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