit and a friend named Flea in this great new chapter book titled, Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things by Lenore Look, with pictures by LeUyn Pham.

Minn and Jake's Almost Terrible Summer

Wong, Janet. Minn and Jake’s Almost Terrible Summer. 2008. New York: Frances Foster.

This is the second in a series of books about two unlikely friends, Minn – a tall, lizard- loving girl, and Jake, a very small boy. Separation, misunderstandings, and Jake’s often meddlesome little brother, Soup, almost combine to ruin Minn and Jake’s fifth grade summer; but honesty and a little dose of humility help to save summer.

This book has a lot going for it, including the humorous sketches by Geneviève Côté. Its short length and minimal text on each page make it a good choice for reluctant readers. Additionally, protagonists of both sexes make this series appealing to boys as well as girls. The revelation that Jake is part Korean, adds a hint of multiculturalism and interest.
When Minn meets Jake’s grandmother,

“She whispers,
You didn’t tell me you were Asian!
Jake whispers back,
Did you ever tell me that you’re white?

Jake explains his hapa heritage.
Hapa = slang for half-white, half-Asian.
His mother is half-Korean, half-Norwegian.
His father is half-German, half-French.

Minn points out that Jake is not hapa, then,
but three-quarters white,
and only one-quarter Asian.

OK, then, Jake says. Quarpa, I’m quarpa.
Jake likes the sound of quarpa.
It sounds like something with superpowers.”

The best feature of Minn and Jake’s Almost Terrible Summer, though, is humor that children can relate to – as when Jake vomits at the all-you-can-eat buffet and is forced to wear his mother’s pink shirt.
“MINN: Yup. (Your mom’s shirt?)
JAKE: (Can you believe my mom?)
She put the stupid pink shirt on me,
she buttoned the buttons (daisy buttons!),
she wiped my chin like a baby. PINK!
(I can’t even stand to think about it now.)”

The free-verse style is appealing, but the choice of punctuation distracted me. In most instances, dialogue (including unspoken thought) is differentiated solely by the use of italics. However, Minn and Jake’s phone conversations and conversations between Jake and the boys from his old neighborhood, are written in script format,

Of course, maybe I’m just showing my age! Today’s kids are not hung up on punctuation – or spelling, and perhaps they’ll find Wong’s format refreshing. Minn and Jake are believable fifth grade friends.

The first title in this series, Minn and Jake was a Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year and A Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Blue Ribbon Book.

Birds on a Wire

Lewis, J. Patrick and Paul B. Janeczko. 2008. Birds on a wire. Ill. by Gary Lippincott. Honesdale, PA: Wordsong.

Birds on a Wire introduces children (and adults) to the ancient Japanese poetry form of renga, a precursor to the better-known haiku. Poetic, collaborative, multicultural, calming, beautiful - this book has much to offer, particularly for teachers or for children's librarians seeking interesting programming options. I know that I will come back to this book.

My Father's Shop

I'm on vacation this week, so I'll post a few of my older reviews while I try to finish up the 2nd book in the Abarat series.

Ichikawa, Satomi. 2006. My Father's Shop. La Jolla, CA: Kane/Miller. (originally published in Paris by l'ecole de loisirs) ISBN13 9781929132997.


PLOT SUMMARY

Young Mustafa's father owns a carpet shop in a busy Moroccan marketplace. When Mustafa requests a carpet with a hole in it to keep for himself, his father makes a deal. Mustafa must agree to learn the foreign languages necessary for working in the shop. When the foreign language lessons become boring, Mustafa dashes off into the bazaar wearing his brightly colored carpet, peering through its convenient hole. A similarly attired rooster follows him and Mustafa calls to the rooster in his native tongue, "Kho Kho Hou Houuu!!!" Tourists from France, England, Spain, and Japan offer their own rooster calls, "Co-co-ri-co!" "Qui-qui-ri-qi!" "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" and "Koke-ko-kooo!" Mustafa races back to the shop, carpet flying. Trailing behind him are his new-found feathered friend, and all of the foreign tourists. Not only has he brought many customers to his father's shop, he has learned to speak rooster in five languages as well!

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

My Father's Shop is a multicultural book in every sense of the word. Although its setting is Morocco, Mustafa interacts with tourists and shoppers from Spain, France, England, and Japan. The book simultaneously points out cultural differences and brings cultures together. Each group of tourists is dressed in the fashion of their country and calls the rooster in their own language; yet all of the rooster calls are similar, and all of the characters delight in Mustafa's garb - a brightly colored carpet over his head with a hole for his eyes.

Japanese born Satomi Ichikawa may seem an unlikely author and illustrator for a book about a Moroccan carpet shop, however, she has lived in Paris for over thirty years. Morocco has a strong French presence, being once a protectorate of France. I have been fortunate enough to have visited Morocco and shopped in the busy Casbah marketplace. Ichikawa's colorful double spread paintings evoke the essence of the bazaar in their bright colors and details. The abundant, richly colored and patterned carpets are warm, typical and inviting, as is the silver teapot for mint tea, a common offering in shops and restaurants. Only the teeming crowds are missing. The locals are depicted in the varying head coverings, robes, sandals and slippers typical for the hot desert climate.

My Father's Shop has an exotic setting, but it is a story of inclusion and humor. The antics of little boy and a rooster are enough to warm the hearts of people from any country. The liner notes on the artwork are sparse, noting only that Ichikawa never attended art school.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

"A joyous story that brings people from different cultures together."

2006. "MY FATHER'S SHOP." Kirkus Reviews 74, no. 6: 292-292. MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed June 7, 2007).

"Besides a gentle cultural lesson in how animals sound in different countries, Ichikawa's glowing pictures, with their radiant colors...., present an engaging image of a Moroccan marketplace and of a boy who can find a dozen ways of playing with a rug with a small hole."

DeCandido, GraceAnne. 2006. "My Father's Shop." Booklist 102, no. 12: 102. MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed June 7, 2007).

On the 2007 United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY) Outstanding International Booklist

CONNECTIONS

My Father's Shop makes an excellent introduction to a study of Morocco, and can also serve as a segue to a lesson on map reading or globes - finding the location of Morocco and the home countries of the tourists.

The colorful carpets can serve as an inspiration for an art class, examining the woven rugs of different cultures.

Public librarians might follow a reading of this story with multicultural or multilingual children's music.