Module 2 Sing to the Sun

A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bryan, Ashley. 1992. SING TO THE SUN. New York, NY: Harper Collins. ISBN 060208295.
B. PLOT SUMMARY
A collection of poems and paintings celebrating the ups and downs of life. African American culture is highlighted in the original illustrations.

C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDLING CULTURAL MARKERS)
Bryan’s poetry is easy to read and follow for young readers. He writes in free verse style, with few words on each line. Fortunately, the brightly colored illustrations add more depth.
African American culture is a large focal point in Mr. Bryan’s work. Cultural markers include describing skin color “dark as cloves and cocoa brown” and hair “the braided beaded lady.” One entire poem, Beaded Braids, is written in admiration of braids, “Beaded lady, smiles, colors glow, through quiet grays – remarkable.”
The strength of family is seen with specific poems about Granny, Mom and Dad. Bryan’s grandmother comes alive with a vivid description of her selling fruit and putting baskets on her head. Language patterns like, “Want a lickin’? Mash me down, nuh, You t’ink me name chicken!” sound foreign and maybe from an island, like the Bahamas. Elements of nature, like rain and flowers, are also appreciated. “I’ll feed my little children, ‘cause they knows what feeds my soul.” Bryan notices the little things in the world and sees the beauty in all of it.
Bryan’s illustrations are also full of African American cultural markers. For example, his characters have strong facial features and various shades of brown skin tone. Tribal elments, like drums and headdresses are also seen in the illustrations.

D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award
“…Bryan does a magnificent job of conveying an evocative and palpable message to young listeners and readers. Illustrations in his distinguished style depict characteristics of African-American culture combined with flowers, birds, fish, rising suns, and full moons to create a splendid artistic work with wide appeal. SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
"The words are simple but they dance." BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN’S BOOKS

E. CONNECTIONS
Compare this book to others by Bryan like, LET IT SHINE and BEAUTIFUL BLACKBIRD.
Bryan’s somewhat autobiographical poem, The Artist, is a great poem for kids to discuss the therapeutic value of writing.

Module 2. Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson

A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Woodson, Jacqueline. 2003. LOCOMOTION. New York, NY: G. P. Putnam’s Sons. ISBN 399231153.

B. PLOT SUMMARY
African American eleven year old Lonnie writes poetry to grieve after the death of his parents and family upheaval. His school teacher encourages his writing as a therapy to deal with living in a foster family and not being near his sister.

C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDLING CULTURAL MARKERS)
Woodson’s writing style will have both young adults and adults enjoying this book. Lonnie is a complex character with heart and soul. Woodson’s sparse free verse style is simple and clean. The reader can envision a young boy writing this way and feeling so much emotion in all these words. Lonnie lost his parents in a house fire and lost his younger sister as a result of not having relatives able to take care of them both. It is a refreshing change to read a book about loss from a boy’s point of view. Many authors would write emotional topics like this only from a girl’s point of view. Readers will also appreciate that these poems do not rhyme and are not catchy and upbeat.

Woodson’s writing will be appreciated by the African American community because it portrays strong characters with high character and depth. Lonnie struggles with being a black young adult by saying, “Ms. Marcus don't understand some things even though she's my favorite teacher in the world. Things like my brown, brown arm.” At first, Lonnie sees many differences between him and a new student, Clyde, who is from the country. The reader does not know Clyde’s race but can sense that he is viewed as an outsider. Fortunately, Lonnie gets to know him better and they realize they both lived in Georgia and have more in common. It was a nice touch by Woodson to allow the characters to get to know each other and not continue to judge one another. Other cultural markers include an importance of church and family bonds. Lonnie goes to church with his foster mother and goes with his sister’s new family. He realizes the importance of impressing his sister’s new mother by showing piety at church. Woodson also uses African American names as characters. For example, LaTenya and Lamont. The predominantly African American genetic disease, sickle cell anemia, is also discussed when a classmate gets it. The dialect and Lonnie’s writing style are not overly African American and not stereotypical. Slang shortcuts like, ‘cause and fo’ are used sparingly. Most readers will see this as being modern and present day and not trying too hard to be from a certain culture.

D. REVIEW EXCERPTS“…Woodson, through Lonnie, creates (much as Sharon Creech did with the boy narrator in Love That Dog) a contagious appreciation for poetry while using the genre as a cathartic means for expressing the young poet's own grief.” PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

“…Despite the spare text, Lonnie's foster mother and the other minor characters are three-dimensional, making the boy's world a convincingly real one. His reflections touch on poverty and on being African American when whites seem to have the material advantages, and return repeatedly to the pain of living apart from his younger sister. Readers, though, will recognize Lonnie as a survivor. As she did in Miracle Boys (Putnam, 2000), the author places the characters in nearly unbearable circumstances, then lets incredible human resiliency shine through. "I sneak a pen from my back pocket,/bend down low like I dropped something./The chorus marches up behind the preacher/clapping and humming and getting ready to sing./I write the word HOPE on my hand." SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

E. CONNECTIONS
Discuss the poetry of Langston Hughes and Richard Wright, two poets Lonnie mentions studying in the book. Which poems of Hughes and Wright would Lonnie have enjoyed?

Discuss sickle cell anemia after reading about Lonnie’s classmate having the disease. Discuss the impact of this disease on the African American community.

Module 2. John Henry by Julius Lester, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lester, Julius. 1994. JOHN HENRY. New York, NY: Dial Books. ISBN 803716060.

B. PLOT SUMMARY
The story of John Henry, a legendary folk hero, is retold by Mr. Lester. John Henry is a larger-than-life man who uses a sledge hammer to drill through a mountain to lay railroad tracks.

C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDLING CULTURAL MARKERS)
Lester’s version of the famous African American folktale is well crafted. John Henry’s story is full of folktale fantasy, like animals that visit and care for humans and a sun and moon that cheer and cry. The use of descriptive writing is nicely done. Students will enjoy imagery like, “the boulder shivered like you do on a cold winter morning” and “the air seemed to be dancing to the rhythm of his hammers.”
Lester also uses an appropriate amount of country dialect so readers realize the setting. “I need light to do ‘em by” and “it scurried from behind the moon’s skirts” are two examples of regional dialect. The dialect is done in a positive and upbeat manner and not demeaning to the culture in any way. John Henry’s physical attributes are described as being strong and growing and being able to physically compete against modern machines. Besides John Henry’s physical attributes, his hard work and ability to get along with others are highlighted in the book. He makes compromises with others to end arguments and keep the peace. John Henry’s ability to care for others is seen as his biggest asset in the story.
Pinkney’s illustrations are helpful to the reader to visualize the action. The pictures of John Henry as a young baby, he looks like a bright eyed young African American child with tight ringlet hair and bright eyes. His parents are also pictured as two different shades of black, which is a nice feature of the artist to include. There are too many stories where all the characters the same shade of color. As John Henry grows, Pinkney’s illustrations continue to evolve too. John Henry’s facial features look like many African American men with a strong, distinctive nose and full set of lips. This is done in an appropriate manner and not in a satirical fashion. Pinkney uses muted colors and a lot of color blending. His pictures are best viewed by the reader in a close setting instead of a large read aloud.

D. REVIEW EXCERPTS“…This carefully crafted updating begs to be read aloud for its rich, rhythmic storytelling flow, and the suitably oversize illustrations amplify the text. As only one example, the animal witnesses of his birth reappear throughout, most notably to watch John Henry's funeral train pass by. This may not supplant more traditional retellings, such as Terry Small's The Legend of John Henry, but it is a triumph of collaboration from the creators of the noted Uncle Remus retellings.” PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

“…Lester's tale is true to the essence of the steel-driving man; yet, it allows room for touches of whimsy and even includes some contemporary references that tie the hero to our own times. Told with just a trace of dialect, the story moves along briskly toward the climax. Its moral message of the importance of a well-lived life is clearly stated, and the ending is uplifting.” SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

E. CONNECTIONS
Use map skills to identify the Allegheny Mountains in West Virginia, the setting of the fictional race between John Henry and the steam drill.
Listen to one of the musical ballads of John Henry and compare it to the book’s version.
Read stories about Paul Bunyan and Baby the Ox and note similarities and differences.
Read other stories written by Julius Lester and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, like The Tales of Uncle Remus: The Adventures of Brer Rabbit and Sam and the Tigers.

Module 1 The Cat or How I Lost Eternity

A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Richter, Jutta. 2007. THE CAT OR HOW I LOST ETERNITY. Minneapolis, MN: Milkweed Editions. ISBN 1571316760. Translated by Anna Brailovsky.
Originally published: Munich: Carl Hanser Verlag, 2006 under the title, Die Katze.

B. PLOT SUMMARY
Young girl Christine is an imaginative girl who likes to spend the day talking to an alley cat. The cat gets her into trouble by making her late to school and tries to teach her to be spiteful and pitiless.

C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDLING CULTURAL MARKERS)
This is a complex read that few children will fully grasp or enjoy. The title and summary are misleading because it is not a playful book about a girl with an active imagination and an imaginary cat. The main character, Christine, is a lonely child who has found it easier to communicate with an imaginary cat instead of interact with the real world. Christine is a balanced character because she struggles with many decisions all humans make. For example, Christine is not sure whether to befriend a dog or a new neighbor. By listening to the cat, she chooses to ignore both. The cat takes on the role of playing the universal theme of good vs. evil. Luckily, Christine does mature by the end and is more comfortable making her own decisions independently. The theme of coming of age is a theme that all cultures can appreciate and relate.

This selection is void of any cultural detail and most readers would not know it was originally published in Germany unless they read the bibliography. The story could have taken place in any street in any city in the world. It has so few details that it makes it a very cold and sparse read. The setting is also unclear on whether it is a historic or contemporary time. The illustrations are modern and cold. They do not add to the story or help the reader visualize the character development.

I would recommend libraries pass on purchasing this book for their children or young adult collection.

D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Eight-year-old Christine is late for school every day because she is stopped by a white alley cat that insists on talking to her. They discuss math and loneliness and eternity. While at first Christine feels an affinity with the cat, it later repulses her. The conversations eventually come to an end once Christine stops believing that the feline has anything wise or useful to say to her. It acts the role of The Serpent, trying to lure the Eve-like Christine into doing and being what she knows is not right. There is even a discussion about the Tree of Knowledge and Original Sin at the end to hammer home the point. There is an abundance of unpleasant food imagery (starting with the fish smell that the cat leaves on Christine's hand whenever she touches it), male characters who are either incompetent or unfeeling, and an eclipse that represents the end of the world. It is hard to imagine a broad audience for this book. SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

E. CONNECTIONS
Discuss the values and character themes (willfulness, friendship, and compassion) witnessed in the book.
Discuss the theme of coming of age and losing one’s imagination and imaginary friends.

Module 1 Hello Baby!

A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Fox, Mem. 2009. HELLO BABY! New York, NY: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 416985136.

B. PLOT SUMMARY
A baby encounters a variety of young animals, including a monkey, elephant, owl and hippopotamus in search for learning more about themselves and the lively animals.

C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDLING CULTURAL MARKERS)
Fox’s rhyming text will be a hit with the intended toddler audience. Animals are always a popular subject and Fox creates vivid images with her use of strong of action phrases, like “twitching its nose and wielding a tusk.” Adults will also appreciate this use of advanced vocabulary because it is a nice break from picture books that only use easy reader vocabulary. This book will appeal to children across the world because of its universal topic and “feel-good” nature. Readers will delight in the ending when they realize that they are their parents’ special gift. There are no easily identifying markers that would lead a US reader to think the author was foreign. This book’s appealing format will work with all young readers and will endure the test of time.

Jenkins’ paper illustrations also enhance this book. The illustrations are large and typically cover over one page. Young children will be able to notice tiny details like the elephant’s eyelashes or the crocodile’s sharp teeth.

D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Starred Review. While Fox is cooing as only she can, Jenkins works his usual magic with cut paper. In many of his large-scale closeups—the images spill across and off the spreads—his subjects' big, expressive eyes seem locked in a gaze with the reader. Ingeniously stylized shapes (like the coils of gray paper that form an elephant's trunk) combine with sumptuous detailing that brings alive the parade of scales, fur and feathers. PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

Fox's rhyming text is pure fun. In a layout reminiscent of Bill Martin, Jr.'s Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? (Holt, 1983), an unseen narrator says, "Hello, baby!/Who are you?" and the speculated answers range from the familiar elephant to an exotic gecko. "Are you a zebra/sipping a drink?/Perhaps you're an owl/with a wicked wink." A spread near the end of the book provides an opportunity to name the baby animals by looking at their silhouettes. Jenkins's beautifully shaded and textured collages are stand-alone works of art, each of which holds its own with Fox's engaging cadences. This collaboration results in a lovely read-aloud for preschool storytimes or a perfect selection for one-on-one sharing. SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

E. CONNECTIONS
Create your own unique paper illustrations like the ones that are in the book.
Read other stories by Mem Fox, like WHERE IS THE GREEN SHEEP? and compare the similarities and differences.
Examine other books illustrated by Steve Jenkins, like WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A TAIL LIKE THIS? and compare.
Try writing in Fox’s style by using action verbs with animals.

Module 1 Shadow of Ghadames

A. BIBLIOGRAPHY Stolz, Joelle. 2004. THE SHADOWS OF GHADAMES. New York, NY: Delacorte Press. ISBN 385731043.
(originally published in France in 1999 by Bayard Editions Jeunesse(Les Ombres de Ghadames), translation by Catherine Temerson)

B. PLOT SUMMARY
Eleven year old Malika is growing up in Libya during the nineteenth century. She experiences many restrictions due to her gender. A stranger enters her life and helps her rethink some of the traditional views.
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDLING CULTURAL MARKERS)
Malika’s story is an interesting read about an area of the world that is not very well known to many Americans. The story’s setting in Ghadames is central to the book. Women were not allowed to walk the streets freely and therefore socialized on the rooftops only with other women. Stolz uses these women only conversations as a way to communicate to the reader what life was like. It was probably very accurate that the women were not unhappy and did not seem to mind the status quo. It would have been unrealistic if the women characters were all acting like women’s liberation members. Women’s rights or lack thereof is only exhibited when Malika and her second mother sneak out of the house. The story’s mood changes because the reader realizes the danger of women leaving the house alone.

Much of the story surrounds Malika’s coming of age. She is learning from her elders that she is almost the age to become a wife. This will probably surprise young readers today because she is only eleven years old. Malika is more interested in seeing the world like her brother and learning to read. The brother character, Jasim, is an important character because it allows the reader to compare and contrast the freedoms allowed to young boys and girls. Stolz is very consistent is showing that Jasim is learning to read and use business skills, while Malika is doing housework and cooking.

Muslim culture and religious practices are also highlighted in the story. Malika and her family have daily prayer, strict diet and rituals of specialized bathing. Readers will see how all aspects of her life are intertwined with her religion.

THE SHADOW OF GHADAMES is an interesting look into the female Muslim world that few experience.

D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Batchelder Award 2005
“This quiet story is notable for the intimate picture of the traditional Muslim world that it conveys; unfortunately, not until the author's note at the end is the time period made evident. The imprecise use of language may make it difficult for readers to visualize this distant world and to understand the characters' motivations. Still, this novel would be useful in schools studying this part of the world.” SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
“Starred Review. The story of an outsider who unsettles a household and helps a young person to grow is certainly nothing new, and some of the lessons here are purposeful. But Stolz invigorates her tale with elegant prose and a deft portrayal of a girl verging on adolescence. The vivid backdrop is intoxicating, but the story's universal concerns will touch readers most: sibling jealously, confusion about adult customs, and a growing interest in a world beyond family. BOOKLIST
E. CONNECTIONS
Readers might like to discuss how their families would deal with difficult family decisions and who makes family decisions.
Female readers would enjoy comparing and contrasting their home life and role to Malika’s.
Use nonfiction materials to learn more about Libya and the city of Ghadames.