Miracle's Boys

BIBLIOGRAPHY :
Woodson, Jacqueline. 2000. Miracle's boys. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. ISBN 0399231137.

PLOT SUMMARY:
This story is of three young boys who are half African American and half Puerto Rican. After their parent's death, they live together in the same two bedroom apartment in New York. The oldest is Ty'ree, a recent high school graduate who had plans to go to MIT, but with the death of their mother, decided to stay and become the guardian of his younger brothers. Set in the present time, Ty'ree is in his early 20's, second oldest Charlie is 14 years old and the youngest boy, Lafayette is just 12 years old. Charlie was sent to Juvenile detention center named Rahway Home for Boys for armed robbery of a candy store. While he was at Rahway, their mother passed away. Charlie blames Lafayette for not saving their mother and for being the youngest "little angel" in the family. This is a story of mistakes, misunderstandings, forgiveness and love. It is full of anxiety and hope for a good life in tough times.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
Miracle is the English variation of the Spanish name Milagro. This story is about Milagro's three boys, hence the name Miracle's boys. Cultural markers include hair, clothing, urban landscape and facial features on the front cover. The front and back covers contains the only illustrations for this novel. Cultural markers in the text include description of physical attributes, such as, "His hair's curly, like our mama's was - jet-black curls that girls go crazy for. " and "Ty'ree always said I looked like our daddy. He was dark and curly-headed with brown eyes. My eyes are more black than brown, and my hairs more kinky than curly."

The culture they identify with was discussed at the beginning of the novel with Lafayette claiming they were half Puerto Rican on their mothers side and African American on their fathers side. Rap was discussed as the musical preference of the middle child Charlie, but "Me and Bobby McGee" was their mama's favorite song. Religious preferences cited included Sunday church services at St. Francis.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S):

Review from SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "Gr 6-10-A compelling novel about three streetwise New York City brothers trying to help one another confront their personal demons. ... Lafayette and Ty'ree take comfort in school, work, and other routines of daily life to keep their lives focused and their minds off the past. All of this changes, however, when a middle brother named Charlie returns from a juvenile-detention facility where he served a three-year sentence for an armed robbery. Having this angry, sometimes hostile presence in their lives forces Lafayette and Ty'ree to depend upon one another even more to work through their grief and figure out how to help Charlie survive. As usual, Woodson's characterizations and dialogue are right on. The dynamics among the brothers are beautifully rendered. The narrative is told through dialogue and Lafayette's introspections so there is not a lot of action, but readers should find this story of tough, self-sufficient young men to be powerful and engaging.-Edward Sullivan, New York Public Library Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information."

Review from PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: "... Viewing household tensions and hardships through Lafayette's eyes, readers will come to realize each character's internal conflicts and recognize their desperate need to cling together as a family. The boys' loyalties to one another are tested during a cathartic climax, though it is resolved a bit too easily, and Lafayette's visions of his mother aren't fully developed or integrated into the plot. Gang violence and urban poverty play an integral part in this novel, but what readers will remember most is the brothers' deep-rooted affection for one another. An intelligently wrought, thought-provoking story. Ages 10-up. (Apr.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information."

Review from KIRKUS REVIEWS: "Another tale of the inner city that focuses on the real struggles of those live there, from Woodson (Lena, 1999, etc.). ... Readers will be caught up in this searing and gritty story of their struggle; Woodson composes a plot without easy answers, and creates characters for whom predictable behavior is all but impossible. A decent, involving novel about a family struggling to remain intact in spite of tremendous obstacles."

AWARDS

Coretta Scott King Award

CONNECTIONS
Activities
* Use for lessons on identifying plot, theme, setting, characters.
* Create a timeline of events for a book review.
* Utilize as reference for reader's theatre script.

Black Cowboy Wild Horses: A True Story

BIBLIOGRAPHY :

Lester, Julius. 1998. Black cowboy wild horses: A true story. Ill. by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Dial Books. ISBN 0803717873.

PLOT SUMMARY:
Texas Cowboy, Bob Lemmons, horse tracker and former slave has a gift of being able to gain the confidence of wild horses. He can “read” tracks and signs left behind by wild horses, knows where they are going, where to look and how to introduce himself and his horse, Warrior, as newcomers into the herd by instinct.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
This story does not contain any mention of physical attributes of its main character. The title contains the first textual mention of culture - Black Cowboy Wild Horses: A True Story. The narrator uses the rich language pattern of cultural descriptive speech when describing the landscape/setting as in “The sky was curved as if it were a lap on which the earth lay napping like a curled cat.” and “Far, far away, at what looked to be the edge of the world, land and sky kissed.” The author Julius Lester shares his inspiration for writing this story with an authors note at the end of the story. The illustrator, Jerry Pinkney used “pencil, gouache and watercolor on paper” for the colorful two page spreads. He illustrates skin tone, facial features, body type, clothing, hairstyle and the general environment of frontier-life with general ease. The illustrations are authentic and portray the cowboy lifestyle with an authenticity of an artist in tune with his subject.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S):

Review from SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Gr 2-4 Pinkney and Lester add a picture-book chapter to the lore of this nation's "true West" with the retelling of a story of a wild horse hunt by the black cowboy Bob Lemmons. … Throughout, both text and pictures emphasize the blending of all life. The linkages between the cowboy, the animals, and the natural world are so strong that lines separating them are blurred. … Pinkney's pictures were never better, making it all the more unfortunate that text boxes cover some of the action. Lester's overuse of metaphor is also a drawback. Still, this book will inspire heavy-duty thinking on the part of young readers.”

Review from BOOKLIST: “Ages 5-9. One of every three cowboys who helped tame the Wild West was either Mexican or black. This is the true story of one of the latter, Bob Lemmons. In language rich with simile and metaphor, Lester's account focuses on the former slave's uncanny tracking abilities as he trails a herd of mustangs as well as his mission to tame the wild horses and lead them back to the corral. Pinkney's earth-colored gouache and watercolor paintings add the look of the Texas plains to Lester's account and capture the energy of the horses as they gallop across sweeping, double-page spreads.” Lester and Pinkney's manifest love and respect for the West and cowboys of color, whose contributions have been too long overlooked, distinguish their latest collaboration.

Review from PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “Lester and Pinkney, who previously collaborated on John Henry and Sam and the Tigers, reunite in an impressive display of teamwork, transporting readers, through the alchemy of visual and verbal imagery, to the heart of the action. The resulting sense of immediacy offers a vivid taste of the cowboy life, whether it's hunkering down all night during a sluicing rain or riding under the wide-open skies. Lester studs his seamless prose with powerful descriptions, such as when a hawk is "suspended on cold threads of unseen winds," or the mustangs sweep toward the corral as "a dark surge of flesh flashing across the plains like black lightning." The fluid brushwork of Pinkney's watercolors seem tailor-made for the flow of muscle, mane and tail of wild mustangs galloping across the prairie. Notable for the light it sheds on a fascinating slice of Americana, this book is essential for anyone interested in the Wild West.

CONNECTIONS
Activities

*Read aloud as story about the bonds between humans and animals.

*Feature as a story of the month during Black History Month.

*Use in genre lesson about Fiction and Non Fiction.

*Use this story to introduce lessons about Texas cowboys.

Ella Fitzgerald: The Tale of a Vocal Virtuosa

BIBLIOGRAPHY :
Pinkney, Andrea Davis. 2002. Ella Fitzgerald: The tale of a vocal virtuosa. Ill. by Brian Pinkney. New York: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 0786805684.

PLOT SUMMARY:
The story of Ella Fitzgerald from young girl to mature woman is told by a scat cat called Scat Cat Monroe. This story starts off as a “tale” of a young woman from Harlem who dreamed of becoming a dancer. Fate steered her towards singing and her career took off by chance after entering a talent contest. She won the contest and gained the attention of a swing band member. With his help, Ella went on to become a very talented singer. She sang with the Chick Webb Orchestra, Dizzy Gillespie and recorded a song called “A-Tisket. A-Tasket”. She became a well known singer for her "scat" style of singing that matched the beat of the big band era instruments.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:

The illustrations contain cultural markers such as skin tone, facial features, body type, clothing of the era, hairstyles and hair texture representative of the African American culture. Lots of rich and vibrant colors cover the full two page spreads. The illustrator’s notes at the end of the story explain the paintings for the story were done on “scratchboard – a white board that’s covered with black ink, then scratched away to reveal the white underneath.” Not much white color is evident in the pages.

The text describes Ella as a “big-boned girl with dreams” who wore “work boots and hand-me-downs”. Language and speech patterns are evident in this story set in the 1940’s era of big bands and bebop music. The narrator, a “scat cat” describes Ella as “Hoofin’ in Harlem” and a woman that “worked the downbeat and “milked the backbeat.” The identification of specific culture for the 1940’s musicians is also apparent in the slang used in that time period, such as “cats and kitties” coming out to play and referenced to Ella and her friend Chick as a great combination just like “grits and gravy”.

The story was a little hard to follow with all the period slang. This picture book would best be understood and appreciated by older children, young adults and adults.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S):

Review from KIRKUS REVIEWS: “In this terrific picture-book biography, Scat Cat Monroe, a slick, fast-talking cat tells the story of Ella Fitzgerald, the Queen of Scat. Scat Cat (who shares author credit on the title page) claims to have been there from the start and considers himself the keeper of Ella's flame. Cleverly organized in four tracks instead of chapters, his account chronicles Fitzgerald's unlikely debut at an Apollo Theatre talent contest as a 17-year-old who sings only because she's too scared to dance. From there, it moves to her rousing success with the Chick Webb Orchestra, and then to her eventual teaming up with Dizzy Gillespie, when she would rechart the course of bebop. The prose is jazzy and rhythmic in the voice of a hipster, and it's expertly illustrated with images inspired by the works of Harlem Renaissance artists, clueing readers to several departure points for further study.”

Review from BOOKLIST: Gr. 3-5, younger for reading aloud. "… [a] purple-suited Scat Cat Monroe (who gets credit on the title page) narrates this picture-book biography that captures the "vocal virtuosa's" energy and genius. The lengthy text, filled with jazzy colloquialisms, keeps its focus solidly on the music, describing the thrill of Fitzgerald's performances in language that rhymes and slides with the swinging beat of its subject and places readers at the center of the action. Younger children won't understand the sense in many of the phrases, but heard aloud, the rhythm in the words will give them a feel for the music … In his familiar scratchboard style, Brian Pinkney shows the kinetic excitement and joy in swirling portraits that spin and blaze with cool colors and eye-popping patterns.”

Review from SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Gr 1-4-Scat Cat Monroe, a feline who earned his name by knowing the "Queen of Scat," tells her story from "small-town girl to the First Lady of Song." The text, divided into four tracks (chapters), highlights Fitzgerald's early days in Harlem, singing with the Chick Webb Orchestra at the Savoy, and performing bebop with Dizzy Gillespie at Carnegie Hall. In a playful, conversational tone, this work nearly sings the rhythms of scat. Lively words and phrases like "Her voice was quick-fried rhythm" and "her scat swung to cloud nine and back" are scattered throughout.”

AWARDS

2003 American Library Association Notable Books for Children

CONNECTIONS
Activities

*Use as read aloud for biography or history.

*Have students make their own scat music and discuss cultural music.

*Use as read aloud in art class and have students create their own scratchboard art.

The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ellis, Deborah. 2000. The Breadwinner. Toronto: Groundwood Books. ISBN 0888994192

PLOT SUMMARY
In the harsh times of war and under Taliban rule, women in Afghanistan are not allowed to attend school or work outside their homes. They are required to stay indoors and when necessary travel with a male escort when away from their houses. Parvana, an eleven year old girl, becomes the "breadwinner" of her family when she decides to take on the role of a young boy to help her family survive after her father is taken away to prison. Parvana soon learns she is not alone in her role play on the streets of Kabul, Afghanistan and encounters hardships and friendships along the way.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Some of the cultural markers evident in this international novel include religious practices, names of characters, identification of specific cultures and foods. In the town of Kabul, Afghanistan, the Taliban religious group has taken control and denied woman the right to work out of their homes, forced women and older girls to wear traditional head to toe burquas when allowed out of doors, denied all foreign educated citizens their rights and beaten those who oppose their religious beliefs/laws. The names of characters are distinctly other worldly. For example, the very young early teen Parvana is the narrator, her friend on the streets is Shauzia, her older sister is Nooria and her brother who stepped on a land mine at age fourteen was Hossein.

Arranged marriages and allowing only boys and males the freedom to roam the streets and have jobs are some of the customs. Traditional dress includes chador and shalwar kameez. Some of the fruits they eat have familiar names, such as lemons. The food regularly eaten at every meal called nan is a flat bread "sometimes round and sometimes long" is a staple in their society. This book brings to life international social issues and a glimpse into the complexity of human nature, showing us that perseverance and hope spans the globe.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Review from Voice of Youth Advocates: "Parvana's story is a compelling look at modern life in Afghanistan through the eyes of a child determined to survive. In her disguise, Parvana enjoys limited freedom despite her fear of being discovered and beaten by the Taliban. Her mother, a former journalist, and her sister, who was forced to leave school, have far fewer options and chafe under the regime. The oppressiveness of the Taliban government and the war-torn devastation of Afghanistan are clearly illustrated by Parvana's family situation. The realistic ending of the novel invites a sequel and offers some hope for Parvana's survival."

Review from Books in Canada: "... As Calina, a 13 year-old grade 8 student wrote, "I voted for The Brea[d]winner for two reasons. One, because the royalties from the book go to help women in Afghanistan which is a great cause that needs and deserves monetary support, and secondly because the story is so captivating and full of emotion. The author pulled me into Parvana's story right from the first sentence which many authors aren't capable of doing."

Review from Booklist: "Gr. 5^-7. Ever since the fundamentalist group Taliban secured power in the Afghan capital of Kabul, Parvana and her family have suffered. The group's relentless oppression makes it impossible for the women of the family to leave the house without their father. When Parvana's elderly father is arrested on the grounds that he is a scholar, the women are trapped in their cramped apartment.

Eventually, running out of food and hope, Parvana dresses as a boy and becomes the family's breadwinner, doing whatever is necessary to keep the family alive--from reading letters for the illiterate to digging up and selling the bones of her ancestors. Unfortunately, the novel never deals with the religious facets of Afghan life, failing to explain that the Taliban sees itself, essentially, as a religious group. Nonetheless, The Breadwinner is a potent portrait of life in contemporary Afghanistan, showing that powerful heroines can survive even in the most oppressive and sexist social conditions. --John Green"

CONNECTIONS
* Read and discuss as part of Woman's History Month.
* Create and share a picture dictionary using the Afghanistan terms located in the glossary at the end of the book.
* Recreate meals mentioned in the novel and share the recipe for nan.
* Draw Parvana dressed as a boy and as a girl using the traditional clothes mentioned in the story.

The Shadows of Ghadames by Joëlle Stolz

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Stolz, Joëlle. 1999. The Shadows of Ghadames. Translated from French by Catherine Temerson. New York: Delacorte Press. ISBN 0385731043

PLOT SUMMARY
This story is another one of coming of age. Young Muslim, Malika, at age 12 stands on the threshold of womanhood and sees the distinction between men and women in her culture, longs to learn to read and write and struggles to understand her place in the world.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This story is rich with cultural markers that identify it as a international novel. The cover art shows women dressed from head to toe, some all in black and some all in red, with their faces covered and standing on rooftops. The architecture of the buildings and palm trees denote some far away land - in this case Libya. The culture is identifed many times as the father reminds the daughter that they "... live in a very ancient city..." and when the narrator first describes the mother as having "... bluish tatoos on her forehead and chin, and a mark in the shape of a star on each of her cheekbones".

The names of the characters are also distinctively otherwordly. Malika is the narrator of the story, her father is Mahmud, her mother and fathers first wife is Meriem, his second wife is Bilkisu and the mother of the narrators half-brother Jasim. Religious practices are kept and named, such as, Ramadan and the practice of daughters marrying at the young age of twelve.

Little nuances, such as the second wife addressing the first wife as Madame Meriem and the narrator calling her father papa distract from the cultural effect. This novel was originally written in French and some of the french language shows up. The story is still one of a realistic problem novel that many young students can identify with.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Review from Booklist: "Gr. 6-10. In the Libyan city of Ghadames at the end of the nineteenth century, Malika is dreading her twelfth birthday. That is the time when, according to her family's Berber customs, she will be close to marriageable age and confined to the world of women. In Ghadames that means restriction to the rooftops, a city above the city, an open sunny town for women only, where . . . they never talk to men. ... But Stolz invigorates her tale with elegant prose and a deft portrayal of a girl verging on adolescence. The vivid backdrop is intoxicating, but the story's universal concerns will touch readers most: sibling jealously, confusion about adult customs, and a growing interest in a world beyond family. --Gillian Engberg Copyright 2004 Booklist"

Review from School Library Journal: "Grade 5-8 ... This quiet story is notable for the intimate picture of the traditional Muslim world that it conveys; unfortunately, not until the author's note at the end is the time period made evident. The imprecise use of language may make it difficult for readers to visualize this distant world and to understand the characters' motivations. Still, this novel would be useful in schools studying this part of the world.-Kathleen Isaacs, Edmund Burke School, Washington, DC Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information."

CONNECTIONS
* Discuss family, religion and gender issues of differing cultures.
* Have students use this novel to write a new Readers Theatre script.
* Have students look up Libya on the map and write a letter to Milaka about life in the United States.
* Have students pick a character and write how they are similar (or dissimilar) to themselves or their parents.

Possum Magic by Mem Fox

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Fox, Mem. 1983. Possum Magic. Ill. by Julie Vivas. San Diego: Gulliver Books. ISBN 0152005722

PLOT SUMMARY
This magical story of love contains two Australian possums. To protect her grandchild, Hush, from predators, "Grandma Poss"casts an invisibility spell. This works well until Hush decides its time to reverse the spell. Both possums have a grand time following the coast of Australia in search of the magic ingredient needed to remove the invisibility spell from Hush.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This international book contains cultural markers identifying it as an Australian story. The characters name of Grandma Poss, is the shortened version used in Australia when speaking of possums. The names of Australian foods used throughout the story require a Glossary of Australian terms to help the reader identify the unfamiliar language used in Australia to name cookies, candies, sandwiches, desserts and a supper dish of fish. The single and double paged spread watercolor paintings of the animals native to Australia enrich the text with companion visuals.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Review from Booklist: "Gr. 1-4. Soft watercolor vignettes and a beautifully crafted, heartwarming story feature Grandma Poss, who renders young Hush invisible to save him from dangers in the Australian bush. To reverse the magic, the two travel the country nibbling various morsels. (Published in the U.S. by Abingdon.)"

Review from School Library Journal: "PreS-Gr 2 Grandma Poss uses bush magic to make Hush invisible, but when Hush wants to see herself again, Grandma can't remember which particular Australian food is needed to reverse the spell. ... Although the characters, locales, and vocabulary are thoroughly Australian, Possum Magic has universal appeal. Fox chooses her words carefully, making readers believe that certain foods just might be magical. Vivas uses a variety of techniques, including splatter painting and washes to create full- and double-page watercolor illustrations which complement the text and will entrance readers. A perfect choice for storytimes, but also useful for curriculum enrichment, thanks to a simplified map and glossary. Jeanette Larson, Mesquite Public Library, Tex."

CONNECTIONS
*Introduce students to maps using Australian map of the possums journey.
*Celebrate cultures by preparing foods mentioned in the book and relating them to similar foods used by the children in the U. S.
*Celebrate author Mem Fox, by reading her other stories.
*Investigate and prepare reports of Australian animals mentioned in Mem Fox's book.
*Use as story connection for unit on Families.