Does My Head Look Big in This?

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Abdel-Fattah, Randa. 2008. DOES MY HEAD LOOK BIG IN THIS? New York: Orchard Books. ISBN 978-0439922333

PLOT SUMMARY

Amal is an 11^th grader who has decided to make a bold move. She has decided to wear her hijab full time to show her commitment to her Muslim faith. She knows she will face stares and hurtful comments from her classmates, but she decides she is ready…she thinks.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)

There are many cultural markers found in this novel and they do not seem to be forced but are seamlessly integrated. The most prominent one is the wearing of the hijab. There are those called “part-timers” who only wear the hijab when they are at a mosque or an Islamic school. The “full-timers” wear the hijab whenever they are in the presence of men who aren’t immediate family.  There is some language throughout the book such as "Yallah" which means hurry up and "Assalamu Alaykom" which is a greeting that means "peace be upon you."

Another cultural marker is the Muslim religious practices that Amal and her family participate in. They pray five times a day and this involves waking up at dawn for "morning fajr or prayer." Every time they pray they have to perform the "wuduh" which involves wetting their hands, face, arms, feet and top of their head. One of Amal's teachers, Mrs. Pearse, lets her use his office to pray during the day. They also participate in Ramadan. Although it is hard to not eat or drink from sun-up to sun-down Amal enjoys participating in Ramadan. She says, "I always feel a little sad and nostalgic at Eid breakfast. Ramadan sure is hard but I really do love the whole atmosphere of it."

As with any religion this book shows us the differences exist among Muslims. Leila’s family thinks she doesn't need an education; they are "more interested in her getting a marriage license than a high school diploma."  They are very old-school and stuck with the culture from their village. The other extreme is Amal’s Uncle Ismail and Aunt Aysha who have changed their names to assimilate better with the Australian culture. To them “foreign is the f-word” and they go over the top to fit in and not stick out. They do not practice Muslim traditions such as praying five times a day and fasting during Ramadan. But they bring up cultural Muslim cultural expectations when they think their daughter is sleeping with her boyfriend.

Amal had to face prejudices and stereotypes when she decided to wear the hijab to school. Students questioned her saying “Did your parents force you?” and “Will you ever cover yours [face]?” I’m not sure that students would be as interested in learning about her as the students in this book. But, it is great to see students learning about each other’s differences.  She is also turned down for a job at a fast food restaurant because of her hijab. She is told "we sell an image up front," and "it's not hygienic and it just don't look good up at the front of the shop."

The setting mainly takes place at Amal’s school and her home. The setting of her school is important because she is the only person at her school wearing the hijab. Wearing the hijab wouldn’t be as novel if she was still at her Islamic school, Hidaya. When she first decides to wear the hijab she talks to the principal who is quite shocked and asks her if her parent's forced her to wear it. After meeting with her parents she call Amal back into her office and tell her, "I've put you down as an agenda item in tonight's staff meeting so that your situation can be explained to the teachers." This just reinforces the fact that Amal sticks out like a sore thumb at McCleans Preparatory School.

Amal and her family are portrayed as modern day Muslims. Although she is wearing the hijab, Amal is still very concerned with her clothes. She makes sure her hijab matches her clothes and that she is still stylish. This is a contrast to how women wearing the hijab are normally shown wearing long skirts that do not look very stylish. Amal describes her mother as "wearing a hijab and Gucci sunnies, and drives a car with an ‘Islam means peace’ bumper sticker."

Although there are quite a few cultural markers found in this book, readers from all cultures will be able to relate to the different storylines. Worrying about your appearance, arguing with your parents and struggling with peer pressure are things that teenagers from every culture deal with. Teenagers will also connect with Simone as she struggles with her weight, Amal as she obsess about her crush on Adam, and everyone as they deal with the snobby Tia. Muslim students will be able to relate to Amal as she struggles to deal with the effects of her decision to wear the hijab. Other students will benefit from this book by learning more about the Islamic faith.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Australian 11th-grader Amal is smart, funny, outspoken, a good student, and a loyal friend. She is also a devout Muslim who decides to wear the hijab, or head covering, full-time. The story tells of her emotional and spiritual journey as she copes with a mad crush on a boy, befriends an elderly Greek neighbor, tries to help a friend who aspires to be a lawyer but whose well-intentioned mother is trying to force her to leave school and get married. Amal is also battling the misconceptions of non-Muslims about her religion and culture”

BOOKLIST Starred Review: “At 16, she loves shopping, watches Sex and the City, and IMs her friends about her crush on a classmate. She also wants to wear the hijab, to be strong enough to show a badge of her deeply held faith, even if she confronts insults from some at her snotty prep school, and she is refused a part-time job in the food court (she is "not hygienic"). Without heavy preaching, the issues of faith and culture are part of the story, from fasting at Ramadan to refusing sex before marriage. More than the usual story of the immigrant teen's conflict with her traditional parents, the funny, touching contemporary narrative will grab teens everywhere.

CONNECTIONS
-Have students write about a time when they felt judged by other people.

Other books about Muslim teenagers:
Budhos, Marina. ASK ME NO QUESTIONS. ISBN 9781416949206
Abdel-Fattah, Randa. TEN THINGS I HATE ABOUT ME. ISBN 9780545050562

The Pirate of Kindergarten

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lyon, George Ella. 2010. THE PIRATE OF KINDERGARTEN. Illustrated by Lynne Avril. New York: Antheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN 9781416950240.

PLOT SUMMARY

Ginny suffers from an undiagnosed vision problem. It causes her to see two of everything making it hard to read, cut paper, and even walk without running into things. When the school nurse diagnoses her problem she becomes a pirate who no longer sees double.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
The illustrations do a wonderful job of helping children comprehend how Ginny sees two of everything. Without the illustrations children might not understand the book as well. You can see a change in Ginny's confidence in her face when she gets her patch and can see things more clearly.

One interesting thing for teachers is that the teacher in this book unintentionally makes things harder for Ginny. She told Ginny, "don't squint," "we read it just once," and "we read with our eyes, not our noses." These things are a good reminder that there are things going on with students that we do not always know about. It's important for teachers to stop and talk to their students when they have ongoing struggles in class.

I did not find any cultural markers in this book, but it is about a subject on which we do not see many books published. This book is a great way to show young children how even though we might not know some students see things differently.  It is a great book to use to lead into conversations about students hearing, acting and looking different from everyone else.   

REVIEW EXCERPTS

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Ginny suffers from undiagnosed double vision, and seeing two of everything is causing her difficulties in school… Lyon's short, descriptive sentences set up the situation deftly, and Avril's astute chalk, pencil, and acrylic drawings of "two of everything" provide a vivid window into Ginny's pre-treatment world.”

BOOKLIST: “Avril’s bold and wonderfully vivid mixed-media illustrations sometimes portray the classroom through Ginny’s eyes, with overlapping images of chairs, books, and people, though they usually present an outside perspective. Based on Lyon’s own experience, the sensitively written story radiates empathy and good humor. Even children who have not experienced Ginny’s problem will understand her occasional frustration and find it intriguing that one person can literally see the world differently from another.”

CONNECTIONS
Share this book with young students and discuss how we should treat those that look different.

Look at this website for more books on disabilities and learning differences
http://www.monroe.lib.in.us/childrens/booklists/disabilitybib.html

In Our Mothers' House

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Polacco, Patricia. 2009. IN OUR MOTHERS’ HOUSE. New York: Philomel Books. ISBN 9780399250767

PLOT SUMMARY
A grown woman reminisces about growing up with her family of two mothers, a brother and a sister. She remembers the love and laughter that filled her home.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)

The three children in the family all come from different cultures: African America, Caucasian and Asian. One of her mother's, Meema is Italian and nothing is mentioned about Mermee's ethnicity. One example of Meema's Italian culture is the fact that the kitchen is such an important part of the home. They are shown cooking family meals together in the kitchen and the narrator remembers, "The kitchen in our mother's house was the center of everything that was happening in our household."

There are many cultures represented in the characters in the story. When they have a neighborhood block party the families bring foods that represent their culture. The Mardicians served "stuffed grape leaves and ground lamb," the Polos served "spanakopita and Greek salads," the Abdullas served "hummus and tabouli." Other families served sushi, fried clams and crawdads.

I feel that the hair styles and clothing choices are very stereotypical of lesbians. The women have their hair cut very short and wear clothes that make them look more masculine. The narrator even points out that it was a big deal for them to wear dresses to the tea party they hosted. She remembers, "We had never seen either of them in a dress...ever!"

There is a character is the book that shows us how intolerance affects others. Mrs. Lockner is very rude to the narrator’s family. She shuts the door on them when they come trick-or-treating, won’t let her children come over for a sleepover and confronts the family at the block party. She approaches the mothers and says, “I don’t appreciate what you two are.” The narrator doesn’t understand Mrs. Lockner’s behavior and Meema explains it by saying, “She is full of fear sweetie. She's afraid of what she cannot understand: she doesn't understand us."

The illustrations in this book really express the facial expressions of the characters. You can see the love and adoration in Meema and Marmee's eyes when they first bring each of their children home. They show the joy on the children's faces and they dance, fix family dinners and get ready for their tea party. The illustrations are particularly good at showing how Mrs. Lockner's outburst effected everyone at the block party.

Even though the narrator didn’t have what most view as a traditional family, she still had a wonderful childhood full of fond family memories. The love and laughter that filled her home is what she remembers when she is grown. Although this book is a bit lengthy it is a great introduction to young children about how all families look different.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “This gem of a book illustrates how love makes a family, even if it's not a traditional one… the story serves as a model of inclusiveness for children who have same-sex parents, as well as for children who may have questions about a "different" family in their neighborhood. A lovely book that can help youngsters better understand their world.”

BOOKLIST: “The oldest of three adopted children recalls her childhood with mothers Marmee and Meema, as they raised their African American daughter, Asian American son, and Caucasian daughter in a lively, supportive neighborhood. The energetic illustrations in pencil and marker, though perhaps not as well-rendered as in some previous works, teem with family activities and neighborhood festivity. Quieter moments radiate the love the mothers feel for their children and for each other.”

CONNECTIONS
-Talk to students about accepting others even if they are different than you, use quotes from the book to show how hurtful comments can be.

-Have students write about how they feel loved by a family member.

Erika-San

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Say, Allen. 2009. ERIKA-SAN. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. ISBN 9780618889334.

PLOT SUMMARY
Erika fell in love with Japan after seeing a picture her grandfather had taken when he was in Japan. She studies about the country and language all throughout school and accepts a job in Tokyo after she graduated from college. It took her a while to find what she considered “Old Japan,” but when she did she immersed herself in the culture and her job.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
The plot of this story moves very slow and at times tells years of the story on a single page. For example, one page is used to explain that Erika studied Japanese from middle school through college and moved to Japan after she graduated from college. I was confused by the fact that Erika didn’t know what to expect when she got to Tokyo. Most foreign language classes also include a study of the history and the culture of the people who speak the language. For Erika to think Tokyo still looked like “old Japan” would mean that she hadn’t learned much about modern day Japan.

There are a few Japanese words used in the book and they are directly translated for the reader. Examples are “konnichiwa,” which means hello, “sayonara” which means goodbye, and “komome” which means seagull. The illustrations add authenticity to the story. When Erika first arrives in Tokyo and is greeted by a sea of people, they do not all have the same skin tone and they are dressed in modern clothes. When Erika goes into the Kamome restaurant the menu on the wall is written in Japanese and many things in her classroom are also written in Japanese. In the town she considers “old Japan” the buildings have thatched roofs. On her tour of the town, Aki showed her the rice paddies and a traditional tea house.

Erika takes it upon herself to learn more about the tea ceremony. Although there isn’t much information included about the tea ceremony we learn that you have to wear a kimono and that it takes a lot of practice to get the ceremony just right.

I don’t think this story will hold the attention of children who are between the ages of 4 and 8. There seems to be big gaps in the story that will confuse young children. I think this book is more suited for older readers.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “With luminous watercolors and economical text, Caldecott Medalist Say (Grandfather's Journey) tells of an American girl whose ingenuous hopes of reaching old Japan are finally realized…Although the plot may prove slow going for many in the target audience, aficionados of Say's tranquil work will find both the message and the delivery deeply satisfying.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Say's exquisite paintings provide backdrop for a charming fairy tale with a contemporary, feminist twist…More romantic and idealistic than many of Say's stories, Erika-San will find readers beyond the usual picture-book crowd.”

CONNECTIONS
-Have students write about a time something wasn’t how they expected it to be

Other books by Allen Say:
MUSIC FOR ALICE. ISBN 9780618311187
HOME OF THE BRAVE. ISBN 9780618212231
GRANDFATHER’S JOURNEY. ISBN 9780395570357

The Firekeeper's Son

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Park, Linda Sue. 2004. THE FIREKEEPER’S SON. Illustrated by Julie Downing. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0618133372

PLOT SUMMARY
Every night Sang-hee's father lights a fire at the top of their mountain to signal that all is well in his village. The signal is passed along the mountain tops to inform the king that there is peace throughout his kingdom. One night when Sang-hee's father hurts his ankle, he is tasked with lighting the fire. He then discovers that he is part of the army for the kingdom too.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
The main cultural marker in this book is the story itself. It tells about the tradition of lighting fires to signal to the king that all is well in his kingdom. The firekeepers see the fire on the preceding mountain and light their fire. This signals to the next firekeeper to light their fire. This continues until the fire reaches the king's palace. A note at the end of the books tells us that this story is a much simpler version of what really occurred when this signal system was used in Korea in the early 1800s.

The watercolor and pastel illustrations show the reader the clothing and hair styles of the time and culture. They also show how people lived in Korea with the thatched hut roofs and carrying water in big jars. The illustrations show the beautiful landscape stretching from the ocean to the rolling hills.

A universal theme in this book that children and adults will relate to is that we often have to choose between doing the right thing and doing the selfish thing. Sang-hee was tempted to not light the fire so he could meet the soldiers and see their shining swords. Everyone has been tempted to do something for themselves instead of the right thing and this is a good lesson for young children to see in this book.

This would be a great book to use with an elementary class to teach students about the history of other cultures. It is written in a way that young children will be interested and learn at the same time.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Park's command of place, characterization, and language is as capable and compelling in this picture book as it is in her novels. Set in 19th-century Korea, this story centers around an actual bonfire signal system… Children will be intrigued by this early form of wireless communication, caught up in the riveting dilemma, and satisfied by the resolution.”

BOOKLIST: “Downing's handsome, watercolor-and-pastel double-page pictures personalize the history, showing realistic close-ups of the child, who plays soldiers and dreams of the excitement of battle. In contrast are the panoramic views far across the country as the boy tends the flame that preserves peace from mountain to mountain. Add this to those lighthouse stories about the brave child who must take over for adults.”

CONNECTIONS
-Have students research past forms of communication used in their culture and other cultures.
-Have students write about a time they had to decide between doing what was right and what they wanted to do.

The Year of the Dog

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lin, Grace. 2006. THE YEAR OF THE DOG. New York: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 0316060003

PLOT SUMMARY
As she celebrates the Chinese New Year Pacy learns that the year of the dog is meant to be a year of finding yourself and making new friends. She sets out on a mission to discover her talents; she tries acting, being a scientist and finally discovers she can be a writer and illustrator. Along the way Pacy learns more about herself and what it means to be a Chinese-American.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
The plot of this story is very easy to follow and will engage readers through the whole story. Although there are many cultural markers, it will be easy for readers from any culture to enjoy this book. One cultural marker found in this book is the fact that Pacy and her sister have different names they go by at home and at school. Pacy's school name is Grace and Lissy's school name is Beatrice. Her sister explains to her that it is easier to go by a different name at school so their names don't get mispronounced all the time.

There is some Taiwanese language found in the book, but all of it is directly translated so the reader doesn't have to guess the meaning. For example, "Gong xi-gong xi! Sin-nian kuai le!" means "Happy New Year." There is some confusion when Pacy is asked over and over "Ja-ba, bei?" which she thinks means "have you eaten." Her mother has to explain to her that although that is the literal translation it is also intended to mean "how are you doing?"

The families eat many authentic foods all through the story. At the red egg party they have "brown stir-fried noodles; cooked duck shiny with oil; fresh lychees with their prickly pink skins; eggplant in brown sauce..." At home one night Pacy had "wonton soup, stir-fried green cabbage, white rice and sticky red-brown spareribs." One tradition that is shown in the book is the red egg party to bring good luck to baby Albert. Everyone puts money in the baby’s crib instead of bringing presents to the part. Not only will Chinese and Tiwanese readers be able to identify with traditions found throughout this book, but readers from other cultures will learn more about these long-standing practices.

When Pacy is told to fill the New Year's dish she runs out of the special Chinese New Year candy so she fills the rest with M&Ms. She is worried that she would get in trouble for putting M&Ms on the special tray but her dad reassures her that it is okay. He says, "This way is good. We should have both Chinese and American candy for the new year. It's like us - Chinese-American." This is very symbolic of many people here in America. They want to hold on to the traditions of their culture, but they also want to embrace the American culture as well. This book has quite a few instances showing the family keeping traditions from their culture, but also learning new traditions from the American culture.

When her school is putting on the play "The Wizard of Oz" Pacy decides she wants to be Dorothy. She practices her lines and songs preparing for the audition. Pacy was hurt when Becky said to her, "You can't be Dorothy, Dorothy's not Chinese." After this she begins to wonder why she doesn't see "real" Chinese people in books, plays and movies. In an author's note at the back of the book Grace Lin says that the main reason she wrote THE YEAR OF THE DOG is so that Asian children can see themselves in a book.

The small drawings throughout the book add a light-hearted feel to the story and remind you of doodles you might find in a child's notebook or journal. An interesting writing style found in this book is the telling of a separate story within the story. They are usually told by another person to explain the way something is to Pacy. The stories start with, "Did I ever tell you about....," then in a different font the story is told from that person's point of view. This is a neat way to include other points of view into the story, and is something that most young people can relate to. Parents often use stories to explain situations and feelings to young kids.

Another way Asian children will relate to this story is when they read about Pacy's experience at the Taiwanese-American camp she attends with her family. Although her family keeps many of the traditions from their culture, they have in many ways assimilated into the American culture. While attending an art class, Pacy gets made fun of and told she is too "American" because she does not speak Chinese or Taiwanese. The other kid tells her that Americanized Chinese people are like Twinkies, "Yellow on the outside but white on the inside." This really hurts Pacy's feelings and makes her feel like she doesn't belong. Many Asian readers will be able to relate to this because they might get made fun of by their peers for trying too hard to fit into the American culture.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
ALA Notable Children's Book
Asian Pacific American Librarian Association Honor

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “A lighthearted coming-of-age novel with a cultural twist. Readers follow Grace, an American girl of Taiwanese heritage, through the course of one year–The Year of the Dog–as she struggles to integrate her two cultures… Small, captioned, childlike black-and-white drawings are dotted throughout. This is an enjoyable chapter book with easily identifiable characters.”

BOOKLIST Starred Review: “Told in a simple, direct voice, her story follows young Grace through the Year of the Dog, one that Grace hopes will prove lucky for her. And what a year it is!... Most of the chapters are bolstered by anecdotes from Grace's parents, which connect Grace (and the reader) to her Taiwanese heritage.”

CONNECTIONS
-Talk to students about traditions they celebrate at home. Have them talk to their parents about the origin of those traditions.

-Grace Lin has created an educators guide. http://www.gracelinbooks.com/files/Year_of_The_Dog_EduGuide.pdf

Other books by Grace Lin:
THE YEAR OF THE RAT. ISBN 9780316033619
WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON. ISBN 9780316038638

Turtle's Race with Beaver: A Traditional Seneca Story

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bruchac, Joseph and James Bruchac. 2003. TURTLE'S RACE WITH BEAVER: A TRADITIONAL SENECA STORY. Illustrated by Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0803728522

PLOT SUMMARY
TURTLE'S RACE WITH BEAVER is a time-honored story of brain vs. brawn told from the Seneca tradition. The turtle and the beaver meet when turtle discovers that the beaver has taken over his pond while he was hibernating. The beaver does not want to share the pond, so the turtle challenges him to a race and the winner gets to keep the pond as their home.


CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
A note at the beginning of the story tells the reader that although this version of the story comes from the Seneca tradition, it has been slightly changed by each person who has told the story. Without the authors note at the beginning of the book readers would not know this was a Native American Seneca tale. The only Native American cultural marker I found in this book is that it uses animals to teach a lesson. Using animals to tell stories is not specific to the Seneca culture, but appears throughout all Native American cultures.

The plot of the story will be easy for young children to follow. When the race starts they might expect it to be like the traditional “Tortoise and the Hare,” but they will soon find out that Turtle has some different ideas in this version. A universal theme of this book is that our actions affect other people whether we mean for them to or not. The beaver did not intentionally take over someone else’s habitat; he didn’t know the turtle who lived there was hibernating. But, when the turtle came back the beaver decided that he didn’t want to share the pond with anyone. When he lost the race the turtle offered again to share the pond but the beaver was too ashamed to stay. After originally not wanting to share, Beaver has learned his lesson and shares a new home with a different turtle.

The bright blues and greens of the illustrations help keep young children interested in the story. The facial expressions of the animals help convey what they are feeling. The beaver and turtle are glaring at each other when they are arguing over who’s home should be at the pond. The beaver looks sad when he sees turtle winning the race. When all the animals are gathering for the race, they are drawn to look like they are talking to each other.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: This delightful folktale closely resembles Aesop's "The Tortoise and the Hare." This appealing variant of the time-honored, cross-cultural tale conveys the need for cooperation, perseverance, and humility within group settings. Children will be so involved in the storytelling that they'll absorb these lessons effortlessly."

BOOKLIST: "A clever twist and a final bit of psychological realism give this variant on a Seneca Indian "Tortoise and Hare" tale unusually broad audience appeal. A natural candidate for reading aloud, and for follow-up discussions, too."

CONNECTIONS
Read another version of The Tortoise and the Hare and compare the two versions.
Have students write a story using animals to teach a lesson.

Other books by Joseph Bruchac
HOW CHIPMUNK GOT HIS STRIPES. ISBN: 0142500216
THE FIRST STRAWBERRIES. ISBN: 9780140564099