Author Vilasinee Bunnag, along with illustrator Yasmin Doctor, have created a wonderfully interactive picture book, Where Do Our Baby Teeth Go?, to help little ones understand, celebrate, and document this rite of passage.
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By: Julie,
on 3/28/2014
Blog: Manga Maniac Cafe (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Interviews, Middle Grade, India, Families, Social Issues, Cultures, Add a tag
By: Sheila Ruth,
on 2/17/2014
Blog: Wands and Worlds (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: science fiction, book review, young adult fiction, brazil, speculative fiction, dystopian, sense of place, cultures, Add a tag
The Summer Prince
by Alaya Dawn Johnson
June and her best friend Gil are thrilled to wrangle an invite to the official celebration of the newly elected Summer King, Enki. But they never anticipate that Gil and Enki will fall in love, or how much Enki will affect both of their lives. Although the Summer King has no real power, Enki, who comes from the lowest level of society, is determined to use what influence he has to help his people. June and Enki begin to collaborate on a big art installation, one that they hope will both send a message to the city, and win June the Queen's Award. But none of the three can forget that at the end of the summer, Enki will die. Because the real purpose of the Summer King is sacrifice in service of the city.
The Summer Prince is a brilliant book on so many levels. To start, it's an achingly immersive story set in a future Brazil. Added to that are elements from the Sumerian myth The Epic of Gilgamesh. Going deeper, there are the themes: power and sacrifice, choices and consequences, privilege and class, order and change. Finally, there is the writing: Alaya Dawn Johnson has created a beautiful tapestry so intricately woven that the patterns aren't always obvious on the first read-through. Even on my second read I'm not sure if I saw everything.
Palmares Tres is a gem of a city where past culture and future culture merge. It's a city where people still Samba and eat Vatapá stew, where grafeteiros create masterpieces and street gangs fight with capoeira. And yet it's a city with deep class divisions, where class hierarchy is literally expressed in the city tiers: the higher classes live on the upper levels and the lowest class lives on the bottom tier, where the the stink of the algae vats is ever present. This physical expression of class hierarchy is not a new idea in science fiction, but it's well done here. That stink, known as the Catinga, becomes a powerful symbol in the story, and in fact the higher tiers call the lowest tier "The Catinga."
Palmeres Tres is a city ruled by a matriarchy: a Queen and a council of women called Aunties. Many of them have forgotten the purpose of power, and while they, in their own way, seem to love the city, often their machinations seem designed to protect their own power rather than benefit the city. Most residents of the city live 200 years or more, setting up a situation where anyone under 30 is considered a juvenile, and not to be trusted to make good decisions. So we have class conflict, gender conflict, and age conflict, and with his election as Summer King, Enki becomes the touchstone at the center of all these conflicts.
I've seen this book described as dystopian, but I don't think that it quite falls into that classification. The traditional definition of a dystopia is one that seems utopian on the surface, but is later revealed to be oppressive and deeply flawed. I think that in some ways The Summer Prince turns that around: the flaws are fairly obvious early on, but as you continue to read it becomes clear how much the citizens of Palmeros Tres love their city with a genuine love, even in spite of the flaws. However, The Summer Prince is similar enough to dystopian literature that I think it will appeal to teens who enjoy dystopian books.
It's not necessary to be familiar with The Epic of Gilgamesh or to even recognize those elements are there to enjoy the story, but if you are familiar with the Epic it's a sheer joy to discover the iconic story of Enkidu and Gilgamesh wrestling in the streets transformed into a heart-stopping Samba when Gil and Enki first meet. The Summer Prince is not really a retelling of the myth, but there are some interesting parallels.
June is an imperfect character who struggles throughout the book to make the right choices. Her dream is to be recognized as a great artist, and when that dream comes into conflict with her awakening social awareness, she doesn't always choose the right thing. She blames her mother for her father's death, and because of that she's mean to her mother. All these things make her a believable, realistic character whom the reader can identify with as she grows through her association with Enki.
The Summer Prince does a great job of representing people who are underrepresented in YA lit. All the residents of Palmeros Tres have skin of varying shades of color, and Enki himself is described as being exceptionally charismatic and with very dark skin. Sexual relationships, both same-sex and opposite-sex, are depicted in a natural, unfettered way that's totally a non-issue. In Palmeros Tres it doesn't seem to matter whom you love.
The Brazilian setting is a refreshing change from books set in European-based settings. I personally loved that the book represented a culture and people that you don't often see in American YA Fiction, but I'd be remiss if I didn't point out this review of The Summer Prince by a native Brazilian, Ana of The Book Smugglers. I'd encourage you to read the review, but in short, Ana is concerned that the Brazilian cultural elements are not always used accurately, and don't go any deeper than those elements that outsiders identify with Brazil, such as samba, Carnival, and capoeira. To Ana, it feels like a stereotype.
I've been thinking a lot about Ana's review over the last few days. Does the book stereotype Brazilians? Maybe - it's hard for me to know since I'm not Brazilian. Should a writer be able to write about a culture as an outsider to that culture? This, I think, is the crux of the controversy, and I've seen good arguments on both sides. I personally think writers stretching to write about things outside their personal experience is a good thing, because it helps to bring those ideas and cultures to other people who are not familiar with them, but the outsider has to work harder to get it right. I found an interview with Johnson where she says about her research, "I read a lot of books, particularly about the history of the African diaspora in Brazil. Also got advice from my sister, who studied in Brazil and knew many sources. And sent it to Brazilian writers for help."
I totally understand Ana's frustration and annoyance with the book. It's not quite the same thing, but I studied a martial art for 18 years, and I get really annoyed when I read a fiction book that gets the martial arts details wrong. So I get how frustrating it would be to have your culture portrayed inaccurately. But it does sound like Johnson did try get the details right, and I hope that maybe it will at least it will inspire young people to want to learn more about Brazil and read up on it, as I did after finishing the book. In balance, I think that a book like this that encourages young people to think outside their comfort zone and learn about new ideas and new cultures is a good thing. There are no easy answers, but I think it's important that we keep having these conversations as we try to get it right.
The Summer Prince is the 2013 Cybils Awards winner for the YA Speculative Fiction category.
Who would like this book:
Science fiction and dystopian readers, as well as teens who like reading about other cultures.
Get it from:
FTC required disclosure: Review copy sent by the publisher for the purpose of Cybils Awards judging. The bookstore links above are affiliate links, and I earn a very small percentage of any sales made through the links. Neither of these things influenced my review.
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By: Cait,
on 2/4/2013
Blog: Cait's Write... (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: cultures, Uncategorized, comics, Cartoons, Add a tag
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By: Julie,
on 9/5/2012
Blog: Manga Maniac Cafe (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Waiting on Wednesday, Cultures, YA, Young Adult, Japan, Wow, Coming of Age, Families, Drama, Novel in Verse, Add a tag
We may think we have other cultures "all figured out" but until we've lived it, we can only begin to imagine.
Hanane Habib grew up in a toxic environment (by most peoples standards) but for her it was a way of life. From a controlling aunt and grandfather to being forced to work and give up her dreams at a young age, Hanane's story will leave you angry and astounded.
Misunderstood A Scar for Life is a compelling and can't-put-down read. Her independence and bravery in the face of an entire cultural expectance, will leave you singing her praises and rooting her on.
This book is one of the best I've read! Awesome!
Check out, Misunderstood: A Scar for Life, a true story by Hanae Habib at; http://hananehabib.com/books/
By: Sylvia Vardell,
on 9/18/2011
Blog: Poetry for Children (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Viewing: Blog Posts Tagged with: Cultures, Most Recent at Top [Help]
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By: Gi Hallmark,
on 4/10/2015
Blog: The Children's Book Review (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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By: Bianca Schulze,
on 2/10/2015
Blog: The Children's Book Review (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Roman has created a good beginning platform that readers can leap from and soar into the mythical and lively world of Scottish culture.
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By: Erika Mayfield,
on 12/28/2014
Blog: The Children's Book Review (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Carol P. Roman’s If You Were Me and Lived in … Hungary: A Child’s Introduction to Cultures Around the World is the thirteenth in her series briefly introducing young readers to our world’s diverse cultures.
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By: Erika Mayfield,
on 12/27/2014
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Eleventh in her children’s cultural series, Carol P. Roman’s If You Were Me and Lived in … Greece: A Child’s Introduction to Cultures Around the World takes her young readers to Southern Europe and the tiny island of Greece.
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By: Jensen girls,
on 9/5/2014
Blog: Utah Children's Writers (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: diversity, authors, publishing, religion, gender, illustrators, LGBTQ, cultures, sexual identity, Add a tag
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Diversity is a really hot topic in the Kid Lit world these days. At the recent SCBWI International Conference in LA, hundreds of people attended a panel about diversity and a chat afterward. You hear the word being tossed around all over the place, and sometimes I wonder if everyone is talking about the same thing.
Blame it on my days in high school debate, but I always like to define our terms when talking about something that could mean many things. When I think about children's books/literature, I think of diversity coming in three ways.
First, there is a diversity in authors and illustrators. From what I've seen, the Kid Litverse is full of a diverse cross section of authors and illustrators. Dozens of various ethnic and racial origins are represented. Just off the top of my head I can think of Asian, Hispanic, African-American, Native American artists in every age level of our industry. I know many LBGTQ authors and illustrators, men and women. I know some of almost any religious affiliation. Sure it could always be a higher number, which is I think where the discussion starts. It's not that publishers don't want diverse authors and illustrators, nor do they discriminate. Talent is talent. It seems to me the challenge is encouraging, mentoring, and training more people, letting them know their voices are necessary and welcomed. There are many ways we could do this--scholarships for under-represented groups to attend conferences/schools/events, mentoring programs, and contests. SCBWI is on the forefront of this, offering a wide variety of opportunities for everyone, and some special programs for under-represented groups.
Second, there's diversity in the publishing industry. As we all know, the publishing industry does not always embrace change very fast. But there are publishers out there--Lee and Low comes immediately to mind--that particularly focus on diversity in their publishing program. Plus, with the rise of self-publishing, access is there for anyone of any age, gender, ethnic or religious background. The discussion continues into the blogosphere, where there are numerous blogs and other resources where diversity in literature is the frequent topic.
Third, we're talking about diversity in the characters portrayed in children's books, and this is where the discussion can get heated, but I also find it the most interesting. White, middle-class characters have dominated children's literature for decades. But, as we all know, kids come from all sorts of diverse backgrounds, skin colors, religions, genders, sexual identities, and economic status. In the last few decades, we've seen a few more characters of color, particularly in picture books, which is terrific. And in the last decade, we seem to be getting more ethnic backgrounds represented in novels, too. I think we need more LBGTQ characters. I'd love to see more characters with metal illness, handicaps, autism spectrum syndrome, ADHD. More characters from around the world. Not just Americans with different colors of skin, but different cultures from all over.
Here's where I think things get challenging when we talk about diversity. Who's writing or illustrating these characters? Some people feel strongly that the author/illustrator come from an authentic place in presenting these characters, by which they mean, I think, that only a Native American can authentically write or illustrate a Native American character, for example. I would love to see more people writing characters from their authentic experience, but I also don't think we need to limit ourselves.
Writers and illustrators have always portrayed characters outside of our own experience. We write about historical figures, when we never lived in that time period. We write fantasy, when we've never fought a dragon. It is possible to write characters that are outside your own personal realm of experience. That's why research is so useful and important. I am currently writing a book set during WWII in which one of the main characters is a Japanese American girl. I am Caucasian, so how can my character be authentic? Lots and lots of research. I have another WIP that includes a Native American character. I may not be Native American, but I grew up in a town just outside one of the nation's poorest reservations, and I had daily interactions with Indians both on and off the reservation, so I think I have a fairly authentic grasp of their struggles and issues, even though they are not my personal struggles and issues. I am a female, but one of my latest books is in first person from the point of view of a teenage boy. Again, I live with my teenage son, so I have a pretty good picture of his male voice and viewpoint. I have written gay characters, lesbian characters, and more. Because, basically, I think there are some universalities about our human experience that allow us to imagine and put ourselves into the shoes of people who might be different from ourselves by focusing on what unites us.
To me, this stance isn't a cop out. It's an acknowledgement that an African-American author, for example, is in the best position to authentically portray an African-American character. However, if that author wants to write about a white, middle-class character, I have no problem with that. If he is a good writer, he should be able to manage it. And I think if I do my homework, I can manage to portray an African-American character if I want to. And I want to portray diverse characters. I hope we all do.
I'd love to hear what others think about this.
For more information about diversity in children's literature, check out the We Need Diverse Books campaign, which just recently announced its inception as a 501-c3 non-profit organization.
And look for our Boise SCBWI conference next April, where we plan to focus on diversity in children's literature.
by Neysa CM Jensen
Boise, Idaho
0 Comments on Diversity Defined as of 9/5/2014 4:06:00 AM
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By: Bianca Schulze,
on 7/3/2014
Blog: The Children's Book Review (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Giveaways, Cultures, Carole P. Roman, Culture Around The World, If You Were Me and Lived In, Russia Books, Add a tag
Blog: The Children's Book Review (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Giveaways, Cultures, Carole P. Roman, Culture Around The World, If You Were Me and Lived In, Russia Books, Add a tag
Enter to win a full autographed set of the If You Were Me series, by award-winning author Carole P. Roman! Giveaway begins July 3, 2014, at 12:01 A.M. PST and ends August 2, 2014, at 11:59 P.M. PST.
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By: Julie,
on 3/28/2014
Blog: Manga Maniac Cafe (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Interviews, Middle Grade, India, Families, Social Issues, Cultures, Add a tag
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Good morning, Varsha! Describe yourself in five words or less.
[Varsha Barjaj] I am hard working, idealistic, optimistic, loyal and driven!
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about Abby Spencer Goes to Bollywood?
[Varsha Barjaj] What thirteen-year-old Abby wants most is to meet her father. She just never imagined he would be a huge film star–in Bollywood! Now she’s traveling to Mumbai to get to know her famous father. Abby is overwhelmed by the culture clash, the pressures of being the daughter of India’s most famous celebrity, and the burden of keeping her identity a secret. But as she learns to navigate her new surroundings, she just might discover where she really belongs.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you share your favorite scene?
[Varsha Barjaj] My favorite scene is the one in which Abby and Shaan take a rickshaw ride to the beach in Mumbai. I loved writing the details of the rickshaw ride.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What gave you the most trouble with the story?
[Varsha Barjaj] Striking the balance between the fun, playful aspect of the story and the deeper issues of cultural identity, belonging within a family and being in a city with vast disparities between the rich and the poor.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What’s one thing you won’t leave home without?
[Varsha Barjaj] My comb
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Name three things on your desk right now.
[Varsha Barjaj] A picture of my family, A Don Quixote card holder, and a sunshine yellow “I Love Mom” mug made by my daughter.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you could trade places with anyone for just one day, who would you be?
[Varsha Barjaj] Michelle Obama. I love her charm, her look and her intelligence.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are some books that you enjoyed recently?
[Varsha Barjaj] I just finished re-reading Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck and it blew me away. I also read the ARC for School of Charm by Lisa Ann Scott and was charmed.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?
[Varsha Barjaj] Readers can connect through my website or on twitter (@varshabajaj
Thank you for this opportunity to “talk” to you and your readers.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Thank you!
About the book:
What thirteen-year-old Abby wants most is to meet her father. She just never imagined he would be a huge film star—in Bollywood! Now she’s traveling to Mumbai to get to know her famous father. Abby is overwhelmed by the culture clash, the pressures of being the daughter of India’s most famous celebrity, and the burden of keeping her identity a secret. But as she learns to navigate her new surroundings, she just might discover where she really belongs.
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By: Sheila Ruth,
on 2/17/2014
Blog: Wands and Worlds (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: science fiction, book review, young adult fiction, brazil, speculative fiction, dystopian, sense of place, cultures, Add a tag
by Alaya Dawn Johnson
June and her best friend Gil are thrilled to wrangle an invite to the official celebration of the newly elected Summer King, Enki. But they never anticipate that Gil and Enki will fall in love, or how much Enki will affect both of their lives. Although the Summer King has no real power, Enki, who comes from the lowest level of society, is determined to use what influence he has to help his people. June and Enki begin to collaborate on a big art installation, one that they hope will both send a message to the city, and win June the Queen's Award. But none of the three can forget that at the end of the summer, Enki will die. Because the real purpose of the Summer King is sacrifice in service of the city.
The Summer Prince is a brilliant book on so many levels. To start, it's an achingly immersive story set in a future Brazil. Added to that are elements from the Sumerian myth The Epic of Gilgamesh. Going deeper, there are the themes: power and sacrifice, choices and consequences, privilege and class, order and change. Finally, there is the writing: Alaya Dawn Johnson has created a beautiful tapestry so intricately woven that the patterns aren't always obvious on the first read-through. Even on my second read I'm not sure if I saw everything.
Palmares Tres is a gem of a city where past culture and future culture merge. It's a city where people still Samba and eat Vatapá stew, where grafeteiros create masterpieces and street gangs fight with capoeira. And yet it's a city with deep class divisions, where class hierarchy is literally expressed in the city tiers: the higher classes live on the upper levels and the lowest class lives on the bottom tier, where the the stink of the algae vats is ever present. This physical expression of class hierarchy is not a new idea in science fiction, but it's well done here. That stink, known as the Catinga, becomes a powerful symbol in the story, and in fact the higher tiers call the lowest tier "The Catinga."
Palmeres Tres is a city ruled by a matriarchy: a Queen and a council of women called Aunties. Many of them have forgotten the purpose of power, and while they, in their own way, seem to love the city, often their machinations seem designed to protect their own power rather than benefit the city. Most residents of the city live 200 years or more, setting up a situation where anyone under 30 is considered a juvenile, and not to be trusted to make good decisions. So we have class conflict, gender conflict, and age conflict, and with his election as Summer King, Enki becomes the touchstone at the center of all these conflicts.
I've seen this book described as dystopian, but I don't think that it quite falls into that classification. The traditional definition of a dystopia is one that seems utopian on the surface, but is later revealed to be oppressive and deeply flawed. I think that in some ways The Summer Prince turns that around: the flaws are fairly obvious early on, but as you continue to read it becomes clear how much the citizens of Palmeros Tres love their city with a genuine love, even in spite of the flaws. However, The Summer Prince is similar enough to dystopian literature that I think it will appeal to teens who enjoy dystopian books.
It's not necessary to be familiar with The Epic of Gilgamesh or to even recognize those elements are there to enjoy the story, but if you are familiar with the Epic it's a sheer joy to discover the iconic story of Enkidu and Gilgamesh wrestling in the streets transformed into a heart-stopping Samba when Gil and Enki first meet. The Summer Prince is not really a retelling of the myth, but there are some interesting parallels.
June is an imperfect character who struggles throughout the book to make the right choices. Her dream is to be recognized as a great artist, and when that dream comes into conflict with her awakening social awareness, she doesn't always choose the right thing. She blames her mother for her father's death, and because of that she's mean to her mother. All these things make her a believable, realistic character whom the reader can identify with as she grows through her association with Enki.
The Summer Prince does a great job of representing people who are underrepresented in YA lit. All the residents of Palmeros Tres have skin of varying shades of color, and Enki himself is described as being exceptionally charismatic and with very dark skin. Sexual relationships, both same-sex and opposite-sex, are depicted in a natural, unfettered way that's totally a non-issue. In Palmeros Tres it doesn't seem to matter whom you love.
The Brazilian setting is a refreshing change from books set in European-based settings. I personally loved that the book represented a culture and people that you don't often see in American YA Fiction, but I'd be remiss if I didn't point out this review of The Summer Prince by a native Brazilian, Ana of The Book Smugglers. I'd encourage you to read the review, but in short, Ana is concerned that the Brazilian cultural elements are not always used accurately, and don't go any deeper than those elements that outsiders identify with Brazil, such as samba, Carnival, and capoeira. To Ana, it feels like a stereotype.
I've been thinking a lot about Ana's review over the last few days. Does the book stereotype Brazilians? Maybe - it's hard for me to know since I'm not Brazilian. Should a writer be able to write about a culture as an outsider to that culture? This, I think, is the crux of the controversy, and I've seen good arguments on both sides. I personally think writers stretching to write about things outside their personal experience is a good thing, because it helps to bring those ideas and cultures to other people who are not familiar with them, but the outsider has to work harder to get it right. I found an interview with Johnson where she says about her research, "I read a lot of books, particularly about the history of the African diaspora in Brazil. Also got advice from my sister, who studied in Brazil and knew many sources. And sent it to Brazilian writers for help."
I totally understand Ana's frustration and annoyance with the book. It's not quite the same thing, but I studied a martial art for 18 years, and I get really annoyed when I read a fiction book that gets the martial arts details wrong. So I get how frustrating it would be to have your culture portrayed inaccurately. But it does sound like Johnson did try get the details right, and I hope that maybe it will at least it will inspire young people to want to learn more about Brazil and read up on it, as I did after finishing the book. In balance, I think that a book like this that encourages young people to think outside their comfort zone and learn about new ideas and new cultures is a good thing. There are no easy answers, but I think it's important that we keep having these conversations as we try to get it right.
The Summer Prince is the 2013 Cybils Awards winner for the YA Speculative Fiction category.
Who would like this book:
Science fiction and dystopian readers, as well as teens who like reading about other cultures.
Get it from:
FTC required disclosure: Review copy sent by the publisher for the purpose of Cybils Awards judging. The bookstore links above are affiliate links, and I earn a very small percentage of any sales made through the links. Neither of these things influenced my review.
0 Comments on Book Review: The Summer Prince as of 2/17/2014 11:33:00 AM
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By: Cait,
on 2/4/2013
Blog: Cait's Write... (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: cultures, Uncategorized, comics, Cartoons, Add a tag
Just in case any runners are suffering some a lack of motivation…
Who else will join me in the fight to bring the Panis to extinction?
I dare say, every mile clocked is just THAT much closer.
Get out, go get ‘er done, my runner peeps! 
———
Want more Cartoons??
My post on Input vs. Output.
Tips for combatting motivation lulls…hey, they happen to everyone!
Runnerdudes, some more motivation HERE for you. 
Some thoughts on childhood obesity.
Runner nutrition tips and such.
———-
1) To rid the world of Panises (Pani?!?) more people should…
2) Runners rock and it’s hardly because we are panis-devoid. Name your favorite physical perk of being a runner. Then, name a mental perk.
Legs. Without runner endorphins I would turn into something even Godzilla and King Kong wouldn’t want to mess with.
3) Give a shout out to some Tuesday motivation! (ie: quote, tip, mantra, etc.)
By: Julie,
on 9/5/2012
Blog: Manga Maniac Cafe (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Waiting on Wednesday, Cultures, YA, Young Adult, Japan, Wow, Coming of Age, Families, Drama, Novel in Verse, Add a tag
Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.
Holly Thompson’s Orchards was one of my favorite reads in 2011. I loved the book, and it got me hooked on novels in free verse; previously, I wouldn’t touch them with a 10 foot pole. Her latest release, The Language Inside, will be in stores 2013. I can hardly wait!
| A beautiful novel in verse that deals with post-tsunami Japan, Cambodian culture, and one girl’s search for identity and home. Emma Karas was raised in Japan; it’s the country she calls home. But when her mother is diagnosed with breast cancer, Emma’s family moves to a town outside Lowell, Massachusetts, to stay with her grandmother while her mom undergoes treatment. Emma feels out of place in the United States, begins to have migraines, and longs to be back in Japan. At her grandmother’s urging, she volunteers in a long-term care center to help Zena, a patient with locked-in syndrome, write down her poems. There, Emma meets Samnang, another volunteer, who assists elderly Cambodian refugees. Weekly visits to the care center, Zena’s poems, dance, and noodle soup bring Emma and Samnang closer, until Emma must make a painful choice: stay in Massachusetts, or return early to Japan. |
What are you waiting on?
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By: Sandie lee,
on 11/7/2011
Blog: Imagination-Cafe Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: autobiography, cultures, Indian culture, women working online, gritty and true to life, Add a tag
Blog: Imagination-Cafe Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: autobiography, cultures, Indian culture, women working online, gritty and true to life, Add a tag
We may think we have other cultures "all figured out" but until we've lived it, we can only begin to imagine.
Hanane Habib grew up in a toxic environment (by most peoples standards) but for her it was a way of life. From a controlling aunt and grandfather to being forced to work and give up her dreams at a young age, Hanane's story will leave you angry and astounded.
Misunderstood A Scar for Life is a compelling and can't-put-down read. Her independence and bravery in the face of an entire cultural expectance, will leave you singing her praises and rooting her on.
This book is one of the best I've read! Awesome!
Check out, Misunderstood: A Scar for Life, a true story by Hanae Habib at; http://hananehabib.com/books/
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By: Sylvia Vardell,
on 9/18/2011
Blog: Poetry for Children (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: cultures, Add a tag
Here is the last installment in the wonderful work my students produced this summer (and generously agreed to share). This is Adaora Eigbobo's readers guide for the book, Roots and Blues by Arnold Adoff.
Bibliography
Adoff, A. & Gregory, R. (2011). Roots and blues: A celebration. Ill. by R. Gregory Christie. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 9780547235547
Recommended Age Levels
8 – 14 years
Summary of Book
Arnold Adoff traces and celebrates the roots of and the music that is the blues. Christie's vivid full color acrylic paintings complement Adoff‟s poems and vignettes about the slavery, hard work, religion, sights and sounds, rudimentary musical instruments and other aspects of the early African-American experience that helped shaped this American music form. He also highlights pioneers and more contemporary blues stars, including Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, Billie Holliday and Eric Clapton. Each page of text features a short poignant snippet of life, presented as either prose or a shaped speech poem that is laid across the page like a musical arrangement or art work.
Review Excerpts
*Publishers Weekly (2010) Starred Review
"In this visceral collaboration, Adoff and Christie honor the enduring legacy of blues music . . .This is a challenging, open-hearted collection with images and poems that bleed into one another, but also stand powerfully alone."
*School Library Journal (2010)
“This exquisite collection of poems and paintings celebrates the history and culture of blues music. Adoff traces the horrific journey of slaves to America and the role that music played as a means of survival, of passing on "the ancestor words." Christie's haunting acrylic images bring to life the drama and emotion of the music, as well as the dignity of his subjects.”
*Booklist (2011) Starred Review
“Celebrated children’s poet Adoff here offers nothing less than a sensory history of the blues. Christie provides arresting and soul-stirring paintings that echo the poems here and add texture and harmony there, but Adoff’s poems are themselves things to be savored visually as well as out loud.”
*Kirkus Reviews (2010) Starred Review
“Adoff creates a moving meditation on the roots of American blues. … Christie's Expressionistic acrylics employ a palette of crimson, teal and brown, reserving grays for faces and hands, linking shackled slaves with sharecroppers, rocking grandmothers with juke-joint dancers. An incandescent, important work.”
Award/Honors
*Notable Children's Trade Book in Social Studies – 2011
*Starred Review, Booklist, 2011
*Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, 2010
*Starred Review, Publishers Weekly, 2010
Questions to ask/discuss before reading
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By: Sylvia Vardell,
on 9/15/2011
Blog: Poetry for Children (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: trailer, cultures, Add a tag
Two of my terrific graduate students created resources for Eloise Greenfield's latest work, The Great Migration. Gina Saldana made this digital trailer (below) and Annabel Moreno developed a readers' guide (further below). Check 'em out!
And here is the readers guide created by Annabel Moreno.
Bibliography
Greenfield, Eloise. 2011. The Great Migration: Journey to the North. Ill. By Jan Spivey Gilchrist. New York: Harper Collins Publishers.
Recommended Age Levels
Student ages 3 to 10 in the 1st to 4th grade level.
Summary
In this compilation of poems with beautiful realistic illustrations, the reader is introduced to the causes, emotions and feelings experienced by African Americans as they made their decisions to relocate to the North in search of a better quality of life.
Review excerpts
Booklist (February 1, 2011) - “Greatly enhancing the impact of the words, Gilchrist’s moving mixed-media collages layer drawings, maps, and color-washed archival images that have the slightly distorted look of photocopies, giving some of the figures an almost ghostly, translucent appearance. Together, the immediate words, striking images, and Greenfield’s personal story create a powerful, haunting view of a pivotal moment in U.S. history even as they show the universal challenges of leaving home behind and starting a new life.”
Publisher’s Weekly ( November 22, 2010) - “Making intriguing use of photographs of p
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By: Sylvia Vardell,
on 9/13/2011
Blog: Poetry for Children (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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My student France Loving created a digital trailer to generate interest in Skate Fate, a new verse novel by Juan Felipe Herrera. It's viewable on YouTube here. Check it out!
Used with permission of Frances Loving.
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By: Sylvia Vardell,
on 9/11/2011
Blog: Poetry for Children (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Karma by Cathy Ostlere is the featured book in two student assignments. Teri Lybecker created a digital trailer and Jessamy Sorelle developed a readers' guide. Both of these resources are featured below. Enjoy!
Here is Teri's trailer for Karma.
And here is Jessamy's readers' guide.
Ostlere, Cathy. 2011. Karma: a novel in verse. New York: Razorbill. ISBN 9781595143389
Recommended age level: 14 and up (Young Adult)
Summary
15-year-old Jiva, also known as Maya, is the Canadian born daughter of a Sikh father and a Hindu mother. After her mother’s suicide, Maya and her father return to India with her mother’s ashes. Maya writes about her experiences in her new diary. Shortly after their arrival in India, on October 31, 1984, Indira Ghandi is assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards in retaliation for the desecration of the Golden Temple. The city of New Delhi, where Maya and her father are staying, erupts into violence as Hindus massacre Sikhs in retaliation for the prime minister’s death. In the chaos that follows, Maya is separated from her father and escapes on a train bound for Jodhpur. Maya becomes mute after witnessing a Sikh man pulled from the train and burned alive.
Maya is sent to Jaisalmer by a doctor who hopes her younger brother, Sandeep, can help her find her voice. The story continues in entries from Sandeep’s journal as he tries to protect Maya from the vicious rumors that result from having an unmarried woman staying with his family. As weeks go by, and Maya remains mute, Sandeep’s family has no choice but to send Maya away to live with desert nomads. Sandeep and his father accompany Maya on the journey across t
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By: Julie,
on 9/9/2011
Blog: Manga Maniac Cafe (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: review, Books, Drama, Putnam, Cultures, Add a tag
|
Title: Island’s End Author: Padma Venkatraman Publisher: G. P. Putnam ISBN: 978-0399250996 |
May Contain Spoilers
From Amazon:
| From the acclaimed author of Climbing the Stairs comes a fascinating story set on a remote island untouched by time. Uido is ecstatic about becoming her tribe’s spiritual leader, but her new position brings her older brother’s jealousy and her best friend’s mistrust. And looming above these troubles are the recent visits of strangers from the mainland who have little regard for nature or the spirits, and tempt the tribe members with gifts, making them curious about modern life. When Uido’s little brother falls deathly ill, she must cross the ocean and seek their help. Having now seen so many new things, will Uido have the strength to believe in herself and the old ways? And will her people trust her to lead them to safety when a catastrophic tsunami threatens? Uido must overcome everyone’s doubts, including her own, if she is to keep her people safe and preserve the spirituality that has defined them. Drawing on firsthand experience from her travels to the Andaman Islands, Padma Venkatraman was inspired to write this story after meeting natives who survived the 2004 tsunami and have been able to preserve their unique way of life. Uido’s transformation from a young girl to tribal leader will touch both your heart and mind. |
Review:
Wow, this was a wonderful read! I have an intense interest in cultures, and at one time considered majoring in anthropology (with a minor in Egyptology). Alas, I listened to my parents harp at me about the need to support myself, and majored in accounting instead. Not nearly as fun, much more stressful, and I am not all that convinced that the pay is really that much better. Oh, well.
Uido lives on a remote island, and her people are hunters and gatherers. Every day Uido and her friend Natalang comb the forest for food for their families. While Natalang gossips and speculates about the single men of their village, Uido is often troubled by dreams that she’s had during the night. She believes that she has visited the supernatural world, and that the gods are trying to give her a message. When outsiders arrive on their beach after one of her dreams, Uido is determined to find the meaning behind them. When she consults Lah-ame, the village’s spiritual leader, he asks her to become his apprentice. With the changing times, the village needs a woman’s wisdom to lead them. When Uido agrees, she has no idea how much her life will change under Lah-ame’s guidance.
I could not put this book down. I felt an immediate connection with Uido. She is hesitant and reluctant to become Lah-ame’s apprentice when she reflects on how it will affect her relationship with her friends and family. Her brother is instantly jealous, and he quickly attempts to discredit her every chance he gets. Their conflict upsets her, and when Ashu and Natalang begin to show an interest in each other, Uido’s closest friend starts slipping away from her, too.
This character-driven novel is engrossing, and as the new world bangs on the door of Uido’s traditional lifestyle, tensions flare in her village. Many of the younger members of the tribe want to embrace the new, easier ways of the strangers. They want to use matches and motor
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By: Sylvia Vardell,
on 9/4/2011
Blog: Poetry for Children (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: trailer, cultures, Add a tag
Kathryn Anderson created this terrific digital trailer for the novel in verse, Inside Out & Back Again by first time (children's) author Thanhha Lai. I wrote about this book earlier this year-- it's one of my favorites of 2011-- and I was particularly pleased by what Kathryn came up with to showcase this book. What do you think?
Used with permission of Kathryn Anderson.
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By: Sylvia Vardell,
on 8/24/2011
Blog: Poetry for Children (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Cynthia Molinar created this engaging digital trailer for Under the Mambo Moon by Julia Durango. Enjoy:
Used with permission of Cynthia Molinar.
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By: Read Now Sleep Later,
on 8/15/2011
Blog: Read Now Sleep Later (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Realistic, religion, Ramadan, Islam, 4 stars, Muslim, cultures, kimberlybuggie, FluxBooks, DiversityinYA, MedeiaSharif, Add a tag
Bestest. Ramadan. Ever. by Medeia Sharif
Publication Date: 8 July 2011 by Flux Books
ISBN 10/13: 0738723231 | 9780738723235
Keywords: Ramadan, Muslim, blending cultures, religion
Format: Paperback
Kimberly's Review:
Almira Abdul is trying her best to honor Ramadan, an entire month where she is not allowed to eat from sunrise to sunset. While her family is not overly religious, and she has only been to a mosque twice, she feels that it's a good challenge for her... She thinks she can stand to lose a couple pounds.
What happens though is more than just food temptation! Her crush, Peter, starts noticing her at the same time her best friend starts noticing him! And while her traditional grandfather is teaching her to drive, he's also showing her how things would be if they weren't living in America.
Almira is a hilarious character. Her voice is unique and her inner dialogue charming. A few times I laughed out loud to the reference to her love of chocolate or her great infatuation of Rob Pattinson (and therefore her hatred of Kristen Stewart.)
Pop references aside, this is no light book. Almira is suffering from what many minority teenagers have difficulty with--how to blend in with the American culture while still holding onto her family's beliefs. It's not just about Ramadan. Her grandfather is a strong and aggressive character, representing the old ways. Her mother and father are somewhere in between.
Almira's friends are a diverse bunch of characters. Each has their own distinct personality and culture too. The conversations between Almira and her friends over AIM are hilarious. And let's not even get started on the new bomb shell of a girl that just started their school...
Sharif does a fantastic job navigating these touchy waters. Almira's voice is touching, desperate and loving. She is torn, observant and just doing the best she can. When there's drama at the end of the novel, Almira's sadness and panic came through brilliantly. This really feels like a high school teenager's account of her one month during Ramadan.
I really enjoyed this book. I didn't know what to expect from the back synopsis, but it's an adventure I'm glad I didn't miss. Kudos to Sharif whose story made me sit down in a quiet corner, with no distractions, and quietly ate up Almira's journey. To be honest, I wouldn't have normally picked this book up, let alone read it! (Or seek it out for that matter. I went to three Borders and two Barnes and Nobles with no luck. I had to buy it on amazon.) But it's well worth it!
1 Comments on Bestest. Ramadan. Ever. - Review, last added: 8/15/2011
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By: Sylvia Vardell,
on 8/8/2011
Blog: Poetry for Children (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: cultures, international, Add a tag
For the next few weeks, I’d like to share more info about new 2011 poetry books out this year. Several of my students this summer created digital trailers and readers guides for new poetry books that they have given me permission to share. Watch for them.
But first, I’m happy to share an interview with a new writer who has created a lovely collection of lullabies from around the world. The book is Hush, Baby, Hush! Lullabies from around the World by Kathy Henderson with illustrations by Pam Smy and published by Frances Lincoln Publishers. Here’s a link with more detailed info.
Here’s the scoop:
Hush, Baby, Hush! is a book of traditional lullabies gathered from all over the world to entertain children of all ages. These beautiful, simple songs and poems give a flavor of different parts of the world as well as show that soothing children to sleep is the same the world over. With words in the original language plus the English version, together with a melody line and delightful illustrations, this global collection is truly a book for all children; parents and educators can select from the songs to lull young children to sleep or to read and sing along with older children.
The lullabies included in Hush, Baby, Hush! come from Australia (Aboriginal), Austria, Bangladesh, Brazil, Czech Republic, England, France, Greece, Greenland, Hungary, India, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Korea, Malawi, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway, Russia, Spain, Turkey, USA (Hopi), Wales, and West Africa (Yoruba).
It’s really a gem— lovely for laptime or storytime sharing— with many cultures represented and engagingly illustrated. It’s quite an achievement to capture multiple languages and cultures, so I had several questions for Kathy and she was kind enough to answer them all. Here you go:
Where did the idea for this book come from? Do you have background or training in this area (in poetry, folklore, linguistics, anthropology, etc.)?
I’ve wanted to do a lullaby book for ages. I’ve been interested in the oral tradition and how singing happens in ordinary life for many, many years. My first ever book was My song is my Own – 100 Women’s songs from the British oral tradition which was result of two years research (and of course included some lullabies).
The book also comes from my personal experience – as a child and as a mother (see the dedication), through my early training in music, a degree in English from Oxford University and a long career as a children’s author, illustrator and poet.
You include an excellent and impressive list of source notes. How did you build this network of resources?
Research over many years, many people and many places. Sources included books and recordings, contacts, friends (and friends of friends), stopping people in the street and asking them, email, internet, people
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By: Sylvia Vardell,
on 10/4/2010
Blog: Poetry for Children (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: cultures, international, Add a tag
I'm doing a bit of research and ran across a reference to digitized poetry books available through one of my favorite global resources in children's literature, the International Children's Digital Library. This is a unique repository of FREE full-text children's books from around the world. I've searched it before and shared it with my students, but oddly enough, I hadn't looked for POETRY books there til now. Silly me.
Here, you'll find two hundred plus examples of poetry for kids-- with the COMPLETE BOOK available online in its original language! That includes children's poetry in Serbian, Farsi, Spanish, English, Croatian, Dutch, Hungarian, German, Arabic, and Hebrew and more...
Plus, they have a new iPad app that links to over 4,000 titles of children's books in 54 languages representing 64 countries.
FYI, if this resource is new to you, let me share their "mission statement" with you:
The mission of the International Children’s Digital Library Foundation (ICDL Foundation) is to support the world’s children in becoming effective members of the global community – who exhibit tolerance and respect for diverse cultures, languages and ideas — by making the best in children’s literature available online free of charge. The Foundation pursues its vision by building a digital library of outstanding children’s books from around the world and supporting communities of children and adults in exploring and using this literature through innovative technology designed in close partnership with children for children.
Posting (not poem) by Sylvia M. Vardell © 2010. All rights reserved.
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By: Sylvia Vardell,
on 9/10/2010
Blog: Poetry for Children (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: bilingual, cultures, international, Add a tag
I’m in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, for the 32nd annual Congress of the International Board on Books for Young People. This event is held biennially and rotates around the globe, most previously held in Copenhagen,and Macau. I’m attending as co-editor of Bookbird, the journal of IBBY, along with 600+ registrants from 72 member countries gather for multiple sessions, including the presentation of the Hans Christian Andersen awards and announcement of the IBBY Honour List.
The IBBY Honour List is a biennial selection of outstanding, recently published books, honoring writers, illustrators and translators from IBBY member countries around the world. The first Honour List in 1956 was a selection of 15 entries from 12 countries. For the 2010 Honour List, 54 countries have sent 164 nominations in 44 different languages—with a total of 64 entries in the category of “writing,” 52 in the category of “illustration,” and 48 in the category of “translation.” This list provides a “welcome opportunity to study and review the production of children’s books” around the world—the best each country has to offer an international audience.
Of these 164 books worldwide, 8 were works of poetry (5 honored for writing and 3 for illustration). The books are on display at the conference and we each receive a booklet detailing the particulars of each book. Here is the lowdown on 8 unique poetry books from around the world (with annotations from the booklet)—at least one of which is available in English.
HONORED FOR WRITING
HAITI (French)
Roumain, Jacques
Jacques Roumain parie aux enfants
(Jacques Roumain talks to children)
Ill. Lyll-Martine René
Port-au-Prince: Editions CUC Univ. Caraibe, 2007.
42 pp.
ISBN 978-99935-7-199
Ages 8-10
As part of the celebrations of the author’s 100th anniversary these series of poems and folk tales about nature and social injustices were published especially for children. The tone is soft without sadness or harsh feelings. The texts are historical in the sense that they were written while the author was in jail under the dictatorship and were written for his son who was only five at the time A lot of the poems are allegoric and are very relevant to children.
IREL
AND (Irish)
Ní Ghlinn, Áine
Brionglóidi agus aistir eile
(Dreams and other journeys)
Ill. Carol Betera
Clár Chlainne Mhuiuis: Cló Mhaigh Eo, 2008.
84pp.
ISBN 978-1-899922-49-9
Ages 10-13
This collection of 40 poems on the theme of dreams encompasses an interest
4 Comments on Poetry on the 2010 IBBY Honour List, last added: 9/11/2010
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By: Sylvia Vardell,
on 6/12/2010
Blog: Poetry for Children (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: verse novel, poetry activities, cultures, Add a tag
I’m trying something new with my children’s literature courses and my students have produced some amazing projects! I’ve encouraged them to create digital trailers or mini movies to promote interest in reading—a kind of video booktalk. I know these are gaining in popularity, particularly among teens and tweens, but I rarely find them made for works of POETRY. So… I’m happy to report I have some wonderful examples to share (with their permission) of original poetry book digital trailers. Here’s the first one created by librarian Shante Clark-Davis for the book, The Poet Slave of Cuba by Margarita Engle.
Isn’t it powerful and personal? With her own original voiceover chanting and storytelling, along with photos of her own family, Shante has captured the tension and spirit of Engle’s incredible novel in verse, while connecting with her own family history, too. Shante writes, “95% of the pictures I used are pictures of my family (My maternal grandparents, great grandparents, and my great aunt). My grandfather was a sharecropper turned fruit preservationist and the images are of his land. After reading THE POET SLAVE OF CUBA, I could remember my grandfather's stories. So, I ran to my photo album. I took the pictures of his land and my mother's old high school. (Other images of the plantation home, the young boy with his mom, and the statue are from Creative Commons.) … I've been brainstorming ideas for encouraging my students to create book trailers and projects of their own in relation to Texas curriculum.”
Go, Shante! I hope to share more student poetry trailers soon, too. Enjoy!
Posting (not trailer) by Sylvia M. Vardell © 2010. All rights reserved.
3 Comments on Poetry Book Digital Trailers #1, last added: 6/15/2010
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By: Sylvia Vardell,
on 5/14/2010
Blog: Poetry for Children (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: bilingual, cultures, Add a tag
One of the things I gleaned from attending this year’s Bologna Children’s Book Fair in March was the news about a new “poetry calendar for children” coming out for 2011. It’s being produced by a German publisher and you’ll find more info (in German) here. Dr. Christiane Raabe told me about it—she is the Director of the International Youth Library in Munich and I have written about that amazing library before. They hosted a fantastic poetry symposium last summer (that I attended and wrote about) and one of their exhibits featured children’s books of poetry from around the world. Well, that exhibit has now been transformed into a gorgeous week-by-week calendar for 2011.
Here’s the informational paragraph I picked up in Bologna, “Children between 4 and 9 years can travel around the world week after week with 53 wonderful, witty, funny, serious and mostly rhymed poems from all over the world. The illustrated texts have been chosen carefully by the International Youth Library, Munich. They come from 30 countries such as Italy, England, Canada, USA, South America, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Iran, Japan, Russia, Lithuania, Poland, Croatia, Czechoslovakia, the Netherlands, France, Denmark, Norway, or Germany. Every page shows the original illustration and the original poem plus the translation into the German language by well known translators. The calendar will be published in July by Arche Kalender Verlag, Zurich-Hamburg."
58 pages, in color, 33 x 30.5 cm ca.
16 Euros
ISBN 978-3-0347-7011-8
Publication date: July 2010
I had the chance to look at a partial proof copy and it’s just gorgeous! Rich color on every page and a wonderful assortment of world poetry—many poems in English. Wouldn’t it be fun to have this calendar in your school or library and see if you could find translators for the non-English poems among your circle of patrons, community members, students, families, and friends?
Join the rest of the Poetry Friday circle this week at
P.S. My Mom (Ingrid) is finally doing better. Thanks so much for the support!
Posting (not poem) by Sylvia M. Vardell © 2010. All rights reserved.
Image credit: http://arche-kalender-verlag.com/4-0-Arche-Kinder-Kalender.html
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By: Sylvia Vardell,
on 5/7/2010
Blog: Poetry for Children (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: bilingual, cultures, Add a tag
I may have mentioned before that my first language was German and my parents immigrated to the U.S. when I was a baby. My first books were collections of German fairy tales and nursery rhymes. One of my first “literary” memories is finding a poem in one of those books, memorizing it, and performing it for my parents for a special birthday. So, in honor of Mother’s Day, I decided to see if I could resurrect that gem. I can’t seem to find the book itself now, but this is the poem, as best as I can remember it (or spell it in German).
Wenn Vater oder Mutter Geburtstag haben
Was sol ich dir sagen? Was sol ich dir geben?
Ich hab nur ein kleines, ein junges Leben
Ich hab ein Herz das denkt und schpricht
Ich hab dich lieb, mehr weiss ich nicht!
Just saying that poem out loud makes me feel 8 years old again!
Here’s a close approximation in English (although not nearly as rhythmic and musical):
If Father or Mother have a birthday
What should I say? What gift should I give?
I’m only a little, young life
I have a heart that thinks and speaks
I love you so much, that’s all I know.
I realized recently that the roots for my obsession with poetry are buried deep. For me, poetry was part of the music of learning English, too. It was the rhyme and rhythm of Mother Goose and playground chants in English that helped me learn to speak—and then read—my new language. Something to keep in mind when we think non-English speakers can’t “handle” poetry til they are fluent in English.
Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there. My own Mom is in the hospital having a difficult recovery after two surgeries. I’ve been worried crazy about her, but I think she’s slowly mending. If you’re a praying person, please add “Ingrid” to your list. Thanks!
Posting (not poem) by Sylvia M. Vardell © 2010. All rights reserved.
Image credit: me as a kindergartener in Germany!
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you have really interesting blog. thanks for sharing