Grandfather's Journey

Say, Allen. Grandfather's journey. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1993.

Plot Summary: Grandfather’s Journey, written and illustrated by Allen Say, shares the life of his grandfather as he moves from Japan to the United States and back again several times. As the grandfather grows older, he passes down his curiosity and will to travel to his children and grandchildren, who all learn to appreciate life and culture in new and familiar places.

Critical Analysis: What a beautiful story depicting the travels of several Japanese-American gentlemen. Their love of both the United States and Japan is portrayed in this story, which makes this book a great story to share with or about Japanese-Americans or others that share interests in more than one culture. This book, told from the perspective of the grandchild, shares the accounts of three generations of travelers, all who had or have a longing to travel and experience new places. The book has few words, but the well-done illustrations speak volumes. The full-page (two-page spread) illustrations often contrast each other, and share the differences between the two cultures that words cannot depict. The characters are well defined, and not stereotypical, most likely due to the fact that Allen Say grew up in Japan and moved to the United States at the age of sixteen. The book is rich in cultural details, depicting American and Japanese culture. While some cultural markers are included in the text, many can be found in the book’s illustrations. Cultural markers include depictions of war times, clothing, landscapes, and ways of transportation.

Reviews:

Bookhive: Do you ever wonder what it would be like to visit another country on a whim and explore it from coast to coast? This is just what the author's grandfather did. Allen Say chronicles the life of his grandfather and his love affair with the United States and Japan. Through beautiful and intimate portraits, the reader will witness this extraordinary man as he explores the States by train, riverboat, and believe it or not, by foot. He experiences the deserts, the huge cities with factories and tall buildings, but loves California best. However, as the grandfather watches his own daughter grow, he realizes how much he misses his childhood friends and the landscapes of Japan. Experience the celebration of two cultures as Allen Say lovingly recounts the life of his grandfather. This 1994 Caldecott Medal Winner is a good read to share with armchair travelers from elementary school kids on up.

Kirkus: The funny thing is, the moment I am in one country, I am homesick for the other," observes Say near the end of this poignant account of three generations of his family's moves between Japan and the US. Say's grandfather came here as a young man, married, and lived in San Francisco until his daughter was "nearly grown" before returning to Japan; his treasured plan to visit the US once again was delayed, forever as it turned out, by WW II. Say's American-born mother married in Japan (cf. Tree of Cranes, 1991), while he, born in Yokohama, came here at 16. In lucid, graceful language, he chronicles these passages, reflecting his love of both countries--plus the expatriate's ever-present longing for home--in both simple text and exquisitely composed watercolors: scenes of his grandfather discovering his new country and returning with new appreciation to the old, and pensive portraits recalling family photos, including two evoking the war and its aftermath. Lovely, quiet--with a tenderness and warmth new to this fine illustrator's work.

Children’s Literature: The cover of this book shines with gold, which is a good representation for the richness within. The author tells how his Japanese grandfather travels to America and falls in love with its diversity. Later, he journeys to America, and, like his grandfather, learns that "the moment I am in one country, I am homesick for the other." There are few words in the book, but it speaks paragraphs about all kinds of longing.

Awards:

ABC Children's Booksellers Choices Award, 1994 Winner Picture Books United States

Bay Area Book Reviewers Association Award, 1994 Winner Children's Literature United States

Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Excellence in Children's Literature, 1994 Winner Illustration United States

California Book Awards, 1993 Winner Ages Up to 10 United States

National Association of Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA), 1993 Winner United States

New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books of the Year, 1993 Winner United States

Randolph Caldecott Medal, 1994 Winner United States

Reading Magic Award, 1993 Winner United States

Connections: This book will be well received in classrooms of varying ages. Use this title in an art class and have students draw two self-portraits: one in their hometown, and another in a place they long to visit.

Check out the following titles also about Japanese Americans....

Bunting, Eve, and Chris K. Soentpiet. So far from the sea. New York: Clarion Books, 1998.

Kadohata, Cynthia. Kira-kira. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2004.

Uchida, Yoshiko, and Joanna Yardley. The bracelet. New York: Philomel, 1993.

The Firekeeper's Son

Park, Linda Sue, and Julie Downing. The firekeeper's son. New York: Clarion Books, 2003.

Plot Summary: Sang-hee learns about the importance of keeping the fire burning in his home country of Korea. His father works to teach Sang-hee the ways of the firekeepers, and soon Sang-hee abruptly finds himself taking on the responsibility on his own. Through the experience, Sang-hee learns to have pride in his country and the importance of serving his country. 

Critical Analysis: The Firekeeper’s Son, by Linda Sue Park and illustrated by Julie Downing, tells the story of a young Korean patriot, Sang-hee. The story takes place in Korea in the 1800’s. Two main characters are depicted in this story, Sanh-hee and his father. Both are portrayed in accurate detail, including clothes, facial features, and skin tones. This story is intimate, and the only interaction between characters is between the boy and his father. Obviously portrayed in this book is the patriarchal role of a father. Sang-hee’s father is expected to light the fire each night to protect Korea, and when his father cannot complete the task, Sang-hee is expected to carry it out. Cultural markers in this book are often included in the illustrations. Examples of these include clothing, accessories, landscape, and shelters. Julie Downing’s illustrations are beautifully done with watercolor and pastels and add life and meaning to Park’s words. The book includes a helpful author’s note, which explains the fire lighting system in detail.

Reviews:

Booklist: Park, who won a Newbery Medal for her novel A Single Shard (2001), tells a picture-book story set in Korea in the early 1800s about a young boy in a remote village who suddenly finds himself serving his country. At sunset Sang-hee's father always climbs the mountain and lights a fire that signals to another firekeeper on the next mountain to light his fire, and so on, all the way to the mountain at the palace of the king, who knows from the fire signals that all is well in the land. Then one evening Sang-hee's father breaks his ankle, and the boy must keep the light burning. Downing's handsome, watercolor-and-pastel double-page pictures personalize the history, showing realistic close-ups of the child, who plays soldiers and dreams of the excitement of battle. In contrast are the panoramic views far across the country as the boy tends the flame that preserves peace from mountain to mountain. Add this to those lighthouse stories about the brave child who must take over for adults.

Kirkus: Drawing once again on her heritage, Newbery Medalist Park tells a tale rooted in the history of Korea. Centuries ago-and through the 19th century-the lighting of fires apprised the king of the safety of his country. Darkness warned of trouble. When Sang-hee's father is injured, Sang-hee must climb the mountain with the brass pot of hot coals to start the fire that signals all is well. The first night Sang-hee contemplates whether or not he should light the fire-after all, if he does not, the soldiers will come and he would like to see the soldiers just once. In the end both Sang-hee and his father are proud that Sang-hee has become a trustworthy fire-starter as his father and grandfather were before him. Even in the darkness the watercolor illustrations glow with vibrancy. The cover illustration is especially striking: Sang-hee bright-eyed at the orange-and-yellow fire flickering before him. A lovely telling that will bring readers back to read or hear this story one more time.

Children’s Literature: Back in 19th century Korea, young Sang-hee's father explains the importance of his trip every night to the nearby mountaintop. There he must start a fire, the first in a series of fires from mountain to mountain from the sea to the king's palace. The fires signal that all is well; that no enemy threatens from the sea. One evening Sang-hee does not see the fire. When he runs to see why, he finds that his father is hurt, so he must take the pot of coals to the mountaintop and light the fire. Much as he yearns to see the soldiers who would come if no fire is lit, Sang-hee realizes it is up to him to keep the peace. With great difficulty, he manages to kindle the flame, and until his father is well he does his duty. Watercolors and pastels are used to create naturalistic double-page scenes which describe the 'important village" and the mountain landscape surrounding it. There is a gentle quality to the daytime scenes; a more mellow sensitivity to those at night. Those of Sang-hee racing up the mountain with the pot of glowing coals add tension with his gestures and close-up perspectives. His anxious, fire-lit face on the jacket/cover draws us into his story. The "Author's Note" adds information on the factual background of the story.

Awards:

Asian Pacific American Award for Literature, 2004-2005 Winner Illustration United States

Irma S. and James H. Black Award for Excellence in Children's Literature, 2004 Honor Book United States

Parents' Choice Award, 2004 Recommended Picture Books United States

Armadillo Readers' Choice Award, 2004-2005 ; Nominee; PreK-2; Texas

Georgia Children's Book Award, 2006-2007 ; Nominee; Picture Storybook; Georgia

Kentucky Bluegrass Award, 2006 ; Nominee; Grades K-2; Kentucky

Monarch Award: Illinois' K-3 Children's Choice Award, 2008 ; Nominee; Grades K-3; Illinois

Volunteer State Book Award, 2006-2007 ; Nominee; Grades K-3; Tennessee

Young Hoosier Book Award, 2006-2007 ; Nominee; Picture Books; Indiana

Connections: Use this book in a classroom or storytime setting about patriotism. Discuss the ways in which we can serve our country, like Sang-hee served Korea. Have the children illustrate their ideas using watercolors or pastels, similar to Julie Downing’s illustrations.

Check out the following titles also by Linda Sue Park…

Park, Linda Sue, Jean Tseng, and Mou Tseng. Seesaw girl. New York: Clarion Books, 1999.

Park, Linda Sue. A single shard. New York: Clarion Books, 2001.

Park, Linda Sue, and Istvan Banyai. Tap dancing on the roof: sijo (poems). New York: Clarion Books, 2007.

Park, Linda Sue, and Bagram Ibatoulline. The third gift. New York: Clarion Books, 2011.

The Year of the Dog

Lin, Grace. The year of the dog: a novel. New York: Little, Brown, 2006.

Plot Summary: Pacy, or Grace (as her school friends call her) is celebrating Chinese New Year and the Year of the Dog. She finds out from her parents that the Year of the Dog brings good luck in family, friends, wealth, and finding oneself. Grace struggles to find herself throughout the year, but is finally successful after winning a prestigious writing contest. With her win, comes wealth. Although riches are important in her culture, Grace learns that just how lucky she is to have caring friends and family members.

Critical Analysis:

The Year of the Dog by Grace Lin is a funny and honest book about Chinese-American culture, particularly the Chinese New Year. The book is a fictional autobiography based on the author at a young age. Grace’s family consists of her parents and two sisters, all are depicted accurately according the Chinese-American culture. The family members and other Chinese-American characters are not stereotyped, but portrayed in a positive light. The story is set in New York, in modern times.

Throughout the story, Grace is searching for her talents, but finds many obstacles along the way. When things seem to be going well for everyone else, Grace feels unlucky and far from talented. The reader experiences the ups and downs of a school year with Grace, and all will relate to her struggles.

Cultural markers in this story include illustrated examples of Chinese characters, many references to the different years in Chinese culture and their meanings, and bountiful mentions of Chinese cuisine. The markers are accurate and portray the culture well.

This book is an easy read, and would lend itself well to being read aloud. Grace Lin is not only the author, but also the illustrator, and she includes simple but meaningful pen illustrations. The illustrations add meaning and help the reader to understand cultural concepts that may be infamiliar.

Reviews:

Booklist: When Lin was a girl, she loved the Betsy books by Carolyn Hayward, a series about a quintessentially American girl whose days centered around friends and school. But Lin, a child of Taiwanese immigrants, didn't see herself in the pages. Now she has written the book she wished she had as a child. Told in a simple, direct voice, her story follows young Grace through the Year of the Dog, one that Grace hopes will prove lucky for her. And what a year it is! Grace meets a new friend, another Asian girl, and together they enter a science fair, share a crush on the same boy, and enjoy special aspects of their heritage (food!). Grace even wins fourth place in a national book-writing contest and finds her true purpose in life. Lin, who is known for her picture books, dots the text with charming ink drawings, some priceless, such as one picturing Grace dressed as a munchkin. Most of the chapters are bolstered by anecdotes from Grace's parents, which connect Grace (and the reader) to her Taiwanese heritage. Lin does a remarkable job capturing the soul and the spirit of books like those of Hayward or Maud Hart Lovelace, reimagining them through the lens of her own story, and transforming their special qualities into something new for today's young readers.

Kirkus: Being Taiwanese-American is confusing, and being the only Asian kid in your elementary school-except for your older sister-is not always comfortable. Pacy has high hopes for the Year of the Dog, which, she learns, is a year for finding friends and finding yourself. The friend comes first: a new girl, Melody, whose family is also Taiwanese-American. Over the course of the year, Pacy eats at Melody's house, where the food is familiar but also very different, celebrates her cousin's Red Egg day, writes a story for a national contest, visits Chinatown in New York City and wins a prize. Not only does she feel rich, she knows what she wants to do with her life. The Year of the Dog turns out exactly as advertised. Elementary school readers will enjoy the familiar details of school life and the less familiar but deliciously described Chinese holiday meals. Interspersed with the happenings of daily life are her mother's stories of Pacy's grandparents' lives and her own struggles as a new immigrant. Occasional black-and-white drawings by the author enliven the text. This comfortable first-person story will be a treat for Asian-American girls looking to see themselves in their reading, but also for any reader who enjoys stories of friendship and family life.

Children’s Literature: In the age of self-awareness, Grace Lin has written a lighthearted story about Pacey, a young Taiwanese-American girl struggling to find a balance between her “American” life and her Asian roots. This is a fun and simple coming-of-age story for anyone who feels that they do not quite fit in. This book is sprinkled with entertaining small drawings in the margins that younger readers will enjoy. It is, however, infused with mini-lessons and anecdotes that are meant to teach but instead confuse the reader by veering off track in a way that does not quite tie in with the rest of the story. Pacey’s quest to find an identity in the Year of the Dog allows her to explore who she is. This is Grace Lin’s attempt to write a book that she would have loved as a child.

Awards:

Asian Pacific American Award for Literature, 2006-2007 Honorable Mention Text United States

National Parenting Publications Award, 2006 Gold Book Ages 9 & Up United States

Beverly Cleary Children's Choice Award, 2009 ; Nominee; Oregon

Bluestem Award, 2011 ; Master List; United States

Cochecho Readers' Award, 2006-2007 ; Nominee; New Hampshire

Grand Canyon Reader Award, 2010 ; Nominee; Intermediate; Arizona

Great Lakes Great Books Award, 2007-2008 ; Nominee; Grades 4-5; Michigan

Iowa Children's Choice Award, 2009-2010 ; Nominee; Iowa

M. Jerry Weiss Book Award, 2009 ; Nominee; Grades 7-12; New Jersey

Massachusetts Children's Book Award, 2008-2009 ; Master List; Massachusetts

Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award, 2009-2010 ; Nominee; Grades 3-5; Minnesota

Nene Award, 2007 ; Book List; Hawaii

Nene Award, 2008 ; Nominee; Hawaii

Nene Award, 2009 ; Nominee; Hawaii

North Carolina Children's Book Award, 2008 ; Nominee; Junior Book; North Carolina

Nutmeg Children's Book Award, 2010 ; Nominee; Intermediate; Connecticut

Sunshine State Young Reader's Award, 2009-2010 ; Nominee; Grades 3-5; Florida

Texas Bluebonnet Award, 2007-2008 ; Master List; Texas

Voice of Youth Award, 2009-2010 ; Nominee; 3rd and 4th Grade; Illinois United States

West Virginia Children's Book Award, 2007-2008 ; Nominee; West Virginia

Young Reader's Choice Award, 2009 ; Nominee; Grades 4-6; Pacific Northwest

Connections: Use this book in a classroom setting as a read-aloud selection. This book can be used in social studies, history, or current events lessons. Use this book as a prompt for a writing assignment and have students write a short chapter about a lesson learned in their own lives.

Check out the following chapter books also about Chinese New Year....

McDonald, Megan, Robert Hunt, and Susan McAliley. Happy New Year, Julie. Middleton, WI: American Girl Pub., 2007.

Yang, Dori Jones. The secret voice of Gina Zhang. Middleton, WI: American Girl, 2000.

Yep, Laurence, and Suling Wang. When the circus came to town. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 2002.

Yep, Laurence. The star maker. New York: Harper an Imprint of HarperCollins, 2011.

Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship & Freedom

Tingle, Tim, and Jeanne Rorex Bridges. Crossing Bok Chitto: a Choctaw tale of friendship & freedom. El Paso, TX: Cinco Puntos Press, 2006.

Plot Summary: A young Choctaw girl, Martha Tom, crosses the Bok Chitto river to a Southern plantation. There she meets a young slave boy, Little Mo, and befriends him. The two become friends, and, eventually, Martha Tom helps save Little Mo and his family from the danger of the plantation owners that could lead to the separation of his family forever.

Critical Analysis: Crossing Bok Chitto, a Choctaw tale, shares a story of bravery and friendship that does not know the boundaries of race. This story is set before Civil War times in Mississippi. Tim Tingle’s storytelling skills shine in this poetically written tale. The illustrations by Cherokee artist Jeanne Rorex Bridges are full-page, culturally accurate, and beautifully created using acrylic paints. The colors are subtle, which ads to the somber feelings in the story.

This book contains many cultural markers, including clothing (worn by both cultures depicted), language, and religious and spiritual beliefs. The story also dabbles lightly in the subject of shape-shifting, which was a common belief among some Native American tribes. The story teachers somewhat unfamiliar information about the Native Americans assisting the African American slaves to freedom before the civil war. This book praises diversity, bravery, and friendship among those who may be different. This inspiring tale would make a great addition to any elementary school collection. The author includes factual information about the Choctaw tribe, including their efforts to assist the slaves, and the Choctaw style of storytelling.

Reviews:

Booklist: In a picture book that highlights rarely discussed intersections between Native Americans in the South and African Americans in bondage, a noted Choctaw storyteller and Cherokee artist join forces with stirring results. Set "in the days before the War Between the States, in the days before the Trail of Tears," and told in the lulling rhythms of oral history, the tale opens with a Mississippi Choctaw girl who strays across the Bok Chitto River into the world of Southern plantations, where she befriends a slave boy and his family. When trouble comes, the desperate runaways flee to freedom, helped by their own fierce desire (which renders them invisible to their pursuers) and by the Choctaws' secret route across the river. In her first paintings for a picture book, Bridges conveys the humanity and resilience of both peoples in forceful acrylics, frequently centering on dignified figures standing erect before moody landscapes. Sophisticated endnotes about Choctaw history and storytelling traditions don't clarify whether Tingle's tale is original or retold, but this oversight won't affect the story's powerful impact on young readers, especially when presented alongside existing slave-escape fantasies such as Virginia Hamiltons's The People Could Fly (2004) and Julius Lester's The Old African (2005).

Children’s Literature: Bok Chitto is the river that cuts through Mississippi and serves as the boundary between the Choctaw Indian nation and the plantation owners and their slaves. Martha Tom, a Choctaw girl, is sent to pick blackberries. Her quest for blackberries leads her to cross Bok Chitto. She knows of a stone path just beneath the river's surface. As she discovers blackberries, she also discovers another people living in the woods--the slaves. Little Mo, a slave boy, leads Martha Tom back to the river and learns of her stone path; the two become good friends. When Little Mo's mother is sold and the family fears separation, Little Mo realizes he can help by using the stone path that Martha Tom has shown him. The other Choctaw Indians help lead Little Mo's family across Bok Chitto and keep the guards away by appearing as ghosts. Tom Tingle, a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, tells a very moving story about friends helping each other and reveals a lesser-known part of American History: Native Americans helped runaway slaves. The muted and soft illustrations done by Jeanne Rorex Bridges, a Cherokee ancestor, fit the story's time and place, particularly the river's muddiness. The notes at the end also provide useful information to learn more about the Native Americans in history and the background of the story. While, this is a picture book; it would make a wonderful read-aloud for middle elementary students.

Awards:

Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award, 2008-2009 ; Nominee; Grades K-3; Arkansas

Children's Crown Award, 2008-2009 ; Nominee; United States

Prairie Pasque Award, 2008-2009 ; Nominee; Grades 4-6; South Dakota

Sequoyah Book Award, 2009 ; Masterlist; Children's; Oklahoma

Texas Bluebonnet Award, 2008-2009 ; Masterlist; Texas

Volunteer State Book Award, 2010-2011 ; Nominee; Grades K-3; Tennessee

Connections: This book would make a great real aloud story for children of all ages. This story can be used when discussing Native Americans, folk tales, or slavery.

Check out the following books with Native American folk lore…

Goble, Paul. The legend of the White Buffalo Woman. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society, 1998.

Harris, Christie, and Douglas Tait. Sky man on the totem pole?. [1st ed. New York: Atheneum, 1975.

Hillerman, Tony, and Janet Grado. The boy who made dragonfly: a Zuni myth. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 19861972.

Nelson, S. D.. Gift horse: a Lakota story. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1999.

Taylor, C. J.. How Two-Feather was saved from loneliness: an Abenaki legend. Montreal, Quebec: Tundra Books, 1990.