Habibi by Naomi Shihab Nye

Nye, Naomi Shihab. Habibi. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 1997. ISBN: 0-689-80149-1

SUMMARY
Fourteen year-old Liyana Abboud moves from her St. Louis, Missouri home where everything is warm and familiar, to Jerusalem, a city torn with conflict. Her father's family in the West Bank welcome her, her brother, and their mother as if they have known them all their lives, but she feels confused by the drastic contrast between their Palestinian culture filled with traditions and rules and her American culture. Will she be able to adjust to this foreign world of her father's youth?

ANALYSIS

Naomi Shihab Nye's young adult novel Habibi tells the tale of Liyana Abboud, a young Arab American teenager who moves to Jerusalem, her father's home. Nye's book stems from her own life. She was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. Her father was Palestinian and her mother American. Like Liyana, she moved to Ramallah in Palestine where she attended high school. Drawing from her experiences of living in Palestine, she creates a vivid story of life in modern Jerusalem.

While Liyana adjusts to life in Jerusalem, she begins to realize that her father's city, the center of three major religions, is at the mercy of political conflict. The people she meets everyday seem to want to have peace with one another, yet at the same time they stay apart from each other. While eating at an Arabic restaurant after a day of touring the section of Jerusalem where Christ walked and preached, she comments, "With so much holiness bumping up against other holiness, doesn't it seem strange Jerusalem would have had so much fighting?" Her mother tells her to think about how fighting occurs in families, and Poppy concludes by saying, "I think (Arab and Jews) are bonded for life. Whether they like it or not. Like that kind of glue that wont let go." However, "Liyana noticed Poppy didn't take them over to western Jewish Jerusalem for any kind of tour."

As time passes, Liyana makes friends with Khaled and Nadine, a brother and sister who live in one of the refuge camps for Palestinians. She meets Omer, a Jewish teenage boy who shares many of her likes and philosophies. The most interesting person she meets, though, is Sitti, her grandmother whose traditions and rituals enrich the family's gatherings. Her stories and love for her family draw Liyana into appreciation of the depth of culture from her father's side of her family. Sitti's strength - both emotional and physical - impress Liyana during the times they spend together. She accompanies Sitti to the village well to get drinking water from the well. Sitti fills the clay pot and then balances it on her head and returns to her home - prefering this method of obtaining drinking water for her home to the modern faucet. Sitti has other habits that Liyana finds unusual and fascinating: She talks to angels in her dreams, reads tea leaves for fortunes, and refuses to wear socks because she believes cold feet promote longer life. By using her father as a translator, and sometimes just hand gestures and eye contact for communication, the bond between grandmother and granddaughter strengthens with every visit.

As time passes, Liyana realizes she has found Palestine is as much her home as St. Louis, Missouri. Just as she begins to feel comfortable, the reality of the unpredictable balance between peace and violence erupts in her world. Sitti's home is invaded by Israeli soldiers who are looking for Liyana's cousin, Mahmud. They smash the bathroom fixtures and then leave Sitti with water gushing from broken faucets. The village people and family join to help Sitti put her home together again. Instead of deterring Liyana from wanting to stay in Palestine, she instead becomes determined to be the generation that brings peace to the war-tired land. Her friendship with Omer creates a seed of hope for her and her Arab family that perhaps the younger generation of Arab and Jewish people may hold the key to finding peace.

AWARDS/REVIEWS

ALA Notable Children’s Books, 1998

Kliatt starred, September 1999

New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age, 1998

CONNECTIONS
Other books by Naomi Shihab Nye -
Sitti's Secrets by Naomi Shihab Nye and Nancy Carpenter
The Flag of Childhood: Poems from the Middle East

In the classroom:
Naomi Shahib Nye wrote Habibi in 1997. Many critical events have transpired since the book has been written that have affected the lives of the Palestinians and the Israelis. Have students find current event articles telling about the most current events in Jerusalem and the West Bank. How much has changed since this book has been written?

PERSONAL RESPONSE
In the book there is an observation Poppy makes about understanding how the American Indians felt when they were forced to move from their homes. Through this scene in the book, Naomi Shahib Nye opened my mind to the point of view of the Palestinians who became displaced when Israel took control of the region. That a small sliver of land on our planet can be a focus point of such controversy completely confuses me. The history of the Middle East is so complex, though, that I sometimes wonder if a solution will ever be agreed upon for peace. 

Habibi. Cover illustration. Internet on-line.  Retrieved November 10, 2013 from http://www.flr.follett.com/search?SID=ebe7e91e39d0302a0506ca49da053314

In Our Mothers' House by Patricia Polacco

Polacco, Patricia. In Our Mothers’ House. New York: Philomel Books, 2009. ISBN: 978-0-399-25076-7

SUMMARY

Join the fun at Marmee and Meema ‘s home where love fills every corner and warms the hearts of all who enter. There is never a dull moment with them and their three children. Cooking, singing, dancing, building tree houses – the fun never ends, and the love just grows deeper as the family creates warm and happy memories that will last a lifetime, and beyond. But be warned: There are neighbors who cannot understand that love should not be subjected to restrictions and rules. Can their fears spread to others, or will Marmee and Meema be able to keep peace in the neighborhood?

ANALYSIS

In Our Mother’s House by Patricia Polacco makes a bold statement about the reality of family life in our world today. Daring to break the mold of the stereotype home consisting of the traditional mother and father figurehead who live with their own biological children, Polacco tells the truth about “other” families – the families we don’t talk about in school because they aren’t traditional families.

The parents in this story are both women – a lesbian couple who open their home to three children from other countries. Meema, a pediatrician, and Marmee, a paramedic, provide a balance in the home for their children. Each mother has her own strengths. Meema loves to cook and sew. Marmee, who is very organized, enjoys building and fixing things. Together, the mothers and their children create harmony in the love-filled home.

The story reads like a narrative memoir told in first person by the eldest child. As the narrator tells the readers about the wonderful times growing up with Marmee and Meema, the colorful illustrations that enhance the narrative show extremely happy people. They are always smiling, and in the larger group scenes, someone’s arms are sure to be open wide as if to emphasize the point that all are welcome in their home and neighborhood.

The neighborhood consists of a multicultural group of people who all appreciate each other without judgment. There is one exception, though. A neighbor who does not like her children to be too close to the couple lets her opinion be known on a day where the neighborhood hosts a block party. She pulls her children from the party telling the couple, “I don’t appreciate what you two are.” Marmee and Meema’s children are confused, but Meema tells them, “She is full of fear…She’s afraid of what she cannot understand: she doesn’t understand us.”

In Our Mothers’ House provides a story for children who are growing up in homes with parents who are gay or lesbian couples. Sometimes, it seems a little too perfect, though. The only conflict comes from an outside source, the neighbor who openly disapproves of the couple’s lifestyle. However, as the book concludes, it is clear that the narrator’s purpose is to remember his mothers and to let the world know how much they loved each other, their children, their neighbors and life, and how they taught their children to love without prejudice or fear.

AWARDS/REVIEWS

Library Media Connection, starred October 2009

“…the story serves as a model of inclusiveness for children who have same-sex parents, s 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.” – Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, 2009

“…a strong and memorable story of a peaceful, devoted family unit.” Dennis J. LeLopu, Media Specialist, Library Media Connection, October 2009

CONNECTIONS
Patricia Polacco explains why she felt the need to write this story in an interview that she features in her website. Every teacher needs to see this video. Her message about a teacher's influence over children is very powerful.

http://www.patriciapolacco.com/

This book would be a good book to open discussions in a high school setting, where the students' maturity levels can better understand the message of diversity and acceptance. If a teacher wants to read this in an elementary setting, parental permission should be sought in order to appease the administration and parents. It would be a good book to read during Black History Month because it shows how far we have come in having multicultural neighborhoods and families, but also shows we still have a ways to go before we can truly call ourselves an inclusive society.

PERSONAL RESPONSE

I was not sure what to expect when I read this book. As I read it, though, I realized the importance such books have in our schools and libraries. As a middle school teacher, I see less and less “traditional” families. There are more students living with stepparents than ever before, and I am sure that parents like Meema and Marmee are more common than we realize. I think the love message, though was overdone in the book. It reminds me of the fictitious family stories when I was growing up: The perfect family where Father is in charge of providing for the family, Mother is in charge of taking care of the home, and the children are always tidy and clean. I understand why Patricia Polacco did this, but she should have been toned it down just a little to make it a more credible story. I was never quite sure what her purpose was in writing her story because it felt more like a “sales pitch” for accepting alternative lifestyles. After seeing her interview, though, I understood her passion behind the story rose from her compassion for the young student who was chastised by a parent volunteer. I wonder why the teacher did not speak up! I look forward to the day when we don't have to "sell" things and stories can just be stories once again.

In Our Mothers’ House. Cover illustration. Internet on-line.  Retrieved November 10, 2013 from http://www.flr.follett.com/search?SID=ebe7e91e39d0302a0506ca49da053314

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

Selznick, Brian. Wonderstruck. New York: Scholastic Press, 2011. ISBN: 978-0-545-02789-2

SUMMARY

After his mother's death, twelve year-old Ben feels alone and longs to find his father. With only two clues to guide him - a small book about museums and a bookmark with a brief message to his mother from his father - Ben leaves his Minnesota home for New York City. Young Rose, isolated from the world except through what she reads in newspapers and sees through her bedroom window, leaves her New Jersey home and her father to go to New York City so that she may find her mother, a famous silent movie actress. The two deaf children lives parallel each other, but are separated by an expanse of 50 years. Time, though, has a strange way of looping and interconnecting in order to complete circles, and it is in the American Museum of Natural History that Ben and Rose find what they seek.

ANALYSIS

Wonderstruck perfectly describes the feelings of a reader who finishes Brian Selznick’s latest novel for children. In his novel, he tells his readers about two children, Ben and Rose. Each child has a life separated from each other by both location and time. Ben lives in Minnesota during the 1960s and 1970s, and Rose lives in New Jersey during the 1920s. Selznick uses two formats for each storyline: pencil illustrations to tell Rose’s story, and the written word to tell Ben’s story. Each story stands by itself, yet Selznick balances them perfectly so throughout the book a delicate dance between the two stories emerges. The two stories will meet, part, and repeat this pattern until they finally come together in the end.

Both children face the same obstacles in their lives. Rose is completely deaf, and her father keeps her inside to protect her. She spends her time in her bedroom reading and collecting newspaper articles about her famous mother, a silent-movie star whose career keeps her from her family. Rose uses the old newspapers to build a miniature model of New York City, where she longs to be with her mother. Ben, born deaf in one ear, loses hearing in his other ear after a tragic, freak accident. A few months before the accident, he lost his mother in a car accident. The night he lost his hearing, he found a card that suggests his father lives in New York City. Both children throw caution to the wind and set out to take on New York City in order to find their parents.

The setting of Rose's story, New York City in the 1920s, marks the final days of silent movies. Even without occasional intervals of script common to silent-movies, the  audience could easily understand the movies' plots through clever use of action in scenes and the actors' emotions and thoughts by their facial expressions. Selznick uses this same dramatic technique in his artwork to tell Rosa's story. Selznick’s illustrations accurately depict Rose’s hearing impairment and her emotions as she journeys to New York City in her silent world. The careful detail in the illustrations allow the reader to interpret events by using sight – just as young Rose must do in her silent world. 

Ben, however, had partial hearing before he became completely deaf and is able to talk. This causes complications when he arrives in New York City. He orally asks questions, but he is unable to understand what people say back to him. Like Rose, he cannot read lips nor is he familiar with sign language. However, both children are able to read, which allows them to understand what other people are saying when they use writing to communicate with the children.

The resiliency of both Rose and Ben to overcome the communication barrier with other people in order to find answers to their questions gives them the determination to find their absent loved ones. In the halls of the American Museum of Natural History, they find not only answers - but an unexpected meeting of two people whom not even time could keep apart forever.

AWARDS/REVIEWS

ALA Notable Children’s Books, 2012

Parent’s Choice Gold Award, 2011

Scheider Family Book Award, 2012

School Library Journal starred, August 2011

Kirkus Reviews starred, July 2011

“Selznick plays with a plethora of interwoven themes, including deafness and silence, the ability to see and value the world, family, and the interconnectedness of life.” Booklist starred, August 2011

CONNECTIONS

Visit the following website to learn how to finger spell the alphabet. You can even see how to finger spell your name.
The website also includes an interview with Brian Selznick about Wonderstruck.
http://www.scholastic.com/wonderstruck/stars.html

The following web page includes a link to informative essays about places and scenes from Wonderstruck.
http://www.wonderstruckthebook.com/

PERSONAL RESPONSE

While reading Wonderstruck, I was amazed how well Selznick was able to create two stories and then merge them together. After finishing the book, I went back to reread Rose's story. Then, I reread Ben's story. After finishing both for the second time, I truly appreciated the genius put into creating this novel. Each story stands by itself - and the artwork just continues to draw the reader into Rose's story.

Wonderstuck. Cover illustration. Internet on-line.  Retrieved November 10, 2013 from http://www.flr.follett.com/search?SID=ebe7e91e39d0302a0506ca49da053314

Good Luck Gold and Other Poems by Janet S. Wong

Wong, Janet S. Good Luck Gold and Other Poems. New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 1994. ISBN: 0-689-50617-1

SUMMARY

Join Janet Wong in her moving collection of poetry that describes her life growing up as a young Asian American girl in California. You will meet her grandparents, her parents, teachers and school peers who evoked Ms. Wong’s thoughtful observations that she releases into her poems. The moods of the poems are as varied as the moods of people in day-to-day life. They bring out laughter, sorrow, anger, and shame. Altogether, they reveal the inner thoughts of a young girl who sees the world and people around her as she tries to find her place in both her family and society.

ANALYSIS

In Good Luck Gold and Other Poems, Janet S. Wong describes the experiences she shared with her family, friends, and not-so-friendly people as an Asian American child growing up in California. The young Janet looks for her own unique self in America where multiculturalism is the norm, yet prejudice still stains the societal fabric.

The versatility of themes in this poem creates a book that can appeal to all children of any ethnic heritage. Although Wong focuses on the Asian American point-of-view, her poetry reaches truths that extend beyond ethnic barriers straight into the essence of the human soul.

In her poem “Bombs Bursting in Air,” Wong’s use of imagery in her poem places the reader in the stands with the young Janet as she listens with pride while an Asian American sings the national anthem. Unfortunately, the peanut-eating, shell spitting fans in front of her are “big rowdy guys / downing beers…spit / “Jap!” / and laughed / all the way through…”  Regardless, Janet feels pride as she listens to the singer who drowns out their voices with his strong voice. At the song’s ending he waves to her in the stands. “I wave back, / hot dog in hand, / relish spilling out, / proud / until I heard / ’Bet that’s all / the American he knows,’ / and felt a shell land on my arm.” The reader can hear the anthem, hear the crude comments, see the relish fall, and feel the sting of the peanut shell on her arm. Just as a bomb shell can destroy a beautiful landscape, the obscenities she hears destroy her joyous moment listing to her nation’s national anthem.

Not all poems carry such a heavy theme. Lighthearted poems balance the book, just like happy moments balance life. She writes about her grandfather and his explanation about the power of jade for old people: “Old people bone / very crispy. / Break so easy. /…/Good piece jade / protect you someday. / Fall down, / jade broken. You okay. /" Through the words of the poem, the reader feels the warmth and kindness of the elder person as he talks to his granddaughter.

Good Luck Gold and Other Poems reveals the traditions in Asian culture and the depths of human emotions to the reader. The combination of the two creates a treasure to behold, enjoy, and share so that others can be enriched with the wisdom found in its pages.

AWARDS/REVIEWS

George G. Stone Center for Children’s Books Recognition of Merit Award, 1998 Winner (United States)

“The collection of poems…captures loving and poignant recollections of family members, and tells of moments where American, Chinese, and Korean cultures meet or clash.” – Horn Book, March 1995

“…poems in this collection give readers insight into the experiences of Chinese-American children.” – School Library Journal, January 1995.

CONNECTIONS

Visit Janet S. Wong’s website – You will be able to listen to her read her poems at this site and learn more about Ms.Wong

http://www.janetwong.com/

The poem “Speak Up” would be fun to read with two readers. Have students take turns reading the different roles.

The poem “Noodles” is a fun poem about a main food eaten in Asian cultures. Brainstorm with the students about foods from various cultures and then try to write their own poems featuring a favorite food.

Books by Janet S. Wong –

The Rainbow Hand: Poems about Mothers and Children

Behind the Wheel: Poems about Driving

A Suitcase of Seaweed and other Poems (Claremont Stone Center Recognition of Merit Award)

Listen to Janet Wong as she talks about her relationship with her grandfather and then reads a poem where he is the speaker called “GongGong and Susie.” (Note – the poem is in A Suitcase of Seaweed and Other Poems.

http://www.nowaterriver.com/poetry-month-2013-gonggong-and-susie-by-janet-wong/

PERSONAL RESPONSE

One of my favorite poems in this book is “Noise.” I like it because I know that the theme of this poem can apply to anyone who others discriminate against for being “different.” As a middle school teacher, I see this type of behavior often. Students who do not act right, look right, speak right, or do whatever is required to be part of the norm become separated from the crowd. “Noise” teaches them to be strong – to not let it in, to not let them win. Yes, I see the young girl is struggling to be strong, but she is strong – and that is the message I like about this poem. Her strength is also revealed in the poem, "Waiting at the Railroad Cafe." That would be a great poem to read during Black History Month. What Janet and her father experience in the cafe applies to so many minorities who were treated horribly, and it shows that the idea of Prejudice is actually - and ironically - very inclusive.

Good Luck Gold and Other Poems. Cover illustration. Internet on-line.  Retrieved November 10, 2013 from http://www.flr.follett.com/search?SID=ebe7e91e39d0302a0506ca49da053314

Drawing from Memory by Allen Say

Say, Allen. Drawing from Memory. New York: Scholastic Press, 2011. ISBN: 978-0-545-17686-6

SUMMARY

“Artists are lazy and scruffy people – they are not respectable.” Those harsh words from his father do not stop young Allen Say from pursuing his dream to become an artist. Encouraged by his teachers’ positive comments about his talent, Allen continues to draw. Through fortunate circumstances built on unfortunate events after his parents’ divorce, Allen becomes an apprentice to Noro Shinpei, the famous Japanese cartoonist. Over the course of three years, Allen perfects his skills under the wise and compassionate guidance of Shinpei, whom he respectfully calls Sensei, the Japanese word for teacher or master. He captures those years in his book Drawing from Memory. Detailed with his cartoons, sketches, and graphic art, Allen Say reminds his readers that with perseverance, dreams can come true.

ANALYSIS

Drawing from Memory presents the reader with a look into Allen Say’s formative years as an artist. Set in Japan during and after World War II, Say pays little attention to his war-ravaged Japan. Instead, he calls the reader’s attention to his own life and struggle to refine his skills in art so that he may someday become an artist.

The reader soon becomes aware that Say is on his own in the pursuit of his dream. His parents divorce when he is young, and his mother must work to support her family. Allen must live with his maternal grandmother, who appears not to be happy with this arrangement. She lets Allen know that if he does well on an entrance exam to school, he may have his own apartment. Allen, quick to recognize a good opportunity when it is offered, studies hard. His hard work is rewarded, and he moves into his own apartment when he is twelve years-old. Free from the discouraging comments from the adults in his family, he then begins to pursue his dream to become an artist.

Allen Say illustrates his story with photographs, cartoons, graphic art, and realistic pencil sketches. Through his pictures and writing, the narrative of his youth in Japan presents a clear image of life during the 1940s. His illustrations expertly convey the Japanese culture. Colored and labeled ink drawings of Japanese people he observes in the streets fill one page and include a tofu seller, a noodle delivery man, and two women dressed for a tea ceremony. However, equally important in his story is his message that the Japanese culture is a modern culture. He shows this by illustrating people wearing styles contemporary to the 1940s era.

He includes references to the post-war Japan, when the people began protesting against the government for a better life. He describes a march he and his friend, Tokida, joined. The march ended when the police met the protestors. The violence scared Allen, but not Tokida. As Japan begins to recover from the war, Allen’s father decides to emigrate to the United States, and he asks Allen to go with him. After struggling with the decision, Allen remembers his mother’s words when he told her he was continuing his dream to become an artist. She quoted an old saying to “Let your dear child journey.” In his heart he knows that he must travel. He decides to go with his father to America.

Allen Say’s book, Drawing from Memory is filled with memories of a past era during one of Japan’s most turbulent times. However, his book calls attention to the people who lived in the country during that time. Like all people, their lives went on during the war – despite the war: Families struggled, teenagers dreamed, fathers and sons disagreed, and teachers inspired.  Each page, each illustration, breaks the stereotyped image of World War II Japan with flying kamikaze pilots and soldiers and shows the true image of the civilians who, like Americans, lived, loved, and dreamed.

AWARDS/REVIEWS

ALA Notable Children’s Books, 2012

Booklist starred, 08/01/11

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Honor, 2012

Kirkus Reviews starred, 07/15/11

“…a powerful title that is both culturally and personally resonant.” Booklist starred, August 2011

“Exquisite drawings, paintings, comics and photographs balance each other perfectly as they illustrate Say’s childhood path to becoming an artist.” Kirkus Reviews, starred, July 2011

CONNECTIONS

Books by Allen Say:

Home of the Brave

Grandfather’s Journey (Caldecott Winner)

Emma’s Rug

El Chino

 

Video Interview with Allen Say:

http://www.readingrockets.org/books/interviews/say/

PERSONAL RESPONSE

Allen Say showed me a side of World War II Japan that I never even considered. Caught in the propaganda of the American version of Japan during that time, I never once thought about the civilians on the island and how their daily lives were. The first photographs that impacted me were the pictures of Allen Say’s babysitter and mother from the early 1940s. They reminded me of pictures I have of my mother from that time period. I also was surprised he defied his father. I always thought the Japanese children would never defy their parents. That is when I knew I had fallen victim to stereotyping. Thank you, Allen Say, for opening my eyes!

Drawing from Memory. Cover illustration. Internet on-line.  Retrieved November 10, 2013 from

http://www.flr.follett.com/search?SID=ebe7e91e39d0302a0506ca49da053314

The Year of the Dog: A Novel by Grace Lin

Lin, Grace. The Year of the Dog: A Novel. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2007. ISBN: 978-1-428-71408-3

SUMMARY

It is the Year of the Dog. Chinese tradition says this is the year for people to find their best friends and to discover their own personal strengths and talents. Pacy, known as Grace to her friends in elementary school, soon discovers that the belief is becoming a reality for her as the year passes. She makes friends with a new student, Melody Ling, whose family, like Grace’s family, came from Taiwan to the United States. She also discovers more about herself and her family as they share joyous events and warm memories with one another. The Year of the Dog becomes a year when she realizes her passions and talents and understands the direction she wants them to take her.

ANALYSIS

Grace Lin draws on her own experience growing up as an Asian-American in Upstate New York in her novel, The Year of the Dog. During the Year of the Dog, she gains a deeper understanding of the richness of her family’s Taiwanese and Chinese cultures and history. As the year ends, Grace realizes she has a gift as an artist and writer. That is when she knows that when she grows up, she will become an author and illustrator.

The writing is simple, but each chapter is rich with a lesson to learn about life or traditions and can stand by itself as a memoir. The novel’s format does not follow the traditional story elements outline. There is no outstanding conflict with the rising action that leads the reader to the breathtaking moment of “Oh no! What will happen?” Instead, the conflict is a simple wondering that children have: “I wonder what I will be when I grow up.” The events continue in the smooth flow of a life’s current – a style in fictional writing common to Asian culture.

It seems, however, that Lin is on a mission in this novel – to enlighten her readers about Taiwanese/Chinese cultures. She does this skillfully – slipping the Chinese cultural traditions into Pacy’s story so the reader does not feel like the book is a cultural fact book. For example, when a child is born in China, the people celebrate the birth by painting eggs red and giving the eggs to the baby for good luck. The more eggs the child receives, the more luck he will have. When Pacy’s cousin, Albert, was born, her family made preparations to go see him. Part of the preparations included painting the eggs. While painting, the girls have a misunderstanding that creates a slight mishap. Pacy’s mother, though, immediately assesses the problem, and quickly, with a hint of humor, explains to the children the cause of the misunderstanding. The scene is warm with love for each other and for the newborn Albert, for whom they paint the eggs.

Lin provides examples of Chinese language in the book, from wishing one another a happy new year, “Gong xi-gon xi! Xin-nian kuai lei,” to discussing Chinese words for foods. For example, egg foo young is actually called foo yung don in Chinese. Using an American name instead of a Chinese name at school is brought up when Pacy asks her older sister why she cannot use Pacy at school, but instead has to be called Grace. Her sister explains to her that the doctors advised their parents when the children were born to give the children an American name and a Chinese name in order to avoid problems. The Chinese name can be used at home, while the American name is used at school. Pacy cannot speak Chinese, which causes a conflict between her and other Asian-American children in a summer camp who called her a Twinkie: yellow on the outside, but white on the inside. The children felt that she should be able to speak Chinese, and by not speaking it she was denying her culture.

Through the Year of the Dog, Pacy begins to understand her position as an American citizen with a Taiwanese heritage. She realizes that she would love to write about the Taiwan/Chinese cultures when she gets older, so that others can understand and appreciate the meanings behind the beautiful traditions.

AWARDS/REVIEWS

ALA Notable Children’s Books, 2007

Asian Pacific American Librarian Association Honor, 2006

National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA), Gold Winner, 2006

Horn Book starred, 10/01/06

Booklist starred, 01/01/06

“Lin, best known for her picture books, here offers up a charming first novel, an autobiographical tale of an Asian-American girl’s sweet and funny insights on family, identity, and friendship.” Publisher’s Weekly, February

“This is a fun and simple coming-of-age story for anyone who feels they do not quite fit in.” Jeanna Sciarrotta, Children’s Literature, 

CONNECTIONS

Fun Craft and Classroom Activities:

http://gracelin.com/content.php?page=book_yeardog&display=activities

Other Novels about Pacy:

The Year of the Rat

Dumpling Days: A Novel

Other Novels by Grace Lin:

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

Starry River of the Sky

PERSONAL RESPONSE

The first page of this novel just stunned me when I read the words, “…we lived in New Hartford, New York…” I grew up in New Hartford, New York, and the only people who even know there is a New Hartford are the people who live there! As I read the book, I realized that she would not refer to the great Italian food available in that area. However, the traditions she and her family had were just as crazy and fun and family oriented as the Italian Americans'. It reaffirmed my belief that people from all cultures share one common theme: Combining Family, Tradition, and Food creates strong bonds of love – no matter what part of the world we live in.  

The Year of the Dog: A Novel. Cover illustration. Internet on-line.  Retrieved November 10, 2013 from http://www.flr.follett.com/search?SID=ebe7e91e39d0302a0506ca49da053314

The Mud Pony by Caron Lee Cohen

Cohen, Caron Lee. The Mud Pony: A Traditional Skidi Pawnee Tale. Ill. by Shonto Begay.  New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1988. ISBN 1-59053-449-8

 
SUMMARY

 A young Skidi Pawnee boy longs for a pony of his own, so he creates one out of mud from the river. He cares for his mud pony as if it were real – tending to its needs every day. One day as he cares for his mud pony, his tribe moves on to hunt a herd off buffalo for the winter food supply. Left behind, the boy fears he will never see his people again. However, the mud pony appears to him in a dream and tells him he is not alone. The next day he finds a great and wonderful thing has happened to his mud pony – and the adventure that follows leads him to become a leader of his people.

ANALYSIS

Caron Lee Cohen’s retelling of the Skidi Pawnee tale captures the mystical spirituality of a legend that tells of a boy’s mud horse coming to life in order to help the good hearted boy and his tribe. The theme of the story follows that of typical folktales – a good child who lives in a humble, poor home is smiled upon by the gods( or fairies – or elves) who help the child achieve status among his people (or village -or town). In the end the child becomes the hero and leader of the people.

However, both Shonto Begay’s artwork and the story include cultural references that clearly identify this legendary tale’s origin as Native American. The first pointed reference to the tale’s Native American origin comes in the first line, “There was once a poor boy in an Indian camp…” Following this line, the story tells of the young boy’s desire to have his own horse, and so he creates one from mud. During a great time of need in his life, the mud horse comes to life. The concept of creating creatures from mud can be found in folklore around the world, from the Judeo-Christian God creating man from clay to the Hebrew Golem – a strange creature, a soulless servant of men. However, the catalyst that brings this horse to life occurs when the boy’s tribe leaves him behind to hunt a herd of buffalo the scouts discovered “several days’ journey to the West.” When the boy finds himself alone, the mud horse is given life by Mother Earth to help the boy reunite with his people and then fight an enemy who threatens their food source - the buffalo.

The reference to the scouts and to the buffalo narrows the general cultural reference, Native American, to the tribes that roamed North America’s prairie land who hunted buffalo for their winter’s meals. The Skidi Pawnee people made their homes in this region of the American continent. When he finally finds his people, he sees “smoke curling from tepees in the camp.” Tepees are portable shelters for the nomadic Native Americans in the Great Plains. During buffalo hunts, the Skidi Pawnee had to move with the buffalo herds to be able to find enough food for the winter. Because of this, tepees were the most practical shelters for shelter.

Shonto Begay’s surrealistic artwork in soft pastel shades shimmer across each page with a spray of pink and white star-like images that suggest the presence of the Milky Way in the life of the young boy. The Skidi Pawnee’s knowledge of the constellations is one of their culture’s characteristics. Animal skins with artwork of the constellations demonstrate their abilities as early astronomers. Begay captures the essence of the astronomers with the suggestion of celestial light surrounding the boy and the mud pony. The boy is drawn with dark hair and a loin cloth; at the book’s end he is older and has two eagle feathers in his hair – symbolic of his courage and role as a leader in his tribe after he fights an enemy who threatens to keep his people from the buffalo .

Beautifully written and illustrated, The Mud Pony is a tale that carries the strong message that purity in heart and faith will be rewarded.

AWARDS/REVIEWS

Owl Award for Illustrations in Japan, 1988

“Cohen retells this story with grace; Begay, a Native-American artist, provides evocative paintings that derive strength and impact from the suggestion of action rather than fully detailed scenes.” – Publisher’s Weekly, September

CONNECTIONS

Related books:

The Magic of Spider Woman, by Lois Duncan, Illustrated by Shonto Begay

Maii and Cousin Horned Toad: A Traditional Navajo Story,  by Shonto Begay

Discussion Guide:

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/mud-pony-discussion-guide

 Shonto Begay Artwork Gallery:

http://shontogallery.com/wp/

Information about the Skidi Pawnee:

http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/skidi-tribe.htm

The Skidi Pawnees as Astronomers -
http://astrobob.areavoices.com/tag/skidi-pawnee/

The Skidi Pawnees' Mythology
http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Pawnee_mythology.html

PERSONAL RESPONSE

As I read The Mud Pony, I recognized the pattern of an ancient tale. There were no surprises as the storyline followed a typical legend format. What I did enjoy, though, was the artwork of Shonto Begay. It gave the allusion of a mystical element interacting with the young boy in order to accomplish great things for his people.  I recommend this as good picture book to read aloud to young children.

The Mud Pony: A Traditional Skidi Pawnee Tale. Cover illustration. Internet on-line.  October 24, 2013 from http://www.flr.follett.com/cover?FLR=31887W3&SID=e7ab27e8ca59f3da7e7d2532da695d3e&type=cover