Alvin Ailey
by Andrea Davis Pinkney
illustrated by Brian Pinkney

A. BIBLIOGRAPHY Pinkney, Andrea Davis. 1993. ALVIN AILEY. Ill. by Brian Pinkney. New York: Hyperion Paperbacks for Children. ISBN 078681077.

B. PLOT SUMMARY This historical fiction selection starts when Alvin Ailey is a young child in Navasota, Texas. The groundwork of music and dance is laid for Alvin's very bright future. The story chronicles his moving to Los Angeles, studying dance there at the Lester Horton Dance Theater School, moving to New York and eventually forming his own award winning dance company, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS The amazingly talented husband and wife team of Brian Pinkney and Andrea Davis Pinkney have combined their talents for the first time in this book for ages 5-9 years. The author's note at the beginning calls this book, "a biographical narrative history" - thus enabling it to be in several different genres.

Mrs. Pinkney begins the story with Alvin's childhood in Navasota, Texas. Her description of Alvin's church, the music and songs that are performed are all clear cultural markers. For example the song lyrics in the story are "Rocka-my-soul in the bosom of Abraham...". A soulful gospel song popular in African American churches in the middle of the 20th century. Her style of writing is one that is easy to read yet filled with a great amount of detail that adds to the story.

As far as specific cultural markers, Mr. Pinkney does use many in his scratchboard and pastel drawings. The characters, although all of the same shade of skin, are typical African American body types. They also reflect the culture with their hairstyles, clothing and dance movements. Along with the clothing and hairstyles, the various modes of transportation are all indicative of the 1950's.

The overall general environment of the book, with both the text and the illustrations, are like Alvin Ailey's life: upbeat, positive and inspirational to children of all cultures.

D. REVIEW EXCERPTS Booklist: "This handsome picture-book biography pays tribute to modern dancer Alvin Ailey, who's best known for interpreting African American culture through his dancing and choreography."

Kirkus Reviews: "...this attractive introduction, based on interviews with many who knew Ailey, will leave readers hungry for more."

School Library Journal: "Brian Pinkney's marvelously detailed scratchboard drawings are tinted with pastels to show the sweep and flow of dancers caught in the act of leaping, twirling and soaring through the air....the book is both informative and inspiring and will make an excellent addition to most collections."

E. CONNECTIONS

After reading this selection, discuss with students various types of dance and dancers. Have students do one of the following: write a poem about dance and how it makes them feel; create an original dance to their favorite song; or read about another famous American dancer and write a paragraph comparing and contrasting them to share with the class.




Miracle’s Boys
by Jacqueline Woodson

A. BIOGRAPHY
Woodson, Jacqueline. 2000. MIRACLE’S BOYS. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons. ISBN 0399231137.

B. PLOT SUMMARY
Set in New York city, MIRACLE’S BOYS is the story of three brothers left to care for themselves and each other after the tragic death of their mother. The story is spun from the perspective of the youngest brother, Lafayette, who is only 13 years old. The middle brother, Charlie, is in trouble and has just recently returned from time in juvenile detention – changed from the brother who left. The oldest, Ty’ree, sacrificing his scholarship to MIT, takes charge of his younger brothers to raise them and keep the family together. All three boys feel guiltty about things in each of their lives which, in turn, influences each boy and the decisions they make. The turning point for this little family is when Charlie becomes involved in a gang he looks to his brothers for help.

C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Woodson’s novel, winner of the Coretta Scott King Award, is the story of three brothers trying to survive and stay together in the big city after the death of their diabetic mother. Although this is a work of fiction, the setting, plot and theme are all very realistic – as are the characters themselves. Told from the point of view of Lafayette, the reader gets a much more detailed picture of his life than his brother’s. The reader is privy to Lafayette’s thoughts and feelings about his guilt regarding his mother’s death, his feelings towards “Newcharlie” and the situations they find themselves in.

With the story taking place in New York, there are many cultural markers including means of transportation, descriptions of Central Park, gangs and violence, and the urban setting. There are also speech markers, for example, when Charlie says to his older brother, “I ain’t do nothing, T.” His speech patterns, as well as Lafayette’s are those of children raised in poverty.

Despite the problems the boys must face, they ultimately face them together, as a family should. Although it is not explicitly stated, after the boys sit on the stoop together and talk, the reader is left with the impression that everything is going to turn out just fine for them.

D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Children’s Literature: “There is a lot of pain in this book, but Woodson delivers it like an ode, strung together from lyrical images that reach inside readers as if to remind them that there is a beauty in grief. Miracle is dead, but she's left pictures "chiseled into" her boys and won't be forgotten because "she's too deep inside of us." And in the end when they hang on to each other, the love she's created pulls them together.”

Publisher’s Weekly: “Gang violence and urban poverty play an integral part in this novel, but what readers will remember most is the brothers' deep-rooted affection for one another. An intelligently wrought, thought-provoking story.”

School Library Journal: “The narrative is told through dialogue and Lafayette's introspections so there is not a lot of action, but readers should find this story of tough, self-sufficient young men to be powerful and engaging.”


E. CONNECTIONS
Readers of Miracle’s Boys might enjoy these other books by Jacqueline Woodson:
From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun, ISBN 0590458817
Hush, ISBN 0142406007
Locomotion, ISBN 0142401498