Dia's Story Cloth: The Hmong People's Journey of Freedom

Cha, Dia. Dia's Story Cloth : The Hmong People's Journey of Freedom. Lee & Low Bks, 1996. Print.

In Dia's Story Cloth: The Hmong People's Journey of Freedom the journey of the Hmong people from China, to Laos, to Thailand refugee camps and then freedom through relocation once again is chronicled in a story cloth.  The cloth and its individual pictures is a journey a people take over centuries in order to find freedom in a world that was was marred by instability, war and political uncertainty.

Looking at the readability lexile, the language used in Dia's Story Cloth is at an upper elementary level.  I say this because throughout the book there are complex long sentences with commas and long words or uncommon words such as: “qualified”, “communists” and “refugees”.  Cognitively, I would also place the text in the upper elementary level.  The plot of the book is centered around an abstract problem like war and relocating, chronological events in the Hmong history, the cultural understanding of a people and their journey toward freedom.  Socially, the text aligned with the middle elementary level because to appreciate the book you have to understand others’ point of view and the concept of right and wrong (the oppressed and the oppressors).  Students must be able to understand the hardships of the Hmong to appreciate the text.

When examining the characteristics of high quality literature, the characters face problems that are believable in that their world is unstable.  Although it is a large concept, we still often hear about people and cultures being oppressed today.  Their survival and ability to retain their culture through the hardships of war and oppressive cultures may be interesting to readers.  Even though they probably aren't being oppressed personally, if they have a television or hear the news, they are surely familiar with others' right and culture being hindered. 

Similarly, the main character is Dia Cha and her hardships and journey in becoming an American citizen may not be relatable to many children, but to the culturally diverse her story may resonate more.  Regardless, her family’s story of trying to find a place to belong is amazing and inspiring to middle elementary readers because many of them are trying to find where they may fit in the world also, however on in individual and much smaller scale.  It also reflects how we take freedoms for granted in the U.S. when the Cha family and so many other Hmong had to work so hard just to find a place to go.

Dia Cha's problems are solved politically through the U.S. government.  Although most children aren’t thinking politically at a middle elementally level, it is a good seed to plant in their heads.  Through the Hmong people's political and social unrest the text shows that Asia was once a more volatile and less peaceful place than it is now.  Often students hear the Americanized version of the Vietnam War and this is a story told from a culture that lived where the war was being fought and struggled to adapt during and after the war. 

In this narrative of the Vietnam War, the themes I saw were: family, survival and cultural preservation through the story cloth.  In this regard, the main higher thought process I see deployed is evaluating the story cloth and the words that go with it.  I think the story is pretty straightforward in its explanation of the Hmong people’s journey and survival.

While examining the text I found no negative stereotypes.  The family roles are traditional, but this takes place in the 60’s and 70’s and on a often traditional continent.  When looking at the text as a whole and interpreting it as an elementary school student may see it, I believe the text motivates and inspires young readers.  Through words and pictures it tells the story behind the Hmong culture and the hardships they had to endure to find a new home.

The literary elements I found most represented in the text were a person vs. society, setting as a historical background and the theme of survival.  Person vs. society was shown through the Hmong people's involvement in the Vietnam War and their struggles to find a new home and sense of normalcy.  Within this situation, the setting was historically based because they are documenting actual events and how it effected cultures, specifically the Hmong and Dia Cha's family.  Through these events, the theme of survival was shown as the Hmong had to move from village to village to avoid capture, bombings, communist soldiers, nature (especially a dangerous crossing at the Mekong River), refugee camps and finally surviving in a new country after being relocated.

The illustrations in the text are picture snippets of the story cloth.  They show individual parts of the Hmong people’s journey.  Using cloth as a medium is very unique and a style I haven't seen before.  In these cloth illustrations, not everything is shown to scale, but it is from the eyes of someone who saw the events they are described.  This first person document to history and a people's journey should not be bound to artistic perfection.   

One idea I had for a minilesson was to allow students to share where their ancestors came from, how they got here and any parts of their culture they still retain, much like Dia Cha’s family’s story cloth.  We all come from somewhere and our journeys are different but we are all trying to find a place to peacefully exist. This could be like a cultural show and tell.

After reading and internalizing Dia's Story Cloth: The Hmong People's Journey of Freedom, there are some big and adult-like concepts that are discussed.  For that reason and the prominence of war, I would say middle elementary level best suits the target audience.

Rumford, James. Silent Music: A Story of Baghdad

Rumford, James. Silent Music: A Story of Baghdad. New York: Roaring Brook, 2008. Print.

In James Rumford’s Silent Music, Ali, an Iraqi boy, lives to write and tell stories.  His world is simple and filled with typical early adolescence hardships.  He finds inspiration from Yakut, a famous Calligrapher in Baghdad hundreds of years ago.  His world comes crashing down upon the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.  From this point on he struggles to write and explain what he experiences. 

Looking at the readability lexile, I would place the text in an middle elementary level for language.  There are some words that will probably be unfamiliar to elementary school students such as: “Calligrapher” and “Mongols” which may create some confusion to younger learners.  Socially, I would place the text at the adolescent level because it tells the story from an Iraqi point of view which is often swept under the rug in America.  Hearing an American narrative of the Iraqi War for years and then reading a children’s book that tells a very different story is a conflicted point of view.  This may create confusion in student readers.  Cognitively, there is a lot to interpret in the story.  I would definitely place the text at an adolescent level.  Understanding the “why” associated with this story is a tricky tightrope any teacher would struggle to walk and subsequently explain.  I think a strong introduction to the Iraq War is absolutely necessary if the book is shared in class followed by a respectful and thorough class discussion. 

Looking at the high quality literature template, I don’t think the situation is relatable to the average student.  Having your country invaded, bombed and your whole life dramatically changed is a terrible experience almost no one can relate to.  Seeing the damage this does to Ali does show students the pain violence and aggression can inflict on others.  The conflict of war is not overcome in Silent Music.  The best solution I found in the story was Ali’s inspiration from his family, Yakut the famous calligrapher and his personal writings.

While reading through Silent Music I found the characters, with the except of Ali, to be simply described, which is fine since there is little text in the book to begin with and Ali is clearly the main character.  I found his representation to be poignant and honest describing the specifics of how he writes, his interpretation of the world around him and feelings.  His greatest strength is his resolve and will to survive.  The very last line in the book is, “How much I have to practice until this word (peace) flows from my pen.”  His weakness is the environment of war that surrounds him. 

The setting and issues are the central point of the story as Rumford takes us to the time and place where the Iraq War began.  This offers an Iraqi historical perspective of bombs falling and an uncertain future.  There is clearly a historical point of view told through Ali’s eyes; he is confused, frustrated and withdrawn from what his world has become.  His enthusiasm for writing has decreased and the happiness that was originally present is now absent.  It is this change that creates multi-leveled themes in the book. 

There is a clear line between before and after the invasion.  Themes such as love, family, freedom, war, peace, and culture are all firmly present and open for debate.  It is these themes that encourage readers to use higher thought processes to analyze the story, its characters (mostly Ali) and the power a narrative can have in the opinion from the reader.  After reading the story I had to take some time to let the words sink in.  I wondered, “Did Ali leave out any information of his narrative that he wasn’t ready to tell?” 

One has to look at the Iraqi and American side of the story and then interpret it.  Based on this, I think the book allows students to be inspired to learn more about the beginning of the Iraqi War and finding peaceful ways to resolve their problems.  If anything, the book gives students a chance to expand their knowledge of other cultures and how there are always at least two sides to every story. 

The literary elements I found most prominent were characterization, setting as historical background and point of view.  Despite the few words in Silent Music, the pictures described so much about Ali.  His love of soccer, calligraphy and music are all well known, but the scant words written from his perspective are what stuck with me.  “I filled my room with calligraphy.  I filled my mind with peace.” instantly comes to mind.  The setting on pre and post war Iraq creates a character vs. environment relationship.  The image of Ali with his hands folded over and looking away shows me he has a feeling of fighting a losing battle to survive in a new more volatile country.  The point of view from an Iraqi child before and after the invasion is one that is historically not well represented.  Granted, the story is fictional, I’m sure the emotions are similar to that many adults and especially children felt—one of confusion, anxiety and frustration at not being able to put a stop to the conflict. 

The illustrations in Silent Music are amazing.  Patterns are laid into the shapes of things (shirts, faces birds, etc).  The covering patterns resemble designs you may see in the Middle East (ornate repeating patters, exotic horses, stars, Arabic language, etc.).  The backgrounds have these designs also, but usually in a tan color.  This reflects the sandy and arid environment of the Middle East.  When the bombing takes place the colors become dark with jet-like images.  Another image that stuck with me after reading the text a slow evolution of a jet to a bird war to peace.  This was a hopeful message for Ali and Iraq’s freedom. 

An idea for a mini lesson would be to give students calligraphy pens so they can write a reaction to the story, much like Ali writes about his surroundings.  This would be a great way to assume a similar role to Ali and hear their thoughts on a thought-provoking book. 

I would place the target audience of Silent Music at an older elementary level almost entirely because of its subject of war and shattered innocence.

Plains Indians

Brooks, Susie. Plains Indians. New York: Power Kids, 2010. Print.

Plains Indians is a summary of the North American Plains Native Americans.  It approaches the broad cultural subject simply, effectively and informatively with each page detailing a part about the Plains Indians.  I viewed the titles of each page as common questions elementary students might ask.  Examples such as "What food did they eat", "Did the boys and girls go to school?" and "What are the Plains Indians doing today?" are all what an elementary school student may ask.  As a whole, the information is simple, without opinion, factual, historical and honest about the Plains Indians.  There are no stereotypes or negative impressions presented about the Native Americans. 

When looking at the readability lexile, I found the language to be at an middle elementary level because of longer sentences, higher amount of text (because reading stamina is increasing) the use lower frequency words, and some largely unique Native American words (parfletches, moccasins and reservations).  Cognitively, I would place the text in an upper elementary level because it is tying many different concepts, tribes, artifacts, history and cultures to the Native Americans.  The students would have to use reasoning to understand how everything fits together under a large umbrella of Native culture. Socially, I would place the text in middle elementary level because at these grades students can understand other points of view, with the forming of social groups they can relate to tribes and Native Americans and also see similarities in their social life and Indian tribes.

When examining the characteristics of high quality learning, the characters (the Native Americans) face problems that are realistic to readers, such as being oppressed culture being taken away and finding an identity within their native and new American culture.  This may be more relatable to students from a different culture, however these issues exist in the world.  These problems may be interesting to readers because it is historical and the Plains Indians still exist today.   

Sadly, the Native Americans did not overcome their problems.  The closest they came to overcoming them was to retain part of their identity as their world crumbled.  Despite this preservation, it is on a much smaller scale than ever before.  Along with retaining your personal and cultural identity the current state of Native American and how they arrived there is a lesson the teacher would have to explain carefully. 

There are no individual characters in the text, but tribes and cultures, which are many-sided.  Their lifestyle and traditions are shown throughout the book in illustrations and some pictures.  They experience emotions students relate to such as pride in their culture and identity and faithfulness to members in their inner social circle. 
 
The book shows a historical setting and how changes in lifestyle with an earth-based way of life which no one lives anymore (at least on the same level as plains Native Americans).  Historically, the fact that land was literally being fought over instead of resolved in the courts show how society has changed.  In addition, many people died to gain control of land, which is unheard of in America today.

There is one main higher though process used, which is to understand bolded words using context clues.  In the back of the book there is a glossary that has the proper definitions of the bolded words. 

Despite the fact Native American culture has declined in its prominence, I think the book motivates and inspires students to learn more about the Plains Indians.  All the major points of their life and history are briefly touched on.  This primer may inspire students to acknowledge other cultures by learning about them and where they come from.

The literary elements I most saw were characterization, setting as a historical background and style.  In characterization, the Indians are explained extremely well but at the level a middle elementary student can digest.  Although this is a non-fictional book, we get to know such important parts of their life such as: who they are, what is important to them, how they lived, see how they lived and their history up to today.  With setting as historical background, the book shows a time without modern conveniences.  We get to see how a life without electricity, the Internet, cars, cell phones and supermarkets was operated.  We can clearly see this is from a distant time.  Finally, the book’s style and layout is very welcoming to the elementary reader.  Each page has picture, captions, explanations and answers to the main question posed at the top of the page.  Often photographs and artifacts are used to show realism instead of illustrations.  This style is interesting to look at, simple to read and straightforward in its thematic layout. 

The illustrations are drawn with a thick black pen, contain colors that are shaded between a dark and light variation of a color.  There are lines drawn in the picture to indicate shadows and depth.  I found this pleasing and artful because you could tell it was a simple drawing, but it was accurate in its depiction of the Native Americans and their culture. 

My idea for a minilesson would work on a more local level than the book.  As a class we would find where in MN Native Americans still exist. We could take a virtual tour online to see if you can find information and pictures from a reservation (make sure it is one that is portrayed positively).  Show pictures of the people, and symbols of their cultural past and present. 

Looking back at Plains Indians, I would place the target audience at middle to upper elementary school level because at this age students may be interested in different cultures, American history and the earth's natural resources. 

My Friend Mei Jing

McQuinn, Anna, Ben Frey, and Irvin Cheung. My Friend Mei Jing. Toronto: Annick, 2009. Print.

In My Friend Mei Jing, Mei Jing and Monifa are second graders in an American school.  Mei Jing is Chinese and Monifa is Nigerian.  They have a friendship that involves, art, playing outside, dress up, their love of animals and future aspirations.  Each girl learns about the culture of the other girl and they enjoy the company of each other.  The book simply shows that despite cultural differences we can be friends and share much in common.

When examining the readability lexile, I found My Friend Mei Jing to be at an early elementary language level because of the simple words, short sentences and high frequency words used.  Cognitively, I also placed the text at an early elementary level because the book is simply about friendship and some cultural identity touchstones (food, role of family and some cultural celebrations).  The importance of play and family are central in the text and are included because of their relevancy to a young child's life.  Socially, the text was at a low level, closest to preschool or kindergarten, because the two girls enjoy playing dress up, role-playing, helping others and playing outside.

After reading through the story and analyzing the characteristic of high quality literature I found the main characters face problems that are, on a large scale, common with children, such as understanding other cultures and classmates who are different from them.  This problem is overcome with the two characters finding similarities between each other celebrating those similarities and differences together. 

The main characters of Monifa and Mei Jing are multi-sided.  They are defined both by their cultural and individual identities (mainly Mei Jing).  Her family history, current family, food, aspirations and cultural identity are briefly shown and explained through simple sentences young readers can understand.  Between Monifa and Mei Jing their main strength is their ability to accept others with no real weaknesses observed.  The setting for these characters is modern-day America, so there are no different historical points of view, but there are different cultural points of view mainly from Mei Jing‘s perspective.

As a result of the book being fairly simple and geared toward an early reading audience, there is one multi-leveled theme: the understanding of different cultures.  This is discussed as a general concept (Chinese New Year, tea, etc.) and on a relational level between Monifa and Mei Jing (the food Mei Jing’s mom prepares, the market Mei Jing shops at with her family, the role of family in Mei Jing’s life, etc.).  Although simply worded there are plenty of opportunities in the book for a teacher to discuss how we are different but similar in our cultures.  The higher-level though processes are not easily detectable, but students should take some time to internalize the different cultures the book presents.  This isn’t explicitly encouraged by the book but should be initiated by the teacher.   

There isn’t a stereotype that I observed in the text, however the first line of the book is blunt and may put readers off.  The first line is simply, “My friend is Chinese.”  Aside from this possible misstep, the book is fairly straightforward and simple in its representation of Mei Jing and Monifa's respective culture. 

Through Mei Jing and Monifa’s positive relationship and embrace of difference the story inspires young readers to get to know others who may be culturally different.  I believe the book inspires other to realize differences aren't bad; they simply make us who we are. 
 
The literary elements I found were the theme of personal development, point of view and characterization.  The theme of personal development was shown in that Mei Jing and Monifa are sometimes confused by the differences between them but their friendship and similarities are stronger.  Monifa’s “Yuuuuck!” to how Mei Jing’s family prepares fish is how many students would react to something so different from what they are used to.  The entire story is told from Monifa’s point of view as she explores the past, present and future of she and Mei Jing's life.  Mei Jing’s family emigrated from China, she was born in America and her future aspiration is to become a veterinarian.  This is much different from Monifa’s personal life history and therefore creates a point of view that is from an outsider’s perspective but also rooted in the respect friends have for each other.  Finally, the characterization is present in the identity of each girl.  What they enjoy doing (dressing up, playing with animals, art), their hopes (becoming veterinarians), differences and cultural identity (family, food, family history, holidays).

The illustrations largely consist of paintings, some photographs and random images.  On every page a picture of a person’s face is superimposed on their painted body on each page; it is sort of weird but also unique.  There is no shading done in any of the illustrations and everything is one tone of one color. 

One idea for a minilesson would involve students bringing in artifacts that show their ancestry and what it means.  Ask their parents, see if they have anything in their house that would be safe, appropriate and not too important to bring in to class.  On a specified day there could be a class cultural show and tell.  It would be important to stress respect and knowledge in the cultural show and tell circle.
 
I would place the target audience at early elementary because between six and eight years old many students are beginning to learn and explore other cultures.  The two main characters are female, so I believe the book would best appeal to young girls.

Around the World With Mouk: A Trail of Adventure

Boutavant, Marc, and Albin Michel. Jeunesse. Around the World With Mouk: A Trail of Adventure. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle LLC, 2009. Print.

In Around the World With Mouk: A Trail of Adventure, Mouk, a young bear, goes on worldwide trip visiting other countries.  He writes postcards to his friends in America describing what he experiences.  Each page has interactions between animals (with human traits) in the specific country or region.  Mouk has friends in each area portrayed who are often using a piece of the culture in the pictures. 

Looking at the readability lexile, I would place Around the World With Mouk: A Trail of Adventure in the early elementary to (early) middle elementary level because there simple sentences in the text bubbles the characters use but the postcards Mouk sends to his friends are written in a slightly advanced but conversational manner.  Cognitively, I would place the text in the early elementary level because Mouk’s story is simple to follow: he is traveling around the world and interacting with his friends.  Each page is a different location as evidenced by the people, setting and colors.  Socially, the text is at a preschool/kindergarten level because children enjoy excursions to new places, much like Mouk’s adventures.

When examining the characteristics of higher quality literature, Mouk faces some minor problems like trying to learn other cultures.  He is often amazed and playfully confused at the culture and how it is different from his American culture.  While in Madagascar he is served a large cockroach to eat which surprises but ultimately delights him.  This is relatable to young readers because they may be curious about other cultures and may experience the same sense of wonderment and confusion at our differences. 

Mouk overcomes his problems of cultural differences by having a positive attitude, trusting in his friends who live in each country/region and learning about unfamiliar parts of the culture.  Mouk’s main weakness is that he is a bit too naive just taking everything with a smile on his face and not objecting when something may bother him.  He doesn’t seem to retain much of himself as he goes abroad, basically being at the mercy of the other cultures, which is good to a certain degree. 

The settings or places Mouk travels to allow the reader to gain insight into cultures and the traits that define them.  Each page is a vignette for the young reader and story within the larger framework of cultural differences.  Within this framework, the multileveled themes I saw were friendship, acceptance/tolerance of others and sense of community. 

Throughout these themes the literature requires the reader to use one main higher level thought process in evaluating what they have read in Mouk’s postcards and how that is shown in the detailed illustrations.  The postcards off to the side of each page set the stage and the pictures extend what is explained. 

With so much going on in the illustrations, I found some evidence of negative stereotypes under the surface.  Many of the animal characters are doing what you think people typically do in each country, which borders on being stereotypical but also possibly accurate.  For example, in China animals are sumo wrestling and doing karate.  In Africa there is a definite tribal motif in the animals characters and in India there is an elephant that has Gandhi-esque glasses on.  These aren’t a slap in the face to a culture and in a way this might be what students associate with each country on a surface level. 

Since Mouk’s experiences are all positive and opportunities for learning, I think the book motivates students to understand other cultures and the world.  Given the age group the book is suited for I think the information provided in Mouk’s postcards home is simple and educational for young readers.  The text is written in a conversational manner that students can relate to.  The information contained in the book contributes to the academic field by teaching students about other cultures, at least on a basic or early elementary level. 

The literary elements I found were setting as a mood, the theme of personal development and point of view.  With setting as a mood, each page and place is a different country.  Mouk’s travels are starting at Western Europe and traveling east.  Each page reflects the colors of the country’s environment and the cultural touchstones that help define it.  The theme of personal development is shown through the information Mouk learns about each country.  In Greece he learns that you can eat octopus; in India he learns that cows are scared and vanilla is extremely important to Madagascar.  These firsthand lessons allow him to learn and appreciate the differences throughout each country and the world as whole.  Also important was the element of point of view.  Mouk sees the world as an American.  What is commonplace in other countries is new and unfamiliar to Mouk, however, if the roles were reversed the situation would be similar to a foreigner. 

The illustrations in the text have so much going on.  Each page has at least ten animals partaking in activities, often related to the country.  They are also talking to one another and interacting like humans would.  There are major and minor events happening such as in Japan where a festive parade is going through the middle of the page but then on either side secondary events such as two ducks playing Mah Jong and two mice looking for the dragon constellation are taking place.  I found that if you examine each page more and more of the country’s information would reveal itself. 

One idea for a mini lesson would to have students research a country and write a postcard to their friends back home in America.  The postcard would have important information about the country and some facts they may not know.  For the “picture” on the postcard students could draw a popular or little known landmark in the country and then have a cut out picture of Mouk that could be added in their drawing. 

After reading Around the World With Mouk: A Trail of Adventure, I would place the text at an early elementary to middle elementary level.  The different cultures may be harder for younger readers to grasp but the animal character presentation and main focus on the illustrations may make it more digestible. 

Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Doreen Rappaport - Brian Collier - Scholastic Inc. - 2002. Print.

I chose this book as part of the cultural diversity portion of my literacy blog.  I was initially drawn to this text by the information about Brian Collier's work in our Show and Tell book.  I enjoyed actually seeing his drawings in the original book and was captivated by the story an uplifting message.  The book itself is a history of Martin Luther King Jr. from his childhood, rise to prominence, words of inspiration for the Civil Rights Movement and assassination. 

Looking at the readability lexile, I would place the language of Martin's Big Words at early elementary level because of its short words, few words per page and accompanying pictures.  Cognitively, I would place it as upper elementary because of its chronological ordering of events, abstract problems and how the Civil Rights debate was won but racism and horrible hate crimes still existed after King's death.  I think some students may struggle with the "why" behind these concepts.  Although racism and assassinations obviously still exist, these may make even less sense to a younger child, especially when racism is not as widespread as it was in the 20th century.  Socially, I would place the book at a middle elementary level because the concept of what is right and wrong becomes evident at this stage.  The point of the book is to show that MLK was on the correct side of the Civil Rights debate and was a hero for equality. 

The problems presented in Martin's Big Words are believable, as students are aware of treating others differently and discriminating, however, probably not on the level like blacks were discriminated in the U.S. South.  I think this would be believable to readers as they have no doubt heard MLK's name and perhaps don't know about his beginnings and struggles.  The hardships that were overcome in the U.S. South allow students to gain insight into different ways of solving problems, especially with non-violent resistance as shown in the bus boycott King spearheaded.  Instead of fighting back, students could learn to talk about disagreements and not respond with violence. 

The characters in the story, especially Martin Luther King Jr. are relatable to children.  The students not only get to see Martin’s maturation from child to adult, but also the growth of his beliefs and importance.  Many of the pages include quotes from King, such as, “Sooner or later, all the people of the world will have to discover a way to live together.”  Although certainly not on the same level of the extreme hardships African Americans faced, many children may relate to the struggle of being accepted for who they are and being understood by others. 

The societal factors at play in Martin’s Big Words show just how far society has come since the heated and violent days of the Civil Rights Movement.  Examples such as people of a different race being killed or refusing to sit on a section of a bus show the difference fifty years can make.  Although, I would certainly stress to students that racism still exists, it is just not as explicitly evident as it once was.  In addition, I would show Brian Collier’s brilliant illustrations and make sure the class knew what exactly was occurring.  Through each successive page I would explain the erosion of segregation occurred and how the Civil Rights Movement ultimately prevailed.

The book’s message of equality showed no stereotypes against blacks or whites.   Looking through the book, no white people are even shown, which could be interpreted as being either positive (because the whites in the story’s environment would probably be supporters of segregation) or negative (is it really telling the whole story if the group that made up some of the segregationists isn’t even represented?).  Regardless, Martin’s mother was a supporter of equality, which obviously inspired a young MLK telling him, “You’re as good as anyone else.”

Through these words, and the bolded words at the bottom of almost every page of text, Martin’s Big Words is an inspirational and motivational book because it is real, historical and relates to the goal many of us have for acceptance. 

The literary elements I found most present in the text were person against society, setting as an antagonist and characterizations.  In person against society, Martin’s experiences as a child leading up to his assassination show he was fighting an uphill societal battle to bring about equality.  The specter of racism, harm and threats were the de facto of the American South during MLK’s journey.  This was also present in the text’s setting, which was what allowed Martin’s goals so hard to achieve.  This setting was the most dangerous place the Civil Rights Movement could have taken place.  Although a heavy toll was taken on blacks and the movement, MLK’s success made the victory even greater.  Through these struggles and settings, I found the characterizations to be well defined.  While Rappaport told King’s story in her own words, King’s words and character were represented through quotes on the bottom of many pages such as, “Hate cannot drive out hate.  Only love can do that” and, “Everyone can be great.”

One of the main reasons I chose to write about Martin’s Big Words was because of Bryan Collier’s illustrations.  In so much of his artwork there are textures that are pasted together with actual images.  These are torn and then assembled to create a mosaic of one image, made up of parts of the original image itself.  In addition to this unique process there is a combination watercolor and oil paintings.

One idea for a mini lesson would be a pro and con list about non-violent resistance.  Students could write down the advantages and disadvantages to this means of protest individually and then contribute to a class list on the board that showed what they had written.  Once these student answers have been presented we could come to a class consensus about the overall outcome not only about MLK’s goal for civil rights but an evaluation of how he went about achieving it. 

Based on the large concepts and intensity of the Civil Rights Movement, I would set Martin’s Big Words at a middle elementary target audience.  The struggle of good versus evil in a relatively modern society and historical importance are heavy subjects, but the pictures and simple sentences show it is aimed at a younger audience. 

When My Name Was Keoko

Park, Linda Sue. When My Name Was Keoko. New York: Dell Yearling, 2004. Print.

In When My Name was Keoko Korea is at the mercy of the Japanese Empire between 1940 and 1945.  In Korea, the Kim family is struggling to retain their culture, remain safe and survive.  Their uncle is secretly printing anti-Japanese literature, Tae-yul, the older brother in the family, has joined the Japanese army as a kamikaze pilot and none of the main characters know who to trust in their community.  As the war approaches its end, Tae-yul's kamikaze mission draws closer, the whereabouts of Sun-hee's uncle are discovered and the family struggles to stay together.

When examining the readability lexiles, I found the language to be in the adolescence stage because of long words, sentences with many clauses, detailed descriptions and length, which requires a high level of reading stamina.  Cognitively, the narrative switches between Sun-hee and Tae-yul along with their Japanese names (Keoko and Nobuo).  Sometimes they are describing the same event but using a different narrative.  This could be very confusing for an adolescent reader.  Socially, I would also place the text in the adolescent stage because students would most likely experience conflicting emotions, such as Tae-yul joining the kamikaze ranks against the wishes of his family. Also, the struggle of finding an identity as individuals and as a family was firmly present, specifically trying to Japanese when they are Koreans.

Looking at the characteristics of high quality literature, the main traits I see shown in the text are: setting and time allowing readers to gain an understanding about changes in society and the author developing multi-leveled themes.  When examining the setting, 1940's Korea was a time of great oppression by the Japanese, one that forced the Kim family to change their traditions, lifestyle, communication and name.  This still goes on in the world today sadly, but it is far less prevalent than it was in the first half of the 20th century.  Many students, especially those in living in America may have a hard time understanding the struggles the Kim family goes through, being someone you're not and living in constant fear of being persecuted simply because of who you are. 

The multi-leveled themes I saw were: family, culture and community. In the case of family, Tae-yul's selfless act of joining the Japanese army as a kamikaze fighter resulting in his family receiving better food rations was paying the ultimate price to help with his family's survival (he did not die, however).  Culturally, the Korean flag that was hidden, the Sharon tree was preserved and a code of silence was kept about their Uncle's pro-Korean printing press.  Within the community, everyone did their best to stick together and help out one another, whether it be teaching an elder the Japanese alphabet or informing neighbors of the real news about the state of the war. 
 
The literary elements I saw featured were plot: person against society, setting as historical background and style.  In person against society, the Kim family had to live in constant fear of their lives and safety.  At one point in the book, one of Sun-hee's friends in playing with her and they stop by her uncle's printing store. He knows that Sun-hee's friend has a father who is a Japanese supporter and is quiet and eventually tells them to leave.  In a free society, the uncle could print virtually anything, but in Japanese-occupied Korea, he must be very cautious not to draw attention to himself or his operation.  This was a microcosm of the society the Kim family lives in; one where you must protect yourself if you are different from what the Japanese want. 

In setting as a historical background, the cloud of WWII hangs heavily over Korea and the "news briefings" they receive from the Japanese occupation.  These messages, while usually fabricated, are the main source of news the Koreans receive.  This propaganda was often used by states that had the power during WWII.  Also, Tae-yul joining the Japanese kamikaze fighters was a snapshot in history at the end of WWII.  This horrible trend was almost exclusively tied to WWII and shows the dedication Tae-youl had to his family.  Finally, the style of When My Name Was Keoko was very unique in that Tae-yul and Sun-hee both tell similar events from their own perspective.  This was a little confusing to me, but I thought it gave the reader a fuller view of the events that occurred in the text.
 
One idea I had for a mini lesson would be to show students the Japanese internment camps in the U.S. during WWII.  Although the Koreans were at the mercy of the Japanese empire, Japanese-Americans were at the mercy of America.  Although it wasn't as ruthless as the Japanese occupation of Korea, the same principle of not giving people their freedoms was employed.  A simple picture slideshow and general overview would prove educational and possibly bring the subject closer to home for a classroom in Minnesota.
 
I viewed the target audience as adolescent because of the length of the book, the multiple narratives (which I even got confused with) and serious subjects such as oppression and kamikaze missions.  I think this book is well suited for bother male and female students as Sun-hee and Tae-yul's point of view is represented and the war is seen through the eyes of a female and male.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret: A Novel in Words and Pictures

Selznick, Brian. The Invention of Hugo Cabret: A Novel in Words and Pictures. New York: Scholastic, 2007. Print.

In The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Hugo an orphan toy enthusiast gets involved with a tomboy girl and bitter old storekeeper (also a toy enthusiast) and discovers a celebrity no one knew was in their midst.

Looking at the readability lexile, I would place the language in the text at an upper elementary level.  The story does have some longer words and French words, however the reader can often get a very solid understanding of what the language is describing through the many pictures throughout the book.  Cognitively, the book is upper elementary because children must apply logical rules, reasoning and formal operations to interpret and solve the mystery that is Georges' life past and present.  Socially, I can again see upper elementary students relating to the rebelliousness of authority at many points (Hugo living on his own and going against the wishes of the Milie parents).

When looking at the characteristics of high quality literature, I most saw the text inspiring and motivating students and showing the strength of male and female characters.  In the text I couldn't help but think of the enjoyment the readers would get from seeing two children discover the truth about Georges' past and outsmart adults.  Young readers love solving a mystery, especially when adults can't.

This isn't without screw-ups, however.  When at the Milie household, Hugo and Isabelle discover pictures from Georges' past and he has a meltdown and locks himself in a room.  He eventually came around, however the lack of tact and maturity by the kids showed their youth but also their intrepidness in discovering his true past.  Both Hugo and Isabelle are intelligent, cunning and very capable children.  Hugo fooled the men at the train station for months that his uncle was still alive and setting the clocks and Isabelle was able to sneak easily into the movies and recognize how to work the automaton.

The literary elements I saw in The Invention of Hugo Cabret were: setting as historical background, theme of personal development and style.  The historical background in the text is the importance of film, entertainment and the arts in Paris in the first half of the twentieth century.  Paris has always been an artistic jewel and Georges' past is no exception. If the story was set in any other place the story would not be very believable.  The frequency curios shops and magic was available shows that Paris was a welcoming city for Georges' past and eventual acceptance into the annals of artistic history. 

The theme of personal development pertains to Georges as he was an angry man who found delight in destroying Hugo's notebook and eventually transformed into a respected elder of the arts accepting a medal of achievement.  This was an evolution that happened as a result of Hugo and Isabelle's clumsy but successful actions in rekindling Georges' past.

Finally, the style of the book with the text and extremely beautiful pencil drawings adds a literary and artistic element to the story.  I would have never had any idea what an animaton was or what it looked like without the illustrations.

One idea for a mini lesson would be for students to write a short story and then draw accompanying pictures.  Several students could show the class the pictures and ask if they could interpret the story.  This activity would show the class the importance of using descriptive writing and pictures that convey the story.

Looking back at The Invention of Hugo Cabret, the target is both male and female reader because of the prominence of Hugo and Isabelle as main characters along with movies, drawings, magic and solving a mystery.  The graphical novel format is popular with many young readers so I feel any reader above the middle elementary level could enjoy the text assuming they have a high enough reading stamina and aren't intimidated by such a long book (even though illustrations take up many of the pages).

Home of the Brave

Applegate, Katherine. Home of the Brave. New York, NY: Square Fish, 2007. Print.

In Home of the Brave, Kek, a Sudanese immigrant to America (Minnesota, specifically), tries to adjust to his new home, retain his past, discover whether his mother is alive and forge a new identity.  He does this while taking care of a cow whom he relates to and meeting new friends.

Looking at the readability lexile, the language in Home of the Brave is around the upper elementary level because sentences are simple, however, Kek and his Sudanese family in Minnesota speak broken English, which may be a challenge for some readers to read and more importantly understand. 

Cognitively, the events of Kek’s past as well as his struggles and eventual maturation in Minnesota show a real-time chronological layout that takes place in Minnesota.  There are also flashbacks to Sudan, which may confuse some students who could be use to a linear style of storytelling.  Regardless, knowing the order of events and how they fit in to the present is key to understanding the text. 

Socially, I would place the text at the upper elementary age, students are certainly aware and have noticed similarities and differences between cultures.  In Home of the Brave the importance of, as Norton says, "Wanting to do a job well", such as Kek on the farm and helping out at home, may be relatable to upper elementary students.  Also, students have a sense of justice, such as Kek being reunited with his mother.  Young readers may resist Kek's imperfections in American society as they know he means well and has a caring heart.

Looking at the characteristics of high quality literature, I felt Kek was a many-sided individual who experienced emotions meaningful to adolescent readers.  Kek is many-sided in that he is from Africa but is trying to survive in America.  His culture is encountering another culture and his understanding of people, traditions (how cows are treated), food (ketchup) and the world around him (Minnesota is so gray).  This marriage of cultures, however awkward, would be interesting to students because it is American culture viewed through the lens of another culture.  This would allow students to see how other may perceive the world they have known their entire life. 

His love to his missing mother and the loyalty he shares toward the cow is meaningful to adolescent readers because the text makes them seem real and believable through Kek's words, feelings and thoughts.  Secondly, I truly commend the book for not showing any stereotypes or belittling Kek as an immigrant.  I felt his point of view was honest and legitimately portrayed what someone new to America might think and say.  His words, while not perfect, were easy enough to understand and kept the reader's interest.  In my mind it was Ms. Applegate who somehow got inside a Sudanese immigrant's head, stole the thoughts and wrote Home of the Brave.

The three literary elements I saw in Home of the Brave were: characterization, setting as an antagonist and style.  Kek's character was someone I wanted to take under my wing and show him the world.  I didn't feel sorry for him, but I could tell through his thoughts and actions that he was a respectable and hardworking person.  Kek's dedication to the cow was the prime example of his personality and candor.  He went out of his way to introduce himself to the female owner of the cow, get to know the cow, help replace its fence and ultimately bring it to the zoo so it could live a life of ear scratches. 

In setting as an antagonist, the entire environment surrounding Kek throughout his life has been an antagonist.  From the violence in Sudan that almost claimed his mother to the confusion of being in a new land and struggling to understand the language, Kek's surroundings have often been extremely challenging and frustrating.  When Kek wanted to clean the dishes and put them in the clothes washer instead of the dishwasher, his general idea was correct, but the differences in washers in an American cultural setting made this a disaster, however well meaning it was. 

Finally, I felt the style of Home of the Brave was extremely unique. With so few words printed on each page, there seemed to be even more that was said.  The sentence structure of Kek's words, specifically the "so close" moments when he tries to explain or say something (a slam dunk is called a, "Dunk slam" for example) and planes being called, "Flying boats" were all nuggets of Kek's understanding of the new world of Minnesota and ultimately the unique writing of Applegate.
An idea for a mini lesson would be to bring in objects from another culture, not describe what they are used for or their name, and have students guess what the object does and what they would call it.  This is how Kek probably interpreted new things in America.  This would provide students with a greater understanding of Kek's challenges and how difficult understanding a new culture can be.

In retrospect, I would put Home of the Brave at the lower level of upper elementary reading.  The book is slightly more male-centered than female, but I feel all young readers regardless of gender or culture can find a rewarding center in the book with its cultural struggle and familial upbeat conclusion.

Ghost Wings

Joosse, Barbara M., and Giselle Potter. Ghost Wings. San Francisco: Chronicle, 2001. Print.

In Barbara Joose’s Ghost Wings a young girl loses her grandmother to death and struggles to find hope in her loss.  The story begins with a brief introduction saying butterflies come to a forest in Mexico in the Fall to gain strength to travel north, usually during the Springtime.  The little girl has fond memories of going to the forest with her grandmother to see the butterflies, making tortillas and scaring away the monsters in her room.  One day her grandmother becomes ill, loses weight and eventually passes away.

The girl is sad and confused at the loss of her grandmother.  She no longer has anyone to scare away the bedroom monsters, make tortillas or see the butterflies with.  While celebrating Dia de los Muertos and visiting her grandma’s grave she sees the first butterfly of the Fall.  This reminds her of her grandmother, that even though something isn't around it still exists and becomes aware that everything lives on in one form.

Looking at the readability lexile, I would place the language in Ghost Wings at a Middle Elementary level because of it’s long sentences connected by commas, Spanish words and long length of the book.  Cognitively, the text is middle elementary because of the serious subject matter of death and use of memory to fully understand the text (life before grandma died, life after grandma died and the differences that are observed).  Socially, the text is between early and middle elementary because of the close ties to family (not yet gaining an individual identity) and the ability to understand others' point of view, specifically the young girl.

When examining the characteristics of high quality literature, the little girl faced a problem all of us, even adults, must deal with: coping with the death of a loved one.  This is believable to readers because they may have already experience the situation the little girl and her family faces.  The little girl overcomes her problem of grief by visiting her grandmother's grave on Dia de los Muertos and seeing the butterflies return (she and her grandmother would sit and watch the butterflies in the forest).  Also, with the support and love of her mother and father she overcomes the loss and is content that her grandmother still lives on. 

The main character, the girl, is many-sided.  She is young, happy, inquisitive and loving.  In contrast to this, she also feels sadness, confusion and eventually redemption as the death of her grandmother leads to acceptance.  I did not see any weaknesses in her character, as she experienced many of the emotions others feel when someone close dies.  These multi-level themes of love, death and acceptance are central to Ghost Wings and make this an effective book for those struggling to understand how to interpret the death of someone close.

Looking through the text, the main avenue readers have to use higher level thought processes is with the Spanish words.  Phrases and words like: pan de los muertos (bread of the dead), las tumbas (graves) and offrendas (altars for someone or something) will all be unknown to many students.  They will have to use text clues and pictures to understand what these words mean.  Also, there is a line between fantasy and fact, especially when the book talks about, "Monsters in the bedroom" the little girl's grandma would scare away.  There aren't really monsters in the room, but perhaps this is a metaphor that grandma makes her not afraid of things in the world and eases her worries.

The Hispanic culture is very prominent in Ghost Wings, and I really don't see any negative stereotypes within it.  The characters are loving, kind and honest people who represent their culture and family dynamic in a respectful way that readers can appreciate.  The text builds on a reader's knowledge of hispanic culture through pictures, explanations and words. This builds upon already existing knowledge within the school curriculum in the social studies vein by teaching students about different cultures. It also motivates readers to learn more about the Hispanic culture by portraying it positively, showing that they mourn death differently than in the U.S. and that there are similarities and differences between the two cultures.

Three literary elements I found in Ghost Wings were: characterization, setting as a mood and point of view.

In characterization, I found the grandmother character to be inspiring.  She is an old, wise woman who cares for her family and especially the little girl.  She passes on skills, such as making tortillas, telling stories and creates a sense of wonderment in the girl’s world.  One example of this is when she and the girl are in the forest with the butterflies. She says, "The butterflies carry the souls of the old butterflies, so they never really leave."  It was lessons like this that ultimately gave the girl hope after she passed away and the butterflies returned again.

The setting as a mood was shown by the butterfly migration.  Had the butterflies not migrated to northern Mexico, the girl would have never understood the relationship between her grandmother's death and the return of the butterflies (we carry the past as part of us).  The Mexican marketplace, cemetery and dining room (with offrenda) were all colorfully illustrated and connected with the words and overall theme of love, loss and eventual redemption. The mood of seeing all the butterflies in the cemetery at the end of the book shows this relationship again and sets a mood of reverence and acceptance of those who have passed away.

Finally, point of view was shown in the girl's struggles to understand life after her grandmother's death. She describes returning to the butterfly forest, not seeing the butterflies and feeling empty. She also says the monsters in her room returned and she could no longer smell the scent of cornmeal and roses (what her grandma smelled like). As I read, I got the impression this is how younger readers may interpret the death of a relative if they were in the position of the young girl.

The illustrations in the text are made with watercolor paints and pale hues. I noticed the dimensionality of the illustrations are sometimes off or not to scale with real life. I believe this is a specific style and perhaps a representation of how the world didn't seem right to the little girl after her grandma passed away.

One idea I had for a mini lesson was to find out which butterflies migrate to and from Minnesota. You could find out how far their journey is, why they travel to certain places and how long they are in Minnesota. You could also teach the class the spanish word for butterfly and show some of the more exotic specimens to extend learning from the text.

Based on the above information, I believe the the target audience is middle elementary level students who are Hispanic, interested in other cultures or working through the death of a loved one.

Gai See: What You Can See in Chinatown

Thong, Roseanne, and Yangsook Choi. Gai See: What You Can See in Chinatown. New York: Abrams for Young Readers, 2007. Print.

In Gai See: What You Can See in Chinatown a Chinese boy and girl travel through a Chinatown market and describe what they see, buy and eat. The items described and bought are reflective of what season it is (in Summer there are fruits and vegetables, for example). The book is a tour of Chinese culture that is rooted in the different seasons.

Looking at the readability lexile, the language is at a preschool to kindergarten level with simple and common themes along with rhyming and repeating phrases (a slew of adjectives followed by the refrain, "On a Sunday morning"). Cognitively, I would place the text at an early elementary level because of the reliance of simple, easy to understand subjects such as: time, seasons, concept of buying, family and food.  Socially, I would place the book at a kindergarten level because the two children characters are working with their parents, going to new places and learning about new places.

When examining the characteristics of high quality literature, the characters face problems and issues that are important to students, namely, the issue of discovering your culture and working with family to shop/support the family's well being.  Within these actions, there really isn't any problem, per se, but the boy and girl help out with shopping and are loyal to their family, which is a positive behavior to promote.  The characters are relatively simple, but it is also an early children's book.  The boy and girl's emotions are largely of wonder and happiness at the market.  Their main strength is their ability to be respectful and helpful at the market with any weakness being their youth and inability to help out more.

Although the book is short and there isn't a lot of text, the multileveled themes I saw shown in the words and illustrations were: family, culture and working as a team (mainly through the act of shopping at the Gai See/Chinese market).  While reading about these actions, the higher thought processes seen is the ability to draw an inference about what is being described by the Chinese words (cheong-fun, choi sum, gai see).

After reading the text I did not observe any stereotypes.  I felt it was an honest and straightforward view of a Chinese market and the role the family plays within the market.  I did notice the mother did most of the food shopping and cooking, but this may be a reflection of a traditional culture.

From a teacher and student point of view, I think the literature motivates and inspires kids. It is a simple, fun, rhyming, picture-oriented book that shows an upbeat and education cultural view of Chinese markets. Through this, the book expands knowledge of the academic field by studying cultures, in the vein of social studies.

The literary elements I saw in Gai See were plot: developing an order of events, setting as a mood and readability. The plot’s order of events was based on the seasons and how the weather corresponded with the foods available in the market. In Summer there are tofu blocks, cold soybean milk and dragon fruit. The setting as a mood is shown through the: people, sounds, foods and goods that paint a picture of the market and culture within it. Finally, the readability of the text is presented clearly through simple words, simple pictures, short sentences, rhyming and a glossary of Chinese terms in the back of the book.

The illustrations in the text are quite simple. There is a white background on almost all pages with back marker outline shaded in with vibrant colors. With the shade of colors and almost always-white background, the characters and illustrations pop or stick out when you see them.

One idea I had for a minilesson was to investigate, as a class, if there is anything like a Gai See/Chinese Market in Minneapolis.  You could take students on a virtual online tour of the Midtown Global Market showing the individual shops and cultural differences. Also, the farmer's market offers different cultural foods. Perhaps I could tie this back in with the Farmer's Market book I profiled earlier in my book reports.

After reading Gai See: What You Can See in Chinatown, I think kindergarten to early elementary students would most enjoy this book, especially because of the rhyming and glossary in back to explain any confusing words.

Farmer's Market: Families Working Together

Rendon, Marcie R., and Cheryl Walsh. Bellville. Farmer's Market: Families Working Together. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda, 2001. Print.
In Farmer's Market: Families Working Together two families the Thao, a Hmong family, and the Kornder family, a German family, both contribute to the local farmer’s market.  The book describes the farming process from planting to harvesting and the specifics behind making a particular crop grow.  The story stresses the coming together of cultures at the farmer's market and how food is a great unifier and educator to cultures. 

Looking at the readability lexiles, the language is rooted in the middle elementary level because of longer sentences and process-based plot showing how food is grown and harvested.  There are also some unique low-frequency words like “topsoil”, “corms” and “nutrients”.  Cognitively, I would place it at an upper elementary level.  Students must keep track of two families and the process from planting to selling.  In addition to this, concepts such as seasons and the actions that are tied to them are stressed as being extremely important.  Socially, I would place the story in the middle elementary level because students have to understand the Thao and Kornder families are working together to achieve a goal.  Through their teamwork as families and in a larger sense at the farmer’s market, their hard work is rewarded with a strong social relationship between grower and buyer.
 
While analyzing the characteristics of high quality learning, I found the characters in the book faced large scale issues that were interesting to readers, such as: teamwork, creating something and working hard to achieve a goal.  On a smaller scale, I felt the families didn’t face problems relating to younger students.  Many of their small-scale problems were related to farming.

The two families overcome their problems in ways that allow them to gain insight into different ways of finding solutions.  Working with others, depending on others, planning, taking responsibility and acceptance of other cultures allows them to reach their goals and successfully sell their food at the farmer‘s market.  These themes allow students to see how difficult, precise and rewarding growing your own food is and knowing where it came from. 

The setting is modern, but each family's ancestry is discussed and how farming has changed from previous generations. 

After analyzing the text, I found no explicit higher thought processes employed.  Everything is explained, presented in pictures and told in a straightforward manner.  I believe the text motivates and inspires students by showing them the process of growing food.  Because we all eat, food is something everyone is involved in at some level (usually not growing it, but buying and eating it).  In the book we see the actual fields where your food may come from which is a journey few people experience. 

The literary elements I found in the text were setting as a mood, accessibility and characterization.  In ‘setting as a mood’ the noises, smells and visuals of the farmer's market are all aptly described. 

The book’s accessibility allows the author to tell the story in relatively simple terms (although there are some long sentences and advanced words used) explaining what happens at each step in the process of farming with each family.  This could be overwhelming to young readers, especially with a possible culture disconnect with each respective family, depending on the child who is reading the book.  However, the pictures and captions support the text by reinforcing what is being described.  Also, there is a list of definitions listed in the back of the book that explains some possibly new or confusing words. 
 
When I say the characterization is used well, I am referring to the families.  Each family has an identity, a method to their farming, different roles within the family and different crops.  However, despite these differences that are laid out and explained, there are similarities, like the friends they know at the farmer's market and feeling of community. 

There are no illustrations in the text but there are real life pictures that show the evolutionary process from planting to harvesting the food.  They also show pictures of each family's ancestors and how growing crops is a part of their history.

An idea for a mini lesson is to have the class investigate the path most produce takes to reach our shelves and compare it to that of a farmer's market.  Why is food grown so far away?  Having the class grow some of their own food with seeds, create a classroom farmers market and share a meal together at a later date would allow them to be involved in the text. 

Looking at the target audience, I would say middle elementary students would enjoy the book the most.  It shows how food comes from the earth to our homes and others a multicultural approach that many students may find interesting as they are still learning about the world and having exposure to different races and cultures. 

Families

Kuklin, Susan. Families. New York: Hyperion, 2006. Print.

Looking at Susan Kuklin’s Families, I found the breadth of the different families along with the pictures to be its strongest suit.  The main point of the book was to show the different types of families and show that within each one there is a safe place where everyone is valued and loved.  Each vignette of a family has at least one of the children in it explaining the specifics of the family, traditions (often relating to their ancestry or culture) and relationship to other family members.

While looking at the readability lexile, I would place Families in the language as middle elementary because of middle length sentences that are fairly simple to read.  However, many cultural specific words that are not widely used are often included.  Words like: kosher and Ramadan may be completely new and confusing to students. 

Cognitively, I would place the book at a late elementary because although family is a common thread in American society, the way each family operates and its specifics are often not covered by any other means in school.  In other words, the way the family operates, its rules and relations may be foreign to the student audience.  They stand to learn a lot about families in this book, however there is a lot to understand and take in. 

Socially, I place the book at early adolescence because there are so many differences in each family that is portrayed.  Students need to have an open mind, maturity and patience to understand and appreciate the differences contained in the book.

Looking at the requirements for high quality literature, the families within face issues and problems that are believable to readers.  The desire to be accepted, loved and make sense of one’s family are factors we strive to achieve through our whole life, not just as students in school.  This book is a great icebreaker for students who may be striving to make sense of a change in their family or don’t feel “normal” when it comes to families. 

Through the common thread of love and acceptance in the many different types of families, the students overcome their problems, which although is not explicitly stated, I believe is fitting in within a non-traditional family.  Looking at the pictures and reading the children’s words describing their family is enough evidence to show that they are content within their family. 

The characters in Families are many-sided.  Through their family and modern society the members forge their identity and appreciate who their family is and how they fit into its structure.  One example of this is Lily and Jacob who have two moms.  They call Lucy (mom #1) “Mom” and Jennie (mom #2) “Mama.”  The children go to Mom and Mama for different questions and help with everyday problems.  Instead of defining their parents by their sex they define their two moms by their respective personalities.  Through example like these, the class can see the changes that have taken place over time and how traditional families are no longer traditional. 

The multileveled themes present in Families are: religion, food, family dynamics, social norms, education, identity, roles within the family and sexuality to name just a few.  Each family profiled has traits that set it apart from the other families, supporting a view of celebrating diversity and familial love.  It is through each family that students need to identify the differences and similarities that allow everyone to grow as members of a social unit. 

Since the child or children tell all of the explanations about the family, any negative stereotypes that could be present are straight from the source and not the author.  This doesn’t happen however, and the portrayal of each family is positive and uplifting--mainly embracing differences and individuality.  The central tenants are: love, acceptance, celebration of diversity and the cohesiveness of the family—in all its forms.  These traits will hopefully inspire students to take pride in their family and get to know them better. 

The literary elements I found present were: setting as mood, the theme of personal development and point of view.  The setting is the family’s house, which has their identity.  On many family profiles there are pictures of the family’s ancestors or important artifacts that defines who they are.  The theme of personal development is present through the children growing within the family and discovering their identities.  The child’s or children’s point of view is their ability to describe the family that reflects its identity, what they like, don’t like and the social situation.  The point of view is clearly from a child and is lighthearted, honest and accessible to the reader and classroom audience. 

There are no illustrations in the book, however the pictures reveal real people in their actual houses, not an interpretive drawing.  These pictures are honest, informative and support the message in the text. 

Since all of the families portrayed are presented in a positive light, one idea for a minilesson would be to have the students write in their journals which family they identified with the most.  This would allow the students to realize some of the positive traits associated with non-traditional families and their own family.  

Overall, I would place Families target audience at middle elementary because students must have a base level of acceptance and maturity to appreciate the different types of families.  Also, at this age the concept of family is firmly in place and they are ready to branch off and learn more about different types of families.