1.BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lin, Grace. 2009. Where The Mountain Meets The Moon. New York: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN: 9780316114271.
2.PLOT SUMMARY
Living in the Valley of Fruitless Mountain, a cursed land full of muddy color, a young poor peasant girl named Minli lives with her parents in a little wooden shack barely big enough for 3 people to sit around. Life was so difficult that Minli’s mother keeps complaining about it. The family spent their days working hard in the field parsed by the sun just to be able to have a bowl of rice to eat each evening. At night, Minli’s father always tells his daughter her favorite stories, especially of the Jade Dragons and the Old Man of the Moon. Minli believes in the enchanting stories and embarks on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man of the Moon to ask him how her family can change their fortune. She encounters an assorted of cast of characters and magical creatures along the way, all of which give her a lot of excitement, humors and wisdom. Through her journey, she has heard a lot of stories and has learned to fine herself and understanding of life.
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
"Where the Mountain Meets the Moon" is a fantasy book for children of younger age. However, reading it one will find it is intriguing and will be of interest to even adult readers. There is also a lot of wisdom of the east ones can learn from. It was woven well between the old fables, tales and wisdoms with the literacy presentation in the form of children fantasy writing.
I will analyze the book using the usual criterion of Characters, Plot, Setting, Theme and Style as follows.
Characters
The main character is Minli, the poor Chinese family’s active little girl. She is a smart and determined girl with a quick decisive action. Minli is a brave and adventurous girl who is ready to take charge and find wisdom through hardship and journey in order to find answers to her quest.
Plot
The Valley of the Fruitless Mountain is cursed by the Jade Dragon with dryness after the people have complaint of having too much rain which the Jade Dragon has been providing to them for generations. As a result, the people have to work hard even to produce enough grains of rice to feed themselves. Through the struggles, a poor family’s daughter sets out a journey to find a way to solve the poverty problem for her family by trying to find the Old Man of the Moon her father has been telling her about in his nightly story. The girl finds wisdom on her journey and received a great fortune from those she found on her way. At the end, Minli comes home and the Fruitless Mountain never is the same.
Setting
The story sets itself in a sun parched dry land of rural China where all houses and environments turn brownish because of the dry clay they have been stomping on trying to make it a workable paddy rice field.
Theme
The theme story of the story portrays a poor family struggles to survive. Seeing the hardship her family has been facing, Minli, through the belief in the stories her father has been telling her, took of to find the Old Man of the Moon who knows how to change their fortune so she can help her family to be better. Through out the journeys, Minli learns more wisdom and at the end knows what her family should be like.
Style
The story is woven very cleverly through the use of old Chinese tales and fables in a very beautiful and elegant language. The chapters are proportionally short and the full color illustrations at the opening of the chapters make it very enjoyable. The fonts used are large and make it easier to read.
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Newbery Honor Books
Children’s Notable Books
School Library Journal reviewed that the author's writing is elegant, and her full-color illustrations are stunning.
Starred Reviewed from booklist that 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.
Librarian named Bogart, Debra reviewed that the book is a charming fantasy with very low violence, making it a great family read-aloud for various ages.
5.CONNECTIONS
The first connection book I found is also a fantasy fiction about moon. A boy named Harold wanted to walk in the moon light, so he drawled a moon with his purple crayon. He started to his magic journal with his imagination.
Johnson, Crockett. 1998. Harold and the Purple Crayon 50th Anniversary Edition. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN: 9780064430227.
The second connection book I found portrayed a traditional Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, including author's note explaining this festival's customs and tradition. Each member of a Chinese family contributes to the celebration of the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. This book could be a good supplement book for people who don’t understand the meaning of moon for Chinese.
Lin, Grace. 2010. Thanking the moon: celebrating the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. New York : Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN: 9780375861017.
2011年5月5日 星期四
A Combination of Contemporary Realistic Fiction and Fantasy
1.BIBLIOGRAPHY
Yang, Gene Luen. 2009. American Born Chinese. New York: Square Fish. ISBN: 9780312384487.
2.PLOT SUMMARY
American Born Chinese is made up of three individual plotlines: the determined efforts of the Chinese folk hero Monkey King to shed his humble roots and be revered as a god; the struggles faced by Jin Wang, a lonely Asian American middle school student who would do anything to fit in with his white classmates; and the sitcom plight of Danny, an All-American teen so shamed by his Chinese cousin Chin-Kee (a purposefully painful ethnic stereotype) that he is forced to change schools.
At first when one reads this book, one would think it is a three stories book. However, through all the wisely devised plots are woven together at the end. I think this is quite unique to have one story with three seemingly disconnected plots and tie them together at the end like a three strands rope. The story, thus, at the beginning was somewhat confusing to an older reader like me. Yet the story was written interestingly enough to keep me going until the end, and then, I saw the light. It was fun to read.
The story first plot started with the story of the Monkey King, one of the oldest and grestest Chinese fables possibly all Chinese knew. He was born to rule over all the monkeys of the world. The Monkey King had mastered many disciplines of kung fu which later on made him an even more skillful and stronger than all the other human masters. Yet, he was a monkey who could not fit in with those humans whom he could over rule. He did not want to be a monkey. He wanted to be something other than what he was born to be. He wanted to be a god.
The second plot, the key plot is a Chinese boy named Jin Wang who moved with his family to a new neighborhood and tried to fit in. He was put in a new school where he was the only Chinese student and one of the two Asian students in the school, one being a Japanese girl. Jin was bullied by white children from the start. He finally had a good Chinese friend when a new Chinese enrolled in the school. His new friend got him hook up with the all-American white girl whom he had been in love with.
The third plot, Danny, a seemingly normal American boy, was visited by his cousin Chin-Kee, an ultimate negative Chinese stereotype, who would visit him once every year. Chin-Kee’s visit had brought so much embarrassment and shame to Danny that he had to transfer to a new school every year without being able to be well established at a school though he was one of a great basketball player. But this year, in the story in the book, things turned from bad to worse.
At the end, all three stories merged into one. I cannot tell you how it happens for it is better for readers to read it by themselves.
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The analysis can be done using the main framework based on Characters, Plot, Settings, Theme and Style as follows.
Characters
The main characters of the three stories are Jin Wang, Danny and the Monkey King, all of whose were seeking to fit into or to be something they were not born to be.
Plot
The story has a complicated plot but appealing to young readers. It starts with the introduction of the main character of each sub-story and moves forward introducing readers to the events in their lives, the progresses, problems and the climax leading to the resolve of the single main character’s life.
It should be noted that some readers might find it confusing due to not having adequate Chinese cultural background. However, young adults who have been reading a lot of comic books and mangas will likely find it interesting because of the twists in the stories.
Settings
The story sets itself in two locations, a presumable legendary Chinese location and the United States of America, where there are so many multi-racial multicultural born Americans struggling to find and identify themselves while they grow up.
Theme
The central theme of the story is to be what you are and everyone is no less valuable than others, whatever one may look like or whatever background—ethnic or cultural—one would come from.
Style
The writing style is very interesting and fun, as well as funny. The language used is that of a realistic daily English pronounced by Chinese who have not mastered English pronunciation and grammar. Parts of the story also show some interesting cultural differences as well. Young readers may encounter some linguistic representations the white kids in the story use to mock the Chinese characters as well.
It should be noted that this book is not a straight contemporary realistic fiction alone. It is a combination of fantasy in combination with realistic fiction with a twist, which makes it very interesting.
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
A National Book Award finalist and ALA's Printz Award winner
The Library Journal reviewed that the art is simple, colorful, and both attractive and effective. Some potty humor; recommended for teen and adult collections.
The booklist reviewed that the stories have a simple, engaging sweep to them, but their weighty subjects — shame, racism, and friendship — receive thoughtful, powerful examination.
Publishers Weekly reviewed that this story is clear, concise lines and expert coloring are deceptively simple yet expressive.
5.CONNECTIONS
The first connection book I found is also a cartoon format based on a 14-year-old Indian boy’s perspective. The book is a list on 2008 Books for Young Adults. The book portrayed that the Indian boy’s experiences when he transferred from the reservation school to the new rich, white school. The book is also based on a view of minority group and how hard would be to involve into the majority culture and group.
Alexie, Sherman. 2009. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. New York : Little, Brown. ISBN: 0316013692.
The second connection book I found portrayed a story about a five year old Chinese American girl who tried to learn about the place where she was born. The main protagonist has similar Asian culture background even though this book is for young readers. I believe it is good connection book for readers to explore a little Chinese history and culture by the simple picture book.
Lewis, Rose A. 2010. Orange Peel's pocket. New York : Abrams Books. ISBN: 081098394X.
Yang, Gene Luen. 2009. American Born Chinese. New York: Square Fish. ISBN: 9780312384487.
2.PLOT SUMMARY
American Born Chinese is made up of three individual plotlines: the determined efforts of the Chinese folk hero Monkey King to shed his humble roots and be revered as a god; the struggles faced by Jin Wang, a lonely Asian American middle school student who would do anything to fit in with his white classmates; and the sitcom plight of Danny, an All-American teen so shamed by his Chinese cousin Chin-Kee (a purposefully painful ethnic stereotype) that he is forced to change schools.
At first when one reads this book, one would think it is a three stories book. However, through all the wisely devised plots are woven together at the end. I think this is quite unique to have one story with three seemingly disconnected plots and tie them together at the end like a three strands rope. The story, thus, at the beginning was somewhat confusing to an older reader like me. Yet the story was written interestingly enough to keep me going until the end, and then, I saw the light. It was fun to read.
The story first plot started with the story of the Monkey King, one of the oldest and grestest Chinese fables possibly all Chinese knew. He was born to rule over all the monkeys of the world. The Monkey King had mastered many disciplines of kung fu which later on made him an even more skillful and stronger than all the other human masters. Yet, he was a monkey who could not fit in with those humans whom he could over rule. He did not want to be a monkey. He wanted to be something other than what he was born to be. He wanted to be a god.
The second plot, the key plot is a Chinese boy named Jin Wang who moved with his family to a new neighborhood and tried to fit in. He was put in a new school where he was the only Chinese student and one of the two Asian students in the school, one being a Japanese girl. Jin was bullied by white children from the start. He finally had a good Chinese friend when a new Chinese enrolled in the school. His new friend got him hook up with the all-American white girl whom he had been in love with.
The third plot, Danny, a seemingly normal American boy, was visited by his cousin Chin-Kee, an ultimate negative Chinese stereotype, who would visit him once every year. Chin-Kee’s visit had brought so much embarrassment and shame to Danny that he had to transfer to a new school every year without being able to be well established at a school though he was one of a great basketball player. But this year, in the story in the book, things turned from bad to worse.
At the end, all three stories merged into one. I cannot tell you how it happens for it is better for readers to read it by themselves.
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The analysis can be done using the main framework based on Characters, Plot, Settings, Theme and Style as follows.
Characters
The main characters of the three stories are Jin Wang, Danny and the Monkey King, all of whose were seeking to fit into or to be something they were not born to be.
Plot
The story has a complicated plot but appealing to young readers. It starts with the introduction of the main character of each sub-story and moves forward introducing readers to the events in their lives, the progresses, problems and the climax leading to the resolve of the single main character’s life.
It should be noted that some readers might find it confusing due to not having adequate Chinese cultural background. However, young adults who have been reading a lot of comic books and mangas will likely find it interesting because of the twists in the stories.
Settings
The story sets itself in two locations, a presumable legendary Chinese location and the United States of America, where there are so many multi-racial multicultural born Americans struggling to find and identify themselves while they grow up.
Theme
The central theme of the story is to be what you are and everyone is no less valuable than others, whatever one may look like or whatever background—ethnic or cultural—one would come from.
Style
The writing style is very interesting and fun, as well as funny. The language used is that of a realistic daily English pronounced by Chinese who have not mastered English pronunciation and grammar. Parts of the story also show some interesting cultural differences as well. Young readers may encounter some linguistic representations the white kids in the story use to mock the Chinese characters as well.
It should be noted that this book is not a straight contemporary realistic fiction alone. It is a combination of fantasy in combination with realistic fiction with a twist, which makes it very interesting.
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
A National Book Award finalist and ALA's Printz Award winner
The Library Journal reviewed that the art is simple, colorful, and both attractive and effective. Some potty humor; recommended for teen and adult collections.
The booklist reviewed that the stories have a simple, engaging sweep to them, but their weighty subjects — shame, racism, and friendship — receive thoughtful, powerful examination.
Publishers Weekly reviewed that this story is clear, concise lines and expert coloring are deceptively simple yet expressive.
5.CONNECTIONS
The first connection book I found is also a cartoon format based on a 14-year-old Indian boy’s perspective. The book is a list on 2008 Books for Young Adults. The book portrayed that the Indian boy’s experiences when he transferred from the reservation school to the new rich, white school. The book is also based on a view of minority group and how hard would be to involve into the majority culture and group.
Alexie, Sherman. 2009. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. New York : Little, Brown. ISBN: 0316013692.
The second connection book I found portrayed a story about a five year old Chinese American girl who tried to learn about the place where she was born. The main protagonist has similar Asian culture background even though this book is for young readers. I believe it is good connection book for readers to explore a little Chinese history and culture by the simple picture book.
Lewis, Rose A. 2010. Orange Peel's pocket. New York : Abrams Books. ISBN: 081098394X.
Contemporary Realistic Fiction Review: A Step from Heaven
1.BIBLIOGRAPHY
Na, An. 2001. A Step from Heaven. New York : Speak. ISBN 1886910588.
2.PLOT SUMMARY
A young Korean girl from a fishermen’s town migrated to the US with her family to find a better life. Life in America was a journey for her and dreamers’ family. Instead of ‘heaven’ they found life in America was not carpeted with the red-roses. From learning a new language to adjusting to the new society and internal family conflict to keep their identity to growing up and acculturation to the family breakup, they had endured for a victorious life.
The story is told in the tones of a little girl’s memoirs manner with a resonating voice in the beginning to a more mature young lady’s narrative of her life perspectives at the end. There are linguistic and cultural exposures a reader can learn from both the narrator’s ethnic and new world’s sides. It is a captivating story readers of all grades should enjoy.
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Using the standard analytical basis of characters, plot, setting, theme and style, I can present the analysis as follows.
Characters
The main character is Young Ju, the first-born child of the Park family. Young Ju is a dreamer and a thinker. She reflects on things talked and taught to her by her family. Young Ju has a strong character and is an independent thinker though she has to suppress her own thoughts most of the time due to her original Korean tradition.
Plot
The Park family moves from Korea to the US to find a new life, a step lower than heaven, for their child’s future. They dream high but the hardship in America tears their dreams almost into pieces. They have to struggle to survive. Finally Young Ju’s father left her family and went back to Korea, possibly with a new woman. Yet, Young Ju, her little brother and her mother kept on until they finally got their own house a short while before Young Ju leaves for a college where she gets a full scholarship.
Setting
The story starts out in a fisherman’s town in Korea and moves on to California, USA. The Park’s new life in America was first in a cousin’s house then they moved out to their own rented room in a run down neighborhood. At the end the story setting moves to a little home they bought which gives the similar feels to their original home in Korea.
Theme
The theme is simple: A family from Korea moves to the US to find a better life but instead of finding heaven on earth from the beginning, they have to fight through poverty, hardships and troubles until they find success and happiness at the end. The story shows how endurance and staying focus while not giving up yields a satisfactory result at the end.
Style
This contemporary realistic fiction’s written style was very resonating. The little girl Yong Ju voices and resonates what she things while she hears others talking all along the story. Each chapter is short and completes in itself. The language used is a progressive one from a little child’s expressions to a more mature young adult at the end. Readers will find many ‘foreign words’ and expressions from the beginning but reading along will help them decipher what those words, for example ‘Mi Gook’, means.
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Winner of the 2002 Michael L. Printz Award
From School Library Journal, Marton, Diane S. indicated that this book is a beautiful written, affecting work.
From the New York Times book review, the book was endowed with a haunting grace by the exquisite voice of a new young writer.
The Book Report reviewed that it was a powerful story of cultural clash.
5.CONNECTIONS
The two books I found are similar to A Step from Heaven. Three protagonists all immigrated from other countries to the U.S., and had a cross-culture perspective and have to face culture adaption and conflict.
The first connection book I found is also a young adult novel, a semiautobiographical chronicle describing a story based on a 14-year-old Indican boy’s perspective.
Alexie, Sherman. 2009. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. New York : Little, Brown. ISBN: 0316013692.
The second connection book I found also portrayed a story based on a twelve-year-old girl’s perspective. Anita de la Torre’s life and her family escaped from the Trujillo regime in the Dominican Republic when she was 10, but in Before We Were Free she imagines, through the stories of her cousins and friends, how it was for those who stayed behind.
Alvarez, Julia. 2004. Before We Were Free. New York : Laurel Leaf. ISBN: 9780440237846
Na, An. 2001. A Step from Heaven. New York : Speak. ISBN 1886910588.
2.PLOT SUMMARY
A young Korean girl from a fishermen’s town migrated to the US with her family to find a better life. Life in America was a journey for her and dreamers’ family. Instead of ‘heaven’ they found life in America was not carpeted with the red-roses. From learning a new language to adjusting to the new society and internal family conflict to keep their identity to growing up and acculturation to the family breakup, they had endured for a victorious life.
The story is told in the tones of a little girl’s memoirs manner with a resonating voice in the beginning to a more mature young lady’s narrative of her life perspectives at the end. There are linguistic and cultural exposures a reader can learn from both the narrator’s ethnic and new world’s sides. It is a captivating story readers of all grades should enjoy.
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Using the standard analytical basis of characters, plot, setting, theme and style, I can present the analysis as follows.
Characters
The main character is Young Ju, the first-born child of the Park family. Young Ju is a dreamer and a thinker. She reflects on things talked and taught to her by her family. Young Ju has a strong character and is an independent thinker though she has to suppress her own thoughts most of the time due to her original Korean tradition.
Plot
The Park family moves from Korea to the US to find a new life, a step lower than heaven, for their child’s future. They dream high but the hardship in America tears their dreams almost into pieces. They have to struggle to survive. Finally Young Ju’s father left her family and went back to Korea, possibly with a new woman. Yet, Young Ju, her little brother and her mother kept on until they finally got their own house a short while before Young Ju leaves for a college where she gets a full scholarship.
Setting
The story starts out in a fisherman’s town in Korea and moves on to California, USA. The Park’s new life in America was first in a cousin’s house then they moved out to their own rented room in a run down neighborhood. At the end the story setting moves to a little home they bought which gives the similar feels to their original home in Korea.
Theme
The theme is simple: A family from Korea moves to the US to find a better life but instead of finding heaven on earth from the beginning, they have to fight through poverty, hardships and troubles until they find success and happiness at the end. The story shows how endurance and staying focus while not giving up yields a satisfactory result at the end.
Style
This contemporary realistic fiction’s written style was very resonating. The little girl Yong Ju voices and resonates what she things while she hears others talking all along the story. Each chapter is short and completes in itself. The language used is a progressive one from a little child’s expressions to a more mature young adult at the end. Readers will find many ‘foreign words’ and expressions from the beginning but reading along will help them decipher what those words, for example ‘Mi Gook’, means.
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Winner of the 2002 Michael L. Printz Award
From School Library Journal, Marton, Diane S. indicated that this book is a beautiful written, affecting work.
From the New York Times book review, the book was endowed with a haunting grace by the exquisite voice of a new young writer.
The Book Report reviewed that it was a powerful story of cultural clash.
5.CONNECTIONS
The two books I found are similar to A Step from Heaven. Three protagonists all immigrated from other countries to the U.S., and had a cross-culture perspective and have to face culture adaption and conflict.
The first connection book I found is also a young adult novel, a semiautobiographical chronicle describing a story based on a 14-year-old Indican boy’s perspective.
Alexie, Sherman. 2009. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. New York : Little, Brown. ISBN: 0316013692.
The second connection book I found also portrayed a story based on a twelve-year-old girl’s perspective. Anita de la Torre’s life and her family escaped from the Trujillo regime in the Dominican Republic when she was 10, but in Before We Were Free she imagines, through the stories of her cousins and friends, how it was for those who stayed behind.
Alvarez, Julia. 2004. Before We Were Free. New York : Laurel Leaf. ISBN: 9780440237846
2011年4月21日 星期四
Historical Fiction Review: The Midwife's Apprentice
1.BIBLIOGRAPHY
Cushman, Karen. 1995. The midwife's apprentice. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN: 9780064406307
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In medieval England, a nameless, homeless and abused orphan girl called Brat and Dung Beetle who sleeps in dung heaps for warmth and eat whatever she can scavenge is taken in by a sharp-tempered midwife who finds potential of free labor and allows Beetle to work as her apprentice in exchange for food. In spite of obstacles and hardship, eventually gains the three things she most wants: a full belly, a contented heart, and a place in this world. While under the "employ" of the mean midwife, Beetle learns not only the art of midwifery, but also about herself, human nature, and the resilience of the human heart. Later on Birdy or Beetle is named Alyce.
Once Alyce faced an obstacle fearing she could not deliver the baby of the
Bailiff’s sister’s and ran away and found a job in a nearby inn. One day she over heard the midwife saying babies do not stop being born and a midwife cannot quit trying to help them into the world and went back begging the midwife to take her back as an apprentice. Though rejected, she persisted and vowed she would not quit again and was taken back by the midwife.
A small step at a time, Alyce knows she is not a bug but a person and works her way upward into being accepted and success.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The critical analysis would be presented base on characters, plot, setting, theme, as well as style.
Characters
Beetle is strong, young and courageous but does not have a confidence in herself. She is kind, gentle and persevering character. Later on she learns to believe in herself and becomes a successful midwife. Growing up unwanted most of her life has left a dent in her self-confidence. Learning to be persistent and never quit, Beetle, later on known as Alyce, finally finds success in life.
On the contrary, Jane, the midwife, is mean, sharp-tongued, and quick-tempered yet she is a hard working person who does not quit in her responsibility.
Plot
The plot is not presented by the overwhelming realistic events of the time period. The story just follows the story lines with the historical background of people, language and cultures in the settings. In the story, Cushman superbly depicts the midwifery in medieval England. The “Author’s Note” gives an accurate explanation on the occupation of the midwife at which time several women who practiced this used several potions, tricks, and even spells, as in the excerpt from the book below:
“In the afternoon Beetle left the village for the woods, where she gathered honey, trapped birds, and collected herbs, leeches, and spiders’ webs.”
As well, Cushman tells of the gritty ways that women experienced childbirth when dealing with a midwife like Jane Sharp,
“Then she slapped Emma’s great bulge of a belly, lifted her from behind her shoulders, and gave her a good shake.”
These little things help young readers to understand the real life pictures of those days quite well.
Setting
The story sets itself in the medieval England where it was dangerous, primitive and raucous. The advent of the midwifery also suits well in that era. The scenery, the inn and the way people and places are described yields the story as authentic.
Theme
The Midwife’s Apprentice is a children fantasy historical fiction. It is initially about a sad life young street urchin who does not have a name who is taken in by the local midwife to be trained as her midwifery apprentice. The theme of the story is Alyce’s journey of self discovery to develop her self confidence, which helps bring her to a better life. The book demonstrates the valuable lessons via Alyce’s life of never giving up. This is a timeless truth. Young readers can learn from Alyce’ example and try to endure to the end, so they can overcome obstacles and become successful as well.
Style
The writing style is fantasy with spare and straight-forwardness about the everyday vulgarities of life in the Middle Ages. Though it is a little dry and lacks the humor and spirit like some other stories, it is relevant to the theme of the writing. The language is fit for the era. For example, ‘… unless you be a priest..’ and ‘Good Miss, be you an angel or a saint?’
Additional Criteria
Though the book does not have any reference or footnote to authenticate the events, social or cultural settings, judging by the descriptions, the practices and the language use in the story, I believe the story as a fiction to be authentic.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Best Books for Young Adults, 1996
Children's Notable Books 1996
Newbery Medal Winners, 1996
Tayshas High School Reading List 1996-1997
Starred reviewed this book is a fascinating view of a far distant time.
5. CONNECTIONS
The first connection book is also a Newbery Honor Book from the same author. The historical fiction book described a 13th-century English girl’s perspective and experiences from an English nobleman family during medieval era around 1290.
Cushman, Karen. 1995. Catherine, called Birdy. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN: 0064405842
The other connection book is also a historical fiction based on the time before the Civil War. In 1859, twelve-year-old Clotee was a house slave; therefore she must hide that she could read and write. She was the main character to portray her experiences and concern freedom from her daily journal. I picked up this connection book because it portrays a lot of African American slavery history and some racism issue.
McKissack, Pat. 2002. A picture of freedom: the diary of Clotee, a slave girl. New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 0439381096
Cushman, Karen. 1995. The midwife's apprentice. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN: 9780064406307
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In medieval England, a nameless, homeless and abused orphan girl called Brat and Dung Beetle who sleeps in dung heaps for warmth and eat whatever she can scavenge is taken in by a sharp-tempered midwife who finds potential of free labor and allows Beetle to work as her apprentice in exchange for food. In spite of obstacles and hardship, eventually gains the three things she most wants: a full belly, a contented heart, and a place in this world. While under the "employ" of the mean midwife, Beetle learns not only the art of midwifery, but also about herself, human nature, and the resilience of the human heart. Later on Birdy or Beetle is named Alyce.
Once Alyce faced an obstacle fearing she could not deliver the baby of the
Bailiff’s sister’s and ran away and found a job in a nearby inn. One day she over heard the midwife saying babies do not stop being born and a midwife cannot quit trying to help them into the world and went back begging the midwife to take her back as an apprentice. Though rejected, she persisted and vowed she would not quit again and was taken back by the midwife.
A small step at a time, Alyce knows she is not a bug but a person and works her way upward into being accepted and success.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The critical analysis would be presented base on characters, plot, setting, theme, as well as style.
Characters
Beetle is strong, young and courageous but does not have a confidence in herself. She is kind, gentle and persevering character. Later on she learns to believe in herself and becomes a successful midwife. Growing up unwanted most of her life has left a dent in her self-confidence. Learning to be persistent and never quit, Beetle, later on known as Alyce, finally finds success in life.
On the contrary, Jane, the midwife, is mean, sharp-tongued, and quick-tempered yet she is a hard working person who does not quit in her responsibility.
Plot
The plot is not presented by the overwhelming realistic events of the time period. The story just follows the story lines with the historical background of people, language and cultures in the settings. In the story, Cushman superbly depicts the midwifery in medieval England. The “Author’s Note” gives an accurate explanation on the occupation of the midwife at which time several women who practiced this used several potions, tricks, and even spells, as in the excerpt from the book below:
“In the afternoon Beetle left the village for the woods, where she gathered honey, trapped birds, and collected herbs, leeches, and spiders’ webs.”
As well, Cushman tells of the gritty ways that women experienced childbirth when dealing with a midwife like Jane Sharp,
“Then she slapped Emma’s great bulge of a belly, lifted her from behind her shoulders, and gave her a good shake.”
These little things help young readers to understand the real life pictures of those days quite well.
Setting
The story sets itself in the medieval England where it was dangerous, primitive and raucous. The advent of the midwifery also suits well in that era. The scenery, the inn and the way people and places are described yields the story as authentic.
Theme
The Midwife’s Apprentice is a children fantasy historical fiction. It is initially about a sad life young street urchin who does not have a name who is taken in by the local midwife to be trained as her midwifery apprentice. The theme of the story is Alyce’s journey of self discovery to develop her self confidence, which helps bring her to a better life. The book demonstrates the valuable lessons via Alyce’s life of never giving up. This is a timeless truth. Young readers can learn from Alyce’ example and try to endure to the end, so they can overcome obstacles and become successful as well.
Style
The writing style is fantasy with spare and straight-forwardness about the everyday vulgarities of life in the Middle Ages. Though it is a little dry and lacks the humor and spirit like some other stories, it is relevant to the theme of the writing. The language is fit for the era. For example, ‘… unless you be a priest..’ and ‘Good Miss, be you an angel or a saint?’
Additional Criteria
Though the book does not have any reference or footnote to authenticate the events, social or cultural settings, judging by the descriptions, the practices and the language use in the story, I believe the story as a fiction to be authentic.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Best Books for Young Adults, 1996
Children's Notable Books 1996
Newbery Medal Winners, 1996
Tayshas High School Reading List 1996-1997
Starred reviewed this book is a fascinating view of a far distant time.
5. CONNECTIONS
The first connection book is also a Newbery Honor Book from the same author. The historical fiction book described a 13th-century English girl’s perspective and experiences from an English nobleman family during medieval era around 1290.
Cushman, Karen. 1995. Catherine, called Birdy. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN: 0064405842
The other connection book is also a historical fiction based on the time before the Civil War. In 1859, twelve-year-old Clotee was a house slave; therefore she must hide that she could read and write. She was the main character to portray her experiences and concern freedom from her daily journal. I picked up this connection book because it portrays a lot of African American slavery history and some racism issue.
McKissack, Pat. 2002. A picture of freedom: the diary of Clotee, a slave girl. New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 0439381096
Historical Fiction review: Hattie Big Sky
1.BIBLIOGRAPHY
Larson, Kirby. 2006. Hattie Big Sky. New York: Delacorte Press. ISBN: 0385903324
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In 1917, while America was in a full swing involvement in the World War I against Germany, an orphaned 16 years old girl who had been bouncing back and forth from one cousin to another was living with her uncle and aunt as a charity case in Arlington, Iowa, the last in the series, received a letter from her deceased unknown uncle in Montana that she was an heir to his 320 acre claim. In January 1918, after receiving the letter, she decided to move out of the suppressive aunt’s behavior and ventured to be on her own, a homesteader. The homestead life was not a grand one but it was adventurous. In a blistering cold she arrived Montana to find out she had less than a year to cultivate and prove the land to win the claim. Through the harsh times, a kind German family Mueller and a few other neighbors helped make her life bearable. The World War I sentiments did not make things easier for her. The local anti-German had caused a lot of troubles for her and her neighbors. Hattie proved herself to be more mature than she was thought to be and won not only the admiration but also the fight though she finally lost the battle due to the big hailstorm destroying her crops.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The critical analysis would be presented base on characters, plot, setting, theme, as well as style.
Characters
Hattie was the protagonist of the story. She was just a simple 16 year old girl who had to weather through a lot of hardship and sentiments just like any common people like anyone else. She lived a realistic life through events, hardships and times with endurance to the end. Though the story was written in 2010, the author has depicted Hattie in a very vivid picture of a person in 1900s especially in the attitudes, the language used. The terms ‘chomps,’ ‘beau’ and others though sounded funny to today’s ears were real to the time.
Kirby Lawson has created a wonderful character in Hattie. She was a tough girl who was willing to work to make it on her own. But, Hattie is more than just determination--she's also kind and compassionate without being silly or sentimental. In 1918 Montana, anti-German sentiment was strong, yet Hattie stood up to her wild Montana neighbors and supported her friend Karl Mueller when he was attacked, both physically and verbally, for being German-born. Additionally, Hattie's feelings for her school friend, Charlie, who was away at the front, and whom Hattie might have fallen in love with, are true to character as you may find it in the following paragraph:
"So maybe I did spend a night now and then dreaming silly girl dreams about him, even though everyone knew he was sweet on Mildred. My bounce-around life had taught me dreams were dangerous things--they look solid in your mind, but you just try to reach for them. It's like gathering clouds."
Plot
The historical plot was presented very clearly and accurately. The accuracy of the timing during which America was very sentimental against ‘Huns’ was correct for that time period. The advent of ‘new bicycle,’ ‘motorcycle’ and automobiles like the ‘Touring’ were also timely. The presentation of historical facts or information was not overwhelming because they came in bits and pieces through out the story. On the contrary, it helped young readers to remember those facts easily through the narration Hattie made. For example, when Jim rode the new bicycle into the haystack and when he celebrated the armistice by riding throughout the homestead areas on his motorcycle.
Setting
The setting was very explicit and with full authenticity. The story started in Arlington, Iowa and moved on to Montana area stating the names of towns and places like Wolf Point, Montana and Vida. At the end of the story, it mentioned the move of the Muellers to Seattle, a place in Washington State, where there were a lot of German populations in the country at that time.
Theme
The historical them, the wartime struggle, was a very notable one. The morals of the time of the writing were almost as real as those of today’s; the sentiment against Germans versus the sentiment against the Muslims who have been terrorizing many different parts of the world. Besides the wars outside of the US being so parallel, the internal war was also comparable. The war sentiment towards the ‘enemy within—the Germans ‘Huns’ in the US in 1917-1918 and the sentiment towards the Muslims in the US in the present years. The lingering of the ‘short wars’, which were supposed to be short but had become lengthy and costly ones was also parallel to each other.
Style
The story style was woven together interestingly. The story employed configurative narration style with a lot of creativity in it. In almost every chapter, there would be a letter or pieces of the letters to either Charlie or Uncle Holt with the message within related to the narration Hattie was telling in the story. The author, besides narration, used a lot of dialogs to make the story active and vivid and full of interactions. One thing to observe was the fact that the story telling style made readers full of anticipation though the guesses often time was wrong. For example, the story would be narrated about the mob and I would think there would be a hanging of a ‘Hun lover’. Yet, it turned out positive through some interventions. The language itself is easy and appropriate for children age 12 as the author stated to be the intended audience. Yet the story captures also adult readers. The sentences were short. The messages were precise. The style was according to the time of the story.
In summary, the story is authentic. This in a way is possibly comparable to reading Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little Home in the Prairie though it is shorter and completed in one book. The story and resources were well researched and can be authenticated. City names like Wolf Point and Vida are real cities in Montana. The authenticity of the war sentiments during the time of 1917-1918 is also true. The readers, through reading the fiction will learn appropriate amount of historical events and information from the story, though not overwhelming but enough to rouse readers’ interest.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Newbery Honor Books 2007
Best Books for Young Adults ; 2007.
Children's Notable Books ; 2007.
Starred Review ”writing in figurative language that draws on nature and domestic detail to infuse her story with the sounds, smells, and sights of the prairie, she creates a richly textured novel full of memorable characters.”
5. CONNECTIONS
The fences between us: the diary of Piper Davis is the first connection book I found with similar war event in the setting. The story was portrayed that a 13-year-old Japanese American girl named Piper Davis Seattle went through the hard time at school after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
Larson, Kirby. 2010. The fences between us: the diary of Piper Davis. New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 9780545224185
The other connection book I found is also a historical fiction book. The main character is similar to Hattie Brooks in Hattie Big Sky. The setting is around 20 century during the epidemic of 1918. Eleven-year-old Lydia Pierce and her fourteen-year-old brother are taken by their grieving uncle to be raised in the Shaker community at Sabbathday Lake after being orphaned. The story includes author's note about the Shakers.
Lowry, Lois. 2011. Like the willow tree: the diary of Lydia Amelia Pierce. New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 9780545144698
Larson, Kirby. 2006. Hattie Big Sky. New York: Delacorte Press. ISBN: 0385903324
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In 1917, while America was in a full swing involvement in the World War I against Germany, an orphaned 16 years old girl who had been bouncing back and forth from one cousin to another was living with her uncle and aunt as a charity case in Arlington, Iowa, the last in the series, received a letter from her deceased unknown uncle in Montana that she was an heir to his 320 acre claim. In January 1918, after receiving the letter, she decided to move out of the suppressive aunt’s behavior and ventured to be on her own, a homesteader. The homestead life was not a grand one but it was adventurous. In a blistering cold she arrived Montana to find out she had less than a year to cultivate and prove the land to win the claim. Through the harsh times, a kind German family Mueller and a few other neighbors helped make her life bearable. The World War I sentiments did not make things easier for her. The local anti-German had caused a lot of troubles for her and her neighbors. Hattie proved herself to be more mature than she was thought to be and won not only the admiration but also the fight though she finally lost the battle due to the big hailstorm destroying her crops.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The critical analysis would be presented base on characters, plot, setting, theme, as well as style.
Characters
Hattie was the protagonist of the story. She was just a simple 16 year old girl who had to weather through a lot of hardship and sentiments just like any common people like anyone else. She lived a realistic life through events, hardships and times with endurance to the end. Though the story was written in 2010, the author has depicted Hattie in a very vivid picture of a person in 1900s especially in the attitudes, the language used. The terms ‘chomps,’ ‘beau’ and others though sounded funny to today’s ears were real to the time.
Kirby Lawson has created a wonderful character in Hattie. She was a tough girl who was willing to work to make it on her own. But, Hattie is more than just determination--she's also kind and compassionate without being silly or sentimental. In 1918 Montana, anti-German sentiment was strong, yet Hattie stood up to her wild Montana neighbors and supported her friend Karl Mueller when he was attacked, both physically and verbally, for being German-born. Additionally, Hattie's feelings for her school friend, Charlie, who was away at the front, and whom Hattie might have fallen in love with, are true to character as you may find it in the following paragraph:
"So maybe I did spend a night now and then dreaming silly girl dreams about him, even though everyone knew he was sweet on Mildred. My bounce-around life had taught me dreams were dangerous things--they look solid in your mind, but you just try to reach for them. It's like gathering clouds."
Plot
The historical plot was presented very clearly and accurately. The accuracy of the timing during which America was very sentimental against ‘Huns’ was correct for that time period. The advent of ‘new bicycle,’ ‘motorcycle’ and automobiles like the ‘Touring’ were also timely. The presentation of historical facts or information was not overwhelming because they came in bits and pieces through out the story. On the contrary, it helped young readers to remember those facts easily through the narration Hattie made. For example, when Jim rode the new bicycle into the haystack and when he celebrated the armistice by riding throughout the homestead areas on his motorcycle.
Setting
The setting was very explicit and with full authenticity. The story started in Arlington, Iowa and moved on to Montana area stating the names of towns and places like Wolf Point, Montana and Vida. At the end of the story, it mentioned the move of the Muellers to Seattle, a place in Washington State, where there were a lot of German populations in the country at that time.
Theme
The historical them, the wartime struggle, was a very notable one. The morals of the time of the writing were almost as real as those of today’s; the sentiment against Germans versus the sentiment against the Muslims who have been terrorizing many different parts of the world. Besides the wars outside of the US being so parallel, the internal war was also comparable. The war sentiment towards the ‘enemy within—the Germans ‘Huns’ in the US in 1917-1918 and the sentiment towards the Muslims in the US in the present years. The lingering of the ‘short wars’, which were supposed to be short but had become lengthy and costly ones was also parallel to each other.
Style
The story style was woven together interestingly. The story employed configurative narration style with a lot of creativity in it. In almost every chapter, there would be a letter or pieces of the letters to either Charlie or Uncle Holt with the message within related to the narration Hattie was telling in the story. The author, besides narration, used a lot of dialogs to make the story active and vivid and full of interactions. One thing to observe was the fact that the story telling style made readers full of anticipation though the guesses often time was wrong. For example, the story would be narrated about the mob and I would think there would be a hanging of a ‘Hun lover’. Yet, it turned out positive through some interventions. The language itself is easy and appropriate for children age 12 as the author stated to be the intended audience. Yet the story captures also adult readers. The sentences were short. The messages were precise. The style was according to the time of the story.
In summary, the story is authentic. This in a way is possibly comparable to reading Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little Home in the Prairie though it is shorter and completed in one book. The story and resources were well researched and can be authenticated. City names like Wolf Point and Vida are real cities in Montana. The authenticity of the war sentiments during the time of 1917-1918 is also true. The readers, through reading the fiction will learn appropriate amount of historical events and information from the story, though not overwhelming but enough to rouse readers’ interest.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Newbery Honor Books 2007
Best Books for Young Adults ; 2007.
Children's Notable Books ; 2007.
Starred Review ”writing in figurative language that draws on nature and domestic detail to infuse her story with the sounds, smells, and sights of the prairie, she creates a richly textured novel full of memorable characters.”
5. CONNECTIONS
The fences between us: the diary of Piper Davis is the first connection book I found with similar war event in the setting. The story was portrayed that a 13-year-old Japanese American girl named Piper Davis Seattle went through the hard time at school after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
Larson, Kirby. 2010. The fences between us: the diary of Piper Davis. New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 9780545224185
The other connection book I found is also a historical fiction book. The main character is similar to Hattie Brooks in Hattie Big Sky. The setting is around 20 century during the epidemic of 1918. Eleven-year-old Lydia Pierce and her fourteen-year-old brother are taken by their grieving uncle to be raised in the Shaker community at Sabbathday Lake after being orphaned. The story includes author's note about the Shakers.
Lowry, Lois. 2011. Like the willow tree: the diary of Lydia Amelia Pierce. New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 9780545144698
Historical Fiction review: One crazy summer
1.BIBLIOGRAPHY
Williams-Garcia, Rita. 2010. One crazy summer. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN: 9780060760885
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Eleven-year-old Delphine has only a few fragmented memories of her mother, Cecile, who abandoned the family in Brooklyn after giving birth to her third daughter. In the summer of 1968, Delphine’s father decides that seeing Cecile is “something whose time had come,” so Delphine boards a plane with her sisters to Cecile’s home in Oakland, California. Upon their arrival, Delphine and her sisters found a cold welcome as they discovered that their mother, a dedicated poet and printer, is resentful of the intrusion of their visit. There were no Disneyland and movie stars. “No one told y’all to come out here,” Cecile says. “No one wants you out here making a mess, stopping my work.” Like the rest of her life, Cecile’s work is a mystery conducted behind the doors of the kitchen that she forbids her daughters to enter. For meals, Cecile sends the girls to a Chinese restaurant and later to the local, Black Panther–run community center, where Cecile is known as Sister Inzilla and where the girls begin to attend youth programs.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The book does not cite sources or recommend further reading. Yet, I believe the author has thoroughly done a research on the subject and presented a balanced fact and fiction though it may present a lot of stereotyping ideas children age younger then 8 or 9 may not be able to understand or differentiate. The critical analysis would be presented base on characters, plot, setting, theme, as well as style.
Characters
Delphine is presented as a regimented, responsible, mature, self-controlled, smart and strong-willed person. She is a caretaker and the protector of her young sisters. Though only eleven, she is the most responsible of her age. She knows how to act quiet and say the right words to avoid danger. Yet, she is only eleven. She fears standing up to her mother whom she is visiting for just 4 weeks. Each of the sisters emerges as a distinct, memorable character, whose hard-won, tenuous connections with their mother build to an aching, triumphant conclusion. She also displays some attitudes towards prejudice when she punches boys who tease her due to her sex, age and color.
This book is about experiences many of us share, for example, on the lighter side, taking airplane trips for the first time, being teased about some cherished possessions and feeling attracted to the opposite sex. One Crazy Summer has strong characters, attitude and humor, which all help create an enjoyable read. It also however reveals tough truths about racism
Plot
Though the story is in 1960s, today’s girl readers will be able to identify with Delphine and her sisters on several levels. They are confused, struggling and trying to survive and overcome. They live in the world of conflicts and abandonment. Through struggling and being a big sister, Delphine had to become a strong leader and supporter of her little sisters whom she has cared for since her mother left them. Her time and todays’ children’s time are not much different.
The story tells of an ethnic group’s life and social conflicts. It started with Delphine’s father seeing that it is time for his children who were abandoned by his wife, Cecile, to see meet up with their mother. He sent them, though being rejected my Big Mama, his mother, to see Cecile in Oakland, California. They arrived to find to be unwelcomed by their mother. They had to struggle to live. Their mother sent them to get their own meals and put them in the Black Panther training camp. Through the training, they learned new attitudes towards the society. They had new experiences seeing those social struggles in the people of color’s minds especially when Bobby, a Black Panther member who hid away from the police was shot dead in their house.
The plot is a little strong for children who may not have paid attention to social changes and development.
Setting
The time of the setting is in 1960s (1968 to be exact) during the African-American social revolution. There are two sides of the African American’s social differences to be compared. One is of those of Delphine’s grandmother and the other of those her grandmother calls ‘no good’ blacks of her mother and the Black Panther. Being in Manhattan, New York, seems to be different from in Oakland, California. On venturing to Oakland, the girls had seen hippies and have experienced the social uprising of the Black Panther. The author has presented an authentic and a realistic setting in this story through time, events and location for things really happening in the history. Manhattan and the Bronx are there. Alabama (where there were a lot of black people) where grandma came from was mentioned. Hippies and Black Panther social revolution mentioned were real in the 60’s, especially in San Francisco.
Theme
The book centers its theme on the Black Panther movement through the story of three little girls’ summer camp provided by the Black Panther in Oakland. It processes by depicting a clear picture of social differences between blacks and whites. It moves from the three girls being at the airport where their grandmother is trying to talk to the ‘Negro’ stylish lady through her own social class but was politely ignored by the lady’s gentle smile. It further goes on into the story of the girls travel on the airplane until their being among their mother’s social circle, the Black Panther. There, the girls learn to live among people of different attitudes, purposes and activities. They also learn to survive. Until today, this social struggle still holds true. Children and readers of this era can find the parallelism between the historical truth of the 60s and the present day’s.
Style
In the narrative, the tones of the story are quite strong and captivating. The language use of the black people is also used to make it realistic from the beginning. One can tell it when they call themselves ‘Sister Mukumbu’ and ‘Sister Delphine’ what social group the characters are from, for example. Their language use is captivating. They are ‘interactive and terse.’ They are dialoguing and not monologous or monotonous. The conversations are crisp inviting readers to follow on. As well, the attitudes, personal and socially, are portrayed clearly in the characters throughout the events of the story. They author has beautifully brought together the reality of social group, language, attitudes, struggles and historical revolution in one place. One intriguing thing is the mentioning of the historical moments challenging readers to find out more. For example, when she mentions the Party without overexplaining. What is COINTELPRO? Who si Li’l Bobby Hutton? What happened the night he died? Who is Edridge Cleaver? Why do they call the cops “pigs’? and some others. Those are history in themselves.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction (Awards)
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winners 2011
Newbery Honor Books , 2011
From the Amazon.com, Teri Markson reviewed that this book had memorable characters (all three girls have engaging, strong voices) and a powerful story, this is a book well worth reading and rereading.
5. CONNECTIONS
Like Sisters on the Homefront is the first connection book I have found from the same Coretta Scott King Author, Rita Williams-Garcia. The main character named Gayle Whitaker, a fourteen-year-old girl, was sent by her mother to stay with her Aunt and Uncle when she got a trouble. It is also portrait of contemporary black culture and the changing life experience from one place to the other place.
Williams-Garcia, Rita. 1998. Like Sisters on the Homefront. New York : Puffin. ISBN: 0140385614
The second connection book I found is the typical historical fiction. Myers created a setting and character in World War II. This book is a Printz winner of a book. The story describes that a seventeen-year-old soldier from central Virginia recorded his battle experiences during the war.
Myers, Walter Dean. 1999. The Journal of Scott Pendleton Collins: A World War II Soldier. New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 0439050138
Williams-Garcia, Rita. 2010. One crazy summer. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN: 9780060760885
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Eleven-year-old Delphine has only a few fragmented memories of her mother, Cecile, who abandoned the family in Brooklyn after giving birth to her third daughter. In the summer of 1968, Delphine’s father decides that seeing Cecile is “something whose time had come,” so Delphine boards a plane with her sisters to Cecile’s home in Oakland, California. Upon their arrival, Delphine and her sisters found a cold welcome as they discovered that their mother, a dedicated poet and printer, is resentful of the intrusion of their visit. There were no Disneyland and movie stars. “No one told y’all to come out here,” Cecile says. “No one wants you out here making a mess, stopping my work.” Like the rest of her life, Cecile’s work is a mystery conducted behind the doors of the kitchen that she forbids her daughters to enter. For meals, Cecile sends the girls to a Chinese restaurant and later to the local, Black Panther–run community center, where Cecile is known as Sister Inzilla and where the girls begin to attend youth programs.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The book does not cite sources or recommend further reading. Yet, I believe the author has thoroughly done a research on the subject and presented a balanced fact and fiction though it may present a lot of stereotyping ideas children age younger then 8 or 9 may not be able to understand or differentiate. The critical analysis would be presented base on characters, plot, setting, theme, as well as style.
Characters
Delphine is presented as a regimented, responsible, mature, self-controlled, smart and strong-willed person. She is a caretaker and the protector of her young sisters. Though only eleven, she is the most responsible of her age. She knows how to act quiet and say the right words to avoid danger. Yet, she is only eleven. She fears standing up to her mother whom she is visiting for just 4 weeks. Each of the sisters emerges as a distinct, memorable character, whose hard-won, tenuous connections with their mother build to an aching, triumphant conclusion. She also displays some attitudes towards prejudice when she punches boys who tease her due to her sex, age and color.
This book is about experiences many of us share, for example, on the lighter side, taking airplane trips for the first time, being teased about some cherished possessions and feeling attracted to the opposite sex. One Crazy Summer has strong characters, attitude and humor, which all help create an enjoyable read. It also however reveals tough truths about racism
Plot
Though the story is in 1960s, today’s girl readers will be able to identify with Delphine and her sisters on several levels. They are confused, struggling and trying to survive and overcome. They live in the world of conflicts and abandonment. Through struggling and being a big sister, Delphine had to become a strong leader and supporter of her little sisters whom she has cared for since her mother left them. Her time and todays’ children’s time are not much different.
The story tells of an ethnic group’s life and social conflicts. It started with Delphine’s father seeing that it is time for his children who were abandoned by his wife, Cecile, to see meet up with their mother. He sent them, though being rejected my Big Mama, his mother, to see Cecile in Oakland, California. They arrived to find to be unwelcomed by their mother. They had to struggle to live. Their mother sent them to get their own meals and put them in the Black Panther training camp. Through the training, they learned new attitudes towards the society. They had new experiences seeing those social struggles in the people of color’s minds especially when Bobby, a Black Panther member who hid away from the police was shot dead in their house.
The plot is a little strong for children who may not have paid attention to social changes and development.
Setting
The time of the setting is in 1960s (1968 to be exact) during the African-American social revolution. There are two sides of the African American’s social differences to be compared. One is of those of Delphine’s grandmother and the other of those her grandmother calls ‘no good’ blacks of her mother and the Black Panther. Being in Manhattan, New York, seems to be different from in Oakland, California. On venturing to Oakland, the girls had seen hippies and have experienced the social uprising of the Black Panther. The author has presented an authentic and a realistic setting in this story through time, events and location for things really happening in the history. Manhattan and the Bronx are there. Alabama (where there were a lot of black people) where grandma came from was mentioned. Hippies and Black Panther social revolution mentioned were real in the 60’s, especially in San Francisco.
Theme
The book centers its theme on the Black Panther movement through the story of three little girls’ summer camp provided by the Black Panther in Oakland. It processes by depicting a clear picture of social differences between blacks and whites. It moves from the three girls being at the airport where their grandmother is trying to talk to the ‘Negro’ stylish lady through her own social class but was politely ignored by the lady’s gentle smile. It further goes on into the story of the girls travel on the airplane until their being among their mother’s social circle, the Black Panther. There, the girls learn to live among people of different attitudes, purposes and activities. They also learn to survive. Until today, this social struggle still holds true. Children and readers of this era can find the parallelism between the historical truth of the 60s and the present day’s.
Style
In the narrative, the tones of the story are quite strong and captivating. The language use of the black people is also used to make it realistic from the beginning. One can tell it when they call themselves ‘Sister Mukumbu’ and ‘Sister Delphine’ what social group the characters are from, for example. Their language use is captivating. They are ‘interactive and terse.’ They are dialoguing and not monologous or monotonous. The conversations are crisp inviting readers to follow on. As well, the attitudes, personal and socially, are portrayed clearly in the characters throughout the events of the story. They author has beautifully brought together the reality of social group, language, attitudes, struggles and historical revolution in one place. One intriguing thing is the mentioning of the historical moments challenging readers to find out more. For example, when she mentions the Party without overexplaining. What is COINTELPRO? Who si Li’l Bobby Hutton? What happened the night he died? Who is Edridge Cleaver? Why do they call the cops “pigs’? and some others. Those are history in themselves.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction (Awards)
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winners 2011
Newbery Honor Books , 2011
From the Amazon.com, Teri Markson reviewed that this book had memorable characters (all three girls have engaging, strong voices) and a powerful story, this is a book well worth reading and rereading.
5. CONNECTIONS
Like Sisters on the Homefront is the first connection book I have found from the same Coretta Scott King Author, Rita Williams-Garcia. The main character named Gayle Whitaker, a fourteen-year-old girl, was sent by her mother to stay with her Aunt and Uncle when she got a trouble. It is also portrait of contemporary black culture and the changing life experience from one place to the other place.
Williams-Garcia, Rita. 1998. Like Sisters on the Homefront. New York : Puffin. ISBN: 0140385614
The second connection book I found is the typical historical fiction. Myers created a setting and character in World War II. This book is a Printz winner of a book. The story describes that a seventeen-year-old soldier from central Virginia recorded his battle experiences during the war.
Myers, Walter Dean. 1999. The Journal of Scott Pendleton Collins: A World War II Soldier. New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 0439050138
2011年4月6日 星期三
Genre 4 nonfiction: The Extraordinary Mark Twain
1.BIBLIOGRAPHY
Kerley, Barbara. 2010. The Extraordinary Mark Twain. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0545125081
2.PLOT SUMMARY
Thirteen-year-old Susy Clemens wants the world to know that her papa, Mark Twain, is more than just a humorist and sets out to chronicle a comprehensive biography of the American icon. From the book you can conclude either Twain was the best father ever lived or he was simply favored by his era, or perhaps a bit of both. The book starts with one of those tidbits writers sometimes stumble across. Kerley uses Susy’s text from a notebook filled with the neat cursive of the day to construct the dual biography, the story of Twain and the story of Susy telling about Twain. Every few pages, Kerley includes sample journal or minibooks stapled (and glued) to the spine of the book. The books, though short, tells of Twain’s life sketch from being the boy who became an artist, a steamboat pilot, until becoming a famous author. The story covers not only Twain’s life as an author but also as a family man with ordinary human life of perfection and flaws.
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This is one of the best brief biography picture books I have read. The illustration is full of colors and humors. The story is based on the first point of view to portrait what Susy’s father, Mark Twain. The critical analysis would based on the four perspectives, including accuracy, organization, design, as well as style.
Accuracy
Barbara Kerley is the award-winning author of several picture books, a Caldecott Honor and an ALA Notable Book, and Walt Whitman: Words for America, a Sibert Honor Book. The books was presented as Susy’s own words journal therefore it can be counted as accurate from a 13 year old daughter’s eyes in 1885. The illustration actually was taken from the book by Susy and was translated into the illustration book concept by Kerley. Though the book is short, it is precise and covers a lot of ground as Mark Twain’s biography. Being a first hand biography by Twain’s own young daughter, it is quite a different kind of biography one usually reads in general. Illustrations are funny and realistic, not counting Susy’s own language errors, which otherwise makes it authentic. At the end of the book, the author has a lot of references on her sources of information, which will be a good example for readers to know that each quote comes from some referenced sources.
Organization
The layout is logical. It starts off with a rationale telling why Susy writes the journal about her father, “People probably thought they were Mark Twain experts. But they were wrong…” She wanted people to know her papa as who he was, not only a humorist in other people’s eyes but also a philosopher. The story moves along in a clear sequence of an ordinary daily life and routines with Susy’s observation. She notes not only her father’s work, personality and habits but also his relationship with his family and other people. There are also some funny parts like Twain’s forgetfulness of his own writing when he was enjoying reading one of his own books not knowing it was his own. The story is not complex and though it does not have subheadings or table of content or index, the small leaflets themselves are presented as sections each in themselves. At the end, Kerley even adds a page of guidelines to help children learn to write their own biography as well. It is a good surplus to help children kick start their interest and have a way to try it out.
Design
The book design is very attractive and inviting though it may be a little difficult for young children to ready due to its older linguistic style as well as grammatical and spelling errors (or differences.) It is designed in a journal entry format with a single sheet folded into simple leaflets pasted on one of the pages each time a page is turned. It is a cute and interesting idea. It makes readers excited to find out what is hidden behind those folded little pages. There are some readability problems from time to time, however, especially with the small fonts and the calligraphy type. Small children may find it difficult to read due to small print size and the font type. The illustrations, however, are very attractive and lively. They can make me smile. In each illustration, which has been placed appropriately, there will be a short explanation of what is going on in the pages. Coupling with Susy’s jounal, those text descriptions make perfect senses of what is going on. I consider the design effective and it communicates the subject matter very clearly. There is one observation I should make though. The journal in the leaflets at times may be too long for young children’s attention span.
Style
The illustrations and writing style is clear, lively and very interesting. It reveals the author’s passion and enthusiasm very clearly. The style and design encourage readers’ curiosity and make them wonder what will happen next. The vocabulary in the illustrative texts themselves are appropriate though those in the ‘journal’ at times are a little archaic according to the time it is supposed to be written, A.D. 1885. As earlier mentioned, there might be a little too many words in some of the journal leaflets for young children to keep their attention going on, especially when the fonts are quite small. For children of older ages and higher grades, that may not be a problem.
In summary, the book hardly is hardly the first book to spotlight Twain, though it may be one the first picture books about his life, it is a good supplement to help young and old readers understand the life of Mark Twain from the insider’s (and family member’s) perspectives.
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
A Junior Library Guild selection
Kirkus in School Library Journal says, “Kerley's conversational, quotation-rich narration effectively complements Susy's insights, and the result is an affectionate portrait of Twain as writer and family man… A heartwarming tribute to both the writing life in general and the well-loved humorist-oops, sorry Susy… "Pholosopher!"
Publisher Weekly comments, "extraordinary biography" complete this accessible and inventive vision of an American legend.”
5.CONNECTIONS
The following are the three connection books you may find interesting.
The first one is another biographies book about Mark Twain.
Fleischman, Sid. 2008. The trouble begins at 8: a life of Mark Twain in the wild, wild West. New York: Greenwillow Books. ISBN: 0061344311
The second is a brief biography picture book with simple text by Barbara Kerley.
Kerley, Barbara. 2008. What to do about Alice? How Alice Roosevelt broke the rules, charmed the world, and drove her father Teddy crazy. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN: 0439922313
The third book is also another picture biography book for young readers about George Washington.
Giblin, James. 1998. George Washington: A Picture Book Biography. Illustration by Michael Dooling. New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 0590481010
Kerley, Barbara. 2010. The Extraordinary Mark Twain. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0545125081
2.PLOT SUMMARY
Thirteen-year-old Susy Clemens wants the world to know that her papa, Mark Twain, is more than just a humorist and sets out to chronicle a comprehensive biography of the American icon. From the book you can conclude either Twain was the best father ever lived or he was simply favored by his era, or perhaps a bit of both. The book starts with one of those tidbits writers sometimes stumble across. Kerley uses Susy’s text from a notebook filled with the neat cursive of the day to construct the dual biography, the story of Twain and the story of Susy telling about Twain. Every few pages, Kerley includes sample journal or minibooks stapled (and glued) to the spine of the book. The books, though short, tells of Twain’s life sketch from being the boy who became an artist, a steamboat pilot, until becoming a famous author. The story covers not only Twain’s life as an author but also as a family man with ordinary human life of perfection and flaws.
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This is one of the best brief biography picture books I have read. The illustration is full of colors and humors. The story is based on the first point of view to portrait what Susy’s father, Mark Twain. The critical analysis would based on the four perspectives, including accuracy, organization, design, as well as style.
Accuracy
Barbara Kerley is the award-winning author of several picture books, a Caldecott Honor and an ALA Notable Book, and Walt Whitman: Words for America, a Sibert Honor Book. The books was presented as Susy’s own words journal therefore it can be counted as accurate from a 13 year old daughter’s eyes in 1885. The illustration actually was taken from the book by Susy and was translated into the illustration book concept by Kerley. Though the book is short, it is precise and covers a lot of ground as Mark Twain’s biography. Being a first hand biography by Twain’s own young daughter, it is quite a different kind of biography one usually reads in general. Illustrations are funny and realistic, not counting Susy’s own language errors, which otherwise makes it authentic. At the end of the book, the author has a lot of references on her sources of information, which will be a good example for readers to know that each quote comes from some referenced sources.
Organization
The layout is logical. It starts off with a rationale telling why Susy writes the journal about her father, “People probably thought they were Mark Twain experts. But they were wrong…” She wanted people to know her papa as who he was, not only a humorist in other people’s eyes but also a philosopher. The story moves along in a clear sequence of an ordinary daily life and routines with Susy’s observation. She notes not only her father’s work, personality and habits but also his relationship with his family and other people. There are also some funny parts like Twain’s forgetfulness of his own writing when he was enjoying reading one of his own books not knowing it was his own. The story is not complex and though it does not have subheadings or table of content or index, the small leaflets themselves are presented as sections each in themselves. At the end, Kerley even adds a page of guidelines to help children learn to write their own biography as well. It is a good surplus to help children kick start their interest and have a way to try it out.
Design
The book design is very attractive and inviting though it may be a little difficult for young children to ready due to its older linguistic style as well as grammatical and spelling errors (or differences.) It is designed in a journal entry format with a single sheet folded into simple leaflets pasted on one of the pages each time a page is turned. It is a cute and interesting idea. It makes readers excited to find out what is hidden behind those folded little pages. There are some readability problems from time to time, however, especially with the small fonts and the calligraphy type. Small children may find it difficult to read due to small print size and the font type. The illustrations, however, are very attractive and lively. They can make me smile. In each illustration, which has been placed appropriately, there will be a short explanation of what is going on in the pages. Coupling with Susy’s jounal, those text descriptions make perfect senses of what is going on. I consider the design effective and it communicates the subject matter very clearly. There is one observation I should make though. The journal in the leaflets at times may be too long for young children’s attention span.
Style
The illustrations and writing style is clear, lively and very interesting. It reveals the author’s passion and enthusiasm very clearly. The style and design encourage readers’ curiosity and make them wonder what will happen next. The vocabulary in the illustrative texts themselves are appropriate though those in the ‘journal’ at times are a little archaic according to the time it is supposed to be written, A.D. 1885. As earlier mentioned, there might be a little too many words in some of the journal leaflets for young children to keep their attention going on, especially when the fonts are quite small. For children of older ages and higher grades, that may not be a problem.
In summary, the book hardly is hardly the first book to spotlight Twain, though it may be one the first picture books about his life, it is a good supplement to help young and old readers understand the life of Mark Twain from the insider’s (and family member’s) perspectives.
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
A Junior Library Guild selection
Kirkus in School Library Journal says, “Kerley's conversational, quotation-rich narration effectively complements Susy's insights, and the result is an affectionate portrait of Twain as writer and family man… A heartwarming tribute to both the writing life in general and the well-loved humorist-oops, sorry Susy… "Pholosopher!"
Publisher Weekly comments, "extraordinary biography" complete this accessible and inventive vision of an American legend.”
5.CONNECTIONS
The following are the three connection books you may find interesting.
The first one is another biographies book about Mark Twain.
Fleischman, Sid. 2008. The trouble begins at 8: a life of Mark Twain in the wild, wild West. New York: Greenwillow Books. ISBN: 0061344311
The second is a brief biography picture book with simple text by Barbara Kerley.
Kerley, Barbara. 2008. What to do about Alice? How Alice Roosevelt broke the rules, charmed the world, and drove her father Teddy crazy. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN: 0439922313
The third book is also another picture biography book for young readers about George Washington.
Giblin, James. 1998. George Washington: A Picture Book Biography. Illustration by Michael Dooling. New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 0590481010
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