Friday, December 5, 2008

Moses Goes To A Concert
by Isaac Millman

A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Millman, Isaac. 1998. MOSES GOES TO A CONCERT. New York: Frances Foster Books/Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 0374350698.

B. SUMMARY
Moses, a young boy who is deaf, attends a concert with his class and teacher. He meets a professional percussionist, plays on her instruments and decides that is what he wants to be when he grows up.

C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
MOSES GOES TO A CONCERT is one of several books by author Isaac Millman that addresses the issue of deafness in children. Moses and his class attend a concert and are able to experience feeling the music by holding balloons in their laps. This book does a great job of demonstrating that deaf children can do anything that hearing kids can do, perhaps just a little differently. This concert is not just for children who deaf, "Children from all over the city are coming to the concert."
The entire story is a cultural marker in and of itself. Moses and his friends look and act like typical elementary school kids, going on a school fieldtrip, riding the bus, enjoying the music and being excited about meeting a musician. This musician happens to be a percussionist who plays in her socks. She, too, is deaf. American Sign Language is displayed throughout the book, with the entire alphabet at the end, for readers to enjoy and learn.

The watercolor cartooned illustrations will capture the attention of and delight most any child in the suggested age range of 4-8 years. This book would be a nice addition to any collection, whether a deaf child is in the school or class or not - all children would benefit from this story and the other Moses books by the same author.

D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Kirkus Reviews: “The power of Millman's book comes from the simple fact that he levels the playing field; of course deaf children go to concerts, but conveying how they enjoy music removes yet one more barrier between those who can hear and those who cannot. Moses also appears in inset boxes, signing comments aimed at readers and encouraging them to attempt signs. A few spreads are given over entirely to signed conversations, with effectively diagrammed hand movements and facial expressions. The final page illustrates the signed letters of the alphabet.”

Publishers Weekly: “An introductory note explains how to interpret the sign-language diagrams, which are integrated throughout the clear and colorful illustrations. Fiction and instruction make beautiful music together on these cheerful pages.”

School Library Journal: “Cheerful watercolor illustrations show the multiethnic children enjoying themselves at the concert, while smaller cartoon strips feature Moses' additional comments in sign language. A page displaying the manual alphabet and a conversation in sign language in which Moses tells his parents about his day enhance the upbeat story.”

E. CONNECTIONS
Other books by Isaac Millman:
Moses Goes to the Circus, ISBN 0374350647
Moses Goes to School, ISBN 0374350698
Moses Sees A Play, ISBN 0374350663
The House You Pass On The Way
by Jacqueline Woodson
A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Woodson, Jacqueline. 1997. THE HOUSE YOU PASS ON THE WAY. Delacorte Press: New York. ISBN 0385321899
B. SUMMARY
Born to a white mother and a black father, 14-year old Staggerlee deals with her blossoming sexual identity while also coming to grips with being the only bi-racial family in their small southern town of Sweet Gum. Staggerlee, born Evangeline Ian Canan, lives with her family in the former home of her famous grandparents. Staggerlee feels isolated and yet seems to enjoy herself. At one point, she kisses another young girl and likes it. When her cousin Trout comes for a summer visit, Staggerlee think she has found a soulmate. Staggerlee shares her kissing experience with Trout and they deal with their own mutual attraction and family race issues. Summer comes to an end as does Trouts visit. She promises to write Staggerlee. Finally, months later, Stagger recieves a letter from Trout who shares that she has fallen in love with a guy. Staggerlee starts high school with a renewed sense of who she is, comfortable in her own skin, in her family and herself.
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This young adult novel, while only 114 pages long, hits a lot of different issues, including race, gender and family issues. THE HOUSE YOU PASS ON THE WAY will resonate with readers as many will recognize themselves in the storyline. Staggerlee is a strong female character experiencing what everyone goes through at some point, wondering who she is, where did she come from and where she fits in this world.
The cultural marker of gender identity and sexual awareness is gently explored when Staggerlee kisses a girl, Hazel, from her class and her attraction to Trout. This is as far as the author takes, it however. The issue of race is delved into as Staggerlee tries to figure out if she's black or white. “Her father had married a white woman. … The only mixed race family in Sweet Gum, maybe in all of Calmuth County.” When people asked her how it felt to be black and white; she shrugged and answered 'fine'”. Staggerlee also deals with a family that is content, to a certain extent, being isolated from neighbors and even her extended family.
D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Publisher's Weekly: "The daughter of an interracial couple, 14-year-old Staggerlee is already an outsider when she wonders if she is gay, too. This a "poignant tale of self-discovery" and praised Woodson's "graceful, poetic" prose." Starred review.
School Library Journal: "This richly layered novel will be appreciated for its affecting look at the anxious wonderings of presexual teens, its portrait of a complex interracial family, and its snapshot of the emotionally wrenching but inarticulate adolescent search for self. It's notable both for its quality and for the out-of-the-way places it goes."
E. CONNECTIONS
Visit Jacqueline Woodson online:
Other books by Jacqueline Woodson:
Woodson, Jacqueline. BEHIND YOU. ISBN 0142403907
Woodson, Jacqueline. FEATHERS. ISBN 0142411988
THINGS NOT SEEN
by Andrew Clements
A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Clements, Andrew. 2002. THINGS NOT SEEN. New York: Philomel Books. ISBN 0399236260.
B. SUMMARY
15-year old Bobby Phillips is a typical teenager. Well, typical until he wakes up one February morning and can't see himself in the mirror - and it's not because he's blind - he's invisible. Bobby's life is suddenly turned upside-down while he tries to live as normally as possible being invisible. His parents and those of his new-found friend, Alicia, try to solve the mystery of his condition. Alicia happens to be blind so Bobby being invisible isn't an issue for her. Bobby and Alice, working together, figure out and solve Bobby's problem as their friendship deepens.
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This novel, from award-winning writer Andrew Clements, is the kind of book that grabs the reader and keeps them coming back for more. THINGS NOT SEEN, set in Chicago, is an engaging young adult novel that borders on science fiction. Written in first-person perspective, the story is told by 15-year old Bobby. This character, like so many others from Clements, is written with a refreshing honesty and teenage voice. Besides feeling isolated and disenfranchised, Bobby struggles with being "invisible" to the popular kids at school, "I don't know. You said you were pretty popular before. The popular kids at my school don't even know I'm alive," he shares with Alicia, his new-found friend. Alicia puts a different spin on the story as she is blind from an accident two years earlier.
This entire story is a cultural marker but doesn't come across as a sad story about an invisible boy and a blind girl. It is an engaging story about two teenagers who discover that, despite their problems, they actually see each other for who they truly are and a beautiful friendship develops and deepens. Alicia's blindness, while a disability that she is learning to live with, gives the reader a perspective not usually seen in young adult novels. There are moments when this secondary character demonstrates anger, sadness, happiness, etc. that plays off of Bobby and his condition. The friendship the develops between the two is realistic and sweet but not sappy.
D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Kirkus Reviews:"A readable, thought-provoking tour de force, alive with stimulating ideas, hard choices, and young people discovering bright possibilities ahead."
School Library Journal: "Clements's story is full of life; it's poignant, funny, scary, and seemingly all too possible. The author successfully blends reality with fantasy in a tale that keeps his audience in suspense until the very end."
E. CONNECTIONS
Visit Andrew Clements' website at:
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Friday, November 14, 2008

The Dragon's Gate
by Laurence Yep
A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Yep, Laurence. 1993. DRAGON’S GATE. New York: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 0060229713.
B. PLOT SUMMARY
Leaving his homeland of China, a young boy is sent to America to work with his father and uncle on the transcontinental railroad. Otter finds himself the victim of discrimination, harsh work, hunger and being treated as if he were enslaved. He is disillusioned by both America and his uncle. However, enduring the hardships that he encountered only served to strengthen and mature Otter for his life ahead.
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Critically-acclaimed author Laurence Yep does a great job capturing the harshness of the transcontinental railroad construction many Chinese laborers endured during the 1800's across the Sierra Nevada. He starts the novel with a preface to set the scene historically and finishes it with an afterword with notes for the reader.
There are many cultural markers in Dragon's Gate. The first marker is the title - Dragon's Gate. In China the dragon plays a vital role in both the culture, folklore, and even in religion. The language is not written with an accent but the phrasing does lend itself to the rhythm of the Chinese language. There are references throughout to beliefs of the Chinese workers, for example, "'Demons' was the word that ignorant and superstitious people use for westerners. My English instructor had made a point that is was the wrong term, because in English is was equated with evil creatures called demons, while in the T'ang language it referred more generally to creatures who were ghosts or spirits." There are also many names that are cultural markers such as Otter, Shrimp, Lion Rock, and Foxfire.
As this is a novel, there are not any illustrations except for the front cover. However, the cover does display a boy in traditional clothing for the 1800's, especially his hat and jacket. The image of the boy depicts his hair, eyes and skin complexion as that of one of Chinese descent.
DRAGON'S GATE is fast-paced and gives a good historical look at an often-overlooked time and event in our nation's history. So often people think of discrimination and only think of African-Americans - this story demonstrates it happens to all cultures but is sometimes not as well-known. It is not overly dramatic or melancholy - as it could become - but rather a good depiction of one boy's experiences in a historical setting. DRAGON'S GATE is geared for ages 10 and up and would be a good choice for 5th grade and higher.
D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Publishers Weekly: "This 1994 Newbery Honor Book, a prequel to Dragonwings, tells of 14-year-old Otter's 1865 emigration from China and subsequent travails in California."
School Library Journal: “Yep uses the lively storytelling techniques of his "Dragon" fantasy-adventure novels to re-create a stirring historical event-here, the construction of the transcontinental railroad.”
E. CONNECTIONS
Visit these sites to learn more about Laurence Yep and his publications:
Hear an interview with Laurence Yep:
Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds:
The Sammy Lee Story
by Paula Yoo
A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Yoo, Paula. 2005. SIXTEEN YEARS IN SIXTEEN SECONDS. Ill. by Dom Lee. New York: Lee & Low Books. ISBN 1-58430-247-X
B. PLOT SUMMARY
Sammy Lee has a goal for himself: win an Olympic gold medal. His father has another goal in mind for Sammy: become a doctor. This picture book tells Sammy's story, how he overcame the discrimination he faced, and how he accomplishes his goals.
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Told in simple, yet direct language, Paula Yoo and Dom Lee have created a fantastic book. Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds is the story of Sammy Lee, a Korean-American who overcame racial discrimination to achieve two major goals: becoming a doctor and winning an Olympic gold medal in diving. Perhaps the most noticeable cultural marker is the story of the discrimination Sammy Lee endured. The public swimming pool where he practiced was only open one day a week to "nonwhites" - a common policy in the United States in the 1930's and 1940's. Throughout the story there is also the underlying theme of Sammy's determination to prove that anyone can achieve their dream if they just want it bad enough and work hard enough.
The text does not really lend itself to any cultural markers but some of the illustrations do in regard to the characters skin-tone, facial features and hair.
This a rather enjoyable book both when read independently or as a read-aloud. I shared this book aloud with a group of 4th graders, some of whom are Asian-American and an insightful discussion sprang up. The illustrations are beautiful and lend themselves to the feeling of being from the past with the sepia tones that are used by the illustrator in his work. The story has a good message, one that is still needed today: "In American, you can achieve anything if you set your hear to it."
D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Horn Book: “With their textured effect, Dom Lee’s scratchboard illustrations (using beeswax, acrylic, oil paint, and colored pencil) convey immediacy—one can feel the prickliness of the sand or the heat of the California sun—while the brown and gold colors and sepia tones make it clear that these are past events. Yoo smoothly incorporates the historical context through Sammy’s reactions to pervasive racism. She creates a picture of a person who succeeded through determined hard work—not a larger than-life hero, but an ordinary person of great achievement.”
School Library Journal: “Yoo brings the biography to a dramatic conclusion with the 16 seconds of a three-and-a-half somersault dive. Lee's painterly illustrations give texture and depth to the full-page spreads. More than a story about discrimination and unfair treatment, this story shows one young man's determination and resolve toward accomplishing a goal in life.”
E. CONNECTIONS
Website for US Olympics Diving
Encyclopedia Britannica article on Dr. Sammy Lee
The Tree of Cranes
by Allen Say
A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Say, Allen. 1991. TREE OF CRANES. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. ISBN 0-395-52024-X
B. PLOT SUMMARY
A young boy in Japan experiences his first Christmas celebration. His mother shares how she celebrated Christmas in the United States as a child, including origami cranes and a Christmas tree.
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
A sweet story between a mother and her son, this non-traditional Christmas story is a delight to read. The main character, a young boy, goes out to play and is soon drawn to the neighbor's carp pond. He knows he's not to go there - yet, like so many young chilren, he does. He does not enjoy the experience because "The last time I went here was a gray winter day, too cold for the fish to move around. They never came out from under the rocks, and all I caught was a bad chill." He is afraid to go home to his mother because he knows she will be angry with him for disobeying her.
He does end up returning home and assumes his mother's silence is anger. However, it is that she simply is lost in thought and preoccupied with the surprise she has for him.
From the very beginning the cultural markers jump out at the reader of this picture book by Allen Say. The pictures depict a traditional Japanese home - with sliding doors, the boy's bed on the floor and the Japanese garden. Even the bathtub is different that what we are used to seeing in the United States. The clothing is what is thought of as traditional Japanese clothing as is his skin tone and haircut, too.
Other cultural elements include the gift of the samurai kite, the origami cranes his mother creates and even the eating utensils - chopsticks! The beautiful watercolor illustrations depict a traditional Japanese home for the reader. All of the markers are woven seamlessly into the story so that they help create the setting and mood and do not in any way overpower or hinder this story of a mother sharing with her son.
D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
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." The story is a poignant one, illuminated with finely drawn illustrations reflecting the serenity of a Japanese home and the quiet love between mother and son. Say, who came to this country from Japan when he was a teenager, again exhibits a laudable sensitivity to Eastern and Western cultures--and to both the differences and the similarities between them."
Horn Book: "Strong horizontal lines, uncluttered scenes with a minimum of detail, and a feeling of spaciousness induced by the oversize format are the visual elements that help to create this sense of serenity. The lack of details focuses attention, too, upon the centerpiece of the story: the interplay between the two characters…While the Japanese love of order and of form are evident in the pictures — as depicted, for example, in the precise placement of the items on the tray of food the mother brings to her son — the dialogue is distinctly American."
E. CONNECTIONS
Official website for Allen Say:
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Friday, October 31, 2008

The Great Ball Game
by Joseph Bruchac
ill by Susan L. Roth
A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bruchac, Joseph. 1994. THE GREAT BALLGAME. Ill. by Susan L. Roth. New York: Dial Books. ISBN 0803715390.
B. PLOT SUMMARY
In this simple yet delightful story from long ago, the animals and birds are engaged in an argument about which group is "better". So they decide to play a ball game. The team who scores first is the winner. They divide into two groups - those with teeth and those who fly. But bats have both and the little bat wants to know where he fits in this plan. The animals eventually accept him and it's a good thing. In the end, it is the bat who saves the day for the animals and leads them to victory. The consequence for the birds? They must fly south for six months for the winter.
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
At first glance, the reader would think this is an obvious Native American story by the title, but as the reader begins reading, there is nothing inside the story that indicates it is Native American. The illustrations are torn paper and the characters are all animals called by their animals names. The pictures really do not add anything to the telling of the story. The sentences are simple, as is the plot line, but it is easy to follow and enjoyable.
At the beginning, author Joseph Bruchac does provide information about a ball game that Native Americans did play. This is the only real solid evidence that it is a Native American tale.
D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Publishers Weekly: “This adaptation of a popular Native American story pits Animals against Birds in a contest to settle an all-too-human question: Who's better? And, according to Muskogee legend, this resolution explains why bats are categorized as animals and why birds fly south for the winter.”
School Library Journal: “In this traditional Muskogee story, the birds and the animals quarrel over which group is better, those with wings or those with teeth. The argument threatens to turn into all-out war, so the creatures decide to settle it by playing a ball game instead. When the game (which resembles lacrosse) starts, no one wants little, weak Bat to play on their side. But in the end it is Bat-with both teeth and wings-who wins the match for the animals. As a result the birds are banished to the south each winter. This porquoi tale is told in clean, spare sentences with the emphasis on action and character.”
E. CONNECTIONS
Visit http://www.josephbruchac.com/ for more information on the author and his publications.
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Rain Is Not My Indian Name
by Cynthia Leitich Smith
A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Smith, Cynthia Leitich. RAIN IS NOT MY INDIAN NAME. 2001. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 0688173977.
B. PLOT SUMMARY
The main character, 14-year old Cassidy Rain Berghoff lives in small-town Kansas and is of both Native American and Caucasian heritage. She is a pretty typical teen in many aspects. However, in having to deal with the sudden and tragic death of her best friend/almost boyfriend, turns to her Native American ancestry. To complicate things further, Rain's mother died not too long before this story begins. Rain is explores what it means to be part Native American, what is means to grieve, what it means to live and what it means to enjoy life once again. As she moves into this phase, she takes a position as a staff photographer for the local newspaper. Her assignment: cover the events that take place at the local camp for outsiders. The camp just happens to be called Indian Camp and is owned by her Aunt Georgia.
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
There are some obvious cultural markers - beginning with the title as well as references to skin color, hair color, etc. Rain recalls how her mother often refered to her "Kansas-coloring" and that she can "look out the window and get a tan." There is also mention of some events, a pow-wow that Rain and Galen attendeded in Oklahoma City and the Indian tacos they eat. However, the cultural markers are all part of the main story and not to the extreme; they don't interfere with the story, they add to the authenticity of it. Author Cynthia Leitich Smith helps create a story that is both multicultural and authentic - as she is a mixed blook Muscogee Creek Member herself.
As a novel, there are not any illustrations and therefore, no cultural markers of that type, only in the text. It is surprising that there is no Native American language anywhere in the story since this is about a teen coming to grips with her heritage and who she is.
D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Publishers Weekly: "Multiple plot lines and nonlinear storytelling may make it difficult to enter Smith's (Jingle Dancer) complex novel, but the warmth and texture of the writing eventually serve as ample reward for readers. Some of Smith's devices such as opening each chapter with a snippet from Rain's journal add depth and clarify Rain's relationships for readers, although other elements (the detailing of song lyrics playing in the background, for instance) seem stilted. Even so, readers will feel the affection of Rain's loose-knit family and admire the way that they, like the author with the audience, allow Rain to draw her own conclusions about who she is and what her heritage means to her."
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. 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."
E. CONNECTIONS
Another publication by Cynthia Leitich Smith:
Smith, Cynthia Leitich. 2000. JINGLE DANCER. Ill. Wright, Cornelius Van and Hu, Ying-Hwa. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN 068816241X.
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Crossing Bok Chitto
A Choctaw Tale of Friendship
by Tim Tingle
illustrations by Jeanne Rorex Bridges


A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Tingle, Tim. CROSSING BOK CHITTO A CHOCTAW TALE OF FRIENDSHIP. ill. Jeanne Rorex Bridges. 2006. El Paso, Texas: Cinco Puntos Press. ISBN 0938317776

B. PLOT SUMMARY

Set in the 1800's in Mississippi, Crossing Bok Chitto is the story of two young friends, one a Choctaw and the other an African American slave. The river Bok Chitto separated the land between the Choctaw Native Americans and the plantation/slave owners. A young Choctaw girl, Martha Tom, is sent to pick blackberries for a wedding ceremony. She doesn't find any on her side so she does what she's not supposed to and crosses the river. She hears preaching and voices and investigates. However, she loses her way from the river and needs the assistance of Little Mo to return to her side of the river. Thus begins a long-time friendship. When they are older, Martha Tom returns the kindness by helping Little Mo's family cross Bok Chitto to safety and freedom.


C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Filled with multicultural markers, author Tim Tingle hits a homerun in his attempt at writing an authentic, truly multicultural book. From the very first page, the reader knows who the story is about and that it believable. The main character, Martha Tom, is told by her mother, "...the sun has been up for two hours," - looking to nature for the time. As the story progresses, Martha Tom is lost in the woods and hears hundreds of slaves in a secret gathering singing "We are bound for the Promised Land!" At another point, Martha Tom and her friend Little Mo, hear the sounds of the wedding song being chanted by Martha Tom's people,

"Way, hey ya he ya Way, hey ya hey ya

You a hey you ay You a hey you ay

A hey ya a hey ya! A hey ya a hey ya!"

This song is still chanted by the Choctaw in Mississippi and Oklahoma even today. As the men chant the song, the women, dressed in all white, would stomp and dance to the rhythm.

Illustrator Bridges does a great job with her pictures of both the landscape and the characters. The Choctaw are depicted as having medium brown-colored skin with dark eyes and straight, dark hair. The Native Americans has high cheekbones and very chiseled, strong chins and faces.They also wear shoes that look similar to mocassins. The African Americans are depicted with very dark skin, curlydark hair and typical clothing for that time period. The slave owners are shown as white with various hair colorings, typical but better made period clothing as well as guns, dogs and a large home.

After the story there is a three-page section with two articles about the modern Choctaw and Choctaw Storytelling. These articles are insightful and informative.

The illustrations by award-winning artist (and Cherokee descendant) Jeanne Rorex Bridges do just as fabulous a job in creating a setting and mood with her pictures as Tingle does with his words.

D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
School Library Journal: "Dramatic, quiet, and warming, this is a story of friendship across cultures .... Tingle is a performing storyteller, and his text has the rhythm and grace of that oral tradition. It will be easily and effectively read aloud. The paintings are dark and solemn, and the artist has done a wonderful job of depicting all of the characters as individuals, with many of them looking out of the page right at readers. The layout is well designed for groups as the images are large and easily seen from a distance. There is a note on modern Choctaw culture, and one on the development of this particular work. This is a lovely story, beautifully illustrated..."

Booklist: In a picture book that highlights rarely discussed intersections between Native Americans in the South and African Americans in bondage, a noted Choctaw storyteller and Cherokee artist join forces with stirring results."

E. CONNECTIONS

This story is perfect as a read aloud and as the children listen, let them draw what they hear and imagine.

Readers can also visit http://www.choctawstoryteller.com/ for more information on the author, Choctaw and storytelling.

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Friday, October 17, 2008

Too Many Tamales
by Gary Soto
illustrated by Ed Martinez


A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Soto, Gary. 1993. TOO MANY TAMALES. Ill. Ed Martinez. ISBN 0399221468.


B. SUMMARY
Wanting to be "grown-up", Maria slips her mother's wedding on her thumb as she helps her mother prepare tamales for the Christmas celebration. It's not until much later, after all the extended family has arrived, that Maria realizes she lost the ring in the masa. In an attempt to right the wrong she committed, Maria enlists the help of her cousins and they begin eating all 24 tamales only to realize the ring isn't there. Maria goes to confess to her mother and sees the ring on her mom's hand. She then shares that all the tamales have been eaten, the family laughs and goes to the kitchen to prepare another batch of tamales.


C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In Gary Soto's delightful holiday story, TOO MANY TAMALES, the main character, Maria, is a typical little girl who wants to be all grown-up. Soto tells the story simply, without too many details to bog it down. Ed Martinez' illustrations assist in the story-telling by the expressive, and humorous, faces on the children and adults in the story. The story takes place entirely in Maria's home, filled with family for the holiday. From the illustrations, it is obvious that the family is Hispanic but that is not the focus of the story, just an added detail.

As far as cultural markers go, there are very few in this funny story. The only nod to the family being Hispanic is from the illustrations of the characters with dark hair and, obviously, the tamales. There is no mention of a different language or other customs associated with Christmas. In fact, the style of clothing and the language is decidedly American. In fact, change the choice of food and this story could easily be Italian, Middle-Eastern or even Asian.


D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Kirkus Reviews: "Soto's simple text is charmingly direct; he skips explanations, letting characters reveal themselves by what they do. Martinez's realistic, nicely composed paintings are glowing with light and life, while he reinforces the story with particularly expressive faces and gestures. This one should become a staple on the holiday menu. "

Publishers Weekly: "...Soto, noted for such fiction as Baseball in April , confers some pleasing touches--a tear on Maria's finger resembles a diamond; he allows the celebrants a Hispanic identity without making it the main focus of the text..."

School Library Journal: "A warm family story that combines glowing art with a well-written text to tell of a girl's dilemma."


E. CONNECTIONS
Other books by Gary Soto:
Soto, Gary. 2000. BASEBALL IN APRIL. New York: Harcourt Children's Books.
ISBN 0152025731
Soto, Gary. 1990. A SUMMER LIFE. New York: Laurel Leaf. ISBN 0874515238.
Soto, Gary. 2004. CHATO AND THE PARTY ANIMALS. Ill. Susan Guevara. New York: Puffin. ISBN 0142400327.
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Tomas and the Library Lady
by Pat Mora
illustrated by Raul Colon
A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Mora, Pat. 199. TOMAS AND THE LIBRARY LADY. Ill. Raul Colon. New York: Knopf. ISBN 0679804013.
B. SUMMARY
Tomas, a 3rd generation member of a migrant worker family, travels from Texas to Iowa with his parents and grandfather following the crops for seasonal work. TOMAS AND THE LIBRARY LADY tells the story of a young boy who, at his Papa' Grande's urging, goes to a public library in Iowa where he meets "the Library Lady". With her encouragement and help, Tomas finds not just books but entire new worlds. When the seasons change and it is time to return to Texas, Tomas is sad to leave his library friend but she gives him a book to take with him. Beyond the book, the Library Lady gives Tomas a love of books and reading that will last a lifetime.
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This books is based on writer Tomas Rivera's life as a small Mexican American boy in a migrant family. Author Pat Mora paints a rosy picture of migrant life - but it's not always that easy. The family is uprooted every six months to follow the crops and work to make a living. It is evident the family has little or limited money as they travel in a "rusty old car" and must go to the local dump to "look for pieces of iron to sell." Tomas and his brother Enrique even have a ball created from an old teddy that his mom has sewn for them.
Various cultural markers are evident: the most obvious is the Spanish that is interspersed throughtout the story. The Spanish phrases flow naturally into the English for the reader so it is not distracting: "Es un tiempo posado," Papa' Grande began. ""Once upon a time..." Tomas refers to his parents as Mama', Papa' and his grandfather as Papa' Grande. The boys names are traditional Hispanic names: Tomas and Enrique. Throught the entire story it is evident that family plays an important role in young Tomas' life.
Illustrator Raul Colon's drawings add to the enjoyment of this story. His use of watercolors, pencils and etching produce pictures that draw the reader in. Other cultural markers noted in the illustrations are the family's brown skin, dark hair and dark eye color whereas the librarian has light skin and hair tone. The illustrator does a good job of depicting the various places where Tomas travels in his books - lands filled with dinosaurs, cowboys and indians - a boy's dream come true.
The author provides a note at the end detailing who the real Tomas was and how this book was based upon and inspired the life of Tomas Rivera.
D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Booklist: "From the immigrant slums of New York City to the fields of California, it’s an elemental American experience: the uprooted child who finds a home in the library. Mora’s story is based on a true incident in the life of the famous writer Tomas Rivera, the son of migrant workers who became an education leader and university president. Far from his home in Texas, the small boy is working with his family picking corn in Iowa."
Kirkus: "A charming, true story about the encounter between the boy who would become chancellor at the University of California at Riverside and a librarian in Iowa."
School Library Journal: "Colon's earthy, sun-warmed colors, textured with swirling lines, add life to this biographical fragment and help portray Tomas's reading adventures in appealing ways. Stack this up with Sarah Stewart and David Small's The Library (Farrar, 1995) and Suzanne Williams and Steven Kellogg's Library Lil (Dial, 1997) to demonstrate the impact librarians can have on youngsters."
E. CONNECTIONS
Other books by Pat Mora:
Mora, Pat. A BIRTHDAY BASKET FOR TIA. ISBN 0689813287
Mora, Pat. CONFETTI: POEMS PARA NINOS/POEMS FOR CHILDREN.
ISBN 9781584302704
Mora, Pat. THE BAKERY LADY/ LA SENORA DE LA PANADERIA. ISBN 978155885340
Mora, Pat. PABLO'S TREE. ISBN 0027674010.
Mora, Pat. YUM! MMMM! QUE RICOL: AMERICAS SPROUTINGS. ISBN 9781584302711
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