Book Review: "The Chanukkah Guest" by Eric A. Kimmel
Kimmel, Eric A. The Chanukkah Guest. New York: Scholastic Inc. 1988.
This cheery book is about an old woman, Bubba Brayna, who lives in the woods is cooking for Chanukkah and all the guests that are coming over including the Rabbi. Her cooking, including latkes, enticed a bear's sense of smell so he headed towards her house. Bubba Brayna, however, doesn't have a very good ability to hear or see so when the bear shows up to her house she just assumes the bear is the Rabbi and is a bit early. Every time she talked to the "Rabbi" the bear would respond with a grunt, but since she can't hear very well she heard real words. They light the menorah together, play Chanukkah games, and eat all the latkes. After this the bear gets sleepy and Bubba gives him a scarf and sends him on his way wishing him a Happy Chanukkah! A few moments later all the guests show up and the real Rabbi, Bubba is very surprised and told everyone there were no more latkes because the Rabbi ate them all. They explained that it couldn't have been him because he was at the synagogue with the rest. The guests saw all the bear paw prints and figured out what really happened. They had a good laugh and helped Bubba Brayna make more potato latkes!
I though this story was very cute and funny! "The Chanukkah Guest" is a great book and great representative of Jewish literature. It was very authentic and within the text it talked about the certain things that Jewish people take part in during the Chanukkah holiday. Eric Kimmel is an insider author and wrote a great and informative picture book. I think he fit a lot of knowledge withing his pages of work. I also really liked that in the front of the book he included a small glossary of terms that he used in the book to help outsiders understand what he was writing about and what the characters were taking part in. I thought that Bubba Brayna was a very warm and loving character that helped convey the message that everyone deserves a nice Chanukkah!
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
The Realm of Possiblity by David Levithan
Sometimes books stand out from the crowd; this book seems to be on a new level. Not many teen novels today are written in prose, poems, and songs. This book appeals differently in that not all students will enjoy it, to teach it in a class it might be easier to treat the novel like short stories and not cover the whole book. AS a personal read this book is introspective, and at the same time inter-spective giving a great glimpse into the way another teen looks at the world. This book follows multiple characters by giving a glimpse of their thoughts, feelings, and hearing a story or two that they have to tell. This novel not only is a great tool for getting more student interested in poetry but also for reaching out to students who don’t always seem to connect to traditional poetry but have a lot of potential of their own. The stories I found to be very realistic and cover a lot of issues that teens do face today from relationships, to peer pressure, teasing, bullying, and eating disorders. A book that confronts these issues head on like this becomes a great mirror and window for students to look at themselves and their peers. As a teacher or mentor or friend providing a student who faces one of these issues with this book could provide them a bridge to start dealing with their own problems.
Embedded in all of the social issues are the blurred gender roles in relationships that exist for teens in all relationships but also we see examples of boys with girls, boys with boys, and girls with crushes on the girl the boy got. Showing the spectrum of sexuality in this way matches the progressive view that a lot of people are taking today in knowing that people cannot always fit in one category or another and with the stepping forward and bravery people have had in the LBGTQ community it has allowed all people to recognize their preferences. Scientists and researchers realize that not all people will always pick men over women or have completely equal feelings for both, these stories showed that ambiguity. For a person, especially a teen facing their adulthood, pressures, and sexuality all while balancing school and family and friends this novel can really feel real. The novel never seems to make race a specific story focus but it can be seen through a diversity of names (not everyone is Jane Smith) and personalities lends to students picturing the characters however they best relate to them.
This book would be a great addition to libraries and recommended reading lists for all teens, no matter their gender or sexual desires. The realism of the subjects and the amount of LBGTQ content would make this book controversial to many people. I feel it is important to understand that many parents would worry that such content could “suggest” negative ideas to the students. I find its equally important to point out that aware of it or not many things go on in high schools across the country that are not perfect and parent friendly, if a book can show kids that it relates to that on a real level they can actually find their own issues on that same real level. All of this diversity, artistic beauty, uniqueness, and realism make this an excellent addition to diverse library collections.
Levithan, David. The Realm of Possiblity. New York city: Alfred A. Knopf, 2004.
Embedded in all of the social issues are the blurred gender roles in relationships that exist for teens in all relationships but also we see examples of boys with girls, boys with boys, and girls with crushes on the girl the boy got. Showing the spectrum of sexuality in this way matches the progressive view that a lot of people are taking today in knowing that people cannot always fit in one category or another and with the stepping forward and bravery people have had in the LBGTQ community it has allowed all people to recognize their preferences. Scientists and researchers realize that not all people will always pick men over women or have completely equal feelings for both, these stories showed that ambiguity. For a person, especially a teen facing their adulthood, pressures, and sexuality all while balancing school and family and friends this novel can really feel real. The novel never seems to make race a specific story focus but it can be seen through a diversity of names (not everyone is Jane Smith) and personalities lends to students picturing the characters however they best relate to them.
This book would be a great addition to libraries and recommended reading lists for all teens, no matter their gender or sexual desires. The realism of the subjects and the amount of LBGTQ content would make this book controversial to many people. I feel it is important to understand that many parents would worry that such content could “suggest” negative ideas to the students. I find its equally important to point out that aware of it or not many things go on in high schools across the country that are not perfect and parent friendly, if a book can show kids that it relates to that on a real level they can actually find their own issues on that same real level. All of this diversity, artistic beauty, uniqueness, and realism make this an excellent addition to diverse library collections.
Levithan, David. The Realm of Possiblity. New York city: Alfred A. Knopf, 2004.
Book Review: The Sissy Duckling
The book Sissy Duckling by Harvey Fierstein is a story about a boy duckling that is considered ‘special’ by all the other ducklings. He enjoys doing more stereotypical feminine things such as cooking, doing puppet shows, being the halftime show entertainment, and wearing things that are the color pink. The other ducklings, including his own father, call him a sissy and are embarrassed by his lifestyle. Elmer, the special duckling, is described as being the only boy duckling who didn’t like to do anything like the other boy ducklings. Elmer runs away from home to be by himself. Through many obstacles, he ends up realizing that he is just like the other ducklings and will always remain special.
Fierstein, Harvey. The Sissy Duckling. New York: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, 2002.
This book may relate to families that have a hard time accepting a person who is gay or has feminine tendencies. Elmer stands for what he believes in and does not let anyone make him think different. Even if his own father does not accept him, he still remains ‘special’. The book uses the words ‘special’ and ‘sissy’, which may influence the children reading it to use these words when encountering people that are homosexual. These terms can be very offensive to a gay person.
The illustrations in the book are cartoon-like, but are colorful and help children interpret and understand the story better. There is one picture where the decorations in his room are more feminine. The pictures included females and flowers. This picture could make the readers form a stereotype of what gay people might like. This diverse piece of literature has some stereotypical references, but would also allow readers to better understand how gay people may feel.
Fierstein, Harvey. The Sissy Duckling. New York: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, 2002.
This book may relate to families that have a hard time accepting a person who is gay or has feminine tendencies. Elmer stands for what he believes in and does not let anyone make him think different. Even if his own father does not accept him, he still remains ‘special’. The book uses the words ‘special’ and ‘sissy’, which may influence the children reading it to use these words when encountering people that are homosexual. These terms can be very offensive to a gay person.
The illustrations in the book are cartoon-like, but are colorful and help children interpret and understand the story better. There is one picture where the decorations in his room are more feminine. The pictures included females and flowers. This picture could make the readers form a stereotype of what gay people might like. This diverse piece of literature has some stereotypical references, but would also allow readers to better understand how gay people may feel.
Latin American Childeren's Literature- Book Review: Mice and Beans by Pam Munoz Ryan
Ryan, Pam Munoz. Illustrated by Joe Cepeda. Mice and Beans. New York: Scholastic Press, 2001.
The children's book, Mice and Beans by Pam Munoz Ryan is about an elderly lady with a big heart named Rosa Maria. The story begins with Rosa Maria planning a party for her granddaughter's birthday celebration. Rosa Maria has a small house and a large family but was not concerned about them all fitting because she believed something her mother used to say, "When there's room in the heart, there's room in the house, EXCEPT for a mouse." She has one week before the party will take place and each day leading up to the party Rosa Maria does something different to prepare for it. Rosa Maria also sets a mouse trap each night before she goes to bed to prevent her home from getting mice. However, the next day something she needs to prepare for the party is missing and the mouse trap is gone. Rosa Maria dismisses the missing items and says they are not important. She thinks that she forgot to put the mouse trap out due to her old age. She then sets a new mouse trap and goes to bed. Items and the mouse traps go missing every day for the rest of the week. Finally, on the day of the party, the pinata that Rosa Maria bought for her grandchildren was hanging up and about to be swung at. Rosa Maria suddenly realized that she forgot to fill it with candy. However, by the time she tried to say something it was too late. The pinata had been swung at and it cracked open. Much to Rosa Maria's surprise, candy fell out of the pinata! This seemed mysterious and odd to her but she was pleased it made her granddaughter so happy. After the party ended Rosa Maria noticed a mess in the cupboard and realized that she must indeed have mice. She wondered if perhaps they were the cause for the missing things as well as the helpful hands who filled the pinata. She suddenly realized that she had her mothers saying wrong this whole time. She remembered that it actually was, "When there's room in the heart, there's room in the house, EVEN for a mouse." Rosa Maria was grateful for the helpful mice and never set a mouse trap again.
This book is written by an insider author and is an excellent piece of Latin American multicultural literature for children. Ryan's inspiration for this book was based off of her own memories of her aunts, uncles, parents, siblings, and 23 first cousins all being packed into her grandmothers small house. Food common to Mexican American culture is represented in the story such as enchiladas, rice, and beans. Other food that is not specific to this culture is also mentioned adding to the story the realistic idea that Mexican Americans eat food that is not only specific to their culture. Ryan portrays a large close-knit family in this story that is accurate to her own experiences as well as is something that is commonly valued in the culture. Spanish words are mixed in with the English text throughout the story. Sometimes the meaning of the word is given. For instance when Rosa Maria realizes she forgot something she says, "Que boba soy! Silly me, I must have forgotten." This clearly allows readers to see that "que boba soy" means "silly me" in English, however it does not take away from the flow of the text. Some words are introduced one time and then repeated without explanation. This does not make the text difficult to read but instead adds to the authentic portrayal of the culture. The added Spanish words also gives the sense that although living in America, the traditional language of the culture is still valued. The illustrations are also done by an insider to this culture. Joe Cepeda creates lively and colorful illustrations. He portrays the characters positively by making them look happy and healthy. The pictures of the food and the many photos of various family members on the wall add to the books authentic portrayal of the culture.
The children's book, Mice and Beans by Pam Munoz Ryan is about an elderly lady with a big heart named Rosa Maria. The story begins with Rosa Maria planning a party for her granddaughter's birthday celebration. Rosa Maria has a small house and a large family but was not concerned about them all fitting because she believed something her mother used to say, "When there's room in the heart, there's room in the house, EXCEPT for a mouse." She has one week before the party will take place and each day leading up to the party Rosa Maria does something different to prepare for it. Rosa Maria also sets a mouse trap each night before she goes to bed to prevent her home from getting mice. However, the next day something she needs to prepare for the party is missing and the mouse trap is gone. Rosa Maria dismisses the missing items and says they are not important. She thinks that she forgot to put the mouse trap out due to her old age. She then sets a new mouse trap and goes to bed. Items and the mouse traps go missing every day for the rest of the week. Finally, on the day of the party, the pinata that Rosa Maria bought for her grandchildren was hanging up and about to be swung at. Rosa Maria suddenly realized that she forgot to fill it with candy. However, by the time she tried to say something it was too late. The pinata had been swung at and it cracked open. Much to Rosa Maria's surprise, candy fell out of the pinata! This seemed mysterious and odd to her but she was pleased it made her granddaughter so happy. After the party ended Rosa Maria noticed a mess in the cupboard and realized that she must indeed have mice. She wondered if perhaps they were the cause for the missing things as well as the helpful hands who filled the pinata. She suddenly realized that she had her mothers saying wrong this whole time. She remembered that it actually was, "When there's room in the heart, there's room in the house, EVEN for a mouse." Rosa Maria was grateful for the helpful mice and never set a mouse trap again.
This book is written by an insider author and is an excellent piece of Latin American multicultural literature for children. Ryan's inspiration for this book was based off of her own memories of her aunts, uncles, parents, siblings, and 23 first cousins all being packed into her grandmothers small house. Food common to Mexican American culture is represented in the story such as enchiladas, rice, and beans. Other food that is not specific to this culture is also mentioned adding to the story the realistic idea that Mexican Americans eat food that is not only specific to their culture. Ryan portrays a large close-knit family in this story that is accurate to her own experiences as well as is something that is commonly valued in the culture. Spanish words are mixed in with the English text throughout the story. Sometimes the meaning of the word is given. For instance when Rosa Maria realizes she forgot something she says, "Que boba soy! Silly me, I must have forgotten." This clearly allows readers to see that "que boba soy" means "silly me" in English, however it does not take away from the flow of the text. Some words are introduced one time and then repeated without explanation. This does not make the text difficult to read but instead adds to the authentic portrayal of the culture. The added Spanish words also gives the sense that although living in America, the traditional language of the culture is still valued. The illustrations are also done by an insider to this culture. Joe Cepeda creates lively and colorful illustrations. He portrays the characters positively by making them look happy and healthy. The pictures of the food and the many photos of various family members on the wall add to the books authentic portrayal of the culture.
Book Review- Barrio: Jose’s Neighborhood
Ancona, George. Barrio: Jose’s Neighborhood. New York: Harcourt Brace & Company, 1998
The first book I read is called Barrio: Jose’s Neighborhood. Jose is a young boy living in a Latino neighborhood in San Francisco. The neighborhood is full of immigrants from Mexico and they refer to their neighborhood as El barrio. The text discusses Jose’s everyday life and the customs and traditions that live on in his neighborhood. This book gives children an insight on neighborhoods that are, perhaps, quite different from theirs. They learn about Jose’s family and his school routine. They learn about his town and the food that the Latino people eat. It is a picture book full of real pictures and real insight into a Latino community. The author of this text followed Jose around in order to write his story and he is a resident of Santa Fe, New Mexico. I believe that this is a very beneficial book to share with children because it narrates the everyday life of a boy living in a Latino community.
The first book I read is called Barrio: Jose’s Neighborhood. Jose is a young boy living in a Latino neighborhood in San Francisco. The neighborhood is full of immigrants from Mexico and they refer to their neighborhood as El barrio. The text discusses Jose’s everyday life and the customs and traditions that live on in his neighborhood. This book gives children an insight on neighborhoods that are, perhaps, quite different from theirs. They learn about Jose’s family and his school routine. They learn about his town and the food that the Latino people eat. It is a picture book full of real pictures and real insight into a Latino community. The author of this text followed Jose around in order to write his story and he is a resident of Santa Fe, New Mexico. I believe that this is a very beneficial book to share with children because it narrates the everyday life of a boy living in a Latino community.
The House on Mango Street Review
Book Information: Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street. New York: Vintage Books, 1984.
This book was inspired from different childhood experiences that was made visible to Cisneros through one of her graduate classes that she took. She was told to write about the house that she grew up in. She thought to herself, and realized that she has never lived in a house. Her family never really owned a house or stayed in one for too long. This is the inspiration of the book. Sandra realized that most people in her class were white, middle-upper class people who all had a childhood house that they grew up in. Cisneros did not, and so is the inspiration for the book, which is a unique form of vignettes in which the book can be seen as a mix of short, progressive stories, poetic nuances, and intense imagery. Each short story can be viewed as a larger "chapter" in this book which each have poetic literary qualities.
The House on Mango Street is about a young girl named Esperanza, who lives in a worn-down red house on Mango Street. Each story tells about something particular in Esperanza's life, and all of these short stories, or chapters, are put together gives the reader a sense of Esperanza's identity. Throughout the book Esperanza's friends, family, and neighbors wander in and out of her stories; through them all Esperanza sees, learns, loves, and dreams of the house she will someday have, her own house, not on Mango Street. At the same time, she grows up and starts to leave her childhood, while learning about the fears and dangers of the world she never knew of before. Becoming an adult turns out to be a hard challenge. The first vignette called "House On Mango Street" is meant to describe the setting. The second "Hairs" describes the looks and characteristics of the characters. The third called "Boys and Girls" tells the difference between genders, which is important because the story deals with men and women. The following vignette called "My Name" paints the image of self and the feelings of hope and the future. This format follows throughout the book. Therefore, these vignettes are not mere collections of random thoughts and uneducated language, but a poetic story with a well drawn setting, characterization, and tone.
My particular favorite vignette, which conveniently describes Esperanza's situation, is Four Skinny Trees. In this vignette, Esperanza describes four trees that were planted despite the conditions. The trees beat all odds as they grow down through the soil, and become rooted to where they are from, while at the same time growing up to the sky, where literally the sky is the limit. This observation of Esperanza inspires her, "When I am too sad and too skinny to keep keeping, when I am a tiny thing against so many bricks, than it is I look at trees. When there is nothing left to look at on this street. Four who grew despite concrete. Four who reach and do not forget to reach. Four whose only reason is to be and be" (75). I think the trees serve as a metaphor for Esperanza in the fact that despite how much Esperanza wants to grow up and have a house of her own, she knows that her past will always be with her and a part of her. By the end of the book, Esperanza realizes that her dreams are hard, but possible, and that rather than shun and despise her roots and where she is from, to embrace it and make it a part of herself.
Sandra Cisneros is an insider author.
A Mango-Shaped Space
Mass, Wendy. A Mango-Shaped Space.
A Mango-Shaped Space vividly depicts a young girl dealing with Synesthesia. Synesthesia is a disorder in which ones cognitive pathway crosses with the other and leads to involuntary responses. Mia is diagnosed with the most common type called color Synesthesia. Mia sees letters, numbers, and names in specific colors. At the beginning of the novel she keeps these visions to herself, unaware that there is a term for her disability. Mia was worried after prior events in elementary school that she would have been made fun of and called a “freak” if someone discovered that she saw different colors (Mass). Mia’s cat named Mango is where the title of the book comes from. Although her cat was grey, the sounds he made were mango colored.
This novel not only educates students on synesthesia but also on being true to ones self. Once Mia puts trust in her family, and talks about the colors she’s been experiencing, she was able to get help and support from those around her. Children are able to relate to this book in many ways. Mia suffers two losses throughout the book, as well as troubles with family and friends. At one point of the novel a tragic event results in Mia losing her color. This novel also helps those out who are dealing with this disability and unaware they have Synestheisa.
A Mango-Shaped Space received numerous amounts of awards. The novel won the Schneider Family Book Award from the American Library Association in 2004. The book was also awarded the 2005 Great Lakes Great Book Award as well as named one of the top 40 Young Adult novels in 2004 by the Pennsylvania School Librarian Association. Wendy Mass does not have synesthsia however in order to have a more “insider” perspective she went to great lengths to research the subject. For months Mass interviewed Synesthetes as well as many researchers from the American Synesthesia Association. She was also in an international correspondence group for researchers and Synesthetes. Mass would read what the group members wrote and compare the differences in their stories. The author also made sure to diagnose her main character with the most common form of Synesthesia. This way, the book was more authentic because Mia’s diagnosis was considered to be more realistic (“A Mango”).
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