Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Culture 2 African American Literature


A.  Bibliography
Johnson, Angela. 2010. HEAVEN. NY, New York: Simon & Schuster Publishing.
 ISBN 9781442403420

B.  PLOT SUMMARY
HEAVEN is a novel about a fourteen-year-old girl named Marley, who lives in Heaven, Ohio with her Momma, Pops, and younger brother, Butchy. Marley’s life is turned upside down when she discovers that her family isn’t the family she thought she knew. By the end of Johnson's novel, Marley's definition of family is challenged and redefined.

C.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
HEAVEN is a novel that is rich in African American cultural markers. For example, the setting of the story is a contemporary setting. The story takes place in the summer of 1996, in Heaven, Ohio. The struggle with the effects of racism is a cultural marker in HEAVEN. During this time in history, a significant number of African American churches in the South were being burned down. Marley states, “Momma told me last week that they burnt down the church in Alabama that Pops and I went to when we were babies. She saw it burn on the news.”  The burning of the churches in the South is a sad reminder to Momma and Pops of the church burning in the 1960s. Another cultural marker Angela Johnson refers to is families, loyalties, and obligations. This is revealed in Bobby’s bond with his baby, Feather and Marley’s mother’s love for her daughter and son. Marley states, “He looks at Feather as if she is the only baby in the whole world. Sometimes I catch Momma looking at me and Butchy that way.” 
The chief example of the strength of family is Marley’s revelation that Momma, Pops, and Butchy are not her biological parents and brother, but are really her aunt, uncle, and cousin. Marley learns about loyalties and obligation when it is revealed that her Momma and Pops raised her as their own daughter, when her biological mother died and Uncle Jack (Marley’s biological father) relied on his family for support and Momma and Pops loyalties and obligation to her Uncle Jack would not allow them to tell Marley the truth about her "real" parents.
The love that Marley has for her family is another cultural marker in the story. Marley states, “My family is still just that-only the titles have been renamed. Butchy is still the boy I love, who rolled through life. Momma is still the one who digs and plants and does have hands that look like mines. And Pops is still the man who, when I close my eyes, I can see his smile. . . I watch Jack as we sit and talk in the backyard. . .I don’t feel like I could ever love any of these people more than I do in that  one moment.” The presence of strong friendships in the book is a strong cultural marker in this story. Marley and her friend Shoogy have a bond that will stand the test of time. Finally, Angela Johnson writes a poignant novel of deception and self-discovery- about finding the truth and knowing what to do when truth is at hand.

D. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
AWARDS
1999 winner of the Coretta Scott King Award
Publishers Weekly
“Johnson explores the themes of what makes a place home and which people family. The author's poetic metaphors describe a child grasping desperately for a hold on her reality. The melding of flashbacks and present-day story line may be confusing initially, but readers who follow Marley's winding path toward revelation will be well rewarded.”
School Library Journal
“In spare, often poetic prose reminiscent of Patricia MacLachlan's work, Johnson relates Marley's insightful quest into what makes a family. Johnson exhibits admirable stylistic control over Marley's struggle to understand a concept that is often impossible to understand or even to define.”
Booklist
“Johnson writes powerfully about deep family sorrow and loss. She writes about happiness despite sorrow, about a teenager whose life has always been heaven. What saves this from being generic Hallmark is Johnson's plain, lyrical writing about the people in Marley's life. Everyone has secrets. Johnson makes us see the power of loving kindness.”

E. CONNECTIONS
Allow students to write in their journal explaining their definition of a real family.

In small groups, students are to discuss the following questions: (1) what helpful advice would you give Marley to cope with her newly learned secret about her family? (2) What causes Marley’s to come to terms with her definition of family by the end of the book? (3) Why does Shoogy dislike her family? (4) Why does Shoogy cut herself?

Other books by Angela Johnson:
THE FIRST PART LAST.  ISBN 9780689849237
SWEET, HEREAFTER.  ISBN 978-0689873867
BIRD. ISBN 978-0142405444
LOOKING FOR RED. ISBN 978-0689863882
TONING THE SWEEP. ISBN 978-0590481427
DAISY AND THE DOLL.  ISBN 978-0916718237












A.  Bibliography
Lester, Julius. JOHN HENRY. 1994. Ill. by Jerry Pinkney. NY.  New York: Dial Books. ISBN 978083716063 

B.  PLOT SUMMARY
Julius Lester’s JOHN HENRY is the retelling of the legendary African American hero who raced against a steam drill and won.   

C.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
Julius Lester’s JOHN HENRY is a flawless construction of art and brilliant rhythmic text in a hazy and muted portrayal of the mystery of the legendary character known as John Henry. Jerry Pinkney’s illustrations are achieved through muted watercolors of earth tones, except for the dramatic rainbow and red bandanna John Henry wears when he battles the steam drill. The illustrations display many African American cultural markers.  First, the array of African American skin tones, hair colors, and textures are cultural markers in the story.  For example, the picture of the John Henry’s parents presenting him to the animals and John Henry’s visit to town to see Ferret-Faced Freddy is an accurate and authentic representation of the variety of physical attributes of the characters in the story. Secondly, the slight dialect conveys an African American  cultural marker in the story. Language such as, “I got things to do and I need light to do ‘em by” and “Freddy ride by on his big white horse and they were sho’ nuf moving “ are examples of  a dialect rich in cultural details. Further, the setting is a rich and vibrant cultural marker. The  setting's time period is consistent with the westward railroad expansion of the 1800s. Moreover, the garments and the building structures are consistent with the time period, as well. JOHN HENRY is an excellent well written story of an amazing legendary figure, who has captured the hearts of millions of readers.

D. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
AWARDS
Caldecott Honor Book
Winner of the Society of Illustrators' Gold Medal
ALA Notable Book
NCSS-CBC Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies
Winner of the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award
Horn Book Fanfare List
Parents Magazine Best Children's Book of the Year
BCCB Blue Ribbon Book
Winner of the Aesop Prize

Horn Book Guide Reviews
”Lester's retelling, with wonderful contemporary details and poetic similes that add humor, beauty, and strength. Pinkney's evocative illustrations -- especially the landscapes, splotchy and impressionistic, yet very solid and vigorous -- are little short of magnificent.”
Publishers Weekly Reviews
“A great American hero comes fully to life in this epic retelling filled with glorious, detailed watercolors. This carefully crafted updating begs to be read aloud for its rich, rhythmic storytelling flow, and the suitably oversize illustrations amplify the text.”
School Library Journal Reviews
“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.  Pinkney's marvelous watercolors, abundantly rich in detail, convey both the superior strength and the warm sense of humanity that make John Henry perhaps a more down-to-earth character than some other tall-tale figures. The paintings' muted earth tones add a realistic touch to the text, bringing this John Henry alive. When viewed from a distance, however, figures and details sometimes blend together, making the book better suited to independent reading that group sharing. It will appeal to an older audience and is a fine addition to any folklore collection.”

E. CONNECTIONS
JOHN HENRY can be compared with other versions of the tall-tale.
Children may enjoy reading these other books about JOHN HENRY:
Keats, Ezra Jack. JOHN HENRY: AN AMERICAN LEGEND.  ISBN 9780394890524
Nelson, Scott Reynolds. AIN’T ANYTHING BUT A MAN: MY QUEST TO FIND THE REAL JOHN HENRY.  ISBN 9781426300004
Krensky, Stephen. John Henry. ISBN 9780822564775
Students may research the history of the railway construction as a part of the
Westward Movement.









A.  Bibliography
Hill, Laban Carrick. 2010. DAVE THE POTTER: ARTIST, POET, SLAVE. Ill. by Bryan Collier. NY, New York: Little Brown & Company. ISBN 9780316107

B.  PLOT SUMMARY
DAVE THE POTTER: ARTIST, POET, SLAVE is a historical story told in free verse about an American slave named Dave, who lived the majority of his life on a plantation on the outskirts of Edgerfield, South Carolina (Pottersville) in the 1800s. Laban Carrick Hill tells the story of an extraordinary potter and poet, who carved messages and poems into masterpieces of timeless art.

C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
DAVE THE POTTER: ARTIST, POET, SLAVE  is written by Laban Carrick Hill and is illustrated by Bryan Collier. The first African American cultural marker in this story book is the historical setting. Dave’s life as a slave, in Edgefield, is an authentic reflection of the distinct cultural experiences and realities of life on a South Carolina plantation. While the book is about a slave, Hill and Collier have not integrated any explicit descriptions and illustrations in relation to the abominable cruelty of slavery in this book. In its place are illustrations in watercolor and collage of chains, shackles, slaves picking cotton in the fields, and mule drawn wagons, which are all reminders to the reader that Dave was a slave. A second cultural feature of this story is the detailed information of how Dave created his colossal storage pots, some more than two feet tall and six feet around. Details were given on how Dave formulated his elegantly molded mouths and earth-tone glazes. Furthermore, DAVE THE POTTER is authentic in terms of educational standards. For example, very few slaves could read or write, and those who demonstrated their skill jeopardized punishment. Nevertheless, Dave continued writing on his pots, for decades. He composed poems such as “Put every bit all between / surely this Jar will hold 14,”  “Dearest miss: spare me a Kiss,” and “Dave belongs to Mr. Miles / wher the oven bakes & the pot biles.” The last of his surviving poems dates to 1862, in the middle of the Civil War. Dave writes: “I, made this Jar, all of cross / If, you dont repent, you will be, lost.” Next, a cultural marker in the story is Dave’s craft. Hill and Collier takes the reader through the ceramic method, from digging and mixing clay to molding it on a wheel, to glazing it with sand and ash. Finally, the last page reveals Dave using a stick to write a thought provoking verse, on his beautifully crafted museum quality pottery. 
DAVE THE POTTER: ARTIST, POET, SLAVE is an excellent resource for parents, teachers, and students as an introduction to the world of pottery and a glimpse into the life of a slave.

D. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
AWARDS
2010 winner of the Coretta Scott King Award
2010 Caldecott Honor Book


School Library Journal
“An inspiring story, perfectly presented and sure to prompt classroom discussion and projects. Outstanding in every way.”
Booklist
“A beautiful introduction to a great lost artist.”


E. CONNECTIONS

Students may use the information in the back of the book to explore Dave's life. Who was Dave?

Todd, Leonard. 2008. CAROLINA CLAY: THE LIFE AND LEDGEND OF THE SLAVE POTTER DAVE. ISBN 978-0393058567

I  MADE THIS JAR--: THE LIFE AND WORKS OF THE ENSLAVED AFRICAN-AMERICAN POTTER, DAVE. 1998. ISBN 978-0938983125


Park, Linda Sue. 2001. A Single Shard. ISBN 978-0395978276


Baldwin, Cinda K. 1993. GREAT & NOBLE JAR: TRADITIONAL STONEWARE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.  ISBN 978-0820313719 

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Culture 1 International Literature











A.  BIBLIOGRAPHY
Mourlevat, Jean-Claude. 2006. THE PULL OF THE OCEAN. Translation by Y.  Maudett. New York, NY: Delacorte Press an imprint of Random House Children’s Books. ISBN 9780385903646
B.  PLOT SUMMARY
THE PULL OF THE OCEAN takes place in modern day France. The Doutreleau family consists of a father, mother, three sets of twin boys, and the youngest brother, Yann. Yann is a two feet tall, ten year old mute, who is extraordinarily insightful and intelligent. Yann converses with individuals through facial expressions and hand gestures. The Doutreleau family are poor farmers, who appear to be uncaring, and controlling. One night, Yann awakes his brothers and warns them their parents will kill them. As a result, the Doutreleau boys journey west to the Atlantic Ocean.
C.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS) 
Loosely based on Charles Perrault’s TOM THUMB, Claude Mourlevat’s version, THE PULL OF THE OCEAN, is a blend of realistic fiction, fairy-tale, and mystery. In Mourlevat’s version, the reader is introduced to a ten year old protagonist, who is a self-imposed mute, named Yann Doutreleau. Yann is unlike his three sets of twin brothers, he is not a twin and he is an avid reader. According to Yann's mother, “Yann came last and alone. Like the period at the end of a sentence.” 
Each chapter in Mourlevat’s book is told from a sundry of twenty-one character’s, beginning with the thirty-two year old social worker in chapter one, to the sixty year old skipper, merchant marine in chapter eighteen. The character’s accounts of the Doutreleau's, provides the reader with insight and background on the members of the Doutreleau family.
Throughout Mourlevat’s book, the reader is provided with an array of recognizable cultural markers that are French. For example, the names of five of the seven Doutreleau’s boys are French: Max, Pierre, Remy, Yann, and Fabien. Further, the various characters the boys encounter through their travels have French names:  Colette, Chapuis, Michelle, Emile, and Thierry. 






An additional cultural marker is the names of the cites in France: Périgueux, Limages, Bordeaux, and Angouleme. 
 Although an exact date and time is not stated in the book, there are a number of cultural markers that suggests the story takes place in contemporary France. For instance, the mention of a CD player and wireless electric drill, all establishes the time as present day France.

Finally, the author’s translation of the French dialect portrays a French cultural marker. For example, the mom states, “We was gonna,” “Whaddya want, then?,” and the father states, ”I’ll never ask no one for nothin’ And my boys’ll never ask for nothin’ either,” suggests a proud non-standard French dialect that is authentic in terms of  language and social values . 
THE PULL OF THE OCEAN  is an engaging and well written story that invites the reader to reflect and celebrate brotherhood and solidarity.

D.  REVIEW EXCERPTS
Booklist Reviews

“The story is intriguing, and the relationship among the brothers is heartwarming.”

Horn Book Magazine Reviews

“This story/fable/fairy tale is a powerful portrait of poverty and sibling solidarity, at once tragic and oddly joyful.”

Kirkus Reviews
“The prose is nightmarish but occasionally lovely, and older readers will appreciate its dark magic.” “Mourlevat enchantingly blends the harshly real and the make-believe, with the latter tipping the balance as this effectively haunting, fluidly translated tale comes to a close.”
School Library Journal Reviews

“It is a memorable novel that readers will find engaging and intellectually satisfying.”
AWARDS

2007 Mildred L. Batchelder Award

2007 ALA Notable Children's Book 
Prix Sorcieres Award
E.  CONNECTIONS
Students may create a map tracking the brother’s journey through the French countryside.
Students may enjoy reading the following book by Jean-Claude Mourlevat:WINTER"S END. ISBN 9780763644505











A.  BIBLIOGRAPHY
Fox, Mem. 2009. HELLO BABY!. Ill. by Steve Jenkins. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division. ISBN 9781416985136
B.  PLOT SUMMARY
In HELLO BABY!, by Mem Fox, A small child meets an assortment of wildlife  babies that include a monkey, porcupine, eagle, gecko, owl, and crocodile. As the narrator introduces each animal baby, an account of  its appearance is related to the youngster. Towards the end of the book, the narrator asks the child, "Then who are you, baby? Wait, let me guess-Are you my treasure? The answer is . . . Yes!" 
C.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS) 
HELLO BABY!, overflows with strong and vibrant rhymes that are enhanced by Steve Jenkins’ stunning  and captivating illustrations. Throughout the book, Fox's rhymes are infused with African cultural markers that begin with the African wildlife to the parent and child. This picture book is a celebration of the splendor and allure of the African wildlife experience and Africa's most treasured gift of all- a parents love of a child. For example, Fox's description of a "leopard dozing at dusk,” "an elephant wielding a tusk,” "a hippo with yawning jaws,” and  “an owl with a wicked wink,” are all prime examples of  the cultural markers referencing African wildlife. Steven Jenkins illustrations are a bold and exquisite representation of Fox's Africa.  Upon careful observation, the reader will be fascinated by  the minuscules insets of animals offered on each page. Moreover, the features of the hippo’s eyelashes and the gecko’s sharp claws are beautiful examples of Jenkins’ breathtaking mastery of African wildlife. 
HELLO BABY! is a well written story that highlights Mem Fox’s bond to her beloved Africa. 
D.  REVIEW EXCERPT
Booklist
"As in her best-selling title Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes (2008), a Booklist Editors’ Choice selection, Fox creates an affectionate, singsong picture book directed straight at small children. Here, her rhyming couplets take the form of queries inviting kids to compare themselves to a zoo full of animals.”
E.  CONNECTIONS
Children may create their own distinctive paper illustrations like the ones in the book.
Other books about animals for small children: 
Fearnley, Jan. JUST LIKE YOU. ISBN 9780763613228
Godwin, Laura. WHAT THE BABY HEARS. ISBN 978078680560

A. Bibliography
Croza, Laurel. 2010. I KNOW HERE. Ill. by Matt James. Berkeley, California: Publishers Group West. ISBN 9780888999239
B.  PLOT SUMMARY
The little girl in this picture book lives with her family in a trailer in northeastern Saskatchewan. Her father is building a dam and when it is completed, the family will move to Toronto, Canada. Toronto is the place on the school’s map that is marked with a big red star. The little girl is very apprehensive about moving to a strange city. She states, "Have people in Toronto seen what I've seen?" Through the art of drawing and the teacher's help, the little girl discovers a way to keep all she adores about Saskatchewan close to her heart.
C.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
In I KNOW HERE, Laurel Croza shares the story of a third grade Canadian girl, who lives in the remote prairies of the Saskatchewan Province. She lives in a trailer with four siblings and attends school with eight other children. The little girl is the only third grader in Miss Hendrickson classroom. Her father is building a damn near their home, where seven other families occupy trailers. When the school year ends, the dam will be finished, hasting the family’s move to Toronto. While the little girl’s older brother bursts with excitement at the news of moving to Toronto, the little girl, who is not given a name in the story, is fearful of the unknown and wants to stay in her familiar northeastern Saskatchewan surroundings.
Matt James' illustrations are a compliment to Croza’s vibrant and heartwarming text. The detailed language and illustrations, provides the reader with distinctive cultural markers that are characteristics of the Saskatchewan region. For example, how the little girl describes the “tobogganing hill,” a creek that wound around the hill, "the squishy spot by the beaver dam" where her sister catches frogs, and  the dam "built right across the North Saskatchewan River" are specific environmental markers to this region of Canada. Further, cultural markers include the time and place of the story.  For example, the little girl talks of a popular 1960s through the mid-1970s Disney program that aired on Sundays.  She states, “One Sunday night, I saw The Wonderful World of Disney on a TV that the electrician set up outside his trailer.” Further, as a result of Matt James' authentic heavy brushwork, his illustrations  gives voice and appeal to the vintage television set, the characters, and other environmental features in the story that are specific to Canada. 
I KNOW HERE is a touching story that is an accurate and authentic representative of northeastern Saskatchewan.
D.  REVIEW EXCERPT
Horn Book Fanfare: Best Book of 2010
Erza Jack Keats and New York Public Library New Writer Award
Capital Choices Noteworthy Book for Children and Teens
School Library Journal
“The simple, straightforward text is spot-on in capturing the child's sensibilities and feelings. James's vibrant acrylic and India ink on panel artwork brings the girl's world to life, with its starkness, beauty, and haunting appeal. The stylized paintings at times have a surreal quality and are almost dreamlike in their composition.”
E. CONNECTIONS 
To help children ease the stress of moving to a new place, allow students to draws pictures of their home and school in their journal.
Provide children with digital cameras to photograph their friends, teachers, relatives, special places, and events that they can peruse, when they miss their former home town.
Other books students may enjoy reading about moving: 
 Pérez, Amada Irma. 2002 MY DIARY FROM HERE TO THERE/MI DIARIO DE AQUI HASTA ALLA. ISBN 9780892392308
Mudy, Michaelene. 2005. SAYING GOOD-BYE, SAYING HELLO. . . : WHEN YOUR FAMILY IS MOVING. ISBN 9780870293931