Module 2-Novel by Jacqueline Woodson-TWU-Multicultual Literature

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Winner of the Coretta Scott King Award

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Woodson, Jacqueline. 2000. MIRACLE'S BOYS. Waterville, Maine: Thorndike Press. ISBN 9780786234769.

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I have seen this book on my high school library book shelf for a year, and now I am thrilled that I have had the opportunity to read this story. It is amazing and very moving. It is about true brotherly love. There are three brothers and both parents have died, leaving them alone. The oldest brother, Ty'ree, is highly intelligent and received a scholarship to a prestigous school, but he gave it up to help raise his younger brothers. Charlie, the middle brother got into legal trouble and has spent time in a juvenile facility. The youngest boy Lafayette is just a young boy trying to figure out out to get along in a world without his mom. Charlie, returning home from the juvenile facility, has turned to torturing Lafayette, and making him believe that he caused his mother's death. Lafayette calls him Newcharlie because of this awful new person that he has turned into.

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Ty'ree works hard to make a decent home for the brothers and to provide the parental guidance that they need. There is not much money from his low paying job, but if they are careful, they can make it each month.

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There are lots of layers to this book, and it is sad, but the story of survival is strong as these boys each have to find their own way to make it in the world. All three of the boys have issues that they must work through, and it is tough for all of them. They are in a situation that they did not choose to be in, and they just have to make the best of it. But it is so hard for each of them.

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Jacqueline Woodson is an excellent African American author. She writes wonderful stories that are poignant and really get under your skin, making you think about things in a really deep way. This is a story of suffering and survival, but also one of success. They face their problems head-on and deal with them. Sometimes this is not pretty, or neat and tidy, but they do make progress. Each of the boys change in the story in a positive manner, and that is something wonderful about this book.

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One of the cultural markers that she uses in this book are language patterns.

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"Yal'll don't go to church no more?" Aaron nosed.

"Church is for little boys, little mama's boys. I look like a little mama's boy to you?"

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Another marker is the physical description of the characters. "I'd never been called beautiful by anybody, and after Aunt Cecile said that, I went into the bathroom and checked myself in the mirror. Ty'ree always said I looked like our daddy. He was dark and curly-headed with brown eyes. My eyes are more black than brown, and my hair's more kinky than curly. Ty'ree makes me keep it cut short, sort of a fade. And when it's real short, you can see where it starts out as curls. I looked at myself in the mirror and tried to smile like Ty'ree, but one of my front teeth overlaps the other in a way that makes me look a little bit meaner than I actually am. Still, maybe Aunt Cecile was right. Maybe I was beautiful underneath it all. "

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This is a great book to do a book talk or even create a book trailer, to create interest in it. I think kids need to be told a little about it so that they will make the decision to read it. It can be offered to either boys or girls, but I think that boys will especially enjoy it. It it really a guy's book and shows how guys deal with problems. It is an easy read, and should not be intimidating to reluctant boy readers.

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From Publishers Weekly
Once again, Woodson (If You Come Softly; From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun) reveals a keen understanding of the adolescent psyche via the narration of a winning seventh-grader. Lafayette, whose mother has recently died, is worried that some day he will be separated from his two older brothers: high-school-graduate Ty'ree, who gave up a scholarship to MIT to take care of his younger siblings; and Charlie, the rebellious middle boy, who, after spending more than two years in a correctional facility, has returned home cold and tough. (Lafayette calls him "Newcharlie," because his brother, with whom he was once so close, now seems unrecognizable to him.) Viewing household tensions and hardships through Lafayette's eyes, readers will come to realize each character's internal conflicts and recognize their desperate need to cling together as a family. The boys' loyalties to one another are tested during a cathartic climax, though it is resolved a bit too easily, and Lafayette's visions of his mother aren't fully developed or integrated into the plot. Gang violence and urban poverty play an integral part in this novel, but what readers will remember most is the brothers' deep-rooted affection for one another. An intelligently wrought, thought-provoking story. Ages 10-up.

Module 2-African American Picture Book Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney-TWU-Multicultual Literature

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Winner of the 1997 Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration

An ALA Notable Book

An American Bookseller "Pick of the Lists"

A Time Magazine Best Children's Book of the Year

Winner of the Christopher Award

An IRA/CBC Children's Choice

Schroeder, Alan. 1996. MINTY, A STORY OF YOUNG HARRIET TUBMAN. Ill. by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN 9780803718890.

This is a must for any library! I have heard about Harriet Tubman and facts about her all of my life, but this picture book is a beautifully told story of what her childhood was probably like. This story tells of the short time that she worked as a house slave, and then ended up working in the fields. It tells of her frustration and anger at having to be a slave: having nothing of your own, and having no say in where you work, what you do, or even if or when you will be sold away from your family.

Her father is portrayed as a very loving and caring person, trying to teach Minty, the name she was called as a child, all of the lessons that she would need to survive in the wilderness, if she should try and run away some day. Minty was taught to love the Lord through Bible stories and songs. She kept her faith close to her, as she later led others, using the North Star as a guide, to their freedom. She is a true beloved American hero and this book is a wonderful tribute to her.

Jerry Pinkney truly out did himself with the stunning and beautiful watercolor pictures in this book. There is so much detail, and the depictions are lifelike. You can almost feel the movement in the pictures as Minty is taught to swim by her father, or as she contemplates jumping on a horse, and running away to freedom. The way he draws the people makes them feel real: their faces, their clothing, and their living quarters, all appear to be accurate respresentations of African American slaves.

Alan Schroeder has placed cultural markers throughout the book to give it a realistic feel to this time in history. The African American slave language patterns are illustrated in their conversations between each other. Minty says to her mother, "I'm gonna run away, I am." Her mother replies, "Oh, no you're not. That's what you always say, and it ain't never gonna happen. You know what my daddy done tol' me? 'If your head is in the lion's mouth, it's best to pat him a little.' Your head's in his mouth, Minty, but you sure ain't doing' any pattin. You're just fixin' to get your head bit off. Pat the Lion, Minty, It ain't gonna kill you."

There are other cultural markers used throughout the story to establish the credibility and reliability of the story. One is the use of names. Minty's parents are called Old Ben and Old Rit. Also, the clothing that is shown and described in the story is accurate. The women wore bandannas while working in the fields. "Tell your mama to make you a bandanna, or girl, you gonna fry your brains out." Bandannas were worn in the fields to keep the sweat from dripping down into their eyes.

This is a book to be read aloud to children in a library or classroom setting. It begs for further discussion and more information. Kids will love the introduction to Harriet Tubman and want to know more. This book could be used as an introduction to a social studies unit on pre-civil war life in America, or a unit about famous women heroines. It could be paired with poetry or other pictures books, or even novels, about this great woman. Children could be encouraged to do their own research and to prepare a presentation on this topic. This should stimulate some wonderful teaching and learning moments.

From Publishers Weekly
This fictionalized account of Tubman's childhood on a Maryland plantation provides a cruel snapshot of life as a slave and the horrid circumstances that fueled the future Underground Railroad leader's passion and determination. At eight years old, Minty (so-called as a nickname for Araminta) boils with rebellion against her brutal owners and bucks their authority whenever possible. Deeming her too clumsy for housework, Mrs. Brodas banishes Minty to harder work in the fields. Toiling in the hot sun only intensifies Minty's desire to run away to freedom, and soon her father teaches her how to survive in the wild, so that she'll be prepared to make her break one day. Schroeder's (Ragtime Tumpie; Carolina Shout!) choice of lively vignettes rather than a more traditional biography is a wise one. With color and feeling he humanizes a historic figure, coaxing readers to imagine or research the rest of the story. Pinkney's (John Henry) full-bodied watercolors evoke a strong sense of time and place. Laudably, Pinkney's scenes consistently depict young Minty's point of view, giving the harshness of her reality more resonance for readers. A formal author's note follows the text and both Schroeder and Pinkney have included personal messages about the history of the book project. A firm stepping stone toward discussions of slavery and U.S. history. Ages 5-9. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Module 2-Novel by African American author-TWU-Multicultual Literature

A Coretta Scott King Honor Book

Grimes, Nikki. 2006. THE ROAD TO PARIS. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. ISBN 9780399245374. Cover illustrated by Marikka Tamura.

This is a wonderful book to just set down and read from beginning to end. It is a beautifully told story of a young girl, Paris, and brother, Malcolm, trying to survive in the world of foster homes. Their mother is irresponsible in caring for her children, and so they end up in the foster system. Their latest home is the worst, where they are verbally, emotionally, and physically abused. They run away to their grandmother's, but she turns them back into the authorities. Up to this point, they have always managed to stay together, but now they are being split up, and Paris will have to survive whatever comes all by herself.

Paris is an 11 year-old bi-racial girl, living in a mostly white town, with only a very few blacks in her school and neighborhood. Her new home is with a black family with two parents, two brothers, and another foster girl. They all seem friendly and kind, but Paris is not willing to trust anyone at this point.

Her first friend at school is a white girl named Ashley, who thinks that Paris is pretty, unusual-looking, and has a fabulous name. Later Paris discovers how much she enjoys music and how happy it makes her feel. She joins the church choir, and is picked as a soloist. Things are progressing in a positive manner, but she misses her brother very much, and her mother is also making contact again, and wanting to visit with Paris. These are difficult situations for a young girl: being bi-racial in a white town, her only friend is white, her brother is in separate foster care, and her mother may want her to come back home at some point. Paris struggles with the idea of where and what HOME is exactly.

Nikki Grimes put a lot of herself and her experiences in this book, as she also spent time in foster homes, and she had an older sister that was her caretaker and protecter. Ms. Grimes makes this book feel real, because she had personal experiences to draw on.

This story could be about any child living in foster care. All of the feelings of not trusting, not feeling like you belong anywhere in particular, not being able to see family members that you love and care about, could be about any child in state care. Paris is also is bi-racial, and there are negative attitudes toward her for this. Her own father, "a white blue-eyed father abandoned her when she was four. Apparently, he couldn't handle being seen walking down the street with a child whose skin was so much darker than his own. He'd wince every time she called him Daddy in public" (Ch. 2, pg. 9).

Ashley was a good and loyal friend to Paris. There is a bit of a mystery about where Ashley's faher is, and Ashley explains his absences by saying that he is a salesman and travels a lot. Toward the end of book, Paris went over to Ashley's house and rang the doorbell. She heard a man's voice and realized that this must be Ashley's dad, and she is going to get to meet him. As she waited on the front porch, Ashley's mom answered the door, and whispered to her that this is not a good time. A man then yells, "What the hell is a little blond-headed nigger girl doing darkening the door of my house?" (Ch. 32, pg. 133). While reading this part, I think that I was as shocked and horrifed as Paris was at this moment. How can there be such ignorance and hatred toward a child standing on a front porch, regardless of who or what she is? It was a stunning passage to read and made me feel many emotions. This episode in the story ruined the friendship between Ashley and Paris. Perhaps Ashley knew all along how her father felt about people from other races and that is why she kept Paris away from her father through most of the story. But, Ashley couldn't bring herself to speak or even look at Paris through the rest of the book. It is extremely sad, and I felt bad reading about Ashely too, because she lost a wonderful friend and did not have the power to do anything about her situation.

Paris does the right thing and tells her foster mother what happened, and they cry and hug each other. Mrs. Lincoln, the foster parent, explains to Paris, "that's the way of the world, I'm afraid. There are hateful people in it, Paris, and some of them are white." Paris declares that she will never have another white friend, but Mrs. Lincoln counsels her by saying, "Don't say that. You can't go through life judging people by the color of their skin. Take each person as they come. Judge them by their actions. Then decide whether to hold them close or push them away. That's what you do" (Ch. 32, pg. 135). I loved this advice. This is true for everyone. This falls in beautifully with Martin Luther King's advice to judge people for the content of their character, not the color of their skin.

This is an easy read, but with a powerful message. The end of the book is not a perfect one, and I liked it as well. Life is not perfect. Not all problems are going to be solved. There is so much that can be discussed in this book. The characters are vivid, loveable, and rememorable. Paris's mother is not perfect by any means, and she does have issues, but she is trying to work through them. The foster family is not perfect either, but they appear to be trying hard to create a positive family atmosphere for their own children, and the foster kids that come through their door. The family photo album is a great symbol in this story of proving their efforts.

Paris is taught in this book that she is beautiful on the inside and out, and that she has worth. She is talented and loved, and this is a wonderful message for all young girls facing difficult problems in their lives.

I would love to offer this to students for independent reading, and then to strike up a casual conversation about what they like about the story. I would offer it to girls of all backgrounds. It will be interesting to hear their responses. If they like the story, I could suggest other similar books by African American authors, that have an authentic cultural feel to it in the development of the characters.

From School Library Journal
Grade 5-7–For eight-year-old Paris Richmond, home was such a funny word. Because she and her older brother had moved from one foster home to another so often, it had come to mean not a place but a person. Malcolm was the one constant in her life. When they run away from an abusive home, they seek refuge with their grandmother, who returns them to the foster-care system. It is then that the siblings are placed in separate homes. Though Paris desperately misses Malcolm during her year with the Lincoln family, she gradually comes to trust them and even her own instincts. She gains coping skills through a newfound religious faith and the talent to share it through music. Her ability to keep God in her pocket allows her to overcome fears and difficulty. Her convictions allow her to endure inexcusable prejudice and malice as well as recognize the beauty and kindness around her. A poignant and plausible story, Paris is well crafted and simply but elegantly told. Even secondary characters are well drawn and recognizable as they grow, mature, and propel readers to a satisfying, hopeful, though not pat conclusion. Readers will pull for a successful life for Paris and Malcolm as they reunite with their mother and her new husband. They are also confident that Paris now knows what and where home really is.–Maria B. Salvadore, formerly at Washington DC Public Library

TWU - Module 1 - MultiCultural Literature - Picture Book

What a delightful, beautiful book and story by one of Australia's foremost authors for children! Koala Lou is a very loveable little koala, and her mother loves her very much, but as more and more koalas are born into her family, Koala Lou's mother becomes too busy to stop and say "Koala Lou, I DO LOVE YOU!" very often. Now, she must come up with a plan to be able to hear those words once again.

The story is simple in its vocabulary and storytelling, but very engaging. Mem Fox states on her web page, http://www.memfox.com/, about how this story came into being:

"Like mothers and fathers and teachers, authors should not have favourites. I can’t help it: Koala Lou is my personal favourite, probably because it’s about sibling rivalry and not winning an important competition which means it’s about me. I’m the oldest of three girls and on top of that I suffered a severe blow when Possum Magic did not win the annual Children’s Book Council Book of the Year Awards in 1984—it came second. Both these themes are explored in the book.

But that’s not how it began. It was Olivia Newton-John who started it all. As well as being a singer and film-star she’d opened up Koala Blue, a store in Los Angeles, in which she was selling Australiana as well her line of clothing. She wrote and asked if I would write a book about a koala named Blue which she would market and sell through her shop, along with a toy koala of the same name. I told her, as I tell everyone, that I can’t write to order—the story has to come from my own life, but I would think about it. That was 1983. (As it turned out, Koala Blue was copyrighted.) So it was back to the drawing board: Koala Sue? No! Koala Koo? No! Koala Pooh? No, no, no! Koala Lou? A girl?? YES!! A gruelling two years and 49 drafts later, the final 585 words of Koala Lou were published, with achingly beautiful pictures by Pamela Lofts. It remains a best seller to this day. I think it’s been reprinted 33 times.

The illustrator, Pamela Lofts, lives in Alice Springs were she has developed a series of books with Aboriginal storytellers and children based on their traditional stories. She has also illustrated a number of picture books, including the classic Koala Lou.

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The pictures in this book are incredible, bright, and accompany the story extremely well. Kids will find the pictures to be a good partner in telling the story. When Koala Lou is sitting out on a tree limb feeling sorry for herself, you can't help but feel sympathy for her. As she starts working on her plan to be in the Bush Olympics, you and see all of the tremendous effort that she goes to in order to prepare. When the day of the Olympics arrives, the pictures showing all of the Australian animals in party hats is fabulous.

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This is a happy and hopeful book that carries the theme of working toward what you want in life. It would be a real pleasure to share this book with students in a library or classroom setting. Also, it would be fun to connect this book to a mini-Olympics type of activity, with various "sporting events" for the kids to participate in. This will open up a good discussion as well about working toward a goal, and what happens if we don't always "win" the prize, but we still did our very best. There will be some interesting comments from kids on this subject, I am sure.

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Publishers Weekly - Fox's book sends out a positive message to children about the wonders of being human: Koala Lou celebrates the eternal love of a mother for her child without the sentimentality of Robert Munsch's Love You Forever.

TWU - Module 1 - MultiCultural Literature - Batchelder Award Novel

Mourievat, Jean-Claude. Translated from the French by Y. Maudet. 1999. THE PULL OF THE OCEAN. New York: Delacorte Press. ISBN 9780385903646.

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Jacket illustration by John Hendrix.

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This is a fun story, loosely based on "Tom Thumb." Yann is a very tiny, mute boy, born 7th in his family, which already has three sets of boy twins, but he came last and alone. Their parents are very poor peasants and hard task masters. One evening, Yann believes that he overhears his parents planning to kill all of the children, and so he wakes them, and they escape into the rainy, cold night. Through a series of adventures and meeting an interesting variety of people, this story becomes not only one of survival, but of the love between brothers. It is a page-turner, that will keep you reading all the way to the end.

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The story is set in France and it does feel very French. The names of the characters and locations help to set the story. The story mostly feels modern-day, but also keeps a magical fairy tale feeling to it, just on the edge. Having visited Europe several years ago, I could easily see in my mind's eye the train system, the stores selling bread, the quaint cottages by the sea, the variety of delivery trucks, the description of the soccer stadium, and the rolling farms. The story "felt" familiar and comfortable, and I easily could believe all that was happening with Yann and his brothers. This story was delightful for me and I will enjoy adding it to my library and sharing it with kids.

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The author described Yann's parents and brothers in a very simple way, but yet through their actions, and how they treated Yann, the reader can't help but care about them, especially because they all had a sweet fondness for little Yann. Yann, on the other hand, seemed highly intelligent, and even though he was mute, he was still able to communicate well enough in his own way, especially being highly manipulative of others to his own advantage. This book has many levels, and that makes it very engaging for a variety of readers.

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It would be interesting to first introduce the original Charles Perrault's, "Tom Thumb," to a class and then to read this novel to them. The students could divide into small groups and create a VENN diagram of the similarities and differences in the two stories. This could be done on large sheets of paper, and then they could hang them on the wall, comparing one group's diagram, to the other groups. This would make for a very interesting discussion. Also, the kids could be asked to tell what they feel makes this novel feel "French" for them, and to hear their respones. This would be fun!

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School Library Journal - Poverty and hardship echo throughout this modern "Tom Thumb" story, but it is ultimately the spirit of brotherhood that is the highlight of this tale. It is a memorable novel that readers will find engaging and intellectually satisfying.

TWU-MultiCultural Literature-Module 1 -International Novel of your Choice

Ellis, Deborah, 2000. The Breadwinner. Toronto: A Groundwood Book, Douglas & McIntyre. ISBN 9780888994196.

Cover illustration by Pascal Milelli.

This is the modern story of an eleven year-old girl in Afghanistan, a country in central Asia, ruled by the powerful and severely restrictive Taliban. Parvana's parents are university educated people, and were once successful with comfortable living conditions and salaries from good jobs, but due to constant war for over twenty years, and the current harsh government, the family is now living in a one-room apartment, and desperately struggling for survival. Girls are no longer allowed to go to school, or to even leave home, so Parvana and her sisters, her mother, and her baby brother are very isolated. When her father is wrongfully arrested, Parvana must change her appearance to become a boy, so that she can go out into the city and find ways to make money to feed her family.

It is a story of courage and determination coming from a world situation that many young American kids are not fully aware. This book was simplistic at times in the dialogue and explanations of the critical issues in the country of Afghanistan, such as the part that Islam plays there, but overall, I feel like it is a very good story. I personally was intrigued by the living conditions in that war-weary part of the world, as well as the family relationships and culture. It was interesting to be able to use this book as a "window" to see into the lives and struggles of people in this ravaged country, and what it takes to survive and stay together as a family.

I was able to both read a hard-copy of the book, and listen to the audio at the same time, because I wanted to hear the "accent" in the story, and the proper pronunciation of the foreign vocabulary words like "salwar kameez" (a shirt and trouser set of clothing worn by both men and women), and "nan" (Afghan flat bread). I liked the female characters in the story, and I did feel their struggles about being so repressed in their society. At one time these women and girls were educated and allowed to walk freely up and down the streets, and to enter shops, and go to movies. All of that has been taken away, and it is very stressful. Women have no rights in this book, and can be physically beaten for any reason. It is tragic, and I felt great sympathy as Parvana had to transform her appearance into a boy, just so she could walk into the market to purchase food. There were also discussions about Parvana's mother and other women secretly writing a magazine, just to get their stories out to the rest of the world, so that everyone could know what is taking place in Afghanistan.

There are several bits of information in the story about Afghanistan once being a rich and beautiful country that many people around the world admired. It mentioned the once beautiful buildings around the country, their "cities of lights," their many university educated men and women, and the rich and fertile farmlands throughout the country, etc. Due to the constant war conditions, much of this is gone, but these are some details that we as Americans may not be so familiar with, and also kids reading this book will notice that the family unit of mom, dad, and children is just as important there as it is to us. The family members love each other, with the siblings arguing among each other. This all feels familiar.

I don't think that the majority of American school kids have read books like this, and even though this book has some flaws, I believe that it is an important addition to a library, to stimulate thinking and conversation, and to consider what America's part is in this current situation, as we work to eliminate the Taliban from that part of the world.

One way to use this book with a group of students would be to share something with them about the war in Afghanistan. It could be a news story, photo, or video. This could be used as an introduction about what our American soldiers are fighting for. Students may have a family memeber, friend, or acquaintance who have been fighting or working in Afghanistan, and that is a beginning to the discussion introducing this book. When kids realize and dwell on the fact that there are real people, just like us, living and working in those war conditions on a daily basis, they will find out from the book that there are indeed many similarities between us and the Afghans. The book could be read aloud to the class by the teacher or librarian, or listened to from the audio recording, stimulating a rich conversation about things we hear in in the news, but that we never before connected to ourselves.

School Library Journal - The strength of the book is that listeners will related to Parvana and imagine what life would be like under a repressive regime. Deborah Ellis reads the afterword, which provides a cursory summary of Afghanistan's recent history. There are some factual errors (e.g., the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979, not 1980). Also, the book never mentions Islam. Despite these flaws, THE BREADWINNER features a brave heroine in troubled times and offers a sense of hope.