Nye, Naomi Shihab. 1997. Habibi: a novel. New York: Simon Pulse. ISBN 9780689801495

PLOT SUMMARY

Liyana is 14-years old when her native Palestinian father decides to relocate his family from the United States to Jerusalem. Even before the family’s departure from the states, Liyana receives a glimpse into her future. Her father refuses to let her take a pair of shorts that she loves, and most of their possessions are sold or left behind in storage. Upon their arrival in Jerusalem, things are not quite as peaceful as Liyana’s father believed. Palestinians are still looked upon with distrust by Israelis, and friendships with Jews are culturally forbidden. Liyana’s family is large and unknown and impossible to understand unless her father is there to translate. When Liyana meets Omer, she realizes that she does not miss her home in the United States as much as she did, but when she discovers that her father has been arrested and jailed for defying Israeli soldiers, she discovers a new strength in herself and begins to face the future and the changes that will be required for her to be successful in her father’s country.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)

From the beginning of the story, the author immerses readers in the richness and tradition of the Palestinian culture. Although Liyana and her family have lived in the United States her entire life, their beliefs and traditions remain deeply rooted in their lives. When the time comes to transition to their new home, Liyana begins to understand the history that has kept her father bound to his homeland.

Although skin tone is not discussed in the story, Liyana does describe her mother’s skin as two shades lighter than Poppy’s and mentions that both she and her brother Rafik had inherited Poppy’s olive skin. Nye uses colorful language to describe the clothing worn by Liyana’s father’s family. “The women’s long dresses were made of thick fabrics, purple, gold, and navy blue, and stitched brightly with fabulous, complicated embroidery.” “Two of the older uncles, Zaki and Daoud, wore black-and white-checkered kaffiyehs on their heads….” It is descriptions such as this that let readers go beyond simply visiting Jerusalem and help them become part of the story, observing from the sidelines, but still completely involved.

Much of the story is told about mealtimes. In the story, as in the Arab culture, food is not only what is eaten to sustain life, but is prepared, served, and eaten in a way that celebrates the culture and traditions that are uniquely Middle Eastern. From lentils and saffron to lamb chunks and stuffed grape leaves, the family makes each meal an occasion for reconnecting and getting to know each other better.

Religious customs, although not an obvious focal point, are as important to the plotline as the characters and setting. Through Nye’s description and emotive narration, readers are convinced of religion as its own character in the novel. “A muezzin gave the last call to prayer of the day over a loudspeaker from the nearby mosque and all the relatives rose up in unison and turned their back on Liyana’s family. They unrolled small blue prayer rugs from a shelf, then knelt, stood, and knelt again, touching foreheads to the ground, saying their prayers in low voices.” Nye makes the point that the family did not mind that Liyana, Rafik and their parents were staring at them. This indicates that the religious demonstration is part of the family’s daily life. In addition to the religious practices displayed by Liyana’s Palestinian family, Liyana’s family attends a few celebrations and religious locations of their own in the course of the story. Liyana’s mother cries when the family visits the chapel of Calvary, the Garden of Gethsemane, and The Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and the entire family feels the joy of Christmas when they stand in line at the Church of the Nativity at midnight on Christmas Eve. Throughout the story, readers will notice Nye’s use of Arab forms of address—Liyana calls her father Poppy and her grandmother Sitti, similar to the American addresses Daddy and Grandma. Additionally, native language is used by all characters, infusing both Arabic and Israeli vocabulary into Liyana’s story.

Nye shares Liyana’s thoughts and feelings in a way that demonstrates respect for unknown customs and a willingness to draw new lines in dealing with others. Habibi is a novel ahead of its time, inspiring readers with hope for the future, and confidence in the young people that will write their own version of history as they grow.

REVIEW EXCERPTS Nye introduces readers to unforgettable characters. The setting is both sensory and tangible: from the grandmother’s village to a Bedouin camp. Above all, there is Jerusalem itself, where ancient tensions seep out of cracks and Liyana explores the streets practicing her Arabic vocabulary. Though the story begins at a leisurely pace, readers will be engaged by the characters, the romance, and the foreshadowed danger. Poetically imaged and leavened with humor, the story renders layered and complex history understandable through character and incident. Habibi succeeds in making the hope for peace compellingly personal and concrete…as long as individual citizens like Liyana’s grandmother Sitti can say, “I never lost my peace inside.”

Kirkus Reviews. In her first novel, Nye (with Paul Janeczko, I Feel a Little Jumpy Around You, 1996, etc.) shows all of the charms and flaws of the old city through unique, short-story-like chapters and poetic language. The sights, sounds, and smells of Jerusalem drift through the pages and readers glean a sense of current Palestinian-Israeli relations and the region’s troubled history. In the process, some of the passages become quite ponderous while the human story- -Liyana’s emotional adjustments in the later chapters and her American mother’s reactions overall–fall away from the plot. However, Liyana’s romance with an Israeli boy develops warmly, and readers are left with hope for change and peace as Liyana makes the city her very own.

CONNECTIONS

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Look for these other books about Arab countries:

Ellis, Deborah. The breadwinner. ISBN 9780888994196

Nye, Naomi Shihab. The flag of childhood: poems of the Middle East. ISBN 9780689851728

Oppenheim, Shulamith Levey. The hundredth name. ISBN 978 9780613034937

Winter, Jeanette. The librarian of Basra: a true story from Iraq. ISBN 0152054456

Heide, Florence Parry and Judith Heide Gilliland. The day of Ahmed’s secret. ISBN 9780688088941

Clements, Andrew. 2002. Things not seen. New York: Philomel Books. ISBN 0399236260

PLOT SUMMARY

“It’s when I turn on the bathroom light and wipe the fog off the mirror to comb my hair. It’s what I see in the mirror. It’s what I don’t see.” With these words, Andrew Clements introduces us to Bobby Phillips, a fifteen-year old boy who wakes up one morning, and can’t see himself. When invisible Bobby literally runs into Alicia when he is leaving the library, he is fascinated by her face and her eyes, and later, by the fact that she is blind. Hoping that she proves trustworthy, Bobby shares his secret with Alicia, and they become friends who are both battling invisibility in different ways. This mix of science fiction and fantasy has a compelling plot that will engage readers from the first glimpse of Bobby in the mirror and will keep them reading until Bobby discovers why he is invisible and whether he will be that way for the rest of his life.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)

The character of Alicia in Things Not Seen is a blind teenage girl who was lost her sight when she fell out of bed one night. Alicia’s blindness is discussed openly and with sensitivity, helping readers understand Alicia’s frustration of trying to start her life anew and attempting to combat the stereotypes by which she is judged daily. Alicia uses a cane to help her get around, but is self-sufficient in many ways. When she meets Bobby, she expresses her anger with her mother for trying to protect her and for wanting to be involved in every part of her life. Although Alicia suffers a disability, she is a typical teenager who is trying to find a way to be visible in a world where invisibility descends on teenagers with frightening regularity.

Bobby’s invisibility is real, but, like Alicia, he found himself fighting invisibility in his regular world. Bobby’s parents are both extremely intelligent, and tend to leave him to his own devices as often as not. Not only does he feel that he is invisible to his parents, but he has a difficult time fitting in at the “smart school” in which his professor parents have him enrolled. When his parents finally accept his invisibility, they have a hard time accepting his seemingly newfound ability to express himself and his frustrations, as well as to do what he wants to do without consulting them. Bobby’s anger with his parents finally culminates when they refuse to believe that he can help discover not only what happened to him, but how to fix the situation. Bobby and Alicia, without their parents’ knowledge go on a quest to find the answers and, in the process, find out more about themselves than they knew.

With humor, excitement, and sensitivity, Clements gives readers an insight into the world of a very bright, beautiful, adventurous and courageous girl who just happens to be visually challenged, and her “normal” friend who finds himself in a strangely abnormal situation.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

Publisher’s Weekly The earnest and likable 15-year-old narrator is the principal thing not seen in Clements’s (Frindle; The Jacket) fast-paced novel, set in Chicago. As the book opens, the boy discovers that he has turned invisible overnight. Bobby breaks the news to his parents who, afraid of being hounded by the media, instruct him to share his dilemma with no one. But when Bobby ventures out of the house and visits the library, he meets Alicia, a blind girl to whom he confides his secret. Their blossoming friendship injects a double meaning into the book’s title. As preposterous as the teen’s predicament may be, the author spins a convincing and affecting story, giving Bobby’s feeling of helplessness and his frustration with his parents an achingly real edge.

School Library Journal. “I turn on the bathroom light and wipe the fog off the mirror to comb my hair.-I’m not there. That’s what I’m saying. I’m. Not. There.” Thus starts the adventure of Bobby Phillips, who wakes up one morning to find that somehow he has turned invisible. The 15-year-old and his parents live with the worry of what happens if they can’t figure out how to reverse his condition. With a nod in the direction of H. G. Wells’s Invisible Man, Clements allows readers to speculate what it would be like to be invisible. As they see Bobby deal with his situation, they also experience his fears of being alone, unable to talk to his friends, or to tell anyone for fear of the consequences. He reaches out to a blind girl, Alicia Van Dorn, and together they begin to fight back as best as they can.

CONNECTIONS

After reading Things Not Seen, readers can discuss feeling invisible even when everyone can see you. Readers can also talk about how their lives would change if they suddenly lost one of their senses.  

Look for these other books about living with blindness:

Moon, Nicola. Lucy’s picture. ISBN 9780803718333

Royston, Angela. Blindness. ISBN 9780431112237

Petrillo, Genevieve. Keep your ear on the ball. ISBN 9780884482963

Dorris, Michael. Sees behind trees. ISBN 9780786802241

Cohen, Miriam. See you tomorrow, Charles. ISBN 9780688018047

Richardson, Justin and Peter Parnell. 2005. And Tango makes three. Ill. by Henry Cole. New York: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0689878451

PLOT SUMMARY

At New York City’s Central Park Zoo, two penguins in the penguin exhibit spend a lot of time together, and bond to form a pair. When the other penguin pairs begin making nests and laying eggs, Roy and Silo built their own nest of stones and attempted to hatch a rock. Mr. Gramzay found an egg that belonged to another penguin pair that needed to be cared for and put it in Roy and Silo’s nest. Roy and Silo sat on the egg and took care of it. Finally, the egg hatched and Tango the penguin was born. Roy and Silo taught Tango everything that the other baby penguins knew, but Tango was different—she “was the very first penguin in the zoo to have two daddies”. The soft, watercolor illustrations by Cole perfectly complement the story, and the expressions on the faces of the two quizzical penguins will amuse and delight readers, who will find themselves wishing for a field trip to visit Roy, Silo, and Tango—in “person”.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)

Roy and Silo are chinstrap penguins that still live in the zoo in Central Park. In 1998, they discovered each other “and they have been a couple ever since”. The penguins are cuddly, and realistic enough to delight penguin lovers with their black and white feathers, waddly-walk, and inquiring expressions on their faces.

Richardson and Parnell introduce the story with a description of Central Park and the families that visit the zoo as well as those that live there. Most of the families described are traditional families, but “two penguins in the penguin house were a little bit different. Roy and Silo were both boys. But they did everything together.” In the story, it is just that simple to introduce a family that is a bit different. The description of Roy and Silo becoming partners and making a home together is handled with humor and understanding, encouraging readers to view the world of relationships without stereotypes and bias. Although Roy, Silo, and Tango are not exactly the average family, “they snuggled together and, like all the other penguins in the penguin house, and all the other animals in the zoo, and all the families in the big city around them, they went to sleep”.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

Publisher’s Weekly Tango has two daddies in this heartwarming tale, inspired by actual events in New York’s Central Park Zoo. Two male penguins, Roy and Silo, “did everything together. They bowed to each other…. They sang to each other. And swam together. Wherever Roy went, Silo went too…. Their keeper… thought to himself, `They must be in love.’ ” Cole’s (The Sissy Duckling) endearing watercolors follow the twosome as they frolic affectionately in several vignettes and then try tirelessly to start a family-first they build a stone nest and then they comically attempt to hatch a rock. Their expressive eyes capture a range of moods within uncluttered, pastel-hued scenes dominated by pale blue. When the keeper discovers an egg that needs tending, he gives it to Roy and Silo, who hatch and raise the female.

Kirkus Reviews. In this true, straightforwardly (so to speak) delivered tale, two male chinstrap penguins at New York City’s Central Park Zoo bond, build a nest and-thanks to a helping hand from an observant zookeeper-hatch and raise a penguin chick. Seeing that the penguins dubbed Roy and Silo “did everything together. They bowed to each other. And walked together. They sang to each other. And swam together,” their keeper, Mr. Gramzay, thinks, “They must be in love.” And so, when Roy and Silo copy the other penguin couples and build a nest of stones, it’s Gramzay who brings a neighboring couple’s second egg for them to tend, then names the resulting hatchling “Tango.”

CONNECTIONS

This story can be used as an introduction to a discussion about the varying types of families.  

Look for these other books about families:

Bryan, Jennifer. The different dragon. ISBN 9780967446868

Skutch, Robert. Who’s in a family? ISBN 9781883672133

Newman, Leslea. Heather has two mommies. ISBN 9781555835705

Willhoite, Michael. Daddy’s roommate. ISBN 9781555831189

Garden, Nancy. Molly’s family. ISBN 9780374350024

Say, Allen. 1991. Tree of cranes. New York: Hyperion Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 039552024X

PLOT SUMMARY

The main character in the story begins his narration by remembering the last day he visited the pond that was close to his home. Although his mother had warned him of the dangers many times, he still went. The day was cold and gray, “too cold for the fish to move around”. Instead of watching fish, he caught a chill. When he got home, he was surprised that his mother was not there to greet him because she had always greeted him before. He found her in the living room folding origami paper into cranes. After a hot lunch of rice gruel, the boy finds his mother in the garden digging up the tree that was planted to celebrate the boy’s birth. The confused boy promises to sit quietly if his mother will explain why she has been acting strange on this day—“seven days before the New Year’s Day”. His mother explains that in California where she grew up, this was a very special day. Everywhere you looked you would see trees decorated with bright lights and globes of gold and silver. The boy listens quietly as his mother explains Christmas and its traditions and falls asleep dreaming of a samurai kite. The paintings by Say afford serenity and peace to this touching tale of a mother sharing her childhood memories of a special season with her son.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)

Tree of Cranes is a tribute to the American holiday of Christmas, told by a master storyteller who understands both the American customs of Christmas and the Japanese customs of respecting your elders. With this story, Say effectively spins a bridge that spans the two cultures, giving readers a glimpse of a world alive with customs and traditions. The text is written with a peaceful tone, which provides an excellent backdrop for the paintings that do more to illustrate the Japanese way of life than does the text.

Only three characters are shown in the book, three members of the same family. The skin tones are similar as is the color of each character’s hair. The hairstyle of the mother in the story is conservative, yet chic enough to be seen in Japan or California today. The father and the young boy both have dark hair worn in a conservative style that is both respectful and timeless.

The surroundings of both home and nature are illustrated in neutral colors, emphasized here and there by the bright red of the boy’s scarf of the deep green of the pine tree that was planted on the day he was born. The neutral colors that dominate the illustrations beautifully illustrate the sense of peace and tranquility that rules the Japanese culture.

From the wooden tub where the boy is sent to warm up after his outdoor adventure to the sparse furnishings of the home and the slippers worn by both mother and father, Say brings a traditionally American holiday to the East with a “laudable sensitivity to Eastern and Western cultures—and to both the differences and similarities between them” (Publishers Weekly, 1991).

REVIEW EXCERPTS

Kirkus Reviews. When the young Japanese narrator comes home with a cold after playing in a forbidden pond, his mother “barely looks at him” and puts him into a hot bath and then to bed without so much as a story. She’s busy folding silver paper cranes; later, she brings in the little pine planted when the boy was born and decorates it with candles and the cranes, explaining for the first time how she celebrated Christmas in California, where she grew up.

Publishers Weekly. Heedless of Mama’s warnings, a Japanese boy cannot resist playing at an ice-cold pond “filled with carp of bright colors.” When he comes home, he is immediately treated for a cold, with a hot bath and rice gruel. His mother’s attitude chills him more than the weather, though; he cannot understand why she seems to be ignoring him. Hearing a noise in the garden, the boy spies Mama digging up the pine tree that was planted when he was born. She brings it inside and decorates it with paper cranes and candles. It is a Christmas tree, the first for the boy, and the first in many years for his mother, who tells her son she comes from “a warm place called Ca-li-for-ni-a.”

CONNECTIONS

This is a wonderful story to introduce customs and holidays from Japan and America. It could also be used as a read aloud to interest students in biculturalism.  

Look for these other stories by Allen Say:

Say, Allen. Kamishibai man. ISBN 978-0618479542

Say, Allen. The ink-keeper’s apprentice. ISBN 978-0395705629

Say, Allen. Tea with milk. ISBN 978-0395978603

Say, Allen. Under the cherry blossom tree: an old Japanese tale. ISBN 978-0395845462

Say, Allen. Emma’s rug. ISBN 978-0395742945

Yep, Laurence. 2000. Cockroach cooties. New York: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 0786804874

PLOT SUMMARY

As Teddy well knows, younger brothers have an amazing talent for causing trouble for their big brothers. When eight-year-old Bobby insults Arnie, the school bully known as Arnie-zilla, Teddy attempts to walk away and let Bobby “learn how to deal with problems on his own”. However, family responsibility wins out and Teddy saves Bobby and brings the wrath of Arnie-zilla down on his head also. The two brothers attempt to deal with Arnie but are unsuccessful until Bobby inadvertently discovers Arnie’s fear of creepy-crawlies—especially cockroaches. Bobby adopts a cockroach and names it Hercules, and, with the help of Charlie, the Bug Lady who lives in their building, Bobby tries to get Teddy to see the world through the eyes of Hercules. When the pet bug meets an unfortunate end at the hands of their father, Bobby and Teddy find themselves with no plan until Bobby remembers Charlie’s cookies—the ones with a secret ingredient guaranteed to win the war with Arnie. Throughout the book, Yep incorporates images of San Francisco’s Chinatown and the life of a typical Chinese American family. The family’s dedication to education and each other is obvious as Teddy and Bobby deepen their brotherly bond and Teddy begins to see the world through the eyes of others. Yep incorporates humor as Teddy attempts to conquer his fear of bugs at Charlie’s house, but the ability of Bobby to see situations from other points of view is the thread that ties this humorous story together.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)

Cockroach Cooties is a story about a Chinese American family living in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Although the characters’ heritage is shown throughout the story, their background is not the main emphasis of the story. The cover of the book depicts two boys with Chinese heritage, yet there is no overt description in the text regarding their appearance, or the appearance of any of the other characters that characterizes them as Chinese Americans. The family lives in Chinatown, and the boys attend a school where they have a one-hour Chinese lesson every day. Unlike her students, their teacher, Miss Lee,  “liked to wear Chinese-style dresses that had a slit up one leg” and “liked the old-fashioned Chinese discipline, too”.

When the family goes to a Chinatown restaurant to celebrate Teddy and Bobby’s mom’s birthday, there is reference to the behavior of a Chinatown waiter—“You just didn’t say things like that to a Chinatown waiter. It was like ordering around the president.” The food that the family eats at the restaurant appears to be traditional Chinese food—paper-wrapped chicken, fish in a black bean sauce, and a prawn dish “arranged so the prawns seemed to be dancing together in the center”. Bobby’s Uncle Mat ate the eyeball of the fish, which is considered a delicacy in some families.

There is no reference to dialect or traditional languages in the book, and the language patterns of the Chinese American characters are no different than the dialect and language found in books with characters from other countries. Likewise, the names of the characters are not noticeably Chinese. The only reference to an accent or varying dialect is found in the words of the stall owner in Chinatown. His responses to the boys include “ver-ree han-dee”, “ver-ree love-lee”, and ver-ree use-ful”, intimating a strong accent that is not seen in the other characters.

Yep’s story is a true melding of two cultures—Chinese and American, and readers will laugh along with Bobby as Teddy meets Madeline the tarantula and will cheer aloud as Bobby and Teddy finally make an uneasy truce with Arnie. “Filled with humor and warmth, this creepy-crawly tale is a tribute to resourcefulness and the unique relationship that only brothers share” (from the publisher).

REVIEW EXCERPTS

Publisher’s Weekly. Full of the sights and sounds of San Francisco’s Chinatown, the tale zips along at a brisk pace, percolating with snappy dialogue. A seasoned craftsman, Yep (Dragonwings; The Imp Who Ate My Homework) effortlessly shoehorns in fun facts about insects (”Did you know that cockroaches have two brains?” Bobby asks the hapless Arnie as he pursues him with Hercules). An altogether chipper outing.

School Library Journal. Set in the Chinatown section of San Francisco, this modern-day tale is about two brothers, eight and nine, previously featured in Later, Gator (Hyperion, 1995). Teddy, the older child, narrates. Bobby feels responsible for getting Teddy involved with a treacherous bully at school, so he devises a plan to scare the fiend with a cockroach that he obtains from “The Bug Lady,” a neighbor studying entomology. The plan is effective until the roach meets with an unfortunate end, but Bobby has a new secret plan that brings Arnie to his knees. Eventually, they realize that his tough attitude is a result of uncaring parents and a difficult home life, and a tentative friendship is formed.

CONNECTIONS

With the fun facts about insects thrown in, this is a great read-aloud for students to hear during a study of insects and/or etymology.

Look for these other stories with an Asian/Pacific American cultural influence:

Yep, Laurence. The magic paintbrush. ISBN 9780064408523

Namioka, Lensey. Yang the youngest and his terrible ear. ISBN 9780440409175

Na, An. A step from Heaven. ISBN 9780142500279

Kadohata, Cynthia. Kira-kira. ISBN 9780689856402

Park, Linda Sue. A single shard. ISBN 9780440418511

Namioka, Lensey. 1995. Yang the third and her impossible family. Ill. by Kees de Kiefte. New York: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 0316597260

PLOT SUMMARY

In this sequel to Namioka’s Yang the Youngest and His Terrible Ear, the focus of the story shifts from “Fourth Brother” to “Third Sister”, Yingmei. Yingmei is trying hard to find her place in America after her family’s move from China. Although Yingmei is not shy, she is finding it difficult to find a best friend at school, and, has begun going by the name “Mary” to the other students. After seeing the resemblance between Holly Hanson and the princess on her candy box, Yingmei decides that Holly will be her new friend. It seems no matter how hard she tries to be friends with Holly, Yingmei’s family continues to embarrass her by their lack of knowledge about Americans and their customs and traditions. When Holly is worried about finding a home for a kitten, Yingmei volunteers to take her home without her parents’ knowledge. Yingmei continues to use the kitten as a conversation-opener with Holly, and finds herself accepted in the group, even though she is not sure she likes Kim, Holly’s best friend since kindergarten. With Kim’s help, Yingmei begins to see Holly, not as a princess, but as a spoiled child that she is not certain she wants to be associated with. Through her discovery of herself and her place in her new home, Yingmei rediscovers her respect for her family and her culture and receives a new respect for herself as well. The occasional pen and ink illustrations by de Kiefte highlight the personality of the characters, from Older Sister who is defiantly proud of her Chinese heritage, to Fourth Brother who enjoys being called “Sprout” by his American friends. Readers will find clues to a rich cultural heritage as they laugh along with the exploits of Yang the Third and Her Impossible Family.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)

“Since coming to this country, we have tried our best to do everything properly, but when Mother heard that preparing a Thanksgiving dinner involved roasting a turkey, she was horrified” (Namioka, 1995). Although most of the Yang family tried their best to fit in their new home, the cultures and traditions of the much younger United States make fitting in seem almost impossible. Throughout this story, Namioka relates Chinese traditions in a way that will inform readers without overwhelming them.

The form of address that Namioka uses throughout the book to refer to the siblings in the Yang family brings to mind a more traditional form of address than is typically seen in Chinese American families. From Oldest Brother and Second Sister to Fourth Brother and Third Sister, the children never use the names that they were given and are only called by their names by their new American neighbors.

When Yingmei shows embarrassment at her father’s speech patterns—“Where we live, the lice glows near the liver” rather than the rice grows near the river, Namioka is giving rise to the same stereotypes that have kept Asian Pacific Americans feeling foreign in the United States. Yingmei shows embarrassment at her family throughout the story, all for exhibiting a stereotypical behavior. Oldest Brother is more interested in music and school than in playing sports, making him a “nerd” to the American boys. Second Sister prefers to dress in her “Chinese clothes” including cloth shoes with a hole in them. Only Yingmei and Youngest Brother seem to escape these stereotypes by Americanizing themselves, occasionally by giving up pieces of their heritage.

The occasional illustrations by de Kiefte show the Yang family with varying hairstyles rather than typical ones, and physical characteristics such as face shape and body type are different between the members of the family. Other characters are also shown as individuals, although without added detail that would make identification of characters easier for readers.

Although Yang the Third and Her Impossible Family does not show the wit and humor that is evident in Yang the Youngest and His Terrible Ear, Namioka continues her story of the Yang family in a way that will endear them all to readers and make them look forward to the next installment of the Yang family.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

School Library Journal. Yingmei (a.k.a. Mary) Yang, the third of four children, tries to communicate the dichotomous feelings of a young Chinese girl, newly immigrated to the U.S., who is working hard to fit in, but whose efforts seem to be held back by the mannerisms and traditions of her family, the musical Yangs. Torn by her feelings of both pride and embarrassment for them, and yearning to win the friendship of a popular blonde schoolmate, Mary agrees to take one of Holly’s cat’s kittens, although she knows her family does not want pets because they fear animals would damage their expensive instruments.

Booklist. In Namioka’s popular comedy about a newly arrived Chinese family in Seattle, Yang the Youngest and His Terrible Ear (1992), the focus is on the immigrant son who prefers baseball to playing the violin with his musical family. Now the point of view switches to that of his sister Yingmei (Mary), who is desperately trying to be an American. Unfortunately, her family keeps disgracing her in public. Even while Mary is studying table manners and learning phrases and trying to make it with the in-crowd, her mother thinks it’s polite to compliment a guest on being old and fat, her father mispronounces words, and her sister dresses Chinese.

CONNECTIONS

A recurring theme in multicultural literature about Asian Pacific Americans is the adjustment to a bicultural way of life—respecting your history without compromising your present. This story can be used to discuss ways that students can be more accepting of other cultures as well as using multiculturalism to explore other ways of life.   

Look for these other stories about Chinese Americans:

Wong, Janet. Apple pie 4^th of July. ISBN 9780152025434

Wong, Janet. This next New Year. ISBN 9780374355036

Lin, Grace. Bringing in the New Year.  ISBN 0375837450

Lin, grace. Fortune cookie fortunes. ISBN 0440421926

Namioka, Lensey. Half and half. ISBN 0440418909

Cohen, Caron Lee. 1988. The mud pony: a traditional Skidi Pawnee tale. Ill. by Shonto Begay. New York: Scholastic Inc. ISBN 0590415255

PLOT SUMMARY

There was once a poor boy in an Indian tribe who wanted his own pony more than anything. Every day he would visit the river and watch the other boys water their ponies, and one day, he used the mud at the river to fashion a pony with a white face. Every day, he would go to the river and take care of his mud pony as if it was real. One day while he was caring for his pony, scouts rode into his group’s camp and told them that buffalo had been sighted. The entire camp packed up and readied themselves to follow the herd of buffalo. Although the boy’s family looked for him, they did not find him and left him alone. When the boy returned to his camp, he realized that he was alone. He found bits of old food, an old blanket and cried himself to sleep. While asleep, he dreamed that his mud pony spoke to him saying, “My son, you are not alone. Mother Earth has given me to you. I am part of her.” When the boy awoke, he went to the river and found that his mud pony was alive. Again, she spoke to him in his mind telling him that he must trust both her and Mother Earth and that someday he would become a chief among his people. The boy followed where the pony led, and was eventually reunited with his family and the rest of his group. The boy, along with his pony help his people defeat their enemies and lead them in the hunt for buffalo, paving the way for him to become a chief among his people. The watercolor illustrations by Begay, son of a Navajo medicine man, are done in earth tones and offer few details, reminding readers of authentic artwork found on Native American housing. The acknowledgments provided in the front of the book gives credit to the many sources that were used as research before writing, and gives a general overview of the meaning of many of the Pawnee stories.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)

The Mud Pony is told in a quiet, reverent style that honors both the legend and the origins of this ancient boy-hero story. Although original language and dialect is not present throughout the story, the boy is greeted by the chief of his tribe with the words “Nawa, tiki!” In addition to this native dialect, the rhythm and pacing of the story are respectful and somber, as one might expect in a traditional legendary tale. Although specific religious practices of the boy are not mentioned, the references to Mother Earth throughout the story illustrate the great respect that the Pawnee Indians felt toward the Earth and the gifts that were given by her.

The earth-toned, watercolor illustrations by Begay represent traditional views of the characters, and primarily portray the boy and his pony. Other characters are shown with few distinguishable characterizing features. The body types shown in the group pictures vary as do the clothing styles that are shown. Readers will see characters of varying ages wearing loin cloths, dresses and wraps. Not all males wear feathers in their hair, although the illustration of the chief does picture him with fringed clothing, a Mohawk and feathers. The other characters in the story have hairstyles that readers might expect, yet not all characters wear the same style.

The mode of transportation shown is either walking or riding bareback, which fits with what is known about the Pawnee Indians. Most research tells us that these Native Americans lived in dome-shaped earth lodges, yet the illustrations throughout The Mud Pony show the boy and his people living in teepees, possibly due to the fact that they frequently moved to follow herds of buffalo and other prey.

Together, the illustrations and the text combine to retell a story that is bursting with tradition and legend. Readers will enjoy this coming of age story set in the peaceful and reverent past of the Skidi Pawnee tribe.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

Publisher’s Weekly. From the Skidi branch of the Pawnee Indians of the Plains comes this tale of a boy who achieves greatness in his tribe with the guidance of a pony he made out of mud. Too poor to own a pony like the other boys, he fashions a small mud pony and goes to see it every day. It is during one of these visits that the rest of the tribe moves west in search of buffalo, and the boy is left behind. Not only does the mud pony become a living, breathing horse, but she takes him to his tribe; later, she helps him become the chief of his tribe by giving him great power in battles.

School Library Journal. A poor Indian boy longs for a pony of his own. He sculpts a pony out of mud and takes care of it as if it were real. When his tribe accidently leaves him behind, the mud pony becomes real and leads the boy to their new camp. The boy and his magical pony help the tribe defeat their enemies, and after many years the boy becomes a powerful chief. The pony appears to the grown boy in a dream and tells him that it’s time for the animal to return to Mother Earth.

CONNECTIONS

The Mud Pony can be used along with a legendary tale from another tribe (Turquoise Boy by Terri Cohlene—from the Navajo tribe) to compare two different Native American tribes.

Look for these other legendary tales about Native Americans:

Abenakew, Freda. How the birch tree got its stripes: a Cree story for children. ISBN 9780920079386

Begay, Shonto. Ma’ii and Cousin Horned Toad: a traditional Navajo story. ISBN 9780590453912

Steptoe, John. The story of Jumpin Mouse: a Native American legend. ISBN 9780688087401

Sekaquaptwa, Eugene. Coyote and the winnowing birds: a traditional Hopi tale. ISBN 9780940666863

Tapahonso, Luci and Eleanor Schick. Navajo ABC: a Dine alphabet book. ISBN 9780689826856

Bruchac, Joseph. 2002. Seasons of the circle: a Native American year. Ill. by Robert F. Goetzl. New York: BridgeWater Books. ISBN 0816774676

PLOT SUMMARY

Joseph Bruchac shares with readers time-honored traditions of several Native American tribes, beginning in January, when “Maliseet hunters follow the tracks of the moose through crusted snow” and ending in December, when “a Lakota elder tells stories of when earth was young.” In an author’s note at the beginning of the book, Bruchac details the importance of the circle, the seasons, and the traditions that the included tribes follow each year. Also included is a pronunciation guide and more detailed explanations of the customs and their importance to the tribes. Readers will also find a map of the United States with locations of the various tribes labeled. The extraordinary paintings that illustrate the text provide a more intimate look at the customs and traditions that pervade the culture of Native Americans. Each two-page spread shows both traditional and modern peoples celebrating the seasons of the year, the phases of the moon, and the way of life that has kept them strong throughout history.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)

Throughout Seasons of the Circle, Bruchac uses a lyrical, almost poetic tone to inform readers of various traditions and cultures celebrated by North American Native American tribes. Each month is detailed with a different tribe paying tribute to Mother Earth and the traditions and cultures that make them each a community. Although Native American dialect is not used in relating the traditions, the author did provide additions to the book, one of which is a meaning and pronunciation of tribal names. In this guide, Bruchac gives more information about each season as well as the tribal customs that are used to celebrate and honor the specific time of year. Another informative addition is the list of Moon Names by month for the Mohawks, Lakotas and Suquamish tribes. The names given by each tribe more effectively describe the time of year and the happenings during that time.

The illustrations by Goetzl complement the expressive text and honor each tribe and their customs with respect. The earth tones used in each two-page spread remind readers that Mother Earth plays a very important role in the lives of all Native Americans. Although readers will see similarities in facial features between the tribes, Goetzl portrays the Native Americans with varying body types and facial features. The skin tones of the characters, although typically darker, cover a variety of shades, providing added individuality for the illustrations. Additionally, the hairstyles of the characters are not identical. Although some Native American men are seen with feathers in their hair, most are shown with hoods, hats, or short hair as one would expect to see today. The women are also portrayed with different body types and hairstyles, some with no adornments, others with braids, and still others with ponytails or pigtails.

Characters of many ages are shown, from young babies being held by mothers to aged men and women sharing their years of experiences with younger tribal members. Additionally, the clothing styles and settings of the illustrations portray both traditional and modern representations of the tribes. Although the general environment of the illustrations leans toward the rural, many of the settings also show buildings and other urban sights, illustrating without words that although there is a history of celebrating seasons, the traditions do not prevent the Native Americans from contributing to society today while still staying true to their culture and heritage.

Together, the text and illustrations meld to provide readers with a respectful and informative look at several Native American tribes and their people. This book is a wonderful addition to libraries and will provide readers with a brief overview of a calendar year and the seasons that mark the circle of time.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

Booklist. From Maliseet hunters following moose tracks in the snow in January to a Lakota elder’s winter tales during a cold December evening, this lyrical tribute to American tribal nations cuts across the seasons. Pictures of Lenape women gathering sap from trees in April, Apache celebrating a girl’s journey into womanhood in July, and Menominee harvesting rice as they paddle through the cool September water sweep across double-page spreads to make this book both pleasing to look at and informative.

Kirkus Reviews. The prolific chronicler of Indian culture for children tries to distill a complicated set of cultural signals into the great circle of the seasons. In doing so, this package falls victim to its own reductionism and in the end serves up little more value than as an introduction to young children of the different tribes and key moments in their years.

CONNECTIONS

Readers can compare the year of Native Americans with customs and traditions celebrated during their own calendar year. This could also be used in a unit or discussion of calendars around the world.

Look for these other Native American books by Joseph Bruchac:

Bruchac, Joseph. Code talker: a novel about the Navajo marines of World War II. ISBN 9780142405963

Bruchac, Joseph. Skeleton man. ISBN 9780064408882

Bruchac, Joseph. Sacajawea: the story of Bird Woman and the Lewis and Clark expedition. ISBN 9780439280686

Bruchac, Joseph. First strawberries: a Cherokee story. ISBN 9780140564099

Bruchac, Joseph. Between Earth & sky: legends of Native American sacred places. ISBN 9780152020620

Smith, Cynthia Leitich. 2001. Rain is not my Indian name. New York: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 0688173977

PLOT SUMMARY

On the night before her birthday, the night that Rain finally kissed her forever best-friend, Galen, he is tragically killed in an automobile accident on his way home. In her grief, Rain refuses to attend Galen’s funeral and shuts herself and her life off from everyone around her for six months, not realizing until later that the town gossip is that she and Galen did more than kiss. Her brother Fynn, also tired of Rain’s reclusiveness, strongly encourages her to attend her Aunt Georgia’s Indian Camp for children. Although Rain inherited Native American blood from both her father’s side of the family and her mother’s, she is reluctant to expose herself as an “Indian” in her small hometown. Finally, Rain volunteers to attend the camp as a volunteer photographer, and becomes involved through her camera lens. The experience reconnects her with friends from her past and those who hope to be part of her future. When funding for the camp becomes a political debate in her small town, Rain must decide whether to commit to her heritage or return to hiding. Throughout the story, Rain’s slightly dysfunctional family supports her and her efforts to return to life as a normal teenager.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)

Cassidy Rain Berghoff is a modern Native American who has suffered the loss of her mother and now the loss of her best friend, and first romantic interest. Cynthia Leitich Smith does not give a detailed description of Rain or of the other characters, but in passing informs readers that she is “average height, average weight, with bottle-cap boobs and eyes pinched at the corners”. When her mother was alive, she used to say that Rain’s “hair looked like waving wheat and [her] eyes changed color with the weather”. Although Rain does say that her brother Finn is “striking”, the only other description readers get of Fynn is when Rain calls him “Native American Fabio”.

Rain is Not My Indian Name portrays a family of Native Americans living the average American life. They have a nice house in Kansas, their father is in the Air Force, their grandfather lives with them along with Fynn’s girlfriend/fiancée, Natalie. Throughout the story, Rain struggles with her heritage, which is mixed, but still a vital part of her life. There is mention of Rain’s resentment of the way it felt to be an Indian in her small town. “At school, the subject of Native Americans pretty much comes up just around Turkey Day, like those cardboard cutouts of the Pilgrims and the pumpkins and the squash taped to the windows at McDonald’s” (p. 13). Rain’s reaction is to avoid the season and read other materials when the class is discussing the season.

Although Rain is not ashamed of her heritage, it is not her favorite topic of conversation. Aunt Georgia’s Indian Camp, as Rain feared brings her heritage, her past, and her future into the open, forcing her to deal with her life with all its ups and downs. Although Rain is a Native American, Smith portrays her as an average American girl with the same thoughts and feelings as everyone else. This is a wonderful story for readers to experience life along with Rain and see the world through the eyes of someone with special qualities and a heritage that helps her face the challenges she must face every day.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

Publisher’s Weekly. The sensitive yet witty narrator, 14-year-old Cassidy Rain Berghoff, grows up in a small Kansas town as one of the few people with some Native American heritage. That experience alone might challenge Rain, but Smith creates a welter of conflicts. Rain’s mother is dead (she was struck by lightning), and as the novel opens, her best friend is killed in a car accident just after he and Rain realize their friendship has grown into romance. Six months later, her older brother urges her to go to her great-aunt’s Indian Camp. At first she shrugs it off, but later volunteers to photograph the camp for the town paper and begins to share her Aunt Georgia’s commitment to it.

School Library Journal. There is a surprising amount of humor in this tender novel. It is one of the best portrayals around of kids whose heritage is mixed but still very important in their lives. As feelings about the public funding of Indian Camp heat up, the emotions and values of the characters remain crystal clear and completely in focus. It’s Rain’s story and she cannot be reduced to simple labels. A wonderful novel of a present-day teen and her “patchwork tribe”.

CONNECTIONS

This novel is a great beginning point for readers to discuss loss and what it can and does mean in their lives.

Look for these other novels about modern Native American kids:

Smith, Cynthia Leitich. Jingle dancer. ISBN 9780688162412

Smith, Cynthia Leitich. Indian shoes. ISBN 9780060295318

Carvell, Marlene. Who will tell my brother? ISBN 9780786816576

George, Jean Craighead. The talking Earth. ISBN 9780064402125

McCain, Becky Ray. Grandmother’s dreamcatcher. ISBN 9780807530320

Ryan, Pam Muñoz. 2007. Paint the wind. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 9780439873628

PLOT SUMMARY

Maya has lived with her overprotective grandmother since her parents died. For the past six years, Maya is seldom allowed to leave the house except to attend school. All traces of her past—her mother’s love of horses and her father’s talent for painting have been erased from her life by her disapproving grandmother. All, that is, but a shoebox full of plastic horses that her mother played with when she was a child and a photograph of her mother, atop a brown and white mustang. When Maya’s grandmother suffers a stroke and dies, Maya again finds herself an orphan and is sent to live with her mother’s family in Wyoming—a family that Maya does not remember. As Maya is again uprooted and begins to live the life that her parents wanted her to have, she discovers that she, too loves horses, and, with the help of her grandfather, Moose and Aunt Vi, Maya also rediscovers her parents. Throughout the book, the story is also seen through the eyes of Artemesia, the lead mare in a herd of wild horses. As the story unfolds, Artemesia’s desire to protect her young colt and Maya’s desire to become the person that her parent’s hoped she would become cause their lives to intertwine, weaving a touching tale of love, loss, holding on, and letting go. 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)

Although the main character, Maya is not described in detail, her name, Maya Menetti, as well as the short description given by the author—“delicate and lean frame, russet-red hair, and unforgettable purplish eyes…Maya’s skin, a shade darker in tone and suggesting her father’s and grandmother’s southern European roots” gives readers a clear picture of the troubled girl as well as her mixed heritage. The behavior of Maya’s grandmother, very proper, protective and concerned with outward appearances, is emphasized by the housekeeper’s agreement with Maya’s grandmother on “the way children should be monitored”. It is further highlighted by the way that all Maya’s memories of her mother and her father’s artistic talent have been removed from her life. However, Maya keeps her mother’s memory alive by her contact with the box of plastic horses and photo of her mother.

Ryan’s description of Artemesia and the rest of the herd takes readers to the wild plains of Wyoming, and when the helicopters arrive for “the gathering”, readers feel the terror that Artemesia feels. Artemesia’s home, the plains of Wyoming are in stark contrast to the environment in which Maya has spent the past six years. From her grandmother’s palatial home in Pasadena, California, to the ranch house and tent that Maya lives in with her mother’s family. This contrast is emphasized by the third-person telling of Artemesia’s story. Artemesia has spent time in captivity before when she was purchased after a gathering. She was bought by Aunt Vi, and was ridden by Maya’s mother. The link between Artemesia and Maya goes deeper than the past, however. The book is divided into sections that are titled after a horse’s gait—walk, jog, lope, and gallop, and give a name to the sense of individuality and joy that Maya begins to experience as she becomes more confident and experienced in her new life.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

Publisher’s Weekly. When her imperious grandmother dies suddenly, 11-year-old Maya, an orphan, is sent to Wyoming to live with her mother’s family-strangers to her, thanks to her grandmother’s high-handed notions. There Maya discovers a love of horses, especially those raised and trained by her great-aunt Vi.

Children’s Literature. Maya leads a life of quiet obedience, never venturing outside except for school, never experiencing normal childhood activities, and never having friends. Playing with her mother’s toy horses and exacting minor acts of revenge on the household staff are her only solace. Then, orphaned again when her grandmother dies, Maya is sent to Wyoming to live with relatives she did not know she had: her mother’s father, uncle, and aunt. Thus begins the heart of this tale of a girl discovering the true meaning of family and freedom.

CONNECTIONS

The background of this story found on Pam Muñoz Ryan’s website lends itself well to a discussion of the research that is required to write an accurate and enthralling work of fiction.

Look for these other books by Pam Muñoz Ryan:

Ryan, Pam Muñoz. Esperanza rising. ISBN 9780439120425

Ryan, Pam Muñoz. Becoming Naomi Leon. ISBN 9780439269971

Ryan, Pam Muñoz. Riding Freedom. ISBN 9780439087964

Ryan, Pam Muñoz. Our California. ISBN 9781580891172

Ryan, Pam Muñoz. Amelia and Eleanor go for a ride. ISBN 9780590960755