Books about Diversity

Picture Book:

My Name is Sangoel is the story of a young Dinka refugee written by Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra Mohammed. It is illustrated by Catherine Stock.

After Sangoel’s (pronounced Sun Goal) father is killed in war torn Sudan, Sangoel, his mother, and younger sister Lili are relocated to America. It is here that they are bombarded by a new and somewhat scary culture shock. Sangoel is often frightened and sad by his new environment. What makes him most upset is that no one is able to pronounce his name, the one trait from his past that he will not give up. It is because of his imaginative and creative personality that he is able to show others his name and his heritage, eventually winning the hearts and friendship of his teacher and classmates.

My Name is Sangoel is a wonderful book that addresses diversity. It is appropriate for young children in the fact that is it written on a level that they can understand and sends the message of acceptance. The illustrations are beautifully constructed and sure to be enjoyed by all who read the book.
I highly recommend My Name is Sangoel when addressing the issue of Diversity or International Cultures.

Chapter Book:

Sold by Patricia McCormick is one of the best books I have read in the genre of diversity. Sold is written as if it is a daily diary account of a young girls life before and after she is sold into sex slavery. Although the book is simply written and a very quick read, it speaks volumes on how life is valued in foreign countries and how people, especially the young and vulnerable are prayed upon.

Sold is a very graphic novel, obviously portraying acts of a sexual nature as well as general physical abuse. It is very easy to become caught up in the book and feel for the main character.

Having read some of McCormick’s other works, I enjoyed this one most. I feel that it is the most real and influential resource she has written. I also believe that Sold should be in every school library at the higher grade levels. It is a real book about real issues. It is both truthful and harmful, exposing the reality of an underground phenomenon all too real to millions of women and children.

Children's Awards From Other Countries

Children's Laureate, United Kingdom

The Children’s Laureate award is given every two years to an author or illustrator to “celebrate outstanding achievement in their field.'” The award is given to honor authors who create books for “the readers of tomorrow.”

Booktrust Teenage Prize

The Booktrust Teenage Prize was created in 2003 to recognize and honor those fictional books aimed at teenage readers. The Bookheads site that sponsors the award is primarily aimed at young adult readers and consist of articles and lists about the winning books including biographies, book reviews, teenage opinions and information about the judges.

Comparing the Harry Potter books to the Harry Potter films...

Honestly, I admit that I enjoyed the books more than I enjoyed the films. While the movies provided a visual to the print books, I thought the books were more thought out and mind provoking. This is how it seems to always go though, I always enjoy the books more than the movie!

I am the last person on Earth to read the Harry Potter books!!!

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

In the first book of the Harry Potter series, we are introduced to Harry and his live in family, the Dursley’s (Harry’s aunt and uncle). The Dursley’s agreed to care for Harry until he would attend Hogwarts School for Wizards. Harry’s home life in the mortal world is not impressive. However, at Hogwarts he quickly becomes friends with Hermione and Ron. The focus of The Sorcerer’s Stone is of Harry’s connection to the Evil Lord Voldemort. Voldemort was a powerful evil wizard who killed Harry’s parents before being cast away. Harry is the only person to have survived an attack by Voldemort. Voldemort tries to manipulate Harry into finding the powerful sorcerer’s stone, which he then wants to use to destroy Dumbledore and Hogwarts. Harry defeats Voldemort and sets the scene for the next six Harry Potter novels.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

In the second Harry Potter novel, Harry returns to Hogwarts, which is all abuzz with the reopening of the “Chamber of Secrets” somewhere on campus. The paintings on the wall have told the students the legend that says that an “heir of Slytherin” would return to Hogwarts and kill everyone there. Harry instantly becomes a suspect when he is found wandering the halls after several murders. He then speaks to a snake during a wizardry class. The other students are astonished about this, as this is a key sign of an “heir of Slytherin.” As Harry and his friends search for the chamber, they discover that Ron’s sister (Harry’s best friend’s sister) is actually the one being used to release the giant snake and commit these murders. Harry fights both the snake, Tom Riddle (the controller of the giant snake), and tries to destroy a diary that has been discovered as the key to the Chamber of Secrets. It seems as if the snake has mortally wounded Harry, but Harry is saved by the tears of Dumbledore’s pet phoenix Fawkes. He then destroys the diary, Tom Riddle, and the snake.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

In the third installment of The Harry Potter series, Harry escapes the summer of doldrums and critique by his aunt and uncle, to return to Hogwarts. At Hogwarts, Harry hears much conversation about the escape of Sirius Black (The Prisoner of Askaban). Harry learns that this “villain” may be returning to Hogwarts in search of him. The Ministry of Magic allows “dementors” to roam the grounds searching for Sirius and other practitioners of the Dark Arts. Harry struggles with his wizardry. As Hermione continues to mess with time travel spells, she sees a powerful wizard fending off hordes of dementors. This will turn out to be Harry. As Harry learns more about Sirius Black, he comes to find out that Sirius (although a prisoner) was a friend of Harry’s parents. Even as all of Hogwarts comes to believe that Sirius is an evil and dangerous villain, Harry eventually learns that they have been wrong about him. Although Dumbledore believes what Harry says about the true nature of Sirius, he cannot prove that they are correct. In the end, it turns out that Harry was the powerful wizard fending off the dementors and saving both he and Sirius Black’s life. Sirus escapes to return and help Harry in later novels.

By author Julius Lester

When Dad Killed Mom by Julius Lester recounts the story and events leading up to and after the death of Rachel Richards, the mother of Jenna and Jeremy. The books recalls, through the thoughts and actions of each child, they day they found out that their well-educated, popular father killed their artist mother on the town square of their little community.

Jenna and Jeremy are a brother and sister duo who are not unlike many brother- sister relationships in real life. Each child sided with a parent and often played favorites among each. Because of the tragic event of their mother’s murder, Jenna and Jeremy must dig deeper to find the truth about their parents and more importantly, who they are now as independent children.

Julius Lester has created a work that not only addresses the feeling of a child who has essentially lost both parents, but also creates a plot that is multifaceted. When Dad Killed Mom is a hard read to be honest. It jumps back and forth between each child. Likewise, when detailing their feelings regarding their loss, Mr. Lester often portrays one, if not both, superficially.

While this an interesting book to read, it was not what I thought it was going to be. I thought that it was interesting that a man would create a work centered on that of a teenage girl and her younger brother. While some accounts are obviously realistic, many are just too hard to wrap you head around knowing that the author is writing from such a different perspective.

Other books by Lester: To Be a Slave, Let’s Talk About Race, and Do Lord Remember Me

By author Yoshiko Uchida

Journey to Topaz by Yoshiko Uchida tells the authors account, through a young Japanese- American girl, of the post- Pearl Harbor bombing of 1941. Journey to Topaz first begins in the city of Berkeley, California. Yuki Sakane, age eleven, and her family are separated after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Yuki’s father, an intelligent Japanese man who is believed to have information regarding the attack, is taken from his family of four. He is sent to a POW camp in Montana to be questioned. Yuki and her mother, along with her brother and several other Japanese neighbors are sent to camps themselves upon order of the United States government. They are forced to sell their most valuable belongings and leave friends and neighbors. At the first camp, the remaining Sakanes are forced to live in a horse stall. Later, they are moved to Topaz, Utah, where although conditions are not much better, they live and struggle to regain their freedom as Japanese - Americans.

As Journey to Topaz continues, the Sakanes face challenges unimaginable to most. Without privacy, warm water, enough food, and even the death of a new friend, the family strives to reunite with their father/ husband. Eventually, they are brought back together and from the camp of Topaz.

Journey to Topaz is a well written account of the events Japanese- Americans faced at the hand of the United States government and the story of a young girl who questions whether she is Japanese or American. Although I believe it ended abruptly and left me asking many questions, I would recommend this book to those who are interested in Japanese- American culture and history.

Other books by Yoshiko Uchida: A Jar of Dreams and Desert Exile.

"Al Capone Does My Shirts" Book Review

"Al Capone Does My Shirts" is without a doubt one of the best books I have read this year. I have heard in the past how great this book was from my fellow colleagues, but having read it myself, I can now agree!

The book takes place in the 1950's and tells the story of Matthew "Moose" Flannigan and his family. Moose and his family have moved to the island of Alcatraz for his father's new job as a prison guard/ electrician. Although the book is a fictional depiction, it does make reference to real life individuals such as Al Capone, notorious gangster.

Moose and the Flannigans experience numerous highs and lows throughout the book. Moose's sister suffers from an unknown disability (now days it would be considered autism) that pushes to the family to make decisions that may not be popular but are definitely needed.

Besides dealing with family issues, Moose must also hold his own when it comes to his social life and that of the quirky games Piper, the warden's daughter, plays. At the end of the book, it is clear that the Flannigans are good people, who like anyone else, past or present, must make choices that have both positive and negatives effects. It is from the help of a unseen con (Capone) that Moose and his family get exactly what they need.

I highly recommend "Al Capone Does My Shirts". It was a great light read that was both quick and humorous. It will be a favorite of both young adults and grown adults alike!

"Kira- Kira" Book Review

"Kira- Kira" is a 2005 John Newbery Award winner written by Cynthia Kadohata. The book is set in the late 1950’s to early 1960 in Georgia. Katie Takeshima, a young American born Japanese girl, leaves her Iowa home with her family in route to Georgia so her parents can work at a chicken hatchery in hopes of providing a better life for their family.

As the book progresses, "Kira- Kira" tells the story of the trials and tribulations of the Takeshima family, the most prominent being the death of the oldest child, Lynnie. It is during her period of sickness that the family struggles most, both financially and emotionally. "Kira- Kira" is an eye opening book to Japanese- American culture. The book portrays the difference in two cultures, all the while, defining a family who contributes to both.

While "Kira- Kira" (which means sparkling, shinning) is a well-written book, it is not one of my favorites. It is simplistically written with little detail. While this may be pleasing to some readers, I do not favor this type of writing. I do recommend Kira- Kira however as it is a delightful fictional book.

Difference Between Caldecott and Newbery Awards

Caldecott Award

Created in 1938, the Caldecott Award is presented annually by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association(ALA), to the illustrator of the most distinguished American picture book for children published that year. The award was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott.

Newbery Award

Created in 1922, the Newbery Medal is also presented annually by the American Library Association (ALA) for the most prominent American children’s book published the previous year. The award was named in honor of eighteenth-century English bookseller John Newbery.

Is one better than the other?

I do not believe that one award, the Caldecott or Newbery, is better than the other. Each award serves a particular purpose in that one is for illustrations (Caldecott) and the other for literature (Newbery). Readers who favor one type of book may preference one award over the other depending on the variety of material they enjoy most.

A complete inventory of the Caldecott Award winners and Newbery Award winners may be located at the American Library Assocation webpage (www.ala.org)

"Becoming Billy Holiday" A Coretta Scott King Award Book

"Becoming Billy Holiday", by Carole Boston Weatherford, is a 2009 Coretta Scott King Award winning book. "Becoming…" tells the story of a young Eleanora Fagan’s transformation into jazz sensation, Billy Holiday. The book is comprised of a series of poems and lyrics telling the story of how Billy Holiday began her life far from the glitz and glamour of being famous, and instead growing up in a broken home filled with trouble and loss. One of my favorite poems in the book is entitled,"I Wished on the Moon". It describes that no matter how poor Billy was growing up, she could take refuge in a five cent matinee to forget her troubles. It was there in the theatre that she could dream bigger than her own life and just for a few hours, forget what it was like to be a young black girl living in poverty.

The Coretta Scott King Awards are presented annually by the American Library Association (ALA).The awards are given to honor African-American authors and illustrators who create books for children and young adults. In addition, the awards observe the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.. and honor Coretta Scott King in her efforts for peace and civil rights.

"The Red Book" Book Review

"The Red Book", by Barbara Lehmen, is a book like no other that you will ever read. Why, you ask? There are no words! "The Red Book" is an entirely illustrated book. It is however one of the best stories you could “read” with a child. This book allows children to create their own story line without constructing boundaries. It is perfect for both young and older children alike. I think it would be interesting to see how each age group would construct plot and their view of what they see.

"The Red Book" illustrates a young girl who has discovered a misplaced book located in a large city. As she views her new found treasure, she is surprised to see that a young island boy is doing the same. The magic within this book is that both people can see each other, all the while developing a friendship through the book.

As readers go forward in the book, they will see that sadly, the young girl losses the book. Luckily, it is discovered by another person, thus starting the adventure all over.

This book could obviously be frustrating to those individuals who follow the straight and narrow of book reading. It is however enjoyable to create and recreate different stories each time you read it!

"Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom" Book Review

"Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom" is a 2007 Caldecott Honor book written by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Kadir Nelson.
This is without a doubt one of the best historical books I have read that is oriented towards children and youth. "Moses" tells the story of enslaved Harriet Tubman and the journey she took to free others. This book tells the story through the use of three different people. One is an all knowing undefined person who tells the story of Harriet. The second is Harriet herself praying for strength and knowledge to survive the dangers that she will face. The third is God responding to her pleas, telling Harriet that she will survive and that she can go forward on her journey.

I recommend "Moses" to anyone who wishes to educate and inform young students about the trials and tribulations of enslaved African Americans. This book is both beautifully written and historically sound. Likewise, the illustrations are realistic and obviously meaningful to Nelson the illustrator. In addition to being a Caldecott Honor book, "Moses: is also a Coretta Scott King Award winner.

"The House in the Night" Book Review

"The House in the Night", written by Susan Marie Swanson and illustrated by Beth Krommes, is the 2009 Caldecott Medal winner. This book is reminiscent of "Good Night Moon" in that both are excellent bedtime stories for young children. "The House in the Night" is an example of what I call a “leading” book. It starts with one object, a house, and leads you through to many others. For example,

In the house burns a light.
In that light rests a bed.
On that bed waits a book.

"The House in the Night" is beautifully illustrated in a grey scheme with yellow accents. Like "Good Night Moon", this book is a one of my new favorites.

What Do You Do With a Tail LIke This? Book Review

"What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?" is a 2004 Caldecott Honor Book written by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page. "What Do You Do…" is a beautifully illustrated animal book that leads readers on a guessing game. Pages are filled with realistic pictures of animal parts and questions that correspond. For example, one page shows the hands of various animals and asks what these hands do. The following page shows the animal in which the hand belongs and tells a short interesting fact about the animal and what it does.

Jenkins and Page have created a fun and enjoyable book for readers of all ages. Not only do readers have to indentify the animal in which the part belongs (hand, feet, tail, nose, eyes, ears and tongue), they are given an interesting fact about how the animal uses that part. Did you know that the chameleon uses its eyes to look two ways at once?

What I really liked about this book was the informative glossary at the end. Each body part discussed prior in the book is detailed with interesting facts in full about each animal.

Gone Wild: An Endangered Animal Alphabet Book Review

"Gone Wild: An Endangered Animal Alphabet", written by Davis McLimans, is a 2007 Caldecott Honor Book. "Gone Wild" is an informative picture book, appropriate for upper elementary school students and perhaps lower middle school.

For each letter of the alphabet, a different endangered animal is introduced. What I found entertaining about this book is how each letter is shaped or designed to reflect the animal it represents. For example, the letter “C” represents the Naked Characin fish and is illustrated in the form of a crescent.

"Gone Wild" is in fact a very informative book. Each page contains facts about endangered animals. These facts include the general name of the animal, the scientific name, the class, habitat, location or range, the threat(s) the animal currently faces, as well as the level of endangerment (critically endangered, endangered, or vulnerable).

I truly enjoyed this book. Although the information is much too advanced for my two year son, he enjoyed looking at the illustrations and pointing out the letters he is familiar with. This book is different from any other alphabet book I have read or purchased due to the fact that it presents non-fiction, real life information along with the letter and picture. "Gone Wild" is an example of a top-notch children’s literature book for being both informative and enjoyable to read.

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to my blog! This blog is used to communicate with my fellow grad- students for Western Kentucky University. Feel free to post anytime. Thanks!